The Griffin Jan. 27, 2023

Lyons Hall Lost Until At Least Fall; Campus Damaged In Winter Squall

By PATRICK HEALY MANAGING EDITOR

Multiple buildings at Canisius College sustained damage in the course of the winter blizzard that blitzed Buffalo in late Dec. 2022, necessitating the closure of Lyons Hall for at least the spring semester.

In addition to closing Lyons Hall, the college prohibited access to the Palisano Pavilion and the Koessler Athletic Center over much of winter break after the storm. A Dec. 30 campus-wide email stated that only “essential personnel in Facilities, ITS and Public Safety,” as well as “select students who were previously approved to reside in campus residence halls during the holiday break,” were allowed on campus.

A month after the damages, The Griffin interviewed college officials to provide an overview of the damages’ timeline and long-term impacts.

The Christmas Crisis

Per the account of Associate Director of Facilities Joseph Snodgrass, who was on campus for the entirety of the storm, the damages occurred over multiple days.

Speaking with The Griffin from the basement of Palisano Pavilion this week, Snodgrass explained, “The first bit of damage was this building on [December] 24. We had a hot water coil freeze in the air handling unit up on the second floor that serves the fitness center.” Public Safety officers discovered the damages and alerted Snodgrass, who valved off the hot water. Later that day, the sprinkler line froze and burst, flooding the fitness center and the lower level, including the e-sports room.

Snodgrass said the Palisano Pavilion was totally back in operation as of the beginning of the spring semester.

“You wouldn’t even notice [that] some of the stuff happened,” Snodgrass said. Speaking specifically of the Esports room, “when classes started last Tuesday, we had it all ready to go.”

As for Lyons Hall, Snodgrass said, “I was in the building myself [December] 25.” At that point, he continued, there was no damage. The damage occurred in “the very early morning hours of Dec. 26. I was called, I came in, I shut off the fire pump [and] shut the water off, but by then we had quite a bit of water in the building.”

What Snodgrass thinks were hurricane-force winds blew in the windows, allowing the cold air to come in and freeze sprinkler lines in the ceilings of the third and fourth floors. Over the course of a few days, the water seeped down through the floors.

“There was some damage to the fourth floor; not as bad as the lower floors.” A couple of digital media arts labs and a room next to them “took a pretty good hit,” but the rest of the fourth floor was untouched or barely harmed. Asked if all of the third-floor classrooms were damaged, Snodgrass said, “For the most part, yes.” The faculty offices on the second floor were also all damaged, and “Institutional Advancement and most of Admissions took a hit.”

The restoration of Lyons Hall, Snodgrass continued, is “gonna be a bit of a long-term cleanup and rebuild process. It’s not gonna open anytime soon. We don’t have a timeframe for that yet. It will be offline for the spring semester, we can promise you that.”

As for the fall semester, Snodgrass said, “I can’t say. It’s not that I don’t want to say, it’s just that we don’t know the direction we’re gonna be asked to go in for that building.”

Other buildings were also damaged. A hot water line broke in the

second-floor lounge of Dugan Hall after winds — it is unknown how — got into the building to freeze it, allowing water into the lounge, the area below it and the Student Life suite in the basement. But, per Snodgrass, now “everything is fixed and cleaned up” in the upperclassman residence hall. A unit froze in the ceiling just outside the entrance to the library, though the damage was minimal. Health Science took some damage, and a couple of air intake shrouds, some boiler breeching and a large exhaust stand on the roof of Science Hall all blew over.

On Friday, Jan. 6, President Steve Stoute said, “Faculty and staff can return to work, on campus, beginning Monday, [January] 9. … The damage to Lyons Hall continues to be assessed, and work in that building will be ongoing for the foreseeable future.” The president also announced that spring semester classes would resume on schedule.

While most of campus is back to normal, Snodgrass acknowledged that Lyons “is gonna take us a bit longer” to clean up. The indefinite effects of the storm on classes was the subject of a Griffin interview with Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Morris.

The Academic Aftermath

Per the Canisius academic classes calendar as accessed on Jan. 2, Lyons Hall was scheduled to host nearly 50 undergraduate courses during the spring 2023 semester: about three dozen on the third floor and half a dozen on both the first and fourth floors.

Morris recalled that she was first told of a damage assessment to Lyons on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Morris said it was initially obvious that Lyons Hall would at least be temporarily closed. It became increasingly clear throughout the next few weeks, she continued, that Lyons would be sidelined for the entire semester. And though the fourth floor was largely undamaged, it is inaccessible.

Before spring semester classes could be considered, though, the online intersession courses had to be completed. Morris recalled that “we had no email, because we didn’t have [the college portal log-on system] Single Sign-On; we could not log into Zoom through the Canisius accounts. … We had no internet. The Canisius phones were down, the portal was down. We could not email anyone for several days, and that’s where we started sending text messages saying things were down and the college would be closed while we were assessing damage.”

Morris told the registrar to immediately begin looking for alternative spaces for Lyons Hall and Koessler Athletic Center classes. The problem was of both classroom space and usage. “We always talk about building the class schedule as being a giant game of tetris,” Morris explained, “because if somebody needs a particular type of classroom space — particularly a computer lab or a specialized learning environment — if they’re a bigger class they may have to displace somebody else.”

Morris “seriously doubts” that the Lyons Hall closure will affect the number of courses offered next semester. Even if Lyons continues to be closed, “We definitely have enough classroom space to accommodate not only all the classes we are offering this semester but some additional capacity. The difference would be that this may require we spread the times out some more.” Normally, she said, the college can offer 84 classes simultaneously. The closure of Lyons

reduces that number to the mid-70s.

All full-time faculty whose offices were in Lyons Hall were moved into Churchill Tower. Whole departments were kept together. For instance, all political science professors moved into the sixth floor with the history department. In addition, Morris stressed that she sent her academic affairs support staff and directed facilities employees to save all that was salvageable from Lyons Hall faculty offices.

Admissions, Some Extracurriculars Moved

Morris also made sure to note that the closure of Lyons affects not only faculty but also Canisius student organizations. Citing Little Theater’s reliance on Lyons Hall’s Marie Maday Theater, the vice president for Academic Affairs said these Student Life organizations are also a priority. For instance, Little Theater has priority over outside groups for “Montante if that meets their needs.”

Brianna Propis, president of Little Theater, provided an update on her organization’s plans. “Our club was shocked and devastated, but devising a plan to move forward has undoubtedly brought the members of my board together in an unexpected, ‘Scooby Doo’-esque way.”

Propis was upbeat in announcing that the organization’s first production will be a “Grease” concert at Montante Cultural Center in February. “‘Grease’ has such an iconic soundtrack and iconic look, so I think it’s the perfect choice to preserve the theatre experience outside of the theater. … The destruction of the theatre has undoubtedly not taken the spirit of our club with it.”

Other departments typically housed in Lyons have been temporarily moved elsewhere. Undergraduate admissions is currently housed in the lower level of Science Hall, while graduate admissions is in Old Main 101. In a statement to The Griffin, Vice President for Enrollment Management Dr. Danielle Ianni shared how her team is adapting to the new locations.

Praising the ITS department for offering to share space, Ianni reported, “We have moved lounge chairs to the lower level of Science Hall to create a welcoming space for families. In addition, there will be more signage added to campus to direct families. The new location has also caused us to change the campus tour route and process for greeting our visitors.”

Ianni put a positive spin on admissions’ new environs and hinted at the potential for confusion among admissions visitors about the location change. “We are excited that prospective students will have more oppor-

tunities to interact with current students in this new location. I hope the campus community will continue to greet all of our guests with a smile and help direct them to our new space.”

The KAC is back

The closure of the Koessler Athletic Center over some of winter break immediately affected Canisius’s men’s basketball team. Two of their January home games were moved to Niagara University, but the team’s home games are now back at the KAC.

Director of Athletics William Maher told The Griffin that athletic facilities in the Koessler Athletic Center were not significantly damaged.

“The spaces in the KAC that had what I would classify as significant issues were the classrooms on the lower level and the offices on the main level facing Main Street. … The only other issues we faced were some leaking that affected a few offices.” Maher also said the offices have been provided a temporary heating solution and that classroom usage in the KAC is not affected this semester.

Snodgrass elaborated on the damages, saying, “The gymnasium was fine, the weight room fine, the aerobic room fine, the poolroom fine. There was some damage outside in the concessions area, but nothing in the field or grandstand. … Nothing that would impact any operations.”

Financial Effects and Further Coverage

Though the damages forced changes to Science Hall parking rules in order to accommodate admissions’ new home, the cleanup will not affect the completion of the much awaited and already delayed parking lot at site of the former Jefferson Avenue parking ramp, Snodgrass said. “Not in one bit, no. Completely independent. Actually I think they’re still working out there [at the future parking lot], even in this weather.”

Snodgrass confirmed that for all these damages, including Lyons, Canisius has insurance. Snodgrass met with insurance adjusters on Jan. 24 to do a thorough walkthrough of all storm-damaged buildings. “We should be in good shape, we should be covered for this, insurance should cover us for all of this. … Lyons will be back better than ever once we’re done.”

A history of Lyons Hall is provided on page three of this issue and the actions of Snodgrass and other Canisians stranded on campus during the storm is the subject of this week’s Griffin editorial on page five.

Contact Patrick Healy healyp@canisius.edu

Cleanup has been continuous at Lyons Hall since the building was first damaged in late December PATRICK HEALY

By SYDNEY UMSTEAD

EDITOR

Shawn Johnson, senior at Canisius College, accumulated the most Petey Points over the fall semester. His total point count was 5264, winning the top prize: a dinner with President Stoute alongside a guest of his choosing.

At first, his goal was to go out and support his peers while doing something fun, but, upon finding out the prize would be a dinner with the college’s president, Johnson said he became strategic in his efforts to accumulate Petey Points.

“When I heard I won, it was like receiving an award in a category with a bunch of top-tier nominees. … It was a rejoicing experience,” said Johnson, a senior communications major.

Johnson is the president of the Afro-American Society and the undergraduate advisor of the Higher Educational Opportunities Program. Some of the events that were highlights for him were those held by on campus organizations such as the Afro-American Society, ALANA Center and LA-

SENIOR RACKS UP PETEY POINTS

SAF. “This semester, I’m looking forward to the Afro-American Society’s fashion show on March 24 and the Afro Ball,” said Johnson.

During the spring, he plans to advocate for the point system and go to campus events. For him, the points provide students with something to look forward to while becoming active members of the community, especially following the pandemic. “The points allow school spirit to come back in a way that brings everyone together,” said Johnson.

The system encourages participation during events and rewards points for those who attend and engage with the educational opportunities that are held. Jason Francey, director for Student Engagement and Leadership Development, stated that currently a little over 60% of the undergraduate students have become engaged in some way.

As students receive points, the system automatically uploads them as they are accredited. Every week,

Francey receives a compiled list of those students and their percentage, which is used to decide who has achieved the highest ranking.

“I was very happy and very surprised to see how much students bought into the system,” said Francey. For the spring, Francey revealed the store has been revamped with new prizes. However, some of these will remain a secret until a big unveiling following the arrival of one final item. The GriffNet features events and if something is worth points it will be found on the event listing.

“My hopes for this semester is that the Petey Point system continues to grow and that it continues to incentivize students to come and be involved,” said Francey.

The Petey Point economy has evolved since the beginning of last year, with the biggest attraction being tickets to Sabres games. As students continue to use and redeem their points, inflation may occur. To combat this, the prices will be adjusted to accommodate these shifts.

Contact Sydney Umstead umsteads@canisius.edu

THIS WEEK IN SENATE: OPEN-DOOR CAMPUS, CLOSED-DOOR SENATE

By PATRICK HEALY MANAGING EDITOR

The Undergraduate Student Association (USA) held its first meeting of the spring semester on Tuesday. The USA Executive Board and advisor provided updates on changes to club rules and infrastructure improvements before much of the meeting was devoted to discussion and appointment of a replacement junior senator.

To begin the executive board reports, USA President Jahare Hudson announced that the fruit flies that previously plagued the Student Center are almost fully gone. Hudson also announced that one of the Divine Nine Black fraternities is visiting Canisius to see if there is enough interest among Canisius students to begin a chapter here.

Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development and USA Advisor Jason Francey announced that Chartwells was selected over Parkhurst to be Canisius’s dining services provider. President Hudson said, “Generally, now that we have gone through the process, we are definitely going to see a big change” from Chartwells.

Francey reported that projects that had been scheduled to be completed over winter break did not occur after facilities got shuffled to damage control in Lyons. These projects included more clubroom key-

codes, clubroom carpeting and the commuter lounge kitchenette.

Francey also announced a change to the NFTA monthly passes. Because students often don’t come to collect their passes, USA hemorrhages money on unclaimed passes. NFTA has agreed to a new contract where Francey can return unused passes for full credit, though this will require a tighter deadline for students to pick up their passes. Francey announced a change to club advising. Clubs will still have a chosen faculty/staff advisor, but they will now also be assigned a “second advisor” from Francey’s office.

Francey made changes over break to GriffNet and Petey Points, teasing a new prize for the latter. Hudson is looking to begin a Buffalo student leaders group beginning with the student body presidents of all local universities and maybe eventually spreading to student government senators. Hudson said the goal for the group would be to lobby local governments on matters of student concern such as crosswalks. According to Hudson, “It will allow us to do so much more within our neighborhood and potentially [put] events on together.”

Freshman Sen. Ben Cordero, also the representative for the Student Programming Board (SPB), said SPB is looking into guest speakers for this semester. Francey, who works closely with SPB on this matter, said sternly, “No, it will not be Josh Allen,”

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

By DELANEY HAYDEN NEWS REPORTER

On Jan. 25, Bell Let’s Talk Day was celebrated for the thirteenth year in a row. The campaign originated in Canada and was founded by Bell Canada, a Canadian telecommunications company. The purpose of the day is to take action and create positive change for mental health. It is the largest corporate commitment to mental health in Canada.

Several organizations partnered with Bell Let’s Talk to spread awareness; they also informed participants about different ways people can seek help. One of these groups was the NHL’s Montréal Canadiens, who partnered with the organization and gave “Hockey Talks” at their home arena. Through these talks, fans had the opportunity to learn about mental health resources and hear stories from professional athletes to break the stigma associated with mental illness.

The event emphasizes the importance of hearing about struggles from societal figures who are admired, on and off the playing fields. While many people look up to these athletes, they sometimes struggle with their own mental health battles. Hearing public figures like famous athletes share their stories helps break the stigma which was the main goal of the initiative.

ness Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Champlain East is also a large group that partnered with the movement. Men with various experiences spoke on the realities of mental health from their perspective. It is statistically proven that a stigma exists around men and mental health. The expectation that men must bottle up emotions and feelings when they are struggling, are evidently sexist generalizations. It is, unfortunately, a contributing cause as to why some men do not seek out the help that they may need for their mental health. On Bell Let’s Talk Day, a roundtable discussion moderated by Jason Pollick, manager of CMHA’s Mental Health Promotion, was set up to explore issues affecting men’s mental health with the goal of inspiring men to reach out for support.

Through social media posts, events throughout the day and people sharing their stories, Bell Let’s Talk Day 2023 was another successful day in the fight against stigmas. If you are struggling, do not hesitate to reach out and seek help. Bell Let’s Talk encourages everyone: “Let’s take action to help create positive change for those living with mental health issues.”

an apparent reference to last year’s snub of a planned event at Canisius by the Buffalo Bills quarterback. The USA e-board also discussed their goal to have the senate pass more resolutions this semester.

Diversity Chair Mylan Hawkins

and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. Chair Hawa Saleh announced the creation of a committee to create a land acknowledgement for the college. Other committee chairs announced their meeting schedules for the semester. Liaisons asked for input from senators about their various areas. Tim Sanders was announced as the substitute for ITS/facilities liaison.

New Public Safety Liaison Ian Gotthelf spoke with Public Safety Director Kim Beaty, who wanted input from senators as to whether main campus doors should require swipe access at all times. Senators were vocally opposed. Senior Sen. John Gross suggested that a person wishing harm to students would not simply turn around when confronted with a single locked door in the middle of the day.

Sophomore Sen. Megan Campbell pointed out that it might be a problem if residents forget their swipe card and can’t get to Public Safety to retrieve a new one because all of the access points require a swipe card. Underscoring the senators’ desire for an open campus, Campbell’s class cohort comrade Gabby Kaderli suggested freshman resident students should have access to the opposite dorm (so Bosch residents would have access to

Frisch and vice versa) to encourage interaction between residents of the two buildings.

Executive Vice President Jill Galanti and sophomore Sen. Ahmad Jandel suggested that phones might be able to replace swipe cards. Advisor Francey said that would be a multi-million dollar infrastructure investment, which pretty much ended the discussion.

The Senate then moved to hear from two candidates, Leslie Arneth and Rami Daham, to fill the open junior senator seat. To hear from each of the candidates, the Senate went into closed session, at which time Griffin Editor-in-Chief Julia Barth and Managing Editor Patrick Healy were escorted out of the room by USA President Jahare Hudson.

Silently seething, Healy indignantly uttered the Washington Post’s apt aphorism, “Democracy dies in darkness.” Outside, Barth huffed, puffed and — with trademark tenderness — threatened to blow the Richard E. Winter Student Center down.

The 50-minute closed session concluded with the appointment of Leslie Arneth.

Contact Patrick Healy healyp@canisius.edu

SHARON CAMERON VISITS CANISIUS ON THE UN HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

By ALYSSA KORNACKI NEWS REPORTER

Have you ever sat at the feet of your hero? Jan. 27 was chosen as the United Nations Holocaust Remembrance Day to commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945. The day remembers the killing of six million Jews, two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population, and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

Sharon Cameron, a #1 New York Times–bestselling author visited Canisius on Thursday to discuss “The Light in Hidden Places” about two Polish sisters who sheltered Jewish people during WWII. Based on a true story, the book chronicles a young woman’s heroic efforts to protect others.

During her visit at Canisius, Cameron discussed the importance of following your passion. Cameron didn’t always aspire to be a writer: she wanted to be a musician before sitting down one day and writing for 45 minutes. Four years later, she had written her first book. During her first writing session, she by chance heard a story about Stefania Podgórska, a Polish Catholic girl who left her impoverished, rural home to work in a shop owned by the Diamants, a Jewish family in Przemysl, Poland. Everything

changed when the German army invaded Przemysl. The Diamants were forced out, and Stefania was left alone in an occupied city caring for Helena, her six-year-old sister.

And then, Cameron’s retelling goes, comes the knock at the door. Max Diamant has jumped from the train headed to a death camp. Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide Max and eventually 12 more Jews. When the knock that means death finally comes, it was in the form of two Nazi officers requisitioning Stefania’s house for the German army. With two Nazis below, 13 hidden Jews above and Helena by her side, Stefania has one more excruciating choice to make. Cameron became so inspired by this story that she wrote a bestselling book about it. Sharon Cameron’s story and book discussion at Canisius tugged at the heartstrings.

Yearly, on Jan. 27, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and encourages educational programs to prevent future genocides. Those interested in Cameron’s captivating stories can check out her adult and young adult books for a riveting story and fantastic read.

Shawn Johnson earned the most Petey Points in the Fall 2022 semester.

SHAWN JOHNSON

Editor Ava C. Green green98@canisius.edu

By AVA C. GREEN FEATURES EDITOR

An Ode to Lyons Hall

The day that I heard about the damages to Lyons Hall, I wept, mourning over the loss of culture, beauty and history that lived within those walls. That which once held scholars, grand performances, thoughtful discussion and inspired art was gone in one fell swoop. However, I quickly realized that wallowing would do no good to me or the state of a building. We must wipe our tears and march on, always remembering and honoring this beloved space.

Its purposefully grand exterior acted not only as a North Star to all those looking to seek a higher education in the greater Buffalo area but also as a fortress protecting knowledge and great minds at work. In 1891, it was a boarding and day school for the Sisters of Mt. St. Joseph. On the same grounds, there was a specific school for boys that the nuns would teach at, working tirelessly to educate themselves so they could then educate young women, immigrants and those in need. By 1892, it would be a fully functioning and esteemed place to study. This was truly a great feat, but especially for these women with little experience or resources, guided by hope and faith alone.

In 1908, a south wing was added, which would become the Lyons Hall we knew and loved. The addition equipped the campus with lounges, chapels, classrooms and kitchens, as well as a fully functioning farm where the village townhouses are now. Not only were the nuns relentless in their quest to educate themselves and others but also lived a close-to-self-sufficient life on this property. During its heyday, the school put on large masses, fashion shows, art galleries and was a physical hub for those of different parishes and communities to come together productively and intelligently.

About a century later, the combination of accruing debt and the lowering population of nuns led to the school’s closing. Aware of its opportune location and vibrant history, Canisius College purchased the building for a mere $1.25 million dollars in 2005 to keep up with their boom in enrollment and course variety. It remained a shining star of our campus up until those very

last moments of calm before the storm.

Lyons Hall had the ability to completely shape a person’s journey at Canisius. When our tour guides go out on their route, they would start and end the tour at Lyons — a true testament to its significance. It was home to acceptance letters and professors and studios and things that are guaranteed to inspire you to achieve more than you ever thought possible during your time here.

If we can learn anything from those who orig-

inally walked down those hallowed halls, it’s that with an honest mission and determination, we can change the world for the better, and maybe one day we’ll see our dear girl, Lyons Hall, back up and running in her full glory.

A special thank you to Kathleen Delaney for lending her time, knowledge and resources.

Architecture Around Buffalo: Dorsheimer House

By LUCAS R. WATSON FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR

The style: French. The architect: American. William Dorsheimer was a prominent lawyer, politician and journalist. He brought Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to Buffalo and was a friend of Henry Hobson Richardson. Olmsted and Richardson are best known

for the Richardson-Olmsted

Complex. This was the commission which brought Richardson to Buffalo; a commission which brought him out of poverty. His early work was mediocre and did not reflect his signature Richardsonian Romanesque which he propagated later in life.

The style of the building closely reflects the style of the middle class sub-

urbs of Paris in its Second Empire style. It was built in 1869-71 and features a mansard roof and gray sandstone across the brick. This house does not appear to be the most significant of those on Delaware Avenue and Millionaires Row, nor does it belong to the mansion category either. However, it was in this house that Dorsheimer and other Buffalo parks commissioners first met with the great American landscape architect Olmsted, as well as Vaux, to plan a park system for the city. This building stands as one of the many on Delaware Avenue; over the years, the interior has largely been demolished, and all that remains from the time of Richardson is the staircase, now currently it is being renovated. Crux Wealth Advisors, a California-based wealth management firm, purchased the William Dorsheimer House at 434 Delaware for $1.09 million in late February of 2021. They are currently renovating the building, adding a chairlift to the rear entrance and bringing new life to the historic building. In Buffalo, there is an increased effort to revitalize the buildings across the city and to bring what was almost forgotten back to life. The Dorsheimer House has not been forgotten. A place where Milliard Filmore once visited Dorsheimer, a place where Richardson began to grow further and achieve so much more in his career, and a place where the renowned Buffalo park system was discussed and put into place. It may blend into the many homes surrounding it on Delaware Avenue, but it does hold significance in its own right.

Contact Ava C. Green green98@canisius.edu

Lyons Hall remains closed for the rest of the semester, but hopes are high that a restoration is in the works.

KYRA LAURIE

Animal of the Week: The Spotted Hyena

I hope everyone had a great first week back! In the new semester, “Animal of the Week” will start off with an animal that everyone has probably seen in trips to the zoo as a child, or maybe from “The Lion King” — the spotted hyena! While these laughing animals resemble dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats. Spotted hyenas are the largest of the hyena family, with females being slightly larger than males. They have a large head with a thick, muscular neck and a powerful jaw that actually gives it the strongest bite of any mammal. Their fur is yellow- or gray-tinted, with black spots scattered across their body. Spotted hyena ears are more rounded than other hyenas, and they have non-retractable claws on their feet.

The spotted hyena can live in a variety of habitats across Southern Africa, including swamps, savannas, semi-dry regions and even mountainous areas. Depending on their needs, they can be active during both day and night, and their only competi-

By ELIANA DEGLOPPER FEATURES CONTRIBITOR

tion are lions and humans. Hyenas and lions typically fight with each other over territory, lions sometimes stealing prey that the hyena pack has just killed. In a skirmish over food, lions will often kill a hyena to get access to the carcass. Both species are usually warily watching for the other.

Family dynamics in hyena packs involve a hierarchy system, with females ranking much higher than males. The competition starts out right when the litters are born. On average, only two cubs make up each litter, and sometimes the weaker cub will be killed by the stronger one. Mom keeps the cubs in a private den until they are about six weeks old, and then they move to a more communal den. Females stay with the clan they were born into, while males will leave for another clan when they reach sexual maturity — about three years old at the latest.

Luckily, spotted hyena populations are stable, and hopefully they continue to stay that way. The biggest threats to them are drought and deforestation, which force them into closer contact with humans, increasing the chance that they will be hunted

for poaching or for being a “nuisance.”

Contact Sara Umbrell umbrells@canisius.edu

The Dance Griffs are back and better than ever

The Dance Griffs have made a phenomenal comeback since the team was put on hold when the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Since then, the team has grown abundantly in size, now complete with 14 talented dancers under head coach Megan Valery.

In addition to sporting their multiple new uniforms, apparel and poms, the team can be spotted performing multiple times at every men’s and women’s home basketball game, as well as cheering on some home hockey games.

This did not come without hard work, however, as the team has worked diligently with online apparel, Bison games and Chuck-a-Puck

fundraisers. The athletics department has been extremely supportive in the process and recognized the athleticism and artistic nature of dancing, as well as the power it has to move an audience and create a positive atmosphere.

Thanks to two practices per week, new center-court routines are performed at each game, with the most recent fan favorite a routine set to the Dallas Cowboy classic song “Thunderstruck” complete with a Dance Griffs kickline! Currently, the team is learning a piece that will be performed at a competition.

They will be traveling to Brockport, NY to compete in a collegiate-level competition, as well as traveling with the basketball team, cheer team, pep band and C-Block to Atlantic City, NJ to perform at a showcase for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) as well as support the men and women’s basketball teams. Additionally, the team will be holding a Kids’ Clinic on Feb. 4, where young dancers aged 4-13 can learn a routine and perform at a basketball game halftime as a junior Dance Griff!

If you ever want to see a fun performance or need a bit of joy, stop by the KAC during game day. We love what we do and love sharing what we love with anyone who wants to watch. Go Griffs!

Podcast recommendations to help you hide from the Buffalo weather

By MADDY LOCKWOOD

In this horrid, cold, sludgy Buffalo winter, I usually find myself hiding from the outdoors and trying to entertain myself without scrolling on TikTok for hours. Lately, I have found myself going on Spotify and listening to a range of different podcasts to entertain myself as I go through the monotonous tasks of my day. I’m not going to lie, I like some of the most niche podcasts that I can find. But here are my current top-three podcasts that are getting me through the winter.

“Two Hot Takes” with Morgan Absher Morgan and her closest friends sift through thousands of Reddit posts from multiple different subreddits to read and blind react to some of the most unhinged stories from real people’s lives. Morgan takes the time to curate some of the most engaging themes with the most interesting stories. “Two Hot Takes” is released every Thursday, but if you are interested in reading the stories without their own personal takes or just find some wacky stories to read by yourself, you can find them in the “Am I the A**hole?” subreddit.

“30 for 30 Podcasts” produced by ESPN

There are multiple different seasons of this podcast. All of these stories and audio documentaries follow sports and important people in sports history, so if that doesn’t interest you, then this might not be for you. Depending on the season of this podcast, one story can span an entire season or only a single episode. Some of my favorite episodes are “YANKEES SUCK” (even though I am a born and raised Yankees fan, and my father may be incredibly disappointed in me after reading this) and the entire “Heavy Medals” season that follows the iconic USA gymnastics Karolyi coaches throughout their entire career from their start in Romania to their defection to the USA and the end of their legacy being tarnished by Larry Nassar’s horrific sex abuse scandal. Another favorite episode is “JUICED,” which follows Jose Canseco through his admission of using steroids and the widespread use of per-

formance-enhancing drugs in the early 2000s. “Ologies” with Alie Ward This one was recommended to me by a close friend. Every episode dives into some “ology” whether that be somnology (the study of sleep) or oneirology (the study of dreams). The list of hyper-specific studies continues forever. I usually scroll until I find something that piques my interest. Ward also brings in experts on almost each topic to give you some current information and fun facts to throw out during your next dinner

party. I definitely pick and choose which episode I want to hear and don’t care for every episode, but the ones that interest me are always fantastic. These are my current big three, but I have a list of fantastic podcasts that I can share with any of you readers. This is your sign to listen to a podcast on a walk or help give you inspiration to clean and tidy your space a bit.

Contact Maddy Lockwood lockwoo4@canisius.edu

Contact Eliana DeGlopper degloppe@canisius.edu

Hyenas are able to consume about one-third of their body weight in a single meal.

VIA UNSPLASH

The Dance Griffs perform at every men’s and women’s home basketball game

COACH MEGAN VALERY

What a college can do for a community

Hall Director Sam Koch was there as the power went out. When the snowstorm came earlier than expected on Friday, Dec. 23, “nobody realized the extent” of the effects. With the power out and heat only at the main campus, the race was on to contact and potentially collect the few dozen students from Delavan and Village Townhouses.

The next morning, Facilities Operation Manager Joe Snodgrass was able to turn the power back on. Over the course of the 24th, perhaps in part due to a Facebook post that erroneously labeled Canisius a “warming shelter,” over 100 community members left their power-less houses to warm up at Canisius.

Directed by Public Safety officers, the community members were put in Regis Room. Noting the many officers —heroes, in Koch’s words — who risked their safety to retrieve students and community members stranded outside, Koch especially commended Officer Spencer Rhyans for leading the efforts to screen people for frostbite and entertain children playing a Disney movie using Regis’s projector. Rhyans, Koch continued, “interacted with the kids so well and made them feel comfortable.”

The community members had a warm place to sleep, and they woke up to a feast. That latter fact was due almost entirely to Chartwells employee Steven. Because of his close proximity to Canisius, Steven was asked on the 24th to come in to cook for the roughly 50 students and employees stranded at the school, and then added the century of community customers for breakfast the next morning.

A recent arrival to the United States from the Republic of San Marino (a small nation surrounded by Italy), Steven braved the historic snow and was guided through the Canisius tunnels by phone. The person on the other end of the line, Director of Dining Services Janet Elis — herself a relative newcomer to Canisius, though not to Buffalo’s treacherous weather — praised Steven’s dedication and selflessness.

The entire dining operation had been shut down for winter break, and Steven started everything back up. The first night, he whipped up pasta, chicken and vegetables. After sleeping in a dorm room, but not before offering to sleep in a dining hall booth, he woke up and made breakfast (waffles, pancakes, eggs, sausage and other brunch delicacies) for the 50 Canisians as well as the 100 members of the community who came to campus.

Director Elis made sure to point out that Steven cooked the 150-person Christmas Day breakfast entirely himself before washing all of the dishes. Steven, a restaurant owner in Italy who came to the United States to be with his soccer maven daughter,

sees it as his duty to feed students. Downplaying his contributions, Steven said of his extraordinary efforts: “That’s what I do. I’m used to it.”

If officers including Rhyans forestalled frostbite and Chartwells employee Steven staved off starvation, it was Associated Director of Facilities Joseph Snodgrass who prevented further pain for the Canisius community.

Reflecting on the long-term effects about a month later, Hall Director Koch told The Griffin, “If Joe wasn’t on campus, … it wouldn’t just be Lyons” that was severely damaged. The otherwise eager interviewee was initially speechless when trying to describe Snodgrass’s efforts. Koch said the entire basement of the Palisano Pavilion was underwater, but it would have been much worse if Snodgrass hadn’t shut off the pipes when he did.

For Snodgrass, Friday started off as a normal work day. But when the power went out just before 4 p.m., there was “not a chance” he would leave campus. The associate director of facilities told The Griffin that it would have been “irresponsible to leave campus,” not for his own personal safety but for the good of Canisius. Stuck on the main campus until late on the 24th, once the storm calmed just a bit he “was walking everywhere” to check on buildings and prevent more damage.

After — as Koch had seen live on a security camera — water rushed down the bottom floor of the Koessler Athletic Center, Snodgrass rushed there to shut off the pipes. Even after the initial flooding had stopped, Koch recalled that “Joe was everywhere. He was able to clean so much up before anyone came back to school.”

While surely others were involved who have not received praise here or elsewhere, we conclude by duly crediting Koch. Of the hall director, Steven said, “Sam was wonderful, really kind and helped me” in his efforts to feed people. Snodgrass agreed: “Sam was fantastic; Sam was really great.” Koch more stoically called her own experience a module in “crisis management mode.” Maybe it wasn’t the education she expected to receive during her time at Canisius, but it’s one, we think, will serve her well.

Perhaps influenced by the propaganda from Canisius’s recent sesquicentennial anniversary, we conclude by comparing the one fact mentioned by all those we interviewed: the total number of people sheltering at Canisius was about 150. We consider this coincidence an apt way to echo Koch’s belief that the heroics described above are truly “what a college can do for a community.”

Should Books Have Trigger Warnings?

By MARISSA BURR CO- OPINION EDITOR

Trigger Warnings: Gun violence, school violence

I consider myself an avid reader, and I have been as far back as I can remember. I’d devour chapter books during my first-period reading class, and by the time I graduated and was heading to college, I realized I had an entire library to pack up. Now that I’m busier, I have less time to devote to reading, but every once in a while I’ll pick up a book that I can’t put back down. This happened recently with one of the books I got for Christmas, and the story ended up resonating with me a lot more than most other books I’d read.

I knew when I added the book to my list that it had some triggering themes like eating disorders and assault, so I was prepared for those ideas to be not only broached, but central — and they were. The problem came about halfway through the novel with the protagonist standing in the cafeteria when all of the sudden a bomb goes off. It’s one of those moments when you have to reread a couple times just to make sure you understand what just happened.

Suddenly what is already a dark story takes an even scarier turn as the characters run from two former classmates who had been bullied and who conspired to come after their tormentors with bombs and guns. I had no idea this was coming, as no reviews that I’d preemptively read when deciding whether or not I wanted to read this book had mentioned that this topic would come up.

School and gun violence are unfortunately common issues in our country right now, and it’s disturbing enough to read about it in articles or watch clips on the news. But when I expose myself to those scenes, I usually have time to prepare myself. I couldn’t even read articles about the shooting in Buffalo this past May until a few days after the fact. Uvalde brought me to tears on multiple occasions. I know I have a sensitivity to this, so I typically choose not to watch movies, television shows or read books on the topic.

Because of the way I read, though, I had to keep reading the book to get to the happy ending. There wasn’t really one. Character development did exist, but the horrible incidents didn’t wrap up in a nice bow that might make them easier to swallow. Instead, the way each gruesome moment was told chilled me to the bone and has given me nightmares ever since. I grew up in the age of school

shootings and multiple lockdown drills a year: I still remember knowing where every item that could be used as a weapon was in each classroom. These retellings bring me back to those memories and to worrying that I’m going to be killed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I admit, school shootings are not the topic of my column this week, but rather whether there should be a system in place to warn potential readers of serious triggers in a book, in a way that won’t spoil the story or ruin the experience of each new development. That way, no one has to be exposed to something they’re not ready for.

My idea is having colored dots on the backside of the book or in the pages preceding the actual text, with a guide available online that explains what each color corresponds to. The book I read could have a blue dot for assault, a red dot for school violence and a purple dot for eating disorders. As a reader researching potential books, I would see the dots and realize that I am not comfortable with “red dot” books and I wouldn’t read them. Regardless, I would have been prepared.

It will never be a perfect system, but in books like the one I read, it will let the reader know that the event is inevitably going to happen or be discussed at length. Just as there are trigger warnings at the start of many TikTok videos or posts on other social media sites, this would avoid people continually immersing themselves in content they aren’t comfortable with. I get that book spoilers can really suck (as my sixth-grade best friend taught me based on how upset she was when the ending of Veronica Roth’s “Allegiant” was ruined for her). But if enough time was put into perfecting a system, I think people would have better reactions — and therefore give better reviews — to books with triggers or scary surprises because they were somewhat prepared for the violence or would take responsibility for not paying attention to the disclaimers rather than feeling blindsided.

Editor Grace Brown brown294@canisius.edu

Editor Marissa Burr burr2@canisius.edu

January 27, 2023

FOUNDED IN 1933

THE GRIFFIN IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CANISIUS COLLEGE 2001

Email: griffin@canisius.edu www.GriffinNewspaper.com

Reading should be a fun and enjoyable activity for everyone, no matter what genre of book you curl up in a chair with. Fill the pages of your 2023 story with good experiences.

Contact Marissa Burr burr2@canisius.edu

Letters

THE GRIFFIN GLADLY ACCEPTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. LETTERS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO

NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND

It’s come to the attention of The Underground that we need a different title for The Basement Of Palisano Where Shoppe 120 And Fusion Are. The Underground suggests, for starters, the catchy acronym TBOPWS120AFA or a shortened version: BOP (Basement of Palisano). The place really is bopping these days, and it deserves a better name.

Newest member of The Underground Mrsa Brrr brings more recruits including Rizzler Shingles who brings ideas for new fundraisers in order to repair The Griffin’s club room to help out the less fortunate. Shingles suggests applying on Indeed for the Dallas Cowboys kicker position, as she could not be much worse than the current one.

The Underground doesn’t think the caller deserved the hate he got at SPB’s grocery bingo, but where were the canned goods? Kids these days just don’t understand the value of hearty staples like black beans, corn and sweet peas.

Readers’ Rite: Time Management

By GRACE BROWN CO-OPINION EDITOR

When you think of siblings, maybe you think of them fighting, laughing and playing together. They are like a partner-in-crime to many of us. You dislike them, but you love them like no other — or at least that’s what I’ve been told. I never had this relationship growing up. When people ask, I usually say I’m an only child. It’s easier that way. A lot of people have no idea that I actually have a sister. She is 17 years older than me, but we share the same father. We aren’t close at all. She lives in Michigan, and I live here in Buffalo. She always seemed more like a distant cousin than a sister. This wasn’t ever sad for me, though, because it was my normal. We visit a few times a year at best, and that’s just the way it is. I don’t know if we will ever have that real sibling bond, especially because of the age gap and distance. My sibling relationship is definitely different than most.

Sophie Asher

I have one brother, older by 3.5 years, which has made it difficult for us to get along at times. We were in the same school but ran in almost entirely different circles. I never liked any of his girlfriends that he brought home, and I wasn’t subtle about it. When I was living in my first apartment, after a few months of dating he brought his girlfriend of the time to meet me, and something clicked. The guy who had assaulted me was upstairs at the time and I felt the strongest urge to protect this girl I’d just met from him. I cared about her immediately, and that’s how I knew Shannon was different. Now we go on shopping trips and lunch dates and are constantly texting and FaceTiming so I can see my nephdog. I was always worried that when my brother found the girl he wanted to be with that I’d be losing a brother, but instead I’ve gained a sister — which is what I’ve always wanted.

Marissa Burr

My brother and I lived together for 15 years and were definitely never close; at times, we barely tolerated one another. We exhibited all the typical teenage sibling behaviors: smothering one another with an overabundance of headlocks, cruel pranks (like the time he put the hair from the shower drain I had forgotten to remove on top of my toothbrush) and morally degrading comments only in the presence of our parents. When he moved to Pittsburgh at age 18, at first, I was relieved. Finally, some peace and quiet!

However, I quickly became conscious of the treatment he had been enduring at the hands of my father. With no other scapegoat around, I suddenly discovered my father — who was something of a best friend to me during adolescence — badgering and belittling me with incessant comments about my clothes, speech patterns, food choices, etc. Not one of my actions was suitable for him anymore. I had always subconsciously known he and my brother did not really get along well — I was my father’s favorite, after all — but I had never considered that my brother weathered this storm of offensive language at all times. Yet, as the newest victim of this verbal abuse, I realized the undeniable truth was that my brother had been living through it for years (with notably less tears than I managed).

Since then, I have recognized the incredible and silent strength of my brother, who now works as an air medic outside of Washington D.C. (How cool, right? I never should have thought he was lame.) Though it is normal to feud — sometimes violently — with siblings, I can’t help but look back at mine and my brother’s cohabitation and wish we had spent more quality time together. I will never be able to force my younger self

By REBECCA NAGEL OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

to acknowledge the quiet acts of compassion my brother devoted to me daily as he unflinchingly took the brunt of the brutal words from our father on my behalf, but I can at least thank him now.

Name Withheld

I grew up with one older sister: one person I could go to when the world’s weight was too much for me. One single twin flame that I could never let blow out. One very best friend over all else. I remember, quite vividly, the joy I felt as I used to sit and watch her straighten her thick, wavy hair every day before school. We would slowly become suffocated by the smell of her hair resisting the heat, but we never mentioned it. I always thought her and her hair were perfect without the frills, but I never contested this morning chore of hers because it meant I would get to help smooth down the bumps in the back. This was when I started to realize that she needed me as much as I needed her. It gave me great pride to see my sister’s hair shining under the flickering, fluorescent lights of our high school’s hallway. She wore her hair like a crown on her head and it was only us that would know of my adjustment of the jewels and I wanted to keep it that way. She doesn’t straighten her hair much anymore, and I sure haven’t had to help her with it for a while. But in any moment where we aid each other in even the smallest ways, I see only her and I and nothing else, and I still find myself so proud just to be in her company.

AG

As the youngest of eight, I feel inclined to share a story. It all began with a huge playground ball that I won at Dave and Buster’s. My brother who was born in 1982 (yes, the year is important, please bear with me) received the grand idea of wanting to do the impossible — balance himself on a ball that was more sensitive to the touch than anything I

have yet come across. He proposed the idea to me, and I was not going to refuse an opportunity to see him fall, so I hurriedly nodded my head “yes” to get this show on the road. He first put his hand on my left shoulder and put his left foot on the ball. Then he looked at me with that childish but earnest look in his eye, because we were soon approaching the point of no return. I encouraged him to put his other hand on my right shoulder, and with the eventual raising of the foot that stored his entire weight came a whirlwind that his back and my back remember forever. As the ball flew from underneath his feet, he held onto my shoulders and dragged me down with the entirety of God’s gravity on this dear earth. I knew that something was going wrong when I saw his feet hurl towards my head and his hands still holding onto my shoulders. Our bodies’ impact on the wooden floor was so loud that it woke up my dad who was napping nearby. The poor man said, “HUH?” and with that, my brother and I couldn’t stop laughing. The tears from the shock and pain of the fall had joined the tears of uncontrollable laughter. Who began the first “you’re stupid” I do not know, but the chain of insults that followed were pronounced with such love and affection as we switched back and forth from English to Arabic.

This is a memory that gives me the happiest nostalgia because while I was never able to witness my brother grow up from a kid to the adult I’ve always known; nothing in my life had ever diminished the 19 year age gap between us until that day. I know he would agree.

Hawa Saleh

Contact Grace Brown brown294@canisius.edu

Winter Break: From Beginning to End

As the spring semester of my sophomore year of college begins, I would like to take a look back at my winter break. Let’s start with exam week. I was able to complete exam week in the comfort of my bed because I didn’t have any in-person exams. My last exam just so happened to be at the same time as the Ticketmaster presale for Noah Kahan. About 15 minutes after I submitted my final exam, I received a text message telling me that it was my turn to buy tickets — perfect timing!

After tons of Christmas preparations in the following week, news of a blizzard had crept its way into our holidays. When I woke up on Dec. 23, I started preparing for the storm, including charging all electronics and portable batteries. For the next several days, I sat and watched the news as more and more information was being released about the storm. On Christmas, we usually have my family over, but

plans were canceled due to the travel bans. While we couldn’t see family on Christmas Day, we were lucky enough to keep our heat and power on throughout the entire storm.

In the last few days of 2022, I spent my time between two places — at Barnes and Noble scavenging through their “50% of all hardcover books” sale and at the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The local shadow cast (The Francis Bacon Experiment) performed a holiday show where the Grinch was Frank-NFurter and everything was holiday themed!

On New Year’s Eve, I stayed up to watch the ball drop but ended up spending the first few seconds of 2023 shoving 12 grapes in my mouth while watching the ball drop on a YouTube live stream on my phone. For context, our TV broke at 11:53 p.m. and it’s good luck to eat 12 grapes at midnight. The first half of January was relaxing. I was able to read a total of eight books within the first two weeks of the year. Along with finishing eight books, I finally completed collecting a rare

Bidding Farewell to Regal Elmwood

By JULIA BARTH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

According to the Buffalo News, it was an- nounced on Jan. 19 that two Regal movie theater locations in the Buffalo area will be rolling their film for the last time by Feb. 15. The theaters, Transit Center Stadium 18 & IMAX in Lancaster as well as Elmwood Center 16 in North Buffalo were chosen to be closed after Regal’s parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy last year. Cineworld will close 37 other locations around the U.S.

This news came as a devastating blow to me. As someone who reveres going to the mov- ie theaters and has not fully succumbed to the pressures (and conveniences) of streaming, I am heartbroken to see two of my favorite theaters

go. The more I look toward the future of movies, the more I realize that future generations will not share theater experiences that we all grew up with: walking in when it’s light out and exiting when it’s dark. Sitting in the average plush chairs until, one day, theaters upped the ante and in- vested in the massive recliners we now know and love. Seeing the detail of the movie on a screen that can actually hold its cinematography. Ap- preciating everything from delicate silence to booming film scores on the loudspeakers.

There’s just no other experience like it. Of course, there’s practical reasons why the popu- larity of such theaters has declined. They are ex- pensive for one, and that doesn’t include buying popcorn or drinks. Televisions and sound speak-

book series, and I am so excited to jump into the series. I ended my winter break buying textbooks and prepping for the next 15 weeks of work. While I am sad to say goodbye to my free time, I am excited to get back to a schedule. I would like to conclude this article by wishing everyone a happy new year and good luck in the spring semester!

ers for at-home systems have seen major upgrades. So families begin to think to themselves, “Why would we spend $50+ to leave our house and go to a movie theater when we could watch the same movie at home on our giant flatscreen with our surround sound and subwoofers, eating the snacks we already have here?” It makes sense. But there’s an X-factor that movie theaters have that at-home viewing doesn’t. As a tradi- tion, my family always went to Regal Elmwood to see movies together, whether that was new Marvel releases, blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” or “The Batman” or even smaller scale movies like “Nomadland.” I practically grew up at that theater. Last fall, I went with my fami- ly to see “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” on opening night, and the sense of community I felt being among other fans was something that just cannot be replicated at home. Reactions from the audience, sniffles indicating tears at solemn moments — those are all experiences that bring humans together in a world where everything seems to tear us apart.

I suppose, in many years’ time, movie the- aters will be like drive-ins, with only a few left in the country. But my naive, optimistic self hopes that something will shift. Little luxuries are an important part of living a happy life, and going to the movies is one of those. So while you still can, grab a group of friends or your family, or go by yourself if you have to (something I also love do- ing) and go see a movie. Any movie. The beauty of the cinema is that everything is made for the big screen. So go absorb every detail, drink up every line of dialogue and musical note and car chase. Do it now while you can.

I know I’ll be visiting Regal Elmwood one last time, since it is a place that holds so much of my nostalgia. I know I’ll leave that theater feeling a sense of rebirth and renewal, as I always do. But I hope this time, this last time, that feeling carries me further into a world where movies can continue to bring us together.

Contact Rebecca Nagel

nagelr@canisius.edu Regal Elmwood, one of the only theaters in the city of Buffalo, is

Editor Connor Pohlman @connor_pohlman pohlmanc@canisius.edu Twitter: @SportsTGN

Men’s Basketball Goes 3-4 in January

By COLIN RICHEY SPORTS REPORTER

The Griffins have played seven of their eight games for the month of January, all against MAAC opponents, and finishing 3–4 in that stretch. They are currently ranked tenth out of 11 teams in the conference but still have 10 games remaining in the season to turn around their 3–7 MAAC record.

After ending 2022 on an eightgame losing streak, the Griffins wouldn’t need to wait long to end their tilt. Following a narrow 64–60 loss to Mount St. Mary’s, Canisius defeated Manhattan by a score of 64–57. Sophomore TJ Gadsden registered a career-high 16 points, in what was his first career start with the Griffs. His 16 points were followed closely by sophomore Xzavier Long‘s 14 points, and the two were the only Canisius players to reach double-digit points. The Griffins won back-to-back games for the first time this season, edging out Saint Peter’s in overtime with a final score of 67–60. This time, five different players for Canisius scored double-digit points, with the team being led by graduate student Jamir Moultrie’s 17 points. Redshirt freshman Tahj Staveskie added 14 points, including four consecutive free throws in overtime to help earn the win for Canisius. The team recorded a season-high 23 makes from the free-throw line.

The win streak for Canisius quickly came to an end with Marist beating the Golden Griffins 76–58. Despite the score being 38–37 after the first half, Canisius was only able to score 21 in the second, compared to Marist’s 38. Staveskie recorded a team-high 18 points, while Moultrie (12) and Gadsden (11) also reached double digits. The Griffins bounced back with a 66–62 win over Siena, the top ranked team in the MAAC. This was Siena’s first loss to

a conference opponent this season, as the team was riding on a seven-game win streak entering the game. Sophomore Tre Dinkins led the team with 18 points, marking a new career high. Dinkins is now one of seven different players to lead the Griffs in scoring for a game this season. Graduate student George Maslennikov also set a new career-high with 14 points. The Griffs have now won six straight home games against Siena, their longest active home-win streak over any MAAC opponent. Canisius was unable to build off

CANISIUS ATHLETICS VIA GOGRIFFS of the momentum of beating the topranked team in the conference, losing their next two games against Fairfield and Quinnipiac, both top 5 teams in the MAAC. The 67–58 deficit to Fairfield saw Canisius shoot 41.1% from the field and only 17.6% from three-point range. At one point, the Griffs led the game 27–20, but the Stags took a 3231 lead at the half, and never looked back. Despite a late surge by Canisius that saw them score 51 points in the second half, they ultimately fell short to Quinnipiac 87–82. Gadsden set a new career high with 22 points, leading

the team. Dinkins recorded 19, while graduate student Jordan Henderson and senior Jacco Fritz both registered 12 points. With his appearance against the Bobcats, Henderson became just the fourteenth player in program history to play in 119 or more career games. The Griffins host Manhattan on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. for their final game of the month as they look to reach .500 in 2023.

Contact Colin Richey Richey4@canisius.edu |

TJ Gadsden pulls up for a jump shot

Hockey Earns No Losses in Series Against Bentley

By CONNOR POHLMAN SPORTS EDITOR

Kicking off their two-game series against Bentley, Canisius would score five unanswered goals, overcoming an early deficit and defeating the Falcons 5–1 in Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) action Friday at Bentley Arena in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Four players — graduate student J.D. Pogue and seniors Daniel DiGrande, Lincoln Erne and Ryan Miotto — all finished with a goal and an assist for the Golden Griffins (7–12–3, 5–6–3 AHA). Sophomore Alton McDermott accounted for the fifth Canisius goal, while senior goaltender Jacob Barczewski stopped 23 shots, recording his sixth victory of the season.

Bentley took a 1–0 lead just 1:41 seconds into the contest when Merritt deposited a rebound into the Canisius goal moments after Nicholas Niemo rang a wrist shot off the left post.

Pogue brought the Griffs level at the 13:11 mark of the opening frame, collecting a pass from fellow graduate student Erik Urbank deep in the Falcons zone before shoveling a backhanded effort past the right pad of Grabko to knot the score at 1–1.

Erne put Canisius in front with less than three minutes to play in the first period, zipping a wrist shot by the blocker of Grabko from the right faceoff circle for his first collegiate tally to make it a 2–1 contest.

McDermott stretched the Canisius advantage to 3–1 just before the midway point of the second period, depositing a feed from Pogue past the glove of Grabko during a rush opportunity for his fourth goal of the season.

Miotto and DeGrande continued the scoring in the third period, hammering the nail in the coffin to seal the win.

“It took us that long to get going

and once we did, we solidified how we wanted to play,” head coach Trevor Large said. “We were much more together; we were ready to win battles; we started to make some plays in the offensive zone and during line rushes. We did a really nice job of that.”

In the next game of the series, Canisius used a pair of third-period goals to erase a two-goal deficit and earn a 2–2 tie against Bentley.

Seniors Simon Gravel and Keaton Mastrodonato found the back of the net during the third period for the Golden Griffins. Barczewski recorded 34 saves in goal for the Blue and Gold.

Following a scoreless first, Bentley got on the board just 2:01 into the second period as Merritt beat Barczewski with a wrist shot to the blocker side while on the rush for his second goal of the series.

Niemo doubled the Falcon’s advantage to 2–0 with 16:04 elapsed in the middle frame, converting on a 2-on-1 opportunity by chipping the puck over the glove of Barczewski

from close range for his fourth of the campaign.

Canisius got within one point less than four minutes into the third when Gravel deflected junior Randy Hernandez’s shot from near the left sidewall past the glove of Hadley and into the Bentley goal to make it a 2–1 contest.

After a scoreless 3-on-3 overtime, the game moved to the shootout. Bentley’s Lucas Vanroboys was the only one of six shooters to find the back of the net, beating Barczewski with a wrist shot to the blocker side to give the Falcons a 1–0 win to earn the extra point in the standings.

Canisius returns to action Jan. 2728 when it hosts Battle of the Bridge rival Niagara for a two-game Atlantic Hockey Association series. Both games of the weekend set are slated for a 7 p.m. start at LECOM Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo.

Swim and Dive Teams Cap Off Their Seasons Together

By HANNAH WIELY SPORTS REPORTER

The Canisius men and women’s swim teams finished off their regular season meets with a loss to rival Niagara University. They also recognized the seniors and super seniors who will be graduating in May.

The men’s side finished with a final score of 93–201. Freshman Toby Mayfield placed third in the 100-yard IM with a program record of 53:23. Graduate student Liam O’Connell placed second in both the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:41:42 and the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:39:97.

Sophomore Archie Minto placed first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:50:57 and 2nd in both the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 49:84 and the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46:56. Freshman Samuel Nykamp placed second in the one-meter dive with a score of 251.78, and he also placed second in the three-meter dive with a score of 277.13. Sophomore Bronson Benes placed second in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:53:41 and third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50:37.

The women’s team had a final score of 79–219. Graduate student Adrianna Boldender placed first in the one-meter dive with a score of 255.98, setting a new program record and placing first in the 3-meter dive with a score of 248.40. Freshman Lana Janson placed first in the 100-yard IM with a program record and time of 59:71. She also placed second in the 200yard freestyle with a time of 1:53:98 and third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53:10.

The Griffs’ next meet is the MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships on February 8-11 in Buffalo, NY at the Burt Flickinger Center.

Contact Hannah Weily Wielyh@canisius.edu |

Women’s Basketball’s early struggles lead them into a buzzsaw against cross-town rival Niagara

By COLTON PANKIWEIZ ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Canisius took a bruising in the first ten minutes play, finding themselves to a 24-8 deficit against their most familiar foe. Outside of the first quarter, the Griffs actually outscored their rivals 62-58, shooting 50% from behind the arc with sophomore Cheyenne Stubbs leading with three from deep herself.

Niagara’s senior guard Angel Parker had the Griffs number in this outing, leading the Purple Eagles with a team high five steals and 21 points. These numbers aren’t unfamiliar to Parker, who was second in the nation in steals, and a unanimous All-MAAC first team selection in 2021-2022. Her strong defense has a lot to do with Canisius’ 20 turnovers, 14 of them stemming from the first half.

Canisius responded coming out of the locker room with back to back three pointers from sophomore Athina Lexa. Senior Vannessa Garrelts cut their deficit to single digits. Niagara fought back and saw a 22 point lead, but a dominant 10 point fourth quarter by the Griffs leading scorer, junior Dani Haskell, exemplified the Griffs refusal to quit.

“We’ve challenged our team to avoid turning molehills into mountains. Most of our struggles are internal and are solved through maturity” coach Sahar Nusseibeh said. “In

the locker room I heard a player that doesn’t normally speak up tell the others that we need to be the team that punches first, and have to stop taking the first punch.”

Despite dropping the last five games and sitting third-last in the conference, the Griffs sit just three games back from the third seed, and five games back from the first seed in

WEEK AT A GLANCE

the MAAC with ten games left in the regular season. With all ten games left against conference opponents, the team controls their own destiny going into the MAAC tournament.

“I think our mentality is shifting, and to be honest I think it’s the perfect time in the season for that shift, we can finish extremely strong and I know our staff and players believe it,” Nusseibeh

added.

The Griffs now sit at 3-7 in conference play, and are back on the road this weekend with hopes to win their first away game since November against a Fairfield team that’s 6-3 against MAAC opponents, but just 3-4 at home.

Contact Colton Pankiweiz pankweizc@canisius.edu |

Each week, every sports staff member makes their picks for a select number of games for that upcoming week.

CANISIUS ATHLETICS VIA GOGRIFFS

Canisius Captain Keaton Mastrodonato skates with the puck

Canisius Women’s Basketball team huddles up during a timeout

CANISIUS ATHLETICS VIA GO GRIFFS

Contact Connor Pohlman Pohlmanc@canisius.edu |