Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Brianna Wright
Spooky and SALTy family fun
On a dark and stormy night, Oct. 26, which was actually a slightly chilly night with a slight drizzle, the Crete community gathered at Fuhrer Fieldhouse for a spooky good time. Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) had organized Spooktacular, where Doane athletic teams host games for trick-or-treaters. 18 teams participated in the fun.
Community grieves tragic loss of Doane student and alum
The following story deals with themes and personal narratives of death. Doane offers free counseling for students. Grief has no timeline. On Friday, Oct. 16, President Roger Hughes released a statement about the tragic deaths of two members of the Doane community. Senior Jessica Villanueva passed away on Oct. 14, 2026, and Alum Ian Riles ‘25 passed away on Oct. 16, 2026, in an incident in San Antonio, Texas.
Womens Basketball wins season opener
Women’s basketball traveled to Kansas for their season opener against McPherson College. The Tigers won 71-58. Sophomore Ellie Wells made a jump shot one minute into the game with an assist by senior Rylie Rice, scoring Doane’s first points. Doane began with a 15-14 advantage in the first quarter. They managed to hold the lead through halftime. Senior Rylie Rice led the team with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
Political Corner: Keeping up with the Comeys and their cases
Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director, James Comey, is under fire from federal prosecutors accusing him of mishandling national security information in October 2016. The charges claim Comey knowingly and willfully “communicated, delivered and transmitted [national defense information] to a person not entitled to receive it” around Oct. 4 and 5 of 2016. Prosecutors filed the charges against Comey on Oct. 5, and they have been pending in secret since.
Hot Takes: You can finish the essay
It’s the second half of the semester and final projects are looming. Introduced on the first day, clearly printed on the syllabus, maybe your professor was kind enough to remind you, but with November only a few days away, the end of the semester feels closer than ever. I don’t know about the rest of you, but in my time at Doane, final exams have never been my worry; the group projects and multi-page papers have been.
Men’s basketball season starts against Bluehawks and Bears
Men’s Basketball opened its season with back-to-back games on Oct. 23 and 24. The Tigers took on Dickinson State University first, where they won 79-53. Thirty seconds into the game, sophomore Justus Gardiner made a jump shot, setting the pace for the rest of the game Doane stayed ahead throughout the game, with junior Crayton Macholan making a layup in the last minute of the game. The top scorers were sophomore Trevon Beckman with 20 points, senior Jonan Clausen with 13 and Gardiner with 11.
Greek groups rock around skit night
Leading up to the Homecoming game, the Pep Rally and Skit Night took place on Thursday, Oct. 1. The event featured skits from on-campus groups, announced the spirit cup winners and saw the crowning of the duke and duchess. The night began with performances by Cheer and Dance before Relay For Life chair uniorCaden Campbelltook the stage. Campbell announced the theme for Relay for Life this year is Tie Dye.
A breakdown of the Cornell case
Content warning: The following story deals with themes and personal narratives of sexual assault. Doane offers free counseling for students. Additionally, the Hope Crisis Center, serving southeast Nebraska, can be reached anytime at 1-877-388-HOPE(4673). In September, a former Cornell University student filed a lawsuit alleging that she had been raped by a group of men at a fraternity house party in 2024.
Tailgate brings everyone together
Homecoming is a roaring time of year on campus, whether it’s watching the hilarious skits during the pep rally, admiring the artwork on the lakeside windows, or better yet, getting a free t-shirt at the homecoming kickoff. But there is one event that many people look forward to: the tailgate.
The switch from AC to heating
As temperatures drop, Residential Life & Education (ResLife) makes an important decision to switch on the heat in certain buildings. Manager of Maintenance Services, Scott Sieck, explains this is “a necessity to maintain each building.” Director of ResLife Brian Stutz explains that he looks for days with below-freezing temperatures in the forecast in order to make the switch. “Last week we had 90-degree days. Once we turn the heat on, we have to leave it on,” said Stutz.
Homecoming kickoff and country dance
Photos by Mackenzie Pike, Elizabeth Stratton and Lillian Blank | The Doane Owl
Keeping living areas clean and comfortable
An essential part of the full college experience is living on campus, but a challenge of campus living is that students have to create an environment in which they can study, live with one another and rest after long days managing academics and other activities. Community Advisors (CAs) and Community Directors (CDs) work to make living environments comfortable. Each week, CDs send building updates for residents, but a common theme is keeping areas clean.
Political Corner: Trump issues bans on Canadian Products
A trade war between Canada and the United States has escalated this week. This year, President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on Canada and has also commented on Canada becoming the 51st state. Canada has responded to all U.S. actions with tariffs of their own. Trump utilized a Great Depression Law to impose 50% tariffs on approximately 5% of Canadian imports. Canada responded with tariffs of 15%, 25% or 50%, matching $20 billion in U.S. imports, on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Hot takes: Music is Inherently Political
Only a few weeks ago, Ed Sheeran was involved in a controversy after he dropped Macklemore as his opening act over “Free Palestine” comments. Sheeran’s backing band and all of his remaining supporting acts quit his tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
Women’s Golf takes first at Hannibal LaGrange
Doane Women’s Golf competed at the Hannibal LaGrange University Fall Invite on Sep. 28 and 29. This was the first time the Tigers have attended this invite, competing as a team of four girls and two individuals. They were one of two teams competing, although players from other colleges competed individually. Doane finished in first place with all of their players placing within the top ten.
Facilities and Housing respond to mold concerns
Facilities Operations and Residential Life & Education have released a statement clarifying points and providing context regarding an article about mold concerns in Hansen Leadership Hall from the Sept. 25 issue of The Owl. The article did not accurately reflect Facilities Operations or Residential Life’s perspective or procedures. The Owl strives to be fair and accurate in our reporting. Doane University takes the health, safety, and well-being of our students extremely seriously.
Crete Campus’s growing problem
After having a drastic weather change over the past week, a large portion of Doane’s campus has been affected by seasonal allergies, however, this isn’t the only reason why students are sick right now. Some students have gotten sick from an unrelated, yet more serious way. Many students on campus have become more vocal about mold sightings in their dorm buildings, and how seemingly no action is being taken.
A notebook page vs A Screen
The best and most effective way for me to get the most out of writing is to use a notebook and a mechanical pencil rather than sitting behind a screen. I get that it’s much easier to do the latter, but without the light emitting from the computer or even the phone screen, the mill within my head turns faster, and I’m able to think more openly without hitting road blocks. Plus, using paper is, in strange ways, more appealing for me.
Exploring study abroad
Studying abroad is one of the many opportunities that Doane has to offer for students. Any student who attends Doane is able to take advantage of this opportunity and the one thousand dollar scholarship provided for studying abroad. Director of International Programs, Professor Timothy Burge explains “Studying abroad is when students earn academic credit outside of the United States,” Director of International Programs Timothy Burge said.
Women’s Golf places first at the Mount Marty Tournament
Doane Women’s golf finished first at the two-day Mount Mary Invite at Tantanka Golf Club. The Tigers sent two teams to the tournament, both finishing within the top 20. Representing Team “A,” junior Connie Jarm finished the first day with a 74 and the second with a 77 for a total of 151, securing her second-place finish. Jarm had five birdies throughout the tournament. Only three strokes behind, senior Avery Van Horn finished with a 154 (79-75). Van Horn also made four birdies.
APO steals the show with Cabaret
Alpha Psi Omega (APO), the national theatre honor society, hosted its annual Cabaret last Friday, Sept. 18, as a way for students to share their musical talents and fundraise for APO’s annual trip to Chicago.
Political Corner: US agreement with Greenland signed at United Nations
On Sept. 18, President Donald Trump announced on a Truth Social post that Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. had agreed to give the U.S. “permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland.” In early 2025, Trump had threatened to “take” Greenland for its strategic national defence location and mineral wealth. The island could serve as an important military base if the U.S. ever entered conflict with Russia or China.
Volleyball flounders in back-to-back games this week
On Sept. 16, the volleyball team traveled to Hastings, Nebraska, to play the Broncos. The Tigers lost 0-3 (15- 25, 22-25,24,26) to the Broncos. Junior Brooke Larsen and junior Natalie Wood led the attack with nine kills each; freshman Jerney Tang-Silva had seven kills and junior Kajsa Bates had three. On the assisting side, sophomore Gentry Jensen had 27 assists, with Tang-Silva adding one. Tang-Silva led the team with 12 digs; freshman Brooklyn Weise had eight and junior Dakota Martinez had five.
English to visit the Emerald Isles
Over the past couple of years, different departments across Doane University have taken dozens of students on study abroad trips to take their education to the next level, outside of the classroom. This year, the English Department is traveling to Ireland.
Men’s and Women’s Soccer strike out against Morningside
On Sept. 19, Men’s and Women’s soccer played Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. Men’s soccer lost 0-3. Morningside scored two goals in the first half. The Tigers had six shots on goal: sophomore Mateo Jelicich had two shots on goal, and seniors Hamza Wadi, Joaquin Cortes, Tadeo Loutayf, and junior Cohen Hubbard each had one. In the second half, Morningside scored their third goal. In goal, freshman Gabriel Lara had seven shots on goal and saved four.
Struggles of Pre-Med
It is absolutely, ridiculously difficult to get into medical school. This is a well-known fact. In my opinion, as a pre-med student, it’s far more difficult than it needs to be. Pre-med students, like myself, are expected to be just about perfect at everything we do and to get into medical school, it’s necessary to do a lot.
Hot takes: it’s time to decide Team Edward or Team Jacob
When I was seven, I was introduced to the “Twilight Saga” by my crazy, obsessed sister who made it her whole personality. Now, I am not talking about pretending to be Bella and hoping that she would find her Edward or Jacob, but instead she made it KNOWN that she was on Team Jacob, but I digress. We have officially entered the fall season. Some of us, like myself, have been patiently waiting for this season to come, while others are secretly wanting the summer season to be a tad bit longer.
Home Sweet Home?
Was it all worth it? I hope I can say that it was in the future. I’d like to imagine myself at age 52, with a stable job, mostly happy, married, a small house and two cats. I’d like to imagine that on Saturday mornings I make homemade waffles or cinnamon rolls, and during the fall I visit Vermont for a fun weekend. That would be really nice to feel like I have someone, something that makes it all worth it. In college, you’re building up for that.
Both Tennis teams compete in GPAC fall championships
Over the weekend, the Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams travelled to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Fall Championships. Starting in the Men’s singles was freshman Rodrigo Margañon Abad, where he won his first match 6-6, however fell back in the quarterfinals where he went 4-3. In the same flight were sophomores Jaime Asiain Banzo and Mats Vervloet. Asian Banzo won his match 3-6 along with Vervloet winning his as well 7-6.
Summer ends with a big hurrah
This past week, Alpha Pi Epsilon fraternity, otherwise known as the APEs, hosted their annual philanthropy event: Summer’s End Xtravaganza (S.E.X.). The purpose of this weeklong event is to educate campus on safe sex practices and proper consent. This year’s S.E.X. lasted four days with each night having a specific theme and event to go off of it.
Hot takes: school spirit is in
My freshman year, a few of my friends and I went to a Doane football game. It was the first one of the year, my first college football game while in college. We put on our nauseatingly orange shirts, ran to Walmart for face paint and headed over to the field. In the 2024-25 season opener, Doane lost. Doane lost 11-49. They would lose the season opener the next year as well. This year the other team forfeited, but as of publication, they’ve yet to win a game this season.
Men’s golf hosts blue river classic tournament in lincoln
Men’s golf hosted the Blue River Classic on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 in Lincoln, NE. The Tigers brought three teams to this tournament. Doane’s Team “A” placed 4th and broke the 54-hole school record with an 853.
Political Corner: Trump hosts first-ever midterm convention in Dallas
As President Trump’s approval ratings decline and the midterm elections approach, Dallas hosted a two-day “Midterm Convention” on Sept. 10 and 11. Despite its name, the event centered on the Republican Party, particularly Trump. It did not resemble the party conventions typically held during presidential election years; there were no nominations, no running mates announced and no ballots cast.
New club joins Doane community
Last year, many students attended Citylight South church in Lincoln, but now a new club has brought that experience to Doane. Citylight U is a Christian club that meets every Tuesday at 8 p.m., in Nyrop Hall.
4-H positively Impacts the future
4-H is America’s largest youth development organization, with six million members across the U.S. and around 140,000 children in Nebraska. The H’s represent Head, Heart, Hands and Health; their mission statement is “to provide Nebraska youth with positive youth development opportunities that prepare them to become healthy, capable, and ready to engage in school, work, and life” Sophomore Daisa Smidt shared some values from her time in 4-H that have helped her in her college career.
Men’s soccer gets a win against york
This week, the Tigers played at home against Kansas Christian College on Sept. 10. The Tigers ended up winning against Kansas Christian 4-1. In the first 13 minutes, sophomore Mateo Jellcich scored the first goal for the Tigers. In the first half, Jellcich scored the second goal for the Tigers, leading Kansas Christian 2-0. Starting the second half, Jellcich scored the third goal for the Tigers. Around the 70-minute mark, Kansas Christian came back with one goal.
Athletes deal with record heat
With the fall semester picking up in all aspects on campus, this means the fall sports and athletics are in full swing in terms of frequent practices. For a lot of athletes, though, the heat has been unbearable. This past summer was officially the hottest recorded meteorological summer (June to August period) in the history of the United States. The heat has set records and the humidity has not been great either.
Tigers get scorched by Flames
Volleyball had only one game this week. On Sept. 9, the Tigers played Saint Mary College. The Tigers got swept 0 to 3 (12-25,23-25,15-25) against the Flames. The players who made the most impact on the attacking side were junior Natalie Wood with 10 kills, junior Kate Roseland with six kills and junior Brooke Larsen with six kills.
Karting in a Mario world
The game that introduced my brother and I to karting was “Mario Kart DS.” The version of the game that had a terrible drifting mechanic (which was thankfully improved in “Mario Kart 7” for the 3DS, that also introduced gliders, but Zach and I skipped that one). The Nintendo DS was also the first handheld console I ever owned and played. It was dual-screen, too, which was a vaguely intriguing concept at the time. I wish Nintendo had kept it when designing the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, but alas.
Munson leaves doane to focus on new family adventures
As Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Spencer Munson has made a significant impact. He played a key role in creating events such as Lake Day during Welcome Week and the Student Programming Board (SPB) Foodie Series and positively influencing the students he has mentored. Munson will be leaving Doane after Sept. 3. Some favorite aspects of his role have been seeing the students he’s mentored shine on the public stage.
Political Corner: Dan Osborn’s 93 county campaign comes to crete
Dan Osborn held a town hall meeting in Crete, Nebraska, this past Sunday, Aug. 23, as part of his 93-county tour. Osborn is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Nebraska National Guard who led the 2021 strike at Kellogg’s Omaha plant. He is running as an independent for the Nebraska State Senate. He ran for senate in 2024 against Deb Fischer, and although he lost, he came only seven points behind Fischer, the closest an independent has ever gotten in a Nebraska U.S. Senate race.
Students respond to program cuts
On May 22, Doane University announced operational changes to the university as part of the “Doane Forward” initiative via email. At the time of publishing, there were four majors cut: Human Relations, New Media, Policy and Values and Strategic Communication as well as seven minors: Communications, Communicating Qualitative Information, Environmental Communication, Ethics and Interfaith Studies, Film, Journalism and Policy and Values; and one extracurricular, Forensics.
Political Corner: The race for Nebraska’s next governor
A record number of seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs during this midterm election year. Currently, the Associated Press reports, 58 House members are not running for reelection, 21 democrats and 37 republicans. Not included in that number are the nine members who resigned or died this term; those seats will also be up for grabs.
Men’s Golf places 5th at GPAC in South Dakota
Men’s Golf traveled to the Dakota Dunes Country Club in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, on April 20 and 21 to play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championships, the culmination of their season. Seven players went to the three-round tournament, with two placing within the top twenty. Junior Josh Wassmer and sophomore Heidar Bjarnason started strong in the first round with Wassmer shooting nine pars, two birdies, and one eagle.
Lincoln improv group at Dine:09
“Alright, fellas, you ready to be emotionally vulnerable at the batting cages?” was only one of many comedic lines at one of the last Dine:09s of the year. Students were given a showcase of Improvisational theatre, or Improv, by the Lincoln Improv Collective. The specific group that graced the campus with their presence this past Saturday, April 25, was The Disassociates. Their show consisted of both short- and long-term improv.
Mourning the loss of our (very alive) editor-in-chief
Graphic by Mackenzie Pike | The Doane Owl Welcome to the Kenzie and Bri show. This week, we have to share heartbreaking news. After this semester, we will be losing someone very dear to our hearts, Elenna Koenig. She’s not dying, but worse, she’s graduating… dum dum dum. Seniors leave every year, but it can be especially hard to let go of ones who have had a big impact on you, your organization or your sport.
Banquet celebrates TRiO students
On April 26, the TRiO program held its end-of-year banquet. The event started with a speech by Jeremy Cadwell, director of the writing center, which included his original poem “You as the White Pine.” This was the precursor to an event where graduating seniors will help plant a tree. This tradition began four years ago in the white pine grove on campus, where some of the oldest trees on campus are located.
Women’s Golf places 2nd in Iowa
On April 20 and 21, Women’s Golf traveled to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to compete in the Bent Tree Intercollegiate tournament, their last tournament of the season before the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championships. Ultimately, the Tigers came in second place with five players finishing in the top twenty. Sophomore Connie Jarm placed third with 18 pars and two birdies. Only a few strokes behind was sophomore Jamisyn Kirkpatrick, who placed sixth with fourteen pars and one birdie.
Final decisions regarding budget swiftly approaching
Declining enrollment is a significant factor in the Doane Forward initiative; however, it is not the only issue. As Dr. Judy Kawamoto, Vice President of Student Affairs, explains, expenses currently exceed revenue. Doane Forward aims to address this imbalance by cutting expenses and expanding investments. “At Doane University, we’re already offering things that, you know, some of our competitors aren’t, and so we don’t want to lose those things,” Dr. Kawamoto said.
Men’s Golf places third at the Howl at the Hill Tournament
Men’s Golf competed in the Howl at the Hill tournament hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln, NE. The Tigers took one team of five players and three individual players, placing third overall with a total of 614 (315-299) in the two-day tournament. Sophomore Heidar Bjarnason led the Tigers both days, with a total of 146 (70-76), shooting under par on the first day and with seven birdies and 19 pars.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Brianna
Contact Brianna, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack