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Behind Title IX
‘Annietober’ carries on legacy of giving By Ilana Zahavy
senior staff designer
The Daily Orange evaluated how Syracuse University handles and investigates Title IX cases on campus amid Chancellor Mike Haynie calling for a review of the policy. zabdyl koffa staff photographer
The Daily Orange asked lawyers how Title IX cases are typically investigated
By Ben Butler
alumni engagement editor
L
ast week, Syracuse University Chancellor Mike Haynie announced a team would review SU’s response protocols amid national attention around sexual violence on college campuses. A rape lawsuit filed against Cornell University and its Chi Phi fraternity chapter led to widespread scrutiny of the school’s Title IX proceedings. Weeks after the case gained a national audience in October, Cornell announced a univer-
sity-wide review regarding its policies on responses to sexual assault. The Daily Orange interviewed lawyers who advise parties in Title IX cases about how cases are processed, investigated and adjudicated. Here’s what they had to share.
What Title IX investigations look like
Title IX offices can investigate and adjudicate claims of sexual assault and harassment. The office can recommend and carry out disciplinary action, which can include suspension or expulsion.
see title ix page 4
Every October, Gabby Izversky, Olivia Dublin and Rachel Meller celebrate “Annietober,” an homage to their friend Annie Blair Eisner, who died from Acute myeloid leukemia in 2023. For them, her legacy lives on in small moments year-round — pink sunsets, a sensationalized pop culture moment or the glow of the Empire State Building when it projects a pink hue, her favorite color, over the city. “Annietober,” a name Annie came up with herself, is spreading beyond her close friends and family to college campuses nationwide, honoring Annie and her commitment to make real change for cancer patients. “Her birthday was a big deal,” Jodi said. “Annietober was a whole month celebration.” Her dedication to service inspired Annie’s parents to continue her mission. In 2024, Jodi and Andrew Eisner founded the Annietober 365 Foundation. The foundation aims to raise awareness for growing the bone marrow registry and fundraise for Cycle for Survival, while commemorating each day of the year like it’s a birthday. Annie studied public relations at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications and was involved in many campus organizations, including the Sigma Delta Tau sorority and Fetch Collective magazine. Annie was also a Gift of Life campus ambassador, a program built for students to host cheek swab drives on their college campuses. After a three-and-a-half yearlong battle with cancer and two bone marrow transplants, Annie died on Aug. 25, 2023, at 20-years-old. In addition to a memorial service at Hendricks Chapel after her death, the Eisners also hosted a Gift of Life swab drive. Joining the bone marrow registry involves taking a cheek swab, which is sent to a laboratory for tissue typing and then added to the international registry for donor matching. Andrew challenged Syracuse students to meet 4,400 swabs, a number he derived from the 44 months Annie battled leukemia and see annietober page 5
city
City leaders dissect ‘Being a Woman in Central New York’ By Vivian Collins asst. news editor
CNY Now, in collaboration with the NAACP of Syracuse and Onondaga County and the Onondaga County Young Democrats, discussed economic security, racial justice and women’s rights at a Wednesday panel event. The panel, titled “Being a Woman in Central New York,” took place at the CNYPhilanthropy Center. Panelists included Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens, Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central and
Western NY Meredith Ouderkirk, President and CEO of Central New York Community Foundation Melanie Littlejohn and CEO of Vera House Tricia Matthews. Madeline Thibault, lawyer and Syracuse University College of Law alumna, moderated the event and began by asking panelists to provide historical context for issues facing Syracuse, including Robert Moses’ impact on central New York and the I-81 highway project. Owens said she doesn’t feel that Syracuse’s roads were built for people
of color, but rather to ease traffic for people entering and exiting the city. The roads “ironically” destroyed “the very neighborhoods comprised of the very people that they were not built for,” she added. Regarding Robert Moses, a former urban planner whose designs have faced controversy, Littlejohn said his designs were made to “hamper” movement, rather than push it forward. “When we talk about systems and how systems have been designed intentionally to keep people out, Syracuse is a manifestation of that
intentionality,” Littlejohn said. “And unfortunately, the intention of blocking and keeping out people who are black and brown hasn’t changed.” Matthews and Ouderkirk then spoke about the creation of Central New York Community Foundation, Vera House and Planned Parenthood in Central New York. Ouderkirk detailed Planned Parenthood’s “rich history” in Syracuse, as it is home to the first freestanding abortion center in the United States. Planned Parenthood is crucial for people to access important healthcare options, Ouderkirk said.
Vera House, Matthews said, was formed as a way for people, not just women, to find a voice, get access to safety and feel like “there was hope for whatever they were going through.” “We’re still fighting the same fights, and so I really hope that someday we’re not looking at a smaller version of what the issues are nationally being replayed over and over again,” Ouderkirk said. “And that we’re seeing some really some extensive progress.” Thibault transitioned to the current state of affairs in Syracuse and see cny now page 5
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on campus
Students probe religion in ‘Ghosts and Ghostbusters’ class By Anya Pei
contributing writer
For most Syracuse University students, October’s chilly winds, red leaves and early nights signals the beginning of autumn. However, for students taking SU’s Ghosts and Ghostbusters course, the weather meant a field trip to Oakwood Cemetery. “I don’t get to go on a lot of mini field trips in my classes,” Grace Stecher, an SU senior who took the class in fall 2025, said. “So getting to walk around, it was a nice, crisp day, was just super fun.” Ghosts and Ghostbusters is a three-credit course offered through the Department of Religion in the College of Arts and Sciences. The class aims to “explore both key differences and striking similarities in the ways that ghosts are understood and dealt with,” according to its 2025 course description. Gareth Fisher, chair of the Department of Religion and creator and instructor for the course, said the idea stemmed from another course of his, Religion in Chinese Society, after a lecture on ghosts captured students’ interests. After running the concept past religion students and receiving resounding enthusiasm, Fisher started teaching Ghosts and Ghostbusters in fall 2017 and through all four of its iterations in 2020, 2023 and 2025. The course is set to return in fall 2027. “Professor Fisher was obviously very passionate about it, and it was interesting for him coming from a Buddhist (perspective) (and) he also has a course on atheism. So the fact that he covers so many different things, I thought was really interesting,” Stecher said. While Stecher didn’t have any personal experiences with the paranormal, she heard several stories from classmates. Coming from a ghost-believing family, senior Maddie Payne has many stories of her relatives’ paranormal encounters. The same night her great-grandfather died, Payne’s grandmother told her she heard his voice asking her to take care of her mother. “The norm is that most people are skeptics and that they don’t have their own experience,” Payne said. “I did share this story when people were saying, ‘I’m very skeptical, I need my own experience to believe in a ghost.’ I think it just surprised them.” Students in the class get the opportunity to hear from guest speaker John Harris, a paranormal anthropologist. Harris guides students around Oakwood Cemetery and explains stories of dog ghosts and female spirits walking down the graveyard’s steps.
Students in the SU Religion Department’s “Ghost and Ghostbusters” course take a field trip to Oakwood Cemetery and examine paranormal beliefs and different perspectives. sparrow lieu staff photographer
The course includes two projects: a creative ghost story and final class debate. Students either pick or are assigned to be for or against the “probability of ghosts existing.” “I’m not the biggest fan of group projects, but I did think that was interesting because everyone was very involved in the class, and everyone took that class because they were super interested in the topic,” Stecher said. ”It was a lively debate.” Kevin Cook, a former high school history teacher and founder of the volunteer organization Syracuse Paranormal, said the class’ camaraderie lends itself well to real-world ghost hunting. The most important part of a ghosthunting course would be assembling a reliable group to work alongside, Cook said. “You want to look for a team that values respect, that values confidentiality (and) that values your opinions,” Cook said. “We do not advocate going and doing this on your own.” The course’s initial popularity hasn’t died down — Ghosts and Ghostbusters’ seats still fill up incredibly quickly, Stecher said. Cook attributed this to the open-mindedness of college students compared to older generations. “I believe in magic and the supernatural,” said Amy Tran, another SU senior in the fall 2025 cohort. “I don’t need logic to be in the argument to tell me something is real. I believe in faith.”
Stecher said the variety of beliefs makes the class stand out. “There were people who were definitely believers. There were people who were definitely not believers. There were people who were in the religion department (and) people who were all different ages as well,” Stecher said. “It’s definitely one of the most diverse classes I’ve had.” The students make the course what it is, Fisher said. When admission to the religion major was put on pause last fall, Fisher was only four weeks into his position as chair. After he expressed concern to his students in Ghosts and Ghostbusters, they sprang into action. Ghosts and Ghostbusters students made up one-third of an informational listening session advocating for the major’s continuation, Fisher said. Fisher said he still keeps in touch with past Ghosts and Ghostbusters students who continue to express their support and concern over the status of the religion department. “I was very moved to have their support,” Fisher said. “They’re still really engaged and really care about what we’re doing, because it meant a lot to them to have a class like that.” Both Payne and Tran said they began pursuing a minor in religion partially because of their experiences in Ghosts and Ghostbusters.
“I learned so far with all of the religion courses that I’ve taken (that) anything can be a religion to anybody,” Tran said. “Even having no religion is a religion.” Cook said he’s encountered an increasing number of fabricated images, and said educational courses like Ghosts and Ghostbusters can play a key role in helping students discern fact from fiction. “I think the religion classes here are so valuable,” Stecher said. “Even if it’s not your major, I think the things you learn in them, the way you learn to think about things and having a wider knowledge of how the world works and what people believe is super valuable.” One thing Fisher said he hopes students take away is to realize they “don’t really know much.” As a ghost skeptic, he recalled moments where his students told him their experiences with the paranormal that challenged his beliefs. The skepticism goes both ways in Ghosts and Ghostbusters. Stecher is still unsure where she stands in terms of the truth of ghosts. But with all she’s listened to and experienced, she said she finished the course with an open mind. “I would lean maybe more on the side of ‘there’s something out there,’” Stecher said. “Who am I to say that these people, professors, really genius people who have had these experiences, are making something up?” apei01@g.syr.edu
on campus
Ambassador, students speculate ‘new world’ of global politics By Elizabeth Lindsey staff writer
Moldovan Ambassador to the United States and Syracuse University alumnus Vladislav Kulminski spoke about a “new world” of international relations and European security at a lecture on Wednesday in Maxwell Auditorium. The lecture, which primarily discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, was hosted by SU’s Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs as part of its Practice of Global Politics Series. It focused on what Kulminski sees as strategic errors in Russia’s war strategy and its potential impact on global politics. Kulminski, who received his master’s degree from SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, drew on his past experiences living in Ukraine and his current experience litigating peace as an ambassador. “We still don’t know exactly what (the future international system) is going to look like, but we are quite likely to see a process of negotiations and talks about European security, about the new notion of legitimacy in the region,” Kulminski said. “So all of it will need to be reestablished from scratch.” Moldova, a small post-Soviet country in Eastern Europe, is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Russia has repeatedly tried to bring Moldova into its sphere of influence and deter it from joining the European Union through election interference or energy manipulation, but has been unsuccessful. As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year, the Russian empire and its power are actively shrinking because these countries continue to resist, Kulminski said. International relations graduate studentMatt Wormington, who attended the talk, agrees.
“I think Russian power will diminish,” Wormington said. “I don’t think Russia can win or lose (the war). I think we will be stuck in a stalemate for quite a long time.” Kulminski believes that without Ukraine, Russia cannot return to the rank of great powers and influence. The future of European security, as the centerpoint of Kulminski’s talk, relies on preventing Russia’s power and potential for aggression, he said. “So that new security order is likely not going to be based on the idea that all countries will become democracies and that the democratic peace thesis is somehow going to take hold, that democracies don’t fight each other,” Kulminski said. “It is going to be based on hard security arrangements where a rerun of Russian aggression is going to become impossible.” Attendee Solomiia Melnyk, a junior at SU who attended the talk, spent time serving in the Ukrainian army as a paramedic when she was 16-years-old. She said she enjoyed hearing about the “background of these countries,” and liked the familiarity of seeing Ukraine on the map Kulminski displayed. “I lost a lot of my friends since 2022 and I was also just trying to pursue my career,” Melnyk said. Kulminski said it’s in the best national and global interest to end the war as fast as possible, and acquire stable peace. However, he quickly followed up, saying peace is impossible, and predicted the war would end in an armistice, much like the Korean War. “There’s not a single family in Ukraine that cannot suffer as a result of this war,” Kulminski said. “And that is what I think is one of the key vaccinations against anybody wanting to reestablish some kind of partnership with Russia.” ealindse@syr.edu
Moldovan Ambassador to the U.S. and SU alum talked about the Russia-Ukraine war and how European countries are resisting Russian influence. daniel carson contributing photographer
4 october 29, 2026
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SUNY ESF unveiled five glass panel murals which double as designs made to prevent birds from deadly collisions.
kaitlyn galeazzi staff photographer
suny esf
ESF’s new murals double as artistic expression, bird protection By Cate Slaughter
staff writer
Five new murals showcase eye-catching illustrations of New York-native bird species at SUNYESF, doubling as an effort to protect birds from deadly building collisions. SUNY ESF’s Guy Baldassarre Birding Club created The Community Bird Collision Project long before the issue was brought to ESF’s Division of Sustainable Facilities and Operations. This project displayed observational data via iNaturalist, identifying bird species and places on campus that were at high risk for bird strikes, ESF Sustainability Outreach and Engagement Manager Rochelle Strassner said. “When I came (to ESF) I saw all the glass and the mirrored glass,” Meredith Barges, the mural project’s leader, said. “We’re known to be so green, and yet, we have so many hazards for birds.” Barges and Emily McClary, 2026 ESF graduate student and the birding club’s collision officer, brought this data to Sustainable Facilities
from page 1
title ix In Title IX cases, credibility, corroboration and narrative inconsistencies are often scrutinized, Jeremy Saland, a criminal defense lawyer defending one of the men accused in the Cornell case, said. He’s represented both complainants — people who bring allegations — and respondents in Title IX cases. Generally, Saland said Title IX investigations, which typically take 60 to 180 days, are built to favor those who bring cases. “The tie goes to the complainant in these cases,” Saland said. “It’s more difficult for an accused person to win a case once it’s brought, but it is more emotionally difficult for a complainant to bring a case.” A Title IX investigator acts like a law enforcement officer, gathering evidence independently on cases, Melissa Swartz, a defense lawyer who handles Title IX cases among others, said. A hearing officer, on the other hand, writes an outcome letter based on the evidence found in those investigations and examinations during the case proceeding, and acts like a judge, Swartz said. Depending on the university, attorneys, professors and administrators can be Title IX case officers and investigators. At SU, hearing officers and investigators are exclusively attorneys, a university spokesperson wrote in a statement to The D.O. SU began using attorneys as Title IX officers in 2020, the statement said.
Federal changes to the Title IX process
Federal standards on Title IX policies and investigations have shaped how cases are handled. Under former President Barack Obama’s administration, the U.S. Department of Education issued a 19-page letter in 2011 that outlined how colleges should respond to reports of campus assault. The letter argued that Title IX, as a federal gender-equity law, required colleges to use their resources to prevent assaults, punish perpetrators, conduct investigations and protect complainants while cases were open.
and Operations and encouraged a temporary fix be put in place while they began working on a permanent solution. In the United States, over 1 billion birds are estimated to die every year from window collisions, making one of the leading causes of death for birds outside of natural causes, Richard Fadok, assistant professor of anthropology at Rochester Institute of Technology, said. “The actual windows that were identified as a problem were going to take a lot more effort and time to retrofit properly,” Strassner said. “We decided that something is better than nothing, and (to) tackle a few areas on campus that we are able to, and we can figure out the rest down the road.” Barges then began her temporary “pilot project” alongside freelance illustrator and Syracuse University graduate student Katie Mulligan. Their original idea was to take five of ESF’s large standing windscreens, made from large sheets of glass, and mitigate them to prevent birds from crashing into them, she said. To prevent birds from glass collisions, visual markers, such as a dot or a stripe, should
be placed onto glass no more than two inches apart, vertically or horizontally, according to the National Park Service. With help from other student volunteers, the group took paint pens and began drawing on the sheets of glass, using a nature-themed design that met the mitigation standards and also featured bird species native to New York, Barges said. They also received design and stenciling help from student volunteers, she added. Barges completed two murals, and Mulligan completed three. Over the course of the 2025-26 school year, the paint began to wash off the glass, returning to its original state. ESF’s Office of Communications and Marketing used window film made out of post-consumer recycled content to recreate the original blueprint in a sustainable, long-lasting way, Strassner said. “The project is just so cool, it really embodies what we want sustainability to be,” Strassner said. “Where someone has identified a problem, brings it forward and wants to be a part of the solution.”
The murals, finished six weeks ago, are expected to last 10-15 years, according to ESF’s website. “It signals hope to me. It signals political possibility when students are successful in implementing projects like this,” Fadok said. “It signals that we can live and build a different world together.” On Thursday, ESF will host their “Bird Friendly Lunch n’ Learn” event, featuring five speakers involved in bird collision prevention. The event will discuss the new murals and how they mitigate bird strikes as well as support a better campus ecosystem, according to the event’s promotional flyer. In addition to the new murals, ESF’s Sustainability Action Plan adopted an action item that will require all future buildings and installations to be mitigated for bird collisions, making this project more instrumental. “It’s been just a really incredible project that started from student advocacy,” Strassner said. “It was also able to show them what it actually takes to implement things like this.”
Title IX cases under the Obama administration placed all responsibilities in the hands of a single investigator, who would investigate cases and make final decisions. The universal standard of evidence in Title IX investigations was a “preponderance of the evidence” standard under the Obama administration. This standard is common in civil suits. In 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term, the Department of Education changed its policies on case investigations. Now, schools can choose a “clear and convincing evidence” standard if they wish, which is a higher standard of evidence. This evidentiary standard isn’t usually applied at schools, Saland said. Schools are allowed to have their own policies on the matter, and at SU, like most other schools, the standard in cases remains preponderance of the evidence, the university spokesperson wrote. Another Trump policy change to Title IX allows cross-examination of complainants, which Saland said brings more due process to the cases by giving respondents an opportunity to confront their accusers. Cross-examination is limited, Saland said — it doesn’t resemble a trial setting. A lawyer can ask a question and the hearing chair will decide whether the witness or party needs to answer or reformulate the question, he explained. The purpose of cross-examination in these cases is to evaluate consistency of stories, Swartz said. Lawyers can act in advisory capacities for parties in a Title IX case, but advisors don’t have to be lawyers. At SU, all hearings are held on Zoom, and advisors don’t approach witnesses in person for the cross-examinations. The university statement said that SU provides both parties with attorneys to serve as advisors that are specially trained to conduct crossexaminations. “If you are found responsible for sexual assault and expelled, this could destroy your life going forward,” Saland said. “If you’ve committed an offense, that’s the consequence you should bear, but if you’re going to have these
consequences, then the case needs the hallmarks of due process.”
But in Title IX cases, any testimony, even one that would be hearsay in criminal cases, can be included, regardless of the timeliness of the report, Swartz said. A prompt outcry exception doesn’t necessarily need to be applied. For example, a complainant could have told a friend their story two weeks after it happened, Swartz said, and it would still be admissible as evidence in a Title IX case even if it would be inadmissible in a U.S. court. “This is not good proof in any other case, but it is good proof in a Title IX case,” Swartz said.
Challenges in evidence gathering
In a court case, there’s a discovery phase where both parties can gather evidence for trial. Courts have the power to subpoena for evidence and subpoena witnesses to force them to appear before the court for testimony. The evidence gathering process in Title IX cases is done through the school’s Title IX investigators, and they don’t have the same authority that a court would have, Swartz said. A Title IX officer can’t compel witnesses to testify or subpoena evidence gathered by a third party, like a bar with surveillance cameras. Investigators can only gather third-party evidence that is voluntarily brought, such as texts or pictures, Swartz said. The university can also gather evidence through its own mechanisms, like security cameras operated by campus police, Swartz said. Challenges in gathering evidence impact both sides of a case, Saland said. “You might have a witness that might totally corroborate or exonerate an accusation, but there’s zero mechanism to compel that witness to come forward,” Saland said. The rules of evidence are different in a Title IX proceeding, and rules around witness testimony are more lenient. If a complainant tells another student about an assault that happened to them, the other student can testify about the complainant’s story, which in criminal cases would be considered hearsay and inadmissible as evidence, Swartz said. Hearsay is defined as a statement made out of court by a witness that is brought in as evidence of a fact. In Title IX cases, hearsay testimony is often considered as evidence, Swartz said. In New York state courts, there is a “prompt outcry” exception that allows for hearsay testimony to be submitted as evidence if the accuser told the witness at the first available opportunity they had, Swartz said. This exception applies if the testimony would complete the accuser’s narrative of events and corroborate their story.
csslaugh@syr.edu.
Appeals go back to the school
In a criminal prosecution or civil suit, parties can appeal the result of the case to a higher court if they have a valid legal reason. These may include a lack of sufficient evidence, irregularities in case proceedings or a conflict of interest, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX Summary. Grounds for an appeal of a Title IX case at SU include procedural errors, new evidence that could affect the outcome, an unfair hearing process or an inappropriate sanction or punishment, the university statement said. Parties can appeal a Title IX case, but the appeal stays within the school. Appeals also must be made quickly, within five or 10 days depending on the institution. At SU, there is an official Title IX appeals board that reviews and decides on appeals, the university statement said. The group is composed of faculty and staff, who are trained and have legal advisors. The Title IX appeals process is different from a court appeals process because it’s a self-evaluation, Saland said. Appellate courts are different from lower courts, with different judges and juries evaluating cases, but in Title IX appeals, different people at the same institution are evaluating the cases. “The school is evaluating its own process in a case,” Saland said. “And schools have an interest in the outcomes.” bnbutler@syr.edu
october 29, 2026 5
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from page 1
annietober its correlation with Ernie Davis’s retired jersey number, who also died of leukemia. That day, they swabbed 93 people, Jodi said. The two drives Annie held during her time at SU collected 36 swabs. Jodi said she thought Andrew’s four-figure goal was “crazy.” But then, things started to pick up. “We started to get calls from around the country,” Andrew said. “‘How do I do a swab drive in Annie’s honor?’” Jodi started connecting with different Gift of Life campus ambassadors who began holding “Annie’s Army” swab drives during “Annietober.” As of October 2026, Annie’s Army collected nearly 18,000 swabs, has had 323 matches and 15 transplants. Izversky describes Jodi and Andrew’s passion as “beyond unmatched”. “The little blue envelopes the swabs go in are more than just holders for the swabs,” Jodi said. “They’re a manifestation of human kindness and connection.” Alongside work to increase swabbing efforts for Gift of Life across college campuses, Jodi and Andrew are growing Annie’s Cookies, a fundraiser Annie began when she was just nine years old. In the winter of 2012, after learning about a friend’s osteosarcoma diagnosis, Annie and her mother volunteered at a Cycle for Survival event, which jump-started Annie’s fundraiser. Jennifer Goodman Linn, from the same town as the Eisners, founded Cycle of Survival during her battle with a sarcoma in 2007. She and her husband brought their friends, families and colleagues together in a cycling studio to fundraise for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Cycle for Survival surpassed its initial fundraising goal within a year. The organization grew, even after Jennifer died in 2011 after her seven-year battle with cancer. At the Livingston fundraising event, Annie struck up conversation with Jenni-
fer’s mother, Sandy Goodman, while packing swag bags. “Something about that connection that week really fueled the fire,” Jodi said. Jennifer’s story inspired Annie to continue her mission and she started baking cookies for the fundraiser. “Annie genuinely did it for the love of baking cookies, seeing the difference and getting people together for a good cause,” Izversky said. When Annie got sick, Andrew said friends of the Eisners insisted the cookie baking went on. They’d all get together on Saturdays, and — using Annie’s recipe – bake 3,000 to 4,000 cookies. Selling her triple chocolate cookies became Annie’s “signature thing,” and through the sales, Andrew said she raised $10,000. Annie was driven to “cure cancer, one cookie at a time,” he said. After Annie died, Meller and Dublin continued the Annie’s Cookies fundraiser at SU’s SDT chapter, kicking off what would become an annual fundraiser for the chapter. In August 2023, the two girls scrambled around their building in Syracuse asking to use their neighbors’ ovens. The pair was able to bake about 800 cookies, they said. Nearly two years later, Jodi stumbled upon Carson’s Cookie Dough on TikTok, a bakery in New Jersey aimed at providing workplace experience for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Moved by their mission, Jodi felt this was the exact place she’d want to have help with Annie’s Cookies. “What makes Annie’s Cookies so special now is you’re helping those students and you’re helping in the fight against cancer,” Jodi said. The Eisners have connected with local Syracuse causes as well. Last spring, Vice Principal of Huntington PK-8, Emily Carpenter discovered two of her students were in immediate need of a bone marrow transplant. When Carpenter searched “bone marrow transplant Syracuse” on Instagram, Jodi’s name came up.
“Annietober was a whole month celebration.” Jodi Eisner poses with her daughter Annie, the inspiration for “Annietober.” courtesy of jodi eisner from page 1
cny now what it says about the current state of womanhood in CNY. She asked Owens how it informs what projects, initiatives and actions she takes on. Owens spoke about poverty in the city and said that “children are poor because the caregiver is poor.” She said the city is not addressing poverty, but rather its symptoms. Owens argued that lasting progress requires improving household income through living wage jobs, not only addressing poverty’s effects. Owens shared an example in which she designed a targeted recruitment effort for women to obtain commercial driver’s licenses and earn jobs that pay livable wages. Around 25 people came through the program, she said, but half couldn’t be hired because they failed the federally required drug test. She also shared how the I-81 project currently employs its first heavy equipment foreman. “(Women) just see things differently and understand the impacts of things differently,” Owens said. “Code enforcement, our fire department, our police department. When the water main breaks, I want to see a woman down in that hole fixing it. These are high-paying, very highneed positions that need to not continue to be male dominated.” Ouderkirk echoed Owens’ sentiments, saying there’s no reproductive freedom without economic stability. People should also have the freedom to decide when, if and how to make a family, she added. The majority of the patients who come to Planned Parenthood, Ouderkirk said, are
already parents and cite concerns about being able to provide for additional children as the reason they’re there. “I think that’s really, really heartbreaking because when we’re providing the freedom of choice to people, we want it to come down to whether or not they want to be parents,” Ouderkirk said. “Not a difficult decision that they’re having to make because they simply cannot afford to have children.” At the CNYCF, even entry-level positions pay livable wages because they can’t talk about the “eradication of poverty and then promulgate it,” Littlejohn said. In addition to paying livable wages and pushing women to pursue nontraditional jobs, Littlejohn emphasized the importance of education and keeping people informed. That’s how policy agendas and advocacy campaigns are developed, she added. Thibault shifted to New York State’s Equal Rights Amendment, and discussed the case for federal constitutional protections. The federal ERA hasn’t been ratified. If enacted, the amendment would strengthen protections against sex discrimination, support reproductive freedom, help ensure pay equity, bodily autonomy and legal equality federally, not just on a state-bystate basis, Thibault said. New York’s ERA amends the New York State Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, creed and religion. It also explicitly prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity and national origin, age and disability and sex, which includes sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, reproductive health care and autonomy, Thibault added.
Annie Eisner’s parents, Andrew and Jodi, pose with Otto the Orange. “Annietober” celebrates Annie, during her birthday month. courtesy of jodi eisner
After learning Annie’s story, Carpenter messaged Jodi to ask for help finding transplants for the brothers: 12-year-old King and 6-year-old Ace. The students inherited an immune disorder, and racial disparities in donor registries lowered the Black siblings’ chance to find matches. The underrepresentation of their demographic on the registry causes the process to sometimes be “discouraging,” Carpenter said. Luckily, Jodi and Andrew have helped “keep the ball rolling” and provide hope, Carpenter said. Since Carpenter connected with the Eisners, they’ve been a valuable source in guiding the match search process. In April 2026, SU’s Gift of Life chapter partnered with the Delta Zeta chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at SU, the oldest collegiate Black Greek-letter fraternity in the United States, to hold a swab drive for King and Ace. Ace is currently recovering from a halfmatched bone marrow transplant, which he received over the summer from his father. King is still looking for a bone marrow donor. In partnership with Gift of Life, Jodi and Andrew are working to find matches for the boys. “This family deserves a chance,” Jodi said. The Eisners experienced the uncertainty of the bone marrow matching process firsthand during Annie’s battle with cancer. While Annie was able to receive one of her transplants from her sister Lainie, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that only 25% of patients will have a relative who matches and is able to donate. “Suddenly (doctors) are telling you that your child’s fate may be in the hands of someone 18 to 35, a stranger,” Jodi said. Though the Gift of Life registry accepts donors up to 61-years-old, research has found that younger donors have a higher success rate. “It takes five minutes,” Jodi said. “You’re not committing to anything other than saying, ‘Hey, should I have a match, give me a call.’”
Dublin was one of the 93 swabbed at Annie’s memorial service. She’d always believed if she was a match, she’d donate. When Dublin found out she was a match for someone in need of a transplant, Jodi was the first person she called. “It brought us both to tears, because what are the odds?” Dublin said. Dublin went through the donation process in New York City and Jodi accompanied her. The Eisners have maintained close relationships with many of Annie’s friends. Izversky said they’re her “comfort people” and Meller said they’re her “second parents.” While studying abroad, Dublin visited Lisbon, Portugal, where she spotted the initials “A.E.” carved into a mossy stone wall, with purple flowers beside it. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God. This is a sign,’” Dublin said. She sent a picture to Jodi, just one example of the pair’s frequent texts of a “sign” from Annie. August 25, 2026, marked three years since Annie’s death, coincidentally the same day Dolly Parton died. “Annie was into Dolly Parton long before anyone else was into Dolly Parton,” Andrew said. Many of Annie’s friends live in Murray Hill, where there’s a clear view of the Empire State Building. That evening, when the skyscraper cast its sparkling pink lights to honor Parton, the text messages to Jodi came flooding in. “We’ve come to believe there are no coincidences,” Jodi said. “Things happen for reasons that we don’t always understand.” Jodi and Andrew are proud that Annie’s legacy is one of “charity and giving back.” “It’s like we walk in hurricane-force winds after this happens,” Jodi said. “The wind blew at you and held you back. Or you can let the wind blow behind you, push you forward.” Jodi chooses to let the wind push her forward. ilanazahavy@dailyorange.com
Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens speaks with attendees of CNY Now’s panel event, talking about issues impacting women today. cole christopher staff photographer
Owens responded by sharing a story about a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that stipulated she must report any undocumented immigrants in Syracuse, and would’ve held her personally liable, which she declined. She pointed to another grant that was worth $4 million, but with the same provisions. “There is right, wrong and then just evil, and that’s what that is,” Owens said. “I can’t say no to $4 million, but I have to figure out how…to take this money and not sacrifice my community at the same time.” To close out the panel, Thibault asked panelists what they would like to see central New York do in the future. Owens said she wants a town where people “fundamentally feel safe.” Littlejohn added that ideally there would no longer be
a need for advocacy groups or the need “to have these conversations.” Similarly, in Ouderkirk’s ideal world, her line of work no longer necessitates helping people overcome barriers to “get basic human rights,” but instead consider how people can thrive rather than survive. “I hope (my daughters and niece) have never lived in a world where whether or not they could get the care they needed was in question,” Ouderkirk said. “I hope that they get to decide whether or not they want to be parents based entirely on whether or not they would like to be parents, and not based on their fear of maternal health disparities, and not of their fear of economic insecurity.” viviancollins@dailyorange.com
culture
6 October 29, 2026
DAILYORANGE.COM CULTURE@DAILYORANGE.COM
Suite spirits Who you gonna call? Hotel Syracuse’s guests (ghosts) who never checked out
The allegedly haunted Marriott Syracuse Downtown hotel is located only a few miles away from Syracuse University’s campus. The hotel is home to ghostly sightings and encounters. paul hakimian staff photographer
By Alexandra Rice asst. digital editor
I
n my time as a student journalist, I’ve gotten myself into some interesting predicaments, like weiner dog races and “Pitch Perfect”-inspired a capella riff-offs. But there’s one thing I have never dabbled with: the afterlife. That’s why I decided to do some soul searching at the oldest hotel in downtown Syracuse, one notorious for apparent paranormal activity. “Some people would be weirded-out and eerie by it, but a person like myself, I think they’re friendly. 100%. They’re just like normal people,” part time paranormal investigator Brian Hewitt said. Hewitt, who has lived in Syracuse his whole life, has explored places all over the city that are suspected to be
haunted. The Marriott Syracuse Downtown, formerly known as Hotel Syracuse, was built in 1921 and originally opened in 1924, then closed once in 2004 due to bankruptcy. It was later purchased by developer Ed Riley in July 2014, who restored the hotel and reopened it in 2016. Historical rooms from the original Hotel Syracuse have been preserved, like the lobby, Persian Terrace, murals and the iconic grand ballroom. Guests have noticed strange occurrences throughout the hotel; Lil Wayne and his security guard even heard suspicious activity. Before my hotel visit, I found Hewitt on a Facebook post about the iconic hotel and its paranormal sightings. After seeing Hewitt’s interest in spirits through his investigative haunting YouTube channel, I knew I needed his insight.
“I don’t want to say a psychic or something like that. I just sense things,” Hewitt said. “I’ve always wondered exactly why, and then I started doing paranormal investigations.” When Hotel Syracuse reopened as the Marriott, Hewitt was hired as a security guard. In his first week, he recalled being the only guard on duty at night, locked inside the building by himself. Or, maybe with some ghosts, too. He would consistently see one of the elevators open by itself, seemingly with no person pushing the buttons from inside. There was another instance early in his time on the job where Hewitt remembers being upstairs and getting a phone call from the front desk, saying there was a lady who called from the ballroom asking what the day SEE hotel PAGE 9
halloween guide 2026
Ashes of Newhouse’s 1st dean and his wife lain in walls By Lily Zuckerman culture editor
It started as a typical afternoon for Professor Jay Wright in 1974. But when he left his top-floor office of the Newhouse School of Public Communications to grab his mail, some unusual activity caught his attention. “What’s happening?” Wright asked the group standing in Newhouse 1’s lobby. “Well, come in. What’s happening is that we’ve got the ashes for Dean Spencer, and they’re putting it literally in the wall,” Wright remembers the gatherers saying. What now-Professor Emeritus
Wright, 85, saw that day was the placement of the cremains of Newhouse’s founding dean — Matthew Lyle Spencer and his wife, Helen McNaughton Spencer — inside the professor lounge. The lounge is now Newhouse 1, Room 305, also known as the Fred M. Dressler Board Room. Some colleges and universities — like the University of Richmond and the University of Virginia, to name a few — have their own final resting places and memorials, but Syracuse University has an academic building with a wall that holds two human cremains. The edifice still holds those ashes today, Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato
said. Matthew died Feb. 10, 1969, and McNaughton Spencer died Jan. 1, 1973, but it’s unclear when the former’s remains arrived at Newhouse. However, it was found that McNaughton Spencer’s ashes arrived at SU on Jan. 12, 1973, former Newhouse Dean Henry Schulte wrote in a document obtained by The Daily Orange. “There was, I would say, work done that gave us all confidence that there were, in fact, remains behind the plaque and facade,” Lodato said. Lodato wasn’t the only person to confirm that the remains exist in the walls of Newhouse. The granddaughter of Matthew and McNaughton
Spencer, 65-year-old Nancy Fritch, grew up hearing the legend about her grandparents’ remains. But when Fritch’s mom died in 2021, the documents she inherited corroborated those stories. Matthew’s final will left clear postmortem instructions. “In accordance with permission given me in 1965 by Chancellor Tolley of Syracuse University, I direct that my ashes be inurned privately within the confines of the Syracuse School of Journalism, the precise location to be determined by the Chancellor of the University and/or the Dean of the School,” Matthew wrote in a document obtained by The D.O.
Then, Matthew wrote that his wife’s ashes were to be interred in “the same crypt” as his, if she chose to. McNaughton Spencer directed her cremains be interred privately with her husband’s “in or near the confines of the Syracuse School of Journalism,” McNaughton Spencer wrote in her will, which was obtained by The D.O. While Newhouse is not quite a mausoleum, there is a wall that holds two sets of ashes. The wall is about four feet deep and to the right of the doorway stands a collection of trophies and accolades. In the middle of that collection exists a wood panel with two tombstone-like placards: SEE cremains PAGE 10
October 29, 2026 7
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halloween guide 2026
From RBG to ant memes, these students choose niche costumes By Joel Pelachik
asst. culture editor
While scouring the internet for silly Halloween costumes earlier this month, Syracuse University sophomores Rose Haba and Caroline Conklin had an epiphany. The roommates were watching the pilot episode of Hulu’s “Not Suitable for Work” when a character mentioned a costume he and his girlfriend had worn: Ruth Bader “Twinsburg.” Haba and Conklin made up their minds. When Halloween arrives, they’ll break out the judicial robes and both dress as former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “I’m hoping it’ll be a good conversation starter,” Haba said. “People are like, ‘Why are you both Ruth Bader Ginsburg?’” “It’s actually Ruth Bader Twinsburg,” Conklin replied. Amid sidewalks and house parties filled with typical costumes like superheroes and black cats, some SU students, like sophomore Sophie LeBlanc, are opting for more niche outfits this Halloween weekend. From running gags to famous figures, these are the types of costumes where reference photos may come in handy for fellow partygoers to understand the dress. Dressing up can feel like a chore to LeBlanc. While she still thinks basic costumes are fun, when buying attire for several Halloween gettogethers, some costumes don’t carry much meaning or aren’t exciting, she said. But for this spooky season, LeBlanc and her friend are bringing an inside joke to life: the meme of a sad ant carrying a bindle. Whenever LeBlanc and her friend are feeling embarrassed — like if they trip over their feet or wave to someone who doesn’t wave back — the pair act out the meme. They give each other a sad look and pretend to sling a bindle over their shoulder, which inspired their costumes. “It’s definitely something that not a lot of
people are going to understand,” LeBlanc said. “We might look a little crazy, but I think it’s just kind of special for us, and people don’t really need to understand.” LeBlanc and her friend plan to wear jeans and a brown top to accompany the bindle and antenna headband they purchased from Amazon. They also want to make some TikTok videos showcasing their ant fits. “It’s the niche costumes that get people’s attention,” LeBlanc said. “If they understand it, it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome. You’re this really niche meme from like 2015.’” While LeBlanc plans to record herself in the costume for social media content, for SU sophomore Maddie Robb, a TikTok of someone throwing cash while dressed up as YouTuber MrBeast (also known as Jimmy Donaldson) inspired her costume. When Robb went to a Spirit Halloween store, she saw a cash prop and ran with the idea, she said. On Halloween, LeBlanc will be decked out, wearing a MrBeast logo T-shirt, a goatee and a mustache drawn on with waterproof eyeliner and the cash — which references the famed content creator’s real-life giveaways. “If people see something that they don’t usually see, it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s funny. Maybe I’ll do that next year,’” Robb said. About 95% of the people LeBlanc told about her ant costume didn’t understand the reference, but that’s “part of the deal” with a niche costume, LeBlanc said. Halloween costumes aren’t restricted by rules, so people should wear what they want, she said. “It’s not really about me, especially with the niche costume, making a show or catering to what people want to see,” LeBlanc said. “If they’re gonna ask, I’ll tell them. But it’s not that big of a deal. It’s about me and the person I’m going with.” Haba thinks people will realize her and Conklin are both Ginsburg — they’ll be sporting wigs,
rose haba (left) and caroline conklin (right) dress up as Ruth Bader “Twinsburg.” The friends were inspired by an episode of Hulu’s “Not Suitable for Work.” paul hakimian staff photographer
pearls, judicial gowns, gavels and glasses — but she doesn’t expect anybody to understand the Twinsburg aspect. If somebody recognizes the “Not Suitable for Work” reference, Haba said she’ll ask them if she can film them admitting it, because it’d be so surprising. Because both Haba and Conklin are studying political science — Haba’s major and Conklin’s minor — Haba said the Ginsburg-themed attire made sense for the duo.
“We might wear it out to lunch. I don’t know,” Haba said. “I feel like we gotta soak it up.” Conklin and Haba agreed it’d be great if people catch on to their outfits, but ultimately, the costumes are for their own enjoyment. Haba said she’ll definitely tell her kids about Ruth Bader Twinsburg. “I don’t need anyone to understand it for me to have a good time,” Haba said. jdpelach@syr.edu
halloween guide 2026
Design students opt for handmade Halloween haute couture By Ava Demcher
asst. digital editor
In the weeks leading up to Oct. 31, the seventh floor of Syracuse University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse is filled with students furiously pinning, sewing and cutting away at various fabrics and textiles. Sewing machines buzz among the chatter of students sharing tips, tricks and rhinestones. But this time, their work isn’t for a grade or project — they’re making their own costumes, and the deadline is Halloween. “It’s very rewarding for me,” Leila PierreLouis, an SU junior and fashion design major, said. “I’m constantly getting assignments, so Halloween is the one time I’m able to have creative freedom from start to finish.” Pierre-Louis has been prepping her costumes for the holiday. This Halloween, many SU fashion design students are opting for homemade costumes and ensembles. Using hot glue guns and Singer Sewing machines, fashion design students gather to bring their ideas to life. Making your own costume is one of the best ways to flex your creative muscles and get a new hobby, Pierre-Louis said. Sophomore SU fashion design student Becca Fierro has always been a creative person, she said. Fierro started with a bikini set from Amazon and a pile of fake roses. Now, Fierro’s turning that into couture. The look recreates a Yves Saint Laurent 1999 Spring/Summer haute couture runway look called the Floral Bride, a flower-embellished lingerie two-piece that Fierro first discovered in a TikTok post. Fierro describes her own style as pink, feminine and romantic, so the look fit her personality perfectly, she said. “I was like, ‘Wait, this is so me,’” Fierro said. After finding the costume, Fierro found reference photos on Pinterest to nail down her look. One synthetic rose at a time, Fierro pinned the flowers into place. Then, she added a baby pink bow and a layer of tulle to the back, mimicking the actual runway look. Fierro is one of several SU fashion design students skipping store-bought costumes this year. For Pierre-Louis, doing it herself means more creative control, lower costs and fighting against fast fashion. “Just because (fast fashion) is cheap does not mean it’s ethical,” Pierre-Louis said. Like Fierro, Pierre-Louis uses Pinterest to source exactly which pieces, from front to back, each costume needs, for around a month. From there, Pierre-Louis makes patterns, takes her measurements and pins costume pieces together
on a mannequin, altering them to fit. Instead of buying new fabric, Pierre-Louis said she upcycles, checking thrift stores and her own closet first. This year, Pierre-Louis is dressing up as DC Comics’ characters Poison Ivy and Starfire. The costumes are pieced together with old materials, recreating the characters’ signature vines and bright pink bodysuit. Pierre-Louis’ friends often liken her to Starfire due to her bubbly personality, so the costume is a way to express herself, Pierre-Louis said. “It’s more than just putting on a bunch of stuff. It’s a statement,” Pierre-Louis said. “You’re able to control how people perceive you with just clothes.” Ella Davis, an SU sophomore fashion design major, skipped the planning stages, opting for a more freehand approach to her prep. “I didn’t use a pattern or anything,” Davis said. “I just kind of went off the dome and made it up as I went, and I think it turned out pretty well.” In the Warehouse, students borrow materials and affix gems and embellishments to their costumes. Mannequins pinned with scraps of fabric line the room. Davis and Fierro’s costumes stand out with their bright pink colors and bold textures. As Fierro attaches another flower to the bikini top, Davis inspects the fur trim of her hot pink Santa miniskirt. Davis learned to sew from her grandmother when she was a kid. Davis originally applied to SU for design studies, then tried fashion design after seeing how much fun her friends in the program were having, she said. This is Davis’ first homemade Halloween costume, and she settled on a 2005 Victoria’s Secret runway-inspired Santa look. Despite Davis’ freestyle process, she had the costume idea planned since she spotted the miniskirts on TikTok Shop over the summer. Those versions cost over $100 and were made of “horrible material,” Davis said. “I was like, why not just make it myself?” Davis said. “It’s easier, cheaper and it’ll look better anyways.” Another reason Davis decided to make her costume from scratch is her dislike of retailers like DollsKill or Shein overcharging for basic materials that are bad for the environment, she said. Pierre-Louis agrees — fast fashion is an overpriced way to continue crowding landfills, she said. “I am always an advocate for not using fast fashion,” Pierre-Louis said. “You can just whip up a costume. You’d be surprised how easy it is.” Fierro said she started making her own Halloween costumes in high school and enjoyed how much creative control she could have over the ensemble when starting from scratch. When you
make something yourself, you can create something distinctive no one has ever seen before, Fierro said. Davis, Fierro and Pierre-Louis all urge other SU students to create their own costumes. Even though it’s Davis’ first time handmaking her costume, she feels prepared from her fashion design projects, Davis said. Along with her couture costume, Fierro is helping a friend create a Victoria’s Secret angel outfit this year. Oftentimes, Fierro’s non-fashion
major friends will enlist her to help with their DIY projects, she said, which she’s always happy to do. Although some may be nervous to start their own Halloween project, it really isn’t as difficult as it seems, Fierro said. “At the end of the day, you can do it. It’s not that hard,” Fierro said. “And even if it doesn’t come out the way you wanted it to, you get to brag that you made it yourself.” ahdemche@syr.edu
becca fierro adjusts a bow on the back of her haute couture-inspired costume. Fierro started with an Amazon bikini set and fake roses. zoe xixis asst. photo editor
ella davis sews the fur trim of her hot-pink Santa miniskirt. Davis’ first homemade Halloween costume is inspired by a Victoria’s Secret runway look. zoe xixis asst. photo editor
8 October 29, 2026
DAILYORANGE.COM CULTURE@DAILYORANGE.COM
halloween guide 2026
Inside the myths that haunt Syracuse lore
EVENTS
FOR HALLOWEEN
By Kosta Konstantopoulos asst. copy editor
People can know a place by its curves or old architecture and yet still know little about what actually happened there. Across Syracuse and central New York, there are still buildings whose histories remain unclear. “I grew up around here, and there has always been an ominous past in this city,” Fayetteville resident Amanda Dunlap said. “This time of year especially, you can get a shiver from thinking about what has happened, who knows?” Dunlap is well acquainted with the many Syracuse urban legends and the subsequent explanations offered for them. Depending on who’s telling them, details can shift, but stories continue to creep in. One of the area’s best-known legends follows the bends of Cedarvale Road, 10 miles southwest of Syracuse University’s campus. Known as the “13 Curves,” the stretch is said to be haunted by a bride who died in a crash on her wedding night. According to the legend, she wanders the road in her wedding gown, searching for her husband, yearning for the journey they started together. The circumstances of the crash are difficult to pin down. It isn’t clear if it took place in the early 1900s or later, or if it occurred in a car or on a motorcycle, Dunlap said. There are also no official accounts of a fatal crash taking place on the road. The real explanation is less fright and more bite. Syracuse.com reported that a local woman and her daughter staged the widowed ghost to frighten teenagers, with the daughter playing the apparition to deter reckless driving. Still, the bride has acquired something more concrete than her tragedy. A roadside Legends & Lore Marker commemorates her search near Cedarvale Road and West Seneca Turnpike. Keep your eyes out the next few days if you plan on driving through, Dunlap said. Five miles north at Split Rock Quarry, the disaster behind a ghost story is actually documented. During World War I, the Semet-Solvay operation converted a limestone quarry into a munitions factory producing TNT. On July 2, 1918, a fire and explosion killed 50 men. Rumor is that locals have seen apparitions of patric acid-stained workers onsite, and time goes by slower in the area surrounding the old concrete-and-stone rock crusher. Syracuse resident Jonathan Michael passes by the abandoned quarry every day on his way to work. Nearby residents have reported hearing distant
Trunk-or-Treat Campus organizations will line the Einhorn Family Walk with decorated trunks Friday, so grab a bag and stock up on candy during the day. The event is open to Syracuse University and SUNY ESF undergraduate students through ‘Cuse Activities. WHERE: Einhorn Family Walk WHEN: Friday, 11 a.m. PRICE: Free
#SYRFoodTrucks Monster Bash
kendall thompson contributing illustrator
voices and the sound of the crusher’s engine revving. “While I haven’t heard any of it myself, I am also driving to work, so who knows,” Michael said. “It’s a good time now if anyone wants to get close and check it out.” The sound of what used to be everyday work still goes on if you get close enough to hear it. But history also complicates this classic ghost tale. Before the current paranormal accounts, Split Rock Quarry was known for a real incident. The explosion left families mourning real deaths, not just a supernatural story to tell kids at night, Michael said. Whether you decide to take the trip or not, you can still get a glimpse of ghost stories on campus. Brewster, Boland and Brockway Halls stand on the former site of Old St. Mary’s Cemetery. Since the residence halls opened in 1968, accounts of unexplained music, voices and footsteps have become a part of the lore, retired SU custodian Jimmy Taylor said. Taylor, who lives in Cortland, worked at SU on and off for over 20 years. He spent most of his time in BBB, though he jumped around residential halls and had a short stint at SUNY Buffalo. Spending time on the other side of student life felt like a oneway mirror, Taylor said. “We are on top of the cemetery. It’s messed up for the people down there.” Taylor said. “I think all I
heard was students talking, but I never thought too much. I was working.” A student told The Daily Orange in 2009 that classical music began appearing in nighttime recordings she and her roommate made in Brewster Hall. In the basement, the eerie hallways echoed everything, Taylor said. While the stories still go unexplained, a freshman residence hall isn’t the quietest place to be — roommates moving furniture, music from someone else’s room and footsteps you can hear through the door. Still, knowing what was there before the dorm went up gave the same sounds another meaning. Other buildings across SU’s campus have similar tales. After the 1921 murder-suicide in Slocum Hall, students turned the history into a famous campus-ghost rumor. Meanwhile, students living in Butterfield House — home to the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority — have reported experiencing terrible nightmares and sleepwalking. And let’s not forget about supposed closed-off underground tunnels that run from Lawrinson Hall all the way to the Shaw Quadrangle, which have sparked their own share of haunted urban legends. From Cedarvale Road to Split Rock Quarry to a student dorm, locals and college students alike bring these stories closer to life. By the time you read this, the footsteps may just be down the hall. kkonstan@syr.edu
halloween guide 2026
Top 10 horror movies to watch for spooky season By Caroline Erskine asst. copy editor
Even though the winter holiday season seems to be moving up the calendar every year, and Mariah Carey begins defrosting in supermarket holiday sections in mid-October, there’s only one thing on my mind until Nov. 1: Halloween. So much more than one day filled with candyguzzling children, Halloween is a holiday that transforms all of October into a shining, magical and gore-filled season. From visiting Spirit Halloween stores to getting the bejesus scared out of me at haunted houses, I’d argue that Halloween — not Christmas — is the most wonderful time of the year. But the cherry on top? Horror movies. Tis the season to have to sleep with the lights on. From cult classics to new releases, here are my top 10 horror movies, from good to great:
10. “A Quiet Place” (2018, dir. John Krasinski)
A masterful, nearly-silent picture, “A Quiet Place” immerses the audience so much into the movie that you’ll find yourselves whispering, too. Full of suspense and monsters with very little screen time and acute hearing, you never know what will jump out on screen next. This film will keep you on
the edge of your seat while simultaneously making you want to cover your eyes so you don’t see what’s about to happen.
tive-filled dialogue from Chucky, the movie is its own brand of terrifying. You may never look at dolls the same way.
9. “Smile” (2022, dir. Parker Finn)
7. “Psycho” (1960, dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
A psychological horror masterpiece, the so-called villains in “Smile” are identifiable only by — you guessed it — the massive smile on their faces before they commit suicide. Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), the protagonist, suffers terrifying hallucinations while she searches for a way to avoid suffering the same fate. Although the premise is simple, writer and director Parker Finn infuses the viewer with the same terror and confusion suffered by Rose. I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s a doozy, and you won’t want to miss it.
8. “Child’s Play” (1988, dir. Tom Holland)
Nothing says scary quite like a talking doll with a knife. The doll in question — and star of many of my childhood nightmares — Chucky, is a gift from a mother to her 6-year-old son. What the pair doesn’t know is that a famous serial killer has transferred his consciousness into the doll, and he’s not done killing. Combining classic run-and-hide sequences with exple-
The oldest movie on this list, “Psycho” earns its place because of its classic shower-stabbing sequence and what I consider to be one of the best twist endings in cinema. One of the foundational benchmarks of the horror genre, “Psycho” shattered traditional Hollywood storytelling rules and introduced what horror scoring would become. In the film, a secretary on the run for embezzlement finds harbor — temporarily — with a man and his domineering mother.
6. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984, dir. Wes Craven)
Considered a horror classic, this flick stars Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a villain who exists only in people’s dreams. Freddy terrorizes Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and her friends’ sleeping hours, which wouldn’t matter if dying in their dreams didn’t cause them to die in real life, too. SEE movies PAGE 10
Sink your teeth into Halloween at the Central New York Regional Market with a new party hosted by the Syracuse Food Truck Association and Frightmare Farms. Come for the eats and stay for hourly costume contests, a DJ set, bingo and more than $5,000 in prizes. WHERE: Central New York Regional Market WHEN: Friday, 5 p.m. PRICE: $23.86
Fright Nights Scream your way through five haunted attractions packed into one warehouse this weekend. Fright Nights, which started as Fright Nights at the Fair, was previously named one of the top 10 haunted attractions by USA Today. WHERE: 1 LePage Place WHEN: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. PRICE: $35 online, $45 at the door.
Halloween R&B Party Not into the scary stuff? Leave behind haunted houses for the dance floor on Halloween night at the New York State Fairgrounds. The R&B party features live music, food and a costume contest with prizes. WHERE: New York State Fairgrounds WHEN: Saturday, 6 p.m. PRICE: $55
Late Night Ice: Halloween Skate Go out for a spin on Halloween night at the Tennity Ice Pavilion. Skaters can show off their ensembles in the rink and compete for a special prize in the costume contest. WHERE: Tennity Ice Pavilion WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m. PRICE: Free for SU and SUNY ESF students
“Mummy Dearest” Exhibit Catch the final days of “Mummy Dearest” on the first floor of Bird Library before it closes Saturday. The exhibition looks at how mummies went from ancient Egyptian burial customs to popular movie monsters. WHERE: First floor, Bird Library WHEN: Through Oct. 31 PRICE: Free
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halloween guide 2026
Bird’s ‘Mummy Dearest’ exhibit unwraps history and horror By Augustus Giurintano contributing writer
A walk through the first floor of Syracuse University’s Bird Library reveals not just bandages and pictures of decaying bodies, but literature, art and entertainment that have shaped modern civilization’s depiction of mummies. From pictures of the dead to 20th-century Mexican films, exhibit viewers are enriched with everything mummy: past and present.
“I never really thought about the mummy as kind of having this deep component to it with different aspects,” Stephen Singer said. “I hope to convey the message that a mummy is just not an Egyptian stereotype.” That’s why Singer, Bird’s Access Services Supervisor and Exhibits Specialist, curated the “Mummy Dearest” exhibit, a compilation that aims to share how the preservation of humans after death has impacted today’s culture. Centered around two themes, the exhibit is divided into two display cases: “Mummies from Around
the World” and “The Mummy in Popular Culture.” Through pyramids, hieroglyphs, movies and even video games, the exhibit explores how mummies have influenced modern-day media. Singer said that “Mummies from Around the World” explains how mummies are found everywhere, not just in ancient Egypt, as stereotypes may claim. Open through the entire month of October, Singer figured the Halloween season would be the most appropriate time for the exhibit, he said.
“I would always see the mummy a lot in my childhood and not as much now, and it’s sort of always depicted as being solely part of Egyptian culture,” SU junior James Cummings, an exhibit attendee, said. Unlike other Bird exhibits, “Mummy Dearest” doesn’t use one artist or medium whose meaning is up for interpretation. Through posters, documents, books, and statues, “Mummy Dearest” is more informative, providing item descriptions for each object. SEE mummy dearest PAGE 10
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hotel and year was. When Hewitt investigated with a couple of guards, they found an empty room with no person in sight. This occurrence relates to a common tale of the “lady in blue,” who is rumored to haunt the upper floors and ballroom in the hotel. People say they’ve seen her along with sudden smells of flowers and cold spots in areas that are seemingly unexplainable. “I went up to the ballroom and as soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I looked to my left, looked to my right and said ‘Nope, I’m not coming up here,’” Hewitt said. Jeff Johnson-Wandersee is another Syracuse resident who investigates metaphysical activity. He told me to “look out” because not all ghosts who want to connect with the living are friendly. “I’m a person that’s 80% medium, like a psychic basically. I feel and I can vibe people,” Johnson-Wandersee said. “There’s things that even people like myself can or can’t do but from the other side. It’s up to them to want to have contact.” After hearing about Johnson-Wandersee’s personal experiences with spirits through Ouija boards and a near-death experience when he was 25, I was fully convinced that ghosts aren’t far-fetched. From my conversation with Johnson-Wandersee and a deep dive of paranormal YouTube videos, I came to understand that residual spirits are ghosts that replay past events or traumas in the place they happened. I don’t know what kind of ghost I was hoping to find at the hotel. It’s like asking to choose between a rock and a hard place. When I asked Hewitt where the most supernatural activity is within the Marriott Downtown, he suggested the ballroom. “Good thinking,” I said while curling my toes. Hewitt left the Marriott in 2020 and returned in 2025 as the security manager. The weird occurrences continued to happen to him once he returned. One time, Hewitt was heading downstairs from the bridal suite to the grand ballroom when he heard a mysterious voice. “Hello,” a woman’s voice projected, clear as day. “Did you hear that?” Hewitt asked his fellow security guard. “The voice?” the guard responded. “Don’t say nothing,” Hewitt said. Hewitt believes this particular spirit isn’t residual, it’s a more intelligent haunting, one that wants to interact with people, he said. With an open mind and a ghost hunting kit from Bird Library, I ventured in to see what I could find. The kit itself wasn’t the most hightech. But for an inexperienced ghost hunter like myself, my expectations weren’t very high. The kit includes an AM/FM radio, an Electromagnetic Field reader and a tape recorder. While waiting in line at the front desk, I chatted with a guest staying at the hotel. I asked him if he’d heard or seen any paranormal activity. He said no but asked if the hotel reminded me of “The Shining.” Well sir, now that you mention it… With that positive reassurance, I headed upstairs. I wanted to hit the spot I heard the most consistent stories about: the ballroom floor. Immediately after stepping off the elevator, I was greeted with a less than welcoming atmosphere. Upon entering the ballroom on the 10th floor, I was met with glass doors and dark rooms filled with empty tables. I bravely entered the room, set up the kit and got to work. After a quick Google search, I learned the EMF reader from the kit can be used to identify a spirit trying to “connect,” though it can sometimes be confused with electrical wires. I soon realized the reader wasn’t picking up on anything, even lights in the room. Still, I sat upstairs with the reader at an empty table next to my recorder and began asking questions. I made sure to say I was there with genuine interest and asked if any spirits would like to make themselves known. As much as I was hoping for a loud crash and a falling chandelier, I
An empty room filled with tables and chairs inside a room of the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. The room is located outside the hotel’s ballroom, which is home to the paranormal legend “lady in blue.” paul hakimian staff photographer
didn’t get much of a response. I moved to other areas, like suspicious hall closets and an abandoned-looking bar, which is where the EMF reader seemed to start working. Behind the bar, the reader consistently went off, flashing red and reaching the highest numbers I’d seen while being there. I put it closer to a light, and it didn’t seem to change. Naturally, I assumed it was a ghost. That was until I went around the wall and saw an ice machine hooked up on the other side of it. Whether the reader picked up on Casper or the machine, I’m still unsure. Christopher Lynch, who worked as a bellhop at the Hotel Syracuse, remembers one night in July 1990 when he had a firsthand paranormal experience. Lynch brought a guest’s bags up to their room on the fourth floor. On the way back to the lobby, he spotted a different woman by a side stairwell. Lynch remembered the woman wearing a hoop skirt with tight ringlets in her hair in the style of a woman in the late 1800s. To not startle her, he said “Pardon me.” That’s when he saw the woman literally walk through the wall. “I said out loud ‘holy sh—t.’ I noticed that I was seeing my breath. It was freezing. Between her taking off and me standing there looking at my breath, I took off, I ran back up the stairs,” Lynch said. This conversation convinced me the stairwells weren’t someplace I’d like to check out alone. When asked if Lynch’s managers believed this type of occurence, Lynch said they pulled out a huge guest book of written accounts from people seeing ghosts in the hotel. It’s unclear whether that book still exists today, but Lynch remembers that account being one of many encounters detailed in the book. “I don’t tend to say it was a ghost. I tend to say that it was an apparition, because ghosts to me, (they’re in) chains and stuff like Scrooge, the scary stuff,” Lynch said. “This, what I saw, she was more scared of me than I was of her.” Although I think I was more scared of the ghosts than they were of me, I continued on to other areas of the hotel. I took the radio into empty rooms, where I smelled faint floral scents and felt cold air to see if I would get any interference. Still, nothing showed up. But as I was walking back down the hall, a door startled me and creaked open by itself, with the light turning on. I can’t say for sure this was a spirit, but it was definitely enough to make me want to call it a night. I didn’t see shadowed figures or books flying off the walls, but there’s no denying the eerie presence that remains in the hotel. If you see me walking around with a tin foil hat on and chitchatting with Syracuse elders on Reddit, don’t say I didn’t warn you. arice19@syr.edu
An empty hallway, conference room and lobby make up the Marriott Syracuse Downtown spaces. The hotel allegedly has paranormal activity. paul hakimian staff photographer
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cremains one for Matthew and one for McNaughton Spencer. Another Spencer descendant, 70-year-old Chris Spencer, said he saw the plaques and portrait himself during a visit to Newhouse in the early 1970s. Although Chris can’t remember the exact year he saw the portrait that held the urn behind them, he estimates he was in sixth grade. “It was one of those things that unless you knew his ashes were behind his portrait, you wouldn’t even know to look,” Chris said. “It was literally in a little trophy case.” Susan Nash, director of administration at SU’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, said that the portrait was removed from the wall in 2022. When Nash began working in Newhouse in 1987, she recalled rumors about the Spencers’ columbarium being located in the school. Then, in the late 1990s, Nash was sitting in the Dean’s Suite when a Spencer kin showed up, asking to see the room where their relatives’ ashes were stored. “Oh my gosh, it’s true,” Nash thought. Then, she brought them to the room and showed them Matthew’s oil painting and plaque. After that, Nash tried to find evidence that SU documented this, but it was nowhere, she said. Flash forward years later, it wasn’t until 2022 that the rumor of human cremains in Newhouse could be confirmed, Nash said. Both Lodato and Nash verified the location of the ashes: in Room 305 of Newhouse 1, behind a wooden panel. One initiative of Lodato’s tenure was to upgrade the Newhouse 1 lobby and Room 305 to make them more contemporary and appealing to prospective students. So, he and Nash consulted with an architectural firm to begin renovation FROM PAGE 8
movies Part of the 1980s horror movie surge, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” encapsulates the themes and motifs of the era, like a solo male antagonist with a dark backstory and a female “final girl,” making this movie a must-see before Saturday.
5. “The Conjuring” (2013, dir. James Wan)
A farmhouse, young kids, ghost experts and an exorcism? This one’s got it all. The Perron family moves into a remote property infested with an evil spirit, despite the sound advice of their dog in the beginning — I’d say that one’s on them. Paranormal investigators are called, and good thing, too, because the spirit that possesses the mother wants her to kill her entire family. Oh, and it’s based on a true story. Good luck sleeping tonight.
4. “Saw” (2004, dir. James Wan)
The beginning of my favorite horror franchise, “Saw” takes place primarily inside of a single room, where two men are chained up and given impossible choices to make. Do they harm themselves, their families or each other? Perhaps the least gory installment of the series, the film deals in mystery, suspense and FROM PAGE 9
mummy dearest Bog bodies, ice mummies and baby animals are some of the least common but still prevalent examples of mummification. The exhibit teaches viewers about the colder temperatures in Northern Europe and how they created the ideal environment for preserving human remains. Another part of the exhibit explains an unusual case of mummification dating back to 16th-century Europe, where dried dead cats were concealed between walls and floorboards. The animals would be packed with sand and soil before being wrapped in linen and stored in brick structures. The practice was done for different reasons, from religious offerings to preserving former pets. Inside an exhibit case, photos display the difference between naturally and artificially preserved mummies. “Accidental mummies” are formed naturally, while “purposeful mummies” are preserved intentionally, Singer said. The exhibit emphasized that mummies tell the story of the lives and environments of the dead. The second section, “The Mummy in Popular Culture,” discusses the remnants of the mummy in today’s society. Singer said modern media depicts mummies differently than older literature. Universal Pictures used the image of the mummy in 1930s and 1940s films like “The Mummy,” “The Mummy’s Hand” and “The Mummy’s Tomb.” They displayed mummies as bandaged, supernatural beings.
Inside the Newhouse School of Public Communications, these plaques honor former Dean Matthew Lyle Spencer and his wife. Behind them are ashes. zoe xixis asst. photo editor
plans. Nash said when the architects brainstormed designs, they inquired about removing the wall panel containing the urns. “Well, can we take down that middle part? Can we relocate that plaque?” Nash remembers the architects asking. “I don’t know,” Nash said. “I think that the dean is in there.” The architects were confused, to say the least, Nash said. Their project manager from the Campus Planning, Design and Construction team brought SU Facilities Services to remove the wooden panel that the plaques and portrait were affixed to. Once extracted, they found the wall’s contents included two containers of ashes: one for Matthew and one for McNaughton Spencer.
Without disturbing the remnants, the ashes were documented with photos and the panel was quickly reinstalled. Nash said it was like “you had just opened a grave.” “Once we made that confirmation, it was clear to me that the right decision was to work around the ashes and the memorial,” Lodato said. “In essence, underscore the importance of that decision at the time it was made, and preserve something that is unique about Newhouse.” The wall around the panel has since been renovated, but the wood slab has stayed. Now, the cremains are honored with two rectangular epitaphs for each of their remains, which were added during the renovations in 2022. For a student worried that their studies may
be interrupted by Newhouse 1’s macabre feature, Lodato would tell them to look at the bigger picture of what wanting to be laid to rest in one’s workplace really means. “It really speaks to one person’s love and dedication for the school and the university,” Lodato said. Chris said he’s always been surprised that SU knows his grandparents’ cremains actually exist in the walls. Although some family members like Nancy have never visited the Spencers’ cremains, Nancy said the choice of being buried at SU made sense for her grandparents, given Matthew’s role at SU. “I always knew that their connection to this university was strong because it was always very, very proud,” Nancy said. “My mom was always very proud of him.” According to the same 1973 document addressed to “Mrs. Robert Fritch” — likely a mistake, meant for the Spencers’ daughter, Helen Spencer Fritch — Henry Schulte never met McNaughton Spencer. However, they had corresponded through letters for the past year. Henry Schulte assured Fritch that her mother’s ashes would be treated with respect and “placed next to your father’s and an appropriate plaque will be added,” according to the document obtained by The D.O. Matthew served as Newhouse’s dean from 1934 to 1950, which was a long time for him to live in one place, Fritch said. However, most people touring Newhouse and spending time in Newhouse 1’s Room 305 probably don’t have a clue that there are ashes behind the plaques, Wright said. But if Wright happened to be in Newhouse 1 Room 305, he’d say the same fact to whoever was with him. “Do you see that plaque? You know what’s behind that?” Wright would ask. “I would tell them, but I’d never gotten more than a nod,” Wright said. lvzucker@syr.edu
a tricycle-riding puppet. But the later movies get progressively more complicated and bloody as we are brought deeper into Jigsaw’s (John Kramer) games.
3. “Obsession” (2026, dir. Curry Barker)
The thriller that took the world by storm, “Obsession” tells the tale of Bear (Michael Johnston), Nikki (Inde Navarrette) and the one-wish willow. Getting progressively more intense, Nikki shows just how devoted she — or the entity in her body — is to Bear after he wishes she “loved him more than anything else in the world.” The comedic horror film has sparked debate online, as viewers debate who the real villain is. One thing is certain: Nikki and her vase of flowers can stay away from me.
2. “Paranormal Activity” (2007, dir. Oren Peli)
Reminiscent of “The Blair Witch Project,” “Paranormal Activity” is a found footage, documentary-style movie focused on a couple’s experience with a nocturnal demonic presence. Attempting to discover what’s bothering them, the pair set up cameras around their house to record as they sleep, and the terrors begin. I tend not to be a fan of slower-paced, documentary-style horror movies, but this is one of the scariest flicks I’ve ever seen. The pacing and Mummy stories gave readers the ability to view humanity across enormous distances in time, an exhibit panel reads. After gaining popularity in Europe, mummies found a natural place in Gothic fiction. According to the exhibit, the mummy was more than just human remains: It tells the story of morality, previous cultures and the results of disturbing the past. Featuring objects like a handmade dodongo figurine and Anne Rice’s 1989 novel “The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned,” the display shows the modern-day representation of the mummy. The exhibit also shows how Mexican cinema developed a distinct approach to mummies through low-budget horror films, as well as professional wrestling. Directors made movies like 1957’s “The Aztec Mummy” and 1964’s “The Wrestling Women vs. the Aztec Mummy.” “(Studios) sold packages of films, but also games which were amazingly popular and influenced a whole generation of kids,” Singer said. Two-dimensional video games in the 1970s and 1980s, like Konami’s “Tutankham”, featured many Egyptian mummy references, such as pyramids with trapdoors, hidden rooms and treasure guarded by snakes. After playing a variety of video games throughout his life, SU freshman attendee Alexander Villalba was shocked to learn about the culture of the mummy. Villalba was passing through the library when he noticed the exhibit. “I never thought to consider the meaning behind the mummies portrayed in the games,” Villalba said.
maria masek contributing illustrator
suspense are perfect, and the slow-burn terror is exactly what grips the audience. The actors weren’t given a script, just guidelines on what to discuss, so the dialogue feels natural and authentic.
1. “Halloween” (1978, dir. John Carpenter)
Aptly named after the holiday it so embodies, “Halloween” is the amalgamation of classic scary movie thrills. Michael Myers (Nick Castle) serves as the crazy, homicidal maniac Today, the mummy is a familiar figure to children and adults alike on Halloween. However, Singer said the popularity of the mummy has declined since zombies have taken over the spooky season. Unlike most Halloween monsters, the mummy has existed throughout the majority
chasing down young, attractive late-1970s teenagers. A timeless and enduring slasher, watching this film feels like the equivalent of reading “A Christmas Carol” by the fire on Christmas Eve. Though it isn’t the scariest, most psychologically terrifying or goriest flick on the list, “Halloween” is what makes Oct. 31 Halloween. Just chalk it up to sentimentality. cberskin@syr.edu
of history. They exist as both figures in popular culture and as preserved remains. “A mummy is not just an undead piece of Egyptian culture,” Singer said. “There are all types and all kinds of processes found everywhere.” apgiurin@syr.edu
Bird Library’s “Mummy Dearest” exhibition explores the history of mummies. The exhibit’s curator wanted to challenge stereotypes. kedar nair staff photographer
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OPINION
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column
As a pre-med student, AI can help doctors without replacing them By OlaRose Ndubuisi columnist
At a recent medical visit, one of my physicians asked to record our conversation with an artificial intelligence note-taking software. “No,” I firmly responded, a word I don’t often say to a doctor. She yielded but was visibly frustrated, complaining AI would be faster. In just a couple of years, AI has enabled physicians to transition away from taking notes on their computers. As a Syracuse University pre-med student in the BS/MD Program with early assurance to medical school, I’m curious about the impact of AI on medicine. While AI can support doctors, they shouldn’t solely rely on it to maintain patients’ trust, ensure medical accuracy and preserve clinical skills. But AI use is becoming the norm for doctors. Of 1,342 physicians, 72% reported they use AI in their practice. Some doctors are using AI to record conversations with patients and create detailed summaries. A 2024 research study found a majority of primary care physicians believe a generative AI tool reduced notetaking time and relieved the worry of remembering details. But physicians also reported AI misgendering or imagining patients, suggesting unsolicited diagnoses and mistaking details. I’m concerned that patients occasionally share sensitive information or make off-hand comments that don’t belong in medical records. How will they know if the AI is still transcribing? AI note-taking could disrupt patient trust, causing concerns about privacy similar to my experience with my doctor. I interviewed Dr. Jivan Lamichhane, a hospitalist faculty member at Upstate University Hospital, who explained that using an AI scribe has helped reduce “pajama time,” referring to the time doctors spend completing administrative work after hours. “It has definitely helped with efficiency as well as helping with the reduction of burnout on the healthcare providers,” Lamichhane said.
Of 1,262 physicians, 73% expect reducing administrative workload with AI could relieve burnout. By efficiently using AI for note-taking, doctors could give their full attention to patients instead of focusing on a computer. I appreciate when my doctors look at me directly and listen compassionately to my concerns, but the idea of a third party listening and storing information is hard to grasp, even if it’s well-protected. It’s a trade-off that doctors and patients must consider. Ironically, the current limitations of AI could ultimately increase physician workload. To be responsible and cautious, a physician would have to carefully review each line that AI transcribed for accuracy and remove unnecessary information. In an article by Dr. Helen Ouyang, she acknowledges editing AI’s notes eliminated the act of interpreting a conversation with a patient and thinking through her own words, methods she once used when writing the notes herself. “The process of note-writing helps me formulate my medical decision-making and then check whether it really holds up,” Ouyang writes. “When that cognitive labor is offloaded to a machine, I’ve come to see, my job shifts.” AI could positively change medicine by reading X-rays and images to assist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Researchers from Mass General Brigham in Boston have developed AI models, trained on millions of facial images, that they say assess various parts of the face to gauge a cancer patient’s biological age and signs of their survival rate. In a critical care setting, timely intervention is needed, such as a chest-tube placement for a tension pneumothorax or collapsed lung. AI could immediately read an X-ray, allowing doctors to confidently take action when the radiologist’s reading is delayed. Radiologists should check the accuracy of AI’s imaging reports. No matter how advanced AI gets, we shouldn’t stop verifying it. You wouldn’t skip proofreading your essay for errors, even as a confident writer. AI could also automate certain clinical and administrative tasks, giving physicians more time for patient interaction.
chris brainoo contributing illustrator
Lamichhane said physicians use AI within the hospital healthcare delivery system to give them “different ideas about prediction of mortality, morbidity, length of stay and the chance of readmission for any patient that’s admitted to the hospital.” While promising, I worry that physicians’ skills could gradually diminish due to the automation of tasks. Of 1,163 physicians, 88% are worried about skill loss. Forty-six percent are very concerned about the loss of skills in doctors in training. An article by Dr. Rachael Bedard expressed that residents don’t yet have the experience that an attending does to fact-check AI and will need to learn to think critically alongside medical AI tools like Open Evidence. “When I skim a chatbot’s response to a question about back pain, I’m intuitively testing its suggestions against my hard-won mental model for how to approach back pain,” Bedard writes.
A doctor must exhibit curiosity, think critically, research, reference knowledge from previous cases, communicate effectively, listen patiently and admit when they don’t know the answer. Outsourcing certain tasks to AI would make doctors robotic and underutilize critical human skills. AI is rapidly changing medicine. Therefore, we must regulate it. Physicians should verify information and cautiously explore new technology to determine the best AI tool, if needed, to serve their patients. Whether pursuing a medical career or otherwise and regardless of your stance on AI, students can benefit from researching AI’s impact on their chosen fields, like I have. OlaRose Ndubuisi is a sophomore majoring in biology and journalism. She can be reached at oandubui@syr.edu.
column
CFP expansion proposal kills importance of regular season By Charlie Creighton columnist
On Oct. 17, one of the craziest days in college football history unfolded. Five of the top 10 teams in the country lost for the first time since 2016, including No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Notre Dame, marking the first time since 2012 the top-2 Associated Press Poll teams lost on the same day. The beauty of the college football regular season used to be the palpable tension every Saturday. One loss often spelled doom for a team’s season. Undefeated Michigan’s loss to undefeated Ohio State knocked it out of the 2006-07 national championship game. Unbeaten Florida’s loss in the 2009 SEC Championship Game knocked it out of championship contention. This jeopardy has diminished with the expansion to a four-team playoff in 2014 and a 12-team playoff in 2024. But in 2027, the entire fabric and pageantry of college football will be put into jeopardy. On Oct. 15, it was revealed the College Football Playoff format would likely expand to a 24-team playoff, completely changing the sport. This move completely leaves the importance of the regular season in ruins. I’m sure this move was driven by the opportunity to generate more revenue through high-viewership playoff games. While ESPN may get the viewership it’s looking for, it won’t get quality in return. The top 24 teams all qualifying for the playoff will result in a tremendous dip in the quality of competition, with three- or even four-loss teams reaching the playoffs. The thought of watching an 8-4 Missouri team led by Eli Drinkwitz make the playoffs doesn’t exactly excite me. Based on last year’s results, first-round matchups under the proposed 24-team format would’ve included North Texas vs. Alabama, Iowa vs. Notre Dame, Georgia Tech vs. BYU, Houston vs. Miami and Tulane vs. Texas. I don’t think any of those matchups would be decided by one score. Programs like Alabama and Texas would typically schedule these opponents in August, hoping for a tune-up game in which they’d be heavy favorites. Just because more teams make the playoffs doesn’t mean there are more playoff-quality teams.
emma soto illustration editor I, along with plenty of college football fans, don’t see the benefit of matchups like these, especially at the expense of important bowl games and the regular season, which used to hold real importance. In 2008, Tim Tebow, driven to tears after a September loss to Ole Miss at the Swamp, took the podium and laid down a promise. No team would play as hard as Florida for the rest of the season. No player would work as hard as he would. He was right, and quite frankly, he had no choice. Florida went unbeaten for the rest of that season and won the national championship. If that game were played in 2027, Tebow would’ve shrugged off the loss as no big deal. Losses won’t carry the same weight anymore. Teams could
slip up three or four times and still have a chance at making the playoffs. High-stakes regular-season games are what make college football special. When you leave so much room for error, you take the sting out of the game. You ruin what makes college football, college football. A late-season must-win matchup between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville. A late-season stresser between Alabama and LSU in Death Valley. A lowscoring, low-margin-of-error game between Ohio State and Michigan. Games like these could lose much of their significance. The potential of Rivalry Week becoming a time when teams rest their best players is a frightening prospect for the future of college football.
When you think about what makes college football special, you also think of tradition. A white-out at Beaver Stadium. Pounding Howard’s Rock at Clemson. Tapping the sign at Notre Dame. Dotting the “i” in Columbus. It’s sad to think these traditions could become part of games that won’t matter as much as they used to. Watching money ruin the traditions we all love is a sad reality, one that seems to occur all too often in sports. All we can do is enjoy what’s left of college football as the life gets squeezed out of it more and more each day. Charlie Creighton is a freshman majoring in journalism. He can be reached at crcreigh@syr.edu.
october 29, 2026 13
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from page 16
gulli
parents, too,” Ferri said. “I think people should realize that not all people are actually happy sometimes.” When Gulli got the call about his father, he used soccer to escape a world he dreaded entering. But before it became his escape, he was a 6-foot-2, 260-pound teenager who hated it so much he quit for three years. After the 2022 season with McGill and being cut by CF Montréal a few weeks later, Gulli severed all ties with old teammates and coaches. At age 19, he did everything he could to forget the sport that shaped his childhood. At first, he succeeded. He started his own business, a math tutoring company, that Ferri said made “crazy money.” He had a girlfriend and thrived while studying civil engineering. But remember that door; behind it, Gulli was depressed. Deep down, he missed soccer. So, when the opportunity arose to restart his career, Gulli couldn’t pass it up. Lakeshore SC was located near Gulli’s hometown of Beaconsfield, Quebec, and Gulli, who admitted he was heavy at the time, viewed soccer as a way to lose weight. He joined the squad in summer 2025. And it quickly became so much more. Ferri joked that Gulli woke up one day to find himself as the best player in Canada. He scored 22 goals in 19 games with Lakeshore, leading McGill’s coaches who once doubted him to beg for his allegiance. Gulli agreed to rejoin the Redbirds for the 2025 season, and he made it his mission to prove he never should’ve been doubted in the first place. “He got cut even when he was performing. Coaches overlooked him. They would sh-t on him,” Ferri said. “I’m so happy for him because of how far he came, and he can rub it in their face.” Returning to McGill was less about Gulli’s future and more about making his past self proud. For most of his life, something had gone wrong. His family moved from Argentina to Canada when he was a few months old due to the 2002 Argentine economic crisis, one of the worst meltdowns in the country’s history. His parents lost all their money, and his house was robbed. After seeing a newspaper ad promoting cheap flights to Canada, the family moved so Gulli and his two sisters could have “the best possible chance at life.” But that meant leaving cousins, grandparents and other relatives behind. Three years after he began playing soccer at age 10, Gulli got more life-changing news. Guillermo called Gulli and told him that, when he returned home from soccer tryouts, they should go to Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee chain. Gulli’s father had something unbelievable to tell his 13-year-old son. When they arrived, Guillermo explained that he’d just gotten off the phone with a coach from an Austrian club who wanted to sign Gulli. He initially assumed it was an opportunity one, maybe two years in the future, but instead, he’d leave in five days. He’d live with his father’s coworker and wasn’t sure how long he’d stay. But it was something new. A chance to grow. So, he did it. In Austria, Gulli spent three hours on public transit to get to training and school. He had
pedro gulli watches on during Syracuse’s draw versus Virginia on Oct. 24. Gulli, a graduate forward, has scored four goals this season, tied for SU’s most. eli schwartz asst. photo editor
to learn German and couldn’t stay unless he passed the proficiency test. He hated it then, and even after two years, people still viewed him as the “Canadian boy.” And then, when it was time to cut two players, Gulli was one of them. “Sometimes the things you love, they can hurt. And at the time, I really loved soccer,” Gulli said. “I think that was one of the biggest blows I’ve ever had, hearing the coach saying, ‘Pedro, we wish we could have you here, but you gotta go back to Canada. You gotta restart.’” When he returned to Canada, things didn’t improve much. Gulli said people saw him as the kid who didn’t make it. The kid who failed. He struggled to make friends and was constantly bullied. “I realized that I wasn’t really respected. No one really believed in me,” Gulli said. “That led to a few more years of soccer, awful soccer. I really wasn’t enjoying myself.” His depressive state began. Gulli blocked off contact with friends and some family. He spoke with his father, who’d faced a similar fate being overlooked as a rugby player back in Argentina. But any noise consumed Gulli. One of Gulli’s good friends, Karim Mehdi, hosts Canada’s leading semi-professional soccer podcast called ON S’EN FOOT. Mehdi naturally praised Gulli often, his burly frame and agile feet. He was a D-I athlete, a rare breed in Montreal.
But the doubt only increased. Because he was under a spotlight, he was also under a microscope. Every achievement was expected, yet every failure was another chance to tell Gulli he wasn’t good enough. The jabs kept coming. “I know what it’s like to fail,” Gulli said. “I know what it’s like to be on the other end of the stick where people think you’re not good enough.” After a solid freshman season at McGill, CF Montréal offered Gulli a trial. He practiced with the team, but he was eventually cut. Then, he quit. “Those words hurt me a lot,” Gulli said. He focused on his education, yet struggled to take soccer lightly. He played with friends for fun, but by the time he left the field, he was often crying. “You could still see that mentally, he wasn’t tapped in,” Mehdi said. “Any adversity, he would go like, ‘Oh, screw this, I don’t wanna play anymore, I’m going home.’” After Lakeshore, Gulli returned to McGill. He broke out against Concordia, and at a time filled with darkness, Evans’ call was a bright light. But Gulli’s life didn’t get easier. While his dad recovered in the hospital, he rotated with his mother and sister to keep him company. He pulled all-nighters in the McGill library and at the hospital beside Guillermo. Evans also said that for Gulli to come to Syracuse, he had to be a graduate student.
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receivers the year in limbo after exhausting his four years of eligibility in 2025. But a preliminary injunction granted hours before the Cal game allowed him to play a fifth year. He said the late addition to the team hasn’t impacted his fitness; he just has fewer reps than everyone else. Syracuse’s transfers haven’t provided much either. Weaver has just seven catches for 73 yards, Outten has taken more snaps at running back and Brown said last week he’s moving Moore to safety. Of the returning sophomores, only Johnson has cracked 100 yards. That’s where Russell factors in. While tight end Daunte Bacheyie was SU’s second-best pass catcher before his debut, Russell has largely taken that spot the last two games. Brown said after the Louisville game he believes Russell is “extremely strong” despite being a “tall, skinny guy.” Linebacker Chris D’Appolonia said Russell’s difficult to guard in practice because of his underlying, unicornlike traits. “A big body receiver is always tough to guard,” D’Appolonia said. “A lot of times either you’re fast or you’re big, and when it comes to him, he’s both.” Russell has 153 yards in four games, which already ranks fourth on Syracuse. His latest act was saving SU with his clutch eight-point swing against UNC.
calvin russell iii celebrates a touchdown in overtime of Syracuse’s win over North Carolina. Russell has recently emerged as SU’s No. 2 receiver. tara deluca photo editor
His emergence is massive as teams key in on Hatcher. Hatcher said Saturday the Tar Heels played a lot of outside leverage against him with a safety over the top, which took away his ability to burn by defensive backs on the outside. It’s the area of the field where he’s at his best.
“I think that as (Russell) gets rolling, having him and Hatcher on the football field along with the other guys, it’s going to be something to be reckoned with,” Brown said. But the operation must be more than two players. Currently, the Orange have a true WR1
To reach that status, he took 27 credits, nine classes, in one semester. “We would be studying together in the library almost every day for midterms and finals,” said Norman Bhuller, one of Gulli’s classmates. “Then, at one point, he’s like, ‘OK, now I’ve gotta go to practice, and then after practice I have to go train and then repeat all of that the next day.’” Now, at Syracuse, Gulli sometimes returns to focusing on the past despite his best efforts. Gulli’s appeared in all 15 of Syracuse’s matches, yet he’s started just two, and his 510 minutes rank 15th on the team. He’s thrived in limited time, but the numbers remind him of what he’s been through. “He scored big goals,” SU head coach Ian McIntyre said of Gulli. “(But) he’s unfortunate not to be playing more, and he’s unfortunate to not have started more games.” Most people don’t know Gulli’s whole story. He hesitated to tell his Syracuse teammates about his past because it stirred up emotions. Everything he’s been through still causes him to tear up. Gulli’s finally ready to look forward. The past is the past for a reason. But it’s also the reason he’s here. “The only way to succeed is to fail,” Gulli said. jordankimball28@gmail.com @JordanKimball_
in Hatcher, a promising WR2 candidate in Russell and what feels like two or three WR4 or WR5 options otherwise. Syracuse needs production from other players, especially as it’s down to Steve Angeli and Danny Lauter under center currently. Angeli looked improved in his first start in over a month against UNC, but Lauter hasn’t proven much as SU’s fourth-string. If receivers can get open consistently, it’d make any quarterback’s job easier. As the team’s veterans, Hatcher and Ross-Simmons said they’ve focused heavily on helping the younger guys. Even while recovering from ligament tears in his knee last year, Hatcher said he tried to bring other players along to train. Ross-Simmons added that the two of them give other receivers “gems” — or little tidbits — from their games to round them out. Brown is confident other receivers can step up if Hatcher is out of commission. “I think we got other weapons. So if you wanna take somebody away, we’ll put another guy,” Brown said. “I think it’ll be hard to double one person when you got all these other guys out there that can play, too. “So double him. We got another guy that could play.” Thus far, that hasn’t proven true. And it’s holding Syracuse back. njnussba@syr.edu @Noahnuss99
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football
Overlooked in HS, Kevin Jennings is now SMU’s Heisman bet By Peter Romano
contributing writer
Kevin Jennings didn’t look to the sideline. With the clock winding down in a playoff game against Frisco High School (Texas), the junior quarterback took control of a two-minute drill and moved the ball downfield. “That junior year playoff game is when it clicked for me,” said Jason Todd, Jennings’ head coach at South Oak Cliff High School (Texas). In another playoff game against Lovejoy High School (Texas), Jennings, again, didn’t glance at the sideline. Todd was on one side, and SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee was in the bleachers. But Jennings had no reason to look. It was Lashlee’s first day on the job, and he was there to watch Jennings’ opponents. Jennings was focused on impressing Missouri State, a Football Championship Subdivision program. But from those sidelines, Lashlee kept an eye on Jennings and found his quarterback of the future. Jennings pledged to SMU on Dec. 12, 2021, and five years later, is a premier Heisman candidate. He’s nearing 10,000 career passing yards and has already passed for 2,062 this year, the country’s 14th-best mark. He’s also tossed 19 touchdowns, tied for sixth in the nation, and has completed 72.6% of his passes, a top-10 mark. As a result, SMU ranks 19th nationally before it treks to Syracuse on Saturday. “It wasn’t about the stats he had,” Todd said. “We need to win, and he needs to show people that he’s a winner.” When Jennings transferred to South Oak Cliff for his junior year, his physical talent was obvious. Todd said Jennings could make any throw from any arm angle under any pressure. Tedrick Williams, who backed up Jennings at quarterback with the Golden Bears, remembers him throwing 60-yard go balls during practice. Throughout high school, Jennings was always given the freedom to try such throws, as Todd and his staff pushed him to become more confident in taking control
of the offense. By the spring, Todd even let Jennings call his own plays and reviewed decisions afterward. “We had to let him play and stop trying to overcoach him at times,” Todd said. “I took the coaching out. Once he took that ownership, the offense just took off going into his senior year.” The scheme shifted as Jennings gained autonomy. South Oak Cliff adopted a choicebased passing game that developed his ability to read receivers and opposing defenses. Jennings threw for roughly 1,300 yards as a junior and a staggering 2,884 as a senior. Todd said Jennings could’ve thrown for more if he played the second half of blowouts. Williams, who moved to running back and is now a redshirt junior at McMurry University, noticed Jennings’ composure in South Oak Cliff’s pre-snap huddles. Jennings always stayed level after mistakes and focused on the next play. “No moment is too big for him,” Williams said. South Oak Cliff won the University Interscholastic League Class 5A Division II Texas state title in 2021. It was the first state championship for a Dallas team in over 60 years. But even after the win, Jennings had few college options. He said he was considered undersized, and some schools asked him to switch to wide receiver or cornerback. His only Division I offer was from Missouri State. Then came SMU. Jennings discussed his aforementioned first memory of Lashlee on Adam Breneman’s Next Up show in April. Jennings told Breneman how close he came to a very different college career if Lashlee didn’t attend. “If he didn’t come to that game, I’d be balling at Missouri State,” Jennings said. Now holding the Mustangs’ career records with 9,771 passing yards and 74 passing touchdowns, Jennings is also the face of a Heisman Trophy campaign dubbed “K7NG OF DALLAS.” Jennings’ journey is often framed as one of being overlooked. Those who coached and
kevin jennings walks off the field after defeating Arizona in the 2026 Holiday Bowl. SMU’s quarterback faces Syracuse on Saturday. courtesy of smu athletics
played with him in high school remember trusting him to take control. At SMU, even after a redshirt freshman year, Jennings has earned similar trust. “They just let me be me,” Jennings said. SMU quarterbacks coach D’Eriq King said on Oct. 8 that he focuses on helping Jennings eliminate mistakes, rather than getting on him about turnovers. He tells him to forget failing. But Jennings still has room to grow and is working to improve his biggest weakness from high school: knowing when to throw the ball away. Even after SMU’s 23-13 win over Virginia on Oct. 17, Jennings admitted to those weaknesses.
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peromano@syr.edu @PJohnRomano
“She just goes straight back to 100 miles an hour,” Sam said. •••
naimoli practicing, the sound echoes. Coach Jillian Loyden, a former United States Women’s National Team goalie, doesn’t need to look at Naimoli to know she’s training. Loyden hears her. “For a long time, we would have loved for her to stop,” Loyden said with a chuckle. Naimoli doesn’t mind. It’s unusual, sure. But she’s never found reason to change it. The clap is the easy part. Saves are harder. ••• IT’S A LOSING BATTLE in Lubbock, Texas. A dozen groundskeepers, armed with leaf blowers and towels, try cleaning up Mother Nature’s mess at Texas Tech’s John Walker Soccer Complex on Aug. 17, 2025. Flash flooding keeps Youngstown State at its hotel for nearly two hours. First-year head coach Rich Wall isn’t sure a game will be played. When the Penguins finally arrive, warmups are minutes away. Inside, they stretch. And outside? They race to make the pitch playable. Eventually, the field’s ready. The Penguins aren’t. Then-No. 25 Texas Tech races to a 3-0 lead through 23 minutes, and Naimoli spends the night trying to keep it from getting uglier. She makes 11 saves — then a career high — in a 4-1 loss. “She was possessed,” Wall said. One shot comes from roughly 25 yards out, rising toward goal. Naimoli launches left, stretches out her hand and pushes the ball over the crossbar. It’s one of her many stops, as the Red Raiders outshoot Youngstown State 38-2. “She was the individual that gave the team life,” Wall said. Naimoli considers it one of her best performances. But there’s one play she’d rather forget. In the 70th minute, Youngstown State finally scores, trimming its deficit to 3-1. Five minutes later, Naimoli receives a pass and tries distributing the ball left. Instead, she sends it straight to a Texas Tech attacker. The Red Raiders capitalize. “Oh my goodness,” Wall thought when he saw the misplay. “You played so well.” These days, Naimoli distinguishes between conceding goals and making mistakes. She can do everything right and still watch the ball sail past her. But when she sends a pass straight to an opponent? That’s on her. “It feels bigger when you’re a goalkeeper,” Naimoli said. So she gives herself a day. Twenty-four hours to be upset, replay the mistake and figure out what went wrong. She picks apart the bad pass,
“That’s just me maturing,” Jennings said. That might be the last thing for Jennings to fix. Todd, who believes Jennings can play in the NFL, said much will depend on where he lands. Todd affirmed Jennings “will find his footing.” But until then, Jennings doesn’t have to look at the sideline. He knows Lashlee and King trust him. Those 60-yard go balls can show up in games, while the “K7NG OF DALLAS” agenda remains in full effect. “You think you can make every throw with an arm like his,” Todd said.
maya naimoli winds up for a goal kick in SU’s draw versus Harvard. In 14 starts this season, Naimoli has an ACC-leading 59 saves. eli schwartz asst. photo editor
considers what could’ve been different and reminds herself of everything she’d done right beforehand. The pass won’t change, no matter how many times she revisits it. Months later, when Power Four programs contact Wall about Naimoli’s transfer portal entrance, he knows exactly what to tell them. “All you need to do is watch Texas Tech,” Wall says. The diving saves are on that game’s film. So is the giveaway. Wall recommends it anyway. ••• THE ADVICE WAS SPECIFIC. As the Naimolis eventually discovered, it was also completely useless. “Whatever you do, don’t let Maya be a goalkeeper.” That’s the warning a family friend offered at Naimoli’s first travel tournament. The friend said goalkeepers carried too much pressure and took too many hits, but when coaches asked for volunteer goalies, Naimoli raised her hand. “And here we are,” Sam said. By 15 months old, Naimoli was already dribbling along the sidelines at her brother’s games. In elementary school, she practiced punts at recess, occasionally sending balls onto the roof. Years later, she kicked a hole in the ceiling at an indoor training facility. “Don’t worry, they have insurance,” Naimoli told her parents. At 8, Naimoli began training with Scott Nixon at FC Europa. Nixon recognized her potential
and began working with her individually, introducing skills most goalkeepers her age weren’t ready to attempt. One was the high-hand parry, used to tip shots sailing over goalkeepers’ heads and above the crossbar. It demanded precise footwork, timing and positioning. Most players didn’t learn it until age 10 or older; instead, they’d knock the ball into their own net, but Naimoli caught on quickly. “She’s going to go places,” Nixon remembered thinking. For all the time she spent protecting goals, Naimoli wasn’t half bad attacking them. As a freshman at Episcopal Academy (Pennsylvania), Naimoli scored 12 goals as a forward, tied for the team lead, while also playing goalie. Head coach Andy Fraggos remembers Naimoli scoring one of the finest strikes he’s seen: a volley off a cross on slippery turf. But she wasn’t meant to play up front. Naimoli preferred being the last line of defense, even if that meant putting herself in harm’s way. During a club tournament in Haddonfield, New Jersey, at 13, Naimoli charged toward an attacker and dove for the ball. It was kicked directly into her left eye. She finished the game. Later, when she complained of blurry vision, a specialist discovered a bruised retina. Naimoli missed a couple weeks before returning in protective glasses. Her mother hoped the scare might encourage more caution the next time an attacker charged toward her. No such luck.
COACHES SPEND YEARS waiting for a certain kind of player to walk through their door. The one who doesn’t need to be chased down for extra training. Who seeks out criticism instead of avoiding it. Who’s thinking about tomorrow’s practice before today’s finishes. Former Youngstown State head coach Brian Shrum likens it to sitting in an office with the light on and the door open, hoping somebody serious enough eventually comes knocking. “Maya was that kid,” Shrum said. At Youngstown State in 2024, Naimoli wasted little time proving it. She commanded her penalty area, challenged attackers for crosses and regularly sought extra training with goalkeeper coach Josh Green. It was a welcome change from Ohio State, where the lack of a dedicated goalkeeper coach frustrated her. At Youngstown State, she received the attention she wanted, trust from coaches and, most importantly, a chance to play. But Naimoli had professional aspirations. She wanted another crack at Power Four soccer, even if she abandoned a situation she’d spent two years building. “I might regret leaving Youngstown, but I’ll always regret not trying to go back to Power Four,” Sam recalled her daughter saying. So Naimoli left. At Syracuse, she reunited with former Youngstown State goalkeeper coach Michele Barletta. They studied film, broke down technique and debated finer details of a position Naimoli’s spent much of her life mastering. And when ACC play arrived, competition didn’t disappoint. “This is what I came here for,” Naimoli thought. Back home, one of Naimoli’s old soccer balls sits beside the couch. It’s an Adidas replica match ball she saved up for as a kid. For years, the Naimolis forbade soccer balls upstairs after too many bounced down the brown oak staircase, threatening light fixtures. Naimoli started leaving hers in a little nook beside the bottom step. If Sam saw it there, she knew her daughter was upstairs. “I miss seeing her ball there,” Sam said. These days, the nook belongs to Shelby, the family’s 86-pound goldendoodle. Sam could put the ball back where it used to go. She’d just have to move the dog first. Besides, the ball has somewhere else to be. It’s flying toward a goal 24 feet wide and eight feet tall. Nobody’s offered to make it smaller, and Naimoli hasn’t asked. jfendric@syr.edu @jordan_fendrich
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football
SU lacks WR depth despite Hatcher, Russell III’s breakouts By Noah Nussbaum managing editor
A few weeks ago, when Calvin Russell III was just returning from his Achilles injury, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown said he wanted to gradually increase the receiver’s targets every week. “We want him to catch passes every game, and we want him to score touchdowns every game, which we’re hoping to be able to do,” Brown said. “He’ll get more reps.” That came after two catches on four targets in his debut against UConn. Following a goose egg versus Virginia, the five-star freshman hauled in 6-of-9 targets for 53 yards against Louisville. He broke out this past weekend at North Carolina with an eight-catch, 86-yard day that ended with a touchdown and two-point conversion to give SU the overtime victory. Russell’s emergence isn’t just encouraging for his own prospects, but also helps boost an otherwise scarce wide receiver room. Thus far, Umari Hatcher has led the unit, with Russell emerging as Syracuse’s true WR2. Hatcher leads the team with 887 yards on 54 catches, but no other pass catcher has topped 300 yards or 20 receptions. When defenses key in on Hatcher, like UNC did Saturday, SU needs other options to throw to, and Brown knows it. Russell has filled that role recently, but nobody else has — something Syracuse (3-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast) must improve if it wants to clinch a bowl game across its final five regular-season matchups. “We just wanna be able to be well balanced. The more that we’re balanced, the better it’ll be for all of us in every position,” Brown said Monday. “Guys will keep trying to go double on (Hatcher), we just gotta make sure the other guys step up.” The wide receiver corps was already iffy entering the year. The Orange lost six of their top seven leading receivers from last season and added transfers like Cole Weaver, Matt Outten and Elijah Moore. Sophomores Darien Williams and Darius Johnson and redshirt junior Tyshawn Russell also returned following sparse workloads last season. Even Hatcher was a question mark after missing parts of the previous two seasons with injuries. The only familiar name from 2025 was
umari hatcher celebrates his touchdown in Syracuse’s win over North Carolina on Oct. 24. Hatcher leads the Orange with 887 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season. tara deluca photo editor
Justus Ross-Simmons, who tied for SU’s lead with five touchdowns. Hatcher has been a revelation this season. In his sixth year at Syracuse, he has more yards this campaign than his first five combined (797). He’s fourth in the country and second in the ACC in receiving yards and has topped 100 in four straight games. He’s
become a safety blanket for any quarterback the Orange use. Hatcher has consistently emphasized he doesn’t care who’s throwing him the ball, and he’s proved that with his performances. Ross-Simmons described Hatcher as a “speed demon,” different from his play style as a bigger receiver who wins contested catches.
“You gotta respect his speed because if you don’t, he would run right by you,” Ross-Simmons said of Hatcher. “I’m more of the big body type, get you out of my way, possession receiver.” Ross-Simmons hasn’t shown that much this year. He has just 170 yards in six games, and 105 of those came in Week 2 against Cal. He started see receivers page 13
women’s soccer
Revisiting Syracuse’s 2025 win over Miami before 2026 rematch By Spencer Brod
asst. sports editor
After Syracuse’s road win at Miami last October, Nicky Thrasher Adams told her team it was going for ice cream. About an hour after the game, SU hopped on its team bus and headed to a local Cold Stone Creamery. Players didn’t bother taking off their gear, and the ice cream shop flooded with players waiting for treats. The ice cream trip rewarded the Orange for their first Atlantic Coast Conference victory in 1,112 days. Between Sept. 26, 2022, and Oct. 10, 2025, SU went 0-27-6 in ACC play. “It was so nice not to feel upset and down,” former SU goalie Shea Vanderbosch said. “It was really awesome just to see everyone smiling, laughing, hugging each other and just that celebration.” With SU facing Miami for the first time since then Thursday, here’s a look back at Syracuse’s most memorable win in recent memory:
The stakes
The last time Syracuse made a conference tournament, it was in the Big East. It was 2012, SU’s final year in the conference. Since joining the ACC, the Orange haven’t come close to the ACC Tournament. Under Adams, who began coaching SU in 2019, Syracuse was 3-52-7 in conference play entering the Miami game. Last year didn’t look much different early on. After going 4-1-3 in nonconference play and tying SMU in its first ACC game, Syracuse was outscored 12-0 across its next four — three against ranked opponents. It fell 4-0 to thenNo. 7 Florida State, 3-0 to then-No. 1 Virginia, 1-0 to Cal and 4-0 to then-No. 3 Stanford. SU responded emphatically to its drubbing at Stanford. In its next game against Clemson, Mia Klammer gave Syracuse something it hadn’t had in ACC play yet — a lead. But after leading 1-0 six minutes in, the Orange squandered it and waited another game for their elusive conference win. Miami gave SU the perfect opportunity. The Hurricanes entered winless in ACC
Syracuse women’s soccer’s starting lineup stands on the field during the 2026 season. The Orange host Miami on Thursday after beating it last year for their first ACC win since 2022. paul hakimian staff photographer
play at 0-4-1 with nine goals allowed, giving Syracuse’s defense a prime opportunity to break through. It took 77 minutes, but the Orange did just that.
Defining moment: Rauch to Klammer game winner
When Syracuse beat Miami 3-1 in 2022 for its previous ACC win, its roster looked vastly different. Twenty-two of 29 players from the 2022 squad were no longer with SU. One who stayed was graduate student Ashley Rauch, who was a redshirt freshman during the Orange’s last conference win. A fundamental piece to SU’s offense, she entered with four goals and three assists. After a scoreless first half, Syracuse was in a perilous spot entering the second. It hadn’t scored a second-half conference goal yet. That changed in the 78th minute. Rauch intercepted a pass from Miami centerback Lexi Lerwick, and Rauch gently dropped the ball off to Klammer, who took a shot. Goal. Atlee Olofson made two second-half saves but couldn’t stop Klammer’s teamleading seventh score of the season.
“We were connected and together,” Vanderbosch said. “That was different from other games because we were defending a lot and that just tired us out super quick. We were actually able to attack.” The assist was a defining moment in Rauch’s graduate season. After bursting onto the scene offensively as a freshman with an early goal and assist, a Lisfranc injury sidelined her for the season three games in. When she returned as a sophomore in 2022, she primarily played defense, having a limited offensive role that carried into 2023. But as a senior, she regained her offensive edge, tying the team lead with five goals. And her assist against Miami last year solidified it — she was back to her freshman self.
Where SU has gone since
After the win, Vanderbosch said SU’s performance against Miami “needs to be the standard every game.” But it wasn’t. Instead, it was a flash in the pan. Syracuse was dealt a reality check when it fell 1-0 to Boston College the following weekend. Following a 2-0 loss to then-No. 7 Duke and a 4-2 defeat to then-No. 23 North Carolina,
SU finished 5-9-4. The Miami win was a step in the right direction, but the Orange proved they’re still an ACC bottom-feeder with the three losses afterward. Syracuse had plenty of roster turnover in the offseason. Vanderbosch, Rauch, Klammer and other key players departed, while Adams added transfers like Farrah Stephens-Martin, Vickie Jones and Maya Naimoli. Naimoli has been a stalwart replacing Vanderbosch in net, leading the ACC with 59 saves. Stephens-Martin has offered SU’s offense speed and scored twice. While Jones lost her starting spot, she scored three goals earlier this season. Yet it’s been more of the same for the Orange. After starting 3-0-1 — which included Abby Incorvaia’s game-winning goal at Northwestern on Aug. 20 — SU has stumbled in conference play and is now 4-9-2. Whether it’s consistently getting outshot or missing wide-open goals, Adams’ side has shown little to no improvement from last season.
Digital Managing Editor Quinn Postman contributed reporting to this story. sabrod@syr.edu @spencerbrod20
SPORTS
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‘BUILT DIFFERENT’ maya naimoli looks downfield during Syracuse’s scoreless draw versus Harvard on Oct. 30. Despite being one of the shortest goalkeepers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Naimoli has been a bright spot for the Orange amid a tough season. eli schwartz asst. photo editor
Maya Naimoli doesn’t rely on perfect technique to stop shots for Syracuse By Jordan Fendrich asst. copy editor
T
HE MATH ISN’T FAIR. A soccer goal measures 24 feet across and eight feet high. That’s 192 square feet for 5-foot-7 Maya Naimoli, tied for the shortest starting goalkeeper in the Atlantic Coast Conference, to protect. “If you’re good enough, you’re tall enough,” Naimoli said. “They’re built different,” her mother, Sam Naimoli, said of goalkeepers. Forget perfect technique for a moment. Forget where Naimoli’s shoulders need to be, how far apart her feet are or whether she’s diving with the correct hand. When a shot flies toward the corner, Naimoli knows she can’t run through a checklist. Against Villanova, she sprawled left to deny an attacker one-on-one with five minutes remaining. Then, with 28 seconds left, she darted across the
goalmouth and stuck out a foot to stop another, preserving a scoreless draw in her Syracuse debut. “Sometimes you just gotta make the save,” Naimoli said. “You don’t have time to think about it.” That philosophy has served her well in her first season at SU. The redshirt junior transferred from Youngstown State this spring to succeed Shea Vanderbosch, the Orange’s all-time saves leader. Through 14 starts, Naimoli has an ACC-leading 59 saves and ranks second with 4.21 per game. But those numbers have a less flattering side. Syracuse has struggled throughout conference play with a 1-7 record, giving Naimoli ample opportunities to make saves, though some have slipped by. Naimoli didn’t arrive at the chilly confines of SU Soccer Stadium with an empty resume. She spent two seasons as Youngstown State’s starting netminder after redshirting at Ohio State, where she never played. Naimoli recorded 196 saves for the Penguins and was named a captain. A week after earning the honor, she entered the transfer portal.
Taking over for one of Syracuse’s most accomplished goaltenders is intimidating, but Naimoli isn’t interested in becoming the next Vanderbosch. Naimoli respects her predecessor’s accomplishments. She just doesn’t see the point in imitating her. Vanderbosch said she finds little reason for comparison, too. With different coaching staffs, teammates and paths to Syracuse, she doesn’t believe her success at SU relates to Naimoli’s. “You can only use what you have in your toolbox and become as much of a master as you can,” Naimoli said. One tool is unconventional. Since she was 17, Naimoli’s clapped her gloves — not after saves, but before them. When she notices an attacker preparing to shoot, Naimoli’s sharp thud helps her set her hands and tells her mind to react. Inside The Keeper Institute training facility in Sewell, New Jersey, where she’s spent years see naimoli page 14
men’s soccer
Pedro Gulli understands failure well — it pushed him to SU By Jordan Kimball sports editor
Pedro Gulli has always focused on the past. But the McGill forward wasn’t thinking about the goals he’d scored, the minutes he’d played, the hardships he’d endured or even his greatest accomplishments. At some point on this October 2025 day, Gulli learned to stop caring. To stop hiding. To shut off. Minutes before the Redbirds were set to face Concordia, Gulli got
a call from his mother that changed everything. He learned his father, Guillermo Gulli, was in the hospital after suffering a stroke. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Gulli still took the pitch as if it were any other game. He didn’t tell anyone of the tragic news he’d received. In the 66th minute, he was subbed off after deliberately drawing a yellow card, yet he’d already contributed two goals and two assists. “That’s the thing with Pedro; soccer was his safe space,” said Josten Ferri, one of Gulli’s childhood friends.
“He just went into that game and used that as fuel.” Gulli didn’t stay for the rest of the match, nor even go to the locker room. Instead, he booked it to the hospital, where his mother and sister stood beside his bedridden father in tears. As the doctor updated Gulli on Guillermo’s condition, his phone rang. It showed an unknown United States number, but he promptly declined. Then it rang again. This time, he answered. “This is Matty Evans from Syracuse University. I saw your past
game, and I’d be very interested in bringing you in next year,” Gulli recalled hearing on the other end. Fast forward one year, the call from Evans, Syracuse men’s soccer’s assistant coach, went a long way. Gulli’s at SU, where — with one regular-season match left — he’s tied for the team lead with four goals. But Evans’ call was a rare bright spot during a dark time for Gulli. The graduate student fell in and out of depression. At times, his peers questioned and feared for his mental state. Shortly after his father’s stroke,
Gulli’s mother suffered one, too. He said he looked left and right and felt like no one was there. In Ferri’s words, Gulli smiled for the camera. He seemed to have it all — an engineering degree, a high IQ, a brawny physique, a Division I soccer career. But there’s a door. And behind it, Gulli wasn’t smiling. “He worked his whole life. His parents came from nothing. Poor family. His dad’s working check to check, and he’s helping support his see gulli page 13