The Quadrangle- Issue 8, Spring 2023

Page 6

Women’s Basketball makes it to the final MAAC championship

COURTESY

Students Hold Fundraiser for the Concourse House in Honor of National Womens Day

Read more on pg. 7 @CONCOURSE_HOUSE/ COURTESY

The Division of Education Emerges from School of Health Professions

Manhattan College welcoThe Division of Education will now be the formal school for education majors following the name change of the School of Education and Health to the School of Health Professions (SoHP).

The name change was announced as part of Manhattan College’s plan to expand its majors to include more options in the healthcare field. As a result,

majors that are focused specifically in healthcare will be gathered under SoHP, whereas the education sector has now become, “the semi-autonomous Division of Education within the School of Liberal Arts.”

According to an email released by President Br. Daniel Gardner, FSC, education majors will be enrolled in the School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) since the majority of education concentrations fall under a liberal arts category. However, students with a math or science

concentration will still be able to take classes for their major associated with the Kakos School of Science.

“This move affirms our century-long commitment to providing a quality education for educators,” Gardner wrote in the email. “Education, of course, is at the core of the Lasallian mission, and this move will strengthen the resources of our highly regarded and accredited Department of Education.”

Additionally, the overall

curriculum for education majors will remain the same regardless if students are pursuing a math, science or liberal arts-related concentration.

“The Division will also continue to have responsibility for managing clinical placements and student teaching, grant awards for its students, and maintaining licensures and special accreditations for its programs,” Gardner wrote.

Karen Nicholson, Ph.D., dean of the current School of Education and Health, spoke

about the steps students can take now to ensure they are making the most of the opportunities presented by the college. She particularly recommends that students lean on their academic advisors and Career Center resources to ensure they are meeting all requirements of their major.

“If they’re not quite sure what they want to do but they know they want to be in the healthcare field, I would go and

the Quadrangle CMSA Hosts Women in Music Event on pg. 9 FREE Volume CVII, Issue 8 NEW YORK, March, 21, 2023 Dining Hall Increases Accessability on pg. 4 IN NEWS: IN FEATURES: IN A&E: IN SPORTS: THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924 Women’s BB Wins First Game of MAAC on pg. 10 “We Do Journalism” Visit Our Website mcquad.org MC Celebrates International Women’s Day on pg. 7
3
CONTINUED ON PAGE
GOJASPERS/
Read more on pg. 10

March 21, 2023

The Editorial Board

Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor

Angelina Persaud News Editor

Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor

Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor

Kyla Guilfoil Sports Editor

Adrianne Hutto Production Editor

Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor

Zoe DeFazio

Angelina Perez Web Editors

LETTER from the EDITOR

Dear Readers,

Hello and welcome back to campus. I hope you’re feeling rested and refreshed after the break and returned to campus safely.

Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

Brianna Coppola Asst. Features Editor

Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Andrew Mannion

Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editors

Mack Olmsted

MaiZy Swift Asst. Production Editors

Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor

Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor

About The Quadrangle

A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.

The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

Join The Quadrangle

The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org

@mcquad

@mcquad mcquad

You’ll notice our front page looks a little different this week. At The Quad we try to keep things fresh and interesting while also preserving the tradition of our fine paper. It is with dedicated Quad staff members like our Production Editor, Adrianne Hutto, that this is made possible. If you’re an aspiring designer or photographer interested in contributing to The Quad, doing production is just one way you can showcase your creativity.

We’ve got some solid news articles this week surrounding a few changes to our campus you can expect to see currently or in the coming months such as increased security in Jasper and C-Block, the new division of Education and the brand new Entrepreneurship Center in the O’Malley Library, so be sure to check those out.

There are several exciting events occuring as we approach the Spring season so be sure to stay tuned.

Thank you for reading The Quad and being an active and informed member of the campus community. Until next week.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn VisnovEditor-in-Chief

OneManhattan Team Officially Disbanded on Campus After Two and a Half Years

local statistics and state mandates.

OneManhattan, Manhattan College’s COVID-19 response team, is officially disbanding and transforming into a general response office as announced during a Senate meeting on Feb 21.

Goldie Adele, the chief compliance officer of the college, explained to the Quadrangle the decision-making process behind disbanding the OneManhattan team. One factor that contributed to the process included vaccination rates within the community.

“One thing that we have paid attention to is not just the COVID numbers within the campus but also within the New York area,” Adele said. “We were looking at all the different trends in terms of the requirements, and also considering our campus community in terms of safety. The decision was made to look at transitioning from the OneManhattan office but not disband the function.”

To move forward with disbanding the centralized COVID office, the school had to meet certain requirements, including compliance with

“We looked at the local numbers,” Adele said. “They were also able to get information from other local colleges and universities…and CDC guidelines. It wasn’t an overnight decision, it was transitional planning.”

Despite the official OneManhattan office closing, the college still includes human resources, compliance and the provost’s office in discussions regarding COVID procedures, but they will no longer be centralized at the OneManhattan office. Associate Provost Rani Roy spoke more about the transition as a whole and how it will impact other offices.

“The process to think about the disbanding was more about the centralized office,” Roy said. “The personnel were going to be moving on to their regular jobs at the college. [With] these other offices exist[ing], we knew that there were still structures in place to support any COVID things that came up.”

However, Dean of Students Esmilda Abreu-Hornbostel did not rule out the possibility of opening another centralized office if there is another surge in COVID-19 cases. She also highlighted that students should

report any new symptoms to health services as they will be directly assisting any further COVID-related cases.

“If we have a surge, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had to re-address the idea of a centralized office as opposed to a more local response,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “If you are a student that is struggling with COVID-related isolation needs you still have to let health services know and then health services tell you the guidelines to follow.”

Roy stated that with the closure of OneManhattan, any future information regarding COVID procedures will come from either the compliance office or health services.

“New York State and New York City have wound down a lot of their requirements, other than isolation,” Roy said. “We’re still collecting [positive test results] because we are required by the Department of Health to do that. But I think we’re doing a very good job.”

Roy and Adele both credited the OneManhattan office as a helpful resource for students, faculty and staff to remain safe during such a difficult time as many were forced to isolate

2
CVII, Issue
Volume
8
news MARCH 21, 2023
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor

The Division of Education Emerges from School of Health Professions

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

talk it over with their advisor,” Nicholson said. “They can kind of do a self analysis on what you want and figure it out from there.”

Nicholson also spoke about the impact the name change will have on the community and the reputation of MC as an institution.

“I think in education, our reputation is very strong. We’re not impacting the curriculum, and we’re still going to be turning out good teachers as graduates,” Nicholson said. “As long as we are thoughtful about doing a good job of developing new curriculums for the health professions, we’ll be providing the same quality education for the students in the new programs that we’re providing in existing programs.”

Tracy Lahey, Ph.D., chairperson of the education department, is confident that the education graduates of MC will continue to flourish regardless of the merging into SoLA.

“We feel sure that all of our students in Education will continue to be nurtured and encouraged because as with nursing, there is and will continue to be a teacher shortage in our area (and nation-wide),” Lahey wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Teaching is a most rewarding profession,

and we want to support even more candidates to enter this vocation.”

She also noted an upcoming opportunity for prospective education majors who are interested in a K-12 certification for special education to help students with disabilities.

“A Lot of students don’t realize that in addition to having a positive influence on the lives of K-12 students and directly impacting many other professions,” Lahey wrote. “They can make a good living as an educator working in New York State, and there are several avenues they can pursue if they want to move beyond teaching.”

Lahey also spoke about the success of education graduates and the hope she has that they will continue to be recruited in the education sector in the coming years.

“We have an outstanding reputation for graduating highly effective teachers and administrators, particularly with the District 10 schools,” Lahey wrote. “We have a strong network of alumni serving as school administrators and teachers. When school administrators are looking to hire teachers, they seek us out, because they know that our graduates are well-prepared.”

Katie Rachman, a junior childhood education major with a concentration in social studies, found her passion to become an education major through her experience

as a dance teacher assistant for several years. She spoke about how the supportive environment of the education department has made her less nervous about the upcoming divisional change.

“I think the education program, at least childhood ed, is really such a supportive and inviting environment,” Rachman said.

She also emphasized the loyalty of the professors to the students and the community built in the department.

“If you ever have a chance to take an education class, take it, those professors are the best,” Rachman said. “They really know how to teach. It’s really just the best experience and I’m so happy I decided to be an education major, especially at Manhattan College.”

Alicia Bartolotta, a sophomore childhood special education major with a concentration in English, expressed some concerns over how certain classes offered to education majors would transfer over into SoLA.

“I’ve taken classes here like my kinesiology class, that I think are really going to help my career going forward,” Bartolotta said. “So [the program] being taken out of the School of Education and Health, I don’t know if liberal arts does a Kinesiology class, or stuff like that, that wouldn’t be that beneficial to me.”

However, she also shared

her hopes that MC will continue to enhance the education program and provide quality education for its students.

“The education program, I was told, was going to grow so much here, and it’s going to be such a big thing,” Bartolotta said. “I hope they still keep moving forward and making the program better.”

She also highlighted the student-professor relationships within the department as a constant motivation for students and a sign of the success of the school.

“The education professors

here are wonderful, like I they are the people I can count on if I’m struggling,” Bartolotta said. “I know for a fact I can go to my education professors if I have any question at any time of the day and they will get back to me.”

The Division of Education will formally join SoLA as of July 1, 2023.

OneManhattan Team Officially Disbanded on Campus After Two and a Half Years

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

themselves away from friends and family.

“I think [OneManhattan] was very effective,” Roy said. “It was a really good opportunity for all of us to work together in different ways. I’ll say it wasn’t in our job descriptions to do this. But we came together at that moment. It was new to everybody.”

Adele echoed similar sentiments about the effectiveness of OneManhattan during the initial stages of COVID.

“I came in at the tail end, but I was able to closely work with the office and manage the office into the following year, which was last year and it was very effective,” Adele said. “If you look at things as simple

as providing masks onto the campus, the sanitizers, the vaccine clinics… they worked with faculty to ensure that the classrooms are safe.”

During challenging times, collaboration was key to ensuring a safe campus for everyone to return.

“OneManhattan was a team effort,” Adele said. “It wasn’t just that office. We had a campus-wide committee that worked on that metric and then communications too was part of the group. It was a whole campus-wide effort, but that office was very important in keeping us safe.”

Abreu-Hornbostel gave advice to students, faculty and staff to ensure that MC remains a safe campus despite living in a COVID-impacted world three years later.

“We’re all responsible for

our health and for our well-being,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “If you’re not feeling well, don’t share, just like the flu. If you are needing medical attention, pick up the phone, and be in touch with health services or your provider, take some of that responsibility.”

She also noted the “mask-friendly” policy on campus, which allows students to take their own precautions for personal safety and the safety of others.

“We’re a mask-friendly campus, you’re allowed to wear your mask wherever you want,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “So that means if you’re not feeling well, you should wear your mask. If someone around you is not feeling well, you should wear your mask.”

3 THE QUADRANGLE news
Karen Nicholson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education and Health. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY On Feb. 21, it was announced that the OneManhattan office would be disbanded from Manhattan College. GOJASPERS/COURTESY

O’Malley School of Business Fosters Entrepreneurship with Opening of New Creative Center

The Entrepreneurship Center was unveiled on March 2, with a ceremony in its new home on the second floor of the O’Malley Library.

The center was built with financial support provided by Mike Kelly ‘80. Kelly is a member of the O’Malley School of Business advisory board, the managing director of Yellow Thread Ventures and previous founder and CEO of On Call International.

Winston Peters Jr. ’02, program director of Entrepreneurs@MC (E@MC) wrote an email to The Quadrangle explaining how the idea of the Entrepreneurship Center came to fruition.

“The creation of the new Entrepreneurship Center was a collaborative effort of President Gardner, Dean Gibson, Greg Cowart, myself and a host of others,” Peters wrote. “We knew that students needed a dedicated space for them to meet, ideate and create the businesses of the future.”

Donald Gibson, Ph.D., dean of the O’Malley School of Business, worked with Peters to

raise funding to refurbish the room as a space for entrepreneurship activities on campus.

Namely, the center will provide a space for students to collaborate and form partnerships as they pursue various opportunities surrounding business and innovation.

“We’re excited by the great opportunities for students to engage in entrepreneurship,” Gibson wrote in an email to The Quad. “Entrepreneurs@ MC’s mission is to transform business ideas into practice and students into entrepreneurs by creating a collaborative environment across campus to cultivate new relationships, innovations and business ideas.”

Peters is currently creating workshop opportunities for the MC community and for high school students to further expand entrepreneurial pursuits.

“We will have programming such as workshops, bootcamps, “lunch and learn” sessions with startup professionals and experienced entrepreneurs geared for students who want to be entrepreneurs as well as students that just want to learn entrepreneurial skills that they utilize in whatever career path they choose,” Peters wrote.

As a sophomore accounting major, Anthony Campolo was

invited to the opening of the new entrepreneurship center because he is interested in joining the entrepreneurship team.

“As a business student I am extremely excited to utilize this space when collaborating with my colleagues on creative projects,” Campolo wrote in an email to The Quad. “In the new entrepreneurship room each member can present their ideas on a big screen and even edit them as the meeting progresses. This room is a huge asset to students of all majors who would like to collaborate in an effective and tech driven way.”

In attendance of the opening ceremony were many administrators and alumni such as Thomas O’Malley ‘63 and The Honorable Senator Robert Jackson, 31 NY Senate district.

“At the event I learned how incredible of an alumni base Manhattan College has,” Campolo wrote. “I also witnessed the strength of the O’Malley School of Business in action. It is composed of a tight knit community of professors, students, and alumni who all care about one another and work towards each other’s success.”

One of the first events the Entrepreneurship Center is hosting is the annual Innova-

tion Challenge, which awards over $10,000 in prize money to help develop student startups and will be held on March 21. Students currently in the Entrepreneurship Club and participating in the Innovation Challenge have access to the center and its resources.

The plans for a newly renovated third floor in De La Salle were also on display at the opening ceremony. There will be seven refurbished classrooms, a new business analytics lab with 30 Dell OptiPlex 3090 computers with external portable drives and large video display monitors.

“Our plans are moving forward for our renovations to occur this summer,” Gibson wrote. “We’ll have a terrific new student lounge, student team

workrooms…We’re excited to have a professional space for our students and faculty to engage in collaborative learning.”

Campolo shared his perspective of the renovations and how it will provide another valuable resource for students in the future. As President of MC’s Mock Trial team, he also highlighted the multi-functional role the room will have for students.

“I am extremely excited for the renovations of De La Salle’s third floor,” Campolo wrote. “It will include more spaces for students to collaborate in tech driven ways and modernize the approach to learning. I am excited to be able to use these new tech driven collaborative rooms to record my team’s trial rehearsals.”

Dining Hall Offers Increased Accessibility with New Diverse Halal and Vegetarian Options

Manhattan College’s dining services is committed to expanding accessibility with new Halal options and vegetarian options for students observing Lent. These options will help to meet diverse student needs on campus.

In the Feb. 21 senate meeting, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Esmilda Abreu-Hornbostel, Ph.D., announced the dining committee’s plans.

“The Dining Committee has been tasked to look for Halal meals on campus as well as appropriate options for Lent,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “Aramark confirmed that more options and appropriate meals will be provided for every Friday in March as well as Ash Wednesday.”

The attention to Halal meals is important to various students on campus, especially Muslim students practicing their faith during religious holidays in the semester. Fatima Hussain, sophomore chemical engineering major and treasurer of MC’s Muslim Student Association, states that obtaining Halal options on campus is

often difficult.

“There’s not a lot of Halal options around campus,” Hussain said. “There’s only two places that have food around here, so it’s hard to get food sometimes.”

Yet, Hussain explains that pre-COVID, MC had various Halal options to choose from. Because of the current frequent difficulty in obtaining meals, she is thankful that accessibility is returning to the campus community.

“I appreciate the step that the college made,” Hussain said. “Having that option accessible, it makes us feel more wanted on campus.”

Sophomore Matthew Renda is currently observing Lent, meaning he is abstaining from meat on Fridays. He shares similar appreciation toward these expansions in food options at MC, especially because of the expectations surrounding MC’s Lasallian tradition.

“It makes sense being [we are] a Lasallian school, so I think by adding meals people can eat during Lent goes with it,” Renda said. “Sometimes it is hard to get breakfast, lunch and dinner that does not have meat.”

Renda explains the importance of these options in the dining hall, emphasizing the

creation of an increasingly diverse and accepting campus community.

“It opens up the doors for people to practice their religion and it allows people to keep following what they believe in,” Renda said.

In continuing this stride toward accessibility, Hussain believes it is important for professors to respect the fasting and prayer schedules of students during Ramdan.

“We have Ramadan coming up, and [it is important] having professors understand that students have to break their fast at certain times,” Hussain said. “There’s also Friday prayers that are very important, especially for men. It’s mandatory for them to go. But, a lot of times there’s classes that conflict with timing.”

On the section titled “Our Menu Commitment” on MC’s Dining Services website, some commitments state “We recognize and accommodate special dietary needs in a personalized, sensitive manner,” ‘We’re proud to serve culturally diverse menus, featuring traditional favorites, ethnic dishes and international flavors” and “We provide a vegetarian-friendly environment, with a variety of vegetarian or vegan choices.” These new options

are important in continuing to honor these commitments and fully serve the needs of the student body.

Editor’s note: Grace Cardinal, the Quadrangle’s Asst. News Editor, contributed to reporting for this article.

4 news
MARCH 21, 2023 Some commitments MC’s dining services state on their websites’ section “Our Menu Commitments.” MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Jasper and Chrysostom Halls are Getting Security Desks in Fall 2023

The offices of Residence Life and Public Safety are planning to add security desks to Jasper and Chrysostom Halls for the fall 2023 semester. This marks the first time in Manhattan College history that both buildings will have security desks in their lobbies.

In order to gain access to the residence halls, students who live there will be expected to use their student ID cards to check in. Additionally, residents will have to sign guests into the buildings just as in Lee and Horan Halls.

According to the Director of Public Safety, Peter DeCaro, the college’s choice to install the desks is not because of any unsafe incidents in either building.

“It is not in response to anything that’s occurred on campus, really, because we’re very fortunate with the lack of crime on campus, which is great,” DeCaro said. “It’s more of a proactive approach.”

DeCaro said the plan is not set in stone yet, but that he believes it will be “driven based on the availability of finances.”

“We have an operational plan, and we have to see if that comes to fruition, based on the availability of the resources to do those things,” DeCaro said.

Matt Lewis, the recently appointed director of residence life, worked with DeCaro and staff from Physical Plant to examine both of the buildings to ensure that the plan was viable.

“Our plan right now is that all of the buildings will have security,” Lewis said. [DeCaro] and I just did a walkthrough … to determine the best locations for those desks, and our hope is that we’ll be able to have them constructed and ready to go by the time the fall semester begins.”

Security is being increased in every building on campus

over time DeCaro told The Quadrangle. The O’Malley Library has a system installed that requires people entering the building to tap their ID card to gain access to its front entrance. Hayden Hall has the same system installed on the doorway that adjoins the bridge to the garage as well as the entrance near the library on the west side of the building.

DeCaro says this same system is used for other buildings on campus and will continue to be added to more.

“We’ve been rolling it out one building at a time when we had the resources to upgrade those systems and implement [them],” Decaro said.

Lewis noted that the securi-

ty desks, as well as the card tapping system, are going to give peace of mind to the residents of those dorms. He also feels it will add a level of consistency to the residential experience so that students will always be aware of a check-in process for each buildings’ residents and their guests.

“We have certain buildings right now that do have 24 hour security presence, and then we have others that don’t,” Lewis said. “And so we’re looking to make the experience across the board the same … [and] you have the same kind of interaction in every building that you’re going to.”

Ronald Gray, the vice president of student life, feels that

the addition of a security desk will also make students feel more assured that someone is there to help them out if needed.

“I think it’s always good to have someone around that students feel comfortable with,” Gray said. “I think parents will enjoy the fact that in the case of an emergency that students have a public safety officer to go to.”

Additionally, he said they intend to use Jasper Hall as a gathering place for events and club activities.

“If there’s an event or there’s programs, especially in Jasper … that big event space is a good opportunity for student organizations to use and

take advantage of,” Gray said.

Although Gray did not specify how students will “check into” Jasper if they are participating in an activity rather than visiting a friend, he did say that having a guard present to give access to those students will make getting into the building much easier.

Gray noted that with the addition of security desks in Jasper and Chrysostom Halls, the new apartments in Horan Hall and the freshman-only community in Lee Hall, all of which will be officially introduced this upcoming fall, there will be an overall change on campus.

“We are looking at improvements to the quality of life of our students,” Gray said.

THE QUADRANGLE News
5
Chrystostom Hall, which now houses students after not operating for several years, will have a security desk added to its lobby in order to increase safety in the building. Jasper Hall will get one as well, Peter Decaro told The Quadrangle. JILLEEN BARRETT/THE QUADRANGLE

MC’sIrishSodaBreadCompetitionReturns ToCampus

The Irish Soda Bread Competition is an annual event organized by Gaelic Society and the Multicultural Center to celebrate Irish culture during Irish history month. The competition has been around for seven years, however had to take a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first year the event has once again been held on campus, coming back stronger than ever.

Nicole Brosnan, senior and vice president of Gaelic Society, explained how the event was revived post-pandemic for this school year.

“This event used to be run annually in the past and it was a big campus wide event, but of course, unfortunately, with COVID and foodsharing, it had to be shut down,” Brosnan said. “So, when we decided to bring it back, we knew that we wanted to work with the Multicultural Center. We’re a cultural club, it just made sense for us. It was a good space to host it and a way to get the word out to more people. We’d love to work with them more in the future.”

The Gaelic Society and the Multicultural Center found this event an important one to revive. Brosnan explained the importance of keeping traditions for students who might be used to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

at home.

“It’s [soda bread] one of those things that’s associated with St. Patrick’s Day,” Brosnan said. “For March, we really wanted to bring it back, make people feel a little more at home on campus, especially if it’s something you’re used to getting every year. Obviously, you’re not getting it in the dining hall. It’s just nice and it makes you feel like you’re represented when you’re on campus.”

Hayden Greene, director of the Multicultural Center, explained that in years past the competition was mostly made up of staff entries, however he noticed a major difference with this year’s competition.

“I’m pretty impressed,” Greene said. “In years past, the majority of soda breads have come from staff members, for obvious reasons, like they have kitchens, they have accessibility to ingredients. This year, I think there was only one staff entry. […] It means that people have either tapped into their heritage and you see a continuation of that heritage, or they’re refining it for themselves.”

Greene continued to explain how touched he was to see young people carrying on the legacies of their ancestors, a main goal of the center he runs.

“I think that there’s something great about younger people doing things that you’ve seen an older generation do

with the same vigor and the same enthusiasm,” Greene said. “So it was very, very impactful for me to see that this year.”

Many families pass down soda bread recipes throughout generations, making baking the bread a special experience for those involved. President of Gaelic Society and senior Emma Collins explained that while she was helping run the competition, being a participant had an extra special meaning to her.

“My aunt sent me the recipe after my nanna passed,” Collins said. “So this is the first time I actually got to make it on my own. It’s very special to be able to do it [the competition] today, do it this month and just kind of honor her memory.”

Soda bread represents a rich cultural tradition for those of Irish heritage. Apart from its cultural significance, Irish soda bread is unique from other bread because it uses baking soda instead of yeast as a leavener.

“One fun fact is that most Irish people don’t eat the bread unless there’s a cross in the middle because the cross signifies keeping the devil out,” Collins said.

While March is coming to a close, the Gaelic Society has provided no shortage of events in celebrating Irish heritage. Brosnan explained that the group has held a variety of events, such as the clubs’ annu-

Students entered their homemade soda bread in the Multicultural Center and Gaelic Society’s Tuesday competition.

al Irish Night event, and they are looking forward to opportunities with other Irish groups in the community.

“We already had our big Irish Night event which we hold annually,” said Brosnan. “We have the Irish soda bread contest today and we will be marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. We’re doing that with the Aisling Center, which is an Irish center nearby. We’re participating in their 5k on April 2 and we’re giving a donation to them. We’ll also be doing a fundraiser at An Beal Bocht on the [March] 31st.”

Hayden Greene commented on the importance of the Multicultural Center continuing to hold events that represent all different identities and heritage.

“The Multicultural Center, by definition, is a place where all identities can grow and thrive, and really get to know any identities that they may or may not have had an opportunity to interact with,” Greene said. “I think that it’s important to look at dominant cultural identities as well as non dominant cultural identities and give everybody an opportunity to tell their story. There are more commonalities than differences between people and so we love celebrating all identities regardless of how they present. That’s definitely one of the main reasons we like to do these events.”

RightsAfterRoe:Feminism,TheConstitution,and TheFightforAbortion

The fight for women’s rights and bodily autonomy is heavily connected to feminism, the Constitution, and the abortion rights movement, according to Jordan Pascoe, professor

of philosophy, and Jonathan Keller, professor of political science, who hosted a discussion about the reality of a post-Roe v. Wade country on campus.

Since the law of Roe v. Wade was overturned last June, there has been an uproar of women advocating for their rights as well as the freedom to access

safe and legal abortions.

Keller began the talk by touching upon how the Planned Parenthood v. Casey case of 1992 not only upheld the bylaws of Roe v. Wade, but also changed it so that feminist and liberal projects that advocate for women’s rights could take inspiration from it. This paves the way in which both feminists and liberals think about our rights, sexuality and the nature of pregnancy, he said.

“Starting with the fourteenth amendment, there is such thing as a due process clause that says that one must follow certain procedures before they may deprive a person of a protected life, liberty, or property interest,” Keller said.

“However, cases like Planned Parenthood v. Casey preserve the right to proportion, or the fact that women have a right to have an abortion before viability, or the stage of development where a child is capable of living outside the uterus.”

This poses many questions in regards to how viability is

measured pertaining to each state.

“Relevant to the Mississippi Dobbs v. Jackson case that formed the abortion law that prohibits abortion due to it being illegal as of 2022, most states say that in the first trimester one can get an abortion. However in the second trimester, you need additional proof to have an abortion,” Pascoe said during the discussion.

This additional proof consists of medical documents and certain reasons that must comply with the state’s selective acceptions for an abortion.

“So, what’s shocking about this is that the court says no thank you to that option, and the holding is that Roe and Casey are just overturned,” said Pascoe. “Now, there is no right to abortion in the Constitution and therefore there is no constitutional protection for the right to an abortion. Evidently, similar to how Mississippi formed their own laws in regards to abortion, each state does the same.”

Additionally, the political standpoint of a state will also influence what abortion laws are made and the extremity of such laws. In the midst of such an upsetting and unfair time for women everywhere, the professors asked what can college students do to ensure that abortion rights remain implemented in the U.S as it’s slowly diminishing day by day.

“Codefying rights in the legislature would be immensely beneficial, however this is unfortunately super unlikely federally,” said Pascoe. “In states like New York, which are safe haven states, we need to be fighting to remove all abortion restrictions so that women who need access from other states can get access here, and add state funding for access to abortion. It would also be beneficial to keep democratic processes as protected as we can so that things like ballot initiatives against abortion remain merely possibilities.”

Features 6 MARCH 21, 2023
GRACE CARDINAL/THE QUADRANGLE Dr. Jordan Pascoe and Dr. Jonathan Keller hosted a discussion about the reality of a post-Roe v. Wade country on campus. LWGRC/ COURTESY

MCCelebrates InternationalWomen’sDay

Manhattan College students came together for the second annual International Women’s Day celebration on the quad before heading off for spring break.

The event, which consisted of several campus groups setting up tables with fundraising initiatives on the quad, was led by one the college’s sororities, Alpha Pi Phi.

APP started the event last year as a way to raise awareness for women’s issues and raise money for local charities. The sorority also brought in

several groups across campus to include in the event both last year and again for its reprisal this year.

The proceeds from this year’s event will go to Concourse House, a local non-profit “working to eliminate homelessness by providing families with safe, stable, transitional housing,” according to the organization’s Instagram page, @ concourse_house.

Several groups on campus organized fundraisers at tables during the event, with each group volunteering their proceeds to Concourse House.

Sophie Ryan, a senior intern at the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource center, spoke with The Quadrangle while running the center’s table at the event.

Ryan said that the LWGRC was selling donuts, com-

plimenting the tables beside her who were selling flowers, friendship bracelets and other treats. Ryan told The Quadrangle that it’s important to have events like this one to bring awareness and to show support.

“I think it’s important just on one level to see the visual of it, have all these different groups and these people on the quad play music and like bring awareness to it, like it’s really great how widespread it is right now,” Ryan said. “And also just to support women, which sounds a little bit cliche, but honestly like it’s not easy, you know, to have kind of solidarity also for like men’s clubs on campus supporting us, you know. I think it’s important and just in the name of solidarity and women working together.”

As Ryan mentioned, not only women on campus came out to support the cause. One of the college’s fraternities, Delta Kappa Epsilon, set up a table where students could pay to pie a fraternity member in the face. Many of the fraternity’s brothers were present at the table, cheering each other on as they “got pied.”

Juan Posada, junior at MC and vice president of DKE, said that he believes it is important for men on campus to come out and support women and the event’s cause.

“Yeah, we did this event last year, too. I thought it was a really fun event,” Posada told The Quadrangle. “And I think people enjoy pie-ing us in the face, for a bunch of different reasons. But yeah, I think it’s really fun, I don’t have class today, so I’m here all day.”

When asked if he had a message for women on campus on International Women’s Day, Posada said, “Thank you, women, for everything, and come pie us in the face.”

Seated next to DKE’s table

was the college’s second sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, who came to support the cause and event led by APP.

Mia Porritt, a freshman communication major and new member of SDT, spoke to The Quadrangle about the event. There was an array of baked goods in front of Porritt, which she explained SDT was selling to raise money for the Concourse House.

As a freshman, this was Porritt’s first time seeing the event on campus, and she said it was an important celebration to host.

“I think it’s important to show that the school is a welcoming place for everyone, you know, women and people that identify as women or honestly just everyone,” Porritt told The Quadrangle. “I think it’s good that we don’t silence things that we’re uncomfortable with, you know, especially regarding the issues that women have faced over the years.”

MC’s Student Government Association was also present at the event. Executive Vice Pres-

ident of the SGA, Emma Pizzullo, spoke to The Quadrangle about their fundraising.

Pizzullo explained that the SGA was selling “nightcaps”, which are small, rubber caps that can be stretched over the top of a drink. Pizzullo said they are supposed to help limit instances of someone getting something put in their drink.

“I think it’s good to promote that women stay safe,” Pizzullo said. “[It’s important that] women are aware of their surroundings, especially in these times and like in the cities and populated places and that we keep ourselves safe.”

Pizzullo added that she thinks it is important to have a day to recognize women.

“I think it’s really important that there’s not even just today, I think this whole month, like all year round, it’s important that women come together and celebrate just all the struggles we go through on a daily basis,” Pizzullo said. “We deserve to have days like this where we can just celebrate.”

THE QUADRANGLE Features
7
Alpha Pi Phi, in conjunction with the LWGRC, organized the International Women’s Day Event on the quad. ANGELINA PEREZ/ THE QUADRANGLE Delta Kappa Epsilon’s table allowed visitors to pie a memebr of the fraternity. ANGELINA PEREZ/ THE QUADRANGLE Sigma Delta Tau showed their support with an array of baked goods. ANGELINA PEREZ/ THE QUADRANGLE Delta Kappa Epsilon ‘s president, Joey Talenti, after being pied for the event. ANGELINA PEREZ/ THE QUADRANGLE

MC Players Take a Bow From“Almost, Maine”

The Manhattan College Players performed “Almost, Maine,” as the student slot this spring semester. The show premiered March 3, and performed four times over that weekend with the show closing on March 5.

“Almost Maine” was produced entirely by students without any faculty help. The play was proposed by senior communication and political science student RJ Giannicci.

“Almost, Maine” is a collection of nine short love stories that intertwine to create the larger plot.

“A common theme between each one of the stories is love, relationships and connections, each different form love can take.” Giannicci said. “There’s not necessarily a main plot, just a bunch of little stories all about love and the small town.”

The show was a great success, with two of the three nights being sold out.

“I think the performance was perfect, our set designers and stage crew really outperformed any expectations any of us could have,” said senior cast member Michael Sperduto. “The effects, stage, props they produced, and scene transitions, were nothing short of extraordinary. My peers all perfectly understood their roles, demonstrating great synergy with their partners, and giving their own unique take on their roles.”

Sperduto stated that there was a good turnout and that the support and engagement from his peers meant alot to the group after hours of preparation and rehearsals.

“It was great to have an active audience, hearing their laughs, seeing that people took the time to see a student run production, and the joy that they had at the end was worth all the hours rehearsing,”said Sperduto.

The play was written by John Cariani, and it is suspected that he attended and enjoyed the production.

“Apparently, the playwright John Cariani, who lives in the Bronx, showed up one night and he loved it,” said Gi-

@PLAYERSMC/COURTESY

anicci. “One of our actors, Jill, got approached outside by two of the people that attended with the playwright and came up and said [Cariani] was there, he saw it and he loved it. So that’s great.”

Giannicci has been in Players for his entire Manhattan College career, working his way up to director.

“When you’re a director, you know you’re conducting the orchestra, you tell each instrument how you want them to come in and how you want them to play, how you want them to feel and you try to give that to the audience,” Giannicci said. “So that’s really what I love best about being a director is that I can conduct the entire orchestra. I don’t just have to stick to my one little part.”

As the show has come to a close, students involved are grateful for the experience and people they met while working on the show.

“I love having a community with others who enjoy theater and acting, everyone is extremely kind and welcoming. My favorite part was meeting new people and getting to spend time with the entire cast backstage. Seeing the show come together and enjoying each other’s presence was re-

ally fun,” said freshman Aaron Schoepf.

Players have created a family atmosphere for those involved. For sophomore Olivia Appel, it is something very special to her.

“Players have played a big role in my family,” she said. “My grandparents met in players, and my aunt used to be a part of every production during her four years at Manhattan. So I’m glad that I am able to continue the tradition of making memories within Players for our family,”

Players is a welcoming environment, where all Manhattan College students are invited to audition, regardless of acting experience.

“There is no experience required. If you have never done theater once in your entire life, like a couple of our actors have, it does not matter.” Giannicci said. “You go in, you audition and you have a good time. And while I can’t promise a part, there is always room in Players for help.”

Anyone interested in getting involved in Players can email players@manhattan.edu for updates on audition times.

8
EntErtAinmEnt
Arts &
MARCH 21, 2023
Two of the three nights of the show were sold out. The Manhattan College Players performed “Almost, Maine,” as the student slot this spring semester. The show premiered March 3, and performed four times over that weekend with the show closing on March 5. @PLAYERSMC/COURTESY

CMSA Hosts Women in Music Event with Sound Studies Professor Suzanne Thorpe

A 2019 study by the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship found that 84 percent of women in the music industry “had been treated differently due to their gender.” The study, which is titled “Women in the Music Industry: Obstacles and Opportunities” inspired Michaela Scully ’25 to host a “Slice of Social Justice” event based on the study with the Campus Ministry & Social Action suite.

Scully invited Suzanne Thorpe, Ph.D., a visiting assistant professor in the music and theater department and the director of the music department to be the guest speaker.

Thorpe has an array of professional experience in the music industry. She is a founding member of the band Mercury Rev, a trained flutist since she was nine years old and has done research on feminism and inclusion in sound.

During her time in Mercury Rev, Thorpe decided that she would contribute to the band’s electric sound by experimenting with her flute and distorting its sounds using electronics. The band became successful, and eventually she was touring with them.

Thorpe recalled her expe-

riences within the industry as the only woman in Mercury Rev.

“I was the only woman in the band, and I was very frequently the only woman-identifying person in the festivals or on tours,” Thorpe said. “You know we would tour with multiple bands every once in a while … it was a really intense environment.”

The study also found that women reported increased success as a result of a healthy, supportive environment where they worked. Opportunities to network with others in the workplace were positively reviewed as well. Thorpe said she experienced this when Mercury Rev toured with other bands and spent time together outside the studio.

“It was nice to have more of a family setting by with them, you know, we would tour and we would just be together and go to each other’s parents house for parties,” she said.

In the studio, she said it was more about “having to really hold your own [weight] in a dynamic where there were a lot of personal dynamics at play.”

According to the study that inspired the event, many women reported that they felt they were treated differently because of their gender. However, younger women between

the ages of 18 and 24 said they felt comfortable in their work environment, which might be because of the hard work and push for fair treatment done by the previous generations.

When Thorpe went to Mills College — which used to be a women’s college — to get her MFA in electronic music & media, she noticed more differences between male and female involvement in the field.

“There were three women, and I think 12 men … so that disparity was just ongoing, right?” Thorpe said. “Especially since I was in electronics …

The technology aspect of this also very much shaped my experience and I want to do something … I really would like to see more equity and diversity at the table.”

So, Thorpe co-founded TECHNE with Bonnie Jones in 2010. Through this organization, they help young girls interested in creative technology get hands-on experience in the field at a young age. She said the purpose of the program was to increase the number of women and non-binary people working in jobs in the technology industry.

Sophie Mendoza attended the event for her introduction to sociology class and said she was happy an event like this existed so she could learn more about the music industry.

“It was fruitful because I don’t usually learn about music, so seeing this was eye opening,” Mendoza said.

Slice of Social Justice events are hosted through the Campus Ministry and Social Action suite. More information about future events can be found on their Instagram page, @mc_cmsa.

Jasper Jams: Empowering Tunes by Iconic Women

Each year in the month of March we recognize and remember our favorite females and feminine folks with Women’s History Month. However, just because March is coming to a close doesn’t mean it’s time to stop celebrating the women who serve as role models and mentors to us each day.

Whether you’re running to class or enjoying the spring weather with a so-called “hot girl walk,” let the celebration of female empowerment continue with a feel good playlist by some empowering music icons. Remember, empowered women empower women!

Run the World (Girls)Beyonce

Let’s start out with a common favorite for when you need a pick-me-up. Queen Bee makes her message very clear in this song. Who runs the world? GIRLS!

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

After the whole debacle with Ticketmaster and multiple lawsuit threats as fans scrambled to get their tickets, Taylor

performed the opening show of the Eras tour this past weekend. While Shake It Off is a bit of a throwback song being released in 2014, this has always been a favorite of mine. Sitting completely still while listening to it would be a crime. Instead, get up and shake the stress away!

Hey Girl - Lady Gaga and Florence Welch

This fierce feminine duo reminds listeners again and again that “we can make it easy if we lift each other” with more of an indie pop sound.

Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys

She’s not backin’ down, and neither should you!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindy Lauper

As a college student, you’re likely no stranger to the “What are you doing with your life” phone call. But remember, you don’t need to have it all figured out. As long as you love what you’re doing and you have fun doing it, you’ll figure it all out.

Born this Way - Lady Gaga

Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions

of ALL female-identifying and feminine individuals. Lady Gaga gets it. No matter who you are or who you love, you’re on the right track, baby!

Pretty Girl Rock - Keri Hilson

Songwriter and actress Keri Hilson reminds us that “jealousy is the ugliest trait.” Especially with the increase of self-care and self-love initiatives, this song is the perfect confidence booster.

Soulmate - Lizzo

Speaking of self love, we’ve got Lizzo. This Grammy award winning artist is a huge advocate for body-positivity, self acceptance and love for all people. In addition to being a singer, dancer and advocate, Lizzo is also a classically trained flutist.

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

All swifties know that the Reputation album packs a serious punch. But not in a “punch to the heart” kind of way. This song creates a strong, decisive and almost mysterious tone different from the “typical” Taylor Swift tunes. She sure loves to keep fans on their toes!

Girl Gang - Gin Wigmore

This New Zealand based artist knows that “the patriarch don’t fit the part” and she’s not afraid to show it. If you’re in need of some new tunes to add to your workout playlist, this one is a must!

I’m Every Woman - Whitney Houston

Would it really be an em-

powerment playlist without a little Whitney? No. It would not.

Special - Lizzo Lizzo is always trying to empower her audience so we can build eachother up. Her music has been recognized by various powerful women. Michelle Obama has even mentioned Lizzo is on her workout playlist!

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt 9 THE QUADRANGLE
Michaela Scully, who hosted the event, with guest speaker, composer and Manhattan College professor Suzanne Thorpe, Ph.D. JILLEEN BARRETT/THE QUADRANGLE
Quadrangle’s playlist!
Scan here to listen to The

Men’s Basketball Fall Short to the Red Foxes in First Round of MAAC Championships

Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor

The men’s basketball team’s season came to a close in the first round of the MAAC championship tournament after a defeat by Marist.

The Jaspers came in as the sixth seed and the Red Foxes came into Atlantic City as the eleventh seed for the 2023 MAAC tournament.

The last time these two teams met, the Red Foxes blew out the Jaspers by 23 on Feb. 23. On a brighter note, the Jaspers had led the head-to-head matchup 24 to 22.

The game opened up with five unanswered from Marist center Patrick Gardner. On the other side, the Jaspers’ first points were from Manhattan forward Adam Cisse which made the game 5-2 in favor of the Red Foxes. The Jaspers started from the field slowly as they shot only 1-6 from the field with around 14 minutes to play.

Manhattan guard Samir Stewart brought the Jaspers within three after a long three from the top of the key to make the score 12-9 at the first media timeout. The scoring issues for the Jaspers remained throughout the majority of the first half as they shot 37.5 percent from the field.

Despite the poor shooting for the Jaspers, guard Nick Brennen hit a three to bring the Jaspers within one with under six minutes to go. Turnovers, bad shots and Gardner continued to kill the Jaspers late in the first half as the Red Foxes extended their lead by eight. Marist Foward Jaden Daughtry made an and-one but missed the free throw as he extended the Red Foxes’ lead to 10.

After a three from Marist guard Kam Farris, the Red Foxes continued to extend their lead as the lead hit 19 points. Marist ended the half on a long 18-0 run and led 36-17 at the half. The shooting was the key to the first half as the Red Foxes shot 42.4 percent compared to the Jaspers’ 25.9 percent.

After a massive scoring drought that dated back to the first half, Brennan put the Jaspers on the board to open the second half. Stewart went in for a drive and missed, but the center Josh Roberts slammed it home as he brought the Jaspers within 16. With a great play on both ends, Roberts continued to help the Jaspers as he tallied three blocks and a couple of dunks with just above 13 to play in the second half.

Marist and Manhattan continued to trade buckets at the midway point in the second half as the Red Foxes led by 14. With seven minutes and 41 seconds left, Roberts hit two free

throws that cut the lead to 13.

After a defensive stop on the inbound, guard Anthony Nelson made an and-one and sank the free throw, bringing the Jaspers within 10. Nelson came out strong late in the second half as he scored four unanswered to bring the Jaspers within six. After a pull-up jumper from a guard and forward Logan Padgett, Manhattan went on an 11-0 run which brought the Jaspers within four.

Nelson spoke about what was going on in the head of the Jaspers as they were able to cut the lead to four.

“We just believed in each other,” Nelson said. “We’ve been in this position multiple times this year. We know what it takes to come back from deficits like that.”

With a chance to bring the Jaspers back within four, Roberts missed two critical free throws. Missed shots and free throws were critical for the Jaspers as the Red Foxes were able to extend their lead to eight with just above a minute to go.

After a late surge for the Jaspers, it was not enough, as their first-half struggles played a critical loss. The final score was 61-50, with Marist on top. The leading scorers for the game were Nelson with 15 points and Gardner with 22 points.

After the game, interim

head coach RaShawn Stores gave a statement about the loss in the first round of the MAAC.

“Coach Dunne did a great job tonight with Marist,” Stores said. “We started out a little slow, we got to do better. We had to do better at that. Other than that, I’m proud of these young men. That’s all I could ask for. They believed all night, all day, every game. We faced adversity and we just continue to handle it on and off the court. One day at a time, one practice at a time and one game at a time. We just fell short tonight.”

After a tough loss tonight, that is the last time that Roberts and Nelson will share

the court as they are both 5th years. Both of them reflected on their time here in Manhattan.

“I feel like I learned a lot,” Nelson said. “I definitely feel like I became a better leader. Especially this year with the help of coach Stores. I feel like I learned a lot you know … Coach Stores helping me become a better man, a better father and just a better human genuinely.”

“Manhattan has helped me tremendously with experience on and off the court and through closed doors,” Roberts said. “It was good for me to be here, it definitely helped develop me as a man.”

Women’s Basketball Wins First Game of MAAC Championships

The Manhattan College women’s basketball team won a thrilling match in round one of the MAAC Conference Tournament 59-56. The Lady Jaspers were heavily favored to win, as St. Peters entered the match with an 0-29 record on the season.

Manhattan started the game hot as they finished the 1st quarter up 19-12. The 2nd quarter was a different story, as they would be outscored 19-9 and be down by three as they entered half. That was a deficit the Lady Jaspers would hang onto until the final seconds of the 4th quarter.

Manhattan trailed throughout the second half until late in the game. With 30 seconds left in the game, Narrie Dodson was double-teamed and found Petra Juric under the basket. She would hit the layup to make the score 57-56 and

ultimately put up the game-winning basket. Juric would also hit 2 clutch free throws to close out the game for the Lady Jaspers.

Narrie Dodson was the player of the game for the Jaspers in the match, having a career game. She put up 20 points while shooting 89% from the field. She also tacked on 6 rebounds and the game-winning assist.

Dodson credited a lot of her success today to her teammates and the faith they have in her.

“For me personally, my teammates instill a lot of faith in me and just trust me to just be a slasher,” Dodson said. “They let me do everything that I need to do whether it’s dirty work or just playing cleanup, doing this slashing, whatever it takes to win. Just executing that game plan to the best of my abilities. I think I did a really good job today. They put me in a position to score to get a career-high, and I appreciate them for that.”

The Lady Jaspers will have a dance with Quinnipiac coming up this Thursday, who they’ve already played twice this season. They lost both contests, by scores of 69-55 and 52-38. Manhattan’s head coach, Heather Vulin, seems confident in the Jaspers’ chances on Thursday.

Vulin commented on the formula for Manhattan to get a win against the Bobcats in the second round.

“Our thing in March is we’ve got to make sure that we’re doing our DNA, and there have been things that we’ve been working on,” Vulin said. “Obviously today was primarily zone (defense), while Quinnipiac is more man than zone, so it’s gonna be a different look on Thursday. Obviously, we’re really excited because they’re a great program.”

Fans are looking forward to a good game Thursday. Manhattan upset Quinnipiac in last year’s MAAC Championship semi-final by a score of 72-59. With the intensity that March brings

every college roster, it should make out to be anoth-

for
10 sports
er great match between the two teams.
MARCH 21, 2023
Ant Nelson takes control of the ball in the team’s first and last game of the MAAC championship tournament. GOJASPERS/COURTESY Narrie Dodson takes a free throw in the squad’s first game of the MAAC championship tournament. GOJASPERS / COURTESY

Jaspers Take Charge, Blow Through Quarter and Semi Finals of MAAC Championship

The Jaspers shook the competition after beating out thirdseed Quinnipiac in the MAAC Championship quarter-finals and then knocking out second-seed Niagara in the semi-finals.

The back-to-back wins come after a rough season for the women’s basketball team. Quinnipiac and Niagara had bested Manhattan in both of their in-season match-ups.

Nonetheless, the Jaspers sent Quinnipiac home after the quarter-finals game with a score of 50-43, claiming a place in the semi-final against Niagara Friday night.

Sophomore forward Petra Juric dominated the court in the Thursday afternoon match, earning a double-double.

In a post-game interview, Juric said she came to win.

“It’s win or go home, and we are winning,” Juric said. “When you’re going into this game, it’s going to be a tough game, but we really held it together, held strong and we got this win.”

The Jaspers claimed the first points of the match, with Juric sending the first basket successfully, early into the first quarter. Sophomore forward Helena Galunic claimed the final points of the quarter as she hit a jumper and made the score 14-10.

The Jaspers grabbed onto their lead and went into the second quarter strong, reaching 21-14 by the halfway point of the quarter.

However, the Bobcats did not take the deficit kindly and attacked the back half of the quarter. After a series of successful baskets, a layup and a free throw, the score was left at 23-26.

The Jaspers kicked into overdrive in the third quarter, bringing in a strong defense. Senior forward Dee Dee Davis and Juric dominated the court through the back of the third, with two free throw points by Davis cinching a lead. The Jas-

pers left the third quarter with a score of 39-37.

Both teams’ scoring dropped in the final quarter, with spectators gripping their seats amid a close finish.

Juric and Davis each put up layups to get the score to 4537. However, Caverly snuck up her own layup, grabbing an extra two points for the Bobcats. Quinnipiac took another run, getting the score to 45-41.

The Jaspers rushed as Caverly made a steal and set up Ella O’Donnell to make the layup that lead the score to 4543.

The Jaspers’ senior forward Brazil Harvey-Carr claimed a space back on the court and knocked in two free throws with 24 seconds left on the clock. The Jaspers kept their lead, 47-43, but were biding their time.

Juric got a chance by the basket, too, and scored another two points from free throws as the clock neared 10 seconds.

Both teams were on edge, the Jaspers holding tight to

defense, and the clock ticked down to the final three seconds.

The Jaspers hit two free throws, and Davis got the score up to 50-43. With only the last three seconds ticking by, the Jaspers claimed their win.

In a post-game interview, the Jaspers’ head coach, Heather Vulin, complimented the team on their back-end defense.

“We really believe the little things add up to the big things,” Vulin said. “I really feel our locker room is really here to play to win and play hard for each other, and they did that, which equated to some really great defense in the second half for us.”

With their next game in the tournament against Niagara, Vulin said the team isn’t letting their previous losses against the team stop them.

The Jaspers last played Niagara on Jan. 19, losing 70-74.

“We’re going to really enjoy this win and then focus on taking care of business tomor-

row,” Vulin said after Thursday’s game.

The Jaspers then played Niagara in the semi-finals on Friday afternoon, taking a clear win of 81-68.

This was the highest-scoring game of the season for the Jaspers, and senior Brazil Harvey-Carr claimed a career performance, scoring 27 points for the team during the game.

Sophomore Anne Bair played a key role in the team’s scoring, holding a 7-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

With Petra Juric knocking in her own handful of points, the Jaspers finished the first quarter with a score of 17-13.

However, Niagara put the pressure on the Jaspers during the second quarter, leaving the first half with a score of 39-37.

The Jaspers were not ready to go home yet, and by halftime Harvey-Carr had scored 17 points and the Jaspers were shooting an impressive 48 percent from the field and 75 percent from beyond the arc.

With the championship

game on the horizon, the team locked in for the third quarter, getting the score up to 57-49. Emily Lapointe and Dee Dee Davis teamed up to get the final points of the quarter.

Second-seeded Niagara entered the final quarter with fire, taking a lead and getting the score to 57-58. However, fifthyear Narrie Dodson grabbed the ball and knocked down two baskets to reclaim the lead.

With the final stretch to go, the Jaspers dug their heels in and found a path to the championship game.

Bair was critical for the Jaspers’ success in the semi-finals.

“I think poise and composure was big today,” Bair said post-game. “We played Niagara twice, so we knew this was their style of play and they are one of the top teams in the country in steals and forced turnovers. So it was really important that we stuck together, helped each other out, met the passes, sealed to get open, and did all the little things to put ourselves in the best place in this game.”

11
sports
THE QUADRANGLE
Bair and Davis storm the court against Niagara in the semi finals. GOJASPERS / COURTESY

Jaspers Fall in MAAC Championship for Second Year

The Jaspers fell to top seed Iona in the championship game of the MAAC with a final score of 73-60. This was the squad’s second consecutive championship loss.

The No. 6 Jaspers made MAAC history as the lowest-seeded team to make it to the women’s championship game. The team has had a difficult season, finishing their regular season with a 13-16 record overall, and a 10-10 record in the MAAC.

However, the team rallied and came to the tournament with a hunger for the championship trophy and made it to the tournament’s final game.

“I just need to give so much credit to my team,” head

coach Heather Vulin said after the game. “For us to be the first sixth seed to make the Championship Game and to be a team that made the Championship Game as the third seed last year shows we have this program heading in the right direction.”

The championship loss brings particular disappointment to the upperclassmen who lost to Fairfield in the MAAC championship last year. In the wake of the loss, seasoned Jasper players Dee Dee Davis and Emily Lapointe have announced that they will enter the transfer portal for next season.

The Quadrangle has not yet received comments from Lapointe or Davis about their decision to enter the portal.

The team started off the championship game strong, finishing the first quarter with

a slight lead of 15-13. As the end of the second quarter drew near, Iona’s squad kicked into overdrive. The teams left the court at halftime with a score of 25-27.

Coming into the third quarter, the Gaels took control of the game. Within the quarter, Iona outscored Manhattan 3013, leaving the third with a final score of 57-38.

It was clear the Jaspers started to lose their adrenaline, and defeat began to take over the squad.

The final quarter was dominated by the Gaels, with fifthyear Juana Camilion knocking down basket after basket.

Harvey-Carr did knock in a three-pointer to give the Jaspers a little push, but it wasn’t enough to catch up. The game ended with the Gaels running to half-court, celebrating a MAAC championship title.

Despite the loss, the Jaspers did have some impressive performances. According to GoJaspers, Helena Galunic turned in a double-figure performance for the first time since Nov. 19 against Howard. Galunic provided 10 points on 3-4 shooting. Bella Nascimento (10), Davis (11) and Harvey-Carr (12) also hit double figures.

Both Harvey-Carr and Petra Juric also earned spots on the All-Tournament Team for their contributions throughout

the competition.

In a post-game press conference, Vulin said she saw a shift in the third quarter.

“Yeah, I was concerned, I felt like the first half, you know, our adrenaline would kind of get us through, but obviously four games in five days, I really felt we did a lot of things uncharacteristic, unfortunately, in that third quarter, in terms of our communication and our switches and what our defensive game plan was,” Vulin said. “We just weren’t moving the same way that we normally move, but also, you gotta give credit to Iona, they made shots and that’s been one of their strengths all year, and they were able to really ride on that. You gotta give them credit for that.”

At the same press conference, Davis agreed with Vulin that Iona was able to take advantage of miscommunication among the Jaspers.

“Iona definitely capitalized off of our miscommunications or our mistakes, and I think that’s what you have to do if you’re going to be competing for the championship,” Davis said. “Unfortunately, we had too many lapses to come back… the third quarter was really their time to shine.”

Nascimento said that despite the lapses, the team gave the last game everything they

had.

“We just wanted to come out here fighting, give it all that we got,” Nascimento said at the press conference. “It’s a championship game, [you have to] leave it on the floor. We can’t leave a single ounce of ‘oh, I should have done this. I should have done that.’ So we just wanted to fight.”

Davis said that this season has been one filled with adversity, but that the team succeeded in fighting to get to the championship game, despite the final loss.

“We’ve definitely been frustrated a number of times this year, but we’re here, we made it to this game, and so that’s a true testament of what we can accomplish throughout all the ups and downs,” Davis said. “[The loss is] unfortunate but that’s basketball, and even bigger than that, that’s life. Things can go sideways, things can go up and down. Everything is ebb and flow.”

Vulin said she was very disappointed by the loss, but that she believes the program is going in the right direction. Davis echoed that statement but has now announced that she will not be joining the Jaspers for the 2023-2024 season.

For now, the Jaspers have returned to Riverdale to evaluate the season and begin planning for their next run.

12 sports
MARCH 21, 2023
Bella Nascimento eyes the basket in the championship game. STOCKTON PHOTOS / COURTESY Women’s basketball launches the championship game against Iona. STOCKTON PHOTOS/ COURTESY

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.