thursday, september 11, 2025
O • 'Never acceptable'
Political violence is never acceptable, regardless of party. Charlie Kirk’s death proves gun violence has no exceptions.
Page 11
122 years
C • New life
Syracuse University senior Lilyan Minicozzi revives old items and shares their history through sustainability.
8
S • Lacrosse legend
Haudenosaunee Faithkeeper and former SU player Oren Lyons will be awarded the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award on Friday.
Page 4
By Delia Sara Rangel news editor
When Kathleen Z. heard her daughter’s best friend received an additional merit aid offer from Syracuse University, she felt confused, as it was already past May 1 — national college decision day.
Her daughter applied to SU with similar high school stats and accepted her offer in April. While they found it strange, she said they forgot about it. A month later, she saw an article from The New York Times with the headline “Why Did Syracuse Offer $200,000 Deals to Teens Who Had Turned It Down?”
Then, she knew the university was playing an expensive game.
“I thought we had to be in by May 1. I didn't know there was a game here of ‘Hey, if you don't, accept, they're going to throw money at you,’” said Kathleen Z., who requested not to use her full name to protect her daughter’s privacy. “I would have been happy to play that game and get a lot more money than I was given.”
In May, the university offered up to $200,000 each in additional merit aid to students who hadn’t accepted their admissions offer to SU, the Times reported. The offers came via email in the weeks following the decision date, which is widely known as a non-negotiable deadline. Merit aid is awarded based on a student’s “academic achievement” according to SU’s website.
The university bases scholarships on academic credentials, class rank, standardized test performance, leadership and “overall citizenship.”
As the university restructures its major programs across campus, many parents of incoming freshmen are left wondering where the university’s priorities lie, and told The Daily Orange they're entering the next four years with a “sour taste” in their mouths.
“Syracuse is a great school,” Kathleen Z. said. “We're excited about her potential here. But playing around with the money side of things, the financial side of things, is not something that sits well with us.”
Chelsea Cheng, whose daughter is a freshman in the School of Architecture, said they
By Shvika Gupta asst. copy editor
After Syracuse University launched its Center for Student Excellence, merging 13 organizations under one office, students were left wondering what would happen next for their respective programs.
When the university announced the office’s Aug. 28 opening, SU said it's bringing together several of its student support services and programs into one overarching
office to “enhance student support programs.”
The office will be organized into a three-pillar system, each focusing on a different part of the “student experience.”
Angelie Serrano Báez, an SU junior and an Our Time Has Come scholar, believes the restructuring will make finding resources more difficult for students, she said in a Wednesday statement to The D.O. She said that “in theory” combining the offices sounds like a good idea,
but in reality, it “groups everyone together,” limiting the kinds of help and resources organizations and students have access to.
Some students need specific assistance on campus, but with the new restructuring, she said they could be pushed aside.
“I don’t think the new setup is necessarily going to better support underrepresented students,” Báez wrote. “Those programs worked best when they were more focused on the unique challenges we face, and I
worry that centralizing everything is going to water that down.”
The Daily Orange has broken down each pillar, its respective programs and campus reactions.
First pillar – Academic Success
The first pillar houses First Year Seminar, the Center for Learning and Student Success, Office of Retention and Student Success and Office of StudentAthlete Success and Engagement.
First Year Seminar (FYS) is a onecredit course all freshmen and trans-
fer students are required to take at the start of their time at SU. It’s intended to help students transition to the university, understand campus resources and “be prepared to navigate diverse perspectives” and contribute to the communities they're a part of. Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS), provides students with free academic assistance, including academic coaching, weekly workshops and individual and group tutoring
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WHAT: Commemorating 9/11 at Hendricks Chapel
WHEN: Thursday, 8: 30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHERE: Hendricks Chapel
WHAT: University Union’s “10 Things I Hate About You” Showing
WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Shaw Quadrangle Noteworthy events this week.
WHAT: “Hamilton” WHEN: Multiple showings
WHERE: Landmark Theatre
By Mia Jones culture editor
Amir Durić’s path to religious leadership started with prayer. Encouraged by his family, Durić would go outside at sundown and lead a call to prayer when it was time to break their fast during Ramadan.
From then on, Durić knew he wanted to be a faith leader.
“My parents and grandparents thought I would change my mind,” Durić said. “I never did.”
The motivation Durić felt from his grandfather is what led him to help empower students today in their faith, he said. Durić was named assistant dean for religious and spiritual life at Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel in July after serving as Muslim chaplain and executive director of Muslim student life.
Durić was born in the small town of Buzim, which was then part of Yugoslavia, two years before the Bosnian War began in 1992. His experience growing up in a war-torn country and seeing its aftermath shaped how he views faith relations and engagement today.
To Durić, war meant uncertainty, and he wasn’t always sure what the next moment or day would bring.
“If someone came to me during that time and told me in 20 or 30 years I’d be in the United States of America, or if they laid out my life story in front of me, there’s no way that I could trust them,” Durić said.
Being present for others in whatever way he could was how Durić came into his role as a Muslim leader. It’s the least people can do for each other, he said.
Today, Durić carries the practice into his work with students.
Durić strives to empower students as much as he can to take on their own initiatives. He remembers how formative that was for his life while growing up.
“When I work with students, I really believe in the potential that students bring to the table,” he said. “They have so much they can offer if we provide space and create opportunities for them to lead.”
Those who work with Durić describe him as a student-centered leader. Mirza Tihic, an assistant teaching professor in SU’s College of Professional Studies, has known Durić for years. Tihic said Durić is a “visionary” and strategic thinker, and his approach is always focused on his students’ needs.
Durić believes in contributing to a common good with whatever he does, he said. As assistant dean, he hopes to create opportunities for students on campus to do the same and prepare for a world beyond SU. Collaborating with his colleagues, like Reverend Devon Bartholomew, helps him accomplish this.
Bartholomew, a Christian Protestant chaplain at Hendricks, first met Durić when he came to SU as the new Imam for the Muslim chaplaincy. The two have worked side by side as chaplains during moments of crisis and have collaborated to find new ways to serve SU more broadly.
“He’s grounded and established and truly rooted in what we’re about,” Bartholomew said.
Since Durić’s start at SU in 2017, Tihic said he’s been instrumental in helping the Muslim community grow on campus. There are more than 200 Muslim students and faculty participating in programs and services on campus, he said.
Durić supports students traveling on religious pilgrimages to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia. He’s helped students engage in spirituality and leadership through their scholarly work, Tihic said.
The new assistant dean has brought stability to Muslim students and improved the Muslim chaplaincy, Bartholomew said. Hendricks Friday Muslim prayer services have moved from downstairs in the Noble Room to the main chapel upstairs to accommodate over 1oo students. Durić also created a lecture and discussionbased series titled “Understanding Islam.”
Bartholomew appreciates that Durić meets directly with both students and colleagues. He trusts in Durić as a friend and as someone he can bounce ideas off of while sitting at lunch.
“He’s not aloof, it’s not distant or pie in the sky, it’s how do we do what we can do right now,” Bartholomew said. “He’s always done that. He’s always (sought) to raise the bar.”
Durić co-founded the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship, where students can engage in difficult conversations that some may avoid having right now regarding faith relations, Tihic said.
“He has the courage to do things others don’t have,” Tihic said. “But in a very respectful, engaging, exemplary way.”
Durić hopes these kinds of initiatives will continue to encourage more interfaith engagement on campus — coexisting with those who have different worldviews and acting together for “the common good.”
Durić saw how faith was used as a tool to divide and as a way to rebuild community, growing up during the Bosnian War. But now, he hopes to use different faith experiences as a bridge to build relationships between students.
On interfaith days of service at Hendricks last year, Durić watched as students from various religious backgrounds gathered over a shared common value: serving the community together.
As assistant dean, Duric plans to broaden interfaith connectivity and create global leadership opportunities for students across campus.
Durić is currently working to grow opportunities that model Hendricks’ values, such as purpose, empathy and empowerment.
A principle that inspires Durić in his faith is the Arabic word “Ihsan,” which translates to “excellence” or “doing good.” To Durić, it inspires him to exceed what’s expected of him and do his best wherever he is.
“It’s part of who I am, part of my being here, my purpose, and that’s why I don’t do it for anyone else, or because it’s my job responsibility,” Durić said. mjones58@syr.edu
By Henry Daley asst. digital editor
Adam Brett attended his first Haudenosaunee Wooden Stick Festival in 2016 as a curious, recent graduate of Syracuse University. Despite initially not considering himself a fan of the sport, he quickly fell in love with the festival and its wooden stick lacrosse tournament.
Brett has increased his involvement with the festival since winning a handmade stick by Alfie Jacques, an Onondaga craftsman who handmade over 80,000 wooden lacrosse sticks, years prior. This inspired him to help spread the Haudenosaunee legacy and culture.
“Since the festival began, it’s grown so much,” Brett said. “Each year that I come and I’m a part of participating in the festival, I learn more and more.”
The American Indian Law Alliance will celebrate its 10th anniversary of the Wooden Stick Festival at Onondaga Lake Park this weekend, hosting its Restore Our Sacred Lake 5k on Saturday and the wooden stick tournament across both days.
After attending his first tournament and festival in 2016, Brett has worked as an international
research associate with the AILA, founded in 1989. AILA’s mission is to represent Indigenous Nations, communities and organizations globally in their “struggle for sovereignty, human rights, and social justice,” according to its website.
Brett said the wooden stick tournament and the origins of lacrosse embody AILA’s mission, and the values of the game are important for the community to learn about, he said.
“It’s a game of peace and healing, and it was founded on the shores of Onondaga Lake,” Brett said. “I really love all of the things that we do, and I believe in our mission.”
Betty Lyons, AILA’s president and executive director, said the organization first held the event to bring back the game of lacrosse to Onondaga Lake and Syracuse.
Lyons said the event is designed to be welcoming for all, and describes it as a “family-friendly” experience where the community can educate themselves about the origins of lacrosse and its local origins.
“Our peacemaker came to the lake over 1,000 years ago, bringing us the message of peace and unity,” said Lyons, the niece of Oren Lyons, Haudenosaunee lacrosse legend and Indigenous
rights activists. “We thought it was very important to bring it back to the shores of the lake and thought it would bring about some healing.”
Bringing in over 1,000 attendees last year, the event has rapidly grown under the AILA, she said. Lyons said the crowd’s diversity has expanded in recent years, and highlighted the ways attendees can learn about Haudenousee culture outside of the wooden stick tournament.
Lyons said 24 native vendors will be at the event, selling arts and crafts, and will also serve traditional Haudenosanusee food so attendees can have a “taste of our culture.” There will also be a smoke dance competition, a fast-paced Haudenosaunee social dance featuring rapid spins and footwork, along with a social dance for all attendees later.
“In the very beginning, it was mostly just our own folks,” Lyons said. “Now we’re seeing it expand out to a non-indigenous crowd, which we are welcoming.”
As part of the event, AILA will also seek to preserve the site where it’s hosting the festival, and continue restoring the Onondaga Creek and the lake after reclaiming 1,000 acres of the land in September 2024.
Brett highlighted the return of wildlife to the lake, such as the bald eagles, as a sign that AILA’s work and the festival have made an impact.
“The wish and the dream and the hope is that someday the lake will be completely clean,” Lyons said. “It’s about bringing awareness to the lake and also the potential of us gaining a piece of the lake back.”
The organization and Haudenosaunee culture remain interconnected with the university and local community, Brett said. Before his death in 2023, Jacques spoke at the festival and in classes at SU, highlighting how interwoven Haudenosaunee culture has become with the Syracuse community, he said.
Lyons said AILA hopes to maintain and strengthen this connection through this weekend’s festivities.
“It’s really about what we embody culturally,” Lyons said. “We’re all about peace and friendship and wanting to show everyone that we’re still here to carry on all of our traditions, and we’re hoping that other people will come and enjoy it as well.”
hdaley@syr.edu
By Sydney DePietto asst. news editor
After Charlie Kirk, a Conservative political activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed Wednesday afternoon, New York state leaders and Syracuse University political student groups shared their thoughts and condolences.
While speaking at Utah Valley University as part of TPUSA’s 10-college “American Comeback Tour,” Kirk, 31 years old, was fatally shot in the neck. Kirk’s death was first confirmed by President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
Trump has since ordered all American flags to be lowered at half-mast until Sept. 14.
Gov. Kathy Hochul posted a statement on X saying she was “horrified” by the news and condemned political violence.
Similarly, New York Senator Chuck Schumer stated there is no room for political violence America in a post on X. He said he would be praying for Charlie Kirk and his family.
Elise Stefanik, representative of New York's 21st District, spoke on the impact of Kirk’s
death, saying Americans' hearts across the country are broken and outraged after the “heinous assassination” in a Wednesday release. She described Kirk as a “vibrant, iconic, conservative titan,” saying he inspired a generation of young Americans.
“He fearlessly and boldly promoted free speech, religious liberty, and morality.” Stefanik wrote. “Such an extraordinarily impactful life, murderously cut short.”
Following Kirk’s death, SU’s chapter of College Republicans reposted a statement on its Instagram from the Chairman of the New York Federation of College Republicans, Steven Margolis.
He said Kirk’s killing is “vile and horrifying,” emphasizing that his legacy will continue through TPUSA, the statement read.
“Charlie Kirk has had the greatest influence on the youth of this nation, except for Donald Trump,” Margolis wrote. “While he is no longer with us, he has inspired millions in Generation Z to be bold and unabashed in their political views.”
College Republicans denied The Daily Orange’s request for comment.
The College Democrats at SU denounced the attack in a Wednesday evening statement to The D.O., stating that political violence has no place in society, especially in democracy.
“At a time when our nation is already deeply polarized, we must come together to reject hatred and cruelty in all its forms,” the statement reads.
College Democrats said Kirk’s killing is a tragic event and a reminder of “the broader crisis of gun violence” in the country. In 2023, 46,728 people died from gun violence, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
New York State Assemblyman Chris Tague expressed his shock and sadness over Kirk in a Wednesday statement. He called Kirk a “dedicated family man” and a “passionate voice,” declaring that political violence goes against American values and must be condemned.
“I pray for Charlie's family and our Republic during this deeply troubling time,” Tague said in the statement. “I will be joining millions of Americans across the nation in mourning the loss of Charlie.”
The New York State Conservative Party posted a Wednesday Instagram press release, mourning Kirk’s death. The statement said Kirk was a good man who has left a lasting impact.
“An assassin's bullet may have taken his physical presence away, but his thoughts, his philosophy, his hard work, and his love for our nation will carry on,” CPNYstate said.
Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee Jay S. Jacobs condemned Kirk’s death, calling it an “egregious act” in a Wednesday release.
"The attack today on Charlie Kirk was an attack on every value that Americans hold dear. America is all about everyone’s right to say things others may disagree with and even not like to hear,” Jacobs wrote. “This assassination of someone whose views I disagree with is about as un-American an act as can be perpetrated.”
As leaders across the country mourn Kirk’s death, a manhunt is still underway for the suspect, the New York Times reported. sadepiet@syr.edu
By Cooper Andrews senior staff writer
Nestled on the outskirts of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in Nedrow, New York, off Interstate 81 South’s Exit 78 is a quaint diner called Firekeepers, where 95-year-old Oren Lyons spends almost every morning eating breakfast and engaging in daunting philosophical discussions.
On this particular morning, he orders two eggs sunny side up, a heaping pile of bacon — per special request — one pancake and half an order of home fries with onions: a meal fit for a king. Oren is treated like one here, too. He owns the place. Firekeepers employees light up like beams when they see his white Subaru pull into the parking lot. Patrons shake his hand, showing gratitude for his work as a Faithkeeper of the Haudenosaunee’s Wolf Clan.
The restaurant offers Oren a refuge from the troubling trends he sees in contemporary society and the chance to spread wisdom to those who’ll listen.
He’s probably one of the strongest leaders we’ve ever had.
Betty Lyons oren lyons’
niece
Haudenosaunee values center around peace and humans’ spiritual connection to the Earth. Yet Oren watches the natural world drifting further away from how his ancestors intended it to be. He sees greed. Inequity. War. Natural disasters. Famine. Everything except peace.
He believes time is running out for mankind to fix the mess they’ve inherited from themselves.
“You look at what’s going on today, with two wars raging overseas and how fast the environment has deteriorated, we’re in big trouble,” Oren said before scooping the last few bites of bacon with his fork. “I estimate on my own personal estimation, it’s not scientific by any means, I would say that 2034 is the point of no return. We need to do something before then.
“But it’s not over. The whole point is that it’s not over.”
Oren’s cynical forecast doesn’t represent what’s inside his heart. For those within the Indigenous community, he’s the de facto peacekeeper and vessel of knowledge for how the world can learn from the Haudenosaunee to solve its long-standing problems. His trailblazing journey — one of Syracuse University’s first Indigenous students, a Faithkeeper for over five decades and the originator of the Haudenosaunee Nationals lacrosse organization, among other achievements — makes him a beacon of influence for Indigenous rights.
On Friday, Sept. 12, Oren and former SU men’s lacrosse head coach Roy Simmons Jr. will receive the Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award, an honor named after the late stickmaker. It recognizes others’ con-
tributions in preserving lacrosse’s native origins; the Haudenosaunee created lacrosse around 1100 A.D. to give thanks to The Creator.
The distinction encapsulates Oren’s tireless effort to create equality between Indigenous folks and the governments they reside in and often suffer oppression from.
Oren tied a white handkerchief to his right knee — informing his fellow soldiers that this was his final jump. The year was 1950. Oren, a 20-year-old, was drafted for the Korean War as a paratrooper in the United States Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, an elite group of specialized soldiers. Oren became a paratrooper because of the salary. Soldiers who jumped out of planes for a living earned more — they call it “jump pay.”
Yet, after about a half-year on the job, Oren’s last plane ride proved to be his most expensive leap of faith.
Oren led the assignment. He held supreme experience among a plane filled with new recruits. Usually, on one’s final airborne mission — per Rex Lyons, Oren’s son — you pay somebody else to take their dog tags, avoiding having to actually complete the final jump. But Oren was stubborn.
“He would never pay somebody else to do that,” Rex said. Oren overlooked the mission destination — which remains top secret — daydreaming about the reward one last payday would bring him. In the 82nd Airborne, you’re trained not to be a sitting duck. Soldiers need precise timing to end up in their desired landing zone. But Oren ignored his training this time. All of a sudden, he heard the pilot screaming at him, imploring him to abort the mission since he’d missed his jump.
I’m not going all the way back down to be forced to re-do the jump.
Panicked, Oren stumbled onto the floor and plummeted out of the aircraft’s rear hatch. Paratroopers are instructed to pull their parachute after counting to “three one-thousand.” Oren’s count was at five one-thousand, and as he rapidly flailed through the sky, he couldn’t grab his parachute. The number 2,000 popped into his head. At that number of feet, the Army says you’re as good as a hole in the ground if you haven’t yet pulled your parachute. Oren approached the point of no return. Then he crossed it.
He scrambled to grasp his final lifeline and, hundreds of feet before reaching a thick patch of trees, miraculously released the parachute. Oren’s speed, though still blazing, decreased enough to lessen the ensuing impact — he collided into the top of a massive tree, getting his opened parachute stuck in the branches. Oren hung there hopeless, but alive.
He had to get down somehow. His backpack contained a button that’d propel him out of his positioning, though risking a fall akin to a death wish. Oren smashed the eject and crashed into the ground. Both of his shins were broken, but he was alive. His battalion laughed at him, but he was alive. He spent the next six months in the infirmary, but he was alive.
During his half-year recovery, Oren had one regret while lying in the hospital bed: His battalion got thrust into a highly confidential mission, and he wished that could’ve been his final task for the Army. Oren eventually found out his troop’s mission was to assist the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s first testing of nuclear weapons at its Nevada Test Site on Jan. 27, 1951. Every single soldier who went to the test had their lives cut short, slowly dying from nuclear radiation poisoning. Oren is the only one from his battalion who remains alive.
an undefeated season in 1957.
Art is one of Oren Lyons’ main passions away from the his Indigenous heritage.
A main principle of Haudenosaunee culture is that everything happens for a reason. If you don’t believe in fate, Oren will remind you about his tightrope walk over the gates of heaven.
Oren’s impact on lacrosse, the Haudenosaunee’s sacred “medicine game,” reflects his commitment to protecting Indigenous rights. He used his lacrosse-based platform to launch his career as an activist for the Haudenosaunee people, extending his influence across multiple generations.
“In spirit, he’ll one day sit on our shoulders and whisper to us, and we’ll call it instincts. Because our ancestors are speaking through him. And someday he’ll speak through our children,” said former All-World Team Haudenosaunee lacrosse player Neal Powless, now the head of SU’s Ombuds Office and close friend of Oren. In 1970, Oren was chosen to be a Faithkeeper of the Haudenosaunee’s Wolf Clan. For the Haudenosaunee, clans link families together from across the group’s Six Nations, meant to establish unity among tribes who were once at war. Oren remains the most influential living Faithkeeper, seen as the ultimate authority for peace and education.
“He’s become a person who you can call on to come and help with any particular situation in their community,” said Leo Nolan, a Haudenosaunee Nationals board member and close confidant of Oren. “He’s helped call out the misunderstandings and some of the tension that goes on to try and keep us safe and be an optimistic voice to all.”
As a Faithkeeper, Oren is often tasked with talking to leaders of foreign nations. He attends U.N. meetings and has solo discussions with politicians to advocate for the Haudenosaunee’s recognition as a sovereign group of people. The goal is for their independence to be honored through both the international acceptance of Haudenosaunee passports and ability to participate in global lacrosse tournaments, among all the freedoms that fall under the blanket of human rights.
Over half a century, he has slowly but surely increased Indigenous representation.
The Haudenosaunee were initially denied from the 1986 World Lacrosse Championships in Canada by the Federation of International Lacrosse, but they are now allowed to compete in nearly every global competition — though their 2028 Olympic qualification status is uncertain.
Haudenosaunee people can travel freely with the Nation’s passport to most U.N. member nations. Most Haudenosaunee citizens opt not to register for U.S. passports.
The Haudenosaunee are also the largest self-governed Indigenous group left on U.S. soil.
Robert Carpenter, the founder of Inside Lacrosse and a historian of the sport, said it was a painstaking process for the Haudenosaunee to receive these rights. It was even tougher for Oren to deal with the bureaucratic red tape that often prevented him from educating major nations on the Haudenosaunee’s sovereignty.
Though times have changed. Two years ago, Oren, Rex, Nolan and other Haudenosaunee representatives traveled to the White House in Washington, D.C., to meet with 46th U.S. President Joe Biden and officials from nine other countries. They were there to inform them about their history creating lacrosse to advocate for the Haudenosaunee Nationals’ inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Inside the White House corridors in summer 2023, Oren got up to speak in front of the leaders. His speech was direct and earned encouragement from the parties involved, Rex and Leo said. The Haudenosaunee often prepare physical presentations to get their story across to outside nations, Nolan said, but they’ve found that having Oren front and center is the best tool to make progress.
On Dec. 6, 2023, Biden announced the U.S. is in full support of the Haudenosaunee’s inclusion to play lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics.
“We have long had a perspective that we have a future instilled for us, that’s what we’ve been told,” Oren said. “And everything is moving just right on time.”
Simmons Sr. knew he couldn’t get Oren registered as a student at Syracuse University unless he had a special skill beyond lacrosse. Being a high-quality athlete wasn’t going to justify accepting a 24-year-old seventh-grade dropout. Luckily for Simmons Sr., he received the best news possible.
Oren’s a masterful painter.
Since childhood, Oren’s been infatuated with art. He’s a master of sports illustrations, Rex said, centering most of his personal work around painting ancient Indigenous lacrosse players and Haudenosaunee war heroes. Simmons Sr. heard rumblings about Oren’s artistic side — he already knew about his on-field potential and past military service — and arrived on Onondaga Nation territory with an offer.
“Have you ever considered playing at Syracuse University?” Simmons Sr. asked Oren.
“Let me think about it,” he responded. “How’s that going to happen?”
“You just let me worry about that,” Simmons Sr. said. “In the meantime, I hear you’re an artist. Maybe we can get you in the art school.”
Simmons Sr. doubled as SU’s boxing coach at the time. On off nights, he would visit The Ringside, a boxing-themed bar in Syracuse during the ‘50s. The owner of the now-defunct bar previously purchased some of Oren’s paintings, which depicted famous boxers.
So Simmons Sr. invited Dean Hefner, then-SU’s dean of admissions, out to lunch at the bar one afternoon. Simmons Sr. walked the two around the bar until they arrived at the paintings.
Simmons Sr. and Hefner stared at the boxer drawings in awe.
“The person who painted these must be kind of talented,” Simmons Sr. said.
“Yeah,” a stoic Hefner agreed, his mind fixated on the detailed brush strokes and rustic themes of the artwork.
“Well, I know the kid who painted them,” Simmons Sr. revealed. “And I’d like to get him into our school. He’s a great athlete, too.”
Art is why Oren became one of SU’s first Indigenous students — today, the university offers a variety of Indigenous scholarships. Art is also what helped Oren form his eloquence and it’s the talent that caused him to venture into the natural world, where humanity’s deeply-rooted flaws were confirmed to him.
Oren left the reservation in 1958 after graduating from SU and moved to New York City. For over a decade, Oren lived with his wife and kids across NYC and New Jersey, working as an artist and as the founder of Lacrosse International magazine.
Carpenter said the magazine’s release was among the first major milestones to influence lacrosse’s modern-day growth.
And that’s often swept under the rug.
“Oren was the first lacrosse influencer,” Carpenter said. “This is not stuff that most people know.”
As much as art piqued his interest, Oren found it difficult to acclimate to the hustle, bustle and greed that engulfs NYC. He interacted with Wall Street men and saw the gluttonous underbelly that he believes American society glorifies. Then, as if fate hadn’t hit Oren enough times already, he got a knock on his front door.
Oren’s Clan Mother — Frieda Jacques — traveled to his house in New Jersey and begged him to return to his true home. He proudly
accepted. In his near-six decades of service, he’s hailed as one of the Haudenosaunee’s most impactful Faithkeepers, where his daily objective remains repairing mankind’s connection with nature.
“For him to come back and help with many of the things that we were challenged with at that time was really important,” Nolan said.
After returning to central New York, Oren’s artistic wisdom manifested itself through his showmanship when speaking before large audiences.
Rex, Betty and Nolan have many memories of being on the front lines with Oren passionately debating for Indigenous rights. They say he knows how to play people’s heartstrings.
Betty’s eyes still well up when she ponders a speech Oren gave at a U.N. summit a few years ago. They were there to advocate for sovereign expression and discuss the modern-day inequalities Indigenous people suffer from. Betty often helps Oren write his scripts. The night before the summit, the two stayed up all night to prepare. Betty estimates Oren works about 96 to 100 hours each week preparing for U.N. events.
So it took her by surprise when all their hard work went to waste by the next day.
“Oh my goodness,” Betty thought to herself as Oren began his address. “This is not the speech I typed out.”
Oren instead presented a recycled speech from almost two decades prior. In his diatribe, he fearlessly brought up the inaction certain U.N. member nations have shown over the years. He issued a reminder that, even while reading an address he’s already given before, he was still there to talk about the same problems Indigenous people face.
“I gave this speech back in 2004,” Oren told the leaders. “And still, the ice is melting. And you still do nothing about it.”
Tears streamed down Betty’s face when Oren delivered the punchline. She said the purity of Oren’s tone and the defiance of his message silenced the whole U.N. floor, a sign he successfully changed at least a few perspectives that day.
“He takes you on a ride,” Betty said of Oren’s speeches. “You’re going through these valleys, hills and around these turns. And then at the very end, it’s like you crash into a brick wall with how he ends it. It’s like you got punched in the face when you’re done.”
A soul-stirring picture only Oren can paint.
A full version of this story can be read at dailyorange.com.
ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews
initially received a merit offer of $25,000. Because it was her first time sending a child to college, Cheng said she didn’t know how much SU, or other universities, typically awarded in aid.
After she learned SU only offered her friend’s child $10,000, she thought maybe her initial offer from the university was high. Cheng’s daughter fell in love with the school after attending SU’s Pre-College program, so despite receiving a higher aid offer from another school, she supported her daughter’s decision to commit in April.
A few days after May 1st, the same friend told Cheng that her daughter — who didn’t commit to SU — received an additional $50,000 merit award.
“I was pissed. You’re saying that because we like (SU), and we commit early, we're not giving you money. That's the big blow,” Cheng said. “It's totally a slap in the face.”
In a Wednesday statement to The D.O., a university spokesperson said SU “once again” received a record number of applicants.
The spokesperson said SU’s admissions efforts reflect the university’s “long-standing commitment” to student success. The result of this year’s application cycle ended with a “dynamic” incoming class, they said.
“Each admissions cycle brings its own distinct elements and trends, and this year was no exception,” the spokesperson wrote. “As always, we employ a wide range of strategies to enroll exceptionally talented students who demonstrate promise, regardless of their financial means.”
Over the course of several days, Cheng and Kathleen Z. sent multiple emails to SU’s Office of Financial Aid pressing for details about why some families were offered more aid than students who had already committed.
Despite their efforts, neither parent said they received any reply.
“It was upsetting to learn that after appealing, each time we were offered $2,500, which, compared to the $45,000 one could get just by not committing, became a bit of a joke,” Cheng wrote in an email obtained by The D.O.
Another part of the first pillar is the Office of Retention and Student Success, which assists students through resources including advisor check-ins, an academic calendar and “personalized support and mentorship.”
The website also allows professors to proactively inform students of concerns through a “flag” or encourage them with a “kudos” through email alerts.
The Office of Student-Athlete Success and Engagement connects student-athletes with guidance and mentorship programs to assist them with balancing both academic and athletic commitments.
Those programs worked best when they were more focused on the unique challenges we face, and I worry that centralizing everything is going to water that down.
Angelie Serrano Báez su junior and our time has come scholar
The second pillar includes several programs focused on improving student life, including Living Learning Communities, Higher Education Opportunity Program and Student Support Services Office, the Science and Technology Entry Program, the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program and the McNair Scholars Program.
Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are specialized residential communities, allowing students who share a common interest, major or cultural connection to live on the same floor in dormitories.
The Higher Education Opportunity Program and Student Support Services (HEOP and SSS Office) provides assistance to students who come from underrepresented communities. Eligible students qualify for financial aid and are provided with resources including mentorship and advising programs. New York state funds HEOP, while SSS is federally funded.
The Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) helps high school students in
SU’s silence throughout the situation left them feeling dismissed, the two said. They felt parents deserved an explanation, as many parents already made significant financial and personal commitments to SU.
“It just is a little bit of a sour note on something that should be really great,” Kathleen Z. said.
Cheng echoed that frustration, adding that the lack of communication has only deepened her disappointment.
The top priority should be helping deserving students afford a topnotch education, not spending exorbitant sums on flashy facilities to keep up appearances
Nima Yadollahpour su alum
“I was really looking for their take, what the explanation is, besides just speculation,” Cheng said. “The fact that they didn't address it after it was publicly found out, that's also pissing the parents off.”
The university boasted a 7% increase to its financial aid budget in May, totaling $391 million in financial aid, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial assistance. But with SU’s cost of attendance nearing $95,000 per year, Cheng said the small award isn’t enough.
Nima Yadollahpour, an SU alum, said he was frustrated and ashamed to learn that the university was using this tactic.
“Merit aid should reward achievement and make a great education accessible—not serve as a last-minute admissions tactic,”
the city of Syracuse learn skills needed for professional degree programs in the health, technical and scientific fields. Through hands-on activities, students receive education that has “real-life implications,” according to STEP’s Facebook account.
The Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) is intended to provide underrepresented students with guidance for careers in medicine, law, healthcare, accounting and STEM and “customized strategies” for success.
The McNair Scholars Program supports high-achieving undergraduates preparing for graduate degree applications, including providing them with research stipends, weekly mentorship meetings and fee-waivers.
Before the restructuring, the Center for Academic Achievement and Student Development housed CSTEP, STEP, HEOP, SSS and the McNair Scholar program.
The CAASD website is still an active link, but all of its content has been removed.
The third pillar of CSE comprises the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising, the Shaw Center, the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement and Our Time Has Come scholars in order to help students engage further in their communities.
The Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising assists students in finding scholarships and fellowships both at SU and across the country. CFSA also participates in the administration of three “high-profile” SU scholarships including SU Scholars, Remembrance Scholars and Seinfeld Scholar Awards for Undergraduates.
The Shaw Center works with students and faculty to engage with the Syracuse city area through volunteer opportunities, including the SU Literacy Corps, which focuses on helping local schools.
Students in all academic disciplines have the opportunity through Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) to perform research as a part of their thesis, through a distinction program or independently.
SOURCE also provides research funding grants through an application process.
The Our Time Has Come (OTHC) Scholars Program, located under the Office of Multicultural Advancement, is a scholarship program for “ambitious” students guided toward helping these students expand their professional circles and leadership skills.
Yadollahpour said in a statement to The D.O. “The top priority should be helping deserving students afford a top-notch education, not spending exorbitant sums on flashy facilities to keep up appearances or compete with other schools.”
After reading the Times article, many parents demanded answers through email.
“I think many alumni—whether they donate to the school or have children considering Syracuse—may now seriously reconsider their support,” Yadollahpour wrote. “I’ve always been proud to be an alum, but actions like this make it much harder to feel that same pride.
Elizabeth Morgan, whose son committed to SU in April, said she didn’t care to hear about others’ additional offers, as it wouldn’t change what her family received. Despite being offered grants and student loans, she said the cost of attendance was still high.
Morgan said she and her family feel almost insulted by the university as they “followed the rules” and committed on time, yet it didn’t seem to matter to SU.
“This is my first kid going to college,” Morgan said. “I assumed you don't commit by May 1, ‘See ya, not interested.’”
Morgan questions if the university used this strategy due to a declining international student population, who typically pay the full cost of attendance.
President Donald Trump’s administration revoked three SU students’ visas in April. Nationwide, the administration has revoked over 6,000 student visas as part of Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration, NBC News reported.
Over the summer, the university’s Center for International Services, which acts as the official liaison with United States immigration offices for international students at SU, lost just over a third of its staff.
“These days, you have to question the international student enrollment,” Morgan said. “How has that changed? Federal government money? Are universities getting spooked about that?”
Tara Nicole, whose son is in the College of Arts and Sciences, received and accepted one of the offers.
In a statement to The D.O., Sarah Dias, an SU senior intern at the Shaw Center, said she wasn’t informed of the restructuring of these organizations beforehand.
“(I) found out through the Syracuse University News article which my supervisor shared with me,” Dias wrote. “I was a little surprised, but the Shaw Center is highly adaptable because of the amazing people who work within the office, so I know wherever the office goes it will thrive.”
Dias said the transition will potentially carry unknowns, but she hasn’t experienced any direct changes yet. However, she said the center, which has been open since 1994, will be given a new permanent location.
“I think it will take some time to adjust once this move occurs, especially for us who intern or volunteer with the Shaw Center,” she wrote.
She’s “optimistic” about CSE’s future, she wrote, but only if the resources are made easily available to students, rather than having to search for them.
In a statement to The D.O., Tommy Powell, assistant provost for academic programs, said the restructuring is a “major step” in how SU will continue to support its students.
In his statement, Powell said the university is focused on providing “continuity” to students across the board, especially with its scholarship programs and “resources vital to student success.”
Her son initially committed to Colorado State University, but it wasn’t until he received an additional offer just a few days after his graduation that he finally committed to SU.
“The additional award was literally what we needed to go there,” said Nicole, who requested to use her middle name to protect her son’s privacy. “We were like ‘Well, now this is a game changer’ because it's the same cost, if not slightly cheaper, than the state school.”
Nicole said she knew how the process worked after experiencing her four children apply to college. She wasn’t surprised SU was using this tactic, she said, but didn’t think it would happen to her family.
The number of applicants to universities across the country rises each year, Forbes reported. By March 1, the number of applications nationwide had increased by 6% from 2024, with students applying to a wider variety of schools.
Students applying to schools across the country, including the University of Miami, Santa Clara University and Seton Hall University, received similar offers after May 1, New York Magazine reported.
While she’s grateful the “life-changing” offer allows her son to attend his “dream school,” Nicole is scared the negative attention from other families, combined with this being the first year SU has offered late aid, will impact his offer.
She and other parents are also curious to see whether SU uses this tactic for the next application cycle.
“I worry about what's going to happen next year,” Nicole said. “Are they going to get more applicants than normal again? And what are they going to do? Because they don't want to set a precedent, so they're gonna have to be really careful.”
Cheng said that when her youngest daughter applies to colleges, she won’t be committing to SU.
“We are just going in for our kids, but we're going in with such a sour taste in our mouths,” she said. “With my younger one, I'm gonna definitely ask her to apply to Syracuse and say do not commit. I'm gonna fight. I don't know, maybe I’ll get lucky.”
dsrangel@syr.edu
“The Office of Academic Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to these initiatives, and their integration within the new structure is expected to expand both reach and impact,” Powell wrote. “While some adjustments will be needed, the result will be a more connected, student-centered approach that benefits the entire campus.”
“We’re not just reorganizing existing resources—we’re amplifying their impact and creating new pathways for students to thrive, persist and graduate with the skills and experiences they need to be leaders and engaged citizens,” Julie Hasenwinkel, associate provost for academic programs, said in the Aug. 28 release announcing the office’s opening.
The office will be separated into three pillars, a structure that will allow the transition to occur “collaboratively,” Powell wrote. It will eliminate “duplicative services,” he said, and give students easier access to support.
“This restructuring reflects national trends in student success and the evolving needs of our own community,” Powell wrote. “The Office of Academic Affairs led the planning process, consulting widely and incorporating feedback from all offices to shape the center’s design.”
DISCLAIMER: Shivika Gupta is a Living Learning Community Residential Advisor. Her experience did not affect the editorial content of this article.
sgupta38@syr.edu
Lilyan Minicozzi renews items, tells a story with sustainable recreations
By Charlotte Price asst. culture editor
Lilyan Minicozzi stands behind a 1970s JanSport backpack, holding onto its protruding metal frame. The leather patches on the top are growing mold. The front hangs open — Lilyan has removed the patch and zippers.
Where some would see a useless item, Lilyan sees an opportunity to create something new: she used the detached pieces as additions to a new backpack.
“While I was putting the pieces together, I actually wasn’t building a backpack, but building a story of other people exploring outside,” she said.
The Syracuse University industrial design senior focuses on giving new life to old items by repairing and repurposing them — whether it’s through her brand LilacSun, mending workshops or her recent project, “Full Circle.” Lilac -
Sun was part of the local vintage clothing store, The Cherry Pit, which she ran with her older sister, Abigail Minicozzi.
Lilyan founded LilacSun in high school, but she’s been sewing and repurposing since she was little. When she wanted something, she made it. When something was broken, she fixed it. Once Lilyan realized she didn’t need anything else for herself, she started selling items to friends — the beginning of LilacSun.
Though Lilyan’s items were widely popular at The Cherry Pit, she said she doesn’t create for a specific audience.
“I feel like I’m mostly creating something I would want, and then it creates an outlet for me to relate to people and people to relate to me,” Lilyan said.
Since the beginning of her time at SU, Lilyan’s work has shifted from aesthetic accessories to more industrial and useful items, said Sarah Mason, Lilyan’s best friend and a fellow industrial design major.
Now, instead of turning jeans into bucket hats or bed sheets into tote bags, Lilyan has transferred her energy to repairing items and giving them new life. She’s recently moved her brand in a servicebased direction by hosting repair events at flea markets in the area. Lilyan posts on social media before the event, encouraging people to bring items they need mended.
“I feel like at this point, the business is part of me,” Lilyan said. “Every time I go through a different phase of life, I change the business model, and I change the way the business exists for me.”
In need of a quick stitch, Lilyan’s friends, including Mason, often ask her to fix things. Lilyan has mended an array of items for Mason, from broken bras to a busted backpack. Mason sits with Lilyan as she repairs the items, learning how to do it herself for the future.
Lilyan has also grown a presence on social media, building a following of users who want
see lilyan page 10
Nothing is too big or small, she’ll always find a very creative way to solve a problem.
Abigail Minicozzi
lilyan’s sister and business partner
By Cam McGraw asst. copy editor
D.A.R.T.: detailed, accountable, relentless, tough. The slogan that guided the Syracuse University football team to a successful season last year also shaped the process behind the team’s off-thefield uniform: custom suits.
“Not only work your ass on the field, but work your ass out in class because only a certain level of human being gets this type of suit,” Ron Cicoria, director of the custom suits department at Mr. Shop, said.
Mr. Shop has been creating custom suits in Syracuse since 1990. Last year, the crew started tailoring the SU football team. This year, Mr. Shop crafted new suits for the whole roster, even tailoring former SU football player and NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson.
The partnership started when SU football head coach Fran Brown and Chino Ingram, director of tailored sports at Mr. Shop, first met during Brown’s initial visit to SU.
Both loved the idea of custom suits for the team, but had slightly different ideas. Ingram, a custom tailor for
30 years, thought about how the suits could make the players look. Brown, a collegiate coach for more than a decade, thought about how the suits could make the players feel.
That outlook sparked a vision for the crew at Mr. Shop. The perspective of the project shifted from just formal attire to something larger and lifelong. Ingram repeated the phrase “power behind the suit,” creating something more than just fabric.
“(Brown) thought when they put on those suits, something was going to click a little differently in their head,”
Ingram said. “Now they can see themselves in a more business fashion. They can see themselves as a professional.”
The process began with the fabric, a one-of-a-kind custom feel sourced all the way from Huddersfield, England. The text “Syracuse Football” is displayed on the suit.
The work was only beginning for the storefront. Cicoria said the proportions of an offensive lineman make for a difficult fitting process at a local Marshalls, where many players might get fitted. After a great deal of measuring, the group at Mr. Shop said seeing the
players in fabric instead of shoulder pads was a heartwarming experience. From 160 pounds to 400, Cicoria said each suit was tailored and tested so every player could feel inspired. It was many of the players’ first time trying on a suit, let alone owning one. Ingram said the moment the players put on the garment, they didn’t just see fabric; they saw a future.
“This is something I’m going to wear to the draft. This is something I’m going to wear when I get my own business,” he remembered players see suits page 10
By Claire Zhang asst. copy editor
Jessica Aimunmondion was only 10 years old when she began braiding hair. Now, she braids out of her dorm room at Syracuse University.
“I just have a passion for hair. I can’t even explain it, that’s just where I gravitate to the most,” she said.
Aimunmondion — an SU first-year applied data science graduate student — runs Glam by JD, a hairstyling service. Aimunmondion started conceptualizing the business in New Jersey where she’s from, but her work took off during her freshman year at SU, in 2021.
Aimunmondion is a resident adviser in Watson Hall and runs Glam by JD out of her dorm room. She opens her bookings each month and schedules one to two clients per week. The SU graduate student offers a range of styles, like twists, box braids, cornrows and more.
Aimunmondion immigrated from Nigeria to Newark, N.J. in 2010 when she was 6 years old. Her mother always did her and her sisters’ hair growing up, so when her mom didn’t have the time to keep doing it, Aimunmondion decided to start learning.
Her experience only grew from there, and by the time she graduated high school she was working as an assistant at a local hair salon, Chrisma Braids, in Irvington, N.J.
Transitioning from home to SU, Aimunmondion reached out to Black students on Instagram, asking if they knew anyone on campus who did hair. The students told her there weren’t many options, and realized she could fill the demand.
“I started doing my roommate’s hair, then next door neighbors, then it just blossomed even more,” Aimunmondion said.
Some of her first clients were the friends she made while establishing Glam by JD on campus. Alex Hamza, a senior at SU majoring in biomedical engineering, said Aimunmondion was the first person to ever braid his hair. He’s stuck with her ever since.
“The whole vibe that she exudes when she does hair is amazing, because she’s really in her element, and she really enjoys it,” Hamza said. “And I love that, because a lot of braiders might just do it for the money.”
The cultural communities Aimunmondion joined on campus were vital in her outreach process for Glam by JD. She met Hamza during his freshman year, and the two, along with Nana Twum-Barima, a first-year law student, were part of One World Dance Team together, the first and only African dance team on campus.
Aimunmondion said finding her people at SU wasn’t hard, and the opportunities and support she’s gotten from them have made all the difference in her journey. Hamza said that even though SU is
screentime column
a predominantly white institution, it often doesn’t feel that way.
“The Black or POC [students] on campus are really tight knit, and diverse as well,” Hamza said. “Everyone is just so interactive with each other.”
As Aimunmondion’s community on campus grew, so did her clientele. Students recognized her work ethic and skill, and her name quickly spread.
Eddie Etienne, an SU alumnus, friend and client of Aimunmondion, said her kind and extroverted nature helped her attain loyal clients.
“She will guide you in what you want, what you need, how you want it to be fulfilled,” Etienne said. “She makes it a home away from home, and makes it comfortable for you, no matter who you are.”
Before meeting Aimunmondion, Etienne never let anyone other than his twin sister braid his hair. The trust clients place in Aimunmondion motivates her.
“Hair is something special, and I emanate on a regular basis that it’s always a privilege for someone to trust me with their head and their hair,” Aimunmondion said.
Soon enough, Glam by JD was recognized by SU organizations, and in 2022 Aimunmondion was invited to the Black Beauty Expo for the first time. She’s showcased her work at the event three years in a row. During her senior year, she attended Hair Me Out with the Diversity and Inclusion StudentAthlete Board.
Aimunmondion approaches hairstyling with an open mind, and she resonates with the culture and history behind it. Hair and braiding is a huge part of African culture, and during slavery, braids were used as maps to help people escape, she said. That historical significance is just one part of why hair is so important to not only Aimunmondion, but the Black community as a whole.
“It’s a way to foster relationships, community and just have support,” she said. “We have passed down culture and storytelling, and honestly, it’s therapy.”
When Aimunmondion is back home in New Jersey, her work doesn’t stop. She continues to learn and experiment at the salon she first worked at, often collaborating with other braiders to become more experienced. Work for Glam by JD continues, and she does appointments for people where she lives in Union, N.J.
“Whenever I go home, I’m always braiding,” Aimunmondion said. “It’s not like I take a break.”
Because her prime audience is students, Aimunmondion aims to understand current hair trends well. She’s eager to learn from both social media and the needs of her clients. Hamza and Twum-Barima both said they always ask her to experiment with their hair, showing her new designs and styles.
Twum-Barima said because they’re similar in age and such good friends, she’s not afraid to be honest with Aimunmondion about how satisfied she is with her hair. They both said that’s something they don’t always get when working with braiders who are older in age, because they’re sometimes more intimidating.
Above everything else, Aimunmondion’s core mission is to make people feel beautiful when they come to her. She’s consistently driven by her faith and her love of the craft. Hair is a form of expression, and having someone clients can rely on to do their hair well is important, Hamza said.
“I want my clients to know that, first and foremost, you’re beautiful no matter what, whether you get your hair done or not,” Aimunmondion said. “This is just magnifying that beauty.” cmzhang@syr.edu
By Joel Pelachik staff writer
A clean beat, smooth bassline, dope sample and recognizable voice is a winning formula for a classic hip-hop song.
Likewise, Denzel Washington, James Brown tracks, inspiration from Akira Kurosawa and Spike Lee’s creative genius is a winning formula for creating the slick, melodic film, “Highest 2 Lowest.”
Set in Lee’s cherished New York City, “Highest 2 Lowest” follows music producer David King (Washington) as he becomes the victim of a ransom plot. Based on Kurosawa’s legendary “High and Low,” the new Spike Lee joint recycles Kurosawa’s framework while producing a fresh, modernized look at family, legacy and obsession.
Proclaimed as “the best ears in the business,” David wants to regain majority ownership of the record label he founded, Stackin’ Hits Records. He plans to buy an associate’s shares to shut out a competing label, Stray Dog Records (likely a nod to Kurosawa’s 1949 film).
After returning home from discussing the deal, an anonymous kidnapper calls David, demanding $17.5 million in exchange for his son, Trey King (Aubrey Joseph). Paralleling “High and Low,” it’s revealed that the kidnapper accidentally took Kyle Christopher (Elijah Wright), the son of David’s friend and chauffeur, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright).
David was going to pay the ransom for Trey’s life — no questions asked. But it takes convincing from his family and Paul before eventually paying to get Kyle back so they can get a lead on the criminal.
Despite being an adaptation, “Highest 2 Lowest” oozes style and personality. Instead of mimicking Kurosawa, who’s donned as “The Master Filmmaker” in the closing credits, Lee’s first collaboration with A24 feels uniquely him.
Set largely in the Bronx and Brooklyn, Lee’s home after moving from Atlanta as a child, the Empire City feels like its own character in the
BUNT.
German DJ BUNT. is returning to Syracuse for his “In The Greater Round” world tour. BUNT. has over 10 million monthly Spotify followers and collaborated with well-known artists like Ellie Goulding. Check him out this weekend for an electronic music experience.
WHEN : Thursday, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
PRICE: $41.98
WHERE: Westcott Theater
Rochester-based eight-piece band The Medicinals – known for their reggae music – performs at Funk ‘n Waffles this weekend. Their set includes singles “Life & Travel” and “Nice Feeling,” which were both featured on CBS’s “Hawaii Five-0” and Netflix’s “Bloodline.” Special guest Joshua West also performs Friday’s show.
WHEN : Friday, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
PRICE: $13.07
WHERE: Funk ‘n Waffles
BareRoots Music Festival
Gather in Thornden Park for an outdoor music festival celebrating the 315. Along with enjoying a diverse lineup of local artists, attendees can try bites from Syracuse food trucks and shop local art throughout the day. The event also includes collaborative murals that attendees can add to.
WHEN : Saturday, 3 to 8 p.m.
PRICE: Free, ticket required
WHERE: Thornden Park
Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet
Join Hendrick’s Chapel for the first performance of the fall Malmgren Concert Series. Latin GRAMMYwinner Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet will share their tango music, a mix of contemporary and traditional sound.
WHEN : Sunday, 4 p.m.
PRICE: Free
narrative (even more than Yokohama, Japan, in “High and Low”).
In the middle of the film, an elaborate chase sequence starts in the depths of the subway — filled with Yankees fans shouting, “Boston sucks!” — and transitions to the lively National Puerto Rican Day Parade. The scene is packed with NYC novelties, but they don’t impede its fluidity. When David first enters the subway, Lee begins using Super 8 and 16mm film intermittently, wrapping the screen in a warm, nostalgic texture. This is when “Highest 2 Lowest” really takes off and embraces originality.
My favorite scene is when David and Paul search for the kidnapper. A jump cut shows a glaring David, accompanied by a fitting musical needle drop of “The Boss.” David rips off his jacket and tie and asks Paul for a pistol. Simultaneously, the Godfather of Soul (Brown) sings, “I paid the cost to be the boss . . . You know what you see? You see a bad mother.” The moment is drenched in pure swagger.
While the movie might not be as clever as Kurosawa’s perfect film noir, Lee makes up for it thematically.
In “Highest 2 Lowest,” the father-son relationship is touched on in greater depth than in its parent film. During one scene, a distressed David questions his ability to be a good father.
After a heated conversation with Trey regarding paying the ransom, David goes to his office. He asks portraits of his heroes, like Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix and Aretha Franklin, how they’d handle the situation. Directing his voice toward a photo of his Time Magazine cover and a photo of Trey, he says, “What do I tell him? Y’all talk to each other, ‘cause I can’t talk to him.”
Washington never skips a beat, delivering a magnetic performance in his fifth collaboration with Lee. His eyes display strong emotions, which are enhanced by tight shots and dolly zooms.
Outside of Washington and Wright, the most noteworthy performance is A$AP Rocky, who’s revealed as the kidnapper and rapper, Yung Felon.
Rocky holds his own in the presence of the Academy Award-winning Washington.
Felon is obsessed with David, even naming his son after him; he dreams of David recognizing his music. A standout scene is a rap battle between the two in a recording studio, highlighting the film’s subtle humor during intense moments.
Rocky’s newest single, “Trunks,” serves as Chekhov’s gun in the movie, eventually helping David and Paul track down the kidnapper. I’d be surprised if you don’t come away from “Highest 2 Lowest” with this bop — or a classic funk track — stuck in your head.
From its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May to a limited theatrical run beginning midAugust, “Highest 2 Lowest” has received mixed reviews. Earning a strong 87% critic score and 85% audience score from Rotten Tomatoes, the picture mustered a 5.8 from IMDb.
Complaints include an overly long exposition, an inconsistent script and an incompatible score. At times, I felt bored with the first half — likely because I had high expectations having watched “High and Low” the day before — but if anything, its methodical pace ramps up the excitement of the second half. As for Howard Drossin’s score, I agree it does feel conflicting, not fully jiving with the scenes they match. The music can stand alone, but it seems corny when the stakes are so high.
However, most of the criticism is hyperbolic; nobody can match Kurosawa.
Reflective of Spike Lee’s own production company, the film concludes with David deciding to start a family record label, permitting creative freedom and proper distribution of Black art.
Lee hasn’t had success with remakes (“Da Sweet Blood of Jesus” and “Oldboy”), but this Apple TV+ exclusive is a grand exception. Whether you’re a fan of Lee, Kurosawa, Washington, the Yankees or music, “Highest 2 Lowest” has something for everyone to enjoy. jdpelach@syr.edu
WHERE: Hendrick’s Chapel
Open Mic Night
Looking for a place to share your untapped talents? Look no further. Funk ‘n Waffles is hosting Open Mic Night for eager musicians, comedians and poets to showcase their gifts. Whether you’ll be up on stage or just enjoying a night of entertainment, check it out. The event is 18+ and hosted by J. Heathen.
WHEN : Sunday, doors at 8 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m.
PRICE: Free, ticket required
WHERE: Funk ‘n Waffles
trendy items but like the idea of them being made locally and sustainably. Her account features content about her repurposing projects. The positive feedback from viewers who wanted to learn how to fix things themselves has been encouraging, she said.
As her older sister and fellow creative, Abigail has watched Lilyan grow as an artist since they shared a childhood brand “Lilabby” (a combination of their two names). Abigail said she’s enjoyed seeing her sister’s confidence grow as a businesswoman and designer.
“She’s just very knowledgeable, and I think being able to do that in front of clients and a community, really strengthened her confidence,” Abigail said. “She always had the skill, but I think that just made her more of a leader.”
Though Lilyan has sewn and repaired a myriad of items, sustainability is the thread that binds them all together. The outdoors is her biggest inspiration, she said, so protecting it ranks high on her list of priorities. Creating sustainable items inspired by nature helps her creative process.
“Her passion for sustainability isn’t coming from the popularization of the green market,” Mason said. “It’s truly because she cares about the planet and she wants the world to look better for the next generation.”
While it’s easy to post your feelings about the environment online, making a real piece of art draws a deeper awareness, Lilyan said. She tries to create a new angle on the issue of sus -
saying. “This is something I’m going to wear when I get married.”
The sense of growth and maturity is tied to Syracuse itself. Ingram, born and raised in the city, grew up attending every SU football game and watched his brother, Christian Ingram, play on the 1987 undefeated team. From being a fan in the stands to shaking hands in the locker room, Chino is honored to be making an impact.
“They call me the OG in the locker room because I’m the oldest one,” Chino joked. “But they enjoy the fact that somebody’s taking the time and really coming to them and wants to be a part of their move.”
While the suits are crafted by the team at Mr. Shop, every player can choose a tailored message on the collar to wear into the JMA Wireless Dome.
Chino said many players contemplated the choice in the shop, going as far as calling their moms for advice. Players would “light up like a Christmas tree,” when trying on the suits, Chino said. Messages varied from parents’ or coaches’ names to significant Bible verses.
Joel Shapiro, the owner of Mr. Shop, said Coach Brown was a cornerstone of the operation. He said the process was very moving for all of the crew, watching the young athletes be passionate about something that would hopefully last a lifetime.
“It was about powering young professionals,” Shapiro said. “(Coach Brown) only cares about the kids. He makes them young boys into men.”
tainability to get people emotionally attached to the cause.
Instead of encouraging people to care about the environment and live sustainably because it’s an important asset that needs fixing, Lilyan emphasizes items’ past lives. She hopes that when people consider an item’s story it will make them consider its value. It’s an intersection of storytelling and activism, she said.
Lilyan’s values of storytelling, sustainability and repair culminated in her recent project “Full Circle,” which was funded by the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising and the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement.
The project started with Lilyan’s idea to build a backpack out of used materials. She distributed flyers around the Syracuse community requesting used outdoor gear. While gathering the old camping equipment, she also gathered the stories behind the items, adding a narrative element to the project, she said.
Her most impactful anecdote came from the 1970s JanSport backpack, Lilyan said. Its owner, a lover of the outdoors, passed away, but his family couldn’t bring themselves to get rid of the backpack. Instead of trashing it, they passed it to Lilyan.
Lilyan is constructing a five-panel hat that will bear the leather logo from the original backpack. She hopes to gift the hat back to the family as a way to connect stories and family ties.
“Maybe his grandson could wear this hat and think of his grandfather’s exploration of the outdoors,” Lilyan said.
When it came time to deliver the final product to Coach Brown, the group was disappointed to hear he was busy in a meeting. Chino texted a picture, hoping he would see it before word got out.
But it only took a couple minutes before Chino and Shapiro received a text back from Brown saying, “Get up here right now!” Coach Brown loved how they looked, but more importantly, saw how they would impact the team.
Josh Spiegel, a senior at SU and football operations intern, said the suits were a huge part in cooling game day jitters. Between practice, classes and training, players have a lot on their plates heading into game day. Spiegel said that when the players walk into the Dome each week in a tailored suit, it not only lessens the load, but also gives players confidence.
The accommodating nature of the store helped players with an otherwise complicated decision, Spiegel said. Many players didn’t know how their pants or jackets should fit, and having Mr. Shop take care of the entire process was helpful.
“Having someone right there, step by step along the way is definitely an important aspect of it,” Spiegel said. “It’s more than just a suit you’re buying. They prepare it with love. They prepare it with care.”
The same care has been given to many famous SU alumni. Mr. Shop has tailored suits to the personalities of sportscaster Mike Tirico and news anchor David Muir, as well as Syracuse coaches like Gary Gait and Adrian Autry. But the crew said a project they were especially passionate about was their collaboration with Hanson.
Lilyan created the hat and the backpack out of the JanSport along with other camping gear she collected. The backpack bursts with color and functional details. Cup holders from a camping chair became water bottle holders on the sides. The seat of the chair became the flap of the pack, while two parts of a climbing harness became supportive waist straps. The colorful details on the front of the pack come from gutted climbing ropes.
Lilyan couldn’t imagine just throwing these items away, she said.
Brands like Patagonia and REI, which have reused gear programs built into their companies, are big inspirations to Lilyan. After she graduates, she hopes to find her place in the outdoor clothing industry using the ideologies and processes she developed through “Full Circle” to inform her work.
Abigail doesn’t doubt that Lilyan will achieve her goals.
“I think no challenge is too big for her,” Abigail said. “She approaches things with confidence and ease that other people don’t. Nothing is too big or small, she’ll always find a very creative way to solve a problem.”
Lilyan brought her consideration for the environment to her work at the McCarthy Mercantile. The Cherry Pit was housed in the McCarthy Mercantile until its closure last year.
Micheal John Heagerty, the owner of McCarthy Mercantile, said he’s always been impressed by the creativity Lilyan brings to upcycling. She takes forgotten things and reenvisions them, Heagerty said.
“Every ounce of what Lillian does is advocacy, because she’s completely reusing, renew-
ing, reimagining,” Heagerty said. “When it was LilacSun, her handmade goods had that touch, and then she got into fixing things and adding.”
Heagerty believes the “Lilyans of the world,” who focus on handmade customization, will hold the next wave of popularity.
He brought Lilyan into the McCarthy Mercantile as a trainee, giving her an opportunity to receive mentorship and inspiration from other artists working there. However, he soon realized that even as a 17-year-old, she was established enough to make an impact and run her own business.
Heagerty described both Minicozzi sisters as fiercely independent and incredibly talented. He said Lilyan always brings care and quality to what she makes, and excels at turning her creative drive into ideas for her brand.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m blowing too much smoke up, but to be pretty honest, she’s insane,” Heagerty said.
When Lilyan finishes the creative process and hands off her creation, she hopes her customer is intentional about choosing to buy from her. Machine-made items don’t compare to handmade products, she said. When manufactured products aren’t useful anymore, it’s much easier to get rid of them. Lilyan hopes her products will be long lasting, not disposable.
“I would hope that when someone consumes a product that I made in my own hands, and I spent my own time and energy on, that they value that, and they want to carry it with them for as long as possible,” she said.
cprice04@syr.edu
Hanson, a player on the 1989-1993 SU football team, could’ve chosen anywhere to get his suit tailored, but went to Mr. Shop in Syracuse, Chino said. After meeting Shapiro at a name, image, and likeness event at SU, Hanson expressed interest in the crew tailoring his outfits for the entire NFL season.
“He wanted us to do his whole season, and he was like, ‘Whatever you guys tell me to wear for Sunday, that’s exactly what I’m going to do,’” Chino said.
Over the summer, the group flew out to California on a Tuesday and returned the next morning, ready to tackle Hanson’s suits.
Just like the players, Hanson’s suits had a message on each of the collars. His signature taglines:
“Seven hours of RedZone football” or “the witching hour” stitched into the back. Hanson told Mr. Shop the suit made him feel like a million bucks and got him ready for his first “octobox” last Sunday.
From established industry professionals like Hanson to young athletes at SU, the suits serve as personal items for the future. While the suits certainly look clean, Chino said it’s not the look itself that makes them special.
“We know how suits should fit, and we know about all of this fabric,” he said. “But what we don’t know and is hard to anticipate is the feeling that somebody gets once they put that suit on. When those moments coincide at the same time, you can’t put a price tag on it.”
crmcgraw@syr.edu
By Bella Tabak columnist
With the TikTok ban deadline of mid-September closing in and no confirmed American buyer, TikTok’s fate is up in the air.
This has forced me to reckon with my own dependence on the app. I’ve watched TikTok grow from Musical.ly – an app to share short lip syncing videos. It was a fun place to learn a song, but not an app that you could get sucked into for hours on end.
After exploding with popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok now takes up an embarrassing amount of my time. The app currently offers a fast-paced video algorithm, catering to your interests and preferences.
While I used to think this made TikTok so appealing, I’ve come to realize it may be the app’s greatest weakness. It’s easy to find yourself in an echo chamber of likeminded creators in an algorithm that curates content to your likes and dislikes.
The app currently has plenty of things to love, like the ability to build community. I’ve connected with people on the app through my sustainable fashion and Syracuse University content, which makes campus feel more tightknit. It’s exciting knowing I could run into my internet crush in Schine Student Center.
Josie Gilbert, a freshman studying communications and rhetorical studies, said she met her current roommate, who could tell they had a lot in common from her page, through the app.
And political content performs well on TikTok, too. I’ve watched plenty of first-hand protest documentation through the app, from Black Lives Matter to No Kings Day. The app also allows users to organize alternative forms of protest. During Donald Trump’s first reelection attempt, TikTok users reserved tickets to a Tulsa, Oklahoma,
rally with no real plans to attend, causing an embarrassingly low turnout for Trump.
While I, too, enjoy engaging in a quick laugh or a thoughtful video that reinforces my own opinions, I fear the continuous scrolling actually does more harm than good.
TikTok’s fast algorithm has accelerated our trend cycle. This can lead to harmless fun when a new dance trend takes off, but more often becomes a larger problem of physical items and controversial ideologies coming in and out of relevance.
From fast fashion to Labubus, we’ve normalized and glamorized overconsumption. Those who find inspiration for their wardrobes by following quick trend cycles are more likely
to buy an unethically produced, polyester garment, and they can do so easily through the TikTok shop. I’ll never understand the need to buy and waste excessively, especially in the clothing department.
Despite the environmental impact, it seems like TikTok is interested in speeding up their online shopping process even more. TikTok is updating its guidelines on Sept. 13 to reduce the visibility of videos featuring items available outside of the TikTok shop. This change to the algorithm will encourage users to purchase as quickly as they scroll.
It’s concerning to those who make content about these items outside of the TikTok shop,
like me. My videos about sustainable shopping may no longer be pushed to larger audiences.
Some users are worried about political censorship on the app as well. TikTok has felt different since its brief ban, with an increase in misinformation warnings and limits on sharing certain political content. New guideline changes regarding misinformation may cause first hand accounts of “crises and major civic events” to be ineligible for the “For You” Page. If a protest isn’t being reported on by major news organizations, we may never hear of it.
This greatly exasperates the dependency we’ve formed on the app and its ability to create political change.
Whether the app is banned again or the new guidelines mold the app into something else entirely, the golden era of TikTok has ended. The algorithm was beneficial when society was stuck inside, but our reliance on it is no longer needed. By training our brains to chase a quick dopamine rush, we weaken our ability to focus on longer content with complex themes. Instead of trying to find TikTok in another app, we need to find something else to hold our attention. We should prioritize finding community with those around us to fill the void, talking about political views over coffee with friends or finding activities that require a longer attention span, like reading a book.
TikTok is no longer what it was, and finding ways to remedy our craving for the original connection and inspiration it once provided is an easy next step to taking back the time otherwise spent doomscrolling.
Bella Tabak is a senior majoring in magazine, news and digital journalism. She can be reached at batabak@syr.edu.
By Dennis DiSantis columnist
Charlie Kirk was announced dead after being gunned down on Utah Valley University’s campus Wednesday during a debate. His death is proof that the United States has officially and completely entered an era of normalized political violence.
The ramifications of this assassination come from its lack of isolation. The country hasn’t seen a period of political violence like this since the 1960s and arguably the Civil War. In just over one year, we’ve seen two assassination attempts against President Donald Trump and the murder of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
The underlying theme of all these strategies is not partisanship but the corrosion of our democratic norms. Kirk and Hortman could not be more politically different, yet they were both killed for being public figures with strong, verbalized beliefs.
The act of politically motivated killing is the paradigm of friend-and-enemy politics, which are the direct cause of democracy’s demise. The U.S. has now reached a point where its citizens see their rivals not as opponents to debate but as enemies to destroy.
Beyond this point, every assassination, act of intimidation and attempt at violence will send the same message: participation in democratic public life now carries a mortal risk.
The gravity of Kirk’s murder is even more shocking given his massive online presence. Few figures on the American right commanded the same reach across social media platforms and traditional TV politics. His endorsements and viewpoints carried significant political weight, regardless of ideology, and his presence in the public square was deeply polarizing.
But no matter how passionately many disagree with him, Kirk didn’t deserve the fate he met Wednesday.
This new and growing factor in political life only adds gasoline to the fire of our current democratic decline. Democracy won’t collapse in a single dramatic instant; instead, it will wither steadily through fear, silence and the withdrawal of citizens and leaders from open engagement.
The hypocrisy surrounding this violence deepens the wound. When Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered, many Republicans mocked or dismissed the tragedy, treating it as an unfortunate footnote rather than a national outrage. Utah Senator Mike Lee, for one, sneered at the killings with a tweet reading, “Nightmare on Waltz Street.”
Yet today, after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the very same senator rushed to declare Kirk an “American patriot,” echoing the wall-to-wall condemnation from Republicans nationwide.
That sort of urgency was nowhere to be found when Democratic leaders were slaughtered in Minnesota. Where was the solemn recognition that an attack on one public servant is an attack on all? A democracy can’t survive if violence is treated as intolerable when it strikes one side but trivial when it strikes the other.
The rejection of political violence must be absolute. It doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle these victims fell upon – violence against one is violence against all. To excuse it when it happens to an opponent is to invite it upon oneself.
Kirk’s assassination must be a turning point. For too long, Americans have treated political violence as the work of solo extremists or as one-off tragedies to mourn and then move past. But the pattern is undeniable. From repeated attempts on Trump’s life, to the murders in Minnesota, to
Kirk’s death in Utah, the warning signs are glaring.
The choice is stark: either America reaffirms that its disputes will be settled through ballots and debate, or it resigns itself to a future where political differences are resolved at gunpoint.
The losses our country has faced so far are only the beginning. Charlie Kirk’s death must not be treated as a partisan event. The murders of Melissa Hortman and her husband can’t be chalked up to political aggression.
The reality is that every life ended is a national wound, a reminder that democracy can’t survive when politics is reduced to friend against enemy. If we can’t summon the courage to grieve all of them equally, then we will never summon the courage to end this cycle.
Syracuse University students in particular can’t afford to retreat into silence. University cam-
puses have some of the best incubators for political debate; they are places where new generations develop democratic desires and ideals that shape the future of our republic. If students let the fear of violence drive them from those spaces, our democracy will lose one of its most vital engines.
The preservation of these vital spaces now falls upon us. We must insist that our schools remain open forums of argument, protest and persuasion, uninhibited by the threat of violence.
For the good of our country, our democracy and our future, we must reject the temptation to answer politics with intimidation and force. If we don’t, we risk losing politics itself.
Dennis DiSantis is a senior majoring in political science. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at dadisant@syr.edu.
By Frederick E. Kowal and Matthew Smith
Tucked into the corner of Syracuse University’s campus, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is easy to overlook – that is, until you realize it’s one of the only colleges in the country entirely devoted to environmental science and sustainability.
Yet, we are under siege.
Despite its global reputation and local roots, ESF has been subjected to more than a decade of state budget cuts and bureaucratic erosion. What’s happening here should matter to anyone who cares about the environment, public education or the integrity of the Syracuse academic community.
In 2012, SUNY quietly cut about $10 million a year from ESF’s core budget – around a third of its state funding. This cut has never been restored, even as ESF continues to serve students from New York, across the country and around the world. ESF must also pay for a suite of services through Syracuse University, including IT, health services and library access – costs that rise every year without offsetting support from SUNY.
Students feel the squeeze too. Course offerings have been reduced. Faculty positions have gone unfilled. Programs in forestry, chemistry, environmental engineering and landscape architecture have been stretched thinner and thinner. And yet students continue to come because ESF’s mission – and its work – matters.
It also matters to SU.
ESF students are your lab partners, your neighbors, your colleagues in community projects and sustainability initiatives. Faculty from both campuses collaborate on interdisciplinary research. Students share classes, libraries and clubs. A weakened ESF weakens the whole academic community.
Still, SUNY continues to treat ESF as an afterthought. While other campuses received significant stabilization funding in this year’s state budget, ESF – despite being one of the most severely underfunded –got less per student than almost any other campus.
And now the so-called “stability” plan SUNY has imposed is leading to more disruption, not less. These cuts have already led to the consolidation of our University Police and Dispatch services with SUNY Upstate, the outsourcing
of payroll to SUNY Brockport and purchasing to SUNY Oswego.
A voluntary separation plan has been announced with steep, likely unachievable targets. Falling short of those targets will mean faculty layoffs, threats to academic programs and risks to our regional campuses, which are essential to our teaching and research missions. Meanwhile, crucial capital and renovation projects have been delayed.
This is not about belt-tightening. It’s about dismantling the very mission of a college that has prepared environmental leaders for more than a century. It’s about slowly eroding one of New York’s most vital public institutions in the middle of a climate crisis.
If you’re a student here, ask what your tuition is really funding. If you’re a policymaker, ask why a college with national accolades and major research grants is being driven into austerity. If you’re at SU, ask what you lose when your closest public neighbor is pushed toward collapse.
The state and the SUNY chancellor must act. We are calling for the restoration of $10 million in base funding to ESF, the same amount cut in 2012. This is not
bailout money. It is the cost of keeping a vital public college alive and functional.
ESF has stood for over a century as a model of science in service to society. Don’t let it be another victim of the state bureaucratic machine. Syracuse deserves better. So does New York. And so does the planet.
This letter was written by United University President Frederick E. Kowal and UUP Environmental Science and Forestry Chapter President Matthew Smith. Frederick E. Kowal is president of United University Professions. UUP is the nation’s largest higher education union, with more than 42,000 academic and professional faculty and retirees. UUP members work at 29 New York state-operated campuses, including SUNY’s public teaching hospitals and health science centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse. It is an affiliate of NYSUT, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, and the AFL-CIO.
This letter was written by United University President Frederick E. Kowal and UUP Environmental Science and Forestry Chapter President Matthew Smith.
Take one step into his house, and it’s easy to see his appreciation. Nearly every part is covered with his 60-year-old collection.
Various artifacts hang in the kitchen and dining room, from masks and pottery bowls from Mali and Ghana, and Peruvian clothes, all of which were collected during Simmons’ travels. He wheels around his living room and bedroom as if he’s a tour guide in a museum.
Lacrosse memorabilia, including wooden sticks, is mixed in, four of which hang on a door connecting the kitchen and living room. A picture of the 1957 Syracuse lacrosse team sits next to them, which shows Simmons standing beside Lyons and another close friend, Jim Brown, arguably SU’s greatest athlete and an all-time great National Football League running back.
“I probably have too many interests,” Simmons said. “People used the words schizophrenia. I’m here, I’m there. I probably should have put all my eggs in one basket.”
“But my interests were too diverse.”
Simmons’ attraction to native culture stems from growing up near the Onondaga Nation. When he played at SU (1956-58), his father, Roy Simmons Sr., took his teams to the reservation to play box lacrosse. The reservation’s team also scrimmaged Syracuse at Archbold Stadium.
Once his Syracuse playing career concluded, Simmons continued playing box lacrosse on the reservation. Jacques’ father, Louis — also a stickmaker — was the goalie for Simmons’ all-white team made up of former college players in the region. Alfie constantly roamed the stands.
Eventually, the two bonded. Alfie started making sticks when he was around 30 years old, before plastic sticks rendered that industry almost obsolete.
Back then, if players needed a wooden stick, they traveled to native reservations. Simmons said he respected the artistry, a process that takes around a year. He can recall every step in the crafting process, from cutting down the tree to steaming the wood and curving its head. No two sticks were the same, much like Simmons’ art.
Now plastic lacrosse sticks are cookie-cutter. He said he feels they lack authenticity, and the connection has dwindled. Every wooden stick has a different feel, according to Simmons. It’s the player’s job to become comfortable with it.
“You pick out a wooden stick that you feel good about, and the balance of it and the feel of it in your hands is really special,” Simmons said. Simmons remembers sleeping with his wooden stick growing up. When traveling to games as a player, everyone held their stick proudly beside them. It represented the game’s origin and spiritual background.
It’s the oldest sport in North America. The Haudenosaunee created it in the 12th century to give thanks to The Creator.
Labeled “the medicine game,” lacrosse is meant to bring healing. Boundaries were endless. Fields stretched for miles. Sometimes
terback killed out there,” Brown said emphatically. “And that’s not cool. It’s not cool at all.”
When Kyle McCord dropped back to pass 592 times en route to a program record 4,779 yards in 2024, he was often well-protected. A unit led by experienced players included Weatherspoon on the blindside, Jakob Bradford to his right, J’Onre Reed at center, Mark Petry at right guard and Savion Washington at right tackle.
Weatherspoon and Washington both entered the equation with a wealth of playing experience from other programs. Reed, Bradford and Petry were already key cogs before Brown took over. The unit had its fair share of hiccups, which in turn became McCord’s biggest blunders. But for the most part, it kept McCord afloat as he delivered the ball on average at 2.40 seconds after the snap — one of the quickest rates in the country per Pro Football Focus. For comparison, Angeli is at 2.48 seconds per dropback, tied for 53rd of all passers so far.
Reed transferred to USC while Washington moved on to participate in training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers. Bradford graduated, and Petry was set to return before a torn ACL diagnosis.
The Orange restored some depth entering the spring, with Betrand joining in December and Enrique Cruz Jr. and David Wohlabaugh Jr. both returning. Though as both departed in the spring, the Orange began to reload. It started with Austin Collins.
Entering his sixth year, Collins was a seasoned veteran at Louisville. But he wanted to cash in on college football’s NIL market while accruing tape in a pro-style offense. Reuniting
games lasted days. Peace was even brought between the five nations at Onondaga Lake 1,000 years ago, through the game.
Simmons relayed that history to his players. Most didn’t know what it truly meant to play lacrosse or where it actually came from, he said. Few were aware Native Americans invented the sport. That changed with Simmons.
He reintroduced the tradition of bringing players to the Onondaga reservation to immerse them in the culture. He also spoke about the background of lacrosse, weaving it into pregame speeches and harping on the game’s deeper meaning.
“You had to respect the culture of the game and the opportunity to play lacrosse,” said former SU player Ansley Jemison, a member of the Seneca Nation of the Wolf Clan. “You’re playing for the joy of the creator. Roy understood that.”
Jemison felt comfortable with Simmons. He previously had Native players like Freeman and Bossy Bucktooth and Travis Solomon — SU’s goalie during its 1983 National Championship — play for him. Jemison faced academic challenges at Syracuse as he struggled to adjust to the new environment, a common experience among other native players.
Through his shortcomings, Jemison knew Simmons would support him. If Jemison had to take time off and go back home to his reservation, Simmons understood. He knew Natives had a completely different way of life and didn’t question it, Jemison recalled.
That knowledge and reverence for lacrosse stemmed from his talks with Lyons — a Haudenosaunee faithkeeper of the Wolf Clan — and Jacques. Simmons referred to Jacques as his “stradivarius,” a homage to Antonio Stradivari, the 18th-century violin artisan.
They had breakfast together at least once a month for years. The two could talk for hours, Simmons said. Jacques was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015, but his health took a turn for the worse in 2023. Jacques started paying weekly visits to Simmons’ home before he passed away in June.
“It left a big hole in his heart,” said Simmons’ son, Roy Simmons III.
Relationships were key to Simmons throughout his coaching career, which began in 1971. Soon after taking over for his father, Syracuse implemented budget cuts, leaving Simmons with no scholarships, little equipment for his players and no overnight travel for games.
To improvise, Simmons introduced his runand-gun style. He recruited local football and basketball players, who lacked stick skills but were pure athletes. It was ugly early on. Syracuse went 26-35 during Simmons’ first five seasons.
“The community really backed up on him,” Roy III said. “There were pockets of people in town that were talking about ‘How do we manage this and get him out?’”
Simmons said he never felt the pressure. He spent his spare time in his backyard art studio. It was his escape, a place nobody could tell him what to do.
He entered art contests, traveling to New England, New York City, Rochester and Buffalo. In the offseason, he visited countries in Africa and South America to learn about dif-
with offensive line coach Dale Williams, who helped recruit him to the Cardinals, seemed like a perfect match.
Collins sees a switch flip once Williams reaches the field. He’s light-hearted in the meeting room, cracking jokes and keeping the mood up. When it’s time for practice, he’s pushing the players to their limit. Williams coached for over 25 years before joining Brown’s staff in 2024. He uses his expertise to help Syracuse’s unit gel. Weatherspoon said the key ingredient Williams constantly preaches is effort: “You can be wrong, but if you go 100%, something ends up right.”
“You have to be a teacher,” Williams said. “They understand what’s going on, they play fast. It’s a big process of being a coach, which is being a teacher. You got to figure out who understands what’s going on, who gets it, who plays fast.”
After pulling Collins from Louisville, the Orange also added TJ Ferguson from Florida State, Kam Pringle from South Carolina and Zach Rice from North Carolina. All were highly touted high school recruits who couldn’t find consistent roles.
At Syracuse, they all became new pieces to its puzzle entering fall camp. Williams said he took a simple approach to finding the right starting five. He watched film and graded each player after practice. During practices, players were regularly shifted around to different positions with various combinations. Ferguson said they “pretty much knew” the starting lineup in the final week of fall camp as prep began for Tennessee.
While a majority of the group was given just a few months to gel together, Weatherspoon said the group is near inseparable. If it’s not paying, the unit loves to hit up Prime Steak House. If it’s covering the check, Weatherspoon said the new Chick-fil-A on Erie Boulevard will suffice.
ferent cultures. While other coaches became consumed by success on the lacrosse field, Simmons varied his interests.
Some might call it too laid back, but the coach wasn’t influenced by anyone. Much like his sculptures, he molded his teams the way he wanted. Eventually, his fortunes flipped.
“He went literally from the outhouse to the penthouse,” Roy III said.
Key recruits like John Desko and Kevin Donahue — both of whom later became assistants under Simmons — along with other central New York products, helped turn things around. Three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1979-81 were the impetus for the most dominant stretch by any lacrosse program ever.
Simmons wasn’t a tactical mastermind. All he asked was for his team to play fast and free.
Simple concept, right?
It revolutionized lacrosse. Defenders crossing midfield to initiate attacks was previously unheard of, according to former Syracuse longpole Jeff McCormick. That was a staple of Simmons’ philosophy. If you could make a play, go and do it.
“The lacrosse field was a blank canvas for him,” Carcaterra said. “His paint brushes and his colors were his team, and he didn’t often know what that next stroke would be.”
Too stuck in their ways, Roy III said opposing coaches hated it. He watched coaches chew out their players for the slightest mistake. Simmons took the soft approach. He had a different way to bring out the best in his players.
During the 1983 National Championship, Syracuse trailed Johns Hopkins 12-5 in the third quarter. Solomon was struggling in net, and McCormick started to doubt him. Simmons pulled McCormick aside. The captain raised questions about Solomon. Simmons quickly shot him down, telling him, “Sometimes you have to dance with the girl you brought to the dance.”
It was classic Simmons. In the biggest moment of his career, he cracked a joke.
“Talk about a gutsy call,” McCormick said.
Syracuse scored 10 of the next 11 goals, claiming a 17-16 win for the first of six national championships in 13 seasons.
Any former Syracuse player will recount similar tales. Powell remembers sitting on the bus before a Final Four. Senior players blasted rap music on the speakers. Simmons arrived and replaced it with classical music. Powell and his teammates gave each other puzzling looks.
The music stopped after a 15-minute ride to the stadium.
“Do you know who that is?” Simmons asked. Nobody answered. “That’s Mozart. He was the best at what he did. Now go be the best at what you do.”
The bus exploded with excitement.
“Everybody that played for him just absolutely loves him,” Powell said. “He just had this way of connecting with the players, individually and as a team. You played harder for him than you would for anybody else.”
Simmons never stopped teaching. He took his teams to museums during road trips. On long bus rides, he replaced movies like “Cady Shack” and “Slap Shot,” with “Lord of the Dance.” It was all part of the Simmons experience.
“We’re big boys. Probably every O-line in the country bonds off food,” Ferguson added.
Despite arriving in late April, Ferguson said it feels like he’s been at Syracuse for three or four years. Along with meals together, he thinks the suffering from Friday runs during training camp helped bonds flourish.
But that camaraderie didn’t help SU in its season opener against a top defensive line in the country. The Orange were swiftly exposed. Entering the week, Brown was asked if he felt Syracuse’s depth could match Tennessee, possibly going eight deep on its defensive line. He said he’d find out in the game. Brown certainly found out.
The Volunteers disguised multiple stunts on the interior to fool Collins in what he calls the “coffee house,” where the opposing linebackers blitz after taking multiple steps back into coverage. He saw it as a coaching point, learning how to hold space in the middle rather than simply attempting to hit anyone in his way.
After reviewing film, Collins noticed instances where the protection didn’t allow for switches to the pressure. Ferguson thought the issues weren’t talent-related. Williams said a few plays simply didn’t go SU’s way. Brown, again, was blunt in his assessment.
“I thought they did well toward the end after they got comfortable, but it was like, two of them was dumb,” Brown said on Sept. 1. “Like, ‘What are you doing?’ Some guys trying to be extra aggressive instead of just doing (their) job.”
But what was the biggest surprise of the season opener? The Orange played their five starters for all 90 snaps. The depth sought after in the spring went straight to waste.
“I feel very comfortable with two to three deep having to get in the game and not really skipping a beat,” Weatherspoon said on Sept. 2.
Everything had a purpose. From talks before practice to pregame lectures, dubbed “Simi Speeches” by Donahue, Simmons always commanded the room. He quoted philosophers, authors like Mark Twain and sportsmen like Satchel Paige.
It didn’t always immediately resonate with players. McCormick remembers warmup laps where players asked, “Did anyone understand what he just said?”
Sometimes it took years for players to make sense of what Simmons said. Once they raised families and reflected on his messages, Powell said they grew an appreciation for what their coach tried to communicate.
“Roy tried to take a bunch of young men and turn us into a real team and essentially make us all not just smarter, but wiser,” McCormick said.
In moments, Simmons was more direct. Powell remembers the coach writing Psalm 118:24 everywhere. It read, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Simmons wasn’t a religious person, but the words resonated with his core message of expressing yourself on the field.
Simmons always knew what buttons to push. The quirky remarks, the nonchalant nature and the lack of tactical emphasis worked. Syracuse was a well-oiled machine from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. Its spot at Championship Weekend was a divine right.
The success never went to Simmons’ head. He didn’t change how he coached and trusted his judgment. Rarely did it backfire. Though during one of his most crucial moments, it did.
Before Syracuse’s 1998 Final Four showdown against Princeton, Simmons told Powell he was going to retire. It caught the four-time All-American off guard. Powell knew Simmons was trying to motivate him. It did the opposite. Instead, he went scoreless for one of the only times in his career. The Orange lost by one goal.
At 63 years old, Simmons’ coaching career ended. Looking back, he feels he retired a little early, but as he’d done his entire career, nobody could change his mind.
“I wanted to spend time and retire under my own terms, not the terms of what I was expected (to do),” Simmons said.
Retirement gave him time to focus on his art. Simmons continued his work until a major back surgery and subsequent infection in the hospital hindered him a few years ago. He lost the strength in his legs, and while rehabbing, he ran into another physical setback. Now Simmons is confined to a wheelchair.
He passed the studio off to his son, Ron. Simmons is protective of the space, letting few people inside. One day, he hopes to return. Without it, there’s a void that’s becoming harder to fill.
Art was crucial to his life. So was lacrosse. The two were interchangeable. He’ll always be remembered for his impact on the sport.
Simmons taught the history of the game. Little did he know, he’d become an essential part of it.
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“The seasons are just getting longer,” Collins added on the same day. “So I think it’s important to have a two-deep pick and play, and that the coaches and the other guys in the room are comfortable going out there and playing with. I think we really have that in our room.”
After playing Tennessee, Brown and Williams both proclaimed Syracuse would use its depth against UConn.
“I want to play as many people as possible,” Brown said.
Number of returning offensive linemen from 2024
Mack’s injury forced two players into the left tackle slot. As Weatherspoon briefly exited after his helmet fell off, Pringle played two snaps. But Washington never entered the fold despite continuous praise from Brown. Williams said Washington has lost weight but needs to get in better shape to play a full game.
No matter who’s slotted onto the front, the Orange don’t have much time to waste. SU’s conference play features top pass rushers like Clemson duo T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, while Miami’s led by Rueben Bain Jr. It’s now or never. Or else the health of its quarterback is put in repeated jeopardy.
By Cooper Andrews senior staff writer
As big, bad Clemson looms on its schedule on Sept. 20 in Death Valley, a perfectly-timed tuneup game awaits Syracuse football this Friday.
The Orange will host in-state foe Colgate, a Football Championship Subdivision program, in the JMA Wireless Dome for their third game of the season. After suffering a 45-26 Week 1 loss to then-No. 24 Tennessee in Atlanta, they delivered an electrifying 11-point comeback victory over UConn last Saturday.
SU’s first two games of 2025 were a mixed bag. Syracuse was plagued by offensive line struggles in both contests but propelled by running back Yasin Willis’ four touchdowns and quarterback Steve Angeli’s 345.5 passing yards per game — promising results for two of its top offensive initiators.
Improvements are in order if the Orange want to shock the Tigers next week. But SU has the chance to iron out the kinks Friday against Colgate, which hasn’t beaten Syracuse since 1950.
Here’s what to know before Syracuse (1-1, 0-0 ACC) battles Colgate (0-2, 0-0 Patriot League):
All-time series Syracuse leads 32-31-5.
Last time they played …
To open what would become former head coach Dino Babers’ final season at SU, the Orange pummeled the Raiders 65-0 in the Dome on Sept. 2, 2023. Syracuse held a 23-0 lead after the first quarter and a 37-0 halftime advantage.
Quarterback Garrett Shrader tossed four touchdowns and backup signal-caller Carlos Del Rio-Wilson added three passing touchdowns. SU totaled 677 yards of offense, while Colgate finished with 106.
football
Syracuse started that season 4-0 before losing five straight and firing Babers in mid-November.
The Raiders report Colgate is in a new era under first-year head coach Curt Fitzpatrick. It’s coming off a brutal 2-10 finish in 2024, and it’s clear Fitzpatrick has some heavy lifting to do for the Raiders to catch back up to the FCS.
They began this season by dropping back-toback games to Monmouth and Villanova, both ranked programs in the FCS. With margins of three and seven points, respectively, separating Colgate from its first two opponents, it came down to the Raiders playing extraordinarily bad defense against Monmouth and inconsistent offense versus Villanova.
Colgate is headlined by senior wide receiver Treyvhon Saunders. He tallied 23 receptions for 360 yards and three touchdowns over its first two games, all team-highs by a country mile. No other Raiders receiver even has 100 yards thus far.
Besides Saunders, there’s not much else. Colgate’s secondary is allowing nearly 400 passing yards per game through two weeks. Quarterback Zach Osborne provides a solid threat with his legs, rushing for 80 yards in two games, yet somehow, he’s the Raiders’ leading rusher.
How Syracuse beats Colgate Frankly, SU just needs to show up on time at the stadium. It’s not within the realm of possibility for the Orange to lose to the Raiders, who simply do not possess comparable roster talent. It’s not about how Syracuse beats the Raiders; it’s about who beats them.
This is a game where offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon can let Angeli sling the rock in what should be the cleanest pocket he sees all year. Friday is prime real estate for his connection
with Texas transfer receiver Johntay Cook to take shape, as he was held to 27 yards last week. If those two get hot early, they likely won’t be stopped.
The Orange haven’t lost to the Raiders since a time in college football when players still wore leather helmets. In the scenario they’re slow out of the gate, there’s no telling how much Fran Brown will make his players run sprints on the field postgame.
Stat to know: 24
While SU can dominate early on Friday through the air, its rushing attack is also in need of a confidence boost. Last week against UConn, Syracuse entered the fourth quarter with a measly total of 24 team rushing yards.
Willis made up for it by the end, punching in a fourth-quarter touchdown to give SU the lead
before UConn salvaged overtime. But the early ground game issues were a concern. Syracuse’s offensive line has a picturesque chance against Colgate to create big holes for Willis to run through before the game gets too out of hand.
Player to watch: Treyvhon Saunders, wide receiver, No. 9
Saunders is quickly establishing himself as one of the premier weapons in the FCS. After putting up 1,690 receiving yards with the Raiders from 2023-24, Saunders began this year by exploding for 223 yards on 13 catches. Syracuse would be negligent not to pay loads of attention to Saunders, who will likely draw an assignment from SU cornerback Chris Peal, a Georgia transfer.
ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews
By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Syracuse was a few plays away from beginning 0-2 for the first time since 2020. Following a 19-point loss to Tennessee in Week 1, SU hosted UConn for its home opener. The Orange tied or trailed the Huskies for the first 59 minutes of play but heroically came back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime.
SU then found a way to pick up a win before its final non-conference game until late November. Syracuse will take on Colgate from the Patriot League to climb over the .500 mark. The Raiders are 0-2 to begin their 2025 campaign.
AIDEN STEPANSKY (2-0) GET-RIGHT GAME SYRACUSE 48, COLGATE 15
COOPER ANDREWS (2-0) ON TO CLEMSON SYRACUSE 45, COLGATE 13
ZAK WOLF (4-1) LOOKING AHEAD SYRACUSE 50, COLGATE 10
The Orange trounced Colgate 65-0 in the 2023 season opener, but they’re yet to face the Raiders under head coach Fran Brown. Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (1-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) will fare against Colgate (0-2, 0-0 Patriot League): sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports
This matchup is perfect timing for a get-right game — similar to Syracuse’s win over Holy Cross last season. The Orange have plenty to clean up. With Clemson on the horizon and a gauntlet ahead, this week could make or break SU’s season.
While Steve Angeli broke out in the final minutes and finished with over 400 passing yards against UConn, his shaky start was extremely worrisome. Through two weeks, his communication with the offensive line and identification of defensive schemes can be characterized as piss poor. It caused him to be nearly knocked out of the game several times by big hits.
Luckily for Angeli and the offensive line, the Raiders have tallied zero sacks and only two quarterback hits in their first 120 minutes of action. This should be an enjoyable tune-up ahead of facing Clemson’s ferocious front led by two future top 10 NFL Draft picks. As Angeli thrives, SU’s defensive line can find its groove too, as Colgate’s current rushing leader is quarterback Zach Osborne.
So yeah. This one shouldn’t be too hard. The Orange followed up their win over Holy Cross last year with marquee victories over then-No. 25 UNLV and NC State. I’m not saying they’ll do the same with Clemson. But it should be a step in the right direction.
This game is nothing more than a late preseason contest for the Orange. If they lose to Colgate, I will go on the Dome turf myself and join the team for postgame sprints. I don’t think Fran Brown wants to see a failed middle school lineman do that, so I’d strongly advise Syracuse to win this one.
On one hand, I do think Friday will be a closer contest than a 65-0 result. The Raiders are not bad through the air, led by receiver Treyvhon Saunders’ 360 yards through two games, and could gain a few chunk plays versus a relatively young SU cornerbacks unit.
But Colgate’s lack of a bell cow running back and struggles in its own secondary will ultimately doom it against a much more talented Syracuse team. The Raiders are allowing nearly 400 passing yards a game, and Angeli has averaged 345.5 air yards per game. I expect Angeli to pick Colgate’s secondary apart and use a litany of different receivers along the way, including Texas transfer Johntay Cook, who recorded just 27 yards against the Huskies.
No matter how you draw it up, the Orange boast a ridiculous advantage in every facet of the game. Their goal on Friday should be making sure they’re firing on all cylinders before traveling to face a surprisingly beatable Clemson team — which typically gives Syracuse fits.
This is one of two guaranteed wins I have penciled in for Syracuse this season. The other one was UConn, which turned out to be a nail-biter. Colgate is not nearly as challenging. If this game is anything but a blowout, then SU fans should be extremely concerned. However, I don’t see any way the Orange fail to win comfortably.
Despite how nearly disastrous last week was, Angeli showed guts by surviving a couple of big hits. Once he found his rhythm, the quarterback looked elite. He won’t face the same tests this week, which is good news for Syracuse, as he’ll likely stay upright. The fewer blows Angeli takes, the better news for Syracuse.
Angeli will continue to spread the ball around the field to weapons like Cook, Darrell Gill Jr. and Justus Ross-Simmons. After a limited rushing attack against the Huskies, I think Yasin Willis will be more involved, and Angeli won’t have to throw the ball 40 times for a third straight week.
Syracuse will cruise past Colgate. Something I’ll be keeping my eye on is whether Syracuse rests some of its starters in the second half. Brown certainly doesn’t want to suffer any more injuries ahead of the ACC slate. That could mean a first look at Rickie Collins.
As Cooper and Aiden mentioned, this is a warm-up game. The true test lies next Saturday in Death Valley.
By Quinn Postman asst. digital editor
Ahead of its first Atlantic Coast Conference match against SMU on Thursday, Syracuse has just one loss, has scored 17 goals and has kept a clean sheet in five of its eight games.
That propels SU to a strong rest of the season, right? Think again.
It’s been over two years since Chelsea Domond’s goal and two assists guided the Orange to a 3-1 victory over Miami. A year before, Jenna Tivnan’s header broke a 10-game losing streak. In 2019, Meghan Root’s late heroics against Wake Forest snapped a nearly two-year ACC win drought.
Those are Nicky Thrasher Adams’ only conference wins as head coach of the Orange.
In three of the previous four seasons, Syracuse has entered conference play with a winning record. But whether it was an 8-0 pummeling against Clemson, slim 1-0 losses to Duke and North Carolina, or a fourth straight defeat versus then-No. 2 Florida State, the Orange can’t get over the hump in conference play. They’re the only ACC school with fewer than five conference victories since 2019. Their last ACC win was on Sept. 25, 2022.
“If you’re not on that team, you’ll never understand what happened. It felt like everything was going wrong,” former Syracuse attacker Erin Flurey said.
Even with Syracuse’s bright start to 2025, the question is whether its glass is half-full or half-empty. Here’s why SU has faltered against ACC opponents in the past and how the Orange can end their drought in 2025:
The ACC is the best women’s soccer conference in the NCAA. It’s where four of the last six national champions and five of the previous six runners-up reside.
In the Week 4 United Soccer Coaches Women’s Rankings, Duke, Stanford, Virginia, Notre Dame and Florida State were all in the top 10, while reigning national champion UNC is slotted in at No. 19. Syracuse will play all but the Fighting Irish in 2025.
It’s always been the same tale.
Since beating Miami in 2022, SU has played 11 matches against ranked opponents, recording a 0-2-9 record. In those matches, the Orange found the back of the net 10 times compared to their opponents’ 38.
“We competed, literally every week, with someone who’s in the Top 25,” former Syracuse defender Liesel Odden said.
You’d have to go back 24 years to find the last time SU beat a ranked opponent. Syracuse, then a member of the Big East Conference, defeated No. 24 Illinois 1-0 in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. No current Syracuse players were born yet. Adams was a senior on Texas A&M’s women’s soccer team.
On the flip side, the Orange have never been ranked in the top 25. The last two ACC preseason polls have put Syracuse last in the conference. It’ll be hard to overcome those trends in 2025.
Sometimes in soccer, goals don’t tell the whole story. A team can sit back, defend astutely and then nick a result. Possession has often been referred to as the “most dangerous statistic in football.”
Simply put, an excellent performance doesn’t always muster an excellent result.
“I don’t want to speak down on the program at all because I love it, but something we lacked was our composure to finish,” Flurey said. “I think we fought in every single game. We brought the blue collar. The past two years we lost to the national champions by one goal.”
Goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch has been a key player for Syracuse ever since she entered at halftime with Syracuse down 5-0 against UConn in 2022. Nearly three years later, she ranks third in career saves (318) and is set to break Everton and Ireland international Courtney Brosnan’s record (344).
During a mid-September fixture against undefeated and eventual national champion No. 3 Florida State in 2023, Vanderbosch positioned the Orange to pull off a major upset. Seven saves in the first half helped them to a 2-1 lead at halftime. An own goal pulled the Seminoles back, and Vanderbosch did all she could to keep SU level with 16 saves — one short of Syracuse’s program record.
But former Seminole and current Paris SaintGermain midfielder Jennifer Echegini’s late curler gave FSU a 3-2 win.
A year later, Syracuse was in the same predicament. SU held UNC scoreless until Bella Sember’s penalty broke the deadlock in the 66th minute for North Carolina’s 10th straight win over the Orange. Goals win you games. In the 27 ACC matches since its last win, Syracuse has only scored 17 goals.
It hasn’t netted more than two goals in a conference match since its triumph over the Hurricanes, with Flurey and Ashley Rauch
being the only Syracuse players to record more than one goal versus ACC opponents in 2023 and 2024.
Those numbers aren’t enough to knock off teams in the bottom half of the conference, and nowhere near enough to challenge the ACC’s best.
So far in 2025, SU’s exploded for multigoal games against Charleston Southern, Canisius, Holy Cross and Cornell. But it also struggled to score against Quinnipiac, Princeton and Binghamton.
The inconsistent goal-scoring levels will cause problems.
“I don’t think we really stuck to our identity tonight. Defended pretty well, but then we kept giving the ball away, and we didn’t have the defending to attack mentality that we’ve been so good at,” Adams said after the 0-0 draw with Binghamton.
If the glass is half-full for Syracuse, then it has everything it needs to shoot up the ACC standings.
It has Mia Klammer, who leads the team with five goals. Rauch has seven goal contributions in eight games. The defense, anchored by
freshman Bree Bridges, has only conceded four scores in eight games.
Most importantly, Adams’ new 3-5-2 formation blends attacking potency and defensive stability.
“When our wingers come back, I think that’s when we’re the strongest because we have five back there and our sixes,” Bridges said. “It’s a really good defensive, compact shape. I think it’s smart. … Against ACC (teams), that shape that we have will be very helpful to slow them down.”
Syracuse has been in this predicament before. This barren run has spanned two seasons. So, against an SMU team that finished 13th in the ACC last year, who says the Orange can’t grab their first ACC victory in over 1,000 days and push forward from there?
“We don’t harp on the season before,” former SU defender Kylen Grant said on how SU approached conference play in the past. “I think we go into the mindset of we understand, especially going into the ACC, we’re the underdog. But it creates that mindset that we have nothing to lose, so we’re going to put everything we have out there.”
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By Peter Radosh contributing writer
Zach Osborne bolted across the field, hugging the sideline during Colgate’s game against Georgetown on Oct. 19, 2024. The Raiders quarterback accelerated past the 20-yard line with the endzone in mind. When he reached the five, he caught a glimpse of the pylon.
Osborne dove for it. In the air, he did a halfbody barrel roll before his left shoulder drilled into the turf.
No signal. He had stepped out of bounds at the two-yard line before he jumped. Osborne got up and began walking back for the next snap — but he didn’t end up running that play. He didn’t run a play for the rest of Colgate’s season.
“My left arm kind of went dead,” Osborne said. “It felt like something was off, and that’s when I immediately grabbed my shoulder.” Osborne had broken his left collarbone. The fracture was his second injury within the calendar year, previously breaking two bones in his wrist in 2023.
Since his injury in October 2024, Osborne furthered his commitments, both on and off the field. The Raiders, led by Osborne, face the Orange on Friday.
By January, he was lifting with the team again. In February, he traveled to Philadelphia for the Uplifting Athletes’ Leadership Development Conference to help plan a Lift for Life — a fundraiser for rare disease research — at Colgate. And in March, he prepared for spring football by studying new head coach Curt Fitzpatrick’s playbook.
By Colgate’s opener against Monmouth in August, Osborne was lining up for the snap as not only the Raiders’ new starting quarterback, but also as one of four captains. Through two games in 2025, he has completed 59% of his passes for a total of 466 yards, while also leading the Raiders with 80 rushing yards.
“It was one of those things where I was like, ‘Oh, here we go again,’” Osborne said of his injury. “I knew that if I could get through a broken wrist, breaking my collarbone was something I could come back from.”
With Osborne’s football career often demanding periods of intense effort, he finds solace through religion. He grew up in a Lutheran family, and though he’s dove deeper and rediscovered his faith for himself, Christianity has remained a constant.
“It’s my entire life to say the least,” Osborne said. “In terms of the way I’ve shaped my mind to think and the ways I’ve devoted my life to my faith, it’s a lot more important than football. It’s a lot more important than anything in this world.”
Osborne was involved with his high school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Huddle, and he searched for a similar student organization as soon as he got to Colgate in 2022.
He ended up joining Colgate Christian Athletes, a student-run organization that provides a religious community for varsity, club and intramural athletes. Osborne has now been CCA’s president for two years.
“It’s not uncommon for seniors to begin checking out of clubs and organizations,” CCA adviser Corey MacPherson said. “But he’s done just the opposite; his dedication is even deeper. He’s just as locked in as ever.”
Over the summer, even though CCA wasn’t meeting on campus, Osborne and several other football, basketball and hockey players made frequent trips to Utica to help serve people dealing with homelessness.
The round trip to Utica can occasionally take two hours. And with Osborne often serving for a few extra hours, time added up. But he never complained.
“It’s a long night, but he’s remained faithful in doing that. The guy just loves everyone he comes in contact with,” MacPherson said.
Back at Colgate, Osborne’s work with Uplifting Athletes came to fruition on July
22. Alongside Colgate defensive lineman Joe Kelly and Uplifting Athletes Chapter Success Manager Andrea Pierson, he helped lead and organize a Combine Day, where players both lifted weights and competed in fitness tests for Colgate’s first Lift for Life since 2022.
Osborne and Kelly started by promoting the initiative on social media informing the Colgate community about the event and encouraging donations. During their workout with approximately 100 other players, the group donned shirts that said “#WeTackleRare.”
“Individuals impacted by rare diseases don’t have that platform,” Pierson said. “They constantly have to fight for everything. To see a whole team putting their all into something bigger than themselves is just such a special environment to be around.”
The event raised around $14,000 for rare disease research, and Pierson said much of its suc-
cess is because of the work Osborne put in to help spearhead the charge.
“You can just tell that he’s a quarterback; he has a presence about him,” Pierson said. “He’s extremely respectful, you can tell he cares about the people around him and that he wants to make a difference.”
To Osborne, that presence is his positivity. Through everything Osborne does, whether it’s pushing through injury, leading CCA meetings, or serving his community, he approaches it through a lens of hope and optimism — especially as a captain in the locker room.
“Regardless of what happened in the game before, I’m still going to come to the Sunday morning team meeting with a smile on my face,” Osborne said. “I’m going to be positive. I’m going to bring the energy. And that’s something I’ll never change.”
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Roy Simmons Jr. didn’t just teach lacrosse. He showed others how to love the game.
By Zak Wolf senior staff writer
Roy Simmons Jr. extended his arm to reach for his most prized possession. Seated in his wheelchair, it took him a couple tries to unhook it from a nail on a white pillar in his bedroom in Fayetteville, New York.
Once loose, Simmons pulled it to his lap. The 90-year-old gripped the tan hickory wood frame with his frail hands, rubbing the smooth caneshaped edge. He felt the interwoven leather, which tightly connects to the shaft. He pointed to the purple and yellow mesh holding everything together.
Simmons was grasping his prized lacrosse stick. But it’s not any ordinary one. It was made by his dear friend Alfie Jacques, the legendary Haudenosaunee craftsman.
Next to Jacques’ logo, a date is inscribed into the head.
5-19-23.
Jacques died on June 14, 2023. The stick was his parting gift to Simmons, honoring their tight bond.
“The stick is part of you if you love the game and treat it well,” Simmons said.
Now, Simmons will be honored in Jacques’ name. On Friday, the former Syracuse men’s lacrosse coach will receive the second-ever Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award, alongside another close companion, Oren Lyons — one of SU’s first Native American athletes — for a lifetime of expressing the goodwill and values of lacrosse.
Few people have had an impact on the sport like Simmons. Forget the 16 straight Final Fours, six National Championships and 290 career wins.
Simmons has constantly advocated for lacrosse’s Indigenous roots. He didn’t bore his players with X’s and O’s. Instead, he gave them unlimited freedom, a homage to how lacrosse was first played.
“He’s the godfather of lacrosse,” said Robert Carpenter, founder of Inside Lacrosse.
Simmons didn’t have a regimented approach. He let his players express themselves on the field. Set plays were foreign. A run-and-gun approach was adopted, during a time when lacrosse tactics were rigid.
His style allowed legends like twin brothers Gary and Paul Gait and Casey Powell to flourish.
The Gaits regularly wowed people with their flamboyant style. Behind-the-back passes and shots that would’ve sent coaches up a wall were encouraged by Simmons.
“He understood the longer that leash was, the more potential a player would actually be able to exhibit and reach a level that maybe they wouldn’t if they played in a little bit of fear,” said ESPN’s Paul Carcaterra, who played under Simmons from 1994-95.
The Gaits set the stage for Powell nearly a decade later, who embraced a similar approach. They helped Simmons turn Syracuse into a lacrosse dynasty.
His impact is still felt today with Gary at the helm, who tries to instill Simmons’ patented freeflowing nature.
At heart, Simmons isn’t a lacrosse coach. He’s an artist. Literally.
Simmons switched from physical education to fine arts when he attended SU, after Lyons suggested it. Specifically taking interest in West African and pre-Columbian cultures, Simmons designed sculptures and collages.
see simmons page 13
By Aiden Stepansky senior staff writer
Of the seven offensive linemen who recorded at least 200 snaps for Syracuse in 2024, only one remained at the end of spring practice.
So, the Orange did what any modern program would do: They rebuilt their offensive line across two weeks in April. The unit, which brought in four players in the spring transfer portal, has quickly evolved into SU’s X factor in head coach Fran Brown’s second season.
Syracuse has allowed eight sacks across its first two games, limiting offensive consistency and putting new starting quarterback Steve Angeli in harm’s way. The Orange are leaning on their depth to solve the issue, having played eight linemen and three left tackles following a foot injury to Week 1 starter Trevion Mack.
SU plans to mix in even more faces, with 6-foot-7 freshman Byron Washington waiting in the wings. It’s a work in progress, but it’s an issue the Orange must resolve before it’s too late.
“We’re a young football team. The only one that came back that played last year was (Da’Metrius Weatherspoon),” Brown said after Syracuse’s win over UConn. “So we got 10 other guys that didn’t start last year, that was all guys that are coming in as everybody’s getting into different roles. The best time to do it is now.
Let’s just do it now.”
Following a disappointing season opener where Angeli was sacked five times, the unit directly met with its quarterback to figure things out. Angeli said there were multiple
post-practice protection meetings throughout the week to fortify that line of communication.
The football gods then threw a wrench into SU’s plans, as an injury to Mack’s right foot forced Alabama transfer Naquil Betrand into action. Betrand told The Daily Orange he was alerted by Brown that he’d be starting just two days before playing UConn. Depite Mack being sidelined in a boot with an assisted scooter, Betrand noted that he helped review film before, during and after the game to gain more insight. Redshirt sopho -
more Josh Miller also notched 33 snaps at left tackle, a move Betrand said he expected.
Regardless of who protected Angeli’s blindside, SU’s offensive line still wasn’t in sync with its passer. He was clobbered multiple times. Some were due to simple misidentifications by Angeli. Others were missed assignments by the guys up front. Either way, Angeli took a beating with three sacks and multiple big-time hits
“We can’t have as many busts on the offensive line. We’re getting our quar
see o-line page 13