The Spectrum Vol. 71 No. 17

Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a Student Association-recognized club that advocates for conservative beliefs on campus, hosted Michael Knowles, a conservative political commentator, on Thursday night in Slee Hall.

Knowles’ speech, titled “How Radical Feminism Destroys Women (And Everything Else),” detailed his views on feminist ideology and what he sees as its detrimental effects on society, specifically women.

Following his recent remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) calling for “transgenderism” to be “eradicated from public life entirely,” many rallied to express their dissatisfaction with Knowles’ statements.

The protests outside of Slee Hall followed a push to get UB to cancel the event. Some protesters chanted “shut it down” outside the venue.

Gathering in opposition to Knowles’ statements with posters, flags and free T-shirts, attendees waited in a line that stretched from Slee to Alumni Arena.

Protesters recited chants like: “This is what freedom looks like, this is what a fascist looks like.”

Protestors exchanged verbal blows with Knowles’ supporters throughout the night.

One specific encounter took place across a metal security barrier, where a heated argument between a protester holding a picket sign reading “My Heroes Kill Fascists” and those waiting in line resulted in a yelling match. The men aggressively pointed fingers and spoke over one another, with one shouting, “Go riot somewhere else.”

Kylie Naylor, a junior studio art major, recalls a conversation that motivated her to protest.

“I have a very close friend of mine who is trans, and she recently messaged me explaining that she was terrified at the current climate,” she said. “I told her that I’d do anything I could to protect her. When I found out this was going on, it kind of felt obligatory. Also, I’m gay, so if I don’t do that, that’s kind of stupid.”

Alternatively, Knowles supporter and sophomore business major Cameron Tiu-

tiunnyk said that the controversy Knowles’ comments created was “drawn out.”

“I’m a big fan of his. I don’t think he deserves as much hate as he gets,” he said. “He just preaches family values and nice conservative values too, which I feel is something society could use a little bit more of.”

The event reached capacity at 7:20 p.m., with protesters cheering outside as attendees continued to wait in line. Protesters yelled at waiting attendees to go home. They chanted “hey hey, ho ho, Michael Knowles has got to go.”

Gathered to protest Knowles’ controversial remarks, the support of the community prompted emotions from those in the crowd.

“The moment I got here I got teared up just to see straight people, queer people, old people, young people,” a protester, Holly Clark-Porter, said. “The whole diversity of humanity is here pouring out their love for trans folks and pouring out their love against hate speech.”

The event concluded and attendees exited while police ensured there was a clear path through the crowd. Protestors pressed up against the barricades with posters and flags, chanting, “Walk of shame.”

University officials released a statement Thursday night saying that Knowles’ speech “concluded without major incident.”

“We are proud of the way our campus exhibited the values we hold as a university, exercising its right to peacefully express its views,” Brian F. Hamluk, vice president for Student Life, said in the statement.

“Despite being confronted with hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric, the UB community reaffirmed our university’s commitment to ideals of inclusion, justice and equity for our trans community, and for all who are marginalized, disenfranchised and oppressed.”

UB fires head basketball coach Jim Whitesell after four seasons

Whitesell finished with a 70-49 overall record and no conference championships while at UB

UB parted ways with men’s basketball head coach Jim Whitesell after four seasons, the school announced Saturday.

This comes after a 101-77 first-round loss against Akron in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament quarterfinals.

Whitesell finished with a 70-49 overall record, with a 45-27 mark in conference play, in four seasons with UB. The Bulls failed to win the Mid-American Conference and advance to the NCAA Tourna-

ment during Whitesell’s tenure. UB’s lone postseason appearance was a first-round loss to Colorado State in the 2021 National Invitational Tournament (NIT). Whitesell served as the assistant head coach on former UB head coach Nate Oats’ staff from 2015-2019. The Bulls won the MAC three times during that span. In 2019, Oats was hired by Alabama, making Whitesell the UB head coach.

SEE WHITESELL PAGE 9

Grand jury votes not to press charges in Tyler Lewis stabbing

The decision follows a nearly five-month investigation into the on-campus stabbing

that one person is not going to make this decision solely,” Flynn said.

No charges will be filed in connection with the death of Tyler Lewis, the 19-yearold Buffalo State sophomore who was fatally stabbed outside the Ellicott Complex, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at a press conference Friday.

Flynn said that he was confident the grand jury would decide not to press charges, but convened one anyway “out of fairness to the family.”

“I still put the case in the grand jury for not only transparency, but just to show

Flynn, who wouldn’t use the name of anyone involved in the incident, said the person who stabbed Lewis did so in selfdefense, making the stabbing “justifiable” under New York State self-defense laws.

The DA stated that Lewis and four individuals attempted to purchase marijuana from a lone dealer with counterfeit money on UB’s North Campus. The meeting was pre-arranged, according to text message evidence. Prosecutors stated that Lewis was carrying a large knife and $1,800 in counterfeit money, which the group planned to use to purchase the marijuana.

HAYDEN AZZINARO STAFF WRITER

GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR SUHA CHOWDHURY ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

UB’S NACCARELLA SISTERS SAY GOODBYE TO 15 YEARS OF SWIMMING TOGETHER

EDITOR

Conservative pundit addresses ‘lying’ media coverage of CPAC

speech

Michael Knowles had previously called for the “eradication” of “transgenderism,” says comments aren’t “genocidal”

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles spoke on Thursday evening in Slee Hall at the invitation of UB’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter.

Knowles’ speech addressed what he sees as the detriment of feminism to the wellbeing of society and said his previous remarks calling for “transgenderism” to be “eradicated from public life” shouldn’t be misconstrued.

Knowles was greeted with a standing ovation and thunderous applause by the audience. The auditorium had reached full capacity, leaving some who waited in line unable to attend the event.

As Knowles began to speak, he was interrupted by two protestors in the audience chanting “trans lives matter” and “f— fascists.”

Security personnel removed the protestors from the audience shortly after they began chanting, with audience members applauding their removal. Neither individual was charged, according to a statement from the university.

Knowles stated that media outlets accusing him of genocide had misconstrued remarks and that he had “criticized the ideology of transgenderism,” adding that “the problem with transgenderism is that it isn’t true.”

“When one calls to eradicate cancer, one is not suggesting that we ought to murder the cancer patients,” Knowles said.

The conservative commentator stated that it “puts forward a delusional vision of

UB appoints new dean for the School of Dental Medicine

human nature” of complementarity.

“Its acceptance at any level necessarily entails the complete destruction of women’s bathrooms and women’s sports, all the specific rights that women currently have for themselves.”

Knowles argued that “transgenderism should be eradicated from public life” for “the good of society,” and was a matter of improving people’s “mental health” through therapy.

Knowles further commented on feminism, dubbing it as “illogic.” He stated that that “gender idealogue” focuses on their “new jargon,” “preposterous terms” and “incorrect pronouns.”

Knowles stated that it is not possible to remain neutral on this issue as “such an attitude can only result in defeat.”

“Every society must hold certain things to be true,” Knowles said. “Will women be free to have their own rights and spaces or will sexually confused men be free to use the bathroom of their choice?”

Following his speech, Knowles participated in a Q&A session. The event ended with cheering, a standing ovation and applause from the audience.

Ruth Saviano, a junior English and history major, was an attendee of the event who said she was interested in seeing what Knowles had to say about feminism. Saviano appreciated Knowles’ speech.

“We have separate roles, men and women, and so by making men and women equal, I feel like women have been eradicated in a lot of ways,” she said.

Email: suha.chowdhury@ubspectrum.com

Dr. Marcelo Araujo holds positions in the American Dental Association (ADA) and ADA Science and Research Institute (ADASRI)

YEUNG SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR

UB has named Dr. Marcelo W.B. Araujo as dean of the School of Dental Medicine, Provost A. Scott Weber and Allison Brashear, dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine, announced in an email to the university community on Friday.

Dr. Araujo currently works as chief science officer of the American Dental Association (ADA) and chief executive officer of the ADA Science and Research Institute (ADASRI).

“Dr. Araujo… brings to this role impressive leadership experience, an extensive network in scientific and clinical dental research, a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field

Apartment For Rent

of dental medicine, and a strong vision for expanding the impact of the school,” Weber and Brashear wrote in their statement.

Beyond his positions in the ADA and ADASRI, Araujo received his Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Community Health from UB and held senior research positions at Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. He has also earned the International Association for Dental Research and American Association for Dental Research William J. Gies Award and the International Distinguished Alumnus Award from the UB Alumni Association.

Dr. Araujo will begin his new position on May 15.

Email: jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum.com

Proposed changes to SA council coordinator positions fail in senate vote

Senators were concerned that the change would make it easier for the SA president to “stack the senate”

The Student Association (SA) rejected a 30-page proposal that would’ve amended the SA’s by-laws. The proposal would’ve changed the appointing process for council coordinator positions, allowing the SA president to hire them directly.

Council coordinators are senators who represent SA-recognized clubs during votes. To ensure that these seats are held by unbiased representatives, the positions are appointed by a senate vote

Members of the voting senate voiced concerns that the proposed change would make it easier for the SA president to “stack the senate,” a major reason for the proposal’s failure. The proposal would have increased the number of “hired seats” (positions appointed directly by the SA president) on the senate from four to 11 positions. A majority vote of two-thirds, which is used for all major decisions in the senate, requires 15 of the current 23 senators to agree.

Matthew Dowd, SA Hobby Council coordinator, explained that the change was introduced as a way to give the council coordinators more tools. Dowd is also a Spectrum staff writer.

“Council coordinators are paid by SA but not governed by them,” Dowd said.

“If they became hired and had their constitutions rescinded, SA could control them a lot more. But they could get new tools from SA and more solidified responsibilities, so it would be easier to hold them accountable.”

Dowd explained further that the club council — a meeting of club presidents — has not reached quorum in a while, meaning not enough members have been present to hold an election of council coordinator positions.

To solve this issue, the existing by-laws allow the president to appoint any vacant council coordinator positions without a vote after the first month of classes. The amendment would make this process more permanent, rather than a backup plan.

This proposed amendment would also impact senate elections. If not enough people ran for election, the empty seats would be filled by last year’s senators.

Some senators suggested several amendments to the proposal, including one that would remove the council coordinators’ senate seats altogether.

The proposal is being amended by the SA e-board before it will be brought up for vote again.

The Student Association didn’t respond to requests for comment or clarification.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

SA Senate passes resolution to amend election rules Resolution removes restriction on campaigning in public forums with 10 or more non-candidates

The Student Association (SA) Senate passed a highly-contested resolution last Monday to remove an election rule that prohibited campaigning for SA positions in forums with 10 or more non-candidates without approval from the Elections and Credentials Chair.

SA Senator Cameron Kiner introduced the resolution, which was approved with six votes in favor and five abstentions. The change will allow candidates to campaign freely in forums, regardless of the number of attendees.

The previous rule existed to ensure all candidates have a fair opportunity to be heard and adhere to all UB and SA rules concerning the use of space on campus.

Proponents of the amendment argued that SA lacks the power to fairly enforce this rule, considering some violations — especially those occurring in classrooms — will inevitably go unreported.

“This change is in recognition that we don’t have the power or strength to enforce this rule,” Mathew Dowd, the SA Hobby Council coordinator said. “Why try to punish people if some candidates are going to be able to get away with it and others can’t?”

Dowd is also a Spectrum staff writer.

Members against the amendment argued that without forum restrictions, candidates could use positions of power to propel their campaigns in ways that may be inaccessible to opponents.

“Stripping this rule [means] you can campaign at Late Night at UB — couldn’t do that before,” SA Senator Tyler Herman said. “You already have to be in a position of power to do that. It’s like we’re just pumping up people already in power who can get the forums.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

JASMIN

ALEXANDRA SACCONE STAFF WRITER

ALEX OLEN STAFF WRITER

Suha Chowdhury / The SpeCTrum Knowles was greeted with a standing ovation and thunderous applause by the audience

Thank you for stealing my phone

How life without a phone helped me live more intentionally

granted a minute of idle time.

But little did I know, there was an otherwise imperceptible, intangible and indelible beauty hiding in the crevices of that empty time.

MOAZ ELAZZAZI SENIOR MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

My phone and I had an abrupt parting of ways in June of 2022 when it was stolen at a Turkish restaurant.

My friend and I were enjoying our kebabs when a thief decided they needed my iPhone 11 more than I did (in hindsight, they probably did). After the initial shock of the situation subsided, I had to come to terms with a reality that didn’t involve a phone in my pocket.

Call it an impromptu digital detox.

Contrary to my previously held belief, the world kept spinning without the omnipresent comfort of a 6.84-ounce piece of glass pressed against my thigh. I won’t lie, I was incredibly uncomfortable without the ability to anxiously swipe through my regular rotation of apps the moment I was

Within a day, I was starting to appreciate simple nuances that before now were cloaked by hundreds of Instagram memes, pseudo social situations and reposted TikToks on every platform.

One Saturday night, I was waiting to meet some friends for dinner downtown. They were running late, but without a phone, I had nothing to scroll through.

So I watched as, across the street, two beefy bouncers approached a small potted plant, squatted down and moved it a trivial three feet from where it was previously located. Something about the absurdity of the whole situation caused me to burst out laughing. My friend, wondering what was so funny, looked at me puzzled.

All I could say was,“Those guys moved a plant.”

To some, the comedic value of the situation can’t compete with the millions of sources of entertainment at our fingertips.

But in that moment, there was nothing that could have brought me more joy than seeing two oversized bouncers negotiate the location of a tiny potted plant.

I quickly realized that behind every compulsive phone pickup was a desire to stave off an old friend we were all once intimate with: boredom.

When we were all kids, boredom made up huge portions of our day. It was our job to fill that time with something, and the day became whatever our seven-yearold brains came up with.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that growing between the cracks of boredom were thoughts I didn’t know I had, passions I never knew I wanted to pursue.

Why is it that we hate boredom so much?

It might be because we’re growing up in the most anxious generation to date. Consuming content on our phones is much easier than being alone with our potentially anxious thoughts.

We’ve developed the innate reflex to turn our brains on autopilot and find comfort in allowing our screens to do the thinking for us. But it’s these thoughts we fear so

much that allow us to discover who we are.

The content we consume to avoid the solitude of our minds does nothing but cloud our most profound outlooks, and in turn, our sense of self.

Of course, I now have a new iPhone that I use daily, and I’m guilty of aimlessly scrolling at times.

I know that I don’t have the self-restraint to go toe-to-toe with a multi-billion-dollar algorithm designed to capture my attention. And with no opportunists around to send me tumbling down a journey of selfdiscovery again, I’m left to my own devices to navigate my way back to a screenless existence.

Mayo Clinic says the urge to smoke lasts about five to 10 minutes. I would argue that the urge to unlock your phone lasts about just as long. Once you make it through that unholy five minutes of unadulterated human existence, you might notice something you’ve never seen before, or you might just rediscover a tiny part of yourself.

Email: moaz.elazzazi@ubspectrum.com

Chores and their tedious beauty

How helping out around the house strengthened my relationship with my mom

But the one simple aspect of my upbringing that truly shaped who I am today? Doing chores.

“Dyl, come bring up the laundry!”

DYLAN GRECO OPINIONS EDITOR

I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve got the best mom anyone could ever ask for.

My unapologetically loud and Jewish mom reassures me, motivates me to take on challenges and, above all else, makes me bring our family’s laundry baskets up and down the stairs.

My dad is awesome too, but sorry, dude: this one’s about mom. (Maybe I’ll write about you in the next issue if you hook me up with a medium double quarter pounder meal from McDon’s.)

My mom did everything she could to make sure I was raised right. She gave me all the conventional mom advice to make sure I was brought up in an orderly fashion: Don’t curse, don’t talk to strangers, don’t talk back to your mother, etc.

That line has been burned into my brain. To this day, I still abide by her majesty’s command. I did other chores like sweeping the floor and cleaning the kitchen table after dinner, but bringing up the laundry just made me plain angry.

“Why is she asking me to do it?!” I would think to myself. My younger, dualvarsity athlete brother and my older sister were perfectly capable of doing it. Why is she asking me to bring up the laundry if I’m in my bed on the second floor and my mom’s right next to the laundry in the basement?

“Dyl, come get the laundry, now.”

Welp, may as well just do it before my Xbox disappears. Naturally, after being told twice, I give in and help my mom bring up all of the baskets while my younger brother laughs and plays Fortnite. I hated doing this chore as a kid, but my feelings now are a little more positive. My mom would ask me to keep her

company while she sorted mountains of laundry into their designated piles and loaded our washing machine. I’d sit with my mom while she took care of the laundry for the entire house, and we would just talk about life.

I didn’t have many friends as a kid and often felt really lonely. I was bullied for being overweight, which became a main topic of conversation between me and my mom.

I’d tell my mom how upset the kids at school made me feel, and she would get really angry. She’d remind me that I didn’t have to take that crap from anyone, and then she’d tell me everything she loved about me.

When I was upset, I’d say, “No one wants to hang out with me. No one wants to be my friend.” She would simply reply with, “Well I want to hang out with you! I’ll be your friend!” I was in shambles, but that would make me laugh and forget about my loneliness for a moment.

When our LG washing machine sang its little high pitched song, she’d stuff the last pile of clothes into the laundry bas-

kets, and we would haul them up the stairs. We’d drop clothes as we walked, laughing about it in the process. When we reached my parent’s room, we dumped all of the clean laundry on their bed and started folding. My dad would put on the AMC channel, so we could watch the latest episode of the “Walking Dead.”

It amazes me that a simple chore strengthened the bond between me and my mom. Sure, I complained about it when I was younger, and sometimes I still do. But then I remember how hard my mom worked to prepare me for this world, and how helpful she was in my time of need.

Now, when I hear “Dyl, come bring the laundry up,” I simply get out of bed and do it.

I don’t ask questions anymore. Why would I? I have the privilege of helping out my mom and spending some quality time with her in the process.

Email: dylan.greco@ubspectrum.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 16 2023

VOLUME 71 NUMBER 17 CIRCULATION: 3,000

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UB Medical School club organized ‘Joyous Rebellion Dance Party’ to support trans community members in wake of Michael Knowles’ on-campus speech

OUTpatient, a LGBTQ club from UB’s Jacobs’ School of Medicine, organized a different kind of protest to Michael Knowles’ on-campus speech. Proud to see how quickly undergraduates organized their large protest outside Slee Hall, the medical students wanted to give students another option.

Their way to do that: a dance party in the Student Union.

Excitement was bubbling at the SU Thursday in preparation for OUTpatient’s LGBTQIA+ Dance Party, promoted by UB undergraduate LGBTQ clubs. The event featured DJ Billie Page and attracted the attendance of former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton.

Kathryn Hobika, a member of OUTpatient and planner of the event, said that the committee settled on “having a day where we celebrate” to bring a different energy to the day.

“It was pretty clear immediately that the undergrads have been struggling with this for longer than we have, they have to deal with this hate group on a daily basis,” Hobika said.

The dance party was organized in response to conservative political commentator Michael Knowles’ speech on campus,

which was titled “How Radical Feminism Destroys Women (And Everything Else).” Knowles’ appearance was endorsed by UB’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF).

Hobika said that OUTpatient’s plan was to follow the lead of undergraduate LGBTQ organizations because students at the medical school never have to interact with YAF.

One of the main promoters of the event, Our City Action Buffalo (OCAB), was tabling in the Student Union lobby for eight hours leading up to the event. Alongside their table were other undergraduate LGBTQ clubs such as PRISM, all handing out pride flags and stickers to anyone who wanted them.

“YAF receives more than triple the amount that LGBTQ organizations receive right now. (That ain’t right!),” the caption under the poster for the event on the OCAB instagram account read.

OCAB representatives said their preparation for the event included hiring undercover security to keep “an eye out for any potential threats.”

The event was fed by a slow trickle of protesters as Knowles began his speech. As the lights went down in the Student Union and the floor shook with the bass of Nicki Minaj’s “Starships,” students spoke to The Spectrum about the importance of creating community in a time of

campus-wide unrest.

“This event is all about positivity and inclusivity. Anyone can be here and they want to dance most alive. It’s about bringing people together and having unity,” Elana Cunningham, a senior English major attending the event, said. “Meanwhile, that event [Michael Knowles’ speech] is about segregating the nation basically, I wouldn’t want to be a part of something like that.”

Chloe Cottone, a member of the OUTpatient planning committee, called the

turnout “decent,” and just about what they were expecting. Cottone said she had a good time dancing all night.

A poster for the event had a Cash App QR code and a Venmo username to collect donations for undergraduate LGBTQ organizations for those who could not come to show their support.

OCAB urged its Instagram followers to “please stay safe.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

Protester arrested by UPD outside Michael Knowles’ speech, charged with multiple offenses

The 25-year-old demonstrator was released with an appearance ticket

University Police took a 25-year-old into custody Thursday night outside of Slee Hall, where hundreds were protesting conservative commentator Michael Knowles’ on-campus speech.

The protester, who is not affiliated with UB, was charged with harassment, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to university spokesperson John Della Contrada. The offender has been released with an appearance ticket.

A University Police officer was seen carrying the individual — who told onlookers their name was “Arise” — out of the crowd of protesters gathered around Slee Hall at around 6:45 p.m. The demonstrator asked the officer if they were under arrest; the officer initially said they were not.

The officer, flanked by three other law enforcement officials, put the individual down outside of Coventry Loop. The

demonstrator then said they were “going back in” before trying to run around the officer.

At that point, the four officers grabbed the protester, pushed them against a nearby parked car, put them in handcuffs and placed them under arrest.

Two officers carried the demonstrator, their feet dragging on the asphalt, to the backseat of a police car.

A Spectrum editor at the scene observed the protester trying to climb a metal security barrier before their arrest.

UPD escorted two audience members out of Knowles’ speech in Slee Hall for “continuing to disrupt the speaker,” according to a UB statement.

The police officers who made the arrest declined to comment.

The protestor could not immediately be reached for comment.

‘We see you, we love you, we will fight for you and we can’t wait to dance with you’

UB clubs and organizations celebrate Women’s History Month

A compiled list of events to attend this month

VICTORIA HILL SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

Various campus organizations are holding events to celebrate Women’s History Month, which is observed every March.

Here are some UB departments holding events throughout the month:

School of Law

The School of Law is holding a discussion panel with women attorneys from the Minority Bar Association of Western New York and the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, titled “Women in Law Panel: The Legal Profession in Their Own Words” on March 16. The Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) is inviting attorney Anna Mercado Clark on March 29, who is best known for her work in business and commercial litigation.

Tyler Lewis

Continued from page 1

Some of the four individuals who accompanied Lewis had previously robbed marijuana dealers, Flynn said.

A fight broke out between Lewis and the dealer, according to multiple witness accounts and video surveillance reviewed by the DA’s office. Lewis’ four friends joined the fight, at which point the dealer stabbed Lewis.

After the stabbing, Lewis and two of the individuals ran to their car, where Lewis collapsed. A UB RA approached the scene, at which point the two individuals left the scene.

The RA then called emergency services. University Police officers arrived at the scene one minute later and provided first aid and CPR until EMS arrived 11 minutes after the RA’s call, the university said in a statement Friday.

Flynn also denied that the stabbing was connected to an earlier fight, a claim made by some members of the Lewis family.

Intercultural Diversity Center (IDC)

The Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC) is putting together various events, such as LGBTQ+ Women’s Media (a seminar focusing on LQBTQ+ women and their contributions to equality), Race and Health in America (a seminar looking at how race plays a role in healthcare), Transgender Day of Visibility (a spotlight on the trans community) and Celebrating the Feminine Experience (a discussion on the evolution of feminism).

The IDC is also continuing its Tough Topics series this month, including The History of Women Stereotypes on March 16, Women in the Workforce on March 23, Societal Expectations for Women of Color on March 28 and The Current Feminist Wave on March 30.

Of the four individuals who accompanied Lewis to the deal, two were Buffalo State University students, one was a former Buffalo State student and one was a UB student. That student no longer goes to UB, the university said. The stabber was unaffiliated with either school.

The DA said he was prohibited from discussing what evidence went before the grand jury but disclosed that evidence gathered in the case included cell phone records and locations, social media exchanges, video surveillance, witness accounts and a search of the stabber’s vehicle.

Investigators never recovered the marijuana, the knife used in the stabbing or the dealer’s phone. (Flynn said the phone was destroyed by one of the individuals who arrived on campus with Lewis.)

The Lewis family provided Flynn with the names of two witnesses whom they wanted to go before the grand jury upon his request, Flynn said. Neither of those witnesses — one of whom was Karla Longmore, Lewis’ girlfriend — went be-

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is inviting Katsi Cook, an ambassador to the landscape of Indigenous women, on March 16, as part of its 50 Years of Indigenous Studies at UB Speaker Series. The speech is entitled “Knowing John Mohawk is to ‘Keep it all Going:’ Lessons in Consciousness and Persistence.”

CAS is also inviting Lima-Neves, an associate professor at Johnson C. Smith University, on March 29, to speak about her book, “Kriolas poderozas: CaboVerdean Women Writing, Remembrance, Resistance and Revolution.” Her book focuses on stories told by Cabo Verdean women and the commonalities that exist “among all women of African descent, such as sexual and domestic violence and media objectification.”

fore the grand jury.

Flynn said he was “a little miffed” about allegations of incompetence and racism made by the Lewis family at a press conference last week but said he was “more upset about a young man dying.”

“It appears by all accounts that the victim was a fine young man from a good, supportive, loving family,” Flynn said. “Sometimes kids get involved with other kids who steer them down the wrong path.”

Roquishia Lewis, Tyler Lewis’ mother, called the outcome of the investigation “terrible” in a brief statement to The Spectrum

“To Tyler’s family and friends: the investigators, officers and staff within the University Police continue to extend their sincerest condolences,” UB Chief of Police Chris Bartolomei said in a statement Friday.

In its statement, UB thanked the law enforcement organizations that assisted with UPD’s investigation and the RA who called for assistance the night Lewis was

Counseling Services

UB Counseling Services will be hosting award-winning filmmaker, photographer, author, and activist St. Clair Detrick-Jules for an event titled “Black Hair + Storytelling as a Form of Social Activism” on March 28. She will discuss the struggles, beauty and joy of Black hair and talk about her book, which shares the message to “empower any woman looking to love herself just the way she is, as well as a love letter to Black women everywhere navigating their relationships to their own hair.”

stabbed.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Tyler Lewis during this extremely difficult time,” Buffalo State University President Katherine Conway-Turner said in a statement to The Spectrum Friday. “This is a tragedy of enormous proportions regardless of the circumstances. We are heartbroken by this tragic incident.”

Lewis was stabbed outside the Ellicott Complex on a Friday night last October. He was taken to ECMC, where he later died.

The grand jury had been investigating the case since at least late January.

The Lewis family sued UB and Buffalo State University in January, alleging that they “failed to properly vet students prior to admission and admitted students known to have a violent history, thereby failing to provide a safe environment.”

Lawyers representing the schools disputed those claims in a court filing. The case is ongoing.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

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UB students employed visual art to create safe spaces, speak out and show support for the university’s transgender community in response to right-wing commentator Michael Knowles’ speaking engagement at UB Thursday night.

Knowles’ comments calling for the “eradication of transgenderism from public life” sparked outrage on campus ahead of his appearance, organized by the UB chapter Young Americans for Freedom. In the hours before Knowles’ speech, students used zines, screen-printing and sidewalk chalk to protest the controversial conservative pundit’s appearance.

When senior graphic design major Cassandra Critsimilios first heard about Knowles’ appearance, she decided to take action with her own unique form of protest: making T-shirts. She took to her Instagram story, promising a free screenprinted shirt to anyone who wanted to show support for the transgender community.

With help from classmate Vic Janis (also a senior graphic design major) and print media professor Jeff Sherven, Critsimilios spent hours in a small basement studio at the Center for the Arts. The group ended up printing upwards of 80 shirts, emblazoned with “protect trans kids,” for anyone who came to the studio, which quickly turned into a valuable space for students seeking community.

“It’s been really humbling, honestly, and enlightening,” Critimilios said. “There’s people coming from all different parts of the school… people that I never would have met or spoken to otherwise.”

Critsimilios sees art as a valuable tool for inclusivity and community in the face of Michael Knowles’ inflammatory comments, which have sparked safety concerns among UB’s transgender students. She calls graphic design “a device for revolution throughout history,” citing female graphic designers in Iran as inspirations for her work.

“When it comes to something like this, when people feel silenced, and people feel scared, and people feel alone… art is the perfect medium to show people that they are safe,” Critsimilios said.

Meanwhile, outside of Slee Hall, stu-

dents gathered with chalk from the CFA art rooms to paint the trans pride flag and other supportive messages on the sidewalk where Knowles would deliver his speech hours later.

Senior graphic design and media studies major Emmie O’Rourke made her way to Slee to touch up the trans flag that had started to fade since it was painted yesterday. Fueled by a distaste for Knowles’ views, her queer identity, and a passion for art and advocacy, O’Rourke picked up a piece of chalk and got to work.

“I thought chalking and just doing what I do best, art, is like the easiest way I can express my opinions,” O’Rourke said. “Chalk isn’t gonna hurt anybody. This is more of a solidarity stance than anything.”

Another participant, MFA grad student Soda, arrived to replenish chalk supplies.

Soda, representing the Graduate Student Association (GSA), sought to ensure the safe creation of the chalk murals. Soda spoke to why sidewalk chalk is an effective tool for social justice.

“First, you can easily have access to this means of expression,” Soda said. “Second, I think it’s very readable. We’re kind of bred as children to utilize this form of self expression. So it’s very recognizable. It also allows us to print messages big and get messages out there at faster, quicker paces.”

Later in the night, as crowds of students and protesters began to gather outside Slee Hall, fine arts MFA student Bello opened their multimedia exhibition, called “Prototypes of Care.” It was initially intended to be a typical gallery opening, but Bello recognized that, in the light of Knowles’

controversial appearance, the campus community could use a positive, meditative area to enjoy art, warm up and escape the chaos outside.

Visitors mingled in the gallery and experienced Bello’s therapeutic, inventive sculpture work, which included a 10,000 lux therapy light meant to emulate sunshine and metabolize vitamin D within the viewer. Literally and figuratively, the space radiated warmth for all who entered.

“I changed the flyer, I changed the entire mood of what I wanted tonight, and turned it into a safe space,” Bello said. “People can come in when it’s too cold outside and kind of be with family.”

Email: meret.kelsey@ubspectrum.com

Email: alex.novak@ubspectrum.com

Huge turnout for tiny art in Buffalo

An art gallery after hours isn’t typically somewhere to expect a party.

But this Saturday, the customarily locked doors at Buffalo Arts Studio (BAS) swung open as guests excitedly filtered in. The elevator that usually makes its final run at 5 p.m. made rounds from the lobby to the fifth floor, carrying visitors to the main event as they clicked through online check-in.

Live on Five is an annual “big auction of small works” hosted by Buffalo Arts Studio, a nonprofit that supports and nurtures the local art scene. The event features hundreds of 5 by 5 inch pieces created by local artists, selling anywhere from $25 to $250.

The pieces were on display starting March 4, and virtual bidding began last Thursday. On Saturday, the entire community was invited to see all 600 tiny works of art on display and count down to the end of the auction together.

As they arrived on the fifth floor, visitors followed the lively sounds of conversation and laughter to the exhibit in Suite 500. The love that the local art community holds for BAS was immediately clear by the event’s massive turnout. Hundreds of art creators, collectors and appreciators showed up to eat, drink and, of course, spend money.

Many attendees showed up to support friends, family and coworkers whose art was on display. Helen Shandraw from the Stained Glass Association of America came to see her boss’ stained-glass square hanging among all the other pieces.

“This is my first time here, and I just

think this place is incredible,” Shandraw said. “We’re all part of the art community here in Buffalo, so it’s good to support. This was also a great opportunity to check out BAS before their other events coming up.”

While musing over bidding strategies, guests marveled at the impressive talent filling the gallery. Getting in front of the crowd allowed guests to view each piece individually and admire every expertlyplaced detail on the miniature canvases.

Artists displayed their talent in paint, photography, ceramics and everything in between. Artist Bianca McGraw created fascinating textures and depth with coffee as her medium of choice. Her pieces, depicting an old-fashioned gumball machine with coffee instead of paint, brought in $135 total.

Allan Hebeler’s dreamy watercolors were a fan favorite. Rich purples, blues and pinks melted together on his canvases to reveal feminine figures floating in water and flowers.

Attendee Christine Bukowski tried her luck, hoping to take one home.

“It expires in like, 27 minutes, so I’m going to do a last-minute bid and try to get it,” Bukowski said, pointing to her favorite. “She’s the one I want, but she’s already at 95 bucks right now. And I think other people are going to have the same strategy.”

All eight of Hebeler’s pieces sold at prices ranging from $55 to $135. Bukowski’s pick went home with one lucky winner for $120.

Looking over everyone’s heads from the opposite side of the room was just as spe-

cial. All the pieces featuring different subjects and mediums blended together into one beautiful work of art on the gallery wall. Both the artwork and the crowd surrounding it seemed to symbolize the unifying powers of a supportive art scene.

New and established artists alike were proud to see their work on the wall, knowing that every sale supported BAS.

“For me, being a smaller artist, it’s a lot different,” artist DeeDee Stac said. “I’m still trying to have my own art show one day, so I don’t want to submit a piece that I want for my art show because then I won’t have it anymore. I feel like a lot of artists will submit something they already have in their studio to support the gallery that has been supporting us for so long.”

Stac’s sales — paintings of hyper-re-

alistic dice against bright backgrounds — brought in $150 for the organization, which she cherishes.

As the auction drew to a close, dozens of pieces sold for the max price of $250 while the rest continued to climb, $5 at a time, until the very last minute. The crowd buzzed with excitement as director Shirley Verrico desperately tried to corral everyone into the next room so that volunteers could start packaging up the pieces.

“You see that the community comes out for us, the community of artists, but also the broader community comes out to support us, and it’s a real tribute to what we’re trying to do,” Verrico said. “We just are so thankful. I feel really, really blessed.”

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

MOAZ ELAZZAZI / THE SPECTRUM THE CFA WAS LIT UP IN RAINBOW COLORS ON THE NIGHT OF YAF’S MICHAEL KNOWLES EVENT

Last weekend, lights in the Center for the Arts’ (CFA) Black Box Theater dimmed before whirring back to life on a vibrant beach scene, plunging theatergoers into a haze of nostalgia. The beginning of UB’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” is sweet but tainted by the sense that this moment is fleeting, fated to fade.

On the day of Eurydice’s (senior theatre performance major Moriah Armstrong) wedding to her charmingly absentminded lover Orpheus (senior theatre performance major Nicolas Torres), she was lured away from the party by the promise of a letter from her deceased father (junior sociology major Alex Reiser). After a somewhat steamy encounter with the creepy lord of the underworld (junior theatre performance major Quinn Petkus), Eurydice tripped from the top of the stage’s central set element: a gigantic staircase representing a mountain. In a series of rapid blackouts, Armstrong stumbled down the set before lying lifeless at its base.

Eurydice arrived in the underworld — a grim place where laughing, dancing and love are strictly prohibited — with an umbrella, an empty suitcase and no memories. Eurydice reunited with her deceased father, who constructed a forbidden room for her from string.

Even though both fathers and rooms were not allowed in the underworld, Eurydice’s father spared no expense.

“The costume designer described [his] outfit like a Jolly Rancher that had rolled underneath the couch, and he’s like that mentally too,” Resider said. “But he’s got this silver nugget of a personality, and that’s his love for his daughter, that’s what compels him to build the string room.”

Eurydice’s father even endeavored to teach her how to read again, having miraculously maintained this skill unlike most of the afterlife’s inhabitants.

“Playing Eurydice was especially important for me because of the relationship with her father,” Armstrong said. “I’m very close with my father. And so it was just a way for me to pour my love of the craft and my dad and everything that the show is really about [into this production].”

Meanwhile, Orpheus transformed from a well-meaning yet somewhat preoccupied himbo into a case study of grief and existential dread, attempting to contact Eurydice with worm-delivered letters and

UB’s ‘Eurydice’ breathed new life into theatre… and the dead

UB reimagined ‘Eurydice’ with an unconventional set, unexpected gimmicks, original music and a new ending

calls via a Fisher-Price toy phone.

From one entrance to his next, Torres juggled a wide range of emotions as an actor. One minute he was hopeful and determined, the next frustrated and then suddenly consumed by his mourning.

“One day, I really, really let it in, and I just sobbed uncontrollably in the rehearsal space,” Torres said. “And people were like, ‘Oh, are you OK?’ And I’m just like, ‘No, I’m really believing it. I’m really in it right now.’”

Musical composition was essential to Torres exploring this emotional process. In “Eurydice,” Torres wore many hats, portraying Orpheus while also writing various musical numbers for the show. Orpheus’ sorrowful symphony for his departed wife, the rock orchestra that illustrates his descent into the underworld and the heartwrenching final number are all credited to Torres. The music only heightened Torres’ vulnerability on and off stage.

“I was fighting back tears,” Torres admitted. “The second I left at this show, I just collapsed on the door on the other side of the airlock and I was just a mess.”

Even though “Eurydice” constantly tugged at the heartstrings, every moment of the show left room for pockets of light in the darkness of the underworld.

Petkus created much of that levity with his portrayal of the lord of the under-

world. Following a rather serious scene, Petkus emerged from behind a curtain on a blinged-out tricycle, pedaling around the mountain as hard rock music blared. The sheer absurdity of the moment had the audience in stitches.

Of course, in the second act, Orpheus and the lord of the underworld struck the Greek myth’s classic deal: if Orpheous can exit without looking back at his beloved, both he and Eurydice can rejoin the living.

Although the couple was unsuccessful in this endeavor, UB’s production departed from Ruhl’s original ending. Instead of Eurydice lying lifeless on the ground, she remained by the river of forgetfulness where she encountered a now-dead and equally mind-wiped Orpheus, his tie wound tightly backwards around his neck, symbolizing a noose.

In the play’s final moments, the lovers circled each other on stage as strangers. A string tied around Orpheus’ finger — just like the one he proposed to Eurydice with in the play’s first scene — indicated that, just maybe, all hope was not lost.

“We changed it to add that ambiguity,” Armstrong said. “We wanted to leave it more open to the interpretation that they would find each other again.”

Armstrong, months away from graduation, said her experience with “Eurydice” helped her finish her collegiate acting ca

reer “proud and excited.”

Over the course of the show’s run, Armstrong grew into this intimidating lead role. Initially frustrated because of her dislike for Ruhl’s play, Armstrong found herself drawn to the unconventional nature of UB’s vision for “Eurydice.”

“When we came into our first rehearsal, our director Jon Elston explained his vision for the show, and we talked through all of the metaphors and allegories,” Armstrong remembered. “Within that first rehearsal, I was so thrilled to be able to play Eurydice. I was sold. I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be the best show ever!’ And it has been.”

Even when dealing with the extreme emotions that accompany death, loss and grief, the cast, crew and creative team of UB’s “Eurydice” breathed new life into Ruhl’s material with an out-of-the-box set, unexpected gimmicks (like freakishly tall pants and tricycles), original music and a reimagined resolution.

Whether in the land of the living or buried six feet under, the end of this production is surely worth mourning.

Email: alex.novak@ubspectrum.com

‘recycling center’ for the departed and discarded

afterlives of people and the debris they produce. Lyons calls it a “recycling center of sorts” — for objects and people alike.

— colloquially, I would say mind f—ky. It sort of speaks to… the ways that the play can be convoluted at times in its magic.”

Audience members found themselves transported into the otherworldly and unusual cavern of Sarah Ruhl’s “Eurydice” as they entered the Center for the Arts (CFA)’s Black Box Theater this past weekend.

A gigantic gray staircase split the space down the middle. Sculptures of garbage stood guard in the corners. Old family photos were plastered on the theater’s walls and UFO-like rings hung from the ceiling. These unconventional elements transformed the Black Box into a bizarre liminal space where nostalgia and peculiarity reign supreme.

The mastermind behind this freakishly brilliant fever dream is set designer and senior theatre major E Lyons. The opportunity to bring the underworld of “Eurydice” to life enabled them to live out childhood dreams and adult aspirations.

“As a child, one of the jobs I wanted to have when I grew up was to be an architect, and I think this is the fruity version of that,” Lyons said.

The set was certainly eccentric, transcending the boundaries of the theater’s small stage. Lyons’ approach to the afterlife — candy-colored, artificial and surreal — was nothing like most depictions in pop culture. Lyons’ inventive set pieces, constructed from piles of found objects and discarded trash, serve as touchstones into the world of the discarded and departed.

The set creates a parallel between the

“Objects, when they are discarded, do not quite retain their original function — they become something else,” Lyons explained. “But that something is not completely broken down into nothing. They still retain their resemblance, though they have lost their function, and that is one of the things exactly that happens to the living characters who die in this play.”

The cavern’s stalagmites weren’t rock at all, but instead the byproducts of human wastefulness that have gathered themselves into sculptures. Teddy bears, soda cans, typewriters, vinyl records and other knick-knacks made up the compositions of these eye-catching art installations.

“It’s like s—t for lack of a better word,” Lyons said. “It’s the remnants, it’s what got left behind. So that to me was the detritus of celebration, the detritus of childhood and of girlhood. And those qualities helped me come to the notion that found objects were going to be central to the set.”

The Black Box walls were lined with sentimental old photographs, many sundamaged and faded. These photos, donated by members of the theatre department, constituted what Lyons dubbed the “memory gallery.” The deeply personal collection of treasured moments and departed loved ones acted in stark contrast to the rest of the set, which was filled with carelessly discarded ephemera.

“We have this dynamic of the dead watching the living, watching the living die,” Lyons said. “Which is sort of, I mean

It served as an apt backdrop for the play, which deals with loss and mourning through the lens of both the living and their departed counterparts.

“I believe that you cannot design this play without keeping grief and the gestures and textures associated with that central,” Lyons said.

The most in-your-face element of the set was the imposing staircase that divided the entire theater, dominating the space entirely. This staircase, representing a mountain affectionately nicknamed “the strata,” was, at first, confounding.

“Why the f—k is it here?” Lyons asked, anticipating a question viewers might have.

The “strata” indicated both Lyons’ de-

sire to create the longest possible diagonal line in the Black Box and also represented the characters’ journeys through life, death and beyond.

As the characters embarked on their own journeys of loss, grief and finding life in death, Lyons had gone on their own journey to create a set that was unexpected, alive and meaningful to the narrative being crafted both during showtime and backstage.

Without Lyons and their collaborators, “Eurydice’s” underworld of magic, tragedy and lost love would’ve been lifeless — much like Eurydice herself after a fatal fall on her wedding day.

“Design work matters in ways I can’t even articulate,” Lyons concluded.

Email: meret.kelsey@ubspectrum.com

Email: alex.novak@ubspectrum.com

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

courTESy of KEn SMiTh

Senior theatre performance major moriah armStrong pLayed eurydice in ub S production of the pLay

Track and field gold medalists reflect on success and look ahead to outdoor season

Christina Wende and Jonathan Surdej look to ride their indoor MAC championships toward outdoor success

RYAN TANTALO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Christina Wende and Jonathan Surdej always dreamt of winning gold medals. Both did just that at UB.

But Wende — a fifth-year hurdle/high jumper who won her first gold medal in the long jump as well as a silver medal in the triple jump at the 2023 Mid-American Conference (MAC) indoor track and field championships — and Surdej — a senior thrower who won his fifth gold medal at the conference championships — strive for more than just a first place finish.

“If you’re a good athlete, it doesn’t stop at ‘I won a championship,’” Wende, a Kenmore, NY native said. “What’s next? You’re not a world record holder. There's always something more and I feel like that’s where track is good.”

Her teammate, Surdej, was the only other Bull to win gold at the event. It was his third-consecutive indoor shot put gold medal at the conference championships. Like Wende, the Lancaster, New York product sets the bar high for his personal success.

“I was not happy with my indoor season at all,” Surdej said. “I just couldn’t get the numbers I wanted. So I’m looking to outdoor as, ‘Alright, we’re finally healthy, we’re finally in a good spot mentally and we’re ready to go hit these big numbers,’ and hopefully [I] go to regionals and then make it that step further to nationals.”

The two athletes led a UB track and field team that won eight medals last month in the 2023 indoor MAC Championships. The team will begin its spring season at home on Saturday, April 8.

Despite her gold medal, Wende was disappointed she missed out on qualifying for indoor nationals.

“I was looking forward to going into

that MAC Championship. ‘I’m gonna put down my national qualifying mark. I’m gonna go make a statement,’” she said.

“Obviously, it didn’t happen.”

Wende uses that shortcoming to drive her preparation for her last outdoor season.

“Now I’m motivated by that,” she said. “You didn’t do it before, you better do it now because time is ticking.”

While Surdej has one more season after 2023, he also refuses to let up in his training, even with five gold medals under his belt.

“There’s really no time taken off in between indoor MAC and then training for outdoor,” he said. “We got two or three days off and then it’s right back in the weight room, right back to throwing and just getting ready for that next step.”

Surdej anchors a UB throwing team that won outdoor MAC gold in 13 straight years. But he says he wasn’t expected to lead the team when he joined it.

“When I came in as a freshman, no one expected me to be [the top thrower]. I was kind of thrown into that No. 1 role,” he said. “The year before, [Devon] Patterson graduated and everyone thought the program was done.”

Surdej rose to the occasion and helped the shot put team continue its domination. Now, he’s starting to think about who will lead the next generation of UB throwers.

“There’s a difference between buying into the program and just going with the flow,” Surdej said. “Buying into the program, you’re constantly asking questions.

‘Why are we doing this?’ But it’s not disrespectful or malicious, it’s trying to understand… so you can further your knowledge in the event.”

With the end of her career approaching, Wende hopes she left a mark on UB

track and field. She hopes future athletes can come to UB and build on its current success.

“You just kind of hope that you’ve built a legacy,” she said. “You now motivate the

younger generation to rise to the occasion and become better than you.”

Email: ryan.tantalo@ubspectrum.com

COURTESY OF PAUL HOKANSON / UB ATHLETICS CHRISTINA WENDE AND JONATHAN SURDEJ BOTH WON GOLD MEDALS AT THE INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mia and Toni Naccarella hold two school records and a MAC championship together

‘We kept climbing the ladder’: UB’s Naccarella sisters say goodbye to 15 years of swimming together

AMY MASLIN

SPORTS EDITOR

Randy and Susan Naccarella can be spotted cheering in the stands of UB swimming and diving meets, wearing badges with pictures of their two daughters.

Mia Naccarella, with her hair dyed purple, stands to the side, quiet, until it’s her turn to race. Her sister, Toni Naccarella is dancing on the pool deck, talking to her teammates before their relay.

The Naccarella sisters have been competitively swimming together for the past 15 years. The Bulls’ second-place finish at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) swimming and diving championship last month marked their last meet together.

“My mom never learned to swim until she was an adult,” Toni Naccarella said. “So she really wanted us to learn when we were young. And then we just got into it and we kept climbing the ladder.”

The pair hold two school records together in the 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. They won the MAC Tournament together in 2021, the first MAC title in program history.

The sisters don’t just compete in relays.

Mia Naccarella focuses on backstroke, and Toni Naccarella focuses on sprint freestyle. Toni Naccarella became the first UB swimmer to attend the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament.

Toni Naccarella, 23, is a graduate student and came back for a fifth year at UB while Mia Naccarella, 20, is a junior. With the exception of a brief gap when Toni Naccarella started her college career, the sisters have spent their entire swimming careers together. Moving an hour away to UB was a perfect fit for Toni Naccarella, a Rochester native.

“After my trip [to UB], I just didn’t even think about going anywhere else,” Toni Naccarella said. “I just knew I wanted to go to UB.”

While Toni Naccarella knew Mia Naccarella might follow her to UB, they both said their mom spent “two months crying” after Toni Naccarella’s last high school meet with her sister. She was worried it would be her daughters’ last competition

together.

Toni Naccarella ended her high school swimming career with a moment she’ll “never forget.” She won states in the 400 relay alongside her sister, a race that “wasn’t even close.” Mia Naccarella said that winning states is her favorite swimming memory with her sister.

Two years later, Mia Naccarella joined Toni Naccarella at UB.

“I think when she committed it was something really exciting for our whole family,” Toni Naccarella said. “I think my parents were really grateful that they could watch us compete together again.”

They started off strong together by winning the 2021 MAC Championship, Toni Naccarella’s favorite swimming memory. She swam in the 400 meter relay, the race that determined if UB was going to beat rival school Akron.

“Watching that last relay was crazy,” Mia Naccarella said. “We have a video, and everyone’s screaming and crying.”

Head coach Andy Bashor said, the sisters have “very different” personalities — Mia Naccarella is quiet, and Toni Naccarella is often the one dancing and talking — but they still lean on each other.

“Growing up, we kind of butted heads a lot, but we always had each other’s back,” Toni Naccarella said. “Now in college she’s one of the people that pushes me the most in practice and we are very competitive.”

Bashor, who coached the sisters their entire career at UB, said he knows Mia Naccarella will step it up and race hard.

Agreeing, her sister said that Mia Naccarella might not be the most outgoing person on the team, but when it’s time for her to race, she doesn’t hold back.

“There was a time where she was sick for basically a whole week before a competition, and I really didn’t know what was going to happen going into a mid-season invite,” Bashor said. “And then she just pops off, best times, and [I] just kind of learned that she just loves to race. She steps up to this moment.”

With their last meet together behind them, Toni Naccarella is set to finish up her masters degree in public health next

year. She is attending the NCAA Tournament for the second time in her UB career, preparing for the 50 and 100 freestyle races in Knoxville, Tennessee from March 15-18.

“I just want to enjoy my last two weeks on the team, training for NCAAs and getting ready to compete for the last time,” she said.

Mia Naccarella will continue swimming for UB and is currently deciding if she wants to take a fifth year. When she steps onto the pool deck in the fall, her sister will be in Buffalo — just in the stands instead of the water.

This year has been one of the hardest parts of Mia Naccarella’s swimming career, knowing her time competing along-

UB to pay Jim Whitesell $500,000 buyout

The recently-fired men’s basketball coach left UB without winning a conference championship

ANTHONY DECICCO

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Former UB men’s basketball head coach Jim Whitesell will receive a $500,000 contract buyout after being fired by the university, according to a copy of his contract obtained by The Spectrum through a Freedom of Information Law request.

UB would have paid $400,000 if the school fired Whitesell between April 6, 2023, and April 5, 2024, according to a contract extension. The university elected to pay the extra $100,000 by firing Whitesell right after the season, which allows UB to conduct interviews and hire a new head coach as soon as possible.

Whitesell was hired as UB’s head coach in April 2019 and agreed to the terms of his five-year contract in December of that year. In July 2021, UB signed Whitesell to a one-year extension that would keep him under contract through 2025.

The extension stated that UB could terminate Whitesell’s contract at any time, but would be required to pay him between $300,000 and $600,000 to do it, depending on when his contract was terminated.

Here are the amounts UB was contractually obligated to pay out to Whitesell if he were to be fired, according to his 2021 contract extension:

$600,000 if fired between April 6, 2021 through April 5, 2022

$500,000 if fired between April 6, 2022 through April 5, 2023

$400,000 if fired between April 6, 2023

through April 5, 2024

$300,000 if fired between April 6, 2024 through April 5, 2025

Whitesell received an annual salary of $300,000 at UB, with an additional annual compensation of $100,000 (for availability to participate in media, marketing, fundraising and other services).

Whitesell went 70-49 with a 45-27 conference record in four seasons as UB’s head coach. The Bulls were 15-17 and 9-9 in the Mid-American Conference last season, earning a No. 6 seed in the MAC

Tournament. Whitesell was fired following a 101-77 loss to Akron in the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals. This year marked the first time UB finished under .500 since the 2012-13 season.

The Bulls never won the Mid-American Conference or made the NCAA Tournament during Whitesell’s tenure.

UB Athletic Director Mark Alnutt confirmed that a national search began immediately following Whitesell’s departure on Saturday.

Email: anthony.decicco@ubspectrum.com

side her sister was coming to an end.

“So what am I going to do next year?” Mia Naccarella said. “How am I supposed to swim another year?”

With Toni Nacarella’s swimming career coming to an end, she remembers how swimming alongside her sister brought their family closer.

“I always think about how my parents are feeling, being able to watch us at the end of the season swimming,” Toni Nacarella said. “Just cheering for each other and being grateful to be there and do it together.”

Email: amy.maslin@ubspectrum.com

from page 1

The decision to move on from Whitesell comes two days after UB was blown out by Akron in the first round of the MAC Tournament. The Bulls finished with an overall record of 15-17. The 2022-23 campaign marks the first losing season under Whitesell.

“At this time, we felt it was necessary to make a change of leadership of our men’s basketball program,” UB Athletic Director Mark Alnutt said in a statement released Saturday. “We want to thank Jim for his eight years at UB, including the last four as head coach. We wish him and Connie nothing but the very best moving forward.”

Alnutt confirmed, a national search for Whitesell’s replacement will begin immediately.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

courteSy of uB athleticS mia naccarella (left) Joined her older sister toni naccarella (right) on UB’s swimming and diving team in 2020.

5 potential candidates for UB’s next men’s basketball coach

UB begins its national search for a new head coach following Jim Whitesell’s departure Saturday

UB’s men’s basketball program is now in the market for a new head coach after former Bulls head coach Jim Whitesell was fired Saturday.

Whitesell’s departure ends an era of Bulls basketball that goes back to Nate Oats’ head coaching days at UB. The Bulls made three NCAA Tournament appearances under Oats.

When Oats left to take the head coaching position at Alabama in 2019, UB Athletic Director Mark Alnutt hired Whitesell, the team’s assistant coach at the time. Whitesell was already aware of UB’s gameplan and adopted Oats’ style of fast-paced, three-point-heavy offenses. Promoting Whitesell to head coach was supposed to create a seamless transition from Oats’ regime and continue its success.

But Whitesell and the Bulls failed to make the NCAA Tournament in the four years since Oats’ departure.

Alnutt confirmed that a national search for the team’s next head coach began immediately following Whitesell’s firing.

Here are five names to keep an eye on as UB looks to fill its coaching vacancy:

Luke Murray

Reportedly in the mix for the UB job back in 2019, Murray is an up-and-coming young mind in college basketball.

The son of famous actor Bill Murray, Murray has been an assistant coach with the UConn Huskies for the past two years, helping them reach the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons.

Murray is known as an excellent recruiter, primarily from his time as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Louisville, where he helped the Cardinals bring in a top-10 recruiting class in the nation in 2019.

His resume also includes an assistant

coaching position at Xavier from 2015-18. In 2018, the Musketeers were one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Bryan Hodgson

A familiar face here in Buffalo, Hodgson was an assistant coach under Oats at UB, before following him to Alabama in 2019. Hodgson was another name that was tossed around during the Bulls’ coaching search four years ago, before UB ultimately decided on Whitesell.

A native Western New Yorker, Hodgson was born in Olean, NY before attending Jamestown Community College.

At only 36 years old, a potential reunion with the Bulls would not be surprising. Hodgson has enjoyed success as an assistant coach with Oats and the Crimson Tide, who recently earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. But Hodgson doesn’t come without baggage. Brandon Miller, Jaden Bradley and Darius Miles — three players that Hodgson recruited to Alabama — are involved in an ongoing capital murder case. Miles has been charged with the murder of Jamea Jonae Harris, while Miller and Bradley have not faced any charges yet.

While all three are immense talents (Miller is projected by scouts as a potential top-five pick in the 2023 NBA Draft), the character concerns around the Crimson Tide’s program are a major red flag. The recent scandal and negative press surrounding the Alabama basketball program might make the Bulls hesitant on choosing Hodgson as Whitesell’s successor.

Brad Korn

An under-the-radar name to keep an eye on, Korn is currently the head coach at Southeast Missouri State.

This season, Korn and the Redhawks

finished with a 19-16 (10-8 OVC) record, putting them in a position to sneak into the NCAA Tournament, should they win their First Four game Tuesday night against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The main reason Korn could be a fit for the Bulls is because he fits the fast-paced style UB has adopted over the past decade.

Southeast Missouri State finished the season third in the nation with 76.5 team possessions per game. UB ranked 11th in this metric, with 75.7 possessions.

Adam Cohen

Currently an associate head coach at Xavier, Cohen is another young assistant coach at a nationally-respected basketball program.

Prior to this season, Cohen was an assistant at Stanford for six seasons where he developed a reputation as a great recruiter. Cohen helped recruit 2021 NBA lottery pick and current Memphis Grizzlies’ forward Ziaire Williams to Stanford back in 2020.

Cohen is also a Buffalo native who grew up minutes from UB and graduated from Williamsville North High School.

Carlin Hartman

Another UB coaching candidate from the 2019 offseason, Hartman has over 25 years of coaching experience under his belt.

An assistant coach for the Florida Gators this season, Hartman has previously earned coaching gigs with UNLV, Oklahoma, Columbia and Rice.

What makes Hartman a potential candidate once again for the Bulls job is his reported interest in becoming a head coach and his ties to the area as another Buffalo native.

Email: brandon.cochi@ubspectrum.com

Softball caps off Red Raider Classic with win over Manhattan

The Bulls go 1-4 in the series to end nonconference play

JAMES HOOK STAFF WRITER

Softball (6-16) finished out their weekend in Texas with a win, defeating Manhattan (3-11) 6-3 in their final game on Sunday.

The Bulls finished with a 1-4 record over the weekend, losing to New Mexico (12-15) 6-0 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday. UB fell to Texas Tech (20-7) on Friday, 130, and lost to Manhattan by a score of 4-2 on Saturday.

Four players shined in the win against the Jaspers. Freshman first basewoman Abbey Nagel led the Bulls with two runs and two hits. Senior pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn and junior outfielder Sara Kelly were also crucial to the team’s victory. Lucyshyn finished with two runs and a hit, while Kelly had one run and two hits. Freshman catcher Lily Lauck ended the game with one run and one hit as well. Nagel and Lucyshyn each scored a single run for the team in the Bulls’ first match with Manhattan. Kelly scored UB’s lone run in their Saturday game against New Mexico. All nine UB runs on the weekend were scored by Nagel, Lucushyn, Kelly and Lauck.

The Bulls are looking to use their win over Manhattan as a springboard into conference play. On Friday, the team will travel to Kalamazoo to kick-start Mid-American Conference play against Western Michigan (6-11).

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

by landslide in first round of MAC Tournament

UB gets into early foul trouble, can’t escape Akron onslaught in101-77 defeat

COCHI ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

For the second straight season, UB men’s basketball fell to Akron in the first round of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament.

But unlike last year, when the Bulls had a chance to beat the Zips at the buzzer, Thursday’s contest wasn’t close from the start.

The Bulls hurt themselves from the jump, getting into early foul trouble and turning the ball over at the offensive end.

Akron already found themselves in the bonus less than halfway through the first half.

“They have some good players [who play physical],” sophomore guard Curtis Jones said. “They got us on some shot fakes.” At the end of the first half, Akron found themselves ahead 45-31, mainly due to a large disparity at the free-throw line. Akron went 11-for-12 from the charity stripe, while UB only got there three times, going 3-for-3.

But that wasn’t UB’s only problem.

“We had about four offensive fouls in the first half that really took away a lot of our drive game,” recently fired head coach Jim Whitesell said.

Jones, the Bulls’ leading scorer during the regular season, was shut down in the first half, scoring four points and shooting 1-for-5 from the field.

Senior forward LaQuill Hardnett was the only UB player able to get in any sort of a rhythm offensively, scoring 12 of

UB’s 31 points in the first half.

The second half wasn’t much different. Freshman center Isaac Jack, who started the game, fouled out just a few minutes into the second frame.

The Bulls couldn’t implement a consistent game plan throughout the game, having to sub in bench players frequently due to foul trouble.

As in their previous two matchups this season, Akron’s junior guard Xavier Castaneda torched the Bulls defense, this time for a game-high 31 points. Sophomore forward Enrique Freeman was also a tough cover for the Bulls’ forwards, scoring 19 points while shooting 8-for-10.

Junior guard Zid Powell led the way for the Bulls with 25 points and eight rebounds.

Hardnett finished the game with a double-double, scoring 18 points and securing 10 boards in what was perhaps his final game as a Bull; he has one more year of eligibility, should he choose to use it.

UB will now look to retool as they look toward the 2023-24 season, while also looking to fill their newly-vacated head coaching position.

Whitesell held nothing back in his postgame press conference saying, “We got to add some pieces, no doubt about it.”

Whoever those pieces might be, Whitesell won’t be the one to recruit them.

BRANDON

‘We got to add some pieces, no doubt about it’: UB loses to Akron

Moaz Elazzazi

ThE SpEcTruM

Jim Whitesell Was fired