By Malika Andrews |
While most UP students spent their summers tanning off the coast of some exotic island, conducting research on the environmental impacts of LED light bulbs or frantically making coffee runs at a summer internship, the University of Portland’s student athletes sweated it out in the Chiles Center, on Merlo and on Joe Etzel Field. I was there too, watching.
I’ve watched the athletes put in work all summer and I can honestly say they are ready. Are you?
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Malika Andrews and I am the Sports Editor for The Beacon. I am a basketball fanatic, football junkie, volleyball and sports obsessed writer with a drive to tell stories.
Personally, I am excited to see Alec Wintering fill the shoes left by past leaders like Kevin Bailey and set the tempo for a young men’s basketball team. I cannot wait to see the impact new, big men like Ray Barreno make in the paint. I live for the women’s volleyball matches where the Pilots line up against division rivals and senior outside hitter Emily Liger screams, “High swing!” as sophomore Hannah Troutman smashes the ball just inside in the baseline for a point.
When I stepped into the role of Sports Editor eight months ago, I wrote in my opening column that sports are about more than the hour of game time that fans see. At the time, even I did not understand the magnitude of that statement.
Over the summer, the tennis team lost Reid deLaubenfels. Chatting with the tennis team the other day, I noticed their shirts were all printed with the letters “R.D.” When I asked them about it, they said, “This way Reid will always be with us.” It’s the things like that, the heart of the team, that I aim to capture. It’s stories about Pilots like Korey Thieleke, Chier Maker, David Carr and Megan Rapinoe that I want to share with the Pilot community.
Coach Reveno tweets about it. Villa Maria drums about it. The athletes put in the work and provide the entertainment, but the students bring the energy.
That’s the great thing about sports. They bring people together. It doesn’t matter whether you are from the East Coast or West, English speaking or not; everything gets put aside because you are a Pilot.
Have an idea for a story? Tweet at me. Take an awesome photo at a game? Send it on over. Can’t make it to a game? Download The Beacon app or follow @UPBeaconsports on Twitter for live updates. Know about an athlete that I may not? Tell me about them!
Capturing stories about athletes on The Bluff isn’t something I can do on my own. We’re a team on this. I need your help to catch great stories. I can’t do it without you. So, welcome back, everyone. It’s going to be one heck of a Pilot season.
Malika Andrews is the sports editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at andrewsm17@up.edu or on Twitter @malika_andrews
