Sharon Owens graduated from Syracuse University 40 years ago. Now she's the city of Syracuse's mayor-elect.
By
Four decades after graduating from SU, students said that same proud alumni energy carried Owens to a historic, landslide mayoral
She
with 73.8% of the vote and became the city’s first Black mayor-elect.
Culminating at the end of her year-long campaign, Owens delivered her
Shivika Gupta asst. copy editor
Editor@dailyorange.com
News@dailyorange.com
Opinion@dailyorange.com
Culture@dailyorange.com
Sports@dailyorange.com
Digital@dailyorange.com
Design@dailyorange.com
Photo@dailyorange.com
BUSINESS 315-443-2315
how to join us
The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students.
The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and financially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.
This fall, the paper will be published Thursday when SU classes are in session.
The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break.
To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible.
If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.
corrections policy
The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.
letter to the editor policy
The D.O. prides itself as an outlet for community discussion. To learn more about our submission guidelines, please email opinion@dailyorange.com with your full name and affiliation within the Syracuse community. Please note letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand. All letters will be edited for style and grammar.
The forecast for this upcoming week, per The Weather Channel.
men’s women’s
coming
SYRACUSE
coming up friday, november 7
National nachos day
Share feedback. 1.
We want to hear what you think about our content. Email editor@dailyorange.com or send us a message on social media.
Send tips and story ideas 2.
Help us report on stories that matter to you. Email editor@dailyorange.com with your ideas. Tips may be shared anonymously.
Become a member. 3.
Help us produce meaningful coverage by making a monthly tax-deductible donation at dailyorange.com/donate. You can receive a spot on our digital donor recognition wall.
Syracuse’s ward-by-ward mayoral voter turnout
By Brenne Sheehan asst. news editor
From the Northside to University Hill, a historical number of voters turned out early to elect Sharon Owens mayor of Syracuse.
There are 73,343 registered voters in the city, according to the most recent data collected by the Onondaga County Board of Elections in June. On Tuesday night, 19,325 — or about 26% — voters showed up to vote in the mayoral race.
Current Deputy Mayor and Democrat Sharon Owens won the Syracuse mayoral election by a wide margin, securing 73.82% of the final vote. Democrats also won seats across the Onondaga County Legislature — securing 10 of 17 spots and flipping the legislature blue for the first time in nearly 50 years.
About 91,500 voters in Onondaga County showed up at the polls on election night, the OCBOE reported in an X post Tuesday night. Out of those votes, 17,218 were submitted early, the largest early voting turnout the county has ever seen in a local election.
The 29.14% county voter turnout is slightly lower than the 30.7% rate in the 2021 mayoral election.
Tuesday also saw the election of three Democratic Syracuse City School District commissioners — incumbents Twiggy Billue and Karen Cordano, along with newcomer Michael Root. Several uncontested races for Syracuse Common Council seats, Common Council president and county legislature.were on the ballot as well.
Syracuse, divided into 19 voting wards, saw overwhelming support for Owens across all neighborhoods, along with a few votes for Republican candidate Thomas Babilon, who made up 18.64% of the total vote, and only 6.88% for independent candidates Alfonso Davis and Tim Rudd combined.
The Daily Orange has broken down voter turnout in the mayoral election by voting ward, using election night results and city voter enrollment data from June 2025.
First Ward
Syracuse’s First Ward includes the city’s Near Westside and Tipperary Hill neighborhoods, and reported 851 votes, just over 20% of its total registered voters in June, according to data from OCBOE.
Babilon secured 32.67% of votes in the First Ward, making it his most successful region. About 16% of the area is registered Republican.
Second Ward
The Second Ward, which includes the southwestern neighborhoods of the Southside, Elmwood and Strathmore, reported 442 votes. This is about 19% of its total registered voters in June.
Third Ward
Syracuse’s Third Ward, which includes parts of the city’s Eastside, Brighton and University Hill neighborhoods, saw 929 voters – just over 22% of total registered voters in June.
Fourth Ward
About 1,670 of 6,120 of recorded registered voters — a little over 27% — voted in the Fourth Ward. The area makes up parts of University Hill, Westcott and Downtown neighborhoods.
Fifth Ward
The Fifth Ward, which includes the Near Northside, Lakefront and Washington Square neighborhoods, saw a turnout of 2,094. This is about 33.6% of total registered voters in June.
Sixth Ward
The Sixth Ward reported 717 votes, just over 21% of its total registered voters in June. The area covers parts of Syracuse’s Northside, including the Lincoln Hill and Sedgwick neighborhoods.
Seventh Ward
The Seventh Ward, which covers the Northeast side of Syracuse, including parts of the Eastwood, Salt Springs and Meadowbrook neighborhoods, saw 550 voters out of 2165 registered voters reported in June, approximately 25.4%.
Eighth Ward
Syracuse’s Eighth Ward saw about a 20.3% voter turnout with 525 out of 2,588 registered voters in June. The Eighth Ward includes the eastern and southeastern edge of Syracuse, including residential areas like the Meadowbrook and Outer Eastside neighborhoods.
Ninth Ward
The Ninth Ward, which covers the southernmost tip of the city limits, including the South Valley and Outer Comstock neighborhoods, saw a voter turnout of 496 out of 2,696 registered voters in June — about 18.4%.
10th Ward
In the 10th ward, only about 12% of June registered voters showed up to the polls — 213 out of 1,755. The 10th ward includes neighborhoods on the far West Side, including Strathmore and Onondaga Hill.
11th Ward
The 11th Ward, which makes up the northwestern neighborhoods of Tipperary Hill and Lakefront, saw a voter turnout just shy of 31% of registered voters reported in June.
12th Ward
The 12th Ward saw a turnout of 791 of its 2,735 enrolled voters — about 29%. The 12th Ward covers parts of Inner Harbor, Washington Square and the Far Westside.
13th Ward
About 28.6% of enrolled voters in June turned out from Syracuse’s 13th Ward, which includes parts of the Lincoln Hill, Northside and Washington Square neighborhoods.
14th Ward
In the 14th Ward, 26.7% of its enrolled voters from June showed. The 14th ward includes parts of the Sedgwick and Eastwood neighborhoods
15th Ward
The 15th Ward had a voter turnout of around 15% — 189 out of 1244 enrolled voters as of June. The 15th Ward is a historically Black area that includes the city’s Southside and Downtown neighborhoods. The area, which voted almost 0% for Owens, was central to many candidates’ platforms amid a lead crisis and changes during the I-81 viaduct project.
16th Ward
About 17.6% of enrolled voters in June voted in the 16th Ward, which includes Syracuse University, SUNY ESF and student housing areas. The area voted overwhelmingly in favor of Owens — where the deputy mayor took 89% of the vote. About 60% of voters in the 16th Ward were reported to be Democrats in June.
17th Ward
About 37% of enrolled voters reported in June in the 17th Ward cast their ballots on Election Day. The ward with the largest voter registration covers the Outer Comstock and Meadowbrook neighborhoods.
18th Ward
With a voter turnout of about 13.6%, 185 of 1,362 registered voters recorded in June voted in Syracuse’s 18th Ward. The area covers the Southside, Midland and Elmwood neighborhoods.
19th Ward
In Syracuse’s 19th Ward, 27.3% of registered voters reported in June turned out at the polls. The 19th Ward, which covers the Brighton and South Valley neighborhoods.
Owens will start her position as the next mayor of Syracuse on Jan. 1. bsheeh03@syr.edu
Catholic Center chapel opens on Walnut Place
By Isabel Meléndez-Rivera staff writer
Now on the corner of Walnut Place and East Adams Street sits a new Syracuse University Catholic Center chapel with high ceilings, a wooden altar and sanctuary, stained glass windows and more.
Noah Jackson, co-chair of the Catholic Student Association’s ministry board, said the new chapel’s architecture and design will bring a “different feel” to mass.
SU community members gathered for the new St. Thomas More Chapel dedication and ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening on Wednesday. SU Chancellor Kent Syverud, Professor of Practice Ruth Chen and Father Gerry Waterman, the Catholic Chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, held the evening ceremony to welcome the new chapel, which has been in progress since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over 150 attendees, including members of the Board of Trustees, other university leaders, Franciscans, staff and students came to see the new chapel for the first time.
Diocese of Syracuse Bishop Douglas Lucia blessed the chapel as a Catholic
of
Onondaga County Democrats take majority
By Chloe Fox Rinka asst. news editor
For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Democratic Party has control of the Onondaga County Legislature.
With Sharon Owens’ historic win as Syracuse’s first Black mayor-elect and the Democrats now holding the majority of the legislature, the region is riding a so-called “blue wave.”
Democrats secured five new seats in the historically red Onondaga County Legislature on Tuesday, with 8th district legislator Chad Ryan being the last Democrat needed to flip the majority. Ryan received 75.56% of the vote against his opponent, incumbent Shawn Fiato.
The Onondaga County Legislature is the chief policy-making body for the county. The legislature is composed of six committees, with each committee reviewing and studying policy issues related to subject matter under its jurisdiction. Its annual responsibility is to review the County Executive’s proposed budget.
The legislature had 17 district seats on the ballot during Tuesday's election, 12 of which were uncontested. The Democrats now have 10 seats, holding the majority over the Republicans.
Many of the Democratic-elects expressed disdain toward the proposed aquarium in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor, saying it's a waste of money and city resources. Along with the halt in SNAP funding because of the government shutdown, new majority members said their election is a way to restore “faith” in the government, Central Current reported.
The Daily Orange has compiled a list of the Democratic-elects and their platforms.
4th District
Jeremiah Thompson won against Colleen Gunnip with 56.19% of the vote.
5th District
Ellen Block ran against Republican David Carnie, winning 56.39% of the vote as a firsttime candidate.
6th District
Gregory Eriksen ran as a first-time candidate, winning against his Republican counterpart Julie Abbott with 51.92% of the vote.
7th District
Dan Romeo is an incumbent who ran for his seat unopposed.
8th District
Chad Ryan is a former Syracuse Common Councilor and currently works as a funeral director with his father, a longtime legislator, and uncle.
9th District
Nicole Watts ran under the Working Families Party, defeating her Republican counterpart, Bonnke Sekarore, with 56.16% of the vote.
10th District
Elaine Denton, a former town councilor, won with 55.47% of the total vote over Republican Mark Olson.
15th District
Maurice “Mo” Brown is an incumbent who worked on four campaigns this election season — including Thompson’s, Denton’s, Block’s and Watts’ — and has been described as “instrumental” in helping secure the Democratic win.
16th District
Charles Garland has served as a legislator in the 16th district for the past three years.
17th District
Nodesia R. Hernandez is a Democratic incumbent, serving as the legislature’s minority leader.
space
wor - SU officials, including Chancellor Kent Syverud and Father Jerry Waterman, cut the ribbon to the Catholic Center’s new chapel Wednesday night. christian calabrese asst. photo editor see catholic center page 4
leonardo eriman photo editor
Palladian Hall at the Treasury Tuesday night. She was surrounded by her family, friends and prominent local politicians, including Mayor Ben Walsh and U.S. Rep. John Mannion.
“Democratic Party, it's time to get to work to make some real change in our community,” the deputy mayor said. “You saw that vision, and you came out tonight and you voted for that vision.”
For many SU students, Owens’ victory was more than a campaign win. Students, her supporters and community members said the mayor-elect’s SU background shaped not only her passionate and composed nature but also her approach to public service.
Owens graduated from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 1985 with a degree in economics. During her four years, she worked at the Dunbar Center, a Syracuse Southside neighborhood recreational center, and competed for the Orange on the women’s track and field team.
Leak said Owens’ alumni status not only helps her relate to students but also allows her to better integrate education policies into her campaign, helping her spread it more broadly.
“She knows the students, she knows the people, she knows the campus,” Leak, a student intern for Owens’ campaign, said. “She's just one of the most integrated people within the Syracuse community.”
Tyler Toledo, president of College Democrats of New York and SU graduate student, said Owens being an alum “drastically” impacted her campaign.
In her run for mayor, Owens’ platform focused on public safety, strengthening city neighborhoods, an inclusive, growing economy and creating and maintaining jobs in central New York.
Owens said in an Oct. 14 debate that she would diversify city housing options, support the Fowler High School police cadet program and increase collaboration with the Syracuse Common Council.
“She wants to bring that community to so many more young people and make it revitalized for them,” Toledo said. “Her background of being a Syracuse student has prompted her to care so deeply about other students that are currently here.”
During her time at SU, Owens was a member of the women’s track and field team, captaining her senior year and setting seven records by the time she graduated. She won the Big East title for the indoor long jump in both 1984 and 1985, and was also the 22nd woman inducted into the Orange Plus Hall of Fame.
In a 1989 interview with SU Magazine, Owens said in order to be the champion athlete and determined student she was, she maintained a strict schedule. She drew on it to stay focused with her many responsibilities, she said, including her community service work while in school.
Her commitment to the team demonstrated a drive and discipline for her work that carried into her mayoral campaign, said Hillary Sevin, an SU freshman and one of Owens’ campaign interns.
“As mayor, you have so many tasks that you need to complete and so many demands,” Sevin said. “Balancing both being an SU student and SU elite athlete, I think that really reflects the
ship, splashing the walls with holy water during the dedication.
Financial support for the project came from the university and community donors, said Julie Labich, executive director of advancement for Hendrick's Chapel. Some of the most notable contributors are SU alumnus Daniel D’Aniello and his wife, Gayle.
Efforts to expand and renovate the center began before COVID-19 and were driven by the need to create more space for the growing number of students attending mass, Waterman said. Other donors supported specific parts of the chapel, placing named plaques and dedications, Labich said.
SU alumnus William Gilberti Jr. contributed to the creation of a marble baptismal in front of the altar to honor his wife, who died from COVID-19 in 2023.
“I was very moved when I was asked if we would be the benefactors of something that brings new life into the world,” Gilberti said. “The thought of every child over the next 100 years or more, being baptized, and that font being there in honor of my wife was something that completed the circle that I've been going through since she passed.”
The chapel is located where the previous St. Thomas More House once stood.
The center’s Student Engagement Coordinator and SU alumnus Jack Rose used to live in the house, which provided housing for students who frequented the Catholic Center. Before the building was demolished in 2024, Rose kept
kind of balance and showed her how to effectively juggle responsibilities.”
Many SU students said Owens’ decision to stay in Syracuse shows her love and desire to improve the community. After graduation, she worked for local city nonprofits including the Southwest Community Center, Jubilee Homes and PEACE, Inc.
Before Owens worked in City Hall, she continued her nonprofit work as the deputy executive director of Home HeadQuarters from 2006 to 2010. Owens told The Daily Orange in April that former Mayor Stephanie Miner offered her a job as the deputy commissioner for the Neighborhood and Business Development, where she worked from 2010 to 2013.
In 2017, Walsh, who received his master’s of public administration at SU, appointed Owens deputy mayor of Syracuse, where she oversees the city’s Neighborhood and Business Development committee, as well as both the police and fire departments.
She owns her platform. She says what she's going to do for the people, and she says how exactly she's going to do it for the people.
Alana Leak su junior
During a series of debates throughout October, Owens’ faced numerous challenges from opponents Thomas Babilon, Alfonso Davis and Tim Rudd for continuing “status quo” previous Walsh-era policies with her administration.
While Leak watched Owens’ debates and read her media coverage, she said she was motivated by Owens’ strength while facing attacks from her opponents.
“She owns her platform. She says what she's going to do for the people, and she says how exactly she's going to do it for the people,” Leak said.
a brick from the structure, which he showed attendees during a speech.
He said he had some of his best memories there, but described the new chapel as an “even more wonderful thing.”
“The Catholic Center is a people more than it is a place, so if they have the space where they can recharge, grow, share and then go out and spread that energy and kindness with the other people on campus, then it’s for the better,” Rose said.
Several attendees, including Rose, agreed that the renovation and expansion make the center feel like a more religious space rather than just another building. The new crosstower now rises above the chapel with a green-lit cross.
“There's a beacon of light on the corner of East Adams and Walnut Park that is very tall and great, and I think that everybody can see it,” Waterman said.
A former chaplain told Waterman he could see the chapel’s crosstower from far away and sensed a stronger Catholic presence.
Gilberti, who regularly attends mass at the center and engages with community members, said he’s seen the number of students visiting the center “quadruple” over the past few years.
“The Chancellor used to come to mass here and he said there were probably 10 or 20 students at the 10:30 mass, now there are 180 students,” Waterman said.
Jackson said he’s met several students and community members at the center and hopes the new chapel will welcome more people from all over.
Toledo said Owens demonstrates a “rare” level of commitment by using her skills to make long-term changes in the same place she started her adult life.
“A lot of students come here and then think it’s time to leave … her focus is to show them what she saw in Syracuse and why she made it her home,” Toledo said.
Caprice Hibbler, an SU graduate student in the Newhouse School of Public Communications and a Southside resident, echoed Toledo, saying she believes Owens’ goal is for students to feel welcomed and cared for by the city in the same way she did 40 years ago.
As an SU alum, Owens encourages students to be more involved and take initiative in the community they’re spending time in, said Eliza Rosenstein, SU freshman and intern on the Owens campaign.
As a freshman, Rosenstein said she was “in her own world” at the university, having only been in Syracuse for a few months, before getting involved in the campaign. Sevin agreed with her, saying that working on Owens’ campaign showed her the importance of becoming involved with the city.
“(Owens) being the new mayor sends such a clear message to women interested in public service,” Sevin said. “We’re here, our voices are loud, listen up … give us a seat at the table because we need to be a part of these conversations.”
Leak said even in her first meeting with Owens, her ability to create meaningful connections with students stood out to her — something she would “never forget.” She said Owens is committed to remembering her SU roots and her “deep love” for the university was immediately apparent.
“Working with her was inspiring, exciting, hopeful and fun,” Leak said. “Sharon is a beacon of hope and truly cares about the community. She truly knows what's going on with Syracuse.”
Owens also focuses on giving back and returning to her alma mater to hire SU students as her interns and volunteer coordinators. She connects the students with the city, as she once did, Leak said.
Kenneth Lanterman, an SU sophomore and volunteer coordinator for Owens’ primary campaign in the spring, said getting
“The Catholic Center is here to be a safe space and haven for students, so being able to see the fruits of what the Catholic Center brings is important,” Jackson said. “Part of what the chapel does is allow space for students to have to pray, and also meet community and have friends.”
Gilberti linked the rising number of students at the Catholic Center to a “need for community” among younger generations, and said he hopes the new space will be a “beacon” for positive change.
to pour his “heart and soul” into working on her campaign was an “insane” experience for students on campus.
He said Owens can understand the city’s developments and the people affected by it because of her career experience. Lanterman said her innate knowledge of community changes, such as the Interstate-81 viaduct and the Micron facility opening, equips her to help the constituents the best.
“It’s super exciting and surreal, students on campus are going to have our first Black mayor and our second woman mayor,” Lanterman said. “It’s a moment to see that we can climb the ranks and really be in that position if we want. Sharon shows us ‘Yes, this is possible.’”
Owens’ platform, shaped by her breadth of experience and deep knowledge of the city, gives her the ability to create meaningful connections and solutions to Syracuse’s issues, Hibbler said.
Rosenstein agreed, saying that her experience as deputy mayor allows her to understand the solutions needed to solve the city’s public safety issues, rising violence and high crime rates. Owens uses a communityoutreach approach to combat violence in the community, rather than with violent measures, she said.
SU and other education institutions, including the Syracuse City School District and SUNY Upstate are the backbone of Syracuse, Toledo said. He said, as an alum, Owens shapes her policy platform to effectively help youth.
Owens also sits on the boards of many nonprofit organizations and actively contributes to the community, Rosemary Avila, executive director of CNY Works, said. Avila said being able to work with Owens has been an “extremely gratifying experience,” with Owens’ passionate support allowing CNY Works to flourish.
"She's definitely an advocate. She understands the community,” Avila said. “She has a really good understanding of the needs of the community and the challenges and barriers like childcare, transportation and access to good-paying jobs."
Rosenstein and Sevin added that Owens’ grace, passion and kindness stuck with them while working on her campaign. Rosenstein noted Owens’ specific effort to hug, thank and ask how her experience working on the campaign went, even during her busy Election Day.
As political science majors, both noted the importance of having an “inspiring” Maxwell alum as the new head of the city. Even though Rosenstein met Owens not long ago, she already looks up to her.
As someone who’s always been civically minded, Sevin said seeing Owens as mayor is a welcomed development.
“It’s so inspiring to see someone who was a regular student and is now leading the community we’re part of,” Sevin said. “It makes me feel like, if I take advantage of everything Syracuse has to offer, who knows what I can accomplish?”
Asst. News Editor Brenne Sheehan contributed reporting to this article.
sgupta38@syr.edu
“There's also a feeling of need for slowing down vitriol, hatred and hate speech, and coming together more, and so I think the Catholic Center will be a beacon of that happening,” Gilberti said.
The expansion of the center to include the chapel is only the first part of a bigger project, Labich said. The center plans to renovate the Theta Phi Alpha Community Hall, a multipurpose space opposite the chapel. iamelend@syr.edu
Owens with SU’s women's track team in 1985. Owens broke multiple records throughout her time on the team. courtesy of scrc
Diocese of Syracuse Bishop Douglas Lucia blesses the new St. Thomas More Chapel, splashing holy water on the walls. christian calabrese asst. photo editor
Owens makes history, Babilon falls short
Mayoral candidates Sharon Owens and Thomas Babilon hosted watch parties as results rolled in
Sharon Owens dances at her watch party shortly before the race is called. Energy remained high at the Palladian while the Owens campaign awaited final polling counts.
Owens welcomes NY-22 Congressman John Mannion to her watch party. On Tuesday evening, supporters, friends and fellow politicians attended her to await polling results.
Thomas Babilon learns that syracuse.com called the mayoral race in favor of Owens.
Babilon embraces his daughter as poll results emerge. Surrounded by his supporters, other Republican candidates and colleagues, Babilon celebrated his campaign journey at his Tuesday night watch party.
Attendees at Owens’ watch party danced as results trickled in.
Cutting his own spot
Alex Gonzalez started his career asking for any job at his uncle’s barber shop. Now, he’s setting up his own.
By Cam McGraw asst. copy editor
For many Syracuse athletes, a fresh cut before game day means a visit to barber Alex Gonzalez. What started as Alex trimming a friend’s beard has grown into a loyal following.
“I used to watch all the barber stuff on YouTube,” Alex said. “I just never knew it was going to be me.”
‘Works
By Eliana Rosen asst. culture editor
I just never knew it was going to be me.
of art’: Customers talk city’s
But this menu only has one flavor: a Detroit-style pie with red sauce, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, honey and basil. Still, people can’t seem to get enough, and only a few people can get their hands on these pizzas each week.
“It’s exciting to try to fight to be one of those few people that try to get it,” said Anthony Tringale, who runs the food review account @ eatlocalnewyork. “I think that lends to success also. Just the uniqueness and its entertaining aspect.” Angelo’s
Alex, or Ayeblendz on Instagram, has carved his own spot with Syracuse football as a barber. He’s grown his clientele from friends in his area to players like Yasin Willis, Jackson Meeks and Rickie Collins. Others, like NFL running back LeQuint Allen Jr., used to ask for a fresh cut before every Syracuse game day.
Cutting hair wasn’t always the dream for Alex, who grew up trying nearly every hobby you can think of — from athletics like lacrosse and basketball to card games like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon. Alex said he’s always been focused on improving not just his work but himself.
Alex first started working in the fast food industry when he was 16. After moving from company to company, one day he decided to quit, knowing food service wasn’t right for him.
He reached out to his uncle, a barber, asking for anything to do, even sweeping floors. Alex’s uncle threw him right into the mix on his first day. A friend came with him, and moments later Alex was holding clippers, with his uncle instructing him on how to cut his friend’s hair.
“From that moment on, I really just enjoyed the feeling,” Alex said. “My friend was pretty happy, even
said. Everything is made by hand; pounds of dough are hand mixed and pounds of cheese are hand grated, according to a post from the account. The care put into the food is what makes it special, Tringale said. The pizzas are works of art — Tringale considers it the best pizza in central New York.
“In terms of somebody who’s incredibly passionate about what they’re doing and the art of it,
I would put Angelo’s as the best,” Tringale said. The Angelo’s Pizza Bar Instagram is relatively plain. The posts are simple — a white screen with black text detailing the time slot and how many pizzas are available. After the slots are filled, the post is removed. Customers often make vlogs and reviews about their experience getting “Syracuse’s most exclusive pizza.”
see pizza page 9
Many Syracuse University athletes turn to barber Alex Gonzalez to perfect their gameday look.
leonardo eriman photo editor
Alex Gonzalez syracuse barber
Italian Utica greens connects Syracuse with central New York
By Lily Zuckerman asst. digital editor
Italian restaurants typically share many of the same dishes: spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, Margherita pizza. But beyond the classics, many of central New York’s Italian menus share another meal: Utica greens.
In Syracuse, the dish, which consists of bitter escarole, olive oil, garlic and pepper, goes by the name Utica greens. In Utica, it’s “Greens Morelle.” Others call it “Georgio Green” or “Greens Trunfio.” No matter its name, the dish is a core part of central New York’s Italian food culture.
Utica greens made it to Syracuse in the early 1980s, said Robert Searing, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association. The meal’s presence today and survival over the last few decades is a testament to the dish’s importance and interest across central New York, he said.
“It represents the melting pot in Syracuse, people can come from all over
and give you a taste of their culture through food,” Searing said. “It’s one of the great human divinations that brings us together over many divides.”
The dish is featured in many well-known Syracuse restaurants, like Francesca’s Cucina and Santagelo’s Restaurant, though the specific components vary.
Some Syracuse restaurants, like Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, call the food “East Utica Greens” on their menu, while others like Attilio’s call it “Bleecker Street Greens.”
Joe Morelle, the late head chef at Chesterfield’s Tavolo, popularized Utica greens at the restaurant in Utica, New York — hence the name.
Grimaldi’s Restaurant had a version of the greens as an occasional menu special in the early 1980s at their Syracuse, Utica and Albany locations. They first opened in Utica in 1943 and Syracuse in 1968.
After working at Grimaldi’s, Morelle adapted the recipe with his own spin and introduced it to the Chesterfield’s Tavolo menu in 1987. Chesterfield’s Tavolo restaurant was the first to make the dish permanent.
More than 35 years later, when customers visit Chesterfield’s Tavolo and try to order Utica greens, the restaurant’s owner, Salvatore “Sal” Borruso, corrects them — the dish is called “Greens Morelle.”
For Borruso, reminding people of Utica greens’ pioneer and origins gives recognition to the dish that Morelle helped spread across central New York.
campus life
The same dish and ingredients that Morelle brought to the restaurant remain on Chesterfield’s Tavolo’s menu today: escarole, hot cherry peppers, prosciutto, Romano cheese and breadcrumbs.
With locations across central New York in Syracuse, Utica and Albany, Searing credits Grimaldi’s for spreading Utica greens in the area.
For some Italian restaurants in Syracuse, more than one Utica greens variation exists on the same menu. Francesca’s Cucina has both Utica-Style Greens and Seafood Utica Greens.
At Avicolli’s Coal Fire in Fayetteville, New York, Utica greens appear three times on the menu: as an appetizer, on a pizza and in a calzone.
“With this version (of greens) being invented right over in Utica, it gives us local roots to have it on our menu here and that Italian heritage background for us,” said Jared Horton, head chef at Avicolli’s. “We want to offer variations that stay close to home but give ourselves our own identity as well.”
leonardoeriman
Every day, Avicolli’s sells dozens of plates of Utica greens, Horton said. Often, customers come in knowing it’s what they will order.
Instead of prosciutto and Romano cheese, Avicolli’s uses pancetta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in their Utica greens.
Despite escarole’s “bitterness,” Horton said if you use the right ingredients and give the dish the right love and care, Utica greens can be delicious. He said he wants the locally known dish to create positive memories for his customers.
Horton, who grew up in Liverpool, has always eaten Utica greens. Since he found his love for cooking in high school, Horton experimented to perfect his own Utica greens recipe.
“Utica greens are a staple,” Horton said. “People come in and they grab their Utica greens and they look over the menu while they’re enjoying them. They know that they come and have a good dish to start.”
The food’s popularity in central New York reflects the diversity of cultures in the area, Searing said.
“Any popular dish is a manifestation of the creativity of the chef that made it,” Searing said. “It’s them trying to do something true to their roots, while maybe trying to expand who has access to those foods they might not have.”
lvzucker@syr.edu
Stoplight venue aims to revive local campus music scene
By Caroline Erskine staff writer
A full-size traffic light turned green as The Stoplight opened its doors for the first time. Music blared and applause erupted as students in costume packed shoulder to shoulder to experience Syracuse University’s newest music venue.
“Live music is my passion. Everything I’ve done since coming to school has been because of live music, and I want to share that with the world,” said Aaron Rubinfeld, SU senior and co-founder of the venue.
The Stoplight is a new student-run live music venue dedicated to reviving the SU campus music scene. On Nov. 1, the venue hosted its first event – a Halloween show – with performances from student artists like Ada Setlik, Natalie Schlesinger and Fever Dream.
Rubinfeld and co-founder Elizabeth Miller, a graduate student in the audio arts program, started this venture for their MMI 428: Entertainment Innovation and Entrepreneurship
class. Their professor, Sean Branagan, encouraged the duo to follow through on the business idea they pitched in class this semester.
Rubinfeld’s longtime dream of starting his own venue and Miller’s experience in audio and love for music created their “baby.” The Stoplight is named after the life-sized traffic light in his living room, Rubinfeld said.
In class, Branagan emphasized having a good business plan, encouraging his students to try to make money if they could, Rubinfeld said. Following his advice, Rubinfeld and Miller charged $5 for presale tickets and $7 at the door on Saturday night.
Though their class ends this semester, Rubinfeld said The Stoplight won’t. The duo knows the SU music scene needs help; they want to fill the gap that emerged this semester with the discontinuation of Dazed’s weekly shows at their old house venue.
“We’re hoping to help reignite the live music scene that was once here and bring it back stronger than ever,” Rubinfeld said.
They don’t have an exact idea of how often they’ll open their doors, but are aiming for one or two events a month starting next semester.
The music-first perspective distinguishes the venue, SU junior Edie Berndt said. She attended Saturday’s show and said you can tell it’s a concert first and a party second.
Part of that was the start time of 8 p.m., early for the traditional SU music scene. It let people focus on the music more because they hadn’t been partying beforehand, Berndt said.
House shows aren’t just entertainment, they have an impact on the students that are part of them, Miller said. Setlik, an SU senior who performed indie-pop covers and originals on Saturday night, said she was grateful for the opportunity to showcase her style.
“The music that I play isn’t really fit for more high energy grunge houses like Dazed used to be,” Setlik said. “It was nice to have the house show feel but in an environment where my music could be perceived and enjoyed.”
There was no stage, so performers were eye-to-eye with the audience in Rubinfeld’s
living room. Setlik said she enjoyed the intimate atmosphere.
“We were all just looking at each other,” Setlik said. “It gave me chills to be like, ‘These people are here for my band, to listen to everything we’ve been working on.’”
Not only do house shows give important opportunities to student musicians, Miller said, but also to people mixing audio or setting up the stage behind the scenes.
The team worked with Branagan to get sound equipment. They now have a soundboard, which Miller said most house shows don’t usually have. The tool will elevate their shows, she said.
“With the soundboard we will be able to add effects or distortion, or even just mix the audio so it’s a better blend,” Miller said. “It helps balance the instruments with the voice as well.”
“Live music gives the best natural high,” Rubinfeld said. “Every night you don’t know what you’re getting — it’s so exciting.” cberskin@syr.edu
The Stoplight is named after the full-size traffic light that decorates the living room of the house music venue.
charlie hynes staff photographer
Students craft cross-genre beats at Echo Chamber
By Charlotte Price asst. culture editor
Last year, four Bandier Program students locked themselves in an on-campus recording studio and resolved not to leave until they had “something.” They left with Echo Chamber Sounds.
“The idea of the page was to have something very free flowing,” Jake Croce, Syracuse University sophomore and Echo Chamber member, said. “The main ethos of what we want to do is bring more community toward people interested in this kind of music, and people that make music themselves.”
Echo Chamber Sounds is a producer collective made up of Noah Volkman, Kaz Keech, William Cracknell and Croce. They post instrumental beats weekly on the collective’s Instagram. The beats are accompanied by graphics and sometimes editorial content diving into a genre or artist like EsDeeKid. The four also release a monthly playlist highlighting a genre they’re interested in, like electronic music or Scandinavian rap.
The collaborative nature of Echo Chamber is an important aspect of the project, Volkman said. Since there isn’t one leader, the work feels more community-oriented, he said.
“What I really love about our collective is how unique everyone involved is,” Volkman said. “It allows for everyone to bring something new to the table and for everyone to learn from each other.”
CONCERTS THIS WEEKEND
King Falcon W/S/G Champagne Blondes + Ready to Strike
The alternative rock trio King Falcon is making their way from New York City to Funk ‘n Waffles. With guitar-driven music, the band blends classic rock sounds with a contemporary edge.
WHEN : Thursday, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
PRICE: $13.07
WHERE: Funk ‘n Waffles
Carter Vail
Join musician and content creator Carter Vail at Westcott Theater this Friday. Vail first released music in 2018 as a college student, and is now touring his sophomore album, “100 Cowboys.” Charleston-based indie-rock band Easy Honey will be joining him.
WHEN : Friday, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
PRICE: $37
WHERE: Westcott Theater
though the cut was terrible. It was a good feeling, knowing that I was capable of doing something I’ve seen on YouTube all these years.”
He went from cutting his friend’s hair to having his own spot at the barbershop — a bigger station, a proper chair and better tools for his growing list of clients. Alex said at this point, everything started to come together.
That was until Alex’s mom died.
The passion that came with cutting hair was overpowered by the loss of one of the most important people in his life, Alex said. He not only lost his drive to go to the shop, but for the hobbies he’d once loved.
“I was angry,” Alex said. “My mom was my twin, my best friend. When she was gone, nothing felt the same.”
Alex’s focus shifted to distractions — drinking and staying inside. The loss was a mountain to climb and a heavy burden to carry, he said.
Ozzy Ozmere, one of Alex’s clients and longtime friends, said he tried to get him out of the house in any way he could, like asking Alex to come skateboarding.
“(We) tried to have some fun or something to get his mind off the pain,” Ozmere said. “But I definitely noticed a difference.”
A trait Ozmere always admired about Alex was his honesty — not just with others, but with himself. He said that Alex always remained true to who he was, even when he was grieving.
Because underground music isn’t bound to commercial pressures like bigger artists, it’s often more interesting and innovative, Cracknell said.
That innovation is a big part of what the members of Echo Chamber do. Cracknell said
The group isn’t bound by one genre, Cracknell said. However, they all share an interest in underground music popular on platforms like SoundCloud. Cracknell publishes music on SoundCloud under the name Fotia, and Volkman posts his music to SoundCloud and Spotify as envy.
Alex slowly began returning to his normal self, reconnecting with friends and picking up where he left off. Even through the change, one thing stayed constant.
“The one thing I remember about that whole, tragic maybe a year or a summer was I never put them clippers down,” Alex said. “I knew it was meant for me.”
Alex’s dad, Christopher Gonzalez, was always confident in his son. He said from a young age, Alex eventually accomplished every goal he set. Even through the hardship, he knew his son would find success.
Another one of Alex’s uncles later reached out with an opportunity for him to be a barber at Destiny USA. It was right up his alley: fast paced with lots of conversation and graffiti on the walls. It was also a gateway to connect not just with his usual clients, but with athletes.
The new job introduced Alex to a different realm of people. His most memorable client was former Syracuse football offensive lineman Codie Hornsby, he said. Hornsby walked into the shop hoping to get a cut last year, but no one seemed to acknowledge him until Alex took initiative and asked if he wanted a trim.
After that first haircut, Hornsby came back with four other players, and Alex’s popularity began to grow.
“Cutting their hair, having photos and videos with them, helped me really take off and gain a lot of exposure,” Alex said.
he tries to tap into aspects of songs he’s currently listening to as inspiration for his music. Sometimes, he starts his creative process by trying to figure out how an artist executed a certain technique.
Volkman takes a similar approach, drawing inspiration from a wide variety of styles, like
Alex started traveling to Syracuse University dorms to trim athletes’ hair. After spending more time cutting hair in SU dorms and less at the barbershop, the shop let him go. Alex said it was another hill to climb.
He tried moving to another shop, but it wasn’t the same. While barbering brought him happiness, Alex said things took a toll financially. He still didn’t want to put the clippers down.
The choices were to push through the financial struggles or find another job. When a studio space opened for rent on North Salina Street, Alex jumped at the opportunity.
“It was a monthlong process,” Alex said. “I painted the walls black. Got hexagon lights. It’s hot. I basically got my own barber shop in a room.”
While the project is still in its early stages, Alex believes this is the next step forward. Not all of his experiences at past barbershops were enjoyable, but each one helped him grow, he said.
Alex said mentors from different backgrounds taught him how to cut different types of hair. He learned different cutting techniques from an expert with scissors. A man from Africa taught him how to cut Black hair. And his first mentor, his uncle from Puerto Rico, taught him how to handle curls and tapers.
“I really just soak in every different type of barber around me, and I felt like I utilized the best of it and made myself the ultimate, and I do that everywhere I go,” Alex said.
He said his approach to Syracuse athletes is no different from his regular clients. He builds connection through simple questions that are a change of pace for players who often talk about athletics.
“They eat, sleep and live football. That’s all they talk about,” Alex said. “So I just try to talk about life, you know, ‘What’s going on?’ ‘How’s the family?’”
Ozmere said when he goes to the shop for a haircut, he often forgets what he came for and ends up just talking with people. Whether it’s playing on the PlayStation or watching YouTube on the TV, the shop is a place where bonds form.
Along with growing his personal relationships, Alex has been expanding his presence online. He uses his Instagram account to connect with both new and returning clients. He doesn’t just post his work, but moments from his daily life, showing how he navigates his days as a barber.
Christopher has supported him every step of the way. While he admires Alex’s barbering, he’s even more proud of the man his son has become. He said Alex’s kindness comes from his mom and his grandmother.
Alex said he’s been working toward the future for a while. He plans to earn his apprenticeship and license: a vital part of evolving his dream. His dad couldn’t be prouder.
“People turned their backs on him,” Christopher said. “People didn’t think that he was good enough. But look at him now, and I know eventually he’s going to have his own place.” crmcgraw@syr.edu
Acoustic Guitar Project
This New York City music project has spread around the world and is now coming to Syracuse for its 12th year. Organized by artist Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, the concert brings musicians together to write, record and perform a song in one week on the same guitar.
WHEN : Friday, 8 p.m.
PRICE: $17 - $20
WHERE: May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society
Kevin James
Comedy star Kevin James is stopping by Syracuse on his “Owls Don’t Walk” tour. James is a familiar face from many well-known movies over the years, including “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” and “Grown Ups.” Don’t miss out on his show.
WHEN : Saturday, 5 p.m.
PRICE: $54 - $111
WHERE: The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater
Miller and The Other Sinners
Buffalo-based Southern soul band Miller and The Other Sinners blend soul, gospel, blues and more in their music. Founded by lead vocalist David Michael Miller, they’ve toured around the nation since 2015 and are bringing their grooves to Syracuse this weekend.
WHEN : Saturday, doors at 5:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m.
PRICE: $28.45 - $65.75
WHERE: The 443 Social Club & Lounge
Gonzalez learned to cut a wide variety of hair from multiple mentors throughout his career. Scissor skills, fades, curly haircuts and tapers are all in his portfolio. leonardo eriman photo editor
noah volkman and jake croce are two of Echo Chamber’s four cofounders. The student-run producer group began in a Newhouse recording studio. taite paradise staff photographer see producers page 9
After some trial and error, Syracuse University junior Annie Knobloch commented quickly enough and successfully received a message telling her she could pick up a pizza pie. The self-described foodie said she couldn’t believe she was able to get her hands on the “most beautiful pizza ever.”
It creates a very forbidden fruit type of thing. You want to be one of those people in the know who’ve had the pizza.
Daniel Saligman su senior
Not all commenters have been so successful.
SU senior Daniel Saligman tried — to no avail — for nearly two months this summer to be one of Angelo’s lucky customers. He turned on notifications for the Instagram page and repeatedly commented, “Please Mr. Pizza Man,” on every post, but was never successful. Like Saligman, The Daily Orange also couldn’t get a hold of Angelo for an interview.
The process is competitive. Comment sections fill instantaneously when the posts go up, Syracuse native Roseanne DePietro said.
DePietro has been following Angelo’s Pizza Bar since the account had less than one thousand
house music, Playboi Carti-style rap music or early Kanye West-style hip-hop. The group’s common love for music is part of what forged their bond, Cracknell said.
“When you’re already connected by music, it makes it a lot easier to relate on the deeper personal level,” Cracknell said. “I already have that level of support and trust with them in a way, just because we listen to some music and we come from similar backgrounds musically.”
Cracknell started producing music videos in middle school. During his junior year of high school, Cracknell made beats. Volkman has been making music since middle school, he said.
The collaborative environment of a producer collective has been a positive step in Croce’s music journey, he said. Echo Chamber’s weekly posting schedule motivates him to be consistent with creating more music.
“This was always the thing that I would do in my room by myself,” Croce said. “I’d come home after a long day and just unwind and make music. So it definitely was outside of my comfort zone a little bit to be collaborating with people. But it’s really great.”
Being part of Echo Chamber has helped diversify the members’ skills, Croce said. He
followers. She was determined to get a pie, copying the word “Me” so she could immediately paste it and be the first commenter.
Getting a pizza feels like winning the lottery, DePietro said. In that case, she’s won twice.
DePietro said picking up the pizza is a little creepy, but “not in a bad way.”
Customers are instructed to pull into the driveway and stay in their car while waiting for the pizza. Angelo comes up to the driver’s window and opens the pizza box to show them before handing it off.
“It feels and sounds like every drug deal you’ve ever heard about,” DePietro said.
built design skills by creating the graphics for the account, and Volkman said the collective has helped him gain a better understanding of big-picture branding and marketing.
Having a platform like the Echo Chamber account also helps add credibility to the members’ names as artists, Volkman said, proving that the members aren’t “just another DJ.”
Croce worked as a student liaison between CrossRoads Collective and the BareRoots Music Festival in September. The festival’s coordinator recruited him through his work with Echo Chamber Sounds. Volkman said the platform and connections from Echo Chamber helped him land gigs like performing at Cage Collective and opening for BUNT. at Harvey’s Garden.
Echo Chamber’s audience is mostly limited to SU students right now, Cracknell said, creating some challenges in growing engagement. However, Cracknell is optimistic about the collective’s future. He and Croce are thinking about turning the collective into their capstone project for Bandier.
The account is also beginning to roll out editorial content more often, a key step in turning the collective into a “real thing,” Croce said. Though they aren’t totally sure what the next steps for Echo Chamber will be, Cracknell said a goal is to build it into a business before graduating from SU.
The mystique of the business model makes you work for your food, Saligman said. The exclusivity creates a sort of in-group for those who are successful, making him want the pizza even more, he said. Saligman called Angelo’s “this secret pizza place that only the real ballers know about.”
“It creates a very forbidden fruit type of thing,” Saligman said. “You want to be one of those people in the know who’ve had the pizza. You feel like you are accomplishing something in some way if you were to get the pizza.”
The process really only works because of the quality of the pizza, Tringale said.
Anyone could sell a limited amount of food out of their house, but you have to have something people want. Angelo’s Pizza Bar does, he said.
“The pizza is great, very fresh, the dough is airy and light,” DePietro said. “You could eat three pieces and not be full.”
Junior Jojo Blain was a lucky customer on her first try. After finding out about the account over the summer, she turned on post notifications but didn’t comment until a Saturday morning in October. She naturally woke up early and saw the account had just posted. She knew it was her chance.
When Blain got the message that she was one of the winners, she was 30 minutes away in LaFayette. It was a stressful rush to be on time for pickup. She was determined to not be late, something the chef requests customers avoid.
Normally Blain wouldn’t spend $35 on a pizza, but the exclusivity and reputation of Angelo’s made it worth it — at least just this once, she said.
For the high price, the pizzas are quite large. Blain said she spent the week after her pickup reheating leftovers. When DePietro got her pie, she drove around her neighborhood, delivering pieces to friends and family.
Angelo’s Pizza is so popular because no one else is doing it, Knobloch said. It’s weird and fun, which she said draws people in.
“In a city like Syracuse, it’s fun when unpredictable things are going on. If there’s something kind of out of the ordinary, everybody shows up to that,” Knobloch said. “It was a fun little side quest to go on.”
ehrosen@syr.edu
Cracknell sees the collective’s flexibility as an advantage. They aren’t tied down to a specific brand identity, allowing them to stay true to Echo Chamber’s community ethos no matter what iteration the collective takes.
That ethos, creating a space of connection through music, is part of what’s made Echo Chamber successful, and why the members continue to push for it to grow, Volkman said.
“We wanted to find the other people that were looking for something like this, because when we first got here, we were looking for it, and we couldn’t find it, so we created it,” Volkman said. “And I think that that’s a really valuable thing for us to keep pushing, to have a place for people to have a community for things that they’re interested in.”
cprice04@syr.edu
rené vetter cartoonist
julia english cartoonist
cartoonist
Angelo’s Pizza Bar may be the most exclusive eats in Syracuse. Customers race to comment on his Instagram account, vying to be chosen to receive a Detroit-style pizza. courtesy of jojo blain
Echo Chamber Sounds allows William Cracknell, Kaz Keech, Noah Volkman and Jake Croce (left to right) to experiment with their music. courtesy of jake croce
“Listen,
Día de Los Muertos celebrates grief as a continuation of memory
By Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez columnst
In Mexico, every altar of the dead is a love letter, every marigold flower an “I miss you” and every candle a promise that their light remains with us. Rituals like Día de Los Muertos – Day of the Dead – don’t eliminate the pain of our loved ones passing. Instead, they turn grief into a celebration of life and love. They’re a reminder that life doesn’t end after death if our loved ones’ memory remains, challenging the Western narrative that sorrow encapsulates death.
My welito, or grandpa, Juan, passed away in February. He was an angel, a pan de Dios, and my biggest inspiration in leading an intentional and noble life. I wasn’t able to make it to his funeral due to the 2,000-mile distance, so celebrating him for the first time this Día de Los Muertos weighed especially heavily on my heart.
To love Mexicanly is to love so abundantly that it keeps pouring after death. I have my Welo Juan and Welo Rigo to thank for my bleeding heart, and it’s in their honor that I work so hard to share cultural emblems like Día de Los Muertos on campus.
We traditionally welcome back our loved ones as a community in Mexico, and the Mexican Student Association enabled us to spread our cultural wealth at Goldstein Auditorium through our Día de Los Muertos Celebration last Wednesday.
More than 150 people attended the collaborative effort with the Haitian American Student Association, Lambda Theta Alpha, La Lucha, South American Latine Student Association and the Central American Student Association. Each organization tabled with transnational emblems of memory to encompass how we cross-culturally honor loved ones.
Day of the Dead isn’t mutually exclusive to Mexico, and we wanted to highlight how the colloquial celebration of death unites all Latin Americans, especially within the context of our escalating ethnic persecution.
Existence is resistance: having events like Día de Los Muertos on campus echoes our collective chants that we’re not hiding who we are. Instead, we’re proud to extend the warm hug we welcome our passed loved ones with to our peers and spread the love and beauty our culture bestows upon us.
I, a Remembrance Scholar, dedicated an Altar de Muertos to the 33 Syracuse University students, 11 Lockerbie Residents and the flight crew who died in the PanAm 103 flight. Scholars left items like pancakes, candy and lollipops to welcome back their representatives, with candles and marigolds guiding their way back to campus.
On this Day of the Dead, we also remember the migrants whose lives have been unfairly taken by state-enforced political violence, from deaths in detention centers to police brutality to genocides funded by our taxes.
We remember those who have been pushed out of their homes and have passed in their pursuit of the alleged American dream. We honor the lives that are no longer here by remaining present in the fight for fair treatment.
As long as someone’s memory is honored, their legacy palpitates with every heartbeat.
In my house, we have an Altar de Muertos year-round. My mom and I used to decorate it together each year before I moved away for college. Loss of this tradition would erase the multigenerational efforts of honoring passed ones’ legacies and neglect our ancestral commemoration of our roots.
Student-run events like Día de Los Muertos are not only marks of resistance, but also nurture community-building spaces that foster the cross-cultural understanding imperative to wellness and liberation.
I wear my heart on my sleeve for the love my grandpas showed me was possible, the kind they never held back in giving. Although they’ve passed, my heart has only grown – a fruit of the legacy that remembering them has nurtured my justice-driven narrative. Radical love and hope are treatments for a fractured society, and Día de Los Muertos
fuels the path to rebuilding a community centered on compassion.
In Oaxaca, families break bread, celebrate and spend the night at family members’ tombstones. Candles illuminate the night, and the waft of pan dulce in the air is just as prominent as the love encapsulated in the night.
Celebrations are led differently in regions of Mexico and Latin America, but the one constant is the light that continues to shine through remembering, reflecting and celebrating loved ones who’ve passed. Unity takes effort in a hyper-individualistic society, but traditions such as these nurture unison.
Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez is a senior majoring in geography, sociology and environment, sustainability and policy. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at vmarti10@syr.edu.
When British Vogue published “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing?” I felt a mix of confusion and frustration. I’m not against celebrating singlehood, but the piece fed into a tired narrative that having a boyfriend somehow makes you less interesting, independent or even “lame.”
Being single can look glamorous and empowering, especially as feminism continues to grow in opposition to the current political climate. More women are going against the grain, staying single, developing their careers and prioritizing themselves.
But I also know many single women who are juggling four dating apps and manifesting a husband, and that shouldn’t be viewed as shameful; it’s simply human, and so is being in a relationship.
While Vogue’s purpose may have been to calm tension between the two lifestyles, readers using it to frame one choice as chic and the other as embarrassing completely obstructs what could be a productive conversation around relationships.
The media has a habit of swinging between extremes. For decades, women were told that fulfillment came only through marriage and motherhood, and that singlehood meant you would shamefully end up with six cats and a knitting problem. Now, needing or wanting a partner is embarrassing. Both extremes reduce women to tropes instead of treating them as complex people with varying desires.
While I can recognize Vogue’s attempt to celebrate independence, the reaction online turned its message into something else entirely: a war on men and, further, a judgment on anyone who happens to be in love.
Declaring men the universal enemy doesn’t make women stronger – it just makes the world
smaller. It replaces honest social critique with a divisive generalization that distracts from real gendered inequities.
The conversation's quick turn from empowerment to performance demonstrated that vulnerability itself has become unfashionable; love is something to hide instead of celebrate.
Really, chicness has never been about relationship status but rather authenticity. I’ve seen plenty of people, single, taken, or somewhere in between, who are stylish, confident, and selfassured. I’ve also seen just as many who aren’t.
The women I find most magnetic aren’t defined by whether they’re dating someone.
Instead, by the ease with which they inhabit their own lives.
Having an embarrassing boyfriend is embarrassing, just like having a bad haircut or a terrible taste in music might be, but being in love isn’t. Sharing intimacy, joy and connection with another person doesn’t make you a lesser version of yourself. It doesn’t “take hits on a woman’s aura” or ambition. If anything, the right relationship amplifies both.
What’s truly embarrassing is letting the opinions of strangers online dictate how you live. Love has become a kind of performance, where even affection is filtered through the
trend cycle of social media. If you post your boyfriend, you’re performing, but if you don’t, you’re ashamed. There’s no winning in a culture that insists on turning everything, even intimacy, into content.
It’s worth mentioning that much of the online men-hating trend that was ignited by this article came from people who didn’t actually read the Vogue piece. This only proves even more so how people blindly follow others' opinions without actually reading information.
In reality, the article wasn’t about being ashamed of boyfriends at all. It validly explored why some women choose not to share their relationships publicly: privacy, superstition and personal comfort.
One line in the article said, “Boyfriends are out of style until they start acting right.”
Some men deserve to be called out for treating women poorly, but painting all men with that brush erases individuality. It also distracts from the real issues at play: how online discourse can flatten complex conversations about power, identity, and gender into slogans. To generalize is lazy, and to shame women for loving men, even good ones, is unfair.
Ultimately, neither being single nor in love is inherently embarrassing. The idea that a man has such influence on a woman’s personality and others’ perception of her only continues to center him instead of appreciating a woman’s independent values.
The only true embarrassment is allowing your relationship status to define you and allowing others' opinions to determine how you feel about yourself. We must promote our own individuality while recognizing the danger of turning love into performance.
courtesy of valeria martinez gutierrez
Mamdani’s win represents NYC’s embrace of political equity
By Helena Sauriat columnist
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race demonstrates an inspiring opportunity to heal the dangerous political divide demonstrated by the race.
As a NYC native from Harlem, I’ve seen how detrimental the cost of living is to residents. Those who have lived the majority of their lives here feel the odds are stacked against them, working every day to pay rent, groceries and transportation.
I’ve lived in Harlem since I was 1 year old, and I remember when it was affordable. I remember block parties and community meetings, as well as family-owned restaurants going back 50 years being replaced with conglomerate stores. There was a stronger sense of community before wealthy transplants took over my block and gentrified Harlem and other neighborhoods.
The people who’ve moved here in the last 10 years are here for one thing: to make money. But Zohran Mamdani recognizes the heart and soul
of this city isn’t the hedge fund managers and tech oligarchs the defeated candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is so bent on protecting. Mamdani more genuinely and accurately credits the deli owners, artists, teachers and taxi drivers as making New York the pocket of culture and beauty that it is.
Andrew Cuomo, on the other hand, was backed by a large part of the Democratic and Republican establishments despite his sexual assault allegations and shameful resignation from his governor position in 2021.
The dynamic between these two candidates demonstrated a very clear divide between our two political parties. I am glad Mamdani shows the promise of relieving the clear indifference to the needs of non-billionaires within our twoparty system.
For instance, once the top 5% of New York residents realized Zohran’s vision for the city’s future wasn’t to make them richer, they banded together to make sure he was not elected, abandoning political affiliation altogether.
Democratic leaders refused to endorse Mamdani, with Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi
himself backing Cuomo. Despite political polarization being stronger than ever, Cuomo simultaneously received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and other notable Republicans.
The implications are clear: when billionaires and millionaires are at risk of being taxed – even just 2% more – they focus on self-serving objectives rather than universal progress. At the end of the day, this country prioritizes protecting the rich, even if it means tax on their wealth could improve our city’s infrastructure and help vulnerable communities. Instead, they attempted to put millions of dollars into ensuring Mamdani lost the election.
Republicans didn’t even back their own candidate, Curtis Sliwa, and billionaires tried to bribe him to drop out for splitting the vote against Cuomo. Having three serious candidates on the ballot resulted in a fairer election, and it showed the possibility of shifting away from our bipartisan system. For the first time in my voting career, I didn’t feel like I was choosing between the lesser of two evils
– I felt like I actually had a choice that would lead to change.
This election for mayor brought to light all of the flaws of our country’s two-party system, but his victory gives me hope that the New York I grew up in can come back. I'm hopeful he will prioritize community and equity over profit, division and displacement.
Mamdani’s win shows that the people who actually live in the city want change, too. Even if Mamdani can’t come through on all of his promises, as many critics have suggested, we can be proud we’ve elected someone with new ideas and whose interests and funding come from an honest, hardworking place.
New York City has been and will be a model for the rest of the country. His win holds inspiration and empowerment. For once, the working class will be the priority, not just as a victim of manipulation for votes, but to be heard as a significant voice.
Helena Sauriat is a sophomore majoring in journalism and history. She can be reached at hrsauria@syr.edu.
By Bella Tabak columnist
The United States is facing a growing loneliness problem. Avi Schiffmann, a 22-year-old founder of AI tech startup Friend, is selling a solution: chatbots housed in plastic pendants. Despite major backlash against Schiffmann’s advertising in the NYC subway, and the hefty $129 price tag, around 200,000 people have purchased their own Friend.
But Friend pendants aren’t the only way people are substituting social interaction with chatbots. Some are turning to ChatGPT to fill gaps in their romantic relationships, too.
One woman told the New York Times she’s in love with her AI boyfriend, whom she named Leo. She spends more than 20 hours a week on ChatGPT with him.
I understand the need to fill the void left by loneliness, but this form of connection is merely a temporary fix. Audrey Jones, a Syracuse University freshman studying communication and rhetorical studies, said she uses AI frequently, but she doesn’t talk to it like it’s human.
“That freaks me out really bad,” Jones said. Chatbots are being integrated into our social media platforms as well. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pushing AI friendships for people who have fewer human connections. However, I see through to his true intentions.
Starting Dec. 16, when you chat with Meta’s AI, all your data will be sold off to advertisers, and there’s no way to opt out. Cashing in on a loneliness epidemic is unfortunately the exact response I’d expect from a socially detached, billionaire CEO.
Others are leaning on AI chatting for therapy as costs rise, but developing emotional attachments to chatbots that don’t have ethical guardrails can become dangerous.
Mau Gawa, an undecided sophomore at SU, shared that she likes to play rock, paper, scissors with her Google Echo. She wouldn’t use AI for therapy, though, as she worries it lacks proper boundaries.
Gawa’s fears are quite legitimate: the term “AI psychosis” has been coined out of concern for unhealthy relationships with AI. While it’s not yet a cynical diagnosis, there are cases of individuals who have been arrested and hospitalized as a result of AI feeding into their delusions and paranoia.
“It’s easy to convince AI to say what you want to hear, it's not like a therapist,” said Milo Wijenayake, an SU graduate student studying finance. Wijenayake uses AI for assignments, but doesn’t trust it for therapy, either.
AI isn’t the answer to our loneliness, so we need to find a more long-term solution, especially considering social isolation’s serious impact on a person’s health. With 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. reporting they’ve felt lonely, there’s a great chance someone you know is at risk.
Social media may seem like a quick fix, but research shows it doesn’t actually help. Even though we’re spending large amounts of time on social media on average, we’re still feeling socially confined. Limiting time on social media and prioritizing making plans with friends is something I’m trying to do more of for myself.
Sunny Suaya, an SU junior studying broadcast and digital journalism, recommends that people feeling lonely should try and interact with others in person.
“The art of conversing with people day to day, out in the open, is getting lost,” she said. “You’re in the grocery store, you’re standing in line, start conversing with someone, it could make their day and make your day as well.”
I have to agree with Suaya; I’ve shared some amazing conversations with strangers. While I may not have exchanged social media or even names with them, I still remember those connections.
Wijenayake has different suggestions for more introverted individuals. He said adopting a pet, reading a book or starting a new hobby may be helpful.
One bar in Washington D.C. is taking authentic connection to the extreme by eliminating phones, removing the distraction of a potential AI boyfriend altogether.
Focusing on making changes on the individual level can be helpful, but sometimes it doesn’t go far enough. Car-dependent communities lack the common human connection that walkable cities do. Third spaces, places where you can socialize that aren’t work or home, are becoming hard to find.
To truly confront the loneliness epidemic, we need to look inward and confront our own habits, and question those who have built our hostile infrastructure.
young. “Come to Daddy,” he repeated in his head. Grant did just that, running to his family after diving into the endzone.
“That’s the type of play they make up in the movies,” Perry said.
“That was 100% Devin,” added Tim Smith, Grant’s coach at Holy Cross High School (New York).
Grant didn’t truly understand what happened until he reached the sidelines. The adrenaline took over to hide the pain.
Weeks before the regular-season finale, Grant felt a jolt in his knee in practice. It was a torn meniscus and sprained MCL. His first question to SU’s medical staff was whether he could still play. Once he realized he could, it didn’t matter.
He was gonna make a play. Like he always has.
Before becoming “Showtime,” Grant was known — and is still known around New York City — as “The Franchise.” He deviated from the nickname at Syracuse because Brown also held it. Though at just 4 years old, Grant’s godfather, Jason Brown, bestowed it upon him. As his grandmother, Lisa Neil, remembers, Brown viewed Grant as a future franchise player.
While other kids put LEGOs and video games on their Christmas lists, Grant wished for shoulder pads and a helmet. Sitting in his high chair at an even earlier age, he watched sporting events with his father. The viewing later evolved into watching compilations of the NFL’s hardest-hitting plays, featuring Ronnie Lott, Lawrence Taylor, Troy Polamalu and Kam Chancellor. When Jay yelled, “Ronnie,” Grant knew his next move.
Grant also had some family footsteps to follow. He grew up watching his uncle, Dean Marlowe, play high school football at Holy Cross and college ball at James Madison. Once Marlowe cracked the Carolina Panthers’ roster, Grant traveled with his grandmother to Super Bowl 50 to see Marlowe’s squad face the Denver Broncos.
Years later, as Marlowe explores college coaching, the two text weekly to check in. A former safety, Marlowe knows what it takes to play at the highest level. He’s seen Grant’s evolution.
“Devin’s been a kid who thrived off the big stage,” Marlowe said. “If it was tackle football in the backyard, he wanted a whole audience.”
Following one season at Sewanhaka High School, Grant moved to the same school his uncle once played at. Smith knew Grant since he was “in his mother’s arms,” and watched him play football since he was around 6 years old. At Holy Cross, Grant shone primarily as a quarterback and safety. Smith said he even could’ve played receiver in college due to his 6-foot-4 frame.
Grant’s freak athleticism also stretched across sports. On the basketball court, he led the Knights in scoring his senior year. In baseball, he was a starter. But he always prioritized football. That would remain beyond high school.
Zambrano blasted a shot that clattered off the left post and bounced right into the arms of Joseph.
The Orange again came up empty on a promising attack just six minutes after Zambrano’s miss. Sachiel Ming whipped in a corner kick to the front post, and Gavin Wigg redirected it on target with a creative back-heel. Joseph did enough to slow the shot, but it crept between his legs and bounced a yard off the goal line.
Syracuse center back Garrett Holman blasted it into the roof of the net, momentarily giving the Orange a two-goal cushion. However, a lengthy VAR review deemed Holman offside.
Virginia Tech turned the decision into momentum. The Hokies rattled off two quick shots, including their first shot on goal all evening. In the 42nd minute, though, they found their breakthrough.
We found a way. It wasn’t pretty, but I think
we deserved to advance tonight.
Ian McIntyre SU head coach
Joseph blasted a long ball over the top of SU’s defense, which found VT attacker Dagur Traustason’s head at the edge of the box. Trautason flicked it on for Joao Felicio, who worked his way across the left side of the box before centering a pass for Declan Quill. Quill calmly slotted it into the net to level the game at one entering the half.
While searching for a college, Grant worked out for Syracuse. The Orange — then under Dino Babers’ staff — “blew it” in Smith’s eyes, not extending an offer. A nearby school became the right match.
When Marlowe was recruited out of Holy Cross, he connected with Maurice Linguist, then James Madison’s safeties coach. Linguist held many other roles in the past, including the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive backs coach.
The relationship continued on, proving pivotal after Linguist became Buffalo’s head coach. When Grant was working out at a camp, he caught Linguist’s attention. According to Jay, Linguist described Grant as a “gazelle.” Smith then told Linguist that Grant was Marlowe’s nephew. Linguist connected with Grant’s family, and after receiving an offer and taking an official visit, Grant committed.
From the beginning of his time at Buffalo, Grant stuck out. His position coach, Brandon Bailey, said Grant possessed a subconscious radar for critical moments, where his instincts maximized his talent. Bailey admitted, however, that he didn’t play Grant enough as a freshman. He didn’t earn a start until the Camellia Bowl, but then came his breakout.
As a sophomore, Grant appeared in all 12 of the Bulls’ games and earned First Team AllMid-American Conference honors. His five interceptions ranked sixth nationally, and when Linguist departed for Alabama’s defensive backs job, Grant hit the transfer portal.
Blake wasn’t totally on board with the decision. She was nervous because her son was thriving and already had a Division I scholarship. But Grant asked her to believe in him.
The family was on its way to an official visit at Florida, but newly-minted Syracuse staffers Elijah Robinson and Robert Wright flew to see Grant first. Wright, previously Buffalo’s defensive coordinator, already knew Grant. The two reconnected and Grant decided to stay in-state again, this time with the Orange.
Fast-forward to the end of his junior campaign. Grant started 10 games at safety for SU. His play against Miami was program-defining, ushering in a new era under Brown. But he had a knee to repair.
Blake said the medical staff wanted to perform Grant’s surgery just two days after the game. However, she wanted to be in Syracuse for the surgery and postoperative recovery. So, she went home to New York City, filled out the paperwork with the NYPD to take a month-long leave of absence and returned to Syracuse. Grant then underwent surgery, missing the Holiday Bowl but traveling with the team.
Grant knew he needed time to heal. So, he took a backseat in the spring.
“That was a story in itself,” Grant said of his injury recovery. “Those hard times, you look back at them and the person that they made me today, you’ve got to be thankful for it.”
Grant said he feels more comfortable in his second year at Syracuse. He thinks he’s
more vocal, as many of SU’s top defenders from 2024 departed. But it hasn’t been easy for him physically.
A high-ankle sprain sidelined him against UConn and Colgate. Brown said Grant came back early from the injury and reaggravated it. The safety has still excelled when it mattered most.
In Syracuse’s first-ever win at Clemson, Grant set the tone with a team-high 10 tackles. Against North Carolina, he forced a fumble to produce SU’s sole touchdown of the night. Even through the Orange’s struggles, Grant shines brightest under the lights.
In the hours after last season’s Miami game, Grant’s phone “blew up” with messages about his performance. He had to silence it to go to bed. Almost a year later, he still sees videos of the play on his TikTok feed. He wouldn’t want it any other way.
To Grant, it’s one of the best plays of his life and one of the best feelings he’s ever experienced. It’s who he is now. And who he’s always been. “If you have a nickname, you’ve got to live by it,” Neil said.
amstepan@syr.edu
@AidenStepansky
“We felt sorry for ourselves right at the end of that half,” McIntyre said. “Second half, going against that strong wind, we found a way. (We showed) a lot of character, and that’s the strength of our team.”
It took Syracuse 15 minutes into the second half to find a response. Giona Leibold had two good looks from around the six-yard box, but Joseph saved his initial try from the center of the pitch before pushing his effort from the near post past the bar.
Zambrano played the ensuing corner kick short to Leibold, who skipped past a defender on
the left and smashed a cross into the box. Wigg got a slight touch on it at the near post, which set up Brdaric for an unmarked right-footed finish at the back post.
Brdaric said he couldn’t remember the last time he scored two goals in a game. Now, he’ll never forget it.
“He won’t ever score for Syracuse, two bigger goals,” McIntyre said.
By restoring its one-goal advantage, Syracuse was put in a familiar situation — trying to defend a narrow lead late. McIntyre subbed off his striker for an additional center back,
and the Orange switched to a five-back with 10 players behind the ball at all times.
The Hokies controlled possession for most of the final 15 minutes but couldn’t find the final pass in Syracuse’s box. They mustered just three shots in the span. While a dangerous challenge in the box from Michael Acquah nearly awarded VT a penalty late, the Orange escaped danger, as Acquah got just enough of the ball to avoid a potential game-altering call.
On Virginia Tech’s last breath, it again couldn’t connect passes to break down Syracuse’s low block. Ivan Irinimbabazi smashed the ball away as the whistle blew for full-time, confirming the Orange would be headed to the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals.
“We may not be the best team in the country, but what we are is a tough, gritty team that leaves it all on the field,” McIntyre said. “And tonight, thankfully, we had enough to win the game.”
Boarding a plane to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the second round of the ACC Tournament would’ve felt like a distant dream for McIntyre’s squad a few months ago. The Orange were dropping points at home to Duquesne and New Haven. Syracuse has found its footing and, in turn, become a true threat in the ACC.
“Our team has evolved into a team that can win soccer matches this time of year,” McIntyre said. “We’re a team with a lot of character, toughness, and we found a way. It wasn’t pretty, but I think we deserved to advance tonight.”
The Orange didn’t want their story to be defined by early-season struggles. On Wednesday, they didn’t want their story to end with a loss to the Hokies. So they responded in dominant fashion.
And if it can continue to do so, Syracuse’s tale may still be far from the climax. harrispemberton@gmail.com
Devin Grant developed his big-game playstyle at Holy Cross High School. At SU, it could help it break its losing streak. courtesy of stephanie blake | leonardo eriman photo editor
Syracuse defeated Virginia Tech in the first round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night behind Tim Brdaric’s brace. joe zhao senior staff photographer
What to know about No. 18 Miami before SU’s must-win clash
By Cooper Andrews senior staff writer
Less than a year ago, Fran Brown walked off the JMA Wireless Dome turf a king. He closed his first year as Syracuse’s head coach by helming the Orange to one of their biggest wins in program history — a 42-38 stunner over then-No. 6 Miami.
Brown was smiling a mile wide in front of ESPN cameras with his youngest son, Brayden, beaming by his side as SU fans poured onto the turf in celebration. It can’t get more picturesque than that. The scene stamped Brown as Syracuse football’s savior.
Fast forward to now, before his next matchup versus the Hurricanes, and you see an entirely different mood surrounding Brown’s squad. Syracuse is reeling badly; it’s on a fivegame losing skid, its quarterback room has become a circus, its rush defense can’t stop a nosebleed and it just fired wide receivers coach Myles White — part of Brown’s lateseason coaching staff shakeup.
Still, the Orange face similar stakes as they did in 2024: win, and SU essentially knocks the Hurricanes out of College Football Playoff contention.
Here’s what to know before Syracuse’s (3-6, 1-5 Atlantic Coast) road battle versus No. 16 Miami (6-2, 2-2 ACC) Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium:
All-time series
Miami leads 15-8.
Last time they played
As described above, Syracuse delivered the signature moment of its 10-3 2024 campaign by shocking Miami in a duel between current NFL quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Cam Ward — the eventual No. 1 pick of last year’s NFL Draft.
McCord tossed for 380 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Orange on a fierce comeback after facing a 21-0 deficit. But the play of the game came with 1:47 left in the third quarter, when SU safety Devin Grant returned a fumble from Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo 56 yards to the end zone to put Syracuse up 35-28.
The victory served as SU’s first win over an AP top-10 team since 2017.
The Hurricanes report
The “U” was supposed to be “back” this season. For real, this time. Fourth-year head coach Mario Cristobal’s squad was favored to win the ACC and get to the CFP after falling just short in 2024.
Obtaining Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck helped advance that narrative. So did the Hurricanes’ season-opening upset victory over then-No. 6 Notre Dame — 2024’s CFP runner-up.
Since then, Miami’s season has progressively slipped away.
The Hurricanes have lost two of their last three games, including a home defeat to No. 14 Louisville and an overtime loss at SMU last Saturday. Beck combined to throw six interceptions in those two losses. And he’s been quick to blame teammates for his struggles in postgame interviews.
However, when it comes to facing Syracuse this week, the Hurricanes should be confident about their running game. They’ve racked up 1,240 yards on the ground over eight games, led by Mark Fletcher Jr.’s 636 yards and Charmar Brown’s 280. The two backs provide a solid onetwo punch, keeping each other fresh.
Miami’s defense has been much more consistent than its offense. Freshman cornerback Bryce Fitzgerald leads the team with three interceptions and senior defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor brings a valiant pass-rushing presence, totaling 3.5 sacks and 16 solo tackles thus far. The Hurricanes rank first in the ACC in scoring defense, surrendering just 15.6 points per game and allowing no more than 26 points in any contest.
The stats are the stats, but make no mistake, the Orange are matching up with a desperate and more talented Miami squad that needs a win.
How Syracuse beats Miami
Well, you won’t find much of an answer here.
The formula for the Orange to upset the Hurricanes isn’t close to as simple as it was last year. They no longer have a quarterback who can lead an offense to score at will. They no longer have a pass rusher to intimidate a star opposing signal-caller. And, because of their recent quarterback incompetence, they no longer have a functioning run game.
So, how can Syracuse possibly win? The only realistic way is if the Orange force Beck into playing one of the worst games of his life. SU’s top cornerback options in Chris Peal and Demetres Samuel Jr., as well as its interception leader in Davien Kerr, have shown shutdown ability at times this year.
They’ll need to lock up Miami’s receiving corps and make Beck throw balls into heavy traffic. That’s because it’s difficult to comprehend how Syracuse’s offense will score a touchdown. The Orange would at least have a fighter’s chance if they start Rickie Collins under center.
Stat to know: 22.2%
True freshman walk-on quarterback Joe Filardi made a surprise start for the Orange last week against North Carolina. He failed to lead Syracuse’s offense to a touchdown. There’s one number in particular, though, that elicits concern if Filardi is ready to face a Division I defense yet: his dreadful 22.2% completion percentage.
Filardi completed 4-of-18 passes versus UNC and went most of the first half without one. He was inaccurate on anything other than checkdowns, and his best throw of the day came on a flea-flicker where he hit freshman receiver Boobie Johnson for a 25-yard gain.
A 22.2% completion rate is uncompetitive.
Time will tell if Filardi shows enough in practice this week to convince Brown that he won’t post another outing as dreadful as the last game.
Player to watch: Carson Beck, quarterback, No. 11
Once a Heisman frontrunner, Beck is watching his notoriety as an NFL prospect wane by the week.
Beck has thrown the third-most interceptions in the nation this year (nine) and the second-most among Power Four quarterbacks. He nearly tossed for 2,000 yards across Miami’s opening eight contests and boasts the 17th-best QBR in the country at 80.0, but coughing up the ball has been Beck’s weakness this fall.
If you’re bold enough to watch Saturday’s game, Beck is really the only player you need
Beat writers agree SU men’s basketball trounces Delaware State
By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Syracuse’s make-or-break third season under Adrian Autry started with a bang on Monday. Despite senior guard J.J. Starling suffering a lower-body injury and missing nearly the entire game, the Orange jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the game’s opening minutes and never looked back.
SU replaced Starling’s usual gaudy scoring production by spreading the rock, with five players finishing the game with double digit points and standout performances from transfer point guard Naithan George and freshman Kiyan Anthony. The Orange look to build off their 38-point win over Binghamton on Saturday, when they take on Delaware State.
Growing up a Philadelphia Eagles fan, DeSean Jackson was easily my favorite player. Jackson is now the head coach of Delaware State’s football team, which is 6-3 and just took down former Eagles teammate Michael Vick and Norfolk State. That’s all I really associate with the Hornets.
Once again, this is all about what Syracuse can do versus Delaware State. Sure, it was impressive how the Orange varied their scoring to adjust to Starling’s absence against Binghamton. But what was far more impressive to me was the immense defensive improvements we saw in the four days between the Pace exhibition and Monday’s season opener.
Syracuse and University of Delaware alumnus
Joe Biden could be interested in this Saturday afternoon’s ACC versus MEAC contest. Biden, I’m sure, holds some form of disdain for Delaware State, an in-state rival of the Delaware Blue Hens. And I think our 46th president would be proud of how the Orange perform against the Hornets.
Similar to Monday against Binghamton, Syracuse will trounce Delaware State and it will never be close. It’ll be tough for the Orange to replicate their absurd defensive performance, where they forced 14 turnovers within the opening 15 minutes versus the Bearcats, but I don’t see a world where SU allows more than 60 points.
As Syracuse’s lead ballooned to that of a blowout in the waning minutes of its win versus Binghamton, the student section wanted to see one man and one man only: walk-on Noah Lobdell. “We want Noah,” chants rapidly spread, but to no avail. Autry opted to keep his five rotational guys on the floor to secure the 38-point win and keep Lobdell planted on the bench.
During his Media Day press conference in late November, Autry noted that, in today’s landscape of college basketball, teams have to keep playing with a big lead to build their resume for March Madness. Average margin of victory is a major component of how the NCAA Tournament committee selects which teams make it out of the bubble and which ones fall short.
The Hornets are in their fifth season under head coach Stan Waterman after producing their first winning season since 201112 last year.
Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) will fare against Delaware State (0-0, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic) Saturday: sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports
Autry has been loud and clear in what he wants on defense, saying after playing Pace he was disappointed that his team got “punked.” He shifted his tone dramatically after theOrange’s victory over Binghamton, praising the intensity his squad displayed throughout the contest.
The Bearcats turned the ball over 15 times in the first half. SU’s 11 forced turnovers against Le Moyne last season marked its most in any first half. If Monday was any indication of what’s to come defensively, I don’t see how the Hornets reach the 50-point mark. Starling could be rested as a precaution. It won’t really matter either way.
It’d probably also behoove Autry and Co. to hold Staring out of this one. There’s nothing for Syracuse’s star guard — and potential leading scorer this year — to prove against Delaware State. This is the time to give Anthony, Sadiq White, Luke Fennell and the kids a chance to rack up a lot of minutes early in the season. The freshmen should have another solid showing this weekend, while Freeman will probably chip in another 20+ point performance.
I’m sure Autry would like to avoid seeing Syracuse miss its first nine 3-point attempts, like it did against Binghamton. But the Orange could cease taking 3s altogether and still destroy Delaware State.
For Autry, in a season in which his job very well could come down to making March Madness, he knows every point Syracuser wins by counts. And much like the Orange kept their foot on the gas late against the Bearcats, I expect them to do the same against Delaware State.
The Hornets boast roughly the same talent level as Binghamton, as they’re ranked No. 350 by KenPom and No. 330 by EvanMiya. Even if Starling remains sidelined for the contest with his injury, SU showed it’s still more than wellequipped to dominate a squad like Delaware State. Give me the Orange in a blowout, another good outing to build momentum and for their future NET ranking.
men’s basketball
Syracuse hits the road to take on Miami Saturday to try to snap its five-game losing streak.
lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer | aaron hammer staff photographer
Turnovers Syracuse forced in the first half vs. Binghamton
A more potent run game could jolt Syracuse’s stagnant offense
By Zak Wolf senior staff writer
Syracuse’s offense is in a rut. Before Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending injury, the Orange possessed one of the best offenses in the country for a second straight season. More importantly, they had an identity: Throw the ball downfield. It was a continuation of Kyle McCord’s accomplishments a year ago. But over the past month, SU has gone mute.
That was evident with Fran Brown throwing walk-on Joe Filardi into the fire against North Carolina. The experiment didn’t work. The Orange finished with under 20 points for the fifth consecutive game — lowering their scoring average over the last five games to 12 points — and failed to post an offensive touchdown for the second time this year.
A simple solution to Syracuse’s problems would be to develop a solid run game. Yet it hasn’t been consistent enough to fall back on. Still, with an inability to pass the ball, SU might not have a choice.
“We’re a better offense when we’re balanced, especially with a young quarterback,” SU offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon told The Daily Orange on Oct. 27. “We’ve got to make sure that we put (our quarterbacks) in the best situation, especially on third down. And running the ball really helps that.”
Syracuse is statistically having a better rushing year than last season. SU has averaged 112.9 yards per game this season, a measurable improvement from its 97.6 yards a year ago. However, that’s only boosted it from the third-worst mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference to the fifth-worst.
Syracuse’s running back room doesn’t lack talent. Yasin Willis has the makings of a workhorse back, while Will Nixon is a solid backup. The problem is establishing the run game in the correct scenarios.
Running the ball works best when you’re winning or in tight games. But Syracuse has led twice since Sept. 20 for a total of 29:56 — 71% of which came last week — and lost those games by an average of 21.4 points.
Syracuse has had chances to jump ahead early, but it’s floundered. SU ran the ball 10 times on its opening drive versus SMU, reaching the goal line. Willis then got stuffed on third-andgoal before Rickie Collins couldn’t punch it in on the ensuing play.
Against Georgia Tech, Willis set SU up with a goal-to-go situation after a 41-yard rush on
field hockey
its first offensive possession. False starts and offside penalties pushed the Orange back, and they settled for a field goal.
“We’ve got to continue to protect the ball,” Jeff said. “No turnovers, penalties and then just missed assignments. Those are things that contribute to losing football. So we’ve got to cut those things out and just continue to play good, solid football.”
Nobody is saying Syracuse would’ve won those games, but gaining an early lead would’ve helped. It’s led to frustration from Willis. He knows plays that previously worked are failing. Willis feels the burden falls on him to ensure that doesn’t continue.
The sophomore talked about keeping a clear vision and making the right reads to increase efficiency. He beats himself up when he sees a missed opportunity on film alongside Jeff, Will and running backs coach Devin Redd.
“I know I can do it. Maybe sometimes I have a mental error when I’m tired. And those are things that you’ve got to surpass,” Willis said. “Even when you’re tired, you’ve got to know how to still think. That’s one of the biggest things for me, just making sure my mind stays strong even when I’m tired in the game.”
Willis had 23 carries, 91 yards and three touchdowns in Syracuse’s season-opening loss to then No. 24 Tennessee. Postgame, Brown said Syracuse needs to “get Willis the ball more,” labeling him as its “best offensive player.”
Jeff thinks Willis is a player who deserves 20-25 carries per game. That vision hasn’t come to fruition. Willis’ largest workload since SU’s first game was 18 carries. He’s also yet to record rushing 100 yards in a contest.
With an extensive resume, working with running backs like LeSean McCoy, Reggie Bush, Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley, Jeff knows the best players get you over the hump in the fourth quarter.
“We got to that point where we’re playing good football early, so when we’re in a close game or we’re winning, we can run the clock, run the ball and be able to give (Willis) the ball a little bit more,” Jeff said.
In 2024, Brown often referred to LeQuint Allen Jr. as the heart of Syracuse’s offense. McCord stole the show with his nation-leading 4,779 total passing yards, yet Allen’s secondstraight 1,000-yard season gave SU’s air-raid offense a safety valve.
The Orange ranked fifth in the country in time of possession last year (32:59), per Teamrankings.com. In 2025, they’ve dropped
to 90th (29:17), signaling an inability to string together drives. Jeff said the more first downs SU gets, the more it can run the football. With his offense converting just 31.03% of its third downs — the nation’s 13th-worst mark — that’s simply not happening enough.
Running the ball comes down to situational football, per Jeff, but Syracuse has frequently been in third-and-long situations, forcing it to pass. It puts pressure on Collins, who’s thrown more interceptions (eight) than passing touchdowns (six). As a result, the Orange haven’t scored more than 18 points since defeating Clemson.
Brown has experimented, implementing Luke Carney into the lineup for three drives against Pittsburgh and starting Filardi last weekend. Nothing worked. The passing attack was nonexistent. SU did rush for 113 yards after recording 157 the week prior. Nevertheless, it didn’t lead to winning football.
Still, Brown doesn’t want to abandon the run game. To him, it’s a game of trial and error.
“Just keep trying it. Just keep running,” Brown said on Oct. 20. “One will bust
eventually, and once it busts, another one will come. Just going for three yards and a cloud of dust.”
Rushing improvements are contingent on Syracuse’s offensive line. The unit has a 59.9 run blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus, which ranks 77th in the country. Center Austin Collins (67.2) and right tackle Da’Metrius Weatherspoon (71.5) are the Orange’s best run blockers, yet the rest of the line remains a question.
“We felt we had some depth going into the season at offensive line,” Jeff said. “And thank goodness, because you know some of those guys who were second, third string, are in the lineup starting, or at least in the rotation.”
Challenges await Syracuse in its next two contests with road trips to No. 18 Miami and No. 10 Notre Dame. Per PFF, the Hurricanes (92.9) and Fighting Irish (91.7) have the country’s eighth and 20th-best run defenses, respectively. Running the ball will be a challenge. But at this point, it might be the only answer to the Orange’s ongoing problems.
zakwolf784254@gmail.com
@ZakWolf22
Syracuse advances to ACC Tournament Semifinals in 3-1 win vs. WF
By Peter Radosh staff writer
The last time No. 10 Syracuse faced No. 6 Wake Forest, then-No. 4 SU opened Atlantic Coast Conference play as one of the most exciting teams in the nation, undefeated in its first six matches this season. Then-No. 20 Wake Forest, on the other hand, struggled against elite teams, losing its first two matches of the season to thenNo. 15 Iowa and then-No. 7 Michigan.
But on Wednesday, as the Orange and Demon Deacons lined up to decide the last ACC Tournament semifinal spot, the circumstances couldn’t have been more different.
Despite an average start to the season, the Demon Deacons became nearly unstoppable after beating the Orange 2-1 to open ACC play. Wake Forest proceeded to win its next 10 contests, having its streak broken by then-No. 4 Virginia to close the regular season.
SU, however, never seemed to recover its early-season confidence after its 2-1 loss. The Orange were shaky in ACC play, winning only three conference games, losing their final regular-season matchup to an unranked Louisville squad and dropping to their lowest ranking since the preseason. But as she entered postseason play, all of that was irrelevant to head coach Lynn Farquhar.
“Those things, we didn’t talk about whatsoever earlier,” Farquhar said. “At the end of the day, we had an opportunity to play again together. That was what drove us.”
Six-seed Syracuse (12-5, 4-5 ACC) downed three-seed Wake Forest (15-4, 7-1 ACC) 3-1 in the ACC quarterfinals Wednesday. Led by goalkeeper Jessie Eiselin — who had a careerhigh nine saves — the Orange withstood a 13-shot second-half barrage from the Demon Deacons to advance to the semifinal.
SU’s defensive unit was rock-solid from the outset, limiting Wake Forest to just two shots in the first half. On offense, Bo van Kempen
controlled the backline, looking to work through Demon Deacon’s high press.
It wouldn’t take long for SU to find a gap.
Just seven minutes in, a van Kempen-led attack isolated Aiden Drabick on the right wing, as her through ball took out the entire Wake Forest press. Seeing open green ahead, the midfielder dribbled toward the baseline before cutting into the circle, physically fending off WF’s Sarah Grace Raynes.
As Reabetswe Phume closed in to block her angle to goal, Drabick tipped a short pass to Aubrey Turner, who chipped it over goalkeeper Ellie Todd to give the Orange an early lead.
SU wasn’t finished capitalizing on the Demon Deacons’ advanced pressure, though.
In stark contrast to its usual approach of controlling opposition territory, Farquhar switched her game plan in the second half to rely more on van Kempen’s aerial passes to remove the man-marking Wake Forest midfielders from the picture.
“Man-marking the midfield line opens up different spaces,” Farquhar said. “It’s our job to read that first line of defense in that second layer. So, it provided opportunities and we took advantage of those.”
Just one minute from the start of the half, van Kempen heaved a pass over the entirety of the Wake Forest squad. Phume misjudged the ball’s bounce as it fell past her, leaving Turner one-on-one with Todd. She bobbled the ball on her stick before chipping it over an advancing Todd, notching her second brace of her career and extending SU’s lead to two.
With Wake Forest down by two in the third quarter, it seemed like the last semifinal was all but sealed for the Orange, but WF’s Mia Schoenbeck wasn’t having any of it.
Off a WF penalty corner, Schoenbeck fired a backhanded slapshot into the top left corner of the net. The crowd thought Wake Forest had cut the deficit, but Schoenbeck already knew the inevitable call. She ran
back as the referees disallowed the goal for a dangerous hit.
The ruling didn’t deter Wake Forest, though; it piled on the attack. A minute after the disallowed goal, WF’s Amelia Frey delivered a pass into SU’s arc. A scramble ensued, ending in Wake Forest’s Lena Keller firing at an open net and Pati Strunk blocking the ball with her foot. Since it was a foot foul on the goal line, the Demon Deacons earned a penalty stroke.
Schoenbeck coolly slid it past Eiselin, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Wake Forest built on its momentum, continuing to keep control of Syracuse’s territory as it approached the fourth quarter. Its second-half dominance meant Eiselin and the SU defense had to come up big time and time again.
Van Kempen even logged her third defensive save of the year in the third quarter, after Schoenbeck’s last-second penalty corner shot went through Eiselin’s legs. Eiselin also had her moment when she opened the fourth quarter by saving a point-blank shot from Wake Forest’s Faye Janse.
“Jessie did great, she made huge saves,” Farquhar said. “I think that rubbed off on the defensive line, and they played harder for her in return.”
The Orange continued to lock down the Demon Deacons as the clock wound down, and Wake Forest swapped its goalkeeper out for an extra field player. But with two minutes to go, it seemed the desperation move might’ve worked.
After receiving the insert on an attacking penalty corner, Schoenbeck slowly dribbled to the right edge of the arc rather than accelerating toward the center or taking an immediate shot.
Once Bo Madden relaxed her pressure to avoid another foul, Schoenbeck quickly smacked the ball across the arc into the top left corner of the goal.
But her efforts were in vain. Amid the Demon Deacon celebration, Schoenbeck’s equalizer was called off for being a dangerous shot. With
the Orange now in possession, it seemed their semifinal spot was already cemented. There was no need to continue pushing.
But as the clock neared zero, van Kempen had a different idea. She threw one more aerial over the entire Wake Forest squad, leaving Hattie Madden with an open goal.
As Hattie tapped the ball in at the buzzer, Schoenbeck could only watch as her team’s chances at victory and ACC title hopes disappeared.
peterhradosh@gmail.com
@PeterRadosh
Syracuse beat Wake Forest with two secondhalf goals. courtesy of su athletics
Syracuse has the fourth-worst rushing attack in the ACC. Improved rushing could bolster its struggling offense. lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer
‘Showtime’
Devin Grant excels in the biggest moments. He has his whole life.
By Aiden Stepansky senior staff writer
Devin Grant’s mind went blank. At the moment, he couldn’t hear himself think.
With Syracuse tied against then-No. 8 Miami late in the 2024 regular-season finale, Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward dished a screen pass to wide receiver Xavier Restrepo. Grant emerged from his safety spot and landed a right-handed punch.
Seconds later, the Orange held their first lead of the game.
“The ball popped up like God handed it to me out of the heaven gates himself,” Grant said. “I saw nothing but green grass, and I just said, ‘Hey, it’s time to go home.’”
Grant hit a trifecta, forcing the fumble, corralling the ball off the turf and returning it 56 yards for a touchdown. The gamechanging play helped Syracuse to a 42-38 win over Miami for its biggest win of the Fran Brown era.
Nearly a year later, SU faces the Hurricanes for the first time since. This contest comes under much different circumstances, as the Orange look to snap a five-game losing streak. But Grant remains a fixture of the team with his big-play style.
The scoop-and-score was a microcosm of it.
When Grant’s on the field, it’s showtime.
“People was just like, ‘You make plays on the field, you show out on the field, so we’re gonna call you Showtime,’” Grant said of his nickname. “They called me that and then I was like,
People was just like, ‘You make plays on the field, so we’re gonna call you Showtime.’
Devin Grant
su defensive back
‘That’s fire.’ So I put it on the chain, and it’s been going from there.”
The moniker was first attached to Grant at Buffalo. It evolved into his social media
persona, and matches his off-field personality, too. To fellow SU safety Cornell Perry, it’s self-explanatory. Whenever Grant walks into a room, everyone knows it.
When he flipped the Miami game on its head, no one realized it at first. Perry watched from the sidelines, bummed the Hurricanes moved the sticks. Grant’s father, Jay, glared up at the Jumbotron from the first row of section 107 with the rest of his family. Suddenly, Grant was headed straight for them.
As he looked forward at the end zone with Ward on his tail, Grant had no choice. He couldn’t get caught.
Grant’s mother, Stephanie Blake, thought he might’ve stepped out. But her son was running right to her. Once Jay realized his son had the ball, he flashed back to when Grant was
Syracuse beats Virginia Tech 2-1 in ACC Tournament 1st round
By Harris Pemberton asst. sports editor
When his Syracuse men’s soccer team entered the locker room at halftime of its Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament bout with Virginia Tech, head coach Ian McIntyre posed his squad a question.
“What is the story we’re going to tell ourselves?”
The Orange were tied 1-1 with the Hokies. Despite dominating the opening half-hour of the match, SU had a quality chance hit the post, had a goal
disallowed and conceded one in the final five minutes of the half. McIntyre asked his team if that tale of misfortune was what they wanted to remember. Based on Syracuse’s performance in the second half, it clearly wasn’t.
Amid a torrential downpour at SU Soccer Stadium, the Orange (8-6-3, 4-3-1 ACC) turned in a crucial second-half performance to defeat Virginia Tech (7-4-5, 2-3-3 ACC) in the first round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night. Syracuse center back Tim Brdaric bagged a goal in each
half for his first collegiate brace, powering No. 6 seed SU to a second-round clash with No. 3 seed NC State Sunday.
With Syracuse on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, the win is also a massive boost as it looks to reach the dance for the first time since 2023.
“We said to the guys before the season that you want to be playing in big matches in November, and this was a fun one,” McIntyre said. “I’m so proud of the way that we showed real toughness and resilience in the second half and found a way to win.”
Initially, it looked like it’d be smooth sailing for the Orange. Syracuse pounced with three early shots, with Bryson Rodriguez’s left-footed try from the left side of the box being the best look. Virginia Tech didn’t record a shot on target until 37 minutes into the match. SU was far more creative going forward, and it paid off 23 minutes in. VT’s Noe Uwimana took down Carlos Zambrano on the left wing, about 35 yards from goal. The Orange stacked the box on the ensuing free kick, which Zambrano pinged toward the penalty spot.
The ball took a deflection off a Virginia Tech defender and was redirected to an unmarked Brdaric at the back post. The graduate student dove forward to head the ball into the center of the net and give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, it looked like the Orange were going to run away with it. Rodriguez weaved through VT defenders on the right side before playing Zambrano through into a oneon-one with goalkeeper Sam Joseph.
