Sept. 23, 2021 by The Daily Orange

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N • University Senate

C • No note unnoticed

S • Speed demon

Chancellor Kent Syverud was among speakers who talked about recent protests and COVID-19 during Wednesday’s University Senate meeting. Page 3

This SU junior taught herself how to play guitar freshman year in her dorm and now she headlines shows at on-campus shows and in basement concerts. Page 7

Sean Tucker had raw speed in high school, but running track helped him hone his skillset and become even faster. Now, he aims to stick with it at Syracuse. Page 12

Rushed and unprepared

on campus

SU places Phi Kappa Theta on probation By Richard Perrins and Michael Sessa the daily orange

SU moved 53 students out of Skyhall II into residences on South Campus and Main Campus in order to isolate students testing positive for COVID-19. meghan hendricks asst. photo editor

Students felt confused and mistreated as SU moved them out to make space for isolation housing

By Karoline Leonard, Kyle Chouinard, Richard J. Chang and Richard Perrins the daily orange

yracuse University told 53 students living in Skyhall II on Sept. 9 that they would be moving out of their dorms to make room for isolation housing. Students were moved across the entirety of the university’s campus. Some moved to apartments on South Campus, while others were asked to move to Main Campus residence halls, students told The Daily Orange. One student was moved off campus, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in an email statement. Many of the students who were moved out of Skyhall II expressed frustration over being moved from a single-person room to one with roommates. Jordan Steven Beasley, a sophomore majoring in political science, said that some Skyhall II residents went from being in a single room at Skyhall II to sharing a room “with people we never met or matched with.”

“Luckily my roommate is chill, and we get along nicely. But others I know have said otherwise,” Beasley said. Diana Garcia Varo, a junior dual major studying art video and psychology, was another student relocated from Skyhall II who faced a similar problem. Garcia Varo said she doesn’t feel as safe from COVID-19 living in Booth Hall, and she is worried she will be exposed through one of her three roommates, none of whom lived in Skyhall II prior to the relocation. “It doesn’t make sense that I went from a single to a four-person suite,” Garcia Varo said. “It’s not fair that we have to pay a high price for people who are being very selfish and arrogant and pretending that this pandemic is over.” Bella Rossi, a senior chemistry and forensics major, was told she would be relocated to Marion Hall and had to share an open double with the person who lived next door to her in Skyhall II. She and her family decided to find an off-campus apartment instead. “I was in a position where my parents were see skyhall page 4

Syracuse University has placed its chapter of Phi Kappa Theta on disciplinary and social probation until Aug. 29, 2022, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ website. Additionally, SU’s chapter of Lambda Upsilon Lambda has been placed on investigative status. Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, confirmed the news in a statement to The Daily Orange. Phi Kappa Theta was found responsible for violations of the Code of Student Conduct as well as Fraternity and Sorority Affairs policies, Scalese said. The fraternity ’s disciplinary and social probation means that the chapter is prohibited from hosting or participating in activities, such as social events or new member recruitment, until their probation period is concluded on Aug. 29, 2022. Lambda’s changed status is due to alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct that occurred at the start of the semester, Scalese said. While on investigative status, the chapter must cease all activities. Scalese said SU cannot provide additional information about the active investigation. The status designations result from a process conducted by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, according to the office’s website. On Tuesday evening, students protested recent sexual assault allegations across multiple Interfraternity Council chapters on campus. The protest began at the Pi Chapter House of Psi Upsilon, but the demonstrators soon moved to other fraternity houses, including Phi Kappa Theta. It is unknown whether the status changes are related to the protests. During the protest, demonstrators called for SU and the IFC to take action by protecting survivors of sexual assault and holding assaulters accountable, with specific emphasis on Title IX and what the protestors said was the university failure to address sexual assault issues on campus. news@dailyorange.com

2 sept. 23, 2021

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They didn’t really think about the situation and how it actually impacted us like we were actual humans.” - Katie Fongvongsa, sophomore Page 3

OPINION “With both the university turning up the pressure and public opinion turning against them, fraternities either need to become the organizations they claim to be or get off campus.” - Evan Butow, columnist

CULTURE “I love moments where you can tap into people in ways you never thought you could.” - Briana Gilyard, singer-songwriter Page 7

SPORTS “(Tucker) was a natural bullet ... He did nothing but get faster since his freshman year.” - Chris Lewis, former track teammate Page 12

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COMING UP

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Noteworthy events this week.

WHAT: SU Human Rights Film Festival WHEN: Thursday-Saturday WHERE: Virtual

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WHERE: Shaw Quadrangle WHAT: Spoken Word Poetry Institute WHEN: Thursday, 7:30-9:30 p.m. WHERE: Schine Student Center, 304-ABC

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NEWS

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sept. 23, 2021

university senate

city

University Senate discusses protests, COVID-19 Centro’s schedule worries students By Sarah Alessandrini senior staff writer

CHANCELLOR KENT SYVERUD said in the University Senate’s first meeting that SU has been working to improve the situation regarding sexual violence after recent protests on campus. daily orange file photo By Richard Perrins asst. news editor

Chancellor Kent Syverud discussed recent protests on Syracuse University’s campus in the first University Senate meeting of the fall 2021 semester on Wednesday. On Tuesday evening, students protested at multiple Interfraternity Council chapters on campus following recent sexual assault allegations. The protest began at the Pi Chapter House of Psi Upsilon, but the demonstrators soon moved to other fraternity houses, including Phi Kappa Theta. During the protest, demonstrators called for SU and the IFC to take action by protecting survivors of sexual assault and holding assaulters accountable. Demonstrators put specific emphasis on Title IX and what

the protestors said was the university’s failure to address sexual assault issues on campus. Syverud said that SU cannot comment on active investigations involving a student because of privacy laws but put faith in the university’s “robust processes.” “We have to follow the law in this area, but we also have to work every day harder to offer compassion and care and support for those impacted by sexual violence, and all of your help with that is very much appreciated,” Syverud said. Syverud said the university has been involved in Title IX debates on campus and nationally. SU takes steps every year to improve the situation regarding sexual violence, he said. Sy verud also said that the processes to investigate incidents of sexual assault require a

report in order to begin. He said students should visit SU’s Sexual and Relationship Violence website for support. “It often seems like it takes a loud voice or a loud protest to get people to take it seriously,” Syverud said. “I just hope people realize that, often, a lot of people have been working very hard behind the scenes all along.” Syverud also discussed the COVID-19 situation on campus. “I am acutely aware that the COVID situation continues to be stressful for all sorts of people in our community, in our campus,” Syverud said. “I speak with leaders at peer institutions often, everyday really, for the last 18 months, including today. I can tell you that we are doing very well by comparison to almost all our peers.” As of Wednesday, SU had 91

active cases on its COVID-19 dashboard, with 11 new student cases reported since Tuesday. SU has been sending students who have tested positive to isolate at Onondaga Community College. Sarah Scalese, the senior associate vice president for university communications, said 16 students have been sent this semester as of Wednesday. As of Wednesday night, no campus-wide email has been sent informing the campus community about the OCC isolation housing. Syverud also praised the faculty and staff of SU for the 2020 commencement ceremony on Sunday, which he said over half the 2020 graduating undergraduate students attended. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke at the ceremony. Additionally, SU’s Board of see chancellor page 4

on campus

Here is how SU ranked in 3 top-college lists By Richard Perrins asst. news editor

Three nationwide college rankings placed Syracuse University in their 2021-22 editions. The Daily Orange looked at the rankings produced by Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and the Wall Street Journal. Here’s how they ranked SU.

Forbes: #113

Forbes ranked SU 113th out of 600 on the list of top colleges in the country, which was an increase of 43 from 2019 — the last time Forbes published the rankings — when they were ranked 156th of 650. To create the ranking, Forbes took into account alumni salary figures six and 10 years after employment, student debt, graduation rate and return on investment — how long it takes, on average, for students to pay their college costs.

The methodology also took into account how many alumni from each school made it into Forbes’ various leadership and entrepreneurship lists, as well as individuals who went into public services or received a prestigious honor or award in their field. In Forbes’ profile of SU, the university is described as being known “for its vibrant academics and athletics.” Forbes also mentioned the over 300 student organizations and more than 40 research centers that SU offers. The publication noted the over 100 undergraduate majors, especially in the “elite” Newhouse School of Public Communications.

U.S. News & World Report: #59

SU tied with the University of Maryland, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Washington for the 59th spot out of 392 schools in the U.S. News & World Report see ranking page 4

SU was ranked by Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and the Wall Street Journal. emily steinberger editor-in-chief

One Friday evening, Cooper Dawson waited about 40 minutes at a South Campus bus stop for a Centro bus so he could visit a friend on Euclid Avenue. He recalls about 20 other students waiting at the same stop before they all boarded the crowded bus together. Dawson, a junior international relations major, isn’t the only Syracuse University student who’s noticed delayed and overcrowded Centro buses this semester. Since the agency reduced its on-campus routes last week, many South Campus residents worry about having reliable transportation from their apartments to Main Campus. Centro announced Sept. 13 that it would no longer provide transportation services on SU’s campus past 8 p.m. due to staff s hortages. Although the Centro schedule between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. remains unchanged, the university told students who take Centro buses to expect increased delays. SU’s trolleys replaced the routes that Centro buses used to run past 8 p.m., running approximately once every 15 minutes from 7:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. SU is awaiting the delivery of three additional trolleys and will soon hire more drivers, said Jennifer Horvath, communications director for business, finance a nd administrative services at SU. A trolley taking students to Wegmans and Target will also run this Saturday after SU’s Student Association passed a bill to purchase the trolley for the day and three other days during the semester. Despite these efforts, some students worry that the trolleys might not be a suitable replacement for the buses. “I’ve heard about people who have classes until 9 p.m. I can imagine if things are running behind or there aren’t enough trolleys, not only are you getting out late, but you might have to sit there and wait even longer to get back to your apartment,” Dawson said. Rubin Parker, a junior film major, is one of these students. He has a photography lab on Wednesdays that doesn’t end until after 9 p.m. Parker said the trolleys are more crowded, which he worries pose an increased risk for the spread of COVID-19. “The trolleys are just new. (Students) don’t entirely understand them,” said Patrick Fox, a junior international relations major, who lives on South Campus. Fox also said the change in schedule has made the Centro buses less reliable. He’s had to figure out alternative ways of getting to Main Campus and back in the event that a bus won’t arrive in time. “I’ve had to leave for everything considerably earlier, less out of necessity, more out of distrust,” Fox said. Fox’s class and activity schedule has also made it so he’s often on campus past 8 p.m. While he has a friend with a car, Fox doesn’t like to see centro page 4

4 sept. 23, 2021

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crime

17-year-old arrested in connection to South Campus crime By Ivana Xie

asst. copy editor

A 17-year-old is facing various charges after being arrested for a burglary incident that was reported shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday morning on South Campus, Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety stated in a from page 1

skyhall OK with me getting an apartment off campus,” Rossi said. “I’m a senior; it’s a little different. I don’t know what underclassmen would have done at all.” Rossi said she did not get assistance throughout the process of moving to offcampus housing. She moved out by the end of Saturday, and she had to rely on her mother and grandmother, who drove to Syracuse from Boston to help. Staff from SU’s Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services took the concerns of students who wanted separate bedrooms into consideration by placing them in South Campus apartments, Scalese said. Christopher Cabral, a sophomore in the School of Information Studies, said his medical accommodations were not initialfrom page 3

chancellor Trustees has approved $50 million over the next 10 years to go to the diversification of from page 3

ranking national rankings — a decrease of one from last year’s edition.

campus-wide email Wednesday. The person who was arrested may be responsible for other burglaries in the area, DPS said. And the individual has no affiliation with the university. When DPS arrived to investigate the burglary report, they witnessed the suspect fleeing the area in a vehicle. DPS determined that

the vehicle was stolen from the 100 block of Small Road. DPS later stopped the vehicle on East Colvin Street. The suspect had stolen the keys to the vehicle in the burglary of a South Campus apartment, according to the email. The Syracuse Police Department arrested the suspect, who is now being charged with

second-degree burglary, fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and seconddegree criminal impersonation.

ly taken into account during the moving process. Cabral takes immunosuppressant medication, which can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At first, SU tried to move Cabral to an open double in Booth Hall. Cabral then explained why an open double would be potentially detrimental to his health. SU proceeded to move him to Haven Hall into a split double, where again he did not receive what he required. After two relocations, Cabral was finally moved to a South Campus apartment where he has his own room separate from his roommate’s. “I sent, like, six emails, and I only got one response,” he said. Scalese said in an email to The D.O. that medical requirements were taken into

account during the relocation process. The housing office “worked with students who had medical accommodations to ensure they were placed in a location that met their needs,” she said. Ahmed AlQubaisi, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said that while the move from Skyhall II was initially frustrating, the university shouldn’t necessarily be blamed. Beasley echoed a similar sentiment. “I understand the reasoning behind it as COVID cases are ramping up at Syracuse,” Beasley said. “They need more space, but I believe it could have been handled better by early notification.” When it came time to move, Joana Zuluaga, a sophomore in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, described it as “chaotic.” “It was really chaotic. It wasn’t really

organized or anything like that, so I was freaking out the whole entire process,” Zuluaga said. “I was stressing out and my parents were telling me, ‘We’ll drive up,’ and I’d say ‘No, you shouldn’t drive up,’ because this is something (SU) should be handling.” Depending on where the student moved, they will pay the lesser of the room charges, Scalese said. Additionally, she said that students who were moved will receive $500 of dining dollars to grant more flexibility with their meal choices this semester. But Katie Fongvongsa, a sophomore transfer in the College of Arts and Sciences, said that the move felt rushed and unprepared overall. “They didn’t really think about the situation and how it actually impacted us like we were actual humans,” she said.

the faculty, said John Liu, the university’s interim vice chancellor and provost. The money will go, in part, towards the university’s Cluster Hire Initiative, he added. Liu said that the university hired 99

faculty members in 2021, 32 of whom are part of underrepresented communities. Additionally, 94 faculty openings have been approved for the 2023 fiscal year. Syverud also said that SU’s enrollment has

increased by 400 students since last year, and he said he hopes it will soon revert to its peak, which was in the fall of 2019.

“Few schools are associated with a color as strongly as Syracuse University,” U.S. News’ entry on SU reads. “A brilliant shade of orange is tied into campus life.” The report also mentioned SU’s extensive

list of student organizations, Greek life and study abroad opportunities. The factors that U.S. News & World Report used to create their rankings included outcomes for students (which looked at factors such as graduation rates), faculty resources, financial resources, student excellence (determined from standardized test scores and selectivity in enrollment), alumni giving and expert opinion — which solicited input from top academics at peer institutions.

The ranking marks an increase of seven places from WSJ’s 2021 list, which had SU tied 124th out of 600 with Babson College and Stony Brook University. The WSJ/THE methodology revolved around resources — defined as the capacity to effectively deliver teaching — student engagement, outcomes for graduates and environment, which includes diversity and inclusion of the campus community. In a survey of SU students run by THE, the WSJ ranked SU out of 10 in three distinct categories as part of their description of the university: “right choice,” “inspiring” and “worth the cost.” SU received 7.7, 7.3 and 6, respectively.

Wall Street Journal: #117

Made in collaboration with Times Higher Education, the Wall Street Journal’s 2022 college rankings ranked SU 117th out of 600 in the nation, tied with North Carolina State University and the College of the Holy Cross. from page 3

centro ask for rides unless it’s an emergency, especially since his friend likes to go to bed early. Some students have cars with them on campus but prefer not to drive between Main Campus and South Campus every day. Olivia Porter, a junior majoring in political philosophy, drives from South Campus to Main Campus whenever she can. She said finding parking makes getting to class on time difficult, especially if she needs to pay for a spot. In response to Centro reducing its services, SU announced that students with a valid permit will be allowed to use any Orange parking lot after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, except during Carrier Dome events such as games. Porter has classes that end as late as 6:30 p.m., and she usually likes to get dinner with friends on campus afterwards. She also likes to study in the library sometimes after her later classes. In these instances, she said her most reliable form of transportation back to South Campus is to drive herself or take a ridehailing service. SU also suggested its shuttle escort service as an alternative mode of late-night transportation. Fox worries about the reliability of these shuttles because he once called for one past midnight and they said they couldn’t get him for another hour. Despite their concerns, some students feel that SU is doing the best they can to account for the inconvenience, which is outside of its control. Centro bus drivers who work on-campus routes are employed

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through Centro, not the university, Horvath said. The bus driver shortage that Centro is experiencing is not unique to Syracuse but rather a nationwide issue due to the pandemic, said Josh Kaufman, a senior civil engineering major. Centro right now needs to hire 35 to 40 new drivers. Training a driver takes at least six weeks, said Kaufman, who’s worked at two large transit agencies downstate. In New York state, bus drivers need a commercial drivers license, which requires several weeks of additional training. “While (Centro) has made it clear that they want to be providing as good a service as possible, the odds are stacked against them,” Kaufman said. Kaufman also works closely with SU’s Parking and Transportation Services to design routes for students traveling to the city for volunteer opportunities through the Shaw Center. He said the office is doing its best to ensure adequate transportation options for students. “(Parking and Transportation Services) really are trying hard to make sure the university can still operate within the limits of the Centro service reductions,” Kaufman said. Dawson said he appreciates SU providing alternative transportation to account for the reduced Centro hours and thinks increasing the number of trolleys to replace the evening Centro routes should help the problem. “If they (SU) stick with their word, I don’t see too much of an issue,” Dawson said. scalessa@syr.edu @sarahalessan

OPINION

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sept. 23, 2021

fast react

Unless they clean up their act, fraternities should get off campus By Evan Butow columnist

n addition to the 16 Greek organizations that remain unrecognized by SU, the university put Phi Kappa Theta on disciplinary and social probation, and Lambda Upsilon Lambda is under investigation. Unfortunately for SU and its Interfraternity Council, negative press attention prompted by misconduct among fraternities is nothing new. In 2018, a video leaked of members of the professional engineering

fraternity Theta Tau using vile and insensitive language prompting The Washington Post to proclaim a “toxic Greek environment” on campus. The following year, there was widespread attention when the university suspended its chapter of Alpha Chi Rho after determining that members and guests of the fraternity were involved in shouting a racial slur at a Black woman. A Supreme Court judge has since annulled the suspension. Traditionally, many fraternities have done their best to stay under the radar to continue their dicey

behavior while avoiding the potential consequences, but in recent years the administration has come down much harder on the IFC due in part to negative press attention that fraternities have brought the university from instances of racism, hazing and COVID-19 safety violations. Due to all the negative attention fraternities have brought to SU, many people are asking what fraternities are still doing here on campus. Fraternities answer this question by claiming to be dedicated to promoting leadership, brotherhood,

service and academic excellence, among other principles. Psi Upsilon’s national website claims its organizational mission is to “aspire to moral, intellectual and social excellence in themselves as they seek to inspire these values in society.” To many people, however, these “mission statements” and “values” are laughable. Many fraternities on campus are known for the harm they cause, not for the benefits they provide. With both the university turning up the pressure and public opinion turning against them, fraternities

either need to become the organizations they claim to be or get off campus.

Evan Butlow is a sophomore magazine, news and digital journalism major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at enbutow@syr.edu.

DISCLAIMER: Editorial editor Nathan Fenningdorf and asst. editorial editor Grace Myron are associated with Greek life on campus. They both recused themselves from editing this column in all means, and therefore have no influence over the content of this column.

letter to the editor

SU should rethink playing football against Liberty University By Our Reader

t is embarrassing that Syracuse University still competes against Liberty in football. When the series was announced in 2018, I didn’t think much of it other than the potential for three wins for SU in nonconference play. Of course, Liberty defeated the Orange in 2020 and are the betting favorites to win on Friday, but this is not about wins and losses, it’s about whether SU considers itself an inclusive university for everyone. The Liberty University code of conduct explicitly states that “sexual relations outside of a biblically-ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University.” SU describes itself as a university that promotes understanding, acceptance, empowerment and visibility of people with marginalized genders and sexualities. Meanwhile, SU associates itself

with schools like Liberty University, a school that does not share these values. The lack of LGBTQ+ rights are just one of a slew of problems Liberty University has. Jerry Falwell Jr., its former president and son of its founder, tweeted a picture of a mask he had made of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in Blackface, an event that did happen, and used it to critique the mask mandate the state had at that time. Rightfully so, many Black students were offended by this. Moreover, the school is currently being sued by a former employee for both sexual and racial discrimination. Syracuse athletes’ safety should also be discussed, as Liberty University currently has no requirements for a vaccination other than encouraging students and staff to get it, and there is no mask mandate. In March of 2020, students returned to Liberty’s campus during the pandemic, resulting in the unnecessary spread of COVID-19. Liberty University’s policies don’t meet the progressive standards that

Liberty University has no vaccine requirement, putting the safety of the SU football team in jeopardy as they gear up to play on Friday. courtesy of acc

SU claims it has. Why should we continue to profit off playing football against a Power Five opponent in a

Friday primetime game? This is just another embarrassing move by Syracuse, which doesn’t

seem to recognize it’s going against its own values.

Nick Testani 24’

column

Students should comply with changing COVID-19 guidelines By Harrison Vogt columnist

fter most of the student population at Syracuse University received the COVID-19 vaccine, SU alluded to a return to normal. The Carrier Dome has been packed for football games, dining halls are full and the bulk of student life has returned. But emails regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus, news stories of COVID-19 related hospitalizations, and the “RED” alert level mask mandate show how abnormal the public health situation actually is. A year and a half after the direct effects of the pandemic began taking

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effect in the U.S., it is expected that students have some understanding on the danger of COVID-19. Navigating the pandemic right now, however, is different from past semesters. Vaccines give the illusion of complete immunity and safety, leading some to ignore SU’s public health protocols. Parties and social gatherings have returned to sizes seen before the pandemic despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that people avoid large parties and gatherings. Public health reminders and easy-tofollow COVID-19 protocols have instead become easy to ignore. Students are trying to force the return to normal even though

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COVID-19 is clearly still spreading and dangerous. Going back to normal is not possible when the pandemic is constantly evolving. Regardless, many students hope that this fall will be a maskless semester. To achieve normalcy, we cannot ignore the pandemic. While many students are frustrated that SU has implemented a “RED” level alert — which requires masks in the presence of others for everyone regardless of vaccination status — students’ should understand that SU’s COVID protocols should be followed to best prevent the spread. Through public health reminders and contact tracing, SU is doing a lot to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In turn, students must accept responsibility for much of the on-campus spread and take action to prevent it. Responsibility comes with an understanding of the evolving pandemic. Wearing a mask on campus is required by SU under the “RED” alert level, but SU has little jurisdiction over what occurs in students’ lives off campus, so the responsibility to keep the community safe falls on students. Last week, SU had the highest number of cases so far this school year. Students deprived of a normal social life for over a year are taking advantage of the sense of freedom compared to previous semesters during the pandemic. While understandable, getting

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COVID-19 is just as easy as in previous semesters, and this reckless behavior endangers our university community as well as the greater Syracuse community. After hearing stories of and living through the pandemic, students should want to prevent it from occurring again. As students seek a traditional American college experience, ignoring public health measures will only prolong the pandemic and push away the return to normal. Harrison Vogt is a junior environment sustainability policy and communication and rhetorical studies dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at hevogt@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter at @VogtHarrison.

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CULTURE

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sept. 23, 2021

BRIANA GILYARD started singing at a young age, but while at SU she taught herself the guitar and was inspired by other SU musicians to start writing more of her own songs. meghan hendricks asst. photo editor

‘Vibe with me’

Briana Gilyard has performed at several house shows while at Syracuse to an attentive audience of her peers By Katie Hopsicker contributing writer

riana Gilyard commands the attention of the room immediately, and her audience quickly settles down. “I’ll wait,” Gilyard told the crowd. More than 100 people lined Livingston Avenue on Saturday night, but only a lucky few — about 75 — have been let in to see her show. As the faint hints of chatter and laughter simmer to a quiet hum, Xander Luke takes his guitar and strums the chords of Gilyard’s opening song, “Comin’ Thru.” Gilyard, known as BRI to her fans, flips her hair over her shoulder and smiles wide. The show begins. Gilyard, a 19-year-old Syracuse University music industry major from Summit, New Jersey, said she has always been a performer. Her father is a pastor, and her music career began in the church choir. In high school, she was the lead in sev-

eral musicals but never had any formal or technical training until she came to SU. “It was a leap,” she said about choosing a music industry major. The singer-songwriter wanted to perform and develop her artistry, and the SU music community was going to help her do just that. Her music is a reflection of her personality, which Luke said is “fun” and “outgoing.” Gilyard’s audience danced along to the jazzy and upbeat vibe of her music. Freshman year, Gilyard started writing songs seriously. She looked up to others in her program, especially Sarah Gross, an SU senior and student musician. She credited Gross as her inspiration; watching her play at past house shows encouraged Gilyard to write more music. Gilyard’s passion for her music has influenced her work ethic and drive. “I’m a very independent type of person,” she said. “I didn’t want a voice teacher. I didn’t want lessons in high school.” see bri page 8

But Gilyard said coming to Syracuse was a great learning experience for her, as she got formal training in her major. Gilyard learned to play the piano and violin in elementary school and ended up teaching herself to play guitar once she got to Syracuse. Her curiosity and drive to keep writing and performing enabled her to grow as an artist, she said. Throughout the pandemic, Gilyard used Instagram Live to put on performances and is now back to performing at small house shows. She wants to make up for lost time this past year and dive head first into her music, she said. Her music is about more than just performing, though. Gilyard feels that the music she creates not only represents her own identity, but also speaks to many different and underrepresented voices in the community. She wants to challenge SU’s status quo of the past and let her music diversify the audience. Eventually, she knows the industry can change as well.

university union

What you need to know about Jack Harlow before Sunday By Sydney Pollack asst. culture editor

Jack Harlow’s rise into the mainstream may look like the familiar story of an industry plant, but stardom didn’t come overnight for the Louisville native. The Kentucky rapper has been working to break into the rap game since he was 12 years old, and when he finally arrived on the scene, he brought with him his bashful charm and quirky off-beat

humor. Harlow will headline Juice Jam this Sunday, so before spending $25 on the festival ticket, here’s a timeline of his rise to fame.

2012: First online rap videos

Before he released his first EP, Harlow was already recording music videos, one-off freestyles and remixes on YouTube and SoundCloud. His come-up is recorded in videos that can be described as 2010s-core, so they will resonate with SU’s current

classes. Harlow spent the early years of this decade remixing and rapping on songs like “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Beez in the Trap” in YouTube videos that unashamedly feature his childhood bedroom’s pale green walls and twin size bed as a backdrop, juxtaposed against Harlow’s pop filter and microphone.

2013: Toilet seat freestyle

This is just a video everyone should see. This early music video from the

archives showcases Harlow’s goofiness and sense of humor. From his awkward flirtations with online comedian Druski to his weekly Instagram stories where he answers very personal questions from fans with joking answers, Harlow has a class clown-adjacent sense of humor that old videos prove has been in the works since he was in high school.

2014: “Finally Handsome”

The rapper’s first EP under his cur-

rent name is no longer available on streaming services because Harlow worried it would tarnish his reputation once he made it mainstream. Before “Finally Handsome,” he went by Mr. Harlow and sometimes Handsome Harlow, but, as Harlow told Louisville.com in a 2017 profile, “My brand is being true to myself.” So, Harlow ended up re-adopting his full name for all future albums. see harlow page 8

8 sept. 23, 2021

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beyond the hill

Natasha Alford talks intertwining journalism with activism By Rachel Raposas staff writer

In her segment of the Newhouse School of Public Communications’ “Leaders in Communications” series, award-winning journalist Natasha Alford encouraged students to take on a career in journalism and to use their voice for good. “Journalism is a form of teaching and helping our readers understand the world,” Alford said. The CNN political analyst returned to her hometown Wednesday evening to speak to SU students at “Community, Identity and Self-Care: A Conversation with Natasha Alford,” hosted in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium. Raised on the south side of Syracuse, Alford attended Harvard University and worked in education and investments before deciding to follow her passion of journalism. She has previously had work appear in the New York Times, the Guardian and Oprah Magazine, and she said she currently works as a political analyst for CNN and is the vice president of digital content at theGrio, a Blackowned news media outlet. from page 7

bri

“Being here, there are so many different types of people, especially musicians,” she said. “I like to make music for, not specifically girls, but the girls who were never the top tier.” Gilyard’s long term goals are simple. Getting to the Grammys would be great, but that major accolade doesn’t show all the hard work and excitement leading up to the success, she said. The Syracuse singer is focusing on herself and her career one day at a time, and plans to record, perform and just become a better artist overall. Gilyard wants to work on branding and marketing to grow and curate her audience. Through house shows, social media and reaching out to student organizations, she hopes to widen the reach of her work. Her motivations come from a sense of independence, and it shows. The junior leaves no chord, note or lyric unnoticed. In rehearsals, she guides her collaborators and doesn’t skip over any minor details. While working with her backup singers, they practiced one harmony countless times until solidifying the blending of their voices. Gilyard loves engaging with her audience and bringing relatability through her songs. Her music explores narratives of friendships, falling outs, situationships and vibing through life, and her fans connect to the simple yet powerful themes. While performing, she commands the space and encourages her audience to engage with her. “Feel free to vibe with me,” she told the crowd, as they sang along, clapped and danced to her hit original song, “Better With You.” “I love moments where you can tap into people in ways you never thought you could,” she said. “It really does affect people long term.” At her performance this past Saturday from page 7

harlow 2017: “Dark Knight”

After multiple record deals fell through during his highschool years, Harlow released his two post high school albums under his and his friends’ own label, Private Garden. Finally in 2018, Harlow signed to DJ Drama and Don Cannon’s Generation Now label, under Atlantic Records, after his breakthrough single “Dark Knight” off of his 2017 album “Gazebo.”

2018: “SUNDOWN”

Harlow’s song “SUNDOWN” off “Loose,” his first album with Generation Now, brought the Kentucky rapper into the spotlight for good. Genius recorded a Verified video with him where he breaks down the lyrics to the song, and, in classic Harlow fashion, opens the video with a drawn-out, self deprecating joke regarding a “big d*ck” line in the song. The Jack Harlow in this video sounds the same as the one shown in more current interviews at

Though she wasn’t always planning on going into journalism, Alford said it felt inevitable. “The seeds of being a journalist were always there,” she said. Alford always had a passion for writing, and actually visited Newhouse as a high school student when her school competed in a newspaper competition at SU. In Wednesday evening’s event, Alford explained how she intertwines journalism and the platform journalists have with political activism. As a journalist of color, Alford said she feels a responsibility to reshape the narrative around Black lives and to work against perpetuating the negative stereotypes that often appear in mainstream media. “Especially if you’re a person of color, you feel this pressure that you have to do something that is important,” Alford said, concerning the close link between news and activism. Alford’s work gravitates toward tough topics that she feels deserve visibility. She is currently working on a piece exploring the complexities of solitary confinement, she said, and she recently completed a documentary on the Afro-Latino identity, a topic that is personal to her and is underrepresented in news night, Gilyard sang seven songs, including two covers of “Bills, Bills, Bills” by Destiny’s Child and “The Weekend” by SZA. But the majority of her songs were originals she wrote both alone and in collaboration with other Syracuse students. Luke played guitar, Brandon Ferrante played on keys, and Jamie Shin and Tessa Pulgar sang backup vocals for Gilyard. Gilyard expressed her appreciation and admiration for her collaborators. Luke, a music industry major from Brooklyn, grew close with Gilyard this past year, and helped her this past summer as she met with producers in the New York City borough. Luke writes and plays music, but also dabbles in production. “I’m not too extroverted. I keep to myself,” Luke said. “Bri is like the opposite.” But both Luke and Gilyard agree that their friendship and collaborations are a great mix between doing their own thing and working as a team. Pulgar, a student in the Bandier Program who is also from Summit, New Jersey, collaborated with Gilyard to write her first song of the night, “Comin’ Thru,” and sang the opening set of music for the Saturday night show. The two have known each other since they were 5 years old, and they feel connected through both music and Syracuse. “I feel like we’re all the building blocks of something bigger,” Pulgar said. “We all have this deep love for music, so every time I’m with people that love music … I feel magnified as a person.” Despite their success, the young musicians try not to think too far ahead. Luke said they will all just keep going, and eventually opportunities will arise. “You can’t focus on that one peak moment,” Gilyard said. “Why not just enjoy the process?” kshopsic@syr.edu

the Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards, but he looks different. He sports an awkward Coogi button up as opposed to the silk shirts and sweaters he wears in more recent interviews.

January 2020: “WHATS POPPIN”

Jack Harlow started out 2020 running, with “WHATS POPPIN” jumping off of his album “Sweet Action” straight into TikTok videos, accumulating over 300,000 glow-up videos that used his song as audio. It wasn’t over then, though – in June of that year Harlow released the remix of the song and a video with DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne. The song was Harlow’s first number one on Billboard’s Rhythmic Songs chart, and Vulture magazine called it the song of the summer.

August 2020: XXL Freshman

In August of 2020, Harlow joined the 2020 XXL Freshman class. He stood his own against classmates Polo G and Baby Keem in the freestyles and cyphers because he didn’t shy away from including in his raps the serious

and entertainment media. “I decided to create the media that I felt wasn’t there,” she said. According to Alford, being Black in the journalism industry weighs heavily on her shoulders when it comes to covering topics such as racial injustice and economic inequality. “When you work in Black media, there’s always things to be outraged about, (because you are) constantly being confronted with injustice that hits really close to home,” Alford said. Based on her experience in multiple different news settings, Alford highlighted the need for diversity in the newsroom. She said that more perspectives results in a richer understanding behind the stories and therefore better reporting. Additionally, as a mother, Alford was faced with the difficult task of raising a family while still working as a journalist. Alford secured what she called her “dream job” — an offer from CNN for a position as a political analyst — while she was pregnant. She took the job and emphasized to women in the audience that they do not have to choose between their family and their career. Alford maintains the balance between her

work life and her family by placing a special emphasis on self care, specifically therapy. She said she views therapy as a safe haven where she can let go of the stress from the workplace and simply focus on herself, and she ensures she has time set aside for it weekly. Backed with years of experience, the CNN analyst offered advice to students looking to enter communications. Alford encouraged students to believe in themselves, telling audience members “don’t be afraid to take up space.” As a tip for future journalists, she recommended paying close attention to management dynamics and understanding the business side of news. Additionally, she reminded students to not worry about gaining notoriety within the communications world. “Worry about the craft and telling good stories, and the relevance will follow,” Alford said. As final words of encouragement, Alford asked students to live their lives before settling into their communications career. Recalling her life before becoming a journalist, Alford felt those experiences were a large part of what made her successful. “Make your life rich.” rlraposa@syr.edu

Gilyard said she hopes her music will introduce more diversity in the voices represented in Syracuse’s student music scene. meghan hendricks asst. photo editor

topics that defined the summer of 2020. He rapped about police brutality in his hometown of Louisville where law enforcement officers killed David McAtee, the owner of a barbecue stand, two months earlier.

December 2020: “Thats What They All Say”

Harlow rounded out 2020 with another album that showed a huge leap from “Sweet Action.” “Thats What They All Say” is packed with Louisville references and features from Louisville artists EST Gee and Bryson Tiller alongside those from hip-hop and R&B veterans including Big Sean, Lil Baby and Chris Brown.

2021: Grammy Nomination

“WHATS POPPIN” got nominated for best rap performance at the 2021 Grammys. Though he didn’t take home the award, it was still a big moment for Harlow, who said he hadn’t expected his first big song to yield such results. He told the Recording Academy, “I’d always dreamed of getting a nomination, but I didn’t

think it would come this early in my career.”

August 2021: “Industry Baby”

Harlow said he had admired Lil Nas X long before he hopped on his song “INDUSTRY BABY.” The two share a light-hearted approach to social media — Harlow more on Instagram, Lil Nas X on Twitter — and Harlow told Variety he was more than enthusiastic about working with him. He said he had no qualms when it came time to be in the music video, and if Lil Nas X had asked, he would have even been in the naked shower scene. The song went number one on the Billboard chart for streamed songs, and the duo performed it at the VMAs in September. Harlow has come a long way, from music videos filmed in the halls of his high school to some of the biggest stages in music, and now to Syracuse’s Juice Jam stage this Sunday. But as he raps in “INDUSTRY BABY,” he’s still got a long way to go: “I didn’t peak in high school, I’m still out here getting cuter.” sydneypollack@dailyorange.com

sept. 23, 2021 9

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from page 12

tucker a way that’s non-detrimental to football, and there’s the matter of NCAA eligibility rules. He’ll have to balance a schedule with academics, spring football workouts, track competitions and more. Tucker works with Harper when he returns home to Owings Mills, Maryland, and he knows enough to do track workouts on his own, his father Steve Tucker said. Those track workouts continued until August this year. In football, Tucker has emerged as the focal point of the Orange’s offense in his second season. He put together one of the best rookie campaigns in SU program history during 2020, and through three games this season, he’s notched over 500 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns. He’s 7 yards shy of 1,000 career rushing yards. SU fans are calling to give him the legendary No. 44 jersey that was worn by Jim Brown — who also ran track — Ernie Davis and Floyd Little. Tucker’s speed, elusiveness and acceleration are among the reasons he stands out, head coach Dino Babers said, and his aspirations to run in official track meets would further develop those attributes. “It’s definitely in his mind,” Harper said of Tucker joining SU’s track team. “We have kicked the idea around.” Steve knew his son was fast before high school — the opponents could never catch him on the football field — but he had no actual times to base that speed on. Then he met Harper, Tucker’s then-JV football coach who was also the sprints, relays and hurdles coach for track. Harper, who also trains professional athletes on the Baltimore Ravens and in MLB, recognized Tucker’s potential and encouraged him to join the track team. But at the start, he didn’t display his current speed. Wade recalled an improvement from 11.1 seconds in the 100-meter — an already impressive time as a freshman — to 10.7 or 10.8 by the start of Tucker’s sophomore year. Both Steve and Tucker largely credit Harper for the improvements. “I have never seen a transformation like

that,” Wade said. That jump was the result of Harper working with Tucker to fine-tune his arm motions, controlling his breathing, exerting more force on the ground and extending his legs, Wade said. He learned to “train with a lactic threshold” by pushing through lactic buildup, Harper said. Tucker was a good starter because he’s explosive, but they worked on the intricate details until he came out of the starting blocks “like a cannon, a shotgun blast,” Harper said. “Nothing gets you in shape like track workout conditioning,” Harper said. Multiple times a week, Tucker would go from spring football practice to track practice, where he’d show up 30 minutes late but stay 30 minutes after, and then go to the weight room for a track lifting session. In a single track practice, they could do a “ladder” that started with a 100-meter sprint and increased by increments of 50-meters each time until it got to 300, and then climbed back down. “It was just so much running and so much aerobic exercise that we just felt like we could do anything,” Wade said. Tucker ran the 55, 100, 200, 300, 4x100 and 4x200. Like most other football players running track, Harper said shorter distances were “his money” because of his explosiveness and reliance on power and speed. Harper had to work with Tucker to get him into “track shape” to compete in the longer sprints. They touched on the three important areas: short speed, long speed (or speed endurance) and max velocity (or hitting one’s top speed). The 300-meter helps elongate the amount of time a sprinter like Tucker can hold his top speed. Wade said the variety of new workouts was “refreshing” for him and the other football players, and since Harper was both a football and track coach, he made sure getting into track shape didn’t interfere with football shape. But it was the mental side of track that perhaps proved the most valuable. It required Tucker to be “sharp, calm, collected, fierce and fearless,” Lewis said, all of which parallel qualities for a running back. “Running track, it definitely helps,” Tucker

said when asked about the mental correlation between track and football. Tucker’s newly gained speed stemmed from track workouts with Harper. Ahead of his sophomore year, it helped smooth over the transition from defensive back — the position that Calvert Hall originally recruited him to play — to running back, his father said. Tucker made the change because there wasn’t an opportunity to be a starting defensive back as a sophomore on varsity. Then-Calvert Hall head coach Donald Davis took one week of practice to evaluate Tucker exclusively at running back. He showed patience during those practices, something many speedy running backs lack. Wade said Tucker kept questioning why he had to play running back. But three games into the year, against Wise High School — one of the top public schools in the nation — Tucker appeared as the third or fourth-string running back and “balled out on them,” Steve said. One of his first drives included an 89-yard touchdown run, and he finished with 147 yards in Calvert Hall’s upset win. Doubts about which position best suited him were gone. “I remember thinking, ‘Of course you should be a running back, have you seen how fast you are?’” Lewis said. “After that week, everyone knew what I knew, and he was our star running back.” Tucker’s standout performance at running back overshadowed Steve’s original plan for a positional shift that was only supposed to be for 10th grade. Tucker had been running the ball since he started playing football at 6 years old. Speed, or what Wade referred to as Tucker’s “God-given attribute,” made the transition from playing running back in middle school to high school a straightforward one. “It’s like that home-run speed,” Wade said. “Once the O-line creates a hole, he’s just speed. He just gets to the hole, and once he makes one man miss, I feel sorry for the defenders because it’s going to be hard to go get him.” Tucker’s speed has allowed him to compensate for the shortcomings of Syracuse’s offensive line, which ranked 113th of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2020, according to Pro Football

Focus. That’s nothing new for Tucker, his father said — for much of high school, his offensive line had some success but wasn’t the most talented unit. He played with a Le’Veon Bell-esque running style in 11th grade because the best offensive line he had was able to open up holes more progressively. But high school prepared him and tempered his expectations. Syracuse’s challenges last year, particularly with the line, didn’t faze him, Steve said. As Syracuse’s definitive starting back this season, Tucker hasn’t had to make much of an adjustment compared to when he emerged atop the depth chart last September due to COVID19 opt outs. He’s already a “machine” when it comes to workload, said Davis, and the track workouts help keep him in shape year round. Typically during the offseason, he runs sprints, gassers — two down-backs from sideline to sideline — and hills at an Owings Mills track. This year, he was only home for a short period of time but didn’t take a significant break, Harper said. Instead, he “self-initiated” track workouts that were as intense as ones Harper would’ve done with him. “He put himself in a good headspace mentally (and) put himself in a good space physically to … (get) in great shape and maintain it,” Harper said. Tucker’s postgame tweets — where he recaps his statline alongside a photo from the most recent game — have recently become an SU fanfavorite. They’re just another platform for him to share information about himself, he said. The start of Tucker’s timeline, which dates back to his freshman year in 2017, features postgame tweets with highlights videos from Calvert Hall’s games. But interspersed between those, depending on the season, are tweets about track meets. First place and a personal record on Dec. 23, 2017 in the 55-meter. First place in the 2018 MIAA Championship for the 100-meter on May 14, 2018. The track tweets end on April 14, 2020 with a reference to Tucker’s All-Metro selection by the Baltimore Sun. But soon, with Tucker at Syracuse, they might return. rferna04@syr.edu @roshan_f16

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football

Opponent Preview: Everything to know about Liberty By Connor Smith

asst. sports editor

Syracuse will enter its Friday night matchup with Liberty 2-1, after a blowout victory over Football Championship Subdivision team UAlbany. Last weekend, Liberty beat Old Dominion 45-17 and received 56 votes in the latest AP poll. Quarterback Malik Willis totaled six touchdowns and over 300 yards. Liberty beat SU in the Carrier Dome last season 38-21. The Flames finished the season 10-1 and at No. 17 in the AP Top 25. Hugh Freeze, the former Ole Miss head coach, leads the team. Here’s everything to know about Liberty ahead of its visit to Syracuse on Friday night:

All-time series

The series is tied 1-1.

Last time they played

Syracuse was coming off a home loss against Duke when it faced Liberty last October. The Orange had also lost quarterback Tommy DeVito to what would become a season-ending leg injury against the Blue Devils. SU got out to a first-quarter lead behind a touchdown pass from Rex Culpepper to Taj Harris, but Willis and running back Shedro Louis both scored twice to give the Flames a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Willis finished l ast y ear’s m atchup w ith 182 yards passing and 70 more on the ground. Head coach Dino Babers said the Orange have

been watching film from last year to find ways to stop or limit Willis ahead of Friday’s game. “He’s a quarterback that can throw the football. He throws a good deep ball; he throws a good short ball. But he runs so strong,” Babers said. “I’m not going to call him a running back because he’s not, but god, he does not run like a running quarterback. He’s very very strong, very very physical.” Sean Tucker led SU offensively, r ushing for 119 yards on 21 carries. The Maryland native scored five times last Saturday against UAlbany as part of the early-season success he has found in both the running and passing games.

The Liberty report

Freeze has built an offensive juggernaut around Willis, an Auburn transfer who played 15 games for the Tigers in 2017 and 2018. The Flames average nearly 40 points and 435 yards per game, utilizing an up-tempo offense that uses plenty of run-pass options (RPOs). Willis has 11 touchdowns through Liberty’s first three games, averages 6.6 yards per run and has a 71% completion percentage. He could likely be in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season and is a potential NFL draft pick. Liberty’s other top weapons on the offensive side of the ball include wide receiver Demario Douglas, who leads the team with 185 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and running back Joshua Mack. Mack has run for 133 yards and a touchdown so far this year.

Defensively, Freeze’s team is led by senior linebacker Storey Jackson. Jackson has totaled 20 tackles this season and has 1.5 sacks. He has also played a role in the passing game, recording a pass break up and pass defended. Through the first three games, the Flames have allowed just six points in the second half. Liberty is an independent team, and Syracuse is one of just two Power Five conference teams on its schedule this season. Last year, the Flames upset both the Orange and Virginia Tech on the road. To open the season, Liberty has faced Campbell (an FCS team), Troy and Old Dominion. The Flames outscored Campbell and ODU, combined 93-24, but escaped the road game against Troy with just a 21-13 win. Friday’s game will be one of Liberty’s toughest tests of the season.

How Syracuse beats Liberty

Babers emphasized the difficulty of having to stop Willis, and to have a chance at winning, Syracuse will have to at least contain him. Willis’ strengths come in his abilities to run and pass the ball effectively, and the Orange will have to attempt to take away one of those facets in the Carrier Dome. SU’s defense has played well through its first t hree g ames a nd a llowed j ust 1 7 p oints against a Rutgers offense that scored 61 points the week prior. Through three games, the SU defense has given up just 50 points, an average of 16.7 points per game that is fifth-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Babers also noted that the quarterback battle between DeVito and Garrett Shrader is still ongoing, but DeVito was once again listed as Syracuse’s starter this week. DeVito has started all three games so far, but Shrader has also appeared in relief in all three. To keep up with Liberty’s offense, S U w ill h ave t o s core points of its own. The Orange put up over 60 points against Albany but haven’t moved the ball effectively i n t he p assing g ame a gainst Ohio or Rutgers. If Syracuse’s defense can hold Willis and his passing options and score early — something it was unable to do against the Scarlet Knights — the Orange could come out with a key nonconference win on Friday.

Stat to know: 71

Willis has one of the top completion percentages in the country at 71%, completing 49 of his 69 passes so far this season. He averages over 200 yards passing per game, and his passing efficiency rate of 179.12 is top 10 nationally.

Player to watch: quarterback

Malik

Willis,

Willis is one of the country’s top quarterbacks and will be one of the toughest players Babers and Syracuse face all season. Babers said it’s impossible for SU to replicate Willis in practice, but he hopes last year’s tape will show things that can help the Orange contain him. csmith49@syr.edu @csmith17_

football

Beat writers unanimously choose Liberty over Syracuse By The Daily Orange Sports Staff

After Syracuse’s 38-21 loss to Liberty last season, the Flames did a lot of “extra stuff after the game,” defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan said. Liberty players stayed on the Carrier Dome field taking photos after handing head coach Dino Babers his worst loss since taking over the program. And they sang “New York, New York” in the locker room before heading back to Lynchburg, Virginia, coaches and players said in press conferences. Jonathan, among other players, said last year’s loss was “personal.” And following a 62-24 win over UAlbany last weekend, the Orange are heading into this year’s matchup against the Flames with an over .500 record. Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen when the Orange face the Flames in the Carrier Dome on Friday night:

Roshan Fernandez (3-0) Liberty 24, Syracuse 14

Liberty earned 56 votes in the latest AP from page 12

williams at ease for her first few games. This included pointing out the opposing team’s hitting tendencies, such as which players hit hard or where they would place the ball, giving her a preview of what to expect on each point. Casiano and outside hitter Naomi Franco agreed Williams is the “energy leader” of the coaching staff. Franco even said Williams’ from page 12

cornell stickhandled it through the scoring circle. With three Big Red defenders blocking her, de Vries sent a pass flying left but lifted her head to see the ball rolling out of bounds and no teammate present to receive the pass. Cornell regained possession and took the ball into the Syracuse zone. But, just like in the first quarter, Syracuse’s defense stole the ball and cleared the zone, effectively shutting down any attempt that neared the scoring circle. But with less than four minutes remaining in the first half, Cornell gained possession off its first penalty corner of the game and set up its first clear scoring opportunity at the top of the circle. Caroline Ramsey stickhandled the ball near the top

Top 25 poll, and it ranked No. 17 in the nation when last season ended. The Flames have a future first round NFL draft pick in quarterback Malik Willis, too. When asked how Syracuse could replicate playing against him at practice this week, Babers just shook his head. Syracuse’s defense has played well, but it can only do so much against a player of Willis’ caliber. SU’s offense is a whole different issue. Against its only Power Five opponent thus far this year, Syracuse put forth an ugly offensive performance that led to seven points. The Orange won convincingly against Ohio and UAlbany, but Liberty will prove to be a far taller task. Syracuse lost 38-21 against Liberty last year, and though this year’s SU team might be an improved one, the end result will be the same.

good heading into Friday night’s game. Liberty is an independent team that broke into the AP Top 25 in 2020 in just its third season in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Last year, Syracuse took the Flames for granted and lost by 17 at home. Willis will likely finish this season as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and is a strong runner and thrower. SU, meanwhile, still has an ongoing quarterback battle between Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader, and running back Sean Tucker has carried the offense so far this season. Going against a quarterback who recorded six touchdowns last week will prove too tough for the Orange, who lack a go-to signal caller. Liberty’s head coach, Hugh Freeze, is a former Ole Miss head coach who also coached Michael Oher and is featured in the book and film “The Blind Side.” In the Carrier Dome on Friday, Syracuse will be hit from the blind side and fall to 2-2.

Anish Vasudevan (3-0) Liberty 30, Syracuse 16

intensity has rubbed off on her. “He helped me out with being more vocal on the court and being part of the team on the court verbally,” Franco said. Baker, who Williams still talks to regularly, said that passion and energy is imperative when moving up the ranks. This promotion is a step in the right direction for Williams’ coaching journey, Baker said. “To an athletic director, it shows that the current university and head coach feel

that he has the makings to be a head coach,” Baker said. “It’s definitely gonna help his resume and it’s gonna help him stand out among a lot of candidates that want to be head coaches.” Yelin said he believes the associate title will help him pursue a head coaching job, which is part of the reason he wanted to promote Williams. He wants to develop his assistants into head coach candidates, Yelin said, just like how he wants to develop

his freshmen players into stars. He even said he hopes his assistants end up more successful than him. But for Williams, it’s not just about career goals. What keeps him working hard everyday is seeing his players improve on and off the court. “That’s the stuff that keeps me coming back for more,” Williams said.

of the scoring circle and sent a hard slapshot toward Syracuse goalkeeper Brooke Borzymowski. The ball ricocheted off of Borzymowski’s pads back to Ramsey’s stick, but the Orange stole and cleared the zone moments later. The Big Red closed out the first half with its closest scoring opportunity when Cornell’s Natalie Stone sent the ball flying toward the net. Borzymowski took a few steps forward before tripping and missing the save. Anticipating the slight error, Sienna Pegram laid on the grass outstretched on the left side of the goal. Pegram narrowly tipped Stone’s shot, saving the Orange from allowing a goal and sending the game into halftime tied at zero. De Vries opened the second half with a long shot from the edge of the scoring

circle. The shot flew through the Cornell zone, finding the tip of Pleun Lammers’ stick as she tapped the ball toward the net. The ball hit the left goalpost and rattled around the cage before rebounding back out toward de Vries. Syracuse earned four consecutive penalty corners in the third quarter before capitalizing on its fifth attempt. As the Orange settled to run its penalty corner scheme, Cornell’s defenders lined up to defend Park, who made three of her four saves in the quarter while sprawled on the ground. The Orange played keep away in the fourth quarter, penetrating the Cornell zone when needed but burning the clock and protecting their one-goal lead. Syracuse opened the final quarter by pressuring Cornell’s defense in the scoring

circle, but SU failed to produce another goal-scoring opportunity. Syracuse received two more penalty corners — marking nine for the Orange in the matchup — in the fourth quarter. Quigley set up the shot for Comans and de Vries, but Quigley hit the right post before knocking the ball out of bounds on the first attempt and sending the ball toward a sprawled Park on the second attempt. As the clock ticked down, the Orange held steady possession, preventing Cornell from setting up any scoring opportunities. Syracuse sent the ball into the Cornell zone one final time before the game clock stopped and the Orange secured their fifth victory of the season.

Connor Smith (2-1) Liberty 35, Syracuse 17

Coming off a blowout win against UAlbany, the Orange and their offense will be feeling

While Syracuse won one game last season, Liberty did exactly the opposite, finishing the season 10-1. The Flames even defeated Coastal Carolina in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium, the same venue for the Orange’s last bowl appearance in 2018. Syracuse is currently at its best start since that season, heading into this weekend with a 2-1 record. The Orange’s defense has worked with scout teams all week preparing to face Willis, but he’s on a hotter streak than DeVito or Shrader. This will most likely be a competition between offenses, and SU’s defense is the best unit it currently has. On the other hand, Syracuse’s offense has been flustered with the shuffling of quarterbacks, and this game will serve as another evaluation period for Babers. This will probably disrupt SU’s rhythm, while Willis and the Flames go to work on the Carrier Dome turf. sports@dailyorange.com

mahassan@syr.edu

skylerriveraaa@gmail.com @skylerriveraa

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sept. 23, 2021 11

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SPORTS

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