September 25, 2025

Page 1


thursday, september 25, 2025

O

• Neglecting humanities

SU’s pause of 20 humanities programs perpetuates a cycle of undervaluing. Arts and languages gives students vital perspectives.

Page 9

122 years

C • Shifting seasons

Syracuse University’s grounds crew works through all seasons and inclement weather to maintain 969 acres of campus.

Adjusting to AI

SU professors rethink policies as generative AI tools spread in classrooms

Professor Adam Peruta doesn’t just encourage the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom — he requires it.

The Newhouse School of Public Communications professor, who directs the Advanced Media Management graduate program, said he sees AI as “transformative.” In his classroom, Peruta said AI can be effective for brainstorming ideas and testing headlines for search engine optimization. His goal is to effectively teach his students how to use AI “responsibly and ethically,” he said.

In Syracuse University’s required syllabus language — first introduced for the fall 2024 semester — professors set explicit expectations on AI between three categories: banning AI see ai page 4

Rickie Collins’ Syracuse football career began in 2023 on a basketball court in Baton Rouge. Before his freshman campaign at LSU, Collins connected with upperclassman Duce Chestnut away from the football facility. Playing oneon-one, Collins and Chestnut both proclaimed themselves as the victor. When the two teamed up, Chestnut compared them to NBA stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden in their primes.

So over a year later, with Chestnut at Syracuse and the Orange needing to replace Kyle McCord following the 2024 season, Chestnut looked to his former backcourt partner.

“As soon as I heard he was entering the (transfer) portal, I hit up Fran (Brown) the very next moment, and was like, ‘We need to go get him,’” Chestnut said.

While forming a bond with Chestnut at LSU, Collins also developed in a quarterback factory. The Baton Rouge native initially elected to stay home for college, learning under Heisman Trophy winner

Jayden Daniels and top 2026 NFL Draft prospect Garrett Nussmeier. Collins then jumped into the transfer portal after his sophomore campaign in December.

He chose the Orange and was named the starter entering fall camp. Though he lost the starting role to Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli to begin the year, Collins will be thrust into the spotlight as Syracuse’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future after Angeli suffered a torn Achilles in SU’s win over Clemson.

Collins described getting the start as bittersweet after Angeli’s injury.

Nevertheless, he has the keys to the Orange’s kingdom.

“It’s been a long road. It’s something I prayed for,” Collins said of earning the starting role.

As Collins navigated the transfer portal, his mother, Precious Collins, said they didn’t want location to affect his decision. After spending the first 20 years of his life in Baton Rouge, Collins made his move.

Precious saw her son visibly nervous when they went on his official visit to Syracuse in December.

free

S • ‘Win at all costs’

Ian McIntyre’s legendary tenure was cemented in SU history after he notched his 142nd win as head men’s soccer coach on Tuesday.

Page 16

The two students involved in a Tuesday night incident at Syracuse University’s Zeta Beta Tau fraternity were charged with burglary as a hate crime in the second degree and criminal nuisance in the second degree, the Syracuse Police Department said Wednesday.

The SU students — identified as 18-year-olds Kyle Anderson and Samuel Patten — are currently lodged at the Onondaga County Justice Center and pending arraignment, according to the release.

One of the students entered ZBT at around 5:54 p.m. and threw a clear plastic bag containing pork at a wall, according to the release. The student ran from the fraternity house and into a Jeep Wrangler the second student was driving. The car had a Connecticut license plate, SPD said.

Department of Public Safety officers identified the suspects, who were detained by SPD.

“This type of behavior is disheartening, especially as it targeted a Jewish fraternity during a significant religious holiday,” Police Chief Joe Cecile said in the release. “Acts of bias or hate have no place in our community, and we will continue to work with our partners at Syracuse University and the District Attorney’s Office to hold those responsible accountable.”

A burglary in the second degree conviction, the act of illegally entering a residence with the intent to commit a crime, can carry a one to 15-year conviction in New York state prison. The added hate crime is an “enhancement” to the sentence, deeming the offense one category higher than the specified offense, according to New York state Penal Law.

In this case, if convicted, the students would be charged with burglary in the first degree, which carries up to a 25-year sentence.

Criminal nuisance in the second degree is when someone knowingly or recklessly creates or maintains a condition that endangers the safety or health of a “considerable” number of people. It is also considered knowingly conducting or maintaining a place where people gather to engage in unlawful conduct.

If convicted, the charge carries a potential fine, community service hours, mandatory state surcharge, probation, order of protection or incarceration in local county or city jail for up to 90 days.

In a Wednesday afternoon post on its Instagram story, the fraternity wrote that it’s “heartbroken and outraged” by the incident.

“This was an attack on our home, our values, and our safety, as well as every Jewish student on campus,”

maria masek contributing illustrator

Editor@dailyorange.com

News@dailyorange.com

Opinion@dailyorange.com

Culture@dailyorange.com

Sports@dailyorange.com

Digital@dailyorange.com

Design@dailyorange.com

Photo@dailyorange.com

BUSINESS 315-443-2315

how to join us

The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students.

The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and financially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.

This fall, the paper will be published Thursday when SU classes are in session.

The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break.

To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible.

If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.

corrections policy

The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.

letter to the editor policy

The D.O. prides itself as an outlet for community discussion. To learn more about our submission guidelines, please email opinion@dailyorange.com with your full name and affiliation within the Syracuse community. Please note letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand. All letters will be edited for style and grammar.

The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2025 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2025 The Daily Orange Corporation

The forecast for this upcoming week, per The Weather Channel.

saturday, september 20

SYRACUSE VS DUKE

National quesadilla day/ national lobster day

coming up saturday, september 27 noah nussbaum sports editor scribble

how to support us

Share feedback. 1.

We want to hear what you think about our content. Email editor@dailyorange.com or send us a message on social media.

Send tips and story ideas 2.

Help us report on stories that matter to you. Email editor@dailyorange.com with your ideas. Tips may be shared anonymously.

Become a member. 3.

Help us produce meaningful coverage by making a monthly tax-deductible donation at dailyorange.com/donate. You can receive a spot on our digital donor recognition wall.

Kendall Luther EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Rosina Boehm
James Hoagland

on campus

SU Honors’ transition leaves faculty with unanswered questions

Syracuse University’s Renée Crown University Honors Program began the 2025-26 academic year with an almost entirely different office staff than it had just a year prior.

The program currently has six staff members, five of whom were added to staff within the past year. Honors Associate Director Allie Heppner, who has been with Honors the longest, only joined its team as an advisor in 2023. Over half of its core faculty joined this year.

The program is currently undergoing a “time of transition,” Provost Lois Agnew said during the University Senate’s Sept. 17 meeting. Some faculty members involved with the program said this era of honors has been characterized by uncertainty, confusion and change.

Its former director, Danielle Taana Smith — who served for over seven years — didn’t return to the position for the fall semester. She is continuing her role as a professor within the African American Studies department, according to a July 16 email sent to honors students.

The message also said former advisor Robin Berkowitz-Smith had retired after around 40 years at SU.

“Many of us started having concerns about what’s going to happen? What is the future?”

said Margaret Susan Thompson, a professor in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

As SU embarks on its search for a new director and efforts to rework the honors curriculum, an anonymous faculty member, who has advised multiple honors students’ theses, said they hope the university improves transparency in its efforts and takes faculty input into account.

The faculty member said the program appears to be in “complete disarray.” They cited high staff turnover in recent years and a lack of faculty input in decisions related to curriculum and the director search.

“Recent leadership and staffing changes … reflect a thoughtful, consultative process informed by faculty input and a committee report outlining recommendations for the program’s future,” an SU spokesperson wrote in a Wednesday statement to The Daily Orange.

Some leadership changes within honors

Some

are related to a report from “last year,” Agnew said in the USen meeting. The report, drafted by a committee formed by College of Arts and Sciences Dean Behzad Mortazavi, included recommendations for the program’s future.

The university had also conducted an external review of the program in 2016, Agnew said.

The anonymous faculty member first noticed changes to the honors program in 2023, around the time of Mortazavi’s appointment as dean, they said. Honors office staff went from seven people in 2023 to four in 2024 after departures and retirements, The D.O. found using the WayBack Machine — an internet archive.

On Aug. 29, SU announced Laura Machia as the honors interim director. The university’s announcement said that a newly-formed working group, with Machia at its head, was expected to complete a “comprehensive review” of the program and its curriculum.

Machia also serves as the associate dean for academic initiatives and curriculum in Arts and Sciences, which oversees the honors program.

Machia’s faculty profile, which lists courses from 2020 to 2025, doesn’t mention any honors courses. According to the Wayback Machine, she hasn’t served on the Honors’ core faculty — the group of professors, one from each college, who act as liaisons between their schools and honors.

The faculty member said they wished SU had picked someone with “some sense of history” in honors to lead the program in the interim.

When SU announced the working group on Sept. 10, the faculty member said they were surprised to see that a majority of the members didn’t appear to have extensive honors experience.

The group’s co-chairs are Elisa Dekaney, associate provost for strategic initiatives, and Jamie Winders, vice provost for faculty affairs. Only four members of the 13-person working group are current core faculty — Dekaney was a member from 2014 to 2020.

SU didn’t respond to a question about whether all nine core faculty members were asked to be part of the working group.

“Of the faculty members I know who are in that community, though they’re very good at what they do, most of them have not had extensive involvement in the Honors program,” Thompson said.

The anonymous faculty member said they were concerned that honors faculty input wasn’t adequately included, presenting “an issue of shared governance.”

“Everybody is completely tearing their hair out. Faculty are extremely frustrated,” they said.

The university spokesperson said the decision to appoint Machia resulted from “faculty input and a committee report outlining recommendations for the program’s future.”

Similar concerns have emerged more broadly in Arts and Sciences; last week, several professors said they felt “blindsided” after the college informed department and program chairs on Sept. 15 that it had paused admission to 20 majors.

Molly Hunker, a member of both the core faculty and its working group, said she’s optimistic about the Honors Program transition, seeing the shift as a chance to make honors requirements clearer and more accessible to students.

“It’s a really great opportunity and a kind of great moment right now to look at, ‘What does (Honors) look like as our students change, as higher education is facing the challenges that it’s facing?’” Hunker said.

Hunker noted that turnover last year did create “problems” for students with advising.

The director search process has also confused some faculty members, who said they were unsure who they should report to between Smith’s departure and Machia’s appointment.

While preparing her honors classes for the fall semester, Thompson said she was uncertain about whom to contact to ensure everything was set and approved. She recalled thinking, “Are my things still in place? Is there anything I should be concerned about?”

She ended up reaching out to Heppner, the honors program’s associate director, who was helping lead before Machia’s appointment. Though no issues ended up emerging with her coursework, Thompson said she wished Honors would’ve communicated to faculty what resources would still be available to them in the transition.

There was also confusion surrounding Smith’s departure. The anonymous faculty member believed the university removed her without warning. Thompson remembered the former director possibly announcing it at a convocation. Hunker recalled Smith telling of her departure during a core faculty meeting.

The spokesperson said Smith had completed her contract.

“Professor Danielle Smith’s contract was completed as this evaluation process commenced, providing a natural opportunity for the institution to consider new directions for the program,” the spokesperson wrote. “We sincerely appreciate Professor Smith’s leadership and contributions to the program and the University.”

Thompson, Hunker and the anonymous faculty member all said they were hopeful that the new chapter of Honors could bring positive change. However, they want the transition to bring increased clarity and transparency between administrators, the Honors program, faculty who teach Honors courses and students, they said.

The SU spokesperson said the working group’s report would include recommendations surrounding “shared ownership” and “governance,” among other charges.

“My biggest hope is that SU is more transparent. I understand that we’re under a bunch of legal pressure and pressure from the federal government, but faculty are not bad people,” the faculty member said. “We want to treat our students well.”

In the September USen meeting, Agnew said the working group is tasked with conducting a review of honors curriculum and thesis requirements. They will also suggest a new governance structure and ways to get outside faculty involved with the program. The working group is expected to complete its report “later this semester,” Agnew said.

The working group is expected to deliver its final report to Agnew later this semester, she said at the meeting. Hunker said the group hasn’t started its process yet, but is still working toward that deadline.

“I don’t know exactly what our work will involve. We haven’t embarked on that yet,” Hunker said. “But there is a real interest from Honors in ensuring there’s increased clarity, increased sort of transparency, both for faculty and students.”

DISCLAIMER: Julia Boehning is a member of Syracuse University’s Renée Crown University Honors Program. Her involvement did not affect the editorial content of this article.

jmboehni@syr.edu

avoid ‘sanctuary’ title, but embrace city’s immigrant

In 2017, former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner declared Syracuse a sanctuary city. Current Mayor Ben Walsh avoids the term, calling it “divisive,” though both stressed the importance of protecting its immigrant communities.

In May, President Donald Trump’s administration included Syracuse on its targeted list of identified “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The report was quickly retracted, and an Aug. 5 list was released without the city included.

Sanctuary cities are cities, counties and states that refuse to enforce federal immigration policies on behalf of the federal government, said Jenny Breen, an associate professor at the Syracuse University College of Law.

Breen said these “sanctuary jurisdictions” are legal under the 10th Amendment, which recognizes states and cities as sovereign entities from the federal government. She said the government cannot “co-opt” cities into doing its work.

Walsh said the term sanctuary city “means different things to different people.” He said Miner’s decision to declare the city a sanctuary was “nothing more than a declaration.”

No policy or laws have changed since Walsh took office in 2018, he said, as the Syracuse Police Department does not enforce federal immigration law. However, Walsh said SPD does work with federal immigration authorities when investigating crimes.

“When federal officials want to work with us to deal with real crime and criminals. We welcome that,” Walsh said. “But much of what I’m seeing is not that and nothing that I want to be a part of.”

Trump’s attack on sanctuary cities is part of his larger crackdown on immigration, with an increase in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country.

On Sept. 12, ICE raided a protein bar factory in Cato, New York. Sixty-nine people were arrested. Some were deported to Guatemala and others are currently being held in Texas, syracuse.com reported.

Three days later, ICE detained Dragon China owner Li Xing Chen, who remains in custody.

Chen is the third Chinese restaurateur arrested in the central New York area this summer, Central Current reported.

onondaga

Walsh referred to these immigration enforcement efforts as “inhumane.” He said deporting “good, law-abiding citizens,” even ones without documentation, doesn’t make communities safer.

Breen, a former immigration lawyer, worked as a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She said sanctuary jurisdictions encourage integration with the immigrant community, making police interactions more cooperative.

“If people are worried that local law enforcement is going to be picking people up for immigration violations, people are probably going to be less willing to cooperate with law enforcement,” Breen said.

Many refugees who seek asylum in Syracuse come from countries where their government has “oppressed and terrorized” them, and witnessing similar actions from the U.S. government is troubling, Walsh said.

He emphasized that Syracuse is a welcoming and proud refugee resettlement city, saying, “people need to hear that now more than ever.”

Walsh said he “can’t fathom” what Syracuse would look like without its refugee community.

He said the city’s population grew for the first time in 70 years in the 2020 census, likely driven in part by new immigrants.

Bob Searing, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association, said Syracuse has a “rich” history of immigration.

“Syracuse has a history of standing up for the moral imperative,” Searing said. “Depending on your politics, the moral imperative is looking out for families, whether they’re documented or not, and trying to do the humane thing, even if that is technically illegal under federal law.”

During the early 19th century, under the Fugitive Slave Act, cities like Syracuse, known as the “grand central depot” for the Underground Railroad, welcomed freedom seekers finding support and liberty, Searing said.

He cited the Jerry Rescue, where a crowd of Syracusans broke into jail to free William Jerry Henry in 1851, an enslaved man from Missouri who escaped to upstate New York and was captured and arrested.

“They ripped him out of jail, in defiance of federal law,” Searing said. “It had national ramifications in 1851, it was a major story and a major salvo in the fight against slavery.”

More than 170 years later, Searing said the event is an “incredible example” of Syracuse’s history of immigration.

Searing connected the fight against slavery to Trump’s deportation and immigration policies, saying they increase the federal government’s power to deport and question people “immorally.”

“Much like the ICE detentions we see all over the country today, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 gave increased power to slave catchers and to federal authorities to go into

roots

communities and deputize people for the kidnapping of purported fugitive slaves,” Searing said. “There was no trial by jury. So this is the corollary, and is almost one-toone in my way of thinking.”

Breen said a Sept. 4 lawsuit in Boston filed by the U.S. Department of Justice states the city’s sanctuary city policies violate the Supremacy Clause. The DOJ claims local laws are preempted by the Constitution because the federal government has power over immigration law.

While the federal government can dictate immigration policy, Breen said she believes the Trump administration may be contradicting the 10th Amendment, which says the federal government may not commandeer the resources of a state government to enforce federal law.

ICE’s 287 (g) program gives states and local governments a choice to cooperate with the federal government. Although the program will fund the enforcement of federal immigration law, it is not required under the 10th Amendment’s protection.

“It’s going to be an uphill climb to claim that just sanctuary jurisdictions as a general rule violate the Supremacy Clause, because the 10th Amendment protects the right of states to be able to refuse to enforce federal law if they want,” Breen said.

Searing said all the “great progress made in this country” in terms of social change, including the end of slavery and the rise of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, has been “spurred” by people operating outside the law.

“Sometimes there must be a higher law than the Constitution,” Searing said, quoting former U.S. Secretary of State William Henry Seward. He believes that with the current discussion surrounding people in “illegal limbo,” Seward’s point is still relevant today.

“Their legality should not diminish their humanity,” Searing said.

Syracuse Honey’s South Campus mission to save the bees

As Bob Faulkner began suiting up in his protective bee attire — a netted face mask and sticky plastic gloves — for his semi-weekly visit to the Syracuse University beehives, he started explaining the importance of bees.

Faulkner, owner of Syracuse Honey and local beekeeper, and his colleague, Alicia Higgins, prepared to treat the bees and collect honey from 10 hives located on SU’s south campus, home to over 800,000 bees.

“They are amazing creatures, and they’re so important to our planet,” Faulkner said. “And I mean planet. I don’t randomly use that word. Planet means everybody’s involved in this mission of making sure bees survive.”

Although he retired a decade ago, Faulkner said he’s not sure beekeeping qualifies as retirement.

Faulkner, 71, started Syracuse Honey around 10 years ago after he was reintroduced to beekeeping through local clubs. Faulkner said he knew he wanted to be a beekeeper since he was 12 years old, but wasn’t able to realize his passion until he retired, a former IT professional.

He started with two hives in his backyard, which grew to 150 across the east side of Onondaga County. Faulkner said most people who understand the importance of bees let him use their yards.

“I said ‘I could make a little bit of money with this,’” Faulkner said. “Do more for the bees, and the more I do for the bees, the more I get.”

Syracuse Honey’s mission is to save honeybees through relocation and sustainable honey harvesting. The website, built by Faulkner’s son Anthony, hosts an online honey shop, emergency bee removal services and educational resources on beekeeping. One page is even dedicated to the health benefits of honey.

Faulkner said anything yellow and black that flies often gets mistaken for a bee, which is why some students have noted an uptick of bees on campus. He attributed the rise to peak yellowjacket season, normally late summer into early fall.

completely, allowing only limited uses with permission or adopting an open policy that permits AI with disclosure.

With the rise of generative AI in higher education threatening academic integrity and independent learning, professors must now decide whether or not to permit AI use in their classrooms amid its growing presence in the workplace and influence on the necessary postgraduation skillsets.

Recent surveys suggest AI tool use among college students has become mainstream. A global survey conducted by the Digital Education Council in August 2024 found that about 86% of students report using AI for their classes, with more than half using AI tools at least weekly.

There’s also a gap in student confidence — many feel unprepared or unequipped to use AI tools responsibly or ethically, according to the survey.

Douglas Yung, a teaching professor in biomedical and chemical engineering, leads a teaching series through the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence’s about responsible AI use and hosts weekly drop-ins, helping faculty incorporate AI into their instruction.

In his classes, Yung categorizes assignments as AI-free, AI-assisted or AI-integrated, giving specific instructions for each assignment. He said he requires students to disclose when and how they use it.

On Monday, SU announced a partnership with Anthropic, an AI company founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, to give students and faculty members access to Claude for education, an AI search engine made for academic environments.

Claude prompts conversations that guide learning rather than directly answering questions, using Socratic questioning and

Unlike other insects, bees have been disappearing due to climate change, parasites and habitat loss. Faulkner said the most recent issue has been mite infections, which he treats with oxalic acid.

Faulkner also offers bee removal and relocation services. He said if someone contacts him through the website, it goes straight to his mobile phone, and he’ll help identify the species and provide the most cost-effective solution.

Higgins was promoted to full-time at Syracuse Honey after working as an intern since May. Originally from Washington, she studied horticulture — the art and science of cultivating plants — where she first became interested in bees.

Higgins said she learned “so much” from her colleagues, including Faulkner. She first met Faulkner through her honey bee biology and beekeeping class, when she had to interview a local beekeeper. She said his “enthusiasm” stuck out to her.

“I’ve learned so much more than I probably could have,” Higgins said. “My co-workers have been an invaluable asset. They were just a wealth of knowledge that had more answers than I could probably ever come up with questions.”

SU’s beehives were first implemented by Lisa Olson-Gugerty, a public health professor, and Mary Kiernan, a food studies professor, in 2020. The two applied for the Campus as a Laboratory for Sustainability grant after gaining support from other faculty members.

Olson-Gugerty managed the hives for three years before she was forced to take a break following a family member’s illness and a biannual class she teaches in London. While she is “thrilled” Syracuse Honey could step in, she hopes to eventually regain full access to her project, she said.

“That’s my personal investment, my blood, sweat and tears of managing them for three years before I was unable,” Olson-Gugerty said. “This is where I will leave my mark at Syracuse University.”

Syracuse Honey took over in 2024, and a year later, Faulkner brought in four more hives, add-

emphasizing core concepts, according to its website. SU is one of the first universities in the United States to grant campus-wide access to Claude.

Nina Brown, an associate professor who teaches communications law at Newhouse, views AI use as unavoidable and favors more flexibility in setting course AI policies. Comparing the technology to the internet, she says professors should let students experiment while being transparent.

Peruta argues that higher education needs to catch up to AI. He frames responsible AI use not as an optional skill, but as a requirement for all students heading into media careers.

“I want students to be able to experiment and just be honest about it and be forthcoming,” Brown said. “(To) include a disclosure when they’re doing it, and it would be an open and evolving conversation.”

Other professors take a more cautious stance.

Dana Spiotta, a novelist and SU English professor, said AI has no place in her fiction workshops. For her, creative writing is about the struggle to find the right words, a process she says AI undermines.

“Writing is thinking,” Spiotta said. “Using AI to help you draft a piece takes away the most important, valuable part of the process.”

In her classroom, she also forbids using AI tools to summarize texts. Close reading, she said, is core to her classes, and using AI robs students of the chance to discover meaning in texts and learn on their own.

Spiotta doubts AI can generate language that captures the originality creative writing demands. Because it draws from existing text, the output falls back on clichés and predictable phrasing, she said.

According to a student survey from Inside Higher Ed, many students believe AI helps with idea generation, studying for exams, clarifying difficult concepts and polishing writing. The survey shows that while

ing to the original six. The honey from the hives is harvested twice between summer and early fall, then bottled and sold in the Barnes Center of the Arch pharmacy, the Schine Student Center and Goldstein Student Center.

People’s Place in Hendricks Chapel will start selling honey likely within a week, SU spokesperson Christopher Munoz said in a statement to The Daily Orange.

Faulkner said around 120 pounds of honey was harvested and sold each year between 2020 and 2024. This year, 500 pounds of honey have been collected so far, and Faulkner will continue to harvest more this season.

Both Faulkner’s sons, Anthony and Michael, graduated from SU in 2011, but pursued unrelated majors with little interest in beekeeping. Faulkner said his wife is very supportive of his endeavors, except when there’s spilled honey on the kitchen table.

Faulkner’s hives in Pompey, Manlius, DeWitt and other neighboring towns fund his business. He sells honey from a cart outside his Fayette-

fewer students said they have AI write full assignment texts, many still use it to assist in editing and brainstorming.

OpenAI launched “study mode” last month, built to act as a tutor and study guide maker rather than a machine. Chegg, a homework help and textbook resource website, confirmed its 22% workforce layoff in May was driven by the rise of generative AI as a study tool.

Spiotta said the responsibility falls on students not to “cheat themselves out of the opportunity to learn.”

For Brown, the key is to create a classroom where students can admit to using AI without fear while also learning how to ethically apply it. She said this approach better prepares students for workplaces where AI use is becoming routine.

Similarly to Spiotta, Mark Brockway, an assistant teaching professor in political science, said he doesn’t engage deeply with AI in his classes as his teaching style naturally limits its impact.

Outside of the classroom, Brockway incorporates workshops, activities and experiences that AI cannot replicate, noting that it “is better for (students) in the long run.”

Claire Bai, an assistant professor in advertising, allows her students to use AI in ADV 509: “Advertising Research and Planning,” a course focused on research techniques. She said the choice reflects how relevant the technology already is to her field.

“AI in general, even for my personal use, is still a good tool,” Bai said. “It can give you ideas, directions, but it’s not 100% accurate.”

Bai supports a more accepting AI policy at SU, arguing that restrictions won’t stop students from using the tools anyway. Instead, she said professors should focus on teaching students how to work with AI responsibly.

Brown said SU’s three-tier framework may be too rigid, leaving little room for faculty to tailor policies to their disciplines.

ville home and online, though he said promoting his business feels more like a “sales job” — he’d rather focus on helping the bees.

Last year, Faulkner visited campus to give a presentation on bee anatomy and promoted SU’s Beekeeping Club, where over 40 students attended. He said he plans to return for another discussion in October with a new bee-related topic.

“We want to help the bees,” Faulkner said. “Most (people) know there’s a bee issue, and they want to give, if they can, to help this situation.” Faulkner had a heart transplant less than four years ago, he said. Surviving reaffirmed to him that beekeeping is his “mission.”

He encourages students to take the initiative and learn the practice now, before other responsibilities or obstacles make it harder to start.

“More people can become beekeepers. It isn’t a very expensive hobby,” Faulkner said. “There are things in all of our ways that prevent us from becoming a beekeeper today, but get involved. Go learn how to do it now.”

kjacks19@syr.edu

“I don’t like those three buckets for myself,” Brown said. “I feel like I understand the technology well enough and I understand our academic integrity policy well enough that I could probably craft something that is better for my particular courses.”

Yung said he values SU’s three-option framework, saying it puts “clarity and learning outcomes” first. He said it lets faculty set policy for each assignment and requires students to disclose their use of AI.

Both faculty and students would benefit from hands-on experience with industryspecific AI tools, Bai said, testing their strengths and weaknesses, then sharing those insights in the classroom.

In Yung’s capstone design course, he’s piloting an assignment where student teams treat AI like a member of the group. Each team assigns an AI chatbot a role, defines its decision-making powers and creates guardrails for what it can and can’t do. Students also keep a log of prompts, outputs and edits, he said.

“AI use is outcome-driven,” Yung said. “If it deepens learning, I invite it with disclosure. If it short-circuits core skills, I restrict it.”

Yung said he wants to encourage students to think critically about when AI adds value and when it doesn’t. By documenting both benefits and risks, he said students learn how to evaluate AI the same way they would assess any other tool.

The 2025 AI Index Report from Stanford University highlights that AI adoption in education settings is increasing, notably with AI tools made for education. With this rise, both Brown and Peruta recognize the need for thoughtful integration.

“It’s really important that professors figure out a way to embrace at least some AI in their class,” Brown said. “This is not something that is a fad, it’s like the internet.”

mmgoodhe@syr.edu

the story reads. “Zeta Beta Tau does not stand for antisemitism or any form of hate within our community.”

The fraternity wrote that the incident is a reminder that “we are stronger together” and hopes to foster safety and inclusion on campus.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said that both defendants are presumed innocent as his office continues to investigate the case.

“Onondaga County is a very tolerant and diverse community. We fortunately rarely have Hate Crimes to investigate or prosecute,” he wrote in a Wednesday statement. “This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such.”

In a statement to The Daily Orange, College Democrats at SU condemned the “abhorrent, anti-semitic” incident, citing the national increase in anti-semitic activity.

“Attacking a vulnerable population as they participate in a religious custom is gross and harmful,” the statement reads. “Syracuse University must be a bastion of acceptance, allowing

all people to practice their religion without fear.”

Black at Syracuse University posted that it’s “relieved” Fitzpatrick is investigating the incident, but condemned his statement, calling it “systemic white supremacy.” The post referenced the man found hanging from an overpass in DeWitt.

“This is how racism works,” the post reads.

“Local leaders try to put us against each other by creating the conditions for antisemitic harm and then using antisemitic harm to downplay the anti-Black harm they are enacting against us systemically.” Syracuse City Auditor Alexander Marion

called the incident “absolutely horrifying” in a Wednesday post on X.

“Antisemitism must be condemned wherever we see it,” Marion wrote. “I am ever grateful for the work of (SPD) in fighting hate crimes when they happen.”

The investigation is active and ongoing. Additional charges may be considered as SPD gathers more information, the release said.

Anyone with any information can contact SPD’s Criminal Investigations Division at (315) 442-5222. dsrangel@syr.edu @deliasrangel

Falkner says funds from his company Syracuse Honey earns helps, but his main goal is to help save the bees. kate jackson asst. copy editor

Hustle and bustle

Syracuse University grounds crew work early mornings and late nights to keep 969 acres of campus ready for all four seasons

In the early mornings, while students are still fast asleep, campus is awake.

The grounds crew gets to work at 5 a.m., and managers arrive to set up for the day as early as 4:30 a.m. The early start ensures that campus is in tip-top shape for students’ 8 a.m. lectures.

“It is very important to me that when somebody walks up that hill from those parking lots and gets off that bus at college place, this campus is beautiful,” Peter Sala, the chief facilities officer of Syracuse University, said.

The grounds crew maintains 969 acres of campus, 14 miles of roadways and 24 miles of sidewalks across Main and South Campus. The crew does everything from planting flowers to preparing for game day tailgates. Each season, they adjust their work to create seamless transitions year-round, Sala said.

Joe Quarantillo, the grounds manager, is one of the earliest to arrive to campus each morning, with two crews following him at 5 and 6 a.m. Workers are split into groups based on the sections of campus they work on, which can create some friendly competition, Quarantillo said.

It’s hard work, but everyone is motivated by the same end goal of creating and maintaining a beautiful campus, he said. They’ve been successful; Cosmopolitan even named SU the most beautiful college campus in the United States in 2020.

“Our crew, and myself included, really enjoy what the end results are at the end of the day or the end of the week,” Quarantillo said. “There’s always something that you can step back and look at and say, ‘Wow, this is a real improvement.’”

To keep campus in tune with Syracuse seasons, the team must plan ahead. As early as January, suppliers start growing plants like orange geraniums to decorate campus for graduation ceremonies.

As soon as commencement is over, SU’s landscapers start preparing the campus to welcome students for the next semester, Sala said.

As leaves start to turn in the next few weeks, Sala said students can expect to see mums — a flower able to withstand colder fall temperatures — start to replace the summer’s blooms.

“Then we go into what we call our fall cleanup,” Sala said. “You’ll see us vacuuming up leaves like crazy.”

As students prepare for a grueling winter season, so does the grounds crew. Dealing with winter storms is one of the most challenging aspects of the job, Quarantillo said. The team prepares ahead of time if there’s advance warning of a storm coming, but weather can be unpredictable.

When a winter storm hits, “timing is everything,” Quarantillo said. The snow removal team works through the night to ensure that students and staff can get to campus the next day, Sala said.

“We’ll try and be here at midnight, and then we’ll fight the storm until the end, and then the next day we clean it all up,” Quarantillo said.

Landscaping is more than just pretty flowers and clear sidewalks; it’s intentionally designed to meet the needs of students and staff on campus, said Margaret Bryant, department chair of landscape architecture at SUNY ESF.

Dividing up large outdoor spaces with diagonal paths and sheltering them with trees creates nooks for students to study, eat or socialize, like those on the lawn in front of the Hall of Languages, Bryant said.

Les Rose, an SU broadcast and digital journalism professor, said the campus’ landscaping helps him release tension after a bad day. Especially when it’s sunny, it’s a relaxing “exhale factor” for him.

“This campus is so beautiful that just walking around to clear my head makes me happy,” Rose said. “Who would want a concrete jungle as a campus?”

Though landscaping serves students and staff who are already part of SU, it can also be a form of marketing to prospective students and their parents, Bryant said.

campus life

Tune in to our cozy, pumpkinspice themed playlist

As of this week, fall is officially upon us. The Daily Orange compiled a Spotify playlist of our favorite songs for the season of all things pumpkin, spice and everything nice.

Take a listen on the way to your next Beak and Skiff visit, or while stepping on crunchy orange leaves on Shaw Quadrangle.

Here are 10 tracks from the fall playlist The Daily Orange compiled this year.

“Harvest Moon”

Neil Young

Besides the fact that this song literally references the Harvest Moon (the full moon that happens closest to the autumnal equinox), it alludes to a chill autumn night. The song evokes a sense of nostalgia and makes me reminisce on life’s ever-changing cycles.

“Porcelain” Moby

Moby may have dominated the late ‘90s and early 2000s electronic music scene, but his song “Porcelain” remains a timeless classic. Great for embracing the colder, back end of fall, “Porcelain” is a charming and refreshing song perfect to reenergize yourself in the cold weather.

“Mrs. Robinson”From ‘The Graduate’ Soundtrack Simon & Garfunkel

As the leaves come down, the fall season always brings back old memories and renews friendships. Similar to fall, this song, which debuted in 1968, takes me back to my parents’ time.

“Don’t Know Why” Norah Jones

It may be a bit on the nose, but this quintessential hit from Jones has been featured in the soundtracks of many 2000s movies and TV shows, like “Maid in Manhattan.” Jones’ soothing vocals and acoustic guitar strums feel like the perfect fall day — changing leaves, a cozy sweater and warm apple cider.

“Apple Cider” beabadoobee

Do I even have to explain this one? Just listen to this on the way to Beak and Skiff and your fall will be complete.

“Hartwell” Shelly

Indie-pop band Shelly’s nostalgic “Hartwell” is the perfect song to accompany the usual mid-semester slump that comes with the transition into fall. Take comfort in Clairo and Claud’s verses as they reflect on missing home.

“Witchy Woman” Eagles

While it feels like almost every Eagles song talks about a witchy woman, no other track captures the same haunting and western vibe as this one. It’s the perfect tune for a cold autumn night, with fog hopping across the grass.

“If We Were Vampires” (Featuring Wesley Schulz) Noah Kahan

This campus is so beautiful that just walking around to clear my head makes me happy.

Kahan and a painful acknowledgement of time passing? The perfect ingredients for an autumn classic. Each fall, I get a wave of nostalgia, a reminder that I’m getting older. But as I crunch leaves in boots during fall walks, Kahan tells me that’s what makes life beautiful. After all, “maybe time running out is a gift.”

Photos by Nathaniel Harnedy and Maxine Brackbill the daily orange
The Daily Orange Culture Staff
Illustrations by Ilana Zahavy and Hannah Mesa the daily orange

SYRACUSE SEASONAL FESTIVALS

Syracuse was home to a range of festivals this summer, from Oktoberfest at Harvey’s Garden to the inaugural BareRoots Music Festival.

Syracuse University Family Weekend Activities at the Setnor School of Music

Enjoy a day of classical music with the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Setnor School of Music. Setnor will showcase a variety of rehearsals and performances on Friday. From a wind ensemble open rehearsal to a performance from Syracuse University Choirs, relish a care-free day with your loved ones.

WHEN : Friday, 12:45 to 9 p.m.

PRICE: Free

WHERE: Locations vary

Send a Note Home

No need to worry if your family can’t come to campus this weekend. Bring a friend and head down to Bird Library, where you can send personalized postcards to family and friends. Hosted by Syracuse University Libraries, make a friend or two at this event.

WHEN : Friday, 4 to 6 p.m.

PRICE: Free

WHERE: Bird Library 1st floor

Chip Leighton Visit

Share a laugh with Chip Leighton, The New York Times best-selling author of “What Time is Noon” and creator of “The Leighton Show” on social media. Best known for sharing his teenagers’ silly texts like, “What time is noon?” and “Do we have Medicaid?” Leighton’s comedy makes it the perfect relatable event for Family Weekend. Seating is first-come, first-served for people with Family Weekend name tags.

WHEN : Friday, 8 p.m.

PRICE: Free WHERE: Schine Student Center, Goldstein Auditorium

SCRC Exhibition Tour of “Architectural Origins: Syracuse University Buildings, 1870-1970”

Interested in SU’s longstanding history? Check out the Special Collections Research Center’s new exhibit tour for “Architectural Origins: Syracuse University Buildings, 18701970.” Curated by University Archivist Meg Mason, the exhibition will showcase photographs, postcards, architectural drawings and more.

WHEN : Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PRICE: Free

WHERE: Bird Library, 6th floor

Tackle Hunger: Salvation Army Food Pantry Fundraiser

Check out the Salvation Army Syracuse Area Service’s Emergency Food Pantry fundraiser before the highly anticipated football game. Located around the JMA Wireless Dome, the fundraiser will only be accepting monetary donations. Every dollar donated will be matched up to $5,000 by The Hayner Hoyt Corporation. Physical food items will not be collected at this fundraiser.

WHEN : Saturday, before noon

PRICE: Monetary donations

WHERE: JMA Wireless Dome

The Syracuse Irish Festival celebrated Irish heritage with musical performances, food and drinks in Clinton Square.
This year’s Art on the Porches brought together generations of community through handmade artworks on the porches of Ruskin Avenue.
On Saturday, 34 weiner dogs raced for glory at Harvey’s Garden’s annual dachshund race.
BareRoots Music Festival showcased paintings and decorated skateboards from local artists.
Scare-A-Con convention brought horror fans together, marking the event’s return to Syracuse after 14 years.
cassie roshu senior staff photographer
zara abiog contributing writer
isabella flores staff photographer
alexander zhiltsov staff photographer
madison cox contributing photographer
gallery

Make the most of Syracuse fall with these off-campus activities

The changing seasons come with a new wave of activities to indulge in. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day trip with fall foods and sights or a thrill-inducing night of Halloween horror, The Daily Orange’s bucket list is the perfect place to start your next fall adventure.

All Things Apple

Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards

A Syracuse staple, Beak and Skiff is a one-stop shop for fall attractions. Stop by the Apple Barn to hand-pick or purchase any of the 15+ varieties of fresh apples. After taking in the orchard, pop into the 1911 Tasting Room & Tavern for a hearty meal paired with a hard cider and live music on select dates. The kids treehouse area makes the attraction family friendly.

In Baldwinsville, just 20 minutes away from Syracuse University, is another charming farm. Abbott Farms’ annual fall festival takes place every weekend until Oct. 26, with fun themes like princess or superhero. Pick your own apples, pumpkins or sunflowers and then shop around the market, which features goods from local farms and companies.

This classic community event showcases local apples, crafters, nonprofit organizations and more. The festival runs Oct. 11 and 12 for its 52nd year. It offers rides, entertainment and fun contests, like an apple pie baking competition.

Reconnecting With Nature

Green Lakes State Park

This New York state park offers gorgeous

“Parents feel comfortable when they come in and see how well-maintained the grounds are, and they feel comfortable leaving the students with us, because that would carry through with how the university is,” Quarantillo said.

Designing a landscape can be meticulous — landscape architecture teams create detailed mockups for the placement of each individual plant. Choosing the right plant for the right place is also a challenge, Bryant said. When planning an area, landscape architects must balance native plants with exotic ones and consider climate. If the wrong plant is in the wrong place, future maintenance will be more difficult. That’s why landscape architecture and landscape maintenance must crossover, Bryant said.

“If a designer doesn’t think about the maintenance part, their vision doesn’t come to reality,” Bryant said.

views of two glacial lakes surrounded by miles of scenic trails and lush forests. Take in the views as the seasons shift and the trees change color. Or, schedule a tee time at the 18-hole golf course.

Skaneateles Lake

One of 11 glacier lakes in the Finger Lake region of New York, Skaneateles Lake is known for its clean water and beautiful scenery, nestled in the quaint town of Skaneateles. Relax on a boat tour and learn about the historic village, then stroll the piers and visit the boutiques, galleries and restaurants downtown.

Take a fall hiking trip in Fillmore Glen State Park’s cool, dense woods. The trails offer spectacular nature views, including five waterfalls and a rich botanical glen. Catch some fish at the Owasco Inlet in the park while you’re there.

Haunted Halloween and History

If you’re looking for a haunted thrill, dare to enter one (or all five) of the houses at this state-of-the-art haunted attraction in an 82,000 square-foot factory. Featured on “USA Today’s Best 20 Haunted Attractions in the Northeast,” Fright Nights offers a variety of scares, with mazes like Penny’s Playhouse or 3D technology set in Lady Lamson’s Cursed Voyage.

Take an eerie trip 30 minutes north of Syracuse to Fulton for a freaky hayride and an indoor maze with jump scares at every corner. Test your limits on the immersive hayride through the sinister woods.

Maintaining the grounds is a detailed process too; Sala said as he drives around campus, he constantly notices things to be addressed. Quarantillo receives around six calls from him a day with concerns, he said, though the grounds manager is sometimes already on his way to fix the issue.

Campus cleanliness is a main point of pride for Sala. The grounds crew picks up trash in the mornings, and a street sweeper cleans up roads and sidewalks overnight once a week.

“When you walk across this campus, there is not a lot of litter on the ground,” Sala said. “We are on it. We go at it hard, and we stay on it all day, and we have a shift at night.”

That hard work pays off, Sala said. He often receives emails from colleagues complimenting him on how the campus looks.

“It’s what you don’t see,” Rose said. “I don’t see ugly brown plants in a place that has snow six months out of the year.”

Though the landscaping team tries to stick to a set schedule, things are susceptible to change quickly as complications and

Spice up your knowledge of New York history by visiting the Haunted History Trail. Spend a night with ghosts at one of the 18 haunted inns, or take a guided tour of historically haunted sights. Take a lantern tour through local neighborhoods to learn more about the latest ghostly discoveries. The tours will take place this month through November on Fridays and Saturdays.

Pumpkin Patches

The Pumpkin Hollow

If you’re looking for pumpkins for all your fall needs, stop by this family-friendly Syracuse staple. Pick your own or grab some pre-picked pumpkins to carve or decorate. After exploring the patch, experience a tractor-pulled hayride and get lost in the corn maze. Finally, indulge in

fresh cider donuts, hot chocolate and more from local shops.

Cicero “Pumkin” Patch

Cicero “Pumkin” Patch offers many pumpkins for decorating, as well as other fall decor, like gourds and cornstalks. Check out its hayride into the woods, with a ghost crossing, a visit from “Mr. Hermit” (the old man of the woods) and more.

Tim’s Pumpkin Patch

With authentic farm activities seven days a week, Tim’s Pumpkin Patch is the perfect fall destination. Besides being another pumpkinpicking spot, the farm offers a hay fort, an animal farm and more. Try some of their specialty bakery goods and seasonal drinks, like pumpkin whoopie pies or an apple cider float. cmzhang@syr.edu

needs pop up, like a broken window or an outdoor event. Every day is different, Quarantillo said.

Amid that quickly moving schedule, Sala encourages his team to slow down. On the first day of classes, he tells them to stop and “watch the world go by” in front of busy places like Hendricks Chapel or Carnegie Library. This way, they act as a resource for new students who might be lost or confused.

The Einhorn Family Walk outside of Schine Student Center used to be a busy road for buses and cars, making it difficult to cross campus, Sala said. In 2016, the road was redesigned into a pedestrian promenade. Now, lined with flower planters and green space; it’s a bustling center for student life.

“I go sit there at noon, right from noon to 1 o’clock, and watch the students walk down that Einhorn Family Walk,” he said. “There was so much pushback when we built that, and I’m telling you right now, that is the greatest thing on this campus.”

cprice04@syr.edu

from page 5 playlist

“Secret Garden”

Bruce Springsteen

If you loved when Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” went viral on TikTok and you’re looking for more of his iconic voice to soundtrack your fall, “Secret Garden” is the perfect next step.

Simon & Garfunkel have always delivered moody and nostalgic tunes. Put in your earbuds and take a stroll outside.

Scan to listen to our full playlist:

culture@dailyorange.com “The Boxer” Simon & Garfunkel

Haunted History Trail of New York State
Fillmore Glen State Park Fright Nights
13th Hour Rising Haunted Hayride
Abbott Farms Lafayette Apple Festival
rené vetter cartoonist
julia english cartoonist
andrew berkman cartoonist
julia rodenberger contributing illustrator

OPINION

Consider humanities’ modern value during Arts & Sciences pauses

Syracuse University’s recent decision to pause 20 majors in the College of Arts and Sciences caught most of my peers and me by surprise. I was sitting in class when my professor told us these majors would no longer be available for incoming applicants and transfers.

After hearing this news, my biggest question was how these programs were chosen to target. Though the university has cited declining enrollment, I don’t feel this is a valid reason to pause their enrollment.

Humanities enrollment has continued to decline over the last ten years in colleges across the country, and lots of universities have cut fundings for these programs.

Enrollment fluctuation is often in response to external factors such as job prospects or parental pressure, and people are less likely to pursue a degree in the arts or languages, especially in a volatile economy, according to The Wall Street Journal.

My classes for my minor in French and Francophone studies only have three faculty members, which is a common theme in other language programs.

Considering how small the program is, it feels personal for it to be paused. It enforces the idea that these studies aren’t valued.

I believe that the faculty and professors care a lot about what they teach, and I see their passion in my classes everyday. I also feel, though, that this decision gives the impression that the largest consideration is numbers on a paper. SU must reconnect with what’s actually important to its students in the broader context of higher education.

Studying the humanities results in a more diverse array of choices upon graduation. It teaches us the ability to think critically, write, read and understand historical and cultural

contexts for whatever industry we choose to pursue down the road. SU must not support this neglectful narrative, or it will only limit the thinking of its students.

Today’s political climate makes humanities more important than ever. The programs under review are the ones that foster connection, understanding and growth. Today, we see a country that prioritizes production, profit and division over such ideas. Censoring topics like African American Studies and language courses will widen this divide.

Middle Eastern studies, Latin-American studies and religion are highly relevant topics to offer, especially for a university that cites

“culture, community and change” as one of its four pillars of distinctive excellence. How can this be one of SU’s values if the university has paused so many programs that seek to teach culture and community?

The rapid shrinking of these programs the university cites is due to disregard, and suspending them only perpetuates this cycle.

SU shouldn’t support the misconception that studying the humanities will force students into a low-value job. Rather, these degrees set you up for more options in the future with a higher return on investment. They build the foundation for more advanced degrees and thus a wider array of high-paying careers, as opposed to a

degree in STEM which can typically only set you up in one domain.

Focusing only on a post-graduation salary continues to promote the idea that higher education is just for job-training, and that the only purpose of pursuing a degree at an institution like SU is to make a larger salary after graduation.

It isn’t reasonable to expect everybody to major in humanities, but these topics are valuable in cultivating knowledge. We must pour more effort into what will make us better people, not just what will make us the most money.

SU needs to stand up for these undervalued programs. Otherwise, they don’t stand a chance in the long run. This only becomes more apparent as finance, engineering and business programs remain untouched.

The point of pursuing higher education is to be taught how to be cultivated citizens. We should get excited about learning and highlighting our connections to the past, present and future. We should care about these topics because even if something like Modern Jewish Studies doesn’t seem pertinent to many students, it is for some. That should matter.

Whether these majors are money-makers or not, they still serve a purpose. They teach us to be well-rounded, well-read people of the world. They teach us things that we would not think to look for otherwise. Language programs and global studies show us how important it is to understand things we otherwise would have no clue about.

SU needs to listen to the concerns of the A&S faculty and its students because our voices matter and the humanities are fundamental to our education, whether we realize it now or not.

Helena Sauriat is a sophomore majoring in anthropology. She can be reached at hrsauria@syr.edu.

Political indifference won’t save you from personal consequences

Most people grow up with a certain moral compass that rings in their ears when they have to make a decision. If you were in a grocery store and a child lost their parent or a neighbor fell outside of their house, you’d do what you could to alleviate their problem. A friend simply needing a favor activates your natural instinct to help others.

This is because you can see the consequences of inaction directly in front of you. The child will be lost without their parent, and your neighbor will continue to be in pain with no help in sight. You’re the person who can make a difference in your community, no matter how small, and you get the satisfaction of visible change.

But in situations where that clear result won’t manifest before you, morality and sense of responsibility disappear. This is especially pertinent in politics.

When people have to decide between candidates during an election or keep up with rapid current events, they face a disconnect. They don’t feel as if they have a purpose in that conflict. Object permanence and sense of responsibility have become a lost cause, which is an incredibly dangerous trend.

I constantly hear people say things like, “I don’t keep up with politics,” or “Both sides are bad.”

You’ve likely heard these phrases from a friend or family member. Maybe you’ve even said them yourself. Typically, this is a result of feeling immune to the effects of political decisions and events.

In the past year, the country saw some major elections, with the biggest being the presidential election. Democratic nominee and former Vice President Kamala Harris competed with President Donald Trump. While the number of voters in this divisive election was large, there was a decrease in voter turnout compared to the 2020 presidential election.

The Tufts University Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement’s estimate of youth voter turnout shows that 2024 had a voter turnout of 47%, falling short of the 2020 election’s record of 50% of all eligible young voters.

From my roles in state and campus politics, I’ve seen the inspiring lengths people

go to make their voices heard. Students who canvass every weekend for what they believe in, rally their friends and families to fight for their vision for the future and engage in peaceful protests across the state. Young political engagement can be a beautiful sight of hope, but it doesn’t negate the growing emotional disconnect I’ve seen firsthand.

I had the luck of being born into the most stereotypical definition of a caring home; my family is one of medics, artists, immigrants, academics and changemakers. That environment taught me one thing that I hope everyone learned in their own way: If I am able to help people, and I deliberately don’t, then I contribute to their hurt.

Of course, there are hundreds of hypotheticals and “what-ifs” that overcomplicate situations into complex logic problems, but that only serves to separate consequence from individual responsibility.

Political indifference is a set choice. The ideology that politics don’t affect you or others is harmful, arrogant and privileged.

As young people and students, we’ve grown up in a society where information is more accessible than ever before. Not knowing the world around you is intentionally choosing naivety and borderline ignorance to the lives of others.

I understand how upsetting the news can be and how tedious it is to keep up with everything going on. It’s difficult to live your life while feeling responsible for things that don’t personally affect you. However, failing to give attention to these issues, regardless of their tangible relevance to your own life, hurts others and yourself.

While ICE raids, losing Medicaid or having food stamps cut may feel far away from Syracuse University for some, that is not the reality for many in this community.

In the past few months, the Big Beautiful Bill closed down hundreds of hospitals across the country in rural areas, creating fatal distances between the injured and their last line of aid. That neighbor who fell now can’t get the care they need in time.

The Supreme Court recently approved a measure to allow ICE agents to stop civilians on the basis of their race. That lost child in the grocery store is only alone because their parent was taken from them for being a color other than white.

When factors like these complicate the situation, many feel the urge to step back. But your ability to help extends beyond physical proximity and convenience. You can’t just deem real effects irrelevant because you don’t feel them.

I agree that both political parties have issues, but the argument that both sides are bad is a complex way to rationalize your indifference to others’ lives. It’s merely a justification not to put effort toward awareness or change.

And your indifference will eventually affect you, too. By failing to keep up with the world around you and using your right to vote, those who thrive on misinformation and disinterest gain more power. Media censorship, military occupation and political retribution are all the result of mass voter indifference and will affect every American in due time.

Especially as a student, there’s the entire landscape of academia under direct attack. With

the federal government threatening to hold funding from universities that don’t push their preferred ideologies, you’ll continue to see your rights as a student dwindle.

While it’s difficult to keep up with today’s political climate, it’s still a choice you get to make. Getting involved doesn’t have to be as daunting as it feels. It can be something small, like engaging in a peaceful protest, attending a political organization’s meeting or simply reading the newspaper once a day.

Politics doesn’t have to be an elitist game with boundaries of understanding. In this country, we have an incredible system that puts the power of choice in your hands. We may not always feel that power, but it will always be there.

joe zhao senior staff photographer
khloe scalise contributing illustrator

How would I fit in with the team? What will it be like being away from home?

Then Collins saw Chestnut. Precious remembers Chestnut approaching Collins and dapping him up. Her son’s face lit up. She realized he’d be alright.

It wasn’t Collins’ first time experiencing a recruiting process. He was the No. 15 quarterback in the 2023 class and the ninth-best player in Louisiana. But he initially committed to Purdue in October of his junior campaign.

Later in his junior year, the hometown Tigers began to heavily pursue Collins. LSU’s campus is 10 minutes from his home. He had already built a fan base through his stardom at Woodlawn High School, where he was coached by former LSU quarterback Marcus Randall. Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly and then-quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan even came to Woodlawn to meet Collins.

It all made too much sense. Collins flipped to LSU.

“In Baton Rouge, everybody wants to be the hometown hero and go play for LSU,” said Roy Brackins III, Collins’ former teammate at Woodlawn and one of his best friends. “It was a no-brainer.”

Once Collins enrolled with the Tigers, he was enthralled in an echo chamber of elite quarterbacks. A mural in LSU’s quarterback room displays the university’s top signal callers. Bert Jones. Joe Burrow. Daniels was added after his historic season. LSU 2024 backup AJ Swann said the wall sets the standard for the unit, constantly pushing them to uphold it.

Daniels was the elder statesman, taking Collins — the youngest of five quarterbacks — under his wing. Chestnut said Collins was “on Daniels’ hip” daily. Precious added that Collins spent most Sundays during the 2023 season watching NFL games at Daniels’ place. She also formed a friendship with Daniels’ mother, Regina Jackson.

While mentoring Collins, Daniels became the best quarterback in the country. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders, where he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year and led Washington to the NFC Championship game.

“He taught me a lot about how to carry myself, how to be a pro,” Collins said. “It’s his

went 17-2 during the regular season before advancing to the Final Four, falling to No. 1 seed North Carolina. Bradley said Manley played a key reserve role, sidling in and out of the starting lineup while playing in the midfield and on the backline.

Off the field, it was more of a struggle. Being away from home weighed on Manley, and Bradley said she even considered transferring to Division II Millersville, a small public university less than an hour away from Warwick.

In the end, Manley stuck with the Orange.

“Alyssa will be the first one to say it’s not about her,” Bradley said. “She has and had a really great support system around her, in her family, her teammates and her coaches.”

Her teammates Jess Jecko and Emma Russell were part of that support system. As roommates in Shaw Hall, the three quickly grew close as freshmen. After one away game, the three returned to Shaw to find a plate of donuts in the dorm lounge.

The three gobbled them down without hesitation, leaving before anyone caught them.

“We just attacked them. We had powdered sugar all over our faces,” Manley said while laughing. “It was just all the stuff that we would do together as teammates.”

Jecko said that eating the donuts led to their relationship blossoming. That bond ultimately helped power SU’s national championship three years later. As freshmen, the three dreamed weekly of winning that title together, pretending to be interviewed after each game.

“It was something we visualized for years and spoke about for years, and when times were hard, the three of us came back together and thought about why we were doing this,” Russell said. “We didn’t shy away from our dreams at all, and we were always there to push each other.”

The following year, the three became more inseparable. They continued to live together and also grew close with Sack, who graduated a year after the trio and roomed with them during her visit.

Sack recalled how comfortable she felt with the trio and said it was the first time she felt “truly at home” at a school. She hadn’t spoken to many people on any of her other visits, but she immediately opened up after Manley offered her a bowl of Kraft Easy Mac following a tough day at a clinic. The two bonded while sharing the bowl, marking the start of their close friendship.

“The three of them are like the three horsemen of field hockey to me,” Sack said. “To play with them, I feel like it totally changed my hockey trajectory as an individual.”

demeanor, how mature he was and how he went about his business.”

The two remain close, though they don’t have much time to hang out in person anymore. Collins has joined Daniels in California multiple times for offseason workouts. Collins’ quarterbacks coach, Wyatt Davis, sees similarities in their play styles, both pocket passers with the ability to scramble when plays break down. Though their bond stretches beyond the field.

“That is my little brother,” Daniels wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange. “Our relationship is a little brother, big brother and I’m rooting for him.”

Once Daniels moved on to the NFL, Nussmeier became LSU’s starter, and the Tigers added Swann from Vanderbilt to bolster the room. Nussmeier’s precision in the pocket earned him the job, giving Collins a different style to learn from.

The LSU quarterback climbed draft boards after his first season as a starter but decided to use his fifth year of eligibility rather than turn to the NFL. As Nussmeier weighed his options, Swann said the three quarterbacks stayed in contact. Both Swann and Collins, who had planned to make their decision based on Nussmeier’s, entered the transfer portal after he chose to stay put.

Precious said Collins spoke with Appalachian State, while Davis knows of two other Atlantic Coast Conference schools that were in the mix. But Collins had his eyes set on Syracuse.

In December, Brown met with Collins for two days straight. He then talked with Collins over the phone, along with Precious and others from Baton Rouge. Brown felt Collins could fit into SU’s culture, but made it clear he had to compete and nothing was promised, Collins said.

As Collins and his family mulled over a lifealtering decision, they turned to their faith. Precious said she asked God for a sign. A few days later, she was shopping at Target in Baton Rouge when she noticed something peculiar in the sports section. There were the usuals. The New Orleans Saints. LSU. Southern University at New Orleans. But at the end of the rack sat a pile of navy Syracuse shirts.

“I sent the picture to Rickie, and I’m like, ‘This might be God,’” Precious said.

Collins benefited from attending college in his hometown. Swann said Collins bonded with other players from Louisiana in the locker room. George

With Sack in the fold, Manley and Syracuse put together another strong regular season. Carrying lofty expectations after their Final Four appearance, Michigan State stunned the Orange in the first round. Manley took the loss personally, telling her coach that she needed the offseason to reset.

“Angie, I’m sort of burned out,” Manley told her. “I’m not having fun. I’m going to go to Ireland. I’ll play, and it doesn’t mean I don’t like hockey, but I just need a break, and I’ll be ready when the season comes along.”

As a former player herself at Delaware, Bradley understood where Manley was coming from. She trusted that the time spent in Ireland, where Manley still lives today, would help her development ahead of the following season.

“She never let the highs get too high and the lows get too low,” Bradley said. “I think a lot of today’s athletes could learn from her quite a bit in how failure can be success if I keep working and believing in myself.”

That year, a reinvigorated Manley led Syracuse to the 2014 National Championship game. Jecko said it was an emotional season, as Manley battled what she described as an ankle that wasn’t broken but “might as well have been” while Russell played with a broken nose.

Still nursing her ankle, Manley scored the sudden-death winner in a shootout during Syracuse’s Final Four matchup with North Carolina, setting the Orange up to face UConn in the final. When Syracuse lost in a narrow 1-0 defeat, Jecko said the team had mixed feelings.

“It hurt really bad, but also, we were extremely proud of the program, because it

Hamsley, who was an LSU quarterback in 2023, added that Collins knew all the good food spots around town and had family throughout Tiger Stadium on game days.

Precious estimated that Collins came home “almost every day.” If he was feeling down, his family became an easy outlet to fall back on. He even boiled crawfish at home from time to time, a Louisiana staple.

He’s a long way from Baton Rouge now. Nearly 1,500 miles. Yet he still carries his hometown with him. In spring 2023, when he enrolled early with the Tigers, Collins got the word “Louisianimal” tattooed along his left shin.

“I pride myself on showing and constantly representing where I’m from and putting on for the boot,” Collins said. “That’s who I am, and I was born and raised. Obviously, I loved it so much I stayed for two more years. So (I) just try to carry those traditions, that swagger, that confidence with me wherever I go in the world.”

Collins is figuring out life by himself. He’s now focusing on the basics: buying groceries and cleaning his house. While simple tasks, they’ve helped him mature.

“I’m more on my own now,” Collins said. “It’s giving more of a professional feel, carrying myself the right way. Taking care of myself the right way.”

He was treated like a professional on the football field, too. Collins was named SU’s starting quarterback in the spring but raised question marks after not playing in the spring game due to a right-hand injury. Then, top Syracuse wide receiver Trebor

Peña transferred to Penn State after expressing concerns about playing with a first-time starter.

The Orange brought in Angeli from Notre Dame, creating an open competition in fall camp. At Syracuse’s annual pre-camp burning of the shoe, Collins tossed in his cleats from when he injured his hand in practice. The ritual represents clearing the past and starting fresh.

Collins had the upper hand with time but ultimately lost the competition to Angeli. Instead of transferring or sulking, Collins kept working and supported Angeli. He’s gradually earned his time to shine.

Collins’ first game action for SU came against Colgate, where he began noticeably shaky and threw an interception on his first drive. But he settled in and threw a touchdown soon after.

Then, against Clemson in Death Valley, Angeli went down near the end of the third quarter and couldn’t put weight on his left leg. Collins said it hurt to see Angeli in pain, as the two had grown close.

Still, he needed to close the game. After an incompletion, Collins delivered a pass to Justus Ross-Simmons for a touchdown. The score put the Orange up by 20 and helped seal the road victory. Collins is too busy to be shooting hoops with Chestnut at this point. He has much more important things on his plate. In Brown’s second season, the Orange are raising their national status each week. Collins is suddenly at the forefront.

amstepan@syr.edu @AidenStepansky

was the first time we ever went to the national championship,” Jecko said. “ We knew that we’d be back.”

That offseason, Manley took her mind off the loss by playing for the United States in the Pan Am games, scoring the game-winner in the semifinal en route to a gold medal.

After claiming gold, Manley refocused on her goal of becoming a national champion at Syracuse. With another year of development, Manley and the Orange were poised to do what they couldn’t in 2014.

“After we lost that national championship game the year before, we watched them celebrate,” Jecko said. “Seeing another team celebrate and win a national championship, you don’t really need much motivation after that to go back in 2015 and win it all.”

It all came together that year. The three led Syracuse to an undefeated regular season, with Manley acting as the heartbeat of its midfield. The only loss they suffered was in the ACC Tournament to North Carolina.

Syracuse then set out to exorcise its demons from 2014. First, it downed UConn in the Final Four. Next was a rematch with the Tar Heels in the title game. But Manley and the Orange weren’t satisfied.

“They just had this quiet perseverance,” Bradley said. “It was like the little trains who could. They just kept believing and kept growing.”

It had snowed 18 inches the night before the championship. Despite the frigid conditions, Syracuse’s offense started hot, heading into the second half with a 2-0 lead.

Even when North Carolina equalized, the Orange remained calm. Manley said the team huddled up to reset, and they came out determined to stop the Tar Heels.

Three minutes later, Syracuse had reclaimed its two-goal lead. The clock finally hit zero. It’d finally done it.

National champions.

“We believed so much in ourselves that we would do it,” Manley said. “It was just something that we wouldn’t leave Syracuse without winning. That wasn’t an option for us.”

After the win, Manley embraced Jecko and Russell at midfield, celebrating with her teammates after years of ups and downs.

“It’s still one of the best days of my life,” Russell said. “When we were flying back to Syracuse, I think that’s the moment it really hit. I distinctly remember getting off the plane, walking back through the terminal holding the trophy, and people started clapping and cheering us on.”

That summer, Manley rejoined the United States field hockey team for the 2016 Olympics, where the squad placed fifth in Rio de Janeiro. Manley had to defer her spring semester to join the team, missing out on graduating with Jecko and Russell. But the risk paid off. She received her diploma the following spring. When she finally walked across the stage, a year after Jecko and Russell, she did it as a national champion, a Pan Am gold medalist and an Olympian.

“It was weird not being there with Emma and Jess, getting photos on (J.S. Coyne Stadium) with them and getting to celebrate,” Manley said. “Missing out on that kind of stuff was definitely bittersweet, but I was cheering for them from Lancaster, far away.”

Now, a decade later, Manley will be reunited with the 2015 team, the program’s top squad ever. The players remain inseparable. Whether it’s through weddings or just catching up over a meal, the bonds they formed 10 years ago are still as strong as they were when they were created. Perhaps even stronger.

Manley was at the forefront of that trend. Without them, Manley said, she never would have accomplished everything that she did. While she’s glad to have forged an individual legacy with her jersey retirement, she said the entire team is what made winning the national championship special.

“I’m really honored that they selected to retire my jersey,” Manley said. “It was a team effort in the end, so I’m really happy that it’s been honored along with the 2015 team because I think what we accomplished as a team is incredible.”

rickie collins stayed home for college at LSU. After two years, he transferred to SU, where he’s now starting quarterback. lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer
Alyssa Manley’s No. 5 jersey will be retired Friday after cementing her legacy with Syracuse field hockey. courtesy of jess jecko, katherine sotelo daily orange file photo

Sally Rutherford’s Olympic resume prompted SU promotion

When Syracuse had a vacant coaching job entering the 2023 season, assistant coach Sam Brown thought of a familiar face: Sally Rutherford. Rutherford was 10,000 miles away in New Zealand, but it didn’t matter.

SU needed a coach with goalkeeping expertise, and Brown said Rutherford was the perfect candidate. He’d previously coached her in the mid-2010s with the Midlands, a New Zealandbased field hockey club. She moved a 17-hour plane ride away.

“The fit was natural, and Sal was a bit of an adventurer, so she was happy to jump on the plane and make the most of it,” Brown said.

Rutherford has been a field hockey connoisseur since she was 5. She played on numerous club squads and earned a spot on New Zealand’s national team, where she helped it finish fourth in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

After her success back home, Brown’s call led her to an assistant coaching gig at Syracuse. So far in 2025, she’s helped SU’s goalies — Tane King and Jessie Eiselin — stand out at the Division I level. So far allowing just over one goal per game.

Because of field hockey’s competitiveness in New Zealand, Rutherford’s emergence onto the national stage was slightly delayed. She played the sport through high school. It wasn’t until a call from Mark Hager, the New Zealand women’s national team coach, that her career took off.

Hager’s message was clear: come to a few training sessions and she’d make the national team.

After the sessions, Rutherford’s dream became a reality.

“It’s an amazing thing to be able to challenge yourself with a group of players and travel the world and really achieve quite a big thing,” Rutherford said.

The news came not long after Rutherford was away in Maryland playing lacrosse for New Zealand at the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup. She suited up for the Black Sticks, New Zealand’s national field hockey team, just a few days later.

passionate about the game and it’s awesome to have a coach like that.”

The early steps of McIntyre’s SU tenure were far from pretty. In 2010, his first season at the helm, he won just two games. He only increased that tally by one the following season. But even through its struggles, former defender Ryan Tessler felt Syracuse competed in every game.

That’s because McIntyre was never content, former goalie Alex Bono (2012-14) said. He made it clear the expectation was to win instantly.

Tessler (2010-12) and Skylar Thomas (201114) said McIntyre rebuilt the program from scratch. His 2010 roster mostly consisted of freshmen and transfers like Tessler and Jordan Murrell. McIntyre knew the group would take time to develop but believed it’d “escape the mud” quickly, Tessler said.

McIntyre sparked SU’s turnaround by making its training competitive, per Thomas. In scrimmages, workouts and fitness tests — literally any time the team was together — McIntyre awarded points to the best players to make everyone fight harder for each rep. The changes paid off with a Sweet 16 berth in 2012.

“Having three wins is not something to hang your hat on, and he was never satisfied with that,” Bono said. “He was adamant that the program was going to turn around rather quickly.”

SU’s gaffer has always been uber-prepared in his recruiting. Former Syracuse defender Max Kent (2020-21) said McIntyre outlined a specific plan for his time with the program. When McIntyre recruited Cutler-DeJesus out of the transfer portal, he mentioned the Marist transfer’s own goal in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Championship during a call, displaying the coach’s dedication.

Betz also wanted to make a strong impression in his first in-person meeting with McIntyre in September 2019. So, he wrote a detailed report about each player in Syracuse’s previous 0-0 tie with Louisville. He then woke up at 7:30 a.m. and made his way to Bruegger’s Bagels to meet the coach. McIntyre listened to it all intently, ensuring Betz he’d chosen the right school.

“He will go to the ends of the earth to find the talent that he wants to have on the pitch,” Kent said. “He’ll go recruit from Sweden, Costa Rica, a (Junior College) in nowheresville to find people.”

McIntyre’s personalized pitches were just the start. He helped develop many overlooked recruits into stars.

Rutherford served as New Zealand’s reserve goalie in the 2012 London Olympics, where it finished fourth. Four years later, the team won another fourth-place finish in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“When you look back on it statistically, it was actually quite an amazing achievement for a country of our size to achieve that in the world of hockey,” Rutherford said.

Yet that experience was just the beginning of the future coach’s rise to goalkeeping expertise. At the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Rutherford and New Zealand captured a gold medal after winning bronze in 2014.

But Rutherford was unsure of her next step, as the COVID-19 pandemic hindered her future with the Black Sticks.

Since Brown was already in the United States, beginning his coaching tenure at James Madison in 2019, he sought goalies in New Zealand who could play for the Dukes.

On the phone with Brown, where the two spoke about players, Rutherford inquired about possible coaching opportunities. The pandemic dashed her initial hopes of coming to the U.S., but she was just one call away in 2023.

Since joining SU in 2023, she’s been an integral part of the team, which has made consecutive

NCAA Tournament appearances. It’s currently the No. 6 team in the country, propelled by Eiselin’s and King’s dominance.

“(Rutherford) knows what it’s like to play at a high level, so she can understand our struggles,” King said. “But she can also give us really good advice, whether it’s our communication styles or just our technical skills and saves.”

Hager routinely told Rutherford to get “comfortable with being uncomfortable” during games with the Black Sticks, pushing her to her limit. SU’s assistant coach has relayed the same message to her team.

Rutherford also preaches the importance of communication between the goalkeeping unit, another piece of advice Hager emphasized in New Zealand.

“I will push the girls, but I will let them know they have my full support if they make mistakes while they’re trying to do something at 110%,” Rutherford said.

When Syracuse was tied 1-1 against thenNo. 13 Ohio State on Sept. 7, King and Eiselin helped propel the Orange to a double-overtime victory by making multiple game-saving stops in goal. But their ability to hold steady in a nailbiter stemmed from Rutherford’s past in highpressure environments.

Robinson has become an MLS veteran at FC Cincinnati, Tajon Buchanan (2017-18) has recently broken out for Villarreal and Kamal Miller (2015-18) has excelled alongside him for the Canadian National Team.

Miller, who also plays in the MLS for the Portland Timbers, said McIntyre helped him acclimate to the pros quickly by handing him 25 starts as a freshman.

“When I got to the pro level, I didn’t feel like a rookie. I just felt like another player on the team,” Miller said. “I was able to put all of these big money players in the right positions so we can succeed.”

McIntyre’s dedication helped SU rebound from its disastrous start, with the Orange stitching together five straight 10-plus win seasons from 2012-16.

That’s when McIntyre finally started to gain respect as SU’s head coach, Robinson said.

“It’s hard to beat someone who is prepared for everything,” said Michal Gradus, who played under McIntyre from 2021-24. “(Cristiano) Ronaldo is one of the best players because of his dedication, and I think Mac is the same where he looks at everything as a challenge and doesn’t take anything lightly.”

McIntyre was thrust into the spotlight throughout Syracuse’s 2022 campaign.

His Day 1 tirade kick-started the run. From then on, everyone wanted to prove McIntyre wrong, Betz said. They even adopted a motto to show their belief: “It was always us.”

McIntyre has always empowered his players with speeches. He once snapped his whiteboard in two when SU was losing at halftime, Bono said. Gradus and Betz agreed he was one of the best speakers they’ve ever seen.

In 2022, McIntyre emphasized that Syracuse just needed to steal a seat at the table where all the other ranked squads resided.

Before one home game later that season, McIntyre grabbed some grass from SU Soccer Stadium and hurled it into the locker room to emphasize that Syracuse needed to defend its home turf, former SU midfielder Lorenzo Bosselli (2022-23) said.

Bosselli said it sent a stern message: Win at all costs.

“After the meeting, we all looked at each other like, ‘What in that world just happened?’” Bosselli said. “He sends these messages very well, making you feel like, ‘Okay, let’s go win this game. There’s no other option.’”

The Orange did. Despite its preseason underdog status, Syracuse entered the 2022 playoffs at a scalding 11-2-4, outscoring its opponents 33-10.

“She kept both of us in the game. Any question I had, I’d go to her,” King said of how Rutherford coaches her and Eiselin. “She was right there with me.”

Rutherford mentioned that even though she’s not padded up on gamedays, it’s “incredibly rewarding” to see her players achieve similar success to hers.

She admits there are times when she wants to be on the field, but she doesn’t lose her connection by being on the sideline. While the adjustment to coaching took a few years, Rutherford enjoys being back in a centralized, full-time hockey environment with the Orange.

Her creativity has also paved a smooth transition to coaching. To add resistance to the goalkeepers, Rutherford has them wear elastic bands around their waists to mimic a game environment in practices. Additionally, Rutherford has incorporated new obstacles into training, helping King and Eiselin adapt to numerous in-game situations.

Last fall, Rutherford put on hockey pads and entered the cage with them. Occasionally, she’ll smack balls around with Brown during practice, but her main focus is consistent: applying what she’s learned to help the goalies.

“Her understanding of performance standards is huge,” Brown said. “The position of goalkeeping is hard; there’s only one that can be on the field at any point in time. So there’s a natural competition within competitive people for that one spot.”

Rutherford’s impact on Syracuse’s goalie tandem has been monumental. An NCAA Tournament win over Liberty in 2023. The third-fewest goals allowed in the Atlantic Coast Conference last year. A smooth transition for Eiselin and King this year.

But without a call from across the world and a strong relationship with Brown, Rutherford may have never moved into coaching.

“We’re a team that’s aspiring to be at the top in our sport, and competitors like Sal drive that fire on the sideline,” Brown said.

sabrod@syr.edu @spencerbrod20

Gradus said the surge to McIntyre’s signature press defense, which constantly forced turnovers. No one wanted to play the Orange because they knew they’d go home battered, bruised and oftentimes losers, Gradus added.

It was an unusual style for a college program. When SU traveled to England after the season, Bosselli remembers teams there being surprised at Syracuse’s aggressiveness.

The tactic guided SU through the ACC Tournament, as it downed then-No. 18 Clemson to claim the conference title. Four wins later, Syracuse found itself in the national championship game versus then-No. 13 Indiana.

The Orange were ready for the moment.

After ending regulation tied at 2-2, the game went to a penalty shootout. Betz said he felt everything went Syracuse’s way. Julius Rauch’s successful penalty was called back? No problem. He calmly buried his second attempt. Levonte Johnson’s howitzer banged off the crossbar and barely bounced in. Following Russell Shealy’s clutch save in the shootout, Amferny Sinclair slotted the gamewinner into the top right corner.

Everyone went crazy. Except McIntyre.

While players and fans stormed the field, the head coach remained stoic. It was like he’d won any other game. Sjöberg said that’s because winning was simply the standard. McIntyre turned toward the crowd, clapped a few times, then went to console Indiana’s players.

But in SU’s locker room afterward, his emotions emerged. McIntyre beamed with pride as the feeling settled in. He’d finally reached the top.

“It wasn’t Coach Mac anymore. It was Ian McIntyre,” Betz said. “Seeing him live in the moment for just two, three minutes and understanding what he just accomplished was an amazing feeling.”

Syracuse’s title was a culmination of years of hard work.

After a subpar 2021 season, McIntyre realized the team’s chemistry was off. So, he talked with captain Noah Singelmann to push it in the right direction, Gradus said.

They decided to hold more team meals together, implementing a strict no-phone rule so the players could bond. That extended to Thanksgiving. Sjöberg said players lived by the mantra “good teams eat on Thanksgiving,” not only because it meant they’d made the playoffs, but they knew everyone would go to McIntyre’s for dinner.

McIntyre also started a leadership group, selecting six players across all grade levels to represent their classes. It helped younger

players who’d rather report issues to those their age instead of older captains. The group met once a week to iron out any problems that arose.

The strategies worked to perfection. Betz said after practices and meetings in 2022, no one wanted to leave, spending hours in the locker room playing card and trivia games.

“We would have died for each other that year,” Betz said. “It didn’t matter if you were somebody who didn’t even really have a chance of stepping on the field, the guys loved each other.”

Everyone gave their all, no matter their role on the team. That’s because McIntyre played whoever he needed to win, regardless of class or experience, Tessler said.

That strategy panned out in Syracuse’s Final Four matchups with Creighton and Indiana. Despite averaging 23 minutes in his 11 previous games, McIntyre slotted in defender Jackson Glenn to neutralize both opponents’ top threats because he excelled in one-on-one duels.

Glenn was dealt the biggest task of his career in the biggest games of the season. On many teams, the move would’ve backfired. But because Glenn remained locked in through his time on the bench, he seamlessly handled his assignment.

“If you started one game, that wasn’t gonna mean you were going to start the next game,” Tessler said. “(McIntyre) would always put players on the field that he felt would help win the game.”

Across McIntyre’s 16 years with Syracuse, he’s built an “Orange family,” Bono said. Former players often tune into games. Thomas even drove 13 hours from Toronto to North Carolina for the 2022 ACC Tournament, and Bono streamed the national championship from the Bahamas.

That dedication stems from McIntyre. The coach has hit both the highs and lows at Syracuse. He’s won a national title. And now, he stands alone as the program’s greatest coach of all time.

With his Orange family at his side, his former protégés believe he’s finally made Syracuse his home.

“He didn’t consider himself a full-on Syracuse man,” Bosselli said. “But I’m pretty sure he’s gonna tell you that now Syracuse is home for him.”

Assistant Sports Editor Harris Pemberton contributed reporting to this article. njnussba@syr.edu

from page 16
mcintyre
Despite the 10,000-mile journey, Sally Rutherford is using her Olympic playing experience to morph SU’s goalies into stars. courtesy of su athletics

Steve Angeli’s ‘main obstacle is to be patient,’ per surgeon

Steve Angeli laid on the Memorial Stadium turf with both hands on his helmet. He grimaced in pain as athletic trainers tended to the calf and ankle area of his left leg.

Seconds earlier, Angeli had tried to scramble out of the pocket before collapsing to the ground. He had already suffered a first-quarter scare but got up under his own power.

This time, he didn’t. Angeli couldn’t put any weight on his leg as trainers carried him off the field.

A non-contact injury like Angeli’s had the makings of a torn Achilles. The quick grab of the calf, the painful nature and the inability to put weight on it spelled doom. At that moment, it was hard not to assume the worst. After Syracuse’s 34-21 win over Clemson, Fran Brown said Angeli would “be out a few weeks.”

However, Syracuse’s worst fears were confirmed Sunday when ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Angeli tore his Achilles, sidelining him for the season. It’s one of the toughest injuries in sports due to its severity and lengthy recovery time.

The Daily Orange spoke with Dr. Nicola Maffulli, a renowned Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, about the nature of the injury, the surgical repair, the rehab process and the post-injury outlook.

Here’s what he had to say:

The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the human body, Maffulli said. He said it can sustain up to 17 times someone’s body weight, meaning Angeli — who weighs 212 pounds — can withstand nearly 4,000 pounds of pressure.

Maffulli added that when the tendon ruptures, it’s likely there were “gigantic changes” that the patient is unaware of, which is the most common occurrence.

“Typically, the injury occurs because the ankle muscles are subjected to what is called an eccentric force,” Mafulli said. “So the calf muscles contract while the tendons are lengthening. You can imagine that an enormous force is generated in this case, and at this stage, the Achilles tendon snaps.”

Over the past two years, National Football League quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson and Kirk Cousins have all torn their Achilles. In just the last two weeks, running backs Austin Ekeler (Washington Commanders) and Najee Harris (Los Angeles Chargers) have suffered the same injury.

It’s become increasingly common in other

sports. National Basketball Association standouts like Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard all experienced the same fate during the Playoffs, causing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to investigate the issue.

Achilles injuries are often marked by a visible pop. That happened to Haliburton when he suffered the injury during Game 7 of the NBA Finals this season. It was also clear when Kevin Durant went down during the 2019 Finals. When Angeli dropped down on Saturday, the telltale sign wasn’t there.

“Some people report that they feel as if they’ve been kicked at the back of their ankle, and they hear a crackling whip,” Maffulli said.

“The classical thing is that either they’re trying to push off or they’re landing from a jump and unfortunately, both of them are fairly common occurrences in American football,” he added.

Angeli announced on social media Tuesday that he underwent surgery to repair his torn Achilles. Maffulli explained multiple types of procedures can be done.

In North America, the surgery varies. There are open techniques, which use large incisions to look at the Achilles tendon before it’s stitched back up. Others use the park device, or an Achillion device, a suture-guiding system designed to repair the tendon.

Post-surgery, patients are placed in a cast for a few weeks and then in a boot afterward. Once the cast is removed, Maffulli said the rehabilitation process begins with simple ankle rotations. Avoiding ankle pulls early in rehab is crucial, since overstretching can weaken the tendon.

“The thing nowadays, physical therapy is taskbased, not time-based. So if you want to regain a good thing, good motion, especially the subtalar, join the joint below the ankle, which allows the foot to move in and out,” Mafulli said. “Especially in American football, where (players) are very hard and fast and frequent, change of direction is very crucial to develop that particular motion back.”

Maffulli explained that isometric training is important to recover, which can involve seated calf raises and resistance band exercises.

By three months — when the tendon starts to mature — plyometric exercises of the calf muscles are introduced.

Angeli won’t be able to run for at least four months, but if everything goes right, he can return to the field in six months, according to Maffulli. The timeline aligns with Brown’s assessment of Angeli, indicating that the goal is for Angeli to be ready for Syracuse’s 2026 spring practices or soon after.

“The major obstacle is to be patient,” Maffulli said. “You need to give time to your Achilles tendon and to heal all the muscles around there to readapt to high-level playing now.”

Coming back from an Achilles injury as a quarterback is an interesting proposition. Angeli injured his left leg, which he plants on. While he’ll continue to apply pressure to that leg when he returns to the field, Maffulli said only about 5% of patients re-injure themselves.

Performance-wise, Rodgers (39 at the time of injury) and Cousins (36) came back with mixed results. Rodgers threw for nearly 4,000 yards last season with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, although the New York Jets finished 5-12. Cousins struggled, tossing 16 interceptions in 14 games for the Atlanta Falcons before getting benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr.

It’s difficult to speculate on Angeli’s performance post-injury. It’s a rare occurrence at the college level. Thomas Sirk did it while at Duke in 2016 and transferred to East Carolina for his last season of eligibility. He threw for less than 2,000 yards with as many touchdowns (nine) as interceptions.

Angeli’s performance may be dictated by his rehab, Maffulli said. If that goes well, rehab often provides a baseline for athletes to build upon. Studies show that even 10 years after an Achilles tear, some people who think their leg is fine experience a strength deficit — though that’s not always the case, Maffulli said.

“On the other hand, some of the studies we published showed that people who really took it seriously and were absolutely committed to recovering, their strength on the injured side was actually higher than on the normal side,” Maffulli said.

Angeli has a long road to recovery. Questions will be asked about whether the quarterback can return to his pre-injury level of performance. But that can’t be answered until the spring, when Angeli likely will be back on the football field. zakwolf784254@gmail.com @ZakWolf22

SU’s DBs pack a punch: ‘We’re going to hit you in your mouth’

For Syracuse’s secondary, missing a tackle in a game means suffering Fran Brown’s wrath in the film room. Since Brown was a defensive backs coach at Power Four programs like Georgia and Rutgers, sophomore safety Braheem Long Jr. said putting a whiffed tackle on tape is the last thing he and his teammates want to do.

The head coach, who’s simultaneously SU’s defensive backs coach, ups the ante on the position group he knows best. If any cornerbacks or safeties don’t meet Brown’s standard — playing physical, knowing your assignments, tackling with good form — they’ll hear about it in front of the team on Monday morning.

“You won’t tackle like that if you don’t practice like that,” Long said, mimicking a critique from Brown.

This Monday, however, Brown beamed when going over the film from the Orange’s 34-21 win over Clemson. Brown showed Long’s fourthand-2 tackle on Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik to end the third quarter. The safety charged downhill from the box and, as the only person standing between Klubnik and a first down, brought him down for no gain.

It was one of Clemson’s four failed fourthdown conversions. Those types of plays happened early and often in the back end for Syracuse.

“Everybody in the secondary really sets the tone, nobody wants to miss tackles,” Long said. “We’re going to hit you in your mouth. That’s it.”

Syracuse’s (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) secondary is Brown’s baby. His defensive backs reflect their head coach’s desire to implement a physical brand of football atw SU. In an age where some say defensive backs have become divas relative to their positional counterparts, the Orange are turning back the clock with a hard-hitting, selfless playstyle in their secondary.

Many of them play all over the secondary. Many of them grade extremely high as tacklers,

per Pro Football Focus. And many of them are sophomores or younger.

In a year where inexperience was the major red flag for Syracuse’s defensive backs, their physicality and schematic execution show they’re more mature than their ages.

“We’ve got a long way to go from what we wanted to look like, what we all envisioned it looking like, but I think every week they’re getting better and I’m proud of them,” Brown said of SU’s secondary. “The standard is consistently rising. So we’re excited.”

Of Syracuse’s seven defensive backs who’ve logged over 100 snaps through four games, five are sophomores or younger. Despite such a youthful nucleus, PFF currently grades SU’s pass coverage at an 81.6 mark, ranking fourth among ACC teams. It also has three defensive backs who boast tackling grades above 80, helping the Orange hold the third-best tackling grade in the ACC at 80.9.

Seventeen-year-old freshman cornerback Demetres Samuel Jr. and redshirt sophomore corner Chris Peal spearhead the group. Samuel leads the nation with seven pass breakups and is tied for Syracuse’s team-high with 15 solo tackles. Peal, in his first year as a No. 1 cornerback after transferring from Georgia, has only allowed 14 receptions on 27 targets and has recorded an excellent 79.8 rush defense grade, per PFF.

Long said Peal’s physicality helped bring a new energy to SU’s defensive backs; he remembers the cornerback delivering some violent hits in spring ball that put the rest of the secondary on notice. As for Samuel — whose PFF tackling grade sits at 89.5 — safeties like Long feel comfortable leaving the freshman alone on a receiver, Long said.

“When that boy Demetres is in there, I can trust him on an island,” Long said. “It’s great to have him out there and Chris as well. It makes my job easier being able to stop the run and read the quarterback.”

In the offseason, questions arose about how Syracuse’s secondary would adjust after seeing

a mass exodus via the transfer portal. True freshman cornerback Marcellus Barnes Jr. bolted to SMU. Defensive backs Jaeden Gould and Jayden Bellamy both left SU for UCF. Much like their pass rush heading into this year, the Orange didn’t have much time to rebuild.

But under second-year defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, Syracuse is seeing its future stars in the secondary make plays right now.

Long, a rotational piece last season, has grabbed one of SU’s three picks in 2025 and leads the team with two sacks. Cornerback Davien Kerr, a fellow sophomore, tallied a game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter versus Clemson. Redshirt sophomore safety Cornell Perry has registered a solid 72.0 pass coverage grade in a career-high 175 snaps. And Samuel, well, he’s done it all.

else. To know multiple spots just helps you play better within the scheme.”

Peal, along with Grant and senior safety Duce Chestnut, leads the veteran portion of SU’s secondary. Though Peal is just a redshirt sophomore, his Southeastern Conference experience and vocal command over the Orange’s corners give him the qualities of an elder statesman, while Grant and Chestnut have provided consistency with steady performances each week.

Those three were among the first to hold their teammates accountable for SU’s seasonopening 45-26 loss in Atlanta.

Against then-No. 24 Tennessee, Syracuse surrendered 38 offensive points, including a 73-yard touchdown to receiver Braylon Staley, where he beat Samuel on a double move. Peal and Long said the game forced the Orange to look at themselves in the mirror.

“We really emphasized that we can’t let the ball get behind us,” Peal said. “That’s obviously a big momentum thing when a DB gives up super deep touchdowns. We need to keep them in front of us and tackle them if they catch the ball.”

tone.

Braheem Long Jr. su defensive back

Robinson’s free-flowing scheme is contributing to the success. While mostly sticking to its typical 4-2-5 defensive formation, Robinson mixes up his defensive backs’ alignments — like Long, who switches between free safety and slot corner, and senior Devin Grant, who plays nickel corner and free safety.

Robinson also stacks the box with his secondary weapons, blitzing on nearly 40% of plays in three of four games, according to PFF. Half of Syracuse’s sacks this season are from defensive backs.

“It just shows how much confidence we have in each other,” Peal said of the versatility of SU’s secondary. “We know somebody knows what they’re doing, so we can go put them somewhere

Syracuse’s secondary cruised across the following three weeks. It gave up just 20 points to UConn in an overtime win, suffocated Colgate’s starting offense in a blowout, then held Klubnik to an inefficient 37-of-60 passing while silencing big downfield plays; evidence of the maturation in SU’s secondary.

Before the season began, Brown made his defensive backs write down their goals for 2025 on a piece of paper. Long’s was particularly ambitious. He wrote that he wanted to be on the All-ACC First-Team by season’s end.

With a pick and two sacks after that dreadful Tennessee game, Long is proof that the big dreams of SU’s young defensive backs are attainable.

“Ever since then, we’ve been on full-go,” Long said. “And (we’re) not stopping.”

ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews

Renowned Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Nicola Maffulli talked about SU quarterback Steve Angeli’s Achilles recovery. jacob halsema staff photographer football

Parallel paths lead Anna Croyle, Natalie Magnotta to SU

A couple hundred feet away from SU Soccer Stadium, nestled underneath the shade of a few trees, Matt Croyle works magic on a portable grill. He places down a slice of ham and cracks an egg. When it’s time, he’ll top it off with a slice of cheese, place everything between two slices of bread and drench it with hot sauce. He’s making a pork roll.

“You have to have one,” Amy Magnotta says, walking alongside Matt’s wife, Trish Croyle. They’ve finally returned to the tailgate. Matt has mastered this. It’s a skill he picked up at Susquehanna University football games, where one of his sons, Bobby Croyle, was a quarterback.

Jokes fly between parents, and at some point, someone commits the grave affront of erroneously calling the sandwich a Taylor ham, an alternative term mostly preferred by New Jersey natives.

Rookie mistake. It’s a pork roll. Don’t forget it.

“I always say,” Matt begins, gesturing with his grill scraper. “Me and my wife only argue about two things: the temperature of the house, and whether it’s a pork roll or a Taylor ham.”

Hearty laughs ring out. This season, as the Croyles befriended the Magnottas, these tailgates have become a staple. But the families’ bond truly began when their daughters — SU defenders Anna Croyle and Natalie Magnotta — first crossed paths two years ago.

The pair first met when they played in the High School All-American Game in Charleston, South Carolina but went their separate ways. The following year, Anna became a starter at Syracuse while Natalie redshirted at Penn State. Once Natalie decided to transfer, Anna helped lead her to the Orange, where they’ve started every game together for SU this season.

Anna grew up in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, just 30 miles away from Natalie’s hometown of Berwyn. Both became center backs because of their height and were four-year varsity starters. They also captained their respective Elite Clubs National League squads and capped off their high school careers with state championships and All-American selections.

“We’re not too far from each other back at home,” Matt said. “But their paths have brought them together at Syracuse, which is pretty cool.”

They were familiar with each other well before they formally met in Charleston. The pair faced each other in AAU basketball. They were both shooting guards.

On the pitch, the two matched up regularly in ECNL play. Anna anchored the FC Bucks’ defense for most of her adolescence, and Natalie did the same for Penn Fusion. Eric Crawford — a Philadelphia-based sports videographer — became well-acquainted with the pair. He was often tasked with filming their matchups.

Before their recruitments ramped up, Crawford put together highlight reels for each of them to send to coaches. He saw Anna lead

Pennridge High School to two state championships and watched as Natalie willed Episcopal Academy to its own.

As he watched each of them play, Crawford quickly came to a realization. He shared it with both of their mothers constantly.

“Man, if (Anna and Natalie) played together on the same club team,” Crawford would tell them. “That would be a dream pair.”

The pair had plenty of coaches to send those reels. Syracuse head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams was one of them.

Adams heavily recruited both out of high school, but only Anna committed. The Magnottas were far too entrenched in Penn State culture for Natalie to go anywhere else.

“(We) kind of just attached at the hip.”
Anna Croyle syracuse defender

Her father, Andrew Magnotta, grew up in a family of PSU fanatics. His father has held Nittany Lions football season tickets for 60 years, and he would take his sons to nearly every home game. Andrew passed that tradition to his family. At least once a year, he took Amy, Natalie and his youngest daughter, Audrey Magnotta, to Beaver Stadium to watch the Nittany Lions.

That familiarity initially drove Natalie away from PSU. She fought against the fandom that was forced upon her as a child. Her mission was to get as far away from home as possible.

“I initially rebelled against the idea of going to Penn State,” Natalie said. “I never even emailed them at all.”

But Penn State was inevitable. After Natalie went to an ECNL National Training Camp in the summer before her junior year, PSU’s coaches began to reach out. Despite her initial aversion to the Nittany Lions, she had always respected their soccer program. She said refusing to visit would’ve been shortsighted.

As Natalie walked through a campus she’d visited dozens — if not hundreds — of times before, something clicked. She realized having her parents just a few hours away wasn’t a bad thing, and she viewed her family’s ties to the school as a positive.

She committed in September 2022, opting not to visit any other schools. It was a little over a year before her path finally crossed with Anna’s again.

“From our family’s perspective, from the location perspective, from a program perspective, we didn’t think there was a better option (than Penn State),” Andrew said.

After their senior seasons, Anna and Natalie shipped off to Charleston for the High School All-American Game. They immediately bonded on the East Team, having known of each other through mutual friends and their ECNL matchups.

While Bill Pfeifer — the East Team head coach — rotated the lineup so everyone could have their chance to shine, the two rotated in at center back. They kept a clean sheet until the final minute, helping the East to a multigoal victory.

“I mean, defensively, (they were) just so good,” Pfeifer said. “Anna and Natalie, their last — if you want to say — high school game, they walked off the field winners.”

With Natalie committed to Penn State and Anna locked in at Syracuse, they thought they’d never get a chance to share a backline again.

But there was nothing stopping them from being friends. They exchanged numbers, posed for a postgame photo and, with the boys’ All-American Game on deck, settled into the stands to spend one last afternoon watching soccer together before they went their separate ways.

“(We) kind of just attached at the hip,” Anna said. “We weren’t like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna be teammates,’ or anything, but it was still a really fun experience.”

Months passed, and the pair fell out of touch as they settled into their respective colleges. Since Syracuse lost both of its starting center backs from 2023 — Grace Gillard and Zoe Van de Cloot — Anna made an immediate impact, starting all 18 of SU’s contests in 2024.

Natalie wasn’t afforded that same opportunity. With three senior center backs ahead of her in the Nittany Lions’ pecking order, she decided to redshirt. After starting every game of her high school career, she was finally forced to take a seat.

“(Not playing) was definitely really hard,” Natalie said. “But there were a lot of girls on my team who were in the same position, so it wasn’t like I was really going through it alone.”

Once PSU’s season concluded, she entered the transfer portal. She didn’t want to guess if she would play.

Adams immediately re-entered the picture. Since Adams had already recruited Natalie in high school, she wasn’t forced to scramble to find practice film. They quickly set up a visit, upon which Natalie briefly mentioned that she already knew someone on SU’s roster.

Anna — who had Natalie’s contact listed as “Natalie All-American” — led her through the visit alongside assistant coach Brandon DeNoyer. She showed off her apartment, hit all the main points on campus and capped the visit with a trip to Varsity Pizza.

“When Anna found out (Natalie) was coming here, she was so excited,” Trish said. “She called me, and she’s like, ‘Mom, Natalie just visited. I really hope she comes.’”

Over the following days, Anna told Natalie she could make an immediate impact with the Orange, and that the coaching staff was changing the program’s culture. That transparency was all she needed to hear. Natalie quickly committed. After SU’s first spring game, the pair texted Crawford a picture of them, his years-old dream finally being realized.

The two now live in adjacent South Campus apartments. After each match, they go on frozen yogurt runs and review the game’s film in Natalie’s apartment, making each other laugh with funny quips while being brutally honest to improve. It’s a level of trust only certain relationships carry.

In Syracuse’s season-opener — a 5-0 thrashing of Charleston Southern — Anna opened the scoring with a header into the back of the net, the first goal of her collegiate career. She dove forward, connecting with Ashley Rauch’s cross, and watched as it entered the goal.

Anna popped up, scanning the field for one particular person. She ran toward her teammate, meeting her in the middle of Charleston Southern’s box before the two wrapped their arms around each other in a moment of unadulterated jubilation.

You just knew she was looking for Natalie. mjpalmar@syr.edu @mpalmarDO

After formally meeting at the High School All-American Game in 2023, Syracuse defenders Anna Croyle and Natalie Magnotta have reunited with the Orange this season. aaron hammer staff photographer
anna croyle and natalie magnotta first bonded in high school in Pennsylvania. After Magnotta transferred to Syracuse from Penn State, the two have thrived this season. courtesy of trish croyle, su athletics

MAC’S MOMENT

Former players recount defining moments along Ian McIntyre’s path to SU wins record

Syracuse’s title-winning 2022 season didn’t start gracefully. It began with head coach Ian McIntyre ripping into his players.

Before the campaign, the Orange were predicted to finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division. McIntyre took that personally. He started criticizing everyone on the team — including himself — on the first day of practice.

“This is where we’re at. We’re one of the worst teams in the ACC,” former SU midfielder Stephen Betz recalled McIntyre yelling at them. “You’re

At her brother’s soccer tournament in Philadelphia, an 8-year-old Alyssa Manley played with a toy knife.

The blade, a wooden one from her play fruit set, caught the attention of one of her brother’s friends. Watching her slash at a nearby tree with the knife, he compared her to a tiny machete.

Manley’s two older brothers quickly started calling her “Machete,” before eventually shortening it to “Shed.”

When Manley joined SU’s field hockey

fine with that? That means I’m one of the worst coaches. You guys are some of the worst players.”

The fiery remarks were exactly what Syracuse needed. They catapulted an unranked team to the pinnacle of college soccer — its first national championship.

McIntyre’s speech is just one example of his evolution across his 16-year tenure at SU.

With the Orange’s 3-0 victory over Colgate on Tuesday, he became Syracuse’s all-time wins leader, passing his predecessor Dean Foti with win No. 142.

With SU, McIntyre, 53, has compiled a 142102-52 record, finishing with a winning record 11 times and making seven trips to the NCAA Tournament. But it’s not the accolades that stand

team in 2012, the moniker followed her.

“It really highlights her as a player,”

Manley’s former teammate Liz Sack said of her nickname. “She was like a ninja, like lethal. The speed at which she saw the game, whether you were capable of playing that quickly or not, you were going to learn real quick how to do it.”

On Friday, Manley will become the second SU field hockey player to have her jersey retired. The banner displaying her No. 5 will be raised at J.S. Coyne Stadium next to Julie Williamson’s No. 9, which was retired in 2022. Manley starred in Syracuse’s midfield, racking

up 18 goals and 24 assists across her four-year career. After earning ThirdTeam All-American honors in 2013, Manley was named to the First Team in 2014. In 2015, she led Syracuse to a national championship, giving the university its first — and only — Division I women’s national title. She again earned a spot on the All-American First Team, won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was named the Honda Award Recipient, given to the nation’s top collegiate field hockey player. Ange Bradley, her coach at SU,

out to his former players. It’s the unbreakable culture he built in the locker room. The detailed practices that prepared them for games. And the relentless pursuit for glory, achieving the university’s most recent national title.

“It puts his name in that Syracuse history book and just shows what he’s done to the community, the organization and the school,” nineyear MLS veteran Miles Robinson, who starred with SU from 2015-16, told The Daily Orange.

“He was the backbone, bringing the whole group together and setting our culture,” fellow alum Buster Sjöberg (2022-23) said.

“This is his life and he’s fully dedicated to it,” Andre Cutler-DeJesus (2023-24) said. “He’s so

see mcintyre page 12

compared the honor to Ernie Davis’ Heisman-winning 1961 season.

“She stands right up there with the male legends at Syracuse,” Bradley said. “It makes me proud that I could be a small part of her process.”

Manley’s legacy as one of SU’s best ever athletes is unquestioned. But her path there wasn’t straightforward.

When she began looking for colleges, Manley didn’t know what she wanted. By the time she entered senior year at Warwick High School (Pennsylvania), she only knew she wanted to avoid the southern heat.

Bradley was scouting the area at the time, but she didn’t find Manley until she got a call from one of her former players, Heather Hess. Hess described the Warwick standout as a “late bloomer,” but convinced Bradley to pursue her. Once she took her official visit, Manley’s decision was easy.

“Being at Syracuse, it just felt right,” Manley said. “I’m very much a gut feeling person, and it felt very comfortable there.”

Manley’s first year with the Orange brought immediate success. Syracuse

Through fiery speeches, detailed recruiting and building a strong culture, SU head coach Ian McIntyre pushed himself to become its all-time win leader. ilana zahavy presentation director

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.