Saying goodbye to the “C-Corner” and everything they’ve given to our office (see page 3)
Relationships, health, and learning: Copy editor Emma Radel reflects in her 100 days (see page 5)
Women’s lacrosse clinches postseason birth (see page 9)
The 72nd unveiling of Canisius’s literary magazine, the Quadrangle, was held in the Science Hall on Thursday, where attendees embodied the theme of this year's edition “Climate.” As they laughed, shed a few tears, discussed the state of the world and also honored a beloved professor and advisor.
The cover of “Climate” was designed by Designer-in-Residence Adelina Metz. Metz noted her inspiration for the cover came from books of the 20th century and even Buffalo’s own architecture, with a “shared string of fate” held by a bird that loops around the heading.
Co-Editor-in-Chief Maeve Devine spoke first to welcome guests and say thank you to the editorial board for their contributions to this year's Quadrangle, noting that this edition might just be “the best one yet.”
“Climate” encourages an in-depth look at the world surrounding us, and the events of the night pursued in that endeavor to not only inspire but call for change.
Two contributors, Trevor Kincaid and Hawa Saleh, took time to discuss not only their pieces but also the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Kincaid showed support for the Al Qimma Halal Grill and Bakery on Union Rd in Cheektowaga, emphasizing that the owner has been giving all proceeds to his family in Gaza.
Saleh credited the inspiration for her piece “The White
Tail” to “the Martyred Refaat Alareer,” a Palestinian poet and activist who recently died.
The inspiration for “The White Tail,” she explained, comes from the piece written by Alareer titled “If I Must Die” where he discussed that he would want his death to “bring hope / let it be a tale.”
Mason Bowes, co-editor-in-chief, discussed how the inspiration for what this year’s theme would be was inspired by the Knocknarea in Ireland. Bowes went on to address how the view made him think of how W.B. Yates had once stood in the very spot he was currently standing in but, the erosion due to climate change brought on a sense of hopelessness and a desire to look at the world around us while we can.
Notably, it was also announced that it would be the last year that Dr. Cochrane would be the faculty moderator of Quadrangle, which prompted a standing ovation for him and all of the work he has done for the magazine. Emma Radel, co-editor-inchief, expressed how he has been “our yes man” and always went the extra mile.
The circular tables making up the room contained QR quotes that linked to the pro -
gram for the night, with photos from the magazine printed on posters and laid out around the space. As the event concluded the editors-in-chiefs announced that the artists who made the posters were able to take them home.
Dr. Cochrane addressed the room, highlighting some of the history of the magazine, and shouted out Professor McNally calling the edition of the magazine that she was involved in the “first great Quadrangle of the modern era.” He remarked that the publication itself is “whimsical and somber” but also “fiercely alive.”
Next year’s editors of the magazine were also announced. Allie Meiser and Adelina Metz will be the editors for the Q73 edition, and Dr. Cochrane noted he was “utterly confident” in their abilities.
• The play “And The Winner Is” had its opening night on April 25.
• On Friday, April 26, the Afro-American Society presented its “Futurism: Galactic Gala.” This event was held at the Marygold Manor in Cheektowaga, NY.
• On April 27, the CrescenDONT’s held their spring concert in the Montante Cultural Center.
•The ALANA Student Center will host the ALANA Graduation in Montante Cultural Center on May 2. A QR to sign up is accessible on their poster for the event.
• On April 30, there will be a journal decorating event held in the library. The event is being hosted by the Canisius Counseling Center.
•The Leadership Banquet handed out awards such as the residency awards, SELD and Campus Ministry on April 25.
•The Griffin was surprised with a pizza delivery from Matt Kochan, and all staff members rejoyced in Kochan’s kindness, rallying around the pizza.
• Elections are open for the e-board for the Afro-American Society. Voting will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on April 26.
On April 22, 2024, Rebecca Day Cutter, an organizational consultant for The Garden’s Edge, came to speak at the final Peace Coffeehouse social of the semester in Science Hall Commons. The Garden’s Edge is a small non-profit organization that stands in solidarity with Maya Achi Communities, focusing on initiatives crucial for climate resilience and traditional medicine preservation. Its mission is to “support farmers, community organizations, and social movements with strategies that address environmental degradation, global climate change, loss of smallscale farms, and the erosion of indigenous cultural knowledge.”
Cutter began her talk by speaking about the time she spent living in Guatemala and the work she does now through The Garden’s Edge as one of the only members who resides in the United States. The Garden’s Edge is inspired by the “Edge Effect,” which is one of 12 permaculture principles.
“When two different systems come together, their interaction creates a diversity that wouldn’t otherwise exist,” Cutter stated. “Permaculture design compels us to create
edges to promote this kind of diversity, and this is the goal of the Garden’s Edge.”
Since 2019, The Garden’s Edge has been collaborating with the communities of Chixolop and Las Minas to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Over the past few years, they have implemented several key initiatives, including the construction of two sand dams and the installation of numerous household greywater filtration systems. Additionally, they have undertaken extensive tree planting efforts, resulting in the establishment of over 4,000 trees.
In October 2022, heavy rainfall led to the sand dams reaching full capacity, enabling plans to raise the walls to their final height of approximately nine feet. This expansion will enhance sand and water collection capabilities, further bolstering the resilience of the communities.
Due to the completion of these projects, 570 households have been provided with filtered water, and the communities have begun to embrace additional water conservation measures. This includes the initiation of a community-driven watershed protection program integrated into local village schools.
The Sand Dam initiative exemplifies a holistic, community-driven approach to addressing multifaceted environmental and social challenges. By empowering local leadership and fostering intergenerational learning opportunities in watershed management, this endeavor underscores the transformative potential of grassroots initiatives.
The event shed light on agroecology partnerships spanning around Central and North America, as Cutter addressed topics ranging from permaculture to community seed banks. Seed banks are places where seeds are stored to preserve genetic diversity for the future. They are usually flood, bomb and radiation-proof vaults holding jars of seeds from different plant species. Cutter shared that there are seed banks across the world, and in New York State that participate in the Seed Keepers Network. According to the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance, “The mission of the Indigenous Seed Keepers Network (ISKN) is to nourish and assist the growing Seed Sovereignty Movement across Turtle Island (North America).” Cutter emphasized the significance of sharing skills, knowledge and traditions
across communities, spanning from Guatemala to the Haudenosaunee Territory and the desert Southwest of North America.
Cutter went on to discuss the collaborative efforts undertaken by The Garden’s Edge, working hand in hand with indigenous communities to implement sustainable farming practices. These efforts aim to not only ensure food security but also safeguard biodiversity and cultural heritage.
She shared that in pursuit of keeping the elders’ traditions alive, they began programs in which the youth of the communities could come and learn the traditional cultural practices and skills, in hopes of passing the traditions down to many more generations.
As the event concluded, participants left with a potentially renewed sense of purpose, as Cutter had even brought seeds for those in attendance to take home and plant in their own backyards.
For more information about The Garden’s Edge and its initiatives, visit www.gardensedge. org.
Six clubs from campus worked together to present the White Gala on Monday night in Grupp. The clubs that cooperated were CASU, Global Horizon, RHA, USA, Afro and LASAF.
The gala had an all-white theme with decorations that fit the occasion. Students were encouraged to wear formal white attire on the poster for the event. CASU president Cecile Gihozo said the color for the gala was chosen because it was “elegant and emphasizes the fact that it’s a celebration of diversity.”
"After the fashion show, students gathered in the center and began dancing with each other in a group."
The gala began with a speech from former USA President Jahare Hudson, who introduced the presidents of each club and recognized them for their accomplishments throughout the year. As Hudson introduced them, each went up and delivered their own speech, thanking the attendees for coming and President Ghiozo, the one who came up with the idea for the gala.
After these speeches, there was a break for food which ran out rather quickly as students went to make second plates to take back with them. While students got their food, there was a non-alcoholic bar with sparkling fruity beverages, soda and water. SELD Grad Assistant Nikki Middleton could not partake in any of the sparkling fruit juice or else she would die due to her citrus allergy.
The event following dinner was performances by the CrescenDONT’s. They rehearsed for their numbers in Regis, all dressed in white to fit with the theme of the event. The two songs they sang were “Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining” by Fleetwood Mac and “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles. A fashion show began once the CrescenDONT’s were finished. It started with students from the audience doing their own walks before the models went.
The first set had the most students; the next was Lolife’s; and the last set was President Gihozo’s. As Ghiozo’s models formed a horizontal line, parting it to let her in the middle, they began clapping for her in celebration of her efforts.
After the fashion show, students gathered in the center and began dancing with each other in a group. They danced to four songs that students requested the DJ to play. Nikki Middleton joined in upon Hudson’s request. Hudson gave her dance lessons until the new VPMPR of the United Student Association, Aaron Hall, joined, and he took over the lessons. Nikki claimed that VPMPR Hall was “a good teacher” for the moves she had to learn on the dance floor.
Last week’s meeting was a historic one for the senate. Not only did they transition to a new executive board, but they also made the official transition from being the Undergraduate Student Association to the United Students Association, implementing for the first time the involvement of graduate students.
The swearing-in of the new executive board was brief but heartfelt, with the family and friends of the new e-board in attendance. Incoming President Tim Sanders was sworn in by Jahare Hudson, incoming Executive Vice President Analee DeGlopper was sworn in by Gloria Uwizeye, and incoming Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Aaron Hall was sworn in by Tim Sanders. The final swearing-in was of next year’s senators by Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development (S.E.L.D.) Jason Francey. Returning Vice President of Business and Finance (VPBF) Gabby Kaderli will be sworn in when she returns from Scotland in the fall. In the meantime, Anthony Tripi will be responsible for the VPBF duties.
Canisius held an opening press conference on Wednesday to introduce Tiffany Swoffard as head coach of the women's basketball team.
During the presser, President Steve Stoute and Associate Athletic Director Matt Reitnour spoke before Athletic Director Bill Maher all took to the podium.
Maher said that he was impressed with Swoffard’s energy and passion to build teams.
During the interviewing process, Maher explained, Swoffard demonstrated to him how her network would be successful in building a winning team and her familiarity with recruiting in the northeast and midwest.
Tiffany Swoffard said that she was on a walk while actively recruiting in her role assistant coach with Penn State’s women's basketball program when Bill Maher, Canisius’s athletic director, gave her the call, offering her the job as the head coach of Canisius women’s basketball. At the podium, Swoffard explained what it was that drew her to Canisius. “It was important for me to find an institution that shared a holistic approach to the student experience.” She continued, “For me personally, I am going to go into the homes of young women and tell and [assure] their parents that their daughters are going to achieve a degree that is meaningful — then the academic rigor has to be able to substantiate and I found that at Canisius.”
In terms of the work she's done early on campus, Swoffard said she spent last weekend on a recruiting trip in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Tennessee and has talked to 30 to 40 athletes currently in the transfer portal. Having worked alongside former Canisius head coach Sahar Nuesseibeh, the new head women's basketball coach said that it’s about “continuing what Sahar established.” Freshman Mary Copple, who saw limited time in her first year with the team, is someone that Swoffard highlighted heading into the upcoming season. “I’m extremely excited about [Copple’s] development. I’m excited to see her flourish as a point guard and a leader.” Starting a new chapter at Canisius, Swoffard is hoping to build a “blue-collar, gold standard,” and to get to that point you have to recruit those characteristics. “My culture is built on the ‘sees’ and the things you can't see.”
After most of last season’s coaching staff followed Nusseibeh to Eastern Michigan, Swoffard says that she expects to have a full staff in the coming days. She and her staff have work to do with May 15 being the National Letter of Intent’s deadline and the amount of players diminishing from the portal with each passing day.
United Students Association’s constitution. Francey noted that the majority of the changes were about club budgeting and the Finance Board. The constitution’s updates were ratified with no questions.
In his Presidentreport,Sanders called on the senators to be agents of change, say- ing, “Our future starts today.”
In his reasoning for the changes, Francey mentioned that the S.E.L.D. Office would be moving to a zero-based budgeting system, meaning that clubs’ yearly expenses have to be planned and justified before the beginning of the fall. This also means that the Finance Board will only have to meet when clubs need to request funds that they did not or could not include in their original budget request.
The new e-board gave their first executive reports as the United Students Association, DeGlopper, and Hall both using their time to thank the senate, the students, and those who previously held their positions. Francey’s advisor's report echoed Sanders’ sentiments as he thanked and congratulated the senate for their work this past year and the foundation they’ve laid for next year.
In his report, President Sanders called on the senators to be agents of change, saying, “Our future starts today.”
The only piece of new business, brought up by Francey, regarded updates made to the
If you have had the pleasure of being in the office on any given Thursday or read the sports section of our paper then you have experienced what The Griffin lovingly refers to as “The C-Corner.” The name refers to the area of the room that used to house our Sports section editors — the back right corner — and the fact that all of these editors happened to share the same first initial. And this will be the final edition of The Griffin that will see the C-Corner edit and publish a paper together.
The C-Corner consists of four editorial staff members: Connor Pohlman, Colton Pankiewicz, Chloe Cohen-Breen and Colin Richey. Last spring, our editorial staff was announced, with Colton and Connor leading the charge as co-Sports editors, Colin taking the role of assistant editor and Chloe rounding out the group, serving as the layout designer and lead photographer. All of them have been integral parts of the team that allowed the section to work, and as a bonus they all have “C” names, making them even more qualified.
The section was born with Chloe and Connor being the first members of the team in the beginning of fall 2022. In December of that year, Colton became the assistant editor of sports and finally, as we rolled into the 2023-24 school year and the addition of Colin, the C-Corner puzzle was complete. The “CoCo” corner, as it was previously known, officially became the C-Corner.
Later, Connor decided that he wanted to branch out and create an entirely new section of the paper that would allow people to showcase their artistic work, which later became the Creative Corner that we know and love. This left Colton to become the sole head editor of Sports, but the C-Corner remained alive as they maintained the same desk setup despite the shift in positioning.
All of these editors maintain such distinct and different personalities and energy levels that happen to create an incredible conglomerate of a section.
Connor remains a man of few words until you pick a topic that he feels particularly passionate about, then you’ll have a time trying to stop him from talking about it. He is the expert and a veteran of the corner; despite his new section and decided step away from Sports, he is there for questions and advice, and he is undoubtedly a key member of our staff, aside from being Colton’s unruly counterpart. Connor claims that it was he who first coined the term C-Corner.
The fall of 2022 added Chloe’s creativity and photography skills which have allowed the
section to have such a distinct and beautiful appearance. Chloe stands as the most efficient member of the section, always pulling together the final product despite the time constraints that the Corner hands to her. Along with being the coolest person in the section, she has shown to be an incredibly reliable and genuine friend, and she always comes equipped with a couple one-liners to humble the other three members of the team.
Colton remains our most entertaining editor in the office with his odd forms of expression of excitement. His passions for sports and for knowing other people have been a stronghold in our office, especially when we needed a randomly deep conversation on any given Thursday night. Colton is the friend we all need being the best combination of seriousness, honesty, introspectivity and exuberance.
Finally, Colin, on rowdier evenings, seems to be the one maintaining the work mentality, and this editor has made the determination that he is the only reason that our sports content is ever posted online. Despite being the youngest member of the C-Corner, Colin tends to be the most responsible and is always willing to go the extra mile and do the extra work. In full transparency, he ensured the section didn’t burn to the ground.
With the mention of this being C-Corner’s final edition of The Griffin, Chloe quickly added, “Don’t bring it up, I am trying not to think about it,” and I believe that the entire staff shares that sentiment.
Contact Madelynn Lockwood lockwoo4@canisius.edu
Trying to sum up 36 years of hard work and dedication to students is nearly impossible, but nevertheless here we are.
Matthew Mulville, the director of Student Life at Canisius University, is set to retire at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year. Over his nearly four decades at the University, Matt has exemplified the idea of being a man for and with others.
Throughout my time working in the office, I have heard from multiple different people that our Student Life department is one of the most capable student life offices any college will ever have, and that all starts from the top. Matt has, over the years, fought hard for the good of Canisius students. He constantly listens to any complaints or concerns they may have, and he gives his all to ensure that Canisius is truly the place to be. He does this by bringing a welcoming presence to the office, one where all have a voice, regardless of class year or position at the college. His impact on campus goes far beyond what students may realize; for instance, that little patch of grass outside of Bosch in the Quad was his doing, arguing that the students needed some grass on campus when the school wanted to pave it over.
One area of Matt’s legacy that will live on long after his career that every student knows about is the annual bonfire at the beginning of the fall semester. Matt wanted the students to have a great big welcoming back, and he proposed the idea of a bonfire to then-Canisius President Father Cooke. After much convincing he
was able to get the President to approve the event, and it has been going strong for well over a decade.
Working with Matt has also been a great experience. He is always open to joking with us and fosters a warm environment in the office. The man I have gotten to know over the years has been a great role model not only for me but for everyone who has passed through the halls of Student Life. The stories he has and the wisdom he possesses from his years of experience help make the office, and the University, feel alive.
Associate Director of Student Life
Mark Piatkowski writes that, “Matt’s 36 years at Canisius speaks volumes of his loyalty, passion and expertise. Over that time, he has mentored and inspired countless professionals and Graduate Assistants. His insight and leadership will be missed. As an office, we want to extend our appreciation of his time served and his countless years of dedication towards the betterment of Canisius University. We all hope you enjoy retirement.” On a side note, as director of Student Life, Matt has a 100% placement record for our HESAA graduates, showing how well he and the university prepare them for the real world.
It’ll be hard seeing Matt leave Canisius, although I am trying to persuade him to come to my graduation next year (I am his favorite, after all). Whoever the University hires to succeed him certainly has rather big shoes to fill. On behalf of all the students at Canisius University, I would like to thank Matt for all he has done for us over the years.
On Saturday, April 20, Unity hosted its second drag show in the Montante Cultural Center. Titled “Don’t Drag Your Heels!”, this year’s cast of drag artists included three Canisius alumni who were all incredibly eager to return to campus to bring the art they love to a whole new generation of Golden Griffins.
One alumni performer, Freddie Hercury, was welcomed back to the stage by Unity, bringing a new level of artistry to the Montante stage. Freddie Hercury is the stage name of Buffalo drag king Brittany Gray ‘10, who has been performing as Freddie for the last two years. During their time here at Canisius, Gray was an English and history double major with a creative writing minor, as well as a member of the All-College Honors Program and the German Club. Outside of performing as Freddie, Gray currently works as an Internal Communications Specialist at M&T Bank.
“I was only just beginning to explore and understand my identity when I arrived at college,” Gray explained. “I met one of the most important people in my life when I was a sophomore, another queer person who quickly be -
came my best friend and who has supported me in immeasurable ways throughout my queer journey.”
Neleh Slay is a fairly new queen in the Buffalo drag scene, having just celebrated her first anniversary this past January. Jacob Ducoli ‘18 was a finance and management double major, a treasurer of Little Theatre and a member of CrescenDON’Ts, Unity and Film Club. Now, Ducoli works in Accounts Receivables for a tech company. Remembering his time at Canisius, Ducoli said, “I met so many caring and outgoing individuals who will forever have an impact on my life and how I view the world. The heart of Canisius is truly its people.”
Many different performances and pageants have happened in the Montante Cultural Center, including the Afro Fashion Show and RHA’s Mr. Canisius pageant. Ducoli is a previous Mr. Canisius and said coming back to perform “felt full circle for [me]; coming back as a woman after my queer evolution and fully realizing who I am felt incredible.” It’s important to note that for many years, Canisius rejected countless proposals for drag shows to happen
on campus, and when Ducoli “was a student at Canisius, drag shows were still being rejected. I wanted to come back and celebrate Unity’s determination and strength to keep pushing for what’s important and how far we’ve come.”
Damsel ‘N Disdress has been performing in Buffalo for three and a half years. Christian Bryant MS ‘18 graduated from Canisius’s graduate counseling program and also earned both their Advanced Certificate in Mental Health Counseling and Advanced Certificate in School Counseling in 2021. Bryant also served the Office of Student Life as a resident assistant and is also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit university honor society. Bryant says, “I loved my time at Canisius, and coming back
“The heart of Canisius is truly its people.”
to perform as the truest version of myself was liberating.” Bryant continued on to say that they “came to Canisius identifying as a queer man. I found friends who were straight, queer, and more at Canisius. I at times felt I still was not fully myself. Since working after graduate school, I have come out and started drag. This helped me to be the fullest version of myself.”
Bryant currently works as a licensed mental health counselor at Evergreen Health and stated that they love “sharing my happiness and love for drag through performing. I love having audience members be able to have a laugh, be in awe, feel excited, all in one performance. As much of an outlet it is for me, I hope my performance is an escape for the audience too.”
Freddie, Neleh and Damsel were also joined by Willa DeWhisp and Tara Bishop to bring Unity’s show to life. DeWhisp said, “I love performing at colleges and universities because they are a group of people that love performance, art and drag but so often — at least in Buffalo — do not have the opportunity to enjoy it because nearly all shows are 21+”, with Bishop expressing that at “any opportunity to perform, a performer should take it. New memories and connections are to come with any show, and I love it.”
At the end of my sophomore fall, I wrote one of these emotional long reflections, and I titled it “A love letter to burning the candle at both ends.” Since that time I have shied away from writing an article like that for a multitude of reasons, most of them having something to do with wanting to erase both of the semesters that came between now and then. Again, I have found myself there, but in a moment of reflection and perhaps a moment of being proud of myself — unheard of lately —, I decided this is the exact moment that I need to write another.
This time last year I was staring into what I imagined the back half of my college career would look like: I figured I would be at the end of my first term of president of my sorority and just generally maintaining my mental health. (Now looking back, I realize it was at the very beginning of a decline.) Neither of those things happened. Instead, I lost my position on my sorority’s executive board altogether, and only within the last two months have I got my mental health back on track. This is again where I call back to that article I mentioned above with my opening line, which read, “Sometimes life will just shake you around, hit you a couple times, then put you down and claim you’re going to be just fine!” and I would like to point out that she didn’t know what the eff she was talking about yet, but she will really soon.
Losing an executive board position seems incredibly unimportant to most people. I think that most people would perhaps have some bitterness and maybe a callous exterior, but that is not who I am. Admit-
tedly, I am a highly sensitive person, and it crushed me… for a long time. This drastically changed many friendships, and, honestly, if you catch me on a bad day and ask me about it, I still have a hard time holding back tears.
This blow to my confidence came at the same time that I faced what became the worst version of my anxiety and along with that finally accepting that I do, in fact, have anxiety. Throughout that acceptance process, I avoided returning to the Counseling Center after my previous counselor left, maybe because I was afraid of verbalizing my worst fears and maybe because I was so wrapped up in other things that I couldn’t see how I deserved to not feel like I was going to burst into tears at any moment. Throughout all of this, I have been able to maintain probably the single most important relationship in my life with my love, without whom I am not confident that I would have been able to tackle this last section of life. He inadvertently helped me see the importance of tending to myself before others and how to reconnect with my faith. He didn’t do this through preaching or talking about it, but rather by doing it himself and always treating me with more love and compassion than I knew existed. He has been my biggest supporter, along with my parents, and somehow he knows exactly when to open his arms for a hug or use them to push me towards my goals.
Unfortunately, I am not able to walk away from this article or this year with the blinding optimism that I would have given you a year ago. Instead, I think that this is me under-
standing that I (along with every other person on this Earth) am a major work in progress; more than anything, time will continue, and life will happen. Taylor Swift will keep dropping albums, and my friends will continue to
drive me nuts, and I will keep doing amazing things, and the world will not end every time my heart breaks.
Over the weekend I went to the Luke Combs concert at Highmark Stadium. While I was there, Features Editor Maddy Lockwood made a really good point: why don’t more big artists come to Buffalo on tour? So I’m here to tell you some of the reasons I think Buffalo, specifically Highmark Stadium, isn’t the first choice when it comes to choosing venues for a tour.
Let’s start off by pointing out that this is not an issue that’s gone unnoticed by the Buffalo natives. Just a few months ago when Taylor Swift came to Buffalo to watch the Chiefs play, several Swifties in attendance made signs, basically saying that this was their Buffalo revenge tour for the Eras Tour skipping over Buffalo.
Stadium capacity: The first thing I looked into was the capacity of Highmark stadium in comparison to other football stadiums often used to hold concerts. However, what I found was surprising. Highmark Stadium is actually in the top 10 for the biggest NFL stadiums, at least capacity-wise. What was especially surprising was that stadiums like SoFi and the Lincoln Financial Field, which are often popular concert spots, were actually ranked lower.
Concert capacity: After learning that Highmark actually has a bigger capacity than I originally thought, I started looking into alternatively the concert capacity for each stadium. This is where I started to get somewhere. Highmark Stadium rarely holds a concert over the maximum capacity of around 70-75,000 people, with notable concerts being One Direction in 2015 (38,137 attendees), NSYNC in 2001 (43-55,000), The Rolling Stones in 1997 (30-35,000) / 2015 (49,552). The biggest concert ever held at Highmark was The Jacksons in 1984 (94,000).
A stadium often used as a concert venue is The Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Ranked #13 on the list of biggest NFL stadiums, four places behind Highmark, the venue itself has nearly double the capacity for concerts. Notable concerts that have been held here are One Direction in
2014 and 2015, with the highest capacity being 101,527, and Taylor Swift in 2014, 2015 and 2018 with all three concerts reaching a capacity of over 100,000 people.
Another common NFL stadium used to hold concerts is MetLife in East Rutherford, N.J. which is the stadium ranked #1 for biggest NFL stadiums. One Direction performed there in 2014 and 2015 with a capacity of almost 150,000 in 2014, and Taylor Swift performed there in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018, with the biggest capacity reaching almost 170,000 people.
Location: Besides Highmarks’ lower concert capacity in comparison to other stadiums, the location is a red flag that flies higher and shines brighter than anything else to artists looking for locations on tour. Most NFL stadiums are located in major cities such as Philadelphia, Charlotte, Tampa and Houston. Highmark, however, is not only located in a suburb of the home city but is also located in a very residential area in Orchard Park, NY. Other stadiums like MetLife are similar in the sense that they are located outside of a major city.
So, the question still arises, what’s so wrong with Highmark’s location? Well, anyone who has been in the area whether to attend a Bills game or simply to get stuck in the traffic knows that parking for the Bills games means parking on people’s lawns. This isn’t a problem during the football season, but just imagine if someone like Taylor Swift came and attracted over 100,000 people to the small residential area of Orchard Park. Things would get crazy very fast.
Even with what seems like the odds all stacked against Buffalo, there are still people who love and appreciate this city enough to come and give us a good concert (thank you, Luke Combs). However, for the time being, it looks like we are all going to have to accept that our concert fun will have to be at Darien Lake or in Toronto.
Contact Hannah Wileywileyh@canisius.edu
Dear Canisius University,
It has been an immense privilege to serve you and our community as the Sustainability Chair for our Undergraduate Student Association. Reflecting on the past two years fills me with great pride in the strides we’ve taken as a University towards a more sustainable future. Witnessing the collective efforts across campus departments to embrace Earth-friendly practices has been truly inspiring.
My primary aim over this past year has been to foster connections across campus, pooling our efforts to distribute the responsibility of sustainability more evenly. While the challenges posed by the climate crisis can seem overwhelming, observing the collective determination within our university and its partnership with the Buffalo community instills a sense of hope. Each individual brings expertise to the table, and what has been particularly gratifying is not only delving into the scientific aspects but also adopting a business-minded approach to become more aware of the value of our dollar.
As Earth Week draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the significant milestones we’ve achieved as an Earth-conscious community. As a committee, we’ve successfully phased out plastic bag usage at Iggy’s, supported pollinator garden projects across campus, organized numerous community cleanups, inaugurated a thrift store, facilitated the use of reusable cups at campus retail outlets, collaborated with community garden initiatives, raised awareness about the significance of supporting local businesses, provided opportunities to try plant-based food options, partnered with campus clubs for engaging upcycling projects and the list goes on.
Yet, our journey as an institution towards sustainability is far from complete. In preparation for my departure and listening to your feedback. I’ve compiled feedback aimed at furthering our sustainability agenda and eagerly anticipate witnessing how these suggestions will be implemented in the years ahead:
Encourage Easy Sustainability:
Simplify recycling processes for students.
Establish convenient reverse logistics for recycling.
Implement composting programs.
Increase awareness of initiatives like solar fields.
Promote Sustainable Practices:
Infuse sustainability into campus culture.
Incorporate eco-friendly habits into daily life.
Foster community trust in initiatives such as the East-West Community Garden. Support the Clean Mobility Project for eco-friendly transportation options.
Enhance Campus Facilities:
Install refillable water stations in all buildings.
Make sustainable practices visible throughout the university.
Convert unused land into natural habitats like meadowlands.
Provide more opportunities for students to cultivate lifelong eco-friendly habits.
Phase out single-use plastics in vending machines, following the example set by SUNY.
Implement bird-friendly window treatments.
Continuous Progress:
Focus on one or two sustainability goals annually.
Ensure sustainability considerations are integrated into policy reviews and long-term planning.
Support student-driven initiatives.
Leadership and Collaboration:
Appoint a director of sustainability to lead initiatives.
Support initiatives aligned with the Laudato Si’ platform.
Recognize leadership efforts in sustainability.
Encourage sustainable choices and minimize paper usage through incentives.
Education and Community Building:
Educate the Canisius population on recycling and composting.
Cultivate a community among those passionate about sustainability.
Promote awareness and action, such as endorsing sustainable commitments and reducing single-use plastic bottle consumption.
I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity and trust bestowed upon me by the university to spearhead these initiatives. I pledge my ongoing support to Canisius in furthering these endeavors. To all readers, I urge you to do your best and advocate for a sustainable future. We hold the power to nurture and protect our planet for generations to come.
Warm regards,
Genevieve Fontana By GENEVIEVE FONTANA CONTRIBUTOR Contact Genevieve Fontana fontanag@canisius.edu
In the center of Downtown Buffalo’s Theater District lies a quaint new concert venue, taking the place where Tralf Music Hall once sat. Electric City opened its doors for its first show back in February, and since then I have had the opportunity to see two shows at this freshly constructed venue. That being said, I have had differing experiences during both of the shows, as one was general admission and standing room only, and the other was an assigned seating, sold-out concert.
Back in March, I saw the group Sammy Rae & The Friends, which was Electric City’s second show ever. Many of the sections within the venue were still under construction, and it was obvious that none of the employees knew what they were doing quite yet. Who could blame them, though?
As of last week the second event that I attended was a sold-out Matt Maeson concert. This concert had folding chairs for assigned seats; everyone was sitting cheek to cheek. There was almost no room to move and plenty of drinks spilled, but what is a concert venue without a sticky floor and the smell of stale beer?
Entering the venue, they tell you to go to the “box office” to pick up your wristband: they happen to be referring to a singular lady walking around with a clipboard. The lines are thankfully well-labeled, but don’t expect to be let into the venue when doors are supposed to open. They don’t care if there’s a blizzard outside, because security is enjoying the warmth on the other side of the glass doors.
Speaking of security, based on my skillful eavesdropping tendencies, I believe they are hired from an outside source; still, they aren’t that good. During my first concert, I went through the metal detector and beeped, and the guy just shrugged me off and let me in. During my second concert, my bag wasn’t checked. And don’t even get me started about their enormous bag policy — they’d let you bring a Mary Poppins bag in with no questions asked. If you need security once in the venue, you’ll likely
By JON DUSZA MANAGING EDITORbe out of luck, because they’re usually lounging in the corner, chatting with their buddies. Electric City’s website notes that the venue is cashless and parking is through the Pay2Park phone app, but that’s wrong. Parking was $20 cash only at the venue, and the lot is minuscule, so for your own sake get there early.
I would like to end on a positive note, as the venue is still new and it does have plus sides. The bar staff are beyond amazing and helpful. The drinks were a decent price, as well. I’ve paid up to $14 for a single drink at a venue, but I was only charged $8 for a drink at Electric City. For the sober crowd, the bar is fully equipped with nonalcoholic beers and plenty of drinks to make any of your favorite mocktails.
The venue has some perks and some pitfalls, but overall I think it’s heading in the right direction as the newest concert venue in Buffalo. Even between the month of my first concert and my second, I have already seen major improvements, and I look forward to seeing how my next concert experience will be different from the last.
This week, as we have all seen, college campuses around the country have descended into chaos regarding the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. Many of the protests have seen vehement anti-semitism in their ranks from a loud and dangerous minority. With all that — with the extremes and the reasonable —, the protests are perhaps the most prominent manifestation of the present debate surrounding free speech on campus.
There is something different about the protests at the University of Texas Austin than throughout the rest of the country. The protests in Texas were by all accounts peaceful, the only objections coming from people who disagreed with the protesters’ message. To disagree with the message is, of course, fair. The response, however, was not.
Before the protest could fully get underway, hundreds of militarized police officers, dressed in camouflage riot gear as if on the frontlines of Afghanistan marched in military formation into the group of unarmed students, swinging their billy clubs and thrusting their riot shields. Being a journalism major who writes for the school newspaper, I was particularly drawn to the viral video of the camera man from FOX 7 Austin, a local news station in Austin, who was evidently filming the protest when he was suddenly grabbed from behind by police officers and arrested. The curious thing is that similar protests were held on college campuses all throughout Texas, and yet the only one to see such a vehement response was the University of Texas at Austin. Further, the cases of the students who were arrested were brought before the courts in Texas on April 25, and all 46 were dismissed. If pro-Palestine protests were such a danger, one would expect that we would be seeing what we saw in Austin all over the state. The fact that we are not seeing Austins across Texas indicates that this is not about protecting the state necessarily but to send a Themessage. way to deal with protests is not through billy clubs and paddy wagons, like we saw at Texas, but through dialogue. If authorities give people the space to talk and express themselves, at best a solution will be found through the dialogue, and at worst people yell about things for a little bit, which, while it may be annoying to some, beats burning things down and physically attacking people. Some people, of course, cannot be reasoned with, like those spewing out anti-semetic, pro-terrorism rhetoric on Columbia’s campus. They represent a very loud and destructive minority of pro-Palestine protesters. They are not representative of the whole: probably not at Columbia, definitely not nationwide. As Robert F. Kennedy Sr. once said during the riots which followed Martin Luther King’s assassination: “Violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.” “Repression brings retaliation” is one of the most insightful quotes I have come across — repressing people’s views and forcing them to boil deep within them is not a sustainable
way to keep peace. The “cleansing” to which Kennedy refers comes through dialogue.
One of the most infamous police responses to protests in American history were those during the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. During the convention, anti–Vietnam War demonstrators from all over the country descended on Chicago to protest the Democratic President Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam War policy. The protesters were met with police in riot gear, swinging billy clubs, shoving riot shields and firing rubber bullets, just like the protesters in Austin. Journalists were also attacked in Chicago, including most famously CBS News’ Dan Rather, whose assault prompted the normally stoic and unemotional Walter Cronkite to yell, on air: “I think we got a bunch of thugs down there, Dan,” “thugs” referring to the Chicago police. The protesters got quite sympathetic coverage from the media because of that. Not so from the American people as a whole.
A poll from the time, conducted by John P. Robinson of the University of Michigan, shows that 53% of Americans felt that the Chicago police used either the right amount of force or not enough force. Only 19% of Americans felt that the police used too much force. That tracks with other American reactions to protest movements. Look at the Civil Rights Movement, for example. Martin Luther King Jr, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1963 was about as popular as Joe Biden is today, according to Gallup. In other words, not very popular. By 1966, according to Gallup, King was even less popular.
For a country founded on protests and resisting authority, and which felt so strongly about it that the right to peacefully assemble is among the first guaranteed in our Bill of Rights, Americans sure do not like protests.
Conversations about free speech on college campuses are incredibly important, as there is nowhere else in society which ought to be more open to discussion and debate than college campuses. A lot of those conversations surrounding free speech have to do with the fear over the intolerance of fellow students to differing views, which is a big problem. The government cracking down on peaceful protests, as they did in Texas, is just as — if not more — grave a prospect. The worst case endgame of cancel culture is an intolerant society in which people are afraid to speak their minds, which is not a good world to live in. The worst case endgame of a government cracking down on free speech is fascism.
Police violence is not the way to crack down on protesters. In America, however, history shows that people are fine with it. When we see protests like the one in Austin and see the police response to it, we should try to uphold our standards of free speech and work to call out government suppression when we see it.
Contact Jon Dusza duszaj@canisius.eduAt the start of 2024, people all over my TikTok feed were talking about JOMO (joy of missing out). I originally thought, “Who actually enjoys missing out?” Then I realized that I am, in fact, a person who enjoys missing out.
When COVID hit during my junior year of high school, the socially anxious introvert in me was beyond thrilled — no reason to leave the house! As long as I had my dog, books and zoom art classes, I was set.
When COVID restrictions began to lift, I tried to go back to my “normal” life, but my social battery was depleted from the lack of use for over a year. It was my senior year of high school, and I still wanted that “High School Musical” experience where everyone enjoyed prom and graduation, but I also found that I was, and would be, happy to do absolutely nothing.
I originally didn’t intend on going to my
By EMMA RADEL COPY EDITORprom, but I ended up going because everyone said that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I ended up going and spent the majority of the time disassociating and thinking about how I should have been enjoying the experience.
As freshman college orientation rolled around, I got that feeling — that I didn’t care to attend — all over again. I was happy to be at home reading with my dog, but I knew I needed to get out there.
Now, as a college senior, I can fully appreciate the joy of missing out, as I see all of my friends out partying on a Friday night, and I’m in my pajamas with a glass of prosecco. (Yes, I’m aware that I sound like a grandmother.)
Not only is 2024 my year of JOMO, but every year since COVID has been my year of JOMO.
I was born the fifth of eight children, and — in the 21 years that have elapsed since — I have chosen to be a friend, poet, drama queen, emdash enthusiast, bullet journaler, copy editor, plant mom, expert napper, petsitter, girlfriend, dancer, researcher, etc. I have enjoyed my four years at Canisius as a member of four soonto-be five honor societies, a president of two clubs and an e-board member of several more, a triple major and quintuple minor (I eventually settled on two majors and two minors), a Spanish tutor, a Writing Center tutor, a CEEP research assistant, a nanny and babysitter, an HEOP summer tutor, a notetaker, an FYE peer mentor (best job I’ve ever had), an orientation leader, a six-week Kino Border Initiative volunteer and the holder of a perfect 4.0, in addition to other responsibilities. Forgive me for the flex, but I have worked SO damn hard for all of this, and sometimes I need the reminder, too.
Some of my best friends in the world are an 84-year-old retired industrial psychologist, a dog named after a kitchen utensil and my mom. I love sunrises and talking about grammar, my plant collection, copy editing, poetry and whether someone would rather be a ninja, a pirate or a cowboy. I’m known for having a bajillion jobs outside of Canisius and being too loud.
“Some of my best friends in the world are an 84-year-old retired industrial psychologist, a dog named after a kitchen utensil and my mom.”
If you’ve spent any time with me, you probably know that I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and ADHD and that I’ve fought for control my whole life: it’s a battle I’m constantly losing. It sucks. My brain can be a really difficult place to live in sometimes. You may also know that in fall 2022, I withdrew from my classes and enrolled in Narins Eating Disorder Center, but only with the immeasurable love, vulnerability and support of Dr. Graham Stowe, Professor Janet McNally, Dr. Jenn Lodi-Smith and Eileen Niland from the Counseling Center. I spent six weeks there getting better and writing bad poetry about crying over yogurt. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, and also the most important, but I’m told that those things (very annoyingly) tend to be that way.
I cannot begin to tell you how hard I have worked every day to show up as the best version of myself. I can tell you, though, that overextending myself and my schedule, waiting so long to ask for help and saying “Yes, I can” when I should have been brave enough to say “No, I can’t” really almost killed me. I am here because I was loved enough that, when I got sick, my friends and my professors and my mentors saw through my “I’m fine” B.S. They loved me enough to tell me that they were scared, and I loved them enough to tell them that I was scared, too.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is not look — not look at the old texts, or the Nutrition Facts panel, or the spelling mistake printed in gigantic font you didn’t catch, or the photos from last year or the number on the scale. I have too little time on this planet as is, and I refuse to spend it trying to hate myself into a version I love. Your relationship with yourself is precious, so find hobbies you love and be care -
ful which avenues you use to manage your stress. Canisius has been the school of my dreams since I first stepped on campus. Here, I was challenged every day to reimagine what I thought were my responsibilities to the people around me. I was pushed to be kinder, to envelop a radical kindness that excludes no one, even if that person attends a school with a purple eagle mascot. (I mean, seriously? Eagles are NOT purple.) I was encouraged to do more and be more, to see each day as an opportunity to place the stones of my future and of my community’s future and to further devote myself to building a better world. All this while being surrounded by irreplaceable, truly once-in-a-lifetime staff and faculty, whom I could go on about for pages.
I’d like to extend my utmost gratitude and humility especially to Mick Cochrane, Jennifer Herrmann, Richard Reitsma, Erik Schneider, Susan Putnam, Jen Desiderio, Mark Hodin, Jonathan D. Lawrence and so, so many more. That I have so long of a list of thank-yous is a privilege I promise to take with me for the rest of my life.
Okay, after four years of very expensive education, here’s what I know: progress is rarely linear; the world is only sometimes kind, but you can choose every day to be kinder than you think people deserve; no one is thinking about you as much as you think they are; your time and energy (mental, physical, emotional) are expensive, and you should treat them that way; the only real competition that exists is between you and the person you were yesterday; “done poorly” is way better than “not done,” and sometimes giving it your best is all you can do; and you will rarely ever know that you are in one of the best moments of your life until after they’re over, but maybe keep your eyes peeled, just in case. Also, college should not be the best four years of your life — I sure hope it hasn’t been for me, because I have big plans. Find something to be grateful about always, speak kindly to yourself and remember that sometimes your problems can wait for tomorrow, and you should just go to sleep.
“I cannot begin to tell you how hard I have worked every day to show up as the best version of myself.”
It has been the greatest honor of my life so far to spend these four years working for a better world alongside all of you. For now, you can find me working in the Institute for Autism Research on this very campus while I prepare for my next step, nursing school. Thank you, forever and always: go Griffs!
Shingles would like to report crimes from Saturday. All the Drag Royalty served way too much *car horn* and slayed the audience. Also, Freddie Hercury with the littering and attempted slaying *glitter* of Tara Bishop.
The birds have returned to campus! This is conflicting because 1) Birds aren’t real and 2) there is too much bird (expletive) on the benches that we just got back.
In light of the new Fallout TV show, Shingles has taken it upon themselves to discover and eat all Civil Defense foodstuff that is there. Maybe even chug some petrified purified water from post-war America, or rather water from a rusty metal barrel. So far Shingles has left rather empty-handed, and with an upset tummy.
The draft is this weekend. God help the Bills social media team, who is getting all sorts of help on who to pick, even though they are most likely interns and have no way to the “war room.” For anyone who can no longer mooch off their parents’ TV, The Pat McAfee show had full draft coverage for Thursday night.
This afternoon the National Society of Pershing Rifles will be giving away MREs outside of the dining hall. For those that don’t know, MREs are those dried, preportioned military meals that last, like, 10 years. An odd giveaway if you ask the Underground, but we’re just glad there’s gonna be better things to eat than whatever the dining hall is serving today.
Damar Hamlin is going to receive an honorary degree from Canisius this year, the school announced. Josh Allen was also offered an honorary degree, but he had a family thing and couldn’t make it.
Maddy:
#1 Red TV
The Features team decided to draft Taylor Swift albums after the release of her newest studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department”, last week. The lineup included all 11 studio albums and the Taylor’s Versions that have been released, with the addition of the EP Beautiful Eyes, Lover (Live from Paris), and Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions. After flipping a coin Maddy got first pick.
Contact Maddy Lockwood lockwoo4@canisius.edu
Contact Hannah Wiley wileyh@canisius.edu
#2 1989
#3 Midnights
#4 Lover
#5 Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions
#6 Speak Now TV
#7 Evermore
#8 Taylor Swift (Debut Album)
#9 Fearless TV
Hannah:
#1 Folklore
#2 Speak Now
#3 Red
#4 Reputation
#5 Lover (Live from Paris)
#6 Fearless
#7 The Tortured Poets Department
#8 1989 TV
#9 Beautiful Eyes
Directed by: Eileen Dugan
Co-Stage Managers: Briana Wasil & Nadia Philibin
Starring:
Tyler Johnes - Connor Pohlman
Sheamus - Andrew Nowel
Teddy LaPetite - Amanda Ostroske
Sheri - Mallory Knox
Kyle Morgan - Michael Dobrasz
Serenity - Abby Gurgol
The Griffin would like to take a moment to extend our deepest gratitude toward our graduating seniors, Sports Editor Colton Pankiewicz, Opinion and Creative Editor Connor Pohlman and Copy Editor Emma Radel. We wish them nothing but the best in the future, and are confident that they will do great things.
Women’s lacrosse punched their ticket into this year’s MAAC Championship tournament after defeating Rider 16-10 earlier this week. The win clinched the sixth and final seed in the playoffs for
the Griffs, marking the fourth straight season they have made the playoffs.
“We came into this game with a very clear plan to beat them with great off-ball movement and we executed it to perfection,” said head coach Russell Allen in his postgame interview. “I couldn’t be prouder of the way our team played today.”
After starting the season 8–1, the Griffs went into the final game of the regular season needing a win over Rider to clinch the sixth and final spot in the MAAC playoffs. However, just five minutes into the game, Canisius found themselves down 3–0 before scoring 10 unanswered goals, capped off by three straight goals from se-
nior Caroline Netti. Sophomore Meg Hiltz and senior Caroline Netti led the Griffs on the stat sheet, with Hiltz racking up eight points and Netti six, respectively. Hiltz posted a career high in assists, while Netti scored a career high in goals. For the Rider Broncs, they were led in scoring by graduate student Kylee Garcia and junior Toni Gismondi, who each had three points in Rider’s season finale.
After taking a 15–7 lead off of a goal from sophomore Maggie Tifft, coach Russell Allen took the opportunity to get some younger players some playing time in the regular season finale as freshmen Olivia Licardi and Mya Zeller played important parts in closing out the Griffs victory.
Looking ahead to the postseason the Griff match up against third in the conference Siena in the first round of the MAAC Championships. Siena finished the season 7–2 in conference play and 12–5 overall. When they played each other earlier in the season, Siena narrowly beat the Griffis at home 12–11 in overtime after a goal by Taryn Asselin.
The two teams face-off this Sunday in Loudonville, N.Y. at 12 p.m. on ESPN+ as the Griffs look to punch their ticket to the semi-finals for the first time since 2018.
Andrea Bunten-Sykes pitched for Canisius Softball from 2002-2005 and currently holds the program record for career strikeouts sitting at 663.
Bunten-Sykes was the 17th softball player to be inducted into the Canisius Hall of Fame in 2016 after her various accomplishments during her time at Canisius. Bunten-Sykes was named MAAC Softball Championship MVP twice in 2004 and 2005; she’s one of six members in MAAC history to do so. In 2005, she was also named MAAC Pitcher of the Year.
Bunten-Sykes appeared in 104 career games with 42 wins, 10 saves, with an ERA of 2.03 in 506 innings pitched. She is fourth in career program history for having 16 shutouts and second in Canisius history for having 10 saves. Bunten-Sykes also sits at first and second as season leader in strikeouts having 238 in 2004 and 211 in 2005. She is also one of the few pitchers at Canisius to have thrown multiple no-hitters It took lots of determination and hard work for Bunten-Sykes to accomplish what she did. “I survived on ball movement, so there were many hours of extra workouts, fine-tuning drills and mental preparation. It was necessary to always push myself beyond my comfort zone,” said BuntenSykes.
Bunten-Sykes currently holds the most strikeouts in program history but senior Megan Giese is slowly approaching that title. Giese currently has 617 strikeouts with an ERA of 2.07 in 135 innings pitched. Giese still has at least 5 more games to play to reach Bunten-Sykes’ milestone of 663 strikeouts.
Bunten-Sykes knows her record could potentially be broken by Giese and is sad that it could be replaced, however, she would be proud someone was able to achieve something as great as she did. “There is a sense of pride and accomplishment in setting a record like that, and seeing someone excel enough to surpass it can be bittersweet. However, I am genuinely happy for Megan and the journey she is on. I have so much admiration and respect for her, no one is more deserving than Megan,” says Bunten-Sykes.
Bunten-Sykes was a major asset to her team, the same goes for Giese. With the regular season coming to a close, Giese’s teammates need her more than ever to keep throwing strikes. Her pitching could take them all the way in the MAAC Championships.
Canisius’ golf team competed in the 2024 MAAC Championship that took place at Disney’s Palm Course in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, this past weekend. They ended up finishing in seventh place. The team posted a score of 298 in the first round, which was the lowest for the team during the 2024 spring season and the lowest since the final round of the Bucknell Invitational back in October 2023. In the second round and final round, the Griffs put up a score of 299 two days in a row, which ended up placing them in seventh. The Griffs finished five strokes behind Manhattan for sixth place.
Junior Ryan Edholm, who broke records during last year’s MAAC Championship by earning All-MAAC honors and helping the Golden Griffins place fifth, started the 2024 MAAC Championship by shooting one over-par with a score of 73 on both Friday and Saturday, which put him in a six-way tie for 13th place. Edholm, who shot a 75 in the final round on Sunday, placed him in a tie for 18th place.
Though the Golden Griffins were placed near the bottom, there were glimmers of hope. Freshman Jacob Dantonio had a successful end to his first round with 14 pars to finish the round. He tied for the second-most for any golfer in a 45-player field. He followed it by shooting a 74 in the second round on Saturday and by shooting his lowest round of the season with a 72 in the final round that helped him finish in a tie for 18th place, with a three-day tournament score of 221.
“I’ve learned that this is a very competitive conference and that you have to show up ready to play
at every tournament. I think if I stay focused on every shot I can be successful,” Dantonio said. He added that he hopes to improve himself this summer by staying patient on the course, taking it one shot at a time.
Freshman Mikey Takacs competed in a tie in the top 25 as he also fired a 72, which was five over par. His final round was highlighted by a double eagle on the par four ninth hole that helped him move up seven spots on the leaderboard, leading him to a score of 224. The Siena Saints ended up win-
ning the entire 2024 MAAC Golf tournament for the second straight year with a final score of 860, winning by a three-stroke margin over Fairfield The Griffs finished 34 strokes in total behind first place. The Saints were led by MAAC Rookie of the Year f Michael McConie. The Golden Griffins will now turn the page onto next season, which will start in August with all of their players returning since there are no seniors on the current roster.
The Griffs ended their 2024 season last Saturday after a one goal loss to the undefeated regular season MAAC champions, the Sacred Heart Pioneers.
The final score was 13-12, and neither team got ahead by more than two. At half the score was knotted at five a piece, and even with a six to five victory in the fourth for the Griffs, it was not enough to secure the win.
In spite of the loss freshman Mason Wolford recorded a hat trick, his third of the season, while senior captain Jackson Webster and redshirt junior Mikey Howe both notched two goals each.
In what would be the final game of the season, Tommy Kunz recorded 12 saves, and faceoff specialist Micah went 17-29 at the X, picked up 12 ground balls, a goal, and an assist, which gave him MAAC faceoff player of the week honors.
It was vital the team won that day to have a chance at playoffs, on top of some other teams winning or losing. Had the Griffs defeated the Pioneers, they still would not have made playoffs due to Mount St. Mary’s loss to Siena.
The final record of the 2024 season ended at 5-10, with a conference record of 3-6. This was an improvement from last year’s 2-13 overall record, and 1-8 conference record.
The amount of games with a score two or less apart also increased from five to eight, and opponents only scored 188 goals against the team, rather than the 206 allowed in the 2023 season.
After Saturday’s game the season comes to an end and the Griffs look to prepare for the following year, continuing to grow off the success they began to have as the season finished.
After a successful sweep of the Siena Saints saw the Canisius baseball team produce 34 runs over three games, the Griffs combined for just nine runs as they were swept by Quinnipiac in a three game series.
The team also registered just five runs in a 6–5 non-conference loss on Tuesday to St. Bonaventure, after falling to the Bonnies 15–9 earlier this season.
During the series against the Bobcats, junior Jackson Strong recorded three hits, two runs, and one RBI, while snapping his 16 game hitting streak (the longest by a player in the program since 2018). Senior Carlin Dick notched four hits and three RBIs across the three games. Nine runs is the lowest total runs scored by Canisius in a series against a MAAC opponent this season. The team combined for 18 hits, while leaving 20 runners on base against Quinnipiac. “Guys were swinging it well against Siena, but against Quinnipiac I felt like the wind was blowing in[ward] and we had a poor approach on Saturday and Sunday,” head coach Matt Mazurek said.
Against St. Bonaventure, Strong and Dick each recorded a hit and scored once, with both players extending their on base streaks. Strong has gotten on base in each of the last 30 games, while Dick accomplished the feat for the 19th consecutive time. The team registered eight hits in the loss, while leaving two runners on base. “If you keep your approach that’s been working for you all season and you don’t deviate from it,
that success is going to continue to come.”
The Griffs also currently lead the MAAC in stolen bases, with 90, and stolen base attempts, recording 108. 83.3% is the best stolen base success rate in the conference, and has been a key factor in the team’s scoring this season. The team registered nine stolen bases in the series against Quinnipiac. “We made the commitment last year to practice and plan to be more aggressive on the bases. It’s in the scouting reports, the little tells that a lot of pitchers have that we’re recognizing better than we once did because we’re more aware of it.”
Canisius has four conference matchups remaining, hosting Marist, traveling to Saint Peter’s and Mount St. Mary’s, and ending the regular season at home against Niagara. Currently, the Griffs sit in 6th place in the MAAC, maintaining the last spot in the playoffs. Their two away series are against bottom-three teams in the conference, while Marist sits one spot ahead of Canisius in the standings. Niagara is currently the top seed in the conference.
The season is far from over for Canisius baseball. With plenty of opportunities remaining to improve their record, the Griffs will need to take advantage of their matchups against weaker opponents, and the fact that they have home field advantage for their two series against the stronger teams they still have to face. The first of which begins on Friday at 3 p.m. at the Demske Sports Complex, where the Griffs will look to get back on track against the Red Foxes.
