March 22, 2021

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MONDAY

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dailyorange.com

C • Influential assistant

N • Inaccessible campus

Despite SU’s efforts to make campus more inclusive, students and faculty with disabilities said there are still many buildings and facilities that remain inaccessible.

Page 3

S • The dance goes on

Syracuse beat No. 9 seed South Dakota State on Sunday evening to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Emily Engstler had 18 points in the win.

Page 12

SU alumna Rafy Evans is TikTok star Bryce Hall’s assistant. Here’s how she keeps the social media influencer and the other members of the Sway House organized.

Page 7

HOW SWEET IT IS

After a slow first half, Buddy Boeheim rattled off 19 second-half points, including a clutch free throw to help seal the Orange’s win. Syracuse will now face No. 2 seed Houston in the Sweet 16 on Saturday. courtesy of joe robbins ncaa photos

By Danny Emerman senior staff writer

I

NDIANAPOLIS — The year is 2021, Jim Boeheim is 76 years old, and Syracuse is going to the Sweet 16 as an 11-seed.

This season’s group has Buddy Boeheim wearing the cape. The junior scored just three points in the first half Sunday against West Virginia but erupted for 22 in the final frame. He hit a pull-up two and a stare-down 3 down the stretch, as well as three free throws in the game’s waning seconds.

If the last few games were blockbuster superhero movies starring Buddy, the superstar, this was more of an ensemble cast. WVU’s pressure

Syracuse advances to Sweet 16 after 75-72 upset win over No. 3-seed West Virginia

defense keyed in on Buddy — who entered averaging 26.2 points per game in six March games — but his sidekicks picked up the slack as he took a half to heat up. Every starter scored in the game’s opening seven minutes, and four finished with double figures.

To ice the game, Syracuse didn’t need Buddy to play hero ball. Freshman point guard Kadary Richmond found Robert Braswell for a 3 after a great back cut. Marek Dolezaj slipped to the cup and touch-passed to Quincy Guerrier for a dunk.

WVU’s once-patented press gave SU a serious scare, but Buddy hit free throws after Richmond made a crucial play by dribbling through traffic across halfcourt, avoiding a late turnover. The Orange (18-9, 9-7 Atlantic Coast) held on for a see west

virginia page 4

coronavirus

100+ gather at Castle Court after SU tournament wins

By Maggie Hicks asst. news editor

More than 100 people, many without masks, gathered at Castle Court on Sunday night following victories from Syracuse University’s basketball teams in the NCA A Tournament.

The group shouted in celebration as cars passing by honked their horns before the Syracuse Police

Department dispatched officers to Harrison Street and the corner of Walnut Avenue and Walnut Place.

SPD spokesperson Sgt. Matthew Malinowski confirmed that the department broke up a “large parking lot party” shortly after.

SPD blocked off streets in the area.

Hoards of cars and students continued filling the streets around SU’s campus after SPD broke up the party.

SU men’s basketball team defeat-

ed West Virginia University 75-72 on Sunday, entering the tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018.

The women’s basketball team beat South Dakota State 72-55 in its first game in the NCAA Tournament.

Hundreds of students have packed into Castle Court to celebrate previous victories of SU’s sports teams.

Students also gathered on Comstock Avenue and throughout the

University Neighborhood, with the county’s 911 dispatch log showing that SPD responded to several COVID-19 violations at houses in the area.

The university implores students to celebrate and act responsibly, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement.

“We appreciate our students are excited about our basketball teams’ wins tonight in their respective

NCAA tournaments,” Scalese said.

“However, now is not the time to let our guard down nor is it acceptable for our students to willfully disregard public health guidelines and the Stay Safe Pledge.”

SU is currently tracking a cluster emerging in residence halls. There were 92 active cases among students in central New York as of Sunday . mehicks@syr.edu @maggie_hickss

2 march 22, 2021

about

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

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

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

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

“Fixing the buildings is much easier than changing hearts,” - Michael Schwartz, the director of the Disability Rights Clinic at SU’s College of Law Page 3

OPINION “The whole social system is complacent in an endless cycle of victimization of young girls. To put it simply, rape culture is just Greek culture. Rape culture is just party culture.” — Ava Notkin, ’21 Page 5

CULTURE “I would rather have clout for being really good at what I do and for people to know that I’m very good at what I do.’” - Rafy Evans, Bryce Hall’s assistant Page 7

SPORTS “Look around, look at some of the teams that are out. It’s really hard to get to the Sweet 16.” - Jim Boeheim, men’s basketball coach Page 1

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

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

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WHERE: Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion

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PAG E 3

march 22, 2021

on campus

suny-esf

Despite efforts, SU facilities remain inacessible College stops use of tracking service

By Gabe Stern

enterprise editor

ALISON GILMORE said that if campus spaces are inaccessible, students with disabilities can’t perform at their best. Gilmore, who has cerebral palsy, has faced challenges in several university buildings that aren’t accessible.

emily steinberger photo editor

By Richard Perrins and Maggie Hicks the daily orange

The reality of living with a disability had never been clearer to Alison Gilmore than when she came to Syracuse University.

Most people can identify the challenges people with disabilities face when a space isn’t physically accessible but can’t necessarily recognize the mental toll that accompanies it, said Gilmore, a first-year student who has cerebral palsy.

“When I go to a new building on campus, it’s always in the back of my mind of whether it’s going to be accessible or not,” Gilmore said.

“I want to be able to use it for what it’s worth, and when a building is inaccessible, it takes away from my participation or from whatever I’m trying to do.”

SU’s Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate,

Diversity and Inclusion noted in a March report that 10,000 obstructions of campus buildings and facilities could be considered accessibility code violations. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires institutions to update facilities to comply with the law, but it makes exceptions for cases where those updates aren’t “readily achievable.”

The list was first acknowledged by the Disability External Review Committee, whose recommendations university administrators have already endorsed and begun implementing.

Some disability experts said the university is “on the right track” to becoming more accessible and inclusive, but many students and faculty are still concerned about campus-wide inaccessibility.

Michael Schwartz, who is the director of the Disability Rights Clinic at SU’s College of Law and the co-chair of the Disability External

Review Committee, said that the 10,000 obstructions likely include smaller barriers to access in many of the older buildings on campus.

The ADA, which was passed in 1990 and prohibits discrimination based on disability, requires any new buildings on campus to be accessible. But any facility that was constructed before the act was passed is likely not accessible, Schwartz said.

“That’s 120 years of buildings without a law that was telling them that they needed to make the building accessible,” Schwartz said. “It’s a natural normal, that’s what we have — those 10,000 little incidents of obstructions. Things like bathrooms where the stall doors are too narrow for wheelchair users or a classroom that doesn’t have captioning when they’re showing a video.”

Gilmore especially faces challenges when stairs inside and out-

side of buildings don’t have railings.

Stairs in Maxwell Auditorium, as well as the stairs in front of the Remembrance Memorial and Hendricks Chapel, don’t have railings, which can be extremely difficult to navigate for people with physical disabilities, she said.

The stairs and aisles in Maxwell Auditorium are also narrow, which Gilmore said makes it hard for her to move around during classes or club meetings.

“I don’t know what’s up to code and what isn’t, but I can tell you right now Maxwell isn’t,” Gilmore said.

Stephen Kuusisto — who is the director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach at the Burton Blatt Institute, an organization within the College of Law that works with civil and disability law — said many auditoriums on campus pose similar issues for see accessibility page 6

coronavirus

Students adjust to COVID-19 policies amid surge

By Mira Berenbaum, Sarah Alessandrini, Kailey Norusis the daily orange

Students living in three Syracuse University residence halls where clusters of COVID-19 infections were reported last week are undergoing frequent testing and participating in enhanced safety precautions.

SU closed all indoor dining spaces, including Schine Student Center and campus dining halls, on Wednesday after detecting clusters of COVID-19 cases in DellPlain, Booth and Shaw residence halls.

The university also shut down lounges and study spaces within the three halls to curb the virus’s spread. Students in these halls were supplied with extra masks

and hand wipes and instructed to double-mask.

As of Sunday, SU reported 92 active COVID-19 among students and employees in central New York — the highest the number of active cases reported during the spring semester. SU also reported that 275 students were in quarantine due to confirmed exposure.

Capeley Zimet and Laura Kuruvilla, who live in DellPlain, expressed frustration at the lack of study and lounge spaces, especially after the university shut down indoor dining.

“It’s just frustrating because there is nowhere to eat that isn’t my dorm now,” said Zimet, a sophomore.

Living in a dorm can cause stress because of how easily the virus can

spread among residents, said Kuruvilla, a sophomore television, radio and film student.

“It’s definitely scary living in a dorm because it’s so easily spread here,” she said.

Cameron Brito, a sophomore living in Shaw Hall, was tested for COVID-19 three days in a row. After completing his mandatory surveillance testing Tuesday morning, Brito received an email Tuesday evening from the COVID-19 management office informing him that his dorm hall was required to perform additional testing on Wednesday, he said.

The next day, SU released an updated testing schedule, which required Brito and all Shaw residents to get tested on Thursday.

While all three of the tests came back negative, Brito expressed frustration about the testing requirements being so close in proximity to one another.

“That was kind of annoying,” Brito said. “They were all negative, so I wasn’t sure why I had to go again on Thursday, but I do understand that the university wants to make sure we are all being safe and containing the outbreak.”

Brito said that the lack of access to the lounges and common spaces has been the biggest change. While he does not know of anyone on his floor who tested positive, he was aware of about 20 individuals on other floors who went into quarantine or isolation. see cluster page 6

SUNY-ESF has ended an agreement with a firm that used internet software to collect data on prospective students, a university spokesperson confirmed.

The agreement with Capture Higher Ed, an admissions consulting firm — which lasted from January 31, 2019 to January 31, 2020 — allowed the company to install tracking software on SUNY-ESF’s website that gathered data on prospective students.

The college paid $32,500 for Capture’s services.

SUNY-ESF installed code that gathers visitor data and listed the private company as a “school official” with “legitimate educational interests” to provide the firm with data protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, according to a previously obtained copy of the contract.

FERPA restricts the amount of information about students that schools receiving federal funding can release.

“Given our recruitment strategy, it didn’t make sense to continue with Capture and the contract wasn’t renewed,” a SUNY-ESF spokesperson said in a statement last week.

Capture is one of several firms that partners with colleges and universities to install tracking software on their websites. A Washington Post investigation in October 2019 found that SUNYESF is one of at least 44 colleges and universities that partnered with Capture and Ruffalo Noel Levitz, another high-profile data firm, to track prospective students’ web activity and make predictions on who is most likely to enroll.

Emails between Capture and a SUNY-ESF admissions director, also obtained in 2019, show Capture’s daily visitor information reports, which includes visitors’ enrollment years, location and “status,” along with what pages they visited on the college’s website.

SUNY-ESF’s privacy policy at the time said that the school does not use cookies. Now, it says that it uses cookies for “stored login sessions and analytical purposes.”

Capture also agreed it would not share its data with any third parties “except as required by this Agreement or as otherwise required by law,” according to the contract.

“We learned from the experience with Capture and built our internal resources to better reach students and (provide) information of the educational excellence at ESF,” the spokesperson said in a statement Friday.

After The D.O. reported on the agreement in 2019, a SUNYESF spokesperson said they were “reviewing the need to continue the contract.” gkstern@syr.edu @gabestern326

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

4 march 22, 2021

city

Residents host vigil for Asian American hate crime victims

By Richard Perrins asst. copy editor

Dozens of people gathered at Hanover Square in downtown Syracuse on Sunday to remember the lives of the Asian women who were killed in Atlanta earlier this week.

A white man shot and killed eight people — Hyun Jung Grant, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae Yue, Suncha Kim, Delaina Ashley Yaun and Soon Chung Park — in three spas in Atlanta on Tuesday. Six of the victims were Asian women.

Police have said it’s too early for the suspect to be charged with hate crimes, but violence against Asian Americans has increased throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Roughly 3,800 incidents of racial violence against Asian Americans have been reported during the pandemic, according to NBC. Female victims made up about 68% of these reports.

Organizers at the vigil praised the solidarity and willingness to come together that the crowd, which included members of Women’s March Syracuse and Rebirth SYR, exemplified.

Emad Rahim, whose family came to the U.S. in the early 1980s to escape genocide in Cambodia, said in a speech that Syracuse is a city that should never stand for racially motivated violence.

Rahim referenced the culture of Syracuse that, for him, represents the support system he

wishes the rest of the country would embrace.

“What existed in Syracuse that still exists today is tolerance,” Rahim said. “There were some amazing families that were there to love us, to support us, embrace us and celebrate us.

That is the history of Syracuse.”

Another speaker, Jay Subedi, said that, although people of Asian descent like him may not all have been born in the U.S., they deserve the benefits of calling the country home.

“We work here, we pay taxes, and we are all the contributing factors to this community,” Subedi said. “What is going on in the country right now is not justice.”

Nodesia Hernandez, director of community outreach for New York State Sen. Rachel May, also spoke at the vigil and echoed Subedi’s sentiment that justice is not being served for marginalized community members in the U.S. “We built America. There would not be an America without us. We’re tired of the hatred toward the people who made the country what it is today. Enough is enough,” she said.

Hernandez proudly wore a face mask bearing the face of Vice President Kamala Harris and referenced her courage as a person of Asian heritage. President Joe Biden and Harris condemned the shootings in a statement on Friday.

Chancellor Kent Syverud and Syracuse University’s Student Association also put out

33.1% shooter hit his first three 3-pointers. He stepped into a pull-up 3 off a Dolezaj screen, then jogged back on defense after the jumper 75-72 win over the No. 3-seed Mountaineers swished through, waving his arms up and down (19-10, 11-6 Big 12). to egg on Orange fans. He slapped hands with “Look around,” Boeheim said. “Look at Buddy at the top of the zone, clapped his hands some of the teams that are out. It’s really hard twice, then several times more when Dolezaj to get to the Sweet 16.” took a charge to give SU possession back.

Boeheim, the oldest coach to ever reach the A few minutes later, Girard’s defender went Sweet 16, led his team to its third regional semi- under another Dolezaj pick, so Girard pulled final since 2016. In that span, only Gonzaga and up again, this time from about 30 feet. He Michigan — if the Wolverines win tomorrow sunk it — his third consecutive — then hustled — have been to more. And like SU did in 2018, inside to poke away a steal on the other end. the Orange have won two NCAA Tournaments His fourth triple came from the logo, and he after barely making the field of 68. put his finger up to his mouth to shush the “When I started coaching … I think we went crowd on his way back down the court. to 14 or 15 Sweet 16s,” Boeheim said. “Some of “It was really good to see the fans,” Boeheim them, I don’t even think we celebrated.” said on March 20. “I think Joe really reacted to This Sweet 16 berth, the first of Buddy’s it the best. I think he’s missed that the most career and his father’s 20th, was of course probably on the team.” worth celebrating. Buddy hugged his teamGirard, the ire of much of SU’s fanbase this mates after WVU’s last-second heave got year — and that of one anonymous ACC coach blown dead for a travel, then jumped in cel- — showed up when it suddenly, desperately ebration with his teammates when the final needed him. Though he didn’t score in the buzzer sounded. second half, Girard recorded 12 points, seven West Virginia was a perfect matchup for the assists and six rebounds.

Orange — WVU, which allows a high rate of open As the Orange offense hummed, their 2-3 jumpers, ran into Buddy and a jump shooting zone scatterbrained the Mountaineers. On team. WVU head coach Bob Huggins called out consecutive possessions, guard Taz Sherman plays opposite a coach who’s historically had his threw errant passes through the baseline. SU’s number (Boeheim’s now 6-1 against Huggins). backline challenged shots at the rim and broke The Mountaineers clocked in as one of the five up lob attempts with Jesse Edwards stepping worst zone offenses in the nation this season, per into Dolezaj’s spot because of foul trouble. A Synergy, and Syracuse’s 2-3 unsurprisingly gave flurry of 3-pointers saved WVU’s 3-point perthem fits in the first half. centage before halftime, but Huggins’ team still The Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd, turned the ball over 11 times in the first 20 minreduced in size but leaning fueled utes — one shy of its season average per game.

The Summer InstituteOrange, is a series of workshop-style 3-credit courses designed enable participants manage and differencesWVU bled open looks. Weakthe energetic Joe to Girard III early toon.

ThedisputesDefensively,

from page 1

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PARCC

COLLABORATIVE AND PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE: DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE COMPETENCIES FOR MANAGERS

PARCC SUMMER INSTITUTE

collaboratively in both professional and personal settings. If taken for graduate credit, each course may be accepted for PARCC’s 12-credit graduate Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS ) in Conflict and Collaboration.

Community members who attended Sunday’s vigil participated in a candlelit moment of silence. corey henry senior staff photographer

statements shortly after the attacks in Atlanta condemning anti-Asian racism.

After the speeches, the organizers led chants for justice before calling for a minutelong silence to represent the Asian community members who were murdered in the country they called home. The moment of silence was lit by candles handed out to attendees.

Tai Ngo Shaw moved to the U.S. from Vietnam in 1982 and now has a 12-year-old daugh-

ter. In his speech, Shaw reflected on the long history of prejudice against Asian Americans in the U.S and the sad resurgence of anti-Asian racism in the past year.

“I should not have to fear for the safety of my daughter as an Asian American woman,” Shaw said. “Our Asian heritage should be the source of great pride.”

side defenders helped off shooters. Occasionally, the Mountaineers switched screens or doubled the post seemingly at random. Its aggressive style made it vulnerable to slipped and off-ball screens.

In the five games leading up to Sunday, Syracuse was second in the nation in offensive efficiency. When Buddy caught fire again in the second half, it’s possible the best scoring team in the nation was operating. Assistant coach Gerry McNamara encouraged Buddy in the locker room at halftime — “I don’t care if you miss 200, just keep shooting,” Buddy remembers McNamara saying.

West Virginia cut Syracuse’s 35-29 halftime lead to three in the second half, but Buddy responded with two more 3-pointers — one of which was wide open at the top of the arc. Nobody picked him up. Buddy started 1-for-4 from deep but finished 6-for-13.

Early in the year, Buddy said he let misses get to his head. Not anymore. His mindset’s changed. Hitting 32-of-66 3-pointers (48.5%) in March helps.

“Early in the year, when I missed a couple I’d start pressing myself and really start thinking about my shots,” Buddy said. “And just changing my mindset, starting to attack, going off the dribble, getting into the lane better. Just continuing to believe in myself, always keep going.”

Behind Buddy, Syracuse went on a 12-3 run. Richmond came alive, and Dolezaj fed inside to Guerrier for a dunk. Sean McNeil (23 points) hit a 3 to make it 72-66 with 53.5 left. The Mountaineers wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t pretty for the Orange, as WVU cut the lead to two after a Dolezaj turnover and a missed Girard free

throw, but SU did just enough to win.

Three weeks ago, after Duke and Georgia Tech handed SU back-to-back losses, the Orange were kicked off the bubble. SU had barely scraped by Buffalo, Bryant and Northeastern, and it dropped two demoralizing games against lowly Pittsburgh. Hope was lost among fans and many commentators, as Boeheim has repeatedly referenced since.

The Orange then took their season on a 180 and beat North Carolina, Clemson and NC State, the latter in the ACC Tournament, to close the year and earn an 11-seed on the bubble. The defense gradually improved, and Buddy picked up steam. SU won three of four games — the loss coming on UVA Reece Beekman’s buzzer-beater — all of which kept it alive before flying to Indianapolis.

Then came the drubbing of No. 6 San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Hinkle Fieldhouse. SU played as well as it has all year, the peaks and valleys act yielding to only skyscraping mountains. From the summit, it offensively overpowered West Virginia.

“If you were to ask me a month or two months ago where we’d be, I wouldn’t say Sweet Sixteen, that’s for sure,” Buddy said.

So SU got the March Madness invite, and as it’s made a habit of doing — Syracuse advanced to the Sweet 16 as a double-digit seed in 2016 and 2018 — it’s flaunting the ticket it punched for everyone to see into the Sweet 16. Syracuse has officially had a more successful season than UNC, Duke, Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan State, Texas, Illinois and Ohio State.

SU’s turnaround still isn’t over.

rcperrin@syr.edu @richardperrins2

dremerma@syr.edu @DannyEmerman

Instructor: Julia Carboni PST 400/PAI 732 Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration NEGOTIATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE ANT 424/ANT 624 Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15 (9 am-5 pm) Saturday, May 18 (9 am-1 pm)

Instructor: Robert Rubinstein

Sunday, May 17 (4 pm-9 pm) and Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22 (9 am-5 pm) The 49th annual Summer Institute is a series of workshop-style 3-credit courses designed to enable participants to manage disputes and differences MEDIATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE PST 421/SOS 621 collaboratively in both professional and personal settings.

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400 Eggers Hall 315.443.2367 email: parcc@maxwell.syr.edu

JOE GIRARD III hit four 3-pointers in the first half against West Virginia. The sophomore also finished with seven assists and six rebounds. courtesy of the acc

OPINION

dailyorange.com opinion@dailyorange.com

guest column

PAG E 5

march 22, 2021

column

Rape culture can’t be normalized States shouldn’t lift mask mandates Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions of sexual assault.

By Ava Notkin

guest columnist

T

here is a toxic sickness pervading Syracuse University, and I’m not talking about COVID19. I’m referring to the glossed-over rape culture that leads to the sexual assault of 1 in 4 women in college.

Our sugarcoated, perfectly packaged party lifestyle of binge-drinking and blackouts are breeding grounds for, to put it nicely, predatory behavior. It’s about time we recognize that and do something about it. Unfortunately, rape has become a rite of passage in the life of a woman. It seems to be an unspoken fact. A struggle that our moms, sisters, teachers, friends and even grandmothers know far too well. At the end of the day, the big question I have to ask is: Who protects our girls?

Though it’s unsavory, there’s a high chance that there are survivors in your classes. There’s also just as high of a chance that there are rapists as well. If this feels jarring to you, perhaps we need to redefine what we view as sexual assault.

There’s a grand misconception about what rape actually is and what rapists actually look like. The sad fact is that rape happens where we’d least expect it: at home, your friend’s house, your dorm, a fraternity. It also happens with whom you’d least expect it: a boyfriend, friend, partner, acquaintance.

So often we hear the “good guy narrative,” the idea that “it’s not all men.” But it’s about time we accept the cold hard truth: this is harmful complacency.

The whole social system is complacent in an endless cycle of victimization of young girls. To put it simply, rape culture is just Greek culture. Rape culture is just party culture. We perpetuate it in every aspect, and it will remain this way until we take a stand against it.

We don’t prepare girls for the stark reality of what they may face, albeit we shouldn’t have to. We don’t hold assailants responsible socially or legally for their actions, instead allowing them to hide behind the masks of organizations and brotherhoods.

We belittle women who speak out, encouraging further emotional havoc.

And we don’t prepare young men for these roles of power that they claim through ritualistic hocus pocus.

The minute a young woman walks into a fraternity, she is under threat. And the minute a young man joins, there is an unspoken standard of masculinity that they are expected to uphold and perpetuate. It is not only normalized to take a girl home when she is far too intoxicated, it is encouraged. A typical party scene has girls dancing in the center of a dark basement on elevated surfaces with boys lining the walls, watching

News Editor Michael Sessa Editorial Editor Cori Dill Culture Editor Sydney Bergan Sports Editor Roshan Fernandez Presentation Director Shannon Kirkpatrick Photo Editor Emily Steinberger Video Editor Rose Skylstad Podcast Editor Moriah Humiston Illustration Editor Nabeeha Anwar Enterprise Editor Gabe Stern Asst. News Editor Sarah Alessandrini Asst. News Editor Mira Berenbaum

the scene while serving cups full of mystery juice. The drink’s sole purpose is to cause nights that girls will never remember while conveniently lowering inhibitions and resistance so boys can have nights they never forget. For what to the man could be deemed a “one night stand,” could also ultimately change the young woman’s life forever.

These types of nights are so normalized and ingrained in our culture that women have a hard time labeling it as sexual assault and men have a hard time viewing themselves as abusers. But that is not consent. If you want to have sex with someone, wait until they’re not slurring their words, throwing up or unable to walk in a straight line. Wait until they don’t awake in the morning, scratching their head at the blank memory of the night prior and feeling violated in every fiber of their being.

These experiences do not look the same for all survivors. It may happen at the bar, a tailgate, your own home. You could exist in cultural spaces, the music world, other countless organizations. You could be a member of a marginalized community. All stories hold space, and I want you to know I hear and acknowledge you. You have a voice, and you are not alone.

This is ultimately a battle of life and death. This may seem dramatic to the lucky few who have not experienced sexual assault, but the mental consequences run deep and violate not only one’s body but also one’s existence. Surely every survivor is different, but healing is nonlinear and sometimes never even takes place. Rape can often lead to self-blame, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm and post-traumatic stress disorder, to name a few. On top of that, resources are slim, and complacency is the norm.

As a recent graduate, I’ve seen more than half of the women I know face the same damning fate, myself included. After I was sexually assaulted as a freshman by an older fraternity guy on one of my first nights out, I turned to an older girl for guidance. I was frightened at the lack of memory, bruises lining my body and disgust at hearing my assailant was bragging about sex with me in a frat bathroom when I hadn’t even remembered the night.

That older girl turned to me and said, “Welcome to college.”

Those three words will echo in my head forever. Thinking of myself that night prior to my assault makes me sick. I was disastrously intoxicated and encouraged to reach this point.

I was lifeless. I was just 18 years old, fresh out of high school, completely trusting of this new organization’s world I stepped into. I was told they had my best interest in mind, and I was left vulnerable to the predatory cycle that continually silences women on this campus and world-

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wide. I reached out to older boys in the organization who nodded to these stories and would in turn shrug them off or comfort me in efforts to sleep with me. There was no accountability. So many of the older women around me were defeated and desensitized to the system, finding comfort in blissful ignorance.

My story is not uncommon. My story is your story. I share it now, four years later, because I see that this vicious cycle has no end in sight unless we demand some kind of change.

A logical person may jump to ask: Why wouldn’t you just report it to the police? Why not go straight to the university? Well, if one takes a step back, it’s pretty clear to see there’s a discrepancy between the number of reported rape cases and the occurrence of rape. Out of every 1,000 rapes, only 230 are reported, 46 result in arrest and only 4.6 in incarceration.

Let me dismantle the fantasy of a fair judicial process right away because seeking justice is often just as traumatizing as the experiences themselves. This is not to discourage anyone from speaking their truth if they so choose, but unfortunately, it’s a common byproduct of the legal process. Not to mention the internal fear, guilt and harm the experience can have on a survivor.

We are all so simultaneously frustrated and violated that sometimes the battle for safety, protection or even acknowledgment can feel like a shout into the void.

There’s only so much women can do before men realize this is not just our issue, but theirs as well.

We need to protect one another because no one else will. Especially on this campus. This is not an attack on the male gender, it’s a desperate call to action. It’s a demand to step up. Men must hold their brothers and friends accountable. You must teach yourselves and one another how to create safe environments for women, or don’t hold those spaces at all. Men have a responsibility to create a wave of resistance against this kind of behavior. Otherwise, you are intensifying it, hiding it and continuing the cycle of pain and abuse of power. It is up to our social systems to enact justice for survivors from the ground up. Ultimately, it is up to you and me.

I know and expect that people will be upset at me for calling out these larger institutions, and I understand. However, as a victim of assault and the daughter, friend and descendant of so many other survivors, I have a responsibility to speak up. If you feel angry about that, I suggest you direct that anger toward dismantling the systems that create survivors in the first place and holding men who rape accountable, not the survivors brave enough to speak out.

Ava Notkin ‘21

By Skylar Swart columnist

G

overnors across the U.S. have dealt with the same question throughout the pandemic: When is it safe to begin opening up the state without causing another outbreak of COVID-19?

This question is not easy. Governors need to take into account how many cases their state has, the costs and benefits of decreasing restrictions and whether the economic benefits outweigh the health risks.

Recently, governors in Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana and North Dakota have all removed the mask mandate and various other restrictions on their residents. The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines has lulled some states into a sense of false security and put the desire to return to “normal” above the safety of their residents.

Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask mandate in the state of Texas on March 10, sparking concerns over how safe his actions are for the health of Texans. Abbott said he still urges residents to wear masks, but the state no longer requires it because the government should not be making decisions for individuals.

The mask mandate shouldn’t be lifted now because no one benefits from doing so, said Anna McGough, a Syracuse University sophomore and resident of Dallas.

But the governor is more focused on maintaining the state’s economy, McGough said.

“For some reason, he can’t maintain the economy’s state while also having a mask mandate,” McGough said. “I think he isn’t considering human safety as much as you would see politicians in the northeast doing. “

About 11% of Texans are vaccinated, and the state’s number of vaccines distributed per capita is one of the lowest in the U.S. With such a low percentage of the state vaccinated, residents shouldn’t feel safe walking around without a mask.

SU sophomore and Syracuse resident Madeline Tadeux doesn’t think states should remove their mask mandates until the majority of the population has been vaccinated.

“I don’t think it’s a wise decision for states to begin getting rid of the mask mandate just yet because we haven’t reached herd immunity yet with the percent of the population that is vaccinated,” Tadeux said.

New York state still has a mask mandate, but with only 12% of the state fully vaccinated, it has a long way to go until it can safely open up and residents can stop wearing masks. Residents should stay patient and do everything they can to get vaccinated so that the state can open up faster and more people can be protected.

With numerous studies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging people around the nation to wear masks, governors need to listen and keep mandates in place until most people in their state have been vaccinated.

Masks are not just a helpful suggestion; they’re a way to protect everyone from the spread of COVID-19. The fastest way to return to “normal” is to be as smart as possible about how to prevent the spread until enough people are vaccinated.

Skylar Swart is a sophomore political science major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at saswart@syr.edu.

She can be followed on Twitter at @SkylarSwart.

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from page 3

accessibility people with disabilities. It also makes it more difficult for the university to host speakers who have disabilities.

“If you invited a scholar or artist who used a wheelchair to come to campus and give a speech, they couldn’t give a speech in those auditoriums because the speaker’s platforms are not accessible,” Kuusisto said. “And that’s an issue.”

The law behind disability accommodations doesn’t go far enough, said Aidee Campa, a part-time student at SU’s College of Law and vice president of the Disability Law Society.

The ADA sets the floor for accessibility, said Campa, who is blind.

“Can people really move through the building and be integrated into the groups that they’re trying to be a part of? If they can’t, then something is not right here,” she said.

Katie Roquemore, who graduated from SU in August with a doctorate in cultural foundations of education and is now a part-time faculty member in SU’s Disability Studies Program, said some ADA-approved bathroom stalls on campus still aren’t accessible for her.

Roquemore, who uses a wheelchair, has worked with several groups on campus to install single-occupant accessible restrooms in university buildings that house disabilityrelated programs, including on the third floor of Huntington Hall, where the disability studies program is based.

For Eli Blodgett, the university’s approach to accessibility often seems reactionary rather than proactive. SU handles disability accommodations on a case-by-case basis but sometimes overlooks wider-reaching accessibility solutions, they said.

“When one person comes to the university, they say, ‘Let’s create solutions for you and your situation,’ instead of saying, ‘Let’s work on this so we have more accessible solutions for everybody,’” Blodgett said. “The individual solutions are important, but it takes more than, ‘How are you going to get to class?’”

Some students and faculty also said that accessibility goes beyond just changing physical spaces.

Last fall, the law school failed to perform a disability audit before implementing an artificial intelligence proctoring service for final exams — a move that many law students criticized. This prevented individuals who were visually impaired from using the software, said Mercedees Rees, president of the Disability Law Society.

Professors often instruct students to disfrom page 3

cluster “It’s affected me a little bit different than it probably would someone who lives next to someone who tested positive,” he said. “It’s not as much of a worrying thing for me, but I do think everyone’s been taking it really well. We’re all doing double masks and following guidelines.”

Zimet also feels that students are abiding by mask-wearing and other COVID-19 protocols more so than before. People are now taking protocols a bit more seriously, Zimet said.

Colleges and universities in New York

play eye-catching visuals in presentations rather than writing exactly what they’re saying, which can make presentations inaccessible for people who are unable to hear what the presenter is saying.

Rees does not have a physical disability but said the university should ensure that its curriculums, in addition to its physical spaces, are accessible.

Some faculty on campus struggle to balance accommodations for students with their curriculum and “academic freedom” while teaching, Schwartz and Kuusisto said. Schwartz said all curriculums at SU — regardless of the subject — should include some aspect of disability studies.

“Some faculty say, ‘This intrudes on my academic freedom,’” Schwartz said. “And my response is, ‘No it doesn’t. It enriches your pedagogy and it enriches your curriculum.’”

Kuusisto recalls when one professor interrupted their lecture to call out a student who was using headphones in class. The student, who had autism, needed the headphones for class, Kuusisto said.

Fixing problematic attitudes and changing culture at SU can be more challenging than updating buildings, Schwartz said.

“Fixing the buildings is much easier than changing hearts,” he said.

The university’s efforts to improve accessibility show its willingness to improve the daily life of its students and make disability rights a priority, Schwartz said.

“The university is lightyears ahead of a lot of other universities,” Schwartz said.

“It’s already demonstrated its desire to keep working at removing barriers, both physical and mental.”

The Disability External Review Committee is currently undergoing a tiered system of recommendations. Phase One recommendations, which include establishing the Office of Disability Access and Inclusion and consistently expressing support for disability rights, have already been submitted and accepted by the university.

Phase Two includes recommendations that are more complex and will take more time to implement. The committee will deliver the recommendations by spring 2021, according to an SU News release, Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, said that Chancellor Kent Syverud endorsed the committee’s report in September and said the university would implement the recommendations.

“The hope is that all of these recommendations will provide a blueprint for

change for making the campus accessible,” Schwartz said.

But there will always be changes that need to be made, especially given how many buildings are still inaccessible, Schwartz said.

“What’s left is hard work. We have to reinvent ourselves again and again. It’s an ongoing process, and I think it’ll never end. There will always be something that has to be done, has to be fixed, something needs to be changed or altered or reformed,” Schwartz said. “But I feel very good about where we are today.”

Still, Gilmore believes the university can

do more.

A university’s main goal is to ensure that all of its students can succeed, Glimore said. But if campus spaces are inaccessible, students with disabilities can’t perform at their best, she said.

“If your campus isn’t inclusive for everybody, you shouldn’t even really be operating,” Gilmore said.

state are required to move all classes online and limit on-campus activities if the campus’s positivity rate exceeds 5%. For SU — which has an on-campus population of about 17,600 students, faculty and staff — 880 positive cases within two weeks would require the university to go on pause.

But university officials have said that SU would take action to prevent the spread of the virus far before reaching that threshold.

Previously, the state required the university to move all classes online and limit on-campus activities if it reached 100 cases within a fixed two-week reporting period.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the change

shortly after the start of the spring semester.

In the fall, the university suspended operations twice to comply with the state’s requirement.

The university limited in-person activities in early October after a cluster of cases broke out after one SU student traveled to Binghamton, which New York state had deemed a coronavirus hotspot at the time.

After the first outbreak, the university canceled all in-person activities, excluding classes and athletics. It also amended its public health guidelines to limit gatherings from a maximum of 25 students to five or fewer and closed the Barnes Center at The Arch and SU’s satel-

lite gyms.

About a month later, SU moved all classes online nearly two weeks before the end of the semester. The university confirmed over 280 coronavirus cases as a result of the second outbreak as cases across the county began to surge.

Haynie said he is optimistic that new guidelines will curb the spread of the virus, but that the university may take further action if cases continue to spike. As soon as the cluster appears to be under control, Haynie said the university will lift the temporary regulations.

ELI BLODGETT believes the university’s approach to accessibility often seems reactionary rather than proactive.

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PAG E 7

march 22, 2021

From SU to the Sway House

RAFY EVENS (left) takes on many roles as assistant to TikTok star Bryce Hall, including problem solver, facilitator and support system. courtesy of rafy evans

Rafy Evans’ time at SU helps her career in content creation as a social media influencer and assistant to TikTok star Bryce Hall

By Sydney Bergan culture editor

R

afy Evans knows her job isn’t normal. As she stood with YouTube star David Dobrik and spun a wheel promoting his new app, “Dispo,” for a chance of winning a Tesla, the Syracuse University alumna felt the experience was surreal.

“That was a moment for me that I was like, ‘Okay, I’m in exactly the right place. I’m in exactly the place I need to be to get where I need to go,’” Evans said.

Evans is TikTok star Bryce Hall’s assistant. But aside from being occasionally featured on Hall’s Instagram account of 7.9 million followers, she’s a problem solver, facilitator and support system for all of the other content creators who live and work in the Sway House — a multi-million dollar collaborative mansion in Los Angeles also known as the Triller Air House. see evans page 8

beyond the hill

2-day pop-up market helps local Black-owned businesses

By Linh Le

staff writer

The bustling atmosphere at The McCarthy Mercantile in downtown Syracuse on Saturday resembled the days before the pandemic, where shopping on the weekends allowed for conversations.

Staff members at the Black Creatives and Culture Market took temperatures and gave each shopper a blue wristband. Customers were directed downstairs where they shopped around, talked to vendors — specifically those from 10 Black-owned businesses — and

exchanged small talk with others as a DJ played music.

“We just think that it’s important to buy Black and provide a space for these Black creatives to sell their work, especially during COVID to get some extra money,” said Jaleel Campbell, the co-founder of the Black Artist Collective.

The Black Creatives and Culture Market is the product of the collaboration among the Black Artist Collective, the Creators Lounge and The McCarthy Mercantile. The McCarthy Mercantile hosted the two-day event on Saturday and Sunday.

Black History is American history.

And it’s time that we celebrate it all the time, every month.

Michael John Heagerty founder of wildflowers armory

The market aimed to provide financial opportunities to small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19. Indaria Jones, CEO and founder of the Creators Lounge, said the pandemic hurt Black business owners because not only was it difficult to sell products, but getting relief funding was difficult, too.

Hosting the market this weekend also provided customers an opportunity to learn about the vendors and help Black-owned businesses establish themselves in the community, Campbell said.

The event was held right after Black History Month, and the

organizers hope to remind everyone in the Syracuse community that the month-long celebration is not the only time that Black history can be celebrated.

“We don’t need Black History Month to have a special cultural market down here,” said Michael John Heagerty, who founded Wildflowers Armory and provided The McCarthy Mercantile space for the market. “Black History is American history. And it’s time that we celebrate it all the time, every month.”

The sentiment of buying local and supporting small businesses in see market page 8

8 march 22, 2021

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university union

Charli XCX gets real during livestreamed Q&A and concert

By Rachel Cramer staff writer

Writing “How I’m Feeling Now” was Charli XCX’s form of therapy during the pandemic.

Her most recent album made her feel like she has a purpose in the music industry, and she’s proud of what she learned through making it.

“It was a way of dealing with the sudden stillness that we’ve all been forced into,” said the singer-songwriter, whose real name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison.

The pop star joined Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students on Sunday night for University Union’s second STEMS concert event — a masterclass-style event where audience members can interact with the artists.

The prerecorded concert was streamed via UU’s ‘Cuse Activities page.

The virtual concert began with a brief introduction and Q&A moderated by SU

sophomore Jordyn Pegues. Charli discussed her creative process, how she deals with writer’s block and what she misses about concerts.

Charli misses all of it: the atmosphere, hearing the crowd from backstage, the outof-body experience of (performing?) and “the palpable energy between me and the audience,” she said.

The artist and Pegues also discussed women’s empowerment and Charli’s journey with social activism.

Charli talked about how she supports and wants to uplift other female artists by encouraging music collaborations. The LGBTQ community was also there to embrace her as an artist during challenging times when she was ready to give up, Charli said.

“I owe so much to the LGBTQ+ community,” Charli said.

Her greatest influences have always been her friends and her collaborators, Charli said.

She writes from her experiences and is often inspired by the people who have an effect on her life, who trigger emotions and a story that she wants to tell.

While answering questions from students, Charli admitted that she can be bad at self-care.

But starting therapy and taking time away from technology was beneficial to her mental health, she said.

After the Q&A, UU switched the screen over to Charli’s pre-recorded concert. The stage was dark with flashing white-and-blue strobe lights.

Performing solo, Charli sang her 2012 hit with Icona Pop, “I Love It” and No Rome’s latest release, “Spinning,” which features Charli and The 1975. The visuals of her performance read “Charli” in a pink graffiti-like font that rotated and moved around the black screen.

Jumping and dancing around the stage wearing a black cropped jacket and tan biker shorts, Charli sang her songs back-to-back. She

from page 7

evans The alumna credits her time at SU and University Union for preparing her to be around celebrities without being starstruck.

Hall and the other famous talents Evans works with have become close friends, and she wants to be like an older sister to the creators and help them talk through the ups and downs of their job.

Although her life now involves frequent cameos from celebrities such as Dobrik and Noah Beck, her life after graduating from SU in 2019 was less glamorous. Evans said she was the type of person who “never did just school.”

Evans worked her way up UU’s ranks and eventually became the organization’s public relations director, a position she credits for sparking her passion for working in entertainment. She also held multiple internship positions at companies such as Sony Music.

People often told her that she would be successful in finding a job after graduation, but that wasn’t the case. It was a rude awakening, Evans said.

“Don’t ever believe anyone when they tell you that,” she said.

She was unemployed for six months after graduating, working briefly in July and August 2019 as a media coordinator and videographer at Camp Menominee, an all-boys overnight camp in Wisconsin.

For Evans, working at the camp will “go down in history as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my entire life,” as she feels it set her up perfectly for her role working with Hall and other teenage boys at the Sway House. At the camp, Evans did video and social media work and was able to realize that she liked to be around college-aged people in a developmental mentorship role.

She went from Camp Menominee to her first full-time job as a communications specialist at the University of Florida. Eight months into the job, she got a call from the CEO of TalentX Entertainment — a talent development and social media monetization company — who said she was recommended for a position she didn’t know she was being considered for.

Following her interview with TalentX Entertainment and Hall, Evans quit her job at the University of Florida. Two weeks later, she from page 7

market this time of crisis is what drew many vendors and customers to the market.

Janisha Smith, owner of CJ’s Creative Candles, said she supports businesses owned by local Black creatives and that it’s important to give them business to build up the local economy. These businesses, like hers, have taken a hit due to the pandemic, and the market gave them a space to sell their products.

“I’m really all about supporting local and building our local economy right now because I took a hit with COVID,” Smith said. “So that really kind of prompted me to come out today and set up shop.”

Given that the pandemic has forced many businesses to go online, many vendors like Smith prefer in-person shopping. The market offered the opportunity for vendors to interact

Being Bryce Hall’s assistant has allowed Evans (far left) to be occasionally featured on Hall’s Instagram account, which has 7.9 million followers. courtesy of rafy evans

kept up her energy throughout the show, whipping her ponytail and dancing across the stage.

The concert ran for about 25 minutes, and Charli closed with another throwback hit, “Boom Clap.” Charli closed out strong and thanked SU for hosting her.

Shortly after the concert, UU held a small press conference with Charli, and she spoke about what she has learned about her identity over the last year.

She has learned a lot about how she has trouble switching off and could be classified as a workaholic. She said that she tends to hide behind her work when she doesn’t want to focus on other problems in her life. But she’s learned that she loves and needs music and for her collaborators to feel good.

“I guess that is what I’ve learned about my identity — that I’m a bit unstable, but I love music,” Charli said. racramer@syr.edu Evans had to climb down to the exterior pipes — which were on the side of a cliff — to turn off the water and stop the leak. Even though that and many of the other tasks Evans completes for Hall and the other creators aren’t in her job description, she does whatever is needed for them to be successful, Newbill said.

“It’s kind of crazy the amount of work and responsibility she does because typically assistants sit and do emails or answer phone calls,” Newbill said. “They’re not hiring a circus and getting snakes and alligators.”

Nick Schlegel, a talent manager at TalentX, said that Evans brings “everything” to Hall’s team. He’s always impressed by her ability to bring a level of maturity and organization, as well as a can-do attitude, to the creator’s team.

There can be a level of immaturity to creators, as they often don’t understand the business side of content creation or don’t have the drive to get things done, Schlegel said. Evans is able to get “these guys off their asses.”

“She is definitely a very important part of not just Bryce’s team but the Sway House and sort of our management company in general,” Schlegel said. “Without her, a lot wouldn’t get done, and because she specifically is there, everything gets done in a much better manner than could be done.”

Every day that Evans spends with Hall, she does something that somebody would consider their best day, Evans said. Since internet creators have no rules, she and Hall’s team are trying to be as creative as possible and see what sticks. And right now, a lot is sticking, she said.

When Dobrik came to the Sway House to promote his app, it was a surreal experience to see him and his assistant Natalie Mariduena, who made the blueprint for what it means to be a YouTuber’s assistant.

Mariduena has become famous and was recently on the swimsuit cover of Sports Illustrated. While Evans doesn’t see herself becoming an influencer like Mariduena, she doesn’t want to say no to the possibility. Right now, she enjoys being on the back end of the creator world.

“My goal has always been to be a wellknown industry person,” Evans said. “I would rather have clout for being really good at what I do and for people to know that I’m very good at what I do.’” sydney@dailyorange.com @sydbergan

was on a plane to LA. As Evans sits in her LA apartment, decked out in free merch from Triller — another platform that Hall works on — she laughs at how little she knew about the city before moving across the country.

“I like chaos a little bit, which makes sense for what I do, so I was ready for the challenge,” Evans said. “And I figured at no point in my life otherwise could I be doing something like this, so I might as well lean into it as much as I could.”

Evans sees Hall as one of the “major league players of content.” She wants to help Hall be the best creator out there, whether that’s through answering emails, organizing PR packages for his energy drink or cleaning up after the three boys and video editor who live in the Sway House.

The attitude that Evans adopts toward her work isn’t new. SU alumna Kyla Perlman

remembers how dedicated Evans was to her work during their time together at UU. “Once she likes something and wants to be involved in something, she puts 110% into it,” Perlman said. “Which is one of the best qualities to have, especially when you’re working in a digital space.”

She recalled how Evans took on the role of marketing director at UU single-handedly, even though it’s not a role that’s meant to be for one person. The problem-solving they had to do at UU helps her in her job with Hall because she knows how to stay calm during a crisis, Perlman said.

And Evans is familiar with handling a crisis. The SU alumna shocked influencer Curtis Newbill, who has 6.8 million followers on TikTok, by helping the members of the Sway House with a leak that caused water to pour through the ceiling in the middle of the living room.

with customers and advertise their products in a physical space.

Kahs Hills, owner of 210 Teas, also enjoyed vending in person with customers and said the market was “phenomenal.” Similarly to Smith, Hills benefited from being able to show customers her teas in person rather than relying on people finding 210 Teas online.

The event organizers used equipment like air filters and followed COVID-19 precautions to ensure the safety of the space, Heagerty said.

The event gave a space for shoppers to support and get to know local businesses. Customer Laiza Semidey said she felt good to have the opportunity to spend money on Black businesses. Over a year into the pandemic, the market was a welcoming place to meet people and shop.

“Everyone is happy, you feel it in the air that it just feels good to be out,” Semidey said. lle103@syr.edu

JANISHA SMITH, owner of CJ’s Creative Candles, said her business took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic . wendy wang staff photographer

march 22, 2021 9

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from page 12

tournament But Syracuse never let SDSU escape from arm’s reach after the Jackrabbits trudged to their first lead of the game at 24-23. The Orange relied on short scoring bursts, including a quick 10-3 spurt that sent the Orange into the half up 37-31. Engstler capped the scoring with a 3 from the corner and then a steal, coast-to-coast run and layup.

“I was a little in my head the first quarter, I can’t lie,” Engstler said. “I was a little annoyed.

I couldn’t make even a layup, but by the time I got back in in the second quarter, I was kinda like, alright, gotta make a shot no matter how from page 12

dolezaj position just outside the restricted circle, and Culver barreled him over. The same player who lost a tooth from a stray Georgetown elbow earlier this season and took a memorable charge from Duke and now NBA star Zion Williamson at full speed in 2019 drew the first foul on Culver.

Dolezaj is 6-foot-10, barely 200 pounds, Boeheim said. Culver outweighs him by 55 pounds. Williamson outweighed him by 80 then.

When Gabe Osabuohien caught the ball at the high post and tried to drive the middle of the zone, Dolezaj was there again. Another charge taken. Osabuohien holds 40 pounds on the forward.

Boeheim called Dolezaj the MVP of the team following a loss to Georgia Tech on Feb. 24. Syracuse hasn’t just asked him to guard way bigger players in the middle of the 2-3 zone, but he’s also a major reason the Orange are top-15 in offensive efficiency for the first time since 2011-12. He’s battled through a fracture in a finger on his left hand, and Boeheim said he hasn’t really been able to use it. During the ACC Tournament, he wasn’t even practicing.

“Marek does so much for us,” Boeheim said. “It’s hard to even – you can’t even look at the stat sheet because his importance is

hard it takes.”

In the second, Syracuse upped its pressure further. Despite having just nine active players — Priscilla Williams sidelined and other SU players suspended for breaking team protocols — Syracuse found an extra gear to surge in transition. Neither side could could pull away in the third quarter, but Syracuse finally broke the ice in the final 10 minutes.

Engstler catalyzed the beginning of the run with her perimeter shooting, and the Syracuse defense made it stand. Following the media timeout, Cardoso recorded two of her six blocks on back-to-back possessions. SU got it quickly down the floor to so much more than that. I mean, he has a good stat sheet, but his importance to our team is so much.”

Dolezaj said his finger is improving, and his two NCA A Tournament games have been among his best of the season. West Virginia kept switching ball screens, head coach Bob Huggins said, even after he told them not to. Dolezaj’s effective screening, dribble handoffs and passing ability opened up easy looks for Buddy Boeheim to drain 3s over smaller defenders.

His vision to see open shooters like Robert Braswell in the corner, and his decision-making to pass to them instead of driving into the strength of the WVU defense inside. The Mountaineers were vulnerable on the perimeter and have been all year, and Doelzaj found the shooters. Even when Buddy missed five of his first six shots, Dolezaj kept creating open looks.

“My first two shots were wide open, and that’s all credit to Marek giving me a handoff and finding me in the corner,” Buddy said.

“They knew eventually I was going to start making shots.”

When the Orange ran ball screens, the Mountaineers doubled it, and Dolezaj’s rolling ability created four-on-three opportunities more often than not, Buddy said. Syracuse and specifically Buddy were in favorable offensive matchups all night, and Buddy scored 22 second half points to propel the Orange to victory.

Strautmane for a layup the first time, then Engstler delivered the dagger. Her final triple took an eternity to fall, rattling off both sides of the rim then hitting the backboard before falling through. It gave SU its first double-digit lead with just over four minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

Both sides could trade free throws the rest of the way as the frenetic pace that behooved Syracuse the past eight minutes reverted to its previous crawl. Engstler finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and four blocks, a far cry from the two points she mustered the last time these teams met.

“The fact that we got to see a team that

took away our opportunity my freshman year to go to the second round on our home court, I mean, good team or not, nobody wants to do that again,” Engstler said.

Without Summit League Player of the Year Myah Selland, the Jackrabbits lacked the composure to surmount another SU tournament lead. Of the seven SU players that helped close out the game, six were on the floor when the opposite transpired. This time, Syracuse’s veterans were the ones in control.

“We did a really good job of just playing the entire game,” Hillsman said, “So I’m really just proud of our players executing the game plan.” tnolan@syr.edu @Tim_Nolan10

MAREK DOLEZAJ had four fouls in just over two mintues, but overcame them to help send SU to the Sweet 16.

courtesy of brett wilhelm | ncaa photos

A victory that 22 days ago seemed improbable after the Orange lost at Georgia Tech on Feb. 27. In that game, Dolezaj sat in a chair on the bench with a white Gatorade towel after having fouled out. It was his worst performance of the season. At that point, the Orange seemed destined to miss the NCAA Tournament and Dolezaj’s career that had begun with a Sweet 16 run looked as though it would end with a first round exit and two consecutive

missed tournaments.

Now Syracuse is in the Sweet 16. When the clock hit all zeroes and the buzzer sounded inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Buddy dropped the basketball in his hands and leaped into Dolezaj. The two architects of Syracuse’s late season renaissance enjoyed the high moment of the Orange’s rollercoaster 2020-21 season. amdabbun@syr.edu

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women’s lacrosse

Emma Ward exhibits no fear as SU’s latest offensive star

By Anish Vasudevan asst. digital editor

In seventh grade, Emma Ward stepped on the football field for the last time. Her travel football career ended after the 12-yearold earned a spot on the Long Island Top Guns varsity travel lacrosse team.

Whether as quarterback, running back or middle linebacker, Ward was on the field — and she was good, said her father, Maurice. She played quarterback and linebacker in the final game of her six-year football career, with three touchdowns and a 70-yard pick six.

Playing football gave Ward a “tough of nails” attitude, she said, which carried to lacrosse. Ward never felt timid or scared being the only female on the field excelled in the sport, Maurice said.

“Football helped her a lot. She never had any fear,” Maurice said.

Now, in her freshman season at Syracuse, Ward’s lack of fear shined when she was called to replace leading Syracuse attack Emily Hawryschuk, who tore her ACL. Ward has recorded multiple points in every game this season except in Syracuse’s opening win over Loyola, and she’s started the two most recent games.

Ward has five assists this season, a skill she learned to master in youth lacrosse. Her youth

league required players to pass the ball three times before shooting so all kids could have the opportunity to score. But Ward was always one of the best players on the field, Maurice said, and when she would intercept a pass, she would have to refrain from scoring.

“I’m yelling ‘Shoot, shoot, shoot,’ and her coach was yelling ‘No, no, no,’ and that was quite frustrating,” Maurice said. “That was kind of the first time we were like ‘Whoa, she’s pretty good.’”

Ward’s early success helped her make the Top Guns varsity team as a middle schooler. But Ward tore her ACL in May 2016, a year after she made the Top Guns.

Her mom, Jaqui, said the injury was her “biggest hardship.” A year later, she tore her ACL on her other leg.

She came back strong from her two injuries, said Andrew Smith, Ward’s club coach.

In her final season, playing against the Top Guns’ rival Long Island Yellow Jackets, Ward scored the game-winning goal.

“Being able to go in four days a week and be better is more clutch than having a winning goal,” Ward said. “To have the mindset to be the better and be the best, that’s where the clutch gene came in.”

But in her collegiate debut, Ward had zero goals on four shots, a game in which head coach Gary Gait said she played “a

little bit like a freshman.” But the four shots she scored meant she was going to improve, he said.

One game later, Gait moved Ward from offensive midfield to attack, replacing Hawryschuk. She recorded three assists in the game against Stony Brook.

“She’s improving right on pace where I hope she would be,” Gait said. “We just gave her more time on the field to get confidence and build that confidence.”

Ward’s self-confidence is something Bill Smith, her other club coach and Andrew’s father, said developed during her time with the Top Guns and while playing football, especially in tough games.

“Her self confidence was tremendous.

That’s what really led her to be so well,” Bill said. “In tournaments, she wanted the ball in big points of the game, and a lot of kids don’t do that.”

With seven minutes left in the first half against then-No. 11 Duke, Ward scored four goals and ran a slant route from the left side of the 8-meter, looking for an opportunity for a third goal. She quickly threw the ball behind her back from pointblank range, and even though it was a complicated shot, the ball found the back of the net for Ward’s third goal of the game. Ward attributes her success to players such as

Megan Carney and Meaghan Tyrrell, who are the quarterbacks of the offense.

“Them quarterbacking and me just being a wide receiver, running my routes and doing what I’m supposed to be, makes it so much easier on me and leaves me to just do my job,” Ward said.

But against Notre Dame, Ward reverted back to her youth football days and quarterbacked the SU offense. Heading into the second half of Syracuse’s second matchup against Notre Dame, the Orange were down 7-4, the first and only time they trailed at halftime this season.

The Fighting Irish’s lead didn’t last long, as Emily Ehle scored and Emma Tyrrell added two more. SU won the next draw, and Ward received the ball from Sierra Cockerille with the opportunity to score.

But Ward didn’t take the chance to shoot herself. Going back to her youth lacrosse fundamentals, she sent a bullet pass to Carney at the crease. Carney scored to make it 8-7, a lead Syracuse did not surrender.

“I know there’s going to be so many more plays, and that celebration after we win the national championship is going to be one to remember,” Ward said. asvasude@syr.edu @ anish_vasu

women’s basketball

SU’s 14 blocks, 13 steals propel it into 2nd round of tournament

By Roshan Fernandez sports editor

When Kallie Theisen tried to drive in the paint with less than five minutes remaining, the 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso was there to stop her. The freshman center put both arms in the air, and got a piece of Theisen’s underhand layup, making the ball clatter off the underside of the backboard. Then she snagged the rebound, and Syracuse went down to the other end.

The block was one of a program-record 14 during an NCAA Tournament game. Two years ago, Syracuse was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament — in the Carrier Dome — by the Jackrabbits after a 16-2 run and a defensive collapse.

The Orange’s defense bailed them out in the rematch on Sunday evening. No. 8 seed Syracuse (15-8, 9-7 Atlantic Coast) rode its own scoring streak to close out a revenge victory over No. 9 seed South Dakota State (21-4, 14-0 Summit), notching a seasonhigh 14 blocks and adding a season-high 13 steals (not counting its game against Division-II Lincoln). Emily Engstler had

six steals, Cardoso had six blocks, and Syracuse advanced to the Round of 32 behind a 72-55 victory.

Engstler said postgame that she worked with her positional coach, assistant coach John Marcum, and the two set a personal goal of four steals. Digna Strautmane’s was 10 rebounds, Engstler added. Both met them, something Engstler said was “pretty cool.”

“Our players did a really good job of moving their feet, getting in front of the ball handler and getting some blocked shots,” head coach Quentin Hillsman said postgame. “As far as our steals were concerned, our pressure was just a factor.”

As SDSU’s Tylee Irwin brought the ball out of the backcourt during the fourth quarter, the Orange led by seven with a chance to expand Syracuse’s insurance. Hillsman said “making them uncomfortable” was crucial, and in that instance, guard Kiara Lewis did just that — she pounced when Irwin’s dribble wasn’t controlled enough, then crossed her up before turning and dishing to Tiana Mangakahia, who sank an easy jumper mere feet from the bucket.

In the final 30 seconds of the first half, Madysen Vlastuin tried to pick out a penetrating pass into Syracuse’s paint. But Engstler stuck both arms straight in the air, sent the ball straight back into Vlastuin’s face, and then exploded down the court after snagging the loose ball.

The Syracuse junior outran the South Dakota State forward, swished an underhand layup and headed to the locker room up six points shortly after.

Moments before, down on the other end, Irwin tried to drive in the left lane for a layup.

Running full speed ahead, she tossed up a shot that Engstler sent flying back toward the first row of the stands. The Syracuse junior helped Irwin up off the ground and jogged back the other way.

“We’ve prepared for it,” Engstler said when asked about blocks and steals. “And we’ve had a lot of pep talks and film and scout and even practice.”

All season, Syracuse has been a dominant blocking team. Behind Cardoso and Engstler, the Orange led the ACC in blocks and blocks per game — notching two more per game than the next best team. They were fourth in the conference in steals, too.

Sunday evening, that showed. South Dakota State turned the ball over a season-high 22 times, and Syracuse took advantage.

“We had to extend the floor, we had to press, and our players did a really good job of doing what we asked them to do,” Hillsman said. “So we gotta get some legs and get ready for our next game.”

Up six points, Engstler started in the middle of the paint and darted toward the player she was guarding when she saw Haley Greer raise the ball above her head in anticipation of a pass.

Engstler jumped in front, picked it off, and then dribbled to midcourt. She handed it off to Mangakahia, the fifth-year point guard sank a 3-pointer, and Syracuse stretched its third quarter lead.

And then moments later, Greer tried a stutter-step when driving in the paint for a layup. But Cardoso was to her left, Engstler was to her right, and the effort ended in the same way as so many others on Sunday afternoon — an instant rejection for the South Dakota State guard. rferna04@syr.edu @Roshan_f16

volleyball

How Naomi Franco returned to play 1 year after brain surgery

By Henry O’Brien staff writer

Naomi Franco stepped in at right-side hitter for Syracuse. It was her collegiate debut in Syracuse’s season-opener, and she was positioned next to middle blocker Marina Markova. Pittsburgh outside hitter Jordan Lockwood leapt up for the attack, and Markova and Franco attempted a double block.

Lockwood floated the ball past the two blockers for a kill, and Franco was taken out four points later at the end of the set.

For most of the fall season, Franco received limited playing time. Like in the season-opener, she would come in for a few points and then be taken out. But this spring, with outside hitter Polina Shemanova stuck in Russia, Franco has been starting and playing for the majority of games.

She recorded a career-high 15 kills at right-side hitter against Clemson. But that is a just small part of Franco’s journey — she had a hemorrhage that required brain surgery during the fall of her senior year of high school. Head coach Leonid Yelin called it a “miracle” that she was able to

return to volleyball.

“To be making a full recovery and playing the way she was before the surgery couldn’t make me happier,” Yelin said.

On Dec. 29, 2019, Franco was noticeably absent from practice, said Charlotte Judge, Franco’s coach at the A5 South Volleyball Club and at Fayette County High School.

Judge said Franco rarely misses practice, and her being sick didn’t sound right, so she knew something bigger was going on. Later that day, Franco was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

After the surgery, doctors assured Franco’s family that she would be able to play volleyball again, and the recovery process began. Franco had to learn to walk and talk again, but by March, she was ready to play. The pandemic pushed back her recovery slightly, but she was participating in practices by June.

“She wasn’t just going to not play,” Judge said.

Last March, when Judge realized the pandemic was serious, she thought of Franco and how it might affect her return to the court.

Stroke survivors are at an increased risk for complications from COVID-19, and Franco could’ve had the ability to opt out of the season

without losing eligibility. But there was no question about coming back in Franco’s mind, Judge said.

Franco’s determination to come back to the sport wasn’t a surprise to Judge, she said.

While Franco’s 6-foot-3 frame and athletic ability are apparent when she steps on the court, her work ethic in practice has always stood out to Judge.

“Her work ethic was probably way beyond any of the other athletes I think I coached in my lifetime,” Judge said. “I always had to give her extra stuff to do to make sure she stayed engaged. And she would always do it.”

Franco wouldn’t just push herself to be better, she would push the team to be better.

When Dennis Bogumill, Fayette’s former football coach who had never coached volleyball before, took over as head coach of the Tigers, Franco made it her mission to teach him the game of volleyball.

“There was a whole language to the game and she would sit with me and diagram and teach me everything there is to know,” Bogumill said.

When she finally made it to Syracuse, Franco had a conversation with Yelin about

playing in the pandemic. He reiterated that she had the option to opt out, and her scholarship would still be there if she chose not to play.

“We had the same conversation with everyone, and we didn’t want to have a different conversation because of what she went through,” Yelin said.

There were obvious concerns, but Franco didn’t hesitate in saying she wanted to play a role on the team. And this spring, she’s filled in that role, playing in all four games, starting in three and recording 27 kills in that span.

Judge said Franco’s journey is still far from complete even as she gets more playing time.

While Franco is back to her ability prior to the surgery, she still hasn’t quite adjusted to Division I volleyball. Franco has only made two starts, but Judge knows she’ll adjust soon to become an SU star.

“She’s probably going to have to take in a little bit more than she has because of the heightened competition,” Judge said. “But she has always been the best at whatever level she plays.” hwobrien@syr.edu

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SPORTS

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NO. 8

SYRACUSE 72,

NO. 9

PAG E 12

march 22, 2021

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 55 dailyorange.com @dailyorange march 22, 2021 • PAG E 12

REVENGE TOUR Syracuse defeats No. 9 seed South Dakota State after losing to Jackrabbits in 2019 NCAA Tournament

men’s basketball

Dolezaj gets past 4 fouls in SU-WVU

By Anthony Dabbundo senior staff writer

EMILY ENGSTLER’S 18 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and six steals propelled SU into the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a win over South Dakota State.

courtesy of rich barnes usa today sports

By Tim Nolan staff writer

A

USTIN, TEXAS – Emily Engstler took a step behind the line on the left wing, checked her feet and let a 3-pointer fly. Without a moment’s hesitation, she sprinted the length of the floor to get in position for a potential rebound — the only thing that kept South Dakota State so close all game.

The ball found Engstler on the right block, and she tipped it past a Jackrabbits player to Digna Strautmane.

The possession culminated in another Engstler triple, and two Syracuse steals later, the Orange had pumped their lead back up to a game-high nine points.

Coming out of the final TV timeout in 2019, South Dakota State came alive to defeat the Orange with a 16-2 run and win 75-64. But nearly two years later to the day, Syracuse (15-8, 9-7 Atlantic Coast) used a 16-3 run to beat the Jackrabbits, 72-55, and advance to the round of 32. Despite being outrebounded by eight and shooting just 37% from the field, the Orange improved to 10-12 all-time in the NCA A Tournament.

“They played great,” head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “The effort was huge. They really willed our team to a win.”

The similarities between Syracuse’s 2019 team and this year’s are uncanny. The mindset of being a “top” team, despite what its current record suggests. The

team’s two leading scorers that day were current redshirt senior Kiara Lewis and Tiana Mangakahia. When the fifth-year guard saw SU’s upcoming opponent, one thing came to mind.

“I was like ‘Yes.’ I was super motivated,” Mangakahia said after the Selection Show. “I feel like we should have won two years ago.”

Syracuse emerged from the opening tip with that energy, bolting out to an early 11-2 lead. Mangakahia and Lewis both drilled 3-pointers. Engstler and Kamilla Cardoso scored inside. But for the majority of the first, second and third quarters, the same things that plagued the Orange in March of 2019 — as well as much of this regular season — manifested again.

South Dakota State clawed back by exhausting the Orange. Rotations became more and more sluggish as the first 10 minutes wore on, and after the first quarter of play Syracuse led just 21-17. The Jackrabbits, despite not having a single starter above 6-foot-1, remedied their poor shooting start with second- and thirdchance possessions while stifling SU at the other end.

Hillsman screamed, “Tiana, that’s not there,” as the guard heaved a half-court pass into three defenders when Cardoso wasn’t even looking. Both Syracuse’s sideline and its family members in the Erwin Center yelled, “Box out,” as SDSU guard Tylee Irwin found her way past multiple SU bigs to record one of her eight rebounds, too.

see tournament page 9

Marek Dolezaj was on the bench with four fouls for two minutes and eight seconds.

When backup center Jesse Edwards took two fouls in a 24-second stretch in one West Virginia possession to pick up his fourth foul, Jim Boeheim only had one option.

Syracuse was teetering on the edge after the Mountaineers had cut SU’s 14-point lead in half. Edwards and Dolezaj both had four fouls, and Boeheim had no third option to anchor his 2-3 zone. Dolezaj jogged back to the scorer’s table and checked back into the game.

The Orange needed him to match up with one of the nation’s best big men and most elite offensive rebounding units for almost 13 minutes without fouling even once.

Sunday could have been his final game. Any potential whistle for a fifth foul could have also signaled the end of his collegiate career. Boeheim said that Dolezaj is more than likely not returning to Syracuse next year.

Syracuse needed him to rebound and he grabbed six. The Orange needed to run their offense through Dolezaj, and he dished out five assists.

SU needed Dolezaj to help break the press and relieve pressure in the backcourt. Except for two turnovers and one charge, he played 38 mistakefree minutes in Syracuse’s (18-9, 9-7 Atlantic Coast) 75-72 win over West Virginia (19-10, 11-6 Big 12) to advance to its third Sweet 16 in five years. For Dolezaj, it’s two appearances in the Sweet 16 to serve as potential bookends of his Syracuse career.

“He’s just a terrific basketball player,” Boeheim said. “I mean, he really is. He’s one of the most underrated players in the country. He’s just a great, great team player. He makes winning plays that are not noticed sometimes, but they’re there.”

Four minutes into the season, Dolezaj’s entire role for the 202021 season changed. His primary position in the zone shifted from forward and wing responsibilities to the anchor role of Boeheim’s 2-3 zone. All season, Dolezaj has battled with guys bigger and stronger than him. He’s had great games and bad ones, but Sunday’s win might have been his best.

Immediately after Boeheim opted to start him in the second half with three fouls, Dolezaj hit a freethrow line jumper and the Orange doubled their six-point halftime lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Defensively, Dolezaj executed the Orange’s defensive game plan on first-team All-Big 12 center Derek Culver.

The Orange wanted to sag off Culver in the middle and when he caught the ball near the free-throw line from the basket, look to take charges as he drove the paint. Three minutes into the game, Dolezaj took see dolezaj page 9