Four years may seem like a long time, but, as we realized, it can go by more quickly than one could ever imagine.  One minute you’re arriving on campus for freshman orientation and the awkward first roommate encounter, and the next minute President Gann is handing out diplomas and suddenly life in Claremont has disappeared in a flurry of job applications and interviews.

Before the time slips away, there are some things students absolutely should do before leaving Claremont.  While we made our own bucket list, and have worked hard on the weekends crossing many things off, this list is intended as a suggestion for students looking to explore and make their own memories – a starting point for everyone to incorporate their own unique goals and interests.

My best advice as a senior is to not waste time worrying – instead, spend more time doing… and enjoying.

10. Discover the Claremont Village.

Neighbors meet at the village market

Claremont isn’t exactly a booming metropolis, but there are many fun parts of the Village that Claremont students never take the time to experience.  Hidden gems like C.K. Cafe, which has free WiFi and a fantastic tea selection that includes the special blooming flower teas, are great places to study or just to hang out.  Likewise, Eureka! Burger is a great place to visit, with a rotating beer selection, visiting brewers, and “Steal the Glass” Night on Wednesdays.  While some make it a goal to visit every restaurant in downtown Claremont, it’s also worth it to expand that goal to include going to events in the Village.  The Sunday morning farmer’s market, held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Second Street, has fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as honey, hummus, pita, and local artisan crafts.  It’s a great place to grab groceries for the week with friends and prices are often cheaper than in stores.  On Fridays from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. students can visit the Green Market at the Packing House, where vendors bring food and crafts to sell at great prices.  Students staying in Claremont over spring break will find many options for fun close to home.

9. Cheer on C-M-S at a sports game.
Although CMC doesn’t have the big-school sports frenzy like USC or UCLA, C-M-S events are not to be missed.  Division III events can be just as exciting as Division I, especially when you’re rooting for people you actually know.  It’s a great way to show friends that you care by supporting the Athenas’ undefeated basketball season, or going to a track meet to see a friend hurdle her way to victory.  And how better to show that guy in Econ 50 that you like the way he talks about the demand curve than by cheering on his water polo team?  Not only are C-M-S sports events fun and exciting, but they’re also a great way to bond with friends.  Game schedules and results are posted online at the C-M-S webpage.  Even at a small school, spirit is important.

Students at an open mic night perform a cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly".

8. Attend a student theatrical or arts performance.

There are many organizations that put on plays, open mic nights, improv shows, and musical performances around the Colleges.  The CMC theater group, Under The Lights (UTL), puts on several performances each year, including their One Acts – a night of one-act plays – and the perpetually classy Dinner Theater performance at the Athenaeum.  “The name of the dinner theatre play is ‘Finnegan’s Farewell’ and it is going to be performed the evenings of April 9th, 10th, and 11th,” says UTL President Jen Baute (CMC ’12) about this semester’s play, a comedy involving Irish drinking songs.  These students work hard for weeks to put on a professional and entertaining show, and they rarely disappoint. Plus, they always have great refreshments.

7. Go to Karaoke Night at Sushi Cruise or hit up El Ranchero for Mexican fare.
Sushi Cruise, the restaurant shaped like a boat and home to the infamous Claremont Roll, Rainbow Dragon Roll, and many other California sushi fusion masterpieces, is also the home of Thursday night karaoke.  Not only does Sushi Cruise have a huge selection of songs for karaoke, they also have big screen displays for the lyrics and an incredible waitstaff that will participate in the festivities.  The Claremont icon has a great all-you-can-eat menu that is even more valuable with the 10% off coupon you can find on the CMC Forum – valid with a student ID.  El Ranchero, which is on the same block as Sushi Cruise, is another option for a fun night off-campus that is great for larger groups.  They have incredible specials, like the popular “dollarita,” that make it a must for the tail-end of spring break. El Ranchero is big fun, small price.

6. Spend a day downtown.

Hollywood attractions are easily accessible by Metrolink and metro busses.

Lots of people take trips to the beach, but fewer people take the time to explore downtown Los Angeles.  Although Claremont can feel far from the city, it’s quite accessible: by Metrolink train it only takes 50 minutes to get downtown (and it’s only about $7.50 each way, compared with $18.50 or more each way, plus parking, if you choose to drive).  L.A.’s Union Station is just walking distance from attractions like Olvera Street, an old-town Hispanic marketplace and the  the oldest part of Los Angeles.  The Walt Disney Music Hall is very close to the train station, as is the L.A. Museum of Contemporary Art, which charges just $5 for student admission every day (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and has free admission on Thursdays from 5 – 8 p.m.  For lunch, hit up Grand Central Market, an open-air plaza famous for homemade mole and the fresh, El Salvadorian specialty food, pupusas. Helen Kim, a senior who frequently visits the Los Angeles downtown area added, “You can take the Red Line out to Hollywood to see the Kodak Theatre and also the Purple Line if you wanted to go explore Koreatown.”  There are always new places to discover and there is always something going on downtown.  Whether it’s a museum exposition or a cultural festivity, the possibilities are almost endless.

5. Explore Mt. Baldy.
The image of Mt. Baldy in its snow-capped glory standing majestically behind Bauer Center is one with which we are all familiar.  We see it on postcards, emails, and even the CMC webpage.  But how many students have actually been to the top of Mt. Baldy?  How many have been to the bottom?  Mt. Baldy presents so many possibilities. In the winter there are often online deals from Groupon.com or Livingsocial.com that offer discounts on lift tickets or snow-tubing passes.  In the fall there’s a swim-suit hike organized by Pomona’s On The Loose program (OTL, an outdoor activities organization).  The town below the ski area, named after the mountain, is a fun place to visit before or after making it to the top.  For upperclassmen, there’s the Mt. Baldy Pub, with the Mt. Baldy Lodge right next door for those who want to make a weekend of exploring the mountain.  In addition to great hospitality, the good people of the Lodge lead moonlight hikes.  And for students of all ages, there is Buckhorn Restaurant, which has live music on the weekends (and a free drink special on its website), and the Mount Baldy Trout Pool, where students can try out their casting skills.  The trout pool has all the rental equipment necessary, as well as bait and lures.

Spring break is a great opportunity for road trips with friends.

4. Impromptu road trip with friends
Whether near or far, a road trip with friends is a must in college – especially in Claremont.  Claremont is uniquely located, where it’s only a three to four hour drive to Las Vegas or Death Valley, two hours to San Diego (where there is great beach camping), and six hours to the Bay Area and great outdoor spots like Big Sur.  Companies like Zipcar have made it even easier to get away for the weekend, with cars in Claremont available for members.  With online discount sites like Kayak and Priceline and deals from Groupon and other community sites, it’s easy to find a last-minute place to stay.  And great camping spots are only a Google search away.  Don’t have the gear? The OTL gear room is open from 7-10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and has everything you’ll need.

3. Go all night at the Marathon Party.
It’s not uncommon to pull an all-nighter for class to write a paper or study for a midterm exam, but attending a party with friends and classmates that lasts all night is much more memorable, and much more fun.  The 24-Hour Party is planned every spring by ASCMC to involve activities that last an entire twenty-four hour period, from noon on a Saturday to noon on a Sunday.  Events range from swimming, to wine and cheese tasting, to karaoke, and even huge games of tag.  This event is also purposefully inclusive of students who choose the dry lifestyle; it’s more about fun with friends than about anything else and designed for maximum participation by everyone.

2. Participate in Ski-Beach Day.
Ski-Beach Day is the infamous day when a group of students ski for half a day and then hit the beach.  It’s an event unique to the Claremont Colleges, where students are close enough to the mountains to drive up to resorts like Mountain High and ski until noon before hitting the beach for some tanning, swimming, and good eats. This is an event few people will ever do outside of college.  Since it’s subsidized by the College and it’s planned out by the Student Life Chair (SLC), it’s well worth it to take advantage of this trip.

1. Get ponded or pond a friend.

A giant sports banner in Ducey gym reads, “3 schools, 2 mascots, 1 spirit.” But do we really have one spirit? The Stag and Athena mascots divide us, splitting our spirit in two. The jumbled, half combination “Stagthena” reminds me of stagflation, and I’d rather not think of economics when cheering for sports.

Before Claremont had a women’s sports program, Claremont-Mudd shared a sports team, the Stags. Once the women’s program was added in the late 1970s, there was some talk over what the mascot for CMS should be.

According to Michael Sutton, the current director of athletics for CMS and a CMC alum, there was a lot of push to go with one mascot and logo. However, a lot of CMC alumni weren’t willing to change the mascot from the Stags, and the women’s athletics weren’t willing to accept that mascot.

While the widely known and accepted current definition of stag is a male deer, the word carried several negative connotations for quite some time. The third definition of stag, according to dictionary.com, is “a person who attends a social gathering unaccompanied by a partner, especially a man who is unaccompanied by a woman.” The fourth definition is “a social gathering for men only.” And one of the adjective uses: “pornographic” (i.e. stag films).

Sutton also said that in the 60s and 70s  ”Stag” often referred to activities objectifying or demeaning women. While he admitted that he’s unsure how much weight this definition still holds, he added: “I guarantee you that if you surveyed some women (about the term) they’d be offended.”

Hence, the CMS committee was reluctant to band behind the Stags to encompass both the women’s sports as well. Out of this controversy, the Athenas were born.

Since the definition of Stag has changed substantially over time and I doubt anyone even knows of the old definitions, I don’t think people find it offensive.

On a quick tangential point, it probably disturbs a lot of you, as it does me, that if ‘stag’ truly was an offensive term, it was still allowed to be our school’s mascot, even if it was once a men’s college. If it really is chauvinistic, it remains that way with or without the presence of women at our schools. But that’s a topic for another article.

Sutton noted that while our current two-mascot predicament is odd, it works. “The conversation (to consolidate to one mascot) has come up over time, and we haven’t come up with a better plan that we’ve felt strong enough about,” Sutton said.

“At the end of the day, since we haven’t come up with a more popular idea, we are fine with what we have” he noted.

Some student athletes feel differently.

Carmen Lundell, CMC ’13, feels the differing mascots divide the rift between male and female sports even further. “The problem is that when you go to a sporting event that’s a coed sport there are Stags and Athenas there, so people have to choose between the two. So people say, ‘Go Stags,’ typically,” Lundell, a varsity diver and former track runner commented.

Both track and field and swimming and diving are coed, and it’s tough for fans – and for students – to feel like they’re cheering for one team when the mascots are divided.

“I see it as further perpetuating the stigma against women’s sports. People do choose to cheer for Stags. I would say there’s no guy here – maybe a couple – that would say ‘Go Athenas,’” Lundell added.

We can change the rift that having two mascots creates. If we all became Stags, at least women’s sports – and women at the school for that matter – wouldn’t feel left out during the cheers.

Having two mascots also further divides our fan apparel. The CMS athletics website has separate merchandise for Athenas and Stags apparel. Students are explicitly choosing whether they are supporting male or female sports based on what apparel they buy. This clearly divides us.

So why should we consolidate to just Stags? Why not change our mascot entirely?

There are some solid arguments against changing our current mascot. Although the word stag has some remnants of its past offensive definitions, the word merely means “male deer” for most people. Most students probably don’t even know the other definitions exist, or even care.

Additionally, the Stag mascot already has name recognition in Claremont. Since the term probably doesn’t offend anyone anymore, there’s no reason to completely take away from a dominant, well-liked symbol. And the fact that a stag refers to a male deer specifically does not exclude female members of the student body. A stag is an animal, and I would no more feel a kinship to a female animal than a male one.

And most importantly, Harry Potter’s Patronus is a Stag, which should be reason enough.

Ultimately, it’s more worth it to have one united fan base – one mascot and one spirit – than to continue the divisions the dual mascots bring because of an antiquated definition.

But hey, at least we’re not the Sagehens.

Editor’s Note: This article was written independently of the Idea Night talk by Jen Rignoen ’12 on March 6.

By Kelly Beck

Photo Credit: Brad Curry

CMS beat Pomona-Pitzer 60-54 at home on Saturday night to win the SCIAC Tournament Championship.  The Stags (25-2) earned the SCIAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships with the victory while the Sagehens fell to 16-10.  The teams have faced each other in the championship game four times in the five year history of the tournament and this was the third win for CMS.

As they did in last night’s semifinal, the Stags fell behind by five points early in the game before going on offensive run to take a lead they would not lose.  Neither team shot well in the first half with the Sagehens shooting 35% and the Stags shooting 32%, but CMS was more successful from beyond the arc (four made to one for Pomona-Pitzer) and from the line (3-3 vs. 0-2) and held a 21-17 lead at the break.

CMS’ offense heated up in the second half and the Stags built a 43-27 after a Tyler Gaffaney three with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game and looked to be in control.  Pomona-Pitzer responded with an 14-2 that cut the lead to four and it looked like another Stag-Sagehen game would come down to the wire.  The teams had met twice this season with CMS winning at Pomona-Pitzer by two in January and Pomona-Pitzer winning at CMS by one just five days ago.  A CMS three by Remy Pinson put the Stags up seven with 1:37 remaining, but Pomona-Pitzer hit back-to-back shots to cut the lead to two with 40 seconds left.  The Sagehens chose to start fouling and the Stags, who only shot 62% from the line in SCIAC play, hit five of six to close out the game.

Tyler Gaffaney led the Stags with 16 points on a perfect shooting night (5-5 overall, 3-3 on threes and from the line) and also shared the team lead with six rebounds.  Kevin Sullivan, who scored 10 points off the bench, was the only other Stag in double figures.  CMS’ leading scorers, Chris Blees and Mani Maceira, had off shooting nights and were only 2-16 combined from the field, but Blees had five rebounds and three assists and Maceira had six rebounds.  Pinson had five assists and no turnovers in the game.  Joey Anderson scored all three of his points in the final three minutes and blocked a Sagehen shot with 33 seconds left and CMS up by three.

Pomona-Pitzer did not have any players score in double-figures as Jake Klewer and Po Grant led them with nine points.  Klewer led the Hens with seven rebounds, Evan Zahniser had a team-high three assists and John Weiss a game-high three steals.

CMS advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 11^th time and the third time in the last four years.  They will find out who and where they are playing on Monday.

Pre Game Coverage

By Nathan Falk

It doesn’t get more exciting than this. Tonight, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags and the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens face off for the third time this season, this time to decide who will be the 2012 SCIAC Tournament Champion.

These two programs have a long, fierce rivalry, and this season has been no different. On January 18th, after a back and forth game, sophomore Remy Pinson drove baseline to baseline and ended the game with a buzzer-beating layup, giving the Stags a thrilling victory. On Tuesday night, the Sagehens and their fans come across 6th street for revenge. After another clutch 3 pointer from Remy Pinson that gave the Stags a two point lead with under 10 seconds left, the Pomona freshman Kyle McAndrews threw up a last chance three point attempt at the buzzer that missed. But the referee called a foul on Remy Pinson, sending Kyle McAndrews to the line. The freshman made all three free throws that sealed a Pomona-Pitzer victory.

Now it is the Stags turn for revenge. Round 3 of the “Battle of Sixth Street” starts at 7:30 tonight in Ducey Gymnasium and with the way the last two games have gone, the rivalry between these two programs, and the SCIAC Tournament Championship on the line, the stage is set for tonight’s game to be one of the best sporting events of the year.

The winner of tonight’s match up receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Check out the video below for more highlights:

Live Broadcast

Audio and video coverage will begin at 7:00 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Nathan Falk (CMC ’14), and Sean Houseworth (CMC ’13) will Nathan Barnett (PO ’11) producing.

You can watch the broadcast live here:

By Kelly Beck

Top-seeded CMS beat #4-seed Redlands 67-65 in the SCIAC Tournament Semifinal on Friday night.  The Stags improved to 24-2 and will host #2-seed Pomona-Pitzer (16-9) Saturday night at 7:30 while Redlands finished the season at 13-13.

CMS fell behind 5-0 early in the game, but responded with a 11-0 run in the middle of the first half to take a 10-point lead they would never relinquish.  Redlands, however, was able to keep the game in reach and cut the halftime lead to 35-30.  Both teams shot 6-11 from beyond the arc in the first half.

The Stags built their lead up to 11 in the second half.  The Bulldogs shot 14-22 (63.6%) and were able to slowly chip away at the lead as the Stags lost their three-point touch missing all five in the second half.  Back to back shots by Bulldog senior Mychal Estrada cut the CMS lead to two points with less than two minutes remaining.  Free throws proved to be the difference in the game as CMS outscored the Bulldogs 12-7 at the line in the half.  A Tyler Gaffaney free throw gave CMS a three-point lead with 21 seconds remaining.  Redlands cut the lead to one on a putback of a three-point miss and fouled Gaffaney on the inbounds play with 0.6 seconds remaining.  He made the first and intentionally missed the second to run out the clock and give the Stags the win.

Mani Maceira led the Stags with 17 points.  Chris Blees had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.  Joseph Anderson had a strong overall game for the Stags with 10 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists.  Tristan Kirk and Mychal Estrada both had 13 points for the Bulldogs.  Brian Kuklok added 10 points.

CMS has now advanced to the SCIAC Tournament Final in all five years of the tournament and has faced Pomona-Pitzer three of the previous four times.  The Stags are 2-2 in the final with both wins coming as a number one seed.

Pre Game Coverage

By Nathan Falk

The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags are the SCIAC champions for the fourth consecutive year. They have had the winningest season in school history, and they’re currently ranked 11th in the country. Tonight, the Stags will try to bounce back from a heart-wrenching loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Tuesday night, only their second loss of the season.

Photo Credit: Brad Curry

The Stags (24-2, 12-2 SCIAC) take on Redlands (13-12, 8-6 SCIAC) in the semifinal match of the conference tournament. The Bulldogs, who lost to the Stags twice during the regular season, beat CMS in the conference tournament final game last year, ending the Stags’ season. This year, they are the #4 seed, after having an up and down year where they lost several very close games.

The winner of tonights match will play either Pomona-Pitzer or Whittier tomorrow night at 7:30 in the conference tournament final game. The winner of that game secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 3 national tournament.

Live Broadcast

Audio and video coverage will begin at 7:00 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Nathan Falk (CMC ’14), and Sean Houseworth (CMC ’13) will Nathan Barnett (PO ’11) producing.

You can watch the broadcast live here:

Last semester, ASCMC Senate began “Open Senate” sessions during its weekly meetings. During this 15 minute window, any CMC student can bring up campus issues for discussion. Senate hopes that these sessions will allow students the opportunity to identify problems on campus and work with Senators to develop solutions.

During an Open Senate last semester, Blake Morell ’13  raised the issue of Ducey Gym’s short hours and pointed out that many students wished that the gym was open for longer. Following the session, ASCMC Vice President Aditya Pai ’13, sent out a survey to all students to gather feedback on the issue. The responses were overwhelming, with more than 100 students agreeing that the hours were insufficient. Pai says, “Blake Morell ’13 deserves credit for his initiative and effort in approaching the Senate and building the case for such a change to happen.”

Pai and Morell approached Director of Athletics Mike Sutton and Director of Recreational Sports Adam Pruett to find a feasible solution to the issue. Both members of the CMS staff were extremely forthcoming and open to making changes. Towards the end of last semester, the hours of the Ducey Weight Room were temporarily extended as a part of a trial program, and all students were notified of the change via email. Over winter break, the CMS Staff decided to increase hours permanently and has hired the required number of student monitors to make this possible. Pai noted that, “Efforts such as these are testament to the potential of the student senate to make changes on campus. ASCMC is there to serve the student body, and that’s what ASCMC is for.”

The weight room hours are now the following:

Monday to Thursday 9:00am–11:00pm
Friday 9:00am-10:00pm
Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm-10:00pm

The same hours will apply to the basketball courts and the fitness center inside Ducey Gymnasium. However, the Athletic Department will have to work around the PE classes and varsity practices.

This change represents significant progress by Senate and the CMS Athletic Department. Pruett stated, “CMS is happy to make whatever changes it can to benefit students, and I believe that ASCMC has provided a great model for changes to occur on campus.”

Remy Pinson and Mani Maceira help up freshman Jack Grodahl (Credit: Brad Curry)

by James Havlicek

After a hard fought game tonight at Ducey Gymnasium, the Stags defeated the Beavers of CalTech with a final score of 93-62. The Stags are now 20-1 overall and 10-1 in SCIAC, continuing along their path of groundbreaking success this season, while the struggling yet hard-working Beavers are 5-16 and 0-10.

Despite the fairly wide margin of victory for the Stags, the first half was, for the most part, tightly contested. Aggressive, physical play by the Beavers compensated for what one might consider their lack of athleticism in comparison to the Stags, who boast a squad that, at 11^th in the nation in Division III and possibly higher after tonight’s victory, can compete with almost anyone in their path. At the half, the Stags, led by Mani Maceira’s 11 first half points, were ahead by 16 to the Beavers, led by Bryan Joel’s 12 points. The Stags were able to nearly shut down CalTech star Michael Edwards, who chipped in only 4 points tonight despite his 15.3 point average.

The Stags began to pull away in the second half, allowing every player on the squad to have an opportunity to receive some minutes down the stretch. Though the Beavers were relentless in their aggressive play, the Stags ultimately came away with a 31-point victory.

Four of the Stags had double figures in the point category this evening, with Chris Blees contributing 12, Mani Maceira scoring 15, and Joey Anderson and Patrick Donnelly both chipping in 13. The Beavers were led in scoring by Bryan Joel, who scored 14.

The Stags will next be at Redlands on February 11^th, and the Beavers will next be facing Cal Lutheran on the same day.

Pre-game Coverage

by James Havlicek

Tonight in Ducey gymnasium, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags will face the Beavers of CalTech (5-15, 0-9 SCIAC). Fresh off of a thrilling one-point victory over Whittier, who previously gave the Stags (19-1, 8-1 SCIAC) their only loss thus far in this historic season, the stags will look to continue along their path of sheer SCIAC dominance.

The Stags, coached by Ken Scalmanini and led by NCAA preseason All-American post-graduate Chris Blees, are currently ranked 1^st in SCIAC and 11^th in the nation in Division III.

The Beavers, coached by Dr. Oliver Eslinger and led by junior Michael Edwards, have struggled thus far this season, and have not yet had a victory in conference.

Stay tuned for what should be an exciting inter-conference matchup!

Live Broadcast

Audio and video coverage will begin at 7:20 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Nathan Falk (CMC ’14) and James Havlicek (CMC ’14).

The CMS broadcast can be found at this link:

http://www.firstteambroadcasting.com/events/2012/02/08/mens-basketball-cms-vs-cal-tech/

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about Sports Broadcasting at the Claremont Colleges, please email ClaremontSC@gmail.com

By Jenny Phillips

Credit: Brad Curry

Coming off the season’s first lost, the 15th ranked Stags defeated the Occidental Tigers 75-64 at home tonight. The Stags got off to a slow start in the first quarter, going back and forth with the Tigers. Later in the first half, the Stags were able to pull away a little and go into
halftime with a 6 point lead. CMS came out strong in the second half and was able to increase their lead to 15 points. The Tigers battled hard and managed to cut the lead to 6, but were unable to hold off the Stags. Down 9 points with under 2 minutes left in the game, the Tigers started fouling. The Stags, who have struggled with free throws all season, were maintained concentration and easily held on for the win.

Mani Maceira of the Stags only had 2 points in the first half. After picking up 2 early fouls and a 3rd later on in the first half, he only saw 4 minutes in the first half. Maceira came out strong in the second half, hitting 6-7 of his field goals and managing to not foul out. Chris Blees and Tyler Gaffaney tied for Stags’ leading scorers with 14 points apiece. Gaffaney hit 3-4 on 3 pointers and was 3-3 on free throws. Gaffaney also led the Stags in rebounds with 5 tonight.

Oxy’s star Deshun McCoy had a big game as usual, picking up 21 points and 5 boards. Despite his better-than-average game, McCoy was unable to lead the Tigers to a win, as Oxy continues its 4 game conference losing streak. The Stags will play again at home on Saturday night against Cal
Lu at 7:00 pm.

Pre-game Coverage

By Nathan Falk

Tonight in Ducey Gymnasium, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags return home and will try to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season last Saturday. The 15th best team in the nation went undefeated for 15 games before being stopped by the Whittier Poets in a double overtime thriller this weekend. The Stags (15-1, 4-1 SCIAC) will take on the Tigers of Occidental College, a team that has a lot of talent despite their 7-9 overall record (2-3 SCIAC).

Led by NCAA Preseason All-American Chris Blees and Senior Mani Maceira who has returned to CMC to finish his degree, the Stags put up the best season start in school history this year, and climbed as high as #12 in the country when they defeated rival Pomona-Pitzer last Wednesday with a buzzer-beating lefty lay-up by Sophomore Remy Pinson.

The Tigers are coming off of three consecutive conference losses and are desperately looking to end the skid. Senior Jack Hanley and Junior Deshon McCoy are bound to put up big numbers for the tigers, while sophomore Kris Montoya is back after an achilles injury that kept him out of the first 10 games of the season, so look for him to make an impact tonight.

This is the first time these two teams have faced each other this season, so look for a close, physical game as both teams look to get back in the win column. Join us live in Claremont at 7:20!

Live Broadcast

Audio and video coverage will begin at 7:20 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Nathan Falk (CMC ’14) and Jenny Phillips (Scripps ’12).

The CMS broadcast can be found at this link:

http://www.firstteambroadcasting.com/events/2012/01/25/mens-basketball-cms-vs-occidental/ 

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about Sports Broadcasting at the Claremont Colleges, please email Broadcasting@ClaremontSportsConnection.com

Game Recap

by Rishi Sangani

Remy Pinson made a lay-up with 0.5 seconds left, and the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps staved off an upset bid, coming away with a 57-55 victory at cross campus rival Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday night.

The Stags (15-0, 4-0 SCIAC) came into the game ranked 12th in the nation (D3) and undefeated in conference play. Chris Blees, the Stags star power forward, tried to lead the team with 11 points and four assists and led the team with two steals. Blees, who averages over 16 points-per-game, overcame a slow first half where he only scored five points. Sophomore guard Tyler Gaffaney scored 11 points, including a huge three-pointer with 27.7 seconds in the game to give the Stags a 54-50 lead, a shot which solidified the Stags win and gave them their largest lead of the night. The Stags had only seven points off their usually deep bench, compared to 26 by Pomona-Pitzer.

The Sagehens (8-6, 3-1 SCIAC) battled back and forth with the favored Stags, hitting 44% (8-18) behind the arc. The three leading scorers for the Sagehens were all freshmen: Kyle McAndrews (9 points), Michael Cohen (12 points), and Jack Klulas (13 points).

After Gaffaney’s three pointer, Sagehen forward Jake Klewer made a lay-up with 20.1 seconds left to make it 54-52, and Pomona-Pitzer followed with a quick foul on Blees. Blees made one of two three free-throws to increase the Stags lead to three. After pushing the ball up-court, Coach Katsiaficas called a time-out with 8.9 seconds left. On the inbound, Pomona freshman Jack Klukas, left open on the far side of the court, nailed a three-pointer with 6.1 seconds left to tie the game at 55 apiece, but a quick inbound pass let Pinson take the ball from baseline to baseline and make the game-winning left-handed lay-up.

These two rivals will play each other once more in conference play on Feburary 21st, this time at CMS’ Ducey Gymnasium. Each team continues SCIAC play on Saturday, with the Sagehens hosting La Verne (4-11, 1-3), while the Stags visit Whittier (11-4, 3-1).

Pre Game Coverage

By Anderson Wright

Live Broadcast

There will be two broadcasts tonight. The CMS broadcast is audio-only, and coverage will begin at 7:20 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Nathan Falk (CMC ’14) and Anderson Wright (Pomona ’12).

The link to the CMS broadcast can be found at this link:

http://www.firstteambroadcasting.com/events/2012/01/18/mens-basketball-cms-vs-pomona-pitzer/

The Pomona-Pitzer broadcast has both audio and video. Nathan Barnett (Pomona ’11) and Rishi Sangani (Pomona ’15). Coverage will begin at 7:15 for the 7:30 start and the link is:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Pomona-Pitzer-Athletics

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about Sports Broadcasting at the Claremont Colleges, please email Broadcasting@ClaremontSportsConnection.com

It was a busy semester at CMC.

CMC moved up in the rankings to the 9^th best Liberal Arts College in the country.

The Kravis Center officially opened to students and faculty.  The Living Room (affectionately known as ‘the Kube’) attracted students’ attention  after some technical difficulties and the administration’s initial decision to limit access to students. This was all before the Kube became home to one Pomona student’s temporary interpretive dance studio.

The fall semester also celebrated and embodied student leadership at CMC.  Students started a movement to do a better job of cleaning up after parties and led an effort to change our campus conversation about sex and gender norms. Trying bridge the gap between our Building Attendants and their residents, the Forum got to know some of CMC’s friendliest staff members. CMCers led a campaign to be more environmentally friendly on campus and coordinated a day of reflection on 9/11. Others took the lead in social activity planning, expanding student involvement with Dean of Students and creating the College Programming Board (check out the big name they are bringing to campus). Student initiative also brought the popular TED talks to the Claremont Colleges, hosting a TEDx conference in September.

CMC also faced a number of challenges in the fall of 2011: an unexpected over-enrollment of students forced the conversion of two popular study spaces into four-person rooms and a large number of students returning to CMC in the spring from fall study abroad programs led to an on-campus housing crisis.  The story behind the “Marks Squatter” brought some humor to a rather-serious-but-now resolved issue of on-campus visitors.

The Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College was hard at work all semester, advocating for students on issues such as increased study spaces, building a better quality of life, and providing some much needed snack time.

The Occupy Movement swept the nation this semester and arrived at the doorstep of our Claremont Colleges. Students were active in the protests in Claremont, Los Angeles, and the rest of the nation. Indeed, two Pitzer students were arrested for their involvement in the Occupy LA protests.  Political dialogue was alive and well, especially towards the end of the semester, when CMC welcomed former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to our campus. Many 5C students, however, had a different plan in mind and formed an “unwelcoming” party for Rice’s visit. The planned protests forced a change in venue for Rice’s speech, which triggered an outcry from students. While the protests stirred up quite a controversy, the civility and political discourse throughout the evening exemplified students’ diversity of thought, without provoking violence or hostilities.

The Forum sat down with our very own college president Pamela Gann and discussed her current and future projects for the school, which included a revamp of the beloved North Quad and expanding the new Center for Civic Engagement.

But it wasn’t all business this semester at the Forum. Speaking with Paul Zak, a.k.a Dr. Love, the Forum got to hear the Doctor’s thoughts on love, life, and how giving 8 hugs a day will make the world a better place. Those student globe-trotters enjoying their study abroad experience took time to write home to CMC and share their experiences from far-off lands such as Washington D.C., South America, Italy and Oman. And for those bright-eyed freshmen, returning students and Dean Spellman gave them their two cents (sometimes musically) on how to navigate their first semester and discover how great this college really is.

We uncovered the top 5 companies that hire CMC students, brought Words with Friends lovers the 10 most useful Scrabble words, and suggested 8 classes to students that might have overlooked some academic treasures. Students contributed to the ongoing discussion on topics such as art, film, pop culture, public radio, music and concerts. And despite the delicious unveiling of a new Ath menu, the Forum offered some tips on how to stay healthy, even in the face of all those Rice Krispie treats.

A-Mitch even appeared for an encore.

ASCMC hosted a number of events this semester, improving on past traditions—Monte Carlo—and even starting some new ones—The Boardwalk Empire party and No Shave November. We know you can’t wait for the Wedding Party next spring—and neither can we. Expect even bigger surprises next semester.

Our tech guru offered some awesome tips on his #CMCTech blog, including advice on how to make your work faster and more effective, thoughts on the Semester in Silicon Valley Program and even a holiday gift guide (it’s never too late to get that perfect present).

The Forum also better incorporated sports into our publication. The Forum now offers live broadcasts of all home CMS athletic games, complete with video and audio from student broadcasters.  We celebrated triumph, defeat and the utter domination at SCIACs.  The publication also took and in-depth look at sports at CMC and uncovered how SCIAC rules hurt CMS recruiting high school athletes and what many are doing to save the Intramural program.

Outside of the CMC bubble, the Forum checked in with our beloved Claremont village, celebrating the once-in-a-century Zipcode Day (9/17/11=91711) and partaking in the delicious festivities at the California Beer Festival.

It was a busy semester and time for reflecting has just begun. First, we would like to thank you, our readers, for your support, comments, advice, kindness, crudeness, humor and thoughtful discussion. But, we have one more request. The Forum has grown considerably in the last semester but we want to know how we can continue to improve. Below is a short survey that we hope you will fill out so we can make this publication stronger. We look forward to hearing your constructive thoughts, suggestions and comments.

The Forum wishes you a wonderful break and a restful holiday. We promise to bring you the best in news, opinions, and insights from Claremont College students as we enter our spring semester. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading with us this fall, and we’ll see you in 2012!

by Crawford Taylor

The CMS Stags stayed true to their perfect record (9-0) tonight as they routed the Point Loma Sea Lions (4-3) 65-49.

The first half saw an outstanding three point performance by CMS.  The Stags earned about half of their points from beyond the arc with contributions from four players.  Their 50% three point percentage complemented their 48.3% overall shooting percentage.  On the other side, the Sea Lions struggled from the field, shooting fewer than 40%.  To make things worse, the Sea Lions were outrebounded 17-12 and committed more turnovers.  Both teams however did not get to the free throw line often, with both of them going 3-4 on the half.

The Stags continued their dominant performance in the second half, but began to work the inside instead.  This led to easier baskets and more free throw opportunities.  At one point the Sea Lions were able to cut the lead to under 10, but it ballooned to over 20 points before the Stags emptied their bench.  The Sea Lions continued to turn the ball over and miss lay-ups.  They finished the game with a 32.7% shooting percentage, roughly 15% below the Stags.

The key stat of the game is CMS’ 50% from three point range, which oddly enough was higher than their overall percentage of 48.3%.  The Stags had four players in double figures; Chris Blees led the way with 18, followed by Remy Pinson with 11, Manny Maceira with 10, and Tyler Gaffaney also with 10.  The Sea Lions had no players with double digits figures and their leading scorer Jake Johnston only had 9 after being limited to 2 points in the second half.

The CMS Stags will play Babson College on December 30.

The live audio broadcast was brought to you by Crawford Taylor (CMC ’15)

Pre Game Coverage

By Crawford Taylor

Tonight at 7:30pm, the CMS Stags will be taking on the Sea Lions of Point Loma Nazarene University.  The Stags, who are coming off of a win against Chapman University, will be looking to build on their perfect 8-0 record.  The Sea Lions are currently 4-2 and will be looking forward to a break in conference play; they have lost their last two games to GSAC opponents.

Live Broadcast

The live audio and video coverage will begin at 7:20 PM as play starts at 7:30 PM. You can catch all of the live action on this page! Today’s broadcast will be brought to you by Crawford Taylor (CMC ’15).

You can see the video on the embedded player below! or this link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cms-athletics

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about Sports Broadcasting at the Claremont Colleges, please email Broadcasting@ClaremontSportsConnection.com