Quadrangle
MU hosted Jasper Day of Wellness this past Wednesday, resuming campus operations after a blizzard halted classes for two days. @MANHATTANEDU / INSTAGRAM
ManhattanCaucus: PresidentTrump’s StateoftheUnion:The LongestSOTUinHistory
Elaina Batista
Asst. Social Media Editor
President Trump delivered his State of the Union (SOTU) address on Feb. 24, the longest State of the Union address in recent history, lasting an hour and 48 minutes.
Trump honored many servicemembers and guests in the gallery, including the gold medal-winning U.S.
NEW YORK, MARCH 3, 2026 Manhattan Caucus: Trump Delivers Longest SOTU in
ARCHtalk Launcheswith Discussion onArtificial Intelligence Impactin Healthcare
Zeke Jazwinski
Sports Editor
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries across the globe, healthcare is rapidly adapting to innovations once considered decades away. This evolving landscape was the focus of Manhattan University’s (MU) inaugural ARCHtalk, which examined how emerging technologies are transforming modern medicine.
ARCHtalk is a new speaker series designed to bring interdisciplinary conversations about innovation and real world challenges to campus.
right now,” Chalk said. “That would be artificial intelligence. How do we grapple with the [ongoing] development of technology, which is boosting the stock market but threatens to eliminate millions of jobs?”
After Chalk gave the introduction to the talk, to launch the series, Mercando delivered a discussion on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in modern healthcare.
men’s hockey team. He presented Medals of Honor to two individuals, including 100-year-old Korean War veteran E. Royce Williams. Out of the seven justices of the Supreme Court only four were in attendance: Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Many Democrats boycotted the State of the Union, and some addressed a
MU Holds Third Annual Jasper Day of Wellness pg. 4
few hundred protesters who congregated in the National Mall for a counter-event dubbed the “People’s State of the Union.” Additionally, a number of others walked out as Trump delivered his remarks. Congressman Bill Foster of Illinois’s 11th congressional district took to X and posted, “Last year, I gave myself 5 bald-face lies before I walked out of Trump’s joint address. Less than one
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
The first series, titled “AI in Healthcare: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” featured alumnus Anthony D. Mercando ‘76, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist and Director of AI Strategy at White Plains Hospital.
The talk kicked off with interim provost Bridget Chalk, who originated the ARCHtalk series. Chalk went into greater depth about why the series started by discussing artificial intelligence and its impact on the world today.
“There is an extremely wicked problem in our world
MU Players Perform One Acts Production pg. 7
The discussion highlighted the expanding role of artificial intelligence in supporting clinical decision-making and improving hospital efficiency. By analyzing patient data, AI systems can help healthcare providers anticipate medical needs and potentially streamline treatment processes in high-pressure settings such as emergency departments.
“It is used in radiology,” Mercando said. “It is also used in pathology. It is used for predictive analytics. We were looking at a system that would predict when somebody walks into the emergency room, whether or not they will require certain services like hospitalization, or certain expensive testing, or complex testing.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Swim Tackles the MAAC Championships pg.
Volume CXIII, Issue 7
MARCH 3, 2026
The Editorial Board
Laili Shahrestani and Barbara Vasquez Editors-in-Chief Maddie Rosado Managing Editor
Leyla Mercado Features Editor
Sarah Rolka Asst. Features Editor
Zeke Jazwinski Sports Editor
Emmamuel Sofillas Asst. Sports Editor
Leyla Mercado & Elaina Batista Asst. Social Media Editors
Maddie Rosado News Editor
Zendrah Bonnick Asst. News Editor
Maria Castaño Arts & Entertainment Editor
Joshua Reichard Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Amy Forster Production Editor
Lois Boateng Social Media Editor Thom Gencarelli Faculty Advisor
Misha Jabal-Abadi Asst. Production Editor
Alba Kortoci Web Editor
About The Quadrangle
A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan University. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.
The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the University or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle
The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons. All are welcome to come and join the club. If interested, please email thequad@manhattan.edu!
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mu_quad @mu_quad mcquad
LETTER from the EDITOR
Dear Readers,
I hope you are all doing well, and have recovered from New York City’s [second] huge snowstorm that hit hard this past week. Luckily, in the midst of all the chaos, The Quadrangle has been working on some super insightful student-journalism to share with you all.
It is super crazy to say, but our publication has already reached the halfway point, now hitting seven weeks into the semester. That said, we still have so much to share going forward, whether it be our upcoming Triangle issue, our upcoming collab with the Manhattan Media Network, and much more. But for now, let’s see what is in store for issue 7!
As presented in our news section, ARCHTalk, a new speaker series on campus, discusses the impact of AI in the healthcare industry, as technology is becoming more and more prominent in the workforce. In addition, the Manhattan Caucus does an excellent job of covering President Trump’s State of the Union, being the longest one in recent history.
In features, we get a deep dive into what went down on Jasper Day of Wellness, which allowed for a day full of fun activities, and wellneeded total reset. We also get more insight from student voices regarding the past snowstorm, and how it has affected them.
Moving onto our A&E section, we get a closer look at MU Players’ One Acts performances, which highlight student-run efforts, and all that goes into making these shows what they are today. In addition, we learn more about “Performal” and the effort of the Performing Arts Department to raise money for the event.
Lastly, in sports, we highlight Tristan Ehrhardt who broke the MU record at the recent MAAC championships. We also have a Games of the Week, where we cover the ups and downs of various athletic teams on campus.
We hope you enjoy this issue, and we will see you in the next one!
Editor-in-Chief
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Mercando emphasized that it can be applied to improve diagnostic accuracy or streamlining timeconsuming tasks, but is limited in its discernment when it comes to reading human emotion.
“AI does not really get the ethics,” Mercando said. “We can only go by what has been given to it before, and then healthcare leadership and management. Algorithms are never going to see how a patient looks, or if they are avoiding a certain set of questions.”
Despite the cautionary tone he initially presented to the audience, Mercando emphasized that artificial intelligence has already produced meaningful benefits
in healthcare, particularly in diagnostics, patient monitoring and administrative efficiency.
“[AI] is going to start looking through your chart as I am talking to you,” Mercando said. “[For example] it is going to say, ‘hey, Joe’s creatinine has just done this from one month to the next.’ That could indicate that something is happening, or it could indicate that one of his drugs is causing a problem.”
Jack Mulholland, a sophomore communications major, attended the event and spoke with The Quadrangle about his biggest takeaway from the event.
“I think my biggest takeaway was that we need to understand that artificial intelligence is not going away,” Mulholland said. “We
need to stop being afraid of artificial intelligence and learn how we can use it to our advantage.”
ManhattanCaucus:PresidentTrump’sState oftheUnion:TheLongestSOTUinHistory
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 hour into his speech, I’m out.” Rep. Al Green, D-Texas was removed from the chamber due to his protesting of the address by holding up a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes.”
Several polls show a significant dip in the president’s approval ratings heading into the midterms. According to polling conducted by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS) for CNN, 32% of Americans now say that Trump has had
the right priorities, while 68% say he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems.
Trump addressed several issues such as immigration, taxes, healthcare, foreign policy and Iran. When talking about inflation he stated “The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years.” He followed that by stating that gasoline
prices are below $2.30 a gallon in most states and in some places $1.99 a gallon.
Daniel Dale with CNN reported that no state had an average gas price below $2.37 per gallon, according to AAA; only two states had an average below $2.50 per gallon. The national average now sits at $2.95.
Then following gas prices and inflation, Trump touched on the issue of immigration and stated in his speech, “They poured in by the millions and millions from prisons, from mental
institutions. They were murderers, 11,888 murderers. They came into our country, you allowed that to happen.”
The number cited by Trump comes from federal data, but experts say it is being interpreted inaccurately. While it does represent noncitizens who have entered the country, the data spans several decades, including years during Trump’s first administration, rather than reflecting a recent surge.
Reaction to the speech split sharply along ideological lines. Laura Ingraham, a right-
wing Fox News host, took to X and wrote, “...Donald Trump gave one of the best SOTU addresses in recent history. Period.”
After the SOTU, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote in a letter to Trump essentially calling the president’s “bluff.” Writing in the letter, “Your claims are directly at odds with the day-to-day experiences of American households, who are struggling with rising costs of essentials, including food, housing, healthcare, childcare and electricity.”
Mercando gave his talk this past Thursday, Feb. 26.
BARBARA VASQUEZ / THE QUADRANGLE
MarksManhattanUniversity ItsThirdAnnual JasperDayofWellness
Leyla J. Mercado
Features Editor / Asst. Social Media Editor
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, Manhattan University (MU) marked its third annual Jasper Day of Wellness. A day where no classes are scheduled, it’s instead filled with exciting activities centered around your mental, emotional and physical health.
Check-In occurred from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Smith Auditorium Lobby where students were able to receive free scarves and raffle tickets, while commuter students were able to claim their lunch vouchers for the day. The day also began with a Pilates session, offering students a calming and energizing start to the festivities.
From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., the clothing swap occurred, which was shortly followed by local shelter animals being brought in to be cuddled by students until 1 p.m..
Throughout the day, additional wellness-focused activities were available. A hydration center was also present from 11 a.m. all the way until 5 p.m. in order for students to refuel for the day with some light snacks and refreshments in Squeri Lobby. “Smash the Plate,” organized in collaboration with the Psychology Club, gave students the opportunity to physically break plates as a symbolic way to release stress and negativity.
Other events hosted by the Residence Life team included a cotton candy station in Lee Hall and a popcorn event in the Horan Hall lobby.
Anna Maciolek, a senior marketing and management double major, spoke to The Quadrangle about her favorite event of the day and explained why it was especially meaningful to her.
“I loved the Pilates [session]
and the puppies [from the local animal shelter],” Maciolek said. “Dr. Shields [dean of students] has done a great job for many years in a row now, inviting her instructor to teach us. The puppies are always a personal favorite of mine… they help students laugh and come together.”
Maciolek also offered advice to underclassmen on how to make the most of wellness day and shared her thoughts on whether initiatives like this should continue beyond college in professional and community settings.
“Make a schedule and invite friends,” Maciolek said. “Yes, I do [think initiatives like Jasper Day of Wellness should continue]. I’m currently working on a paper with Dr. Livne-Tarandach and Dr. Moulton-Tetlock about the importance of teaching wellbeing amongst management students… Practicing wellbeing improves so many aspects of life. I think it’s important for the MU to foster a space to take advantage of practicing and learning about well-being.”
Events departing from Squeri Lobby included a wellness walk with the president, a campus-wide cleanup and a gratitude walk, all taking place between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m..
Meanwhile, activities in Draddy ran from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and featured student dodgeball, inflatable obstacle courses, a skills-and-drills basketball workout, cornhole and pickleball.
A food truck serving decorated brownies followed, along with activities such as slime making, a silent disco, a yoga session, a dance class and a movie night to close out the day. Faculty members also joined students in participating in the events, further fostering a sense of community throughout the celebration.
Anissa Latif, Assistant
Director of Admissions, spoke to The Quadrangle about the meaningful moments that stood out to her throughout the day.
“Jasper Day of Wellness was an incredible day,” Latif shared. “It was perfect timing, especially after being cooped up from the blizzard and subsequent snow days… Working in Admissions and collaborating with other groups on campus means I’m deeply focused on the student experience and how we share that with prospective students. For me, seeing the campus this energetic truly makes me happy.”
Latif further spoke on events like wellness day contributing to long-term conversations about mental health on campus.
“Going to college isn’t just about learning in the classroom but growing as an individual.” Latif said. “Mental and physical wellbeing have the ability to
impact all aspects of life… Events like this show students they aren’t alone and provide healthy outlets to relieve stress and demonstrate the MU’s commitment to helping you grow as a person. I always tell students that the Admissions team has an open-door policy to any student on campus and they should never feel alone.” MU students themselves also feel wellness day’s beneficial impact on their own well-being. Grace Nirani, a junior education major with a split concentration between psychology and English, discussed how she feels that wellness day impacts her mental, emotional or physical health as well as the chance it provides her with to step away from academic stress.
“College students are so prone to stress,” Nirani said. “Having a day dedicated to fun activities which uplift
your mental health is super important. Whenever I’m super stressed with schoolwork I find it difficult to take breaks and do things that I find enjoyable. Having a wellness day definitely serves as a good reminder to make sure you do your best to prioritize your overall happiness.”
Nirani also works as an admissions ambassador at MU. She went on to share what she would add or change if given the opportunity to modify Wellness Day.
“I would love for wellness day to be a bit later in the spring so we could take advantage of the nice weather and our beautiful quad,” Nirani said. “One of my favorite things to do is relax on the quad with friends because we always see so many people we know, so having a wellness day in April or late March would be nice too.”
Members of Manhattan Media Network with free scarves from the Jasper Day of Wellness check-in. OLIVIA BAILEY / COURTESY
Through the Jasper Lens: Jasper Day of Wellness
Some Jasper Day of Wellness activities included cuddling with animals in Smith Auditorium, free cotton candy and popcorn in the Residence Halls, igloos on the quad and more.
Photos courtesy of: OLIVIA BAILEY, ANISSA LATIF
VoicesontheQuad: TheBlizzardof2026
Sarah Rolka Asst. Features Editor
The Blizzard of 2026 happened in two parts and disrupted weekly classes and campus events. However, this period of snow and ice has given students of Manhattan University (MU) time to either play in the snow with friends and family or a time for rest and relaxation. The Quadrangle spoke with students regarding this recent blizzard after years of small flurries in New York City.
Sri Pannala ‘27, game design major
The Quadrangle: What did you think of the blizzard?
Sri Pannala: I thought that it was nice. I’ve missed snow, and it’s nice to have a snow day. I didn’t get to have a snow
day with friends yet, so I was glad there’s one where we’re all together and we can spend time together. But I didn’t like the fact that we had two days in a row.
TQ: How has this blizzard felt compared to previous winters?
SP: It feels like winter again, but it’s so sporadic and random. You get a snow storm and then the next day it’s so hot. It’s confusing but I’ll take any snow I can get.
TQ: Where were you during the blizzard?
SP: I was in the dorms… It was [last] Monday night, we went out into the quad and we went sledding.
Isabella Demelfi ‘26, criminology and psychology double major, Sofimar Encarnación ‘26, political science major, and Walter
Martinez ‘26, international studies and criminology double major with religious studies and Spanish minors
The Quadrangle: What did you think of the blizzard?
Isabella Demelfi: I’m from Jersey, so I’m used to a good amount of snow. I enjoy it when it’s happening because everyone’s like “snow day!” But then Tuesday and onwards I was like “this is a nightmare.”
Sofimar Encarnación: I grew up in the Bronx, so I never had a snow day where [you could play in it]… I lived in such a “city” neighborhood even when we did get a hill [for sledding], the hill was just a staircase, so it was never fun. I [also] like the snow as it falls. As soon as it’s over, I’m done.
Walter Martinez: [My day] was busy. I cleaned out my closet and realized I have to throw a lot of clothes away
A comparison of a mountain of snow to a person. SARAH ROLKA / COURTESY
or donate them because I no longer fit into them or they’re too big. I had appointments I had to get too, and I did. It was pretty inconvenient but you have to do what you have to do.
TQ: How has this blizzard felt compared to previous winters?
SE: Makes me feel like winter’s never going to end. Also it makes me feel like it’s still Christmas, even though it’s about to be March soon.
ID: The snow just gives me “holidays” [vibes] but it’s March in a day. You walk through the slush…then you just have to scrape your foot on the sidewalk.
WM: I was born in March
and the day I was born, [I was told] there was snow on the ground…
TQ: Where were you during the blizzard?
WM: I just binged watched “Suits” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.” On Tuesday, I actually came to school because I didn’t know it was cancelled.
SE: I still live at home, but actually on Sunday I was at my friend’s house because she had a baby, so I was meeting her baby. Then it started snowing really hard.
ID: I live off campus… I didn’t leave. I slept, [watched] movies with friends, caught up on a little bit of work, [and had a] long shower.
arts & entertainment
One Acts Presented By MU Players Once Again
matter of ‘are they talented or not,’ sometimes you just have to pick somebody. Some talented people don’t get to be in a show, we try to avoid that for One Act.”
One Acts, a production presented by Manhattan University (MU) Players, developed solely by students each spring semester, made its return to the stage in Smith Auditorium last weekend. Each show, lasting only five to ten minutes, showcased Players’ talents and individual abilities as students in creating and running a cohesive show.
A production like this can highlight the range of actors that MU Players have in a “lower stakes” environment. Kevin Cullen, a senior English major and theatre minor, oversaw the production and commented on how a production like this is able to showcase those many different talents that students have when it comes to running One Acts.
“Something like One Acts allows for people to see that the people who aren’t cast in those [bigger] shows are also very talented performers,” Cullen said. “Sometimes it’s not a
Each year, a new batch of directors, an overseer and actors come together to produce and run the show. Isabella Suero, a senior sociology major and music minor, directed “The Weirdest Honeymoon Ever” and acknowledged that while new people come into the production, the core values of it stay the same.
“I think even though the shows change and the actors may shift a little bit, I think the heart and soul of One Acts is almost always the same,” Suero said. “I’ve done one-acts three out of my four years here, and every year is the same amount of fun…I feel like the ‘feel’ of one-acts is almost always the same.”
Cullen agreed and additionally commented on how the spirit of One Acts encourages these changes from production to production while making sure everyone gets that fair chance with casting.
“Since I’ve been here, it’s been relatively the same in terms of the actual process,” Cullen said. “...With One Acts, there’s such an opportunity for a large cast, so I wanted to really encourage the variety in casting. I didn’t want anybody to be really “left behind” because I don’t think that’s in the spirit of One Acts.”
Colin O’Donnell, senior marketing major, was an actor in “The Love Guru and Looks Get in the Way” for this year’s One Acts performance. While this was his first One Acts, he spoke to The Quadrangle about how watching them in the past has been interesting to see how directors and actors interpret the script and vision differently.
“This is my first year actually doing One Acts, but I’ve come to see the previous [shows]. And every year I think it’s really interesting because you get a new [overseer], a new director for each singular play. I think it’s really interesting to see how every single year, people interpret the script differently from others.”
For each production that MU Players hosts, various people involved with production will post Instagram “takeovers,”on the @muplayers page, showcasing their day-today and the behind-the-scenes, to get people excited to come. Suero commented on these takeovers and mentioned that it
does give some “insight” to the process of putting on a show for Players.
“Seeing Players with the takeovers would make people want to definitely come and see the show, especially when we post little behind-the-scenes pictures,” Suero said.
This year’s performance of One Acts was well attended and had the audience cracking up and laughing throughout the show. Bianca Alonso, a freshman digital and media arts major, attended and gave her thoughts on the performance.
“I’m a spring transfer, so this was my first experience, first
play, and I loved it,” Alonso said. “I will be coming back. If there’s another [show], I would gladly come again.”
In regard to what she might say to MU Players about this production, Alonso simply said to keep her in the loop for when the next performance will take place.
“Let me know when the next show is. This was amazing,” Alonso said. “I love theatre, I love this. I was a little scared because I’ve never experienced one of the shows here, but it was absolutely worth it, especially [for a late show].”
Sarah Rolka Asst. Features Editor
arts & entertainment
Performing Arts Department Makes a GoFundMe to Raise Money for their Annual “Performal”
Maizy Swift Senior Writer
In early April, the PeIn early April, the Performing Arts Department at Manhattan University (MU) will hold its annual “Performal,” an event created through the collaboration of performing arts groups and clubs on campus, inviting everyone from MU to take a look at polished performances that have been in development for up to a year. That said, a GoFundMe has been posted on the MU Pep Band’s Instagram page asking for $1,300 to provide food and party favors for the event.
Vanessa Goncalves, a senior computer science major and co-president of MU Singers, described the Performal event, and all that goes into it.
“It [Performal] usually happens towards the end of the semester, we pick a theme and sometimes we will perform small scenes from a musical, or if the acapella group wants to perform…,” Goncalves said. “Just little things to showcase our talent and all that we’ve been working very hard on throughout the year. It’s just a way to celebrate what we’ve given back to the community.”
Keira Rheinheimer, a junior sound studies major who works for the Performing
Arts Department, has been helping to set up this event.
Rheinheimer shared with The Quadrangle some challenges the department has faced in getting funding for this event.
“To my knowledge, we never had to fundraise for it as a department, we always had the money in our budget to pay for it,” Rheinheimer said. “This is definitely new, and I know that each club goes through the performing arts budget.”
According to Rheinheimer, obtaining funding for the event has been difficult, so she has tried multiple ways to raise money, including creating a GoFundMe and perhaps holding a bake sale in the near future.
“We do not have money left to spend for Performal, so initially we reached out to individual clubs [within the performing arts] to see if they had any leftover money,” Rheinheimer said. “But they’ve also been kind of shorthanded in terms of budget, so I reached out to student engagement, the vice president of student life, student government [and] someone recommended a GoFundMe.”
Along with funding, Rheinheimer shared with The Quadrangle that it’s been difficult to raise awareness for the events organized by the Performing Arts Department.
“It’s really hard. Some people just don’t know that we exist at all,” Rheinheimer said.
On a brighter note, Goncalves shared how she still has hope for the future of Performing Arts and allocating a larger budget.
“As the school really shines in this new university role it’s taking up, I think we’ll see better funding, and I think in general, we’ll also see better prioritization,” Goncalves said.
Goncalves also shared how these events give the people involved in the performing arts at MU an outlet to show their hard work and creativity.
“We choose everything that we do very intentionally … and if we really prove that we’re an important part of our community, funding will follow,” Goncalves said.
Olivia Bailey, a senior communication major and producer for Players, expressed the importance of the performing arts to MU’s campus.
“The performing arts students on campus are a very large and passionate group who do a lot for the Manhattan
University community, from taking performing arts classes for credit, performing concerts and even being hired by the school to perform,” Bailey wrote. “We hold a crucial role in the Manhattan [University] ecosystem.”
Bailey also went on to write how the performing arts community deserves support for the work they put in throughout the year.
“I hope for the future that those who decide our budget can take the time to conceptualize the dedication that we all have and what it truly takes to give a good performance,” Bailey wrote. “Our students are some of the most talented people I know. It’s worth imagining how much potential our club could explore if our budget were restored to what it had been in the past.”
Events such as the Performal highlight the work of performing arts students all across campus and reward their effort.
“It’s so important to have an event where everyone can come together and hang out as friends and celebrate the hard work we’ve already done and just enjoy,” Rheinheimer said.
“Students work so hard the whole time, they take the time out of their studies to do this club [and] community-based arts events, [they] deserve a time to celebrate it.”
If you would like to donate to the Performing Arts Department as a means to help contribute toward raising money for Performal, you can do so here: https://www.gofundme. com/f/performal-manhattansperforming-arts-department
Members of Manhattones. From left to right: Dean, Layla, Vanessa, Jack, Sophia, Keira, Nick, Joseph, Landen, John and Brooke MAIZY SWIFT /COURTESY
Layla Luciano and Vanessa Gonclaves, Manhattones members.
sports
Tristan Ehrhardt Breaks School Record as Swim and Dive Competes at MAACs
Barbara Vasquez Editor-in-Chief
The Manhattan University (MU) men’s and women’s swimming and diving team competed in the MAAC championships this past week, with sophomore swimmer Tristan Ehrhardt taking down a school record along the way.
The team traveled to the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio for the four day championship meet. Day one kicked off with many relays for the Jaspers, including the men’s 200 yard medley relay where Ehrhardt broke the school record for his time during the backstroke portion of the race. Ehrhardt split a time of 23.89 in the 50 back, breaking the previous record of 24.03 set by Lance Neuendorf in 2014.
“It was definitely a goal for me, and to be honest with you, I figured I was going to break it,” Ehrhardt said. “I just had those nerves of ‘what happens if I don’t break it?’ Those premeet jitters always get to me, but when you have a good race like that, on day one as well, that really set the tone for the whole meet for me.”
Ehrhardt saw his time while still in the pool and immediately hopped out to celebrate the accomplishment with the nearest teammate he could find, senior swimmer Elle Feneide. Feneide owns the same record in the 50 back on the women’s side.
“It was really awesome to see Tristan break that record as a sophomore, because I actually also broke a record when I was a sophomore,” Feneide said. “So it was really nice to be the person behind the blocks when he got out.”
Day two of the meet continued with the personal bests for the Jaspers. Ehrhardt competed in the men’s 200 yard freestyle relay, alongside teammates Jonathan Carsen, Mark Haynes and Myles Brown, where he dropped a 20.82 split in the 50 free section. This was an achievement that Ehrhardt especially took pride in as it had been four years in the making, according to him. Now that he’s achieved this goal, he’s setting his expectations for himself even
higher.
“I use every meet, specifically like a championship meet, as a baseline of where I can be in the future,” Ehrhardt said. “My real anticipation is to be top of the MAAC in the 50 free. I know it’s going to be a very long, hard, physically and mentally demanding road, but it’s a road I’m willing to take… This meet made me realize ‘if I actually set my mind to it, I can do this.’”
On day three, the Jaspers kept up the momentum with making finals and breaking personal records. Senior Jaila Williamson made finals in the 100 yard breaststroke, following a finals performance in the 50 yard freestyle the day prior, with freshman Sean Garvey following suit in the men’s section of the 100 yard breaststroke. Feneide secured 19th place in the women’s 200 yard freestyle, after dropping over two seconds in her time. After years of plateauing in the event, Feneide shares that this was a particularly notable moment during the meet for her.
“Everything about the meet felt so much better, I even did better in my races after that, because I was so much more excited,” Feneide said. “It really just felt like ‘the’ moment of my swim career, just because that race has been such a frustration for so long that it felt like a complete breakthrough in a way that I’m not sure any of my other races ever will.”
The MAAC championships concluded on Saturday, Feb. 14 on the fourth and final day of competition. Feneide swam in finals in the women’s 100 yard freestyle with a time of 52.92, earning her the 17th spot in the race. She also competed in the women’s 400 yard relay, where she swam the fastest 100 free split in program history, breaking her own record. Even with her stellar performances, Feneide spoke with The Quadrangle about how some of her biggest takeaways from the meet focus on the team and its energy, rather than personal performance.
“It was really overwhelming, there at the end, where the energy was so fantastic and everybody was so great,” Feneide said. “We came together as a team really, really
well, so there was definitely that little bittersweet moment of ‘I’m just really going to miss this.’”
Despite its reputation as a solitary sport, having a strong support system within your team, and cultivating team energy are of major importance in swimming. Gavin Harding, junior swimmer on the team, competed in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, the final race of the championship. For Harding, thinking outside of yourself is especially emphasized in these moments.
“When you’re swimming, not only for yourself but for your teammates, it does provide another level of confidence and
drive for you,” Harding said. “That relay was done right after the 200 fly, which I’m always exhausted after. But when you know there’s a relay you can go after, or you have teammates who are counting on you, it drives you to dig deeper. It’s in those moments that you find the essence of swimming is bigger than you are.”
Harding, Feneide and Ehrhardt all shared the same sentiment of fondness towards their team and teammates, with Feneide claiming that the team at MU has “turned into something really special.”
Above all else, though, it is the love for the sport that has pushed the team to continue
working hard, for themselves and their teammates.
“I swam because I love the sport, and I can’t imagine myself not being a swimmer and I can’t imagine my life without it,” Harding said. “No matter what the time says, no matter how the performance was, if you can get out of that water and still know that you made the right choice doing the sport you did, then nothing else matters.”
Some of the MU swim team will continue their season this Thursday at the four day ECAC Open championships, hosted by Bucknell University.
Sophomore Tristan Ehrhardt claims the school record with his time in the 50 back.
Games of the Week
Emmanouel Sofillas Asst. Sports Editor
Women’s Basketball
The Manhattan Jas pers women’s basketball closed the regular season on a high note Saturday afternoon, rolling past the Saint Peter’s Peacocks women’s basketball, 68-49, on Senior Day at Draddy Gymnasium.
Backed by a career-best performance from graduate forward Agar Farrés Garcia, Manhattan controlled the game from the outset.
Brianna Davis, Agar Farrés Garcia, and Elisa Solé Sanchez combined for the first six points, setting the tone early. Solé Sanchez sparked the crowd with a pair of firstquarter three-pointers, helping the Jaspers build a nine-point advantage after 10 minutes.
Manhattan extended its lead in the second quarter with a 9-0 run, highlighted by Farrés Garcia’s work at the free-throw line and efficient interior scoring. The Jaspers’ defense clamped down late in the half, holding Saint Peter’s to just one field goal over the final 6:30 and carrying a 13-point cushion into halftime.
The Peacocks trimmed the deficit to six midway through the third quarter with an 11-2 burst, but Farrés Garcia responded with eight points in the period to restore control. In the fourth, back-to-back threepointers from Davis and Solé Sanchez pushed the lead to 20, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Farrés Garcia finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season, while Colette Mulderig added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Solé Sanchez chipped in 13 as Manhattan shot 53 percent in the final quarter to seal the victory.
Men’s Basketball
The Manhattan Jaspers men’s basketball fell to the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, 75-65, on Friday night at Run Baby Run Arena.
Manhattan battled back after facing a 25-7 deficit just 10 minutes into the game. Graduate guard Terrance
Jones sparked the comeback effort with a second-chance three-pointer and continued to lead the charge from beyond the arc. Fraser Roxburgh contributed key offensive rebounds, while Devin Dinkins added a late first-half floater to build momentum heading into the break.
The Jaspers showed resilience in the second half, posting six straight points midway through the period and capitalizing at the free-throw line while in the double bonus.
Jones finished with a team-high 22 points, while Dinkins added 11 and Marko Ljubicic chipped in nine points and six rebounds.
Despite winning the second-chance points battle, Manhattan could not overcome its early deficit.
Women’s Lacrosse
The Manhattan Jaspers women’s lacrosse fell to the LIU Sharks women’s lacrosse, 12-6, on Wednesday afternoon at Shark Stadium, despite a twogoal effort from sophomore
attacker Julia Kerr.
LIU struck early, finding the back of the net just 69 seconds into the contest. Goalkeeper Sophie Pasnak helped keep the deficit manageable in the opening quarter, highlighted by a save on a free-position attempt. After the Sharks built a five-goal lead midway through the second, Logan Pilon converted a free-position chance to put Manhattan on the board. Coming out of halftime, Kerr scored to make it back-
to-back Jasper goals and trim the margin to three. However, LIU answered with three straight tallies to regain control. Meghan Wendler and Marissa Mongon responded with goals 20 seconds apart, before Kerr added her second of the day late in the third.
Ella Brunette netted Manhattan’s final goal in the fourth. Pasnak finished with seven saves, while Brunette and Audrey Ziff each secured three draw controls in the loss.
2025-2026 Conference Schedule for the mens basketball team. @GOJASPERS