The Cluster

Join the 2013-2014 editorial staff!

Cluster staff reports — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:16:11 +0000

Apply to be a part of the 2013-2014 editorial staff! Visit mercercluster.com/apply to apply for an editor position.

Applications are due Friday, May 3 by 10 p.m.

Betts, Niemann named Male and Female Athlete of the Year

Bryson Jones — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:33:11 +0000

The Mercer Univerity Athletics Department announced its 2012-13 Outstanding Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year at its third annual Big Bear Event held at Hawkins Arena on Saturday April 20.
Seniors Will Betts and Kacie Niemann picked up the honors after four impressive years at Mercer University filled with outstanding achievements both on and off the field. Betts will be graduating this May from the men’s soccer team and Niemann recently finished up her running career on the women’s cross country team.
“It was really unexpected,” said Betts. “I’m extremely honored and humbled to have the opportunity to bring recognition to the men’s soccer program and the strides that the team has made throughout my four years here.”
Both Betts and Niemann have had impressive careers in their respective sports.
Betts finished his Mercer career with 77 games played and tied for the fifth-most games started in A-Sun Conference history, with 74. The Brenham, Texas native had 33 career points on 12 goals and nine assists, including a stellar 2012 senior campaign where he amassed 11 points on four goals and three assists.
Niemann will go down as one of, if not the best, women’s cross country runners in Mercer history. She holds seven of the top times ever run by women’s runners in the Bears’ record book and is now a two-time Academic All-Conference selection. Niemann also picked up All-Conference honors for the third time in her career with a top 14 finish in the conference championship race this past fall. Niemann wrapped up her A-Sun career with a personal best of 17:47.3 and finished 8th overall in the conference championship.
Both Betts and Niemann have also had impressive careers as students at Mercer.
This isn’t the first major honor for Betts, who has a 3.98 cumulative GPA as a finance major. The Brenham, Texas native was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-American first team, the 2012 NSCAA Scholar All-South Region first team and was voted the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2011 and 2012. This past season Niemann was also twice named Atlantic Sun Runner of the Week for her performances in the Bears’ fall schedule.
Niemann carries a 3.97 overall GPA as a double major in Spanish and Pre-Physician’s Assistant.
“It came as quite a surprise,” explained Niemann. “We have so many talented athletes at Mercer, but I am honored by the recognition. Coach Bailey took a chance on adding me to the team because I had only been a mediocre high school runner, but with God’s grace I have been able to significantly improve over the last four years. I still have terrible running form, asthma and a predisposition to stress fracture, so I can really only attribute my running success to God because it does not biologically make sense for me to be able to run well.” Niemann said.
“I have to give credit to coach Bailey’s instruction, my wonderful team, and the tough love of my fiance and fellow captain Jacob Law for giving me the tenacity to endure the pain of 3.1 miles over and over in a Mercer uniform. I am proud to bring what honor I could to an already great university.” Neimann said.

Baseball takes No. 1 Ranking in Mid-Major Poll

Bryson Jones — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:32:30 +0000

After yet another successful week between the lines, the Mercer baseball team completed its season-long rise to the top of the charts to the No. 1 ranking in the most recent College Baseball Daily Top-25 Mid-Major Poll released earlier this week.
Mercer (32-11, 12-6 A-Sun) started the week off by collecting a solid 5-3 mid-week road win over Georgia Southern before continuing its recent surge in league play by taking two-of-three from Lipscomb at home this past weekend.
Against Georgia Southern, Chesny Young and Sasha Lagarde led the way for the Bears on the strength of a homerun and two RBIs a piece.
The series against Lipscomb started well for the Bears as the team took game one by a score of 7-4. Chesny Young went a perfect 3-for-3 hitting on the day earning two RBIs. On the strength of one homerun and two hits, Nick Backlund batted in four runners during the contest.
The Bears continued their winning ways in game two of the series defeating the Bison 5-2. Michael Massi, Sasha Lagarde, Logan Gaines and David Reid-Foley all contributed an RBI in the winning effort. Brandon Barker earned the win on the strength of six innings of work that included nine strikeouts.
The final game of the series was not so lucky for the Bears as they fell 8-4 to Lipscomb. Nick Backlund, David Reid-Foley and Logan Gaines each contributed an RBI in the loss.
The Orange and Black started the season ranked 25th in the poll and has been steadily moving up all season long leading up to its No. 1 ranking this week, just slightly beating out Big East power Louisville for tops in the nation.
The Bears are one of three Atlantic Sun Conference teams in the CBD Mid-Major poll, joining No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast and North Florida who is currently in the receiving votes section.
Mercer has one day off before its back on the road in Tallahassee for a mid-week contest against Florida A&M on April 23. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Moore-Kittles Field.

Men’s golf places fifth in Atlantic Sun Conference

Bryson Jones — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:30:26 +0000

Reimers finishes ninth overall in the conference

The Mercer men’s golf team finished off the season with a fifth place finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
On day one of the tournament, Junior James Beale booked a 75 (+3) in to lead the Bears to a tie for fifth place on the team leaderboard. Mercer’s first day total of 308 at The Legends Course of Chateau Elan positioned the team seven strokes behind Jacksonville and East Tennessee State for third place and 19 strokes off North Florida’s tournament leading pace.
Head coach Steve Bradley explained the rough conditions throughout the turf.
“It’s not an easy golf course,” Mercer head coach Steve Bradley said. “Firm greens combined with winds and cooler temperatures made the course play longer today. We got off to a rough start and righted the ship in the middle, but we played our last two holes eight over par which is disappointing,”Bradley said.
The second day saw the Bears drop to sixth place in the tournament after they slipped to sixth place in the second round of the Atlantic Sun Championship. Individually, Hans Reimers posted a 73 (+1) to jump into a tie for eighth place.
Again, the conditions were far from ideal for the Bears.
“Obviously it was a tough day condition-wise, and a tough day for the Mercer Bears,” Mercer head coach Steve Bradley said. “We had some swings that really cost us, but they didn’t quit. We’ve got another day tomorrow, so we hope we can put this behind us and try to move up.”
In the final round of the Atlantic Sun Championship, junior Hans Reimers tied for ninth place at the Atlantic Sun Championship while leading the Mercer men’s golf team to a fifth place finish.
North Florida (881) shot 291 on the final day of competition to fend off East Tennessee State (895) and Kennesaw State (897) for its second-consecutive title. The Ospreys’ final round total capped a dominating performance that saw the team place three players in the top-five individuals, highlighted by sophomore MJ Maguire’s individual medalist performance.
Mercer’s final round 298 was the team’s low round of the event, fueled by an even-par 72 from junior James Beale. The effort pushed his tournament total to 228 and tied him for 13th place individually.
Reimers’ used 77 strokes on Tuesday and completed his tournament with a score of 226. The effort marked his fourth top-10 finish in his last five events. Sophomore Trey Rule and freshman Jeffrey Heinicka both tied for 21st place with 56-hole scores of 232. Senior John Gregory Joseph rounded out Mercer’s competitors with a final round 82 to place 46th at 244.
The men’s golf team graduates two seniors in John Gregory Joseph and Thomas Holmes.

Softball skids to eighth in conference

Carly Innarino — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:29:39 +0000

Left battling for one of six spots in A-Sun Tournament

In a disappointing weekend at home on Sikes Field, the Mercer softball team fell to Lipscomb in three straight match-ups, 8-0, 10-6 and 3-1, damaging the Bears’ postseason chances.
On Saturday, Junior Randi Rea and freshman Natalie Shiver each had a pair of RBI in the second game while on Sunday, senior Sara Santana registered the lone RBI, bringing junior McKenzie Woody to home from third.
While senior Kerri Nidiffer pitched a scoreless first two innings, the Lady Bison did as well as Mercer was unable to get a run off of Lipscomb pitcher, Heather Parker.
In the top of the third, the Bison struck with the first run of the game, and then again in the fifth off of a grand slam, giving Lipscomb a five run lead. Another Bison RBI extended their lead to six going into the sixth inning.
The Lady Bison registered two more runs while the Black and Orange were unable to make it to home plate one time in the contest.
In game two, Rea lifted a two-RBI base hit to center field in the first inning. Sophomore Rachel Hugghins also registered an RBI, giving the Bears a 3-0 lead.
Junior pitcher Julia Rice cruised through the first five innings holding Mercer’s lead at 3-0 until Lipscomb put up eight runs at the top of the sixth.
In the seventh, the Bears continued to struggle to hold the Lady Bison, allowing them two more runs.
Mercer finally got a rally going as Santana stroked a triple to right field, followed by junior Krista Kennedy with an RBI single. Two batters later, Shiver delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to right field to cut the deficit to four.
Sophomore Molly Garmany was unable to keep the Bears in the game and batted out, giving Lipscomb the win.
On Sunday, the Bears watched a one-run lead slip away on Senior Day as Mercer eventually fell in the series finale against Lipscomb.
Three seniors were honored prior the game. Nidiffer, Santana and Kelly Redlinger all played in their final regular season Atlantic Sun home game.
In the first inning, Santana gave the Bears the early lead. She connected with a sacrifice fly bringing Woody into home.
Nidiffer pitched a strong four innings until Lipscomb was able to connect with a pitch. Lady Bison’s Paige Neely continued her hot bat in the series with an RBI single up the middle to score the tying run.
Despite her best efforts, Nidiffer could not hold Lipscomb in the sixth, allowing two more runs. The Lady Bison utilized a timely triple down the left field line off the bat of Bree Thurman to plate the go-ahead run a batter later when Brittany Elmore drove in Thurman with an RBI single. Lipscomb scored the third and final run off a well-executed double steal.
Junior McKenzie Woody accounted for three of the Bears’ four hits in the game as she finished going 3-for-4 at the dish.
Mercer alongside Jacksonville and Stetson are all separated by just one game for the sixth and final spot heading into the final weekend of regular season play.
Mercer finishes out its non-conference and home portion of its schedule this Wednesday as Savannah State heads to Sikes Field for a game beginning at 3 p.m.

Fired Works pottery exhibition features over 6,000 pieces

Racquel Richards — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:29:02 +0000

The 8th annual pottery exhibition and sale came to Macon to host the “Fired Works” exhibit.
Fired Works, the South’s largest pottery exhibition and sale, lasted nine days from April 13-21 was located in the Round Building in Central City Park.
Other special events took place, such as “Clay in the Classroom” workshops, “Pickin’ & Pottery”, “Cocktails and Clay”, clay workshops for children and teens and many more.
A special preview party was held on Friday, April 12 with food and live music.
The exhibit featured over 6,000 pottery pieces, along with their artists and the inspiration behind their creations.
At least 50 artists attended the event with their work, many of whom came from areas around Georgia.
Some of these cities include Farmington, Bishop, Waleska, Tucker, Barnesville and Marietta.
This event brought new artists, as well as tourists, to the area.
Two of the artists in attendance were Boyce and Cameron Covert.
“This is the eighth year that I’ve been a part of this event, and I love being able to participate in the community,” said Boyce Covert.
“Displaying my work and being able to spend time with friends is always a joy.”
A resident of North Carolina, Connie Haynie, heard about the event in Athens and decided to travel to Macon in order to witness the exhibit for herself.
She said the number of pieces was a major difference that sets this event apart from others.
While most of the artists had previously participated in this event, 20 new artists participated for the first time, including Juana Gnecco of Athens, Roger Jamison of Juliette and Barry Gregg of Decatur.
Heather Wakefield, the Fired Works curator, said the event brings artists from all over the state to Central Georgia to see a variety of pieces that have all been made into something special, considering each piece came from the same material.
She also went on to say that each year the exhibit grows larger, with this year being the largest to date.
Wakefield is a former student of Cameron Covert.
Covert has taught ceramics at the University of West Georgia for 35 years in Carrollton, Ga.
“By participating in this event it allows me to see other works of clay and meet new people,” said Covert.
Jan Beeland, the Executive Director of the Macon Arts Alliance, said she’s extremely thrilled to have this event take place in Macon, and this has been the biggest event yet.
The purpose of Fired Works is to offer a platform for artists and to promote the rich history of pottery in Central Georgia.
Fired Works is a program of Macon Arts Alliance and is supported by numerous sponsors and community partners.
To learn more about the annual Fired Works event, visit http://www.firedworksmacon.com.

Macon Mall undergoes major renovations

Caley Anderson — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:27:42 +0000

Bibb County features several popular shopping areas. However, only a few short years ago, the most impressive shopping center in the district, and possibly in the county, was the Macon Mall.
The Macon Mall was overall a successful shopping area for many years until the late 2000s brought trouble, sending the shopping center spiraling downward, losing many of its businesses.
Two primary reasons associated with the decline of the Macon Mall, include the widespread rumors about a large gang presence at the mall and the opening of the Shoppes at River Crossing, an outdoor mall in north Macon, in March 2008.
However, all hope is not lost, as new management took over the mall in 2010 and is looking to improve the mall in a substantial way, working to make it more secure, enjoyable and convenient.
The Macon Mall opened in July of 1975 with 950,000 sq. ft. and four anchor stores, replacing Westgate Mall down the street.
In 1997, the mall reached its greatest size and capacity, adding more upscale businesses, two major anchor stores, Parisian and Dillard’s, and a two-story food court..
Many Macon natives have fond memories spanning from when the Macon Mall opened in the 1970s through its transformation into the fourth largest mall in Georgia in the early 2000s.
“Back in my Mercer days, it was the only place to shop and was twice the size it is now,” said Mercer alumna (2002-2006), Kate Miller.
“[The mall] was one of the highlights for me about moving to Macon. The mall felt very safe…[it] was organized so that shops appealing to similar clientele were all close to each other,” Miller continued.
However, the businesses are not the only aspect of the mall treasured by mall-goers of the past.
Many Macon citizens remember a time when the mall often held fun family events, such as the indoor car shows, choral groups, and fashion shows including one featuring Edith Head’s line.
Certain features of Macon Mall’s past remain close to people’s hearts, such as the train car restaurant, Farrell’s Ice Cream parlor, the giant carousel, the four-plex movie theatre, Big Top Sandwich Shoppe and the arcade with video games like Pac-Man and Galaga.
Since the mall’s decline, most of the businesses that attracted people to the Macon Mall have either moved to another location, the majority to River Crossing, or simply closed down.
According to Bill Murphy, 57, a former employee of Atlanta mall developer Scott Hudgens and a Macon resident since 2011, “The day of the mall as a mecca is gone, as the cost is prohibitive for construction and maintenance of elaborate public spaces.”
Several shoppers still believe the surrounding area to be dangerous and crime-ridden and remain uncertain about mall security measures, despite the efforts of the new management.
“[Since 10 to 15 years ago], the mall has gotten a little worse,” said fifth-year Mercer senior, Chris Borroso.
“Kids were running around without parents, causing trouble. The crime got a lot worse, and people stuck to the peripheral shops.”
Others claim that along with the area’s reputation for crime, mall management is to be blamed for the fall of the shopping center.
Randy Kitchens, 55, who grew up in Macon, said, “Going to Macon Mall risks car vandalism or theft at the least. This is during daylight hours. To go at night is simply flirting with disaster…If I want to enjoy a nice mall, I have to leave Macon. Poor management and lack of security destroyed what was the old Macon Mall.”
The negative reputation the mall has gained in past years is furthered by the number of crimes people imagine occur at the mall.
However, according to Sgt. Mark Schultz of Bibb County Police, in his five years at Macon Mall, he has seen no crimes more serious than shoplifting.
“The mall is just as safe as any other place in Macon,” said Shultz.
Widespread rumors and urban legends involving gang initiations at Macon Mall have also circulated and frightened off many shoppers in past years.
However, since new mall management took over the building in September 2010, they have been working to renovate and bring life back to the Macon Mall.
The new management company, Hull Storey Gibson Comapanies LLC, bought the mall and began making changes almost immediately, decreasing the mall’s size in order to eliminate empty spaces and updating the décor to show some of Macon’s history.
Hull Storey Gibson have bought and managed over 15 malls in the South, from Texas to North Carolina, over the past 35 years.
In order to bring more business back to the Macon Mall, Hull Storey Gibson has brought in a popular barbeque restaurant, Smok’n Pig BBQ, in April 2012 and two new stores in October 2012, Dry Falls Outfitters and B. Turners.
Caitlyn DuCharme, a sophomore at Mercer and Macon resident, said “Compared to the last few years, it’s a definite improvement. I don’t necessarily feel safe, but the atmosphere is much nicer than it was two years ago.”
The new management has recently torn down the old Dillard’s building and plans to replace it with a grassy area with the potential of being redeveloped in the future. The demolition and landscaping should be completed early this summer.
Deputy Johnny Blash, a Macon Mall police officer since 2005, said “The current renovations and security measures are very good. Now, it’s a matter of word of mouth. People will start to realize the mall is now more family-centered. It used to be a hangout place for people not doing any shopping. But that has changed now. It’s time to have fun with pants pulled up and showing some respect for other shoppers.”
The new management has put a large focus on security at the Macon Mall, continued Blash. “It will thrive now. It’s the safest it’s been in a long time.”
According to Blash and Schultz, two uniformed officers are in the mall during the day, along with six security officers. At 6 p.m., four more Macon police officers join them for extra night security.
The mall has also posted rules and regulations for shoppers, including an age limit for single shoppers and a dress code.
Schultz’s prediction about the future of the Macon Mall is that “it might never go back to what it used to be, but the new owners have put in a lot of work, and it is much more secure now than ever before. It will probably get even better in the future.”

Dragon Boat Festival at Lake Tobesofkee

Jacob Missall — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:27:14 +0000

The 4th Annual Dragon Boat Festival, which took place last Sunday at Lake Tobesofkee, featured 12 teams representing various local organizations that competed against each other for first place honors.
With close to 100 spectators, each team was paired with another team and provided with a boat for the race.
Each team consisted of 15 members, making up seven pairs of rowers, and one captain.
Once lined up, the pairs of teams paddled from start to finish – a distance of about 100 yards marked off by buoys in the lake. The teams participated in two heats in the bracket and a finals round.
The Dragon Boat Festival is put on each year by the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, headed by the CEO of the Macon branch, Dianna Glymph.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization is a mentoring organization that provides adult mentors for youth who are at risk of juvenile delinquency or academic failure.
It offers programs based around pairing each student in the program with a mentor that acts as a stable adult figure who the child can view as a friend.
“We reach out to kids who just need that extra adult in their lives,” Glymph said. “Every child needs a caring adult in their life.”
The Dragon Boat festival is a fundraiser for the Big Brother Big Sister program, using all proceeds toward expanding the mentoring program.
“We saw something similar advertised on TV, and it looked like a lot of fun,” Glymph said. “We were looking for a unique event to bring to Macon. Not just another run or just another golf tournament. We wanted something that would get people out, and into the fresh air, and just something that would get people motivated to get outside during the spring and enjoy our resource at Lake Tobesofkee.”
Although the boat festival is fun at face value, this event offers another sort of value for the competitors, as well.
“What we found is that it has turned into a tremendous

team-building opportunity and exercise for members in our corporations. It’s really a team-building thing, as well as just helping the community,” said Glymph.
Competing against corporations such as Geico and Wells Fargo was Mercer University’s Mercer Asia team, lead by club president Mei Lin.
After hearing about the festival, members of the Mercer Asia club searched for the event online.
With little hesitation, they collected a set of rowers and signed up for the race. It was not Mercer Asia’s first time in a Dragon Boat race, as they have attended a similar event in Atlanta twice before.
At the end of the first heat, Mercer Asia placed third among the teams.
Mercer Asia’s future club leaders Raymond Ko and David Xiao have a strong desire to participate in future Dragon Boat Festivals, saying, “There’s no question about it. It’s our new tradition, and we’re sticking to it.”

Men’s lacrosse trounces VMI

Carly Innarino — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:38:11 +0000

In their arguably most impressive performance this season, the Mercer men’s lacrosse team ended their five-game losing streak with a 16-8 dominating win over Virginia Military Institute on Sunday, April 14 in Lexington, Va. Junior Zack Ward and freshman Chris Baxa each had five points in the victory.
After Baxa opened the afternoon’s scoring at the 7:08 juncture of the first quarter, the Bears continued to hold the lead for the rest of the contest. Junior Keoni Rausch and Ward each added a goal in the first quarter to give the Black and Orange a 3-1 lead in the opening 15 minutes.
The Bears proceeded to run an explosive offense in the second quarter, finding the goal six more times on 17 shots to take a commanding lead at halftime, 9-2.
To open up the second half, the Keydets began to fight back with three-straight goals, but the Bears responded with three straight goals in the final 5:25 of the third quarter to withstand the comeback.
With a score of 12-6 going into the fourth quarter, the Bears continued to press offensively to secure the win. Mercer put up four more goals while holding VMI to only two.
Baxa’s four goals pushed his season total to 31 and established a new program single-season record. His 31 goals surpassed the previous standard of 27, held by current junior Cole Branch in 2011.
Ward also registered four goals and an assist on Sunday, marking his second-straight game with five points. As a team, the Bears’ 27 points, 16 goals, 11 assists, 53 shots and 30 shots on goal are all season highs.
Juniors Harry Baker and Cole Branch each registered two goals in the win while junior John Avent and sophomore Tyler Schott each tallied one.
Freshman goalie Mike Nugent made 14 saves to capture his fourth win of the season.
The Bears will conclude their season at home against Jacksonville on April 27. Game time at the Moye Lacrosse Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Senior Spotlight: Will Betts

Carly Innarino — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:37:39 +0000

On Saturday, May 11, former men’s soccer player Will Betts will be graduating from the Stetson School of Business and Economics with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, but that is not all he will be taking away from Mercer.
Successful would be an understatement in describing Betts’ career as a student-athlete at Mercer. Not only has Betts appeared in every game since his freshman year, he also contributed to the team with four goals in the 2012 season, making him the second leading scorer for the Bears. This is something that not many collegiate athletes achieve, and those are only a few of his accomplishments.
Just recently, Betts was announced as “Student-Athlete of the Year,” an award given by Mercer’s athletic director based on performance in the classroom and athletic competition, along with overall work ethic, attitude and character.
To continue his long list of accomplishments, Betts was also named to the 2012 Academic All-American Team and the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-South Region squad. With an overall 3.98 cumulative GPA, the Brenham, Texas native has proven to be one of the most diligent students at the university, but he explains that the lessons he learned while being at Mercer are far greater than anything that he was taught in the classroom.
“I will always remember the greatness that can be accomplished through chemistry and teamwork. I have learned to cherish the friendships and bonds that can be formed from working together toward a common goal,” said Betts.
Betts said that these friendships and bonds that he created on the field with his teammates are something that he’s going to miss once he leaves Mercer, along with the competition in practice, but especially in games.
“Competing to represent this great university that has meant so much to me with my best friends has been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” said Betts.
Although he will always have the fond the memories of being a college athlete, Betts admits that there are many parts about being a student-athlete that he is looking forward to getting away from. After always being on a set schedule formed by his classes and soccer coach, Betts said that he is ready to work on his own time, especially if it allows him more time to play video games with his roommates.
“As nerdy as it sounds, I love video games. My roommates and I spend countless hours playing Call of Duty, Tiger Woods and NHL,” said Betts.
Upon graduation, Betts plans on continuing his studies at graduate school to earn a Juris Doctorate along with a Masters of Business Administration. He is still unsure of which school he will be attending, but Duke, University of Georgia and Southern Methodist University are what he’s narrowed his decision down to.
Betts hopes to one day be a successful lawyer, but no matter what success he has in his professional career, soccer will always play a huge role in his life.
“I will always be involved with soccer. From intramurals in graduate school to playing in adult leagues and coaching my children, it will always be a passion that I will carry with me.”