Spring 2024 Issue 12

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 | Vol. CII, Issue 12 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Following renovation, Old Rafuse Hall reopens The dormitory building houses 152 residents and features updated lounge space and a new communal kitchen.

Vera Then

news intern

caspar carson photo editor Old Rafuse Hall was originally constructed in 1958 as part of the original Dickinson Community, now referred to as Old Dickinson.

Republican field for president narrows to Trump and Haley The chair of Binghamton University’s political science department offers his perspective on the contest.

Luca Carrese news intern

The 2024 Republican presidential primary is down to its final two candidates following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s recent decision to suspend his campaign.

DeSantis, who polled at 24 percent to Trump’s 48 percent in a Wall Street Journal survey one month before he announced his campaign, was initially considered the main Republican

As move-in for the spring semester commenced, Binghamton University’s campus welcomed the re-opening of an old residence hall.

Old Rafuse Hall — originally constructed in 1958 as part of the original Dickinson Community, now referred to as Old Dickinson — has undergone a complete transformation and welcomed a new group of first-year and transfer students. The remodeled residence hall will provide an opportunity for this semester’s new students to live, learn and grow together, and It will house 152 residents in double rooms, though residents will enjoy private bathrooms instead of communal facilities. Notable renovations include updated lounge space and a new communal kitchen,

as well as new flooring, Wi-Fi connectivity and exterior work.

Casey Wall, the University’s director of residential life and housing, emphasized the department’s efforts in welcoming students.

“Residential Life works closely with Facilities Management on the renovation and maintenance of all of our residential buildings, and the renovation of Old Rafuse Hall was no different,” Wall wrote in an email. “For the spring 2024 semester, the building houses new to [BU], first-year and transfer students similar to its sister building, Old Digman Hall, which sits right next door.”

Rates for students living in Old Rafuse will match those of Old Digman, at $5,377 per semester. In the main Dickinson Community, students pay $6,570 for a single room, $6,035 for a double room and $5,890 for a triple room.

Wall explained that on-campus housing is in high demand, and the renovation will provide opportunities for more students to dorm.

See reOPen page 3

BU alumna drives Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

alternative to former President Donald Trump. Nearly two weeks ago, he suffered a 30-point loss to Trump at the Iowa caucuses, and the field has now narrowed to Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — who served as ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s cabinet.

Trump defeated Haley in New Hampshire Tuesday night by about 11 points to claim his second primary victory. She had earned an endorsement from New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor and had hoped to win the contest because of the state’s large number of independent and moderate voters.

See rePUblican page 3

See wiener page 6 caspar carson photo editor Twelve recent college graduates have the chance to drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile for one year.

Men’s basketball Cider Mill Stage to put on narrowly defeats political comedy Maine on the road Torrence’s floater in final seconds lifts BU to first America East (AE) conference victory.

Johnny Yang sprots editor

The Binghamton men’s basketball team’s five-game skid came to an end as the Bearcats captured its first win of America East (AE) conference play with a 51-50 win over Maine. BU set the

tone early with a quick doubledigit lead. Despite a late comeback from the Black Bears in the final minute of the game, graduate student guard Symir Torrence nailed a floater which would be the eventual game-winning basket for the Bearcats.

“I’m happy because we’ve been putting a lot of work in,” said Binghamton head coach Levell Sanders. “If you put work in, you want to be rewarded for it.”

See basketball page 10

ARTS & CULTURE

“The Outsider” offers a satirical perspective of contemporary political incompetence.

Katelyn Pothakul

arts & culture writer

The Cider Mill Stage will soon put on “The Outsider,” a satirical comedy commenting on the current political climate in America, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.

Paul Slade Smith’s comedy “The Outsider” follows Ned Newley, an incompetent candidate running for governor despite his underwhelming lack of credentials.

Although he is incapacitated by fear of public speaking and suffers plummeting poll numbers, Newley is unexpectedly forced into a role he knows nearly nothing about and his staff is now responsible for the impossible task of keeping him in office. Critics have previously praised “The Outsider” for its refreshingly witty take on an “entirely possible” hypothetical in today’s society.

Kate Murray, executive director for Bold Local Actors of the Southern Tier (BLAST) and the stage director for “The Outsider,” further explained the type of humor featured in the show.

“This show is very witty, and

OPINIONS

we have worked hard to make sure the full meaning of the dialogue is portrayed well,” Murray wrote in an email. “Even though the play is hysterically funny, it is also very intelligent and based on circumstances that could actually occur when a candidate is running for office.”

Murray went on to mention how the casting impacted the show.

“I have to say that I am particularly proud of the casting of this show because everyone fits their role so perfectly,” Murray wrote.

See cider page 6

SPORTS

Oscar nomination categories and their snubs,

Anticipated competition at this year’s Grammys,

Hostages in Gaza must be brought home,

Swim and dive sweeps Marist in final dual meet

Wrestling defeats Harvard and Brown on senior day

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 5

SEE PAGE 9

SEE PAGE 10

Page II Thursday, Monday, Monday, October October April 3,2,5, 2017 2017 2017 Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Binghamton ASO hosts Afahye, a festival of love: Fête de L’amour.

caspar carson photo editor

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stabilizing:pinochole

schedule:destabilizing

bupipedream.com | January 30, 2024

NEWS

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Dorm second in Old Dickinson to house students reOPen from page 1 “I’m thrilled to see the continued interest in the oncampus housing experience from our students,” Wall wrote. “And [we are] equally as thrilled with how the renovation of Old Rafuse Hall turned out and bringing the building back online to welcome our new students this spring semester.”

According to BingUNews, the renovation also included asbestos abatement, the building of new corridor walls, a full replacement of mechanical and plumbing systems, a small building demolition and the installation of new windows, doors, lighting and finishes.

Elise Harshbarger, a freshman majoring in

English who transferred to BU, described the social benefits of living with similar students.

“Personally, I think the renovations are nice,” Harshbarger wrote. “It feels new. But maybe the most beneficial part about it to me is that I’m living with fellow transfer [and] new students so everyone is in the same boat.”

The project represents a continued University effort to renovate and improve existing spaces on campus. At the beginning of the fall semester, over 150 incoming freshmen were forced into superoccupancy housing because of a lack of available housing.

Three or more students were living in spaces that could only comfortably accommodate

two people. The renovations and subsequent re-opening of Old Rafuse has created more space for incoming oncampus students.

Ryan Fang, a freshman majoring in business administration, spoke about his thoughts on joining the Dickinson Community.

“Old Rafuse Hall not only provides a fresh start for us mid-year newcomers but also serves as a bridge between the past and present of Binghamton University,” Fang said. “The revamped residence hall has created a space where modern amenities meet the echoes of the past, offering us not just a place to stay but a community to belong to.”

caspar carson photo editor Old Rafuse Hall was originally constructed in 1958 as part of the original Dickinson Community, now referred to as Old Dickinson.

Republican race shifts to SC, Haley’s home state rePUblican from page 1 his positions on race and Greg Robinson — the chair of Binghamton University’s political science department, where he also serves as an associate professor — shared his thoughts about what hindered DeSantis’s candidacy “My comment would be this — trying to be Trump 2.0 was not a viable strategy for DeSantis,” Robinson wrote in an email. “The dysfunction of the Florida Democratic Party may have given a lot of people a false impression of DeSantis’s political talent.”

DeSantis’s record as governor, particularly

LGBTQ+ education in Florida’s schools, COVID-19 and abortion, had received praise from some conservatives. These, along with DeSantis’ relative youth, had initially created a belief in his ability to usurp Trump as the strongest Republican candidate to face incumbent President Joe Biden in November.

Logan Blakeslee ‘23, a Binghamton resident and the former secretary of BU’s College Republicans, offered his perspective on DeSantis’ candidacy and his future in the Republican party. “[DeSantis] is a popular

figure among collegeaged Republicans and his decision to drop out is disheartening but not surprising,” Blakeslee wrote in an email. “He set a strong example for conservatives to make strides in future elections, and I hope he will consider running again in 2028. He will have plenty of time to hire more experienced campaign staff and streamline his messaging for the American people, as these were among his campaign’s biggest flaws in this primary cycle.”

Haley’s campaign has focused on foreign policy and immigration, with a more moderate stance on

abortion. She took third place in Iowa.

Blakeslee expressed concern with the state of the Republican Party, particularly with the viability of its two remaining candidates.

“Having the remaining candidates be [Trump] and [Haley] presents a major problem for the Republican Party,” Blakeslee wrote.

“Trump is superior at generating voter turnout among conservatives, while Haley’s strength lies with moderates and independents. This setup gives [Trump] an advantage in the primary and a disadvantage in the general

election, and vice versa for Haley.”

Though Trump took New Hampshire, he won with a smaller margin of victory than in Iowa, a more socially conservative state. With his first two wins, the former president holds the lead with 32 delegates to Haley’s 17. The primary now heads through South Carolina, Haley’s home state.

“In two pretty different states, upward of 40 percent of Republican voters seem to want someone other than Trump,” Robinson said.

“For a candidate who’s as close to an incumbent as possible without actually being the sitting president,

it’s an underperformance.

Republican elites seem more convinced than their voters that Trump is the best candidate. I think he still wins the nomination, but lots of observers across the political spectrum are seeing warning signs for Trump in the general election. Whether Biden’s campaign can capitalize on that remains to be seen, though.”

aleXa valadeZ desiGn manaGer Following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to suspend his campaign, the presidential field has narrowed to former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who also served as ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s cabinet.

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | January 30, 2024

CMENAS, HRI host Guantanamo Bay panel The discussion centered around the experiences of Moath Al-Alwi, who is incarcerated at the prison.

Keith Dellapenta and Eytan Saenger news contributors

The Human Rights Institute (HRI) and the Center for Middle East and North African Studies (CMENAS) at Binghamton University hosted a Guantánamo Bay panel Thursday, highlighting artistic expression as a form of protest inside the notorious prison.

Entitled “Art as Survival and Resistance: Guantánamo in the Global War on Terror,” the event was both a book launch and informational seminar, where speakers discussed the connections between art and power for detained prisoners at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp. The discussion focused on the experience of Moath alAlwi, a detainee in the facility who uses art as a means of expression.

The panel was spearheaded

by Alexandra Moore, a professor of English and the director of the HRI — an organization that facilitates discussion about policy-making regarding global human rights issues.

Olivia Vinson ‘23, a master’s student at Columbia University and Joshua Reno, professor and graduate director of anthropology, joined Moore

at the event. Kent Schull, an associate professor of history and the director of CMENAS, which focuses on developing research about the Middle East and North Africa, moderated. “[The event] is based on a book edited by [Moore] and Elizabeth Swanson,” Sule Can, CMENAS’s outreach coordinator, wrote in an email.

“The discussion for this panel goes beyond the book and focuses also on the Global War on Terror in the context of [the Middle East and North African] region.”

Panelists began by providing background information on the history of United States presence at Guantánamo Bay and the purpose of the facility post9/11. The detention facility was used as a holding area for suspected enemies of the United States, where Moore argues the detainees are given “no legal process.”

Throughout the presentation, several graphs were shown depicting relevant information about the facility’s numerous human rights violations.

The bulk of the presentation depicted the life of al-Alwi, who has never been charged with a crime and continues to be held at the facility, despite being cleared for release in 2021. Both Moore and Vinson shared the personal impact that creating art had on alAlwi, despite never being able to meet with him formally.

Moore explained how the art program instituted by former

jacob gressin assistant photo editor The panel was held in part to promote a book coedited by Alexandra Moore (right), the director of Binghamton University’s Human Rights Institute and a professor of English, that detailed the experiences of Moath al-Alwi, a Guantánamo Bay detainee.

President Barack Obama allowed detainees to pursue creative projects.

Vinson explained how the Source Project, a research program providing research opportunities for first-year students, inspired her to continue research into the camp.

“I wasn’t previously interested in Guantánamo before the Source Project,” Vinson said. “But seeing [Moore’s] work made me realize that it was meaningful and something I wanted to continue.”

Throughout the seminar, various pictures of al-

Alwi’s creations — threedimensional boats made of objects, including soap and bottle caps — were shown.

The presenters emphasized that many of al-Alwi’s artworks had not been allowed public release by the government, with Moore adding that many of the pictures she had taken were edited or deleted by government officials at the facility before she exited the premises. A primary focus for the book’s editors was to give al-Alwi a voice without speaking to him.

Following Moore and Vinson, Reno explained that alAlwi’s artwork could be likened

to a hunger strike, adding that with al-Alwi’s circumstances, creating art from waste created a power shift similar to other forms of protest. He added that the creations are “extensively empowering.”

Michael Rosca, a freshman majoring in history who attended the event after Can, his professor, promoted it, said he emerged with a greater understanding of the situation in Guantánamo Bay. “My biggest takeaway was being reminded and more importantly, realizing how powerful the U.S. government is,” Rosca said. ”The United States’ power and influence

was seen through the actions and conditions imposed on [alAlwi] during his imprisonment at Guantánamo Bay.” Before the event ended, the floor was open for questions.

One audience member asked about claims that al-Alwi had been a guard for AlQaeda, prompting Moore to respond that the claims were unsubstantiated and that alAlwi had not been charged with any crimes during his detainment. “[Guantánamo Bay] is not only geographically far [away],” Reno explained to the crowd, “Legally, it’s on a different plane.”

Harpur’s Ferry offers hands-on medical education For over fifty years, the student-run ambulance service has served the greater campus community.

Wade Tang and Tyler Rizzo news contributors

Entering its 51st year, Harpur’s Ferry, Binghamton University’s student-run volunteer ambulance service, continues its work providing essential medical care to the greater campus community, while offering hands-on education for students interested in entering the medical field.

The organization, which provides free emergency medical services to students and the broader community, is the only agency to earn two recognitions as the National Collegiate EMS Foundation Agency of the Year. Patients are taken to one of three local medical

facilities — Lourdes Hospital, United Health Services Wilson Medical Center or Binghamton General Hospital.

Intravenous therapy and the administration of advanced medications are included in life support interventions provided by emergency medical technicians.

Harpur’s Ferry held their general interest meeting last week.

Tatum Sinopoli, the organization’s chief and executive director and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, described the EMTs’ dayto-day activities.

“When not responding to calls, we are training, checking medication stock or equipment inventory, planning community outreach events or doing homework,” Sinopoli said.

“We are full-time college students like most of our peers at [BU] and at least 90 percent of us are undergraduates. We take

the time when we can to sleep, do homework or to hang out and have fun. We all work very hard, but we support one another like a giant family. The resources and opportunities that this agency can give you are endless and almost everyone who joins ends up finding lifelong friendships.”

Between 1970 and 1972, University students ran a drug counseling program called High Hopes, housed in a small room behind the post office with a single student volunteer on duty.

In 1970, the Grateful Dead performed in the West Gym, where many audience members were given LSD, leading to eight people overdosing. This event, combined with frustration at the University response was talked about frequently among members of the Tau Alpha Upsilon fraternity, as members of the fraternity were volunteering at the concert.

Harpur’s Ferry’s website cites this

event as the birth of the organization.

Adam Bernstein, the student founder of High Hopes, approached his friend Jon-Marc Weston, a member of TAU, after his facility began to face a large influx of students who had overdosed. The two came up with the idea of a volunteer ambulance, but administrators were unable to provide the funds to help. TAU then donated and raised enough money from the community, naming the new ambulance service Harpur’s Ferry.

At the organization’s GIM last week, student leaders described their interview process for prospective candidates.

At the beginning of the process, an application must be submitted before the interview rounds begin. The first round of interviews are solo interviews. If an applicant makes it through the first round, the second round is conducted in a group. Here,

caspar carson photo editor Founded in 1973, Harpur’s Ferry requires applicants to complete multiple rounds of interviews and a rigorous training program to join the highly competitive agency.

the applicants will rotate through multiple short interviews before working with other applicants to complete tasks.

Acceptance into Harpur’s Ferry can be extremely competitive, depending on the semester.

Sinopoli explained why many applicants are rejected.

“Harpur’s Ferry adjusts the size of each semester’s training class after reviewing our available training resources,” Sinopoli wrote in an email. “Our decisions are guided by a patient-centric ideology. We owe it to both our patients and our volunteer members to provide the [University] community with highly trained emergency medical responders. It takes a lot of dedication, experience and training to become a [field training officer] at this agency, and at any given time, we may only have five-10 of those available in a year. If you couple

that with a call volume of 1500+ calls a year, we unfortunately do not have the capacity to train more than a handful of new people a semester.”

At the time, the service relied on community donations and fundraising to raise money. Eventually, the University gave the organization a budget, allowing it to grow and sustain itself. Due to support from alumni and the Student Association, Harpur’s Ferry is able to operate as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

“We want [students] to know that we are here if they need us,” Sinopoli wrote. “During an emergency, it can feel overwhelming to have to call for an ambulance, but we want students to know that we are here to help and support them through whatever they may be going through.”

OPINIONS Tuesday, January 2024 Thursday, Monday, Monday, October October April 3,30, 2,5, 2017 2017 2017

Hostages in Gaza must be brought home A deal that brings hostages home should be a priority.

Sam Rigante

Opinions Columnist

On Thursday, Jan. 18, gatherers at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, held hundreds of orange balloons to commemorate the first birthday of the youngest hostage still being held in Gaza, Kfir Bibas, who has now spent most of his life in captivity. The image of baby Kfir, a redhead smiling into the camera, has become merely one of the faces of the hostages that still remain in terror and captivity in Gaza.

Posters of his face, along with the other hostages, have been plastered onto kidnapped posters calling for their return since Oct. 7, 2023, and, yet, more than 100 Israelis and some Americans are still in Gaza after more than 100 days.

Kfir Bibas’s brother, Ariel, Omer Neutra, Edan Alexander, Noa Argamani — these are the names of the other hostages also in captivity in Gaza. While late November brought some relief, as a few hostages were released, the large majority remain there and as tensions surrounding the war in Gaza continue to remain incredibly high, it feels as though one of the most important aspects of this conflict — the lives of the hostages — may have been forgotten. It is vital that, one day, peace will be restored to the area and both innocent Palestinians and Israelis will be able to return to their homes, but that will not be the case until the hostages are returned.

At the outset of this war, calls to release hostages were everywhere, but, recently, the larger focus of bringing them home

has been overshadowed by several other political developments in the Middle East — most seriously, Yemen’s Houthi attacking American tankers in the Red Sea and the United States’ response of airstrikes.

Demonstrations and protests in the United States largely focused on calling for a permanent ceasefire have also eclipsed calls to free the hostages, and, while some believe these serve an important purpose because a permanent ceasefire is the way to ensure peace, they have overshadowed many calls to free the hostages in Gaza and have blurred out the hostages from the focus of the media.

In addition, Hamas continues to use tactics of psychological torture to make the families of hostages believe that their loved ones may no longer be alive. On Jan. 15, Hamas

released a video of two bodies, claiming them to be of hostages Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky. The video was narrated by a third hostage, Noa Argamani, and urged Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war at risk of being struck by Israeli fire. In the video, while the dead bodies of the hostages appear to be shown, it ends with a caption claiming “Tomorrow, we will inform you of their fate.” The confirmed death of these hostages remains inconclusive.

Amid all this, calls to bring the hostages home have not grown louder, but calls to “globalize the intifada” and pro-Hamas protesters outside of children’s cancer centers explicitly saying to ensure the children hear the demonstrators have. Since the Houthis began attacking United States tankers in the Red Sea and claimed to send missiles to Israel as a protest

against the humanitarian crisis, these same proHamas protesters in the United States have begun to share their support for the rebel group whose slogan contains the phrases “Death to America, Death to Israel” and “Curse the Jews.” And, yet, there remains silence about freeing the hostages.

Speaking at Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Jon Polin, father of 23-year-old hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin said, “For 103 days, my wife Rachel and I have received minimal information on Hersh. We don’t even know if he’s alive. 103 days is 103 days too many, and we are running out of time. The hostages are running out of time.”

To subject anyone to such torture, including a child as young as 1 years old and descendants of Holocaust survivors, is unimaginable and simply inhumane. And

it is not only the lives of the hostages, but all the family members of the hostages who are severely affected by this. Families have been praying for their mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, rallying for a deal that releases the hostages, but it feels as though the call is no longer being heard.

A deal that secures the release of all remaining hostages is imperative and should be implemented as soon as possible. Reuniting the hostages with their families and returning the focus to freeing them is important. It is time that we finally bring them all home, now.

Sam Rigante is a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law.

BU must emphasize sense of community

In a society filled with division, college communities must band together.

Theodore Brita Opinions Columnist

It has become abundantly clear recently that college and university campuses in the United States have been rife with division. While this is not a new phenomenon in the history of higher education in the United States, it is still a pressing problem that must be addressed in college communities.

Binghamton University is no exception to this problem, which became especially apparent during the fall 2023 semester. As a senior at BU, it seems obvious that our campus has a noticeable lack of a larger community that cares for all of its members. Many other colleges in the United States have some common thread which binds all of the members of its community together.

This can range from support for majoring and sports programs, popular political

or social beliefs or a clearcut educational philosophy based in established academic traditions. What is BU’s equivalent of this? It cannot simply be that many of its community members are from New York — that is not good enough to be the commonality that brings this campus together and, perhaps, explains why there is a noticeable lack of a larger sense of community here at BU. Building a closer campus is a moral necessity that will allow all — not just some — BU students and staff to feel at home.

Perhaps the most obvious way to increase the closeness of the BU community would be to invest more in the school’s Division I athletics, especially basketball. Supporting BU’s sports teams in greater numbers would give both students and local residents a common cause to come together. However, it seems unlikely that BU basketball will consistently draw large crowds

while the school remains in the America East Conference.

The purpose of this proposal is not to denigrate any of the athletes or members of the coaching staff for any sport at BU. Both coaches and student-athletes put in significant commitments to ensuring their respective teams are the best they can be. However, there are other schools who have emerged from nonmajor conferences to build powerhouse athletic programs.

One such example is Gonzaga, a Catholic University with a student body of just over 7,000 students, in the West Coast Conference (WCC).

The WCC is not a power-five conference. Yet, Gonzaga has consistently built men’s teams that finish in the top 25 of the Associated Press end-ofseason rankings. Although this was by no means an easy accomplishment for Gonzaga, their success provides a blueprint for other midmajor schools, such as BU, to

follow. The thought of a highly successful basketball program at BU is extremely exciting and would go a long way toward bringing both the University and surrounding community closer together through attending games in greater numbers.

Another source of division within the BU community is along the intellectual front.

One way this perpetuates itself is simply through the divisions of the schools at the University.

It is difficult, for example, for a student majoring in philosophy to find some intellectual common ground with another student majoring in mechanical engineering.

Furthermore, the large class sizes in many courses, especially at the introductory level in Harpur College, are not effective spaces for students to form relationships with their peers and professors. Of course, many of these lectures have discussion sections, but these classes meet less frequently than the lectures

and for shorter periods of time.

BU students often have to wait until at least their sophomore year to have a class solely taught by a professor and, even then, such classes can contain 40 or more students.

Smaller classes allow for more engagement with fellow students and professors, which can only increase intellectual growth and make the BU community closer as a byproduct.

Fostering critical thinking skills in the classroom will also be beneficial when it comes to student discourse on campus.

Last semester, BU students were sharply divided on the issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is all well and good for students to hold differing opinions on important current events. BU is a diverse campus and many students can bring their unique perspectives and experiences to bear in such debates. This diversity — of culture, ideas or any other category — should be a strength of this campus

that brings it closer together.

This could emerge through inter-organizational efforts or greater attempts by the school to hold more community-wide events.

These are difficult problems, with no easy solutions. But students, faculty and staff of the BU community must recognize that now is not the time to simply push these problems aside. It has become increasingly easy to lose a sense of close community in today’s hyper-online and fastpaced world. College campuses are one of the few institutions that can engender a real sense of togetherness and belonging to something bigger than oneself. BU must ensure that this is a reality on our campus.

Theodore Brita is a senior majoring in political science.

Moe’s is better than Chipotle

The atmosphere of Moe’s makes it a much better option.

Sean Reichbach Opinions Editor

Most days of the week I wake up and feel a weight on my shoulders. But sometimes, out of the blue, there is a really wonderful day. A pure experience of joy that reminds me why this world we live in is so beautiful. At least once a week, I drive my car slightly over the speed limit to a delightful establishment on Vestal Parkway. With a cold breeze blowing across my face, I trudge from the car to Moe’s. As soon as I walk through the golden doors to the building, I am welcomed by the employees as if I could actually belong

somewhere so wonderful and filled with strong human spirit.

“Welcome to Moe’s” is the catchy phrase that I hear as I walk into the place that has become my third, or maybe fourth, home. A sentence that immediately makes you hungry for some delicious food. The combination of free chips, delicious meat and a fantastic customer experience make Moe’s an infinitely better choice. Just listen to Pipe Dream’s Editor-in-Chief, Lia Richter, if you want to know about the infinitely better Moe’s experience. Lia says that she “recognizes that Chipotle has better ingredients and better meals on paper. However, every time [she goes] to Chipotle they get the order

wrong, and Chipotle is very expensive. Moe’s is cheaper, and they don’t get the order wrong, and they have free chips, and they have ground beef.” The fact that Chipotle doesn’t serve ground beef is a major issue, since it truly matters to her.

How can someone like a restaurant which doesn’t serve meat so commonly served in Tex-Mex meals.

There are, unfortunately, those on this planet that would say that Chipotle is better. They don’t feel the awe-inspiring experience of entering a Moe’s after a long day and feeling a rush of excitement as you pour soda from the machine into your cup. Julie Ha, our Assistant Opinions Editor, is one of these people. She says that “Moe’s is not what [she] grew up with.

Chipotle is better because it tastes better. No matter what you put in the bowl, it always tastes consistent.

Nothing can go wrong.

If anything goes wrong, it’s because Opinions Editor Sean Reichbach did something wrong.” Now, I’d firstly like to say that I am extremely offended by this insult. Sure, I have made the mistake of ordering a horrible bowl from Chipotle, but that doesn’t support her claim that Chipotle is better at all.

I have been to many different Chipotle restaurants around this nation that we call the United States of America.

In every single restaurant I have ever been to, the atmosphere has been darker. There are many more bleaker gray colors

and more frowning faces.

Not only do I prefer the food from Moe’s way more than the food from Chipotle, but the lights are brighter in the Moe’s restaurants, and the people are always smiling back at you. It would be much more likely, at any given moment of the day, for people to break out into song and dance at a Moe’s restaurant. That’s just the vibe that I get from eating my food there. It’s something that Chipotle most definitely doesn’t have to offer.

To me, food tastes bland without love and care that you can feel with every single bite. When I eat a burrito from Moe’s, emotion pours over my entire body as I am encompassed with a feeling like being embraced by a hug. Juxtaposed to

this, when I consume a Chipotle burrito I just taste the lettuce, or the rice or the chicken. Each ingredient is individual and doesn’t combine with other ingredients to make something better than itself. Our country is built upon people who have collaborated and mixed together to create something more remarkable than each individual citizen put together. So, Chipotle is also betraying the nation.

How could you eat from a restaurant like that?

Sean Reichbach is a senior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and economics and is Pipe Dream’s Opinions Editor.

Ketch-up with Chloe Van Caeseele ‘23 wiener from page 1

Oscar Mayer Hotdoggers Caeseele and Kammer talk travel, publicity and being the face of an American icon.

Alexis Yang

arts & culture editor

After graduating from Binghamton University in 2023, Chloe Van Caeseele landed a once-in-a lifetime job — driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.

Once an anthropology major at BU, Van Caeseele now drives the 27foot vehicle with fellow ambassador Mary Clare Kammer, University of Missouri - Columbia ’22.

Kammer and Van Caeseele are among the 36th class of Hotdoggers — 12 recent college graduates who drive the iconic Wienermobiles.

Hotdoggers travel the country with the aim of serving as brand ambassadors for Oscar Mayer and “spreading smiles,” according to Kammer.

During their time behind the wheel, Hotdoggers travel 20,000 miles across on average 20 states, while making media appearances and creating content for Oscar Mayer.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile first hit the roads in the 1930s, when it

was conceptualized by Carl Mayer in 1936. In 1988, Oscar Mayer launched the Hotdogger program. With only six Wienermobiles in operation across the country, the hot dog on wheels has since become an American icon.

Recent college graduates are eligible to apply for the one-year position.

With over 2,000 Hotdogger applications and only 12 spots, the hiring process is extremely competitive — a less than 1 percent acceptance rate.

For Van Caeseele, the possibility of working as a Hotdogger began when she saw the Wienermobile parked at a mall in Rochester, New York.

This led to a moment of “epiphany” during her walk to class at BU. “I thought to myself, oh my gosh, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile — ‘I wonder who drives that thing?’”

Van Caeseele said. “So I did my research, looked it up online and the mission and the experience and the opportunity … was way too cool to give up or not take a stab at. It was all about making people smile, carrying on tradition, adventure, exploring, just this crazy experience … I have to at least try.”

Kammer was drawn to the position from her

childhood experiences.

Though Kammer hails from St. Louis, Missouri, her father grew up in Chicago — the birthplace of Oscar Mayer. “[The Wienermobile] came down his street all the time,” Kammer said. “He would sing the jingle to me when I was little, and then when the Wienermobile came to my college campus, they said they were looking for Wienermobile drivers.

And I was like, no way this is a real job. This is iconic — I would absolutely love to do that.”

Going into the position, their undergraduate experiences served as solid foundations for becoming the faces of the largest brand under Heinz-Kraft.

At BU, Van Caeseele interned at WBNG 12 News and BU’s media and public relations department, worked as an RA in Hinman College and served as the program coordinator for BU’s Tour Guide Program, among other achievements.

Van Caeseele described how her time as an RA helped her learn how to live and work in the same place, while her media-focused jobs prepped her for the PR and content-creation aspect of working at Oscar Mayer.

As Hotdoggers, Van Caeseele and Kammer have developed skills including

marketing, pitching media and appearing behind the camera, according to Kammer. In addition, they have acquired the unique experience of traveling with one other ambassador.

“This is truly your partner through everything,” Van Caeseele said. “Traveling to different countries, learning new skills, going on a crazy adventure and also, in your downtime, pretty much the only person you know when you’re in a brand new city.”

Kammer has appeared at events as large as Mississippi’s Cruisin’ the Coast show and USA Pickleball National Championships. On Jan. 20, Kammer and Van Caeseele appeared on national television for the Fox & Friends show.

Despite these highprofile appearances, small moments stand out the most to Van Caeseele.

“I’ve had some of my most impactful moments when I’m not ‘on the job,’” Van Caeseele said. “Because people will come up to me and tell me, you know, ‘This was something that me and my dad would do when he was still alive, we would track the Wienermobile … and I was just really missing him today, and this was my sign from my dad because I was really missing him.’”

Kammer’s most memorable moment came from a small town in Missouri, where she was touring with another ambassador.

“Right when we were leaving someone left a note on our windshield,” Kammer said. “It had rained all night long — I don’t know how that note was still there or how it was still easily readable — but it said, ‘could you mail me a wienie whistle for my daughter?’ and left an address.”

After discovering that the house was only five minutes away, Kammer and her partner delivered the whistle right to the family’s doorstep.

“It had stopped raining, and the dad happened to be outside in the front lawn,” Kammer said. “[We] pull up with this giant 27-foot hot dog … and the daughter and the mom came out on this glorious Sunday morning after a long night of rain, and it felt like a movie. It did. I was like, you can do something as big as a national pickleball championship and then go from just dropping off a wienie whistle and making someone’s Sunday morning.”

Van Caeseele and Kammer are starting their second week together as the

east team. In the first half of the program, Hotdoggers are assigned to different partners and regions. Last half, Van Caeseele was touring the Central region and Kammer was traveling through the south. So far, Van Caeseele has visited 17 states and Kammer, 12.

They have many more states to explore, with five more months before the 37th class of Hotdoggers takes the helm.

After her time with Oscar Mayer, Van Caeseele plans on pursuing opportunities that involve travel, interacting with people and working toward a strong purpose, wherever her path takes her.

“I think that more people should go into things that they really, really, really love because you can really create so much magic and make an impact,” Van Caeseele said. “Because if your heart’s in it, everyone else around you is going to feel that.”

Cider Mill Stage to present “The Outsider” cider from page 1 backgrounds to enhance the production, from standup comedy to producing.

Some characters include Arthur Vance played by John Montgomery, a successful political consultant spearheading Newley’s campaign, and Louise Peakes played by Stefanie Jump, an optimistic assistant who helps Newley as he adjusts to his new position.

Gary Neal Hansen, 63, of Binghamton, who plays Ned Newley, described his experience portraying an unusually introverted character working in such a public profession. Newley, who is only capable of doing important policy work behind the scenes, embodies the enigma of

whether citizens prefer competence or charisma from their leaders.

“In playing any role, the actors have to find inside themselves the feelings that the characters are experiencing,” Hansen wrote in an email. “I’ve never been an elected official, but feelings of being shy and timid and scared are pretty easy to find.”

Hansen also mentioned the effort put into portraying these intense feelings.

“The next step is harder, though — finding ways to communicate those emotions in one’s use of words and actions and expressions,” Hansen wrote.

“Those feelings of shyness and fear are generally ones

people try to hide. I have found it a good challenge to try to express them instead.”

Jump, 34, of Friendsville, Pennsylvania and actress who portrays Louise in “The Outsider,” elaborated on the themes of feeling out of place in “The Outsider” — both physically and emotionally.

“A line in the play is ‘we all feel like outsiders sometimes, don’t we,’ and Louise is that outsider, not only in this new job she’s in, but also in life,” Jump wrote in an email. “She has no idea what is going on half of the time, and she especially has no experience in government, but she always has a smile on her face … Louise shows us that with a little determination

The production features seven actors who provide various experiences and comedic approaches.

and confidence, we can overcome that feeling of being an ‘outsider.’”

The show takes place on a set replicating the actual governor’s office located in Albany, New York. Most of the set was handbuilt by set designer and master carpenter Sonny DeWitt, 45, of Johnson City, to be as accurate as possible. For added authenticity, DeWitt even painted a wood grain effect on the stage floor by hand with the help of his assistant Isaac Weber, 35, of Binghamton.

As someone who is actively involved with several other production companies in the area, DeWitt emphasized the special connection between the team at Cider Mill Stage. From start to finish,

DeWitt communicated with director Murray about the vision for the show.

“It’s the people [who make it special],” DeWitt said in a phone interview.

“They have a great team.

There’s a great, accepting culture there.”

Although working in politics is high pressure and even higher stakes, Murray hopes that the audience will not only be entertained but also leave with a new perspective on government and democracy. “‘The Outsider’ is for everyone, no matter what your political affiliation is,” Murray wrote. “The characters are so engaging and charming that you can’t help but root for the underdog and admire the leaders. This is really a

good show that will make you think and laugh and hopefully go out and vote the next time there’s an election.”

Hansen agreed with Murray and elaborated on the potential takeaways from seeing the performance.

“I hope audiences have a lot of fun and laughter,” Hansen wrote. “It’s a very, very funny play, and I hope people get pulled away from the real world and just get fully entertained the way they can when watching live theatre.”

“The Outsider” will be performed at Cider Mill Stage from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4. Tickets are $10 for students when purchased with a valid student ID and $28 for all other viewers.

provided by kate murray studios

bupipedream.com | January 30, 2023

ARTS & CULTURE

7

Eight biggest Oscar snubs of this year This year’s Oscars has its fair share of snubs including Best Director and Best Supporting Actor categories.

Eli Engler

arts & culture writer

The 96th Academy Awards are right around the corner and the season of 2023 film was one filled with plenty of standouts.

Unsurprisingly, yet still impressive, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” have a combined total of 21 nominations with both films competing for Best Picture.

There are also many first time Oscar nominees such as Lily Gladstone for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Colman Domingo for his role as Bayard Rustin in “Rustin.”

Here are a few films that prove to be deserving of their spot in this year’s awards.

“Barbie” directed by Greta Gerwig An undeniable summer blockbuster making a little over $1.4 billion, “Barbie” has been nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Original Song and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, who is nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the film follows Barbie as she makes her way out of Barbieland and into the real world and, of course, Ken

tags along. “Barbie” truly shines in its mesmerizing sets inspired by 1940s Palm Springs and costumes that authentically portray Mattel’s beloved Barbies, making it a high contender for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.

“Oppenheimer” directed

by Christopher Nolan With a staggering 13 nominations, “Oppenheimer” is sure to take home a few awards. The biographical picture, set during World War II, follows physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (played

by Cillian Murphy) as he and a team of scientists create the atomic bomb that marks the first nuclear explosion.

With Murphy nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Robert Downey Jr. nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Emily Blunt nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Christopher Nolan nominated for Best Director, the film proves to have a stacked cast.

“Past Lives” directed by Celine Song Distributed by A24, a company known for its Oscar winner films such as “Moonlight” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” both which have won Best Picture previously, “Past Lives” may follow in both films’ footsteps.

Though, it may have a better chance with Best Original Screenplay as it shares the Best Picture category with tough competition.

sourced from shutterstock

“Barbie” directed by Greta Gerwig is up for eight Oscars.

“Society of the Snow” directed by J.A. Bayona Nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Makeup and Hair, “Society of the Snow” is based on the real life 1972 Uruguayan plane crash in the Andes mountains. Worthy of both awards, the film is a rollercoaster of tense scenes that include snow avalanches and bitter wind storms. Director J.A. Bayona

masterfully crafts a story of survival and what it means to question your own morals.

“The Holdovers” directed

by Alexander Payne An underrated gem, “The Holdovers” tells the story of Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a New England boarding school teacher, who is forced to watch a cohort of students over Christmas break. As the movie progresses, he forms an unlikely bond with

one student, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and the lunch lady, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Giamatti’s nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Randolph’s nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, are well deserved as both performances are stellar.

“The Boy and the Heron” directed by Hayao Miyazaki Miyazaki’s latest project is one that does not disappoint.

Nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, “The Boy and the Heron” follows 12 yearold Mahito as he and his father move to a rural town after his mother’s death. The film has all the whimsical and heartfelt elements of a classic Miyazaki movie, and it has a good chance of taking an Oscar home, with “SpiderMan: Across the Spider-Verse” really being its only other competition.

Grammy categories to keep an eye out for With categories such as Album of the Year and Record of the Year, there are plenty of close competitions expected.

Andrew Ashinoff

arts & culture writer

The 66th Annual Grammy awards airs from the Crypto. com Arena in Los Angeles this Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 P.M. To celebrate some of America’s favorite musical artists, here are five of the strongest and most competitive categories to look out for on Sunday night.

Album of the Year “World Music Radio” - Jon Batiste “the record” - boygenius “Endless Summer Vacation” Miley Cyrus “Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” Lana Del Rey “The Age Of Pleasure” - Janelle Monáe “GUTS” - Olivia Rodrigo “Midnights” - Taylor Swift “SOS” - SZA Arguably one of the more interesting categories, the Album of the Year award garners anticipation this year through an extremely competitive field of nominees.

Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” headlines the bunch, but there are plenty of worthy titles on this list. Lana Del Rey looks for her first Grammy win with “Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” and SZA has a chance at leading the show in awards after a landmark nine nominations for her work on “SOS.” Overall, this is a category that will receive plenty of attention following Sunday’s event.

Best New Artist Gracie Abrams Fred again..

Ice Spice

Jelly Roll Coco Jones Noah Kahan Victoria Monét The War And Treaty This year the Best New Artist award seems to be shaping up with a strong field of candidates. With a smattering of diverse artists from a variety of different genres, some fan favorites include Noah Kahan, Jelly Roll, Victoria Monét, Ice Spice and Coco Jones. It’s going to be an exciting watch, and it will be hard to be disappointed in a winner when all nominees are as popular and acclaimed as they seem to be right now.

Record of the Year “Worship” - Jon Batiste “Not Strong Enough” boygenius “Flowers” - Miley Cyrus “What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”] Billie Eilish “On My Mama” - Victoria Monét “Vampire” - Olivia Rodrigo “Anti-Hero” - Taylor Swift “Kill Bill” - SZA To clear up potential confusion, the Record of the Year award is given each year to the best recording of a track, whereas the Song of the Year award is more so an award for the songwriters or headlining artists. This year, the nominees for Record of the Year are familiar with the most competitive categories in the Grammy circuit, and watching the award breakdown is going to be particularly interesting for some superfans come Sunday.

Swift and SZA are battling it out as the two juggernauts going into the awards show, but there are plenty of other intriguing candidates on the list. Following a controversial Critics’ Choice awards snub, Billie Eilish seeks to even the odds with “I’m Just Ken” with an award of her own,

sourced from the new york times There’s tough competition in the Album of the Year category with chart topping records like “Guts,” “Midnights” and “SOS.”

and boygenius has made plenty of noise with their six nominations, hoping to notch an award for “Not Strong Enough” at Sunday’s ceremony.

Best Rap Album “Her Loss” - Drake & 21 Savage “MICHAEL” - Killer Mike “HEROES & VILLAINS” Metro Boomin “King’s Disease III” - Nas “UTOPIA” - Travis Scott It seems like every year, there is one massive snub

in this category that is so egregious it’s hard to even understand how it happened.

This year is no different.

Somehow, Gunna’s “A Gift & a Curse” didn’t make the top five despite massive sales and overwhelming success, but that doesn’t stop the category from creating a good amount of hype from mere name value. Travis Scott, Drake/21 Savage, Metro Boomin, Killer Mike and Nas are enough to generate curiosity, and it’s looking like quite the tossup as of now as to who the winner might be. While artists like

Drake, 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Scott find appeal with popular audiences, it’s going to be fascinating to see how a critical success like Killer Mike fares in the eyes of the Academy.

Best Progressive R&B Album “Since I Have A Lover” 6LACK “The Love Album: Off The Grid” - Diddy “Nova” - Terrace Martin And James Fauntleroy “The Age Of Pleasure” - Janelle Monáe

“SOS” - SZA This year is especially exciting for fans of progressive R&B with the success of stars like SZA and Janelle Monáe on popular charts. SZA is the name of the night, and if she’s able to pull it off, she could walk away from the Crypto. com arena with a legendary Grammy haul.

It’s gearing up to be an electrifying night for music fans next Sunday. Make sure to tune in on CBS at 8 p.m. to watch some of America’s biggest stars shine.

Fun Page Thursday, Monday, Monday, October October April 3,2,5, 2017 2017 2017 Tuesday, January 30, 2024

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bupipedream.com | January 30, 2024

SPORTS

9

Swimming and diving teams defeat Marist Men come out on top 177-121, women win meet 165-135.

Emily Maldonado sports intern

The Binghamton men’s and women’s swim and dive team traveled to Marist on Saturday afternoon and swept their final dual meet of the season. The Bearcats defeated the Red Foxes by respective margins of 177-121 and 165-135.

Both teams will head into the America East (AE) championships with three straight dual meet victories.

“On the women’s side, we had a close meet right from the beginning,” said Binghamton head coach Jerry Cummiskey. “We kind of had to rebound, and [senior Skylar Ward] did a good job kinda getting us on the board and having a great swim to get started.”

The men’s team won nine individual events and two relays. Junior Elijah Lanfear gained nine points for Binghamton as he took first place with a time of 51.36 in the 100yard backstroke. Lanfear also placed first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.77. Senior Eric Kroon was the front runner in the 100 and 200yard breaststroke. During the 100-yard event, Kroon finished with a time of 57.15 and gained nine more points for Binghamton.

Then, in the 200-yard event, the Bearcat finished first

again, clocking in a time of 2:07.62.

“On the men’s side, [it was] a little bit of a comfortable win,” Cummiskey said. “Winning both relays is great.”

The Bearcats continued to add more points to their position on the scoreboard during the 400-yard medley relay. Lanfear swam the leadoff leg, followed by Kroon, fifth-year Mark Crocker and freshman Cullin Cole. The relay concluded with a first-place time of 3:24.70 and another 11 points for Binghamton.

Additionally, the men went on to earn top spots in the 1000-yard freestyle where freshman Harrison Lambert finished with a time of 9:45.82. Fifth-year Marc Stern recorded a time of 1:53.91 to take first in the 200-yard butterfly.

Possessing a score of 260.03, sophomore David Marshall took the top spot in 1-meter diving. In addition, during the 100yard butterfly, senior Oisin O’Sullivan placed first with a time of 50.48, his first collegiate win.

“The divers did great on both boards,” Cummiskey said. “[Kroon] won both breaststrokes, [Lanfear] had two wins and [O’Sullivan] had his first win in the 100yard butterfly. Some good highlights and some good things to work off of.”

For the women’s team, the Bearcats placed first in nine individual races.

Ward put the Bearcats on

provided by jonathan cohen Junior Elijah Lanfear took the top spot in the 100-back and 100-free, contributing to BU’s win at Marist on Saturday afternoon.

the board with her win in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:35.49. In the 100-yard breaststroke, junior Lauren Kuzma took the first spot with a time of 1:04.15. Her teammates, senior Courtney Moane and sophomore Maria Pignatelli, followed closely behind with times of 1:05.30 and 1:08.33 respectively, earning Binghamton the second and fourth placements in the event.

“From there, [Kuzma] and [Moane] had a great

swim to the 100-breast,” Cummiskey said. “[Freshman Haley Nowak] won the two fly and [senior Molly Greeley] won the 50, so that kind of strung together a good little run and put us in a good spot.”

The 200-yard breaststroke saw a podium sweep by the Bearcats.

Kuzma took the first spot with a time of 2:17.23, followed by Moane and freshman Grace Holman placing second and third place with times of 2:23.44

and 2:25.70.

The women’s team also went on to place first in events such as the 1-meter diving, where freshman Ava Lee was awarded nine points first her first-place victory with a final score of 253.05. Finally, Nowak dominated the 100 and 200-yard butterfly events coming in first with a time of 58.84 and 2:10.06, respectively.

“There are a few areas we can improve … to really be firing on all cylinders at the

end,” Cummiskey said. “We have two and a half weeks to get ready.”

Binghamton will finish its season at the AE conference championships, which runs from Wednesday, Feb. 14 to Saturday, Feb. 17. The first swim is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the VMI Aquatic Center in Lexington, Virginia.

Track and field competes at Columbia Invitational Armitage ties Binghamton pole vault record.

Emily Ciarlo

assistant sports editor

The Binghamton men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge — finishing ninth and 14th respectively. In a field featuring 26 teams, several Bearcats finished in the top 10 of their respective events.

“I feel like we’re just on a logical path toward being ready to go at the conference meet in a few weeks,” said Binghamton head coach Mike Thompson. “So, I

think everybody is right where they should be.”

Sophomore Alyssa Armitage tied the women’s school record in the pole vault, recording a distance of 12-9.5 feet and placing third in the event.

Sophomore Angie MesaEspinosa took sixth place in the 60 meter event with a time of 7.83. Also finishing in the top 10 in the 60 meters was freshman Dami Modupe with a time of 7.86 — good enough for eighth place. Graduate students Gabby Hyatt and Sophia Morone also finished in the top 10 with times of 7.89 and 7.90 respectively.

In addition, junior Hillary Abankwa finished fifth in the 400 meters with

a time of 56.32. Freshman Alexa Colondona finished in fourth in the Pentathlon 60 meter hurdles with a distance of 9.14 and sophomore Logan Wheeler finished in 10th in the same event with a distance of 9.67. In the Pentathlon high jump, Wheeler also placed second with a distance of 1.58m. The women finished the two-day event tied for 14th overall with a score of 11.

“I think [Armitage] in the pole vault, she had a great day [and senior Brandon Love] also had a very good meet in the pole vault,” Thompson said.

“The 400 runners’ men and women did very well — you know, long spears — also

in the 200 and 400, [the] runners [did] very well across the board.”

On the men’s side, senior Marcus Johnson competed in the triple jump and placed second with a distance of 48-10.25. In the pole vault, Love placed third with a mark of 160.75. Also finishing in third was redshirt freshman Brian Luciano in the weight throw with a distance of 6411.5 feet. In addition, senior Josh Stone competed in the 3,000 with a time of 8:12.87 and placed seventh. Junior Oliver Madariaga competed in two events and finished in the top 10 in both.

Madariaga finished fourth in the 200 with a time of 22.04 and sixth in the 400

with a time of 49.29. “[Johnson] particularly had a really good meet with his best triple jump in two years and his best 400 in two years, so, he really stood out as well,” Thompson said. “I thought overall it was a pretty solid meet.”

Sophomore Samson Joseph finished eighth in the 200 with a time of 22.16, and junior Joey Cardascia placed 10th with a time of 22.28. Cardascia also placed eighth in the 400 with a time of 49.36, with Johnson behind him in 10th with a time of 49.71.

The men finished in ninth overall with a cumulative score of 27.

“Basically, what we do

Sophomore Alyssa Armitage placed third in the pole vault with a 12-9.5 foot leap for BU at the Dr. Sanders Invitational Columbia Challenge over the weekend.

is we build up the training from the first week of practice when we come back through about this upcoming week, and then we’ll start gradually backing off,” Thompson said. “So, that when they get to the conference meet, they’ll not be as tired, and we’ll train a little bit less and with the goal of them feeling better and more recovered when we compete at conference.”

Binghamton will now set its sights on the Sykes and Sabock Challenge, which begins on Saturday, Feb. 3. First event is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Penn State Ashenfelter Track in University Park, Pennsylvania.

provided by marist athletics

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Men’s basketball outlasts Maine on the road basketball from page 1 a late basket from Maine Maine (10-11, 2-4 AE) opened up the scoring with a jump shot. Binghamton (9-10, 1-5 AE) came back with eight straight points starting with a pull-up jumper from senior forward Tariq Balogun to even the score. Graduate student guard Dan Petcash then followed this up with two more points, getting the friendly bounce off a stopand-pop jumper. A few possessions later, Balogun found a cutting senior forward Nehemiah Benson.

Senior guard Armon Harried capped off this run with a layup to make it 8-2 Bearcats and later drained a wide-open jump shot to make it an 11-point game.

“When we don’t give teams the ability to come out and start fast, it doesn’t give them confidence,” Sanders said. “[Maine] was playing on their heels. They weren’t as confident, shot spots were a little shaky …

Today, we weren’t turning it over, giving them easy baskets in transition.”

The Black Bears went into a three-two zone midway through the first half, BU continued to find the open man in the paint as baskets from Harried and Balogun made it 198. The Bearcats’ defense kept the Maine offense at bay, maintaining a doubledigit lead. Balogun stayed dominant in the paint, grabbing an offensive rebound and slamming one in to make it 25-13. After

to end the period, BU held a 28-19 lead going into halftime.

“We have to score points in the paint because we don’t shoot a ton out of it,” Sanders said. “So for us, it’s about getting the ball inside, getting the ball into the paint, and I thought we did a really good job of being intentional about that.”

The Black Bears went on a 6-0 run to start the second half, cutting the Bearcats’ lead to 28-23. Binghamton remained scoreless — three minutes into the half — until Torrence found Benson in the paint for two points. Maine continued to cut into the BU lead, making it a three-point game with a layup. Not long after, Torrence found a cutting Harried on the baseline who rose for a dunk. Harried followed this up with a fast break layup to make it 3428 for the Bearcats. “[Benson] scored some bashes inside for us,” Sanders said. “That was huge. He played good … It’s just a total team effort that we got to add every single night.”

Binghamton stretched its lead to seven at 38-31 after Balogun finished a tough layup in the paint.

However, Maine stayed in it, cutting the Bearcats’ lead to one several times.

Eventually, Maine took its first lead since the beginning minutes of the game at 4342. Binghamton responded

jacob gressin photo assistant Graduate student guard Symir Torrence drained the game-winning floater in Binghamton’s 51-50 win on the road over Maine on Saturday afternoon.

with four straight points to retake the lead at 47-43.

With under a minute to go, Maine knocked down two free throws to take a 50-49 lead. With 12.9 seconds left on the game clock, Torrence floated one in to give BU a 51-50 lead with 4.8 seconds left. Despite an open look from beyond the arc, the Black Bears were unable to capitalize as the Bearcats

came out on top 51-50.

“We went [into a onethree-one zone] and got some stops,” Sanders said.

“We just wanted to put the ball in [Torrence’s] hands and have him be a playmaker … [Torrence] hit a nice floater that won the game for us.”

Harried spearheaded BU’s winning effort with 15 points, eight rebounds

and four assists. Benson and Balogun chipped in 12 and 11 points respectively.

The Bearcats’ defense kept the Black Bears at bay, holding them to just 34.8 percent shooting from the field. Binghamton also held the advantage in the paint, outscoring Maine 34-14. “[Harried] did a really good job of attacking the basket,” Sanders said. “He

also had some nice assists.

He defended well. So I think he’s back to playing his style of basketball instead of just jacking up jump shots.”

The Bearcats will take on NJIT on Thursday, Feb. 1 as they look to continue to build momentum in AE play. Tipoff is set for 6:07 p.m. at the Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

Wrestling sweeps Harvard and Brown at home Day, Nolan honored in senior day ceremony.

Luca Carresse

sports contributor

The Binghamton men’s wrestling team celebrated senior day this past weekend by sweeping Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) opponents Harvard (3-3, 0-0 EIWA) and Brown (1-4, 0-2 EIWA) in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Bearcats kicked things off by defeating

Harvard 28-9 in their opener, followed by a 24-9 win over Brown in their second matchup.

“I thought we did great,” said Binghamton head coach Kyle Borshoff. “Harvard’s a good team. I thought that duel was going to be tight and our guys performed extraordinarily well. Brown scrapped hard. It was a good challenge for our guys, and it’s gonna pay off at the end of the year when we have to win matches back to back through the conference tournament and the NCAA

championships.”

In the opening matchup, the Bearcats’ (6-3, 5-2 EIWA) victory over the Crimson was headlined by graduate student Lou DePrez’s win by pin in the 197-pound matchup and redshirt senior Cory Day’s win by pin in his 285-pound matchup.

Continuing the Bearcats’ strong performances, junior Brevin Cassella won his 165-pound matchup by decision, while redshirt senior Jacob Nolan collected a major decision win in his 184-pound matchup.

“We went out and controlled that duel from start to finish,” Borshoff said.

“Really great performances by our older guys [Nolan, DePrez and Day]. They’ve been doing what they did today for years for this program. It’s gonna be really challenging to make up for their loss next season.

Just want to give a special shout-out to all those guys.”

In their second matchup against Brown, the Bearcats defeated kept the momentum going early with wins from junior Micah Roes in his 133-pound matchup and

provided by alayna harbaugh Redshirt senior Jacob Nolan went 2-0 in BU’s doubleheader victory, defeating his Harvard and Brown opponents, 9-1 and 17-1, respectively, on senior day.

redshirt sophomore Nate Lucier in his 141-pound matchup. Roes and Lucier joined Cassella, Nolan, DePrez and Day in going undefeated at the doubleheader. In addition, after a slim 4-2 loss to his ranked Harvard opponent in his 174-pound, redshirt junior Dimitri Gamkrelidze bounced back to earn a 4-2 win by decision in his matchup with Brown.

“It’s nice to win both matches, but there’s always context included in that situation,” Borshoff said. “[Gamkrelidze] wrestled a top 10 guy in that first match against Harvard and lost a close one. It’s nice to win two, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really make a difference whether we win two or win one. These matches are practice for the end of the year. As long as we’re learning and getting better — that’s what I’m more concerned about.”

Freshman Jordan Brown collected his first collegiate victory, 10-7, in his 149-pound matchup against Harvard. The match had a contested finish, with a challenge coming from the Crimson’s coaching staff in the final seconds over a noncall on a perceived takedown.

The call — which would’ve sent the match to overtime if reversed — stood after review, giving Brown his first career win.

“Big shout out to [Brown],” Borshoff said. “He got his first win in college and at home. As a true freshman, that was a really nice win for him. That was a good opponent from Harvard.

Proud of [Brown] and what he was able to do.”

Nolan and Day were among the Bearcats celebrated during the senior night festivities.

Nolan, who won went 2-0 on the weekend, reflected on his final time wrestling at home, in front of all the fans, as a Bearcat.

“This is my last home duel,” Nolan said. ” [It was] just good to go out there with my teammates. We worked so hard all year long. Just good to go out there and perform well in front of our fans. It’s the last time they’ll see me wrestle in Binghamton. I just wanted to make them happy and put on a show.”

The Bearcats back-toback wins put them at a 5-2 EIWA record leading into the final stretch of the season.

This weekend’s doubleheader also marked the final time Binghamton will take on Harvard and Brown as conference rivals, with the Crimson and the Bears leaving the EIWA after this season.

“It’s the last time those matches are going to be conference duels, which is a little bit sad,” Borshoff said.

“The EIWA is splitting [and] the Ivy League is leaving, so the last time we got to call Harvard and Brown conference opponents was today. It was nice to end on a win.”

The Bearcats will hit the road to take on Hofstra on Friday, Feb. 9. First bout is set for 6 p.m. in the David S. Mack Physical Education Center in Hempstead, New York.