Steve Kornacki speaks at Critical Conversations Event
By AVA HIGHLAND and CHLOE GRANT
On Oct. 7, the Office of Inclusive Excellence hosted political journalist Steve Kornacki to discuss “The Story Behind the Stats: Media, Data, and the Future of Political Coverage,” as part of the Critical Conversations series.
The presentation was moderated by Lisa Burns, professor of media studies.
Kornacki is a well renowned national political correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. He is most prominently known for his knowledge regarding political history and his complex understanding of the electoral map. In addition to this, he is also known for his election coverage where he provides watchers with real time analysis regarding voting patterns, exit polls and election coverage.
Kornacki is a graduate of Boston University and began his early career working as a print journalist covering New Jersey politics. His work has appeared in both the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
“When I do events like this, I feel my age,” Kornacki said in a post-event interview with The Chronicle. “I try to think back sometimes to like what I would have wanted to hear or would have been useful for me to hear when I was where you are now.”
Kornacki is often reminded of how much the world has changed, and is always curious of how college students navigate the current world when speaking at col -
See KORNACKI Page 2
Quinnipiac Office of International Students and Scholars pilots International Student Advisory Board
By ANDREW ALLISON Staff Writer
The Office of International Students and Scholars, in collaboration with Quinnipiac University students, recently launched the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) — whose mission is to provide international students at Quinnipiac a platform to share their experiences and advocate for themselves.
The board consists of a group of international students who “are expected to think critically, ask difficult questions, perform research and analysis, engage in dialogue, work with a myriad of cultures and promote advocacy,” wrote Sarah Driscoll, director of international student services, in an email to The Chronicle.
The ISAB itself contains 10 board members from different countries and academic programs. Half are graduate students while the other half are undergraduate. It contains an NCAA athlete representative, a student representative from India, a first-year student and a representative for first generation immigrants.
Some international students felt that they were not well represented by the Quinnipiac Student Advisory Board, according to ISAB co-chair graduate student Zolta Sitkei.
The ISAB wishes to bring attention to international student’s needs.
“So we are trying to give more life to the international student committee, like the community, and try to give a few like ideas, some like issues that the international stu -
Lima, Aishwarya Anbu Chezhian, Lizzy Runesu. Not pictured: Shanmuk Venkat Davuluri and Bree Mutuma.
dents have, and just try to give attention to them and let the university know about these kind(s) of stuff,” Sitkei said.
The ISAB aids in international students’ needs at both the academic and social level.
“ISAB will advocate for the international student experience at Quinnipiac and will work continuously to educate the campus about issues related to international students,” Driscoll wrote.
Forming connections between international students and domestic students is
also one of the main goals of the ISAB, according to Driscoll.
“We’re also trying to help connect international students better to America,” said ISAB co-chair sophomore biomedical science major Laura Lima. “Although we have a lot of international students who have already lived in America for a while, this is for them as well, but also for international students that are coming to America for the first time, and kind of like targeting what they might want to know about America.”
Building cross-cultural relationships between students and in the Quinnipiac community is also one of the ISAB’s goals.
“For example, if we have someone from Europe coming to America, they know that the winter is going to be cold, so trying to show them and teach them about other things that they might not know about the U. S. that isn’t similar in Europe,” Lima said.
The ISAB wishes to act as a sounding board for international students, gathering their feedback and using it along with research to improve programs that serve international students, according to Driscoll.
“The board strives to enrich campus experiences through reviewing and providing feedback to support services, discussing ways to increase opportunities for meaningful engagement with U.S students, and exploring strategies to increase the sense of belonging at the University,” Driscoll wrote.
The ISAB is looking for ideas and input from the Quinnipiac community and are in the process of putting their ideas in place to set up for the future.
“We are currently in the phase of setting these goals up,” Sitkei said. “Some of these longer term projects that we want to do, maybe in the course of one year … we have an email address that they can template their concerns from ideas that they might have.”
Students are invited to contact the ISAB with their recommendations and concerns, and they can do so at isab@qu.edu.
The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929
PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH DRISCOLL Quinnipiac University’s International Student Advisory Board, from left to right: Scarlet Kelly, Alexandra Martinakova, Damla Gunes, Yusuf Usman, Zolta Sitkei, Laura
MEET THE EDITORS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Alexandra Martinakova
MANAGING EDITOR
Colin Kennedy
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Adorno
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Tripp Menhall
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Carleigh Beck
OPINION EDITOR
Lillian Curtin
ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR
Ben Busillo
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Amanda Madera
ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITORS
Grace Conneely-Nolan
Gina Lorusso
SPORTS EDITOR
Amanda Dronzek
ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Ryan Johanson
ASSOCIATE DESIGN EDITOR
Katerina Parizkova
ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Tyler Rinko
ASSOCIATE MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Quinn O’Neill
COPY EDITORS
Samantha Nunez
Charlotte Ross
The views expressed in The Chronicle’s opinion section are those of the respective authors. They do not reflect the views of The Chronicle as an organization.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter by emailing Alexandra Martinakova at amartinakova@quinnipiac.edu
THE CHRONICLE is distributed around all three university campuses every Wednesday. Single copies are free. Newspaper theft is a crime. Please report suspicious activity to university security (203-582-6200). For additional copies, contact the student media office for rates.
ADVERTISING inquiries can be sent to thequchronicle@gmail.com. Inquiries must be made a week prior to publication. SEND TIPS, including news tips, corrections or suggestions to Alexandra Martinakova at thequchronicle@gmail.com WITH CONCERNS, contact The Chronicle’s advisor Vincent Contrucci, at vincent.contrucci@quinnipiac.edu
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be between 150 and 300 words and must be approved by the editor-inchief before going to print. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit all material, including advertising, based on content, grammar and space requirements. Send letters to thequchronicle@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writers and not necessarily those of The Chronicle.
leges and universities.
The Critical Conversation series events are public for all students and focus on a variety of topics with experts in those fields.
“The critical conversation series is designed to foster an inclusive and intellectually stimulating environment,” said David Fryson, interim vice president of equity and inclusion. “It is also important to know that this impactful series is an opportunity to change in our small way, the current American Narrative.”
The series allows students the opportunity to educate themselves and gain knowledge and understanding on a wide variety of topics from a multitude of unique perspectives.
“It lets people get educated about certain political issues,” said Arden Hopper, a junior political science major. “And especially in an election year, it’s important that people know what’s going on.”
The discussion followed various topics on the current election season, as well as previous elections. Kornacki compared current and past election cycles.
In previous elections, Kornacki always had an idea of how the election would pan out. However with the unpredictability of this year’s election, the results are not as clear.
“Heading into this year, I think is more of an appreciation for the uncertainty,” Kornacki said. “As you approach election night, (there is) a lot more hesitation when you look at polling, when you look
at models, when you look at just trying to gauge expectations of the election, I think I’ve approached it this time much more with questions in my head.”
Kornacki specifically highlighted Pennsylvania’s significance in the results of the election. He discussed a few of the important Collar counties and the expected trends among them. As well as the typical demographic found within them.
“So you’ve got these four kinds of collar counties outside of Philadelphia, and almost a quarter of the votes in the state are going to come out of those counties,” Kornacki said. “Democrats have been doing better and better there.”
He then delved into different demographics of voters. This data is analyzed on and subsequent to election night.
“You can find very specific demographic groups, socioeconomic groups are, you know, predominating a precinct or a collection of six precincts,” Kornacki said.
This data can then be used for postelection discussions, as well as for making predictions during later elections.
When discussing the different tools Kornacki uses to report on elections, he noted the importance of maps. Kornacki compared the map to a photo from a polaroid camera. The photo slowly appears just similarly to how the states gradually begin to light up.
on Oct.
Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in SB 123 at 9:15 p.m.
JOIN US CONNECT
@quchronicle/@quchronsports
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
@quchronicle/@quchronsports
@quchronicle
Kornacki noted that people can analyze the map deeper than looking at a state as red or blue as whole. The states individually can be analyzed to dissect where exactly the majority of red or blue is in that given state, and how all of the counties differ.
The discussion later turned to the impact that social media has had on the election. Kornacki has seen these platforms to be tribalizing the election. He explained that people describe “red and blue as partisan concepts.”
“It’s less that they think of themselves as for team red or for team blue, they think of themselves as against team red and against team blue,” Kornacki said.
Kornacki also highlighted that a major change in recent years has been the increase in the interest of politics and that “voting has skyrocketed.”
The discussion was then opened up to the audience for a Q&A. A student in the audience questioned voter turnout.
“There aren’t many jobs like the one that I have,” Kornacki said in a post discussion interview with The Chronicle.
“I think there is no real path to what I’m doing and so I mainly just feel, you know, very fortunate that this sort of collection of different experiences that I had, I think they all helped me in some way. They all gave me some kind of knowledge and some kind of skill that I wouldn’t have had before.”
“This sort of data gets big enough, the map fills in enough, the counties get colored in, enough that we can start to say something meaningful about the trajectory of race,” Kornacki said. “I think that the map watching it fills in one county at a time, seeing the patterns emerge there.”
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Quinnipiac students and staff attending the Critical Conversations Speaker Series event
7..
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Kornacki meets students after the conversation.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Steve Kornacki answers student Q&A after the event.
KORNACKI from cover
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Steve Kornacki converses with the event’s moderator, Lisa Burns, professor of media studies.
New coffee shop opens near Quinnipiac
By SAMANTHA NUNEZ Copy Editor
A former paralegal held a grand opening for her newest coffee shop, Latte Soul, on Sept. 22 in Hamden.
“I want everyone to know that anything that they can probably dream of … can be possible,” said Shelena Cruz, the owner of Latte Soul. “It might seem like it’s not (be) cause for a long time, for me, it didn’t not seem like I was gonna have something like this … (but) it’s happening.”
The newly opened Latte Soul Coffee Shop is located on 3450 Whitney Avenue, next to notable favorites, Tonino’s Pizza and Fresh Greens & Protein. The coffee shop’s main focus is selling lattes, but also sells plant-based tea, energy drinks and organic pastries.
The interior of Latte Soul is very modern and artistic. It includes a bright pink wall, a floral wall with a swing – perfect for pictures – and two bright neon signs: “latte soul” and “find your soul.” The shop’s niche is something Cruz thought about carefully when designing the space.
“I wanted something fun, I wanted something bright … as a feminist and a woman you feel so empowered just because it’s your own space,” Cruz said. “I wanted something comforting, I wanted something to catch your eye at first … something cute.”
Besides Latte Soul, there are wellknown coffee shops along Whitney Ave., including Whitney Donut and Sandwich Shop, Ground Up Hamden and Starbucks.
“I have tried Ground Up but the difference between Ground Up and Latte Soul is that Latte Soul has more unique flavors to their drinks,” said Olivia Galway, a junior public relations major and social media strategy minor.
Cruz believes that her sacrifices are what sets her shop apart.
“I have a lot of soul into this. I have a lot of emotions, I have a lot of sacrifices (and) tears in everything that I’ve put into,” Cruz said.
The North Haven native graduated from Central Connecticut State University with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and worked as a paralegal for injuries and real estate for about six years. Around this time, she purchased her first espresso machine and made coffee for her husband’s barber shop clients.
Although she was nervous about owning her own shop, Cruz’s husband reassured her to pursue her passion.
“I saw how much stress (being a paralegal) was bringing her (and I told her) you gotta be (a) boss,” Luigy Molina said. “I was like ‘You’re ready … you got this.’”
Molina took a two-day barista class and works as a barista at Latte Soul — as well as being a full-time barber — to support his wife.
Cruz quit her job as a paralegal and began her journey when she got the permit for her coffee shop. This first started with choosing a coffee bean to use.
“It was a lot of trial and error … and then the more research I did, the more I looked into what makes a good coffee,” Cruz said.
Cruz tried over 20 different coffee beans and found Colombian beans to have the perfect taste.
“This is my passion. This is something that I wanted to do for the last five years or more. It’s something that I’ve dreamed of,” Cruz said. “The coffee smell gives me comfort especially cause I’ve been drinking it my whole life … and I was just always ner-
vous (because) it’s a big leap to do from the type of job that I did.”
Originally, Cruz was going to name the shop, “A Latte for the Soul,” since it’s something she says often, but stuck with Latte Soul.
“I decided to try Latte Soul because I live in Connecticut and saw them working on (the building) over the summer, and I was excited to try it and see what it was about,” said Courtney Ciszewski, a junior psychology major.
Ciszewski purchased the cookie butter latte, which consists of iced latte, cold brew and cookie butter cold foam. For Cis -
zewski’s first time, she says she “would come (to Latte Soul) again.” The couple have already seen customers become regulars, coming in at least twice a day.
“They made really good recommendations to us on what to try and really made sure we had a great time,” Galway said. Latte Soul is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and is “CLOSED TO REST THE SOUL” on Sundays, as advertised on their Instagram. The first 100 customers will receive a free Latte Soul mug.
New Public Safety Broncos patrol campus
By CARLEIGH BECK Associate News Editor
Quinnipiac University’s Department of Public Safety received three new Ford Broncos through its capital budget, its overall financial plan for major investments.
The department has a state contract with a local vendor where it receives Police Interceptor Vehicles. These vehicles are specifically designed to be used as police cars and emergency vehicles.
While the department typically receives Ford Explorers as part of its fleet, it was unable to get them because of a backorder.
Two of the new Public Safety Broncos are 2023 models and the third vehicle is a 2024 model.
“(There) is still some of the residual impact from COVID, with supply and demand,” said Tony Reyes, chief of Public Safety. “For a while, the production of these police vehicles stopped. So, we were looking for an alternative.”
According to Reyes, multiple law enforcement agencies in the region use Explorers. There is a delay in production and the increase in demand for these vehicles.
“We also felt like it might be better to get
a vehicle that might be a little smaller, a little more efficient in terms of gas,” Reyes said.
Reyes presents a budget for Public Safety to Quinnipiac every year. A part of their capital budget, which is needs-based, includes the vehicle fleet.
“We chose the Bronco because we were thinking about getting a more efficient vehicle and trying to get (one) that is a little bit more cost effective, so we could get more vehicles for the price,” Reyes said.
Another aspect of the Public Safety budget includes the maintenance of its vehicles. There is a maintenance contract to keep up with the repairs.
When a car is no longer efficient and does not meet the needs of the department, it’s able to trade-in the old vehicle for credit. This helps offset the cost of purchasing new vehicles.
“These vehicles are pretty much patrolling around the clock, and so they get a lot of wear and tear, a lot of mileage,” Reyes said.
One of the new Broncos has been personalized, as it features a special wrap to honor veterans.
“You might see that one of the Broncos has a wrapping with the American flag,”
Reyes said. “It’s a commemoration of our service members, men and women.” Quinnipiac was ranked No. 18 in the
2023 Military Times “Best for Vets: Colleges,” and 3.2% of Quinnipiac students are veterans, according to U.S. News.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Latte Soul opens on Whitney Avenue and provides a new coffee shop option to Quinnipiac University students.
By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor
Opinion
The debate America needed
Vice presidential candidates, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance faced off on the debate stage for the first time Oct. 5.
While there were some interesting, quotable moments, this debate was boring. Exactly how it is supposed to be.
America has not had a “normal” debate since 2012. The discussion with Vance and Waltz was refreshing and gave us that “Romney v. Obama” feel.
There was humor … that was intentional and there was kindness and respect shown between candidates. Frankly, the bar is low. But, they’ve seemed to raise it just a little.
Vance did seem to be faking it until he made it, with his friendliness feeling phony. In reality, I just don’t think it matters. You have to deal with people you don’t like now and then in a professional setting. We’ve been missing that quality of politics, and we may have just entered the first step of getting it back.
Vance seemingly hates women and wants nothing to do with half of the citizens of the U.S. That being said, he played the right game last Tuesday. That’s what separates him from his running mate, he listens to his team. He knew he was up against Walz, who is
America’s new sweetheart. If he appeared to debate Walz with personal attacks, he’d be looking at political suicide. When Walz told the viewers that his son, Gus, witnessed a shooting, Vance apologized and showed sympathy. Whether it was fake or not, it was the right move.
Policy was a key factor in this debate, unlike
the one with
It makes sense, there’s a misconception that presidential debates are for stating policies and announcing plans. That’s how it should be, but that’s not the reality. Presidential debates are made for putting candidates in the spotlight and showcasing their person-
alities. Especially in an age where you can find all a candidate’s policies by researching and finding them on their websites.
This debate though was exactly what we wanted: a formal debate, with people who acted civil to each other and policy statements. It caught me off guard. That says a lot about how politics and presidential races have been handled in the past decade. It’s usually fueled with chaos and candidates that thrive off of it. But this was a debate where there wasn’t a clear winner, and that’s OK. It’s harmful though. There were points in the debate, like when Vance said, “You weren’t going to fact-check.” This should’ve raised more of an alarm for concern, but since everyone was in awe of how wellcomposed these candidates were, it slipped under the rug.
As much as I want to see another debate between Trump and Harris, if I were his team, I would also agree to end the debates here. Vance ended on a high note, and a debate where Trump counters everything he said in the vice presidential debate, would be harmful to his campaign.
Every debate in recent years has been a mess. This was refreshing. It was boring and underwhelming, exactly how it should be.
The epidemic of bad journalism in America
By OLIVIA CAMPBELL Contributing Writer
Journalists have been failing at their civic duty to keep the public accurately informed.
The job comes with a lot of responsibility, as it greatly influences the belief systems formulated by society. There have recently been numerous news media companies that have turned away from the true standards of journalism to prioritize and promote their own core values; both left and rightleaning companies have become overly biased.
The general rules of journalism are fixed across all genres: provide society with honest and unbiased news, including issues on local, national and global levels. It has reached a point where credible media sources are disregarding the most basic standard practices of journalism.
Corruption in the media is found in many forms of written journalism.
The AP Stylebook is the baseline for nearly all its standards — there are rules regarding grammar, punctuation and several other distinct guidelines. These rules are to ensure the use of formal language and objective thinking.
In September 2024, Rebecca Cheptegei, a Ugandan Olympic runner, was brutally attacked and killed by her ex-boyfriend. Cheptegei was set on fire, causing severe burns and ultimately resulting in her death.
Numerous articles used passive language when reporting on Cheptegei’s death. The day her death was announced, an article was published by Nimi Princewill for CNN, titled “Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being set on fire by boyfriend.”
Many articles from all different sources used similar language in their title, which minimized the gravity of the news. Per the standards of AP
Style writing, journalists cannot disrespect victims of an illness or a violent crime. However, using overly passive language in a serious story could be misleading and alter the readers’ understanding of the severity of the situation.
The severity of a news story might vary based on its context. Cheptegei’s story is already tragic, but it is necessary for viewers to consider its full context; there is an extreme issue with violence
discussing the same topic could very well have two completely different claims.
In the case of President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, reactions in the media vary.
As a commonly known right-leaning source, Fox News openly disapproves of Biden’s presidency. Shortly after Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, reporters were quick to publish their thoughts; Liz Peek from Fox News ion article, “Good to Joe Biden. The legacy he leaves behind includes some shocking
news; the use of “failures” in the first title leaves a negative connotation of the issue, while “historic” in the second title has a more positive and celebratory undertones.
The increase of extremely biased news sources has polarized the nation. The American people are split into groups based on political and moral beliefs.
America tends to involve itself in unnecessary foreign conflicts, which ultimately divides the public on the issue of moral stance.
Despite the clear language used in Peek’s ibility must tioned when the tion is refuted by another source. A story published by a group of authors
is just one example of journalists using their position to manipulate the truth.
The issue of bad journalism derives mainly from the spread of overly biased news sources. There is extreme biased media on both ends of the political spectrum, which has caused the politicization of moral-based issues. Two sources
ent angle of the story; the title is, “Inside Biden’s historic decision to drop out of the 2024 race.”
Based on the titles alone, the articles were clearly fueled by personal biases rather than factual information. The Fox News article used direct and belittling language regarding Biden’s presidency, while the NBC article makes light of the
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a similar situation, only America’s involvement is more direct. Several right-leaning news sources are outwardly pro-Israel. Lauren Green for Fox News wrote an article called “Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protests ‘cheapen the concept of genocide,’ says Jewish historian and author.” Green wrote about antisemitism and its relevance to the war, and highlighted Biden’s mistakes.
On the other hand, there are left-leaning sources that are in support of Palestine. There is an NBC News story entitled “Middle East crisis: Israel launches West Bank raids in latest Gaza escalation,” as well as several others with similar messages. Sources like NBC recognize the Palestinians struggles over property and some may argue that the violence was warranted.
Overly bias sources take away individuals’ chances to form their own opinions because journalists are reporting on their opinions as if they’re facts. Prioritizing personal beliefs over the truth defeats the concept of reporting.
With journalism in its current unreliable state, it is necessary to look beyond your typical news media source — even further than news sources that align with your personal political standing.
former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
By NEVE WILSON Contributing Writer
A few weeks into the semester, I’ve been feeling stressed out about school work and homesick for family and friends. Then I received a notification from the package center that mail had arrived for me. It was a card from my friend, Ali, who goes to school in Louisiana.
That was the first and only letter I’ve gotten since being at school, and I’ve already had six packages delivered from Amazon. As technology eliminates the need to go into physical stores, it also allows us to stop sending physical mail or “snail mail.” But if we do so, we are losing out on an important form of communication.
There has been a 67% decline in firstclass single-piece mail between 2008 and 2023, according to the United States Postal Service. First-class single-piece mail includes stamped postcards and letters like the one Ali sent me. In 2023, the USPS delivered 11.8 billion pieces of first-class single-piece mail compared to 21.8 billion in 2014.
Mail in general has been steadily declining since 2006, but personal correspondence has been hit the hardest, says the USPS. By contrast, marketing mail fell 46% from 2008 to 2023.
When I got Ali’s letter, I eagerly tore it open and just the sight of her handwriting brought me comfort as I used to see it every day. I started reading and learned about her experiences at college, hopes for the semester, worries in a new environment and funny stories.
While some could argue that she could have told me all of those things in a text or email, the message would have been differ-
Opinion In defense of snail mail
ent. Conversations in letters are much richer because they require the sender to think more about what they are going to say.
You’re limited by the size of the page so you have to decide what is most important for you to tell the other person. You can’t get an immediate reply either so you may find yourself reflecting on what you wrote days later and wondering how the receiver will respond.
Research shows that when it comes to students taking notes, those who use traditional paper and pen have higher levels of electrical activity across their brains than
those who type on the computer. This helps improve their memory. So a handwritten conversation will likely stay with you longer than one that has been typed.
On the other hand, texts and emails encourage quantity over quality. You don’t have to savor them because they are limitless — you can just keep hitting the return key and firing off another one. And they take no more than six seconds to send, according to Australian software company ClickSend.
Messages lose value when you can send them at any time. We become text consumerists because we start sending anything
Bobcat
to get a response. It’s no longer essential or important thoughts. Then the receiver has so many messages they can’t or won’t pay as much attention to each individual one. Many of us have had that experience of opening up the phone after a while and it’s full of messages so you can just skim through them.
Mail also creates a physical artifact that you can look back at. Rarely do I ever scroll back through old texts or emails but I have a box at home filled with every card I’ve ever gotten.
There are ones from the day I was born congratulating my parents, cards from my grandparents who have died, letters my friend sent me while we were in COVID lockdown and so much more. Occasionally, I will re-read them and they always bring a smile to my face.
People complain that snail mail is too slow but I look at it as a chance to stop and reflect, something that is becoming increasingly difficult with modern technology. To me, sending letters is a love language. It takes a lot more effort to send a letter than a text or an email. It shows that someone is going out of their way to stay connected with you. Similar to giving gifts, I think that letter writing makes both the sender and the recipient feel good.
I’m not saying that we should all throw our phones and laptops out the window and exclusively communicate via letters. Electronic communication is a convenient resource to stay in touch with family and friends. But if you have time, I urge you to write a letter to someone you care about — whether that’s a friend who lives far away or your grandmother — and let them know that you’re thinking of them.
Act like you’re living with your mom
By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor
I’ve lived in a first-year residence hall for two years now. Once as a firstyear, and now as a mentor. Coming into college, most students don’t know how to behave when living with others, and it shows.
You don’t realize how bad the general behavior is of the first-years until you’re not one anymore.
There are certain things that are just common sense. You don’t have to make your bed every day, or even do your laundry every day, but be mindful of the mess you’re making in a shared space. That includes, not only dorms, but
the residence halls as a whole.
If I could go a single day without seeing messes in the bathrooms, laundry rooms and hallways, I’d be happy. But students seem to be incapable of cleaning up after themselves.
Even if dorms have a cleaning crew, it’s disrespectful to treat them like that. They aren’t your personal cleaning team, so don’t leave your mess. They are there to clean and sanitize so that we don’t have to worry about build-up. Don’t take advantage of them.
Though the crew comes and cleans nearly everyday, your mess doesn’t leave the area until then, so students will have to walk in on your pee on the toilet
seats, hair in the drain and toilet paper all over the floor.
Immaturity is shown through the lack of respect you show cleaning staff, the building and your peers.
It’s not your personal space, it’s shared, so take care of it as if your parents or siblings were living with you instead of strangers.
I know that my parents would not let it slide if I left the kitchen, bathroom or even my room like some students do. Would you act like you do if your mother was living here with you? If not, correct your behavior, and respect shared spaces.
ILLUSTRATION BY TYLER MIGNAULT
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
Quinnipiac celebrates small businesses at the Colors of CT Festival
By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor
Who doesn’t love food trucks, live music, supporting small businesses and a fashion show? The M&T Bank Center for Women & Business and the M&T Bank Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship kicked off the beginning of fall with the Colors of CT Festival on Oct. 5.
Hosted in the Mount Carmel Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, the Quinnipiac University and Hamden community came together to support underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs. The afternoon was filled with exciting and engaging events for attendees as they celebrated inclusivity and unity.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE A wide variety of products and styles were displayed at the Colors of CT Festival's "Sip and Shop."
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Sofia Konkolics, a junior health science studies major, waits in line for the Los Mariachis food truck.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Entreprenuers exhibit their products in the RecWell center at the Colors of CT Festival "Sip and Shop" on Oct. 5.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Senior Paige Pray (left) and junior Jeramiah Bruscianelli (right) sport new beachy products on the Colors of CT Festival runway.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Tables showed off the creativity of small business owners through intricate decorations and varied products.
TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Seniors Ava Bradford (left) and Rosie Alkasas (right) show off new fall styles during the Colors of CT fashion show.
Heartbreaking yet heartwarming 'Heartstopper' season three is full of trials and triumphs
By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor
I’ve never seen a show and felt so connected to the characters and the storyline — until I watched “Heartstopper.”
The show details the lives of the main characters as well as their friends, teachers and family. To me, the show is unique because it portrays being in the LGBTQ+ community as nothing special. It’s a normal thing.
And as a bisexual person, that means everything.
Released in 2022, “Heartstopper” follows nine high schoolers in Slough, United Kingdom. Eight out of the nine are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and the show accurately portrays the hardships that come with it. The show balances reality and the light-heartedness of being a teenager in the LGBTQ+ community.
The third season, released on Oct. 3, was a lot different from the first two. There was less sunshine and rainbows and more adversity. But I appreciated that this season, there was no sugarcoating. It made the show relatable.
Some of the main characters include Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), a shy and awkward teenage boy who struggles with his mental health and an eating disorder; Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), the star rugby player and Charlie’s boyfriend; Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), a talented artist and transgender girl; Tao Xu (William Gao), a quirky, loyal friend and Elle’s boyfriend and Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan), a bookworm who is aroromantic-asexual and often feels left out.
As the season went on, we got to see Charlie get the help he needed for his mental health
and eating disorder. It was nice to see mental facilities painted in a positive light because that is the story for many people watching.
“‘Heartstopper’ is such a special show that we can handle quite serious topics with quite a lighthearted tone in a way and the audience always knows that the characters are going to be okay in the end, which means that we can go to these dark places without feeling like we’re going to alienate the audience,” Locke said in an interview with Deadline.
In a way, it felt like I grew up with the characters. Over the last two years, my life has changed a lot, and it was nice to see the characters progress and grow as well. I also love
that “Heartstopper” follows multiple storylines. The show also highlights the pressures of getting ready for college. Along with Nick, other main characters such as Tara Jones (Corinna Brown), Sahar Zahid (Leila Khan) and Imogen Heaney (Rhea Norwood) take a trip to universities to see which ones fit them. This is where Nick realizes he needs to put himself first and not always have Charlie at the front of his mind.
Even though Nick and Charlie's relationship had a bit of turbulence, I enjoyed seeing Elle and Tao’s relationship blossom, as it was more of a slow burn.
“I think the main thing for me was the relationship with Tao and how mature it
is,” Finney, said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “It grows and builds into this unbreakable bond, which I love, and I’ve never experienced as Yasmin. The audience gets to see a very mature, fresh take on not only the gay experience, but the transgender experience, and the experience of falling in love in a more adult way.”
However, Isaac spends a lot of time in all three seasons feeling like an outcast. Due to his friends all being in relationships and his inability to feel that sort of connection, he feels like he doesn’t fit in. In this season he decides to tell his friends that he is both aromantic-asexual, and the group welcomes him with open arms.
Much like Isaac, Imogen also has an amazing character development story. In seasons one and two, she was boy-obsessed, but in season three she realizes that she only likes the attention and not being in relationships with them. She spends a lot of this season figuring out what she wants and leans on her friends for guidance and support.
I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and to me, this show was the story of the year. The way the actors can make their storylines feel real sets it apart from any other show I’ve seen.
I wish that I had this show when I was younger. I think it would’ve helped me feel comfortable in my skin when I was dealing with figuring out my sexuality in middle school. But watching it now, I realize that I was never truly alone. So, I’m not-sopatiently waiting for season four, and even though I’m confident in who I am, I know my journey isn’t over yet.
Remembering Dikembe Mutombo
By MICHAEL PETITTO Staff Writer
The basketball world lost one of it’s best defenders, but an even better person when Dikembe Mutombo died Sept. 30 from brain cancer at 58 years old.
The eight-time NBA All-Star was one of the best in the business on the defensive side of the ball. Mutombo led the league in blocks for five consecutive seasons and sits second alltime in rejections behind Hakeem Olajuwon.
Over his accolade-filled career, Mutombo played 18 seasons for six different NBA teams spanning from the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.
Mutombo’s signature finger-wag, which he used after a successful block and to dissuade anyone from entering the paint, became an instant classic in basketball culture. It’s a symbol that is used by millions across the world from pickup games to NBA players who were inspired by the late shot-blocker.
Not only did the finger-wag become a cultural symbol, Mutombo’s signature move spawned one of the best commercials of my lifetime in 2013. In the Geico ad, the fourtime Defensive Player of the Year uses his shot-blocking prowess to reject anything that comes his way in everyday situations. All while Mutombo taunts his victims by shouting “Not in my house!”
When the league announced the death of Mutombo, commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement saying, “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
The center almost always towered over everyone else on the basketball court, his defensive intensity during games was unmatched. If you only watched him play basketball, you likely wouldn’t know that Mutombo was actually a gentle giant who donated millions of his own money to help those less fortunate.
Mutombo was well known for his accomplishments on the basketball floor, but what’s even more impressive is what he did off the court, and how he did it with a big smile.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mutombo always stuck to his roots and gave back to the community that helped raise him. The 7-foot-2 Mutombo was known for his humanitarian work that among many other accomplishments, resulted in the establishment of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, which served to help better education and life for those in the DRC.
Mutombo used his pain as a vessel to help others. His mother, Biamba Marie, died in 1998 due to a stroke. He had been unable to get her proper care in a hospital, which inspired him to open a hospital in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC. The Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital, which opened its doors in 2006, was accompanied by 300 beds. Mutombo paid $15 million out of his own pocket to fund the project.
His son, Ryan Mutombo, made a heartfelt post to Instagram following his father's death highlighting the joy Mutombo brought to thousands of lives.
“At times, I thought of my dad as a superhuman. The child in me would sigh to hear that this was never actually the case,” Ryan Mutombo wrote.“My dad was a regular man who would stop at no lengths to honor the
Mutombo leaves behind a memorable legacy and continues to inspire others after his passing on Sept. 30.
world, its people and its creator. He loved others with every ounce of his being. That’s what made him so accessible. That’s what made him real.”
Mutombo was immortalized in basketball history during his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
His speech that night in Springfield, Massachusetts lasted nine minutes. About 30 seconds of that speech was about himself, and the rest was dedicated to other people who
impacted his career.
“My life’s mission is to continue to change the living conditions of the people of Africa,” Mutombo said. “I might have not won the championship, but I am a champion to so many people’s hearts.”
The next time you see someone block a shot and hit the finger-wag, think about the man behind that gesture and how he changed the lives of so many through his own generosity.
MICHAEL WA/FLICKR
Dikembe
By GINA LORUSSO Associate Arts & Life Editor
From “That 90s Show,” to “Fuller House” and “Gossip Girl,” TV show reboots have made a comeback. However, they often fail because they face challenges in resonating with audiences, receiving mixed reviews and sometimes being canceled because they fall short of expectations.
I recently came across the trailer for Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” reboot, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” Other than bringing back David Henrie and Selena Gomez from the original cast, there were similarities between new characters and those who came before them.
The main character, Billie, played by Janice LeAnn Brown, is a wizard-in-training seeking mentorship from Henrie’s character, Justin Russo. Even just by watching the sneak-peek, Billie’s character seems like a copied and pasted version of Justin’s younger sister, Alex Russo (Gomez), from the original series. Billie is rebellious, likes getting her way and uses magic for small tasks she doesn’t feel like doing — all qualities of Alex.
This reboot looks like it’s marketing the same show, just tailored to a newer audience — a common theme among today’s reboots.
The reason many TV show reboots fail is because they lack originality, have weak writing and direction, recast iconic roles with subpar actors and fail to meet the expectations of fans who adored the original series, according to Deseret News.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” is just one example of producers revisiting familiar territory.
Been there, done that Why TV show reboots tend to struggle
TV classics that run for 10 or more seasons last that long because audiences adored some aspect of the show. If beloved series like “Friends” were rebooted well after their final season, they most likely won’t receive any good criticism because the original was incredibly successful.
In an article by Prime Timer, Warner Bros. TV Group Chairman Channing Dungey admitted that a “Friends” reboot is highly unlikely.
“I think it would be very difficult to do another 'Friends' and call it 'Friends,”’ Dungey said. “There have been so many shows that have been inspired by 'Friends.' That is such an iconic series and is constantly still running, so the idea that you would try to introduce a new Monica, a new Rachel and a new Ross, I don’t think that that would work.”
It’s difficult for reboots to replicate the excitement of an original series. “Arrested Development,” for example, was brought back in 2013 for a fourth and fifth season — seven years after its original end in 2006. The show was reintroduced with a completely different nonlinear format and each episode focused on a different character over the same period of time, according to The Daily Beast. Among fans, the show became repetitive and boring, ultimately losing its hype and being turned down by the public.
The hit show “Beverly Hills, 90210” from the 90s was resurrected as “90210” in 2008. This was another attempt to revive a popular show but it fell short of audience expectations. Again, love triangles, petty drama and rich teenagers filled the
plotline and left fans disappointed.
For the same reasons, “Gossip Girl” from 2021 was canceled after only two seasons because it received mostly negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show has a 5.2/10 rating. The reboot followed rich teenage socialites whose reputations take a hit from widely spread social media posts from an anonymous user named Gossip Girl — essentially the same plotline from the original.
The trailers for reboots often evoke a sense of nostalgia in an audience. There’s so much
anticipation for reboots because audiences hope the new series will recreate the same feeling they had when watching the original series for the first time.
When producers run out of ideas and turn to these recycled plots, audiences might not be stimulated by the lack of originality and find it difficult to stay engaged.
Without new and creative storytelling, these reboots risk failure and losing the audiences who cherished the original series.
'feelslikeimfallinginlove' with Coldplay’s 'Moon Music'
By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
When the conversation about the greatest artist of our generation starts up, you might be used to hearing names like Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce or The Weeknd. Well, I think there is one name missing from that conversation — Coldplay.
Now everyone might know a hit or two from this British band, like “Yellow,” “Viva la Vida,” “Paradise,” “Fix You” or “Sky Full of Stars.” But I didn’t really hear anyone talking about them in recent years. Maybe I should’ve been paying more attention because their newest album “Moon Music” is one of the last ones this band
will ever put out.
“Moon Music” came out on Oct. 4 and is their 10th studio album. The band’s frontman, Chris Martin, recently confirmed that Coldplay only plans on putting out 12 albums, before retiring from the music scene.
“There’s only seven Harry Potters. There’s only 12 and a half Beatles albums, there’s about the same for Bob Marley, so all our heroes,” Martin said in an interview with Zane Lowe at their Dublin concert earlier this year. “Also, having that limit means the quality control is so high right now and for a song to make it, it’s almost impossible, which is great.”
I understand this reasoning. That doesn’t mean that I like it. Because, in very simple words, “Moon Music” is kind of awesome.
I had the privilege of hearing one of the songs on the album before it even came out. On June 16, I attended their Music of the Spheres World Tour, which recently became only the second world tour to gross over $1 billion, in Budapest.
While I could write a separate article on that show alone — because let’s face it, the balls it took to cover the crowd in rainbow colors and put the text “Believe in Love” on the ending screen in the middle of Pride month in one of the most homophobic countries in Europe — hearing “feelslikeimfallinginlove” for the first time ever is something I’ll brag about for the rest of my life.
Coldplay never misses with any of their instrumentals, but there’s just something about this song that hooks you in and doesn’t let you go. Maybe it’s the way Martin sings it, breathless and full of emotion, that landed this song on my playlist permanently.
That song is the second track of the 10-song album and the first one to be released as a single. The only other single that came from this album is track three, “WE PRAY” featuring Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna and TINI.
This song sparked some interesting conversations about the beliefs of the band and Martin, but the only thing this band is preaching is love for everyone everywhere. Even their tour merch sports texts such as, “Everyone is an alien somewhere” or “We are all one in the universe.”
And this message is sprinkled throughout the entire album. The closing track, “ONE WORLD” is an almost seven minutes long instrumental with only two lines being repeated, “Only one world” and “In the end, it’s just love.”
So while most of the internet speculates about the religious affiliations of this band, all they are doing is trying to make people think about and love the world we are in and each other.
“JUPiTER,” the fourth track on the album, only cements this in my opinion. “I love who I love, the message from above/ Is never give up, love who you love/ Jupiter
longed to be herself or die.”
And for their Music of the Spheres World Tour, they planted one tree for every ticket sold. All of their shows had free refills for water and had an average of 83% return on reusable LED wristbands. All shows also featured bikes and trampolines that attendees in the pit could use to power their B-Stage for the concert, and so many other measures that the band took to try and help the environment.
So yeah, while the words “God” and “pray” may be used more than once across these 10 songs, Martin isn’t trying to make us all go to church and devote our lives to prayer. Coldplay is just trying to make us realize that at the end of the day, we’re all one and the same and we should learn to love each other and our differences, instead of spreading hatred and fear.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA
Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, sings "The Scientist" at a concert in Budapest on June 16.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA
The text, "Believe In Love," shows up at the end of the concert along with fireworks.
A little older but not much wiser
By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor
The opening lyric perfectly encapsulates the wave of emotions felt when listening to Lizzy McAlpine’s extended third studio album, “Older (and Wiser).”
“It wasn’t slow, it happened fast.”
Released on Oct. 4, McAlpine added three new songs, a demo and her single, “Pushing It Down and Praying” released on Sept. 20.
I’ve been a fan of her since her 2022 album “five seconds flat.” Somehow, McAlpine continues to create music that describes being a teenage girl in college so well.
Fantasizing about the perfect future with someone, realizing it’s extremely unrealistic and being disappointed repeatedly seems to be the common theme in both the extended album and my life.
Coming into college being in a longterm relationship was hard to navigate. Even when things were good, I can’t deny what I pushed aside to continue living in this dream world. When you love someone you tend to ignore the subtle mistreatment.
Now as a sophomore, I have to figure out who I am outside of my past relationship. Listening to “Force of Nature” made me feel seen and understood. When it’s hard to explain your feelings, there’s always a song out there that puts it into words.
McAlpine sings “I know I had a hand in/ The falling of the sword/ The crashing
By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor
Ten years ago, I sat down at the counter in my kitchen and watched the 40th season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” with my dad. I had seen clips before but he had never let me sit down and watch it fully since it can get raunchy.
Since that 40th premiere, I’ve sat with my dad and watched almost every episode. It became our thing. It became more than a show, and more of something I looked forward to every week. It was our bonding time.
Now that I’m in my second year of college, it’s a bittersweet thing. We don’t watch it together weekly like we used to, and it’s not the same. I’m realizing now, that it wasn’t the show that was funny, it was the experience of sitting down, watching it and hearing each other laugh.
Things have changed over time, and it’s not just the way we watch. The cast and the humor have changed over the 50 years too.
The feeling that once came with the show half a century ago, isn’t there anymore. Instead, it’s replaced with nostalgia, and a feeling of “home.”
That’s why when some people say “It's not funny anymore,” I know it isn't still successful because it’s funny. But because there are people who have watched this show for decades, week-after-week, it is. There are families like mine that have three or more generations watching because they brought that tradition into their own family.
It’s so fascinating to see all of the stars who got their start on SNL become so successful in movies, shows and other forms of entertainment, including Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers who have their
McAlpine’s soft voice as she imagines what it would be like to have a perfect family and a mundane life with a new love interest fills
The first time I listened to this song I just felt called out. It was comforting to know someone out there felt
My favorite part of this song is the chorus. She sings “We could’ve had it, but then again/ We never could’ve done it, I was weaker then/ I hate to say it, I know it’s true/ I’m waiting for someone who will make me
This song was originally teased on TikTok on June 3, and much like myself, many of McAlpine’s fans fell in love with it and expressed how much they wanted it released.
50 years of laughs
'Saturday
Night
own late-night shows.
During the outro of “Soccer Practice,” the chorus is reversed, which is something she’s done before. In the standard version of the album, “Older,” McAlpine features this same idea in her song “Drunk, Running.”
Even though the feelings and themes conveyed in both “Force of Nature” and “Soccer Practice” are valid, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
That’s exactly how listening to “Spring into Summer” felt.
She opens the song by singing “Spring into summer, and the winter’s gone/ I try to hold on to it, but the current’s too strong.” While this song may be about recounting memories and feeling regret, to me this song symbolizes that everything will be OK.
“Spring into Summer” has a beat that’s very different from the other songs from this album, with upbeat drums, a fasterpaced acoustic guitar and a slight synth. The song feels exactly like the title says. After a cold and dead winter, there will always be spring and summer.
I like the backing vocals and how McAlpine sings a bit louder in this song. It really feels like starting over.
So, whenever your feelings get too heavy or you’re being constantly let down, just know I was once at that point too. But college is all about discovering who you are, and “Older (and Wiser)” helped me accomplish just that. Maybe I am wiser after all.
Live' celebrates another milestone
It’s even more amazing to see the same thing happen with new stars, proving that SNL isn’t forever (unless you’re Keenan Thompson), but
more of a gateway into comedy.
Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kate Mckinnon and, most recently, Ego Nwodimz are prime examples of SNL being a claim to fame.
It’s also fun to see newer stars take the place of older stars on the show, for example, the predecessors and successors of Weekend Update. Colin Jost and Michael Che are a powerhouse duo, but we can’t forget Meyers before them, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler before him and so on.
With a comedy show lasting 50 years, it also acts as a reminder and time capsule for the changing world and satire.
Every election season one of the first questions asked when there’s a new candidate is “Who’s going to play them on SNL?” In this election alone everyone was gearing up to watch the iconic Maya Rudolph play Vice President Kamala Harris. I remember watching them make fun of Mitt Romney with skits of him drinking milk like an alcoholic.
Especially in a world like today where everyone is so divided, SNL brings people together, by just making fun of everyone.
We also have to acknowledge how well SNL transitions without falling behind over the years. They seamlessly got to a point where skits are now structured in a way that caters to TikTok, Instagram Reels and other social media platforms. They know that not as many people watch it on TV anymore, so they adjust it to maintain success.
It’s working, because now I’m watching SNL in my bed on TikTok instead of sitting down and watching it on a streaming service.
Though the show is made for laughs, it’s hard to ignore the sentimental value of it. For the viewer and the performers. Fifty years is an amazing milestone.
It’s more than just a comedy. It’s a legacy that doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
‘You
have to deliver’
Undefeated rugby fighting for more at season midpoint
By COLIN KENNEDY Managing Editor
Quinnipiac rugby is cruising — at least on paper.
The Bobcats currently sit at 3-0-2, with twostraight 50-point wins and a tie against reigning national champion Harvard, it seems like they are ramping up for a playoff run.
Coming off a 62-19 win over Princeton Saturday, head coach Becky Carlson believes her team still has a ways to go from reaching their ultimate goal — a national championship.
“Obviously, we put a lot of points on the board,” Carlson said. “The fashion in which we put the points on the board was not in a way we really wanted it to. Princeton capitalized on a lot of our mistakes, mistakes that we shouldn’t be making at this point in the season.”
The dominant wins have been a trend in the last few weeks for Quinnipiac, but Saturday’s matchup with the Tigers was a bit closer, and its mistakes may not have been visible to the naked eye.
“While the average person that doesn’t know rugby watches this and thinks it’s a blowout, we understand that we expect more from ourselves,” Carlson said.
Carlson isn’t just preaching to the choir either, her squad knows what she expects and what is required to contend with the league’s best.
“It wasn’t what we wanted out of our attack and our defense,” freshman back row Ava O’Malley said. “I think our heads were a bit down after the game. Obviously it’s nice to get the win, but I think we have a lot to work on as a team going into next week.”
O’Malley joins a growing list of Irish-born freshmen who are making a big impact on the pitch this year. With the likes of fly-half Fia Whalen and prop Lily Morris, the Bobcats are wasting no time integrating freshmen into the culture.
“It’s really nice to hear them on the field and support them,” O’Malley said. “It’s really nice that our whole team is coming together, off the field and on the field.”
Morris was absent from Saturday’s game, and her impact was something that Carlson believed was sorely missed.
“We were missing Lily Morris big time today,” Carlson said. “Her voice is really important in the scrum. We weren’t all together in the scrum today, I was a little bit disappointed.”
In a physical sport like rugby, injuries are bound to happen. A key part in a team’s success,
especially Quinnipiac’s, will rely on how its role players step into the starting lineup.
Saturday’s game showed there is still room for improvement.
“If you study systems and you look at it, we’re supposed to be able to take something out of the system, and it’s supposed to operate as it should,” Carlson said. “And it wasn’t operating that way today because we were missing personnel, and that’s not an excuse.”
When the goal is a national championship, the best 15 players will play, regardless of class. Carlson isn’t shying away from mixing and matching her lineups to find the best fit come November.
“You have to deliver,” Carlson said. “We had opportunities when we played Penn State last week where people were out of the starting lineup and put new people in because their number was called, they didn’t deliver. They had to sit back down. That’s how that works.”
While no game is a guaranteed win, the last few weeks have allowed Carlson to let more players touch the pitch. But with big matchups against Army and Dartmouth looming, time is ticking for players to assert themselves into the lineup.
“There’s 15 people out there and the top 15 people are going to play unless you have a score
that looks like that,”
Carlson said. “I don’t intend for there to be or don’t expect for there to be a margin like this again, but your numbers called and it’s understood that you have to perform. That’s your shot.”
The Bobcats can’t get too far ahead of themselves, they still have a matchup with AIC on Oct. 12 to take care of before the heavy hitters arrive.
“I call them ‘October Army’ and QU always seems to get Army at the peak of their season,” Carlson said. “They’re going to come out, they’re going to play a fast brand of ball. They’re going to smash up the middle. They fight for our country, they better be well-conditioned.”
Many of the comments coming from the team may sound negative, it doesn’t mean the sky is falling. Great teams are traditionally hard on themselves.
“It’s very intense,” O’Malley said. “It’s hard, because you obviously want to give it your all, but the environment around it is tough. Sometimes it will bring you down. But like, at the end of the day … we all want to get that national championship.”
If rugby wants to win its first national title since 2017, it shouldn’t expect anything less than perfection.
Women’s ice hockey splits weekend with Northeastern
By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Contributing Writer
Back and forth.
Hockey is a continuous game of back and forth.
In Friday and Saturday’s matchup, No. 10 Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey split its series against No. 13 Northeastern. After dismantling Maine’s last weekend in a sweep, the Huskies put up a dogfight for the Bobcats.
In the series opener, the Bobcats’ lack of energy and messy plays got the best of them in a 4-2 loss. However, Quinnipiac was able to fix its messy decision-making and lack of speed in its second match-up, pulling off a 3-0 win with graduate student goaltender Kaley Doyle recording her third shutout of the season.
Here are three takeaways from the road trip:
PRESSURE IS KEY
Pressure was a problem for the Bobcats in Game 1. Quinnipiac failed to press Northeastern in the defensive zone, giving the Huskies time and space to set up and make plays.
Northeastern capitalized on these woes behind the blue line, firing 24 shots on Doyle, four of which found the back of the net.
On offense, the Bobcats struggled to rush the
puck deep in Northeastern’s zone, allowing its back line to set up behind the net, creating a clean break out.
Defensively, the Huskies were able to protect the house, keeping Quinnipiac from generating solid opportunities in front of the net.
“I think we’re just playing shut down D, definitely taking the body when we need to (and) being psychical in the corners, establishing a good forecheck and I think we’re doing really well,” Northeastern junior defenseman Kristina Allard told ESPN+.
The Bobcats were all over the Huskies in Game 2, both offensively and defensively. Quinnipiac used its speed to pressure Northeastern into choking up the puck and keeping play in its defensive zone.
After a low shot on Northeastern senior goaltender Paige Taborski, graduate student forward Kathryn Stockdale used her speed to rush the net and give the puck a final tip-in, giving Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead in the second period.
CONTROL OF THE GAME
During Game 1, the Bobcats struggled to maintain control of the puck, making poor passes that ended up on the tape of the Huskies’ sticks, resulting in numerous turnovers.
Throwing the puck allowed Northeastern to take advantage and generate quick rushes into Quinnipiac’s zone. In many cases, these were odd-man rushes, with Quinnipiac only having one defender back.
In Game 2, the Bobcats used their speed to cycle the puck, generating space to set up plays. In the defensive zone, they were able to use their talent to position effectively, allowing them to steal the puck on Northeastern’s mistakes and create clean breakouts.
Ultimately, the Bobcats were able to control the game over the Huskies, winning 36 faceoffs to Northeastern’s 25.
SMART DECISIONS
To maintain control of a game and pressure an opponent, a team must make effective decisions on offense. While throwing the puck on the net works sometimes, there are better ways to score. Quinnipiac outshot Northeastern, in its first matchup, 35-24. And while Quinnipiac had better chances than Northeastern, it played out the other way around.
In hockey, there are good shots and bad shots. While many believe the category of the shot depends on whether it goes in the net or not, there is a deeper meaning behind a good shot and a bad shot.
Northeastern made smart offensive plays, during the opening game of the series, in front of the net by screening the goalie and firing low shots onto Doyle.
In the odd-man rush, Husky forwards used their speed and shot to dish the puck over Doyle’s shoulder.
“I think my unit did such a great job and (freshman forward Éloïse Caron) did an awesome job there getting the puck to the net,” Northeastern senior forward Taze Thompson told ESPN+.
Just because Quinnipiac fired more shots at Taborski, it wasn’t necessarily hitting its mark The Bobcats couldn’t load the front of the net or make plays difficult for Taborski, giving her clear vision to locate the puck.
However, in the second matchup, Quinnipiac improved its shot-taking, utilizing strong defenders, like graduate student Kendall Cooper, to send shots from the top of the circles, while its forwards created traffic in front of the net.
By doing so, the Bobcats were able to draw the Huskies down low, keeping their defensemen open with time and space to make smart plays. This allowed Quinnipiac to notch two goals past Taborski and cap off the game with an empty netter.
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Rugby fights for the ball in a scrum during a game against Penn State on Sept. 29.
Northeastern bests Quinnipiac 4-2 in exhibition bout
By AMANDA DRONZEK Sports Editor
HAMDEN — Five and a half minutes remain in the second frame. It’s 2-0 Northeastern.
Credit that to one of several defensive turnovers gone awry. Quinnipiac is playing scrappy. It’s hard to recognize new faces on the ice dawning numbers worn by forward Colin Graf ‘23 or defenseman Charles Alexis Legault.
Freshman left wing Joe Connor stops freshman center Noah Eyre from bringing the puck up the right wing and collides with senior center Ryan McGuire near center ice. Connor capitalizes, takes the puck and passes upwards to junior wing Cam Lund.
Shot blocked by Quinnipiac sophomore goaltender Matej Marinov.
The rebound isn’t so easy. The puck trickles off Marinov’s knee pads. Connor is waiting and fires from the left.
Marinov is out of position. The puck travels through sophomore defenseman Charlie Leddy, graduate student defenseman Cooper Moore and the diving netminder.
“I thought we honestly hung him out to dry,” head coach Rand Pecknold said regarding Mari-
nov. “We need to play better in front of him.” 3-0 Huskies.
Thirty seconds pass.
Senior defenseman Davis Pennington has possession and sends a shot toward Northeastern sophomore goaltender Cameron Whitehead. It ricochets off of freshman center Chris Pelosi’s glove.
Goal. 3-1 Northeastern.
“He’s a big-time player, he’s one of the better freshmen in our league, we’re fortunate to have him, and I thought he was really good tonight,” Pecknold said.
Look to the other end of the ice at the faceoff and senior Noah Altman stands in net.
Junior defender Kyle Furey feeds the puck through Quinnipiac’s defensive zone and right to freshman forward Ethan Fredericks. He turns and meets Altman’s 6-foot-7 frame. Fredericks grabs the rebound and lightly crosses the puck to the right.
An unmarked freshman right wing James Fisher connects and easily nets Northeastern’s fourth of the night.
One minute later and the chaos continues. Under four minutes in the second.
A sequence begins. Freshman defenseman Brayden Blace hits a shot that stops at sophomore center Mason Marcellus’s body. Junior winger Anthony Cipollone maintains control for Quinnipiac and crosses to sophomore defenseman Nate Benoit.
The North Dakota transfer zings the puck to junior forward Alex Power, who misses a one timer. The puck bounces out, Power uses his backhand as he collides with a Husky.
Whitehead isn’t in position.
Goal. 4-2.
For those few moments, both teams played chippy, complete hockey — trading goals for two minutes on Sunday night, as No. 20 Northeastern downed No. 7/8 Quinnipiac 4-2 in its sole exhibition matchup.
“It’s been a little bit of chaos for us the month of September with 14 new players, and I think we saw that tonight,” Pecknold said. “We had some serious breakdowns at times. But it’s, part of the process.”
The Bobcats are working with 15 forwards, and only seven of them are returners. They’re also introducing much of their roster to an unfamiliar playing style, and the adjustment isn’t linear.
Cristophe Tellier’s return to Hamden
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
Following a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to Boston College in the 2024 NCAA Regional Final, 14 players departed from the Quinnipiac men’s hockey team. One went to the NHL, several joined the AHL, some went overseas and four entered the transfer portal.
While senior forward Christophe Fillion may not face the Bobcats this season, his former linemate and transfer — Northeastern senior forward Cristophe Tellier — wasted no time in his return back to Hamden.
Tellier entered M&T Bank Arena — dawning the red and black as a Husky — and played a pivotal role in Northeastern’s 4-2 exhibition win Sunday. Tellier spent three impactful years in the navy
and gold, recording 51 points — two of which came when Quinnipiac needed it most.
Whether it was the crucial goal that had Quinnipiac within striking distance of Minnesota during the 2023 National Championship or when he batted the puck out of mid-air in a 4-1 win over Ohio State, his legacy in a Bobcat uniform was strong.
“Winning here, (Quinnipiac) means a lot to me, a lot of friends on the other side, but I’m a Husky,” Tellier said. “Now, it was good to see them, but moving on, I’m a Husky and have a lot of respect for this place.”
Tellier now sits on Northeastern’s first line with junior forward Jack Williams and sophomore forward Dylan Hrychowiah. This top three created dangerous chances against the Bobcats,
producing the game’s first two goals.
The first was a puck laying on the Tellier nudged past goaltender Matej Ma rinov. In celebration, he skated toward his former bench and flashed his jersey.
The second was a saucer pass by Tellier that found Hryckowian who put it by Marinov on a two-on-one opportunity.
While Tellier’s offensive play made a differ ence on the scoreboard, his physical play stood out as well. He wasn’t shying away from hitting or shoving any of his former teammates whenever the chance arose.
“I respect those guys, so maybe it was a lit
“We’ve got so many kids that have habits from the teams they came from, and we play differently than pretty much every team they came from, so we have to kind of establish those habits and create them,” Pecknold said.
Quinnipiac has experienced the most roster turnover across the conference in the last three seasons, which is bound to be an Achilles heel as the season begins.
“It’s really difficult to run with with 15 (forwards) and eight (defenders), but you do it, and we played all three goalies today, and you know, it’s certainly not something that I want to make a habit of,” Pecknold said.
Aside from a disappointing outing as a whole, there are several individual positives to take away. Pelosi earning his first collegiate goal, freshman Dylan Silverstein getting time in net during the third period. And every now and again there was chemistry sprouting from Quinnipiac’s lines.
“There’s a lot of good things that happen, and that’s why you play exhibitions to get better,” Pecknold said.
It’s not Quinnipiac hockey’s standard, but it’s not the be all end all.
a lot of love,” said. “Some good will get another crack at cats when they face off on
Quinnipiac gathers before a face off in a game against Northeastern on Oct. 6.
The Big East’s most productive defender
Francisca Eschoyez’s impressive rookie season continues
By TYLER PLATZ Staff Writer
Scoring three goals in a game will forever be celebrated in sports. Commonly referred to as a hat trick, it’s one of the most iconic achievements — but also one of the hardest.
In field hockey, a player rarely finds themselves in scoring position enough times to net three goals in one game. But what about four?
On Sept. 15, Quinnipiac’s defender Francisca Eschoyez did just that.
After completing a natural hat trick against Merrimack in the first quarter, Eschoyez made history, becoming the second player in the program to score four goals in a game — joining Heather Cady ‘02, who achieved the feat against Siena on Oct. 2, 1999.
Now, consider this: she’s only a freshman. Born in Turin, Italy, there was a time when it seemed far-fetched that Eschoyez would end up playing field hockey. However, it was never in doubt that she would become an athlete, especially surrounded by her father and two brothers, all of whom played rugby professionally.
“I didn’t want to play field hockey,” Eschoyez said. “When I passed by the field hockey pitch, I didn’t want to look because I wanted to play volleyball. I did my first practice and I was like ‘Oh, maybe this is my sport.’”
Eschoyez found her passion, and because of her talent, she was named captain of both the U18 and U21 Italian National teams, leading the former to a 2023 Eurohockey II-A Championship.
“There’s no difference between freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. I try to help everyone,” Eschoyez said. “The main thing is to support your teammates and also help
them in every moment in the game.”
Eschoyez has supported her teammates in every way possible since arriving at Quinnipiac. Her statistics will stand out in the box score, but what the numbers don’t show is the leadership she has displayed in her short time at the school — a quality that hasn’t gone unnoticed by second-year head coach Nina Klein.
“A memory that I have is her first practice, she was literally teaching one of our senior captains a skill,” Klein said. “She goes about the way that she interacts with other people on the team in such a wonderful respectful manner.”
Eschoyez recalls that moment from her first practice.
“I remember that. I helped (senior defender) Kate Zamagni. I’m good with high balls
and she was trying to do those,” Eschoyez said. “I said ‘Oh yeah, I can help you.’ So I talked to her and helped her with that.”
Eschoyez’s initiative translates to her play on the field, particularly in her versatility. Although she’s listed as a defender, Eschoyez has taken on nearly every position her team has needed to fill during her rookie season at Quinnipiac.
Eleven games into the season, injuries have begun to pile up in the backfield, affecting the team’s depth. Eschoyez is glad to step in on defense, even with her offensive prowess.
“I know how to play every position, it’s something that I learned because I’ve played on different teams. I have to do what the team needs,” Eschoyez said. “If they need me as a center back, I’m going as a center back. If they need me as a mid -
fielder, I’m going as a midfielder.”
In short, she wears three hats.
As a defender, Eschoyez has consistently outworked opposing offensive players this season, effectively clearing the ball from the shooting circle under pressure.
In the midfield, she has utilized her stretching passing ability, sending the ball soaring into the attacking zone.
On the offensive end, Eschoyez has made her mark in the scoring column, leading the team in both goals and points.
“Her vision on the ball is fantastic. I really think she’s one of those players that you could put her anywhere, and she’d do what the team needs to achieve,” Klein said. “(Eschoyez) is going to do some amazing things in the years to come, but I think right now she’s being flexible in terms of where we need some extra support.”
She’s already hitting impressive milestones this season, currently tied at No.1 in the Big East conference with nine goals and tied No. 2 nationally among freshmen. Her performance this season has also led Eschoyez to earning Big East Rookie of the Week on Sept. 17 after her four-goal frenzy against Merrimack.
“It’s so important to me because I’m a person that enjoys the process, but I need outcomes from those. So I really appreciate those,” Eschoyez said. “I really think that those define me in some reason, and it’s like an award for all the stuff I’ve been doing since I started. So I think it’s really important to me, and it’s crazy to have that.”
Eschoyez has been the silver lining for a team that, at 2-9, has struggled in the Big East standings. If she continues to find success, regardless of the position she’s playing, it won’t be long until her next accolade.
Freshman defender Francisca Eschoyez and her teammates celebrate after a goal against LIU on Aug. 30.