There’s no one quite like Ilona Maher. Whether you’re one of her 6.2 million followers across social media, subscribed to Sports Illustrated or tuned into NBC this past summer to watch the Olympics, you’ve probably heard the name before.
But before she was a part of USA Rugby’s first team to medal in the Olympics in over 100 years, or taking selfies with Tom Brady, she was a Bobcat.
‘GOD-GIFTED SPEED, TALENT AND SIZE’
A key member in Quinnipiac rugby’s three-straight NIRA national championships, Maher ‘18, left her mark in Hamden long before she became a household name across the country.
And if you ask Quinnipiac head coach Becky Carlson — it was only a matter of time.
“When she was here, the conversation I had with her, I was like, ‘You’re going, like, you’re gonna go play in the Olympics. You know that, right?’” Carlson said. “It’s not going to come from the stuff I teach you … You have god-gifted speed, talent and size.”
Demonstrators raise awareness about illegitimate sub-contractors working on The SITE
By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
Informational demonstrators gathered in front of the New Road Entrance on Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel Campus Friday to bring awareness to the contractors on the new academic building project.
“Quinnipiac University leadership and the prime contractor on the job, FIP Construction, are allowing an illegitimate subcontractor to cheat workers and the system
for profit,” according to a media advisory from the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. “They must be held accountable and take action to ensure all workers are paid and protected according to the law and basic human rights.”
FIP Construction Inc., the prime constructor on the project, is using GDS Construction Corp to install the framing and drywall on The SITE (science, innovation,
technology and exploration).
However, GDS is currently under investigation by the Connecticut’s Department of Labour Wage and Hour Division for wage theft and possible unemployment, tax and insurance fraud, according to a flyer handed out by demonstrators.
“Through engaging with workers on the site we found that for several weeks these workers went working on the project 46 hours a week, cash under the table,” said Miguel Fuentes, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters representative and a Quinnipiac parent. “No worker’s compensation, no taxes, no family leave or overtime that they were entitled to by law. Legitimate contractors who abide by all the rules lost the opportunity to work on this project because they were undercut by a cheating contractor and we are exposing that to the public.”
Fuentes said that their goal is to make the students, faculty and public aware and to “discourage this kind of behavior.”
“Everyone can arrive at their own opinion, we just simply want to give them the facts,” Fuentes said.
He continued that the council has warned FIP years ago about hiring corporations like GDS.
GDS Principal Joseph Squillacote refused to provide any statement on the matter.
“(The construction) is inherently dangerous already, but when you don’t even know who’s here, that’s problematic,” Fuentes said. “God forbid something happens, who’re you gonna hold accountable? That makes me feel
The infatable in front of the New Road Entrance represents a “fat cat” corporate America, according to the demonstrators.
very uneasy as a Quinnipiac parent.”
About 15 demonstrators stood outside the campus for around two hours, with sirens and signs and a “fat cat” inflatable. They plan on returning for a few hours every day next week.
John Morgan, Quinnipiac’s associate vice president for public relations, directed The Chronicle to FIP for any further comments.
FIP has not yet responded to attempts from The Chronicle for a statement.
cial student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929
PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS
ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA/CHRONICLE
North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Representatives Jacquelin Mcgurn from Massachussetts (left) and Catherine Pena from Rhode Island (center) said that the corporation misclassifes the workers as cleaners, which is a lower paying job and committs wage theft by paying the workers outside of payroll.
ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA/CHRONICLE
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Presidential debate watch party lures dozens
By QUINN O’NEILL Associate Multimedia Editor
Quinnipiac University’s Offce of Community Engagement and Quinnipiac Political Science Association hosted a Presidential debate watch party for students on Sept. 10. The event was organized to give students a way to watch the debate and discuss it afterward in a respectful manner.
Julianna Mazella, president of QPSA, welcomed students by asking them questions to consider before the event started to help students with the thought process when it comes to choosing a candidate they prefer. Following Mazella, Scott McLean, a professor of political science, educated the students on how to vote if you are an out-of-state student. McLean
start of the event on Sept. 10, 2024
of Community Engagement and the
also offered valuable insights into the debate’s outcomes and implications.
“I hope it’s more of a debate than a personal attack against each other,” said Isabella Jasek, a frst-year biomedical sciences major. “I want someone in offce who can be a strong leader without having to attack others, and I think that’s what a lot of people want as well.”
Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in SB 123 at 9:15 p.m.
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McLean, professor of political science, gives a speech to inform out of state students about their voting process.
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Sophomore Quinn Webber watches the Presidential debate in the Carl Hansen Student Center Piazza alongside dozens of Quinnipiac students. Students fll out the bottom and top foors of the area.
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Julianna Mazella, president of QPSA, gives a speech on what students should expect from the debate in the Piazza
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Zach O’Connell, sophomore engineering major, pays close attention to professor Scott McLean as he tells the students how to act respectfully while watching the debate, before the
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Offce
QPSA sponsor the Presidential debate watch party, urging students to vote
New Student Philanthropy Council to aid Quinnipiac community
By ANDREW ALLISON Contributing Writer
Quinnipiac University’s Offce of Development and Alumni Affairs introduced the Student Philanthropy Council, a new organization to aid the Quinnipiac community.
“We want to create a connection so that students are aware how we can be a resource to them before and after graduation,” John Shepherd, assistant director of next generation and affinity giving wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “We want students to recognize that commitment and for them to understand the impact that they can have while still being a student.”
The SPC aims to strengthen the relationship between the Mount Carmel Campus and the Offce of Development and Alumni Affairs. It also plans to increase awareness of the importance of giving back to the Quinnipiac and local community.
The council plans to host events for students to learn the importance of philanthropy and alumni affairs on campus. Its focus is on making students aware of how their contributions are being used to better the Quinnipiac community.
“This university continues to excel because of the generous alumni, parent and faculty staff donors that make up the wider Bobcat community,” Shepherd wrote.
The Offce of Annual Giving staff and members of the SPC will plan their events.
The first SPC event occurs on Nov. 12 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Piazza of the Carl Hansen Student Center. The event is centered around the theme of gratitude.
Students are invited to attend and write thank you notes to donors and receive an SPC gift while making a contribution to their class.
Annual Giving will also host smaller events throughout the semester.
The SPC will plan another large event in the spring and will provide community service opportunities during the year.
“(Students) should join because you have the opportunity to make a difference unlike any other group here at Quinnipiac,” Shepherd wrote. “Being able to support the next generation of Bobcats while also supporting your fellow students while you are here is something that is unlike any other group.”
The SPC provides opportunities for students to make a positive and tangible impact on the community.
“Joining the SPC means you will have the opportunity to build your resume and network with alumni, potentially, in your field of study,” Shepherd wrote.
Students who join soon and become founding members of the SPC will have the unique opportunity to work with professionals in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at Quinnipiac.
Opportunities to take on leadership roles, manage projects and work together with peers will be available through the SPC. Connections formed there could lead to long-lasting professional relationships.
The new friendships, career opportunities, leadership experience and connections that the SPC experience offers could be benefcial for resume building — as well as helping the Quinnipiac community thrive.
Students can contact spc@quinnipiac. edu if they’re interested in joining or have questions. The SPC is open to all students and will be accepting applications for next year for those interested.
Quinnipiac professor introduces two new language courses
By HANNAH DIMAURO Contributing Writer
Associate Professor of Modern Languages, Interdisciplinary Studies and Environmental Studies Mary Paddock introduced two new 7-week linguistic courses for the upcoming October.
While ML-241, “How Languages Die,” will focus on teaching students about dying languages, ML-243 “Conlags: How to create a Language,” will offer a course centered on the construction of new languages.
Paddock shared her excitement for introducing the two new linguistic courses.
The thought process for these courses was sparked by the interest of students taking the “Fundamentals of Human Languages” class, as both the death and birth of language were briefy introduced within the course. Students in the course expressed further desire to expand knowledge on these subjects, allowing for the new ML-241 and 243 courses to come to fruition.
In the course description of ML-243, Paddock refers to author’s J.R.R Tolkien’s ability within “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy to successfully create his own fctional languages by tying together language and culture. With strong enthusiasm, Paddock expressed that language and culture ft together like “hand in glove” when it comes to truly dissecting the structures of both new and old languages.
Paddock emphasized the importance of linguistics, calling it the “thumb print” that can be used to better understand not only an individual but a larger cultural group as well.
She plans to introduce ML-243 with the
goal of not only educating students about previously constructed languages, but to inspire their imaginative minds in creating a language framework of their own.
When asked how ML-241 and 243 will accommodate for a diverse level of linguistic understanding among students in the courses, Paddock explained that students of all experience levels will have the same ability to succeed. Allowing for all students to participate in such courses will allow them to digest course material at their own pace.
Paddock expressed that the only characteristics a student will need in order to do well in ML-241 and 243 are enthusiasm and interest in the courses themselves.
For registration, students need to contact the Registrar directly. Both classes still have seats open.
Both interest and motivation will be the leading traits required in order to get the most from these classes. By diving deeper into the functional aspects of language, the courses will “throw back the curtain”, as Paddock stated, as to allow students to observe the more miniscule features that reinforce both the success or death of a given language.
Her message to students, that you never know where a class will take you next, welcomes students of all experience to the engaging courses.
Paddock hopes that by the end of these classes, students will have sparked a desire to continue linguistic growth throughout their time here at Quinnipiac. Self-discovery as students is a critical component to success and aids in the progression towards individual career goals.
Quinnipiac receives historic rankings
By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
Quinnipiac University ranked No. 91 on the Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges in America list, the highest ranking ever awarded to the university.
“If you look at the history of Quinnipiac rankings, they’ve been going up and up,” said Provost Debra Liebowitz. “It picks up on the long history of what Quinnipiac has valued, providing excellent educational and student experience opportunities that help set students up for success in whatever way they defne that.”
The WSJ’s annual ranking considers 500 U.S. private and public institutions, scoring each school on student outcome (70%), learning environment (20%) and diversity (10%).
The student outcome category focuses on a student’s return of investment upon graduation while the learning environment looks at the school’s opportunities for career preparation.
“That’s always been Quinnipiac’s focus,” Liebowitz said. “I think in a way it’s picking up on our commitment to student career preparedness, it’s picking up on our impressive graduate success.”
With the score of 77 — and technically tied with Ohio Northern University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute — Quinnipiac is the second-highest ranked Connecticut university on the list, bested only by No. 4 Yale.
The only other Connecticut university to make it on the list is the University of Connecticut, which landed at No. 99.
The list is closed out by No. 100 Boston College.
The WSJ ranking isn’t the only one bestowed upon Quinnipiac. Zippia has ranked the university as No. 1 in the nation for successful career placement following graduation for the ffth year in the row.
“I think we’re becoming less of a secret,” Liebowitz said.
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor
Opinion
Fact checking is not bias
When most people say “be yourself,” it’s usually meant in a good way. Though, I can’t imagine former President Donald Trump’s team uttered anything close to those words before last Tuesday’s debate with current Vice President Kamala Harris. But he did it anyway.
Most of us predicted Trump would have some interesting things to say, points to make and “concepts of plans” to announce, but I don’t think any of us predicted what he would actually end up saying on that stage.
Trump made claims throughout the night ranging from Haitian immigrants eating pets to governors executing babies after birth.
While the vice president was clearly prepared, even bringing up a quote from Trump himself that Harris seemed to have memorized in advance, Trump made something up almost every time he spoke.
Moderators David Muir and Lindsey Davis from ABC continuously fact-checked these claims throughout the debate, leaving Trump supporters extremely upset.
Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton called it a “three-on-one” and said, “They continued to engage in so-called factchecking of Donald Trump.”
How is fact-checking a bad thing? It’s not. It’s the best thing that could’ve happened to this debate.
Just because their candidate got caught
lying about some pretty serious accusations doesn’t mean that the moderators were out to get him. Even if it was purely out of hatred for Trump, it still doesn’t make his statements true.
Disinformation is a horrible political tool that Trump uses to his advantage. The factchecking should’ve happened sooner and there should’ve been more of it in this debate.
Though the TikToks of people showing their pets’ reactions to Trump’s claims are entertaining, his claims have impacted multiple groups of people, including Haitian immigrants, who, for the record, are in America legally.
Bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio, have targeted hospitals and schools as hate towards Haitians increases. As a result, schools are closing.
If Trump’s claims are interrupting hospitals and schools, then there is obviously a reason that the moderators continued to fact-check him. In fact, Muir and Davis didn’t fact-check him on everything.
Trump’s former communications director for his 2020 campaign, Tim Murtaugh said, “It was a little outrageous that they would fact-check only one candidate on the fly.”
The things that were fact-checked were
blatant defamation and a claim that someone committed crimes when they didn’t. Anything Harris said that was false was out of good faith and a genuine misconception. Accusing someone of murdering babies is not a genuine misconception. It’s an attack on character.
When Trump and President Joe Biden debated in June, there should’ve been factchecking done on the spot. It’s understandably hard to be able to do that, especially with how much Trump has to say.
We got a step closer to it during last week’s debate. At some point, there should be a fact-checking component on-screen with proven sources.
This would continue the flow of the debate, and there would be less doubt at the end. It would also help prevent incidents like these.
Fact-checking creates a more educated country. It helps viewers and listeners determine whether or not they can trust the candidate. It’s not the moderators’ fault that Trump lied on television and attacked a group of people who, as president, he is sworn to protect. He lied to the American people. He continues to do so with countless claims about election interference, minority groups and Harris’ plans in offce, just because he can’t win anything with his own facts. Whether it be an election or a debate, Trump just can’t accept a loss.
Do celebrity political opinions really matter?
By GABRIELLA VILAS BOAS Contributing Writer
In today’s age, it is impossible to escape celebrities and infuencers oversharing on social media. However, is the input of these socialites the key to change in America?
On Sept. 10, Taylor Swift posted to Instagram endorsing presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Swift has been able to draw over 35,000 new voters via her voter registration link, according to NPR.
“It’s so important to the people that are going to be consuming that Taylor Swift endorsement that (Swift) said, ‘I watched the debate, I didn’t decide this yesterday. I watched this candidate against this candidate, and I thought about it and here I am,’” said news anchor Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC.
Swift’s post currently has 11 million likes and 1.5 million shares, appealing to the vast demographic of her 284 million followers.
Harris and Walz took this opportunity to fundraise off the endorsement. They have released ads using Swift’s music and have begun selling friendship bracelets referencing Swift’s “The Eras Tour.”
Swift’s endorsement also inspired other artists to voice their support for the Harris and Walz campaign, including Stevie Nicks, Jennifer Aniston and John Legend.
Similar effects of celebrity endorsements can be seen across history. According to ABC News, after Oprah Winfrey endorsed former President Barack Obama, he saw an increase of about a million votes.
This has been done in both parties. Former President Donald Trump has also sought out the endorsement of celebrities, receiving support from Elon Musk, Kanye West and Kid Rock.
Trump did a lengthy interview with Musk on X, reaching over a million live viewers.
However, endorsing Trump has landed celebrities in hot water. West and Rock are prime examples of celebrities who have lost respectability in the public eye due to their controversial beliefs.
Countless celebrities have made statements against Trump for using their likeness to appeal to a larger audience.
Celine Dion posted on Instagram regarding Trump’s unauthorized use of her song, ‘My Heart Will Go On,’ at a rally in Montana.
“In no way is this use authorized and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” Dion’s management team wrote.
Trump is outraged by the lack of celebrity endorsement for his campaign. On Sept. 15, he posted “I hate Taylor Swift” on X.
However, this has done the opposite of what Trump had hoped. A large wave of fans rushed to Swift’s defense, thus solidifying further support for Harris’ campaign.
So, do celebrity opinions really matter? Yes, they do. Their massive platforms reach diverse demographics and affect the fans that consume their content. Celebrities have a voice in ways that average people do not, and it is their responsibility to use it to inspire change.
GAGE SKIDMORE/FLICKR/ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
Opinion
In defense of ‘The Room,’ ‘Birdemic’ and other ‘so-bad-it’s-good’movies
By BENJAMIN YEARGIN Staf Writer
With a 100-minute run time, actor, writer, director and producer Tommy Wiseau managed to do the impossible. He made the best worst movie ever. “The Room,” his magnum opus, features uncomfortably long sex scenes, god-awful green screen work, horrendous acting, aimless plot holes and constant dubbing.
So, why am I writing about it? Well, because it connected with people, but not in the way Wiseau intended.
“The Room” cultivated a cult of moviegoers who love “so-bad-it’s-good” movies, and those films bond audiences more than mainstream movies through a collective “what did I just watch?” agreement.
In its initial 2003 box office run, “The Room” grossed $1,900 on a $6 million budget. How Wiseau got $6 million to self-fund the movie is a mystery, genuinely. No one truly knows how Wiseau made his money.
“The Room,” with its 3.6/10 rating on IMDb, garnered a cult following among many Los Angeles actors including Kristen Bell and Seth Rogen, which expanded around the country and world. That catapulted Wiseau and “The Room” into fame, or rather infamy.
There have been hundreds of midnight screenings of “The Room,” millions of dollars made — a little under $5.2 million per IMDb — and a book and movie made about
Bobcat
Wiseau and the creation of the film called “The Disaster Artist.”
“The Room” is definitely not the only “so-bad-it’s-good” film to be made, and it’s not the only “so-bad-it’s-good” film out of Los Angeles. Cut to the “Birdemic” trilogy.
Vietnamese director James Nguyen wanted to create a riveting drama/horror movie when he made the first installment of the trilogy, “Birdemic: Shock and Ter-
ror.” Since this film is in this article, it did not accomplish that.
Akin to “The Room,” the acting and editing are terrible, but Birdemic also has another aspect that does nothing but cause “Shock and Terror:” CGI. With an estimated budget of $10,000, the CGI birds look horribly fake, which makes this movie even more fun to watch.
Birdemic also has amassed a cult fol -
lowing, definitely not to the level of “The Room”, but still it’s impressive for a movie with a 1.7/10 rating on IMDb.
However, with my criticisms and poking fun at “The Room” and the “Birdemic” trilogy, I do hold respect for Wiseau and Nguyen. They tried something new. They chased their dreams.
They both are from outside the U.S. and worked to earn a sliver of the fabled Hollywood glory. Instead, they made terrible movies that have dedicated fans and for better or worse — are memorable.
Not many other movies can say that they resonated with an audience to the extent that “The Room” and the “Birdemic” trilogy have.
And fundamentally, our judgments and criticisms of these movies don’t hold much weight. What does, is that someone went for it. A bonus is that the new creation brought people together.
Anton Ego — the harshest critic in the Pixar flm “Ratatouille” — put it succinctly.
“The bitter truth we critics must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so… The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.”
If you want to connect with your friends deeper while watching a movie, give either flm a watch. The new needs friends, after all.
Quinnipiac needs more gluten-free dining options
By OLIVIA CAMPBELL Contributing Writer
As a college student with celiac disease, I am expected to maintain a safe and healthy diet with very little options. I was initially drawn to Quinnipiac University because the institution claims to provide accommodations for students with dietary restrictions.
Now as a junior, I can confdently say that those claims were misleading.
Following my frst year at Quinnipiac, I had severe health problems, and my symptoms were worse than any celiac-related issue I have ever experienced. After months of tests and hospital visits, doctors were able to identify the exact issue: I had consumed a dangerous amount of gluten through cross contamination.
I was saddened by the implication that the school was responsible for my sudden
health decline. I expected my allergy to be taken seriously, as I was persistent with informing the dining staff of my restrictions.
My experience is not unique, as students with all sorts of dietary restrictions fnd it challenging to fuel themselves with the options on campus.
Since the institution made these claims, I don’t blame the dining staff entirely. The university failed to properly educate their workers on the importance of dietary restrictions.
The dining halls on Mount Carmel and York Hill Campuses offer some allergen-friendly options. There is one allergen friendly-specifc station in the main campus’ dining hall, but the quality of food is inconsistent.
The dining hall on York Hill does not have its own allergen-friendly station and has one corner dedicated to gluten-free
and vegan grocery-style options. It is an inconvenience to always have to cook for myself, while most of my peers can select anything from the dining hall.
Students love to take advantage of the university’s mobile ordering app, Transact. While ordering food ahead of time sounds convenient, the risks can quickly outweigh the benefts. I have several experiences ordering a sandwich with gluten-free bread, just to receive a sandwich with normal bread because the workers were not willing to accommodate. This common occurrence is not only a waste of meal points, but leaves many students hungry.
Quinnipiac needs to provide more allergen-friendly food for the students and better educate its dining staff on how to properly handle dietary restrictions in a college setting.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
Arts & Life
Female artists take over the 2024 VMAs
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
This year, the MTV Video Music Awards celebrated their 40th birthday with notable artists, exciting wins and memorable moments.
To honor past VMA entertainment, previous pop culture icons Eminem, Lenny Kravitz, LL Cool J and Cyndi Lauper were in attendance to remind the younger generation of MTV's pop history.
Hosted by Megan Thee Stallion, she gave her own nod to the past by recreating Britney Spears’ iconic 2001 VMAs look in her performance of “I’m a Slave 4 U.” She was fully decked out, including a live snake that didn't last long, when she immediately called out to production to take it off her.
The VMAs opened with Eminem and an army of Slim Shady look-alikes as his latest single, “Houdini,” blasted through the arena. Though an underwhelming end to his kickoff, he segued into “Somebody Save Me,” a song about his divided relationship with his daughter.
The 2024 VMAs emphasized the domination of female artists.
To no surprise, Taylor Swift made MTV history. She is now the VMAs most-awarded artist with 30 awards.
She took seven Moon Men home, including Best Collaboration with Post Malone for their song “Fortnight.” Walking onstage as seasoned VMA champions, their genuine appreciation for each other's craft was a refreshing and wholesome way to set off the night.
In her speech, Swift thanked her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, “everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,” Swift said.
She wrapped up with a reminder, urging everyone to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
From one pop icon to another, the VMAs highlighted Katy Perry, who was awarded the Video Vanguard award, essentially MTV’s lifetime achievement award. In the past, it has been given to infuential artists from Beyonce to Madonna and Michael Jackson.
She put her all in her performance. A combination of all her best hits, including “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl” and “Firework,” Perry reminded the world who she is. A fun, messy and a bit campy, but impactful performer.
I did not expect Katy Perry's renaissance, but I am here for it and excited about her upcoming
album, “143,” which is set for release on Sept. 20. Midwestern princess Chappell Roan made her debut performance at the VMAs, channeling her inner medieval warrior with a fery performance. She performed “Good Luck, Babe” in full body armor alongside dancing knights and a blazing castle.
On the red carpet, Roan continued to set boundaries between unwarranted fan behavior.
Roan had no trouble confronting a photographer who told her to “shut up” as Roan was getting ready to pose. “You shut the fuck up,” she retaliated.
Roan later won the award for Best New Artist. She read from her diary and honored the drag artists who inspire her and the LGBTQIA+ community that fuels pop music.
“For all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now. I see you. I understand you because I’m one of you. And don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be bitch,” Roan said.
Every year, more and more categories are added to recognize the global impact of diverse music. The VMAs had good intentions when adding the Afrobeats category in 2022 but received some pushback from singersongwriter Tyla.
Tyla won the Best Afrobeats Award, and in her acceptance speech, she emphasized the diversity of African music, calling for more recognition beyond Afrobeats.
“I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. It’s a thing, and even though Afrobeats has run things and has opened so many doors for us, African music is so diverse. It’s more than just Afrobeats,” Tyla said.
Her worldwide hit “Water” had an amapiano beat originating in South Africa.
“I come from South Africa. I represent Amapiano. I represent my culture.” She graciously accepted her award, but her point was clear.
Another standout moment was Sabrina Carpenter’s performance, where she had no trouble leaning into the Moon Man aesthetic and embracing the extraterrestrial.
Carpenter was introduced by Cyndi Lauper, who, 40 years ago at the frst VMAs, won the award for best female video for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Lauper praised Carpenter for her spirit and success. “She defnitely knows how to have some fun, right?”
Carpenter’s performance was a mash-up between “Taste” and “Espresso,” some hits from her newest album, “Short n’ Sweet.” She kissed an alien, danced with astronauts, led a celestial play and later took her frst Moon Man home when “Espresso” won song of the year.
The VMAs were heavy on the performances this year. With 16 shows in three hours, there was barely a moment to pause as the VMAs presented 26 awards in total.
While I love seeing the number of performances from various artists, the show could have been more evenly distributed.
It felt rushed. The performances shifted away from the VMAs’ original purpose of recognizing music videos and artists.
Some of the bigger awards weren’t even presented, such as Artist of the Year and Best Pop. Prioritizing live entertainment ultimately takes away from the awards and artists who won them.
While the VMAs celebrated a signifcant milestone by launching new stars and acknowledging the show’s history, there is speculation over whether it should be classifed as an award show or a concert.
Even as more of a concert, the VMAs 40th anniversary did accomplish the purpose of this show: celebrating music and representing the power of pop culture.
Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl announcement marks a milestone in halftime show history
By MICHAEL PETTITO Staff Writer
When Super Bowl LIX kicks off on Feb. 9 2025, it’ll be Compton’s Kendrick Lamar taking the stage during the halftime show.
This won’t be Lamar’s frst rodeo at America’s biggest sports game, as the rapper performed during Super Bowl LVI alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige. However, this will be the frst time in Super Bowl history that a rapper performs at the halftime show as a solo act, a prestigious honor.
The halftime show announcement is just another victory for Lamar in 2024, as the 17-time Grammy Award winner is fresh off his feud with Canadian rapper Drake. The two battled from February to May, with Lamar considered to be the consensus winner after releasing his smash hit “Not Like Us,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
While Lamar was already popular, the feud helped him reach new heights. The rapper reached over 70 million monthly Spotify listeners during the peak of the feud. Despite his confict with Drake ending months ago, Lamar currently has
67 million monthly listeners, a colossal number.
Despite being the frst rapper to perform as a solo act, Lamar has the catalog to back it up. The rapper has smash hits dating all the way back to his 2012 album “good kid mA.A.d city” all the way up to his Billboard No.1 hits this year “Like That” and “Not Like Us.”
We got a taste of some of the potential songs Lamar could perform during “The Pop Out: Ken and Friends” concert this past June. Lamar showed just how impressive his catalog of hits is with his performance of songs such as “HUMBLE,” “Alright” and “Swimming Pools.”
The announcement that Lamar would be headlining did not come without controversy. Many online believed that Lil Wayne should have been the one to perform as the fve-time Grammy Award winner is from New Orleans, where Super Bowl LIX will be held.
At the forefront of these criticisms is Nicki Minaj, who started her career at Wayne’s label Young Money Records, believes that Wayne should’ve gotten the call to perform.
“(Wayne) The man that has not only pushed
his pen the hardest,” Minaj tweeted. “But gave the game more than 1 hip hop ICON as well on his watch? Represent the RAP game?!?!! The best RAPPER don’t represent the RAP GAME well enough 4u?”
Wayne himself recently went on Instagram Live to convey his frustrations about not being selected for the halftime show.
“It hurt me a lot,” Wayne said. “I thought there was nothing better, that spot, on that stage, on that platform. It broke me, but I’m just trying to put myself back together.”
Many pointed the fnger at Jay-Z, who advises the NFL on entertainment matters and coproduces the Super Bowl halftime show. There have been conficting reports on who makes the decisions when it comes to the halftime show, but according to NPR, it’s a collaborative process.
“The host city brings the short list to the board,” NPR reports. “The board agrees and brings it back to the host city, saying, ‘you know, we select this artist.’”
Despite the backlash, Lamar could bring Wayne out if he wanted to, as
have a
titled “Mona Lisa” together off Wayne’s 2018 project “Tha Carter V.” Lamar’s presence on the big stage underscores his infuence on the culture and popularity within the music industry. When it's all said and done, it’ll be a show to remember.
the pair
song
ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY KATZ
KENNY SUN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Kendrick Lamar is set to perform at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Sammy Hagar is fnishing what Van Halen started
By TYLER PLATZ Staff Writer
When Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s lead vocalist in 1985, it marked one of the biggest and most unexpected shifts in rock music history.
Van Halen had just wrapped up the tour for its best-selling album to date, “1984,” while Hagar was returning home from the most successful solo tour of his career for the album “VOA.”
Eddie Van Halen had already cemented his place as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, standing alongside legends like Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. However, Roth's departure to pursue a solo career left the band — Eddie, his brother Alex on drums and Michael Anthony on bass — without a lead singer.
“Well they’re not going to quit, this is Eddie Van Halen, he’s just starting,” Hagar recalled about hearing Roth had left Van Halen in an interview with the Professor of Rock. “I’m thinking, ‘Who could they call? They’re going to call me.’”
Hagar’s premonition was correct. Eddie Van Halen called Hagar from an auto shop after seeing the singer’s Ferrari on the showroom floor.
“I wasn’t thinking I was going to be joining Van Halen, but man when we started playing that music, it was just magic,” Hagar said in a video on his YouTube channel. “It was as if we’d known each other our whole lives.”
It was a changing of the guard for Van Halen. Hagar’s powerful vocals and Eddie Van Halen’s musicianship brought a fresh sound to a band that seemed to have already established its identity — or so fans
thought. With Hagar leading the way, Van Halen became the “four-headed monster,” as Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed in 1988.
During Hagar’s tenure with Van Halen from 1986 to 1996, the band released four albums — “5150,” “OU812,” “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” and “Balance” — all of which reached number one on the Billboard 200. However, by the time recording sessions began for “Balance” in 1995, Eddie and Hagar’s relationship had deteriorated considerably.
“The tenth year in Van Halen just went sideways,” Hagar said on the Howard Stern Show.
“Our manager died, another manager came in and he started poisoning Ed and Al saying ‘Hey Sammy thinks it's his band.’”
Despite a 2004 reunion tour, Hagar and Eddie didn’t speak again until 2020, 16 years later. Comedian and Van Halen fan George Lopez connected the two musicians via a phone call when Eddie’s health began to falter due to his long battle with throat cancer.
“I said, ‘Why don’t you respond? I’ve been reaching out,’ and Ed said, ‘Why didn’t you call me? Don’t fucking call my brother, fucking call me!’” Hagar recounted. “And I said, ‘I love you, man,’ and it was like, boom, we were good. It was a beautiful thing.”
Sadly, the music world lost Eddie Van Halen on Oct. 6, 2020.
A day later, in a video simply titled “We Love You Eddie,” Hagar and Anthony, in the middle of a multiple-day concert, delivered one last message to their friend.
“What I felt playing a song like 'Right Now' that’s so timeless was thank god for this,” Hagar said. “We’ll never play with Eddie again, but thank God for this.”
Without Eddie Van Halen, there is no Van Halen. But the music is forever. Four years after the beloved guitarist’s death, Hagar continues the legacy of not only one of the world’s most popular and successful bands but also his friend.
In late 2023, Hagar announced the “Best of All Worlds Tour” during an interview with Howard Stern. Hagar, joined by Anthony on bass, Joe Satriani on guitar and Jason Bonham on drums, has been touring the United States over the summer and just wrapped up the
U.S. leg of the tour. The 24-song setlist goes deep into the Van Halen catalog, celebrating the music that Eddie wrote with Hagar. Hagar summarized the first leg of the “Best of All Worlds Tour” with a message on his YouTube channel.
“I can’t express enough how impressed I was with the turnouts and the vibe everyone was laying down, singing the songs at the top of your lungs,” Hagar shared. “We thought we were playing deep tracks and it turns out you know those too.”
Entertainment or self destruction?
Nikocado Avocado’s social experiment puts him two steps ahead
By GINA LORUSSO Associate Arts & Life Editor
Known for his larger-than-life eating habits, Nikocado Avocado has long been the face of extreme online eating.
In a twist no one saw coming, he revealed his secret 250-pound weight loss journey in a video posted on Sept. 6, leaving the internet stunned and confused.
Nicholas Perry, better known to millions as Nikocado Avocado, rose to fame with his mukbang videos — content where one consumes large amounts of food while engaging with viewers.
In the video titled “Two Steps Ahead,” Perry admitted that this was “the greatest social experiment of (his) entire life.”
“...Just yesterday, people were calling me fat and sick and boring and irrelevant,” Perry said. “People are the most messedup creatures on the entire planet, and yet I’ve still managed to stay two steps ahead of everyone. The joke’s on you.”
It’s odd enough that he claims his entire persona was just a social experiment, but what’s even more puzzling is that he pre-recorded two years’ worth of original content before beginning his weight loss journey — ensuring a steady stream of videos while he transformed his life behind the scenes.
In an article by NBC, Perry said that two years ago, he weighed his heaviest at 411 pounds. Now, he stands at 158 pounds.
Throughout his career, viewers have
brought up discussions about infuencers prioritizing outrageous stunts for views rather than their health and wellness.
been at the center of this debate, questioning if it’s worth risking long-term health issues for just a small amount of fame.
journey is a reminder that what infuencers project isn’t necessarily what’s going on in real life. This “social experiment” may be Perry’s way of staying relevant but it leaves viewers wondering why he isn’t being held responsible for promoting unhealthy behaviors.
a marketing professor at Saint Mary’s University, provided insight into how these infuencers shape our food choices.
"With higher engagement and reach metrics for unhealthy foods, content producers may gradually shift their content to be unhealthier to stay competitive," Pancer said. "And with more exposure to unhealthy foods, consumer perceptions of what is considered normal eating habits may skew to be unhealthier."
To further justify his weight gain, Perry made merchandise with slogans like “It’s just water weight” and “I identify as skinny.” He made these two phrases his entire brand, repeating them throughout his videos on YouTube.
Nikocado Avocado’s story serves as a prime example of the blurred lines between entertainment and health.
“I don’t know if people even like me anymore. I don’t know if people want to hear from me or like my content at all. I actually just don’t even know,” Perry said. “At the end of the day, if just one or two people show up to watch me eat, I’m happy.”
While his transformation seems impressive, his immediate return to mukbangs suggests that he isn’t done yet.
Is this just another chapter of his social experiment, or a continuation of the cycle that he claims to have outgrown?
We’ll never truly know when money and fame are in question.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
MATT BECKER/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Sammy Hagar continues to perform and pay homage to Eddie Van Halen.
Why everything Taylor Swift does turns into a cultural phenomenon
By GINA LORUSSO Associate Arts & Life Editor
After growing up with Taylor Swift, new releases make me feel like I’m sitting next to her, refecting on the past memories we’ve shared. Every track is a meticulously designed page in a photo album capturing the overall moods and emotions of the record.
In the world of music marketing, Swift has become a standout fgure balancing between music and business. Her savvy strategies not only continue to boost her career but change how other artists look at marketing their brand.
As a Swiftie myself, I jumped on the bandwagon early on in Swift’s career when she released her 2012 album, “Red.” Now, as her infuence has become signifcantly greater, she has become the best marketer in the music industry.
Of course, every artist has their connection with their fans, but Swift takes it to a whole new level. She utilizes universal experiences in her music to make you feel like you’re sharing the emotions with her in the moment.
Even before the scandal between Swift and her former manager Scooter Braun, Taylor has been an advocate for artists rights. In 2015, she threatened to keep “1989” off Apple Music because the app wasn’t going to pay artists' royalties during streamers’ threemonth free trial, per Billboard.
The day after Swift announced this, Eddie Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet services and software at the time, suggested on the platform X that Apple Music needed to make a change. Not only does this show how much of a fghter she is, Swift uses her brand to show how she is an ally to other artists, not their competition. In light of the Swift and Braun situation, Swift and her team have made it a mission to speak openly about unfair treatment in the music industry.
One of Swift’s most recent ways to catch the world’s attention is the way she constantly rebrands herself and experiments with sound. Her discography displays a variety of different music styles including country, pop,
rock, folk and alternative. Not to mention, she fawlessly transitioned from country to pop and became a sensation in both genres.
In Gen-Z, the only other artist who made a similar transition from country to pop was Miley Cyrus. As we all know, this transition was rather bumpy and received a lot of bad press because of Cyrus’ provocative behavior. Swift, on the other hand, planned her shift well instead of creating controversy. Unlike Cyrus, Swift’s move wasn’t abrupt, she remained authentic to her brand but made “1989” a full pop album without the country twang we hear in albums like “Fearless” and “Speak Now.”
After the infamous on-stage run-in with Kanye West at the 2009 VMAs, Swift faced online harassment and harsh criticism of her work. As many Swifties might say, this was the origin of her “Reputation” album, because of theories that some of the songs on her sixth studio album could be about West. In 2017, Swift decided to delete all of her social media, unfollow everyone and hide from the press.
Swift isn’t the only one to participate in a social media blackout. In October 2023, Dua Lipa wiped her Instagram of all posts to prepare for the release of “Radical Optimism,” her third studio album. This didn’t attract overpowering press coverage because Lipa isn’t as infuential as Swift. While she is a successful artist, Lipa’s fanbase is much smaller so nobody seemed to finch when she went silent.
Other artists who have done so in the past include Sabrina Carpenter, Avril Lavigne, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga. Again, this is a list packed full of talented artists but their social media blackout wasn’t covered as much in the press because their audiences are rather selective, unlike Swift, whose fanbase is fuid.
When the album “Reputation” was fnally released in November 2017, Swift displayed extreme versatility and began incorporating rap, electro-pop and contemporary R&B into
her style. Her sudden return to social media immediately caught the attention of Swifties and even those who hadn’t liked her music previously. Clearly, this was yet another successful attempt at reinventing her image.
At the Kansas City Chiefs game on Thursday, Sept. 5, Swift rocked an all-denim look with thigh-high red boots. This outft’s debut led fans to believe this was an allusion to the future release of “Reputation (Taylor’s Version).” In the “Look What You Made Me Do” music video, she wore similar red boots. Of course, she was just repping Chiefs' red, but that doesn’t stop us from clowning.
Swift uses her social media platforms to increase engagement with her audience. For example, she announced limited edition acoustic and demo versions of songs from “The Tortured Poets Department” — a generous souvenir for her fans to remember their time at “The Eras Tour.”
Before Spotify made the Global Top Artist announcement in 2023, billboards all across the country displayed different pieces of the graphic, causing fans to wonder what it could possibly be. Parts of the image displayed beaded bracelets with 13, Swift’s lucky number, while another part showed the Lover House, an array of her albums organized into different rooms of the house. One of the most popular theories was a new orange-colored era titled “Karma.” If I’m being honest, I might have looked into this theory a little too much and had myself slightly convinced.
Swift also releases behind-the-scenes content of past recordings, especially since the “Taylor’s Version” collection is almost complete, to promote her music and get fans excited for what’s to come. By advertising the songwriting process, Swift is creating an ever-growing relationship with her fan base. For me personally, I feel that I’m connecting with her on a more personal level.
Every Swiftie knows that she is famous for hiding cryptic messages in her music videos. In a segment on “The Tonight Show”
in 2021, Taylor admitted that doing this became a tradition when she was putting together her frst self-titled album in 2006. If you look up what singer is famous for easter eggs on Google, all of the top results are about Swift. This just proves that she’s the queen of subliminal messages. Mixed in here and there, there are some articles about Olivia Rodrigo who’s idol just happens to be Swift. At the end of the day, in the words of her “Midnights” track, Swift is a “Mastermind” and it seems like everything she puts out has a hidden meaning. She is — no doubt — one of the most infuential artists this world has ever seen. If it's not for her performing, it’s for the way she keeps the media and her fan base wrapped around her fnger.
Everybody is eager to predict Swift’s next move, and now that she knows how much we look into everything she does, she’s only getting sneakier.
The hassles of having curly hair
By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor
What’s with all these companies including damaging chemicals in their hair products? Between using toxins, weighing curls down and drying out your hair, fnding the right brands, routines and products is exhausting.
Growing up with curly hair is a double-edged sword. Trying to make it look good while keeping it healthy is a constant battle. It’s even worse when the companies supposed to help our hair secretly damage it instead.
Many brands built on supposedly nourishing curly hair are under fre for causing hair loss and need to be better made. Cantu, Shea Moisture and Mielle Organics were once staples in curly hair routines but are now being cast aside. The amount of products that are healthy for us shrinks every day.
While the main qualms with Cantu and Shea moisture are about dehydration and curl defnition, Mielle Organics has allegations on another level.
Recently, Mielle has been “canceled” for causing hair loss and even cancer. CEO and founder Monique Rodriguez was once a smallbusiness owner but has sold her brand to P&G and over the last 10 years, the brand has grown immensely. Her products can be found in huge
retail stores such as Target, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart.
Rodriguez took to TikTok to address the allegations in regards to her changing the ingredients once the brand was sold. “From the very beginning, authenticity and transparency have been at the core of what I do,” she stated.
Like many people do after watching controversial videos on TikTok, I of course checked the comment section. The frst comment on the video was by @ morgannalexisss writing “Girl I’m bald now.” This comment had 7,198 likes as of Sept. 15.
“Our products are created with healthy ingredients and they are formulated to deliver safe and effective results,” Rodriguez continued. “We’ve always taken great care in ensuring the quality of our products. And that commitment has never wavered.”
However, comments under the video suggest that Rodriguez is reading from a script and not being authentic.
It’s frustrating and disappointing
when brands that promote themselves as healthy and organic switch up once they get popular.
Many comments under the video claimed Mielle made their scalp itchy, thinned their hair and caused their hair to fall out in chunks. While this may not be the case for everyone, a large majority seem to share the same story.
I have used Mielle products in the past and have always gone back to the basics after. The shampoo never made my scalp feel clean and the hair growth oil never made a difference. I always try my best to wear my hair naturally and loose, but it’s diffcult when I feel like my hair doesn’t look good.
After switching to a consistent routine with healthy products, my hair is the longest it has ever been. Just took me about 19 years to get
My experience is just one of many in the curly hair community. Taking care of textured hair is a personal journey that often involves a lot of trial and error. Most of the time, we have to trust brands that claim to care about our
needs. When those companies don't deliver or, worse, cause harm, it breaks that trust.
The concerns about Mielle point to a bigger problem in the beauty industry: a lack of honesty and responsibility. For years, the industry has been criticized for using harmful chemicals, especially in products aimed at communities of color. Ingredients like sulfates, parabens, and formaldehyde, which can damage hair, are still commonly used.
For black women, this is an even bigger issue. Historically, there haven't been many products made specifcally for textured hair, and the existing ones often have high prices or questionable ingredients. Brands like Mielle stepped in to serve this need. But when these brands start cutting corners or putting profts frst, it feels like a betrayal.
Finding the right products can feel like an endless struggle. However, as more people push for clean and effective products, change is possible. Companies must be responsible for the ingredients they use and the promises they make. Until then, the curly hair community will keep pushing for products that not only make our hair look good but also keep it healthy in the long run.
KENNY SUN/FLICKR
Taylor Swift debuts sparkling green dress.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
Not so far from home
Four teammates keeping Norwegian roots close
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
Norway is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun and is home to the Northern Lights. While Connecticut rarely has a view of the Northern Lights, four Norwegians are making their own for the men’s soccer team.
An eight-hour fight and a two-hour train ride brings forwards, freshman William Holum and junior Simon Bakken, along with freshmen midfelders Sivert Ryssdalsnes and Fredrik Moen to Connecticut — somewhere they’ve never been.
Being over 3,500 miles away from home is daunting. Adjusting to new lifestyles isn’t always easy, especially when you’re alone. But these players aren’t alone, not even close.
“I would say, like, we Norweigan(s) are very private people. We are very inter-self. It doesn’t bother others. Keep it to yourself,” Bakken said. “While in America, everyone is more open and they talk to you if they don’t know you. So I think that’s a very good thing that Americans are very open and very friendly, so it’s very easy to come here and get in.”
On the pitch, life in Hamden isn’t too different to Norway.
“My team (in Norway) sometimes we could practice during school time so we can skip class sometimes, but usually it’s school, training and then get home, get some rest, get ready for the next day,” Moen said.
On top of that, these players live in a time zone six hours behind Norway, making calls with their loved ones hard to come by.
“It’s a big time difference. So it’s a little bit hard to talk to your parents sometimes, because, like, we have school and practice during the day, and after that, we may be at classes. So like, some days maybe you can’t talk to your parents and everything,” Bakken said.
But this isn’t exactly new to many of Quinnipiac’s own. In his 20th season at the helm, head coach Eric Da Costa has recruited at least 10 Norwegians in the last eight years.
From defender Jeppe Haehre of Baerums
Verk, Norway in 2016 to Holum, Bakken, Ryssdalsnes and Moen in 2024, Norwegian roots run through Hamden.
“It’s not just about soccer. It’s about the academics, but more importantly, it’s about us, it’s about me and (assistant coaches) Matt (Jones) and Sean (O’Brien) and, making sure that the players and the families trust where they’re sending their children, or trust where they’re going, and that’s that’s been our strategy from the beginning,” Da Costa said.
But being around your fellow countrymen helps just enough to get over the feeling of homesickness.
“It’s nice to have someone to talk Norwegian to as well, so I don’t forget the language,” Ryssdalsnes said. “It’s easier to relate to people from Norway because we probably have many of the same issues, or the same thing we miss.”
The quartet have all played a role in the team’s success through the frst six games of the season.
Holum has started every game so far as a Bobcat as striker, bagging his frst goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Central Connecticut State on Sept. 10.
“I’ve been waiting so hard for it. I’ve been working so hard every match to get it and now it fnally came,” Holum said.
Starting as a freshman requires the trust of a coaching staff, and it seems as though Da Costa has full faith in Holum“He gives us something different that we haven’t had in a while,” Da Costa said. “He’s almost like a post player in basketball, he does well with his back to goal, we can play the ball into feet and relieve us of some pressure so we can get forward and join him.”
Ryssdalsnes and Moen have also made their presence felt. Moen has played in six games, starting in four, while Ryssdalsnes has played in fve and started one. Ryssdalsnes’ performances have caught the attention of more than just the coach.
“Someone I’ve been impressed with is (Ryssdalsnes), our new number six (center defensive midfelder). I think he’s been looking really good in practice and I think he’s going to be big for us
this season,” junior goalkeeper and captain Karl Netzell said.
Bakken, a seasoned veteran, has experienced both the highs and lows of the program — from winning the MAAC championship to missing the playoffs with a 3-9-5 record.
He’s also had experience with other countrymen in the past when he suited up with Brage Aasen ‘24 — who scored the ninth-most goals and second most assists in team history — and Sonder Sonsterud ‘24 who played 29 games and started 21 at center back.
As more Norwegians inevitably come to Hamden and don the navy and gold, these four will serve as the foundation for future international infuence on the program.
“These guys have proven that they’re ready,” Da Costa said. “They’re training hard enough and well enough to earn spots to start in games, and hopefully they can maintain that but through our rotation we know players get in, and they get in pretty frequently so they’ll have their opportunities, but these guys have acclimated pretty quickly.”
Freshman midfelders Sivert Ryssdalsnes (top left), Fredrik Moen (bottom right), junior forward Simon Bakken (bottom left) and freshman forward William Holum (top right) pose with the Norwegian fag.
Golf clawing back to top of MAAC
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
One putt can change everything — just ask Rory McIlroy at the 2024 US Open. He missed a three-foot putt on hole 18, opening the door for Bryson DeChambeau to win his second major.
While it was the MAAC Championships and not the US Open, Quinnipiac golf felt similar heartbreak. Leeyen Peralta ‘24 missed a putt and lost out on a chance for a playoff hole to win a third straight Quinnipiac individual MAAC title.
In a quest for a fourth consecutive in the 2023 MAAC women’s golf championship, the Bobcats tied for second with Fairfield, just three strokes behind the University of Albany, the preseason favorite.
“We’re definitely really motivated by that, knowing that we were so close and we really just had one bad day, so just knowing how important that is and striving for it,” sophomore Samantha Galantini said. “I think this year we have a good chance to win the MAAC again.”
The Bobcats are looking to reclaim the top spot in the MAAC, returning six golfers from last year while also rostering fve freshmen.
RETURNERS
Of those returners is MAAC Rookie of the Year Galantini who made her second straight U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The West Orange, New Jersey, native shot a 67 (-3) — with five birdies and two bogeys — to make it into the field.
In stroke play — for a chance to make it into the Round of 32 — Galantini shot a 80 (+9) in the first round then she shot a 74
(+3) missing the cut by three strokes.
“It was an amazing opportunity. I was so happy making it last year, so making it this year, I was even more happy. Really proved that I could really get to that level,” Galantini said. “It’s great just playing against top amateur golfers in the world and I played well, it was a really fun experience.”
In her frst season at Quinnipiac, Galantini had top-10 fnishes at the Hartford One Day Invitational, Quinnipiac Classic, Navy Spring Invitational and the MAAC Championships.
“(Galantini) seems to rise to the occasion,” head coach John O’Connor said. “I always like to see her do that. She doesn’t let the pressure get to her. So I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of very good rounds from Sam.”
O’Connor’s team returns seniors Meg Yoshida and Fuge Zhang — who won the 2022 MAAC championship — junior Sandhya Vaikuntam and sophomores Alexia Egdahl and Natalie Spiska. Zhang, Egdahl and Spiska all featured in the 2023 MAAC championships.
“Sandhya has really taken over the reins and let it be known that if anybody needs help, she’s the one to go to,” O’Connor said. “But you know my sophomores this year, Alexia, Natalie and Samantha, they’ve come a long way. They’re like upperclassmen now, and I expect a lot from all three of them.”
NEWCOMERS
While the returners may be set to make the biggest impact, the five freshmen have already been making an impression.
“They’re here at Quinnipiac to get education and, you know, stuff like that,” Yoshida said. “But, you know, they were already in the simulation room from day one.”
Let’s get into some of their accomplishments.
Marisa Flores was a two-season varsity team captain, where she placed in the top three in four tournaments, earned All-State and multiple All-Conference and All-County honors.
Sophia Fujita was a four-year varsity golfer and team captain at North Torrance High School in California, was named Ocean League champion, player of the year, a four-time First Team honoree, Toyota Tour Cup champion and has represented SoCal at Pebble Beach twice.
Amy Goddard was a three-time AllStar Golf award winner and team captain at Holy Name of Mary College School, has earned multiple top-three finishes, including a third-place medal at a Golf Canada event and making the cut in a national competition with over 90 competitors.
Vaidehi Shah was a three-time Skyland Tournament Champion and 2022 Somerset
County Champion, was named captain of her high school golf team and earned AllState and All-Skyland Conference honors.
In the summer Tekla Fine-Lease won fve out of eight tournaments and fnished in the top 3 in all of them. Her lowest two-round score was a 145 (+1) in the NENY PGA JGT Summer Major #3 where she fnished frst in the tournament by eight strokes. FALL SLATE
The team will play the same four tournaments that they did last fall, opening up with the Red Bandana Intercollegiate followed by the Navy Fall Invitational, Quinnipiac Classic and Lady Blue Hen Invitational to close out the fall schedule.
While the MAAC Championships doesn’t tee-off until April, the Bobcats need to carry their spring momentum into the new season — and aim to match or beat last year’s results.
Quinnipiac golf starts its fall campaign at the Red Bandana
Volleyball fnding identity ahead of MAAC slate
By JAMES NOLAN Contributing Writer
It’s been a rough start for Quinnipiac volleyball this season, as it held a 1-6 record going into last weekend’s George Mason invitational in Fairfax, Virginia.
The Bobcats were looking to hit the reset button, with lofty expectations after winning the MAAC in 2022 and finishing in second place last season.
They opened up play on Friday against Navy, and got out to a hot start with a sixpoint run from sophomore outside hitter Leilani-kai Giusta that included two aces.
After sailing past the rest of the frst and on through the second, the Bobcats found themselves up with a promising 2-0 set lead.
However, the tides turned when Navy called a pivotal time out to jumpstart a 10-6 run and take the third set 25-17. Quinnipiac then faltered again in the fourth set, falling 28-26 after a few attempts to surge back.
On the verge of collapse, the Bobcats won the fifth set through the help of four point runs from two major parts of their offense this season, junior outside hitter Yagmur Gunes and graduate student opposite Elena Giacomini.
Later that night, Quinnipiac prepared to square off against Old Dominion. Tied at 19, Quinnipiac took advantage of some untimely errors from its opponent to secure the first set.
From there, the Monarchs battled back, and were able to win the next two with long rallies late in the sets. The fourth set was not any more forgiving, as the Bobcats never captured a multipoint lead, and fell to Old Dominion.
That only left the host team, George Mason, on the schedule. At William & Mary on Sept. 6, — Quinnipiac lost a close game to the Patriots. This time, the rematch gave the Bobcats an early season opportunity to show off their resilience.
Early on in the first, Quinnipiac took a commanding 13-6 lead off four kills from Giacomini, who hit at just a .167 clip in the first meeting. After that, George Mason rattled off a big nine-point run.
The Bobcats didn’t back down, getting the serve back to their captain, junior setter Damla Gunes. The Bursa, Turkey, native went on a seven-point run of her own, including two assists to her sister Yagmur, and two electrifying service aces. The twins put the set away with an ace from the junior outside hitter, followed by a spectacular defensive save by Damla Gunes that turned into a huge pipe ball kill.
In the second, a Giacomini kill on threestraight plays gave Quinnipiac a 16-13 advantage. It glided through the remainder with some stellar defense to once again take a 2-0 set lead. This time, the Bobcats would not sputter.
The third set was nothing short of dominance from Quinnipiac, with senior opposite Alexandra Tennon putting up a huge block in the middle to fnalize the 3-0 sweep.
In Fairfax, Giacomini and Yagmur Gunes lead the offense with 40 and 37 kills respectively, and Tennon posting a .355 hitting percentage. They’ll certainly be needed this season, as head coach Kyle Robinson is now tasked with replacing star outside Ginevra Giovagnoni after she suf -
fered a season-ending injury.
Giovagnoni was recently named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, and led the conference in points per set last season with 4.67. She was a crucial part of a team that hummed on both offense and defense.
Last season, Quinnipiac was the best in the conference at generating and preventing kills, recording 12.92 per set and allowing just 11.02, en route to a 14-4 record.
Quinnipiac went 8-1 at home at Burt Kahn Court in 2023, a promising trend as it begins the campaign with a three-game homestand against Rider, Saint Peter’s and Merrimack.
Rider features sophomore middle hitter Molly Rhode, who finished 10th in hitting in the MAAC last season, with 12 blocks and seven kills against the Bobcats.
Meanwhile, Saint Peter’s had a painful 2023, going 0-30 and winning a mere 12 sets. It finished the lowest in the conference in points, assists and kills as well as having the highest rate of letting up aces, kills and assists.
On the bright side for the Peacock’s, they’ve hired head coach Fernando Colon. He led Division III Ramapo University to a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth in his sole season with the Roadrunners. Colon also brings over five players from Ramapo, who combined to account for 48% of the teams’ points last season.
Finally, Merrimack is new to the MAAC this season, coming over with Sacred Heart from the Northeast Conference. Merrimack went just 7-21 last year and lost their final five games. The versatile offensive weapon, Julz Caralt returns to the Warriors for
her senior season after posting 3.13 kills a set, for 287 overall, complemented by her 226 digs.
The Bobcats showed plenty of fight last year, and have already flashed that same drive early this season. Now, they should be able to take a deep breath and hone in on their MAAC opponents.
PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE
Intercollegiate on Sept. 23.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Quinnipiac volleyball kicks off its MAAC campaign Sept. 28 at home against Rider.
Before the bronze
Ilona Maher’s path to Olympic stardom
and size,” as Carlson put it, to make her into an Olympian. She outworked everybody, even Carlson couldn’t keep up.
Before Maher was a Bobcat, the Burlington, Vermont, native spent her freshman year at Norwich University, but an email to Carlson put the wheels in motion to bring her to Quinnipiac.
“I remember I emailed her, I was like ‘Hey I’m looking to transfer, I played your school in-season, I wore the pink scrum cap. Is there a place for me?’” Maher said in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle. “I will always be grateful to her for making it work, to make it work fnancially as well.”
From there on out, Maher made her impact felt everywhere, the pitch, the weight room, even in clinicals.
“It’s kind of what I’ve been preaching, that athletes can be more than one thing,” Maher said. “At Quinnipiac, I did nursing and rugby and I didn’t want to sacrifce one over the other. I didn’t want to be just good at rugby and mid at nursing. I wanted to be good at both things.”
Maher’s heavy workload only increased the pressure on her, but as the saying goes, ‘pressure makes diamonds.’
“It wasn’t always easy,” Maher said. “(Carlson) ran the program like a (Division I) program, as it should be run. She ran the program like a tight ship, which I think actually helped me to become the athlete I am today with USA Rugby.”
The 2016 National Player of the Year didn’t just rely on her “god-gifted speed talent
“After she went to practice, she trained, before she went to practice, she trained and then she went to clinicals, and then she went in with coach (Emily) Webster and pushed more sleds and hauled ropes and did all kinds of stuff,” Carlson said. “I worked out with her once and I threw up over my shoulder.”
But there is something more important than pushing sleds or lifting weights that shaped Maher into the star she is today.
Carlson allowed Ilona to be Ilona, and it’s still visible today. She’s always been more than just a rugby player.
“(Carlson) really also preached the versatility and multi-talents of her athletes and how they can’t just be a rugby player,” Maher said. “They have to be more than that. I think she really instilled that in me.”
Even after all these years, Carlson won’t take any credit for what Maher has become as a player and a person.
“I didn’t do it. Quinnipiac didn’t do it. Strength and condition didn’t do it. Ilona did it,” Carlson said. “It is absolutely, 100%, on Ilona that she went to the Olympics.”
‘WE’RE ALL JUST HUMAN TOO’
Seven years after Maher stepped off the pitch in Hamden she stepped onto the pitch in Paris, her second Olympic appearance after Tokyo in 2021.
This time it was different. Not only was Maher more well known, but the women’s rugby sevens squad had the chance to do something historic.
Maher was right in the middle of that history, as the U.S. topped Australia 14-12 in the bronze medal match, after falling to New Zealand in the semi-fnals. The win marked the frst medal for the women’s team in history, and the frst U.S. rugby medal in over 100 years.
“In a way sometimes it doesn’t feel real because we’ve been dreaming about that for years now,” Maher said. “It just felt so good because we did it not just for ourselves but for the team, the program as a whole, for our families.”
Maher became one of the faces of the U.S. during the 2024 Summer Games, going viral over eating massive croissants, interacting with athletes and spreading her message of body positivity.
“I’m honored to take on that role,” Maher said. “I love showing myself, I love showing my team and our sport. I also think it’s easy to take on that role when I have a team that really supports me in doing it. It makes it easier when you have people who aren’t going to judge you, and really respect and see what you’re doing.”
Her social media platform put her on a stage with some of the most famous people in the world. From interactions with former NFL player Jason Kelce, gold medal gym-
nast Simone Biles and rapper
Maher’s message of being more than an athlete became even clearer.
“I think what’s been really cool in this business and getting to know more people out there, is realizing, ‘Oh shit, they’re just like me.’ They’re people, they’re human,” Maher said. “That’s what I’m trying to also preach, as an athlete, as an Olympic rugby player. They put us on a pedestal and think of us as indestructible, but we’re all just human too.” IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Life after the games hasn’t gotten any easier for Maher. In a way, it’s gotten harder. She’s no longer in her element on the pitch, but instead in uncomfortable territory in Hollywood.
From ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers,’ the cover of Sports Illustrated and now ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ turn the channel and you’ll probably fnd Maher.
“I talked to her two days ago and we were just chatting, and to me, it’s just like chatting to a player,” Carlson said. “Then you watch her on Seth Myers and you’re like ‘Wow this is so wild.’”
Maher is just trying to take it one day at a time. If anybody can handle the pressure, it’s her.
“It’s been overwhelming at times,” Maher said. “I’m trying to have fun with it and put some work in and see what I can continue to do.”
After all, there is no one quite like Ilona Maher.
