April 13, 2023

N • Title IX adjusted

The USDE released a proposed set of regulatory changes to Title IX to guide schools’ decisions on gender identity in athletics.

Page 3

the independent student newspaper of syracuse, new york | dailyorange.com

C • Running Redgate

Combining their passions of music and business five friends started a house show venue called Redgate. Together they have created an environment of Page 5

False alarm

S • Defensive anchor

Katie Goodale is one of SU’s most reliable defenders, building her discipline from spending time at her family farm

Page 12

By Dominic Chiappone asst. news editor

Following Sunday night’s false report of an on-campus shooting, Syracuse University joined a series of schools across New York state impacted by a recent uptick in cases of “swatting.”

The term refers to incidents when a person contacts law enforcement and falsely reports an emergency with intent to elicit a law enforcement response, according to the FBI’s definition. In a statement last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that more than 50 school districts in regions across the state, including central New York, the north country and Long Island, experienced attempted swattings on April 4 alone.

On Sunday, Twitter account CNY911 wrote that at 10:47 p.m., the

state

SUNY schools end mandatory student COVID-19 vaccine policy

By Kendall Luther asst. news editor

The State University of New York system announced the end of its emergency COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its 64 campuses on Tuesday, e ective at the beginning of the summer.

SUNY previously required all students accessing SUNY facilities in-person to receive a COVID-19 vaccination at least thirty days before the start of each given term,

according to the system’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.

Now, COVID-19 vaccinations will be “strongly encouraged” for students, faculty and sta , along with vaccinations for other viruses like influenza and mpox. The City University of New York system announced a similar change in requirements for its 22 colleges, e ective on May 23.

“The safety of SUNY’s students is our fi rst and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an

emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King said in SUNY’s news release.

Tuesday’s announcement follows a bipartisan resolution signed into law Monday by President Joe Biden to terminate the COVID-19 national public emergency. The national health emergency was set to expire on May 11 after repeated extensions under the Biden administration after former President Donald Trump’s initial declaration in March

2020. This week’s declaration does not a ect the end of the separate public health emergency, which will still end on May 11.

David Larsen, professor of public health at Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, said public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic tend to progress more quickly than standard governance processes. He said the pace allows the government to mandate vaccinations and mobilize resources, and the end of the emergency does not

mean the end of COVID-19.

“We know COVID will be around, but it’s just that next step towards normalizing society in the presence of COVID,” Larsen said.

In December 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a student vaccine mandate and a booster requirement for students at SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring 2022 semester. SUNY’s announcement marks the end of that emergency vaccine mandate. Although vaccination will no

see swatting page 3 see vaccines page 3

The false report of an on-campus shooting at SU this Sunday is an example of ‘swatting,’ a phenomenon that has occurred at over 50 New York school districts

Editor@dailyorange.com

News@dailyorange.com

Opinion@dailyorange.com

Culture@dailyorange.com

Sports@dailyorange.com

Digital@dailyorange.com

Design@dailyorange.com

BUSINESS 315-443-2315

how to join us

The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students.

The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and fi nancially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.

This fall, the paper will be published Monday and Thursday when SU classes are in session. Special inserts are published on Thursdays before home football and basketball games. The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break.

To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible.

If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.

corrections policy

The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.

letter to the editor policy

The D.O. prides itself as an outlet for community discussion. To learn more about our submission guidelines, please email opinion@dailyorange. com with your full name and a liation within the Syracuse community. Please note letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand. All letters will be edited for style and grammar.

Visit isit i

INSIDE

The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.

NEWS

When the real thing actually happens, they may not be prepared for it.” - Harry Schlechter, first-year political science student

Page 1

CULTURE

“If everyone’s having a good time, then we’re doing it right. If the artists are having a good time performing, we’re doing it right.” - Dylan Fox, Redgate cofounder

Page 5

OPINION

“Instead of trying to dodge the issue, let’s call a spade a spade. This is an example of sexism in our media, the NCAA and especially in a sport-loving community like SU which claims to “bleed orange.”” - Jish Sokolsky, columnist

Page 8

SPORTS

“Winning is fun but competing as hard as you can is when you learn things and improve. That’s why I try so hard.” - Katie Goodale, SU women’s lacrosse defense

Page 12

COMING UP

Noteworthy events this week.

WHAT: Language Matters Conference

WHEN: April 13, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Bird Library 114

WHAT: Panasci 2023 Competition

WHEN: April 14, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Whitman School of Management

WHAT: Best Buddies Friendship Walk

WHEN: April 15, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Women’s Building Field

Breaking down Walsh’s past five city budgets as mayor

By Stephanie Wright asst. news editor

Over his past five years as mayor of Syracuse, Ben Walsh has prioritized public safety, housing and infrastructure development and economic growth in his fiscal year budgets.

At a total of $310 million, Walsh’s proposal for FY24 is the largest budget he’s proposed, and includes the first property tax increase in five years and includes steps to reduce the city’s budget deficit by 35%.

Although Walsh has emphasized mitigating gun violence through community efforts in his 2023 State of the City address, the FY24 budget doesn’t explicitly address funding dedicated to these measures. The budget does propose an allocation of $270,000 to the Office of Gun Violence and maintaining high levels of police funding.

Public safety

Although Walsh’s first budget proposal as mayor placed a hiring and raise freeze on city workers, it provided more money for new classes of police and firefighters, and funded the city’s acquisition of police body cameras. Last year, Walsh increased police funding by 18%.

Each of Walsh’s subsequent budgets have allowed for police and fire department funding for equipment and new recruit training. They have also funded the expansion of public safety units to include gun violence mitigation, burglaries and vehicular safety, as well as a Police Athletic League for engagement.

Housing and infrastructure

Much of Walsh’s efforts to improve housing have been concentrated in code enforcement and zoning changes, including the ReZone Syracuse initiative.

Walsh also established the City Lead Abatement and Enforcement ordinance in FY21 to allow for more thorough lead testing in buildings and address the city’s high levels of lead, and increased funding for the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development in FY23.

The budget also bestowed $750,000 to the Greater Syracuse Land Bank — an organiza-

tion that buys and resells abandoned properties for demolition or redevelopment — highlighting Walsh’s focus on housing development in the city. The year prior, before Walsh took office, the Syracuse Common Council cut $1 million of funding from the land bank.

After the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Walsh used funds from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security act to support city housing needs like emergency response, neighborhood planning and code inspections.

Walsh’s budget provisions for housing ramped up for FY22 with the establishment of a new housing safety and quality code enforcement unit with expanded staffing capacities, as well as investments in city sidewalks and parks and recreation facilities to address concerns brought up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walsh has also included budget provisions for the Interstate 81 highway project in past budgets. In FY23, Walsh established a I-81 City Project Director to plan and oversee the construction of a community grid in place of the highway’s viaduct.

Economic development

Walsh has funded several city initiatives aimed at growing small businesses and industry within Syracuse, including Syracuse Surge and the Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative, created in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Walsh also established a STEAM high school in 2019, which will occupy a previously abandoned high school building, to provide more technology-focused education and training opportunities at a public level.

Now, Walsh’s plans for economic development are bolstered by Micron’s investment in a semiconductor microchip manufacturing facility in Clay. The plant, set to begin construction in 2024, is slated to bring an estimated 50,000 jobs to the central New York region.

Fiscal planning

Throughout his budgets, Walsh has refrained from raising property taxes until now, instead largely relying on city reserves, water rate increases and tax base growth to fulfill city

revenue goals. When Walsh first moved to raise tax and water rates for FY20, it was the first time the city did so since 2011.

Over the course of his time as mayor, Walsh has changed the city’s deficit. In 2018, Walsh’s budget left an $11 million deficit that was covered by city reserves. The following year, Walsh again relied on $8.1 million in city reserves to cover expenses.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city lost $6.1 million in sales tax revenue as

businesses shuttered. This contributed to an overall loss of $11.1 million of revenue for the city. Walsh still refrained from raising property taxes despite the financial uncertainty from the pandemic.

This year’s proposed 2% property tax increase serves to close the current $21.1 million deficit. If passed, the increase will be the second of its kind in the past six years for Syracuse. spwright@syr.edu @stephaniwri_

Here’s how new proposed Title IX rules could affect SU

By Jana Seal news editor

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released its new proposed regulations for Title IX’s

from athletic participation solely on the basis of gender identity, it also retains provisions which would allow a number of listed exceptions.

Schools under the regulations are able to preserve or impose sex and gender-based

its definition of those objectives. Otherwise, it does not lay out explicit guidelines for schools making decisions about gender identity in athletics.

Some lawmakers and experts expressed disappointment in the proposal and pointed to a lack of structure as a main pitfall. To Lindsey Darvin, professor in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics with a research interest in gender equity in sports, the plan makes the application of Title IX more confusing and problematic for schools working to enforce it.

She said because it essentially only lays out that individual schools will make their own regulations for transgender athletes, it creates excess pressure for universities like SU to determine what policies and decision-making processes are best.

Rick Burton, an endowed sports management professor in the Falk College, said there won’t be an immediate change in what schools across the country are doing, including SU. He said because Title IX is a federal omnibus, any regulations attached to it are compulsory because although a private university, SU receives some federal funding.

As a private institution not controlled by a religious organization, SU is subject to all Title IX regulations and provisions outside of those applying to admissions practices.

SU has come out against other updates to Title IX in recent years. In August 2020, the university put out a statement expressing its disapproval and reluctant compliance with updates it projected would create barriers for survivors of sexual assault and harrassment to coming forward.

The USDE maintains that the proposed regulations have a net benefit for transgender students. In an April 6 press release, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said the regulations were overall designed to support Title IX’s protection for equal athletics opportunity.

in violation of Title IX. In a letter to the Biden administration, a group of lawmakers criticize the space for restriction outside of that provision.

“When discussing questions around fairness in sports, rather than granting credence to false narratives around the supposed advantages of trans athletes, we should instead be asking why trans people are so deeply underrepresentedin their participation, in their successes, and in athletic scholarships,” the letter reads.

Darvin also identified the exception in the “educational objective” of fairness as an issue in debates over gender identity in sports overall. The premise that sports are fair, she said, is misguided in the first place.

“One of the big problems with all this right now, is we are romanticizing sport as this very fair and level playing field and sport inherently is not fair,” she said. “Sport is probably the furthest thing from fair, other than the fact that the rules on the court and the field are the same.”

The proposal also includes provisions to distinguish between sports, levels of competition and grade or education level in judgments regarding transgender athletes. For Darvin, the proposal’s reference to the fact that governing bodies like the NCAA set criteria in national and international competition ignores the fact that in the U.S., a lack of federal standardization means discrepancies in how Title IX functions across the country.

“That to me is incredibly, incredibly problematic,” she said. “(If you) consider each individual sport when you make these regulations, you can essentially govern different sports differently in terms of penalty policy and regulations and compliance.”

application to athletics. If passed, SU must operate under a new set of standards for the role of gender identity in school sports.

While the set of regulations would prevent institutions from banning transgender students

restrictions as long as those restrictions are “substantially related to the achievement of an important educational objective.” The proposal lists sports-related injury and “fairness in competition” as causes which may be relevant to

“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” Cardona wrote.

In the press release, the USDE emphasized the facet of the plan which would render any categorical ban of transgender students on sporting teams

Now, following the proposed regulations’ release, the proposal is set to enter a period of public comment during which lawmakers, education officials and the public can submit criticisms of the USDE’s plan.

The public comment period will begin upon the proposal’s addition to the Federal Register, and end after 30 days.

Since taking office in 2018, Mayor Ben Walsh has prioritized public safety, housing and economic development while working to avoid property tax increases. joe zhao staff photographer

Some experts and lawmakers have expressed disappointment with a lack of structure in the proposal and pointed to potentially confusing impacts. maxine brackbill asst. photo editor

SA holds Town Hall ahead of Board of Trustees report

By Roxanne Boychuk

staff writer Syracuse University’s Student Association hosted its second town hall of the semester on Wednesday evening to discuss issues like on-campus housing affordability, university sustainability goals and the range of tuition’s academic coverage at SU.

SA President David Bruen and SA

Comptroller-elect Dylan France — both of whom currently serve as undergraduate student representatives on SU’s Board of Trustees — must draft and submit a spring semester report to the board by April 21. SA’s first town hall meeting of the semester on March 28 covered similar campus issues.

Bruen said it’s imperative to report students’ concerns to the Board of Trustees because of its power to control campus activity and the operation of SU’s respective departments.

“The board is basically the only body that’s really required to exist at the university, and then everything flows from them,” Bruen said. “They create — in conjunction with the chancellor and administration — the educational mission and

the fiscal policies of the university.”

Several students expressed concern over the current shortage of SU’s trolley drivers.

On April 6, SU’s Office of Parking and Transportation Services announced delays and cancellations for the university’s Blue and Orange trolley loops for the rest of the semester as a result of the shortage.

Bruen attributed the deficiency to the COVID-19 pandemic, which previously impacted the university’s transportation services via the Centro bus system, and pointed to alternate forms of transportation.

The city of Syracuse is one of the most popular locations for Veo, an electric scooter and bike rideshare service, but it doesn’t operate on SU’s campus because it hasn’t established an official agreement with the university. Bruen said the disconnect makes it harder for students to access Veo and for company officials to monitor activity for safety.

Bruen said a partnership between Veo and SU, with the condition of regulations like vehicle speed limits, would allow the scooters and bikes to be available on campus and benefit

complaints about a lack of transparency with campus safety officers.

students looking for affordable and sustainable transportation options.

Students also discussed what an “ideal” residence hall should look like. After several attendees discussed quality issues with current on-campus housing and a lack of noticeable renovations in established residential halls, the group called for improvements like increased accessibility for people with disabilities and more laundry rooms.

SA representative Adam Baltaxe pointed to the Psi Upsilon fraternity chapter’s house, located between Watson Hall and the Life Sciences complex, as an optimal place for a future residence hall to be built because of its proximity to main campus.

Students also brought up concerns about dorm appliance quality and housing prices. SA representative Aidan O’Connell said the fact that many students end up on South Campus is unfair, because South Campus housing costs more than North Campus housing.

Yasmin Nayrouz, Vice President of University Affairs, added that affordable housing should be prioritized for sophomores,

not just freshmen. As a result of overenrollment, nearly 200 sophomores were relocated after initial housing selections for the fall 2022 semester.

In terms of SU’s costs, one attendee said lab fees and textbooks for classes should be included in tuition. France said campus bookstores and libraries are separate businesses from the university, which poses an issue as to who would support students for these expenses.

Regarding campus sustainability efforts, France highlighted SA’s Carbon Neutrality Referendum that called for SU to shift its carbon neutrality goal from 2040 to 2030. During SA’s spring election, nearly 93% of participating students voted to support the referendum.

Bruen said SA will release further sustainability progress updates “very soon.” SA’s final cumulative report of student feedback will be recorded and communicated to the Board of Trustees in May to encourage changes in the coming year, he said.

rmboychu@syr.edu

ing in political science, said swatting incidents like Sunday night’s case at SU could cause a state of panic among students and create an unsafe feeling around campus.

“(Law enforcement) is obviously going to respond to every single thing if there’s going to be a report, but if it happens multiple times, you may feel like they’re going to have a lax response and be like ‘Ah, it’s probably just another phony fraud thing,’” Schechter said. “When the real thing actually happens, they may not be prepared for it.”

Akosua Danso, a first-year student from Kansas, pointed to the unnecessary panic her parents would experience in the event of a falsely reported shooting because of their distance from campus. She drew a connection between Sunday’s false report of a shooting and the idiom of “the boy who cried ‘wolf.’” She said she fears cases of swatting could discredit actual emergency threats like a shooting by spreading out law enforcement’s resources.

Similar concerns are circulating at other universities in the Northeast after having also experienced incidents of swatting this week. Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh both experienced cases of swatting on Monday, and both received student

from page 1

covid-19

longer be a condition of enrollment at SUNY schools, the updated policy still requires students enrolled in programs, courses or internships held at third-party locations to comply with the location’s vaccination and testing protocols.

In the release, SUNY referenced the U.S.’s declining COVID-19 infection rates and the high vaccination rate in the state of New York. Samuel Gorovitz, philosophy professor and former dean of SU’s College of Arts and Sciences, said the decision is based on scientific evidence.

“The SUNY decision is justifiable based on the most recent science, especially given that their policy explicitly allows for more stringent requirements under certain conditions,” Gorovitz said.

The changed policy also notes that certain employees, students and volunteers at healthcare facilities, which include SUNY healthcare facilities, hospitals and medical schools, may be subject to mandatory COVID- 19 vaccination.

Syracuse’s SUNY Upstate Medical University requires mandatory health clearance forms for new students, requiring proof of immunity from the COVID-19 vaccine series, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and proof of three Hepatitis B vaccinations. The website has not been updated since SUNY’s announcement on Tuesday.

SUNY ESF also still has not updated its COVID-19 vaccination information since the announcement. The website still lists SUNY Policy 3100, which requires all students accessing SUNY facilities to receive the COVID-19 vaccination series. ESF students were required to submit their vaccination prior to arrival on campus.

According to the release, SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee – a group of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health and neuroscience – made the decision to end the mandate. The group convened earlier this year to collect and review infection rates and vaccination data, the release said.

COVID-19 cases have been on decline in New

Haessig wrote that DPS constantly reviews available information from other universities’ swatting incidents to construct its procedure in determining the validity of a reported threat. DPS and other law enforcement partners’ assessment and response to a potential threat are working to be “quick and tactical,” Haessig added.

On March 31, Hochul announced a statewide “heightened monitoring” in New York, following an increase in swatting cases. The statement came four days following a school shooting in Nashville in which six people were killed.

That same day, New York’s police and education departments sent out a letter instructing school administrators across the state to review their safety procedures.

In addition to New York, at least three other states — California, Michigan and Vermont — dealt with false reports of shootings in February which created lockdowns and elicited a police response. Schools in Utah, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts also received hoax calls about shooting threats in the days following the March shooting in Nashville.

With continued reports of swatting across New York, Republican State Senator Mark Walczyk, who represents parts northern New York like Hamilton and Jefferson

York state. The state’s reported positive cases for the week of March 31 have decreased by about 72% compared to the week of March 31, 2022. Just under 80% of 18-34 year olds across the state have completed their primary vaccination series, according to the release.

As of April 6, the COVID-19 hospital admissions rate is around 22% of the total reported case rate in Onondaga County.

Syracuse University has continued to require full vaccination and boosters as soon as students are eligible.

“Vaccination is the single most important step that we can all take to protect ourselves, loved ones, our campus and community from severe COVID19 infection, hospitalization and death,” the SU Stay Safe website reads. “A widely vaccinated community safeguards the health, wellness and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community.”

In August 2022, SU made masking optional on campus regardless of vaccination status. Students can still make appointments for COVID-19 testing services through the Barnes Center at The Arch and access testing kits at vending locations on campus.

“SUNY’s updated public health policy for COVID-19 is in line with other city, state, and national action to relax the mandate, and also provides campuses with protocols to keep campuses safe should there be any uptick in cases,” said Mantosh Dewan and Wayne Riley, co-chairs of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Workgroup and respective presidents of SUNY Upstate and Downstate Medical, in the release.

SUNY will continue to monitor and examine COVID-19 data and update its policy based on local conditions and requirements, the release reads. The new policy will also continue to require reports of the vaccination status of enrolled students to SUNY System Administration. The school system also reserves the authority to change its protocols at any time.

With SUNY’s decision contributing to New York’s transition to the “post-pandemic” world, Gorovitz said, it’s important for universities to learn from mistakes in dealing

counties, introduced a bill which would raise the penalty for swatting from a misdemeanor to a felony, and increase jail time in state prison from up to one year to one and a half to four years.

Republican State Senator Jim Tedisco, a sponsor for the legislation who represents Saratoga County, wrote in an April 5 news release that he’s supporting the bill because of the fear and anxiety swatting spreads throughout the state for students, school staff and families.

“These contacts threatening violence in our schools is another form of terrorism which cannot be allowed to stand,” Tedisco said in the release.

Two other state legislators, Democratic Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon and Republican State Senator Joseph Griffo, who both represent parts of Utica and Rome, also drafted legislation which criminalizes threats of mass violence towards a school, college or university, place of worship, a gathering of at least 25 people and businesses.

In an email to The D.O., Buttenschon explained that the bills, A6383 and S1603, outline how false threats can be criminalized if made in writing, verbally communicated or expressed through any other means of communications.

Under the legislation, people aged 18 or

older that make a threat of mass violence in the first degree would be fined $35,000 and sentenced to at least three years in prison, while people under the age of 18 would face a $35,000 fine and at least 10 days in a juvenile detention facility, she wrote.

Both Griffo and Buttenschon’s senate bills remain in the Senate’s Codes committees, according to the email.

“Our nation and state have seen an increase in mass violence and this legislation was created to combat this crisis,” Buttenschon’s office wrote. “I will continue to work with my colleague to stop this violence in our communities.”

Malinowski said that SPD continues to maintain constant communication with school principals and staff with New York state still on heightened awareness, but emphasized the dangers false reports of mass violence could have in the community.

“It’s no joke. I think some people think it’s funny because they’ll see it on YouTube and try to prank (their) friends,” Malinowski said. “It’s a serious offense, and it’s also where you can get the other person killed or an officer injured… There’s a lot of different pranks out there, but this wouldn’t be the one to play.”

dcchiapp@syr.edu @DominicChiappo2

with past pandemics.

“We need to be respectful of history and what we can learn from history,” Gorovitz said. “And we need to be prepared for a future which is not post-pandemic, but is a future of

preparedness and sophistication in handling the various pandemics that we will always have to confront.”

kaluther@syr.edu @kendallaluther

from

page 1

Banding together

By Cassandra Roshu asst. photo editor

Josh Gaba, the lead singer of the New York City-based band One Way Out, performed at Redgate on Saturday. He was welcomed by a huge, red Japanese Torii gate outside of the Syracuse house show venue.

“I feel like anything is acceptable there,” Gaba said. “So many different types of groups go in and out of there. Everyone there is going to enjoy everything because there’s that energy of positivity and acceptance.”

In fall 2022, five Syracuse University students started Redgate, a live venue that aims to bring together music lovers and bands alike. Over the past months, its organizers have tried to highlight local groups but also bring exposure to musicians from outside the Syracuse community. For co-founder Dylan Fox, the group’s main goal has always been to make sure attendees have a great time.

“It all circles back to if everyone’s having a good time, then we’re doing it right,” Fox said. “If the artists are having a good time performing, we’re doing it right.”

Baked Alaska played its first house show venue as a band at Redgate on Saturday. Lead singer Joe Sdao is transferring schools next semester, so the group and its friends made the most out of the night.

Fox said the group started to give bands like Baked Alaska a chance to perform and gain exposure. All the founders have been friends since freshman year, Fox said, and were inspired by other house venues like The Harrington to start their own.

The red Torii gate stands in the house’s front lawn. Jared Rowland, another co-founder, said the gate, which the founders’ landlord installed as a homage to his Japanese wife, is the namesake for the venue.

from the stage

Each founder has been able to find passion in other aspects of the business, Fox said. Henry Brennen, who used his interest in film to make promotional videos for the venue, said his involvement has given him a larger appreciation for what goes into the production of music festivals and events.

In spring 2022, three of the co-founders — Fox, Rowland and Jesse Herman — hosted Southdaze, a music festival featuring student bands, clothing swaps and food. A year later, the group is planning its first official festival — Walnut Palooza. The festival will fundraise for the Children’s Miracle Network, Fox said, and will host local musicians and the indie rock band Laundry Day.

Rowland, who’s majoring in television, radio and film, said the venue has piqued his interest in the music business, something that was not previously on his radar.

“The live music and being a part of the scene, playing in bands, has really opened my eyes to a whole

new world,” Rowland said. “It’s opened my eyes to writing about music, doing performance reviews and working with artists in a studio.”

For Fox, music has always been a part of his household. He credits his music interest to his father, who played in college bands and eventually had a one-man acoustic act.

“This was really the first time that I’ve ever done this by myself in a way,” Fox said. “I’ve always done musical stuff and this is the first time I’ve ever really been in a business role in music.”

The group has valued the connections and friendships it’s been able to make with its regular attendees, bands and other venues, Herman said.

“We all go to each other’s shows and we support each other. It’s just one big community that wants to see the next person succeed,” Fox said.

Every venue hosts shows because of its passion see venue page 6

Hunter Kusak advocates for change, diversity through performance

By Ofentse Mokoka asst. copy editor

Hunter Kusak found themselves pushing off drag and taking on more behind the scene roles like photography and videography for other drag performers.

Two years later, they’ve finally decided to throw their hat in the drag ring.

“I’ve been a stay behind the camera (person),” Kusak said. “And then I saw the drag performances, the prelimi-

nary and the final last year, and so I was like, ‘yeah, that’ll be my debut.’”

Kusak performed as their drag king persona Quirt Taylor at the 21st annual Pride Union Drag show on March 23 in the Underground in Schine Student Center. RuPaul’s Drag Race star The Vixen hosted the event, which welcomed all student drag performers of varying experience.

Kusak, a Syracuse native and public health senior at SU, beyond their

performances, wants to teach sex education in schools. They have helped evidence-based sex education in Syracuse city high schools and were even able to get certified and trained while in school so that they could teach sex education to their peers. Through teaching, they met people who were interested in drag or had already been in the Syracuse drag scene.

Kusak felt that shows like RuPaul’s Drag Show only portrayed a certain

form of drag. While most people associate drag with high-femme and pageantry, that wasn’t the avenue Kusak’s drag took on. They said because of this discrepancy, they were more drawn to shows like “The Boulet’s Brothers Dragula,’’ which depicts other more diverse types of drag.

“As somebody who is trans (and) grew up not always fitting into either box, I was really nervous when I first decided I wanted to do drag,” Kusak said.

Annabelle Fears, Kusak’s friend, described them as a strong activist who has grown into an incredibly socially-aware person. Fears has always seen how they have sought to not only be a part of their queer community, but to also actively be an asset and source of betterment for it.

“Hunter is very eclectic, very passionate about helping their community and helping others, and is abso see activist

Last semester five SU students started Redgate, a house show venue dedicated to bringing music lovers and musicians, from Syracuse and beyond. cassandra roshu asst. photo editor

Redgate, a studentrun house show venue has offered weekend entertainment to the community as well as lasting connections and friends

Syracuse native prioritizes local business through blog

By Abby Presson asst. digital editor

When Danielle Benjamin moved to Australia to earn her master’s degree in 2017, she needed a way to keep her family and friends updated on her travels. Instead of a large group chat or lengthy email thread, Benjamin started a blog.

After she completed her degree and returned to the U.S., Benjamin began working at Syracuse University in international education. Her students often came to SU from major international cities, and started out thinking that there was nothing to do in the campus area. But Benjamin, a Syracuse native, wanted to fix that misconception. In order to build her network of local activities, events and things to do, Benjamin returned to blogging.

“Don’t say there’s nothing to do,” Benjamin said. “There’s so much to do in the area, and no matter what you like, you can always find something.”

Benjamin’s blog, Wandercuse, focuses on travel, food and activities in the central and upstate New York regions, with a particular emphasis on Syracuse. With Wandercuse, Benjamin tries to share her passion for local activities and businesses with her readers.

Several years ago, Benjamin decided to turn Wandercuse into a business. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Benjamin has transitioned to being self-employed, working on both her blog and on freelance writing and social media work.

“Part of the reason I wanted to turn it into a business is I found out how much I love to do it,” Benjamin said. “I love sharing stories. I love learning more about the local history. I love trying new places, meeting new people and sharing

from page 5

and love for music, Brennen said. Different venues will lend each other equipment and are ultimately all interested in making sure that each venue strives for as long as they can, he said.

Some of the group’s most memorable moments come from interactions with eccentric attendees, Rowland said. One night, he met an attendee who wore a Pikachu hat, a Cheeto shirt and a Spongebob backpack, held a hand bongo drum and brought his own collapsible chair.

“I see him with his hat on and he just makes eye

the stories, both locally and I will occasionally throw in things that aren’t in Syracuse.”

The blog’s focus on the central New York region came together naturally, Benjamin said. During the pandemic, she wanted to show that there were outdoor activities people could engage in locally. She noticed her local posts received more engagement and got content ideas from local tourism boards.

When Benjamin travels both domestically and internationally, she’ll often write blog posts and travel guides about her destinations. Ultimately, though, her favorite content centers on local tourism.

“I’m super passionate about upstate New York, as silly as that might sound,” Benjamin said. “But I

contact with me, smiles and whips out this collapsible seat and sets it down and then just takes a seat,” Brennen said. “And I’m like, this is the best patron I have ever had. He was a frequent visitor. He didn’t do the seat every time but that was still just amazing. I’m so lucky to serve him.”

One night, Rowland said multiple musicians started playing “So What” by John Coltrane. An attendee came up to the sound booth in tears and said it was his favorite song.

“That’s some of my favorite parts about Redgate — the small conversations and small friendships that you have every week,” Rowland said.

Rowland said the group’s ability to bring in artists from outside the Syracuse area is

love where I’m from, and I think there’s so much to do around there that people don’t always realize.”

Though Benjamin earns money through affiliate income, ad revenue and sponsored posts with her blog, she wanted a profit stream that gave her more control and involvement. That goal, led her to develop the Wandercuse Passport — a plastic $20 “punchcard” that offers one-time discount codes at 18 local businesses and activities during the 2023 calendar year.

Benjamin hoped that the passport, which features a variety of locations from a chocolate shop to the Erie Canal Museum, would help to promote and drive interaction with local busi-

a source of pride. He said bringing artists like One Way Out introduces a variety of new sounds to the community.

“We got there and they took really good care of us as the artists. We’ve played at a lot of venues where that is not the case at all,” Gaba said.

At the professional venues that One Way Out plays in New York City, the band feels like it has to do things in a structured and rigid way, Gaba said. At Redgate, he experienced a positive and welcoming energy.

“It felt like when we were there, people wanted to hear us for who we are, which was a really cool feeling,” Gaba said.

Gaba calls the experience that they had play-

nesses. When she set out to create the program, she’d already established relationships with many local business owners through blog content she’d previously created. Both businesses she had and hadn’t worked with were eager to get involved and saw how mutually beneficial it could be, she said.

When Benjamin first approached Sarah Simiele, owner of local cheese shop The Curd Nerd,, Simiele knew she wanted to get involved with the passport. Since joining, Simiele’s noticed new customers coming in because of the passport card. Carissa Monahan, co-owner and operator of local craft beer store Branching Out Bottle Shop, shared Simiele’s excitement for how the project could help local businesses, “After opening a small business, it has really been apparent how many small businesses there are, but how often they get overshadowed by bigger companies,” Monahan said.

The passport benefits more than just local businesses and Benjamin’s blog. With every purchase of the card, Benjamin donates 10% of the profits to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Benjamin has big plans for the future of the passport. She’s hosting a launch party in early May, and is currently working on special discount deals for cardholders so the passport continues to engage the community even after a person has used all the discounts. Benjamin hopes to continue offering a new Wandercuse passport each year.

“I really think the best way to create a business community that you want to be a part of is just to support a growing business community,” Simiele said. “None of us in Syracuse, as small businesses, are doing well if any of us aren’t doing well.” abbypresson@dailyorange.com @abbyvp08

ing at Redgate a refreshing one where they and their needs felt prioritized, which contrasts the venues that they play at in New York City. The band really appreciated their green room.

Next year, Redgate will try and host even more shows, Rowland said. The group feels lucky its goals and passions have manifested themselves, Herman said.

“As a musician, those are the kind of people you want to work with,” Gaba said. “They take it seriously, but they also know that the goal is to have fun and they’re always just very selfless people who want to make the show good, so that everyone has a good time.”

cmroshu@syr.edu

lutely hilarious,” Fears said. “I think that they are such an asset to Syracuse in general with what they’re able to bring to the table.”

Fears said that Kusak is involved in various initiatives for the queer community as well as helping queer homeless youth. Knowing that Kusak was a little shy, Fears said that she was a little surprised when she found out Kusak would be performing drag, but nonetheless, knew they were more than capable of putting on a show.

“Not too long ago, I watched them do an impromptu performance of some Prince songs, which blew me away, because I’ve never seen them ever perform like that or dance like that,” Fears said. “(They did the performance) just from listening to music in this youth group that they were volunteering at, and I was blown away at their ability to just pick that up.”

Kusak loves horror movies, more specifically slasher-esque films, and so they wanted to incorporate that love into their drag. With their love of drag and horror, they wanted the audience to feel a mixture of pleasure and horror while watching them. For the preliminary, they said they toned it down a bit, but they are looking forward to upping the ante in the final.

“My goal on stage is to make people go like, ‘what the f*ck did I just watch?’” Kusak said. “But then also be very confused on, ‘why am I really a little turned on right now?’”

Kusak got into the local drag scene by meeting some queens at downtown Syracuse bars like Trexx and Wunder Bar. They mainly take pictures for Black and Brown queens in the area, they said.

There are a lot of conversations not being had within queer communities in Syracuse and around the country about how cis- and whitecentered these spaces can be, Kusak said.

“With a lot of the Black queer folks, they now have two things that people are seeking them to educate them on: Blackness and queerness,” Kusak said. “It’s not our job and it’s not their job to continue to have to advocate for why they are deserving of basic human needs.”

Queer conversations are currently dominated by cis white gay men, Kusak said, which means the violence and struggles of Black trans women often go unnoticed and undiscussed. All of those things considered, Kusak holds the relationships they have made in the queer and drag community close.

They understand the importance of chosen family, especially for Black queer people, Kusak said.

Their activism doesn’t only support and protect marginalized communities, but has also had an influence on their friends and loved ones.

Eboni Britt is one of those loved ones. Britt, the Executive director of strategic communications and initiatives for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at SU, has known Kusak since they were three years old. Knowing Kusak has impacted her view on DEIA, she said.

“Having Hunter in my life has given me an education on activism that I could never learn within a classroom or normal environment,” Britt said. “Their advocacy for Black people, for queer people, for people who are Black and queer, is tireless. They are one of the most courageous people that I am honored to know.”

Both Britt and Fears said that Kusak is the type of person who radically impacts the people they meet. Their activism, care, sense of humor and intellect shines through in everything they do, Britt said.

“Being along with Hunter through their life journey thus far has fundamentally changed me in a variety of ways,” Britt said. “They have helped me to become a better diversity and inclusion advocate, a better parent and a better human – I love them.”

Kusak hopes they can be a representation of the true vastness and overall idea of drag. They feel like drag is just another extension of oneself, in a way that doesn’t have as many restrictions as a person’s everyday life might have.

“A lot of the times, (in) the persona that people portray when they get into drag, they’re able to basically be their authentic selves,” Kusak said. ofentse.moipone.mokoka@gmail.com

HUNTER KUSAK performed for community members at the Pride Union Drag show on March 23 in the Underground of Schine. Kusak teaches sex education and works to uplift the queer community. megan jonas contributing photographer

SU native DANILLE BENJAMIN started her blog Wandercuse to focus on highlighting travel activities in the Syracuse area. meghan hendricks photo editor

Respectsportswomen’s

By Jish Sokolsky columnist

If you haven’t been paying attention to Syracuse women’s lacrosse, now is as good a time as any to jump on the bandwagon.

For the fi rst time in program history, Syracuse is 14-0, with the chance to tie a program record of 15 straight victories with a win at No. 5 North Carolina on Saturday. The Orange are ranked as the best team in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Ratings Power Index and Inside Lacrosse poll.

With just over 17 goals scored and less than nine goals allowed per game, SU boasts the nation’s second best scoring margin. Attacks Emma Ward and Meaghan Tyrrell are top five nationwide in points per game, and goalkeeper Delaney Sweitzer’s save percentage of .549 is the second highest in the nation. Ward, Tyrrell and Sweitzer make up just three of Syracuse’s seven midseason All-Americans.

Yet there is one stat that the women’s lacrosse team is lacking in: attendance. On average, only 1,650 fans show up to home games. All home games were played at the JMA Wireless Dome, except for SU’s win over Clemson, which was played at CiceroNorth Syracuse High School.

The men’s lacrosse team, however, sits at 7-5, ranked No. 17 in the latest Inside Lacrosse poll. The Orange are 1-5 against ranked opponents this year with no individual player in the top 15 in scoring nationally. But on average, over 4,200 fans still attend each home contest.

This doesn’t mean that the men’s squad doesn’t deserve its high attendance rate with the historic success of the program. But recently, the women’s team has outperformed the men’s, reaching six Final Fours since 2012 compared to the men’s team.

The women’s lacrosse team should have similarsupport. Unfortunately, very few people are witnessing one of the greatest seasons of lacrosse in program history.

This sentiment isn’t limited to SU or lacrosse.

A recent poll conducted by Seton Hall University found that a mere 37% of the general population would opt to watch women’s sports, even if made more readily available.

as women’s. While the NCAA claims this is because men’s sports are more popular, the acknowledgment alone creates a self-fulfi lling prophecy. Such a large institution giving more resources and airtime to men’s sports, of course, will draw in more viewership, if nothing else because of convenience.

Instead of trying to dodge the issue, let’s call a spade a spade. This is an example of sexism in our media, the NCAA and especially in a sport-loving community like SU which claims to “bleed orange.”

Men’s sports have taken priority over women’s sports for no other reason than the fact that they are men’s sports, as we’ve seen that ability isn’t the limiting factor. E orts have been made to promote women’s sports, but the numbers don’t lie.

Consumers of sports must change that. We have the power to prove what is “profitable” or not. It can start right here at SU. To get packed stadiums and bleachers, students need to start taking advantage of the multiple sports events happening around campus.

Take this season’s NCAA basketball championships, for instance. The women’s championship garnered 9.9 million views, making it the most watched women’s championship game of all time. With compelling storylines like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark scoring 41 points in back-to-back games and Angel Reese’s “ring me” celebration and its discourse, it made for amazing entertainment.

On the men’s side, the championship game was the least viewed on record, but it still drew in 5 million more viewers. Women’s sports have historically struggled to yield the same types of revenue in media broadcast rights as men’s sports, and historically, they’ve received only 5% of media coverage. The lack of fair coverage is one of the greatest hindrances in women’s sports. How are fans supposed to keep up with their favorite teams or even gain exposure to new teams?

The discrepancies go even further, as men’s D-I college teams receive nearly twice as much funding

During football and basketball season, we are keenly aware of the advantage of being loud. It creates a true home field advantage by sheer volume. When the Dome is rocking, the other team can’t get into rhythm. If the women’s lacrosse team has dominated without that advantage, imagine what they could do with it. With how hard they’ve worked, and the success they’ve experienced — it absolutely deserves it.

Women’s lacrosse has one more home game this year on April 20 at 7 p.m against No. 7 Boston College. A win could be a record-breaking 16th straight victory, if the Orange win on the road at No. 5 North Carolina this Saturday. The game is free for SU students — if you claim a mobile ticket in time — so there’s almost no reason not to attend. Don’t you want to have a “I was there” moment to tell your grandkids? Let’s show the best team in the nation they have our support.

Jish Sokolsky is a freshman broadcast and digital journalism major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at jasokols@g.syr.edu.

Instead of trying to dodge the issue, let’s call a spade a spade. This is an example of sexism in our media, the NCAA and especially in a sport-loving community like SU which claims to “bleed orange.”

Jish Sokolsky COLUMNIST

Syracuse women’s lacrosse remains undefeated, and should merit much more respect and attention to women’s sports

softball

SU right fielder Madelyn Lopez commands offense off bench

By Cooper Andrews asst. copy editor

Madelyn Lopez wasn’t in Syracuse’s opening day lineup, nor did she step on the field once throughout the River City Leadoff in early February. So, Lopez walked into head coach Shannon Doepking’s office and asked how she could get in the starting lineup, Doepking told CitrusTV. The freshman was willing to do whatever it took.

“(Getting benched) made me want to compete, it made me want to work harder,” Lopez said. “I was like ‘man, I got to get to work.’”

The following weekend, Lopez started in the last game of the Big Ten/Atlantic Coast Conference Challenge. She went 2-for-3 with a walk and one run scored in SU’s 11-4 win over Iowa. Lopez has started every game since.

Lopez has quickly become one of Syracuse’s most consistent players, slashing .361/.442/.514 along with a perfect fielding percentage. As a freshman, she leads the Orange in batting average, on-base plus slugging (.956), hits (26), total bases (37) and triples (two). She is also second in home runs (two).

Most recently, Lopez has been hitting leadoff, going 6-for-9 with four RBIs during the April 6-8 series against NC State. She went 3-for-3 in her leadoff debut, helping the Orange to their first home win.

“(Madelyn) was lights out today,” Doepking said to CitrusTV after the 3-for-3 performance.

“She set the tone really quickly for us.”

Lopez wasn’t accustomed to coming off the bench growing up. Troy Falterman coached Lopez from 12U to 14U on Texas Sudden Impact in Montgomery, Texas, and also coached her in high school summer ball for Hotshots Fastpitch. Even then, Lopez was a can’t miss talent.

“Madelyn’s always been a top-level player, one of the best players to come out of Texas,” Falterman said.

Falterman described Lopez as someone who could succeed in “all facets of the game,” utilizing her speed, fielding ability and keen plate vision to help her dominate at the youth level. Lopez, now a power-hitter, was smaller than a lot of other girls at a young age and started out as a “slapper,” who mostly hit for contact, Falterman said.

At 10 years old, Lopez switched to hitting from her non-dominant left side. Falterman said this change was so she could be an even better “slapper,” being closer to first base in the lefty box.

“(Being a slapper) really helped her eye seeing the ball out of the pitcher’s hand,” said Lopez’s father, Alfonso. “And it really carried over when she started swinging for power. It really helped her hand-eye coordination.”

Falterman added that Lopez’s offensive attack nowadays is more diverse because of her contact-first mentality at a young age, and is a threat to opposing defenses in any situation.

This gave Lopez the leeway to take a more

aggressive approach at the collegiate level. Alfonso said he tried to get her to swing at the first pitch more often throughout high school, but Lopez resisted because she had such a good eye. Now, Lopez has realized the importance of staying ahead of the pitcher and has progressed into a strong early-count hitter.

“She was aggressive early in the count and the hitters count,” said Nathan Nelson, the head coach of Lopez’s Hotshots travel ball team. “When she got to thinking too much, that’s whenever she would struggle a little bit with her swing.”

In her freshman year of high school, Lopez attended Alpha Omega Academy before transferring to Lake Creek. Head coach Michelle Rochinski said that when she first met Lopez, there were no questions about her skill, only a concern for how she’d get acclimated to the program.

“I think the kids took her in. She bought into her teammates, she bought into the coaching staff,” Rochinski said. “The minute she walked in the Lake Creek campus, she made an immediate impact.”

In her senior season, Lopez led Lake Creek to the 2022 Texas 5A State Championship, the first in program history. The Tigers went undefeated, finishing with a perfect 41-0 record. Lopez batted .466 during the title run with an OPS of 1.250, and 54 hits in 35 games. Lopez scored twice against Georgetown in the championship game, helping them to a 7-0 victory.

Playing travel softball in Texas meant consistently facing some of the best players in the nation. While playing with the Hotshots, Lopez faced the No. 1 player in the 2023 class, Florida commit Mia Williams, and the Tennessee Mojo in the 16U national championship game.

With the score tied at one apiece in the bottom of the seventh, Lopez stepped up with the bases loaded and a chance to win the tournament, and she hit a walk-off single to secure the title for the Hotshots.

“Playing high-level travel ball, you’re going to face really good pitchers, and you may only get one good pitch to hit,” Falterman said. “That may be the first pitch.”

Lopez has put everything together, combining her plate vision with the power she’s developed over time. In her new leadoff role, Lopez is constantly in a position to jumpstart the offense. Against NC State on April 6, Lopez led off the fifth inning by roping a first-pitch single into center field. She scored via a sacrifice bunt and another run that inning made it 4-0 in the win.

“Getting on base was a way to get the bats going and score runs,” Lopez said after the game.

On March 22, Syracuse led Canisius 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lopez stepped up to face Canisius’ Megan Giese, who placed the first pitch chest-high, and Lopez drove the ball into deep right field for the first home run of her career. ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews

Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 11, 7-4 UNC

By Connor Smith senior staff writer

Syracuse beat No. 15 Princeton on Saturday 16-13 for its fourth win in five games. The Orange got at least three goals from Joey Spallina, Cole Kirst and Finn Thomson, and Will Mark recorded 17 saves as SU shutout the Tigers in the fourth quarter. The win helped Syracuse jump into Inside Lacrosse’s top-20 poll. The Orange are now ranked No. 17 after a six-week absence from the national rankings.

Next up for SU is a trip to Olney, Maryland, where it’ll play No. 11 North Carolina in a rematch of the late-February contest inside the JMA Wireless Dome. Syracuse is playing in the neutral site game at a suburban Washington, D.C. high school to reach local recruits and fans in the region. The Tar Heels beat SU 19-13 earlier this season, using a seven-goal second quarter to run away despite 17 saves from Mark.

Here’s everything to know about UNC (7-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) before Saturday afternoon’s matchup:

All-time series Syracuse leads, 18-12.

Last time they played Owen Hiltz put SU in front just over a minute into the game on Feb. 25, but North Carolina struck back with three straight scores and took a 12-6 lead into halftime. Down 13-6 early in

from page 12

locastro

Locastro arrived on campus weighing 165 pounds. But even so, he impressed the coaching staff and won the starting shortstop job.

As a freshman, Locastro was an honorable mention for the Empire 8 All-Star Team, and as a sophomore, he earned First-Team Empire 8, Second-Team D3baseball.com New York All-Region and Second-Team ABCA New York All-Region accolades.

In the offseason after his sophomore year, Locastro dedicated himself to the base paths and the weight room. He recalls only stealing seven bases while getting caught five times his sophomore season. Before his junior season, Ithaca’s coaching staff taught Locastro proper technique to get the most out of his speed. He also improved his frame, bulking up to 185 pounds.

As a junior, Locastro set a program record by stealing 40 bases, and was only caught once. Locastro’s offseason work also paid dividends at the plate, as he hit .443 with a career high 23 extra base hits.

Locastro helped Ithaca win a schoolrecord 41 games and finish third at the D-III Championship. He earned All-American honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association as well as D3baseball.com, and

the third quarter, Syracuse notched four unanswered goals, but the Tar Heels scored seven of the game’s final 10 goals.

Logan McGovern registered eight points — on four goals and four assists — and Lance Tillman finished with six points. Spallina, who had three goals and two assists, and Thomson who had one goal and three assists, led Syracuse’s attack.

Mark faced a tough test throughout the game, and the 19 goals allowed are SU’s second-most allowed in a game this season, just behind the 20 Notre Dame poured in on April

1. UNC outshout Syracuse 50-41, in large part because the Orange lost the ground ball (36-22 in North Carolina’s advantage) and face-off (19-16 UNC) battles. And Syracuse’s offense, despite an efficient performance, couldn’t do enough to mitigate those losses.

“I didn’t think we played particularly bad on the offensive end,” Alex Simmons said postgame. “It just came down to possessions. We didn’t have the ball that much.”

The Tar Heels report

North Carolina has gone 4-3 since beating Syracuse, with wins over Brown, Dartmouth, High Point and Providence and losses to Duke, Denver and Virginia. Like Syracuse, UNC scheduled an easier three-game stretch against nonconference foes to gain some momentum heading into its final stretch of the season. The Tar Heels lost 19-12 to the Cavaliers on Saturday, allowing their most goals of the season.

UNC, though, does have one of the best

was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year.

Soon after, he caught the attention of pro scouts and entered his name in the 2013 MLB draft. Locastro listened to every pick of the first 10 rounds of the draft on the radio in his parents’ basement.

At the beginning of the 13th round, when Locastro was getting ready to head over to a friend’s house, he remembers his father, Tim Sr., shouting “Yes, yes! You just got drafted!”

With the 385th pick, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Locastro, who spent two years in their minor league system before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2015.

Locastro worked his way up the Dodgers’ farm system, reaching Triple-A in 2017. After slashing .388/.443/.544 with 12 stolen bases in 31 games, the Dodgers brought Locastro to the big leagues a week before the end of the season, wanting to evaluate him as a potential pinch runner for the postseason.

Locastro made his Major League debut on Sept. 29, 2017. The next day, he stole his first major league bag but wasn’t added to the Dodgers postseason roster. In 2019, Locastro received extended playing time at the major league level with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Locastro is a valuable offensive player because of his ability to get on base in multiple different ways. Once, when Locastro

defenses in the country, ranking first in the nation in defensive efficiency, per LacrosseReference. The Tar Heels give up only 9.45 goals per game, sixth fewest in the country. Eight of their 11 opponents have been held to single-digit goals this season, and they cause the ninth-most turnovers per game nationally.

Offensively, North Carolina is led by McGovern, who tops the team in goals (29) and points (51). McGovern’s 49.2% shot percentage is tied for ninth-best nationally. UNC’s team shooting percentage of 35.8% is third-best, per LacrosseReference, though the Tar Heels do average the fewest shots per game in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tillman and Sean Goldsmith both have chipped in 31 points, too.

How Syracuse beats North Carolina

Winning this game for Syracuse starts with finding ways to consistently beat SU’s defense and find open windows to fire at goalie Collin Krieg, who averages just under 10 saves per game.

North Carolina’s two worst games in terms of defensive efficiency came last week against UVA (39.6%), but also in the first matchup against Syracuse (35.15%). The Orange — who have the fifth-most efficient offense in the country — seem to, unlike most others, have found a recipe for beating UNC’s defense and that will have to continue again on Saturday.

Syracuse recorded seven more faceoff wins and four more ground balls than Princeton on Saturday in its win. It was just the fourth game where SU has registered the

told Valesente about coaches hounding him about low exit velocities and poor launch angles, Valesente reminded Locastro that his game was to “get on base and cause problems.”

And that’s exactly what Locastro has done throughout his career. At Ithaca, he set a school record for getting hit by 29 pitches in his junior season — across 646 minor league games, he’s been hit 174 times.

In just 557 MLB plate appearances — about equal to what the average everyday player gets in the regular season — Locastro has been hit 40 times. Since 1871, there have been just two players in MLB history to get hit by a pitch 40 or more times in one season.

On May 24, 2019, Locastro tied an MLB record for getting hit by a pitch three times in one game. The day before, he was also hit three times in one game playing in Triple-A.

Among players with at least 550 plate appearances since 2017, Locastro leads all players with a 20% infield hit. Despite a below average .225 career batting average and 5.9 BB%, Locastro has an above average .326 on base percentage due to his speed and getting hit.

“If you can get on base, you got to get on base,” Locastro said. “The game is hard enough. These pitchers are so good now, you got to do whatever you can to get on.”

same or more faceoff wins than its opponents, and its record in those games is 3-1. When Syracuse has won more ground balls, its record is 4-0. UNC is fourth best in the ACC in ground balls per game, and third best in faceoff percentage. Syracuse is last in both categories, and winning one — or ideally both — would be instrumental in the Orange picking up a critical win on Saturday.

Stat to know: 24.6

North Carolina has the second-fastest offensive pacing in the country at 24.6 seconds, per LacrosseReference. Syracuse, conversely, has a pacing of just over 30 seconds and ranks 29th nationally. The Tar Heels like to work quickly, meaning SU could gain an advantage by forcing UNC possessions deep into the shot clock.

Player to watch: Logan McGovern, attack, No. 1 McGovern will be the focal point of Syracuse’s defensive game plan. The Bryant transfer has made an instant impact in Chapel Hill, averaging three goals and nearly five points per contest. In the first matchup this season, the Orange slid to McGovern early in the game, but he racked up assists. And when SU stopped sliding in the second quarter, McGovern responded with goals. “We just didn’t match up well with him,” Gait said in the teams’ last outing.

csmith49@syr.edu @csmith17_

At the trade deadline in 2021, the Diamondbacks traded Locastro to the Yankees, and he spent 2021-22 going back-and-forth between MLB and Triple-A.

While in the minor leagues, Locastro got first-hand experience with the new rules that Major League Baseball is adapting for 2023 and beyond.

“I absolutely love (the new rules),” Locastro said. “I think all speed guys love it. The bases are closer not only for stealing bases, but on infield hits and rounding bags. The disengagement rule helps base runners tremendously, especially when (pitchers) throw over twice. It’s like a freefor-all.”

With the new MLB rule changes that have brought bigger bases, new pickoff rules and a pitch clock, base stealing ability is more important than it has ever been. That’s one reason Locastro made the New York Mets’ Opening Day roster despite signing a minor league contract in the offseason.

“He has totally earned every bit of (success) with hard work, dedication, mental toughness and stick-to-it-iveness,” Valesente said. “Naturally, some guys are naturally gifted. They can hit harder, run faster or throw harder than others. In this case, he can run faster. He’s a grinder.” justingirshon@gmail.com

men’s lacrosse

RACE DAY

Photos and story by Meghan

photo editor

Hendricks

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The sun rose on Fish Creek in Saratoga, New York, reflecting an array of oranges, pinks and purples on the still surface of the water. It was eight hours before the Cayuga Cup race launched down the 2000-meter stretch.

Hours later, wake from boats rippled the once-calm creek as coxswains’ screams from the docks echoed around the boat house. On Saturday, Syracuse women’s rowing competed against then-No. 3 Yale and Cornell, finishing in second in all races behind Yale. The Cayuga Cup, created in 2003, is given to the winner of the race between the three schools.

Although the regatta didn’t officially begin until 3 p.m. that afternoon, the team began preparing physically and mentally upon arrival at the Saratoga Rowing Association at about 10:30 a.m. As soon as the bus pulled into the boat house and everyone stepped off, the team began rigging the boats with the device that holds the oars while blasting a speaker.

“We just turn it up to full blast, play music, keep it really light as we are unloading the trailer and getting ready,” said Hannah Murphy, Syracuse’s coxswain.

With six boats racing and in need of riggers, it was all hands on deck to prepare them. Once the boats were ready, the team stretched and warmed up for its pre-race row.

Before taking to the water, head coach Luke McGee pulled the team into a circle, speaking about the regatta’s expectations and facing one of the top-three teams in the country.

“Sometimes it can be a little bit boat-specific,” McGee said. “You can just focus on making your own boat go as fast as you possibly can…trying to set the result aside a little bit and have a little bit of confidence.’”

Each boat took to the water to get a warm-up

row in before breaking for lunch. Between its warm-up and the first race, the team relaxed, mentally preparing for the competition.

“For us, when it comes to race day the worst thing we can do is change who we are,” Aphrodite Gioulekas said. “We like to be really authentic and carry our attitudes and our interesting personalities because keeping things the same is so important.”

The team focuses on keeping things consistent on race day, Gioulekas said, by running the same warm-ups as it does in practice at the SU boathouse.

“The main thing is just being focused on our own performance. There isn’t too much that we can do, really, in this sport that affects your competitors,” McGee said.

Similar to the rest of the team, Murphy sets aside at least 10 minutes for herself before every competition, braiding her hair and running through every possibility of what could happen in the regatta.

With the clock ticking down to the start of the races, each boat met with its coach to have a quick team meeting. During this time, McGee said they focus on how the boats can individually perform their best.

Each boat dropped into the water and launched off the dock while the remaining teammates on shore cheered them on. Every school had a specific chant before the boats took off. Gioulekas referred to Syracuse’s as a “war cry.”

As the boats pushed away from the dock, the team yelled “C-U-S-E! Let’s go ‘Cuse! Let’s go Orange! Let’s go Orange! What color was the blood?” while the occupants of the boat in the water put their arms up in an “O” shouting “Orange” in response.

The Orange placed in all five races on Saturday, beating Cornell but falling to Yale. Murphy said Syracuse doesn’t dwell on the losses and continues to look forward and learn from each race.

After the regatta, the team derigged each boat, bagged them and strapped them to the trailer before boarding the bus back to Syracuse. As soon as the bus stopped in Syracuse, the team got back to work preparing for the next race, Gioulekas said.

“We just take it, we let the emotion sit in and then go from there,” Gioulekas said. “The race is done and it’s back to the training rooms.”

mehendri@syr.edu

@megghan_rose

Syracuse competed in the Cayuga Cup last weekend. Here’s how the entire day of the regatta looked for the women’s rowing team

A clinical research

ACHIEVE-4

ACHIEVE-4 is a clinical research study for people with type 2 diabetes and excess weight who are at risk for heart disease or stroke.

The study will test how safe and well the investigational medicine (the medicine being studied) works for blood glucose and weight management compared with insulin therapy.

Can I join this study?

Yes, you may be able to join the research study if you:

» Are aged 18 years or over

» Have type 2 diabetes and are taking at least 1 medicine to manage your diabetes

» Have a BMI* of 27 or higher

» Have or are at risk for heart disease, stroke, or other blood vessel diseases, or have kidney disease

*BMI stands for body mass index. If you do not know your BMI, please contact a healthcare professional.

For more information visit:

https://e.lilly/3RMsPj5

study for people with type 2 diabetes and excess weight who are at risk for heart disease or stroke

Jewish Studies Program

Joseph S. Kalina Prize

2022-2023 Holocaust-Related Themed Essay Contest

In some sense, we all preserve the memory of the Holocaust. The Jewish Studies Program at Syracuse University is committed to enhancing our knowledge of the Holocaust and the tradition it sought to destroy.

The Joseph S. Kalina Prize is awarded yearly to the best essays on a Holocaust-related theme written by a Syracuse University undergraduate and graduate student. The two prizes carry cash awards of $400 each. Essays may treat any aspect of the Holocaust and its contemporary implications. Literary, philosophical, historical, sociological, ethical, theological, and psychological themes are appropriate; other multidisciplinary studies including creative writing projects will also be conside red. Entries often originate as course papers.

Undergraduate essays may vary in length from 2 -15 pages; graduate essays may vary in length from 10-25 pages. All essays must be submitted before noon on Friday, June 2, 2021. Please send electronically to Professor Zachary Braiterman at zbraiter@syr.edu.

For further information, please feel free to drop by at his office at 508 HL on a Wednesday afternoon between 2:00 and 4:00 or contact Professor Braiterman at zbraiter@syr.edu -443-5

B.G. RUDOLPH LECTURE SERIES AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

April 24,2023

Israel Before and After the Nation State

7:00 – 8:00 PM

H.B. CROUSE HALL 032 KITTRIDGE AUDITORIUM

Julie E. Cooper is Senior Lecturer (US equivalent: Associate Professor) in the Political Science Department at Tel Aviv University. Her research interests include the history of political theory; early modern political theory (especially Hobbes and Spinoza); secularism and secularization; Jewish political thought; and modern Jewish thought. She is the author of Secular Powers: Humility in Modern Political Thought (Chicago, 2013). She is currently working on a book project, tentatively entitled Politics Without Sovereignty? Exile, State, and Territory in Jewish Thought, that examines modern attempts to reimagine and rehabilitate Judaism’s national and political dimensions.

https://people.socsci.tau.ac.il/mu/juliecooper/

SCRABBLE DAY

THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM

Julie E. Cooper

baseball

‘BLUE COLLAR’

KATIE GOODALE has recorded 28 caused turnovers and 30 ground balls so far this season. She notched her first career goal against Cornell on March 28, receiving an assist from Emma Ward. arnav pokhrel staff photographer

By Tyler Schiff asst. sports editor

By the poolside, then-Syracuse attack

Nicole Levy asked Katie Goodale if she wanted to try on Levy’s No. 12 jersey.

The two were in Orlando, Florida, for a recruiting showcase. Goodale, then a junior in high school, had already committed to SU. It didn’t take long for her to say yes.

“I knew [Goodale] would bring honor to that number by being her usual, gritty self,” Levy said. “It was important for me that the number went to someone like her.”

Now in her third year at Syracuse, Goodale is the team’s defensive anchor. She has seen steady progression in her game, amassing 19 caused turnovers and 21 ground balls so far this season. The values of hard work and commitment that propelled her to SU started in shifts at the family farm from a young age.

“We saw how hard our dad worked so it helped our work ethic,” said Goodale’s younger sister, Alex. “We always wanted to help out.”

Growing up in Riverhead, New York, Goodale and her three siblings were given an assortment of different chores at Goodale Farms, which specializes in dairy. Responsibilities ranged from feeding baby goats and calves to helping stock baskets for home delivery services.

No matter the task, it was a “365-day-a-year job,” said Anne Marie, Goodale’s mother. In the winter, Goodale would bring some of the newborn animals into the house so that they didn’t get too cold.

Goodale began playing lacrosse in second grade. First, she participated in a recreational league before starting travel ball for the Long Island Top Guns. There, she connected with head coach Steve Levy, Nicole’s father, and ended up switching programs, following Steve when he created his own club — Legacy Lacrosse.

Goodale, Alex and a group of friends practiced at the farm. Originally, teammates went over to meet and play with the animals, but the girls often ended up playing catch.

Goodale didn’t hesitate to choose defender when selecting a position. All of her friends wanted attacking roles, but Goodale just wanted gametime, her parents said. In seventh grade, Goodale made Riverhead High School’s JV roster. A year later, she moved up to the varsity level.

Throughout the years, Goodale developed good stick skills. On the farm, Goodale worked daily on her footwork and stickwork. She passed around with Alex. The two played wall ball and practiced ladder drills to make sure they were fast and agile enough for the upcoming season. The farm also had a cage for Goodale to practice shooting.

“She’s always had the athletic stature and ability but the IQ is what it takes to really succeed at the next level,” Levy said. “She knows when to send that slide. She knows when to shift in a zone. I think her IQ separates her from a lot of other defenders.”

Goodale said she trains the “little things.” She compares her preparations before each game to watering crops or cleansing the animals. She does all the overlooked, yet essential, jobs to help improve performance. Goodale said those little things make the difference on the lacrosse field.

“It’s nonstop like you don’t really get a break,” Goodale said. “You just have to find enjoyment in what you do. Even though you’re working, you’re enjoying it.”

Going into Alex’s sophomore year of high school, the sisters worked hard in the offseason to make varsity the next year. Goodale is two years older than Alex, and the 2020 season was the only chance for the two to play together. They’d go to CrossFit for an hour every day after school to get stronger before practicing at the farm. Alex made the team, although Riverhead’s

season was canceled three days after tryouts.

“Katie’s very competitive but she wants the best for me,” Alex said. “She pushes me in a good way, even though it might not feel the nicest, but she wants me to be the best version of myself.”

Goodale’s competitive nature can be overwhelming. Alex said once she “steps onto the field it’s all lacrosse.”

Anne Marie describes it as “turning a switch.” Goodale holds her arms up in surrender, admitting that when participating in activities that are “supposed to be lighter,” she still takes it super seriously.

“Winning is fun but competing as hard as you can is when you learn things and improve,” Goodale said.

“That’s why I try so hard.”

Goodale’s father, Hal, remembered that Goodale was set on SU after the family’s visit, though various programs had heavily recruited her since the ninth grade. When Levy was still with the Orange, Goodale traveled to see home games in the Dome with Levy’s parents. Afterwards, Levy provided extra visits in the locker room and nearby apartments.

Just as carefully as Goodale has followed Levy’s lucrative career, Levy watched Goodale’s progress.

From Legacy to Syracuse, Levy saw the “blue-collar type player” evolve into a preseason All-American honorable mention, a player deserving of Levy’s No. 12.

“I think I was more excited about it then she was,” Levy said.

In Syracuse’s last nonconference matchup against Cornell, Goodale sprinted toward goal. Emma Ward dished the ball to Goodale in front of the net and Goodale slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. She grinned ear-to-ear as Ward lifted her high off the ground in celebration of her first career goal.

“It’s nice to see No. 12 back on the scoreboard,” Levy said.

trschiff@syr.edu @theTylerSchiff

Auburn, NY native Tim Locastro has journeyman career in MLB

By Justin Girshon staff writer

On April 10, 2021, Tim Locastro pounded an 87 mph cutter from Reds pitcher Carson Fulmer into the ground. Shortstop Eugenio Suarez fielded the ball and fired to first base. For most players, it would be a routine ground out.

Locastro legged out an infield single, barely beating Suarez’s throw. On the next pitch, he stole second base to break Hall of Famer Tim

Raines’ previous record of 27 consecutive stolen bases to start a career. Locastro then advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly from the ensuing batter. It was a prime example of what got Locastro to the big leagues — creating opportunities on the base paths.

“I was very fortunate to be able to break that record, but that goes back to the coaches

I’ve had at every single step of my journey,” Locastro said. Locastro grew up 25 miles outside of Syracuse

in Auburn, New York. In the past seven Major League Baseball seasons, he has played in at least one game for four different organizations. Yet, despite never being a highly touted player, Locastro has set multiple MLB records, like getting hit by a pitch three times in one game in 2019.

A three-year starter at Auburn High School, Loctastro helped the Knights to a Class AA sectional championship in his senior season, knocking off No. 1 Liverpool. With very few college offers, Locastro’s coach

at Auburn, TJ Gamba, helped him garner interest from Gamba’s alma mater of Ithaca College.

“I was impressed with two things: one was his enthusiasm and attitude, and two was his speed,” said George Valesente, former Ithaca baseball head coach. “Other than that, everything was ordinary.”

Locastro’s decision came down to two Division-III programs: Ithaca and SUNY Oswego. When his mother, Colleen, convinced him to visit Ithaca, he loved it and committed. see locastro page 9

In her junior year at Syracuse, Goodale is the team’s defensive anchor, developing the foundation of her game from her family’s dairy farm