The Statesman 02-17-20 by The Statesman

Volume LXIII, Issue 19

sbstatesman.com

Monday, February 17, 2020

2020 Spring Sports Preview SBU participates in RecycleMania

By Niki Nassiri Staff Writer

Stony Brook University kicked off its participation in RecycleMania 2020, an international university recycling competition, in East Side Dining on Feb. 12. The festivities began with a 15-minute performance by the Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band. Thirteen offices and clubs, as well as the Town of Brookhaven, CulinArt and Tidal Tees Apparel, tabled at the event. The kickoff educated students on green living and promoted participation in RecycleMania. RecycleMania is an annual competition between universities and colleges in North America. Over the span of two months, schools will self-report weekly the amount of recycling and trash collected to an online system called ReTRAC. RecycleMania then ranks participants according to category. The competition strives to motivate students to recycle and reduce waste, promote on-campus recycling programs and encourage school administrations to track waste production so recycling measures can be improved. “I’d like to see what I can do as a participant,” Michael Strenc, a junior environmental studies major attending the event, said. “I’m very pro-environment.” The 8-week challenge is split into four subcategories tracking different types of recycla-

MATTHEW YAN / THE STATESMAN

The Tao Drummers in rehearsal hours before their performance on Saturday, Feb. 15, on the Staller Center Main Stage. The modern performance showcased the high-energy art of Japanese drumming. bles, ranging and, in some categories, waste. Stony Brook’s participation in RecycleMania 2020 marks a return to the competition for the first time since 2017. Faculty Student Association (FSA) Executive Director, Van Sullivan, made it a goal to participate during his first semester at the university in Spring 2019. “I was associated when I worked at UMass Amherst for many years,” Sullivan said. “When I came down here, I said why aren’t we doing RecycleMania?” The Department of Recycling & Resource Management, CulinArt and FSA will work together every Monday from Feb. 2 to March 28 to report the previous week’s trash, food waste and recycling statistics to RecycleMania.

Tanya Sengupta, a project coordinator at the Office of Sustainability and a junior technological systems management major, warned students to put their recyclables in the correct bins and not the trash. “Please put [recyclables] nicely in the recycling bins,” she said. “Don’t just put it in the trash. Be careful about that.” Since Nov. 28, 2018, the town of Stony Brook and SBU only accepts plastics No. 1 and No. 2 and are rejecting soiled cardboard and glass through curbside pickup to avoid contamination. Glass may still be recycled at drop-off locations throughout Brookhaven. Zachary Sicardi, recycling coordination aid at the Town of Brookhaven who was also at the event, educated attendees on how to recycle correctly.

Sicardi emphasized that recycling is not “a be all end all solution,” and that people should try to use reusable containers rather than disposable plastics. “If we don’t take for granted the whole process that everything goes through to get to our hands, then we’ll be well on our way to zero waste,“ he said. The Office of Sustainability offered reusable water bottles and bottle stickers to event attendees. The bottle stickers are used as part of their Fill It Forward Campaign, a project focused on eliminating single-use plastic bottles. Students scan the sticker each time they refill their water bottle, earning points that can be redeemed for prizes, like Wolfie Wallet gift cards and Stony Brook merchandise.

Stony Brook ranked 169 out of 190 overall in RecycleMania 2017, and tied for third place with Saint Louis University out of 42 schools in an electronics waste special category the same year. Several hundred schools will participate in RecycleMania, including seven SUNY's. “We want to be number one in SUNY, and number one in the nation one day,” Sullivan said. But he emphasized that the most important goal remained to teach positive behaviors. “We can sort of get you in the habit of taking that extra 10 minutes to get your [reusable] water bottle and get your reusable container and maybe ask a restaurant why they don’t use the right stuff either,” he said. “That’s a gift you can take with you for the rest of your life.”

Diana Voss, director of academic technology services and planner of the event, said. The submissions will start on Feb. 24 and conclude on April 3. Judges will then narrow down the results to a final list between April 8 and 16. Voting will be available on SB Engaged between April 22 and 24, where the SBU community will be able to select their favorite submission from the final list. The creators of the final list would attend an awards ceremony on May 6 during Campus Life Time, Voss said. Students and staff would gather to recognize the submissions and formally announce the winner. The location for the awards ceremony is yet to be announced.

Although the prizes for the winners are undecided, Voss said that a Bluetooth printer, Wolfie Wallet dollars or digital badges — which can be displayed on LinkedIn profiles — are on a short list of potential rewards. David Ecker, the director of iCREATE, said SBU Inspirations is meant to be a fun activity that helps to both educate faculty on how technology could help their classes and help students showcase their projects to peers and potential employers. He encourages the use of the iCREATE’s innovative technology, such as One Button Studio in the Educational Communications Center and the Green Screen in Harriman Hall, to craft the SBU Inspirations submissions. iCREATE

and other resources available to the student body are compiled on an SBU Inspirations website. “We were trying to figure out how we get [the technology] out there and make a buzz about it so that people know what's going on,“ he said. “[Stony Brook has] a number of services that students don't know about.” Community members are also encouraged to nominate students to showcase their work through Inspirations, and staff members to participate in the judging process. “There's all this learning happening not only in the classroom but also outside [the classroom] that Stony Brook is giving to our students, that we want to make sure that [students are] recognized,” Ecker said.

“This is a way of highlighting and helping others.” Victoria Wander, junior psychology major and development coordinator for SBU Inspirations, said that the event will allow her peers to share cool ideas, gain potential collaborators and “spread creativity around campus.” She has also been advertising in the Student Activities Center to help generate interest in SBU Inspirations, in addition to making a video that will be up before submissions, about the competition. “We want to get as much participation as we can so that people really start spreading their ideas and sharing their creativity,” Wander said. “We want to be a collaborative event so people can grow from their own and everyone else's ideas.”

Pilot competition encourages students to showcase through technology By Alek Lewis

Assistant News Editor

A pilot competition at Stony Brook University (SBU), called SBU Inspirations, will bring together students and staff in an effort to showcase student projects and experiential learning through the use of innovative technology. SBU Inspirations invites students to create a brief multimedia presentation that showcases a project, talent, idea or academic experience through the use of different technological resources available to the Stony Brook community. “The concept [for SBU Inspirations] was the ideas that students have that will inspire others to adopt technology,”

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ARTS & CULTURE

New music platform Quadio puts campus musicians on the map By Nicolas Oltean Contributing Writer

Among the plethora of science and mathematics majors, there are students who dedicate their lives to music. While underrepresented in our stem-based curriculum, they are being given a voice by a contemporary company that plans to put these individuals on a path towards success. Quadio is a university-based music platform meant for up and coming musicians to share their music, collaborate with nearby or nationwide artists and watch as their tracks potentially rise to the top on a national scale. In an interview with The Statesman, Eve Wetlaufer, director of campus representatives for the app, says Quadio currently encompasses a spread of 110 schools across the U.S. and hosts around 230 campus representatives to spread their cause, with two of these young talents residing in Stony Brook. These numbers may soon be skyrocketing as continuous attention is being shed upon the startup. Young entrepreneurs and co-founders Marcus and Joe Welch envisioned a scene where musical talent could be found among college students who would one day lead in all facets of society. Quadio ensures that musicians could reach their own by incorporating the capability of communicating with members of universities from across the country. This novel spin on an

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Quadio, a new university-based music platform, provides college students with a new opportunity to share their music. The app is currently in beta testing. integral feature of entertainment intrigued experts from various backgrounds, accelerating the Welch’s idea into a soon-to-come reality not showing any signs of slowing down. While still in its beta-stages, Quadio is offering the opportunity for musicians to gain a taste of its features in its web application. Compared to other streaming platforms that may seem cluttered and tiresome to view, Quadio’s beauty derives from its simplistic, easy-to-navigate organization, along with its modernized color-scheme and accents. Upon receiving an invite code, you are welcomed to the realm in which the most updated, diverse and prospective operate. Curious

to understand its mechanics, I came to realize that Quadio’s interface and features allow its users to explore while simultaneously feeling at home. It captures the essential features behind many music platforms such as profile creation with uploadable photos and biographies, along with a dedicated notification system, while introducing unique specializations such as a category system in which artists can group themselves among guitarists, producers, acapellists and even graphic designers. However, what allows Quadio to stand out amongst its competitors is its ability to duo as a social platform in which artists can collaborate, send messages,

form groups and create aliases to distinguish themselves from the various groups they are a part of. In-person events are also hosted by campus representatives such as jam sessions coordinated by drummer Erik Quentin and EDM musician Gabriella Catapano. These are exciting ways to be able to form in-person connections with artists who can help knit the music community closer together. Quentin vouches for Quadio claiming that it will be at the forefront of the new age’s music scene. Collaborating with musicians on the platform has been on his agenda since December, he reveals that the full launch of the application will

feature “.wav file” collaboration. The purpose is to create new songs with artists all in real-time, streamlining the common inefficiencies encountered through online communication. While users may be hesitant to become a star musician, Quadio is determined to put them on the map by directly connecting them to local, campus-based musicians, then moving to state, regional and national charts where anyone can rise to the top. With subscription-based applications like Soundcloud and Spotify, starting off as a “drop in the bucket” is the unfortunate circumstance. In an interview with The Statesman, Wetlaufer, gives good reason that “artists are given the chance to be localized and help garner a new audience.” She said that with almost 5,000 members, featuring members from community college to Ivy leagues, they are breaking down boundaries to create an equal playing field for students from all walks of life. Quadio is dedicated to remaining free of charge. So do not be intimidated by the “request for access” step necessary in making an account, as personnel are quick to reply even in a day’s time with an invite code to get you started. Aimed to launch towards the end of February, why not be the first to jump on-board this expanding community with peers who share a common interest.

Blindfolded discussion highlights diversity during Black History Month By Amaya McDonald Contributing Writer

On Feb. 13, junior political science major, Kiara Arias, and sophomore mechanical engineering major, Ruben Saint Paul, hosted a program entitled “Blindfolded Discussion” in the Wagner College Lounge. The pair as Resident Assistants (RAs) are required to host programs that expose their residents to new ideas and cultures. In attempts to bring attention to the importance of Black History Month and its impact on the students of Stony Brook University, Arias and Saint Paul were eager and excited to introduce this program. Hoping to encourage conversation about the black experience in America today, the pair asked their blindfolded participants a series of questions concerning the issues faced by black people in the U.S. Arias and Saint Paul facilitated the event by offering each participant a blindfold and pairing them up. The couples were then asked to speak to each other for five minutes in response to questions and hypothetical scenarios about race and social injustice. The group of participants was made up of students from various backgrounds and ethnicities including Egyptian, Chinese, Haitian and Jamaican, to name a few.

AMAYA MCDONALD / THE STATESMAN

Students face each other blindfolded in order to discuss race-based issues at Wanger College on Feb. 13. This diversity made for interesting conversation as each individual shared their unique perspectives and experience in regards to race. Questions like, “Have you ever

been treated differently because of your skin color?” or “How do you feel about interracial relationships?” became the foundation of intense discussion that brought

attention to race and the way it affects the lives of people of color. As a participant, I found that at first, sharing my experiences with complete strangers was nerve-racking. However, I soon found that the other attendants were very respectful and eager to listen to each other’s arguments about race and its effect on society. When asked why she decided to host this event, Arias explained a failed attempt to showcase black history through the film “13th” in her first year as an RA. The documentary, directed by Ava DuVernay and released in 2016, calls attention to the American justice system and racial discrimination against black Americans. Arias was discouraged after someone “only came [to the event] for ice cream and then left,” but she was determined to find a new way to galvanize conversation about black history and its contribution to America. She explained, “ ... I still want to have these sorts of discussions, but I was trying to think about how to do it in an interesting and engaging way.” Although Stony Brook did something similar for Hispanic Heritage Month, Arias was then inspired by a popular reality show called “Dating in the Dark” in which the contestants of the show go on both literal and figurative blind dates, forc-

ing them to only base their judgments of each other on their personality. Arias realized that the fear of being judged is one reason students may shy away from programs focusing on social issues. Adopting the idea of speaking and listening to a partner without being able to see them, the program gave participants an opportunity to express themselves with less apprehension. By creating “Blindfolded Discussion,” the duo presented Stony Brook students with the opportunity to discuss the importance of black history and its impact on society. Built on oppression and discrimination against people of color, the United States would not be the country it is today if not for the innovation and tireless labor of black Americans. Though it can be difficult to talk about, it is important that we continue to have discussions like the ones encouraged by Arias and Saint Paul. Everyone deserves to be heard, regardless of where they come from or how they look. The introduction of “Blindfolded Discussion” is a great start to emphasizing this message to the SBU community; and it has already made a lasting impression on its participants by providing a safe space for them to express their anxieties, hopes and concerns about today’s society.

BASEBALL EYES SECOND STRAIGHT NCAA APPEARANCE BY: Ethan Tam The memories were wonder ful for Stony Brook Baseball: the walk-off homer against UMass Lowell in the America East Tournament; the swinging strike for the title win over Bing hamton on the Bearcats’ home tur f; the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and the return to Alex Box Stadium seven years after the Seawolves upended the LSU Tigers there to make college baseball histor y. Now it’s time for Stony Brook to put the past behind them and focus on the task in front of them. Picked to finish second in the America East by the preseason coaches’ poll — behind the Bing hamton Bearcats — the Seawolves’ sole focus i s making it two in a row. Then again, Stony Brook has been here before. Last year’s squad was also slated to place second, and that ended fr uitfully. “It was pretty awesome,” junior catcher John Tuccillo said about making the NCAA Tournament in an inter vie w with The Statesman. “I never had an experience like that before. Knowing the histor y between Stony Brook and LSU, a lot of fans whenever we went out would be talking to us, telling us, ‘It’s not going to happen again this year.’ It’s pretty cool and a life-changing experience.” A lot of firepower has been lost for Stony Brook, as three of the top f o u r b a t t e r s i n l a s t y e a r ’s lineup are no longer with t h e t e a m . Ju n i o r s i n f i e l d er Nick Grande and outfielder Michael Wilson passed on their last season of NCAA eligibilit y, b e i n g s e l e c t e d i n t h e 2019 MLB Draft, while senior infielder Brandon Alamo graduated. Wilson was drafted in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers and played a g a m e a t Tr i p l e - A a s a result of September callups, while Grande was taken in the 17th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, playing 44 games in Low-A Hillsboro before announcing his retirement at the age of 21.

“I feel confident in the g u y s t h a t w e h a v e ,” s e nior first baseman Chris H a m i l t o n s a i d . “ We d e f i nitely lost a lot from last y e a r, b u t I f e e l c o n f i d e n t about the guys that are c o m i n g i n .” Hamilton, the lone survivor from the top of the o r d e r, i s c o m i n g o f f a s e a son where he set career highs in batting average, home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage. The Seawolves also get back graduate outfielder Cristian Montes, who missed all of 2019 due to a rotator cuff i n j u r y. B o t h o f t h o s e p l a y ers are expected to be slotted in the middle of the order this season. “Some of the returners w i l l n e e d t o s t e p i t u p ,” head coach Matt Senk said in an interview with The St a t e s m a n . “ Jo h n n y D e c k e r, Jo h n Tu c c i l l o , B r a d Hipsley has been swingi n g t h e b a t w e l l . We’ l l r u n several people through there over the next couple of weeks and it’ll work i t s e l f o u t .”

and sophomore pitcher Nick DeGennaro. T h e r i g h t y — Tu r cotte — was primarily u s e d a s S t o n y B r o o k ’s c l o s e r l a s t y e a r, r e cording a team-high seven saves, but Senk plans to give him the c h a n c e t o s t a r t . “ I t ’s good to know that if we need Sam, we can use him in a lot of d i f f e r e n t r o l e s ,” S e n k s a i d . W i t h Tu r c o t t e in the rotation, senior pitcher Brandon Bonanno will step into the closing role. Another pitcher to keep an eye on is senior pitcher Brian Herrmann. Herrmann was limited to eight starts in 2019 having suffered a complete tear of his elbow ligament and is expected to make his r e t u r n f r o m Tomm y J o h n surgery in mid-March. “With the entire outfield, middle infield and three starters gone, i t ’s a l e g i t i m a t e c o n c e r n ,” S e n k s a i d . “ B u t i t ’s a g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e r e t u r n e r s . We feel like we brought in a

Infield

clude notable bigleaguers Paul Goldschmidt and Marcus Thames. Then, series with the Clemson Tigers of the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions round out the r o a d t r i p.

Of the 12 freshmen, most are planned to contribute this season. Catcher Shane Paradine can also play first base; infielders Stanton Leuthner and Brett Paulsen impressed with their athleticism in the fall; outfielders D e r e k Ya l o n a n d E l l i s Schwartz will be given opportunities right away due to positional needs. Pitchers Josh O’Neill, Brendan Disonell and Brandon Lashley are expected to take the mound.

“ I t ’s a m a t t e r o f g o i n g out and c o m p e t i n g ,” Senk said. “If they do that, I'm not that concerned about the wins and losses, especially going to the places we're going to early i n t h e y e a r. It r e a l l y i s more about going out there and competing for t h e g o o d o f t h e t e a m .” Stony Brook makes its return to Joe Nathan Field on Saturd a y, M a r. 7 f o r t h e i r home opener — a doubleheader against the CCSU Blue Devils. The hunt for a second straight America East championship is on all the Seawolves’ minds, and they believe they have what it takes to come out on top yet again.

The Seawolves open their season with nine straight games on the road, playing in warm-weather locations. Their seas o n b e g a n o n Fr i d a y, Feb. 14, the first game of a 3-game series against the Te x a s S t a t e B o b c a t s , whose alumni in-

Outfield Pitchers

(45) John Tuccillo

(24) Derek Yalon

(30) Jared Milch

(3) Chris Hamilton

(4) Cristian Montes

(44) Sam Turcotte

(27) Brad Hipsley

(8) Cole Durkan

(1) Nick DeGennaro

(14) Brett Paulsen

(2) Ellis Schwartz

(19) Brian Herrmann

(9) Johnny Decker

(15) Brandon Bonanno

(5) Shane Paradine (13) Stanton Leuthner

A healthy Montes is key for Stony Brook. The defense-first center fielder f r o m C a l i f o r n i a’s G l e n dale Community College played errorless ball in his 2018 junior season and is excited to contribute to the team after being sidelined for so long.

Positions change throughout the season

“ I j u s t c a n’t w a i t t o p l a y,” M o n t e s s a i d i n a n i n t e r v i e w w i t h T h e St a t e s m a n . “ I k n o w I ’m g o i n g t o do well … This game has a lot of mental [compon e n t s ] . Yo u’r e g o i n g t o f a i l seven out of 10 times, and those three times you do s u c c e e d , t h a t ’s w h a t m a k e s y o u a g o o d h i t t e r.” Changes will be coming on the pitching end too. Greg Marino and Bret Clarke, the two arms who made the most starts for the Seawolves l a s t y e a r, h a v e g r a d u a t e d . Senk threw out numerous names he expected to contribute to the rotation in 2020, including senior p i t c h e r Ja r e d M i l c h , s e n i o r p i t c h e r S a m Tu r c o t t e

really talented class of freshmen. It's a long season. Once we start playing, guys will step up and we'll be able to put together a solid lineup, a solid pitching s t a f f a n d b u l l p e n .”

Cold, rainy weather will eventually give way to smooth, dry, green grass fields with the crack of aluminum bats and the whistling of pitches headed to home plate. Softball season is coming. The Seawolves’ talented and experienced team is led by 2-time reigning America East Player of the Year, ace senior pitcher/first baseman Melissa Rahrich, who is one of six seniors who will see 2020 as their last season in Stony Brook. Those six players accounted for 229 hits out of Stony Brook’s 396 and 35 home runs out of 50 hit in the 2019 season. The pressure is on to win big with this group before Stony Brook loses a class that has provided so much of the Seawolves’ production throughout their careers, but they have the capability to do it. The seniors are not the only group that will make an impact either. Talented sophomore pitcher Shelbi Denman is coming off a season where she had a 2.38 ERA that ranked third in the America East, right behind Rahrich at 2.09. No other team in the America East last season had two pitchers with an ERA under 3.50. Joining her is transfer junior pitcher Dawn Bodrug and sophomore infielder Lindsey Osmer. Bodrug is a junior college transfer who posted a 2.25 ERA and 14-7 record in her last season at Indian River State College. Osmer contributed in her freshman season with 23 hits at the plate and had a .933 fielding percentage.

Going back to last season, Stony Brook had a 32-19 record, 11-7 in the America East and went to the America East Championship with the help of this season’s seniors and 2019 seniors Irene Rivera and Katelyn Corr. Stony Brook would lose 4-0 against UMBC and end their season just short of their goal, as they have in the last few years in the playoffs. This season, however, a trio of key players stand as Stony Brook’s best hope for a title: pitchers Rahrich, Denman and Bodrug. “This is one of the best staffs we’ve had here at my time in Stony Brook,” head coach Megan Bryant said in an interview with The Statesman. “We like not only their skill set but their versatility and their ability to work together as a unit.” Rahrich and Denman posting under 2.50 ERAs, alongside Bodrug emerging as a likely contributor in the third spot, makes this group dangerous for other teams in the America East. The Seawolves might finally have a championship-caliber pitching group after years of getting close. The most dangerous of them all, Rahrich, stands as Stony Brook’s best hope for a title on a team full of seniors — and her teammates can attest to that fact. “She’s just very fierce, very competitive,” senior outfielder Jourdin Hering said in an

interview with The Statesman. “When she steps in there, she’s not afraid to take control and she does it really well. It’s intimidating for other teams.” Rahrich was named to Softball America’s Top 100 college players for the second consecutive season but she still has some work to do as a Seawolf.

SOFTBALL SEEKS TO GET OVER THE MOUNTAINTOP IN AMERICA EAST

“There’s always weaknesses and spots to work on and I think that coach Higgs does a really good job of helping us with that and finding parts of the game to continue to work on,” Rahrich said. “There’s always going to be a spot that’s hard to hit, so just to continue working on that.” playing great together as a team,” Bryant said. The ace pitcher also understands what Stony Brook needs to be able Bodrug believes that the Seawolves to do in order to take the next step. have clicked very well in her time alA step the Seawolves have strug- ready here, an optimistic sign for the gled to take in the last few seasons upcoming season. If Stony Brook can with close playoff finishes. build on that momentum, they may well be headed to the America East title game “I think for us, it’s just relaxing all over again. when we’re in that moment and knowing that our prepara“Instantly after our first practice, it tion got us to where we were was such a really good vibe,” Bodrug and just relying on the fact said. “We all clicked really well and I that we know what we’re doing remember after our first fall game, I and not letting the pressure get was just in shock of how well we all to us,” Rahrich said. played together after just a few weeks of practicing.” The sentiment Rahrich shares may apply to close The Seawolves will have their first slate games and pressure situations of games in Madeira Beach, Florida with the Seawolves will often face, their first matchup against Colgate on but her coach offered a simpler Feb. 21. The game against Colgate will be approach for Stony Brook to one of five in the Madeira Beach Tournago all the way this season. ment that will stretch from Feb. 21 to 23. Stony Brook will not play a home game “We win it with great until Mar. 21 against Fairfield, nearly a pitching, great offensive ap- month into the season due to the cold proach, great defense and weather at home that is not present in

BY: Ross O'Keefe

Florida where they play most of their first few games. “Our non-conference season the first couple of weekends, there’s some tough competition but we like to see our team be challenged and it’s all about getting prepared for the America East schedule,” Bryant said of their non-conference schedule. The Seawolves will also have to face UMass Lowell and Albany, both who finished in front of Stony Brook in conference play, even though the Seawo l v e s h a d t h e b e s t o v e r a l l record last season. Currently, Stony Brook is slated to finish first in the America East with four out of seven first-place votes in the coach’s poll. In the end, Rahrich has a singular goal that she has shared with her teammates since she came to Stony Brook: to end her career in a fashion that will suitably define it — “with a ring.”

Infield

Outfield Pitchers

(21) Jordyn Nowakowski (9) Jourdin Hering

(13) Melissa Rahrich

(40) Riley Craig

(11) Alina Lance

(25) Shelbi Denman

(6) Taylor Juenke

(12) Danielle Petrovich

(18) Dawn Bodrug

(10) Nicole McCarvill (14) Lindsey Osmer

10 14

9 21

UNDERESTIMATED SEAWOLVES DETERMINED TO TAKE WHAT'S THEIRS BY: Ryan Magill Number 12. Every major preseason poll had the same ranking for the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team. Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20, Inside Lacrosse and the IWLCA polls all ranked the Seawolves in the same place: not the best, but right in the middle of the pack. Coming off a secondround exit in the NCAA Tournament after a 17-8 loss to the eventual national champions in Maryland, the Seawolves saw the graduation of key seniors such as midfielder Keri McCarthy, defenders Carlee Janelli and Mackenzie Burns and last season’s America East Goalie of the Year, Anna Tesoriero, among many others. Add in the fact that many freshman and sophomores would be looking for major roles from day one, one might assume that this year wouldn’t be a competitive year for the Seawolves, but a year of growth.

This assumption was quickly buried to the tune of a 17-16 victory over the No. 4 ranked Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 10, followed up by a 20-7 beatdown of the Ohio State Buckeyes later that week on Feb. 15. Despite their initial rankings, this Seawolves team is bringing veteran leadership, youthful hunger and talent to every single position and a commitment to nothing less than excellence to bring Stony Brook lacrosse back to the top. Bringing a team to the top is no small task, but it helps to have some of the best lacrosse players in the country. Senior midfielder Ally Kennedy, the Preseason All-American and Inside Lacrosse’s sixthbest lacrosse college player in either men’s or women’s lacrosse, and senior attacker Taryn Ohlmiller, the Preseason Honorable Mention, were both named to the Tewaaraton Award watchlist. 5

Midfield (1) Kira Accettella (2) Courtney Troyan (5) Rayna Sabella (30) Ally Kennedy (44) Nicole Rizzo (86) Charlotte Verhulst

Attack (9) Kayla Downey (14) Kailyn Hart (21) Taryn Olhmiller

Defense

(8) Sydney Gagnon (23) Haley Dillon

Goalkeeper (45) Kameron Halsall

“It’s kind of an unreal feeling seeing my name up there with some of the best players in all of lacrosse,” Kennedy said of her Inside Lacrosse ranking during an interview with The Statesman. “But I'm still hungry to be number one by the end of the season.” Head coach Joe Spallina had a different take on the rankings, putting it bluntly: “[w]e have the best player in college lacrosse.” Spallina was also quick to mention that Ohlmiller, who was recovering from an ACL injury prior to and during last season, is an All-American and was ready to go. Such high honors — like those Kennedy and Ohlmiller have received — tend to demand high expectations, and both seem up to task. Ohlmiller scored a career-high six goals in the win over Syracuse, while Kennedy scored the tie-breaking goal to seal the victory. They are first and second on the team’s points list (with Kennedy’s 12 and Ohlmiller’s 11), first and second in goals with eight and seven respectively and tied for the team lead in assists. Beyond the duo of Kennedy and Ohlmiller, many rookies have emerged as key starters for the Seawolves this season. Freshman highlight reel Kailyn Hart has emerged as one of the best offensive players on the team, currently sitting fourth on the team’s goal list with six goals including one SportsCenter Top 10 play against Syracuse and another Top 10 play against Ohio State. Some of the other freshman who have stepped up to the task include midfielders Charlotte Verhulst and Lexie Correia and attacker Erin MacQuarrie, who all scored their first career goals against Ohio State, as well as midfielder Kira Accettella and attacker Kayla Downey adding four and two assists so far. “I think that I came in with a great group of girls,” Hart said in an interview with The Statesman . “I just think that we are gonna bring a lot of competition to the game that people aren’t going to be expecting for this season since we are kind of a name that hasn’t been heard about in awhile. I think now we are gonna be heard about.” Not to be overshadowed by their younger teammates, the Seawolves have seen major contributions coming from all over the roster. Junior midfielder Sarah Pulis’ hot start to the season is highlighted by seven goals in two games, including a 4-piece

against Ohio State, nearly matching her season total of eight goals in 15 games last year. Junior attacker Jesse Arline has had a similar breakout, with her four goals in two games approaching her six goals in 10 games last year. As for the defense, senior defender Sydney Gagnon and junior defender Haley Dillon have both aided in stopping the explosive Orange and the Buckeyes, the latter of which was completely shut down at times as they were unable to get anything going due to the relentless defense. Finally, the buck (and every shot) stops with the goalie: redshirt-sophomore transfer Kameron Halsall. The former Rutgers goalie has shown up in all phases of the game, stopping 10 shots against Syracuse then helping execute 17 perfect clears later that week against the Buckeyes. Spallina and the team seem to be on the same page: confident that the Seawolves can accomplish anything. “He’s a great coach, a great leader, a great mentor,” Kennedy said after the win against Ohio State, with Pulis and Hart nodding in agreement alongside her. “He’s always gonna push us in the right direction and he knows how to coach each individual to their full potential. He’s gonna be our best friend and at times we might butt heads but he always has our best interests at heart. I would go to war with him any day.” If it's a war they want, it's a war they'll get. Having already played a national title hopeful in the Orange and a Big Ten opponent in the Buckeyes, the Seawolves’ season is littered with the top teams in the nation. On Feb. 29, they will take on the Florida Gators, who bested the same Maryland team that bested the Seawolves in the playoffs. Beyond that, Princeton, USC, Hofstra, Colorado and Johns Hopkins are all teams in the Top 25 or are receiving votes. Their conference play in the America East will close out the year, completing a schedule that will be challenging to go through. But

the team’s response is simple: to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. “It is super awesome that these teams are willing to play us,” Ohlmiller said. “We want to put as much time and effort into our schedule as we can so that when we do get to that [national] championship weekend after taking it one game at a time, that we will be prepared for it.” “This is what we do every year,” Spallina said of his tough schedule as he looked on at practice. “This isn’t something new. And this is why our kids come here. This is why we get some of the top kids in the country that wanna play lacrosse here. If you wanna be the best team, and our goal is to win a national championship, you gotta go play the best teams.” Or, as Halsall put it, “We have a goal to take every single team down — one at a time. We just wanna keep lining them up and knocking them down.” But despite the challenge required to reach their ultimate goal, Spallina believes that the team’s ability to grow is the key to success, rather than the weakness. “The nice thing about having a young team is our ceiling,” he said after the win against Ohio State. “Most of these veteran teams are as good as they’re gonna be now. We have such an ability to grow as a team with so many impactful younger players [sic]. And to have two dominant seniors in Taryn and Ally are really good. One of the things for me is that with Ally scoring four goals and Taryn getting three points; For us to get the point production from other places is everything.” Armed with a team ready and able to succeed against the top competition women’s lacrosse has to offer, it’s hard to underestimate these Se a w o l v e s n ow.

Championship effort, toughness and family. That’s been the revolving message around the culture that Stony Brook has been building under head coach Anthony Gilardi in his first season leading the men’s lacrosse program. “I think the biggest thing is building relationships with the players,” Gilardi said in an interview with The Statesman . “I think that’s the most important thing that you can do as a coach. I think for us it’s coming in there and trying to get as many conversations one on one with the guys, group settings, just kind of get to know who they really are, right. And they as players want to know who we really are as coaches, not just the Xs and Os stuff, but what we’re all about.” In particular, Gilardi said that it’s been enjoyable getting to spend the time learning about players that he didn’t get to recruit while he was part of the coaching staff at Towson for the past eight seasons. The first-time head coach has prioritized establishing the culture around his program from the onset of his hiring, letting the game plan on offense and defense develop over time. Part of the reason that he’s been comfortable with this approach is that the players have eagerly responded. The team boasts a roster full of seniors that have gotten close but not quite to the top in the America East playoffs, and the hunger they’ve expressed in getting another shot is evident. “Last year was a learning experience,” senior goalkeeper Michael Bollinger said. “I found out that

the season’s very long, and conference play is important. I think we did really, really good in the conference and I thought we battled adversity a lot. I think guys have it in the back of their minds that’s what they’re thinking about for this season.” Bollinger’s counterpart on the offensive side of the field, senior attacker Tom Haun, echoed his teammate’s statement. “I think it just made our whole team that much hungrier,” Haun said. “We’ve never done it [winning the America East], but we made it [the goal] every year since my freshman year. We got a lot of seniors, and we want it more than anything.” The seniors are the foundation that Gilardi’s team is working around, and they are expected to be significant playmakers this season. Gilardi described senior attacker Cory VanGinhoven as the team’s “Swiss Army knife” and has been able to team up with Haun to create opportunities. Redshirt-junior midfielder Wayne White is returning from an injury-shortened season and figures to play a key role in creating possessions for the Seawolves. There’s been a surprising amount of success from the underclassmen inserting themselves into the game plan already, however. “Some of our sophomores, [midfielder] Caleb Pearson, [attacker] Matt Anderson, those guys are really starting to step up as well,” Gilardi said. “Our freshman poles have been great, [LSM] Mike Sabella started at close defense, [defender] Christian Lowd

and [LSM] Liam Ronan are two of our top three poles, so I think that’s fun to see those guys step up too.” The process for Stony Brook to get to this point has been a long one, beginning in the summer when Gilardi first signed on. Part of the changes that the coach has brought in revolve around how the team practices, and it’s gotten positive results so far. “I think just understanding that it’s a process from the first day we’re together in the fall to — hopefully — the America East championship game and it all builds together and works together,” Gilardi said. “I think you got to understand that plan to make sure we’re physically and mentally ready to go when it comes down to that. And I think that’s been a huge part of our focus is making sure every day we’re taking positive steps forward. We’ve been going for a couple months now, five, six months, whatever it’s been and we’ve probably not even [had] a handful of bad practices.” “As far as we’ve come, those guys have bought into getting better every day,” Gilardi continued. “Giving us everything they have for the two hours we’re together on the field, took some film study I’m sure on the road. All those things have been how you get over the hump, you know, there’s no magic pill. It’s every day understanding what it takes and doing it, and then when it comes down to the moment you’re prepared because you never rise up to the occasion. You always fall down to your training, if we can trust our training we’ll be in a good position.”

The development that the team has made in its day-to-day work has been a boost both in its productivity and the team’s morale, in the opinion of Bollinger. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement, every single day,” Bollinger said. “We have championship practices, championship effort for every practice we do. And I like that they’re short practices, so guys are really flying around and trying to get the best reps they can every single day.”

A NEW CULTURE PAVES THE WAY FOR MEN'S LACROSSE BY: Ryan Pavich

Another area of improvement has been the team’s conditioning, which has been run by Katie Newell, the assistant director of athletic performance. Ne wel l t o o k re s p o n s i b i l i ty f o r g e t t i n g t h e p l a ye r s to l i ft we i g h t s t h re e ti m e s a we e k ove r t h e fa l l an d ha s b e e n “t h e ro c k” f o r the p ro g ra m i n Gi l a rd i’s vi e w. T h e e ffo r t p a i d o f f i n t h e t e a m’s o p e n i n g m atc h o n Tu e s da y, Fe b. 1 1 ag a i n s t St . Jo h n’s , w he re t h e Se a w o l ve s o u tl as te d t h e i r o p p o n e n t s i n ove r t i me . Stony Brook sits at 1-1 in the early go-

Midfield

(12) Wayne White

(53) Caleb Pearson (91) Patrick Kaschalk 20

Attack

(22) Tom Haun (40) Cory Van Ginhoven (51) Matt Anderson

Defense

(20) CJ Trenkle (42) Michael Sabella (99) Danny Cassidy

Goalkeeper

(47) Michael Bollinger

51 40

i n g t h i s y e a r, p i c k i n g up the win in their season opener but f a l l i n g o n S a t u r d a y, Feb. 1 5 a g a i n s t Fa i r field. The Seawolves have a homestand and a 3-game road trip ahead of them before beginning America E a s t p l a y, w h e r e t h e y were predicted to fini s h f o u r t h t h i s y e a r. I t ’s s a f e t o s a y, b a s e d on the goals that t h e y’v e s e t , t h a t St o n y B r o o k d o e s n’t p l a n o n settling there.

Halfway through last season, Kameron Halsall realized that she wanted more. She wanted to compete for a larger goal, and she wanted to find a team that could help her achieve that goal. Despite being a starter for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Halsall knew who she was and what she was capable of doing. The redshirt sophomore hailing from Caledon, Ontario felt something was missing during her time in Camden, Ne w Je r s e y. T h i s d r i v e f o r m o r e led her to enter the transfer portal and search for more options. That was when she found Stony Brook. “A f t e r t h e s e a s o n , I c a m e a c r o s s Stony Brook. After meeting with Coach [Joe] Spallina, right away I could tell that he was going to do whatever it takes to win. Obv i o u s l y, t h a t ’s s o m e t h i n g t h a t r e a l l y h i t m e b e c a u s e I ’m t h e s a m e w a y. I ’m v e r y c o m p e t i t i v e .” As for where this intensity and desire for competition comes from, Halsall says it comes from home. “I felt like the way that coach is, is a lot like the way my mom is,” Halsall said. “So all of the times that he says things to me, it reminds me of my mom and how I was brought up.” Halsall will need this intensity to keep up the tradition between the sticks for the Seawolves. Just last season, former 4-year starter A n n a Te s o r i e r o w a s n a m e d t o h e r fourth All-Conference and took home the America East Goalie o f t h e Ye a r a w a r d f o r t h e f o u r t h straight time. Of the 1,469 shots s h e f a c e d i n f o u r y e a r s , Te s o r i e r o saved 522 of them for a save percentage of 48.% in her career. These numbers should not phase Halsall, as she collected 117 saves with a 41.8% save rate during her time at Rutgers. Besides, she remains focused on her game. “ H o n e s t l y, I d o n’t r e a l l y l o o k a t anything like that,” Halsall said. “I just kinda focus on myself and

hold my own kind of standards and goals. I put a lot of pressure on myself. But I’m not really the type of person that looks at anyone else.” As for adjusting to the new team, Halsall says it has not been without bumps comparing it to “being like a freshman” as she adjusted. But the team, she says, has been quick to accept her ability as a Seawolf and respect her and what she brings to the team. That respect has, as of late, p a i d o f f i n a b i g w a y. H a l sall saved 10 shots against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 10, including stopping senior attacker Emily H a w r y s c h u k , In s i d e L a c r o s s e’s third-best college lacrosse playe r f o r e i t h e r m e n’s o r w o m e n’s lacrosse. Hawryschuk, ninth in the nation in goals with 75 last season, was held to only six goals for the whole game. This allowed the Seawolves to come away with the win. H a l s a l l ’s n e w t e a m m a t e , s e nior midfielder Ally Kenned y, w a s q u i c k t o p r a i s e h e r n e w t e a m m a t e’s p e r f o r m a n c e a g a i n s t the Orange; “She stepped in a n d m a d e h u g e s a v e s . S h e’s b e e n great,” coach Spalina added t h a t “s h e’s g o t b i g g a m e e x p e r i ence and has played against the best teams, and she came here to win games like she did the o t h e r d a y.” Halsall, who had a relatively quiet game against Ohio State as she watched her teammates drop 20 goals on them, was most active in the clearing game as she went helped execute a perfect 17-17 clears. But for her, it is a l l a b o u t w h a t’s n e x t . “I’m a next-play goalie,” Halsall said. “I just see every shot I take as just ‘next s h o t , n e x t s h o t .’ It’s m o s t l y just that I know another one is coming and I have to be ready for it.”

Kameron Halsall 2019 Statistics

SV %

.418

117

376

GAA

163

13.80

She has got the

NEW TEAM, SAME DRIVE FOR HALSALL BY: Ryan Magill

skills to make it happen, a team with the same drive to win that she has had since childhood, and Kameron Hals a l l i s re a d y f o r w h a t’s n e x t .

CHRIS HAMILTON DETERMINED TO END STONY BROOK CAREER ON TOP BY: Ethan Tam It was a 1-1 count with one out in the bottom of the ninth and a man on first on May 23, 2019, when senior first baseman Chris Hamilton, then a junior, saw a pitch he liked and clobbered it well beyond the fence in right field. “ H o n e s t l y, I w a s j u s t trying to get the job done and help our team w i n a s m u c h a s I c a n ,” Hamilton said in an inter view with The Statesman. “It happened to be a good pitch that I could hit and it worked out for us. The walk-off home r un gave the Stony Brook baseball team the 7-6 win against UMass Lowell in its opening game of the America E a s t To u r n a m e n t , h a v ing clawed all the way back from a 4-run hole in the eighth inning. Tw o g a m e s l a t e r, H a m ilton ripped a tie-breaking 2-run double against Binghamton in the championship as the Seawolves won 7-5 and celebrated another America East title.

He was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, having driven in the game-winning run twice. Hamilton’s heroics led the Seawolves to their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, and he went a perfect 4-for-4 against Louisiana State (LSU) in the Baton Rouge Regional in a 17-3 defeat. “ It w a s r e a l l y c o o l when we found out on the selection show that we were going to LSU, with the previous team in 2012 going there when t h e y w e n t t o t h e Wo r l d S e r i e s ,” H a m i l t o n s a i d . “Coach [Matt Senk] prep a r e d u s . We d i d n’t h a v e the outcome that we wanted, but it was definitely a cool experience t o p l a y a t L S U .” Last year, Hamilton was part of a lethal top of the lineup for Stony Brook. Lea d i n g o f f w a s s h o r t stop Nick Grande, the eventual 2019 America East Player of the Ye a r w h o w a s l i s t e d a s t h e 1 5 t h b e s t at

hi s p o s i ti o n by D 1 Bas e b al l . Batti n g thi rd w as c e n te r f i e l d e r Mi c hae l Wi l s o n , w ho s l u gge d . 6 1 1 an d l e d the te am i n ho m e r u n s . Ri ght f i e l d e r Br an d o n Al am o , the tr an s f e r f ro m Cy p re s s C o m m u n i ty C o l l e ge w ho hi t . 3 3 5 i n hi s f i n al s e as o n , to o k c l e an u p d u ty. Hamilton is the only one from that gang of four to return in 2020, but he was unsure of his future as the 2019 M L B Dr a f t w a s t a k i n g p l a c e . Hi s c o n sistent production in the 2-hole did not go unnoticed by MLB scouts, who floated his name around as a potential pick aft e r Wi l s o n a n d Gr a n d e w e r e t a k e n i n t h e 16th an d 1 7 th ro u n d s , re s p e c ti ve l y. Ul ti m ate l y, he w as n o t s e l e c te d . “I g o t a c al l o n the l as t d ay o f the d r af t e ar l y i n the m o r n i n g an d the n d i d n’t e n d u p g e tti n g a c al l b ac k,” Ham i l to n s ai d . “So i t w as a l i ttl e u p s e t ti n g , b u t I’m hap p y f o r Mi ke an d Ni c k. T ho s e are m y b e s t f r i e n d s . I’m hap p y w he re the y are n ow an d I’m hap p y to b e b ac k. I’m hap p y to he l p thi s te am thi s ye ar an d I’m re ad y to g e t af te r i t.” T he 6 - f o o t- 2 l e f ty f ro m Ro tte rd am , Ne w Yo rk b ro ke o u t i n 2 0 1 9 . As a f re s hm an , he b atte d . 2 3 3 an d hi t o n e ho m e r u n i n 6 0 at- b ats . So p ho m o re ye ar s howe d s l i g ht i m p rove m e n ts , w i th a . 2 6 3 ave r ag e an d s i x ho m e r s w hi l e s tar ti n g i n 5 4 g am e s . Howe ve r, i t w as as a ju n i o r w he n Ham i lto n b e g an to b l o o m i n to f u l l f o r m , s e tti n g c are e r hi g hs i n b atti n g ave r -

ag e ( . 3 2 5 ) , o n - b a s e p e rc e n tag e (.395), h o me r u n s ( 8 ) , R B Is ( 4 2 ) a n d OPS (.930). “ T he c o a c h e s h e l p e d me o u t i n t r y i n g t o fi x my a p p ro ac h,” Ha mi l t o n s a i d. “ Tr y i n g n o t t o s t ri k e o u t as m u c h , t r y i n g t o p u t t h e b al l i n p l a y a n d h i t t h e b al l hard.” Ham il t o n re c e i ve d h i g h p r ai s e i n Ja n u a r y w h e n D 1 Bas eb a l l l i s t e d h i m as the 1 2 2 n d- b e s t h i t te r i n Di v i s i o n I . T h e publication stated that p l ate d i s c i p l i n e w a s h i s b e s t too l , w i t h Ha mi l t o n g r ad i n g o u t a t 8 1 . 1 o u t o f 1 0 0 overa l l . “C hr is w a s a h u g e p a r t o f o u r s u c c e s s l a s t ye a r,” Se n k s a i d i n a n i n t e r v i e w w i th T h e St a t e s ma n . “ If C hr i s c a n do w h a t h e di d l as t yea r a n d h o p e fu l l y m o re , h e’s g o i n g t o b e a b i g p ar t o f t h i s u p c o mi n g s e as o n . He’s a rg u a b l y n o t o n l y o n e o f t h e b e s t h i t t e rs i n the c o n fe re n c e , b u t i n o u r re g i o n .” Se n k p l a n s t o move Ham i l t o n t o t h e mi dd l e o f t h e o rde r a ft e r a p ro d u c t i ve s e a s o n b a t ti n g s e c o n d, b u t h e i s re ady t o de l i ve r reg ard l e s s o f h i s p l a c e i n the l i n eu p. “An y wh e re Coach p u ts me , I ’m j u s t t r y i n g to p ro du c e a s mu c h as I c a n ,” Ha mi l t o n s ai d . “ I t h i n k o u r l i n e u p i s g o i n g t o b e de e p thi s yea r, s o a n y w h e re the y p u t me , I j u s t h o p e to c o n t ri b u t e .” T he fi rs t b a s e ma n’s m e n tal a p p ro a c h is p r ai s e d by h i s t e a mma t e s . “He’s a s ma r t h i t t e r,” g r ad u at e o u t fi e l de r C h ri sti an Mo n t e s s a i d i n a n i nte r vi e w w i t h T h e St a t e s -

ma n . “ He l e a rn s fro m h i s mi s t a k e s . He do e s n’t fe e d o n h i s fa i l u re s , a n d h e’s j u s t a n ove ra l l p ro fe s s i o n a l h i t t e r.” Du ri n g t h e o ff- s e a s o n , Ha mi l t o n s o u g h t t o fu r t h e r i mp rove h i s g a me , s p e c i fi c a l l y p owe r a n d s p e e d, by g a i n i n g n e a rl y 1 5 p o u n ds a n d l owe ri n g h i s 6 0 - y a rd da s h t i me . “ St e a l i n g s o me b a s e s i s p ro b a b l y my b i g g e s t t h i n g fo r t h e ye a r,” h e s a i d. “ My a b i l i t y t o h i t t h e b a l l t o a l l fi e l ds a n d t o t h e b i g p a r t o f t h e p a rk [ i s my b i g g e s t s t re n g t h ] .” L a s t s e a s o n , 2 5 o f Ha m i l t o n’s 6 5 h i t s we n t fo r e x t ra b a s e s . Hi s s t ri k eo u t ra t e , w h i c h s t o o d a t 2 2 . 7 % a s a fre s h ma n , h a d b e e n l owe re d t o 1 4 . 8 % a s a j u n i o r. A l re a dy a s t ro n g de fe n de r, h e ow n s a c a re e r fi e l di n g p e rc e n t a g e o f . 9 9 5 a n d di d n o t c o mmi t a s i n g l e e rro r until 2019. In his senior year, Hamilton has one goal in mind: win another ring. Last y e a r ’s championship team provided no shortage of career moments, and he wants to do the s a me again to end his collegiate career on top. Those around Hamilton know he has what it takes to do so. “ H e ’s a g r e a t t e a m mate and his approach just takes baseball to a different leve l ,” junior catcher John Tu c c i l l o said in an interview with The Statesman. “His mental game of baseball is really strong, so he d o e s n’t let his failures bring him down.”

Spring Sports Schedule

March 14 vs Hartford March 21 at UMBC March 28 at Binghamton April 4 at Princeton

April 11 vs UMass Lowell April April 18 18 vs vs Vermont Vermont April 25 25 at at Albany Albany April

Feb. 21-23 at Clemson Feb. 28 March 1 at Southeastern Louisiana

Feb. 28-March 1 Jacksonville U/North Florida Challenge

March 15 at USC March 20 vs MBC

Feb. 21-23 at Clemson

March 6-8 Towson DeMarini Tiger Clash

March 7-8 vs CCSU

March 24 vs Hofstra

March 10 vs Iona

March 13-15 Seattle U Invitational

March 27 vs Stanford

March 11 vs Merrimack March 14-15 at March 28 at UMass Hartford Lowell March 31 at Hartford April 4 vs Vermont

March 17 vs NJIT March 21-22 vs Albany

April 10 at Albany

March 24 vs LIU

April 12 vs Colorado

March 27 at St. John's

April 18 at Binghamton April 20 at Johns Hopkins

March 17 at Delaware State March 18 at Delaware March 21-22 Stony Brook Invitational March 24 at Manhattan March 28-29 vs Albany April 1 at LIU April 4-5 at UMBC April 7 vs St. John's April 8 vs Hofstra

March 28 at Manhattan

April 10 vs Hartford

March 29 at St. John's

April 15 at Seton Hall

April 1 at UConn April 4-5 vs Maine Design by Chris Parkinson, Emma Harris, Rabia Gursoy and Sara Ruberg Photos by Samantha Robinson, Ethan Tam, Rabia Gursoy, Alexa Anderwkavich and Sara Ruberg

Feb. 21-23 Madeira Beach InvitationalÂ

SOFTBALL

Feb. 29 vs Florida March 5 vs Towson March 8 vs Princeton

BASEBALL

WOMEN'S LACROSSE

MEN'S LACROSSE

Feb. 22 vs Brown Feb. 25 vs Hofstra Feb. 29 at Rutgers March 3 vs Sacred Heart March 7 at Bryant

April 7 at CCSU April 10-11 at UMBC April 15 vs Manhattan

April 14 vs Iona April 18-19 at Binghamton April 22 at Hofstra April 25-26 vs Maine April 28 at Fordham May 1-2 at UMass Lowell

OPINIONS

Onion Bagel: The window art at SBU By Sam Lauria

The only problem here is that this reminder is up … 24 hours a day. Even when the mailroom is open … Great job guys.

Assistant Opinions Editor

Editor-in-Chief..................Gary Ghayrat Managing Editor..............Karina Gerry Managing Editor..........Chris Parkinson News Editor..............................................................Brianne Ledda Arts & Culture Editor..............................................Melissa Azofeifa Multimedia Editor........................................................Sara Ruberg Opinions Editor...........................................................Cindy Mizaku Sports Editor.................................................................Ryan Pavich Copy Chief..........................................................Alexa Anderwkavich Assistant News Editor..................................................Maya Brown Assistant News Editor....................................................Alek Lewis Assistant News Editor......................................Samantha Robinson Assistant Arts & Culture Editor..........................Alexander Bakirdan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor.................................Lajiere Blake Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Rabia Gursoy Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Emma Harris Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Fanni Frankl Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Sam Lauria Assistant Sports Editor................................................Ross O’Keefe Assistant Sports Editor..................................................Ethan Tam Assistant Copy Editor..............................................Donovan Alexis Assistant Copy Editor.....................................................Karla Rios Business Manager ............................................. Kaylee McAllister Marketing Manager .............................................. Chris Parkinson Accounting Intern ....................................................... Francis Saw Marketing Intern ....................................................... Austin Leong Marketing Intern ................................................... Borshakh Shithil

Contact us: Phone: 631-632-6480 Fax: 631-632-9128 Web: www.sbstatesman.com To contact the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editors about organizational comments, questions, suggestions, corrections or photo permission, email editors@sbstatesman.com. To reach a specific section editor: News Editor.....................................news@sbstatesman.com Arts & Entertainment Editor.............arts@sbstatesman.com Multimedia Editor..................multimedia@sbstatesman.com Opinions Editor..........................opinions@sbstatesman.com Sports Editor..................................sports@sbstatesman.com Copy Chief.......................................copy@sbstatesman.com Business Office...........................advertise@sbstatesman.com The Statesman is a student-run, student-written incorporated publication at Stony Brook University in New York. The paper was founded as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the original site of Stony Brook University. In 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its editorial board, writers and multimedia staff are all student volunteers. New stories are published online every day Monday through Thursday. A print issue is published every Monday during the academic year and is distributed to many on-campus locations, the Stony Brook University Hospital and over 70 off-campus locations. The Statesman and its editors have won several awards for student journalism and several past editors have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the field of journalism. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @sbstatesman. Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or in the Letters and Opinions section are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Statesman. The Statesman promptly corrects all errors of substance published in the paper. If you have a question or comment about the accuracy or fairness of an article please send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com. Support our journalism at sbstatesman.com/donate.

Sam Lauria is a freshman journalism major. All photos were taken by Roya Mehrbakhsh in December 2019. The Onion Bagel is a satirical column for The Statesman. Stony Brook University (SBU) is a college that prides itself on the diversity of its student body. With this large emphasis on diversity, students have the ability to use their various backgrounds to freely express themselves in order to become the best possible versions of themselves. While some people may get cool tattoos and others take pride in their unique sense of fashion, other students have taken this golden opportunity to a whole new level — dorm room window art. But who would have thought SBU students would take a liking to making window art? Yes, students decorate their dorm room windows using post-it notes and cardboard cutouts. These colorful creations allow students to express their innermost thoughts and desires. These god-forsaken art embodies the ultimate trait of college kids: relentless nihilism. College is typically described as a bunch of kids, trying to learn, struggling to get their degrees, not having money all while figuring out how to function on their own. This learning process comes with some odd antics such as someone eating their first meal of the day in a dining hall at 10:00 p.m. in their pajamas. Us college students can also be seen consuming inhuman amounts of caffeine to cancel out the lack of sleep we get because of the immense amount of work we constantly leave until the last possible minute. Basically, college is filled with a bunch of people who don’t care what they have to do to themselves in order to ensure their future success. As the last glimmers of childhood are sucked away, window art serves to show the public that we’re doing okay! That being said, let’s look at what Stony Brook students want to show the world. Whitman, I thought this was a dead meme. I’m disappointed

in you. (Just kidding. I actually love it.)

Zoo wee mama! Irving gave Rowley the "Cheese touch!" Here, in front of Hendrix, we have a beautiful piece of art that captures my essence when my alarm clock wakes me up. Every. Single. Day.

In this Chavez dorm room, we have some college students using new, innovative methods in order to get a valentine this year. Keep at it dudes! You'll find someone eventually!

The people who are living here, in Yang, are memorializing the Black Mamba himself. On a more serious note, it was a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to Vanessa and the rest of the Bryant family.

Umm … Okay? Good to know Yang residents.

These helpful residents of Gershwin are here to remind you when the mailroom is closed!

Cardozo has some nice advertisements. Thanks for letting me know buddy. ;)

Heh heh! Gottem! Good job Whitman!

Finally, here is the most beautiful creation in the entire universe. This transcendent masterpiece rules over all of the inferior window art. You can see him looming over Eastside Dining, in Chavez Hall, looking down upon his subordinates. Here he is, the infinite being himself: Stanley. After taking photos of your bedroom windows — and hoping that no one saw, because that would just be creepy — I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart … you guys are WEIRD! Jokes aside, it is nice to see students get creative and express themselves in so many different ways. Window artists: you are the backbone of Stony Brook. You make walking around campus bearable with your witty and random humor. Before I end this, I have one more thing to say — I better see a cardboard cutout of Shrek decorating one of your windows in the near future!

Corrections News An article in the last issue (Volume LXIII, Issue 18) of the paper, titled “Presidential search update,” stated that “after reference and background checks are run on the top five candidates, oncampus interviews will then be conducted, in which the candidates would be released to the public.” However, this is a representational presidential search, in which the SUNY guidelines state that the names of the candidates are not publicized. Another article titled “SBU professor's book tackles prison labor” misstated that “11,000 prisoners engaged in a system-wide strike for 129 days while the trial proceeded.” It should have said around 1,500 prisoners engaged in the strike that actually lasted approximately two weeks, while the trial proceeded for nearly two years. Arts & Culture An article in the last issue of the paper, titled “Spike Lee delivers authentic lecture at Black History Month opening,” misstated that the meaning of the term “sankofa” was owning your own narrative. The article has been updated to show the correct definition of the term, “Sankofa” which translates to “it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.” Readers can send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com regarding any errors made in articles.

SPORTS

Hilaire's three sends Women’s Basketball to 24-1 by besting Binghamton By Ross O'Keefe

Assistant Sports Editor

A clutch shot, a steal and another win. These are the things graduate guard Kaela Hilaire supplied Stony Brook (24-1, 12-0) with in its 58-54 victory on Wednesday, Feb. 12 against Binghamton (16-8, 5-6) at Island Federal Arena. The evening started off less exciting than it finished, with both teams jostling for points in the first half and struggling. Both teams shot under 32% from the field and the Seawolves managed to go 0-of-8 from three for the first half. Graduate forward Cheyenne Clark’s eight rebounds in the first half helped the Seawolves’ cause immensely in the paint, despite their long-range difficulties. Stony Brook outrebounded Binghamton 24-13 in the first half and outscored them in the paint 16-8. This would make up for the shooting deficiency and give them a fighting chance. Stony Brook would stumble into the break with one thing on their minds: stopping Binghamton senior guard Kai Moon. Moon scored 10 of the Bearcats’ 23 points in the first half and started the game off with an acrobatic layup that had her swerving through the lane effortlessly. “We try to limit her touches and try to make every shot tough

and contested as every team does in our league,” head coach Caroline McCombs said about Moon in a postgame interview with The

“We come out in the third quarter strong and that’s something we have been consistent with all season,” McCombs said.

to bring the game back into contention and in single digits. With the help of more 3-pointers by Binghamton, the Bearcats would

ETHAN TAM / THE STATESMAN

Graduate guard Kaela Hilaire dribbling the ball across the basketball court. The victory against Binghamton on Feb. 12 was the team’s 21st in a row. Statesman. “As she’s a very good player, she’s hard to stop.” Coming out of the break, the Seawolves got to work immediately. The team went on a 12-3 run that finally showed their offensive proficiency.

“Just getting a couple of minutes to sit down and recoup. [We] try to throw that first punch.” It was a wallop to start the third quarter as the Seawolves would stretch their lead to as much as 13 until Moon scored five points

jump on top 51-49. Junior forward India Pagan would draw the game to a 51-51 tied score late in the fourth quarter. After three scoreless minutes, Hilaire sealed the game by hitting a corner three that the

Bearcats would never be able to recover from. "India [Pagan] made a great pass,” Hilaire said. “She was getting doubled the whole game. I expected her to make another good pass in crunch time. I just happened to make the shot." Hilaire would add the cherry on top with a steal shortly after. Moon missed a jumper but Clark couldn’t cleanly come up with the rebound, giving Binghamton another opportunity. It was a chance they never got as Hilaire wrangled the ball away from the Bearcats and took it to the frontcourt, where she was fouled. “[I’m] just really proud of our team’s resilience,” McCombs said. “I thought this was a game of runs, whether it was us offensively or Binghamton offensively. But I thought we were really tough and gritty down the stretch to come out with the win.” The Seawolves equaled the program record for most wins in a season with 24, seeing only two other teams in program history matching that number. Wednesday’s victory was the team’s 21st in a row. Stony Brook begins a 3-game road trip against the Vermont Catamounts on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at Patrick Gymnasium. The Seawolves have an all-time record of 21-20 against the Catamounts and won 67-49 in their last matchup on Jan. 8.

Seawolves grind out 75-70 revenge win Men’s Lacrosse falls to 1-1 By Ethan Tam

Assistant Sports Editor

Junior guard Elijah Olaniyi, the leading scorer on the Stony Brook men’s basketball team, remained sidelined with what head coach Geno Ford described as a “high ankle sprain” he suffered in a Saturday, Feb. 9 loss at New Hampshire. The Seawolves needed people to step up in his absence. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, Stony Brook (17-9, 8-3) squeaked out a 7570 triumph on the road over the Binghamton Bearcats (8-16, 2-9) behind career nights from both redshirt-junior forward Andrew Garcia and freshman guard Tyler Stephenson-Moore. “I think we played about as well as we've played in a month,” Ford said in a press release. “And it took it. I thought Binghamton played really well ... If we can keep that intensity, we'll be fine. We were missing Elijah, who is a terrific player, but a lot of guys stepped up for us to help us come away with a tough win.” Stony Brook had a 7-point lead, 69-62, with over five minutes remaining. A minute later, the advantage was down to a single possession. Binghamton sophomore guard Sam Sessoms drew a foul and hit both free throws while senior forward Pierre Sarr, who torched the Seawolves for 19 points and 14 rebounds when the two teams met on Long Island, took a dime from Sessoms and finished with a layup.

As the game approached two and a half minutes left, Bearcats freshman guard Brenton Mills got Binghamton the closest it would get in the second half. His transition jumper put the Bearcats within two, 70-68, needing a stop to potentially tie up the contest. That opportunity never came, as sophomore guard Miles Latimer sunk a corner three — his first and only bucket of the game — to give the Seawolves some much-needed wiggle room.

“We were missing Elijah, who is a terrific player, but a lot of guys stepped up for us.” -Geno Ford

Head Coach, Men's Basketball

The Bearcats would get one back with 58 seconds remaining as senior guard Richard Caldwell, Jr. was fouled off an offensive rebound. His free throws brought Binghamton back to one possession down just 73-70. They were given one final shot after Garcia was called for a travel under the basket. Mills fired a three from the left wing that rolled out of the hoop. Junior forward Mouhamadou Gu-

eye came down with the rebound and was instantly fouled, sealing the game at the line. The win didn’t come easy for the Seawolves, who squandered a 10-point first-half lead by allowing the Bearcats to score 11 straight. Stony Brook built their large advantage off the shooting of Stephenson-Moore, who had a stretch where he scored eight of the last nine Seawolves points. The freshman started his night with a highlight reel second-chance dunk while being fouled. Stony Brook got back on top but led by just three at halftime. After the break, hot 3-point shooting created distance for the Seawolves before the Bearcats eventually shrunk the gap. Garcia scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, muscling his way through the paint for layups and drawing contact from defenders. He tied his career high from Dec. 29, 2018 against Northern Iowa. Stephenson-Moore continued to impress as his minutes have increased. Playing a career-high 36 minutes, he scored 19 points for the second consecutive game. In his four career starts, the freshman from Port Washington is averaging 13.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. The Seawolves have eight days to prepare for a nationally-televised showdown with the Vermont Catamounts (20-6, 10-1), who have not lost since falling to Stony Brook on their home court on Jan. 8. The game at Island Federal Arena on Thursday, Feb. 20 will be broadcasted on ESPNU.

By Dylan Ramsay Contributing Writer

Despite a strong start for the Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team, the Fairfield Stags narrowly defeated the Seawolves 18-16 to give Stony Brook its first loss of the season. “Lacrosse is a game of runs,” head coach Anthony Gilardi said in a press release. “That's what makes it exciting. When you're on a run, you've got to take as much as you can get when you can get it. And then, when the other team is going on a run, you've got to stop it. You've got to stop it with being disciplined in the face-off X, being disciplined on offense, being disciplined on defense. And then you go on another run.” Sophomore midfielder Caleb Pearson started the scoring 59 seconds in to give Stony Brook the 1-0 lead. A barrage of shots from junior midfielder Patrick Kaschalk, sophomore midfielder Matt Anderson and redshirt-junior midfielder Wayne White brought the Seawolves to a 4-0 advantage. Pearson finished the run with a top-shelf snipe past Fairfield sophomore goalkeeper James Corasaniti, giving them a 5-0 lead with 5:55 left in the first quarter. Fairfield was not content on letting Stony Brook have all of the fun. Senior attacker Dylan Beckwith rushed past Stony Brook’s defense and beat sophomore goalkeeper Anthony Palma for the Stags’ first goal of the game. Two man-up goals by Fairfield junior midfielder Taylor Strough and Beckwith cut the

deficit to 5-3 at the end of the first quarter. Stony Brook senior attacker Tom Haun and Beckwith led the scoring, both recording hat tricks. Haun finished the day with three goals while Beckwith finished with five. Stony Brook and Fairfield continued their back and forth towards the end of the second quarter, leaving the score 9-7 in favor of the Seawolves. The momentum Stony Brook had in the first half faded away in the third quarter. Fairfield opened their scoring barrage as Strough and freshman midfielder Trent Moran registered their own hat trick, plus two more goals from Strough. Freshman midfielder Bryce Ford joined in the scoring to give Fairfield a 7-0 run. Stony Brook was shut out in the third quarter, leaving them trailing 14-9. The Seawolves wouldn’t go down without a fight, exchanging goals to start the quarter. Stony Brook went on a 4-minute 4-0 run with a goal from junior midfielder Mike McCannell, two goals from senior attacker Cory VanGinhoven and one from senior attacker Chris Pickel Jr. The Stags responded with two goals from junior midfielder Frankie Labetti and Ford. Stony Brook clawed back with two goals from Pearson, giving him a hat trick to go alongside Haun, but it wasn’t enough. The Seawolves return home to Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Feb. 22 to battle the Brown Bears at 1 p.m.