Page 1

Page 2

Dylan Cooper, Hayley Taylor, & Caleb Walters
Conference Presentation - Portland, OR
Southeast Journalism Conferences
Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee
Lambda Pi Eta Industry Immersion Trips
Atlanta, New Orleans, Mobile
UWA Marketing Club Leadership Training
Walt Disney World, Florida
Ellie McKenzie & Nicola Gibson
UWA Soccer - United Kingdom
Kaitlynn Beaird & Whitney Fulton
Study Abroad - Geneva, Switzerland
Chloe Tudoret, Lucie Rousseau,
Rodolphe Bitaud, Coline Bourrigan, & Nic Noland
Student Exchange - Rennes, France
Dylan Cooper
Graduate School - Gold Coast, Australia
Teresa Boykin
Study Abroad - Tokyo, Japan
Sarah Miles & Wendy Stevens
Study Abroad - Normandy, France
Nathalia Medeiros, Beatriz Giordan,
& Isabela Sarti
UWA Volleyball - Brazil
A degree in Integrated Marketing Communications can take you to new
heights...literally.
With affordable domestic and international travel opportunities available to
both undergraduate and graduate students, the only limit to reaching your
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Visit us in Wallace Hall 108 to get started!
Hardija Vidnere
UWA Tennis - United Kingdom
Matt Betts
UWA Baseball - Ontario, Canada

Page 3

LETTER FROM the editor
Welcome to the 6th edition of ZONE magazine. I am incredibly grateful
for the opportunity to lead this project and work alongside the wonderful
ZONE staff. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the state, and the
return of on-campus athletics at UWA, our team was eager to jump
into production with full force. My goal for this edition of ZONE is to
highlight the accomplishments and hard work of everyone, both on
and off the field, who devote their lives towards making UWA Athletics
an outstanding program.
The ZONE Staff is a collective group of talented IMC students who
dedicated countless hours working towards the completion of this
project. These students wrote stories, conducted interviews, sold and
designed advertisements, and shot photographs that allowed for the
production of this magazine. I thoroughly enjoyed leading this team and
seeing their skills improve along the way.
The staff and I would not have been able to create this edition without all
of the love and support we have received from the wonderful community that is
IMC. Our advisors, Dr. Amy Jones, Mr. Greg Jones, Dr. Tina Jones, Mr. Caleb Walters
and Ms. Jordan Allison, deserve an enormous amount of gratitude for their aid to
the staff and me throughout the entirety of this project.
The ZONE staff and I hope that we have achieved our goal of providing a reading
experience that parallels the enjoyment we felt while creating this magazine. As
well, we hope that ZONE 2021 accurately represents the pride that The University
of West Alabama has for its athletics program and all the dedicated poeple who
make this possible..
Editor-In-Chief: Benjamin Shadden
Assistant Editor: Lauren Fuller
ZONE Staff:
Collin Hare
Tayson Beam
Joe Worthy
Molly Moon
Beatriz Giordan
Austin Goode
Caleb James Smith
Christian Malone
ZONE is published annually by students in the University of West Alabama Integrated Marketing Communications program. Stories and
photographs that appear in ZONE are produced by these students. Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily express the
views of The University of West Alabama. The University of West Alabama is an Equal Opportunity Institution and welcomes application
for employment regardless of race, color, age, sex, disability or ethnic origin.
Photographers:
Joe Chance
Trent Spruell
Jody Baton
Amanda Gilliland
Bryan McAfee
Dajarrah Navarro
Rebecca St. Martin
Justyna Butler
IMC Chair:
Dr. Amy Jones
Faculty Advisor:
Mr. Greg Jones
Faculty Editors:
Mr. Caleb Walters
Dr. Tina Jones
Athletic Advisor:
Ms. Jordan Allison
Demetrius Battle
Colten Adam
Max Potts
Summer Earle
Benjamin Shadden
UWA Junior
IMC Graphic Design
MEET THE STAF F

Page 4

ZONE IN for
more contenT
Photo: Jordan Allison

Page 5

3
WOrk in progress BY TAYSON BEAM4
Meet the masters BY BENJAMIN SHADDEN6
Triple-digit threat BY AUSTIN GOODE10
Eleven leaves a legacy11
changing the tempo BY COLLIN HARE12
the cost of the ride BY MOLLY MOON16
a timeless brotherhood BY COLLIN HARE18
livingston’s melting pot BY BEATRIZ GIORDAN22
working overtime BY JOE WORTHY26
a perfect match BY MOLLY MOON29
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Photo: Max Potts
Photos: Joe Worthy
Photo:
Austin
Goode

Page 6

While an athlete’s skill may shine when it’s time to compete, the true testament to his or her
dedication is the work put in behind the scenes. At The University of West Alabama, players grind
year-round to keep their skills and abilities in top-tier shape. Individual sports focus their attention
on specific workouts depending on the skill set required. Coaches hold their athletes to high standards in
the weight room, gym, or on the field.
Drills:
The soccer team practices with drills that show
in-game scenarios, helping the athletes become more
successful with keeping the ball in their possession.
For example, the team will do a Rondo drill. The drill
includes six people and five players that make a circle
around one player in the middle. The goal of the mid-
dle player consists of stealing the ball from the players
surrounding him. They do variations where only one
or two touches are allowed, and whoever gives the
ball up from the outside then goes to the middle. One
of the main goals of this drill is to prepare the players
for multiple attackers on the field.
Aerobics:
Players also train with aerobic-style workouts and
weightlifting. Men’s soccer head coach Ross Nel-
son said, “It’s very important to keep the guys fit and
healthy.” The aerobic exercises consist of a balance
ball, ladder, interval sprints, and overall body strength.
The balance ball works specifically on the player’s
overall balance by standing on the balance ball on
one leg and juggling the soccer ball with their oppo-
site leg.
Endurance:
When it comes to ladder drills, the athletes perform
two feet in quick succession to the end of the ladder;
this pertains directly to footwork and quickness. In the
weight room, the team utilizes higher reps instead of
heavy weights to avoid bulking. The team does light
passing or light running and sometimes takes a day
off to relax muscles for another steady training session.
Work in
progressBy Tayson Beam
Practice Essentials:
Footwork
Attacking
Defending
Weights:
Full-body Workouts
Focus on Legs
HI
Transitioning
Endurance
Shooting
Lighter Weights
Higher Reps
Men’s Soccer
Photo: Dejarrah Navarro

Page 7

5
Weight Room:
The team works on building muscles that are not
used as much in order to help increase performances
in races. Team practice at 3 p.m. consists of increasing
their miles by performing 800m runs at a five-minute
mile pace for seven reps.
Recovery days:
The runners require recovery days to rest their bodies.
Most of their days consist of building their endurance,
so without these breaks, they can wear out their bod-
ies. These days include 30-40 minutes of running on
the treadmill or biking in the gym.
Cross country head coach Sterling Martin said, “You
get better while resting, not by working. You have to
give your body a chance to recover.”
Summer Conditioning:
In the summer, the team builds their mileage for the
upcoming season by slowly increasing their running
each week. The players start out running 20-25 miles
a week, but by the end of summer, players typically
run around 80-100 miles weekly.
Drill:
The team uses a six-on-six scrimmage style in which
they compete against each other like a real game.
This allows the athletes to feel the pressure and inten-
sity of an actual game and build their consistency,
teamwork, and endurance.
Weight Room:
In the weight room, the team focuses on explosive-
ness, shoulder work, and core work. They do squats
while slowly increasing the weight with each set. This
allows the team to bulk up more during the summer,
so when competition time arrives, they are in shape
and prepared.
Summer Training:
In the summer, the team does more running due to
not competing. They begin summer workouts, keeping
the same type of explosiveness, shoulder work, and
core work done at home. Volleyball head coach Hilary
Lobenstein said, “In the summer, the goal is to maintain
everything they have worked on in the off-season.”
Training Essentialsals:
Hip Mobility
Hamstrings
Weights:
Goblet Squats
Hip Abductions
HI
Glutes
Hydration
Hamstring Curls
Planks
Practice Essentials:
Ball Accuracy
Killing
Defending
Weights:
Romanian Deadlifts
Shoulder Presses
HI
Consistency
Blocking
Hang Time
Overhead Twists
Timed Wall Sits
Cross Country
Volleyball
Photos: Jordan Allison

Page 8

maintaining online classes necessary for graduation.
The three graduate students, Alyssa Suddith, Jor-
dan Hall, and Tres Heinsz, arrived on campus in the
summer of 2020. “There’s a lot depending on us. [The
professors] have taken a lot of the changes that we
recommended with the second cohort of graduate
students, so it’s like we were the guinea pigs,” said
Suddith.
“I feel honored to be one of the
first masters of athletic training
graduates from UWA.”
With the 2021 fall semester coming to a close, Sud-
dith, Hall, and Heinsz draw even closer to making
history. “It honestly hasn’t hit me yet,” said Heinsz, “I
still just feel like another student in college.”
As the countdown to May grows closer, the athletic
training program reflects on the past two years. “It’s
very exciting. We started from scratch and built this
program, so it’s nice to see it finally come to life and
have students going through who will hopefully sit
for their Board exams and pass them in the spring,”
said Maddox. These three graduate students take
pride in knowing they have set a standard for the AT
program and encourage future students to continue
the growth and success for UWA.
The University of West Alabama’s athletic training
master’s program pushes towards a huge mile-
stone as its first cohort of graduate students is set
to graduate this May. These three graduate students
will be a pioneering group as the AT program phases
out of its undergraduate degree and evolves into a
master’s-only program.
Akin to most colleges across the nation, UWA will no
longer accept undergraduate students to enroll in the
athletic training major following the summer semester
of 2022. Alternatively, the program will focus on its
master course which presents graduate students with
a more immersive and professional experience than its
predecessor. “The ultimate goal for both programs is
the same. We want them to be able to take and pass
their Board of Certification exam,” said Joni Maddox,
the clinical education coordinator for UWA’s AT pro-
gram, “The biggest difference for the graduates is a
larger work load in a smaller amount of time.”
Graduate students are required to complete two
off-campus clinical immersion experiences, one during
their second summer and and the other during their
final spring semester. These immersions can take place
in a variety of professions, from working with middle
schools all the way to professional sports teams. During
these semesters, the graduate students work as full-
time athletic trainers for their chosen employer while
Meet the
masters By Benjamin Shadden

Page 9

7
In 2016, Suddith arrived at UWA intending to graduate under
the athletic training major; however, she found herself changing
course and choosing to study exercise science instead. Ultimately,
Suddith found herself back in the AT program when it came time
to pursue her master’s degree.
While performing her clinical immersion in the summer of 2021,
Suddith worked under Mary T. Long, who graduated from Living-
ston University with a degree in athletic training. “Ever since then,
I’ve known I want to get through this program, pass my board,
and I want to be the best athletic trainer possible so that I can
be like her.”
“[UWA] is one of the best places you can get experience. Had
I gone anywhere else, I would not have gotten nearly as much
hands-on experience compared to what I’m doing now,” said
Hall.
Before arriving at UWA, Hall played basketball for her alma
mater, The University of Mobile. Hall tore her labrum during her
freshman season, which resulted in a two-year hiatus from the
sport. It was during her recovery that she fell in love with the art
of athletic training. “I saw the AT’s working in the clinic and real-
ized I could actually do this. Being an athlete going through the
recovery process, I wanted to be able to do for someone what
the AT’s did for me,” said Hall.
In the summer of 2020, Heinsz began his experience at UWA
and a year later began his clinical immersion working with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. While at Pirate City, Heinsz had to rise from
handing out towels and treating abrasions to exercising and
rehabilitating professional athletes.
Aiming to work for a professional sports team post-graduation,
Heinsz believes his time in the master’s program has adequately
prepared him. “I went into Pirate City really nervous. I made my
fair share of mistakes, but I learned from them quickly. Working
in front of professionals boosted my confidence a lot; I feel like it
prepared me well,” said Heinsz.
Jordan Hall
Alyssa Suddith
Tres Heinsz
Photos: Jordan Allison

Page 10

C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ROAR LIKE A TIGER!
NOV 13 @ 2:00 PM
VS Alabama Huntsville
@ Huntsville, AL
NOV 2 @ 6:00 PM
VS Union
@ Jackson, TN
OCT 30 @ 2:00 PM
VS Shorter
@ Pruitt Hall
OCT 29 @ 6:00 PM
VS Lee
@ Pruitt Hall
NOV 12 @ 6:00 PM
VS Montevallo
@ Montevallo, AL
NOV 6 @ 6:00 PM
VS West Florida
@ Pruitt Hall
NOV 5 @ 6:00 PM
VS AUM
@ Pruitt Hall
Photo: Justyna Butler

Page 11

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Page 12

On September 17, 2021, UWA women’s soccer
player Anele Komani scored two goals in
the match to give Coach Graeme Orr his
100th win at UWA against Spring Hill College during
the Gulf South Conference season opener.
Orr has led his team to the Gulf South Conference
Tournament eight out of nine times since he has been
coaching at UWA, with an overall record of 100-68-11
from 2011-2021. Before Orr arrived at West Alabama,
he was an assistant coach at the University of North
Alabama for two seasons from 2008-2009. While he
was at UNA, he helped the Lions soccer team become
the most improved soccer team in the nation. UNA
went 8-11-1 in 2008 and 19-4-1 in 2009 with 19 wins
in the season. Orr helped lead the Lions to their first
appearance in the GSC Women’s Soccer Tournament
since 1999. In 2008, he also took his team to the first
NCAA Division ll Regionals in the program’s history
including the school’s first postseason win, a 3-2 victory
over Florida Southern.
Prior to his coaching career, Orr graduated in 2007
from Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee,
where he played four seasons for the Redhawks. In
2004, he helped guide the Redhawks to the regular
and post- season championship. Orr was inducted into
the Champions of Character Hall of Fame in 2005. He
received a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management
and was awarded the Sport Management award in
2007. Orr finished with his master’s degree in Health
Promotion and Human Performance in 2009.
Orr has had an outstanding coaching career with
a number of coaching licenses in the NSCAA Pre-
mier, USSF ‘A’ License, US Youth Soccer National Youth
License, Scottish F.A. Level 3 in children and Youth,
and Scottish F.A. Level 1 in Goalkeeping and Adult
and a UEFA B license Part 1 and Part 2.
Orr hopes to continue to lead the UWA women’s
soccer team to more victories and tournaments over
the next several years, and has already made an
impact on the women’s soccer team at UWA.
“It’s tremendous to get the
100th win for the program. It
would not have been possible
without all the great players
that have put on a UWA jersey
throughout the years. I am
very grateful for all of them.”
- Graeme Orr
Triple-Digit
Threat By Austin Goode
Photo: Austin Goode

Page 13

1111leaves a
legacy
The University family was shaken by a
tragic accident in September that took the
life of former UWA Volleyball standout Su-
san Talbott Sparkman. Lettering in volley-
ball in the 1994-1997 seasons, she leaves
a legacy that reaches far beyond the hard-
wood.
The news of her untimely death sent
shockwaves through the UWA community.
The University closed on the day of her fu-
neral service for a day of mourning for the
countless number of students, faculty, and
staff who called her a friend.
A Mobile native, Susan earned a bach-
elor’s degree in English with a minor in so-
ciology in 1998, and a master’s degree in
counseling/psychology in 2000. After earn-
ing her undergraduate degree, she joined
the University staff in 1998. She has served
as our registrar since 2008, and before that
was assistant registrar and also worked in
the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
In the week following her death,
friends, family, colleagues, former class-
mates and teammates gathered on campus
and virtually for a moment of silence. Fol-
lowing the moment of silence, the McCon-
nell Chimes on campus sounded 27 times,
one for each of Susan’s years on the UWA
campus.
Susan will be fondly remembered for
her dedication to her work and the collegi-
ality she demonstrated. Her historic knowl-
edge of the University and its operations
related to academics and records, partic-
ularly those of accreditation, veterans’ af-
fairs, and enrollment management, have
made her an invaluable member of count-
less committees and teams.
Susan’s husband, Sparky, and children,
Tate and Caroline, have established a schol-
arship at UWA in her memory. Friends can
contribute to it at www.UWA.edu/givenow
by selecting Susan T. Sparkman Memorial
Scholarship from the menu.
in memory of
SUSAN TALBOTT SPARKMAN
UWA Volleyball 1994-1997
UWA Staff 1998-2021
SUSAN’S STATS
1994
8.17 assists per game
1995
486 assists, 105 digs
1996
742 assists, 110 kills, 301 digs
1997
692 assists, 37 kills, 245 digs

Page 14

Overmier is a music producer as well as a director,
and he is experienced when it comes to band direct-
ing at both the high school and collegiate levels. “Dr.
Overmier brings a lot of experience to the program
and new ideas,” said senior band member Cameron
Wyatt.
Overmier had previous stops at public high schools
in North Carolina, Florida, and Ohio, where his band
earned superior ratings in competition.
Overmier then moved on to college band work and
became the Director of Bands at two NCAA Division 1
schools including The University of Central Florida and
North Carolina State University, with a stop at Division
2 University of West Georgia.
“Dr. O” sees masses of potential in this Marching
Tigers squad. “The potential for this group is so great.
There have already been so many moments of bril-
liance with this group, I mean absolute brilliance, like
their performance at the Baron’s game. Some of the
rehearsals have been amazing, I’m just ready to see
even more from them because I know they can be
even better,” said Overmier.
Undoubtedly Overmier demands excellence from
the band, and he wants to help them achieve great-
ness to the best of his ability. “Dr. O constantly strives
to make us better, both on and off the field,” said
graduate band member Connor Chapman.
Since the departure of the former band director,
one word seems to characterize the Marching
Tigers and their members: patience. For the last
two marching seasons, The University of West Alabama
Marching Tigers have abided under the direction of
interim Director Michael Tignor.
The group of student musicians has continued to
work tirelessly with “Tig” to produce excellent perfor-
mances for fans. In the summer of 2021, the Depart-
ment of Fine Arts hired Dr. Doug Overmier as the new
Director of Bands.
Changing
the tempo By Collin Hare
“When I took the job, I saw
from the start that this was a
group that was waiting. It was
a program that could take
advantage of so many more
activities and events, a lot more
exposure, a lot more travel, and
do it quite easily, so that was
definitely attractive.”
Photo: Trent Spruell

Page 15

13
Fortunately for Overmier, he doesn’t have to do
the task alone. “Tig and the older members have
been a huge help to me. They’ve really helped me
acclimate to the culture here at West and help the
new members as well,” said Overmier.
Since Overmier’s arrival on campus, the recruitment
efforts of the band have increased significantly. The
Marching Tigers upped their numbers tremendously
with incoming freshmen and transfers recruited by
Overmier and Tignor. “Probably two-thirds of the band
are new members, and it’s an interesting challenge
in itself because you have so many different people
with different backgrounds, different orientations,
and different ways of realizing performance coming
together,” said Overmier.
“If you want to join a
marching band, enroll anywhere.
If you want to be a part of the
band, come to West Alabama.”
The older members, who now make up the minority
of the band, also stepped up to assist new mem-
bers in the adjustment to the program’s new regime.
“With fewer upperclassmen to really lead, this has
been a real group effort,” said Overmier. “Some of
the younger guys have had to step up as well, yet
they are all making it happen. They’re all realizing it
the same way,” he added. The band members, both
old and new, all know they have a responsibility to
do their job individually and as a group, and do what
they do with a spirit of excellence. “There is a lot more
accountability in the group. The guys are really taking
a lot of pride in what they are doing,” said Tignor.
Overmier has also had experience in music produc-
tion and direction, but in recent years his interests have
leaned back into directing marching bands again.
“I’ve been really lucky and fortunate to have my inter-
est in band programs re-kindled in recent years and
help to rebuild them,” said Overmier. “I’ve done it at
a high school level. I’ve done it at a few universities,
not that this program here needs to be rebuilt by any
means. I just want to build upon it and the potential
I see in this group of young people,” said Overmier.
Already, Overmier has seen his vision for the future
of the band program begin to come to fruition. The
Marching Tigers will travel across the east coast of
the United States to perform at the South Carolina
Music Educators Convention for music educators all
across the state.
In the end, everything leads back to patience. After
two years of waiting, the Marching Tigers’ future looks
more promising than ever. Overmier said, “We’ve had
to be patient with each other, and their patience
and mine have really led to success, and I think it will
continue.”
Photo: Bryan McAfee

Page 16

72 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, 17 EXCHANGE STUDENTS, 26 COUNTRIES

Page 17

NOV 16 @ 7:00 PM
VS Oakwood University
NOV 19 @ 7:00 PM
VS Southeastern Baptist College
NOV 23 @ 6:00 PM
VS Lagrange College
NOV 27 @ 4:00 PM
VS Brewton-Parker College
DEC 7 @ 7:00 PM
VS Tennessee Southern
JAN 29 @ 4:00 PM
VS Lee University
FEB 12 @ 4:00 PM
VS West Georgia
FEB 16 @ 7:00 PM
VS Alabama - Huntsville
FEB 24 @ 7:00 PM
VS Delta State
FEB 26 @ 4:00 PM
VS Mississippi College
DEC 14 @ 6:00 PM
VS Palm Beach Atlantic University
DEC 18 @ 4:00 PM
VS Shorter
DEC 31 @ 7:00 PM
VS West Florida
JAN 2 @ 4:00 PM
VS Valdosta State
JAN 15 @ 4:00 PM
VS Christian Brothers
JAN 27 @ 7:00 PM
VS Union
IT’S G O O D TO BE HOME
Photo: Jordan Allison
UWA_WS_ad.pdf 1 10/4/21 9:54 PM

Page 18

St. Martin believes a rider needs to find the perfect
horse to compete, because if the rider and horse do
not bond their racing is doomed. Before she meets
a horse, she researches the horse’s breeding process
and how well it was trained.
Many factors decide a horse’s price, ranging from
$2,500 and to upwards of $15,000. These factors
include breeding, vet care, everyday caretaking,
and riding. Responsibly bred and trained barrel horses
start around the $15,000 mark.
While riding around barrels might seem like an easy
hobby to take up, it can be expensive and time-con-
suming.
Rebecca St. Martin began barrel racing while in
her teens and currently races at the collegiate level
at The University of West Alabama as a graduate stu-
dent. During her high school career, she was named
Mississippi High School Rodeo Champion Barrel Racer
in 2015 and 2016. If she cannot be found in Wallace
Hall studying integrated marketing communications,
she centers her time at the stables. Her horse, Checks,
stands as St. Martin’s leading horse and has been for
almost a year.
St. Martin describes him as a gentle giant that gets
along with all people and horses. She describes their
bond as companions and teammates, but it took
some time for her to understand Checks. “It took
about four months to grasp what Checks liked and
disliked -- to find his quirks and earn his trust,” said St.
Martin.
“You cannot be a good rider
without putting your everything in
your horse and vice versa.”
The Cost of
the ride By Molly Moon
Photo: Joe Chance
Photo:
Rebecca
St. Martin
Photo: Jody Baton

Page 19

17
The spending does not end after a rider purchases
the horse. They provide feed, vet checks, gear, and
separate necessary purchases to support their horse
and sport. St. Martin spends about $1,200 a year on
feed for her two horses, depending on if Checks
is being picky or not. She also purchases treats for
them, whether it be fresh fruit or veggies. Horse care
becomes a huge time commitment.
At UWA, the stables are not located directly on cam-
pus, so St. Martin wakes up three hours before class
daily to feed and allow her horses time out of the
stables. This time helps maintain the bond between
her horses, which St. Martin does not mind.
While the average college student spends roughly
twenty hours a week studying and fifteen hours a
week in class, a barrel racer also has to squeeze 28
additional hours of horse care into her already busy
schedule. Rodeo coach Daniel Poole explains that
his riders dedicate everything to their horse.
“They will usually take better
care of their horse than they
will themselves. The cowgirl
way is to always make sure
your horse eats before you do.”
- Poole
Another hidden cost of barrel racing is traveling and
the equipment required to do so. Horse trailers can
range from a couple of hundred dollars to a couple
of thousand. St. Martin and her teammates place
multiple horses in one trailer when traveling to a rodeo
to split gas. Since the UWA rodeo team travels all over
the south for rodeos, they save money by carpooling.
At rodeos, horses wear show equipment to make
sure they look their best. This expense is not as recurring
as the rest due to the durability of the equipment. The
horse must have a saddle pad, saddle bit, headstall,
and protective leg boots. This equipment costs a rider
a moderate amount to a large sum depending on
quality and style.
On top of style for rodeos, their horse must also be
healthy to be able to compete. UWA Barrel racer,
Kylee Ladner said, “Normally monthly expenses are
about $600/horse. My horses get routine maintenance
such as injections and dental every six months that
normally run $300/horse.”
Besides going to rodeos, St. Martin also travels to her
home in Mississippi to let her horses roam free while
relaxing from competition. St. Martin relies financially
on her parents to be able to compete.
“I’m extremely grateful for my parents and that they
support me and my hobbies. Without their support, I
couldn’t do what I am passionate about while being in
school. Some of my teammates work full time to fund
their rodeo careers. They juggle their commitment to
our team, their school work, and their job, which is not
an easy task.” said St. Martin. With time, investments,
and grit, a firm barrel racer is cultivated.
Photo: Joe Chance

Page 20

After the departure of former UWA head Coach
Will Hall in the spring of 2014, B. Gilliland earned the
position of Head Football Coach at UWA.
With his father and his teammates’ stories in mind,
Coach “G” immediately went to work establishing a
new football culture at West Alabama.
“One thing that always comes to
mind from when I was younger is
how I always referred to my dad’s
teammates as uncles, because
that’s what they were to me.”
He continued his father’s ‘71 championship team
culture with his players and hopes to see them
embrace the beauty and success that comes with it.
“We use the word ‘brotherhood’ with the team
today because that team back in ‘71 was the per-
fect embodiment of what a brotherhood on and off
the field should look like,” said B. Gilliland.
“After COVID-19 hit in March of last year, our guys
In the Fall of 2000, Brett Gilliland enrolled as a
student at The University of West Alabama. His
Father, UWA Hall of Famer, also attended UWA,
then Livingston University, back in 1971. With UWA
Hall of Fame offensive lineman Ronnie Gilliland as
his father, B. Gilliland followed with big shoes to fill. “I
never really felt pressure to be great. I just wanted to
be,” said B. Gilliland.
During his playing career, R. Gilliland led the Tigers
toward the first national title in almost 30 years.
Although B. Gilliland never achieved a national cham-
pionship, he did break a multitude of university and
conference records during his four years on the field.
Along with his teammates, B. Gilliland’s biggest moti-
vation originated through countless stories of his father.
“I heard these stories my whole life growing up, and I
wanted to capitalize on it,” he said.
Shortly after earning his degree in the spring of 2004,
B. Gilliland joined the Tiger’s coaching staff as a grad-
uate assistant receiver’s coach. He continued his
career with stops at Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern
University, and Kennesaw State University.
a timeless
brotherhoodBy Collin Hare
Photo: Max Potts

Page 21

19
had to find new ways to stay in touch and in
shape. Anytime you go through adversity as a
group, especially something of this magnitude,
it has the opportunity to make you stronger
together,” said B. Gilliland. The 2021 football team
faced many challenges while adapting to their
change of routine. They utilized this change as
a builder of not only discipline and motivation
towards the game of football but also toward
strengthening their bond as a brotherhood.
The players attended Zoom meetings and did
individual workouts to stay in shape and keep
fresh minds, while practicing the best they could
with their particular circumstances.
“My biggest desire as a
coach for this team is to see
them become a true timeless
brotherhood. If they can do that
like my dad and his team did,
I really believe they can be
something special this season.”
A half-century after the players from the ‘71 foot-
ball team won the school’s only national title, they
are now being inducted into the UWA Athletic Hall
of Fame. “I was beyond excited for my dad and all
of his teammates when I heard the news,” said B.
Gilliland. “For years, only individual players from the
‘71 team have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
They more than deserved every bit of recognition they
received, and this year made perfect sense with it
being the 50th anniversary.”
This will be the first team to be inducted into the
UWA Hall of Fame as an entire group rather than just
the individual inductees.
Coach G continues to leave his mark at UWA with
the recent victory over The University of West Geor-
gia, clinching his 50th win at UWA, and the following
victory against Shorter University that led to the first
6-0 start in school history.
As the season continues, B. Gilliland hopes to see
his athletes honor the ‘71 championship team by
working relentlessly toward the ultimate goal, another
national championship in the program’s trophy case.
Photo: Jordan Allison
Photo: Amanda Gilliland

Page 22

HONORING THEIR LEGACY
IN THE HALL OF FAME
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
10
7
20
28
17
15
Jacksonville State
Southern St. (Ark.)
Troy State
Samford
Quantico
West Carolina
9
0
21
3
13
9
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
Livingston
31
45
20
28
25
Florence State
Delta State
Mississippi College
U.T. Martin
West Liberty (W.Va.)
0
21
3
7
2
N.A.I.A. CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL
Livingston 14
Arkansas Tech. 12
th

Page 23

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Support, friendship and care are a few words used to define the incredible community of international
student-athletes at Twin Oaks, an apartment complex located close to The University of West Alabama
campus.
UWA is considered home for many exchange and international students who come to the United States
open to new experiences, cultural exchange and knowledge. The exciting thing about this experience is
that the majority of the international students are also student-athletes, representing the university while
engaging in sporting events, getting various benefits to their growth and experience in the United States.
This adds to not only academic life but to friendships and cultural knowledge, allowing a unique experience
for the students.
Many of these student-athletes rely on each other as a form of support and also use this opportunity to
become close and learn about each other’s countries and cultures. This community also helps each other
with rides to class, practice, campus activities, and support in games and academic events.
They often host dinner and social gatherings in each other’s apartments, having people from different
nationalities cook their country’s food while eating together, talking, and playing cards.
Q: What is your favorite part about living in a diverse
community?
A: “I love that we all come from different places, and
we all end up at the university thanks to our sports.
When we debate together, we learn things about
the different cultures, and it is sometimes different
from the vision we have from school.”
Q: What is something you learned from this expe-
rience?
A: “I could notice differences on how people dress,
how they act (shy or sociable) and particularly
the things they like the most. I can see that West-
ern European people have nearly the same cul-
tures and life is really similar there. So when we
talk about life in high school or in general, we
can understand each other really well. This place
seems like a permanent trip where we can dis-
cover the world.”
Q : How does it feel to live in a community full of
international students?
A: “I really like it. I get to know different people from
different countries. It is really good to help each
other and have people around that are in the
same situation, far from home, dealing with a lan-
guage barrier and cultural differences. Also, since
we are all athletes, we always support each other
in our sports by attending each other’s games. It
is an excellent environment to be around people
from different places, knowing different ideas and
mindsets.”
Q: What did you learn in the past years by living with
international students?
A: “I learned how they think differently than me, and
that made me grow a lot. Sometimes you think you
are the only one that misses your family, but we
all do because we are very far away from home,
and we help each other in that part.”
Loic Danze
UWA Men’s Tennis
Paris, France
Heloisa niespodzinski
UWA Women’s Volleyball
Sao Bento Do Su l, Brazil
LIVINGSTON’S
MELTING POT By Beatriz Giordan

Page 25

23
Q: What was a remarkable memory from bonding
with international students at Twin Oaks?
A: “I loved the themed dinners that we do. I remem-
ber this time that we cooked Brazilian food and
invited all of our international friends, and it was
so fun to see them trying out the food for the first
time. We were talking about how different our
eating habits were, and I learned so many new
things that night.”
Q: In what ways does this community keep each
other accountable?
A: “We communicate with each other constantly; we
created a message group so we can schedule
dinners, trips to Walmart, rides to class, help with
assignments, school work, and much more. Also
for the fact that we live so close, we are constantly
visiting each other.”
nathalia Medeiros
UWA Women’s Volleyball
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Q: What is your favorite memory with the international
students at Twin Oaks?
A: “My favorite memory is playing cards, having din-
ner together and hanging out after a full day of
practice and school. Being able to have all these
different people living so close and being able
to bond and count on them at any time is truly
priceless.”
Hardija Vidnere
UWA Women’s Tennis
WHAT’S FOR
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BRAZILIAN BEEF STROGANOFF
Tender cuts of pan seared beef, smothered in
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VENEZUELAN AREPAS
Corn griddle cakes served with your choice of
savory fillings, such as Venezuelan shredded beef,
black beans, fresh cheese, guacamole and more
Photo: Beatriz Giordan

Page 26

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goals and win together. The coaches knew they had
to bring some creativity to practices. “We all helped
each other out, and even the coaches got in some
and practiced with us,” said graduate guard Jada
Golden.
The coaching staff felt the need to make their adjust-
ments as seamlessly as possible to take the stress off
the players and allow them to spend their time focus-
ing on building chemistry to transform into a compet-
itive team. “We tried to put them in situations to be
successful,” said Cram.
The players handled their predicaments together
and evolved into a sisterhood. Although senior guard
Justyna Butler tore her Achilles tendon during the pre-
season and could not play, she witnessed the growth
and development of her teammates firsthand. “It was
a big shift within our team, but they kept a positive
attitude and stuck together,” said Butler.
The team’s ability to deal with adversity was
reflected in their performance during the season,
finishing second in their respective conference and
coming one game short of the final four.
“The whole thing from start to finish was an art,” said
Cram. With the success of an interesting last season
behind them and a more regular season ahead of
them, Cram and his team look forward to competing
more than ever.
Cram looks to take the lessons learned from last
season and use them to transfer their level of success
to the current team. “We knew we had to get some
With an available roster of only eight players,
The University of West Alabama women’s
basketball team earned their spot in the
playoffs last season. Currently, their biggest concern
lies in how they will bring their previous level of success
to a new team and a full roster.
Covid-19 protocols did a number on the team and
made many players unavailable to participate in
games or practices. The loss of players at different
times made planning difficult for the coaching staff.
“All of a sudden, three or four of your players get
quarantined for 14 days, so you’d be without them
for two weeks,” said head coach Rusty Cram.
A shorthanded roster proved the most significant
difficulty the team faced last season and brought
much concern about how the team would learn to
play well together.
“Coming together as a team was
tough because we didn’t know
who was going to be showing up
from game to game”
Having far fewer players than usual, the coaching
staff faced a peculiar problem: they lacked depth.
“We had to be inventive,” said Cram. This meant hav-
ing players switch to different positions, so they could
have versatility and fill in wherever the team needed.
Every member of the team knew they needed to
come together and help each other achieve their
Working
overtime
By Joe Worthy
Photos: Jordan Allison

Page 29

27
quality people in here to give us some depth,” said
Cram.
Cram also expects the upcoming season to differ-
entiate itself from last season for the better. With the
previous season bringing canceled games and play-
ers unavailable to play, the 2022 season looks more
under control in Cram’s eyes. “I think consistency will
be much better this year,” said Cram.
The coaching staff notices more motivation in their
team heading into the upcoming season. They rec-
ognize their players want to go out and win more
than they have before.
“They’re hungry to get to that
next level, to the point where we
are excited about coming into
work every day.”
Along with a newfound hunger, Cram and his
coaching staff find more good lessons from last sea-
son they can utilize to bring out the best in their ath-
letes. “We’re able to capitalize on some good quality
experience that we didn’t have this time last year,”
said Cram.
Expectations remain high in the locker room for
the UWA women’s basketball team, and with their
newfound ability to strive under pressure, a winning
atmosphere surrounds the team. “Now they’re going
to be expected to win, and they will accept that
pressure and meet it head-on,” said Cram.

Page 30

THANK YOU
SENIORSFOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION
#1 TAZSA
GARRETT-HAMMETT
#11 FANNASY
GARRETT-HAMMETT
#5 LAURYN
LILLY
#4 JADA
GOLDEN

Page 31

29
Last spring, The University of West Alabama wom-
en’s tennis team won the regular season and
the Gulf South Conference Championship Tour-
nament, setting a record here on campus for the first
time in school history.
West Alabama finished 17-2 and won 12 straight
matches to finish off their season. “This group has
worked hard all year,” UWA tennis head coach Jeff
Beaman said, “It has been a pleasure to be a part of
what they accomplished.”
The team won the doubles point at the match due
to Thea Yang and Heden Ly defeating The University
of West Florida’s Karolina Silwanowicz and Samantha
Echevarria, 6-3, at No. 2, while Hardija Vidnere and
Daryna Hukasian beat UWF’s Irene Recuenco and
Raissa Wagner, 6-0, at No. 3. The team trained for
their winning season and continued that hard work
for their next season.
The team puts in vigorous hours to train and be
ready for their matches. With only one day off per
week, most of their time is spent on the courts. They
strive to create unity as most of the players are inter-
national students. Each teammate comes from various
backgrounds, yet they all share a love for their sport.
Junior, Vidnere, pinpoints the team’s success in this
unification. “We are like sisters,” Vindnere said. “We
spend every day with each other, creating a bond
through tennis.”
With most of their families overseas, they are each
other’s number one supporters. A win for one team-
mate is a celebratory occasion for all.
“My team is my family. I feel
happy every time I’m with the
girls. We all help each other in
everything, and having a support
system like that is just amazing.”
- Haina Franco
The team excelled last season and intends on doing
the same this time around. With their strong bond and
support for one another, the players plan to build on
their level of success for the 2021-2022 season.
A perfect
match By Molly Moon
Photos: Jordan Allison

Page 32

SO MUCH
TO DO,
SO LITTLE
TIMEGet Out, Get Involved