Bethel needed to respond in the second quarter, and that’s when junior running back Darick Dubose from El Cajon, Calif., flashed through the defense for a 17-yard rushing touchdown. This touchdown evened up the score at 14, creating a close game. Bethel responded a few minutes later as Norman threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver McMillan to put the Threshers up 21-14. Saint Mary responded a few minutes later with a 16-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up 21-21 heading into halftime.

In the middle of the 3rd quarter, Norman found the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run, but Saint Mary came back and responded with a field goal, trimming the Bethel lead and making it 28-24. Bethel immediately responded as Norman found McMillan again, connecting for a 59-yard touchdown pass. putting the Threshers up 35-24 to end the third quarter.

Bethel showed strong defence with an early forced fumble in the 4th quarter by Joshua Santos from Laredo, Texas, and a few minutes later, sophomore defensive back Will Smiley from Panama City, Fla., delivered with an interception, ultimately sealing Bethel’s first win of the season.

While Bethel’s defense played well, there are a few offensive performances to highlight. Junior running back Darick Dubose from El Cajon, Calif., and sophomore running back Xavier Craven from Weatherford, Texas, combined for over 200 rushing yards. Freshman quarterback Brady Norman finished the game with three passing touchdowns, with help from junior wide receiver Kenyon McMillan, who had a dominant performance, finishing the game with 90 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

The team traveled to Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) on Sept. 26 and ended up reverse-sweeping the Eagles, winning the last three sets to take the match. The turning point came as the Threshers settled into their game and began to play with more confidence. Head coach Brittany VanRoyen said the team was initially playing too cautiously but found a different rhythm in the final three sets.

“I think we found our confidence in those last three sets,” VanRoyen said. “We were playing timid and trying too hard to make things perfect in the first two, rather than just playing freely and having fun.”

Bethel’s newfound confidence showed in the third set, when the Threshers overcame an 18-17 deficit before closing out the set 25-23. The team continued to battle through another close fourth set, taking a 21-20 lead after the score was tied at 20.

VanRoyen credited the Threshers’

passing and defense as key factors in the comeback. Bethel finished with 78 digs and ten blocks while also recording a season-high 62 kills.

The offensive production was spread across the lineup, with four Threshers reaching double digits in kills. Dylan Cochran finished with 16 kills, Cameron Offerle added 15, Mari Phillips recorded 14 and Alayna Vines contributed 12. The balanced attack gave Bethel multiple options at the net and helped the Threshers maintain pressure.

Dalaina Schutte played a key role in keeping that offense moving, recording a season-high 49 assists while adding 13 digs.

VanRoyen said the comeback showed what the team is capable of when faced with adversity. “It shows that we should never be counted out of a game by an opponent or ourselves,” VanRoyen said.

It is probably one of the most common questions we ask each other. Somewhere along the way, we collectively decided there was only one acceptable answer: “Busy.”

We are busy with classes. Busy with practice. Busy with work. Busy with clubs. Busy with homework. Busy trying to maintain relationships. Sometimes, it feels like we are even too busy to explain exactly what we are busy doing.

Being busy has become more than a description of our schedules. It has become a status symbol. Heck, it even has its own name at Bethel!

Bethel Busy is kind of an unspoken competition surrounding who has the most on their plate. You can tell someone you only got five hours of sleep, and they got four. Mention you have two assignments due tomorrow, and someone else has three. Say you had a long day, and suddenly everyone starts comparing schedules.

The busier you are, the more successful you must be. At least, that is what we convince ourselves.

College encourages us to get involved, join organizations, work, play sports, volunteer, build our resumes, maintain good grades, and somehow still have a social life. None of these things are bad. In fact, I think they can be some of the best parts of college. The problem begins when doing more becomes more important than actually enjoying what we are doing.

I believe part of the problem is that slowing down can make us feel like we are falling behind. When everyone around us seems to be constantly working toward something, taking time for ourselves can almost feel irresponsible. We become so focused on what comes next that we forget the value of simply enjoying where we are right now. College only lasts for a few years, and we should not spend all of them worrying about whether we are doing enough.

A free afternoon should not feel like something that needs to be fixed. Taking a nap does not make you lazy. Saying no to another responsibility does not mean you lack ambition. Sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is exactly what you need.

There will always be busy seasons in college. Midterms will happen, practices will run late, and deadlines will somehow land at the same time. Being busy itself is not the problem.

Glorifying it is.

Maybe instead of asking, “How much can I fit into my schedule?” we should start asking, “Which things are actually worth my time?”

Field of Screams Kansas is the state’s premier haunted attraction for those who dare to enter. The attraction began as a pumpkin patch after Kip and Jody Scott returned to Wichita in 2001.IT was inspired by Kip’s father Bob Scott and his Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm. After a three-night test run in 2003, the attraction officially opened in 2004 and has since become a Midwest horror staple.

Although Field of Screams itself is deemed a “horror attraction,” the real horror comes from the story built on the ground Field of Screams lies on. Field of Screams sits on the property owned by the Spurlock family, centered on Jebediah Spurlock in Maize, Kansas, in 1966. The family became feared by locals after strange events and disappearances were connected to their farm, eventually leading to the vigilante murders. According to the legend, the Spurlocks disappeared and are said to return every October, making their story part of the frightening experience at Field of Screams.

When reaching out to our Thresher community, Kansas native and sophomore at Bethel College, Ashley Poe said “Field of Screams is such a fun event to go to with friends that will leave you scared and laughing! I love going every year to see what changes they make and see the new surprises!”

In addition to Poe, fellow Kansan and senior Thresher, Tressa Ring shares “I liked it! It’s definitely fun in a good group! I would definitely recommend going with a good group of friends to have a better quality experience!” Another Kansan and senior Thresher, Avery Richardson described his experiences growing up going to Field of Screams “It’s something my mom took us to every year, it was a very scary experience growing up and even going now it’s still a good experience.”

Former Thresher and Wuppertal exchange student Rabia Can recounts her experience by stating “It was an insane amount of fun with our big group back in 2023 but I got to say there was one guy with a chain saw that followed us. Thanks to him I lost my voice and had to be held by both hands by two of my friends.”

For tickets and more information about Field of Screams visit https://scaryprairiepines.com/

Season 35 kicked off with a special two-night premiere Sept. 15 and 16. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough returned as hosts, alongside judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli. This season began with 16 celebrities paired with professional dancers, tying for one of the largest casts in the show’s history.

The cast includes several familiar faces such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Tatyana Ali, The Rookie star Jenna Dewan, Hanson singer Taylor Hanson and 10 Things I Hate About You actress Julia Stiles. The ballroom also welcomed athletes, reality television personalities and social media stars, including Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech, Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, Tyler Cameron and Savannah Bananas star Jackson Olson.

The premiere looked a little different this year. The male celebrities performed during the first night, while the women took the ballroom the following evening. Each celebrity performed to a No. 1 song from the year they were born. The competition wasted no time sending contestants home, with Connor Leavitt and professional partner Adele Zaikman becoming the first couple eliminated. Sarah Jane Nadar and Hailey Bills followed them out on night two.

Week two brought all of the remaining celebrities together for the first time for “Viral Hits Night on Sept. 22. The couples performed to songs that have found popularity online, while trying to improve from their first performances.

Week three brought ‘Yacht Rock Night,’ where Amber Glenn and Harry Shum Jr. emerged at the top of the leaderboard with 24 points each. The night ended with another surprising goodbye as Hanson and Stewart were eliminated, narrowing the competition to 12 couples.

Through the first three weeks of competition, Season 35 has already brought surprising eliminations, standout performances and plenty of improvement across the ballroom. As the scores continue to rise and the competition gets tougher, each performance will become even more important for the celebrities hoping to make it to the finale and take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available the following day on Hulu.

The proposed data center is connected to Triple Oak Power’s Home Range Clean Power development. Plans for the larger project include wind and solar energy, battery storage, natural-gas generation and a possible digital infrastructure campus. Although parts of the energy project have moved through the permitting process, the data center itself has not received final approval.

A data center is a large facility filled with computer servers that store and process digital information. Demand for data centers has increased as artificial intelligence and cloud-based technology continue to grow. Developers believe Finney County could be a good location because of available land and opportunities to produce the large amount of electricity a data center requires.

Water use has become one of the biggest concerns surrounding the proposal. The Kansas News Service reported that the proposed data center could use approximately 600 million gallons of water each year. However, the roughly 6,000 acres involved in the development currently use an estimated 3.2 billion gallons annually for agricultural irrigation. Developers have said the facility would primarily use air cooling, with additional water needed during the hottest parts of the year.

Supporters say the development could provide significant economic benefits. Triple Oak Power has estimated that the larger project could create more than 600 construction jobs and generate more than $80 million in tax revenue for Finney County over about 30 years.

Still, some residents have concerns about the project’s effect on water resources, farmland, infrastructure and the environment. Some criticism has appeared in Facebook posts on community discussion pages, with concerns focused on the potential impact of water use on local farmers. Finney County has established permitting requirements for data centers addressing water, electricity, traffic, noise, public safety and environmental impacts.

For now, the data center remains a proposal. The project has sparked conversations about how rural communities can balance new technology and economic growth while protecting the resources that local families and farmers depend on. As discussions continue, county officials and residents will have to consider the potential jobs, tax revenue and investment alongside the possible effects on the natural resources and agricultural economy that are important to southwest Kansas.

In the past few years, the retention rate has reached a 15-year low. From fall 2025 to spring 2026, 85.1% of students returned to campus. From fall 2025 to fall 2026, 63% of students returned.

There are many reasons students may choose not to return to Bethel. Assistant Vice President for Employment Experiences and Student Success Joseph Husong says, “We have a lot of little things that just compound until students want to leave.”

One of those reasons could be the coaching turnover. Husong says, “We have had two head coaches that have stayed in the last five years.” This can make it difficult for athletes to want to stay at Bethel.

A large amount of Bethel’s campus is made up of athletes. Many have been recruited by a specific coach to come to Bethel and play. Senior football player Thomas Ippolito says, “For freshmen if your coach leaves you’re not going to want to stick around because there’s a bond that is formed.”

Alternatively, the Bethel College tennis team has one of the longest-serving coaches on campus. Senior tennis player Karissa Wilson says, “People get to know him through the recruiting process and they know he is steady and stable.” Having a coach who is expected to return each year can provide athletes with a sense of stability, which gives them an incentive to return.

Another aspect of retention is safety. Husong says, “In the spring we did student satisfaction surveys. Students expressed concerns about campus safety.” One concern is that students may not know proper safety procedures. There is a safety protocols page on the main Bethel website, however, students do not receive full training on safety procedures. Many students come from other states or countries and may not have experienced the same type of weather that occurs in the Midwest, making it important for students to know what to do in situations such as tornadoes.

One reason some students choose to stay at Bethel is the sense of community. As Husong states, “We need to make sure students are feeling connections. Bethel’s community is really strong.” Building strong connections on campus may help encourage students to remain at Bethel and could contribute to improving retention rates.

Beyond that, the purpose for each person is different, but it can be condensed to classes being canceled so that Bethel College students can engage in hands-on work with local organizations, schools and businesses. There are many different options, including laying mulch and working outside, singing hymns at Kidron and cleaning up Kauffman Museum. These projects give students the opportunity to work, connect and contribute to the local community in a variety of ways.

Amy Marshall, the newly appointed campus pastor and organizer of Service Day, said, “I hope students who participated in Service Day made meaningful connections with both the people and organizations they served and the people they served with. Service positively impacts those benefiting from our work, of course, but it also shapes us into more understanding, generous people who continue to make the world a better place to live in.”

Many students think that Service Day is just about not having classes. However, freshman Diego Medina, at the Prairie View tree branch clean up, said, “It’s a fun experience to give back to the community.” Freshman Savannah Ung, who worked at the Newton hospital organizing papers and folders said that, “The most impactful part is being able to take away some of the small but tedious things to do from health care workers.” Her favorite part of the day was being able to meet and work with the other volunteers.

Sophomore Mara Oswald said, “Service Day is an important way that a college can impact our community. By serving others we are extending peace to those around us. My service Day experience reminded me that small acts can make a big difference.” According to many Bethel students, Service Day is not just about having classes canceled, but about being able to offer a helping hand, getting involved in the community and getting outside.

In the ad titled Novig is Just Sports it features Sweeney in various scenes wearing minimal clothing while utilizing different sports equipment to obscure her body. Alongside their tagline “Just Sports” in the ad, Novig stresses that they are dedicated exclusively to sports predictions, separating themselves from other prediction markets that allow you to place bets on other subjects such as politics.

Following the ad’s release, it has faced widespread criticism and outrage from the public, stressing that the ad is disrespectful to female athletes and women working in the sports industry. People have gone to various social media platforms such as Instagram, X, and TikTok to voice their opinions on the ad.

Former U.S. gymnast Gracie Kramer took to her Instagram, calling the ad infuriating, saying, “I’ve spent my entire life competing in a sport where female athletes have been oversexualized, reduced to our bodies, and forced to fight to be taken seriously for what we can actually do.”

Alongside Kramer, four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus wrote on her Instagram, “I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. How do we live in a world where monetizing a woman’s body and sexualizing women’s sport is still a thing?”

During a post-race interview with the BBC, British sprinter Amy Hunt states, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. Muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears.”, after finishing fourth in the 200 meters at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

Despite the controversy of the ad, TikTok users have rallied together to respond to Novig’s ad by making various edits highlighting women in the sports industry as well as female athletes utilizing the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from the Disney film Mulan. Rather than allowing the ad to tear down female athletes and women working in the sports industry, the trend has allowed for women to reclaim what it means to be a female athlete and a woman working in the sports industry.

At the time of publication, neither Novig nor Sydney Sweeney had publicly addressed the backlash following the release of the ad.

The Vice President of Employment Experience and Student Success, Joseph Husong, says, “Students could ask for a one-year waiver from participating in Employment Experience.” This means that this year, instead of being required to do Employment Experience, students had the option to waive it.

A drawback with waiving Employment Experience is that students don’t receive the $2,500.00 grant. For some students, this grant is what keeps them in Employment Experience. Malaysia Larque, a junior working as the social media manager for the girls soccer team, says she did it because, “It dropped the cost of paying for school.”

Sophomore Liam Ortman, working with the maintenance department, agrees with Larque and says, “I’m sticking with Employment Experience because I want the grant.” According to many students, the grant is the main reason they choose to continue with Employment Experience.

On the other hand, sophomore Mara Oswald chose to waive her Employment Experience. She says, “Balancing life as a student as well as a student athlete, Employment Experience is just too much work.”

The life of a Bethel student has been known to be especially busy, often coined as “Bethel Busy.” Employment Experience adds five hours of work to a Bethel student’s already busy week and schedule. For some students, like Oswald, it can be too much.

When asked why students were given the option to waive Employment Experience, Husong says, “We’ve had capacity issues for a while now. We keep adding classes to the Employment Experience program. However, we haven’t added staff in order to keep up with the increasing number of students.”

This has been an ongoing issue from last year as well. In order to address this problem, this year students could use their off-campus job as their Employment Experience job. For example, education students were given the opportunity to become a paraeducator for the district as well as get Employment Experience credit.

There are positives and negatives with waiving Employment Experience. Students who waive Employment Experience do not receive the $2,500.00 grant, but may have more time for other responsibilities and activities, while students who continue with Employment Experience can receive the grant while gaining work experience.

Both teams hosted Ottawa University on Saturday, Sept. 20. The boys had suffered a tough loss to Kansas Wesleyan University, where they battled until the end and fell 3-2. Their competition was about to get harder, as Ottawa is No. 16 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

There was a lot of pressure from the Thresher defense in the first half. This led Bethel to give up a penalty kick at 20:15, putting Ottawa on the board early. The boys looked flustered and Ottawa took advantage of that scoring again at 31:46.

The game was very intense and physical for both sides. Yet, Bethel persisted. Seven minutes into the second half, Ewrin Navarro (Fort Myers, Fla.) caught Ottawa off guard and scored, putting the Threshers on the board.

“We were focused on shifting, taking advantage of any counterattacks- that’s what led to my goal. It was a counter from our goalie, Diego, and we just took advantage of it.” Said Navarro on his goal.

An early goal from junior forward Malaysia Larque (WichitaFalls, Texas) gave the women’s soccer team a strong start Saturday as the Threshers took a 1-0 lead into halftime against Ottawa. Larque found the back of the net in the first half to put Bethel in front and give the Threshers a boost of confidence.

“When we scored that early in the game, it really boosted our confidence, and it made us so hype for the rest of the game,” Larque said.

Bethel held onto its lead through the remainder of the first half. Their defense was what held firm to keep the Braves off the scoreboard.

Ottawa came out of the halftime break with increased pressure and eventually found the back of the net twice to take a 2-1 lead. Bethel continued to battle and looked for opportunities to even the score but were unable to find another goal before the final whistle.

“The score does not really reflect the amount of effort and unity we had.” Larque said.

Yet, Creekers have been around forever. My host mom, who went to Bethel from 1965-1969, remembers Creekers herself. Classmates whose parents have gone here have also reminisced about their time at Bethel and mentioned Creekers. One of my classmates’ parents remembered a time when he and a friend were walking towards the Creeker when they saw someone sitting in a tree with binoculars. To preface, Bethel is a dry campus; if alcohol is found on campus, there are consequences, and the creek is no different.

Creekers should stay a tradition among the students at Bethel. Now, some of us may remember a Creeker that got out of hand, but we all know why that was. It’s the Creekers that happen among one another that I’m talking about. When someone says, “Let’s go to the creek and hang out,” is exactly when a Creeker should happen. I can honestly say that every Creeker at Bethel I’ve attended has been the most fun experience I’ve ever had.

“It’s a great community event. We would start a fire sometimes too. The best ones are when they’re last minute because you know everyone wants to be there,” Said a Bethel graduate from 2024.

When students at Bethel come together not in a classroom, the caf, or a job, and just get to know each other, relationships grow. I met a good number of people at my first Creeker as a freshman; it helped me find people outside of my sport. Bethel already offers students a unique experience, as most of its student body is 85 percent athletes. Having a space like that allows student-athletes to get to know each other as well as non-student-athletes.

One of Bethel College’s guiding principles of value is, “Community with global consciousness that cherishes social connectivity, shared endeavors, and intergenerational living.” Creekers depict exactly that. Being outside around people you’re familiar with but don’t know, listening to music, playing games, and talking is social connectivity. I’ve had conversations that range from asking where she got that top from to who did you vote for? I think that students at Bethel would also agree with me about Creekers.

When asked about Tabor students, an anonymous Bethel student was quick to cite the reasons for his disdain. “So for starters, they’ve got their f—ing blue, and they always have to wear it whenever they’re on campus,” he said. “So they walk around in all these maroon-themed buildings with their horrible blue and it just makes everything look like s–t. It’s a s–t color combination.”

Something must be done about Tabor’s plight on our school. The administration has failed to properly address the issue, instead preaching an allegedly Mennonite message of cooperation and good will. What our administrators have failed to take into account is the unabashedly cutthroat behavior of the Mennonite Brethren. If Bethel is to survive, we must adopt the ways of the enemy, as tragic as that may be. And there is a perfect solution to counter Tabor’s treachery—a solution that follows Anabaptist values of nonviolence while also preserving classical Mennonite passive aggressiveness. That solution is to require all Tabor students to pay a fee upon entering Bethel’s campus.

This solution would immediately give Bethel a leg up in the local collegiate cold war. It would demonstrate to Tabor and our other rivals that we are not going to back down from a (non-violent) battle. Furthermore, in a much pettier sense, it would take money away from the students of Tabor and put more money into Bethel’s currently dilapidated coffer. And lastly, let’s be honest…do Tabor students really deserve to bear witness to our beautiful campus? An outright ban on their presence here would undoubtedly spur countless peaceful protests from those Brethren hacks. But requiring them to pay a fee…we can get away with that.

Overall, I believe this initiative is so ingenious that it’s shocking no one has thought of it before. It’s just one more step in establishing dominance amongst the Anabaptist college community.

“Students on campus definitely had to step up to fill that campus pastor role that was missing for three semesters,” said Kaylee Linnebur, a student chaplain. “Having someone like Amy here now provides a lot more structure and opportunity for ministries on campus.”

Marshall is originally from Columbus, Ohio. She attended and graduated from Bluffton University–a “sister school” to Bethel–in 2022. This past May, she graduated from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind. where she earned her Master of Divinity degree with a major in Christian faith formation. Marshall originally heard about Bethel’s vacant pastor position from friends at the seminary and was encouraged to apply by a friend who lives in Kansas. Now that she has the job, people are curious about what she has planned.

“My plan is to equip and encourage students to take a lead within campus ministries,” Marshall said. “We have a great student chaplain and worship planning team, and we’re excited for the programming coming up this school year! I see my role less as telling students what to do and planning everything out myself, but more as giving them the resources to explore and share their faith and become strong leaders. I hope for campus ministries to be a space where students can grow, find support and experience the love of Jesus that meets them where they are.”

Marshall acknowledges that challenges can arise when working with people of different denominations and religions. Bethel is known as a private Mennonite college, but there are many students from other denominations and religious backgrounds who attend.

“Including all denominational backgrounds is super important to me,” Marshall said. “As I get to know students, I would love for them to share their backgrounds in worship, the Bible and the spiritual practices that matter to them. College is an amazing space for students to explore what their faith means to them, and I want to create opportunities for them to take advantage of it.”

Marshall wants to learn more about the students here, but she also thinks it is important for students to learn and connect with each other. “Chapel is a great place to learn from one another, experience faith traditions that may differ from our own and share our traditions with those who haven’t experienced them before,” she said.

Marshall also wants students to know about the different events that she has planned for the upcoming school year. “We are having an event at the beginning of November specifically to share our faith backgrounds,” she said. “Beyond events that bring everyone together, I also recognize that having spaces where we can fully integrate into our own traditions individually is super important, and we hope this will happen through Bible studies, prayer times, worship nights, hymn sings and other opportunities.”

Marshall is excited about the different aspects of the job as campus pastor. “I am most excited to meet and work with students,” she said. “I have loved seeing students’ passion and excitement on campus so far, and I am looking forward to more opportunities to learn what students want to see from the campus ministries team and me! I want students to know that if they ever want a space to talk about faith, their experiences encountering other traditions and beliefs, or to start something on campus, my door is open!”

In recent years, Bethel has welcomed many students from Australia. This year, Bethel’s Australian students include Adam Tomka, a sophomore tennis player from Sydney, majoring in biochemistry; Billy Haoda, a junior tennis player from Cairns, majoring in exercise science; Jonathan Irima, a freshman football player from Sydney, majoring in physical therapy; Adonis Thanos, a freshman basketball player from Sydney, majoring in business and Luke Ogden, a freshman basketball player from Sydney, majoring in business.

Haoda highlighted the importance of having others from the same country and culture in a place like Bethel. “It is good to have some more people from a similar place,” he said. “It is pretty good because I was the only Australian my freshman year. It is nice to share a connection.”

Irima echoed the sentiment. “It is pretty good,” he said. “Having other Australians here helps with the homesickness a bit.”

“It is nice to have a familiar voice around,” Ogden said. “And being around people that kind of know what it feels like.”

The Australian students have had multiple takeaways from team dynamics in their sports. “I would say having another Australian on the tennis team is pretty good because we spend a lot of time with each other.” Tomka said.

“It is a bit hard to make friends with everyone since it’s a larger team design,” said Irima, who is a member of the football team. “But I have one or two friends that I am pretty close with.”

Both Thanos and Ogden agreed that they felt a sense of belonging and welcome on the basketball team.

Australia is one of the farthest countries from the United States. Time zone and communication issues are a constant concern for these students, along with transportation issues and flight difficulties.

“Other people have families on other continents, as well,” Tomka said. “Maybe just the time difference can be annoying at times for phone calls, but it is not too bad.”

“For me, I would say it is more the process of coming and going, it just feels really long,” Haoda said. “If something were to happen, it is not an easy process to just pop over.”

“Time difference is probably the biggest thing,” Thanos said. “It is just hard to catch my family back home at the right time. Other than that I am adapting to everything here and having other people around to keep myself distracted.”

Finally, the students shared some advice to both incoming Australians and other international students who may be considering Bethel as their future educational destination. “Speak with people with similar interests,” Tomka said.

Thanos mentioned the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to new experiences. “You do not have to be in a big school, you would be surprised,” he said. “I have enjoyed it a lot more than what I was expecting to. Everybody knows each other pretty well, so the small community environment adds to the experience.”

“Everyone is kind of a family,” Ogden said. “Instead of being 100,000 you are one of 500 so it is a good experience.”

The Bethel College international community will continue to grow. Coaches and faculty are constantly recruiting new student athletes who will represent our institution in the best ways possible. However, there are multiple changes and adjustments that need to be made in order to successfully provide the necessary tools and resources for international students who are traveling from far away countries. Bethel will continue to do its best to both expand its international community and provide an unforgettable experience for future Threshers.

The theater department originally planned to do The PROM! for this year’s Fall Fest, but because there were not enough cast members the production changed. Now the focus has shifted completely to Spitfire Grill, a smaller and more intimate musical centered on second chances, finding community and moving forward. Director of Theater Damon Klassen said, “I believe this performance will fit very well with our Fall Fest audience.”

Spitfire Grill follows Percy Talbott, a young woman searching for a new start after being released from prison. She learns about Gilead, Wisconsin, through a picture in a magazine of the fall colors. After arriving, she begins working at the town’s Spitfire Grill. As Percy settles into her new surroundings, her presence begins to bring change not only to her own life but to the people and community around her.

Klassen is especially excited for this performance. “We have a great mix of veteran talent alongside newcomers who have never stepped on the stage before,” Klassen said. With upperclassmen who are no strangers to the stage leading the way for the freshmen stepping out of their comfort zone, this performance captures the community of Bethel College coming together to tell the story of Spitfire Grill.

One element the audience may notice in this performance is its unique sound. Rather than relying on a large pit orchestra, Spitfire Grill features an accordion, cello, violin, bass and piano. “This orchestra will be playing from the kitchen of the grill,” Klassen said. “This gives the performance a more folk, small-town feeling that the musical is trying to capture.”

With rehearsals in full swing and Fall Fest drawing closer, the cast, crew and musicians are working hard to bring the town of Gilead to life. From a mix of familiar and new faces on stage to an orchestra playing in the kitchen of the grill, Spitfire Grill will bring audiences something a little different this Fall Fest. The curtain has yet to rise, but soon Bethel audiences will get to step into the Spitfire Grill for themselves.

Reach out to Shirley Dietzel in The Thresher Shop for information about tickets!

Recently, Daylon Smith from Perkins, Okla. was hired to begin coaching the track and field program starting in the 2026-27 academic year. Smith previously served as a graduate assistant at Southwestern College in Winfield. Following that, he became the assistant coach at Bethany College in Lindsborg. He later served as interim coach at Bethany, ultimately leading him to his new position at Bethel.

Smith has been involved in coaching and sports since an early age. “Both my parents are coaches, so I grew up around the sports and coaching world,” he said. “I have been a track athlete since seventh grade and then finished in cross country throughout the end of my college career.”

Being around coaches and sports throughout his childhood allowed Smith to understand from an early age the importance of discipline, commitment and overall athletic performance in order to succeed in the world of sports.

After finishing his undergraduate degree, Smith came to realize his love for coaching. “Moving into a GA role showed me that all I wanted to do was to work in the role of coaching track and field,” he said.

For Smith, coaching college students is about finding joy and overcoming obstacles. “I like to be part of those performances, like chasing PRs or trips to nationals,” he said, “Chasing higher grades and better events can even be a mark that we are aiming, where you see growth in those areas.”

Building programs is something Coach Smith is very familiar with. “I have been in a position to rebuild since I have begun,” he said, “I have got the hang of it and it has been fun to do. Getting a bunch of new faces in and to build a nice staff and get things going.”

At Bethany College, Smith was able to see first-hand what it took to be part of national stages and successful programs. “I had some trips out to nationals with some individuals and I was able to kind of see from the driver’s seat what it takes to build a program,” he said.

Following this experience, Smith was able to gain both knowledge and ideas that strengthened his coaching skills and better equipped him for the job. Coach Smith comes from a strong competitive program. His high aspirations and goals for Bethel itself, his team and the overall development of the program are strong and present.

“I would like to comfortably be able to take a group of people to nationals, overall grow in the programs and then also put those pieces that get us closer to national stages.” Smith said.

Smith’s initiative and motivation to achieve great things is sure to put the track and field program in a good spot in the upcoming school year.

Like every collegiate sport, the practice environment and mindset expected from athletes in track and field are important aspects of success. For Smith’s coaching style, enjoyment and ambition are key in order to perform at the highest level.

“I want them to have fun,” Smith said. “Being able to walk in and know that this is going to be fun, that is my main thing. I also think that just drive overall, from teammates, athletes and staff itself.”

Finally, Smith expressed his excitement to take on this new challenge in his coaching career. “I am excited to be here at Bethel College,” he said. “Me and Coach Martinez on the cross country side are really excited to work together and get both sides of this program going.”

Track and field and cross country are programs that will continue to grow and improve. This will open doors and opportunities for many different recruits that are interested in both performing in high level athletics and being part of a strong academic program, ultimately helping Bethel gain recognition and a larger range of incoming students across the country.

Loren was a Kansas native who was born in Walton in 1932. Throughout his life he was known for his faith, servitude and energy. In June of 1954, Loren met the love of his life, Peggy Stout, and the two of them built a family together. Their marriage spanned 70 years. Whether through education or community service, Loren’s passion was serving others. He was first a professor at Hesston College. He then went on a missionary trip to Taiwan in 1966. After returning from serving overseas, he taught at Tabor College, Eastern Mennonite University and Bethel. Loren had a passion for helping young adults. He not only taught, but was a coach for cross country and track and field. He pushed his students to be the best they could be in sports and in the classroom.

Loren’s attitude, service and encouragement still has an impact on former athletes today. “Loren’s presence at athletic events, especially softball double headers, impacted both the fans in the crowd and the players on the field,” said Sydney DuVall, a Bethel alum and former softball player. “As an athlete, Loren’s unwavering support for us was felt at every home game. It made us feel as if we always had someone we had to show up and show out for. I am forever grateful to have met him and seen the impact he made on so many students.”

Loren was never one to stop moving. He eventually became a truck driver at the age of 54. He drove until the age of 86, when he decided to retire. Loren enjoyed the continuous moving and traveling that came along with truck driving. He demonstrated that it was never too late to pursue a new interest. Loren was a firm believer that showing faith was best done through action. He was a member of the Mennonite Central Committee, through which he provided service for the church and the community. Even after Peggy passed away in 2024, Loren’s passion for his community stayed strong. He passed away on July 17, 2026 at the age of 93.

There is a sign in memory of Loren and Peggy on the north play clock at Thresher Stadium. At each of the home contests this year, there will be memorabilia placed in honor of them. Loren’s stadium seats and megaphone will be placed in the spot that he usually sat during each game. There will also be kettle corn thrown into the crowd to keep his tradition going. The Bethel College community will ensure that no one will soon forget Loren and his legacy of passion and service.

“Loren was one of a kind,” said Tim Swartzendruber, Bethel’s Director of Athletics. “His enthusiasm for Bethel College was unmatched. His energy and passion for the college was contagious and he loved engaging with our students. Whether the Threshers were winning or losing, Loren was there to support. Loren and his wife Peggy established an endowed scholarship to reward students who show great spirit and support for the Threshers. This scholarship will keep Loren and Peggy’s legacy of support for Bethel College alive for many years. We will definitely miss him.”

Coaches could also observe the difference that Loren made. “Loren’s support at our athletic events was something truly special,” said Stacy Middleton, assistant softball coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Operations. “He was always enthusiastic, full of energy and ready to cheer on every kid. Loren didn’t just show up to watch the kids—he showed up for them. He encouraged them, celebrated them and made them feel special.”

Losing Loren Reusser impacted many, but as long as there are those to celebrate his memory, his accomplishments and the person he was will never be forgotten.

Among several strong candidates, the elected president was Hope Jacobs. She is currently serving as vice president and said she is excited to take the next step as president in the upcoming school year. Jacobs is a nursing major and a member of the dance team, balancing academics, extracurricular involvement and leadership responsibilities on campus.

Like every organization, the Student Government Association relies on a group of qualified students who are willing to help oversee responsibilities and support the student body in the best possible way. Jacobs emphasized that leadership within SGA is a collective effort rather than an individual role.

“I have my cabinet members, who are the rest of my executive committee, to help me facilitate and make sure everything is running as it should and following the Constitution,” Jacobs said. She also highlighted the strong position of SGA and its members as a whole. “The previous SGAs have done a really great job of revamping our legislative branch. Our Senate and senators are in a great position, and everything is running smoothly.”

As she prepares to step into her new role, Jacobs has identified several areas where she hopes to make a positive impact. One of her primary goals is to strengthen the structure and accountability of SGA as an organization.

“Our next big project is our judicial branch — getting them in a similar format of how things run, just so everybody can be held accountable and feel like they are truly a valuable part of SGA,” she said. She added that respect among members is essential to maintaining a healthy and effective organization. “There is a reason all of us are in it, so we all deserve the respect in that.”

Her emphasis on structure and accountability reflects a broader goal of ensuring that every member feels valued and heard. Creating an environment where students feel represented and included remains a central priority for the organization moving forward.

In addition to internal improvements, Jacobs also pointed to future projects that will directly impact the wider student body. She expressed interest in encouraging the Senate to take on larger initiatives that enhance campus life and improve student experiences.

“I want to help encourage the Senate to do those big activities and projects that are updating campus,” Jacobs said. “They are going to update the Mods lobby, so those bigger projects that enhance student life are on the way.”

Campus improvements, including renovations and updates to shared student spaces, have been an ongoing topic of conversation among students. Jacobs’ focus on these initiatives signals continued attention to student concerns and a commitment to improving the campus environment.

At the same time, Jacobs acknowledged challenges that extend beyond physical spaces. One issue she highlighted is the experience of international students, particularly their sense of belonging and connection within the campus community.

“I want to help our international students,” Jacobs said. “In the past, they have had greater resources and connections to the community, and in the last few years, that connection has been lost.”

She hopes to rebuild that sense of connection through specific initiatives. “I want or kind of hope the host parent programs come back. I think having the international student club would be very beneficial for those students, and it is really important to help our students in that way,” she said.

These efforts reflect a broader commitment to inclusion and support for all students, particularly those who may feel disconnected from campus life. By focusing on both structural improvements and community-building efforts, Jacobs aims to create a more supportive and engaging environment for everyone.

Finally, Jacobs shared her personal motivation for pursuing the presidency. She described her experience in SGA as a significant learning opportunity that ultimately encouraged her to take on a larger leadership role.

“It was a big learning experience, with lots of different paths I had to look into and understand how it all worked,” she said. “Learning it all from Taryn and seeing her passion was really inspiring.”

For Jacobs, running for president was not always something she envisioned for herself. However, her experiences within the organization and the mentorship she received helped build her confidence and prepared her for the role she now holds.

UCLA showed their talent off throughout the entire season, only dropping one game to the Texas Longhorns in late November. The Bruins found themselves facing off against the Longhorns once again in the final four, this time getting the win and helping solidify their season record of 37-1.

But who was behind the powerhouse of a program? UCLA’s head coach, Cori Close, has been leading the Bruins for 15 seasons, putting up an impressive 358-144 career record. After years of successful seasons, Close saw all the hard work pay off on Sunday.

In an interview, Close stated, “There were a lot of times we wondered if it could be true. I said I wanted to find uncommon, courageous women who were willing to make uncommon choices that maybe possibly could yield an uncommon result, and today it did.”

The NCAA is becoming increasingly unstable as the transfer portal expands each year, making it harder than ever for programs to secure long-term commitments from athletes.

That’s what makes two names in UCLA’s starting lineup so remarkable: Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez. Both were central to the team’s success, and unlike many players in the transfer portal era, they spent all four years at UCLA, making this win extra special for them.

Since the game was largely one-sided, it never produced the kind of thrilling buzzer-beaters that fans expect from a championship. Nonetheless, ESPN recorded some of the more memorable moments, saying in a post, “With 3:46 remaining in the contest, Betts and Kiki Rice exited to a standing ovation from UCLA fans and hugged coach Cori Close on the sideline. Shortly after, Jaquez drained a 3-pointer to put the Bruins up by 34. She amped up the crowd on her way off the floor and hugged Close, too. It was special for those three pillars of the program, all seniors heading into the WNBA, to have that moment exiting the floor for the final time.”

As the final buzzer sounded, UCLA’s historic season was complete. From a near-perfect record to a dominant championship performance, the Bruins cemented their place at the top of women’s college basketball.