The Quinnipiac Chronicle 2017 Orientation Issue

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SUMMER 2017

ORIENTATION ISSUE

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President Lahey fun facts p. 2 Plaid p. 4 Hotspots p. 8 Championships p. 12

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

2|News

Summer 2017

Behind the bell

MEET THE EDITORS

The clock tower music is a tradition that is over half a century old EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Friedlander CONTENT DIRECTOR Hannah Feakes CREATIVE DIRECTOR Christina Popik WEB DIRECTOR Max Molski NEWS EDITORS Kelly Ryan & Victoria Simpri ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Jeremy Troetti ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Samantha Bashaw ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITORS Charlotte Gardner & Lindsay Pytel OPINION EDITOR Amanda Perelli SPORTS EDITOR Justin Cait ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITORS Logan Reardon & Conor Roche DESIGN EDITOR Madison Fraitag PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Erin Kane ADVISER Lila Carney

THE QUINNIPIAC CHRONICLE recipient of the New England Society Editors’ award for College Newspaper New England for 2015-16 2011-12

By JENNIE TORRES

Social Media Coordinator

Across the Mount Carmel campus, sounds of music ring out at every hour from the clock tower on the Arnold Bernhard Library. While the library provides peace and quiet, its clock tower keeps people updated with the time through short jingles.

Vice President of Facilities Operations Keith Woodward explained the origin of the clock tower.

“When the Mount Carmel campus was proposed in the early 1960s, university officials had a different plan for the clock tower,” Woodward said. “The tower was going to be in the center of the Quadrangle and not attached to the library, but in 1964 or 1965, the government mandated that the tower had to be part of a building to qualify for government funding.”

Woodward said the clock tower originally contained a Carillon system, which is the part of the tower that actually plays the music, donated by the Nils Sahlin family. But the new Carillon system has digitized music that cannot be played by hand. This feature makes it impossible to replicate the clock tower music on the system.

A Carillon is a musical instrument that is composed of at least 23 Carillon bells, according to the Guild of Carilloneuers of North America’s website.

The only time the Carillon was ever played manually was back in 1976, for Hamden’s bicentennial firework display, according to Woodward. It was manually played by a faculty member from a keyboard that was formerly in Alumni Hall‒ now the piazza of the Carl Hansen Student Center.

Now, the music from the clock tower features tunes that originated from popular franchises.

“New music is added to the bell tower playlist every few years,” Woodward said. “The university’s senior superintendent of mechanical services goes through a music catalog and selects songs he thinks are reasonably recognizable.”

Senior Alexi Mangili, said she would like Halloween-themed music to play when the holiday arrives. Mangili requested ‘This is Halloween’ as well as the ‘Monster Mash.’

The university’s method of choosing the clock tower music frustrates some students, such as junior Felicia Duch.

Some students mentioned not being able to remember some of the songs, including Duch, who said that though the music is refreshing, she

JULIA GALLOP/ CHRONICLE

The clock tower is located at the top of the Arnold Bernhard Library. wished there were more recognizable songs.

“I understand preserving tradition,” she said.

“I just think that it’s also important to include newer songs.”

Duch suggested a song by Bruce Springsteen or the Jackson 5.

Other students actually do recognize some music, like sophomore Austin Scudder.

“I think they played ‘Sweet Caroline’ once and I was loving it,” Scudder said.

Sophomore Nivea Acosta said she likes the music, except at night.

“The music is really nice, but sometimes I find it really eerie during the later hours,” Acosta said.

Despite that, Acosta said she appreciates the university’s efforts to offer students with unique musical snippets.

“What other universities have that?” she

asked. “At least here you get to hear ‘The Godfather’ theme and ‘Star Wars’ and that’s a nice change.”

Acosta even requested for the clock tower to play a favorite of hers called, “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns & Roses.

Sophomore Nhung An said she would prefer if the clock tower played music from the musical “Les Misérables” since she has a love for musical soundtracks.

It is uncertain whether or not these requests can be implemented right away, but Woodward did confirm that the clock tower music won’t be silenced any time soon.

“The Carillion continues to play the music thousands of students, parents, faculty, staff and other friends of the university hear each time they step foot on the Quadrangle on the Mount Carmel campus,” Woodward said.

is the proud of Newspaper of the Year in and 2012-13.

with

MAILING ADDRESS Quinnipiac University 275 Mount Carmel Avenue Hamden, CT 06518 THE CHRONICLE is distributed around all three university campuses every Wednesday when school is in session except during exam periods. Single copies are free. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or subject to university discipline. Please report suspicious activity to university security (203-582-6200) and Lila Carney at adviser@quchronicle.com. For additional copies, contact the student media office for rates.

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SEND TIPS, including news tips, corrections or suggestions to Sarah Doiron at editor@quchronicle.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be between 250 and 400 words and must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief before going to print. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit all material, including advertising, based on content, grammar and space requirements. Send letters to editor@quchronicle. com. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Chronicle.

PRES IDENT L AHEY Inter view by Sarah Doiron Design by Kristen Riello Photo by Erin Kane

What is your best memory at Quinnipiac?

The things I appreciate the most are the people who have made Quinnipiac a great institution.

Often students walk around campus and go to Buckman and Lender, Bernhard, Netter, Echlin.

And I don’t know what students think, but for me those are all people. Individuals who could’ve done anything with their money or time or associations, but instead attached their name and were generous and lended their support.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Palm Beach, where I actually have a home.

Judy (Lahey) and I enjoy Florida very much; she probably enjoys it more than I do. We lived Miami when we were young for 15 years after we got married. I did my Ph.D. there, and we

just fell in love with the beach and the weather and the lifestyle. My favorite cities are New York, Paris, all the cities of Ireland and Istanbul. I like spending time there. Judy doesn’t like city life as much as I do, but Florida is an area that we both really enjoy.

Do you have any pets?

No. We used to have dogs, though. Our dog Bogey, a Shih Tzu, died four years ago, we have his ashes up on our bookcase. I think my wife loved Bogey more than me. We had him for 15 years, but before that, Judy used to breed West Highland Terriers. So, we had West Highland Terriers for probably the first 20 years of our marriage. (Judy and I) have been married for 47 years.”

What is your favorite late night snack?

Someone asked me not too long ago, “What is your greatest accomplishment at Quinnipiac?” and it’s funny because I’m actually almost to the pound the same weight as I was when I first came here. I don’t have a lot of late night snacks, and I don’t eat sweets. I haven’t had a hotdog or hamburger in about 20 years.

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?

I would say Midleton Irish Whiskey. I’ve visited the distillery in Ireland.

What is your favorite restaurant near Quinnipiac?

Luce. But Blessings To Go is my favorite take out place.

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

News |3

Clad in plaid

University introduces new plaid tartan design

By STAFF REPORTS

Bobcats not only woke up to a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning on April 11, but also a campus plastered in “Quinnipiac Plaid.”

The university introduced “Quinnipiac Plaid” as a new tartan design that will serve as a timeless symbol denoting to the strong sense of community, pride and national prominence, according to a press release sent out Tuesday morning.

Tartan means the design can be viewed vertically and horizontally and be the same.

According to an email that was sent to the entire undergraduate community early Tuesday morning, the new design articulates clear differentiation from Qu’s peers while providing the University more recognition and another way to showcase the school’s new brand.

Students lined up on Bobcat lawn to participate to win prizes with the plaid logo.

There were water bottles, coffee mugs, flags and T- shirts to market the new plaid stamp.

Students thought the plaid was very unexpected and very sudden. Katie Rosell, a freshman game design major woke up to the email announcing the change.

“Nothing was the same,” Rosell said. “I see this banner on the email that is plaid and a nice little ‘Q’ on it, and now the flagpole has the new flag with the Quinnipiac plaid on it. So I really don’t know how I feel about it. It’s pretty sudden.”

Keith Rhodes, vice president of brand strategy and integrated communications, spearheaded the Quinnipiac Plaid branding and explains that the process was not over-

ERIN KANE/CHRONICLE

Mount Carmel Campus raised a new flag showing the plaid tartan design on April 11.

night.

“This ‘Quinnipiac Plaid’ has been a work in progress for over a year,” Rhodes said.

“In fact, it has been shared with student government, with various student groups for testing. It has been shared with the parent’s

council. It was designed using colors which are Quinnipiac Navy, York Hill Sky Blue and Bobcat Gold.”

According to the email, The new plaid design was more than a year in the making and combines the three university colors —

Quinnipiac Navy, York Hill Sky Blue and Bobcat Gold — as well as a touch of gray to provide a modern sensibility and aesthetics.

Sophomore journalism major Rachel Durand likes the new look the plaid brings to the university logo.

“The ‘Quinnipiac Plaid’ is a new initiation from the brand strategy department, and I think it’s really good for the school because it puts us on the map and gives us a more distinct look,” Durand said.

Leah Mueller a sophomore business management major thinks the plaid leaves a lot to be desired.

“What’s the point of the plaid?” she asked. “That’s my question. I get the tartan thing, kind of, but I just really don’t understand the story behind the plaid, and why now? It just doesn’t really make sense. And why are the cups plaid? Why is that the only plaid thing in the school? Is it going to be in the uniforms now? Where’s it going? Where is the plaid going?”

The idea is to give the university energy and vitality outside of the normal standard colors, that other universities typically have, according to Rhodes.

“We are blending these colors into a pattern. It represents the crossroads that we all are on in life, but we weave together a beautiful pattern,” Rhodes said. “It is also impactful. We are one of the very few universities that have a plaid.”

Reporting by Hannah Feakes, Victoria Simpri and Kelly Ryan

Becoming Bobcats y e l p Ep MAJOR Elementary Education HOMETOWN Darien, Connecticut

Bre n

Emil y

At Admitted Students Day 2017, the newest potential Bobcats had a chance to share their voices. The nervous and slightly awkward students answered the question, "What are you most excited about for coming to school at Quinnipiac?" −Samantha Bashaw

arich B n da MAJOR Health Science Studies HOMETOWN Boston, Massachusetts “Definitely (excited) to enjoy the freedom and definitely to meet new people and see what it’s like living far away from home.”

MAJOR Nursing

Ewan c M y a s

Mar

Lind

“I’m actually very nervous, but I’m excited to become independent because I’m close to (my mom) and to meet new friends. I love (Quinnipiac).

It was the first school I ever thought about, and I want to come here.”

MAJOR Communications Undeclared

HOMETOWN Norwalk, Connecticut

HOMETOWN Boston, Massachusetts

“Getting away from (my family), being on my own finally because I’m the baby. I personally love it here. I’m stuck between this and another school right now.”

“Just living and learning a lot and meeting new people. It’s a different scene than high school. I like the campus and the people here seem nice."

cu

ight r W s

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

4| Interactive

Summer 2017

Here’s what you missed Top 5 stories from the 2016-2017 school year

1) Lahey retires

2) Java John returns

On Friday, April 14 President John Lahey announced to the University community that he will retire after the 2017-2018 academic year.

Upon his retirement, Lahey will have served as president of Quinnipiac University for 31 years and three months.

“Words alone cannot express the thanks and appreciation I feel for the privilege and honor I have been given to serve as President of Quinnipiac University for more than three decades,” Lahey said in his announcement.

Under Lahey, the university grew from 1,900 students and three schools to 10,000 students and nine schools. Lahey also expanded the university endowment from $20 million to $450 million, according to the Quinnipiac University website. The university also established the Quinnipiac University Poll under Lahey’s leadership, while also creating the York Hill and North Haven campuses.

Cafe Q cashier John Raccio, most commonly known for his one liner, “Tap it,” returned to the register as of Jan. 23, just in time to welcome students back for the spring semester.

Raccio began working at Quinnipiac in January of 1995. He said at the beginning of his career at QU, he ran a coffee bar located in the dining hall for many years. That is where he was coined the nickname, “Java John.”

Raccio confirmed he never left the university, and only took a leave of absence. He said he was not feeling very well, a combination of not getting enough help at work and personal changes to his life.

“I miss the students tremendously,” Raccio said, “They are the only reason, aside from my need for health insurance, that I remain at the university.”

3) Capitalize. This. U.

4) A wild weekend

A petition called, “Revise the New Quinnipiac University Logo” was created on Sep. 11 in order to present the university with how many people are displeased with the new university logo and wish for it to be redesigned.

The main complaint people have with the logo has to do with grammar. The logo reads ‘Quinnipiac University,’ but the “u” in university is lowercase.

The once lowercase “university” in the Quinnipiac wordmark, or logo, was then changed to “UNIVERSITY” in January.

In a university statement, Vice President of Brand Strategy and Integrated Communications Keith Rhodes said that after gaining more design knowledge, the branding and strategy team determined that the primary wordmark gave too much weight to the word “university.”

This singular weekend that students look forward to and public safety warns us about. The weekend, which promises a full three days of parties. That’s right — May Weekend was back and better than ever.

A new sense of excitement lingered in the dorm rooms since this Toad’s excursion was special among all of the other dozens of Saturday nights. But of course, this refreshed mindset meant that everyone would be feeling the same and that signified the length of the line.

Some students returned to their dorms some pounding out ceiling tiles, some climbing up in their beds content with their weekend, some preparing to head out again the next day.

When the school doesn’t know who’s responsible for the damage that can happen in dorms, then everyone in the community has to share in paying for that.

QUINNIPIAC LINGO WORD SEARCH

QUINNIPIAC CROSSWORD

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

Opinion |5

WELCOME TO QUINNIPIAC The Quinnipiac Chronicle managerial board is excited to welcome the Class of 2021

Take advantage of what Quinnipiac has to offer Shalom Class of 2021! Welcome to your It’s a good thing that you are reading this new home for the next four years. Think piece of literary gold because I’m going to about that. Look around. You are going to give you the inside scoop, the golden advice, spend the next four years the not-so-secret secrets with these people! Welcome! to success here at QuinI hope that you meet nipiac. some great people as you get DAVID FRIEDLANDER Number one: NETintroduced to the Quinnipiac WORK, NETWORK, Editor-in-Chief @The_Schmoozer community during orientaNETWORK! And betion. Some of you might gain fore you ask if it was some lifelong friends, but for necessary to say that the most part, you are going three times, it was—I to spend the rest of college career making promise. I know this might contradict what awkward eye contact with them and saying I just said, but the people you meet here will to your friends, “That girl was in my orien- help you excel while you are here at Quintation group!” and never speak to her again nipiac and after you graduate. Quinnipiac for the rest of your life. is mostly a regional school with students

from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and throughout New England. With such a huge active alumni population nearby, I can almost guarantee that you will run into another QU grad somewhere down the road.

Thanks to nepotism and Bobcat pride, it might even land you a job.

Number two: GET INVOLVED! I know that everyone else is telling you this. Your orientation leaders will tell you this. Your seminar (FYS) professors will tell you this.

But guess what? I am too. Extra-curricular activities will honestly make or break your college experience. During my second week of classes, I went to seven different club meetings. I ended up sticking with The Chronicle, which I gained a spot on

the e-board, and WQAQ during my freshman, though I stopped going this year due to scheduling conflicts. I also go to the Hereld House for Jewish Life because I’m Jewish, and there’s always plenty of good food there. Definitely try out some clubs that are outside your normal realm, you don’t have to stick with them forever. Clubs and Greek organizations will give you an opportunity to meet people with similar values and interests.

This year is going to be awesome for you if you let it be. Don’t pass by an opportunity because it is too much work or you might not like it. Take a chance. That’s what college is about.

Don’t be lazy

Take advantage of all your opportunities here The transition from high school to college is interesting because the time you spend in class is basically cut in half, so you have a lot of free time to play around with. Seems great, right? “More time to lay in bed or watch Netflix” is what you may be thinking, but is it really how you should be spending your downtime? Not exactly.

Quinnipiac offers close to 200 organizations on campus to get involved in. There is a club for any interest you have, so there is no excuse to not be a part of something. Instead of spending your free time doing nothing productive, I encourage you to join something.

Especially as a freshman, it is important to get involved during your first year. First, it is a great way to meet people and make friends. Second, if you are unsure of what you want to do major or career-wise, it is a good way to explore

your interests. Third, the earlier you join, the more of a chance you have of earning a leadership position in your club, which will look good on your resume. For anyone looking to get a job right out of college, I recommend joining at least one club for your major, as it will allow you to further your knowledge of your field by practicing what you learn in the classroom on a realworld level.

For me, joining The Chronicle was one of the best things I have done. I am an interactive digital design major, and being a part of this organization taught me so much about design. Of course, I have learned a lot from my classes, but being able to practice the skills I have learned and use the design programs every week has definitely helped advance my work.

I came into college not really sure if I wanted

to stick with graphic design, but this organization made me sure that I am on the right path. Over the past year, I have fallen in love with design and have become so passionate about CHRISTINA POPIK my major. I Creative Director owe that all to @christinapopikk the Chronicle.

I saw an opportunity and seized it. Because I put the work in, I will hopefully look more desirable to employers when I graduate, because I’ll have more experience than some of my peers.

Quinnipiac is a great school with tons to do and, let’s be honest, if you’re paying this much

for a private university, you might as well get the most out of it. Don’t let time pass you by while you are here. Before you know it, you’ll be a senior wishing you did this or that.

We are no longer teenagers in high school, so the time for slacking off has passed. Try your best to get good grades, especially in classes for your major, because if you don’t, you’re really only hurting yourself. Attend events on campus that interest you. Join organizations. Meet people and make connections. Find your passion. This is YOUR time to shape who you are and build a life for yourself. Turn off Netflix, get out of bed and make your dreams a reality.

Strive for perfection I’m not sure my life has been the same culture when looking for advice, seeking insince I first watched “Whiplash” in an Os- spiration or just trying to crack a joke. Some car-nominated movie binge I embarked on might steer towards an emotional Robin Wilmy freshman year. liams character or From the story to the directthe pregame speech ing to the editing, Damien Chafrom “Miracle,” but zelle’s debut work floored me I prefer to side with MAX MOLSKI from beginning to end as a movSimmons.

Web Director @MolesDontSki ie junkie. Yet, my overwhelming Nobody is permemory from the movie brings fect, but that doesn’t me back to a scene in a jazz club mean you shouldn’t where J.K. Simmons’ charactry to be. ter utters the following advice to one of his It’s great to pick yourself back up, but former students: “There are no two words why should you fall down seven times and in the English language more harmful than get up eight? I prefer to just stay on my feet. ‘good job.’”

At some point, I get sick of falling and beI am not the only one to reference pop come more calculated in attempt to reach

my immediate goals.

In my three years at Quinnipiac, I have learned to turn every opportunity into my own. You might hate some of your electives thinking that there are no links between a course and your career goals. Well, pick some out. Find lessons, processes or quotes that could transfer over to your professional aspirations. You’re paying a pretty penny for it.

If you’ve never given a speech before, don’t use your debut attempt as a one to give your first speech. Use it as an attempt to give a great speech. You might be nervous either way, so there’s no sense in going through the motions.

Don’t go in for something waiting for

feedback. You ultimately want that feedback to improve and be great, so why not just work to bypass the growing steps and achieve immediately?

I have found help along the way in my imperfect collegiate journey. There is an abundance of resources here that are willing to help and want you to succeed. They are not coming to look for you, though. You are going to have to show drive and commitment with the peers, professors and other people you meet throughout the next four years. That’s your way into the extensive network this growing university has established.

DIY: making friends on the first day If you ask anyone for college advice, they will either tell you to get involved in everything or strive for perfection. Unfortunately, my fellow Bobcats, you cannot do either of those things without having a support system, or at least... one friend. Making friends will be a breeze if you follow these five steps.

Step 1: Muster up enough courage to step outside of your dorm room. It may be hard to go beyond the safety of your roommates and your newly set up corner, but go get some fresh air already!

Step 2: We all know how to knock on a door right? Well, it’s time to take those random skills your parents taught you and put them to good use. Walk down the hall and determine which door you feel most comfortable knocking on.

Maybe the one that is already decorated and looks inviting, or maybe the one with your best

friend from home’s name on it, Matt or Karissa.

Step 3: Take a deep breath, move your resisting body closer to the door, reach your sweaty closed fist out, and knock. Simple.

Step 4: Now at this point you might reach a crossroads, either no one will answer (in which case, step 2 must be repeated) or someone will answer the door and wonder what you are knocking for. In this case, please move on to step 5.

Step 5: This is where your magnetizing personality and charm come into play. Making a friend is being able to play a fine line of wooing the other person’s socks off and just being yourself. Introduce yourself, where you’re from, what you’re intentions are and then maybe spit out a fun fact about yourself. I know you have at least ten fun facts from the jolly rancher game they make you play at orientation. No excuses.

I have an anecdote for you. I lived on the

fourth floor of ledges alllllllll the way at the end of the hall. So far down the hall that the janitors closet was across from my room. We had no one next to us and no one across from us, total isolation. One day I chose to leave the confines of my stuffy room and wandered into a room that had the door propped open and HANNAH FEAKES laughter gliding out. What Content Director I found was quite shock@h_feakes47 ing actually. Two girls had pushed their futons and desks to the sides and were tap dancing in the middle of their room. I couldn’t help but laugh. I immediately went into friend making mode and introduced myself, where I was from, my major blah blah blah. I’ll admit I was a little bit of a suck up and told them they were both amazing

at tap… amazing was a bit of a stretch. And then I went on to say how it sucked being at the end of the hall because I felt like everyone else on the floor was becoming friends and I wasn’t. And here is the reason why I am telling you this story.

One of the girls came closer to me and said, “None of us are friends yet, we are all just acquaintances.” BAM, my mind was blown. It was the third day of school, of course no one was friends yet. After that I stopped stressing out about popping into random rooms and hanging out with people I didn’t really know. I can now say from experience, that is how I made most of initial friends at school.

Those people who tell you that college is the best four years of your life are absolutely right.

6| Sleeping Giant

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

A second home in Sleeping Giant State Park provides opportunities

By SARAH DOIRON Former Editor-in-Chief

Located across the street from the Mount Carmel campus, Sleeping Giant State Park gives members of the Quinnipiac community easy access to nature.

Quinnipiac’s Community Service Director Vince Contrucci said everyone appreciates the Sleeping Giant.

“One of the things everybody says is, ‘Oh, Quinnipiac is so beautiful.’ But one of the main reasons they’re saying that is because the park is right across the street and that is what you’re looking at when you come to campus,” he said. “The Sleeping Giant also provides that safety and security that the campus has and the quiet atmosphere the campus can also have, which is also another result of the park being across the street.”

Graduate student Julie Roosma thinks that the Sleeping Giant is an integral part of the Quinnipiac community.

“I don’t think I can ever fully appreciate that there is such a beautiful and amazing piece of nature so close to Quinnipiac’s campus,” she said. “It is honestly such a blessing to be able to go there any time.”

The Sleeping Giant is considered home to many of the residents living in Hamden, according to the Sleeping Giant Park Association (SGPA) Community Outreach Chair Julie Hulten.

“The Sleeping Giant means that feeling of belonging, and it something that the whole town can hold in reverence and in common with each other,” Hulten said.

While most members of the community know the Sleeping Giant as a good place to hike, there is more to the Sleeping Giant State Park than meets the eye.

The History of Sleeping Giant State Park

There aren’t many members of the Quinnipiac community who know the history about Sleeping Giant State Park other than the “Legend of the Bobcat,” which is read to students at orientation.

Hulten said there is no bobcat in the traditional legend told by the Quinnipiac Native Americans who once lived in the area.

“I understand the motivation because every place wants to have a lore and history,” Hulten said. “And there probably were bobcats here at some point, but they are not part of the Native American legend.”

The legend traditionally told says that Hobbomock, an evil spirit, became upset after feeling neglected by his people, causing him to stamp his foot which made the Connecticut River change directions, according to Hulten. The Quinnipiac Native Americans prayed to the good spirit, Keitan, who cast a spell on Hobbomock which caused him to fall into an eternal sleep so he would no longer cause any damage to the environment.

The “Legend of the Bobcat” says while Hobbomock had a spell cast on him to fall into an eternal sleep, his bobcat companion was spared. The bobcat defends the “sleeping giant”

and can be spotted around campus watching over the university and the Sleeping Giant.

Sleeping Giant State Park came into existence around the same time the SGPA was formed, according to Hulten. Judge Willis Cook, the owner of the land on Sleeping Giant’s first ridge, leased the land to Mount Carmel Traprock Company for quarrying. Quarrying is the blasting of trap rock to create flat and even surfaces.

Hulten said after complaints from neighbors about the quarrying and the changing of the shape of Sleeping Giant, the quarrying stopped, and both the Sleeping Giant State Park and the SGPA were formed in 1924.

“It was a community effort to stop the quarrying and from there, the park grew through donations of land and through fundraising the [SGPA] did,” Hulten said.

Sleeping Giant State Park is here for all of us to enjoy today because of the SGPA, according to Hulten.

“This indicates how deeply loved and how deeply people in the area care for this place,” Hulten said.

Hulten said the SGPA is also working with the state to have a welcome center built near the front gate of Sleeping Giant State Park where artifacts found on the Sleeping Giant can be displayed and the history of the mountain can be told.

The Sleeping Giant Park Association

The SGPA is not affiliated with the state, according to Hulten.

Hulten said the SGPA works closely with the state to maintain Sleeping Giant State Park, but the state mostly maintains the parking lot, pavilion and Tower Trail. The rest of the trails are maintained by volunteers from SGPA. The SGPA maintains the butterfly garden that sits outside the front gate of Sleeping Giant State Park, as well as the 32 miles of hiking trails located throughout the Sleeping Giant. The trail crew is completely made up of volunteers who help with cleaning up trash, trailblazing and removing invasive species, according to Hulten.

Along with the trail crew, the SGPA also has a hiking committee that offers around 18 guided hikes throughout the year. The dates and times of these hikes can be found on the SGPA website.

The SGPA hiking committee also sponsors the Sleeping Giant Masters Program, according to Hulten.

Any member of the SGPA who hikes all the marked trails and logs the dates and times can become a Sleeping Giant Master, according to Hulten. All Giant Masters are given a certificate and badge upon completion of the program.

Hulten said there are different branches of the Sleeping Giant Masters Program. Along with hiking all of the trails on the Sleeping Giant, if a member hikes those trails once each season, they are given another certificate.

There are also a number of people who have hiked all 32

miles once a month for the entire year, according to Hulten.

Those members also get another certificate for doing so.

As of August 2016, there are 336 Giant Masters, according to the SGPA website. Hulten has completed the Sleeping Giant Masters Program 17 times in her life and continues to hike the Giant regularly.

Contrucci is a Sleeping Giant Master. Contrucci has also hiked the Sleeping Giant once each season, according to the SGPA website’s list of Sleeping Giant Masters.

Contrucci said anybody can complete the Sleeping Giant Masters Program; it just takes perseverance.

“It’s easy to accomplish, but it just takes time and focus in order to do it,” he said.

“I don’t think I can ever fully appreciate that there is such a beautiful and amazing piece of nature so close to Quinnipiac’s campus. It is honestly such a blessing to be able to go there any time.”

– Julie Roosma GRADUatE STUDENT

Contrucci said he also believes members of the Quinnipiac community refer to him as the “Sleeping Giant Master” because he doesn’t need a map to find his way around the Sleeping Giant.

“I don’t necessarily have to use a map. I just know where I am, I know the trails really well and if somebody wants a suggestion on where to go or how to do something, I am able to come up with something easy for them to do,” he said. “I do always carry maps with me for when I encounter people who are lost, so I always have maps handy so I can point out to them where they are and where they need to go in order to no longer be lost anymore.”

Hulten has many favorite places to hike on the Sleeping Giant and she said it is hard to choose just one.

But her favorite part about the Sleeping Giant are the multiple pine tree forests.

“The ground is carpeted, and it is just so still. There is a chemical exuded by pine trees called pinene that is relaxing,” she said.

Contrucci said his favorite spots to hike on the Sleeping Giant are in the middle of the mountain.

“The trails there are more difficult and often less traveled by other people, so you have a better experience connecting with the Sleeping Giant and nature than you do when you’re on the side where everybody congregates,” he said.

Summer 2017

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Sleeping Giant |7

Fun facts

about the giant courtesy of julie hulten The Tower was built during the Great Depression to create jobs.

Harry Webb, the foreman of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) crew left his mark by creating a spider web in the arch window.

n Hamden

for community to find peace

PHOTO COURTESY OF SLEEPING GIANT PARK ASSOCIATION

Webb brought his Doberman dog, Lucky, to the worksite every day.

His dog is carved into one side of the tower.

Photo by Erin Kane Design by Christina Popik & Kristen Riello

Reflective Hike to Yoga

Associate Athletic Director for Fitness and Wellness Tami Reilly said Quinnipiac students are lucky to be within walking distance of Sleeping Giant State Park.

“I think it is a really nice opportunity for students to just walk across the street and literally be in nature and feel like you are so removed from campus,” she said. “That removal is really refreshing, and you’re only right across the street. It’s nice that students don’t have to get in a car and go somewhere. They have access to the Sleeping Giant all year round.”

Reilly and Contrucci also helped create the “Reflective Hike to Yoga” program which provides opportunities for members of the Quinnipiac community to hike the Sleeping Giant.

Reilly said the Reflective Hike to Yoga is a unique experience.

“It’s an opportunity to move, an opportunity to meet new people, just to get away from campus and to do something that has enough structure but enough freedom to make it really appealing,” she said.

The hike includes a guest speaker that guides the discussions throughout the hike, according to Reilly. The hike begins with meditation at the base of the Sleeping Giant, followed by a hike to yoga and reflective conversation throughout the hike. Reilly said each speaker comes with a theme and bases all discussions on that theme.

Contrucci said the hike allows participants to hike areas of the Sleeping Giant that are different than the Tower Trail.

“The Reflective Hike to Yoga exposes participants to other areas on the [Sleeping] Giant that they otherwise wouldn’t go to just because they usually stick to what they know,” he said.

“There is a lot more to experience on the Sleeping Giant if you go out there and try it a little differently.”

Contrucci also believes that doing yoga on the Sleeping Giant provides a unique experience participants wouldn’t get practicing in a studio.

“Doing yoga on the giant provides that different environment and atmosphere which I believe allows participants to enjoy yoga a little bit more,” he said.

Reilly said the program has grown over the years from around four or five participants per hike to around 25 participants per hike. She always gets positive feedback about the Reflective Hike to Yoga.

“When you do make the time to do something like this, it is super rewarding,” she said. “It is open to everybody and it is hard for all of us to make time to do things, but every time someone goes they say, ‘It was so much work to get here but it was so worth it.’”

Senior Maria Baras said some of her favorite memories were made during the Reflective Hike to Yoga.

“I started participating my freshman year and kept up as much as I could through my senior year,” she said. “It was nice to take a different path up the [Sleeping] Giant and have a different guest

speaker discussing a different topic with the group each time.”

There is one more hike left this semester on Nov. 7. All hikes take place on Mondays from 4:30-6 p.m. and begin by meeting at the base of the Sleeping Giant.

***

It is important for members of the Quinnipiac community to be respectful of the Sleeping Giant, according to Contrucci.

“If they’re gonna utilize the Sleeping Giant, use it in an appropriate way,” he said.

Contrucci said he is passionate about the Sleeping Giant because it is his favorite place to exercise.

“It’s something I am protective of because I understand how wonderful it is,” he said. “It is my escape. It is my ability to get away and I enjoy introducing other people to it, but I just want people to respect it.”

Hulten agrees with Contrucci and said it is important for members of the Quinnipiac community to respect the Sleeping Giant.

“The Sleeping Giant does mean home to so many people here and it is such a treasure. It is so beloved,” she said. “I would ask that students who do come and take advantage of it know where they’re walking and know how special it is to us who are not just here for four years, but have spent most of our lives here.”

Hulten posted to the SGPA Facebook page asking members of the Hamden community about what the Sleeping Giant means to them. She has received over 40 responses.

“The [Sleeping] Giant has and will continue to stand the test of time,” Jane Colwell Glynn said on the Facebook post. “It is the one symbol in our town that unites every generation to each other. It is the one place in Hamden that you can find great peace while overlooking our wonderful Hamden.”

Other members of the community shared their favorite memories of hiking the Sleeping Giant.

“The Giant is my dog’s favorite hiking place,” Patricio Moschcovich said on the Facebook post. “The trails and views are beautiful all year round. Each season is special, with their unique colors. Winters are great. We love going a day after a snowstorm. All covered in white. Few people. Quiet. Relaxing.

And a great exercise.”

Baras said the Sleeping Giant also connects the Quinnipiac community to the Hamden community.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the Quinnipiac community alone and forget about how much the Hamden community does for us and offers us,” she said. “Taking a step off of main campus and enjoying one of the local attractions is a good reminder to us that we’re part of a bigger community here at our home away from home.”

Hulten said for many, Hamden wouldn’t be the same without the Sleeping Giant.

“The Sleeping Giant is home,” Hulten said. “This is Hamden– this is the land of the Sleeping Giant.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SLEEPING GIANT PARK ASSOCIATION

The WPA workers used to signal home from the Tower with mirrors.

The 350 stairs cut into the White Trail made it easier for women in the late 1800’s to climb up to a cabin previously located on the second ridge.

A part of the Red Circle Trail was once a mine shaft where people used to dig for copper.

Along the Mill River, there was once a grist mill, an axel works and a cartridge shell factory.

ERIN KANE/CHRONICLE

There’s a 10 percent grade in elevation along the Tower Trail.

There are 32 total trails along the Sleeping Giant.

The Sleeping Giant didn’t become a state park until 1924.

8| Arts & Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

HOTSPOTS

Summer 2017

KEY CHRONICLE FAVORITE POPULAR AT QUINNIPIAC

Hamden and the surrounding towns have a lot to do. From our favorite local coffee shops and concert venues, to the best pizza joints around, The Chronicle has compiled a go-to list of some of our favorite hidden, and not-so-hidden, gems.

BY SARAH DOIRON, DAVID FRIEDLANDER, KRISTEN RIELLO DESIGN BY KRISTEN RIELLO

PIZZA

HAMDEN TONINO’S 3480 Whitney Ave. Closest to campus, delivers WE RECOMMEND: Buffalo chicken pizza, fresh tomato pizza

The first order of business is to establish where the best pizza place is. New Haven is known for it’s pizza and is said to have the best pizza in America by The Daily Meal.

SERGIO’S 3860 Whitney Ave.

Unique specialty pizzas, close to campus, nice dining room WE RECOMMEND: Shrimp pesto pizza, baked ziti pizza, prosciutto special pizza

DI MATTEO’S 2100 Dixwell Ave.

Dining room, good for large groups WE RECOMMEND: Buffalo chicken pizza, cheese pizza, rustica pizza

“Best pizza in New Haven” according to The Daily Mail, next to Libby’s desserts WE RECOMMEND: White clam pizza, sausage and mushroom pizza, anchovy pizza

MODERN APIZZA 874 State St.

Take out, thin crust pizza WE RECOMMEND: Mozzarella, margarita pizza, Italian bomb pizza

BAR 254 Crown St.

Musicians, pool tables, bar inside, communal tables WE RECOMMEND: Mashed potato and bacon pizza

NEW HAVEN

FRANK PEPE’S 157 Wooster St.

VENUES

New Haven has some legendary places that have been known to host amazing musical artists.

HAMDEN

TOAD’S PLACE 300 York St.

THE SPACE 295 Treadwell St.

Mix of genres

Local/smaller bands, unique decor HAS PERFORMED HERE: Transit, The Ready Set, Modern Baseball, Aaron Carter,

WALLINGFORD

THE OAKDALE 95 S Turnpike Rd.

HAS PERFORMED HERE: Chief Keef, Balance & Composure, Circa Survive, Sonic Youth, WuTang Clan, Third Eye Blind, Sammy Adams

COLLEGE STREET MUSIC HALL 238 College St. Mix of genres

Bigger artists, big space HAS PERFORMED HERE: Fetty Wap, Lil’ Wayne, O.A.R, Steve Aoki, The 1975, Fitz & The Tantrums, DNCE

HAS PERFORMED HERE: The 1975, Conor Oberst, The Neighborhood, Ratatat, Twiddle, Modest Mouse, Phish, Neon Trees

NORTH HAVEN

1167 N Colony Rd.

CINEMARK | Movie theater 550 Universal Dr.

Open to the public, can play with dogs that are up for adoption

Brand new, luxury seating, reserved seating, self-serving ticket kiosks

NEW HAVEN

NEW HAVEN

KRISTEN RIELLO/CHRONICLE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

From local galleries to petting puppies, your weekends can be filled with different activities.

WALLINGFORD

WALLINGFORD BOWL | Bowling 980 N Colony Rd. Low prices, karaoke

SKY ZONE | Trampoline park 805 N Colony Rd. $15 per hour, foam pit, basketball, dodgeball

YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY 1111 Chapel St. Free, open to the public, famous paintings from artists like van Gogh and Monet

JORDAN’S FURNITURE (It) 40 Sargent Dr.

World’s largest indoor adventure ropes course, ice cream, pizza

ALL PETS CLUB | Pet store TONY BLAY/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

SUSHI & HIBACHI

HAMDEN

SUSHI MIZU 47 Whalley Ave.

SAKURA 1869 Dixwell Ave.

Order online, free delivery WE RECOMMEND: Dinner bento box, Mizu special roll, lo mein

Sushi and hibachi WE RECOMMEND: Miso prawn, Sakura chef sushi roll

Satisfy your Asian food craving at the local restaurants and take out stops nearby.

SUSHI PALACE 1437 Dixwell Ave.

Only sushi, sushi bar, all you can eat sushi for $18.95 on weekdays and $20.95 on weekends WE RECOMMEND: Godzilla roll, seaweed salad, shumai, red bean ice cream

JASA 1720 Dixwell Ave.

Both Chinese and Japanese cuisine, sushi WE RECOMMEND: Potstickers, spicy garlic edamame, sweet potato sushi roll BLUE MOON/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

NEW HAVEN

MISO 15 Orange St.

“The best sushi in Connecticut” according to Connecticut Magazine, Japanese cuisine WE RECOMMEND: Dynamite sushi roll, four seasons sushi roll, orange street roll, miso fried rice

Summer 2017

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

LUNCH STOPS

HAMDEN RAY & MIKE’S 3030 Whitney Ave.

Whether you call it a sandwich, grinder, hoagie, hero or a sub, you’ll find unique sandwich combinations hidden all over Hamden.

Closest to campus, takes QCash, unique sandwich combinations WE RECOMMEND: Quickwhich (steak, mac and cheese), The Irresistible (steak, cheese, buffalo chicken, Mac Daddy (BBQ pork, cheese, mac & cheese, bacon), Pastrami Nightmare (Pastrami, pepper jack cheese, grilled veggies, spicy mustard)

THE CORNER DELI 2773 Dixwell Ave. Huge drink and snack selection, daily specials WE RECOMMEND: Tomato, mozzarella and basil panini, any of their daily soups

B&D DELI 3584 Whitney Ave. Delivery available through Silver Spoon WE RECOMMEND: The Quinnipiac panini (chicken, roasted peppers, mozzarella, pesto), onion rings, the Texan chicken club

Arts & Life | 9 BREAD & CHOCOLATE 2457 Whitney Ave. Daily specials, fresh bread, a bakery full of sweets WE RECOMMEND: Caprese sandwich, pastrami melt

NEW HAVEN LOUIS’ LUNCH 261-263 Crowne St. Claims to have invented the hamburger, today it’s still served on toast for $6 WE RECOMMEND: The hamburger (obviously), homemade pie,

CHESHIRE

SWEET PEA 912 S Main St. Healthier options, delivery through Silver Spoon WE RECOMMEND: Weekly specials, chicken with basil pesto panini

THENOODLEATOR/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

SOMETHING WHERE TO TAKE YOUR FAMILY SWEET

CHAPENDRA/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

Share a meal with your family at one of Hamden’s many unique restaurants PHOTOS BY CAITLIN CRYAN

PARK CENTRAL TAVERN

Satisfy your sweet tooth with local froyo and ice cream.

HAMDEN

drawings, can buy ice cream cakes

chocolate milkshake, waffle sundae

Closest to campus, pretty outdoor seating, homemade ice cream WE RECOMMEND: Pistachio, rum raisin, cookie monster, buttered toaster almond

SWEET CLAUDE’S 828 S Main St.

CHESHIRE

Homemade, cash only, down the street from campus, froyo and tofutti options WE RECOMMEND: Dough-si-dough, Claudes cupcake, Mississippi mud

FROYO WORLD 2100 Dixwell Ave. Healthier alternative, DIY WE RECOMMEND: Birthday cake, peachy tart

TASTE 1995 Whitney Ave.

ASHLEY’S 2100 Dixwell Ave.

If you’re looking for a dressier dining option, Taste is the place for you.

The lunch menu is affordable, while dinner is a bit more pricey. The most popular dish ordered is the short ribs, red wine braised and served with roasted baby carrots and herb whipped potato. It will be busy on Parents’ Weekend, so be sure to make a reservation by calling them at 203-230-8801.

Draw something to add to their wall of

OPEN LATE COFFEE

WE RECOMMEND: Curly fries, root beer floats,

chocolate chip waffle

TOWNHOUSE DINER | 6 a.m.–12 a.m.

2256 Whitney Ave.

WE RECOMMEND: Chocolate milkshake, disco fries

NEW HAVEN

INSOMNIA COOKIES | 9 a.m.–3 a.m.

1143 Chapel St.

WE RECOMMEND: Cookiewich (ice cream with two cookies, double chocolate chip cookie, s’mores cookie, double chocolate mint cookie

DROOGIES | 11–12 a.m. (Weekends)

3500 Whitney Ave. Pick up or delivery

WE RECOMMEND: Mint chocolate chip

milkshake, mozzarella fries, chicken parm calzone

CHINESE | Most Chinese places in Hamden are open until 11 p.m. or later.

WE RECOMMEND: Gold Star, Golden Chopsticks

IXTAPA

ELTPICS/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

1864 Dixwell Ave.

SHAHBASHARAT/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

When pulling all nighters you There are two Dunkin’ Donuts on need to know where the local late Whitney Avenue but why not try a night stops are, because you can local coffee shop instead? only live off Domino’s pizza and breadsticks for so long.

ACROPOLIS DINER | Open 24 hours

The Park Central Tavern is a great place to bring your parents and family for dinner. They serve American-style food, such as short rib sliders and, one of their most popular items, fish tacos.

The restaurant does get crowded on weekends so make sure to make reservations by phone, 203287-8887, or online.

WE RECOMMEND: Coffee oreo with hot fudge,

WENTWORTH’S 3697 Whitney Ave.

HAMDEN

1640 Whitney Ave.

2547 Whitney Ave. If you and your family want to try something different, head down to Ixtapa Grille. The Mexican restaurant serves everything homemade from salsa to the popular enchiladas Jalisco dish: a mix of chicken, shredded beef and jack cheese.

They also accept QCards. There is plenty of parking, and the restaurant has ample space inside.

HAMDEN WHITNEY DONUT 2574 Whitney Ave. Delivery through Silver Spoon WE RECOMMEND: XL coffee for $3, bacon, egg and cheese sandwich

CHESHIRE

CHESHIRE COFFEE 210 Old Towne Rd. Season specialties WE RECOMMEND: Toasted almond mocha, caramel apple cider, green tea matcha lattee

THE BEAN COFFEE ROASTERS LLC 118 S Main St.

SERGIO’S 3860 Whitney Ave. Sergio’s offers flavorful Italian pizzas made fresh with mozzarella, assorted grated cheeses and plenty of fresh vegetables. A great appetizer for the table to enjoy is fried zucchini, and a house favorite entree is pasta fazul. There is plenty of parking space available as well.

Daily specials

WE RECOMMEND: Vanilla almond, egg sandwiches, sea salt caramel mocha

BANGKOK BLVD.

NEW HAVEN

Looking for something new and exciting? Indulge your taste buds with spicy Thai food at Bangkok Blvd. without breaking the bank. Prices are affordable and the atmosphere inside truly feels unique. One of their most popular dishes is Panang curry, made with string beans, carrots, bell peppers and snow peas and cooked in coconut milk.

BLUE STATE COFFEE 84 Wall St. Space to sit and do work, donates a portion of sales to non-profit organizations WE RECOMMEND: Their signature coffees, Liberty flavor, French roast

3000 Whitney Ave.

10 | Arts & Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

>>QCard Hacks for Bobcats<< Your QCard could be the key to a free drink or retail discount. Retail companies and food chains offer discounts and promotions to customers who present valid student ID. As students, finding ways to save money on even the littlest of things is essential. Companies will offer a student discount to those who present their student ID cards at purchase. Here are a list of companies that have offered a discount in the past, but keep in mind that any franchise has the ability to not honor the discount. -Amanda Perelli DESIGN BY JESS SWEENEY

FREE DRINK >> Chick-Fil-A >> Chipotle

OTHER DISCOUNTS

10% OFF >> Alex and Ani >> Campus Customs >> Denali >> Kumo >> Raggs >> Steve Madden >> Trailblazer

15% OFF >> Banana Republic >> H&M >> J. Crew >> Kate Spade >> Madame Tussauds

>> Bangkok Gardens and Oaxaca Kitchen give 10 percent off. >> New York Times offers 50 percent off of the original subscription fee. >> Seoul has a $5 off discount to students who purchase $45 or more. >> Spotify offers 50 percent off the original monthly price. >> Tandoor Kitchen gives students 15 percent off of purchase. >> The Wall Street Journal offers a $1 a week subscription to its student readers. >> Yorkside Pizza will give students a free two-liter soda with a meal of $15 or more.

11|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

Fabbri’s family

Quinnipiac women’s basketball head coach Tricia Fabbri reflects on her team’s historic season

By CONOR ROCHE

Associate Sports Editor

If you asked Tricia Fabbri how many kids she has, she would respond with four; her three biological children, and an adopted child: the Quinnipiac women’s basketball program.

Fabbri has now been Quinnipiac’s head coach for 22 seasons. After a long and windy road, her Bobcats finally reached the Sweet 16 in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

“We did it,” coach Fabbri said of the moment when the Bobcats defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the second round. “We’re going to the second weekend!”

Fabbri’s journey at Quinnipiac began in 1995, and she is one of the two coaches that remains from former athletic director Burt Kahn’s time. She can still recall the odd setting of her interview with him.

“Burt Kahn was such a character,” Fabbri said. “He had his dogs around, he had his tobacco in his mouth and was walking around doing stuff, and we were just having a conversation about stuff that I couldn’t remember...I thought it was interesting.”

When Fabbri came to Quinnipiac as an assistant coach from her alma mater Fairfield, the school wasn’t a university and the Bobcats were a Division II program. They also played their games in a multipurpose gym that is now known as Burt Kahn Court.

“I didn’t know much about Quinnipiac,” Fabbri, a lifelong Connecticut resident, said. “I thought ‘This would be a good step for me, I’m ready for it.’”

Now the Bobcats are a Division I program that plays in a state-of-theart arena. They’ve also moved up in the conference ranks in that time, moving from the Northeast Conference (NEC) to the Metro Athletic Athletic Conference (MAAC), going up against Fabbri’s alma mater. “[TD Bank Sports Center] is really one of the best in the country,” Fabbri said. “We’re in a constant state of being better and efficient.

Wouldn’t you rather be here as opposed to ‘This is the way it is?’...to me, that’s where you want to be.”

Fabbri was almost not around for the opening of the the TD Bank Sports Center in 2007 because she nearly quit in 2000 after the team had close losses to Wake Forest and Seton Hall.

“We were doing good things against programs that were in the Big East and the ACC and I can’t stand losing,” Fabbri said. “When you want to win and you’re trying to turn the corner, you’re pulling your hair out.”

Associate head coach Mountain MacGillivray joined the program in 2009 as a recruiting coordinator and knew that he wanted to be on the Quinnipiac coaching staff when he met Fabbri.

“What I was really looking for was someone who really cared about her players and was secure about her job and her abilities and was confident,” MacGillivray said. “[Fabbri’s] a mother of three, so she understood how to take care of her girls. I knew right away, meeting her and meeting a couple of players, that this was going to be a great place to work. And it has been.”

MacGillivray’s job, as a recruiter, is to find high schoolers to buy into Fabbri’s 10-player rotation, where 10 players play roughly 15-25 minutes a game, and no one player is bigger than the system.

Fabbri’s daughter, Carly, is a rising senior on the team. She says that her mother is no different as a coach than she is a parent.

“Both as a parent and as a coach she has high expectations,” Carly Fabbri said. “I think if you set the bar high that doesn’t really leave a lot of room for error. She expects us as players to come to practice every day willing to compete. She expects us every game to go out there and not really care about the name of the jersey we’re playing against.”

Redshirt sophomore forward Jen Fay was one of those players that bought into Fabbri’s system.

“The one thing that I thought was different about Quinnipiac than any other school that I visited was the family atmosphere,” Fay said.

“All the coaches were there to meet you and greet you...each coach took the time out of their day to show you around, and I think that family atmosphere was really the one thing that drew me here.”

The program won its first postseason game in 2016, winning a game in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). Although the program had not won an NCAA Tournament game in its two previous appearances in 2013 and 2015, the goal was to win two tournament games in 2017.

The Bobcats won the MAAC

Championship, giving them a berth into the NCAA Tournament. In the first round, the No. 12 seeded Bobcats upset the No. 5 seed Marquette Golden Eagles, 68-65, setting up a second round matchup against No. 4 Miami on its homecourt.

Quinnipiac took an early lead, but saw a few players get into foul trouble. Despite that, the Bobcats were able to hold off a late Hurricanes rally, winning 85-78 and accomplishing the goal they had set prior to the season.

“Hard work always pays off and you don’t know when, and it paid off,” Fabbri said. “As a coach and as a player you never want to feel satisfied or say you’re satisfied, but truthfully [it was] satisfying...and there was nothing easy about it.”

It could be said that the moment the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team “graduated” was when it defeated Miami in the second round of the NCAA tournament, leading to a few days of buzz surrounding the team.

Local media outlets awaited the team’s arrival at the airport following its win against Miami. A day later, a pep rally was held outside the TD Bank Sports Center, where Fabbri stood atop a firetruck ladder to address the fans on the team’s success as fans stood out in the frigid weather.

Even ESPN joined in on the coverage with a story on how to pronounce “KWIN-uh-pee-ack.”

The Bobcats gained national fame like their in-state foes, the UConn Huskies, who had won the previous four championships and were riding a record 109-game winning streak at the time.

But the Bobcats lost to the eventual champion South Carolina Gamecocks, 100-58, in the Sweet 16 game that the Gamecocks dominated from the beginning. “[The Gamecocks] didn’t give us any hope,” Fabbri said. “They were ready to go.”

After this type of success at a mid-major program, coaches may jump ship to a bigger school. But Quinnipiac won’t have to worry about losing Fabbri.

“Are you kidding me?” Fabbri said on the possibility of leaving.

“This is my baby! I’ve got four kids, Carly, A.J., Paul Henry, and Quinnipiac women’s basketball.

We continue to do things that have not been done here before.”

Fabbri has been contacted by

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS / GRAPHIC BY JUSTIN CAIT

Tricia Fabbri boasts a 379-276 career coaching record with Quinnipiac.

other schools for their coaching position, but wouldn’t comment on which ones.

Although the Bobcats have found a new taste of success, they aren’t doing things differently. Offseason workouts are the same as they’ve ever been, and Fabbri is sticking to her 10-player rotation.

She also hopes that with the new success, it will be easier for recruits to by into her system.

“All that exposure was immeasurable, and now we’re trying to measure just exactly how much did it do,” Fabbri said.

She also hopes that the team can ride its popularity wave into next season with the fans. Lender Court holds 3,570 seats, but there were only three games last season that more than 1,000 fans attended. To add to that, the student section typically consists of the pep band and a handful of students.

“People are very proud of what we were able to accomplish,” Fabbri said. “Hopefully we’re able to capitalize on the success of what we were able to do and get people in the stands for our home games next year.”

As for next season, the Bobcats return 12 players, including Carly Fabbri, and Fay. However, they also lose two of their senior captains in guard Adily Martucci and forward Morgan Manz.

“As fun as it has been these last couple of months, we now have to shift our focus on to next season,” Carly Fabbri said. “It’s hard to win a lot of games, it’s hard to win the regular season of the MAAC and go in and win in three days of the MAAC Championship Tournament...now that we’ve been there and we’ve seen what it takes, hopefully we’re going to take that experience and make that happen again.”

With all that the program has achieved the last five seasons, Fabbri believes that the program is still growing and that it’s not far away from joining college basketball’s elite.

“I’d like to say that we’re knocking on the door of a Final Four [within the next four years],” Fabbri said.

“I know people are sitting here saying ‘she’s out of her mind,” but the kids that say yes to Quinnipiac want those challenges.”

12|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Summer 2017

Sports Keeping up with the ‘Cats

QUCHRONICLE.COM/SPORTS SPORTS@QUCHRONICLE.COM @QUCHRONSPORTS

The 2016-17 athletic season was an eventful one. Justin Cait, Logan Reardon and Conor Roche fill you in on all you’ve missed with the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S GOLF

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

The Quinnipiac women’s basketball is coming off its best season in program history. Not only did the Bobcats win the their second MAAC Tournament Championship, they also won their first two NCAA Tournament games in program history. In the Sweet 16, they lost to the eventual national champion South Carolina Gamecocks. - CR

WOMEN’S RUGBY

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

Women’s golf won the MAAC Championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in back to back seasons. Both years it was led by freshmen. In 2016, it was rising junior Luciana Tobia-Palza who won MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Rookie of the Year. In 2017, rising sophomore Alexander Sazhin winning the same awards. - LR

WOMEN’S TENNIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

The Quinnipiac rugby team won the national championship for the second straight season in 2016. Head Coach Becky Carlson led the Bobcats to an 11-1 record, including a 213-0 victory over Castleton University. Additionally, rising senior Ilona Maher received the MA Sorensen Award for the nation’s best player. - CR

Women’s tennis won its fourth straight MAAC Championship on April 30 against Siena. The Bobcats won by a score of 4-2, behind senior Sydney Young’s tournament clinching match.

Additionally, rising junior Jennifer Lu earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award for wins in both singles and doubles matches. The graduated senior class finished its collegiate career winning MAAC Championships every season it played. - JC

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY

WOMEN’S WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY HOCKEY

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Despite making an appearance in the ECAC Hockey Tournament Semifinals, men’s ice hockey had a down season after making the NCAA Tournament Finals a season ago. With an upgraded back-end coming to Quinnipiac in 2017-18, the Bobcats will have to find scoring in order to emerge as a college hockey powerhouse once again. - JC

MEN’S MEN’SBASKETBALL HOCKEY

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

In a season in which leadership and talent was lost on the blue line, women’s ice hockey fell to Clarkson, the eventual national champions, in the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals. Co-captains Melissa Samoskevich and Alicia Barry look to bring the Bobcats back to its dominant ways in 2017-18. - JC

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL HOCKEY

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Men’s basketball endured another tough season in 2016-17, going 10-21 and losing their final seven games. This caused a change in the coaching staff, with new head coach Baker Dunleavy coming on board from Villanova, replacing Tom Moore. Five players transferred as a result of the coaching change, and the team will be filled with new faces hoping to bring relevance to the men’s basketball program at Quinnipiac. - LR

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After a combined record of 5-59 since 2014, one of the biggest surprises of the 2016-17 athletic season was the Quinnipiac volleyball team. Led by rising sophomore Maria Pansari’s record setting season, the Bobcats finished with a 23-18 overall record and the runner-up in the MAAC Championships in 2016-17. - JC