Tuesday, November 19, 2013 | ' Student athletic association helps ease transition to NCAA April Wanagas TECHNEWS WRITER The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) is working this semester to make a few changes and initiate more involvement across campus as IIT’s athletics work to transition from NAIA to NCAA Division 111. One of the first changes the group is looking to pursue is getting more options for athletes and students that need late night meals. Often when an athlete has practice till late at night, such as the basketball teams that go till 7 or 9 p.m., they don’t have somewhere on campus to chow down. You may question: why don’t they just eat before? Well if practice ends at 7 p.m., which mean it generally starts around 5 p.m. This is so that teams can fit in the plays, drills, conditioning and everything else to simulate a game like situation. This only leaves them 30 minutes from when the most used dining resource, the Commons, opens its doors. Though it is possible to rush and eat and be dressed on the court ready to go in that small window of time, ask any athlete and they will say that it’s never an ideal feeling. If they wait until after practice, Center Court is open Monday through Wednesday for them to grab a bite. IIT Dining did create a new option for boxed Pritzker Club meals, a delicious new addition, but the meals are only kept until a certain hour and this still leaves an issue for student athletes on Thursday and Friday evenings. ' As SAAC members have often faced these troubles, it is looking to tackle this issue further through communication with IIT Dining and hoping to increase the late night or convenient options offered to our Scarlet Hawk athletes and student body. Another change SAAC is looking to make is through the involvement of professors and staff. SAAC is looking to have a “Professor Night” where at various home games, different athletes will invite some of their professors or IIT staff members they would love to see support IIT Athletics. Professors and staff who are interested in coming to watch a basketball game, a swim meet, or any other type of activity going on, should contact us. You are important to us and we would love to show you what we dedicate ourselves to outside the classroom as well as show our appreciation for all that you do. In addition, SAAC is looking to increase involvement across campus through not only its own marketing and advertising efforts in hopes of getting more students to attend games/ meets, but one of SAAC’s leaders Roma Mirutenko has helped start a new IPRO this year “IIT Pride: Improving Student and University Community Engagement.” This IPRO focuses on community involvement with the athletic department and divides its approaches into three areas. These areas are Greek Life, the IIT Athletics website, and advertisement. For Greek Life, the IPRO is working with Greek Council and some of the executive boards of IIT Greek chapters to host post-game gatherings and to encourage their own members to further support athletic activities. For the athletic website, IPRO members are looking to create an updated and more user friendly site for navigating commonly searched topics such as Keating’s availability and information about the teams. For advertising, they are also working on putting up posters of a representative from each team along with stories of how athletics became such a big part of their life. The newest idea SAAC is currently working with is involvement with the Special Olympics. Special Olympics is the official philanthropy of NCAA Division III, and SAAC is hoping to host a community wide event for this cause in the Spring Semester, such as a basketball game for special needs children, or a Polar Plunge to raise money for the cause. Being in the middle of the transition between the two affiliations, SAAC is hoping it can bridge some of the gaps still held between IIT and the athletic community and hoping to improve the college experience of current athletes, future athletes, and grow the support for both. Men's soccer lose by penalties in final game Bart Grabowski TECHNEWS WRITER In a series finale, Illinois Tech men’s soccer team looked to end their season in the win column by hosting the Provisional Independent Tournament Championship at Stuart Field. The Hawks took on provisional opponent, Nebraska Wesleyan University, in what looked to be an exciting matchup. Illinois Tech would be led by their three seniors: Robert Rixer, Jorge Salas, and Nordine Amlaiky, ‘as they looked to end their storybook careers and capture the tournament Ronaldo ca Nathan McMahon SPORTS EDITOR The first legs of the World Cup Qualifying playotl' matches were played this week with some y ‘ 'decisi results For Mexico it has been do or die throughout all of qualifying and needed assistance from the L'nited States to even get to their playotf match against New Zealand. Behind the eadership of four~time World llfunwusl III’IIA'I'E championship for the Scarlet Hawks. The first half proved to be more of an offensive sided half as both the Hawks and Nebraska Wesleyan accounted for 20 total shots between the two teams. Nebraska Wesleyan broke a 0-0 tie in the 11th minute from unassisted goal by Nebraska’s Stephen Boake and the Hawks found themselves down 1-0 early in the first half. Not a minute later, the Hawks best chance came from a header that was passed from sophomore forward Sam Smith. The ball bounced just above the 18 yard box and midfielder Bart Grabowski volleyed the ball into the back of the net. Both teams exchanged offensive possession, but only could manage a 1-1 tie heading into halftime. The Hawks looked to continue their impressive offensive attacks from the first half and carry that momentum in the second half. Again, Illinois Tech found early possession and had many chances to finish, but they could not convert. The Hawks accounted a total of 11 shots in the second half to Nebraska Wesleyan’s 4 shots. However, neither team was able to pull it out and overtime ensued. As players from both team started to become exhausted from the hard fought battle in the first two halves, the game would be decided in penalties. For the Hawks, Samuel Smith was up first as he found the back on the next with beautiful right footed strike. Nebraska Wesleyan soon followed with a goal as well. Junior forward, Brahandon Ramirez could not connect with his penalty as Nebraska Wesleyan took a ' 2-1 lead. Senior, Robert Rixer, connected on his penalty with a laser right footed strike. Illinois Tech goalkeeper, Euijin Yang, saved the next penalty for the Hawks, giving them new life. However, Seniors Jorge Salas and Nordine Arnlaiky failed to convert their penalties and the Hawks would go on to lose 3—2 in penalties. rries portugal in qualifying playoffs Cup captain Rafa Marquez. ii] iii have all but secured their berth in the World Cup in a Bit stomping of New Lealand who never looked up to the task. Meanwhile in tin rope more competitive matchups were played highlighted by the Portug weden match teatui‘ing two “I, the top play cis 1n the world4 Iristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan IbrahimoYic. Both star a goal from their , were unable to inspire in the first hall. but it took a moment of brilliance from Ronaldo Women's Basketball vs. Alverno College Center Men's Basketball vs. North Central College Center 7 p.m. @ IIT, Keating Sports 7p.m. @ III Keating Sports to lift Portugal l~0 in the first leg. His diving header in the 82nd minute put Portugal in great position to qualify with just one match left. In Kiev, Ukraine, France continued its dismal form as Ukraine marched to a 240 victory and poscib e punched their tickets to Brazil. France now must come to face the fact that they may fail to qualify for the World Cup. Greece is also in control of their playoff tie with Romania as they cruised to a 3-1 \‘ictory behind a swift and eflicient attack. the Greeks are looking to bring their side back Women's Basketball @ Saint Ambrose University 7 p.m. Men's Basketball @ Purdue University— North Central 7 p.m. to international prominence after lackluster performances in the last few big tournaments, Iceland meanwhile remains in contention to be the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup after they drew 070 at home against heayy favorites Croatia. The Icelanders were able to hold their own with just ten men for nearly halfthe game so it is very much a possibility that they may qualify and make history. Men's Basketball vs. Northeastern Illinois University 3 p.m. @IIT, Keating Sports Center Men 8 Women's Swimming 8 Diving @ Principia College 2 p.m.