Jan. 26, 2023

on campus

ANGE BRADLEY lives by one phrase: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” After 246 wins through 16 seasons at SU, Bradley will enjoy a new life in retirement. daily orange file photo

By Cooper Andrews asst. copy editors

Lauren Scorza always remembered one phrase Ange Bradley used to say during Scorza’s four years with Syracuse field hockey: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

For Bradley, it’s her life motto. She grew up with six siblings and financial struggles in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, an area where she said many of her peers didn’t attend college. But, she went out of her comfort zone, playing field hockey at Delaware on scholarship — a decision Bradley will always be proud of.

“If I made a different choice, I would have never got out of comfort to know a new life, a different life,” Bradley said.

In December, Bradley exited the field hockey world by announcing her retirement as Syracuse’s head coach after 16 years. In 32 years of collegiate coaching — 26 as head coach — she amassed a 381-143-2 record, winning 246 of those at Syracuse. When SU defeated North Carolina 4-2 in the 2015 national championship, she became — and remains — the only head coach to lead a SU female athletic program to a title.

Now, Bradley has kick-started her next chapter. On Friday, Bradley got married to her partner of 33 years. She moved back to her native Pennsylvania, residing in a Philadelphia home she bought during the pandemic.

After an Elite Eight loss to then-No. 3 Maryland in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Bradley felt she was in the perfect place to walk away.

“It was a good time to transition,” Bradley said. “I was slowly making changes to be able to do something different. And basically, it just felt right.”

Bradley wanted the chance to seek out different experiences. She and her partner both had friends that lost people due to old age before they could partake

in retired life with them, Bradley said. This realization compelled her to step away from the sport on her own terms.

Her illustrious career began with a four-year stint at Goucher (Md.) as head coach, followed by a six-year stretch as an assistant for Iowa and Maryland. Afterward, she served as head coach at Richmond for six seasons from 20012006. In 2007, Bradley took over the Orange, garnering four Final Four appearances, two title games, 13 NCAA Tournament bids and a national title.

Bradley said she didn’t even know where Syracuse was on the map, but saw it as an opportunity to fulfill her lone goal as a coach: to win a national championship. It was her first head coaching position in a high-profile conference, as Richmond played in the Atlantic 10. At the time, Syracuse was in the Big East, before switching to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013.

“I knew (Syracuse) was a sleeping giant, you know, and it was a program that I knew I could build,” Bradley said.

As much as Bradley coached several players, she also made a point of learning from others. At Iowa, under then-head coach and former Olympic field hockey player, Beth Beglin, Bradley took lessons from coaches and players alike. Emma Russell, a forward on the 2015 championship team, said Bradley would “constantly” say she was learning from her own players.

Bradley prioritized instilling a sense of confidence and inspiration in her players, especially relating to the inequality between men’s and women’s sports, Bradley said. She enjoyed seeing her players find empowerment through sport.

“(The national championship) represented a lot of women,” Bradley said. “Then for the women athletes, outside of field hockey, it gave hope that (winning a championship) can be done.”

Many of Bradley’s former players have become field hockey coaches themselves. Scorza, who played at SU from 2011-2014, is an assistant coach at Rochester — a position that even she didn’t anticipate having. Scorza spent

SU’s Lunar New Year celebrations emphasizes involvement

By Dominic Chiappone asst. news editor

After missing out on two years of in-person Lunar New Year celebrations at Syracuse University, students who celebrate are working to increase active, in-person involvement among people of Asian cul -

tures at SU.

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in several Asian cultures, is a multi-day celebration that welcomes the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year. The celebration is mostly considered an opportunity for “renewal and rebirth” for those who participate.

Students missed out on 2022

celebrations due to the delay of last year’s spring semester, due to rising COVID-19 cases. The pandemic also resulted in cancellations of past Lunar New Year celebrations in mainland China.

But this year, students who celebrate the Lunar New Year said that a shift to increased and more collaborative student involvement in

the planning process improved the celebration, making the festivities feel more authentic and welcoming.

Soo Yeon Hong, an assistant teaching professor in S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and member of its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) committee, also said the student groups she worked

with were eager to participate in activities this year.

Binaka Norris, a senior advertising major at SU and a student co-chair on the Newhouse IDEA committee, said student engagement and accessibility were at the forefront of the committee’s planning for its Lunar New Year celebration. Much of the celebrations’

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‘IT JUST FELT RIGHT’

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INSIDE

The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.

NEWS

“These events are meant to celebrate those parts of the community, educate those interested in learning more and extend a hand to those who aren’t aware or aren’t on board yet.” - Binaka Norris, SU senior Page 3

CULTURE

“The ephemeral quality of light, the power of the water and wind, o er a sense of spiritual redemption and renewal even in this turbulent time.” - Jamie Young, artist Page 5

OPINION

“Many academic programs across campus could not operate without the labor of their graduate employees.” - BGSA Leadership Page 7

SPORTS

“I knew (Syracuse) was a sleeping giant, you know, and it was a program that I knew I could build.” - Ange Bradley, retired SU fi eld hockey coach Page 1

COMING UP

Noteworthy events this week.

WHAT: Virtual Panel at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival WHEN: Jan. 26, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Virtual

WHAT: Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

WHEN: Jan. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Drumlins Country Club

WHAT: Ace-Spec A nity Group

WHEN: Jan. 30, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Schine Student Center 132

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SU Environmental Finance Center to receive EPA grant

By Jana Seal news editor

The Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center is among 29 regional centers nationwide selected for a five-year grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, SU’s EFC announced in a press release on Monday.

Now, the center — which works to help communities implement sustainable infrastructure — is shifting its focus to begin setting up projects in February for the first year allocation of $1,084,000, as well as to prioritizing community-based initiatives and accessibility in the process.

Over the remaining four years included in the grant, SU’s EFC will receive at least $950,000 per year to fund projects in EPA region 2, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as eight Native Nations, according to the release. In local communities throughout the designated EPA region, those involved with the center are working to fund environmental infrastructure with individualized focus for each area’s needs.

“The unprecedented nature of the funding SU-EFC has received from the U.S. EPA to provide technical assistance to underserved communities demonstrates a real commitment to ensuring safe, affordable, and reliable water for every household in the country,” SU’s EFC Water Resiliency Initiatives Director Khristopher Dodson said in the release. “SU-EFC is proud to be part of the national network of EFCs who will be providing these services, in some cases as teams, across the country.”

After nearly 30 years of environmental work by SU’s EFC, Tess Clark, the center’s program manager, said there’s been a recent shift in the viability of environmental infrastructure throughout the country: infrastructure, like water pipes and landfills, is reaching the end of its expected life. She said that because there were existing managing and financing challenges in communities they worked with prior to this shift, remediation projects can look vastly different between areas.

As the center goes about planning its projects, Clark emphasized the importance of approaching communities on a case-by-case basis, in a way that works to address a given community’s specific needs.

Averi Davis, a program associate with the center, said that beyond projects which address infrastructure, one way that support

can fit a community’s unique needs is via outreach and education. Clark added that the communities they work with fall across a wide spectrum regarding what is needed to execute their vision and achieve their environmental needs.

“Some of them are all the way up at, ‘We just need preliminary engineering design,’ and that’s something where we can connect to one of our partners that does that across this grant,” Clark said. “Some of them are down here at, ‘My community doesn’t understand flood risk, what can we do?’ And that’s a different side.”

In connecting with communities to implement projects with, Clark emphasized the importance of not making assumptions. She said she and others at the center make an effort to adapt to a given community’s requests and not push their own plans.

“Our long term goal is to really meet communities where they are at, and to help them get to executing the vision they have for their community to be healthy and thriving,” Clark said. “It’s not helpful to go in and

tell someone, ‘Hey, you need to replace your water infrastructure. It’s failing.’ What I mean is, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Where are you struggling the most?’”

Clark also referenced a deficit model, which she said operates under the presumption that communities have a cup that someone needs to fill with knowledge. As it implements new projects going into the next year and the overall five years of the grant’s lifetime, she said members of the center will aim to leave their preconceptions at the door and immerse themselves in the communities they serve.

“What we do matters, but we also need to be hearing and using local vernacular, understanding, connecting with stories, avoiding jargon, visiting communities where they are doing site visits and consultations,” Clark said. “These things enhance our communication and our practices that cross the boundary between where we are here at Syracuse University, and where communities may be and their journey to achieving safe and sustainable infrastructure.”

Davis and Clark both said their efforts going forward will further prioritize accessibility by working to communicate effectively in the right language for the communities they’re working with.

When it comes to enhancing communication, Davis added that a large part of what the center does is hosting events and roundtables. She said the center’s goal is to make their resources as available as possible and build the trust necessary for communities to take advantage of those resources.

“A lot of communities are weary of how much time it takes, and rightfully so. It takes a lot of time when there’s lots of strings attached and hoops to jump through,” Davis said. “That’s why communities traditionally haven’t accessed (resources like these) before, and it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easier now. There’s just a lot more money. And there’s a lot of need. So our job is to try to make it easier.”

jlseal@syr.edu @JanaLoSeal

Undergraduate students organize labor union, support SGEU

By Kendall Luther asst. news editor

After overhearing a meeting at Eggers Café between graduate students about labor concerns in September, Megan Cooper, a thirdyear undergraduate student at Syracuse University, said she felt she needed to be a part of the conversation.

“This is a human rights, workers’ rights issue that we are directly impacted by as undergrad students,” Cooper said.

With assistance from the Syracuse Graduate Employee Union, Cooper formed the Undergraduate Labor Organization in November 2022 to increase support for workers and labor movements on campus. The organization is currently focused on supporting SGEU and its efforts to be officially recognized as a union, Cooper said.

ULO also helped plan Monday’s Teach-in Event, where SGEU members gave a presentation to educate students on the process of forming the union and the campaign’s history, as well as testimonials about their experiences as SU graduate employees.

After completing the initial steps of the union establishment process, SGEU is currently in the process of gaining more support in preparation for requesting official recognition from SU. If SU does not voluntarily recognize SGEU, the union will hold an election with the National Labor Relations Board, in which it would need a simple majority to win.

Cooper emphasized the importance of the campus community understanding the impact of graduate student working conditions on undergraduate students. SU currently offers over 1,200 graduate assistantship positions where graduate students can serve as teaching or research assistants. However, these positions place graduate students struggling with poor working conditions into classrooms to teach undergraduates, impact-

ing learning conditions for students.

“There’s a lot of people that have heard now that grad student workers are having a union push, or they’ve seen pictures of people on the Hendricks steps,” Cooper said.

“But I think what’s not realized by a lot of undergrads still is that the TAs that teach us are not making a living wage.”

Since the launch of SGEU’s campaign on Jan. 17, ULO members have worked directly with graduate students to determine ways to best support the union. Cooper said ULO has focused on the petitioning process to gain signatures and attending SGEU events.

Alana Kaufman, an undergraduate student at SU who co-founded ULO, spoke at the launch event about her intention to work in solidarity with SGEU. She referenced SGEU members who had been her TAs, and shared the ways they helped spark her academic

passion for geography.

“As an undergraduate, I understand how tied my success and my education are to the work of the TAs and the other graduate student workers who stand here with me,” Kaufman said. I call on us undergraduates to finally speak up for graduate student workers who have done so much for us, not just of course because workers deserve a living wage, (but also) because any improvement to their life directly translates to an improvement in our education.”

In efforts to show this support outwardly, some undergraduates are signing SGEU’s petition calling for voluntary recognition.

“With regards to the petitioning process, I think that’s been the most productive part of the campaign so far,” said Max Farrar, an SU undergraduate and a member of ULO. “It’s been probably the bulk of the on-the-

ground work that we do, aside from going to the meetings and stuff.”

ULO is also working to form a “reciprocal” relationship between undergraduate and graduate students, Cooper said.

“We’ve also been working with them for a while on just thinking about how we can reach out to undergraduates on campus and what undergraduate support looks like, as well as fielding these ideas for how SGEU would impact undergraduate students,” Cooper said.

Farrar said it’s been “great” to see the SU student body’s sympathy and support for SGEU. ULO will host its next meeting on Tuesday evening in Marshall Square Mall, she said.

“The graduate student workers, after all, are our TAs, so we have pretty direct contact with them on a frequent basis, even more so than a lot of professors most of the time,” Farrar said.

The EPA will give SU EFC a first-year allocation of $1,084,000, and $950,000 per year for the four-year remainder of the grant, in recognition of the environmental and financial challenges it works to address.. nina gerzema contributing photographer

The Undergraduate Labor Organization is working directly with SGEU to engage undergraduate support for graduate student workers’ mission to earn union recognition. nina gerzema contributing photographer

What to expect from Mayor Walsh’s State of the City address

Stephanie Wright Asst. News Editor

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will deliver his annual State of the City address Thursday evening at Corcoran High School, marking Walsh’s sixth time delivering the address as mayor.

The address will highlight the city’s “successes and challenges,” Walsh wrote in a press release. A live panel discussion, moderated by David Lombardo, host of The Capitol Pressroom, will follow the event.

Here’s what to look for on Thursday in Walsh’s update on Syracuse events and policies.

COVID-19

At the time of last year’s address, a surge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 had pushed up case counts nationwide. On Jan. 23 2022, 400 people tested positive for the virus in Onondaga County — on the same day a year later, 60 people tested positive in the county, according to county data. As of Wednesday evening, 20% of adults in the county have received the bivalent booster vaccination against the virus, according to the organization COVID Act Now Coalition.

Over the past year, Walsh has worked with the Syracuse City Common Council to appropriate the funding to various areas in the community, including job development and investments in neighborhoods and infrastructure. Walsh has since dedicated $2 million of ARPA funds to local independent businesses recovering from the pandemic.

The city of Syracuse secured $123 million of pandemic relief funding from the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2o21.

Economy

According to the most recent available data for the end of 2022 published by the Federal Bureau for Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Syracuse was 8.7%, over 5% higher than the national unemployment rate of 3.5%.

Despite the disproportionately high unem-

new year

strength came from seeking and implementing input from people who have a cultural understanding of the celebration, she said.

“We work around a lot of different schedules, requests and the actual materials needed to hold the event, which can be tricky, but we make a point to never think of accessibility as an afterthought or something to work around,” Norris said. “The heart of accessibility is knowing that everyone and their needs are valuable, then enthusiastically respecting them and their needs.”

Hong also emphasized the importance of engaging more directly and valuing the perspectives and involvement of students with cultural ties to the celebration, adding that she enjoyed the event being in person and in a popular gathering space.

“We brought this event to where students are,” Hong said. “You didn’t feel excluded or separated from the students.”

Since Jan. 21, SU has hosted three events to celebrate the 2023 Lunar New Year, including Saturday’s Chinese Student Union Lunar New Year Celebration at the Schine Student Center, Sunday’s celebration in the Esports gaming room, and Monday afternoon’s celebration event at Food.com.

The IDEA committee’s goal for cultural events like these, Norris said, is to be available and welcoming to members of the university community who already understand diverse cultures as well as those who don’t or who haven’t had the chance to get involved.

Before the fall of 2021, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, a nonprofit student organization which organizes cultural activities for all members of the university community, was founded by senior Ruohan Xu to bring Chinese students at SU together while spreading Chinese culture to the university community, according to an SU news press release. In fall 2022, the CSSA hosted a mid-autumn festival and is hosting its annual gala on Friday.

Jet Wang, a freshman majoring in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, said he felt “iffy” when he first came to SU and didn’t see cultural events or celebrations. But after hearing about the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration on Friday, Wang said the university’s efforts to celebrate made SU’s Asian student population feel more at home on campus.

ployment rate in Syracuse, recent plans for projects in the Syracuse area are slated to bring thousands of job openings to the area.

Following Micron’s October announcement of its selection of Clay, New York as the location for its newest microchip fabrication plant, Walsh said he expected that the city’s continued efforts for workforce development would help fill the projected 50,000 jobs the plant is set to bring. Construction for the plant, which will be built in the White Pines commerce park, is planned to begin in the summer of 2024.

Another major economic change since last year’s address is the Onondaga County legislature’s August approval of an $85 million plan to build an aquarium in the western region of Syracuse near Destiny USA mall. The plan, which ignores a 1794 treaty stating that the land slated to be used for the aquarium is prop -

erty of the Onondaga Nation, has faced backlash. While supporters tout the added jobs, opponents say the funds should be invested into underfunded areas of the community.

Last year, Walsh dedicated a majority of his address to recognizing new projects for community development in Syracuse, such as the Syracuse Surge program and a new STEAM school. He also announced his plan to prioritize cracking down on “nuisance properties,” or properties that are unused or dilapidated and “create eye-sores.”

In October, the Syracuse Common Council approved Walsh’s application to the Restore New York Communities Initiative, which gives funding to rehabilitating and reconstructing residential and commercial properties that have been abandoned or blighted, according to its website.

I-81

In last year’s address, Walsh emphasized the impact of the Community Grid alternative for the I-81 viaduct removal project. However, recent legal action in the fall has threatened the future of the plan.

In November, a New York State Supreme Court justice Gerard Neri temporarily blocked all progress on the plan in favor of local group “Renew I-81 for All.”

At the time of the decision, Walsh wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange that he viewed the delay as “unnecessary,” as well as that his office would continue work with the New York State Department of Transportation to navigate the future of the project.

spwright@syr.edu @StephanieWr

“It shows that SU cares, and that they know how important it is that Lunar New Years should be celebrated,” Wang said. “It’s something that everyone can celebrate, get to know different cultures, and make new friends.”

Hong said that in ensuring students like Wang don’t experience roadblocks to finding a cultural community and ways to celebrate, accessibility was a focus for this year’s celebration of the Lunar New Year. She said she enjoyed observing students’ reactions at Monday’s event, which included students who are Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, as well as people from non-

Asian cultures, she said.

Hong, who helped coordinate the Monday afternoon’s celebration, said the overall response to the events excited her. Students were better able to connect with each other and with their culture while at SU, she said.

Attendees received red envelopes, called Lai see in Cantonese, filled with candy and with a drawing of this year’s zodiac, a rabbit, on the front, Hong said..

SU will host three more events this Friday to celebrate the Lunar New Year, including an annual gala hosted by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at the

“These events are meant to celebrate those parts of the community, educate those interested in learning more and extend a hand to those who aren’t aware or aren’t on board yet,” said Norris. “We are calling people in rather than calling people out.”

Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center and a Lunar New Year celebration event at 10 p.m. hosted by Orange After Dark, the SU chapter of the Sigma Psi Zeta sorority and the Center for International Services in room 304 in Schine.

Mayor Walsh’s Thursday State of the City address comes after a year of changes in various areas of Syracuse, including COVID-19 levels, Micron and the future of the I-81 Community Grid Project. meghan hendricks photo editor

In celebration of the 2023 Lunar New Year, SU’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association, along with the Newhouse IDEA Committee and other organizations, hosted events that were planned with student involvement.

kelly matlock assistant copy editor

Visceral views

By Nate Lechner Asst. Culture Editor

For the past 25 years, local Syracuse photographer Jamie Young has traveled worldwide, focusing his work on establishing a spiritual connection with the natural world. Mindful of the current climate crisis, Young hopes his landscape photography can evoke a sense of change in people.

“The ephemeral quality of light, the power of the water and wind, offer a sense of spiritual redemption and renewal even in this turbulent time,” Young said.

Young understands that for many, the process of maintaining the natural beauty of the world can seem challenging and daunting. However, he believes that his work is compelling and important for those same people. Young will get to further express these views at the Everson Museum of Art when his exhibition of panoramic photos, “Jamie Young: Decivilization,” opens on Jan. 28 as a part of the 2023 CNY Artists Initiative.

Panoramic photography is a photography technique that uses specialized equipment to capture images with horizontal fields of view. The use of this style is a key element of Young’s work that Garth Johnson, Everson’s curator of ceramics, wants to highlight in the exhibit.

One of Young’s favorite pieces that demonstrates this style features a waterfall in Iceland called Skogafoss. Young explained that the panorama of the waterfall at dusk is very

Community built from hockey tournament

By Kelly Matlock asst. copy editor

In the past, the ice on Hiawatha Lake was consistently a popular spot for the Syracuse community to skate, play hockey and enjoy each other’s company. But the lake’s been relatively vacant in recent years, prompting Tim O’Donnell to revive its past glory.

“I had talked about it for years, and finally my wife kicked me in the butt and said ‘either do it or shut up’, so we did it!” O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell’s solution became the Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic. Since 2020, a group of hockey enthusiasts have held the oneday hockey tournament on the lake, sponsored by the city of Syracuse and local organizations. O’Donnell serves as the tournament’s director. This year’s tournament will take place on Feb. 4, and the organizers are expecting a lively turnout.

Besides the tournament, the event offers food and refreshments such as burgers, hot dogs, hot cocoa and adult beverages, O’Donnell said. The city of Syracuse provides free skates for the event, so families can enjoy time on the ice as well.

But for O’Donnell, the main event of the day is definitely the tournament itself. Sixteen teams participate in the round-robin style tournament, with each team being guaranteed three games. Winners go on to semifinals and finals, making it a busy day for players.

abstract and mysterious, which is what Young had a strong reaction to when it was first developed.

The CNY Artist Initiative exhibition series is a regional program that builds upon the museum’s continued support of local artists in the central New York area, according to the Everson Museum website. The program is intended to showcase the talented and vibrant art community in this area, as well as the artists’ contributions to the overall cultural well-being of central New York.

Johnson said the museum believed Young’s work was perfect for the exhibition because his photography reflects the natural world and helps viewers get a stronger understanding of the beauty of nature.

“[Young’s] photographs of Icelandic and central New York landscapes immediately stood out,” Johnson said.

Throughout his travels, Young has witnessed first-hand how the natural world is being destroyed. He said that simultaneously, people are losing a true sense of the beauty of the Earth. He said that one way to help people appreciate the world more is to create art that shows off the best elements of nature.

Young’s desire to present the best parts of the world to an audience is what led him to fall in love with landscape photography. He feels that there is a peacefulness that comes with looking at a still picture of the world.

“Landscapes trigger a visceral response in viewers, a sensory experience of calm in a fraught world,” Young said.

Steffi Chappell, assistant curator

at the Everson, appreciates the opportunity to display the work of a talented photographer with such close ties to the community.

“It’s a different experience to see a landscape we know and love through the eyes of a skilled photographer, and I’m excited for Everson visitors to have this chance,” Chappell said.

Johnson said that Young’s ability to transport viewers with his work was one of the key factors in

Everson’s decision to display his photographs as part of the CNY Artists Initiative. Johnson explained that whether it is an image of fjords in Iceland or one of the local central New York landscapes, Young’s work is always able to take his viewer to a new location.

Johnson mentioned that his original name for the exhibit was “Scapes” because of Young’s landscape photography and the way that viewers can escape when looking at his photos.

Young expressed how excited he is to present his work to his hometown community and hopes that his message is felt by many across the Syracuse area. He has spent a significant amount of time photographing the natural world, hoping that audiences can learn to better appreciate the beauty of the place that they call home, Young said.

“I hope that viewers are temporarily transported out of the gray CNY winter weather and into something a bit more inspirational,” Johnson said.

“It’s a lot of D1 caliber players that used to play in college,” O’Donnell said. “It’s really competitive hockey and it’s really fun to watch.”

One of the event’s organizers, Joe Fruscello, said that aside from hockey, it’s also just fun to see children of all ages enjoying skating. The other activities, like the food and fire pits, really add a lot to the event as well, he said.

“It’s such a lively atmosphere with people of all ages embracing the city and our event,” Fruscello said.

O’Donnell added that the tournament is unlike typical hockey games for a number of reasons. The rink dimensions, for example, are completely different from traditional hockey rinks, and teams also don’t have goalies. These components work together to create an action-packed game, O’Donnell added.

“As far as playing, I just make sure I have plenty of beer and a nice winter hat,” two-time tournament player Shaun Norfolk said.

During the tournament’s first year, organizers struggled to spread the word. This year, Fruscello said the event has gained a lot of steam, and has turned into a community event that draws hockey fans from throughout Syracuse.

“I just think there’s really a kind of palpable buzz about it, more than any other year, because now it’s a thing,” O’Donnell said. “Now when I talk about [the tournament] with people they know what I’m talking about.”

Fruscello added that another challenge the tournament faced during their first year was Syracuse’s unpredictable weather. The inaugural year, they struggled

From Iceland to Syracuse, Jaime Young has focused his photography on establishing spiritual connections with the natural world. Courtesy of Jamie Young

Asian fusion restaurant shares culture and food

By Sarah Russo contributing writer

Chao Li and Jenny Chen don’t know how to cook. But the couple still made it their mission to share Chinese food and culture through their restaurant, Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling, which opened in December.

“I don’t cook, but I know how to eat so I know which is the good Chinese food,” Li said.

The restaurant, located on Erie Boulevard, is equipped with a large dining room, housing round tables that can seat up to eight people. Each table has a Lazy Susan, ready to be filled with an array of dishes to share. This style of seating is catered towards the traditional Chinese brunch-style culture which includes dim sum, in which small plates of dumplings and other dishes are accompanied with tea and served for groups to share.

Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling opened in December with a soft launch. At first, not too many people came, but after an image of a noodle dish with floating chop sticks was featured in the popular Facebook group “Where Syracuse Eats”, the restaurant quickly gained customers and began to sell out of food before the following nights were over.

Chen, also known as Ms. Dumpling, said Li came up with the dish and it has a deeper meaning behind it.

“The chopsticks represent Asian culture and represent the lifting up of Chinese foods,” Chen said.

The couple isn’t new to restaurant endeavors, and has a history of dealing with Syracuse University students. The two own Jiang Hu Cafe on Fayette Street, which caters to international students at SU and frequently delivers food to South Campus, Chen said.

Chen said Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling may soon offer a 5% discount to students who show their SUID. She said she understands what it’s like to be in an unfamiliar place as she came to the United States from Shanghai at only 15 years old.

“They feel lonely when they go into a new country and everything is new to them,” Chen said. “When they see a Chinese restaurant they’re gonna feel good.”

Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling offers a blend of traditional and Americanized foods with dishes inspired from Beijing and

from page 5

hockey

with having enough ice to safely hold the event, but the second year the temperatures were so low that their beer froze.

This year is reminiscent of that first year, with temperatures not dropping low enough to hold the event when it was originally planned for. It was supposed to be held on Jan. 28, but it was pushed back to Feb. 4 because of the expected warmer weather.

“No matter what we do, no matter how well prepared we are, there’s just absolutely zero control,” O’Donnell said.

Last year, the weather cooperated and the event was so successful that they made enough profit to donate to various local causes, including the Greater Strathmore neighborhood association.

The tournament’s main beneficiary is Luke’s Army Pediatric Cancer Research Fund, in honor of one of the members of the group who lost his young son to cancer. Presenting the check to the organization last year was an incredibly moving experience, O’Donnell said.

Shanghai, a combination of the owners’ heritages. Chen believes nothing is quite like what she grew up alongside.

“I love American foods, but I still love Chinese food better because I grew up with this,” Chen said.

The staff are working to keep up with Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling’s fast-growing popularity. The spacious restaurant can hold nearly 300 customers in the intimate booths and round, family-style tables. But Chen said the restaurant is currently understaffed, with only ten employees working in the kitchen.

Chen said the few cooks they have are still perfecting the recipes and developing the menu. Right now there are two main chefs in the kitchen — one who prepares many of the main dishes and another who specializes in dim sum.

Looking at the large menu as a newcomer can be overwhelming, but Chen says there are a few stand out items to try for those unfamiliar with Chinese cooking

— peking duck, pork soup dumplings, beef scallion pancakes and for dessert, taro shortbread and red bean paste cake.

The peking duck is Li’s favorite dish on the menu. This dish is considered a delicacy in China, so Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling only prepare about six ducks each day. The meat is coated in a sauce and spice mixture overnight to dry it out, which makes the skin extra crispy when roasted in the oven.

“Most of the people don’t really know Chinese culture or Chinese people,” Chen said. “I want them to explore the food to bring them to understand it.”

Lunch hour at the restaurant proves to be a popular time, as customers fill the tables quickly. Two women scanning the menu said they decided to stop by after seeing a post on Instagram and were excited to give the new restaurant a try.

“It’s our first time here so we just ordered a bunch of different dumplings that all look delicious,”

said Cindy Stimson. “We’re already planning to come back with the rest of our family.”

The restaurant will be rolling out new menu items within the coming months, Li said. Once a new chef from Chinatown in New York city comes to Syracuse, the restaurant will serve homemade ramen noodle dishes. Another addition to the restaurant will be a hot pot, an interactive meal in which customers are given raw ingredients to cook in a simmering pot of broth.

Chen and Li said the chefs make everything from scratch with authentic ingredients shipped from China. Chen added that she hoped Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling creates a space where everyone can learn while also enjoying the true flavors of Chinese food.

“We want more people to pay attention to Chinese foods,” Chen said. “We want more people to enjoy Chinese food and see how amazing Chinese culture is.”

sarusso@syr.edu

The Lost Horizon

For those looking for a more hardcore evening of music, check out the Lost Horizon Friday night. The band Amerikan Primitive will be playing their powerful rock music at the local music venue. Tickets are available on The Lost Horizon website.

WHEN: Friday, January 27, at 7 p.m

PRICE: $12

Norfolk said that the event is an opportunity to introduce the local hockey community to Strathmore and bring people

together. The day after the tournament’s first year, O’Donnell saw more people playing hockey on the lake.

The Harrington will be welcoming music back to their venue with a collaborative performance. Syracuse at the Sands will be joined by the O.J. Trio, Zak Sinatra and Thoughts of New York. The venue is asking for formal attire and is instituting a “No Shoes No Shirt No Service” guideline.

WHEN: Friday, January 27 at 9:30 p.m., doors at 9 p.m.

PRICE: $10 at the door

Funk ‘n Waffles

Anyone looking for a way to enjoy soul food and music, Funk ‘n Waffles, is hosting the band Super 400 on Saturday. Super 400 is a rock trio based out of central New York, and are inspired by both pop and rock music, like Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Tickets are for sale on Funk ‘n Waffles’ website.

WHEN: Saturday, January 28 at 8-11 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.

PRICE: $10 online

The Garden

The Garden will kick off their Spring 2023 with a house show featuring two SU students, Lauren Juzang and Nancy Dunkle. Juzang and Dunkle have both played at the Garden before, bringing their soothing sounds to the house show venue.

When: Saturday, January 28 at 9:30 p.m., doors open at 9 p.m.

PRICE: $5

“We breathed life back into (the pond),” O’Donnell said. “That was a proud moment.”

kellymatlock@dailyorange.com

Round out the weekend at Funk ‘n Waffles Anyone looking for a classic jam-bam vibe should make their way down to Funk ‘n Waffles for a Grateful Dead-inspired performance from Poised for Flight.

When: Monday, January 30 at 7:30p p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.

PRICE: $90 for general admission

The funds from the Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic will benefit local charities, including Luke’s Army Pediatric Cancer Research Fund. meghan hendricks photo editor

The Harrington

Funk ‘n Waffles

Co-owners jenny chen and chao li opened Mr. Noodle and Ms. Dumpling to share Chinese culture and food with more people. Cassandra Roshu staff photographer

College has been forced on students — consider taking a gap year

By Aiden Walsh columnist

College isn’t for everyone, and it might not be for you either.

Most students don’t consider taking a gap year. I know what you’re thinking, I can’t take a gap year. It’ll set me back, and I definitely don’t want to backpack across Europe.

I think many of us choose college as a safe plan, which is fine. However, I ask the question, why not try and pursue your dreams while you still have the time? Too many of us chose majors using the process of elimination. Are we setting ourselves up for a career filled with unhappy, long work days based on a major we chose in our teens?

In a TikTok interview that went viral recently, a recent college graduate said he had a “soulsucking job.” If that doesn’t explain where I’m coming from I don’t know what will.

More and more college students are dropping out. In July 2020, 39 million Americans were college dropouts, and less than a million re-enrolled that fall. Many experts say that number will continue to grow.

I took a gap year this year. I don’t regret this decision in the slightest. I felt pressure from society to attend college. When I started here at Syracuse University, dropping out or taking a year off didn’t feel like options. Through my time here, I realized school wasn’t for me. The constant and seemingly never ending flow of work was debilitating for me and my mental health.

Taking some time off allowed me to understand my purpose and reflect on what I wanted to accomplish in life, all while working a full time job. If school was an open wound for me, taking a gap year was stopping

letter to the editor

the bleeding.

An article by the World Economic Forum, titled More students are dropping out of college in the US – here’s why, cites unaffordable tuition costs, rising ambition for entrepreneurship and more jobs on the market — specifically ones that don’t require a college degree — as reasons for leaving college behind.

Rising tuition costs have hit close to home with SU consistently raising prices, even during the pandemic. Further financial worries only add stress and anxiety surrounding a college education, something that students shouldn’t have to worry about.

Many students might also agree that college can be detrimental to their mental health. In fact, statistics show an increased number of suicides in universities across the country. College counseling centers are underfunded, understaffed and often unequipped to support specific students’ needs regarding mental health, forcing some to go four years without the proper care they need.

In a Washington Post article, Kelsey Theis, the president of the Texas Association of School Psychologists, said there simply aren’t enough people in the profession to meet the need, which leads to waitlists of months and months before students get help. With all these reasons, there is little reason we shouldn’t all consider taking a gap year.

Many young students don’t even look at a gap semester or gap year as an option. Whether it be pressure from parents, peers or themself, we feel as if sacrificing our mental health for a degree is worth it. It shouldn’t be the norm to have 17 years of consecutive schooling.

There’s a stigma associated with taking gap years. I argue that for some, especially me, you have to take one step back to take

two steps forward. College should be about unlocking newfound passions, ideas and career paths all while focusing on your mental and physical health and pursuing the life

you want, not the life you feel you need.

Aiden Walsh is a Sophomore finance major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at awalsh05@syr.edu

Black Graduate Student Association: unionizing is to our advantage

Dear campus community, The Black Graduate Student Association is a cohesive and responsive organization dedicated to making Syracuse University aware of and responsive to Black graduate students’ needs and concerns. As a professional and social support assemblage, BGSA is vitally concerned with the recruitment and retention of Black graduate students within the university.

As the BGSA, we recognize that SU has made progress in bettering its experience for students of color. These efforts include the opening of 119 Euclid, a building dedicated to representing and protecting Blackness on campus, the appointment of Jeffrey M. Scruggs as the next chair of the board of trustees and the continued community-building initiatives hosted by the Graduate School BIPOC Alliance for Excellence.

Our concern is that while steps are being made in the right direction, a dangerous power imbalance remains. Many academic programs across campus could not operate without the labor of their graduate employees. These same employees are often faced with an immeasurable amount of financial, physical and mental stress.

SU does not currently pay its graduate workers a living wage nor provide substantial relocation services for international students. We find this situation to be readily apparent and very telling within the department of African American Studies.

Until now, graduate employees in the AAS department found themselves near the bottom of the pay scale — $17,500 per year without summer pay — dealing with several unfilled faculty and staff positions. These

vacancies increased the workload for international student workers especially, forcing them to quickly adjust to life in the United States without adequate support.

This situation is probably familiar to your own academic program. It should be acknowledged that each of us, including undergraduates, have a role to play in bettering our situation. Forming a union would be an effort to increase protection, resources and funding to departments across SU.

This is why organizing a graduate employee union is paramount to BGSA, as it represents our attempts to ensure our university’s vulnerable populations are protected. Working at SU, an institution boasting an endowment of over 1 billion dollars, should not mean scraping by paycheck to paycheck, being unable to afford doctor’s visits or having to rely on a community food bank for your next meal.

BGSA recognizes that Black graduate employees are less likely to have the social safety nets associated with access to generational wealth. For many minority graduate employees, financial hardship brings on declining classroom performance, the need for a second source of income or ultimately a withdrawal from their academic program. Joining the union effort means working to gain control of our working conditions, leading to a shift in the demographics of higher education as a whole.

For these reasons, we strongly encourage you, regardless of position, to join Syracuse Graduate Employees United in fighting for a more equitable future at SU.

BGSA Leadership

Richard Perrins EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rachel Raposas

Henry O’Brien

illustration by d’mya curtis assistant illustration editor

The Black Graduate Student Association in in support of SU graduate student employees unionizing against unlivable pay and unfair conditions. francis tang senior staff writer

FULLY COMMITTED

men’s basketball

Next day: Orange’s loss is a positive sign

By Anish Vasudevan senior staff writer

When asked about why Syracuse lost its second game by four points in eight days, Jim Boeheim had a simple answer. He said “alright, we’re done,” chuckled, then walked away.

The answer, or lack thereof, had some merit to it. Syracuse played one of its most complete games of the year. There was no failed comeback and the Orange crawled out of a 10-point deficit in eight minutes to take a one-point lead with four minutes left. The game just slipped away following a few questionable foul calls and some unlucky turnovers against a quality North Carolina squad.

Reaching the NCAA Tournament is basically out of the question, but the Orange’s late rally against the Tar Heels showed a different side to a team that couldn’t come out on top in close matchups versus Bryant and St. John’s at the end of November. It displayed the latest version of a Syracuse team that could be 9-1 in conference play if a couple more shots fell for Judah Mintz in crunch time.

The turn in close games came in South Bend, Indiana in Syracuse’s first ACC matchup of the season. The game before facing Notre Dame, SU shot a season-low 27.8% from the field in a 29-point loss to Illinois during the last-ever Big Ten/ ACC Challenge. Like the previous three games, the Orange fell behind early. Then, halfway through the opening half, Girard spun and nailed an off-balance elbow jumper with the shot clock winding down, giving the Orange a 54-52 lead.

By Zak Wolf Asst. Digital Editor

Lauren Bellefontaine played for Ontario Red during the 2017 Canadian U18 National Hockey tournament. She didn’t let the opportunity to represent her province go to waste, scoring the game-winning goal against Ontario Blue in the final and securing the team’s gold medal.

Before coming to Syracuse in 2018, Bellefontaine made an impact at the national level for Ontario Red, a youth team for Canadian national hockey. Bellefontaine always had “an incredible balance between confidence and cockiness,” said Shelby Calof, her teammate at Ontario Red and Syracuse.

Bellefontaine, a fifth-year graduate student, has been a consistent contributor since stepping on the ice for the Orange. In five seasons, Bellefontaine has over 100 career points (37 goals and 67 assists), ranking fourth all-time for the Orange. In 2021-22, she won College Hockey America Defensive Forward of the Year while setting the SU singleseason record for faceoff wins. She was named team captain for the 2022-23 season, her last with Syracuse.

But before moving to Syracuse, Ontario Red tryouts were held in Toronto, four hours from Bellefontaine’s hometown, Kemptville. She had to travel frequently while playing for the Nepean Wildcats in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, the highest level of hockey at the junior level in Ontario. Most teams are located in the greater Toronto area.

“If you commit to that team, you know that 80 percent of your life is going to be hockey,” Calof said. “A lot of the girls in the team were in the same boat and most of us pursued it in college.”

At first, Bellefontaine didn’t make the commitment. She also starred on the soccer field, playing for Ottawa South

United. According to former teammate Abby Moloughney, who played both soccer and ice hockey with her, Bellefontaine had “crazy speed” as a striker, saying she was “impossible to defend.”

In 10th grade, Bellefontaine could’ve played in the PWHL, but stayed at the Midget AA level — a step below — while still playing soccer. It was less of a time commitment. But, eventually, it came to a point where Bellefontaine had to pick between the two.

Bellefontaine chose hockey, but she’d still juggle a soccer ball before her games, Moloughney said.

“I know that was really hard for her because she loved soccer as well,” Moloughney said. “She was really talented at it and had great footwork.”

Moloughney said the relationships Bellefontaine built when playing hockey led to her decision. She also feels it was the right choice for Bellefontaine, given her success with Nepean.

Before Nepean, Bellefontaine played locally in Kemptville, a small town of just under 4,000 people. Dominating her local league, Bellefontaine needed a challenge, so she switched to Nepean at 12-years-old.

Calof said there was previously a group of girls at Nepean who always excelled. But then came Bellefontaine, who surprised the team with her skills on the ice. Moloughney said Bellefontaine’s playmaking and vision stood out, labeling her an “unselfish player.” Bellefontaine constantly put her body on the line, diving in front of shots whenever possible, Moloughney said.

When Bellefontaine joined the Nepean junior team, having pivoted to pursue hockey full time, she upped her game. Bellefontaine was “one of the best players in the PWHL” during her first season, Moloughney said. Her strong play resulted in an invitation to try out for Team Ontario.

Calof said the tryouts were extremely competitive. The drills emphasized stick-

work and passing, along with intense scrimmages. Fitness was tested vigorously, including “beep tests,” where skaters go back-and-forth, trying to skate the length of the ice in a certain amount of time.

Bellefontaine and Moloughney were cut in their first year of tryouts. But a year later, in 2017, they were invited back and made the squad. The team included top college players like Sarah Fillier and Claire Thompson, both of whom play for Princeton University.

Calof watched each game online and texted Bellefontaine afterward to congratulate her. After her tournament-winning goal, Bellefontaine didn’t take much credit, texting back “good team win.”

“I told her to be proud of herself for once, but she was again just so humble about it,” Calof said. “I think deep down she was probably screaming.”

Bellefontaine made continuous improvements to her game, Moloughney said. There was never a specific year where she made a big jump, but she kept improving steadily as the years went on.

Calof recalls visiting Syracuse with Bellefontaine in 2015, where they realized they could end up at the school together. Bellefontaine verbally committed to the Orange that fall.

Bellefontaine made the transition look seamless, contributing for the Orange right away. She earned CHA Freshman of the Year honors, with seven goals and 13 assists on the season.

One of three graduate students on Syracuse’s roster, Bellefontaine has been an integral piece for first-year head coach Britni Smith. This season, she leads the team with 15 assists and has tied her career-best 22 points.

“Although it’s Britni’s team… it’s also good to have someone who’s been there for five years and can kind of give her two cents on how to lead the team.” Moloughney said. zakwolf784254@gmail.com

The Orange matched the Fighting Irish’s intensity through the rest of the night, showcasing the one-two punch of Jesse Edwards and Girard at their best (the duo combined for 42 points). Then, with 20 seconds left, Mintz, who had scored seven points up to that point, used a screen and an open lane to drop in a go-ahead, right-handed layup to grant Syracuse a one-point lead.

“He wants to take that shot,” Boeheim said.

Mintz’s confidence carried over into the Orange’s next conference matchup against Pittsburgh, where he finished with 24 points. SU trailed by as many as 20 throughout the night but a surge in the final three minutes brought the game within four with a minute left to go. Quadir Copeland followed up a 3-pointer from Girard with one of his own.

Then, Mintz, double-teamed, opted not to drive into the lane. Pulling up from three, he tried his luck from deep and missed, but the possession was an indication that Syracuse still had a chance at a come-from-behind win.

In the following matchup against Boston College, when SU trailed 51-49 with 11 minutes left, and Louisville. Justin Taylor stepped up when it mattered, knocking down two 3-pointers in less than two minutes. The harder test was a week later against a struggling Louisville team that kept it close toward the end of the game. Girard willed the Orange over the Cardinals, taking numerous trips to the line before a made 3-pointer gave the Orange a 66-64 lead with roughly 90 seconds left.

lauren bellefontaine earned College Hockey America Defensive Forward of the Year honors and set Syracuse’s singleseason faceoff record last season. JACOB HALSEMA staff photographer

“I’m just very thankful that Joe Girard didn’t want to lose the game,” Boeheim

Lauren Bellefontaine played with Team Ontario Red in the 2017 Canadian U18 National Hockey Tournament before becoming a staple at SU

“To be honest, (Syracuse) deserved to win the game.”

Armando Bacot unc forward

The numbers that define Syracuse’s season with 10 games left

By Anish Vasudevan senior staff writer

For the second-straight season, Syracuse fell early in nonconference play with disappointing home losses to Colgate and Bryant. But this time around, the Orange rebounded quickly, going on a fivegame win streak to end nonconference play, and are 6-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference matchups thus far.

Slow starts, rebounding issues and late collapses have littered the year. Still, the Orange have established a young core and showed resilience by bouncing back from tough first-half showings. The team’s reliance on Joe Girard III’s shot-making ability has also paid dividends.

Here’s a closer look at some of the numbers throughout SU’s 2022-23 campaign with 10 games left in the regular season:

Slow and steady wins the race?

Syracuse has been notorious for its slow starts throughout the 2022-23 season, routinely taking over five minutes to gain comfortability on both sides of the floor. The Orange have been down at the first media timeout in two-thirds of games this season, only leading or tying against the opponent in seven contests.

The deficit itself has been an average of 4.87 points, the largest individual game being 11 points versus Georgetown on Dec. 10. But SU came back against the Hoyas, and has won 60%

of games in which it was down at the first break.

The win over Georgetown was part of a fivegame win streak where the Orange came back after trailing in four of five. SU has tied the game or taken a lead by halftime in all but one of its wins after being down at the Under-16 timeout.

Boeheim and players have said they need to be more aggressive from the opening tip — but in its last three contests, Syracuse has trailed by an average of 8.33 points after the first five minutes. SU only came back against Georgia Tech thanks to a 17-0 run led by Girard.

Trust the youth

SU lost a handful of veterans from last season, including Buddy Boeheim, Jimmy Boeheim and Cole Swider, and came into this one with Girard in need of some serious help. The task seemed daunting at first, but the Orange’s freshman class has effectively added to the team’s production.

Judah Mintz and Chris Bell have seen the most playing time out of the freshmen, immediately placed into the starting lineup alongside Jesse Edwards, Girard and Benny Williams. The freshmen have been encouraged to take shots early, scoring the first basket for the Orange in nine of 21 games this season.

Over the last five contests, Boeheim has taken out Williams for Maliq Brown early, favoring a lineup including Brown for 19.1% of play, according to KenPom. Justin Taylor has also brought a spark with his ability to fire from deep, shooting

41% from beyond the arc this season.

To this point, Mintz has averaged 15.0 points per game, putting him on track to rank fourth all-time in freshman scoring average. Jonny Flynn, who Mintz has been compared to by Boeheim, averaged 15.7 in the 2007-2008 season. Mintz leads the ACC in steals per game and averages the second-most points out of all freshmen in the conference, sitting behind Duke’s Kyle Filipowski.

Cleaning the glass Boeheim has criticized Syracuse’s wings since the beginning of the year for leaving Edwards helpless on the defensive glass, but he’s had good reason to.

Syracuse allows an average of 36.3 rebounds per game from its opponents, giving up 762 over the course of this year. That number is 21 more than any other team in the conference, helping teams like Miami pull away late. This season, Syracuse’s opponents have combined for a 33.3% offensive rebounding rate, according to KenPom. SU is one of the worst 50 teams in the country in that statistic.

Bell has been practically nonexistent on the boards, averaging 1.6 rebounds per game in 20.2 minutes. Williams has notched 10 or more rebounds just twice this season, but outside of those two contests, he’s averaged 3.56 rebounds per game. Brown has been helpful in this regard, filling in for Williams against Virginia and collecting eight rebounds in 36 minutes. He had five

offensive rebounds four days later versus VT.

Without much help, Edwards has still been one of the best big men in the ACC, averaging 10.6 rebounds, good for second-best in the conference. He’s third in the ACC in offensive rebounds (65), propelling Syracuse to a 31.1% offensive rebounding rate, which ranks 104th nationally.

Joe’s show

It’s been roughly two months since Illinois embarrassed Girard, holding him scoreless for the first time since Feb. 22, 2021. But since then, Girard has scored 15 or more points in all but one game and currently averages a team-high 17.5 points per game.

Mintz’s addition to the backcourt has taken some pressure off Girard. The senior holds 25.6% of SU’s possession while Mintz has had the ball for 27.2% of the time so far this season, according to KenPom. Girard takes 29.1% of the Orange’s shots, according to KenPom, which is 132nd in the country.

Unsurprisingly, Girard’s scoring average is up almost four points from last season and his turnover percentage has decreased from 18.5% last year to 12.7%. He also leads the ACC with 64 3-pointers this season. The Orange have only won once when Girard scores less than 10 points this season, highlighting his importance as SU enters a tough conference stretch.

anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu

Opponent Preview: What to know about Virginia Tech

By Anish Vasudevan senior staff writer

Syracuse now has 10 games left in the regular season, starting the end of an Atlantic Coast Conference stretch that will make or break its postseason. The Orange have come close against the ACC’s best recently, losing by only four points to Miami and UNC. Now, they have the chance to defeat another top ACC team, one they’ve already faced and defeated before.

The Hokies lost to the Orange exactly two weeks ago, part of a seven-game stretch where they didn’t win a single game. But VT rebounded with a 78-75 win over Duke on Monday, returning to Blacksburg, Virginia to face SU.

Here’s what else to know about Virginia Tech before the matchup:

All-time series Syracuse leads, 12-6.

Last time they played Earlier this month, the Orange clinched their first win over a top-50 KenPom team, defeating the Hokies who were ranked No. 41 at that time. The Orange had a six-point lead at halftime, going on a 12-2 run early in the second half to put the Hokies out of reach. Five SU scorers finished with double-digits in scoring, led by Joe Girard III’s 24.

“I thought we played as well offensively as we’ve played all year,” head coach Jim Boeheim said postgame. “It was a really good effort against a good team.”

Syracuse overextended the 2-3 zone to prevent Virginia Tech’s shooting ability from deep. Jesse Edwards said postgame the Orange were willing to give up 2s but not 3-pointers at any point. It worked, as the Hokies shot 16% from

deep, the best Syracuse has done at preventing makes from beyond the arc this season.

KenPom Odds

Virginia Tech has a 72% chance of winning with a projected score of 74-68.

The Hokies report

Virginia Tech has been stuck in a terrible spell for most of the month before it surprised Duke in a three-point win on Monday. The Hokies dropped seven-straight ACC games, including an overtime defeat to Boston College, which the Orange easily handled this season. But outside of losing to SU and Virginia by 10 points during that stretch, all defeats came by at most five points.

The Hokies were almost perfect in nonconference play aside from a two-point loss to Charleston in mid November. They rarely turn the ball over with a 15.1% turnover rate, which is 15th-best nationally, per KenPom. Similar to the Orange, VT isn’t as strong on the offensive boards, averaging a 26.6% offensiverebounding rate. But it has an effective fielde goal percentage of 53.1%, which ranks 61st nationally, according to KenPom.

Sean Pedulla leads the Hokies offensively, averaging 16.0 points per game and a teamhigh 85 assists. From deep, Hunter Cattoor, who didn’t play in the last matchup between both teams, leads VT on 41.1% shooting.

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech

The Orange should continue to follow the blueprint they established the last time they played the Hokies — needing to stop them from deep. With the return of Cattoor, this might be a tougher task this time around. They’ve also scored 10 or more 3-pointers in two of their last three games.

Syracuse might face some issues on the offensive glass as Virginia Tech only allows its opponents to rebound at a rate of 26.8% on the offensive end. But the confidence that Chris Bell displayed in the last game on the boards and the continuous aggressive play from Maliq Brown should help on the glass.

Brown was an issue for the Hokies last time, which might have just been a result of them not knowing what to expect from the freshman who was only playing meaningful minutes for the second time. Brown earned his first career double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds), grabbing five offensive rebounds. If he can make the same impact again and force VT to focus on him as well, that should open up even more opportunities for Edwards down low.

Stat to know: 52.6

The Hokies were shooting lights out from

beyond the arc against the Blue Devils, finishing with a 52.6% success rate from deep. Cattoor shot 50% on his own, going 5-for-10 from the 3-point line. This showing was the best the Hokies have shot the deep ball all year and the sixth time they made more than 40% of their attempts.

Player to watch: Justyn Mutts, forward, No. 25

Mutts has shot 57.3% from the field this season, which is fourth-best in the ACC. He recorded the second-ever triple-double in program history against SU last season, finishing with 12 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Mutts scored a season-high 27 points against North Carolina this season, notching 21 points against the Orange this year.

anish.sujeet@gmail.com

Opponent Preview: Everything to know about the Cavaliers

By Cole Bambini sports editor

After keeping up with then-No. 7 Notre Dame on Jan. 15 for the first three quarters and falling apart in the fourth, Syracuse embarked on a two-game road trip to get back in the win column.

The trip started in Atlanta when Syracuse played Georgia Tech. On paper, the Orange should’ve walked away from McCamish Pavilion with a win, but the Yellow Jackets beat SU 69-57, finishing with four doubledigit scorers. Then, last Sunday, Syracuse faced then-No. 13 Duke with the opportunity for its first win against a ranked opponent this season.

The Blue Devils jumped out to a doubledigit lead in the third quarter, but Syracuse came back, getting the deficit to as low as two. However, Duke pulled away in the game’s final minutes to hand SU its third-straight

defeat and its fifth conference loss. On Thursday, the Orange will return to the JMA Wireless Dome to face Virginia, which enters off a 22-point loss to Notre Dame.

Here’s everything to know about Virginia (146, 3-6 ACC):

All time series Syracuse leads 9-4.

Last time they played Syracuse traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia, and picked up a 77-70 win against the Cavaliers last season. Though UVA’s Mir McLean and Amandine Toi combined scored 38 points, Najé Murray totaled 24 points, as one of four double-digit scorers for the Orange. Alaysia Styles and Alaina Rice both added eight points apiece.

The Orange started strong, leading 22-12 at the end of the first quarter, behind 50% shooting from the field. The two teams were

equally balanced throughout the second and third quarters, and although UVA outscored Syracuse by five in the fourth, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

With the defeat, Virginia fell to 3-18 overall and 0-11 in conference play. As a result, at the end of the season, the Cavaliers fired then-head coach Tina Thompson, who amassed a 15-38 conference record in four seasons at UVA.

The Cavaliers report

In their first season under head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, the Cavaliers have experienced a turnaround season from last year. UVA has picked up 14 wins, including three conference wins over Boston College, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. UVA started the season on a 12-game win streak, but has since lost six of its last eight games.

UVA ranks in the top third in points per game, opponent points per game and fieldgoal percentage, per Her Hoop Stats. Defensively, the Cavaliers rank 25th out of all Division-I teams in opponent field-goal percentage, holding opponents to just 35.8% from the field. The Cavaliers have three players averaging double figures, led by Camryn Taylor who totals just over 13 points per game.

men’s basketball

men’s basketball

UVA ranks 21st nationally with 42.5 rebounds per game

chris bell scored six points in the 82-72 win over Virginia Tech earlier this month. Syracuse will play the Hokies again on Saturday. meghan hendricks

Beat writers split if Syracuse can defeat the Hokies again

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff

Syracuse nearly upset North Carolina on Tuesday night, but after allowing a putback layup o of a missed free throw and a flagrant one foul on Judah Mintz, UNC pulled through, helped along by strong performances by Armando Bacot and Pete Nance inside the paint. Jim Boeheim walked o the podium angered by a question. Mintz gave one-word answers with reporters swarming him in the locker room.

The Orange played their most intense matchup and came up just short of the Atlantic Coast Conference win.

Now they head down to Virginia Tech, looking to rebound from the loss and close out the season series against the Hokies with two wins. On Jan. 11, SU won arguably its most impressive game of the season in an 82-72 victory at home, but caught VT in the midst of a seven-game losing streak.

Here is what our beat writers think will happen on Saturday when Syracuse takes on the Hokies.

Anish Vasudevan (18-3) Hokie down Syracuse 70, Virginia Tech 66

The North Carolina loss could be seen as a positive or a negative for SU. Connor sees it as the latter, I see it as the former. The Orange fought back from a 10-point deficit against the Tar Heels, using some key baskets from Mintz and Chris Bell late to keep the game in play. Syracuse could have easily fell apart on both sides of the floor, but this isn’t the team that was embarrassed in December. Now, with 10 games left in the year, Syracuse is ready to play.

The Orange already know how to defeat the Hokies despite them being without Hunter Cattoor in the teams’ previous matchup. Cattoor will be a threat from deep but Syracuse has developed a quick solution in terms of stopping teams from deep defensively. If the wings can continue to press up and if Mintz can continue to get his hand into passing lanes, Syracuse will only have to win the battle on the other side of the floor.

Bell had another strong game, and this is

the perfect opportunity to string together back-to-back stellar performances. Mintz was rattled at the end of the game but if the ball goes to him in crunch time again, he’s shown that he can get to his spot and hit a timely shot. Add that to Joe Girard III and Jesse Edwards’ veteran offensive ability, this should give Syracuse some much-needed momentum before a final matchup against Virginia Tech’s in-state rival.

Connor Smith (18-3)

One loss becomes two Virginia Tech 68, Syracuse 62

Tuesday’s loss to North Carolina was the sort of defeat that can derail a season. Syracuse had its best win of the season — one that would be exceptionally huge in beginning to craft an NCAA Tournament resume — right there in its hands with less than a minute left in the game. We all know what happened next. Girard dove for a loose ball that led to a game-winning UNC layup and Mintz was called for two fouls that weren’t really fouls.

For most teams, especially ones led by underclassmen like this year’s SU team is, that’s a tough loss to recover from. And while the Orange outplayed its next opponent, Virginia Tech, two weeks ago, I think the Hokies will win this one, handing Syracuse its second-straight loss. Cattoor is back for VT, and so is his teamleading 41.1% 3-point shooting mark. The Hokies couldn’t hit anything from deep last time they played SU, but with Cattoor back in the lineup, they can now spread out the zone and diversify their o ense.

I still think the Orange are playing good basketball, and their defense and forwards, in particular, have really improved over recent weeks. Girard is playing like a go-to scorer, too. But with Virginia Tech fi nally out of its losing streak after beating Duke on Monday, Cattoor back in the lineup and Tuesday’s loss still in the heads of this Syracuse team, I expect the Hokies to come out on top.

Anthony Alandt (14-7)

Overmatched Virginia Tech 79, Syracuse 70

Man, that was close. A tough loss for Syracuse came — once again — because the Orange’s inexperience got the best of them. You don’t need Boeheim to answer — it’s pretty clear that Syracuse can’t close out big games, a product that’s dated back to the beginning of the season. That’s fine, like Connor said above, the Orange are still playing really well and have a young core to compliment Girard and Edwards. It’s really hard to consistently win in the ACC, and Syracuse is quickly taking their licks with that reality week after week.

Last time Syracuse played Virginia Tech, it caught the Hokies in the midst of a sevengame skid on the fi rst of three straight road games. They were without Cattoor and a late run from the Orange pulled o the win at the JMA Wireless Dome. This time, VT is coming

o of a narrow win over a struggling Duke team as it welcomes a fiery Syracuse team still reeling from the loss to North Carolina. With the 41stranked adjusted e ciency in the country and an e ective field-goal rate of 53.1%, the Hokies o ense should be able to come out early and stave o the Orange.

Syracuse will almost certainly come out of the gates slow and possibly still distracted from the Tar Heels’ loss on Tuesday. A ton of things need to go right for the Orange to win — Maliq Brown, a good shooting performance from Girard, a strong, physical game from Bell, a poised game for Mintz. I just don’t see all of those things happening.

sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports

judah mintz notched 12 points in 34 minutes in the last outing against Virginia Tech. Our beat writers are unsure if SU can defeat VT again. meghan hendricks photo editor

At Rochester — a position that even she didn’t anticipate having. Scorza spent four years in business before making her way back to field hockey, and Bradley was one of her biggest influences, Scorza said.

“(Bradley) has just built so much,” said Russell, a coach at the St. Gerard’s School in Ireland. “(She) passed (knowledge) on to many people who are coaching more girls and growing the game.”

The coaching tree and the connections that Bradley has created is something that she holds in high regard. At every school, she wanted her players to understand what they are playing for, Bradley said, and buy into the university as a whole. She added that building her coaching tree is one of “the joys that I will always take, probably more so” than the championship. At Rochester, Scorza tries to instill the same mentality in her players.

At her first head coaching job in 1991 at Goucher, Bradley said she established a sustainable culture and earned results from it. In her first season, Bradley said the team only had seven players to start the season. The

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The contests against Boston College and Louisville revealed that Syracuse could eventually get the job done in the second half behind strong offensive performances from its backcourt and wings.

Chris Bell had his key night in SU’s second matchup against Notre Dame, hitting a deep 3-pointer late to erase a 12-point deficit. The fullcourt press played a role against the Fighting Irish and later helped the Orange speed up Georgia Tech’s offense into bad shots in an 80-63 win.

Against Miami, another down-to-wire matchup which SU was on the wrong side of, the Orange surprised the nationally-ranked Hurricanes, leading for approximately 22 minutes before Miami’s dominance on the offensive glass forced the Orange to go back to their touted freshmen. But, Mintz had struggled the entire night and committed two late turnovers.

“He just had a bad game, and that’s what happens with freshmen,” Boeheim said postgame.

The Orange brought the same intensity into Tuesday night against North Carolina, coming back from a double-digit deficit in the second half. Again, it was the freshmen who made a difference. Mintz continued to pick apart North Carolina’s defense in transition, opting for quick jumpers and layups to keep SU in it. Bell drilled two 3-pointers as well.

Girard wasn’t completely locked down by UNC’s defense. Receiving the ball from Mintz with 90 seconds left, he curled around a screen and nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key after a pump-fake sent his immediate defender flying by him. North Carolina answered back and Mintz wasted no time getting past the Tar Heels full-court press, sprinting down the middle of the lane.

Mintz tried to bring the ball back to his left side but the movement slammed RJ Davis to the ground. The comeback was almost complete until a flailing elbow got in the way.

“To be honest, they deserved to win the game,” Armando Bacot said postgame.

The game was won when… Mintz’s flagrant foul sealed a two-point advantage for the Tar Heels before he forced Caleb Love to the free throw line. UNC had one of its worst nights from the charity stripe, as Love missed on the front end of the flagrant call before hitting the next two. The Orange hurried up on offense but Girard missed from the left wing, granting North Carolina the win.

Gophers finished just 2-7. But after one year, Goucher improved to 12-7 the following season, when Bradley earned NCAA Division III South Region Coach of the Year honors. In her fourth and final season in 1994, Bradley led Goucher to the NCAA Tournament, the first in program history.

The early and significant results from the culture shift she established team-by-team was apparent at SU. Heather Sell, a goalkeeper at Syracuse from 2005-2008, was part of Bradley’s first Syracuse team in 2007. Sell said the whole team could tell from the start there would be a major culture change.

“(Bradley’s) expectations of us were definitely going to be higher than what they had been previously,” Sell said. “I was a little nervous. But at the same time, I was excited because I wanted to see that change.”

That year, the Orange had their best season since 2001, capped off by a Big East Championship game appearance, while Bradley earned Big East Conference Coach of the Year honors.

Bradley also made it a staple for each of her teams to be as physically fit as possible. Sell said Bradley didn’t want anybody to outwork her team, pushing her players hard “from the beginning.”

In her second season, Bradley made her biggest mark in college field hockey yet. She won the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Coach of the Year. Under Bradley, the Orange went 22-2, winning the Big East Championship and making the Final Four. At the time, it was the most successful season in Syracuse women’s sports history. The 2008 squad was the first SU women’s team to obtain a No. 1 national ranking.

Bradley turned the program into a national powerhouse by building a winning culture, Russell said. Aside from countless team accolades in her 16 seasons, Bradley took home four Big East Coach of the Year awards, one ACC Coach of the Year and two NFHCA National Coach of the Year honors.

Her success made Syracuse an attractive destination for some recruits. Current defender Jannemijn Deutman said Bradley’s winning mentality, along with SU’s playstyle and team cohesion, is why she chose to play for the Orange.

“All of it was the perfect package,” said Deutman, who made the 2022 All-ACC second team as a freshman.

As Bradley settles into retirement, she still maintains a relationship with her former play-

ers, even starting a group chat with program alumni. Before making her retirement public, she revealed it to the same group chat.

Bradley wants the culture she implemented back in 2007 to continue even without her while providing a sense of comfort and familiarity in case players have concerns. Russell said she’s constantly in touch with Bradley about advice or career decisions. When in the U.S. last summer, Russell visited Bradley, along with several other former players. “That kind of highlights the culture that she’s built,” Russell said.

“They’re your people,” Bradley said. ”You’ve been through good times together. You’ve been through bad times together, and through it all, you can talk to each other, respect each other.”

In retirement, it didn’t take long for Bradley to return to competition. She’s picked up a new sport: pickleball.

In the same way she established a culture of winning, hard work and getting out of the comfort zone in her coaching career, Bradley is approaching her new activity with the same mentality.

“Hopefully I can make nationals,” Bradley joked. “I gotta get better, I gotta get in shape.”

ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews

How Syracuse beats Virginia

Syracuse has kept up with some of the top teams in the country and the conference, but it simply needs to close out games better. Though it did have a bad loss to Georgia Tech, which picked up its first conference win by defeating the Orange, SU needs to go back to what it’s good at — fast-paced offense and second-chance points.

Statistically, UVA is better on the glass than Syracuse, which already ranks 21st in the country with 42.5 total rebounds per game, per Her Hoop Stats. UVA is ninth in D-I, securing 44.7 boards per game. This game will come down to who can control the glass. If Syracuse can do that behind Dariauna Lewis, Kyra Wood and Asia Strong, it will put itself in a position to get back in the win column.

Stat to know: 35.8%

Quote of the night: Jim Boeheim

“Turnovers and two charges, in a close game we can’t have that. That was it.”

Syracuse’s comeback made it a battle between both teams to see who would make a mistake first. Girard throwing the ball right into the hands of Pete Nance after Nance missed from the free throw line was the most untimely mistake.

Game ball: Chris Bell

Bell said after the Notre Dame game, when he posted a career-high 17 points, that he always had confidence in his shot and that was on display again against the Tar Heels. He finished with 15 points with two of his 3-pointers coming at a crucial time in the second half.

More importantly, the freshman had four rebounds, one less than a season-high he set earlier in the year against Cornell. Bell said he has been working with assistant coach Adrian Autry on rebounding and box out drills in practice.

Three final points:

From the field, Syracuse shoots 42%. But the Cavaliers limit their opponents to just under 36%. Virginia is also 25th in the country with a 12% block rate, which signifies the number of 2-point field-goal attempts that ultimately get blocked. Syracuse isn’t the tallest team, but it needs to create enough separation to get jumpers and inside buckets against a strong defense.

Player to watch: Camryn Taylor, forward, No. 20

After transferring from Marquette two seasons ago, Taylor has been the team’s best scorer for the past two seasons, and she stayed with the team during the coaching transition from Thompson to Agugua-Hamilton. She notched 12.8 points per game last season and currently averages 13. Defensively, she is the team’s leading blocker with 18 total blocks.

Edwards vs. Bacot

Last year, Bacot became the seventh player to record a double-double against Syracuse last season with 17 points and 18 rebounds in UNC’s 88-79 win. This year though, he couldn’t reach that mark.

Edwards had some success against Bacot in the post as well. Boeheim said postgame that Edwards can struggle against stronger players, but the SU center was able to maintain his footing and get deep into the paint at times against Bacot. At the start of the second half, Edwards pivoted back and forth against Bacot at the right block, eventually elevating for an easy layup.

Bacot still got the most out of his play offensively, abusing the spot near the top of the paint where Syracuse leaves most opposing bigs open. Edwards usually let Bacot get the ball if he wasn’t too close to the basket and Bacot had enough space to cash in on a few mid-range looks.

Free throw discrepancy

The Orange only attempted three free throws throughout the game while the Tar Heels notched 23. North Carolina’s mark was above its average of 18.23 on the season, which is No. 1 in the ACC.

Syracuse’s three attempted free throws were the lowest since it went 3-for-4 from the line in its first win over the Fighting Irish. The Orange haven’t attempted fewer attempts from the charity stripe at any point in the last decade.

Next up: Virginia Tech

The Orange head to Blacksburg, Virginia, for their second matchup this season against the Hokies. Virginia Tech was in a terrible slump to start conference play, losing seven straight games before it defeated Duke in its last contest. The Hokies have also brought back sharp shooter Hunter Cattoor, from injury, who’s shooting a team-high 41.1% from beyond the arc this season.

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virginia

Asia Strong is averaging 8.8 points per game in her lone season with Syracuse, which hosts Virginia on Thursday night.

nick luttrell contributing photographer

Jesse Edwards recorded eight points and seven rebounds in a narrow four-point loss to UNC. The Orange look to bounce back at Virginia Tech on Saturday. nick luttrell contributing photographer