Jan. 27, 2022

free

THURSDAY

jan. 27, 2022 high 29°, low 21°

t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |

dailyorange.com

N • Defective masks

C • First birthday

S • A man of many plays

During Wednesday’s University Senate, SU Provost Gretchen Ritter announced that the university is investigating if it had distributed recalled face masks.

Page 3

After beginning operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Salt City Market is celebrating its one year anniversary with a week of celebration.

Page 6

Vonn Read has accumulated nearly 20,000 plays over his 25-year career, allowing him to write several encyclopedias before becoming SU’s head coach.

Page 12

column

‘I was one of the numbers’

Pitt loss feels like seasonender

photos by max mimaroglu asst. photo editor, photo illustration by meghan hendricks photo editor

Students detailed their experiences receiving care from The Barnes Center to The Daily Orange

By Danny Amron asst. news editor

J

ust seven minutes before boarding her bus home for winter break, Eva Morris received a call. “I saw a call from Wireless Mobile Syracuse University, and I just knew,” she said.

Morris, a freshman in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, took a COVID-19 test on the day of her last final to prepare for an upcoming doctor’s appointment when she arrived home. She was experiencing cold-like symptoms.

Morris went to Flanagan Gymnasium for a confirmatory COVID-19

test, where she said a doctor examined a lump she had recently found on her neck. The doctor told her she may have mononucleosis or strep throat.

After the confirmatory test came back positive for COVID-19, Morris was sent away to quarantine in Skyhall l with salt packets and cough drops from the Barnes Center at The Arch.

After arriving, she initially felt fine.

By the second night though, her symptoms worsened.

“I was really struggling to breathe,” she said. “And it was just so uncomfortable. I couldn’t eat or couldn’t drink anything. I was just in so much pain.”

Morris said that even though no one from the Barnes Center was checking in regularly with the students quarantining in Skyhall I, she was able to get a hold of an on-call doctor from the Barnes Center that Morris said provided her with additional care.

Not only did the doctor call in a prescription for penicillin to Walgreens, the doctor woke up early in the morning to pick it up and deliver the prescription, Morris said, because the Department of Public Safety was not conducting deliveries to Skyhall I over winter break. The doctor also brought carnations, cookies, gummy bears and Tylenol to Morris.

Morris said that the doctor came into her quarantine room to check in on her as well.

“I honestly teared up because it felt like no one cared that I was in pain,” she said. “They just cared that I had COVID, and (the on-call doctor) really went above and beyond to help me and look after me. My parents and I are still so thankful and overwhelmed at how nice that was.”

Morris said she has had good experiences at the Barnes Center in the past, and she understands why her positive test was handled the way it was. She wishes the Barnes Center would prioritize a mechanism for checking in on students.

“I was one of the numbers,” she said.

Other students, along with Morris, feel that the Barnes Center as an institution can come up short when caring for students.

Jenn Kim, a senior in VPA, said she was happy with her experience when removing a birth control implant at the Barnes Center about a year ago.

But in the same appointment, they took a test for sexually transmitted diseases with unclear results.

Kim said the person they spoke with at the Barnes Center told her over the phone that the person Kim was seeing at the time must have lied to her about not having an STD, despite Kim stating their partner took a test proving otherwise. Kim said the representative did not answer any of her questions, prompting her to end the call. see barnes

center page 4

PITTSBURGH — Two weeks ago, ahead of Syracuse’s first matchup with Pittsburgh, head coach Jim Boeheim was asked how concerned he was that SU may not make the NCA A Tou r n a ment .

He gave the coach-spea k response: “I’m ROSHAN concerned FERNANDEZ about playing DO THE DA MN THING P i t t s b u r g h right now.”

After Syracuse’s double-digit defeat to Pitt on Tuesday, one that can be reasonably characterized as humiliating for the Orange, Boeheim was asked a similar question. This time, his response was more telling of the bleak future for this season.

“I’m concerned about winning a game,” Boeheim said. “Are you kidding me? Do you see anything that looks like a tournament team out there? Do you? … We’re concerned about trying to win a game. Period.”

Boeheim didn’t explicitly say it, but the odds of Syracuse making the NCAA Tournament following Tuesday’s loss dwindled to almost zero. Like he said, SU’s having serious issues winning singular games.

There’s still the possibility of a miracle where Syracuse plays like a completely different team over its last 11 games, or goes on a run and wins the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

But the harsh reality is that the Pittsburgh loss pushed SU to an overall record of 9-11, the first time that Syracuse has ever been two games under .500 in Boeheim’s 46 years as head coach. SU could very likely finish the season below .500 for the first time since 1968 (pre-Boeheim era), too — KenPom projects Syracuse to lose six of its remaining 11 games.

Somehow, amid a season that included a loss to Colgate where the Orange gave up 100 points, another defeat to an underperforming rival in Georgetown and countless blown double-digit leads, the Orange managed to stoop even lower. This loss to Pitt was the curtain call. This loss signaled the end of Syracuse’s season.

After the defeat against Pittsburgh, which entered the contest with the see fernandez page 4

2 jan. 27, 2022

about

INSIDE The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.

NEWS t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k Editor@dailyorange.com News@dailyorange.com Opinion@dailyorange.com Culture@dailyorange.com Sports@dailyorange.com Digital@dailyorange.com Design@dailyorange.com ADVERTISING 315-443-9794 BUSINESS 315-443-2315 EDITORIAL 315-443-9798 GENERAL FAX 315-443-3689

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 financially 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 spring, 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.

“I know that the people at Barnes do the very best that they can do. ... It just seems like they’re not given the right path or guided on the right path. It just seems a little bit disappointing.” - Madison Brown, student Page 3

OPINION “The pandemic has been a major challenge for everyone, so it is crucial to work together and keep each other motivated if SU classes become remote.”

- Jean Aiello, columnist Page 5

CULTURE “Our mission is two-part: helping people build generational wealth through what they love, and being a crossroads for Syracuse.” - Adam Sudmann, Salt City Market’s manager Page 6

SPORTS “I’ve never been around a coach who knows his x’s and o’s better than him. So I will always trust his strategy.”

- Najé Murray on acting head coach Vonn Read Page 12

how to join us 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.

COMING UP

corrections policy

Noteworthy events this week.

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

WHAT: Chinese Film Series Spring 2022: Feeling Time WHEN: Jan. 27-April 28, 6-9 p.m.

WHERE: Bird Library 114

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 affiliation 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.

The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2021 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2021 The Daily Orange Corporation

WHAT: CuseHacks: Coding for non-STEM majors WHEN: Thursday, 7-8 p.m.

WHERE: Lyman Hall 126 WHAT: 37th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration WHEN: Sunday, 7-8 p.m.

WHERE: Virtual

NEWS

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

PAG E 3

jan. 27, 2022

state

graduate students

New York legislature takes up redistricting GSO establishes student space

By Ambre Winfrey

contributing writer

After an independent commission failed to create a singular map, New York state’s legislature will draw congressional boundaries. The legislature will likely create a Democratic gerrymander, experts said. daily orange file photo

By Nick Robertson senior staff writer

In 2014, New Yorkers voted to amend the state constitution to end partisan gerrymandering. As the independent redistricting commission that constitutional amendment created failed to pass one bipartisan map, instead leaving the task of redistricting to the Democratic-led state legislature, gerrymandering appears imminent, however.

The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission is made up of 10 members, four Democrats, four Republicans and two independents. The group was tasked with creating a single, nonpartisan proposal for how to adapt the state’s congressional districts according to new data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

New York state will lose a representative in Congress in 2022 due to the new census information, going from 27 to 26 representatives.

The commission failed, instead

submitting two maps — one proposed by the commission’s Democrats and the other by its Republicans. The two independents within the commission voted along with the party that nominated them.

Now, the state legislature will step in and draw the maps itself.

It will likely result in maps gerrymandered to favor Democrats, which may have been the plan of state Democrats all along, said David Bateman, associate professor of government at Cornell University.

“The way the commission was set up, it allowed the legislature to go around the commission’s recommendations,” Bateman said. “The commission that was established was not necessarily toothless, but more within arms length of political control than something that would be truly independent.”

This outcome was fairly predictable, he said.

Chair David Imamura, a Democrat, claimed that Republicans

refused to cooperate with his side’s recommendations and consigned the group to failure.

“Throughout this process, what has disappointed me most about my Republican colleagues is their seeming indifference to public input and an unwillingness to put pen to paper and modify their maps,” Imamura said in the commission’s final meeting on Jan. 3.

Vice Chair Jack Martins, a Republican, denied Imamura’s allegations, instead claiming that Democrats cut off negotiations over maps at the last minute, acting in bad faith.

Despite its independent commission, New York’s redistricting will now head for the same partisan redistricting process that will help Republicans in most of the country, according to Steven White, assistant professor of political science at Syracuse University.

White said Democrats have to gerrymander in their own favor in order to keep up with Republican

gerrymanders. If they don’t, the Democrats would be putting themselves at a large disadvantage, he said.

“Ultimately, even if Republicans are made worse off in New York state, nationally, the redistricting process for (the 2020 census) is going to help Republicans on net, even if in New York state it’s the opposite direction,” White said.

The legislature’s redistricting could play a large role in the fate of the U.S. House majority in 2022 as well, both Bateman and White said.

Republicans are projected to gain seats from redistricting nationwide, and combined with long-term trends that the non-presidential party does better in midterm elections, Democrats will need all the help they can get in order to hold on to their current nine-seat advantage, White said.

“There’s every reason to expect Democrats will do badly in 2022, not because of any political thing

see redistricting page 4

university senate

University investigating defective face masks

By Richard Perrins, Francis Tang the daily orange

Syracuse University is investigating whether or not the university distributed COVID-19 facemasks that did not meet Food and Drug Administration standards, Gretchen Ritter, SU’s vice chancellor and provost, said during the University Senate meeting Wednesday.

The FDA initiated the recall of the KN95 masks in July 2020, citing the masks’ inability to filter more than 95% of particulates.

Later in the meeting, Professor Robert Van Gulick asked Ritter if faculty members had the option to move their courses online given a surge in

COVID-19 cases if they were concerned about the risk to their health.

“When you say that with omicron the rate of serious implications or illness is low, one has to look at different demographics,” Van Gulick said. “What about people like me? 73 years old, overweight — each issue raises the risk factors.”

Van Gulick asked Ritter under what circumstances and when faculty members can ask the chairs of their departments for approval to move classes online for a period of time. Ritter reiterated that the overall positivity rate on campus remains low and that the university is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention and the state on COVID-19 prevention.

“We can’t let everybody make the decision for themselves,” Ritter said.

“We have to leave it to the folks who are looking at the data and have the expertise to make the decision.”

Ritter also said she appreciated the university’s Public Health Team, as well as faculty and staff who are working hard to keep the campus community safe amid the surge of omicron cases in New York.

“Ths university and community have much to be proud of our handling of the challenges that COVID has brought our way,” Ritter said.

“While keeping people safe, we have consistently focused on our

mission of advancing knowledge and understanding while providing superb educational opportunities to our students.”

Ritter said the university’s goal is to reach 100% compliance for all employees to submit proof of their vaccine and booster by Jan. 31. There will be a drop-in help desk available in Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Biko Gray, an assistant professor of religion, expressed concern with the university’s dataoriented approach.

“Because I am a humanist, the most important number is

see masks page 4

Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization Senate announced its new graduate student space during their meeting Wednesday.

The space will be in room 122 of Lyman Hall, according to GSO President Yousr Dhaouadi. Next week, graduate students will be able to meet there in person during office hours and over Zoom as needed.

The organization has negotiated with Peter Vanable, the dean of the Graduate School, to allocate some of the university’s COVID-19 relief funds to increase the amount of dissertation fellowships given out in summer 2022, Dhaouadi said.

The fellowship previously covered about 40% of requests. Following the negotiation between the GSO and the graduate school, the funds will now be able to cover about 75%, Dhaouadi said.

Another goal of GSO this semester is to open graduate Summer Dissertation Fellowship applications sooner. Typically, students apply for the summer fellowship in March or April, but GSO is working to have the applications open in February, Dhaouadi said.

Dhaouadi is also looking to negotiate with the university to receive more subsidized housing for graduate students or, at least, give them cheaper, off-campus alternatives, she said.

GSO Comptroller Joy Burton said the finance committee proposed a rollover fund presentation for Vanable over the winter break. The committee proposed using 50% of existing rollover funds to supplement the organization’s budget. Although the committee hasn’t been given a green light, they’re optimistic a deal will be made, Burton said.

CJ Arnell, a senator at large and a doctoral student in biology, asked when graduate students can expect to have housing that would accommodate their families during the meeting’s open forum. Dhaouadi said she is willing to speak with Vanable to push for changes or more affordable housing.

Michael Ammoury, a doctoral student in civil engineering, asked about GSO’s plan to promote more culturally inclusive events during the upcoming semester.

Vice President of External Affairs Brittnee Johnson said she’s working diligently to host organized events that are inclusive to everyone. The organization encourages any suggestions that students have to offer, Johnson said.

Daniel Kimmel, GSO’s vice president of internal affairs, concluded the meeting by encouraging graduate students to express their concerns in the open forums and even outside of meetings.

“Don’t be afraid to bring initiatives to us,” Kimmel said. “My door is always open, and the e-board feels the same.” awinfrey@syr.edu

4 jan. 27, 2022

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

on campus

SU acquires Crouse Hospital building for $34 million

By Grace Katz

asst. copy editor

Syracuse University has acquired the Harry and Lillian Marley Education Center in a $34 million deal with Crouse Hospital, according from page 1

barnes center “I just happened to run into someone who’s probably having a bad day,” Kim said. “But also, I feel like I could easily say this is an institutional thing. Maybe they’re just not offering very good training to people on how to talk to college students who are in hysterics (about STDs).”

Kim said that they did receive antibiotics despite their uncertainty, but she prefers to not speak with the Barnes Center anymore about similar issues.

They also said they needed to tell a Barnes employee she was sick so she could get a mask to fly home at the onset of the pandemic.

Kim no longer utilizes the Barnes Center’s mental health services because she did not find them to be helpful for the unique issues they face as a queer woman of color at a predominantly white institution.

“I stopped because they just weren’t very useful to me,” Kim said. “I’m sure that’s not the fault of the counselors. I’m sure that’s an institutional thing.” from page 1

fernandez fewest wins in the conference, Buddy Boeheim was at a loss for words. He’s been around Syracuse’s program for his entire life and is playing in it for his fourth season. When asked if he could wrap his head around being 9-11, he said, “It sucks, it really sucks. I guess I just really don’t have any words to say, I mean besides it’s really tough.”

Buddy said this loss in particular would sting for a while. Jesse Edwards said it’s becoming harder and harder to envision Syracuse’s path back to the Tournament “when we drop ones like these.”

“We just got to take it one game at a time.

I don’t think we can even think about (the Tournament),” Buddy said. “Just trying to get back to over .500 is the biggest thing.”

The Orange were supposed to be an from page 3

redistricting they’re doing in current politics, but just generally that tends to happen. The Republicans did very badly in 2018 with Trump, and Democrats very badly in 2010 with Obama,” White said.

Nationally, Democrats are caught in a difficult situation, Bateman said. Democrats will have to either follow what the party believes and not gerrymander while Republicans continue to — costing them seats — or go against the party’s stated platform, Bateman said.

While Democrats would prefer not to gerrymander, it’s a necessity of the current political situation. But a solution to the gerrymandering problem is also hard to execute, he said.

“What the Democrats should be doing is from page 3

masks one,” Gray said. “I’m struggling with the merely data-based methodology that’s grounding the university’s approach to public health.”

When asked about the campus-wide WiFi malfunction on Tuesday, Ritter said the university is still investigating the reason that caused the outage. Information Technology Services is working on ensuring such outages will not happen

to a deed filed with the Onondaga County Clerk’s office on Dec. 23.

The building is located at 765 Irving Ave., which is at the edge of SU’s campus.

SU previously paid $69.4 million in a similar deal purchasing The Marshall, a luxury apart-

ment building also off campus. The university planned on making the apartments into student-only residences in the 2021-22 school year. The 287-bedroom space would increase student housing near its main campus.

Crouse Hospital’s nursing school will

remain in the building, syracuse.com reported, while SU will determine the future of the Education Center at a later date.

Syracuse University closed its own nursing school during the 2005-06 academic year.

Madison Brown, a junior in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, had similar sentiments. Brown said that she feels she has just received cookie-cutter therapy from Barnes and wishes students had more of an opportunity to personalize their mental health care by dealing with a specialist in the type of care they seek.

“I know that the people at the Barnes Centerdo the very best that they can do,” she said.

“It just seems like they’re not given the right path or guided on the right path. It just seems a little bit disappointing.”

Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, said they called the emergency hotline at the Barnes Center after having thoughts of self harm. Police officers then arrived at their door.

The student expressed they felt there should be a middle ground between a phone call and being confronted with police officers for a mental health crisis, which they recalled as a “very scary experience.”

They added that the Barnes Center having a therapist to speak to, especially outside tradi-

tional work hours which is when many mental health emergencies occur, could be a helpful middle step in treating such crises.

Corey Wallack, executive director of health and wellness at the Barnes Center, said in a statement to The Daily Orange that students who contact the Barnes Center about scheduling an appointment are triaged to assess their needs.

“The Barnes Center at The Arch conducted more than 20,000 appointments in the fall semester, not including appointments for vaccinations,” Wallack said. “We continually assess our quality of care through a range of student feedback opportunities and encourage any student with questions or concerns to reach out to us.”

After experiencing seasonal depression, Venus Bradbury sought out therapy from the Barnes Center, which she found helpful and accommodating. Bradbury, a student who has been away from SU to focus on her mental health, found it easy to schedule a regular appointment and thought the therapists offered great advice and suggestions.

She also said seeking out mental health

care is not a sign of weakness and anyone who is currently struggling should seek out help if they need it.

Benn Kulcsar, a junior in the iSchool, said they go to the Barnes Center regularly to check in as a part of their gender-affirming transition. They have had multiple experiences where nurses they interact with misgender them despite having their pronouns on their chart.

Kulcsar said they wish nurses would just ask questions if they are unsure of something.

They said a prominent space on charts for information, such as pronoun preference, could be helpful in avoiding these issues.

“It’s very invalidating, and it’s disappointing too because I know that there’s a lot of parts of the university that are really forward and progressive,” they said. “(SU has) done a lot to actually be inclusive in the three or four years I’ve been here but I know that the medical field just really struggles with that. And it’s kind of sad to see that that translates into the medical field we have within the university community.”

offense driven by excellent shooters. All five Syracuse starters are averaging double-digit points. But on Tuesday, against Pitt’s 153rdranked defense, Syracuse tied a season low with 53 points, and shot 30.2% from the field – its second lowest mark of the season. And despite starting strong, it couldn’t consistently produce on offense.

In fact, Syracuse has struggled to put together a consistent offensive performance all season. It’ll build a lead and then lose it just as quickly. SU’s one of the streakiest teams in the country, meaning it’s very likely to score but also allow double-digit runs. It can’t seem to string together a complete 20 minutes on offense, let alone a complete 40 minutes.

On the defensive end, the Orange have slipped further in the rankings, currently sitting at 217th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Boeheim identified the defense as a pressing issue this season, and he has continuously said

that SU is working to fix it. He even morphed his patented 2-3 zone into 1-1-3 one at times to try and repair the defense.

Yet, besides in spurts, the adjustments haven’t worked consistently, either. Perhaps it’s possible that the Hall of Fame coach doesn’t have the answers for how to improve the unit. Perhaps it can’t be done with this group of players.

When Boeheim blamed SU’s “horrendous” defense after its loss to Virginia on Jan. 1, he added, “We’ve done, at most, everything I know to fix it.” He said effort wasn’t the issue; it was positioning-related. Boeheim did take ownership, saying, “Our defense was a disgrace and that’s on me. I’m the coach, I’m responsible for that.” But the bottom line is that the defensive issues have persisted.

Of course, this is Syracuse, so writing them off before February and March isn’t something to be taken lightly. Last year, the Orange made

the Tournament, winning five of their last seven games after spending most of the regular season outside the NCAA Tournament bubble.

But scraping together a run like that isn’t as feasible this year. SU’s lost 11 games already, more than all of last season, and it’s really only looked comfortable in one conference game — its first matchup with Pittsburgh.

In the second game against Pitt, one of SU’s most winnable games, the Orange were embarrassed. It’s not November, or December or early January anymore — the calendar has almost flipped to February, but the lack of consistency persists, so it’s too late for a onceTournament hopeful team.

passing national voting rights legislation that would require all states to draw congressional districts on the basis of a genuinely independent commission, in some form or another,” Bateman said. “That would be, from a democratic perspective, a good thing, but that’s not likely to happen. It’s not going to happen because of the anti-democratic institution of the filibuster in the Senate.”

Democrats proposed national voting rights legislation in October, known as the Freedom to Vote Act, which would provide federal oversight to changes in state election law and make partisan gerrymandering more difficult.

The bill failed earlier this month, however, due to opposition from Senate Republicans and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., to remove the filibuster rule in the Senate. The voting rights legislation would require the bill to get

60 votes to pass. Sinema was denounced by her own state’s Democratic Party for her vote against changing the rule.

The 24th District, which includes Syracuse, could see major changes after new maps are drawn. Both proposals from the independent commission moved Syracuse into the neighboring 22nd District, bending from Ithaca through Syracuse and east to Utica. It’s difficult to project how this new shape will affect the district’s representation, but it does unify multiple cities that tend to vote for Democrats, Bateman said. “(The proposed district) concentrates liberals in many ways. It puts together different communities with relatively similar interests.

Syracuse, Ithaca and Utica each have as an anchor for their regional economies, major universities. They’re each varied, once-industrial towns that are making the transition to a

knowledge economy,” he said. “It doesn’t seem to me to be an implausible district.”

Incumbent Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, is not running for reelection in the 24th District, leaving the race to Democratic challengers Francis Conole and Steven Holden, who will face each other in a primary this summer, and a yet-unknown Republican candidate.

The state legislature voted down both of the commission’s maps earlier this month and took over the process Wednesday after the commission failed to submit an amended map by the Jan. 25 deadline.

The candidate filing deadline for New York congressional races is April 4, meaning any map the legislature makes should be finalized by that date.

again, she said.

“It’s important to put this in a broader context,” Gretchen Ritter said. “Our ITS network services before yesterday had a 99.9% uptime record, meaning that over the course of 12 months, there was only about an hour of unplanned downtime.”

Ritter said SU received a record high of applications in regard to the university’s admissions. Nearly 41,000 prospective undergraduate students applied for the fall 2022 semester. However, the university saw a drop in Ph.D. program applications, partially

because of the decreased number of international applicants from China. The applications for Ph.D. programs are down by about 11%, while those for master’s programs increased by 4%, she revealed.

Ritter concluded her remarks by speaking on the new Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Initiative that was announced

by Chancellor Kent Syverud on Monday.

Through the initiative, the university will leverage donations with up to $20 million university funds, she said.

Eric Kingson, a professor of social work, pre-

sented the Committee on Services to the Faculty and Staff’s annual report alongside Kristi Johnson, an administrative specialist for writing studies, rhetoric and composition. The committee proposed a motion to suspend planned increases in health insurance premiums for faculty and staff and gather additional data on the implication of the changes. The motion passed.

The special health premium increase was implemented on Jan. 1, Kingson said, while further increases are scheduled for 2023 and 2024.

gdkatz@syr.edu

ddamron@syr.edu @dannyamron_

Roshan Fernandez is a senior staff writer at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at rferna04@syr.edu or on Twitter @Roshan_f16.

njrobert@syr.edu @NickRobertsonSU

news@dailyorange.com

OPINION

dailyorange.com opinion@dailyorange.com

PAG E 5

jan. 27, 2022

column

guest column

If remote, focus on staying connected

Mental health should be a priority

By Jean Aiello columnist

I

n the event that Syracuse University decides to transition to remote learning this semester, students must be prepared with ways to stay motivated and healthy.

Being isolated in a dorm room can harm students’ ability to stay on track with their classes due to effects of the pandemic on mental health.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau included in a Commonwealth Fund article found that between May 12 and May 24, 2021, 20.5% of Americans aged 18 to 29 needed counseling or therapy but did not get it, the highest percentage of the included age groups.

College is said to be some of the most memorable years of one’s life because it is filled with constant social interaction, special events and school affiliated activities for students to explore during their four years. Additionally, engaging classes taught by knowledgeable professors from around the world are a great privilege of coming to SU. If SU announces it will be continuing classes online this semester, the active social life that college students thrive in will be taken from them. As a community, we should plan ahead with ways to maintain a positive, motivated attitude to excel in our classes and studies. Isolation can sometimes lead to lower grades and poor mental health effects, but it doesn’t have to.

Some small ways students can stay engaged during remote learning is by contacting their professors directly to build a relationship with them. Not being in person for class creates a divide between students and teachers, hindering the personal relationships that have been formed.

Emailing professors with ques-

tions can help students understand how to excel in a class, as well as give the professors an opportunity to get to know the students and their learning style. This is a simple way to participate and keep track of important details about assignments that students who don’t reach out may not catch. It’s challenging for students to pay attention in Zoom classes with the constant distractions in a dorm or public setting on campus, so this is an easy step that can help students stay motivated and prepared in class.

Some students think that online classes give them more time to finish their work and more flexibility to set their own schedules. Since college students are usually in their dorm rooms for remote learning, however, it’s important to put away distractions in order to focus in class. It becomes easy to fall behind with the ability to go on your phone during class, mute yourself and talk to friends and do other work instead of paying attention to the professor on Zoom.

To avoid burnout during isolation periods, students should plan times throughout the day to go outside or get meals with friends. Adding activities throughout the day to be active and get out of the dorm room will help students’ mental health and help them maintain good grades. Finding friends who share the same work ethic as you is another helpful strategy to not feel completely on your own in online classes. The pandemic has been a major challenge for everyone, so it is crucial to work together and keep each other motivated if SU classes become remote.

Jean Aiello is a freshman magazine, news and digital journalism major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at jdaiello@syr.edu.

scribble

Happy National Chocolate Cake Day from The Daily Orange!

illustration by kyle chouinard asst. news editor

News Editor Richard Perrins Editorial Editor Micaela Warren Culture Editor Nathan Fenningdorf Sports Editor Connor Smith Presentation Director Shannon Kirkpatrick Photo Editor Meghan Hendricks Video Editor Maya Pow Video Editor Maddy Kramer Podcast Editor Marnie Muñoz Illustration Editor Yiwei He Enterprise Editor Christopher Cicchiello Asst. News Editor Kyle Chouinard

Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. Editorial Editor Asst. Editorial Editor Asst. Culture Editor Asst. Culture Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Digital Design Editor Design Editor Design Editor Design Editor

Francis Tang Danny Amron Rainu George Julia Kahen Dakota Chambers Siron Thomas Anish Vasudevan Alex Cirino Maya Goosmann Danny Kahn Morgan Sample Megan Thompson

The pandemic has provided a prime opportunity for Syracuse students to foster difficult conversations about mental health. meghan hendricks photo editor

By Our Reader

H

ave you heard that today’s college students have the same amount of anxiety as child psychiatric patients in the 1950s? The fact, still shared on social media, was originally coined

by Dr. Jean M. Twenge in 2000.

When individuals are physically sick, taking time off to recover and rest is accepted. Why isn’t the same notion for mental health normalized in the U.S.? Some argue that mental health days are just “an excuse to be lazy,” however, they are beneficial. Time off to prioritize mental health allows students to come back stronger and prepared to combat day-to-day challenges.

Mental health challenges and stress are not exclusive to the college experience. Many people are aware of the toll mental health challenges take, even if they haven’t experienced it firsthand. In a given year, over a quarter of Americans over 18 have a diagnosable mental illness, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

With the stigma around mental health, many people do not explicitly share what they’re going through even if many of their close friends and family can relate. Nevertheless, people recognize how mental health affects others through its manifestation in ways such as addiction, unhealthy relationships, mood stability and prolonged physical illness. The statistic from Johns Hopkins displays the importance of checking in on the people you surround yourself with.

Mental health challenges can affect anyone anywhere, making it virtually impossible to deny its effect on students at Syracuse University.

Using the previously mentioned statistic from Johns Hopkins Univer-

sity, there are about six students in an average class at Syracuse, or about 5,330 in the student body, with a diagnosable mental illness.

In fact, about 35% of SU’s student population meet the qualifications for depression, an official from the Barnes Center at The Arch said last November. On top of the challenges that mental health can present, most college students face stress academically along with the other stressors such as being away from home.

In an op-ed, Kevin Frazier pointed out the shared experience that, “most students simply thought it was normal to feel overwhelmed, undernourished and frequently anxious.” As if being a student wasn’t hard enough, there is also the unrealistic social expectation in place at SU to “work hard, party hard.” SU students, myself included, stretch themselves thin to keep up with the incredulous expectations of our peers, family and the university.

College is stressful during any given year, but because of the pandemic, it has only gotten more difficult. The pandemic has only exacerbated the effects and rise of mental health challenges and stress across the world. When reviewing multiple studies, evidence showed a correlation between COVID19 exposure or infection and an increase in anxiety, depression and substance abuse within the U.S. This increase in mental health challenges also promoted a platform for mental health advocacy.

Social isolation and its subsequent mental effects that most students have faced raised awareness about mental health and allowed for open discussion. Public figures, like Prince Harry and Simone Biles, set an example for others experiencing mental health challenges.

When we become advocates for mental health, we should not only seek the help we need but encourage others to do the same. The pandemic’s reliance on online schooling also created new challenges for students. Parents, communities and schools began seeing the toll that social isolation put on developing brains. People are not designed for prolonged isolation, yet many students experienced much more than they were used to once they were taken away from the social environment college offers.

College is a place to make new friends, but it is incredibly difficult to make friends solely through interactions over Zoom, Snapchat and Instagram. Many students felt the blow of the pandemic and had to grieve the time and formative experiences we lost because of it.

The pandemic is still not over and many students are impacted by its effects. Grief comes in many forms and lasts for varying amounts of time, which is why now more than ever students should be able to take consequence-free mental health days. SU strives to promote mental well-being, therefore the university should allow students to take days off to prioritize their mental health without consequence. There has never been a better time to open up the door and foster difficult conversations.

Tell your story and be an advocate for what you need. Check in on your friends and family. Let them know you care, and never forget the value in telling someone they’re loved. By talking about your mental health we are all one step closer to eliminating its stigma so that mental health will be respected in the same regard as physical health.

Amber Kopf-Miles, Class of 2025

Emily Steinberger

Mandy Kraynak

Anthony Alandt

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Asst. Video Editor Asst. Video Editor Asst. Video Editor Executive Producer Executive Producer Executive Producer Podcast Host Podcast Host Podcast Host Sportscast Host

Max Mimaroglu Jaden Chen Asha Duerden Tyler Toledo Idan Jaffe Andrew Hood Nick Luttrell Dominic Chiappone Harry Kelly Jordan Greene Jade Chung Arabdho Majumder

Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor

Ivana Xie Jana Seal Anthony Bailey Sophie Cohen Henry O’Brien Connor Pignatello Grace Katz Katie McClellan Sophia Moore Rachel Raposas Cole Bambini Spencer Goldstein

Asst. Illustration Editor Asst. Illustration Editor General Manager Advertising Manager Fundraising Coordinator Business Asst.

Circulation Manager Student Delivery Agent

Estelle Liu Chloe Perline Mike Dooling Mark Nash Mira Berenbaum Tim Bennett Steve Schultz Tyler Dawson

CULTURE

6 jan. 27, 2022

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

Birthday week

C

humor column

Wait, I forgot what at home?

By Lucas Portnoy humor columnist

Along with a wide array of dishes from various cultures, Salt City Market offers movie nights and cooking classes for Syracuse community members. meghan hendricks photo editor

Salt City Market, located in downtown Syracuse, is celebrating its one year anniversary

By Paola González

contributing writer

D

owntown Syracuse’s Salt City Market is celebrating its oneyear anniversary with a weeklong celebration. After opening during the pandemic, one of the most difficult times for restaurant businesses, this anniversary sparks an even bigger reason to celebrate.

Although it’s only been a year since its opening, the idea of conceiving a food hall and public market had been in talks since the mid-2000s by community organizers. In 2018, the Allyn Family Foundation created the Syracuse Urban Partnership (SYRUP) and began the process of bringing the market to life.

The foundation focuses on community prosperity, and its mission is to improve the quality of life in central New York through collaborative partnerships with organizations and the community.

Adam Sudmann, Salt City Market’s founder and manager, shared how this space came to life and became somewhere community members could come together with their small businesses.

“Through the vision of the Allyn Family Foundation, we were able to

build this market and create a place where people could open independent businesses, have the potential to fail, but also have the potential to really soar,” Sudmann said.

The market is located in the heart of downtown Syracuse at 484 S. Salina St. It includes 10 food vendors, a cafe and bar, a cooperative market and 26 apartment units.

Patrick Hardy, a Syracuse University graduate student and resident at a Salt City Market apartment, shared his experience living there.

“It’s been good so far. Since living there and seeing how they employ the community and seeing all the good work they do on the second floor, it’s been cool living there and having a community while being away from home,” Hardy said.

Having a diverse community has been Hardy’s favorite aspect of his living experience at the market, along with seeing the surrounding community thrive.

At Salt City Market, you can find a wide range of food, from Jamaican oxtail to Burmese samosas. The market also holds multiple monthly events such as movie nights, live music and cooking classes.

“We have a lot of hidden talent in Syracuse,” Sudmann said. “A lot of our see market page 7

I wanted to brainstorm what I could say in my first published writing, so I went to grab a pen and write ideas down. But guess what, I didn’t have one. I forgot my pens at home. So, I went to do what any normal person would do: I stole one from my roommate and blamed my other roommate. After a two-hour screaming match, a 45-minute boxing match and a 15-minute cooldown period, I sit here, wondering what else I forgot at home. And boy, is there a lot.

I would feel embarrassed about this, but I think it could be a great way to show that every college student is similar. We all get nervous about coming back to school, we all forget things when we pack, and we all cause the downfall of our two best friends. So here I am to tell you everything I just realized I forgot.

Maybe I can give you some innovative tools you can use to replace those items. But be careful when you try them — they didn’t call me “The Human Fire Hazard” in high school for nothing.

First of all, I left my belt at home.

It’s not devastating, but you would think as a 20-year-old that I would have more than one belt. Well, you thought wrong. Am I going to panic? Not yet. I have a super innovative way to fix this issue. Hear me out: take a shoelace from a shoe you don’t use. Then, tie it around your jeans. Cool, right? Wait till everyone is giving you looks in Schine because they’re jealous … they are jealous, right?

Like I said, an unused shoe is preferred. However, only one of my pairs of shoes made it to school. I like to consider it as the rest deciding not to come. That way, I don’t get any blame for forgetting them.

The belt tip really complements this one when you only have one pair of shoes. Is that why I got looks?

Because one of my shoes didn’t have laces? Grow up.

I’m going to move on because, just like a small blanket, I have many more things to cover. What happens if you forgot your Brita?

Panic mode yet? Nope. Here comes another brilliant idea. You can just fill your water bottle at the many fountai… uh. Uh-oh.

You forgot your water bottle too?

Don’t cry, man.

What I suggest is to become one of those people who only uses water fountains and puts their mouth way too close to the faucet.

It’s the water fountain’s fault for not dispensing enough water, not yours — trust me.

What’s important is not what you forgot, but the friends you made along the way. I think that’s the quote. Although, it may not matter if see uh-oh page 7

C

PAG E 7

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

jan. 27, 2022

beyond the hill

5 locations to improve your winter sports skills

CONCERTS THIS WEEKEND

By Dakota Chambers asst. culture editor

Mount Cuse

Wet socks, frozen eyelashes and icy walkways are just a few indicators that winter is in full effect in Syracuse. But snow doesn’t have to be all bad. In fact, it opens a new world of possibilities for having fun and trying new activities in the greater Syracuse community.

Here are just a few places for students to check out if they want to hone their skiing and snowboarding skills, slide down snowy hills on a tubing trip or try something new, like a snowshoeing hike.

Two years after the last “Mount Cuse’’ concert, The Summit — the host of the event — announced via Instagram that the concert is back on. On Friday, artists Nîk, FargÔ and Jahmill are performing at the Summit’s first event of the semester, with beats provided

by DJ Execution. Tickets cost $5 in advance and $7 at the door, and doors open at 10 p.m.

Direct message The Summit (@ thesummitcuse), Timeline Music LLC (@timelinemusic_) or The Harrington (@theharringtoncuse) on Instagram for more information.

Barnes Center at The Arch

Many students may not know that the Barnes Center at The Arch offers students free access to the Drumlins Country Club, which offers crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing in addition to transportation and necessary equipment.

The offerings don’t end there, however. There is also a four-week ski and snowboard program at Labrador Mountain that students can sign up for on the Wellness Portal. This program starts Feb. 5 and runs each Saturday until Feb. 26.

The fee is $105 for Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF undergraduate students without rentals and $195 with rentals included, and covers transportation, lift tickets and two weeks of lessons.

SU senior Andrew Prado-Alipui was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Barnes Center has a breadth of winter sports options for students.

“All those activities are stuff that I haven’t done before personally, so it’d be cool to try it out,” Prado-Alipui said.

The inclusion of transportation and equipment in the program fees was impressive, he said. Dylan Antigua, also an SU senior, had a similarly positive reaction to the list of activities.

“It’s a good thing for (students) to have on campus, especially for people that come from areas and cities where (winter sports) aren’t widely available,” Antigua said.

Beaver Lake Nature Center

If you enjoy hikes but have never gotten the chance to explore the natural wonders of Syracuse during the winter months, consider snowshoeing at Beaver Lake Nature Center. The center is located 15 minutes northwest of Syracuse and offers nine miles of hiking trails.

Dave Schubert, senior naturalist at Beaver Lake, said snowshoe rentals are available on site for visitors who don’t have their own and cost $5 per hour. They can be used alone by those who are already comfortable snowshoeing or rented by people seeking out a guided tour.

“You can rent them on the weekends and weekdays from 9:00 (a.m.) till 3:30 (p.m.),” Schubert said. “(On) Wednesdays, we also offer a guided hike at 1:00 (p.m.).”

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 28 ARTIST: Nîk, FargÔ, Jahmill and DJ Execution BABYLON · 1

The 4-Week Ski and Snowboard Program at Labrador Mountain is just one of many winter sports activities offered by the Barnes Center at The Arch. meghan hendricks photo editor

Starting Valentine’s Day weekend, Beaver Lake will open at night for about a week to visitors who want to hike under the light of the full moon. This is a special event that the center ran successfully in January and hopes to continue, Schubert said.

Some trails are designated for multiple uses, so visitors can choose to walk or snowshoe through the hike depending on their personal preference, he said. Additionally, two snowshoeing trails are special hikes that are not open during the summertime.

“There’s one that’s 2.3 or so miles, and the other is about 1.5 miles,” Schubert said. “They’re open only for snowshoeing, and they’re kind of through the forest.”

For students who need transportation to get off campus, the Barnes Center also offers group reservations and ticketing for Beaver Lake’s Moonlight Snowshoe Hikes through the Wellness Portal. Transportation is included in the cost of the ticket, which ranges from $5-$10.

Four Seasons Golf & Ski Center

Four Seasons Golf & Ski Center produces artificial snow during the winter season so that

from page 6

market entrepreneurs have been extraordinarily successful. That’s incredibly gratifying to see.”

Ushni Gupta, a customer of the market and SU senior, shared that this diversity is the reason she keeps coming back.

“My favorite part of the market is how they have multiple cultures represented in one space, showing how Syracuse is a melting pot of different cultures,” Gupta said.

Another facet of SCM’s service to the community is Double Up Food Bucks, a food incentive program the co-op market implemented that doubles the value of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s nutrition benefits. from page 6

uh-oh the friends you made are now in each corner of your room, duct taped to the wall because they were trying to kill each other. What I’m trying to say is this: if you want to keep someone in

My favorite part of the market is how they have multiple cultures represented in one space, showing how Syracuse is a melting pot of different cultures Ushni Gupta su senior

your life, bring duct tape. If you don’t, they’ll have to watch you take theirs, which they’ll hate. Of course, this is all hypothetical — no one forgets duct tape.

I hope I can bring you reassurance in the stress that packing causes us all. It is never easy going back to school, especially when the

visitors don’t have to worry about closures if there’s not enough natural snowfall to cover the trails, operations manager Bill Hane said. The winter activities center is beginner-friendly and hosts snowboarding and ski trails that will help students develop their winter sports skills.

Snowboarding and ski equipment, including skis, snowboards and ski boots are available to rent on-site or by calling the Four Seasons rental shop, Hane said. Visitors will need to bring their own winter coats, snow pants and boots to stay warm and keep from getting their clothes wet, though.

“A great pair of waterproof mittens or waterproof gloves are your friend,” Hane said.

Four Seasons is open Thursday through Sunday each week, as well as on holidays. The Barnes Center offers weekend tubing trip reservations starting at $5 for SU and ESF students, or you can purchase a tubing or ski/snowboard lift pass directly from the Four Seasons website.

“Come out and give us a try,” Hane said. “It’s a fantastic place to learn to ski and snowboard or have a fun day to get outside.” dcchambe@syr.edu @thekotacola

SNAP is a federal program, formerly known as food stamps, that provides low-income families and individuals nutrition benefits that are used to purchase food. This coalition with Double Up Food Bucks works by providing users of SNAP with a $1-to-$1 match to purchase locally grown food and vegetables.

Salt City Market serves as more than just a food place; it’s a place for Syracuse residents to show off their diversity. This aligns with the market’s mission to create space for Syracuse “to show itself off in all of its culture, glory, richness and grit.”

“Our mission is two-part: helping people build generational wealth through what they love, and being a crossroads for Syracuse,” Sudmann said. pggonzal@syr.edu

semester starts at zero degrees and ends at 75. As I am writing this, I am realizing a huge mistake I made. I left my computer charger at home. At least I’m not on low battery — that would’ve been bad.

OK, I actually have a low battery. I need to finish this quickly.

DJs Alpengeist, Arthur Hustle, J.A.Q., JOJO, Lazerbeams and Uncle Berri are set to take the stage Saturday at 11 p.m in Syracuse. Tickets cost $5 before 12 a.m. and $7 after 12 a.m.

Concertgoers must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of the concert.

Direct message BABYLON (@ babylon.420) on Instagram for the address or any inquiries.

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 29 ARTIST: Alpengeist, Arthur Hustle, J.A.Q., JOJO, Lazerbeams and Uncle Berri Jazz Jam The Josh Dekaney Trio is set to take the stage at Syracuse’s Funk ‘n Waffles this Sunday for the recurring concert series Jazz Jam. Joshua Dekaney, a Syracuse University instructor in the Setnor School of Music, will take the stage alongside his two bandmates for an afternoon of jazz. Doors open at 2 p.m., and the concert will go from 3-5 p.m. The event is free, and attendees must be 18 years of age or older. A valid ID is required for entry.

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 30 ARTIST: Josh Dekaney Trio Dabin Between Broken Tour The Dabin Between Broken Tour is coming through Syracuse on Sunday. The producer and musician will be performing alongside Rome in Silver and Skybreak, as well as SU student DJ BenSpence, who will be performing his first concert of 2022 at the Westcott Theater on Sunday night. Advance tickets are available online at the Westcott Theater’s website for $20. Doors open at 7 p.m.

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 30 ARTIST: Dabin, Rome in Silver, Skybreak and DJ BenSpence

The point of this is to let you know that, even as a junior, I still haven’t fully adjusted.

If you are like me, know that people will be there to help you, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Let me end on a nice quote from an old president or someth lportnoy@syr.edu

8 jan. 27, 2022

from page 12

read

from then-Division II Spelman to a scouting job with the Magic. While at Spelman, Read also worked as an archivist and production assistant for the NBA on TNT, attending practices at night.

TNT was where Read made numerous basketball connections, including former Olympic gold medalist Cheryl Miller, who eventually hired him to his first professional coaching job with the Mercury, a decision from page 12

batherson the wide receivers, following them around each practice and making sure they stayed hydrated.

Sometimes for Batherson and other assistants, it meant going out of their way to put a water bottle in a player’s face, Batherson said.

Even when the hockey season began, Batherson still managed to find time as a hydration assistant despite having classes and practices nearly every day.

In the mornings, Batherson ran straight from hockey practice to the football field with her hair still wet from the shower. Mitchell described how impressive Batherson’s commitment was considering the job was already a lot for other students who don’t play a sport.

“She was always very dedicated to our program and her program,” Alaina Hauber, from page 10

williams ranks fourth in the ACC and of the 13 players in the ACC who grab more rebounds than him,

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

based on a “gut feeling” she had regarding Read’s basketball knowledge, Lewis said.

Miller and Lewis often dubbed him “The Doctor” or even “The Nutty Professor” because of his passion for basketball, Lewis said. Unlike many coaches Lewis has worked with, Read’s desire to continue learning and studying different areas of the game makes him stand out. One summer, Read conducted a survey on teams from all over the country who ran different systems and broke down the advantages of having more possessions and more shots, Lewis remembered. The two had a another football hydration assistant said. “I was exhausted from practices and games and I didn’t even play a sport.”

But for students like Batherson who want to work in that field or pursue a master’s program for athletic training, getting handson experience is necessary, Mitchell said.

Before the hockey season started, Batherson traveled with the football team to Ohio for the season opener, where she realized how much effort and work goes into preparation as an athletic trainer. Standing on the sideline for her first game also made Batherson somewhat nervous, she said, but she enjoyed her first experience nonetheless.

“I was definitely busy but I think it is something that I’d like to continue doing, so I think it was worth it,” Batherson said.

adamj40302@gmail.com

all but one are taller than him.

While he only recorded 15 double-digit scoring games at Oklahoma, he has scored at least 10 points in every game this season.

Against University of South Carolina Upstate

nearly five-hour long conversation about it as Read shared every stat he gathered during his in-depth breakdown.

“He’s a genius,” Lewis said. “The guy is a flat out genius. Passion pours out of him talking about basketball.”

Now in his first head coaching season, and 10th at Syracuse, Read does not plan on continuing the book series, he said. His last playbook, “Platinum Edition,” was released in 2009 and was built off his repertoire of zone-based plays that made up a large portion of prior editions.

Still, many of those plays have found their way into Syracuse’s current schemes today.

Even though Read has had to adjust his tactics based on his current personnel — such as implementing a 5-out motion offense — he has still trusted the zone and encouraged fast break opportunities.

“I don’t know who wouldn’t trust that,” guard Najé Murray said of Read’s knowledge.

“He knows everything. I’ve never been around a coach who knows his X’s and O’s better than him. So I will always trust his strategy.” cirinoalex19@gmail.com

MAE BATHERSON (second to the left) plays as a defenseman on the SU ice hockey team but also spent time as a hydration assistant for the Syracuse football team this fall. courtesy of alaina hauber

on Dec. 11, Williams tallied Wake Forest’s second-ever triple-double. Three days later, he dropped 36 points on VMI and three days after that, he scored 34 against Charlotte.

“He plays basketball the right way. He’s not

a selfish player so I feel like they just took the chains off him and allowed him to be free and do his thing,” Terrell said.

connorpignatello@gmail.com @c_pignatello

TIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRES

4 Quality Tires BIG TIRE

and Services VISIT US AT 230 Old Bridge Street E. Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 432-4444

149 Midler Park Drive Syracuse, NY 13206 (315) 437-0329

OR CHECK US OUT AT WWW.BIG4TIRE.COM TIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRESTIRES

jan. 27, 2022 9

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

women’s basketball

Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 20 Notre Dame

By Anish Vasudevan

The Fighting Irish report

Syracuse has lost its last five games, falling off from the six game winning streak during its mostly nonconference slate in December.

During the Orange’s win streak, they picked up their only conference win of the year, defeating Clemson 86-46.

But now SU is back under .500, heading to the Edmund P. Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana, an arena where it has never won in 10 meetings. To keep its postseason hopes alive, Syracuse needs to record its second ACC victory of the season, but a tough task awaits against a ranked Fighting Irish team.

Here is everything you need to know before Syracuse (8-9, 1-6 ACC) heads to No. 20 Notre Dame (14-4, 5-2 ACC):

How Syracuse beats Notre Dame

asst. sports editor

All-time series

Notre Dame leads 35-3.

Last time they played

The two sides faced in Syracuse’s second game of the season, following its blowout win over Monmouth. Following Felisha Legette-Jack’s jersey retirement, the Orange opened the game trading baskets with the Fighting Irish, trailing by just six.

But the defense completely faltered at the start of the fourth quarter. In the final eight minutes, Notre Dame went on a 21-0 run, not allowing Syracuse to utilize its 1-2-2 full court press which allowed it to control the game clock against Monmouth.

The Fighting Irish completely surrounded Syracuse’s offense with its own zone, preventing players like Teisha Hyman and Chrislyn Carr from getting open. Alaysia Styles finished with 14 points, six rebounds and one block, but the loss started a streak where the Orange lost four of five games.

Notre Dame has won seven of its last nine games, only falling to ACC opponents Boston College and Duke during that span. The Fighting Irish defeated Pittsburgh on Sunday, led by Olivia Miles’ 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. Notre Dame shot 30.8% against the Panthers from beyond the arc as well as 95% from the free throw line.

The Fighting Irish also have five players — Maddy Westbeld, Maya Dodson, Sonia Citron, Dara Mabrey and Miles — currently averaging double-figures, all between 13 and 11. Mabrey leads the ACC from beyond the arc, shooting 51.2% throughout conference play. Defensively, UND leads the conference in blocks per game with 5.4.

The reason for the Orange’s recent losses has been simple — they haven’t been able to use their speed to their advantage. Acting head coach Vonn Read shrunk Syracuse’s rotation following the injuries of Eboni Walker and Jayla Thornton, leaving the offense in the hands of Chrislyn, Najé Murray and Hyman. But the increased load has led to Chrislyn, Murray and Hyman having to preserve energy, allowing the Orange’s taller opponents to dominate with their own speed.

“When we play bigger opponents we have to rely on our speed in defense,” Hyman said. “We have to play big with more aggression.”

Syracuse was shooting nearly 50% in the third quarter the last time it played Notre Dame, but it fell back to a lackluster 15.8% from the field in the final 10 minutes.

To pull out a win, the Orange need to stay consistent offensively, only taking open looks after working UND’s zone deep into the shot clock rather than attempting early as it has done recently.

Syracuse heads on the road facing a 6-game losing streak against a Notre Dame side that has won seven of its last nine games. charlotte little staff photographer

Player to watch: Olivia Miles, guard, No. 5

Miles leads the entire nation in assists per game, averaging 7.7 while scoring 12.5 points per game. In the Orange’s last meeting with the Fighting Irish, the freshman almost recorded a double-double with 10 points and eight assists. She set a career-high three steals in that game as well.

Miles recorded double-digit points in all but one matchup throughout UND’s last five games.

The New Jersey native kept her freshman eligibility after last season, when she averaged 9.3 points and 3.5 assists per game.

Stat to know: 1.19 assist/turnover ratio Notre Dame has the best assist-to-turnover

ratio in the ACC, which is calculated by taking the ratio of passes that resulted in an assist to total turnovers. The Fighting Irish lead the conference in assists as well, which means they will likely find holes to exploit in Syracuse’s zone defense. To prevent that from happening, the Orange might have to move to a man-toman look for one of the first times this season.

Syracuse, on the other hand, sits at seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio around the league, with a ratio of 0.97. Notre Dame’s zone defense averages 9.28 steals per game, roughly one less than what the Orange produce. This means that SU needs to be careful when running its 5-out offense, making sure that passes inside to Styles or Christianna Carr aren’t intercepted. anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu

men’s basketball

Beat writers predict another Syracuse loss to Wake Forest

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff

Syracuse suffered an embarrassing 64-53 loss at the hands of Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. Apart from Buddy Boeheim, no other SU starter scored more than nine points. Joe Girard III in particular struggled mightily, with his first bucket coming with 30 seconds left in the game. As the losses rack up, the odds of Syracuse making the NCAA Tournament continue to plummet.

Up next is a second game against Wake Forest. The first time these two teams played this season, Syracuse lost in overtime, scoring just one basket in the extra period.

After the game, head coach Jim Boeheim attributed the loss to a failed inbounds play with seconds left in regulation that gave Wake Forest the opportunity to send the game to overtime with a wide-open dunk.

Here’s what our beat writers expect to happen when Syracuse (9-11, 3-6 Atlantic Coast) hosts Wake Forest (17-4, 6-3) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday night:

Andrew Crane (13-7)

Running out of time Wake Forest 80, Syracuse 70 Wake Forest needed overtime to defeat the Orange when these two teams met three weeks ago, but I don’t anticipate the game being that close this time.

Symir Torrence only logged five minutes then — not playing in the second half or overtime — meaning that Syracuse should be able to operate using a similar game plan without its reserve guard. But there are so many other issues facing this SU team that it’ll be difficult to mask all of them across 40 minutes. The Demon Deacons hold the ACC’s top-ranked defensive field

goal percentage and second-best offensive field goal percentage, so look for them to pull away behind a combination of Alondes Williams and Isaiah Mucius — reflective of the 2-point and 3-point balance WFU holds — and hand the Orange their seventh loss in the past nine games.

Roshan Fernandez (11-9) Moving up from here Wake Forest 80, Syracuse 79

Syracuse was awfully close to rock bottom in its loss against Pittsburgh, so I think it’ll move up from here. The loss at Petersen Events Center was humiliating for SU, which scored a measly 53 points. The offense is capable of playing much better than it did, and it’s shown that in spurts throughout the season. In fact, SU was an inbounds pass away from upsetting Wake Forest during the two teams’ first matchup. I think this game will be much closer than expected, especially considering that the first game was decided in overtime, but I can’t pick the Orange after the way they played against the Panthers.

Gaurav Shetty (11-9)

Can Giannis play?

Wake Forest 82, Syracuse 70 NBA Champion and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will be in attendance on Saturday when Syracuse plays Wake Forest. The “Greek Freak” may not witness much of a game, though, as the two teams have trended in opposite directions since Syracuse lost in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, earlier in January. The Demon Deacons are 4-1 since — with that loss coming against Duke — but have reeled off four straight resounding

Our beat writers expect the Orange to drop their seventh ACC matchup with a loss to Wake Forest, who beat SU earlier this month. daily orange file photo

wins against Virginia, Georgia Tech, UNC and BC. Williams dropped 25 points in the last meeting against SU and has continued to play like one of the best players in the ACC. Williams is the only player in the ACC topping 20 points per game, and he is a lock to give Syracuse trouble on Saturday.

SU might be without Torrence again this

weekend, which means Williams should have an easy night beating Girard and Buddy as that duo tires from extended minutes.

Expect Williams to show out in front of Antetokounmpo, someone he might be playing against if he is drafted to the NBA next year. sports@dailyorange.com @DOSports

10 jan. 27, 2022

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

men’s basketball

Alondes Williams’ rise from JUCO to ACC’s leading scorer

By Connor Pignatello asst. digital editor

As time ticked down in regulation in Wake Forest’s Jan 8. matchup against Syracuse, Alondes Williams brought the ball up the floor.

The Demon Deacons needed just one basket to tie the game. Williams dribbled to the top of the arc, drew a double team from Syracuse’s Buddy Boeheim and Joe Girard III, and threw a no-look laser to Dallas Walton, who cut in from the right corner for the game-tying dunk.

This was just one of Williams’ many highlight reel plays that have led Wake Forest to a 17-4 record in 2021-22, its best start in 13 years. After two seasons at Oklahoma where he started less than half of the team’s contests, Williams’ minutes have nearly doubled and his scoring average has tripled to 20.4 points per game, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in both scoring and assists.

Williams’ teammates at Triton College (Illinois) and Oklahoma, where he spent a combined four seasons before joining Wake Forest, said that he always had the potential to have a breakout year, but hadn’t been given the freedom to do so until now. “ManMan,” as he is called by his teammates for as long as they can remember, is on track to be the ACC’s first player to lead the conference in points and assists in at least 20 years.

“A lot of us at OU knew that (he had this potential). Honestly I was waiting for somebody to let him rock out like that,” said De’Vion Harmon, who played with Williams for two years at Oklahoma and now plays at Oregon.

But before Williams’ debut season at Wake Forest, he was a three-star recruit out of Riverside University High School

in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to 247Sports. Williams enrolled at Triton, a dominant junior college program outside of Chicago. Team captain Deonta Terrell’s first impression of Williams was that he was a “huge kid” because Williams would constantly joke around, which at first bothered the more serious Terrell.

Williams always smiled, laughed and cracked jokes, but his grit and basketball ability drew Terrell to him. Terrell said he assumed a big brother role to Williams, helping him adjust to the demands of college basketball and college life in general.

Although Williams wasn’t as fond of drills, conditioning and weightlifting, he had an insatiable desire to play as much pickup basketball as possible. After practice ended, he would badger his teammates to continue playing until the Triton gym closed. Once they had to leave, Williams begged his older teammates who had cars to drive to the nearby gym at Concordia University to continue playing.

“It didn’t matter, it could be 1 in the morning, 8 p.m. or we could be just getting out of practice, he’d ask, ‘Y’all tryna hoop?’” Terrell said. “We just got done practicing for three hours!”

At first the security guards at Concordia began kicking Williams and his teammates out of the gym late at night. But they soon befriended one of the guards, who let them stay in the gym even later. Former Triton teammate Martrell Barnes said Williams would spend hours shooting at the hoop in their apartment’s back alley too. Williams’ day wasn’t complete unless he played basketball, Terrell said.

“Alondes, he doesn’t care. He’ll hoop with a Walmart basketball, he’ll hoop with an NBA

ALONDES WILIAMS leads the ACC in both scoring and assists in his first season with the Demon Deacons.

courtesy of wake forest athletics

basketball. He just wanted to hoop,” Terrell said.

In Williams’ freshman season, he helped the Trojans to their first ever NJCAA Division II championship and a promotion to Division I for his sophomore campaign.

Ahead of his junior year, Williams transferred to Oklahoma, joining a Sooners team coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

But at Oklahoma, Williams struggled to get consistent starts and competed for playing time with other guards like Harmon and current Los Angeles Laker Austin Reaves.

“At times we felt like they were trying

to play us against each other, and (for) me and ManMan, that’s not how it was for us,” Harmon said. “It was like a brotherhood between us.”

Harmon, Terrell and Barnes all agreed that it took Williams leaving Oklahoma to show his true potential. Before he even appeared for Wake Forest, Williams believed he was going to be a major part of the team for the upcoming year, former Triton teammate Lamon Berry said.

Williams uses his passing ability to keep defenses honest and then hurt them at all three levels. His 54.5% shooting percentage see williams page 8

men’s basketball

Opponent preview: Everything to know about Wake Forest

By Andrew Crane senior staff writer

Syracuse’s slim chances at a postseason berth became even slimmer after it’s 64-53 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, and the Orange will now host Wake Forest for the second time this season on Jan. 29. The loss dropped SU to 12th place in the conference heading into its final 11 games.

Buddy Boeheim led SU with 25 points against the Panthers, but as a team, Syracuse shot just 30% from the field and its offense failed to top 59 points for the second consecutive game. Cole Swider and Joe Girard III combined to shoot 4-for-23 from the field. The Orange allowed two Pitt players to record double-doubles. They were outrebounded by seven. And they let another double-digit lead slip away, this time to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 14th-place team.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Demon Deacons.

All-time series

Syracuse leads 9-2.

Last time they played

The Orange led by as many as eight points in the second half, but Wake Forest erased that lead, converted a dunk in the final 10 seconds of regulation and then pulled away in overtime for a 77-74 victory. Isaiah Mucius had stepped out of bounds while attempting a 3 with 16 seconds left in regulation, giving Syracuse an opportunity to win, yet Buddy couldn’t cleanly collect possession and SU turned the ball over.

Wake Forest then set up a play, featuring a pass from the top of the key down to Dallas Walton on the block, for a game-tying dunk.

Jimmy Boeheim led the Orange with 21 points and Swider added a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Swider’s jumper on the first possession of overtime, though, served as Syracuse’s only basket in that frame, allowing Wake Forest to ultimately hand SU its third consecutive loss.

KenPom odds

Wake Forest has a 61% chance to win, with a projected score of 79-76.

The Wake Forest report

Since the first game against Syracuse, the Demon Deacons have compiled a 4-1 record and risen to fifth in the ACC standings. They scored 98 points against North Carolina, defeated Boston College by 30 and picked up three double-digit wins overall in that span.

In Wake Forest’s most recent game against the Eagles, Alondes Williams led with 20 points and was one of five players to score double-digits as the Wake Forest shot over 50% from the field.

Williams still tops the Demon Deacons this season with 20.4 points per game, and his percentage of possessions used (30.4) ranks 52nd nationally, per KenPom. His assist rate also sits within the top 50 in the country.

Jake LaRavia and Daivien Williamson also average double-digit points, while Williams serves as Wake Forest’s leading rebounder at 6.8 per game. Its offense and defense both rank inside the top 45 in terms of adjusted efficiency, and within the conference, Williams averages the most points and LaRavia’s field goal percentage (59.6) is the fifth-best.

How Syracuse beats the Demon Deacons

First, the Orange’s offense will need to score more than 59 points for the first time in three games. Wake Forest hasn’t scored below 61 this year, with that coming against an LSU team currently ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25 poll, and it holds the second best scoring offense in the ACC. For most of the season, SU’s never-ending problem had been a porous defense that lost more games than its offense won, but in the last week, that has flipped for parts of the game.

Buddy rediscovered some sort of rhythm against Pittsburgh, but he’s still continued

BUDDY BOEHEIM and Syracuse look to avoid a third straight loss when it hosts Wake Forest on Saturday in the Carrier Dome. courtesy of wake forest athletics

to either miss open shots or not have open opportunities as defenses have adjusted their approach to him this season. The Demon Deacons were one of the teams that limited him, as Buddy went 5-of-20 from the field and 2-of-9 from 3.

Another performance like that will require the Orange to rely on more secondary scoring, like they did with Jimmy in that first meeting with Wake Forest, and they’ll need Jesse Edwards to produce as well. That’ll be vital for defending WFU’s interior offense while also preventing Mucius from shooting open 3s in the corner.

Edwards has improved in that element defensively throughout the season, and SU will need him to flash those strides once again on Saturday.

Stat to know: 59.7%

The Demon Deacons and their 59.7% 2-point percentage rank third in the country, according to KenPom. LaRavia, a 6-foot-8 junior, ranks 44th with a 67.7% clip that leads the team.

Player to watch: Isaiah Mucius, forward, No. 1

Mucius only averages 9.8 points per game, but he scored 18 points in the Jan. 8 win over the Orange — with four of his five makes coming from beyond the arc. The Demon Deacons are primarily an interior-driven offense, as their 3-point percentage ranks 209th, per KenPom, but Mucius has been a bright spot from long range in his senior season, as his 45 3s lead Wake Forest.

Syracuse has struggled to defend anywhere on the court this season, but especially on 3-pointers, meaning that Mucius will again be key to WFU attacking the 2-3 zone on Saturday.

He hit a deep 3 late in the first half versus SU even with Symir Torrence closing out, and all of his 3-point makes came in the opening frame. Mucius then proceeded to miss all four of his second-half attempts and didn’t shoot in overtime, and his ability to convert those shots throughout the entire game will force Syracuse to track him beyond the arc even while trying to contain opportunities inside the 2-3 zone. arcrane@syr.edu @CraneAndrew

dailyorange.com

jan. 27, 2022 11

CLASSIFIEDS Affordable Off-Campus Housing

Free installation of Fresh-Aire UV germicidal system for air and surface disinfection of SARS!

All Energy Star Homes Best Values on The Hill Prices Start at $350 / Bedroom Euclid, Sumner, Madison, Westcott, Lancaster and many other areas

315-422-0709 rentals@universityhill.com

www.universityhill.com

-New Energy Star Stainless Steel Refrigerator, Stove, Dishwasher -Energy Star Furnace, 92% Efficient and zoned heating in single family homes -Energy Star Coin-Operated Washer & Dryers for each apartment in basements -Basement Glass Block Windows -New Energy Star Windows -LED Lighting -Granite Kitchen Counter Tops -Free Parking -No Extra Fees/Charges -Exterior Security Lighting on each side of house

AUDI/VW (used) 7 Days Sales - 40 Years *Good/Bad Credit!!

Service 315-789-2200 SelectEuroCars.com

Activate your FREE subscription to syracuse.com

All Saints Catholic Church Where All Are Welcome!

1342 Lancaster Ave Syracuse, NY 13210

Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays: 3-3:45pm in church OR call Fr. Fred at 315-530-8995

Sign up for a FREE subscription to syracuse.com, and you’ll get a chance to win one of TEN $100 Visa gift cards.

Registering for your free subscription is easy. No catch.

No credit card required. No automatic renewal.

Just free access to:

Daily Liturgy: 11:30am

Weekend Masses:

Saturday – 4:00pm ~ (Traditional Music) Sunday – 9:00am ~ (Gospel Choir) AND 11:30am ~ (Contemporary Music)

For information call our Office M-Th, 9am to 2pm: 315-472-9934

• Your favorite teams and SU Sports coverage • New restaurants, local events and shopping • Local, community and campus news Enter to win -

http://contest.syracuse.com/Syracuse-University-Student-Digital-Readership/

Affordable Off-Campus Housing

Free installation of Fresh-Aire UV germicidal system for air and surface disinfection of SARS!

All Energy Star Homes Best Values on The Hill Prices Start at $350 / Bedroom Euclid, Sumner, Madison, Westcott, Lancaster and many other areas

315-422-0709 rentals@universityhill.com

www.universityhill.com

-New Energy Star Stainless Steel Refrigerator, Stove, Dishwasher -Energy Star Furnace, 92% Efficient and zoned heating in single family homes -Energy Star Coin-Operated Washer & Dryers for each apartment in basements -Basement Glass Block Windows -New Energy Star Windows -LED Lighting -Granite Kitchen Counter Tops -Free Parking -No Extra Fees/Charges -Exterior Security Lighting on each side of house

SPORTS

dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

PAG E 12

jan. 27, 2022

READ’S READS

ice hockey

Mae Batherson juggles 2 sports

By Adam McCaffery staff writer

illustration by chloe perline asst. illustration editor

By Alex Cirino

asst. sports editor

T

hen the head coach at JSerra Catholic (Calif.) High School, Lewis wanted zone offense plays. So he dialed his longtime friend and former colleague Vonn Read, who he coached with in the WNBA. Read went through his files and sent Lewis 50 plays that he knew would be perfect for him. Lewis immediately called back, amazed at the in-depth nature of Read’s files.

But to Read they were just ordinary plays, a small margin of the 1,000 plays he had in his files. So Lewis proposed an idea.

“I said, ‘You know what, you should write a book,’” Lewis said. “I would buy it if you wrote a book of all this stuff.”

So Read thought about the idea, and given the number of plays he had, he took Lewis up on the suggestion.

It became the birth of Read’s 10-playbook series titled “The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays.”

After spending years as an NBA scout, coaching in college and the WNBA, Read has accumulated nearly 20,000 of his own plays and has carried that expertise into his first head coaching job at Syracuse. “(Lewis) kind of inspired me a little bit with that comment,” Read said. “I said, ‘Well, maybe a couple people would buy it.’”

Lewis has bought over 100 basketball coaching books, but he said Read’s are the best of his collection, books he’s flipped through thousands of times. His

Syracuse head coach Vonn Read has used his basketball knowledge to author 10 books trust in Read goes back to 2000, when the two of them coached together with the Phoenix Mercury.

While coaching the Mercury, Read also served as a video scout for the NBA’s Orlando Magic. He wrote down every play he came across, adding to his overall file.

Read’s ability to notice plays is a reason why Lewis trusts his basketball perspective. The two often talk about basketball for nearly four hours. Read’s experience with collecting plays from each NBA team, such as specials, zones and fast breaks are why Lewis called him when he needed plays the most.

“I call them my basketball bibles,” Lewis said. “I evaluate my personnel — what I have and what those strengths are — and … I find plays or specials or offense that matches the personnel that I have.”

But well before Read became a professional coach and scout, he started drawing his own plays at 12 years old. Read recorded whatever game he found on TV on VHS tapes and re-watched them, studying and

dissecting the plays each team used.

“I could tell you when (teams) dribbled the ball two times this way, what play they were going to run right off the bat. I just knew everything that they were going to do,” Read said.

Read enjoyed basketball from the “X’s and O’s” standpoint much more than actually playing the sport, always knowing he wanted to become a coach or a sports agent in the future.

In 1997, Read approached then-Spelman College women’s basketball head coach, LaVon Mercer, and asked if he needed any help. Shortly after, Read joined Spelman’s staff as a volunteer assistant coach, mainly reviewing tapes and recording stats.

Mercer and Read collaborated on incorporating the European style of basketball — one where they would encourage 3-point shot attempts by working the ball to the wings off the fast break. Mercer remembered Read running a 1-4 “triangle” offense, something that was similar to the “Russian weave” offense.

Even though Mercer had no idea Read kept thousands of plays at the time, it was obvious to him that Read had drawn influence from a variety of coaches.

“He was a connoisseur of different coaches and sports around the world,” Mercer said. “We started doing things from, not just here in the States, but from around Europe and things of that nature.”

So Mercer wasn’t surprised at all when Read made the jump see read page 8

Mae Batherson was the lone Syracuse defenseman in position when Princeton’s Daniella Calabrese extended her stick to intercept a pass. Before Calabrese could get close to the goal, Batherson quickly muscled Calabrese off the puck and won possession back for the Orange.

Moments later on the other half of the ice, Batherson collected a missed shot from Shelby Calof and cycled it back to Tatum White, who found Calof for a follow-up shot and a goal.

Calof scored, and Batherson’s assist helped Syracuse take a 4-3 lead against Princeton. Batheron has been an integral part of SU’s hockey team this season, recording 22 blocks — fifth-highest on the team.

But before the ice hockey season began, Batherson started playing an important part for another SU athletics team. Throughout Syracuse football’s season during the fall, Batherson spent time on the sidelines during practices and games as a hydration assistant, setting up equipment and ensuring players received adequate fluids.

“It definitely was a great experience just seeing how professional everything is, especially with the football team,” Batherson said. “That was a different atmosphere for me being a hockey player.”

Batherson was one of roughly 10 students working under Alison Mitchell, an assistant athletic trainer for the football and tennis teams at Syracuse.

Batherson, a health and exercise science major in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, first heard about the opportunity through the ice hockey team’s athletic trainer.

“I was kind of shocked to be honest,” Mitchell said of Batherson’s commitment to becoming a hydration assistant. “She’s the first student-athlete that we’ve had.”

Batherson, who aspires to work in sports physical therapy and athletic training, said she became a hydration assistant to gain experience working in a professional setting.

The junior began working during the football team’s summer training camp, which consisted of seven hour days, six days a week. Batherson and the other students arrived at practices roughly an hour early to help set up medical equipment, hydrators, Gatorade wells and whatever Mitchell, as well as the players, required.

Batherson was also given the opportunity to observe Mitchell during each practice, and Mitchell said Batherson gained “valuable” experience to understand firsthand what goes into being an athletic trainer.

Batherson typically worked with see batherson page 8