The Daily Northwestern — January 29th, 2024 by The Daily Northwestern

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The Daily Northwestern Monday, January 29, 2024

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Dolphin Show transforms Fisk Hall with ‘Kinky Cats’

Hear the story behind the Gay Chicago Rat Hole Wedding

The ’Cats defeats Ohio State in 83-58 blowout

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Shake Smart sees long lines Limited meal exchange hours spark frustrations By JACK VERVERIS

the daily northwestern @jackververis

Cole Reynolds/Senior Staffer

Demonstrators held LED signs in Saturday night’s mist and sung songs calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Residents hold vigil at local exhibit

Demonstrators call for ceasefire in Gaza at Light the Night event By COLE REYNOLDS

daily senior staffer @charcole27

The night’s mist clung to LED art pieces scattered throughout Tallmadge Park,

giving each bulb its own little aura. And, when some 30 people filed into the festival, softly singing for a ceasefire in Gaza, the mist clung to the candles in their hands too. About 200 people gathered Saturday evening for free hot

chocolate and LED installations from local artists at Evanston’s annual Light the Night exhibit. But, they instead found their attention redirected to a candlelit vigil, which organizers said meant to honor lives lost in Gaza and call for a ceasefire there.

“It’s just part of the whole Light the Night thing,” said Lesley Williams, one of the organizers of the vigil. “Just a different way of lighting up the night — lighting up the ignorance.”

» See VIGIL, page 6

Shake Smart, located on the first floor of Norris University Center, is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and consistently draws long lines. But, during the hours between 11 am to 2 pm, the waits – and customers – seem to disappear. Shake Smart opened in September, receiving praise from students for its shakes, acai bowls and sandwiches. The chain, which operates over 45 locations nationwide exclusively on college campuses, provides relatively healthy options compared to other popular meal exchange locations, such as MOD Pizza or Fran’s Cafe. “It’s the closest thing we have to not-dining-hall food,” Communication freshman Hillary Altes said. That popularity, however,

has led to significant wait times, most of which are due to the location’s unusual meal exchange structure, Altes and other students say. Shake Smart offers a meal exchange of a shake or bowl plus a sandwich or drink, options which include almost every item on the menu. However, the location only offers the exchange from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. At lunchtime, the same menu is available exclusively through dining dollars. Shake Smart is the only meal exchange location on campus to not offer exchanges during all of its hours of operation. Medill freshman Amelia Stone said she was shocked by the absence of a line when she entered the Shake Smart line during the dining dollar window. However, once she found out that she would have to pay with dining dollars, she canceled her order. “I appreciate that it’s here, but I do think that some improvements need to be made,” Stone said.

» See SHAKE SMART, page 6

Ryan Field to be Community honors MLK’s legacy demolished soon Candlelight vigil commemorates history in Alice Millar Chapel Environmental concerns have still not been addressed By GRETA CUNNINGHAM and ANAVI PRAKASH

the daily northwestern

Seventh Ward resident Yvi Russell said she has been “in battle” with Northwestern since 1996. Having lived in Evanston for 44 years, Russell has witnessed a history of conflict between Evanston residents and NU as the University has expanded its physical presence in the city over time. The latest battle is the rebuilding of Ryan Field in the 7th Ward. “I am outraged because of

the harm that it will do to this neighborhood,” Russell said. Russell is one of many residents who raised environmental concerns about the project throughout the city’s deliberation process. With the demolition of the current Ryan Field set to start next week, she said many of those concerns are withstanding. Residents have brought up the potential impacts of gas emissions, pollution and vibrations from demolitions in residential neighborhoods, which could harm the foundation of older houses. “I’m wondering whether my residents have enough information about what to expect,” said Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th).

» See RYAN FIELD, page 6

By JERRY WU

the daily northwestern @jerrwu

Candle lights flickered and gospel tunes fi lled the air in Alice Millar Chapel Sunday evening. Northwestern students, staff and community members came together to celebrate the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Vigil hosted by the Alpha Mu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.. This year’s vigil included Rev. Reginald W. Williams, Jr. as the keynote speaker. Williams is a pastor at the First Baptist Church of University Park, Ill., and serves as an adjunct professor at the McCormick Theological Seminary and Chicago Theological Seminary.

Sonya Dymova/The Daily Northwestern

Attendees lit candles and sang gospel music to honor King during the candlelight vigil.

Williams said King’s work has been “sanitized” of its true message in order to let others hear what they consider

comfortable or acceptable. “We live in a sanitized surface society, when we are worried about clothes, cars, cash,

what you drive instead of what’s driving you,” William said. “I

» See MLK VIGIL, page 6

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MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024

AROUND TOWN

Local YWCA kicks off 30th annual swim marathon By OLIVIA JOUNG

the daily northwestern

The YWCA Evanston/North Shore kicked off its annual Flying Fish swim marathon Friday night, officially marking the 30th anniversary of its initial inception in 1994. For four days, swimmers in eighth grade and younger on the YWCA’s Flying Fish swim team are once again taking on the challenge of swimming for one hour nonstop as a way of tracking their yearly progress. Peter Caragher, the director and head coach of Flying Fish Aquatics, said about 330 swimmers are participating in this year’s marathon. “Kids who reach goals that they have beyond where they thought they could and getting out of their comfort zone and achieving something … like having them finish for the first time … is kind of fun,” Caragher said. In addition to testing swimmers’ progress and endurance each year, the marathon fundraises for YWCA’s aquatic programming, Caragher said. The organization offers scholarships and financial aid for swim lessons or swim team membership to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it, he added. The funds also go toward YWCA’s numerous community programs and services, supporting families who depend on the organization’s domestic violence services and social justice programs, and bringing violence prevention and racial equity programs to local schools and organizations. Charlotte Lemmon, one of this year’s swimmers, said she has participated in every marathon since she

Residents file elder abuse complaints against senior living facility downtown A group of several residents filed a complaint of elder abuse against a downtown Evanston senior living complex. The residents announced Friday they’ll also take their claims to a city committee. Filed with the state Adult Protective Services

Olivia Joung/The Daily Northwestern

The YWCA Evanston/North Shore kicked off its 30th annual swim marathon Friday.

was in first grade. With this being her last year of eligibility, Lemmon said she has enjoyed seeing her progress with each passing year. “My favorite part is being able to finish … and just being relieved and happy that I was able to swim for the whole hour and then see how many lengths I got and just being able to compare it to all of the past years,” Lemmon said. Lemmon said she has also appreciated the

fundraising aspect of the event. She said she has asked her friends and family for their donations and support. The organization aims to raise at least $80,000 this year. As of Sunday night, the fundraiser had raised more than $42,000 of its $80,000 goal. Shira Schwarz, a parent of a participant this year, said she appreciates getting to support and watch her daughter’s journey as a swimmer since her first marathon two years ago.

“It’s exciting to see how much my daughter has grown as a swimmer (and) continue to see how she has improved and how her confidence builds in swimming,” Schwartz said. “Her enjoyment of the sport has also grown through the years, because the YWCA has an uncanny ability to make something hard also seem really fun.”

earlier this month, the complaint follows alleged instances of abuse, intimidation and threats by management at Avidor, a multistory senior living complex at 1727 Oak Ave., resident Bev Paul said. Residents have alleged building management has presented them with “bogus charges” of lease violations, Paul said. In one alleged incident, two women who complained to each other about a flower arrangement in the lobby received lease violation letters. “They have intimidated people so badly because people fear they are going to lose their homes,” Paul

told The Daily. “Everyone is afraid to speak up.” Susan Taylor, another resident, told The Daily that building management has been “really abusive” and unresponsive or surly to residents’ questions. Residents allege the abuse started after Greystar, a private real estate developer, took over the facility “in the past year,” according to a statement from the two residents. Avidor staff declined to comment but referred The Daily to Greystar’s website. Multiple Avidor residents plan to speak in

support of a proposed landlord-tenant ordinance at a Housing and Community Development Committee meeting Monday. “The threat was, if you do something else — if you have a second violation — you are going to be possibly not renewed and asked to leave the building,” Paul said. “There’s no way to combat this without just cause. They don’t even have to give a reason for booting us out of the building.”

oliviajoung2025@u.northwestern.edu

— Shun Graves

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February 2024 Concerts NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Thursday, February 1, 7:30 p.m. Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, $6/4 Benjamin Manis and Donald Schleicher, conductors; Giang Vo, graduate assistant conductor Chelsea Wang, piano (Concerto Competition winner) Jessie Montgomery, Shift, Change, Turn W. A. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491 Aaron Copland, Appalachian Spring Suite

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Saturday, February 3, 7:30 p.m. Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, $8/5 Donald Schleicher, conductor Caleb Wong, cello (Concerto Competition winner) Gioachino Rossini, Guillame Tell (William Tell) Overture Dmitri Shostakovich, Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major Jessie Montgomery, Hymn for Everyone Maurice Ravel, Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2

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MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024

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ON CAMPUS

Students fawn over Sonny Angel dolls By JESSICA MA

The Daily Northwestern

www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Avani Kalra

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

daily senior staffer @jessicagracema

General Manager Stacia Campbell

On Medill sophomore Bazil Frueh’s desk, an approximately four-inch cherub in a starfish hat sits next to a collection of books, peering at its owner with wide eyes. His dorm is dotted with these figurines, called Sonny Angels — they hang off his bed, stand by the window and rest on tables. Across campus, students collect Sonny Angels in different ways. NYLON dubbed the toy as “Gen Z’s darling,” while on TikTok, #sonnyangel has garnered 734 million views. Now, collectors post pictures of their figurines, host meetups and trade toys. “Honestly, I just think they’re cute,” Frueh said. “I love putting them in places that interact with my stuff. I think it’s fun.” Each cherub has wings on its back and wears a funky, colorful hat. The brand sells more than 650 kinds of Sonny Angel figurines, separated into different collections, including the Vegetable Series and the Winter Wonderland Series. Japanese toy designer Toru Soeya designed the figurines as companions for working women in their 20s. Released in 2005, the figurines aim to bring happiness and deliver smiles around the world, according to the toy’s website. Weinberg freshman Kira Hughes said she resonates with the story behind the figurines. She added that her sister collects Sonny Angels, and Hughes likes to borrow them from her sister’s room. “I may be 19, but I feel like a woman in my 20s who’s working,” Hughes said. “I need a little companion to calm me down.” Medill sophomore Sarah Kim, who owns a few dolls, said Sonny Angels are marketed well on social media. She often sees photos of the cherubs tacked on cell phones or posed against various backdrops. “There’s something very cool and appealing when people post with the Sonny Angels with aesthetic backgrounds,” Kim said.

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On Medill sophomore Bazil Frueh’s desk, the Starfish Sonny Angel from the Marine series stands next to books, tucked away behind a plant.

The dolls are sold in blind boxes. Kim feels satisfaction opening the packaging because she doesn’t know which design she will pull, she said. Frueh purchased the Mount Fuji Sonny Angel from the Japanese Good Luck Series while studying abroad in Japan. The figurine wears a blue dome-shaped hat that mimics a mountain. Now, it sits on Frueh’s shelf, reminding him of the special memories from his time abroad. When he was in Japan, Frueh said he “stocked up” on Sonny Angels, since the angels are less expensive there than they are in the United States. Though he owns eight angels, he has also bought about 20 to gift to friends, he said. Frueh described collecting Sonny Angels as

a “weird, addictive habit.” Once you buy one, it’s hard to stop collecting, he said. “Wherever I was, I’d be checking to see if there were any Sonny Angels that I hadn’t found before, just ones I could get my friends,” Frueh said. “It’s such a good gift.” SESP junior Mia Xia said she was initially confused by the popularity of “just a naked baby.” But, after her first unboxing, she understood the hype, she said. Xia also collects other trinkets from brands and enjoys finding things that spark joy, she said. “These days, there’s a huge spike in just being a girl and liking cute things,” Xia said. jessicama2025@u.northwestern.edu

The Daily Northwestern is published Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except vacation periods and two weeks preceding them and once during August, by Students Publishing Co., Inc. of Northwestern University, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208; 847491-7206. First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2023 The Daily Northwestern and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Northwestern, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. Subscriptions are $100 for the academic year. The Daily Northwestern is not responsible for more than one incorrect ad insertion. All display ad corrections must be received by 3 p.m. one day prior to when the ad is run.

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MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024

A&E

arts & entertainment

Tabi Parent/The Daily Northwestern

Drag queen Gloryhole (Communication junior Alex Devito) lights a cigarette during a Princess Dianathemed performance.

‘Kinky Cats’ drag performance transforms Fisk Hall By TABI PARENT

daily senior staffer @tabithaparent12

The mid-January weather may have been cold, wet and foggy, but the inside of Fisk Hall was hot, fabulous and fierce this Wednesday night. Members of Northwestern’s Dolphin Show packed the unassuming Fisk 217 lecture room with a rightfully rowdy audience for a drag show to promote ticket sales for the 81st annual Dolphin Show’s production of “Kinky Boots.” Chicago-based drag queen Coco Sho-Nell hosted the event, aptly named “Kinky Cats.” Sho-Nell is known for her appearance as a contestant on season four of OutTV’s Camp Wannakiki, a summer camp-themed drag reality show. Communication senior Ryan Nguyen, one of

the Dolphin Show producers who helped organize “Kinky Cats,” said they initially reached out to Sho-Nell through the Evanston Public Library to host a drag queen story hour in support of “Kinky Boots,” but the event was canceled due to last week’s cold weather. Because the Dolphin Show usually hosts a drag show in anticipation of its winter musical “Kinky Cats,” seemed the perfect solution to still be able to collaborate with Sho-Nell and support the musical in an on-theme way. Sho-Nell kicked off “Kinky Cats” with her own showstopping opening number, sporting a sparkly, fringed bodysuit and bedazzled booties, lip-syncing and flying across the floor to a perfectly choreographed dance. After laying down some ground rules for the show, Sho-Nell welcomed all members of the audience who had never seen a drag show before to come up and introduce themselves to the audience — each one met with raucous applause by the animated audience.

Then, with pleasantries out of the way, the drag queens took the floor. The first queen to grace the stage, Glory Hole (Communication junior Alex DeVito), kicked off the performances with a ‘royally’ rousing interpretive Princess Diana-themed number, shedding a tacky ’80s wedding dress for fishnets, red underwear and a cigarette. Next up was Barbee (Communication senior Matheus Barbee), who lit the room on fire with a rendition of “World Burn” from the “Mean Girls” musical, tossing sheets of paper at audience members. Barbee also plays Lola, the drag queen at the center of “Kinky Boots,” in the Dolphin Show’s production. Tigress (Weinberg freshman Tiger Lee) and Ally Oops (Communication senior Luke Byman) performed a ‘victorious’ duet to the classic song “Give It Up” from classic Nickelodeon TV show, “Victorious.” What drag show would be complete without a select performance of all of Beyoncé’s greatest hits?

“Kinky Cats” certainly checked this box, with queen Demi Pointe (Communication senior Daniel Calderon) performing to a mashup from Queen Bey’s iconic discography. Keeping in the theme of fiery female artists, Madam Galactus (Communication junior Nathan HiykelSmith) executed an angelic — or perhaps, godly — rendition of Ariana Grande’s “God is a Woman.” In the penultimate performance of the night, some of the queens reunited on stage for a Spice Girls-themed performance of “Wannabe” before Coco Sho-Nell officially closed the event, sporting a fully blue sequined outfit, light-up gold sneakers and lip syncing to Lizzo’s most popular hits. The Dolphin Show’s production of “Kinky Boots” will run this weekend. The last two shows will be on Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. tabiparent2025@u.northwestern.edu

Chicago band Animal Panic smashes stairs and goals By MARY RANDOLPH and ELENA SCOTT

the daily northwestern

Wales, France and Minnesota are just a few of the places Chicago-based indie-punk band Animal Panic.’s music has reached since their inception in 2021. Through a robust online presence and a reputation for great live shows, the band said, they’ve connected with “diehard fans” by sending song chords, free merch and setlists around the world. Animal Panic. bassist Jack Sullivan said seeing the way music resonates with fans has been rewarding. “We’ve had really good turnouts, and people are starting to know the lyrics to our songs,” Sullivan said. “We have a cult following that shows up, and we’re getting new fans each time.” Sullivan, his brother and drummer Michael Sullivan, frontman and guitarist Benjamin Fister and new addition, guitarist Logan Griffin, make up Animal Panic. Fister and Michael Sullivan met as DePaul University students in 2020 as members of a rock cover band, later adding Jack when they officially formed the group in 2021. One of the first times Fister met Michael, he was fleeing a party in a self-described “animal panic,” Fister said. “We get into a lot of adventures,” Michael joked. Animal Panic. released their first EP “Coldest Summer” in August 2023, which they described as a “compilation” of their best music to date. The band cited influences spanning from Chopin and Mozart to My Chemical Romance and Nirvana to The Smiths and The Beatles. “We try to do a bit of everything,” Fister said. “I

always think that our philosophy as a band is kind of like Queen: they tried different flavors, but you always know it’s them.” They produced and marketed the project with the support of Oakley Avenue Records, a Chicago record label that signed them last June. Oakley Avenue Records Owner Kyle Steiner said he had taken “a leap of faith” and messaged the band on Instagram after discovering them online and finding their sound unique. “They seemed genuine. They didn’t seem like they were trying to win a Grammy,” Steiner said. ”They seemed like they were friends who just liked making music together, and that chemistry is very, very hard to find.” Fister said he wrote and produced most of the songs on “Coldest Summer” himself, but with Oakley Avenue Record’s support, they now have access to more producing and mixing professionals. Fister said Animal Panic. wrote the songs in “Coldest Summer” from February 2020 to July 2023. He said the last song he wrote, “Neverland,” is his favorite. “That song came to me in a dream. It took probably about 15 minutes to record, and I think it’s just the most beautiful melody,” Fister said. “It’s very personal.” The EP’s most-streamed song, “Cocaine Honeymoon,” currently has over 40,000 streams on Spotify, “smashing” the band’s metric goals, Fister said. Along with original songs, the band performs rock covers at their live shows, bringing their personality to classics, Steiner said. “They absolutely have a stage presence and interact with the crowd,” he said. “They do funny things onstage, like (Fister) wears a blindfold at one point — it all molds really well with their personality and

their music.” In three words, Jack described the band as “energy, vivid and sweaty.” At their first house show, he said, the crowd was so excited that people were crawling through the windows, and it looked as though “a sledgehammer” had broken the stairs. At a more recent backyard show, someone scaled the side of their building. They’ve also performed at local venues including Reggies, Beat Kitchen and Subterranean. On March 30., they’ll play their largest show to date at Chop Shop,

opening for The Darling Suns. Michael Sullivan said their live performances are the highlight of his time in the band. “The happiest time I’ve had is playing drums at our shows and looking out and seeing all of our fans who were new and hearing our music for the first time,” he said. “That’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had in my life.” maryrandolph2026@u.northwestern.edu elenascott2026@u.northwestern.edu

Contributed by Animal Panic

Animal Panic’s personality shows through during their shows, producer Kyle Steiner said. Jokes, crowd interaction and even a blindfold all feature in their live performances.

MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

Eighthday Theatre to premiere ‘Goodbye Mr. Loser’ By JACKSON WEIER

the daily northwestern @jacksonweier

“Goodbye Mr. Loser,” and hello Eighthday Theatre: The Chinese student theater group is set to debut a new show this weekend in the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. “Goodbye Mr. Loser,” or “夏洛特烦恼” in Mandarin, is a time travel tale filled with wit and nostalgia. While attending a wedding, the protagonist realizes he is in love with the bride and subsequently travels back in time to be with her. The results of creating this alternate reality are eye-opening, to say the least. The play was originally published in 2012 and was made into a movie in 2015. Medill graduate student Marcel Iam, the show’s director, explained how the creative team adapted the production from previous works. “I tried to merge the 2015 movie — and especially the jokes that everyone loves — back into the original play, while assuring that we are respecting the style and the tonality that the original play has,” Iam said. Weinberg junior William Wang — co-founder of Eighthday Theatre and producer of “Goodbye Mr. Loser” — said the team behind the show had to make some adjustments to the source material to better suit the production for its cast and the audience. The team wanted the show to be authentic and resonate with its audience of Northwestern

students, especially with regard to the costume design, Wang said. This led them to purchase all of the costumes from China, he said. “The moment I see the costumes, it definitely brings a lot of memories and nostalgia for me,” Wang said. “I feel like the Chinese public school costume — even though it’s really hideous — that’s part of me when I grew up. That’s a part of my school experience, part of my childhood, and it’s just really exciting to see these costumes back on stage again.” While “Goodbye Mr. Loser” certainly belongs to the genre of comedy, the story is also deeply meaningful. Medill junior Lucia Shen, who portrays a nurse and student in the production, said most of the show’s themes emerge in the scenes that deal with underlying elements of “what if?” “If you did something differently, how would your life turn out?” she asked. “I think that’s a question that a lot of us wonder all the time. I think, in the end, (the story) is just telling us to stay in the present. It’s the little things that matter, little moments that matter.” Speaking more to those little moments with her castmates, Shen is excited for the classroom scenes in “Goodbye Mr. Loser,” not only because she’s in them, but also because of how carefree and joyous they are, she said. Shen said she enjoys the little moments that occur during rehearsal and on set with Eighthday Theatre. “Being on set and then being able to observe all those interactions, being able to laugh, being

able to just have fun — it means so much more to me,” Shen said. Wang expressed a similar sentiment. He said he hopes the show is enjoyable for both the cast and audience, and encourages them to contribute further to the Eighthday Theatre community. As the show represents a cultural staple — and the manifestation of months of hard work — Iam is excited to share the production with the

masses, he said. “It has a very strong cultural significance,” Iam said. “We really wanted to bring this play onto the campus of Northwestern to share this joy with our Chinese community, and to have more international audiences to get to know about Chinese theater.” jacksonweier2026@u.northwestern.edu

Photo courtesy of Eighthday Theatre

Chinese student group Eighthday Theatre will premiere its new show this weekend.

The Block encourages innovation in new exhibitions By GRACE WU

the daily northwestern @_gracewuu

With a welcome sign flickering between the words “block” and “look,” the Block Museum of Art reopened for the Winter Quarter on Jan. 26, with three new exhibitions: “Actions for the Earth: Art, Care & Ecology,” “Looking 101” and “The Block Collects.” The exhibits expand the traditional museum experience by introducing unusual elements to the museum space. For example, “Actions for the Earth,” a collection of works by more than 18 artists from around the world, allows visitors to interact with the artwork, activating the senses of touch and sound in addition to the more traditional sight. However, “Looking 101” takes an opposite approach, removing the placards of information typically found next to artwork to help visitors think about art in new ways. “The Block Museum is one of Northwestern’s most dynamic classrooms,” Lindsay Bosch, the associate director of communications,

marketing and digital strategy, said. “We are always changing to engage and connect with the curriculum and the big ideas that are part of a Northwestern experience.” “Actions for the Earth” arrived at NU this quarter for the second stop on its national tour and will stay through July 7. The exhibition encompasses the Block’s main and downstairs outdoor galleries, welcoming visitors with soft background music, sitting mats and 3D art pieces that examine human interconnectedness with the earth. “This is really an exhibition that invites participation and contemplation. There are spaces to rest, meditate, think and engage,” Bosch said. “It is a beautiful offering for our campus community to consider the idea of connection in an expansive way.” Communication senior Madeleine Giaconia said “Actions for the Earth” fits with the museum’s mission. The Block’s exhibitions often “push the boundaries of what we consider art and how we engage with museum spaces,” she said. As a Block Museum Student Associate, Giaconia is responsible for giving exhibition tours. This unconventional exhibit has forced her to

anticipate a range of responses from attendees, she said. “There might be challenges in encouraging people to lie down somewhere or put on a pair of headphones and sit with something rather than just wanting to get through a museum because sometimes people do not spend as much time reflecting on things,” Giaconia said. An interactive aspect also exists in “Looking 101,” another of the Block’s new exhibitions, which will be available until April 21. Featuring five artistic pieces selected in conjunction with various NU faculty members, the exhibit does not include the informational placards present in many traditional museums. Essi Rönkkö, the associate curator of collections and academic programming, says this encourages visitors to examine the gallery before scanning a QR code or picking up a physical booklet for a written description. “What I wanted to do is avoid putting any interpretive materials on the walls so that you are forced to make observations and build your initial analysis of what is going on based on your own experience and perspective before you access the context and research,” Rönkkö

said. This way, Rönkkö said, visitors can notice how their analysis changes after learning context and critiques how their background influences perceptions. “We make decisions about what we look at and interpret in such a quick way in our brains that it is sometimes helpful to slow that down,” Rönkkö said. Like “Looking 101,” Block’s third exhibition, “The Block Creates,” showcases work from the museum’s pre-existing collection of over 6,000 pieces. In particular, the art was selected by last year’s cohort of student associates. While this group of art for “The Block Creates” will only be up until March 3, its replacement with other works will not detract from the experiential learning. “What you see will always change at the Block, but what will not change is an experience in which questioning and experimentation is at the foreground, inviting big ideas and dialogue that connect to interdisciplinary studies and contemporary life,” Bosch said. gracewu2027@u.northwestern.edu

NU first-years sparkle in seasonal style despite frigid temps By KARINA EID and MACY MILLONES

the daily northwestern @karinaaeidd @macymillones

Northwestern students bundled up in coats and scarves to brace the cold as Evanston temperatures reached chilling lows during the first month of Winter Quarter. While some students chose warmth over style, others embraced the challenge of balancing fashion and comfort. Three first-year students said they brighten their chilly days with colorful outfits, often composed of second-hand pieces found either in thrift stores or on Depop, an online thrift store. Medill freshman Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez said he refuses to be spotted in sweatpants, Ugg boots, or a cinched-waist trench coat, even if it means sacrificing comfort. He said he always incorporates at least one pop of color in his clothing to avoid letting the winter weather inhibit his outfits. “I need to be a little bit uncomfortable,” Hernandez Gonzalez said. Hernandez Gonzalez said he loves to see other students donned in colorful outfits, and appreciates a break from the “gloomy” atmosphere and frequent Canada Goose parka sightings. Hernandez Gonzalez said he encourages others to express their emotions through their clothing. He defines good style as when someone infuses their identity and personality into an outfit, he said. “Don’t limit yourself to a Pinterest board,”

Hernandez Gonzalez said. Weinberg freshman Jaclyn Boxer said she does not exhibit this same mentality. She uses Pinterest to track her favorite brands, such as Sandy Liang and Paloma Wool. Boxer said she likes wearing colorful earmuffs or scarves that add a flair of excitement to her outfits. The scarves even double as a hat for Boxer, who likes to wear them as a “Babushka” scarf. Boxer said her method for choosing an outfit boils down to “fun” on top and “boring” on bottom. Her red, green or blue chunky knit sweaters are typically accentuated by one of her pairs of simple blue jeans, a staple piece for Boxer.

“There’s no limit on the amount of jeans you could have,” Boxer said. Boxer also said that it is difficult to make puffer jackets unique. To maintain her individuality, she prefers to wear a faux fur or wool coat. However, she said if she must wear a puffer, she will don her retro-style, vibrant green North Face jacket. RTVF freshman and Miami resident Jaimie Walsh said she admittedly prioritizes fashion over warmth. Like Hernandez Gonzalez and Boxer, Walsh also loves a pop of color and hopes to acquire more colorful scarves this season.

Walsh also agreed that the sun has set on puffer jackets, so she finds herself “layering and layering until (she’s) reached the maximum.” After arriving at NU, Walsh discovered Evanston’s Crossroads Trading Co., a convenient hub on Sherman Avenue for recycled fashion. She said she has already bought a few pairs of cheap yet stylish shoes. Walsh said she also attributes a significant portion of her wardrobe to Instagram ads. “They just know what I want,” Walsh said. “I know it’s a ploy to get me to shop, but it works.” karinaeid2027@u.northwestern.edu macymillones2027@u.northwestern.edu

arts & entertainment Editor Lexi Goldstein Assistant Editors Madeline King Jackson Weier Design Editors Paloma Leone-Getten Bettina Sánchez Córdova Karina Eid/The Daily Northwestern

A close-up of Weinberg freshman Jaclyn Boxer’s outfit.

6 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024

RYAN FIELD From page 1

“I’m hopeful that over the coming weeks, we’ll be able to provide more specific information for residents because they have a lot of questions.” Northwestern will measure the vibrations and report them to the city, who will post the measurements on their website, Revelle said. The city will also have a special section of their 311 information line available for residents to report questions and concerns. She said she recommends residents take photos of their homes’ foundations to document their current conditions. She will also continue to hold informational ward meetings about the rebuilding process. “I would like to see Northwestern also designate a phone number and a person that people can call because we still have to work on that,” Revelle said. Joel Freeman, co-chair of Climate Action Evanston, said he hopes Northwestern will hold itself accountable. He said that while Northwestern had a five-year sustainability plan for 2017-2021, they have not released an updated plan since. “There’s a bit of a failure of Northwestern keeping its own promises to itself,” Freeman said. “They are a key component to Evanston’s greenhouse gas emissions because they are such a large single entity.” For the new Ryan Field stadium, Northwestern has committed to achieving LEED gold certification, the second-highest U.S. Green Building Council sustainability standard that evaluates a building’s impact on the environment. The Memorandum of Understanding between NU and Evanston, which establishes several benefits

for the University to provide the city throughout the rebuild, also mandates that NU establish a Sustainability Plan six months prior to the first public event held at the new stadium. While Northwestern has set this goal for the final building, Russell said she feels the University is limited in their capacity to execute a sustainable teardown. A more sustainable alternative to demolition would be deconstruction, where materials from the old building are recycled and reused for new buildings. This is not possible for Ryan Field because of lead and other toxins in its existing materials, Russell said. “Northwestern made some pretty, pretty weak commitments to sustainability,” Revelle said. “From an environmental perspective, it’s a pretty unsustainable, non-environmental project.” The demolition will also produce particulate pollution that workers will spray off the construction site with water, Revelle said. She said residents are concerned that the runoff will enter the local water system, causing contamination. However, a more immediate concern is noise during the long hours of construction, Revelle said. Construction will occur 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, but Revelle is concerned about the noise from set-up before the actual start time. Looking at the whole Ryan Field project, Freeman said he believes sustainability is not Northwestern’s priority. “When there’s that much money at stake, people are going to do something with that money and everything else becomes secondary,” he said.

gretacunningham2027@u.northwestern.edu anaviprakash2027@u.northwestern.edu

VIGIL

From page 1

The vigil came after war in Gaza has seen Israeli strikes kill upwards of 26,000 Palestinians after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials. Organizers said more than 70 attendees participated in the vigil. By the park’s entrance, demonstrators held LED letter placards that, put together, spelled out “ceasefire.” After about half an hour outside the park, a group led by Williams split from the main demonstrators and ventured into the event. Clutching candles, they walked a loop through the park, murmuring “free Gaza now” and “not in our names.” Event attendees, previously engaged in lively conversation, fell silent as the procession passed them. “There was a gravity and a weight to it,” said Frederick Weinstein, who said he was caught by surprise by the vigil while attending the Light the Night. “There was no denying that it was a sacred moment where everything sort of fell into line.” Even as the procession moved back to the parking lot, its message still lingered. “The metaphor in the weather of the evening, it makes it sort of a singular event,” Weinstein said. “This is something I imagine that I’ll remember and hold inside me.” Evanston resident Corrie Fisher said in the group she was standing with, silence quickly turned to conversation about the Israel-Hamas war. Even if not everyone agreed with the vigil’s

MLK VIGIL From page 1

SHAKE SMART From page 1

Shake Smart isn’t the only smoothie location on campus. Protein Bar & Kitchen, located in the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, offers a similar menu. However, students said Shake Smart’s offering of meal exchanges, as well as its central location, which Protein Bar does not offer, make it a favorite. In the minutes leading up to 2 p.m., lines reaching over 20 people can form as students wait for the transition from dining dollars to meal exchanges. “No one wants to use dining dollars on it when you could use a meal exchange,” Altes said, waiting in a 10-person line right before the exchange window opened. “They could fix this so easily.” Others cited understaffing as a reason for the long waits. Weinberg sophomore Kaylin Nguyen said that the majority of the wait

usually comes from a slow process at the register, rather than the actual time to make the smoothies. “I think if they had just one more person, it would definitely work better,” Nguyen said. Officials from Compass Group, NU’s food service contractor, did not respond to request for comment. Officials had previously told The Daily they monitor hours of operation, but have not specified the reason behind the restricted hours for meal exchanges. Stone said she believes that the waits have cooled since the fall quarter when Shake Smart was the “hot new thing.” And for others, the waits are worth it anyway. “I absolutely love Shake Smart and swear by it being the best meal exchange on campus,” Weinberg freshman Sia Kusumgar said. “The lines are way too long, but I guess with something that good and popular, that’s inevitable.” jackververis2027@u.northwestern.edu

get happy because we get to celebrate him … for his spiritual genius, but so many people sanitize Dr. King and his message and meaning in order to handle them better.” The candlelight vigil, rescheduled from Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, comes with Black History Month right around the corner. Williams finished his address by calling on members of the audience to have the courage to call out injustice, stand up for righteousness and be conscious of their company to pave a more equitable future as echoed by King’s legacy. “Since we started this event in 1979, it allowed both young and elderly people to remember the message and struggle that Dr. King gave his life for,” said McCormick senior Matthias Nobles, president of the Alpha Mu Chapter. “We should not only be celebrating his life, but we should also be continuing his legacy of service activism and equality.” The event featured Bienen senior Olivia Pierce’s performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — often referred to as the Black national anthem — as a

message, Fisher said eventgoers seemed appreciative of the way it was told. “They were singing quietly,” Fisher said. “It was very peaceful, but it was very clear what they were sharing with us.” Organizers kept the vigil secret, so some demonstrators had trouble finding the group until Williams arrived. One of them came up to city official Amanda D’Agostino, who was handing out hot chocolate at the festival, asking if she knew anything about a gathering of people “related to the lights.” Two others, wearing shirts reading “Jews say ceasefire now” also wandered the park, whispering about not being able to find their group. Williams said the group kept the vigil secret to avoid conflict, particularly since it happened amid a group petition that demands the city pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Tensions in this campaign reached a climax when police removed peaceful protesters from a city council meeting in December. Williams and other organizers only publicized Saturday’s vigil to people who had signed the ceasefire petition, hoping to avoid a similar conflict. They said they want Saturday’s vigil to be the first in a line of several demonstrations. But, Williams said, first holding a surprise demonstration gave them an authentic sense of how the Evanston community feels about the issue. “People in our community want information,” Williams said. “Kids are asking for it. Churches are asking for it. It’s City Council, District 65, District 202 — the schools — who are silencing it.” colereynolds2026@u.northwestern.edu reminder of the historic path to liberty of Black Americans. The commemoration also featured offerings for March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing birth defects and premature birth. The Alpha Mu Chapter also handed out three $500 scholarships for students demonstrating academic excellence and community involvement. To close out, attendees got up on their feet to sing along to the lyrics of “We Shall Overcome,” followed by a benediction given by Reverend D’ana Downing. Communication Prof. Kent R. Brooks, the director of Religious and Spiritual Life, helped organize the event’s logistics and music presentation alongside the planning committee of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration. He said he felt the event brought out a sense of togetherness among community members. “This is a place where the message of King supersedes denominations and backgrounds and things of that nature,” Brooks said. “It is a message of unity and communion.” jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

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Help Wanted

Northfield couple in 80s seek assistance in 1) Transcription and preparation of third volume of oral history into book format 2) Preparation of family genealogy 3) Cataloguing and Distribution of 3000 volume library 4) Inventorying and distribution of accumulated objects. Duration of six months with one day per week planned Competitive compensation. Please submit resume and statement of qualifications to john@mccarterchicago.com.

Join the yearbook team! We create the printed volume that chronicles a year at Northwestern. No yearbook experience necessary. Interested? Email: syllabus@ northwestern.edu

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DAILY CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol

ACROSS 1 Includes on an email 4 Quite often 8 Regimen for injured athletes 13 Infield bounce 14 Burn slightly 15 Walked proudly 16 *Glide around a rink 18 “If nothing changes ... ” 19 Manicurist’s application 20 Delivery vehicle 22 Eucalyptus, for one 23 Fries topping 24 *Angel who’s a three-time AL MVP 26 “Now You See Me” actress Fisher 29 Set of beliefs 30 *Toll road 34 Filled with cargo 37 Boxer Muhammad 38 Part of a place setting 41 Blunder 42 Threatening forecast 44 *Radioactive decay emission 46 Honking flock 49 December number 50 *Ace at a poker table 53 Idris of “The Suicide Squad” 57 Thermometer type 58 Feel regret 59 Not moving 61 “The World Is Not Enough” actress Richards 63 Swerve back and forth, as a car’s rear end, or a feature of the answer to each starred clue 65 “Coming up next ... ” 66 Pennsylvania’s Gem City 67 Pharmaceutical watchdog gp. 68 Metal for construction beams 69 Copier paper pack 70 “Of course!”

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

1/29/24

By Doug Peterson

DOWN 1 Chocolate morsels 2 Chocolate drink 3 Bit of witchcraft 4 Poses questions 5 “Nancy Drew” actress Lewis 6 Cheerios grain 7 Rome’s __ Fountain 8 ACLU concerns 9 Country north of Ethiopia 10 One with a souped-up ride 11 French farewell 12 Under siege 15 More reasonable 17 Protest without marchers 21 Dog breeders’ org. 24 “Let’s __ a Deal” 25 “I’m all ears!” 27 Froths 28 Held a match to 30 Univ. aides 31 Last: Abbr. 32 Waterway that translates to “big river” 33 Shakespeare’s lang. 35 Notable time period

Last Issue Puzzle Saturday’s Puzzle Solved Solved

36 Towel off 39 Pocketed, as a billiard ball 40 Brief “As I see it” 43 Tachometer marking 45 On the ball 47 Molelike mammal 48 __ de cologne 50 Musical conclusions 51 “There __ enough hours in the day!”

1/29/24

52 Send for a second opinion 54 Like kale 55 Back of a 45 56 Volume of maps 59 Home to seven countries whose names end in “-stan” 60 Not us 62 Fa follower 64 Hot reaction

MONDAY, JANUARY 29 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

NU Compost Fair promotes food sustainability By JERRY WU

the daily northwestern @jerrwu

Students gathered in Norris University Center for NU’s first Compost Fair on Thursday to learn composting methods promoting campus-wide food sustainability. The event featured composting-themed desserts, an appearance from Willie the Wildcat, a waste sorting basketball game, a DJ performance, a station to plant succulent plants and decorate pots, a Spin2Win trivia game and trivia prizes. Representatives from the Associated Student Government Sustainability Committee also held a booth to educate students on the important difference between composting and recycling. “I am really interested in pro-environmental activities, and what really stood out to me was the importance of composting and recycling, especially here on campus,” Communication freshman Luca Insfran said. “I don’t think a lot of people are super aware of what goes into which bin, and being able to know what goes where is very helpful.” In October, the University rolled out compost bins to Norris for diners, referred to as customerfacing composting. Each bin is part of a trio of units, with the other two units sectioned for recycling and trash. Staff in dining halls and kitchens on campus have composted — known as back-of-house composting — for a number of years to streamline the process, according to Julie Cahillane, NU’s associate director of sustainability. Introducing the new compost bins also required her team to reevaluate the utensils and containers offered by Norris dining locations. “You have a whole different set of challenges when you want to do it customer-facing,” she said. “We spent a lot of time looking at all the serving wares used in Norris, trying to make sure that as many of them as possible were compostable or recyclable to make the sorting and collection of the compostable items easier.” Krista Brown is the sustainability and community engagement manager with Compass Group USA, the contracted food service provider at NU. She said that, in the past, customer-facing composting has been tested on Northwestern’s campus. However, the initiative ran into several

Jerry Wu/The Daily Northwestern

Students planted succulents with soil containing compost and decorated the pots.

issues, including inadequate packaging, supply chain problems, misuse leading to contamination and a simple lack of enough compost generated. Since the launch of the new composting bins, Brown said she has been aiming for a large-scale event to highlight the new effort and increase awareness about proper composting practices. Brown began organizing and finalizing logistics for the Compost Fair alongside the NU Dining team,

sustainNU and the Norris Center team in December. “(The goal is) to educate and engage our Norris guests about the new composting program in a fun way so that we can ensure customer-facing compost continues in the space,” she said. “We can only have a 1% contamination rate in the compost with the University’s waste hauler, so it’s critical that waste is sorted properly to keep the program active as intended.”

The event helped also clear up students’ composting questions. “I think it brought more awareness to certain food items I would have thought would go on landfill, (that actually) goes on composting,” Weinberg freshman Paula Fregene. “It made me more aware of composting and why I should compost.” jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

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SPORTS

Monday, January 29, 2024

@DailyNU_Sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL

NU defense stymies Ohio State in 83-58 blowout By AAYUSHYA AGARWAL

daily senior staffer @aayushyaagarwal7

Three days removed from an offensive slugfest against No. 10 Illinois, Northwestern returned to Welsh-Ryan Arena with its perfect conference home record on the line. While the Wildcats (15-5, 6-3 Big Ten) boosted their postseason resume in Wednesday’s triumph, the team surrendered 91 points — including eleven threes — and needed to batten down the hatches against Ohio State (13-7, 3-6 Big Ten) to prevail. Behind a collective team effort, NU held its conference foe to 58 points — the fewest it has allowed since its Dec. 20 game versus Arizona State. The victory embodied the defensive identity coach Chris Collins has instilled in his team during last year’s historic run. The ’Cats made it difficult for the Buckeye offense to generate any momentum throughout Saturday’s contest — surrendering seven total field goals in each half — and elevated their intensity over the latter stages of the first frame. With a little over four minutes remaining in the first half, NU held a 31-25 advantage and extended its lead into double digits entering the intermission. Deflecting multiple passes and double-teaming guards near the baseline, the

’Cats held the Buckeyes scoreless from the field over the final 4:12 of the first half — a stretch in which NU’s defense forced three misses from beyond the arc and two turnovers. The ’Cats capitalized on their ability to restrict Ohio State from the field, riding an 8-2 scoring run and building a 41-30 lead after the game’s first 20 minutes. “We were dialed in with our talk (on defense),” Collins said. “Our communication and physicality was really good and we made minimal mistakes on switching. We finished (our defensive effort) with rebounds and (limiting) them to one shot (by) keeping them off the glass.” With graduate student guard Boo Buie and junior guard Brooks Barnhizer combining for seven points over the first half, NU’s ability to restrict the visitors to shoot at a 7-of-20 clip was especially crucial. Graduate student guard Ryan Langborg played a significant offensive and defensive role, while Buie and Barnhizer looked to ease into the game. The Princeton transfer wreaked havoc on Buckeye guards on the defensive end. “They were playing (Buie) hard, so a lot of us had to step up and fill some of that role,” Langborg said. “When we’re playing like that on defense and forcing turnovers, we move the ball well and (are) hard to guard.” Out of the locker room, NU picked up right where it left off. The ’Cats held Ohio State scoreless from the field over the first

5:26 of the second frame, which allowed for the offense to build off of an energized and revitalized sea of purple. During this stretch, NU extended its lead to 52-34 and outmatched the visitors on both ends of the floor. While the ’Cats’ run holding the Buckeyes bucketless from the field was snapped, the offense built off of the squad’s defensive energy. Capped by Buie’s steal and Barnhizer’s running layup, NU stormed out to a 11-0 run and extended its lead to an insurmountable 66-39 advantage midway through the second frame. The ’Cats restricted the Buckeyes to shoot at a mere 1-of-10 clip from beyond the arc over the second half and shut down most offensive threats –– aside from guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. — who combined for 33 of Ohio State’s 58 total points. NU will look to replicate its best defensive effort of the conference season when the team travels to West Lafayette, Indiana, on Wednesday to square off against No. 2 Purdue. “Our defense was probably the best it has been all year in the league,” Collins said. “I was proud of our rotations, our activity, our ability to get deflections and the (team’s) effort to win the game the way we did tonight. We knew how important this game was for us to take care on our home floor.” Micah Sandy/The Daily Northwestern

aayushyaagarwal2024@u.northwestern.edu

FENCING

LACROSSE

NU upsets Notre Dame 15-12 ’Cats take on Stanford

in preseason exhibition

By ROSE CARLSON

the daily northwestern @roselcarlson

By JAKE EPSTEIN

Northwestern triumphed over threetime defending NCAA champions Notre Dame in a tight 15-12 battle at the DeCicco Duals Saturday. After tough losses in the Philadelphia Invitational to then-No. 5 Duke, thenNo. 6 Yale and then-No. 16 Penn, coach Zach Moss said the Wildcats needed to carry themselves with confidence to stand a chance of beating the Fighting Irish. “We go toe-to-toe with them all the time, but they bring a confidence and swagger that if you let that impact you, it makes it really difficult,” Moss said. “So stepping out of the strip at the belief that we can beat them and are better than them, which we are, we are certainly capable of beating them.” Strong energy and momentum from the get-go made NU’s trip east one to remember. The ‘Cats started swiftly with a shutout against Detroit Mercy, followed by a 24-3 slam of Denison. NU picked up another shutout against Cleveland State, then went on to beat Wayne State 20-7 and Lawrence 17-1. Sheer volume was one of the ‘Cats biggest motivators, Moss said. “Basically, we were the loudest team there from beginning to end regardless of score, and that’s who we want to be,” Moss said. “That’s how we want to put ourselves out there.” Senior saberist Levi Hoogendoorn and freshman épéeist Ava Wade-Currie both went 3-0 against Notre Dame. Hoogendoorn said there was additional pressure leading up to the face-off against the Fighting Irish. “They’re always a tough school to beat,” Hoogendoorn said. “So we always try to go in and have high energy and good focus. And I personally don’t fence to them that often, so I was really excited to get the chance to fence them and see what I could do.” Wade-Currie found success in a return to the strip after a two week medical absence.

daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Daily file photo by Seeger Gray

Moss emphasized her role in creating some of the momentum required for the Notre Dame upset. “Of all of our first years, she’s the person who’s gotten to do the least, and could be a big contributor for us, and she went 3-0 against Notre Dame and really helped set the tone there,” Moss said. Wade-Currie said her favorite part of the tournament was being able to scream with her fellow teammates after touches. She said she also loved the return to competition. “It was really nice to be back and see all my teammates, and be able to cheer them on. It was just a really great time,” Wade-Currie said. Next weekend, the ‘Cats will fence in Ryan Fieldhouse at the Northwestern Duals, one of their longest meets of the

year. They’ll face Notre Dame again–this time with home turf advantage. Other ranked teams include No. 10 Penn State, No. 14 Temple, No. 9 Cornell and No. 16 Ohio State. It’ll be a weekend of both competition and celebration for the ‘Cats, as they’ll honor seniors Sunday before their last duel and enjoy support from family and friends at one of their few home meets. Hoogendoorn said she looks forward to seeing her twin sister Sterre Hoogendoorn, a saberist for Cornell. “We’re like best friends,” Hoogendoorn said. “It’s really nice to see her and have her there, and I know that she’s supporting me even though we’re on different teams.” rosecarlson2027@u.northwestern.edu

Within WakeMed Soccer Park’s manicured grounds and rolling hills, Northwestern bludgeoned Boston College in a dominant 18-6 national title victory to scale collegiate lacrosse’s summit an eighth time last May. Flash forward eight months later: The ’Cats battled Stanford in a Sunday exhibition in Ryan Fieldhouse — NU’s final dress rehearsal before its matchup against Syracuse Feb. 10. The squads last faced in Evanston last March, with the hosts activating the running clock in the first quarter en route to a 20-9 victory. Although the ’Cats took more than a quarter to get their wheels churning, coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s first lines found their footing during a dominant second and third quarter stretch. The trio of Scane, graduate student attacker Erin Coykendall and sophomore attacker Madison Taylor proved too dynamic for the Cardinal to contain. Once NU captured a 10-goal advantage in the third period’s final seconds, the veteran coach rotated in a flurry of freshmen and sophomores in the final frame. Despite a late Stanford push, the ’Cats held on to capture a 26-22 victory. Here are three takeaways from NU’s exhibition win against Stanford. 1. Holmes regaining sophomore year form Less than one minute into Sunday’s scrimmage, senior attacker Leah Holmes dashed into her attacking role, received a feed in front of the cage and fired home the matchup’s opening goal. The lefty remained a scoring threat, showing glimpses of her breakout sophomore year form. A former U19 U.S. National team gold medalist, Holmes has tallied 52 points in her three seasons with the ’Cats. Last season, then-graduate student attacker Hailey Rhatigan instantly slotted into Amonte Hiller’s starting lineup upon

her return from injury, scorching opposing nets to the tune of 62 goals and 11 assists. But with Rhatigan’s emergence, Holmes was relegated to the bench. Now that Rhatigan and attacker Elle Hansen graduated, Amonte Hiller must replace a dynamic left-handed speedster and a skilled feeder. If Sunday serves any indication, Holmes’ minutes and production may see a significant increase this season. 2. Frank finds her footing early on; Marshall provides new dynamic Two months ago, graduate student defender Alia Marshall and graduate student midfielder Lindsey Frank looked to capture a field hockey national crown in Chapel Hill. The pair fell to North Carolina in penalty strokes — mere inches away from immortality. Both exchanged their field hockey sticks for expertly strung lacrosse sticks, ready for one final national title push. Frank shone on Richmond’s attack for four years, tallying a program single-season record 67 goals and 90 points during her senior year. Frank started on the attacking line Sunday, packing a potent scoring punch and a distributive flair. Meanwhile, Marshall logged defensive minutes and demonstrated her elite dual-sport athleticism between the restraining lines. 3. Smith sisters, DeMunno handle bulk of draw responsibilities As she did throughout last season’s national championship run, junior midfielder Samantha Smith trotted out to the circle to take Sunday’s opening draw. She peaked at the perfect moment last year, corralling eight draw controls against Boston College on championship Sunday. With the exhibition giving way for experimentation, Amonte Hiller rotated Samantha Smith with her younger sister in freshman midfielder Madison Smith and junior midfielder Serafina DeMunno. jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu