Tense takeover
By Duncan Green and Delia Rangel the daily orange
Junior Cam Cyr was excited to start working at the Syracuse University Campus Store earlier this fall. He was looking forward to joining a new community and earning money to put toward his degree. But upon arriving, he said he was surprised by the tense environment he walked into.
Student- and full-time employees say the SU Campus Stores’ transition to Barnes & Noble ownership has raised concerns
He said his new colleagues were “depressed and angry,” and he didn’t understand why. After a week on the job, one of his colleagues relayed the news that Barnes & Noble College, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble Education, was taking over the store.
On Oct. 21, Syracuse Campus Store student employees received an email from SU, which The Daily Orange obtained, informing them they would have to reapply for their current positions or seek new employment.
The university announced in an Oct. 2 SU News release that BNC would take over all operations of its campus stores by Jan. 1, 2025. Student employees were encouraged to reapply by Nov. 1 to increase their chances of being rehired, but no student or full-time employees were guaranteed a position.
For the people that aren’t coming back, it was kind of like a slap in the face.
Under the store’s new management, student employees will no longer be able to use BNC employment for Federal WorkStudy awards, according to the Oct. 21 email FWS is a form of financial aid allowing eligible students to work part-time to help pay for their education.
“I could tell that (my supervisors) were upset,” Cyr said. “They were trying to be nice to me, but I could see through it. It was definitely not a good first experience.”
After just a few weeks on the job, Cyr quit.
Roughly 25 of the campus store’s staff members are full-time employees, some of whom have held their roles for decades, said Aislinn Rose Guy, the branch manager of the Slocum Campus Supply store. Under new leadership, many employees are concerned about finding new work.
Jazmin Perkins started working as a cashier in the campus store during her freshman year. Now a junior, Perkins said the takeover caught her off guard. She said the see takeover page 7
Syracuse University students reflect on voting for the 1st time
By Madeline Goodheart asst. digital editor
In the 2024 United States general election, numerous Syracuse University students said they embraced the opportunity to vote in a presidential election for the first time. National exit polls from NBC News, completed in 10 states, showed voters aged 18-29
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INSIDE
The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.
NEWS
“(We) are very restrained by time limits and by a push from higher administrative powers to get this done as quickly, as quietly and as fast as possible.” - Aislinn Rose Guy, Slocum Campus Supply store manager
Page 1
CULTURE
“You can come in here, and you can get a good bite to eat in a cool place, where we’re going to treat you right without breaking the bank.” - Gray Wessel, On the Fly chef
Page 6
OPINION
“Trump’s cabinet selections are not only an aberration; they are a mirror, reflecting the cultural and political fissures that define our time.” - Max Lancer, columnist Page 12
SPORTS
If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.
corrections policy
The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.
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. letter to the editor policy
“As soon as you get to know Dan, you’re in his family, he’s gonna treat you as such.” - Kevin Robinson, former colleague of Dan Engelstad Page 16
COMING UP
Noteworthy events this week.
WHAT: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 - 10 p.m.
WHERE: Syracuse Stage
WHAT: Orange After Dark Gratitude Gala
WHEN: Friday, 10 p.m. - 12 a.m.
WHERE: Schine Student Center, Goldstein Auditorium
WHAT: Lights on the Lake 5K
WHEN: Saturday, 5 a.m.
WHERE: Onondaga Lake Park how to join us
For Ukrainian students at SU, election results hit close to home
By Kate Jackson asst. news editor
When Anna Meehan walked into the first meeting of Syracuse University’s Ukrainian Student Association since election night, she expected the room to be filled with discussion surrounding Donald Trump’s victory.
The meeting was surprisingly quiet, Meehan said, as his victory hit even closer to home for Ukrainian students on-campus.
“I know it’s like a lot of people on campus were kind of just quiet and shocked about it and unsure how to react, and I think that was similar among our club members,” Meehan, the association’s president, said.
Trump’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war has fluctuated. The president-elect has repeatedly threatened to pull military aid from Ukraine, though Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said he would be willing to enter into ceasefire conversations with Trump.
Tuesday marked the 1,000th day since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Republicans, who claimed widespread victory in Congressional races, are mainly in support of Trump’s proposed policies regarding the war in Ukraine. According to a July 2024 report from Pew Research Center, 62% of Republican voters say the U.S. does not have a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s invasion.
The Ukrainian Student Association is now planning initiatives to bring SU’s Ukrainian community together by advocating for the Unit-
ed States to continue providing military support. Meehan said the association hopes to draft letters to Republican representatives explaining why they believe supporting Ukraine should be a bipartisan priority.
Meehan said the organization’s members bring a range of political perspectives, and not everyone agreed on which presidential candidate was best for Ukraine’s interests. Ukrainian citizens living abroad had different reactions from American students, as they themselves couldn’t vote in the election, she said.
1,000
since
“I think there’s a lot of apprehension, a lot of different opinions, which is really surprising to me,” Meehan said. “I definitely thought people would be … very scared about the future, but that’s not necessarily the case.”
Meehan said some of the members, especially Ukrainian citizens, aren’t as concerned with U.S. politics, primarily worrying about when the war will end and what a peaceful solution will look like.
Dariya Getya, a recent SU graduate who’s still involved with the Ukrainian Student Asso-
ciation, said she and many others are unsure how a Trump administration will affect Ukraine. Throughout the war, she said her family that lives in Belbek, a town in Crimea, has seen heavy fighting firsthand.
“The most common feeling that everyone experiences is the frustration and uncertainty, because no one can actually say what exactly will happen, but everyone has a lot of fears and concerns,” Getya said.
Getya also said the association provides an outlet to talk about the ongoing war with people who have similar feelings and experiences. While there is uncertainty, she said the association gives her an outlet to voice her fears and a community that supports each other.
Kateryna Kolesova, an SU master’s student and member of the association, is also part of United for Ukraine, a government program that allows her to temporarily remain in the U.S. without a student visa. She said that, while she hopes to go back to her hometown in northwest Ukraine to visit her grandmother and friends, she’s happy she found a community at SU.
Kolesova said she talks to her grandmother regularly but, over this past weekend, she couldn’t reach her over the past weekend due to a Russian air strike that cut the power in her area, which is about three and a half hours from Kyiv.
“We all support Ukraine and just try to make more people aware of culture, of our situation and maybe help people be more involved. Show them how they can help. Show them what being Ukrainian is,” Kolesova said.
The letters project stemmed from social media posts other Ukrainian Student Association chapters at several universities have made. Many chapters have posted their email drafts to representatives so other students can use them as templates.
Meehan said that for the past two years, the Ukraine Student Association has been working under an American government that is very proUkraine. Now, the Ukrainian community is now moving into “unprecedented territory,” she said, with new leaders across the government.
In addition to bringing students of Ukrainian heritage together, the letters also encourage students to take action and have their voices heard, Meehan said. Many students have expressed feeling uncertain and unable to help, so writing letters can serve as a direct form of political advocacy that everyone can participate in.
Next semester, Meehan said she also intends to plan a 30-day review — an accelerated version of an 100-day-review — of Trump’s candidacy, where the association will invite political science professors at SU to assess Trump’s actions within the first month of his term and how they impact Ukraine.
“I’ve been sort of enlightened, I guess, by seeing people from all different perspectives still have hope, which is good, because, I mean, you kind of need to have hope,” Meehan said. “If you don’t then that’s when people start to go silent and start forgetting the issue.”
kjacks19@syr.edu
USen Athletic Policy committee talks changing NCAA landscape
By Julia Boehning news editor
Syracuse University’s Senate discussed the “impending changes” to college athletics and their potential impact on SU athletes during its fourth meeting of the semester on Wednesday night.
Craig Tucker and Jodi Upton, co-chairs of the Senate Committee on Athletic Policy, delivered their first report of the semester, which centered around the potential ramifications of recent legislation surrounding the payment of college athletes — namely the House, Hubbard and Carter antitrust lawsuit settlements with the NCAA.
Under the $2.8 billion settlement, preliminarily approved by a California district court judge on Oct. 7, the NCAA and individual universities must retroactively compensate college athletes who competed between June 2016 and September 2024 and were unable to benefit fully from Name, Image and Likeness legislation.
The agreement also allows universities to participate in a revenue-sharing model that would allow athletic departments to allocate $20 million
to athletes’ pay, which will increase as college athletic revenue increases.
The colleges would be allowed to choose how to allocate the funds, with most likely going to football and men’s basketball players as those programs bring in the most revenue.
“Over the past few years, this committee has been industrious in its effort to understand and dissect the ever-changing world of college sports,” Tucker said. “Two conclusions that we all agree upon at this point is that impending changes are inevitable, and that the impact of these changes ... are, in many cases, yet to be determined.”
During his remarks, SU Chancellor Kent Syverud alluded to his “strong views” on the settlement. He previously expressed concern regarding the long-term impacts of the decision. In an Oct. 8 virtual press conference, he said he believes the ruling may have a “house of cards” effect — opening up universities to future antitrust litigation.
Syverud was among a group of executives and administrators from various universities to serve as an ambassador of College Sports Tomorrow, a coalition of leaders in college ath
university senate
Ukrainian Student Association members bring a range of political perspectives to the table. Not everyone agrees on which presidential candidate was better for aiding Ukraine. courtesy of the ukrainian student association
Members demonstrated on the one-year aniversary of Russia’s invansion. courtesy of the ukrainian student association
Tuesday marks 1,000 days
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
su chancellor kent syverud is in the group College Sports Tomorrow, which aims to change college sports’ landscape. ike wood contributing photographer
Tradition with a twist
Some Syracuse University students feast on the traditional Thanksgiving spread, while others savor their family’s cultural staples
By Rosina Boehm culture editor
Smells of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie typically fill an American home on Thanksgiving. All across the country, family and friends gather at dinner tables – likely with some version of the same menu.
But some Syracuse University students have different Thanksgiving food traditions. Eating foods from their family’s culture along with the classic American spread creates a blend of their heritage and home in the U.S.
“I don’t necessarily think it has to be specific to the pilgrims and the Mayflower,” junior Kaltra Qilleri said.
“I think it can be done in any way, depending on what your culture is.”
In responses to a Google form, students told the Daily Orange about their non-traditional additions to dinner.
One student makes fun of her vegan sister who eats Tofurky. Another student eats lumpia — a Filipino spring roll — with their mashed potatoes and turkey; another eats Puerto Rican bacalao, or salted cod.
Qilleri is a first-generation American, and both her parents immigrated from Albania. Her Thanksgiving table includes lamb
with spinach and cheese pies. For traditional Thanksgiving foods like green beans or stuffing, her family adds some Albanian flair with herbs like oregano or rosemary.
It’s cool because it’s a mix of both cultures, and it shows that you can still appreciate the traditions of one country, but then also hold true to your roots.
Ava Downey su junior
Qilleri wasn’t sure people were familiar with Albanian food, which she said is a mix between Middle Eastern food and Greek food, Qilleri said. Her family still makes a Thanksgiving turkey, with Qilleri’s mom taking the initiative and her helping out. Qilleri is tasked with chopping vegetables, mixing ingredients or finding a not-too-sweet dessert recipe.
“Thank God she lets me in the kitchen,” Qilleri said.
Junior Ava Downey’s Thanksgiving days growing up were a similar experience. Some friends would ask her if she celebrated the holiday since her family is from France. They do, and their meal choice is bouilleture d’anguilles, or eel stew, which is popular in northern France.
Downey’s grandmother marinades the eel with red wine and cognac the night before. Then, she mixes it in a stew with vegetables, which masks some of the eel flavor. Downey called the dish an “acquired taste.”
“It’s cool because it’s a mix of both cultures, and it shows that you can still appreciate the traditions of one country, but then also hold true to your roots,” Downey said.
Fellow student Drin Kumi has a traditional spread, which he first described as “boring.” His Thanksgiving meal omits some classics preferentially — he puts less turkey on his plate because it’s simply “not that good.”
“We might miss out on some dishes but (it is) by choice,” Kumi said.
Freshman Bella Roberts has a large family gathering with the standard Thanksgiving foods, including her favorite: mashed potatoes. But this year, she’s going to Florida. The last time she was there for the holiday, her
grandma’s neighborhood country club had a buffet.
Some students told The D.O. about non-food traditions, too. At one student’s Thanksgiving celebration, whoever makes turkey has the honor of wearing a turkey hat while cooking
It’s just getting with family, getting together, spending the day together, having a nice meal and just checking in with everyone.
Drin Kumi su student
the meal. Another has two separate full Thanksgiving meals.
For all the students The D.O. spoke with, family was one of the biggest parts of the celebration.
“It’s just getting with family, getting together, spending the day together, having a nice meal and just checking in with everyone,” Kumi said.
Qilleri said 20 of her family members usually get together for Thanks-
giving, but their biggest holiday is Christmas, when the celebrations double in size.
“Every holiday that we get an opportunity to celebrate, we always go all out because it’s just an opportunity for us to go crazy, see everybody,” Qilleri said.
Sophomore Sarah Ishmael has a more intimate gathering than those of Qilleri and Roberts. With just her parents and grandparents, Ishmael has the full traditional meal, with an emphasis on macaroni and cheese.
This year, Ishmael and her friends will share a potluck in Syracuse since they’re staying on campus for the break. She’s excited to make baked macaroni and cheese and cornbread for the potluck, but said she’ll miss her family. Earlier this month, she tried out a cornbread recipe for the Citrus Dolls’ Friendsgiving event. It was a hit.
While many students on campus will still have a traditional Thanksgiving meal or parts of one, these students are grateful to have distinct traditions.
“It just shows that there doesn’t have to be conflict between different cultures and run them in the same environment and setting, which I think is really cool,” Downey said. “And I think growing up, I appreciate that.” rlboehm@syr.edu
CNY’s Housing & Homeless Coalition highlights key statistics
By Henry Daley asst. copy editor
The Housing & Homelessness Coalition of Central New York held its Annual State of Homelessness event at Syracuse’s Palace Theatre on Wednesday night, highlighting efforts to combat the increase in people experiencing homelessness throughout central New York.
The event featured leaders from local community organizations. Speakers highlighted the increased number of homeless people in Onondaga, Cayuga and Oswego counties, underscoring the region’s ongoing housing crisis.
New York State Senator Rachel May started the event by stressing the need to reduce home-
We need affordable housing, we need that housing to be safe for folks. I think that gets lost in the mix.
lessness, demanding immediate attention. She said her policies to combat homelessness have been to increase access to housing vouchers and affordable housing.
“That is just one of the fundamental problems right now, is the extreme increase in the cost of housing,” May said.
The HHC reported in January 2024 the rate of homelessness in CNY increased by 75% from 2023. The Syracuse City Court also issues around 160 eviction warrants each month, and many of the evicted tenants end up homeless.
Megan Stuart, the director of HHC, led a presentation using data collected in January to create a “one-day snapshot” of people experiencing homelessness. The data measures the specific number of people experiencing homelessness and the number of beds dedicated to housing people experiencing homelessness.
“We need affordable housing, we need that housing to be safe for folks,” Stuart said. “I think that gets lost in the mix but it’s critical
that we’re providing wraparound service, that we’re promoting programs that help folks experiencing homelessness.”
Since 2021, the total number of people experiencing homelessness in Onondaga, Cayuga and Oswego counties increased 150%, Stuart said.
This is the first year since 2009 the number of people in families in homeless shelters exceeds the number of people there alone. Family homelessness in these three counties has increased by 192% since 2019, Stuart said. She also said people are currently homeless for 79 days on average before they find temporary or permanent housing. HHC wants to decrease that number to around 30 days.
Katie Weaver, the director of development for A Tiny Home for Good, said she attended the event to learn about HHD’s data. Weaver’s
organization builds homes on vacant lots and renovates rundown properties in Syracuse specifically for individuals and families who face homelessness to rent.
“Homelessness is a serious problem in the area, but there’s also a lot that’s being done and can continue being done to help support the issue,” Weaver said.
Stuart closed by highlighting some of the accomplishments of HHD this year, including the organization’s assessment of over 1,400 households for permanent housing placement. The coordinated entry system ensures the most vulnerable individuals are given priority to housing programs, which contributed to the assignment of 300 of those households.
HHD also raised $12.7 million in local funding for permanent housing projects, Stuart said.
Following Stuart’s talk, panels of local experts fielded questions about the topic. Amber Vander Ploeg, the chief program officer of the Rescue Mission Alliance, highlighted some of the positive aspects of Syracuse’s response to homelessness.
Ploeg said Syracuse’s police have a better response time and efficiency compared to nearby cities. The number of available emergency shelters and other permanent housing options increased from 2023 to 2024, according to a pamphlet handed out at the event.
“I think it’s worth mentioning how incredibly the community has responded to unsheltered homelessness,” Stuart said. “We have teams out there who are out there seven days a week, handing out food, going back over and over again.” hdaley@syr.edu
city Syracuse city auditor calls for bike infrastructure improvements
By Zaara Malik asst. digital editor
Over a decade after its release, the city of Syracuse has completed only 11% of its 2012 bicycle infrastructure plan, according to a recent report by Syracuse City Auditor Alexander Marion.
Marion presented the report outside of Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management Wednesday morning, standing next to a cycle track — a dual-lane bike path separate from the rest of the road that Marion called the “gold standard” for safety. The report included an analysis of the city’s bike infrastructure and proposed several changes.
The city auditor called on city officials to develop an updated bike plan based on his recommendations. He also called for an “overhaul” of existing traffic codes, which he said haven’t been updated since the 1960s and contain minimal mentions of bike commuters.
“One of my recommendations is that the city of Syracuse pass a new comprehensive bike plan that looks at the next generation of bike infrastructure,” Marion said. “This is needed to save lives and make our shared spaces safer.”
Marion also said the city hadn’t even started around 70% of the infrastructure projects proposed in the 2012 bike plan. According to the report, it was difficult to determine the status of how much work each proposal would need, whether that may be broader infrastructure changes or simply additional funds.
The 2012 bike plan established 80 recommendations for bike infrastructure to be installed throughout the city, aiming to create up to 83 miles of new paths specifically for bike riders.
Marion’s report builds upon these recommendations while including areas of weakness throughout the city that prevent bikers from riding freely. The report recommended an increase in painted bike lanes on all streets.
Other notable mentions included an increase in bicycle thefts within Syracuse over the last year, with a 400% increase.
Other proposals included updating the Syracuse bike infrastructure — painting bike lanes green, adding designated areas for bik-
Additional recommendations included a change in traffic laws as the use of bikes, electric scooters and e-bikes increases. The changes would make blocking bicycle lanes a violation. Marion also said that the city should employ additional civilian enforcement to monitor these violations, per the recommendations in his previous report — “Sworn to Protect.”
ers to get ahead of traffic in popular areas and creating a plan to continue painting more bike spaces.
To maintain organization for bike infrastructure plans, recommendations included having contractors and capital planning clearly label future projects related to the bike plan.
with several other
News Editor Julia Boehning contributed reporting to
zamalik@syr.edu
Local community leaders gathered in Syracuse’s Palace Theatre for the Housing & Homelessness Coalition of Central New York’s annual State of Homelessness discussion. avery magee contributing photographer
Marion’s plans coincide
infrastructure improvement projects throughout the city, including Mayor Ben Walsh’s Community Grid Vision Plan and Syracuse’s Vision Zero Initiative.
this article.
syracuse city auditor alexander marion called on city officials to develop a “new, comprehensive” bike plan and overhaul traffic codes that haven’t been updated since the 1960s. lars jendruschewitz photo editor
Megan Stuart director of housing & homelessness coalition of cny
majority of current employees don’t plan on coming back.
The initial Oct. 21 email, which SU Operations Assistant Emma Karpsent sent to all campus store work-study employees, encouraged them to switch their award to a different type of financial aid. Perkins said many of her student colleagues have relied on work-study from the campus store and now feel that finding other places to work will be challenging.
“FWS students have been offered options, including connecting with ‘CuseWorksStudent Employment for assistance finding another on-campus FWS position, or working with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if they are eligible to move their FWS to another form of aid,” an SU spokesperson wrote in a Wednesday evening statement to The D.O.
The statement explained it was necessary to exclude student employees from FWS when Barnes & Noble takes over because the company is an external employer.
“To be on work-study, you have to literally work to stay in school,” Perkins said. “Y’all screwed over our money, but also our education.”
BNED has struggled financially in recent years, with the company’s annual earnings decreasing by 8.6% each year for the past five years, according to Simply Wall St. Despite these financial struggles, BNED has locations on over 1,400 college and K-12 campuses across the United States.
Perkins said she sympathizes with the many adult employees who will lose their current jobs
households in the state lack internet access entirely, while 38% of low-income households face the same challenge. These gaps further complicate efforts to ensure equal access to voting tools.
For some first-time voters, motivations to participate in the election came from external influences. For Connecticut native Will Waghorne, a junior studying economics and policy, family pressure was his primary reason for voting.
Though he Initially feeling “indifferent” about casting a ballot, Waghorne said his main concern lay with the U.S. government’s handling of the war in the Middle East, which led him to write in a protest vote.
“We need to start thinking differently about how campaigns are run if they’re not getting the results that people want.
Will Waghorne su junior
“I felt like the Harris-Walz campaign was sort of a right-wing campaign,” Waghorne said. “I did feel as if it was kind of vindicating and that we need to start thinking differently about how campaigns are run if they’re not getting the results that people want.”
While Martin and Waghorne voted in their home states, junior Josh Richter took a different approach. A public health major from the Bay Area in California, Richter chose to cast his ballot in Syracuse instead.
Having switched his voter registration during his freshman year, Richter also participated in the midterm elections last November in Onondaga County. He voted in-person at SU’s Huntington Hall.
He said his motivation behind the switch was his desire to have an impact on the Syracuse community while studying at SU. Another key factor in his decision was the closely con-
from page 3
letics that advocate for the creation of an alternative college football format — the College Student Football League.
The CSFL would separate the current 136 Football Bowl Subdivision schools into two separate conferences. The top 72 programs would compete in the Power 12 Conference, while the other 64 would belong to a Group of 8 Conference. Schools would then be clustered into smaller divisions geographically.
During the meeting, senators also questioned how the university would fund an extra $20 million expense if it chooses to participate in the revenue-sharing model. Upton said SU
because of SU’s decision. She said she thought it was wrong to spring the news on short notice, and that many of her colleagues have suffered due to the transition.
“They’ve usurped us,” Perkins said. “They’ve taken everything people have. High positions now are back down to being lower positions, even though they worked hard to get up to that spot.”
Perkins said most of the full-time staff members are hoping to find other jobs on campus so they can maintain their university benefits.
Guy shared Perkins’ frustrations but said many people on campus have misconceptions about who’s responsible for the changes. When Guy was first informed about the transition, she said she was initially angry with Barnes & Noble, but has since come to appreciate that the responsibility instead falls on higher levels of leadership — both at SU and BNC.
“(We) are very restrained by time limits and by a push from higher administrative powers to get this done as quickly, as quietly and as fast as possible,” Guy said. “(Barnes & Noble) employees are working incredibly hard.”
Perkins said her new supervisors from BNC are “condescending” to student employees. She said she’s felt pressure from BNC representatives to reapply for the spring semester, even though it won’t qualify for work-study.
In contrast to Perkins, Guy said she felt BNC encouraged her to reapply to the store, and the people leading the transition process made it clear they believe it’s in the store’s best interest to hire employees who already have experience on campus.
“Barnes & Noble has indicated that they would like to retain as many current student employees as possible,” the SU spokesperson wrote.
On Nov. 8, SU announced multiple campus store locations would temporarily close as it transitioned ownership to BNC. Perkins said the closures caused “trivial issues” that could have been resolved with more planning.
High positions now are back down to being lower positions, even though they worked hard to get up to that spot.
Jazmin Perkins su junior
She said the new leadership has already begun the transition in recent weeks, contradicting previous information that BNC wouldn’t take over until 2025. She also said she was surprised when the stores suddenly closed earlier this month and called the process rushed.
Cyr said during the closures, current employees were trained under BNC staff, even if they expressed no desire to return under new management. Current employees were also responsible for counting inventory.
“For the people that aren’t coming back, it was kind of like a slap in the face because they’re like, ‘You’re learning this, even if you’re not coming back,’” Cyr said.
Guy also said the rushed transition process has resulted in many difficulties for her store, as inventory has been limited, the store’s computer system has transferred to BNC’s, and one of the Slocum location’s two cash registers has closed.
The Slocum branch of the campus store predominantly serves architecture students, providing them with necessary materials for projects. Guy said many of these students had important deadlines they couldn’t purchase supplies for when the store was closed for inventory-taking.
“It’s been impeding students … in their studies, their academics and their projects,” Guy said. “Very popular items sell out very quickly. If we ran out of something, I couldn’t restock it.”
Guy said there’s a feeling of sadness and lack of recognition as the current staff entered its final weeks together. She said both BNC and SU administrators have primarily focused on the business side of the transition but barely acknowledged the personal difficulties full-time employees are facing throughout the process.
After what she said has been over 100 years of combined service from her colleagues, Guy said the university’s statement was “measly and disappointing.”
“If you go in the campus store, if you see someone wearing the (employee) name tag, please go up to them and thank them,” Guy said. “They’ve made a meaningful impact to this university and this campus, thank them.”
news@dailyorange.com
tested race for New York’s 22nd Congressional District. Richter said he hoped his vote would help flip the seat in favor of Democrat John Mannion, who ultimately defeated incumbent Republican Brandon Williams.
“The collection of (a candidate’s) history and multiple issues from each candidate (matter). I don’t choose because of one issue,” Richter said.
Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris sparked mixed reactions across SU’s campus. Many students expressed shock and confusion about the outcome, while others pointed to factors that may have contributed to the result.
has not yet determined how it would do so but described strategies other universities have used. For example, Clemson University recently announced it will add a $150 “athletic fee” to undergraduate tuition to accommodate the new expense.
“That $20 million will go up over time as those revenue streams also go up. Ticket sales, licensing, cable agreements, all of those things will continue to increase,” Upton said. “As to where that money comes from, that’s a big unknown at the moment.”
Tucker and Upton also highlighted additional proposals within the House settlement, which only impact Power Four schools. It will require athletes to report any NIL income they make over $600 and cause roster limits — impacting
meant to them. lars jendruschewitz photo editor
Martin said he wasn’t very surprised by Trump’s win, highlighting his success in mobilizing young male voters and some racial demographics. He said Trump expanded his voting bloc and that Harris may “have not put herself out there as much as Trump did.”
In contrast, Richter said he was surprised by the race’s outcome. He said he didn’t expect such a large number of voters to support Trump.
Waghorne reflected on the challenges Harris faced during the race, particularly her late entry. She became the Democratic presidential candidate in July following Presi -
thousands of non-scholarship athletes nationally, Upton said. At SU, she said these limits will impact dozens of student-athletes.
SU doesn’t plan to cut any teams or sports to accommodate the new expense, Upton said. However, the university may consider limiting the number of non-scholarship athletes on various athletic teams in the future.
The potential unionization of college athletes and updates to the Fair Labor Standards Act were also at the forefront of the senate’s conversations.
In mid-March, Dartmouth College’s men’s basketball team voted to form a union, which could set a precedent for other private colleges to follow. In July, courts ruled that some, but not all, student-athletes may count as employees
dent Joe Biden’s resignation and formally accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August. Harris also faced the challenge of being tied to Biden’s low approval rating, which stands at 38%.
Martin said that, because many SU students live in a country where they can vote, he feels they should not forgo the privilege to do so.
“No matter whether you’re happy or not about the result of the election, it’s just important to get your voice out there,” Martin said.
mmgoodhe@syr.edu
under FLSA, making them entitled to receive minimum wage and overtime pay, among other benefits.
While it’s not yet clear how these changes to college athletics will impact SU, Upton said the committee will continue to monitor the progress of ongoing litigation, along with their potential mental health effects on athletes.
“The two clear changes that are coming (are) consolidation is continuing … and, if you want to compete at the highest level and enter collegiate sports, it’s going to cost a lot more money,” Syverud said. “What’s undecided and what’s really up for grabs is where that money is coming from, who it’s spent on and how it’s going to be spent.” jmboehni@syr.edu @juliaboehning
Around 8% of people who voted in the 2024 elections were first-time voters, according to a NBC News poll. The Daily Orange spoke to first time voters at SU about their voting experience and what it
CULTURE
For
By Savannah Stewart asst. copy editor
Early on, Michael Benedict learned about the sacredness of food in all its forms. “Take what you need” — a concept taught in his elementary school Mohawk class and reinforced by his Onondaga-born mother — articulates consuming with intention amid a cycle of mutual benefits with the natural world.
Benedict, a Syracuse University senior, was born in the Mohawk territory of Akwesasne, just four
hours north of Syracuse. A community garden sits on its land where Benedict has only paid a few visits. He’d traveled to the site with summer programs during his childhood, assisting in weeding out suffocating vegetation and plucking ripe berries.
Volunteering in the garden was an obligation to the natural world. The earth’s gifts belonged to him and, in turn, his attention rested on the roots, soil and sky.
“Everybody is welcome to take what they need from it,” Benedict said. “But if you take from it, you also
Stay Fly
The Wessels opened On the Fly in late July, serving their Cajun-style diner menu with love
By Stephanie Wright editor-in-chief
Abell dings sharply from inside the kitchen, signaling the next order is ready. Tracy Wessel walks quickly into the kitchen, asking What have you got?” and emerges a moment later with plates of hot food balanced up to her elbows. It’s Saturday afternoon on Nov. 16, and On the Fly is nearly full with customers enjoying a late brunch.
As synthy ‘80s music blasts from a speaker in the corner, guests chit-chat over their meals, clinking silverware and stirring sugar into their coffee. Tracy flits from table to table, refilling mugs, taking orders and checking on customers.
In the kitchen, her son, Gray Wessel, is busy whipping up each order from scratch.
Every once in a while, Gray pops out of the kitchen to greet customers. Though he recognizes a few as regulars, he and Tracy treat each customer like a longtime friend.
On the Fly is a Cajun-inspired diner that opened its doors in Syracuse’s Lyncourt neighborhood in late July. The Wessels, originally from Seattle, came to Syracuse a few years ago looking to open a restaurant. The Wessels’ said their goal is to make people feel at home and provide comfort with their elevated diner food.
“We’re big comfort food people,” Tracy said. “We like comfort, and we’d like to share that with everybody, because I think everybody needs some comfort right now, especially, in the world.”
In the few months it’s been open, On the Fly has attracted its fair share of regulars and carved out its spot in the community. On the Fly’s name speaks to its informal, scratch-made nature, as
Gray said it’s “kitchen jargon” for needing something stat. Their top priority for their food is freshness and consistency.
“If you come in here and you decide you love the shrimp and grits, I want to make sure that every time you come in, you get the same shrimp and grits,” Gray said.
Gray has spearheaded the diner with the support of his parents, Tracy and John. Tracy covers the front-of-house responsibilities while Gray cooks. Meanwhile, John takes on other projects, like the mural that stretches across the diner’s back wall behind the coffee bar. The mural depicts a sci-fi scene of skylines from Seattle, Syracuse and New Orleans.
The family left Seattle because they felt like their hometown’s atmosphere changed for the worse. In central New York, they said Syracuse chose them. They originally had their sights set on Ithaca, but it didn’t click. They made more friends in Syracuse, eventually finding the current On the Fly location and signing a lease within a few days.
While they’ve enjoyed living in the Syracuse environment so far, Tracy said they want to continue bringing positivity and southern hospitality to the city.
“Even though we’re not from the south, we’re big appreciators of the southern hospitality and the food,” Tracy said.
The Wessels came out to central New York almost four years ago, but their shared love for Cajun food runs deep. Tracy and John visited New Orleans for their honeymoon and returned when Gray was a teenager. Tracy said Gray didn’t pay much mind to the local sights, but instead focused on the food.
After beginning his career in construction and landscaping, Gray was burnt out from working outside in the dreary Seattle weather. He
got to make sure that you’re taking care of it as well.”
Many Indigenous people, like the Akwesasne, regularly give thanks to life’s moving parts that function in harmony. Everything has a spirit, Benedict said, and a purpose that humans can borrow. But a disconnect appears at Thanksgiving when an abundance of food is celebrated for only one day without considering the privilege of accessing it.
Giving thanks is part of many Indigenous ceremonial processes, dating back millennia, Philip P.
Arnold, a professor of religion at SU, said. Arnold is also a core faculty in Native American and Indigenous Studies and founding director of the Skä·noñh Great Law of Peace Center.
Arnold’s course content focuses on examining the Haudenosaunee’s spirituality, like proximity to the living earth’s spiritual dimensions.
He is married to a Mohawk woman, so while Arnold himself is nonIndigenous, he has personal and professional interests in these topics.
Some Indigenous Thanksgivings correspond to full moons. These
celebrations may honor life forms like corn ripening or first berries, translating to the dedication of processes that create food and support life, Arnold said.
There’s an abiding significance in the Thanksgivings that aligns with the word skä·noñh, meaning peace, which is attained when human beings are in a proper relationship with the natural world.
“(Indigenous people) have the understanding that human beings are completely dependent on the world around them and that has
Photos by Joe Zhao video editor
slice of life
tracy, gray and john wessel own and operate their diner, On the Fly. The family is originally from Seattle and has a longtime love of Cajun food.
Twinhood’s ups, downs follow these siblings to Syracuse
By Spencer Howard asst. video editor
In a Flint Hall dorm, a pair of roommates bring the Two Peas in a Pod(cast) podcast to life. The hosts, Eliana and Gianna Bartone, have a unique connection that gives them a myriad of shared experiences to discuss: they are identical twin sisters.
“I feel like being a twin, we’re at an advantage in life because we always know there’s someone there for us,” Eliana said.
The Bartone sisters, originally from Long Island, are both studying television, radio and film at Syracuse University. They’re just one of SU’s many pairs of identical twins who find comfort in the presence of their doubles on campus.
I
think not going to college together probably would have been one of my biggest regrets
su junior
Though they began the podcast last winter while in high school, the Bartones still have plenty to talk about as the ups and downs of twinhood have traveled with them to college. Coming to SU together made the transition to college life easier, and now, they’re even closer than they were in high school, Gianna said.
While the sisters dealt with frequent mixups and comparisons at home, they say college has allowed them to step into their own strong personalities. Eliana said being a twin has helped the sisters socialize more easily and naturally bounce ideas off one another.
Once, another student that Thomas Wit didn’t recognize waved to him. He didn’t know if he should wave or not, but knew he had just been mistaken for his twin, Charlie Wit. Despite the occasional confusion, Thomas is glad he can share a college campus with Charlie.
Unlike the Bartones — who decided to come to Syracuse together — Charlie and Thomas
didn’t influence each other’s decision to attend the university.
“We didn’t talk about it at all,” Charlie said. “We didn’t want it to be a deciding factor and it was more of our own individual choice.”
Though they were independent in their college choice and maintain some of their own independence, the Wits have become closer since starting at SU. Charlie and Thomas both have separate friend groups, which allows them to enter social circles they wouldn’t have otherwise.
He said having a twin at school brings more benefits than downsides, like having someone to go out or watch football with.
The Velarde sisters are another set of twins who learned to navigate the challenging transition from high school to college. Although they’re juniors now, Alexandra Velarde remembers the issues she and her sister Charlotte Velarde faced during their freshman year.
“It was really easy for us to find ourselves self-isolating because we knew we were always going to have each other,” Alexandra said. “We wouldn’t really branch out or do things by ourselves.”
When sorority recruitment began in the spring of that year, Alexandra found herself forced to explore this part of campus life apart from her sister, who had chosen to wait until the following year. Alexandra said she felt terrified.
Upon initiation into the Delta Gamma sorority, Alexandra realized the role Charlotte played in her ability to find a community on campus. Alexandra learned to be more social because of the comfort of having her sister.
Alexandra and Charlotte are both students in the David B. Falk School of Sport and Human Dynamics, studying health and exercise science and sport management respectively. The twins share built-in peer academic experiences, despite wanting to pursue different careers within the sports industry.
The two sisters hope to work alongside each other at a sports organization after graduating from SU. Regardless of where the future brings her, Alexandra is thankful for Charlotte’s presence in her college life.
“I don’t think I could have gone to college without her,” Alexandra said. “I think not going to college together probably would have been one of my biggest regrets.”
sphoward@syr.edu
By Jack VanBeveren humor columnist
Thanksgiving is meant to be spent surrounded by friends and family. It’s the time of year to give thanks and reflect on all we’re grateful for this holiday season. However, for many students traveling home for the holiday, spending close-quartered quality time with relatives distant and near is dreaded and even feared.
Imagine walking into your grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving evening. It’s cozy, familiar faces are all around and grandpa hasn’t
woken from his afternoon nap on the couch. The smell of freshly baked pie and warm turkey lingers in the fall air while “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” plays in the background. Suddenly, you are berated by a barrage of neverending hellos, hugs and handshakes by family members who saw you a month ago but could swear you were “only yea high” the last time they laid eyes on you.
All the wet kisses, endless small talk and questions about how school is going are enough to make you want to hide in the bathroom and lock the door. I advise you, do NOT do this. But, there is hope.
Before you move on from the standard 20-minute greeting period and head off into your annual unwarranted political debate with your bizarrely radical uncle, you should grab the following items from around the house to prevent any ill will that may arise throughout the rest of the night.
The first item you’ll need is a meat thermometer. I guarantee your grandmother’s method of sticking a fork in the turkey and then feeling to see if the prongs are warm isn’t a legitimate way to cook turkey, or any meat for that matter. A meat thermometer will allow you to quickly and discreetly check the temperature of the basted bird throughout
the night, to make sure it’s neither as dry nor as gray as last year’s disaster.
The next item you’ll need is a turkey. Yes, you’ll need a turkey, because the animal currently roasting in your grandmother’s oven is in fact a chicken she mistook for a turkey at the supermarket. Grandma forgot her glasses and grandpa was in the middle of an afternoon nap, so it’s up to you to save Thanksgiving and switch the birds without anyone noticing. Perhaps you should prioritize obtaining a well-seasoned turkey before the meat thermometer. Good luck and Godspeed, in any case. jpvanbev@syr.edu
The Wits (left), Bartones (right) and Verlardes (top two) are pairs of twins at Syracuse University.
leonardo eriman staff photographer
Alexandra Velarde
switched gears and started working in the restaurant industry, eventually entering culinary school. But he got sick of fine dining.
“I apply a lot of those techniques to what we do here, but I always wanted to run a diner or a tavern,” Gray said. “It’s all about the comfort and the nostalgia that food brings.”
Creating On the Fly wasn’t straightforward. They went in a few different directions with former business partners, including operating as a ghost kitchen for a while before officially opening its doors in late July. During the almost-year-long renovation process, Tracy said they opted for “mess hall” seating to enhance the communal feel of the diner.
After their former business partners departed, the family set up a GoFundMe to help with operational costs. Gray said the amount of people who have donated to it and shared it is beyond what he expected, especially from people in the local restaurant industry who want to help out.
“That was crazy because I’m of a mind that you can make money back. Time, you don’t get back, so any time that people want to invest in us means everything,” Gray said.
Gray is also working to share his culinary expertise with other local restaurateurs and anyone else who’s interested. Joey Marcus, a local resident, struck up a friendship with Gray
after he came into On the Fly with his partner for lunch a few times. Marcus is now learning how to cook from Gray after a career in advertising.
Marcus said he’s learned foundational cooking and kitchen communication skills from Gray. When he helps out in the kitchen on weekends, he said he can see the joy cooking for people brings. Marcus noticed Gray’s attentive manner with customers and appreciated the time he took to introduce himself to newcomers.
“Just with that little interaction, we knew that this place was going to be a regular spot because it wasn’t like anything else in Syracuse,” Marcus said.
Tracy said she’s seen moments of connection between customers while working at On the Fly. Once, a woman paid for another customer’s meal after seeing him eat there with his young son.
“It was just the exact sort of community moment that I was really hoping for, where people see each other, and it made this place worth it to me, like, ‘OK, I wanted to bring this together under this roof, and it just happened right in front of me,’”
Tracy said.
One of the diner’s regulars is Kyaw Klay, a local Syracuse police officer. He said he tries to come to On the Fly once a week, but sometimes, he can’t help himself from coming in more.
The first dish he tried at On the Fly was the fried chicken sandwich, but the shrimp po’ boy sandwich kept him coming back. On Saturday, he came with Thalia Frometa, who ordered the diner’s signature crunchberry pancakes for her second visit.
“You can’t find the food here anywhere else,” Klay said. “We eat out all the time, all over Syracuse, whether it’s DoorDash or sit-down. Most of the food, it tastes the same. This is different.”
Another local couple, Domini and Cameron Vaughn, returned to On the Fly for a second time to sample more of its Cajun menu. They both ordered gumbo for their first visit but shared the biscuits and gravy and shrimp and grits on Saturday. They also said the Wessels’ clean, courteous service enticed them to visit again.
The Wessels currently live in Auburn and wake up at 4 or 5 a.m .to come up to the restaurant and prepare for the day. For now, their menu for breakfast and lunch is simple, as Gray cooks all the meals by himself from scratch — so prepping is key to their operations. Tracy contributes the diner’s signature biscuits every day, too.
They’re hoping to add more staff to distribute the daily workload and expand the menu ahead of the holidays. Gray said he hopes On the Fly can further grow by getting a liquor license and even opening a location downtown someday.
But for now, the daily rhythm of the diner keeps them going. Tracy called the work of running On the Fly a “labor of love.”
“It’s important to me, to us, to feed people who are hungry. It’s not a status thing,” Gray said. “You can come in here, and you can get a good bite to eat in a cool place, where we’re going to treat you right without breaking the bank.”
editor@dailyorange.com
from page 9 thanks
kind of resonance than a Thanksgiving party,” Arnold said.
Thanksgiving isn’t just about food. Celebrating the American tradition has unified families, but Arnold said this was not the case for the “first Thanksgiving.”
“My ancestors literally fell off the Mayflower,” Arnold said.
He discusses his history in this way to emphasize that each person should analyze their trauma and oppression-filled ancestral stories. Arnold said his ancestors would have participated in what is now understood as the “first Thanksgiving.”
Dressing up like Pilgrims or Indigenous people has been a “hobby horse” of children throughout the Americas for Arnold’s life. He said this is a mythical narrative. Indigenous peoples of coastal Massachusetts enabled the pilgrims to survive in early colonial America, but they were never granted anything in return.
Nia Nephew, an SU senior from the Seneca territory of Cattaraugus, said the holiday’s origins are romanticized as a harmonious meal between Pilgrims and the Indigenous people of that time. This interpretation causes people to overlook the colonization and displacement of Indigenous communities.
“There’s a sense that there was mutual goodwill which leads people to ignore the genocide and the land theft and the erasure of Indigenous cultures that came after that,” Nephew said.
The Cattaraugus territory is a “tight-knit community,” as described by Nephew. It’s a sovereign nation situated on Lake Erie, about 30 minutes south of Buffalo. As far back as she can recall, Thanksgiving never gained traction among the reservation’s inhabitants. She may meet with her family for dinner, enjoying their company and food, but the day’s historical context is not a reason for coming together.
Benedict, a history major and Native studies minor, has taken some history classes, yet none have touched on the Thanksgiving holiday. He said it should be talked about more in academic settings. Most people have heard the same erroneous Thanksgiving story.
He noticed this gap in the holiday’s education has evolved since high school, but is still far from where it needs to be. SU, for example,
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
The Town Shop Youth Center Fundraiser Concert
The Town Shop Youth Center in Camillus and ArtHouse Collective are hosting a fundraiser for “Let’s Play,” a program that provides free music classes to children in and near Syracuse. The evening will feature SU student artists like Nancy Dunkle, Luna and The Carpets, Leeya and McKenna Fenimore. All proceeds will go to “Let’s Play.”
WHEN : Friday, doors open at 5:30 p.m., music at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Town Shop Youth Center
PRICE: Pay what you can at door (recommended $10-$15), free for teens and youth
ONE NIGHT ONLY: Hard Promises & The HP Horns
Enjoy a night of horn-driven classic rock with Hard Promises & The HP Horns, who have shared the stage with Joan Jett, B.B. King and Cheap Trick. Musicians include current and former members of Liars, Joe Bonamassa’s band and Benny Mardones & The Hurricanes. They’ll perform songs by Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and more. You must be 18 years or older to attend.
WHEN : Friday from 8-11 p.m.
WHERE: Middle Ages Brewing Company
PRICE: $10 presale, $20 at the door
offers Indigenous studies classes where students explore history beyond the pages. Simultaneously, Benedict said there are a limited number of those courses, so not everyone will have a chance to learn.
“The most common quote is that ‘Indigenous history is U.S. history,’” Benedict said. “That recognition gets pushed aside.” Benedict’s mother initially opened his eyes to Thanksgiving history. But, rather than telling him, “Don’t sit down, don’t celebrate this holiday,” she hoped he would give continual thanks. Thanks, Benedict said, should be given from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed.
The Thanksgiving Address, an ancient protocol of the Haudenosaunee, is shared to bring people’s minds and hearts together. Arnold said it specifically addresses the nonhuman persons involved in the sustenance of human beings.
In Nephew’s confederacy, the address is recited at ceremonies or large gatherings. It’s structured by first thanking the people, and then working, literally, from the ground up.
“You go to the grasses, the plants, the fruits, the three sisters, which are the corn, beans and squash, then you move to the animals, the birds, the trees, the sky, the sun,” Nephew said. “That makes us feel very connected to our land and our spirituality.”
Humans are not individuals, but are always connected to a diverse community of other humans and the earth. Arnold said he appreciates the millions of relatives he has of all races, nationalities, genders and religions — many of whom he may not even know.
“We’re all materially connected to one another. It’s something to be grateful for,” Arnold said. Thanksgiving, Benedict said, is a day that should be no different than what you did yesterday and what you’re going to do tomorrow. Humans must take care of everything on Earth in the present to secure a better future.
“As long as you keep giving thanks to everything, you’ll still be here in the future, not just for me, but for the next generations that are coming up,” Benedict said.
sfstewar@syr.edu
Thanksgiving Eve Bash
Whether you’ve been prepping for a Thanksgiving meal or not, unwind with fresh food and live music from Loren Barrigar and family. Loren Barrigar is an award-winning acoustic guitarist from Elbridge, New York. He’s played guitar since he was 4 years old and now performs with his son, LJ.
WHEN : Wednesday from 4-9 p.m.
WHERE: Crazy Daisies Flower & Garden Cafe
PRICE: Free
Self-described as a “five-headed sonic creature,” Mike Powell & The Echosound will perform original Americana and rock music next Friday at Middle Ages Brewing Company. The group consists of former SU lacrosse legend Mike Powell on vocals, John Hanus on guitar, Jeff Aderman on keys, Zak Masoud on bass and Adam Manion on drums and percussion. They released, “Plastic Spoon Honeymoon,” their debut album, last month.
WHEN : Friday, Nov. 29 from 8-11 p.m.
WHERE: Middle Ages Brewing Company
PRICE: $20 presale, $25 at the door
Mike Powell & The Echosound
Darrin White and Ryan Bouchey make fry bread together. The food is a traditional staple to some Indigenous groups. courtesy of nia nephew
On the Fly is nestled in Syracuse’s Lyncourt neighborhood. Since it opened this summer, it’s built a base of regular customers.
OPINION
4B movement empowers American women but is unrealistic
By Gracie Lebersfeld columnist
Originating in South Korea in 2010, the 4B movement was founded on four principles: a rejection of marriage, childbirth and heterosexual relationships, both in dating and sex. In Hangul, the principles are called bihon, bichulsan, biyeonae and bisekseu, hence the “B” in the movement’s name.
The goal of the 4B movement is to call out the harmful gender standards placed between men and women and aims to promote women’s autonomy by breaking out of patriarchal standards. But what began in South Korea has reached the United States following the election, as many American women are starting to seek solace and comfort in the 4B movement through social media.
While the sentiment behind the movement aims to empower women and allow them to stand in solidarity, the overarching principles are unrealistic. As a young woman, I can empathize with the fear resulting from the recent election. The 4B movement, however, holds women to an unrealistic standard that’s extremely difficult to maintain and commit to.
For women, just knowing that, in their heterosexual relationships, their partner voted for a man convicted of sexual abuse and played a large part in overturning reproductive rights leads to the desire to disassociate with them. In fact, inspired by the 4B movement, some women are vowing to stop dating men for good.
In a society that has historically held women to a domestic standard of marriage and childbearing, it’s unfortunately unrealistic that radical action will achieve the desired outcome. Cultivating gender equality, like any large movement for civil rights, requires time, patience and gradual change.
The four principles of the 4B movement offer a different sense of empowerment and control for the women who feel justifiably scared by the results of the election. Women in the U.S. are vowing to follow the facets of this movement in solidarity –– but it’s impossible to truly gauge who’s maintaining their promises. Without a centralized place with facts or data, the growth of the movement relies solely on people advocating for its importance on unfounded testimonies.
Under the 4B ideologies, heterosexual women are trying to change things about their physical appearance to make themselves “unattractive” to men. Thus, women on social media have resorted to changing their style and even filming videos shaving their heads. But the ideology that certain traits like a shaved head are grotesque to men feels misogynistic and harmful for women. I can understand the idea of changing appearance, but pushing the ideology that having no hair or a certain style is unattractive sets a harmful precedent for women.
On TikTok, many creators who have experienced involuntary hair loss are lending their voices to the conversation. One woman in par-
ticular named Jessica Yang said that after losing her hair due to her alopecia, she was already struggling with self-esteem and feeling unattractive. Pushing the concept that being bald is unattractive is only more detrimental to people going through similar situations. Yang explained that not only is this ideology harmful to those with alopecia, but it’s insensitive to cancer patients who have lost their hair from chemotherapy treatment.
This belief that aspects of a woman’s appearance that will demote their presence in society has the potential to impact impressionable young people and set a damaging precedent.
When the young girls who make up approximately 25% of TikTok’s users are exposed to the belief that a certain style equates to negative perceptions from men, they may shy away from expressing themselves as they grow up. This instills a sentiment of misogyny onto young girls, teaching them that their appearance will always be monitored by men and therefore diminishing their self-worth.
Asserting that getting rid of your hair makes you less desirable is a major setback in the advancement of the 4B movement, as it deters people from remaining faithful to following it. As more creators speak out on the harmful precedents set by the movement, people lose respect for its overarching principles and turn away from it.
The long-term effects of the 4B movement in the U.S. won’t be clear for some time, but many argue that it most likely will subside as time passes from the election. For students here at Syracuse University, this movement reiterates the importance of getting involved socially and engaging with political issues that will have an effect on our futures. While the 4B movement may die down over time, the principle it stands on highlights the solidarity women share in empowerment.
Gracie Lebersfeld is a junior majoring in selected studies in education and creative writing. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at gmlebers@syr.edu.
Trump emphasizes loyalty over qualifications for new cabinet
By Max Lancer columnist
Donald Trump’s recent cabinet selections offer a vivid tableau of the president-elect’s enduring political philosophy: loyalty above qualification.
In Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Pete Hegseth, Matt Gaetz and Elon Musk, Trump has assembled a team that feels less like a governing body and more like the cast of a high-stakes reality TV show. Yet, behind the theatrics lies a deeper commentary on the state of American politics — and the man shaping it.
Take Kennedy Jr., now tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy Jr.’s crusade against vaccines has made him a darling of the disillusioned and a scourge of public health officials. His appointment is a paradox wrapped in provocation: a man who undermines the very tools of modern medicine tasked with safeguarding public health.
It’s as if Trump has elevated skepticism itself to a form of governance, offering a posture of defiance rather than solutions. For a nation still grappling with the scars of a global pandemic, his selections are not just controversial; they depict an era where expertise is disregarded and misinformation is used to gain and keep power.
Then there’s Hegseth, whose appointment as Secretary of Defense sends its own incendiary message. Hegseth’s record bores a tapestry of divisive rhetoric, from his opposition to women in combat roles and his dismissal of gender integration as «social engineering,» to his frequent Islamophobic remarks. His disdain for elite institutions is particularly ironic for a role that demands collaboration with the nation’s brightest minds.
Under his watch, the Pentagon risks becoming less a bastion of strategic brilliance and more a soapbox for ideological warfare. Hegseth is not merely controversial; he embodies the antithesis of the inclusive, innovative military that the U.S. aspires to maintain.
Gaetz’s appointment as Attorney General is another stark example of Trump’s keen ability to turn political responsibility into a spectacle. Gaetz, mired in allegations of sex trafficking and misconduct, is hardly the face of integrity one might expect for the nation’s top law enforcement officer. But integrity, it seems, is not the currency of Trump’s America.
Gaetz’s selection is a dare aimed at those who cling to the “quaint” notion that public office should reflect public trust. In Gaetz, Trump has found not a guardian of justice, but a battering ram against it.
The pièce de résistance is Musk, now appointed to the newly created position of co-chair for the Department of Government
Efficiency — a role that didn’t exist until Trump invented it for him. Musk’s intellect is undeniable, but so is his volatility. The man who dreams of colonizing Mars and revolutionizing transportation has also embraced conspiracy theories and engaged in Twitter spats with elected officials.
Musk’s appointment is Trumpian in its purest form: dazzling in its ambition but unmoored from the realities of governance. By carving out this role specifically for Musk, Trump signals his intention to prioritize spectacle over substance, underscoring a broader trend in American politics where celebrity and provocation often eclipse competence and service.
These appointments, taken together, are a reflection of Trump’s political ethos. He doesn’t govern so much as disrupt, appointing figures who embody his disdain for convention and relish in polarization.
But these appointments also tell a story about America. They reflect a nation where distrust of institutions runs deep, where the lines between governance and entertainment blur and where controversy is not a disqualifier, but a calling card. Trump’s cabinet selections are not only an aberration; they’re a mirror, reflecting the cultural and political fissures that define our time.
For young people and students — many of whom are grappling with a sense of disillusionment about the future — Trump’s cabinet choices serve as a grim syllabus in political nihilism. At Syracuse University, where aspiring leaders debate governance and justice, these appointments undermine foundational lessons about accountability, merit and public service.
The spectacle of these selections signals to students that institutions built to safeguard democracy can be repurposed as tools of disruption and polarization. This breeds a dangerous apathy among a generation that should be energized to repair and improve these systems, and instead leaves them disheartened and disengaged from the roles they’re meant to inherit.
As the nation grapples with what these appointments mean, it’s worth asking not just what kind of president makes these choices, but what kind of country accepts them. Trump’s cabinet will not just be a commentary on him as a leader — it’s a commentary on us as members of this democracy.
Max Lancer is a junior majoring in chemistry, biochemistry and mathematics. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at mlancer@syr.edu.
flynn ledoux illustration editor
flynn ledoux illustration editor
In the offseason, he was on the road every day. His strong ties to the DMV, where he grew up and went to college, helped him find diamonds in the rough. The biggest was Malcolm Miller, a forward from Gaithersburg, Maryland. Miller didn’t play for any major AAU team but captured the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2015. He later became an NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
RJ Evans, who Engelstad built a close relationship with in Worcester, was another success story. Holy Cross cycled through two coaches in Evans’ first two seasons, so he leaned on Engelstad.
When the two worked out, Engelstad didn’t simply toss the ball to a stationary Evans in the corner. Instead, he simulated game action by dribbling up the court, initiating an offensive set. Engelstad wildly chased Evans’ rebounds, making him sweat more than Evans. After the workouts, they chatted about basketball and life in general.
“When (Dan’s) talking to you, he’s authentic,” Evans said. “At some point, sometimes the players are trying to figure out if this coach has an angle. Is he trying to do that? You never feel that way with coach Dan.”
Evans initially had no interest in coaching and worked in advertising following a short stint overseas. So, he reached out to Engelstad in 2015 to help him get a start in coaching.
Engelstad had connections to Texas head coach Shaka Smart, who he met through former Mount Saint Mary’s coach Jamion Christian. This helped Evans land a graduate assistant gig in Austin. Less than a decade later, Evans became the head coach at Northern Kentucky.
Engelstad always felt the need to go out of his way to help others. An enhanced way to do that
a turnaround shot to push Syracuse out to a 14-5 advantage.
With under four minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Dominique Camp made a difference with her defense, collecting a steal. She helped SU capitalize on the ensuing possession, finding Woolley for 3 at the 3:23 minute mark, pushing Woolley’s point total into double figures.
Thompson also benefited from a Camp dish at the 2:30 mark of the first quarter, converting a layup. Then, Thompson wreaked havoc, denying a pass from Laycee Drake to get the ball back for SU.
After scoring 10 early points, Woolley was subbed out with 2:10 left in the first quarter. However, SU maintained a 21-11 advantage at the end of the first quarter due to its defense.
In the second quarter, Syracuse lost its rhythm. With Woolley, Camp and Varejão all sitting, the Great Danes opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run. SU then returned to its full starting five but still couldn’t slow down UAlbany.
Kaci Donovan and Cooper each converted jumpers to pull within a point of Syracuse. Meanwhile, SU was out of sorts on the offensive end, as it turned the ball over on two of its next four possessions, finding itself with just a one-point lead.
“When we go on a run, that doesn’t mean that we’ve won the game in the first quarter,” Woolley said. “We have to continue to put our foot on the pedal every single possession ... And I don’t think we had that intensity.”
After a nearly six-minute scoring drought, Syracuse ended the run with under four minutes in the second quarter. Olivia
all-time points leader. Following his departure, Denaburg, a sophomore at the time, took over in 2023 and converted on 10-of-16 field goals.
Denaburg again assumed the role to start 2024, but Brown — like most positions on the roster — made it an ongoing competition. He was effective on kickoffs but struggled with accuracy on field goals, going 3-for-6 to start his junior year.
Brown kept the competition open and gave Oh an opportunity versus Holy Cross. The redshirt freshman was perfect on extra points in four games but went just 2-of-5 on field goals, missing all three attempts from 40-plus yards.
With its poor kicking game and punting issues to match, SU’s special teams unit became its weak link.
“It was pretty obvious that we were not doing well as a unit, as a group, and we knew we could do better,” Kennedy said.
While Kennedy hadn’t seen game action yet, he continuously challenged Denaburg and Oh. All three know they have the potential to be starters, and it’s a matter of translating success in practice to games.
was to become a head coach. After spending six years with Brown, Engelstad got the itch to lead his own program. He found an opening in 2010 at Southern Vermont, a 400-person Division III liberal arts school in Burlington, Vermont. Its basketball team was putrid, winning one game the year before. Turning SVC around was a monumental task, until Engelstad did it with ease.
His first call was to Antoine White, a junior college dropout who played at Walt Whitman High School a year after Engelstad. The two competed against each other in open gyms during the summer and maintained a strong relationship. Engelstad heard White wanted to coach in college. First, he needed to get his degree.
As a result, Engelstad reached out to White. During a 45-minute phone call, Engelstad convinced White to be his first recruit. He was 230 pounds and 24 years old. White was exactly the type of player Engelstad was looking for — one that needed a second chance.
“It was the right phone call at the right time for me,” White said. “I’m glad he made that call because that phone call changed my life.”
White, now the women’s coach at Mount Saint Mary’s, was one of many players who needed another shot. Engelstad took players from the DMV who didn’t have the grades to make it at the D-I level or came from rough backgrounds. He wanted to guide them on the right track.
Players flocked to Engelstad. It didn’t matter that Burlington’s climate was cold and gloomy for most of the year. Nobody cared if the gym floor needed to be mopped every day to gain traction or how bad the gym’s acoustics were.
“They were locked in,” Sharief Hashim, who joined Engelstad’s coaching staff during his second season, said. “Everything aligned where we were able to just do some positive things and it was because Dan had the right coach style.”
Schmitt surveyed the defense and rubbed off a screen before driving and dishing to Thompson inside.
With the game tied 27-27, Schmitt helped SU take a 31-30 lead into halftime. At the 1:59 mark, she stole an inbounds pass and finished a layup at the other end. Then, she found Varejão inside for a layup.
Midway through the third quarter, the Great Danes started a 3-point barrage behind hot shooting from Donovan and Phillips. Their perimeter accuracy lifted UAlbany to a 42-38 lead.
SU responded by going to Varejão in the low post. She reached eight points midway through the quarter. But UAlbany continued to sting Syracuse on the perimeter, netting four shots from long range in the third.
At the 1:20 mark of the third, Woolley hit a 3 from the top of the arc. It sparked an 8-0 run for SU, as Woolley converted her second and-one of the game on the next possession. Then, Camp notched a steal, and Varejão finished a fast break layup, bringing Syracuse to a 53-51 deficit at the end of the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, SU took a 54-53 lead on a Burrows 3, its first advantage since the second quarter. At the eight-minute mark of the frame, Woolley dribbled up the court and took advantage of space in front to nail a 3 from the top of the arc. Woolley then used her vision to find Varejão on the low block for a layup to put SU ahead 61-59.
Down the stretch, the Great Danes were finding success down low, an area that Legette-jack said the Orange were “outtoughed.” But following a layup by Cooper, Schmitt found Kyra Wood on the other end
Kennedy said during the open competition that each kicker gets three to four kicks through a given practice. If you make them, you get more kicks the next day. If you miss them, you lose reps.
According to Syracuse punter Jack Stonehouse, Kennedy kicks more than anyone on the team because of his role as the backup for punts and kickoffs. Stonehouse, the holder on all kicks, said there are only slight changes between holding for the three kickers, while the timing element is most crucial.
Of SU’s kicking trio, Kennedy is the most experienced. After not appearing in his first two seasons at Cornell due to COVID-19 and a redshirt, he made his mark. Kennedy received Second Team All-Ivy honors after finishing 7-for-11 on field goals and a perfect 25-for-25 on PATs.
The next year for the Big Red, he handled punting and kicking duties, receiving Second Team All-Ivy honors for both.
While the Orange struggled to make kicks this season, Kennedy thrived in practice. Eventually, his number was called.
“It was a very competitive situation, and he just continued to chip away,” Vollono said.
“You get to a point where it’s so close, neck and neck, How is this guy versus how is this guy? Well, they’re so close, who’s gonna get this? And
Engelstad used his talent accordingly, initiating a Smart-esque VCU press. They trapped everywhere, unleashing relentless pressure for 40 minutes straight. Engelstad’s teams were 11 players deep, keeping everyone fresh.
It translated to instant success. In Engelstad’s first game, Southern Vermont took down national powerhouse Williams College, led by current NBA forward Duncan Robinson.
SVC won 16 games that year after just three in the previous two seasons. It then accumulated 49 wins from 2014-16, going 32-0 in the New England Collegiate Conference and clinching a spot in the 2015 D-III NCAA Tournament.
Engelstad’s 104-34 record, four straight NECC regular-season titles and two conference tournament victories (2015, 2018) changed the standard at Southern Vermont.
“We won some championships. We had some tough heartbreak losses. But everyone that was part of that (team) still stay in close contact and talk about the relationships,” Engelstad said of SVC.
His success garnered attention from a familiar face.
Christian left for Siena in 2018, which left a vacancy at Mount Saint Mary’s. Due to Engelstad’s previous time there, he was targeted for the opening. Though it was tough to leave Southern Vermont, Engelstad knew D-I jobs didn’t magically appear.
“The Mount was probably the one job that I could have gotten at that point, from the Division III level,” Engelstad said. “I’d been there and cultivated a lot of really great relationships within that department.”
Engelstad carried the same principles back to The Mount. He recruited the DMV well, prioritizing lengthy wings who could defend hard. He didn’t garner the same success as SVC, posting a 72-109 record in six seasons.
His biggest success came in 2021, helping MSM to the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers defeated top-seeded Wagner in the Northeastern Conference semifinals before dispatching No. 2 seed Bryant in the finals. The Mountaineers later fell to Texas Southern in the First Four.
After one more season in the NEC, Engelstad helped Mount Saint Mary’s transition to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Then, two years later, a Power Five opportunity opened for the first time when former SU assistant Gerry McNamara left for Siena this offseason.
Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry and Engelstad’s relationship goes back 20 years. In Engelstad’s first stint at MSM, he recruited Raven Barber, who played at Paul VI High School (Virginia), where Autry spent time as an assistant.
Despite being an assistant coach, SU’s rich history was something Engelstad couldn’t pass up. Now, he looks out his window at the banners scaling the walls of the Carmelo K. Anthony Center. It serves as a constant reminder of where he wants Syracuse to be and how far he’s come.
Two decades ago, just the thought of having an office seemed unfathomable. When Engelstad started coaching, he barely made enough to get by. He did obscure things nobody else wanted to, allowing him to foster strong relationships.
It all culminated in an unorthodox climb to the top, which Engelstad only has himself to thank.
“One of the smartest things I ever did was hop in that car and go sit down and talk with Milan,” Engelstad said. “It’s amazing where the coaching journey has taken me.”
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UAlbany’s Lilly Phillips drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with three seconds left as Syracuse fell to the Great Danes 73-70.
to get SU back the lead at the 1:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
Then the SU offense started to slow down. In the final minutes, Schmitt threw the ball into the hands of UAlbany and Woolley was called for an offensive foul.
With just three seconds left, Phillips’ 3-pointer lifted UAlbany ahead 73-70 and
we just got to the point where we felt like it was his time,” Vollono added.
Brown said the decision to start Kennedy came after he had the best showing in practice leading up to the Virginia Tech game. The decision was quickly proven right.
The Orange and Hokies battled back and forth in a tight game where every point mattered. Trailing 14-0 at the beginning of the second quarter, SU faced a fourth-and-9 from VT’s 26.
It was a spot where Syracuse had folded throughout the season. The Orange were 0-for-5 from 40-plus yards before the game. Yet Brown trotted Kennedy out for the 44-yard attempt, which he drilled to put SU on the board. Kennedy added three more extra points — including a crucial one to send the game to overtime with 29 seconds left in regulation, eventually clinching an overtime victory.
The next week against Boston College, Kennedy was perfect, making four extra points and a 25-yard field goal. His two performances garnered added job security from Brown.
“I see him constantly kicking it through the uprights, so there’s no more competition unless he makes it go wide right or wide left,” Brown said.
“We’re going to compete every day, but he’s constantly making them in practice. They compete in practice, and he’s winning in practice,
Burrows’ late heave was off the mark, handing SU its third loss of the season.
“We’re going to learn from this,” Woolley said. “We’ve really got to come together as a team and as a family and be Syracuse University women’s basketball again.”
tswilcox@syr.edu @TimmyWilcox32
which is why he’s kicking in the game and he’s winning in the game.”
Kennedy’s third opportunity against Cal only added to his early success. He totaled 15 points, going 3-for-3 on extra points and 4-for-4 on field goals. Kennedy easily hammered kicks from 42 and 43 yards out. His production in field goal kicking graded at 75.7, according to Pro Football Focus, the fourth-best grade in the nation in Week 12.
While kicking was Syracuse’s glaring weakness throughout the first half of its season, it’s become a strength since Kennedy revived the unit. According to Kennedy, kicking is largely a mental game. At Cornell, he played at venues with much fewer fans and rarely any behind the uprights. Still, with newfound success at a Power Four school, Kennedy’s keeping things in perspective.
“There’s so much pressure around the whole kicking world. I think when you really boil it down, it’s just (about) being prepared for your opportunity,” Kennedy said. “It’s the same fieldgoal post wherever you go. When I was in middle school versus where I am now, it’s the same distance, there’s still the same height in the air. It’s just what’s going on around you.”
aaron hammer staff photographer
men’s
Beat writers agree SU will drop 1st game of the season to Texas
By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Syracuse’s first three games have been eventful to say the least. The Orange are 3-0, defeating Le Moyne, Colgate and Youngstown State. Those victories came by a combined 15 points, though, with SU needing double overtime to prevail over YSU.
J.J. Starling willed the Orange to victory with a career-high 38 points, with 31 coming after halftime. Eddie Lampkin Jr. also chipped in 20 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven assists. Despite leading by eight in the first overtime, YSU stormed back to force a second OT, but the Orange outscored the Penguins 18-9 across the final five minutes.
Syracuse now travels to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the Legends Classic, where it takes on Texas. The Longhorns have won three straight games after losing their season-opener to Ohio State.
Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (3-0, Atlantic Coast Conference) will fare against Texas (3-1, Southeastern Conference): sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports
ZAK WOLF (3-0) HORNS UP SYRACUSE 72, TEXAS 85
Last week I said if Syracuse didn’t beat Youngstown State handily, the alarm bells would reach deafening levels. It’s safe to say that’s the case. The Orange haven’t shown they can handily beat below average opponents, especially one that’s made the past four NCAA Tournaments. I was tempted to say Texas would blow Syracuse out of the water, but this could be the classic case of SU playing up to its competition.
We’ll find out Thursday. But for now, I see SU losing this one pretty easily. The Longhorns boast an efficient offense, as they shoot 59.5% from the field, the 22nd-best mark in the country, per KenPom. Texas’ opponents also shoot just 36.6% from 2-point range. Considering 62.1% of Syracuse’s points come from the paint, that doesn’t bode well for the Orange.
SU is going to need someone to step up from 3-point range. As a team, the Orange are shooting 25.4% from deep, while no player that has at least five attempts is shooting more than 32%. I don’t see this being the game Syracuse heats up from the outside. For that reason, I have the Orange dropping their first game of the season in Brooklyn.
AIDEN STEPANSKY (3-0) LOSERS CLASSIC SYRACUSE 79, TEXAS 90
The good news is the Orange are undefeated to start the season. The bad news is those might have been the most unconvincing wins in recent memory. SU’s last scare came at the hands of Youngstown State. Though Syracuse won by eight points, the Penguins were a few lucky bounces away from handing the Orange possibly their worst loss in program history.
Entering the Legends Classic, this Syracuse team will exit closer to being losers than legends. SU has already dropped tremendously in KenPom’s rankings, falling from 68 to open the season to 106 entering Thursday’s game. Its last three opponents all ranked far lower than 180. Texas, however, is inside the top 25.
This one could get ugly quick. But for some odd reason, I see SU sticking around through the first half. Head coach Adrian Autry has made it abundantly clear the squad’s biggest flaw is its defense. Against the Longhorns, Syracuse’s defense will rear its ugly head.
The Orange will have absolutely zero answer for the Longhorns’ potent offense and allow them to pick them apart throughout the evening.
JUSTIN GIRSHON (3-0) BROOKLYN BLOWOUT
SYRACUSE 70, TEXAS 87
Syracuse might be 3-0, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. The Orange were supposed to dominate their three-game homestand to open the season before embarking for the Empire Classic. Instead, they travel to the Barclays Center with more questions than answers.
SU’s biggest concern thus far is its defense, specifically in the backcourt. Unfortunately for Syracuse, it’ll have its hands full with Texas phenom freshman Tre Johnson. Four games into his college career, 247Sports’ No. 6 class of 2024 recruit is averaging 23.5 points per game while shooting 58.9% from the field and 58.6 from 3 — on 7.3 attempts, nonetheless.
While Johnson is the Longhorns’ main threat, he’s supported entirely by upperclassmen, headlined by forwards Arthur Kaluma and Kadin Shedrick. Facing an SU team that lacks fluidity and chemistry, I think Texas should have no problems and cruise to a double-digit victory.
The trip to Brooklyn will be a wake-up call for the Orange. If SU’s defensive and 3-point struggles persist, I think it could prompt Autry to make rotational changes going forward.
Opponent Preview: What to know about SU’s matchup with Texas
By Zak Wolf sports editor
Syracuse has gone through a peculiar start to the season. The Orange have yet to play a Power Four opponent, though they’ve been challenged in all three of their contests so far. SU barely defeated Le Moyne and Colgate, winning by a combined six points in each contest.
In Syracuse’s latest game, it needed double overtime to defeat Youngstown State 104-95. The Orange trailed by seven at halftime, but J.J. Starling came alive to help force overtime. The shooting guard scored 31 of his career-high 38 points after the break. Eddie Lampkin Jr. also proved crucial down the stretch, scoring or assisting 10 of SU’s 18 points in the second overtime.
Now, Syracuse faces Texas, its first tough test of the season. The matchup with the Longhorns will be SU’s first of two games at the Legends Classic in Brooklyn, New York. Texas is the first of three tricky nonconference opponents for the Orange before they head into conference play.
Here’s everything to know about Texas (3-1, Southeastern Conference) before it takes on Syracuse (3-0, Atlantic Coast Conference) in Brooklyn Thursday:
All-time series Syracuse leads 1-0.
Last time they played…
The stakes were a little higher the last — and only — time Syracuse took on Texas. The two schools met in the 2003 Final Four in New Orleans. Texas came in as the No. 1 overall seed while the SU was a No. 3 seed in the East Region. That night, it was the Carmelo Anthony show.
The then-freshman phenom put on one of the most legendary NCAA Tournament game performances, dropping 33 points on 12-of19 shooting and 14 rebounds in 37 minutes. Anthony’s performance spearheaded SU to a 95-84 win, advancing it to the NCAA title game. Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara also chipped in with 18 and 19 points, respectively, as the Orange shot 57% from the field.
KenPom Odds
Syracuse has a projected 19% chance to win, with a projected score of 83-73.
The Longhorns report
Texas is coming off its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Longhorns finished the 2023-24 season 21-13, falling to Tennessee 62-58 in the second round of the big dance. UT lost its four top scorers from that team, including the starting backcourt of Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter along with secondleading scorer Dylan Disu.
The Longhorns added experienced players Jordan Pope, Tramon Mark and Arthur Kaluma in the transfer portal along with star freshman Tre Johnson. The shooting guard is Texas’ leading scorer, while center Kadin Shedrick increased his scoring average from 7.7 points per game to 11.
UT’s depth has shone through during its first four games, with seven players averaging at least 6.5 points. Though its strength lines in its offensive efficiency. Its effective field goal percentage — a stat which adjusts a player’s field-goal percentage to the added value of 3-point shots — is 59.5%. According to KenPom, that is the 20th-best rate in the country. Meanwhile, Syracuse is giving up a 52.6 effective field-goal percentage, which ranks 230th in the nation.
How Syracuse beats Texas
With how closely Syracuse has played against mediocre competition so far, it’s hard to see a path for the Orange to pull off a win. If they do, it’ll be behind Starling. The junior dragged SU over the line Saturday and proved he can be the much-needed alpha on this team. He completely took over, taking a shot nearly every time down the floor. Starling showed off his diverse scoring arsenal, knocking down mid-range jumpers while aggressively attacking the basket.
Starling and the rest of Syracuse’s roster needs to display a sense of urgency in the first
half. The Orange haven’t started any game well — one of the main reasons they’ve had to eke out three straight close wins. Syracuse can’t afford to start slow against Texas, or else it’ll be punished.
Whether it’s playing through Starling on the perimeter or dumping the ball down to Lampkin, SU needs to convert. Texas presents an elite defense, holding its last three opponents to under 60 points. The Longhorns’ 95.5 defensive KenPom rating is in the top 30 nationally.
Stat to know: 36.6%
According to KenPom, Texas’ opponents shoot just 36.6% from 2-point range, which is the third-best mark in the country. Considering Syracuse’s struggles from beyond the arc — 25.4% through three games — this presents a major problem for the Orange.
Syracuse gets 62.1% of its points from 2-pointers, the eighth-highest rate in the country, meaning something’s got to give. Either the Orange’s success below the arc will continue or Texas will completely
nullify the way SU attacks. With how SU has played so far this season, the latter seems more plausible.
Player to watch: Tre Johnson, guard, No. 20
There’s no doubt Johnson is the most talented player on Texas’ roster. The No. 6 player in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports, has wasted no time adjusting to college basketball. He’s averaging 23.5 points through four games, scoring at least 18 in every contest so far. The shooting guard burst onto the scene with 29 points against Ohio State on Nov. 11, draining five 3-pointers.
Johnson is a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He’s displayed impressive efficiency, shooting 59% from the field. Johnson could continue his strong start Thursday since Syracuse has struggled to contain opposing guards in its first three games.
men’s basketball
Syracuse travels to Brooklyn, New York, Thursday for the Legends Classic. The Orange take on Texas, their first Power Four opponent this season at the Barclays Center. leonardo eriman staff photographer
Jackson Kennedy curbing SU’s field-goal kicking issues
By Aiden Stepansky asst. sports editor
Among the numerous issues that arose in Syracuse’s 28-point loss to Pitt on Oct. 24, the Orange missed their only field goal attempt of the game. It pushed them to 5-of-11 on the season, ranking last in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
A few days after the loss, then-third-string kicker Jackson Kennedy received texts from special teams coordinator James Vollono and head coach Fran Brown. The messages were simple. They told the redshirt junior he would get a chance that week and to prepare accordingly, which came as a surprise to Kennedy.
“If you asked me (in the beginning of the season) I’d be like, ‘I’m probably not gonna play this year,’” Kennedy said. “But it’s knowing that you never know when your opportunity will come.”
Kennedy has taken his chance and ran with it. Through three games as SU’s placekicker, the Cornell transfer has converted on all six field goal attempts — three from 40-plus yards — and is 10-of-11 on extra points. As Syracuse’s third kicker used in 2024, Kennedy’s recent success has brought much-needed stabilization to a unit that saw both Brady Denaburg and Jadyn Oh struggle to start the season.
“He saved us,” Brown said of Kennedy’s revelation.
Syracuse’s kicking position hasn’t been an issue in recent years. Andre Szmyt secured the position from 2018-22, becoming the program’s
Previewing Syracuse’s final nonconference game vs. UConn
By Aiden Stepansky asst. sports editor
Syracuse has already established a formidable foundation in its first season under head coach Fran Brown. In its last game against California, SU quickly took control, backed by two firstquarter interceptions by Marlowe Wax and Davien Kerr, along with the potent running of LeQuint Allen Jr.
Quarterback Kyle McCord also had another tremendous day through the air, eclipsing SU’s single-season record for completions. With another stellar performance in Week 13, McCord will likely take over as the single-season passing touchdowns and yards holder at Syracuse.
In McCord’s way is UConn. The Huskies are 7-3 to start the campaign while already facing two other Atlantic Coast Conference foes. UConn is in its third season under Jim Mora, who has seen mediocre success in his tenure thus far.
Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse’s (7-3, 4-3 ACC) noon kickoff against UConn (7-3, Independent) Saturday:
All time series
The series is tied at 6-6.
Last time they played …
In the 12th all-time meeting on Sept. 10, 2022, Syracuse completed its fourth straight win over UConn. The Orange dismantled the Huskies, led by quarterback Garrett Shrader’s two first-
quarter touchdowns. Shrader’s scores helped SU jump out to a 17-0 lead after 15 minutes.
Devontae Houston answered with a 28-yard touchdown run, but the Orange added on to lead 27-7 at halftime and never looked back. Shrader recorded 292 passing yards and five total touchdowns while Sean Tucker’s 112 rushing yards led Syracuse to a 48-14 victory. The win was the second of six straight to start SU’s 2022 campaign.
The Huskies report
With seven wins, The Huskies are bowleligible for the second consecutive season. UConn currently ranks 37th in the country in scoring offense, averaging 31.7 points per game. The Huskies possess an extremely even attack, passing for 2,019 yards and running for 2,003.
A unique approach has led to UConn’s offensive success as it poses multiple threats at quarterback. Joe Fagnano has 1,071 passing yards and 13 touchdowns while sophomore Nick Evers is close behind at 918 yards. The two have split time, with Evers playing 464 snaps and Fagnano in for 236.
To aid the passing game, the Huskies have three running backs with more than 500 yards on the ground. Durell Robinson, Cam Edwards and Mel Brown each have eclipsed the mark on almost 100 carries each while Evers has added 234 rushing yards.
UConn presents a strong offensive line with tackles Chase Lundt and Valentin Senn holding
a 84.6 and 78.3 grade on Pro Football Focus, respectively. The Huskies’ overall run-blocking grade ranks second in the nation, per PFF.
Defensively, UConn has progressed since its season-opening 50-7 loss to Maryland, not allowing 30 or more points since. Redshirt senior Malik Dixon-Williams leads the team with three interceptions while Tui Faumuina-Brown leads in sacks at 4.5.
The Huskies are 4-2 in one-possession games, losing to Duke by five on Sept. 14 and more recently falling by three to Wake Forest on Oct. 19. UConn is also 0-3 against Power Four opponents, falling by a combined 51-point margin.
How Syracuse beats UConn
To put it simply, this is a game that Syracuse shouldn’t lose. The Orange will capture their eighth win of the season by getting out to a fast start offensively and riding it out from there. This season, SU is fourth in the country in time of possession at 33:49 while the Huskies are just 64th at 30:17.
While the Orange have struggled to get out to fast starts this season, they halted that narrative versus Cal. SU jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead behind three touchdowns and two interceptions. A similar formula against UConn may put this one to bed before halftime.
Stats to know: 273, 2
McCord has already accomplished one of the greatest seasons in SU’s quarterback history.
The senior has passed legends like Donovan McNabb, Marvin Graves and Don McPherson for single-season passing yards and touchdowns 10 games in.
Saturday against UConn, McCord needs 273 passing yards and two touchdowns to match Ryan Nassib’s 2012 single-season program records in those categories. McCord currently sits at 3,476 yards and 24 touchdowns while Nassib’s totals were 3,749 and 26. The Huskies have allowed just nine passing touchdowns through 10 games and 200.9 yards per game through the air. SU’s quarterback will be tested, but he’ll likely hit both marks on Saturday and further distinguish his season as the best in program history.
Player to watch: Jayden McDonald, linebacker, No. 10
In his fifth college season — and first with the Huskies — McDonald is having a career year. The transfer from Troy leads UConn with 87 tackles, tied for 27th in the nation.
McDonald’s prowess in the running game is a top attribute, as he possesses a team-leading 81.8 rushing defense grade, according to PFF. Three of his last five performances ended in a dozen or more tackles. McDonald, who turns 25 five days after the contest, brings an experience level to UConn’s linebacking corps that Syracuse will be forced to test Saturday.
amstepan@syr.edu @Aidenstepansky
Syracuse’s kicking game was a glaring weakness early in 2024. In the last three games, the Orange have used redshirt junior Jackson Kennedy stabilize the position. jacob halsema staff photographer
SCALING THE MOUNTAIN
College. Now, he’s a Power Four
Dan Engelstad’s unorthodox coaching journey has led him to Syracuse as an assistant
By Zak Wolf sports editor
Dan Engelstad hopped in his beatup red Volvo and drove 45 minutes from Bethesda, Maryland, to Prince George’s County in 2007. As a 22-year-old recent Saint Mary’s College of Maryland graduate, Engelstad was desperate to break into the coaching industry. So, he got creative.
He got word that then-Mount Saint Mary’s head coach Milan Brown would be recruiting at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School. Brown had an opening on his staff, which Engelstad expressed interest in. That wasn’t enough for him, so Engelstad showed up unannounced and immediately struck up a conversation with Brown.
The two discussed Engelstad’s possible role under Brown. He made it clear the pay wouldn’t be much — $5,000 to be exact, barely enough to be considered a part-time gig. It didn’t matter to Engelstad. Two weeks later, he was offered the job.
“He treated it like he was a kid in a candy store,” Brown said. “He didn’t care. I probably could have paid him nothing. He would’ve still done it. He was just hungry to coach.”
Engelstad’s actions initiated a snowball effect, which brought him to Syracuse 17 years later as an assistant coach. The 40-year-old built his coaching career from the ground up, totaling eight seasons as an assistant between Mount Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross. Then came a stint as Division III Southern Vermont’s head coach from 2013-18 before returning to the Mount as its head coach for six seasons.
To begin his career, Engelstad needed to work tirelessly with how little Brown offered him. He fit the bill.
Engelstad stuffed envelopes, emailed donors and developed detailed scouting reports — sometimes staying up until 6 a.m. The couch in his office acted as a second bed.
“There was always something to do, always something to be done,” Engelstad said. “I was fortunate to learn from some really good people and how the Division I basketball operation went.” Still in playing shape from college, Brown used Engelstad as a scout team point guard. According to former MSM assistant Kevin Robinson Jr., Engelstad often challenged players by trashtalking them.
As a result, Players gravitated toward him. Whether it was getting a slice of pizza at the local restaurant, Rocky’s, talking to players in his office or conducting one-on-one workouts, Engelstad made himself available.
“That’s one of Dan’s greatest traits. As soon as you get to know Dan, you’re in his family, he’s gonna treat you as such … he just was relentless in the building of relationships,” Robinson said.
The work didn’t go unnoticed. After helping the Mountaineers to a Northeastern Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008, he received two pay raises — joking they were “above minimum wage.” Engelstad impressed Brown enough that he asked him to join his staff when he became Holy Cross’ head coach in 2010.
There, Engelstad gained more responsibility. His bread and butter came on the recruiting trail.
staff photographer see engelstad page 13
women’s basketball
By Timmy Wilcox senior staff writer
Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack was fiery following her team’s loss to UAlbany Wednesday. Legette-Jack went on an impassioned two-minute-plus rant. She was blunt. Legette-Jack said the better team didn’t win, but the more prepared team did. Furthermore, Legette-Jack voiced her frustration with the lack of care
from the community surrounding SU’s women’s basketball program. She pointed out the low attendance at the JMA Wireless Dome.
“We’ve got to decide that we’re going to hunker down and turn the noise out from all the people on the outside and lock into the inside and get real with each other,” Legette-Jack said.
The Orange let a double-digit firstquarter lead slip before halftime and trailed by as much as eight in the third
quarter. Georgia Woolley scored 23 points and was crucial to SU battling late in the contest. But UAlbany’s (4-0, 0-0 America East) Lilly Phillips nailed a 3-pointer with just three seconds left to hand Syracuse (2-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 73-70 loss. Kayla Cooper led the Great Danes with 21 points as SU suffered its third home loss of the season. SU’s offense got out to a slow start, but its defense stalled UAlbany. The
Orange kept the Great Danes off the board in each of their first two possessions, and Izabel Varejão opened the scoring with a turnaround jumper on the left block. UAlbany matched with a layup at the other end, but Syracuse took back the lead two minutes later as Woolley netted a pair of free throws. Once ahead 4-2, SU’s offense took off. Sophie Burrows nailed a jumper, and Varejão got her hand in the
passing lane for SU’s second caused turnover at the 5:20 mark. The steal powered Syracuse to add to its tally as Woolley converted a tough shot through contact to push SU’s lead to 9-3. Off the bench, Journey Thompson entered the game and blocked a layup by Phillips. In backto-back possessions, Burrows hit a corner 3, and Woolley made see ualbany page 13
dan engelstad’s unorthodox coaching journey included a stop at Division III Southern Vermont
assistant at Syracuse. aaron hammer