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Show THE SIGNPOST TUESDAY, JULY 27,2010 Dee Events Center gets face-lift The Dee Events Center is getting a makeover, and the Weber State University Athletics Department is hopeful the renovations will bring a new atmosphere to events held there. The major change will occur with the JumbbTron. The outdated Jumboron will be modernized with a new high-definition video screen, an LED digital animation ring and a screen for more signage on it. Other changes will include new basketball hoops and shot clocks, new digital floor scoreboards and a new digital scorer's table. The renovations will cost approximately $700,000, according to Jerry Bovee, WSU athletic director. Bovee said the cost of the changes will be completely covered by the increased sponsorship and advertising revenue expected from the increased advertising space. PHOTO BY NATHAN CAULFORD I JHC SICNPOS7 Preseason polls have "Cats fourth Four players earn preseason conference honors By Craig Halbasch sports editor I The Signpost The Big Sky preseason football media and coaches' polls, as well as the preseason all-conference team, have been released, and for Weber State University it is all about the number four. In the media and coaches' poll, WSU is slated to finish fourth in the BigSky Conference. Last season, the preseason polls predicted the WSU Football Team to finish second. •The coaches and media had all nine teams finishing in the same order. The University of Montana, despite a change of head coach, topped both lists. Montana was the unanimous selection in the coaches' poll, and 40 of 42 media poll voters penciled Montana into the top spot as well. Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona University were the other two teams given a first-place vote. Montana's overwhelming amount of votes came as no surprise to WSU Head Coach Ron McBride. <~ F .. I. 7 PHOTO BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD I THE SIGNPOST Mike Phillips evades defenders during a game against Montana last year. Preseason polls have WSU finishing fourth in the Big Sky Conference. Golfers earn All-America me confidence in my abilities in zoology. Owen, meanwhile, and knowing that I can take averaged a 75.6 stroke care of things on the course average and has a 3.24 GPA as well as in the classroom." in business administration. To be eligible for All-America Golf, according to Despain, is nationwide. Despain and Scholar status, a golfer must perhaps the most difficult sport By Craig Halbasch meet certain criteria. The to succeed in academically, Owen were only two of four sports editor 17he Signpost golfers from the America Sky golfer must be a junior or "I think it's the toughest Golf Conference, as well as two senior academically, compete sport to keep your grades up Weber State University of four golfers from the state in two full years of collegiate in," Despain said. "We're on golfers Nick Despain and of Utah, to receive the honor. golf, participate in 70 percent the road a lot and we don't Kurt Owen were recently "It's great knowing you're of his team's competitive have the luxury of just games awarded the Cleveland Golf/ not only achieving in your rounds, have a stroke average at night or on the weekend. Srixon All-America Scholar sport but doing well in the under 76 and maintain I mean, for a tournament we Team by the Golf Coaches classroom and making use of a cumulative GPA of 3.2. will leave on Saturday and be Association of America. the scholarship Weber State is Despain finished this past gone for four days with no time The All-America status giving you," Owen said. "This season with an average stroke to study. You really have to be was given to 119 golfers honor is great because it gives score of 74.6 and a GPA of 3.57 on top of your schoolwork or else it is easy to get behind in." The honor didn't come without hard work and it couldn't have been given to more deserving players, said Dave Kearl, head coach for WSU Men's Golf. "Both Nick and Kurt are leaders on the team," Kearl said. "They both work hard on and off the course. They practice on off-hours to stay on top of their games and they prepare and keep caught up on their schoolwork during the season." According to both Despain and Owen, golf has been instrumental in their academic success. "Golf has taught me how to focus and how to organize," Owen said. "I mean, to play good golf you have to be SOURCE: WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY organized and focused and (Left): Nick Despain and (Right): Kurt Owen both were awarded All-America Scholar status. See Golf page 7 % WSU students receive honor given to 119 golfers nationwide Wide-open exercise space Students use gym 50 percent less in summer than in spring By Logan Smith sports reporter 177?e Signpost ^ "The beach may be crowded, but the classrooms are not" is a common theme around Weber State University's campus this summer, and this applies even to the Stromberg/Swenson Gym. During the fall and even more so during the spring, the gym is one of the more-g? popular utilities for student use on campus. However, the gym is not used nearly as much during the summer. A few theories exist as to why fewer students attend the gym during the summer Enrollment at WSU is much lower during the summei semester than the fall and spring semesters, so few students are on campus. Also, students may be able to accomplish their exercise routines underneath the summer sun, "The attendance is definitely lower during the summer, as a Result of the low number ol students at WSU/' said Teri Bladen, * director of Campus Recreation. "Lasj: year 6,118 student went to tfl? gym See Gym page 7 |