‘We were really desperate and so were they’
Cornell bests Quinnipiac 3-2 in ECAC Semifinals overtime thriller
By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — How does the saying go? Third time’s the charm?
Unfortunately for Quinnipiac, that was the case for Cornell as the Big Red slammed the door on the Bobcats Friday night for the third time this season — this time in an overtime thriller in the ECAC Semifinal.
And so the curse of Lake Placid struck again for Quinnipiac, and considering how this game went, it truly might be a curse.
“I have a lot of frustration right now,” head coach Rand Pecknold said.
Despite the fact that this was the fourth time these teams have faced off this season — with the Bobcats snagging one win in the first game, tying and losing the other two respectively — and Quinnipiac holding the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the outcome was really up in the air.
“Especially over the last 10-15 years, it’s been Quinnipiac and Cornell,” Cornell head coach Mike Schafer said. “When someone asked what the game was gonna be, I thought probably 2-2, 1-1. Looking at the stats, they had one more power play
than we had; save percentage, shots on goal, faceoffs were at 50%. Two good teams, two very good programs. People were kicking dirt on our graves and somehow we were able to rally and that’s been our year.”
Like Schafer said, Cornell started out slow, and it’s only saving grace was that so did Quinnipiac.
In March Madness fashion, Cornell put one on the board with four seconds left on the clock in the first period, and that was about all that transpired in the first 20.
It was a goal that could’ve and would have not gone in — in fact a few of the exact same attempts fell just short of the red line — as Cornell’s sophomore forward Jonathan Castagna tipped it in on the power-play over sophomore goaltender Matej Marinov.
Speaking of the Nitra, Slovakia native, after a successful weekend against Brown where he saved 53 out of 54 shots and earned his third shutout of the season, he notched another 19 saves tonight.
Junior defenseman Charlie Leddy went down for a moment after a hit from Castagna in what was called a five-minute major on the ice but changed to a minor penalty
for contact to the head after a video review.
In his opening press conference statement, Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold only said one thing:
“I’m not going to take any questions on the officiating and NCAA rules tonight. Any questions on that, you can ask (ECAC Commissioner) Doug Christiansen.”
To answer, sophomore forward Andon Cerbone put Quinnipiac on the board on power-play as well, 14 minutes into the second period.
Hopes rose for the Bobcats in the third period, when freshman forward Chris Pelosi netted his 13th of the season with five minutes left on the clock, giving Quinnipiac the advantage.
Cornell came back fighting, however, with a desperation that only comes from a team that is fighting for its life — in this case the Big Red’s last season with Schafer before his retirement.
And that despair ended with a shorthanded goal by senior forward Kyler Kovich that tied the game and inevitably forced it into overtime.
The Bobcats held off the Big Red’s at -
tempts until a slashing penalty on graduate student defenseman Cooper Moore gave Cornell the man advantage and resulted in senior defenseman Tim Rego shooting one past Marinov.
The buzzer sounds.
Herb Brooks Arena filled with Cornell fans erupts in cheers.
And the Bobcats on the ice all simply watch down on their knees.
“We were really desperate and so were they,” senior goaltender Noah Altman said. “It’s been everything for me. It’s been very hard to take off the jersey tonight and I really hope it wasn’t the last time.”
It truly seems like everything was stacked against the Bobcats in Lake Placid once again.
Now all that’s left is to await their NCAA Tournament fate which will be decided March 28 at 5 p.m. against UConn in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the regional semifinals. The Bobcats can only hope to put on the jersey for one more game.
And another one after that. And another one after that.
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QU and SHU go head to head in Dining Chef Throwdown
By CHLOE GRANT Staff Writer
On March 24, the Recreation and Wellness Center held its first Chef Throwdown event — A head to head cooking showdown between Quinnipiac Executive Chef Ben Gaffney, and Sacred Heart Chef Walter Estrada.
The event hosted a handful of Quinnipiac students and faculty, as well as an impressive array of judges. The throwdown was held in the Teaching Kitchen of the RecWell Center and displayed Quinnipiac merchandise and props to cheer on the competitors.
“I saw this event on Instagram. I currently run the resident life page for Quinnipiac and so I saw this from QU dining,” Ledges Residence Hall Director Shea Teague said. “I really enjoy baking and I do love to cook. I think I’m a big foodie too, which is why I really wanted to be here for this. “
Upon entering, each table was lined with comment cards and menus featuring what each school planned on making. Quinnipiac’s lineup included Three Little Pigs, Nacho Fries and a Raspberry Cookie Crunch Milkshake. Sacred Heart made their SHU Moo Burger, with a side of Hush Puppies.
As the chefs eagerly awaited behind the kitchen counter preparing their workspace, viewers made their way to their seats. The event commenced and the chefs began on their first dish and students frequenting the RecWell peered in through the windows to get a glimpse of the action.
“15 minutes down!” yelled a bystander.
As both teams were continuously followed by a cameraman, smoke began to rise from the stove as the Sacred Heart team prepared their entree. Within minutes a fire alarm began blaring throughout the RecWell.
In a panic, everyone hurried out of the Teaching Kitchen as a thick smoke filled the room. Students inhabiting the RecWell stood around aimlessly and confused as they awaited confirmation on the matter.
The alarm continued blaring as Public Safety arrived trying to determine the gravity of the situation. Talk of changing locations circulated as the chefs from both schools began transporting their dishes elsewhere.
Thankfully, the alarm was silenced a few minutes later and viewers hovered nearby waiting to be let back in. As panic began to subside, chefs from both schools got situated and the competition resumed.
The clock ticked away as both teams made their finishing touches to each dish. Judges passed out pens and utensils to everyone as the cooking process came to a close.
A few moments later, the chefs from Quinnipiac began plating their food and distributing it amongst the judges and viewers. Eating commenced after the first dish was passed out.
After all three dishes were distributed, judges and participants were given the opportunity to rate each meal depending on its presentation, taste, technique, creativity and
use of ingredients out of five points. Everyone was then instructed to add each up category to determine a final score for the meal.
After doing so, Sacred Heart chefs then distributed each of their dishes. Judges and participants were then given the same opportunity to rate each course.
Both teams allowed judges and participants time to converse and eat as the comment cards were collected and results were determined. Only scores given by judges were to be considered in determining whether Sacred Heart or Quinnipiac would take home the title of best chef.
The chefs from both teams waited in anticipation as each point was accounted for. After the long awaited results, Sacred Heart University took home the first ever Chef Throwdown trophy.
Afterward, Quinnipiac Executive Chef Ben Gaffney discusses where he initially got his start in the cooking industry and where it has taken him.
“I cooked all over the world. I started in New Orleans, then the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, then to Africa and back to Connecticut,” Gaffney explained.
He also discussed how one of his biggest inspirations over the years has been Julia Child’s.
Following the disparaging results, and some much needed clean up, the room began to clear out, leaving only the chefs left behind.
Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in SB 123 at 9:15 p.m.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Chef Peter Hamme, Chef Walter Estrada and Chef Ben Gaffney at the Quinnipiac Chef Showdown on March 24.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
One of the judges at the Quinnipiac Chef Showdown tasting the food.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE Quinnipiac’s main course displayed at the Chef Showdown.
TYLER
Chef Ben Gaffney sporting a Bobcat t-shirt under his chef coat at the showdown
New FYS changes offer more flexibility, fewer peer catalyst positions
By AVA HIGHLAND Associate News Editor
Quinnipiac University students are required to take a first-year seminar (FYS), primarily taking place in their first fall semester. However, to offer more flexibility, additional sections will be offered in the spring semester beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
Students choose from a variety of different topics for their FYS course. They span across a variety of different focuses, including music, pop culture, leadership, world peace, exploration and many more.
“Each FYS section is a faculty-designed seminar constructed to help examine a complex problem, an enduring question, or new ideas from multiple perspectives,” Annalisa Zinn, vice president for academic innovation & effectiveness, wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “Feedback from students has indicated that they appreciate the opportunity to select an FYS section on a topic that resonates with their interests.”
While the course description and seminar format will remain the same, more offerings in
the spring will allow for students to enroll in the FYS focus they are most interested in. This helps to avoid students being placed in a section purely based on their schedule, rather than a focus that truly piques their interest.
“To provide students with more opportunity to register for a FYS section on one of their preferred topics, we plan on repeating more FYS course sections in the spring semester,” Zinn wrote.
Several FYS sections have a peer catalyst, (PC), working alongside the professor.
According to Quinnipiac’s website, “These specialists work directly in First-Year Seminar courses. They lead a range of in-class initiatives, including group discussions and projects, and also collaborate with professors to suggest, design and execute in-class activities.”
On Monday, March 17, PCs were informed via email by Diana Swancutt, PC program lead, of the upcoming changes to FYS and how they would affect the PC program. However, FYS professors were not yet aware of these changes.
Swancutt explained that for at least the next
year, FYS sections would be closer to evenly divided, with 60% in the fall and 40% in the spring. With there now being less sections in the first semester, there will also be less PC positions available.
Instead of the anticipated 85 positions in the fall, there will now be about 60 positions available, resulting in 25 fewer positions. For honors FYS sections, there will be 16 positions instead of 19.
“I do not know how many FYS sections there will be in the spring,” Swancutt wrote. “Possibly as few as 5-10, possibly as many as 20-25.”
With there now being fewer positions available, those interested in holding one must be assessed.
“I am required by the exigencies I outlined to reassess your commitment to this program, and to place those who have demonstrated through your commitment to service and your excellent performance that you truly want this position,” Swancutt wrote. “I will also be looking at your FWS status carefully.”
Swancutt also noted that several students in the PC program preferred other positions, but landed in the PC program, having had it as more of a backup position.
“For some the PC Program is necessarily just one work site among several other options, a way to make money while doing something you enjoy,” Swancutt wrote. ”Last year, some PCs decided only very close to fall term to work as a PC when other options have fallen through.”
On the other hand, some began their position, but did not remain in the program for the semester.
“A few agreed to serve as a PC only to quit at the beginning of term or after committing to a placement because their first choice of workplace or internship has finally come through,” Swancutt wrote. “I also understand the practical need to hedge bets.”
For first-year students, these new changes give them more flexibility and a higher chance to enroll in a section with a topic they are interested in. However for PCs, they face a shortage of available positions.
Hamden’s new family steakhouse opens its doors nearby
By CARLEIGH BECK Associate News Editor
Salvatore’s Steakhouse held its grand opening on March 7, serving a variety of steak, pasta and salad dishes, while offering a sit-down and bar setting.
The steakhouse is located on 1670 Whitney Avenue, where the land has been owned by the Ferraro family prior to the restaurant being placed there. Victoria Ferrero owns Salvatore’s Steakhouse.
Her family created and runs the popular Ferraro Market in North Haven that specializes in meats.
“We just have always been known for our quality meat at a very affordable price,” Ferraro said. “So my family always wanted to open up a restaurant, a steakhouse, for years now. It just always went hand in hand, because we have the market so we can get the supply from them and keep the prices at a very affordable price for our customers.”
Ferraro’s grandfather, Salvatore Ferraro Sr., established the family’s market originally located in New Haven 75 years ago.
The steakhouse is named after Salvatore Sr., and Ferraro’s father, Salvatore Ferraro Jr., who passed away in 2010. A painting of
and her father is featured in the front room of the restaurant.
Paying tribute to the family ties in the steakhouse’s name, many members of the Ferraro family work there.
“The Ferrero family (has) been very, very supportive of the restaurant,” David Perez, a waiter at Salvatore’s Steakhouse said. “I mean, I’m pretty much becoming part of the extended family I feel like, because everyone (who works here) is related. A lot of the servers and the manager staff, a lot of the Ferrero family (works here).”
In addition to the family being hands-on with the business, Salvatore’s Steakhouse uses meats from the family market.
“Because we have the market … we can get the supply from them and keep the prices at a very affordable price for our customers,” Ferraro said.
Despite only being open for a few weeks, Salvatore’s has seen complete bookings the past two weekends, with its busy hours often spanning from 5-8 p.m.
“So (two of Ferraro’s uncles) came one time to a restaurant that I used to work for down the street, and then they told me about
this place, and I was just like, ‘wow, that’s great, Hamden is gonna have a steakhouse,’” said Shirley Arrieta, the assistant manager at Salvatore’s Steakhouse. “I think that’s much needed in this town, and it’s gonna be very successful. So once I knew that they were gonna open, I reached out, and I’m here.”
Although Salvatore’s has a wide variety of meal options, both Ferraro and Arrieta agreed that the bone-in ribeye is their favorite.
“To be honest with you, I did come in … on my day off, which was recently,” Arrieta said. “I brought my husband and some friends with us, and I did try the bone-in ribeye. That’s like butter, it’s just amazing.
Ferraro hopes that Salvatore’s Steakhouse and its large menu will draw in many patrons, to families, couples and Quinnipiac students.
“I’m 25 and I have sisters who are in their early 20s,” Ferraro said. “Especially (our) bar scene. We have really nice craft cocktails, some good appetizers for sharing if you just want to come and have a few apps with your girlfriends. It’s very welcoming to all age groups, it’s local and I think we’re gonna get a lot of business from all the colleges nearby, for sure.”
Ferraro
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
A portrait of Victoria Ferraro and her father, Salvatore Ferraro Jr., hangs on the wall of the front dining room.
By BEN BUSILLO Opinion Editor
Opinion
You only get one bracket
March Madness isn’t just about basketball. It’s about buzzer-beaters, Cinderella stories and watching your bracket go up in flames by tip-off on the first day. But some basketball fans have convinced themselves they can outsmart the madness by filling out multiple brackets, hedging their bets like they’re on Wall Street.
Let’s be clear: that’s coward behavior.
I asked my buddy how far they think Michigan State is going to go. I got an answer like, “Well, in one bracket I have them winning it all, in another I have them making the Final Four, this one they bounce out in the Round of 32, and in thi—” Whoa. Slow down there, partner.
I asked where you think they’ll end up, and you gave me eight different answers. Do they replay the tournament eight different times? No. Then why are you doing eight different brackets?
You get one bracket. One prediction. A hunch. That’s it.
People who fill out upwards of the 25-bracket limit on the ESPN app are just asking to be made fun of. There’s some belief with these bracket bros that the more brackets you fill out, the better chance you have at getting it perfect.
Technically, sure. But let’s do some math instead of relying on whatever twisted logic is fueling that mindset.
According to the NCAA, if you blindly
By OLIVIA MASTROMARINO Staff Writer
flip a coin for every single game, your odds of creating a perfect bracket are 1 in 9.2 quintillion (that’s 9,223,372,036,854,775,808).
Obviously, this includes the wildly impossible scenarios, like all four No. 16 seeds mak-
10 brackets each. That’s 560 million brackets total — about 22 times more than what was filled out on the ESPN app this year. All taken seriously. All with at least some level of basketball knowledge. All with the inten-
ing the Final Four. If we account for actual college basketball knowledge — which, let’s be honest, a lot of people suddenly pretend to have this time of year — the odds shift to about 1 in 120 billion.
In 2023, about 56 million Americans filled out at least one March Madness bracket, according to the American Gaming Association. Just for the sake of an unrealistic hypothetical, let’s say those 56 million Americans really did their research and made
tion of being perfect.
Even with everyone devoting their early spring to college basketball in this far fetched, impossible and inconceivably stupid scenario, it would still take about 214 years for someone to get a perfect bracket.
Two hundred and fourteen years. Two full centuries. And that’s under ideal, mathematically absurd circumstances.
At this rate, I’m not even sure humanity makes it another 214 years, let alone the NCAA.
But here’s the thing — it’s not about getting a perfect bracket. No one is getting a perfect bracket. Ever. It will never happen. I’m sorry, but that’s just the truth.
The real problem is this weird hedge people do with multiple brackets. You fill out 10, 20, 30 different ones just to cover a majority of plausible outcomes. Then, when one of your brackets is actually doing well, you pretend you saw it coming the whole time.
No, you didn’t. You threw every possible outcome at the wall, and by sheer probability, one of them stuck. That’s not predicting anything. That’s just playing the numbers game until you get to claim victory.
That’s why one bracket is the only way.
Filling out one bracket forces you to make real decisions. You have to commit to that 12seed Cinderella story you love. You have to decide if that blue-blood program is actually primed for a run or if they’re going to flame out early. You have to stick to your gut, your research, or just blind faith in a random mascot, team manager or courtside nun. But once you put it down, that’s it. No take-backs. No do-overs. No safety nets.
And when your bracket inevitably gets shattered by a six-foot white graduate and future accountant on a mid-major you never heard of, you embrace the chaos. That’s the point. That’s madness.
So next time someone asks who you have in the Final Four, give them one answer. Because you only get one bracket.
Save Buckman Theater
As a student at Quinnipiac University who is deeply involved with the arts, I feel disappointed and frustrated by the decision to tear down Clarice L. Buckman Theater. This building has been a symbol of creativity and artistic expression on campus, a space where students of all majors could gather to experience and participate in performing arts. The decision to demolish Buckman is not just the loss of a building — it represents the loss of an important cultural heartbeat at Quinnipiac.
Countless students have found their voices on that stage, learned to express themselves with confidence and discovered passions that they will carry on for the rest of their lives. The performing arts encourage collaboration, discipline and empathy. These skills are essential regardless of what career paths students ultimately follow. By removing this space, students don’t have a safe space to be themselves in an artistic way.
What is even more disheartening to me is the decision to remove the theater major. This double blow not only eliminates a physical space for performance but also erases an academic pathway for those who wish to study the arts more seriously. The theater program is extremely important to students who want to express themselves in ways that they can’t in other programs or classes. The removal of the theater program is not needed, and students deserve to keep that passion.
The arts are not just an extracurricular activity or an afterthought, they are integral to the human experience. They inspire in-
novation, challenge perspectives and foster critical thinking. Being a part of the theater major, Buckman Theater provides opportunities for students to step outside their comfort zones, to tell stories that matter to them and to connect with one another in ways that textbooks and lectures cannot replicate. The loss of these resources will leave a void in campus culture and student life that will be hard to fill.
It’s understandable that universities must evolve and make difficult decisions about resources and spaces, but tearing down Buckman Theater and cutting the theater major feels dismissive of the arts community. Instead of removing these opportunities,
Quinnipiac should invest in them. A vibrant arts scene enriches campus life, attracts prospective students and builds a sense of pride for us students.
Hopefully, there is still time to reconsider. Students, alumni and faculty who care deeply about the arts deserve to have their voice heard. The removal of Buckman Theater and the theater major sends a message that art is expandable, which is the wrong message to send.
As someone who cares about Quinnipiac’s future, I hope the university will take the time and reflect on what it stands to lose. Buckman Theater has been the backdrop of countless memories, performances and mile-
stones. Quinnipiac should reconsider these decisions and recognize the immense value that the arts bring to campus.
There are also practical consequences to consider. Students interested in pursuing careers in entertainment, dance, singing, acting and event production will have fewer on-campus opportunities to gain experience. The loss of Buckman and the theater program makes it harder for students to build resumes that showcase leadership, project management and creative skills. Beyond campus, this can affect Quinnipiac’s reputation with the theater and arts community.
Buckman Theater has been a mix of the university and a community. Performances of all different kinds of clubs and organizations were open to the public, inviting families, residents, alumni and just people from the Hamden area. Personally, my band, Area Code, practices in Buckman almost every week. Not having this space for practice would be extremely difficult because there is no other space where we can hold all of our equipment. Removing this space weakens those community ties.
The arts foster dialogue, empathy and understanding. In an increasingly divided world, theater has the power to bring people together and spark important conversations. Losing Buckman means losing a safe and dynamic space for those conversations to happen. I truly hope that the administration here at Quinnipiac rethinks this decision, not only for the current students but for generations to come who deserve the same opportunities.
ILLUSTRATION BY BEN BUSILLO
QUINN O’NEILL/CHRONICLE
Clarice L. Buckman Theater on Mount Carmel Campus is set to be demolished this summer to make way for a new building.
Opinion
Birth control sucks, men are to blame
By VIVIAN GAGE Contributing Writer
Birth control, quite simply, has always been an issue. Nevertheless, many women continue to endure it for the sake of having a choice.
Women have found ways to prevent pregnancies since the Egyptians when they would shove “mystical” crocodile dung inside themselves as a primitive spermicide. Over time, we evolved from animal dung to beaver-testicle-infused-moonshine in the 16th century. Women began inserting scooped-out lemon halves into their vaginas to block sperm during the 18th century. As recently as the 1950s, women used Coca-Cola as a douche after sex to flush out and ‘destroy’ sperm.
One thing all of these contraceptives had in common was extreme discomfort for women alone, a pattern that seems to continue today.
We live in an era where, fortunately, there are many types of birth control available to us. There are hormonal birth control pills, long-lasting IUDs, arm implants, patches, birth control shots and more. While these options are better than Coca-Cola douches or animal dung suppositories, they still come with a plethora of side effects that impact the lives of those who use them.
Why? We have had almost 4,000 years to perfect birth control, and yet avoidable side effects persist. The simple answer is, you guessed it, sexism.
While woman-controlled contraceptives faced immense pushback and were looked down upon for centuries, the ‘pull-out’ method and condoms were widely accepted. While painful side effects were less common and advanced science wasn’t as necessary for these methods, we should consider another reason why these techniques were praised.
They allowed men to be fully in control.
Men could decide when to put a condom
Bobcat
on or when to pull out and could have sex recklessly because women’s bodies, not their own, suffered the consequences. Control is why marital rape was legal in the U.S. until 1993. It is why some doctors still require women to get their husband’s or father’s consent before getting their tubes tied. Femalecontrolled contraceptives were suppressed because they helped to even the playing field, which angered men.
That is why the birth control pill, which became available for purchase in 1960, was so revolutionary for women. It gave them autonomy over their bodies and, for nearly the first time, gave them the choice of pregnancy without needing consent from a man.
Men continued to find ways to prevent modern birth control for women through legislation and religion. One example is the Comstock Act passed in the U.S. in 1873. It banned the interstate mailing and receiving of “any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of conception or procuring an abortion,” according to the Free Speech Center. It significantly limited women’s ability to learn about their healthcare options until 1936.
The four to seven inactive sugar pills put into each birth control packet were added in an attempt to appease the pope. These pills contain no hormones and are meant to trigger a false period, known as withdrawal
bleeding, at the end of each cycle to give the pill a more ‘natural’ feel. You need neither withdrawal bleeding nor regular periods for health, according to the Mayo Clinic.
As it turns out, the pope didn’t care, and in 1968 he declared all forms of ‘artificial’ contraception to be against church doctrine, according to PBS. In fact, Pope Paul VI declared that “man, growing used to contraceptive practices, may lose respect for the woman and come to the point of considering her as a mere instrument of selfish enjoyment, and no longer as his respected and beloved companion.” Ironic.
I am not against getting my period while taking birth control, but I think I deserve a choice. For many, periods are a reassuring sign they are not actually pregnant. For others, they are on the pill simply to regulate their periods so the consistency is a welcomed change. My issue is that, as consumers, we are generally ill-informed about our birth control options and their side effects.
In 2025, I should be able to prevent unwanted pregnancy without the threat of weight gain, depression, decreased libido, changes in eye shape, nausea, acne, cancer, etc. I should be able to choose birth control that was not invented by, or altered for, a man.
Women are used to enduring pain for any semblance of control over their bodies. Women douched with Lysol, bashed their stomachs with rocks, and drank lead cocktails to avoid pregnancy in the past.
Why though, must we still sacrifice personal health to avoid getting pregnant? Women should be angrier about the constant sacrifices we have to make to adhere to men’s lack of responsibility. It’s time for a change. I say we pass the birth control torch to men, and I don’t mean condoms. Any takers?
I didn’t think so.
Where’s my water?
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
Living full-time in college, I’d expect the basic necessities — food, water and shelter.
But Quinnipiac University housing fails to fulfill what I think is the most basic one: 24/7 access to water. While several residential housing options do have water filters/fountains, some do not, including where I live in The Village.
While it may seem trivial, when you really think about it, it’s inhumane. Why do I have to go out of my way to buy plastic water bottles or rely on a Brita that I have to refill every other day because the only access to water I have is my bathroom sink?
There’s no shared kitchen or common area with water stations, so the
bathroom it is!
Quinnipiac promotes eco-conscious living through environmental communities, aiming to be a model of sustainability, yet fails to provide a basic sustainable water option.
I for one, am increasing my plastic consumption by relying on bottled water, even with my Brita.
Every time I’m out on campus, I make sure to refill my water without fail to have it just in case. The only free water available is at academic buildings, the Carl Hansen Student Center, the Recreational Center and the Arnhold Bernhard Library, which all close in the evening. So if you want water at night, good luck!
If we’re snowed in, there’s no way to get water, and the same goes if we experience any sort of lockdown,
drill or not.
It’s an obstacle that I didn’t expect to face as a sophomore.
Last year, I lived in Mountainview, which had a water station down the hall and a shared kitchen. I used to think the walk was so long and lazily complained about it when I wanted water late at night, but now I wish I hadn’t taken it for granted.
When choosing housing, I knew there was no kitchen included in my dorm but I didn’t expect that to mean no sort of water filter or station available.
Some residential housing options have it worse than others, but I didn’t think having a water station nearby would be a luxury — it should be standard.
Listen, I don’t think I’m asking for a lot, just get me some water.
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
ILLUSTRATION BY BEN BUSILLO
SPB and Women Empowered host an event to ‘dye’ for
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
On Wednesday, March 19, the Student Programming Board co-sponsored a tie-dye bash with Women Empowered for Women’s History Month. All were welcome to participate in the event on the Bobcat Way lawn to tie-dye tote bags, scrunchies, socks and pencil cases. Each table supplied a variety of dyes to pick from and rubber bands to tie around for different patterns.
The warm weather and fun music invited attendees to stick around and enjoy classic summer snacks like ice pops and popcorn. SPB and Women Empowered supplied freebies including stress balls, empowering stickers and bracelets.
‘Severance’ season two finale is the perfect closing
By ZACHARY REAGAN Staff Writer
Ben Stiller’s “Severance” has found itself in TV’s biggest spotlight as its second season comes to a close. It’s become Apple TV’s biggest draw and is currently beating the lauded “Ted Lasso” in streaming numbers.
While I love the heartwarming atmosphere of “Ted Lasso,” “Severance” is on another level in terms of its worldbuilding and patience with releasing key details.
The season finale was stocked with crazy moments, important explanations and plenty of lingering questions. Instead of going through the whole 75-minute episode chronologically, I wanted to touch on my favorite parts of the finale as it relates to the character performances, Stiller’s directing and the narrative elements.
The characters in “Severance” make the show. The split nature of the main cast makes the performances all the more impressive. I think the best example of this is in the very beginning of the episode where Mark Scout (Adam Scott) is talking to himself with the help of Devon (Jen Tullock) and Cobel (Patricia Arquette).
The way Scott is able to switch between the personalities of Mark Scout and Mark S. is really impressive, especially toward the end of their conversation where it gets more combative. While I can’t talk about every actor, even though they deserve to be mentioned, there are three other performances that truly floored me in this episode.
The first is Dichen Lachman, who plays
Gemma. I think her best moment of the finale came at the very end, as she’s screaming for Mark S. behind the locked hallway door. Her desperation is palpable, and in an interview with TV Insider, Lachman said that she couldn’t pull herself together after they cut.
She talked about how she’s normally good at taking a deep breath and controlling herself after a scene, but it’s clear she put all of her emotion into her final seconds on screen. The added fact that Gemma probably doesn’t know that Mark S. is severed only leans more into how scared she must have been.
In the same video as Lachman, Gwendolyn Christie, who played Lorne the shepherd, said she hadn’t done a real fight scene since her time working on “Game of Thrones.” Christie leapt back into the action like it was riding a bike, making the fight between Lorne and Mark S. against Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) one of the most intense pieces of the episode.
The last character performance I want to touch on is Tramell Tillman, who plays Seth Milchick. For the entirety of season two, we see Milchick get circles run around him by the innies, while crumbling under the extreme pressure of the Lumon board. It makes Tillman’s reactions more nuanced, which is why it was so fun seeing him bite back at the animatronic Kier’s mean jokes and lead choreography and merriment in their
routine. Milchick is a character who is clearly growing sour toward Lumon, and I can definitely see him joining the main crew in a similar role to Cobel next season.
I don’t think it would be crazy to already call “Severance” Ben Stiller’s magnum opus, but it wouldn’t be nearly as revered without his expert directing. I think this was best put on display in the opening scene of the episode as well. The way innie and outie Mark’s conversation is shot is full of intentional techniques that explore Mark’s psyche further.
Stiller shoots each Mark at a different focal length to distinguish between them and their traits. Outie Mark's face is bigger to show his trustworthiness and initial kindness towards innie Mark, and innie Mark’s face is narrower to symbolize his paranoia. The way their exchange builds through the shot is genius. Going from the transitions of Mark flipping the camcorder to them superimposed in their chairs across from each other visualizes their relationship in a way the audience has never seen.
Color was a big factor in the aesthetics of the second season. It’s full of calming blues and whites, from Woe’s Hollow to the ORTBO tents to the severed floor itself. When the alarm sounds on the floor after Mark breaks out Gemma, the fierce red colors flood the frame. In my eyes it really brings out
the hellish imagery that Helly R. references toward the beginning of the finale as well.
Lastly, creator Dan Erickson’s writing and story is what has pushed “Severance” to become so renowned. In hindsight, it’s clear that the purpose of season two was to explore Mark and Gemma’s relationship more with the ultimate goal leading up to breaking her out. They obviously accomplished this well, but there were many little details that made me appreciate their relationship so much more. Gemma’s motif with Billie Holiday’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” evokes a physical reaction in me every time I hear it. I won’t lie, tears were shed when this song played for the first time in season one. The parallels drawn between Mark and Gemma’s relationship to Orpheus and Eurydice really get me too. The iconic Greco-Roman myth perfectly encapsulates their current situation.
The other big parallel that made me stand up and cheer was Dylan G.’s faceoff against Milchick. The reprise from the season one finale totally worked for his character, and the fact that both times he greets Milchick with a “f*** you” is so satisfying.
Erickson, Stiller and the whole cast have poured their essence into this television show, and their passion is infectious. Between all its different themes, “Severance” is the perfect storm of cult religion, labor and bioethical debate. If any of these are interesting to you, “Severance” is an experience you will not forget.
QUINN O'NEILL/CHRONICLE
Students gather on the Bobcat Way lawn to tie-dye a variety of options.
QUINN O'NEILL/CHRONICLE
Sophomore health science major Christina Leshak works for Student Programming Board as they help host a tie-dye event with Women Empowered March 19.
QUINN O'NEILL/CHRONICLE
First-year 3+1 marketing major Olivia Labonte shows off her new tie-dye to her friends as they enjoy the nice weather.
QUINN O'NEILL/CHRONICLE
Students choose an assortment of colors to customize their projects.
Is going country becoming cool?
Inside Chappell Roan’s “The Giver”
By JOHN PILATO Staff Writer
On March 13, pop music superstar Chappell Roan released her newest single, titled “The Giver,” which has been considered by many to be the artist’s introduction into country music.
Roan has made a name for herself in the music industry as one of the most outspoken and exciting new artists in the “female pop music” takeover that is seemingly happening. She burst on the scene in 2024 and has earned the right to be considered alongside other superstars like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Tate McRae for the best faces in pop music.
Roan actually was the opener for Rodrigo for the early leg of her 2023 “Guts World Tour,” where they became good friends and would frequently sing together.
Roan has been teasing “The Giver” since early February, frequently posting photos of her in a suit, scrubs and a jumpsuit to mirror a lawyer, dentist and plumber respectively. She even bought billboards to advertise the song.
Born in Missouri, Roan grew up on country music, and often makes note of that online and in interviews. In a March 4 Instagram post, Roan announced her new song alongside a caption that read “We’ve never done a country song and I have such a special place in my heart for country music.”
“Going country” is not a new phenomenon, as artists like Kid Rock and Darius Rucker, formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish, have been very successful after switching genres. However, it seems like a lot of new artists have tried to bridge the gap between pop and country music, to varying success.
In March 2024, Beyoncé released “COWBOY CARTER,” which was her take on a country album. The country music fandom responded to the album with varying opinions, however most were negative. Many people appreciated that she was bringing a new audience to the genre, however, “the country purists” as I refer to them, believed that the album country.”
After the album simmered for a couple of months, fans again caused an uproar when “COWBOY CARTER” won three awards at the Grammys, including best country duo/group performance, best country album and album of the year.
and its
effect on the genre
country album, with “F-1 Trillion” and the ensuing “F-1 Trillion: Long Bed” released in August 2024. While fans were divided on if Malone should be considered a country artist, it seemed like they opened up to him a bit more because the album had a ton of collaborations. Malone was able to get Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, the legendary Hank Jr. and Parton to sing with him, which definitely enticed the
looking to release a country album in May titled “The Right Person Will Stay.”
I spend a lot of my time delving into the country genre as a whole, and it is a majority of the music I listen to. I will admit, that I wasn’t too interested in listening to “COWBOY CARTER,” but I did thoroughly enjoy “F-1 Trillion” way more than I thought it would. The album had a good mix of upbeat twang songs and some great slower songs. I'm also looking forward to Rey’s upcoming album, and will likely listen to it when it drops.
While I was worried how people would react to “The Giver,” I haven’t heard or seen too many poor reviews. Obviously, those who like Roan are bound to enjoy anything she puts out, but the “the country music purists” can be a cold bunch.
Other artists like Yung Gravy and former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr have tried their hand at country as well, to varying success.
CountryCentral, a website and Instagram page dedicated to covering news about the genre, gave “The Giver” an 8.0 when discussing the weekly releases. Writer Will Chapman believes that it’s a track “straight off of Shania Twain’s ‘Come On Over,’” which is considered by many as one of the best country albums of all time. Chapman believes that Roan is not trying to be something she’s not, and she’s not trying to disrupt or save country music. He simply thinks she is trying to coexist in the genre.
his hand at creating a
‘Too Much’ for
By GINA LORUSSO Arts & Life Editor
From a Disney Channel darling to a daring pop star, Dove Cameron has finally broken out of her shell and is creating some of the most unique sounds of her career.
After years of acting success in shows like “Liv and Maddie” and the “Descendants” film series, Cameron is claiming her space in the music industry with a sound that’s bold, dark and pulled from the depths of her selfdiscovery journey.
I grew up watching Cameron on “Liv and Maddie” playing the role of two opposite personality twins — one was an edgy basketball star and the other a bubbly, sparkly singer and actress. It’s shocking to see how she’s blended those extremes into her real-life persona. It’s almost like she took on her character Mal’s personality from “Descendants” and used it to become a dark pop powerhouse.
Her early music adventures began with soundtracks for the various movies and TV shows she was in. These numbers consisted of inspirational pop songs that matched the upbeat tone of her roles — songs that were clean-cut but didn’t include the depth that her current discography contains.
“Boyfriend,” the debut single she released after straying from Disney, is the first taste of her new style. The song highlights events from Cameron’s life that helped shape her sexuality and explores ideas of desire, identity and power dynamics in a relationship.
The lyrics “I could be a better boyfriend than him/ I could do the shit that he never did/ Up all night, I won't quit/ Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him/ I could be such a gentleman” capture the confidence and edge that define Cameron’s new musical identity
Disney, just
Even Lana Del Rey, who has made a living style pop, is even
Roan doesn’t even know if she’s country yet, as she claimed in an Instagram post that “right now I’m just making songs that make me feel happy and fun.”
Whether Roan does embrace her countryside or not, her new song is a breath of fresh air into the genre, and she will likely make an impact on pop country regardless.
enough for pop
Dove Cameron’s bold rise in music
while embracing her sexuality and boldly flipping gender roles.
After Cameron released “Boyfriend,” she decided to delete all of her previous work from streaming services as she felt it no longer represented who she was, according to Reuters.
The sentiment of this dramatic shift was mixed with most people confused by the sudden disappearance of her old songs, but others glad she’s unapologetically embracing who she wants to be and performing an artistic rebirth.
In December 2023, Cameron released her first album, “Alchemical: Volume 1.” This was a compilation of the raw, genre-blending tracks she had been teasing most of that year.
The album contains themes of selfempowerment, heartbreak, emotional alchemy and transformation with each song reflecting a layer of her evolution both sonically and personally. This put her on the map, solidifying her position as an altpop star.
On Feb. 21, Cameron debuted the first single off her up-and-coming album which is yet to be titled. “Too Much” is a breakup anthem centered around parts of herself that her ex-boyfriend criticized, according to Nylon. Within the lyrics, Cameron realizes that she isn’t too much, her partner is simply too little.
“If you say I'm too much, baby, go find less/ If you can't keep up, stay below, I guess/ If I'm such a big deal, maybe you're too little” she sings.
The deeper register, a stark difference from the airy vocals Cameron used when she was on Disney Channel, gives this song a sort of ethereal intensity. She performed
Dove Cameron's dramatic change from her past on Disney Channel has made her a standout figure in alternative pop.
this number on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on March 20 and it was unlike anything she had ever done before.
While the choreography was toned down, there were still eye-catching visuals that heightened her set. It began with her laying in a pile of mannequin heads before moving into a portion where she intertwined her hands in tape measures at the mention of a mini white dress.
Something that stuck out was her highpitched voice that mimicked the supposed complaints of her ex — annoying remarks that jabbed at what she wore and spoke up about over the duration of their relationship.
These theatrics added a layer of sarcasm turning her emotional grievances into art and
making it clear that she’s no longer shrinking herself down to fit someone else’s standards. As someone who finds Cameron’s dynamic incredibly interesting and powerful, I’m excited to see what her new album brings. Assuming it’s going to be the next volume of “Alchemy,” I’m hoping for an even deeper dive into her haunting production style and lyrical boldness.
Although she’s no longer the vivacious TV personality I grew up with, I’m loving this new side of her.
I appreciate that she’s not trying to fit the mold of modern pop — she’s crafting a legacy full of contradiction and complexity that some artists just don’t have.
Three Cheers for ‘School Spirits’
By NICOLE GEMMATI Staff Writer
“School Spirits,” a Paramount+ original series, recently concluded its second season after nearly a two-year hiatus.
The series debut follows high schooler Madison Nears (Peyton List) as she comes to terms with her recent death and, with the help of a few decade old ghosts, tries to figure out the truth about her speculated murder.
The season concludes with a chilling reveal that while Maddie’s spirit is trapped within the confines of the school, her body is possessed by Janet (Jess Gabor), a ghost from the 1950s who was previously thought to have crossed over to the other side.
With a stacked cast, original plot and a fitting soundtrack, the supernatural drama has something for everyone, which may have led to the 104% increase in viewership since the first season.
After the season finale, fans are left wondering what’s in store, because while most of the beloved characters may be dead, that’s not exactly a promise that we won’t be parted from them.
Let’s look at a few storylines left unfinished after season two, and where they could be heading in a third season.
Teen heartthrob Milo Manheim portrays Wally Clark, yet another dead football player who’s in love with a blonde girl, wildly reminiscent of his character in the “Zombies” franchise.
Season two left Wally’s fate up in the air, with the character seeing the white light at the end of the football field, which serves as his own metaphorical tunnel.
Despite this, Manheim's name remains
in the cast list revealed for the upcoming season, which in my opinion, was not a surprise at all.
Along with List, Manheim is one of the most recognizable names in the cast, and with much of the audience watching the show purely for his presence, the showrunners cannot afford to lose him, no matter how fitting it is for his character.
Fans can expect Wally to team up with the rest of the undead breakfast club to figure out what to do with Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) who revealed himself as the main antagonist at the end of season one. This potential storyline is eerily in line with Janet’s, who also refused to cross over to help her friends and restore their friendship.
(Kristian Ventura) serving a more prominent role in the series, his character is often heavily overlooked in favor of the rest of the characters, and we rarely know anything about him.
the ghosts trapped in Split River High are
ghosted by every member of the student body, Simon serves as the exception, and is the only one who can see Maddie’s spirit. The show has yet to disclose why this is the case, although there are two theories being highly circulated by fans: that the two best friends' bond is so strong they are able to surpass the boundary between the two realms, or that Simon is in the midst of dying himself, whether he knows this or not.
have pointed out that throughout multiple episodes, Simon is seen holding his head in pain or stumbling to the ground, a possible sign of a tumor. Additionally, the season two finale reveals that Simon and the rest of the ghosts are now able to converse with each other, despite none of them having met before.
Simon’s possible death would be perfectly timed with Maddie’s return to the land of the living, and as tragic as it would be, it’s one way for the characters to continue to interact with each other.
Simon reveals one of Split River High School’s numerous scandals, like an embezzlement scheme, but none are more striking than the whopping 20 deaths since the 1950s — although students and faculty are seemingly unbothered by how absurd this is.
Many fans believe that the ghosts as a result of these deaths are simply to fill the cast list, but the writers have stated that every move is intentional. Additionally, Mr. Martin alludes to a reason why so many deaths have occurred on the grounds.
While it is possible that Mr. Martin's numerous experiments have led to his support group’s demise, I personally believe that the structure of the school itself is haunted or cursed, sort of like Hill House in “The Haunting of Hill House.”
The show has multiple questions that still need to be answered, which can be accomplished in the recently announced season three. This alone will cause fans to tune in weekly, or just to see if Milo Manheim’s character is still dead and kicking.
You shouldn’t read this book
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
Nothing beats a true psychological thriller — a story that keeps you on edge, surprises you at every turn and leaves you thinking about that shocking twist for days after.
But when a book just doesn’t cut it and the storyline falls flat, it’s more disappointing than anything — this was my experience with Jeneva Rose’s novel, “You Shouldn’t Have Come Here.”
A classic story about a city girl visiting the country and falling in love with a farm boy, but with a dark underlying theme — a seemingly idyllic escape from reality that turns into a nightmare.
I had never read a thriller with a romcom component, so I was excited to see how the whole story would pan out.
“You Shouldn’t Have Come Here” is written through a dual first-person narrator, with every chapter shifting back and forth between the two main characters.
Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker who needs a break from her busy, controlled day-to-day life, books an Airbnb on a ranch in the town of Dubois, Wyoming.
She arrives at the secluded ranch to be welcomed by Calvin Wells, the host. They have an immediate attraction, though Grace can’t help but notice odd things around the house and some concerning characteristics about Calvin.
Of course there is no cell service or internet connection, and the ranch is decked out in creepy taxidermied animal heads. Once upstairs, Grace notices a cracked window in her bedroom and women’s clothes in the bottom drawer.
wanting to share break, or was it something more that made her choose to stay by herself in a desolate
Grace’s vacation is for 10 days and within the first two, they quickly start to fall for each other. But she has lingering doubts, questioning Calvin’s character while he falls hard for her.
On the second day, she drives into town and can't help but feel an unshakable sense of intrusion settling over her. Eyes watching her every move, silently telling her she’s not welcome.
She then notices her check engine light come on and realizes she’s stuck — without a car, without a way out. Even though Calvin assures her that he will get someone to look at it, she begins to panic.
Grace wavers between trusting Calvin and believing he is the man everyone says he is, yet she can’t shake the nagging sense that something isn’t right — his charm masking something darker.
The build-up was so intense that it made me expect bigger things with the twist, but after a while, it started to get repetitive. I started to get a little nervous for Grace but also frustrated by her lack of urgency.
One of the biggest problems I had with this book was that after the twist, the characters read like completely different people. It made no sense, and it just seemed like a haste, sloppy way to wrap up the book.
The storyline did leave room for a potential sequel which could be interesting. After this book, I need a break before reading a thriller again, but when I do, I’m ready for something substantial that stays in my mind long after the final page.
As Calvin gives Grace a tour, they pass a makes references to the beauty
of caged animals and not
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
From FIFA packs to Netflix contracts: The Sidemen ’s rise to the top
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
There is one group that I have watched over their 10 years on YouTube — the Sidemen — and I have enjoyed every single moment.
The Sidemen are a group of seven British YouTubers, Miniminter, KSI, Vikkstar123, Zerkaa, Behzinga, TBJZL and W2S, who created a joint channel in 2015 after each had their own distinct channels mostly focused on video games, such as the FIFA franchise and GTA V.
JJ Olatunji, known as KSI, is the most famous of the group. He has been a YouTuber the longest, amassing 25 million subscribers on his main channel and 16 million on his second channel.
KSI has expanded his fame beyond YouTube; diving into the music industry and the influencer boxing space. He has produced songs with artists including Offset, Anne-Marie, Rick Ross, Waka Flocka Flame and Lil Wayne. While he still makes YouTube videos here and there, KSI has performed at concerts such as Jingle Bell Ball 2024 and Hits Radio Live 2024, both in England.
In recent memory, KSI has shaped a new era of influencer boxing. What once started as a onetime deal turned into influencers entering into the boxing ring.
KSI was one of the first influencers to box when he faced off against fellow British YouTuber Joe Weller in February 2018. Videos of the bout on each of their channels amassed more than 20 million views in the first three days, according to The Independent.
This bout opened the door for KSI to take
on bigger opponents such as Paul. The two fought twice with the first ending in a draw, which sparked social media influence to push for a rematch which KSI won on a split decision in November 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
While the other six members haven’t branched out as successfully as KSI, their YouTube following remained strong. The six
The first match was held in 2016 and featured two teams primarily of British influencers, but have expanded to involve U.S. influencers such as Logan Paul, MrBeast, Kai Cenat and iShowSpeed. The two teams of influencers compete in a friendly soccer match while raising funds for various British charities. Across the six charity matches, the Sidemen have raised over £8.5 million for the charities.
members combined have 67.5 million subscribers, averaging around 11.25 million per member. Though their individual accomplishments are notable, it's their group accomplishments outside of YouTube where the group succeeds.
The biggest achievement for the Sidemen is creating the Sidemen Charity Match, a soccer event where the group capitalized on the roots that brought them to this point.
On March 8, the Sidemen hosted their biggest charity match at the famous Wembley Stadium selling it out within three hours, drawing 90,000 spectators.
The event has been held on six occasions since 2016: once at Premier League club Southampton FC’s St Mary's Stadium, three times at EFL Championship club Charlton AFC’s The Valley, once at London Stadium and once at Wembley Stadium.
All matches have been live streamed on their YouTube. The fourth match, held in 2022, is recognized by Guinness World Records for the highest live viewership on a YouTube charity sports live stream, peaking at over 2.5 million viewers.
While YouTube may be the best way to
interact and view the Sidemen group’s work — whether it's their YouTube videos or their charity matches — they’ve also transitioned into reality television.
The group created a show called “InSide” where 10 contestants are selected to stay in a house for a week and compete in various challenges. Failure challenges results in the loss of money from the final prize and contestants could also spend money from the pot in a shop where the cost of the products was taken from the prize fund.
One example saw British YouTuber and streamer AngryGinge buying a dart set for £5,000 and eliminating himself to watch his favorite soccer team, Manchester United, play in the FA Cup Final.
The first season was released with seven episodes on their group's main and secondary YouTube channels, with episodes one and seven on the main channel and two through six on the second. This series was a massive success, garnering around six million views each episode, with the first reaching 15 million, as of publication. It became such a huge production that the second season was released on March 18, 2025, on Netflix.
The series adds to the Sidemen’s portfolio, along with their clothing brand, Sidemen Clothing, their exclusive streaming service, Side+, a food brand, Sides and their own vodka brand, XIX Vodka.
I’ve watched every single video that the Sidemen have produced, growing up alongside them as they’ve become the most well-known influencers in the United Kingdom.
Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’ fails to deliver key points
By JAMES NOLAN Staff Writer
“Win or Lose” is the first Pixar original television series, not set in a pre-existing universe of one of the studios’ many movies.
This fresh new setting watches a children’s co-ed softball team, the Pickles, as they prepare for the state championship. The tagline reads “it’s all how you look at it,” and much of the marketing surrounding the series, most notably its title, discussed the feelings people associate with triumph and defeat.
The very first words of the show are “Everyone is chasing the feeling of a win, but if someone wins, somebody has to lose. Or maybe, maybe winning is just how you look at it.”
I was on board for this. I innately trust everything Pixar puts out and I’ve long thought that the binary nature of the win and loss column was too rudimentary to paint the full picture. That also wasn’t the only selling point of this show. Pixar’s storytelling is unique and timeless, but for “Win or Lose” they brought it to another level.
Each of the show’s eight episodes center around a different character, going about their life in the week leading up to the championship, and each having a different storytelling “gimmick” that manifests their insecurities and defense mechanisms.
For instance, the first two episodes deal with the coach’s daughter, Laurie, and the umpire, Frank. Laurie, despite her hard work and determination, is just terrible at softball, vying to be good enough for her father. Her anxiety is depicted as a gray ball of sweat that sits on her shoulder and grows in size when she becomes more anxious. Frank, meanwhile, has a set of knight’s armor as a metaphor for his umpire gear,
that he also ‘puts on’ whenever someone tries to attack or connect with him.
As the show progresses, you can see storylines overlap and previously unexplained information suddenly makes sense through a different character’s eyes, which is an apt way to view the world. It’s wonderful how it unfolds and the world feels very real in the way that different characters all interact.
no stake in who wins or loses the game. I think the problem lies in the fact that the Pickles are the only team showcased. By the end of the very first episode, you’ve been given a reason to root for the Pickles, and that only grows as the episodes go on.
Had they given the other side of the coin, I
However, very quickly the show loses its thesis. At first, you can see the themes of winning and losing playing out with Laurie and Frank. Laurie’s arc in the show completes with her realizing that her dad doesn’t care if she can hit the ball or not, and Frank pretty obviously has
think the message would be stronger. Instead, the nameless red team lacks any depth at all. Their only function in the story is to lose to our protagonists. While it is not directly shown nor stated that the Pickles do rally for the win, the smiles, buzz and overall energy at the post-game dinner certainly act as an indicator.
In fact, the only moment of any storyline that eluded to jeopardy for the Pickle’s was in the seventh episode with the star center fielder, Kai. After getting caught in the middle of a classroom scandal that was started in another episode, she tries to blow off some steam by training with Laurie. She pushes herself too hard causing her to tweak her ankle, something that she hides from both her coach and father. She not only plays, but flings her body all over the field defensively, straining herself to keep the Pickles alive.
In a pivotal moment of the championship, she rounds third base and betrays her coach’s stop sign. The bum ankle acts up and she gets called out at the plate. It’s a beat in the story that rings hollow because the selfish move comes without cost.
That’s my main problem with this show, it starts out talking about the dynamics of winning and losing, and it doesn’t deliver on those points. There’s no mention about the composure the losing team has to find, an important lesson for most of the young kids watching. It’s done wonderfully in “The Bad News Bears” (1976), as Coach Buttermaker realizes it’s not worth winning at the expense of the children’s enjoyment. I think that this show is well worth a watch. It’s super enjoyable stylistically, and I loved seeing what gimmick each new episode would provide. It is simply that for a show called “Win or Lose,” the main takeaway is not about the dichotomy of the outcomes of sporting events.
Instead, we see a wonderfully woven tapestry of everyday life, where everybody’s threads weave in and out of each other, none able to encapsulate the bigger picture by themselves.
ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA COLLINS
ILLUSTRATION BY TYLER MIGNAULT
Gal Raviv to enter transfer portal
By MICHAEL PETITTO Copy Editor
Freshman guard Gal Raviv plans to enter the transfer portal after a historic season with the Bobcats, according to On3Sports on X.
The MAAC Player and Rookie of The Year averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists during her first year in Hamden.
Raviv exploded onto the scene the moment she put on a Quinnipiac uniform for the first time, helping the Bobcats secure the second-best record in the MAAC while scoring a career-high 32 points against both Fairfield and Saint Peter’s.
“She’s an unbelievably skilled player,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said Nov. 19. “She has such a drive and a desire to become so great. Her skillset, acumen with the ball, IQ, toughness and running the team, she’s really the total package.”
“The total package” has a chance to elevate conferences and continue to make a name for herself, as Raviv has the skillset and offensive firepower to one day play professionally.
Although Raviv plans to enter the portal, that doesn’t mean her career in Hamden is over quite yet. Quinnipiac will still have the opportunity to retain her services if they can convince her to stay.
If the Kadima, Israel native does end up departing from Hamden, it will be a huge loss for Fabbri and the Bobcats.
Women’s basketball falls in opening round of WBIT
By MICHAEL PETITTO Copy Editor
SOUTH ORANGE VILLAGE, N.J. — All good things must come to an end, and for Quinnipiac women’s basketball, a season of many highs concluded in disappointing fashion Thursday night in New Jersey.
When one road to the playoffs ended in the MAAC Championship, another one opened in the form of the WBIT, but that door quickly slammed shut when Quinnipiac arrived at Seton Hall.
The No. 6 Bobcats were able to hang on for most of the game, but No. 3 Seton Hall managed to get by with a 57-40 victory.
The first quarter wasn’t pretty for the Bobcats. In fact it looked like a continuation of Quinnipiac’s underwhelming performance against Fairfield in the MAAC Championship.
From the first play of the game, the Bobcats were out of sync, something was off.
Quinnipiac won the opening tip-off, and freshman point guard Gal Raviv brought the ball up the floor, only to immediately get double-teamed. Caught in a sticky situation, Raviv attempted to throw a pass to the other side of halfcourt, only to get intercepted by Pirates freshman guard Jada Eads. Raviv had senior forward Grace LaBarge open right behind her, but she just couldn’t find her.
The MAAC Player of the Year had arguably her worst showing offensively in her debut season with the Bobcats, only scoring six points on 2-10 shooting.
“She’s a very good player,” Pirates graduate student forward Faith Masonius said. “(Raviv’s) the head of the snake and I think our defense and (graduate student guard) Amari (Wright) did an amazing job on her and just limited her.”
Seton Hall did its homework, the Pirates knew what they were going up against and how to neutralize a deadly Bobcat offense. The No. 3 seed finished the last nine minutes of the opening quarter on a 17-4 run, with turnovers
— six forced in the first quarter — being the name of the game for the Pirates.
It didn’t help matters that the crowd for Seton Hall was roaring all night.
“I think playing at home is a huge advantage for us,” Pirates head coach Anthony Bozzella said. “It made the difference, while it maybe didn’t unnerve Quinnipiac, I think it gave us a little more oomph when both teams got tired.”
Missed wide-open shots, mediocre passes and out of sync play on offense caused Quinnipiac to fall into a hole rather quickly.
Senior guard Jackie Grisdale was one of the few Bobcats to play well during the first half.
The Poland, Ohio native used her trademark catch-and-shoot threes to will the Bobcats back into the game. Grisdale finished with 11 points by halftime, shooting 3-5 from downtown.
The second quarter proved Quinnipiac had some fight left in it. The team was simply down, not out. The Bobcats faced a 13-point deficit with only three minutes to play in the second quarter,
Quinnipiac finished the half down only six.
The team adjusted on defense, slowing the pace of the game down and causing the Pirates to be less efficient on offense. Quinnipiac didn’t have any momentum-changing plays on defense, Seton Hall was simply missing its shots.
The dip in efficiency allowed the Bobcats to pounce right back into the game. Quinnipiac closed the first half on a 7-0 run, topped off with a three-pointer by sophomore guard Karson Martin to cut the deficit to just six right before halftime.
The deficit didn’t change much for most of the third quarter, as the Pirates and Bobcats kept going back-and-forth on the scoreboard until the waning minutes of the quarter.
It was a less than ideal ending to a quarter for the Hamden blues, first half hero Jackie Grisdale picked up two quick fouls and the Bobcats allowed Seton Hall to score on backto-back possessions.
“It was a bit more of a mental struggle than a physical struggle,” head coach Tricia Fabbri said.
Then at the worst possible time, Pirates sophomore guard Savannah Catalon went up for a layup and the whistle blew, an and-one foul was called. Catalan made her free throw and Quinnipiac was right back where it started.
Deficit sat at 11 points.
There was no turning of the page for Quinnipiac in the fourth quarter, just more of the same. Back-to-back turnovers once again led to four easy points for Seton Hall to the start of the fourth.
The number of fouls kept rising just as fast as the deficit. The Bobcats were faced with the impossible task of overcoming a 17 point lead with 6:30 remaining.
By the time the two minute mark ticked around, Quinnipiac was still down 16 points. The game was out of hand, but that didn’t stop the Bobcats from fighting. As they had all season long, the team kept on going 100% until that final buzzer.
But when zeroes did show on the game clock and that buzzer did ring, all the players could do was walk off the court in silence. It was over, the season had come to an end.
“We were right there,” Fabbri said. “We came out of the locker room (at halftime) and we had great looks that just didn’t go down. We were just not able to muster up enough of a comeback to get within striking distance again.”
Grisdale — who finished the game with 15 points — reflected on how she thought Quinnipiac’s struggles were a two way street.
“They were putting pressure on the ball,” Grisdale said. “But at the same time we weren’t playing offense together … we needed to put the ball in the bucket.”
The 2024-25 season has been one of immense achievement for Quinnipiac. But while it comes to an unfulfilling end for the women in blue and gold, they come away from this game closer than ever.
“This is the closest I’ve ever been to my teammates,” Grisdale said. “They truly feel like sisters.”
COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS
Quinnipiac women’s basketball stands together in a 57-40 loss against Seton Hall on Feb. 14.
Trio of men’s basketball players enter transfer portal
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
Men’s basketball has lost three key players to the transfer portal from the back-toback MAAC regular-season championship team, graduate student center Paul Otieno, senior guard Doug Young and junior forward Amarri Monroe
Monroe was the first to enter the transfer portal on Friday after two years in Hamden, according to Joe Tipton of On3.
The Newburgh, New York native could potentially leaves Quinnipiac after a junior campaign filled with accolades.
Monroe was named to the All-MAAC First Team and was honored with the MAAC Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season. He is the second-straight Bobcat to win the award, following Matt Balanc ‘24.
“Women lie, men lie, numbers don’t,” graduate student guard Savion Lewis said March 6. “You guys see him. You don’t have to keep trying to advocate for him. He’s done everything on the number one team. So it’s a no brainer why he’s the Player of the Year.”
Monroe started in 31 of 32 games for the Bobcats this season, averaging 18.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG and was No. 2 in the MAAC in steals.
His work defensively helped break his own program record for most steals in a single season for the second-straight year.
Monroe had a stretch of seven out of eight games to end the season where he recorded a double-double capped off by a 29 point and 10 rebound performance against Canisius on Feb. 6.
He was the first Bobcat to enter his name into the portal following the 2024-25 season, and is expected to be a hot commodity for teams.
Monroe has received interest from 13 schools, five of who making the 2025 NCAA Tournament — Texas A&M, Creighton, Memphis, Louisville and Ole Miss.
The second to enter the portal was Young, who left the Bobcats after two years following a transfer from Midland College in Midland, Texas.
The Houston, Texas native had some bright spots this season in a reduced role compared to his junior year, when he was the team’s sixth man. Young played in 22 games this season however, in six of those, he played single-digit minutes.
“I work really hard,” Young said Feb. 14. “I don’t get down on my stuff. I know I
don’t play a lot, but I’m not trying to be an energy sucker; I want to be somebody the younger guys can look up to when they’re not doing well.”
When given the opportunity to showcase his talents, Young didn’t disappoint, dropping a season-high 18 points against Sacred Heart on Feb. 14, and reaching double digits in six other games.
“Doug is worthy of getting in the game tonight because he’s been handling his business,” Quinnipiac head coach Tom Pecora said Feb. 14. “He’s been practicing hard and doing all the things we need him to do to win games. He’s doing all the things he needs to do to be a successful young man.”
Young’s best and consistent performances came against Iona, scoring 10, 18 and eight points in the three matchups with the Gaels. His presence against Iona didn’t just get the look from Pecora.
“Doug Young has killed us every game we played against him,” former Iona head coach Tobin Anderson said March 13.
The third and final transfer, as of publication, was Otieno, who had a career year in the 2024-25 season. The Nairobi, Kenya native posted career-highs in three-point percent-
age, free throw percentage, rebounds, blocks and points.
His breakout year jolted him to be named to the All-MAAC First Team alongside Monroe. Otieno posted 13 double-doubles this season — one behind Monroe — and was the No. 2 scorer on the Bobcats.
“He’s a machine,” Pecora said on Feb. 6. “In our locker room it says on the wall, ‘The work defines the man.’ Well, no one’s a better example of that than Paul Otieno in everything he does.”
In his best game of the season against Niagara on Feb. 8, Otieno showcased his improved shooting that carried him to a careerhigh 28 points. The graduate student center was able to knock down three three-pointers and was a perfect 5-5 from the line.
“Paul’s a great player,” senior forward Alexis Reyes said on Feb. 6. “We still want him to go get offensive rebounds, shoot those free throws and finish and-ones. And we know who he is, and we trust him.”
Where these three will land remains up in the air, but all are expected to draw interest from top programs around the country.
Quinnipiac draws UConn in first round of NCAA Tournament
By COLIN KENNEDY Managing Editor
After falling to Cornell in the ECAC Semifinals March 21, Quinnipiac men’s hockey’s season isn’t over just yet. The Bobcats have earned the No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and are appearing in the big dance for the sixthstraight season.
Quinnipiac will face off against No. 6 UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Allentown Regional. Game is set for Friday at 5 p.m.
“It’s not going to be hard to motivate guys to be ready to go if we’re fortunate enough to
play,” senior goaltender Noah Altman said.
Friday’s game will be the first Division I NCAA Tournament appearance for UConn in program history. It is coming off a 5-2 loss to Maine in the Hockey East Championship March 21.
The two schools met earlier this season in January in the CT Ice tournament. The Huskies won the matchup 2-1 thanks to a last second goal from junior forward Ryan Tattle.
The winner of Quinnipiac and UConn will match up with the winner of No. 3 Maine and No. 13 Penn St. for a spot in the Frozen Four.
Graduate student forward Jack Ricketts fights for the puck against UConn
QUINN O’NEILL/TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Sports
Pecknold, Schafer write
one last chapter in storied rivalry
By COLIN KENNEDY Managing Editor
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — With less than five minutes remaining in the third period of Quinnipiac and Cornell’s ECAC Semifinal battle, Rand Pecknold and Mike Schafer held court with their respective teams. Schafer, down a goal, with his coaching career on the line, was as animated as a head coach can be. His team huddled around, soaking in every last word in what may have been Schafer’s last rallying cry. Pecknold, just 20 feet away, stared at his notepad, cool, calm and collected, giving quick words of advice to players as the timeout came to an end Quinnipiac was clinging to a freshly made one-goal lead off the stick of freshman forward Chris Pelosi. In many ways Friday night’s battle between the Bobcats and Big Red was a microcosm of the last 30 years, of intense, gripping showdowns between Pecknold and Schafer’s programs. It was perfectly fitting and almost to be expected that the last matchup of two of the winningest coaches in college hockey ended in an overtime thriller.
“We’ve just had unbelievable games against Rand,” Schafer said.
With Schafer’s season on life support, his Big Red had one last trick up their sleeve as senior forward Kyler Kovich scored shorthanded with just over a minute remaining to send the game into overtime. Then Schafer got the last laugh over Pecknold in the extra frame as senior defenseman Tim Rego punched home a one-timer to scan Cornell’s ticket to the ECAC title game.
“That game represented our year,” Schafer said. “We were down and out, people were kicking dirt on our graves, and we were able to rally in some shape and form.”
And as Schafer and Cornell celebrated their season lasting at least one more day, Pecknold was now playing the role as the animated head coach. Following the overtime loss, Pecknold stormed out to center ice to confront the officials, where he clearly had some feelings he needed to get off his chest.
Now, like any two competitors, the relationship wasn’t always as civil as it was now that it’s over, and like any classic rivalry there were moments of intense stand -
offs. Look back in 2013 when Schafer was suspended for calling Pecknold a, “fucking classless, asshole.”
That same weekend in 2013, Quinnipiac won over Cornell 10-0, leaving Schafer enraged that Pecknold was still trotting out his top power play unit after taking a six goal lead.
“Rand was being a (expletive) putting his No. 1 power play unit on the ice when it was 8-0,” Schafer said.
But at the heart of Pecknold and Schafer’s 30-year rivalry is a deep respect for what the other has built — two programs consistently in the national title picture.
“I think you look over the course of time, especially the last 10-15 years, there hasn’t been anyone as consistent as Cornell and Quinnipiac,” Schafer said. “Just two teams that compete really hard, two really good programs.”
As much as the two coaches would love to say it was the players on the ice that decided Friday’s game and everyone before that — it was just as much the doing of Pecknold and Schafer dueling it out in a high-stakes chess match. And in many ways their battles made
them better coaches, win or lose.
“I give Schafer a lot of credit — he made me a better coach,” Pecknold said. “He challenged me throughout the years, almost as much as anyone.”
And in a historic conference, ECAC Hockey, there arguably hasn’t been two better coaches. Both Pecknold and Schafer have won the conference coach of the year award five times, more than any coach in league history.
“They’ve done a great job for the ECAC and we’ve done a great job of representing our league,” Schafer said. “They won a national title, we were one goal away from getting to the Frozen Four.”
So despite whatever bad blood may have existed in the past, the aftermath of Friday’s heavyweight clash proved one thing — the respect these two men have for each other transcend wins and losses. At the end of the day, they’re just two coaches who built two damn good college hockey programs.
“It’s been an honor, Rand is a great coach,” Schafer said. “They have a great program, but at the same time, so do we.”