Huskies 4
Bobcats 1
‘We just didn’t have enough’
Quinnipiac falls to UConn, faces its earliest exit from NCAA Tournament since 2021
By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Associate Sports Editor
ALLENTOWN, P.A. — In an NCAA Regional matchup between in-state rivals Quinnipiac and UConn, one would expect both teams to show up fierce and ready to play 60 minutes of intense hockey.
However, Friday night’s case was a little different, with Quinnipiac falling to UConn 4-1 in the Allentown Regional Semifinal.
Both teams’ bench presence and atmosphere alone foreshadowed what was to come in next hour of action, with every Huskie standing and tapping their sticks against the boards as the starting lineups met at center ice — while Quinnipiac appeared rather unbothered.
From the opening puck drop, one thing was clear: Quinnipiac did not match the energy and grit of UConn. The Huskies showed up to play, and they were not here to mess around in their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
“I told the team before the game, in order to be successful in this tournament you can’t rely on luck,” UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh said. “You have to bring your all.”
And the Huskies did just that; they
brought their all.
UConn pounced on Quinnipiac, putting nine shots on sophomore goaltender Dylan Silverstein before Quinnipiac could get a shot on UConn freshman goaltender Callum Tung.
As a matter of fact, UConn was able to take a 1-0 lead before Quinnipiac could even get one shot on net.
UConn continued to capitalize on Quinnipiac’s uncoordinated puck control, poor positioning and mistakes to break up the puck and force a breakaway opportunity.
“I saw my other two line mates forechecking, and kind of read the defenseman, saw where his eyes were going so just picked off the puck,” UConn freshman forward Ethan Gardula said.
With UConn headed to the locker room with a two goal cushion under it, Quinnipiac had the opportunity to reassess and reevaluate its first-period efforts.
But did it?
Out the gate, one could argue, the team came out stronger and faster. It took more shots than in the first period and started putting pressure on Tung. Quinnipiac netted the first goal of the period with a 2-on-1 feed from sophomore forward Mason Mar-
cellus to junior forward Jeremy Wilmer.
Yet UConn was still outshooting the Bobcats 19-16. And the method behind its madness was simply: it played stronger.
Quinnipiac struggled to create strong breakouts, tape-to-tape passes and win important battles in the neutral zone. This combination prevented the Bobcats from generating the strong offense they possessed throughout the season.
With only 20 minutes left to save its season, Quinnipiac tried to leave it all out on the ice, but there was just not enough time left to make a statement.
“We just didn’t have enough there,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “We took too long to get us going. So it’s disappointing.”
The Bobcats came close to putting themselves within one goal of the Huskies with a shot from freshman defensemen Elliot Groenewold that pierced the crossbar before rocketing down into the goal crease. Quinnipiac was convinced the puck had crossed the goal line before the linesmen immediately waved it off.
And so Quinnipiac faces its earliest exit since 2021, along with the departure of a
strong group of upperclassmen leaders.
With the transfer portal opening Sunday, Quinnipiac now awaits the future of its program. Last season, Quinnipiac lost four of its underclassmen to the transfer portal while gaining fve transfers. Having its largest freshmen squad since the 2019-20 season, the Bobcats’ future is unknown.
“The first thing that happens when your season ends is the portal,” Pecknold said. “So you got to deal with that. Figure out who’s coming, who’s going.”
As of publication, five Bobcats have entered the transfer portal. Nate Benoit being the Bobcat with the most game apperances at 24 in the 2024-45 season, followed by Noah Eyre, Noah Altman, Chase Ramsay and Michael Salandra.
On April 1, senior defensemen Davis Pennington signed with the Kalamazoo Wings and graduate student forward Travis Treloar signed with the Mora IK, a Swedish professional ice hockey club.
“I’ve learned kind of something different from every single one of them,” Marcellus said. “They all kind of have their different ways of leading, whether they had a letter or not.”
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Housing lottery system concerns students with future living arrangements
By CARLEIGH BECK Associate News Editor
First-year and sophomore students at Quinnipiac had a variety of reactions after receiving their housing lottery number Thursday, raising questions on whether this system is effective.
“I literally (feel like) crying,” said Kayla Reid, a frst-year business analytics major. “I feel like there should be a better way of picking it out.”
For years, Quinnipiac underclassmen have gone about the housing process in this way: Students will begin to talk to their friends about who they want to live with and which dorms they want, typically at the end of frst semester or the start of second semester. By the time lottery numbers are released, many students know who they want to live with. However, these groups often change depending on which lottery numbers they are given.
A week later, students select housing. This year, frst-years have seven options for their sophomore year housing: Hill, The Village, Perlroth, Troup, Larson, Complex and Crescent. Sophomores have fve options for their junior year: Crescent, Westview, Townhouses, Whitney Village and the recently added Eastview, which in prior years had only been available for seniors. This year, Eastview will have a mix of juniors and seniors.
These dorms have a wide variety of amenities, with some having kitchens, while others don’t. A few sophomore dorms offer air conditioning, but the rest do not. Students are concerned about the range of these amenities.
“I defnitely wish we had air conditioning, at least, because it gets really, really hot, and like, some dorms are air conditioned and others are not,” said Grace Hinton, a sophomore behavioral neuroscience major. “It’s defnitely not as fair when it comes to the different kinds of housing.”
Hinton struggled to get the housing she wanted for her sophomore year. She had accommodations to have a suite with a kitchen. But when students receive accommodations, they are only allowed to pick one other person to live with.
So when Hinton found out her friend had lottery No. 1, she knew that she would be able to get Hill, a suite with a kitchen, and be able to live with a group of friends. Hinton gave up her accommodations to live with her friends in Hill. However, her plans quickly changed.
“She (the friend with number 1) ended up ditching us to get in Complex, and I lost my
accommodation, and lost the ability to have a kitchen to ft my accommodation,” Hinton said. “So it defnitely gets a little selfsh when it comes to the lottery, and it kind of can be diffcult when you’re relying on other people because they got a good number … trusting people during this process can be a little bit diffcult.”
For frst-years who are going through this process for the frst time, the process can be both confusing and stressful.
“It gives so much anxiety,” Reid said. “I feel like it’s just a lot to handle … and then everybody is just like ‘we might not be able to get this (or that) or whatever,’ it just kind of makes the whole experience of being here less enjoyable, to be honest.”
Colleges across the country select housing differently. Syracuse University allows interna-
tional and honors students frst, then each student is given a time to select, bypassing the lottery number that Quinnipiac gives students. Marist University students receive a random time to select housing. However, students can earn “priority points” throughout the year from getting a high GPA, being involved on campus and attending campus events. The groups of students who want to live together that have the highest points have a better chance of receiving a better selection time.
“I feel like they should do (housing) based on how many credits you have,” said Erica Gurung, a frst-year biochemistry major. “They do that for cars and classes … you work harder for your (class standing).”
Quinnipiac Housing did not respond to The Chronicle’s attempt for an interview.
OISS email warns international students about potential immigration policy changes
By CARLEIGH BECK Associate News Editor
International students at Quinnipiac University received an email from the Offce of International Students and Scholars Monday to update students on the newly implemented executive orders regarding international travelers.
Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in SB 123 at 9:15 p.m.
@quchronicle/@quchronsports
The email titled “OISS Guidance for International Students and Scholars,” prepares students for potential rules changes that may impact international students when they travel to and from the U.S.
“Foreign nationals entering the United States or applying for visas or travel benefts from outside the U.S. should be aware that travel requirements may change rapidly and without notice,” said the email sent by OISS.
OISS will continue to update students
on travel notices and requirements, but strongly encourages students to stay up-todate on the Associate of International Educators’ website as well.
The email advises students to also “make sure you have physical and/or digital copies of your immigration documents with you at all times.”
This comes a week after Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish international student at Tufts University, was detained by plainsclothed agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
“A video circulating on social media on Wednesday showed a woman in a hijab and white coat being surrounded on a sidewalk, handcuffed and led away by masked plainclothes offcers driving unmarked cars,” a New York Times article said.
In recent weeks, other colleges like Brown, Cornell, Columbia and Yale have sent out notices to their international students. During the universities’ spring breaks, many international students risked deportation if they left the United States and attempted to return.
“The news is stirring concern among the over 1.12 million international students who fear they’ll be targeted based on their nationality. In losing their visas, they also forfeit the degrees they’ve been working so hard for, while the other option is being deprived of their right to travel – to visit their family back home or go on personalor school-related trips,” said an article from USA Today.
The university is not providing any additional comment on the matter.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
First-year students are offered Hill, The Village Perloth, Troup, Larson, Complex and Crescent for their sophomore year housing.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Sophomores choose between Crescent, Westview, Townhouses, Whitney Village and Eastview for their junior year housing.
QTHON raises $180K in funds to support Connecticut Children’s Hospital
By AVA HIGHLAND Associate News Editor
On Saturday, members of the Quinnipiac University community spent the day with children from the Connecticut Children’s Hospital, and their families, at the annual QTHON dance marathon in the Recreation and Wellness Center. After six hours of dancing, games and performances, the event raised $180,063.41 in donations, almost $40,000 more than in 2024.
The student-run philanthropy organization raises money and awareness for the Connecticut Children’s Hospital, the only health system in the state focusing exclusively on treating children despite their fnancial situation.
This year, the management team made up of 19 students was led by junior occupational therapy major, Sarah Springer.
“I am incredibly grateful for this experience and opportunity, I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Springer wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “The memories I’ve made, the miracles we’ve created, and the progress toward changing kids’ health have been a dream come true, and I cherish every moment.”
Springer initially became involved as a frstyear student, attending the event with her sorority. After feeling connected to the cause and inspired, she became the Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Chair the following year.
“Being a part of QTHON has been one of the most rewarding and life-changing experiences of my life,” Springer wrote. “It is more than just planning events or raising money, it’s about standing alongside patients and families, letting them know they are never alone.”
The management team held several different events throughout the year leading up to the dance marathon. The events include QTHON Cares, a mental health event for students, Ignite Your Flame, Battle of the Orgs and Minutes for Miracles, which is a minute-to-win-it style event on Day of Miracles.
Nearly 1,300 participants signed up and spent the day with nine miracle children, who are patients from Connecticut Children’s. Various clubs and Greek life organizations hosted a miracle child, as well as nine miracle siblings.
Junior nursing major, Alexa Daleo led her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta during the event as the team captain. After raising signifcant funds, the sorority was honored to spend the day with Spencer, one of the miracle children, along with his family.
“I ran around with him all day and then I got the privilege to spend time with both of his siblings,” Daleo said. “People in my sorority helped out with making it an amazing day for them and it was awesome.”
From the opening ceremony to the reveal of total funds raised, several events took place throughout the day. Every hour, the management team, morale dancers and any other participants performed a 10-minute-long morale dance to celebrate the miracle children and to boost energy among participants.
Other events included performances from Dance Fusion, Tap Company, Dance Company and the IceCats’, “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?,” a dance competition, talent show and the very frst Mr. Quinnipiac, a com-
petition between some of the male QTHON participants. Along with the various events, there was a bounce house, silent disco, vendors, a photo booth, food and more.
“It’s been absolutely amazing,” Julia Rossignol, sophomore accounting major and member of the volunteer committee said. “I really wanted to be a part of really helping to make a difference and making sure that this event went well and it’s just been spectacular.”
Before the fnal reveal everyone in attendance gathered for the Circle of Hope, and everyone refected on their personal “WHY.”
Both miracle children and members of the management team cut off hospital bands that each participant was given during check-in.
“It is a powerful reminder that, at the end of tonight, we can go home without fear—but thousands of patients at Connecticut Children’s do not have that same choice,” Springer wrote.
“This moment represents our hope for a future where no child has to endure a hospital stay. I truly urge everyone to stay to the end to experience this special and emotional moment, followed by our fundraising reveal.”
Following the Circle of Hope, the management team and families shared tear-flled hugs during the emotional moment.
“Being a part of QTHON has not only changed my perspective, it has truly changed my heart and inspired me in more ways than I could have ever imagined,” Springer wrote.
TYLER MIGNAULT/CHRONICLE
Brian, one of the miracle children, cuts the hospital bands off QTHON participants.
The miracle children run through the crowd of participants cheering them on.
By LILLIAN CURTIN Associate Opinion Editor
As a teenage girl, I’m no stranger to group chats. Whether personal or for work, everyone’s been in one. As Peer Catalysts, we have to have them for our classes. After we make them, our mentors check that they’re secure. So imagine my surprise when I found out that our country’s leaders don’t know how to create a secure group chat. And even worse, they lied about it to the American public.
I wish I could say I was shocked. But frankly, I’m not. The Atlantic’s Editor-inchief, Jeffrey Goldberg, released an article titled: “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.” This article should’ve been met with the realization that our country is being run by a bunch of idiots. It wasn’t. In fact, many Americans are just listening to what the administration is telling them. However, this should be a lesson that this administration should not be trusted.
Powerful doesn’t equal truthful The ‘Signal’ leak should be a lesson FREE
The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg was included in a groupchat with highranking national security advisors.
was a “hoax.” A spokesperson for the National Security Council verified that it was real after the original Atlantic article.
President Donald Trump’s underqualified and boot-licking team spent the day after the article was published denying that it was true. The president is not incapable of lying, and in turn, neither is anyone who works for him. President Trump called the group chat leak “fake news,” and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed it
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, claimed that Goldberg’s number was “sucked into” his phone. That’s simply just not possible. Waltz also claimed that he’d never met Goldberg. Goldberg says that this isn’t true, and that’s how his number was in Waltz’s phone. It’s as simple as that. This isn’t unexplainable. There is a reason; it’s just that no one wants to take accountability for it, so they resort to lying.
This administration has a habit of dismissing the problem at hand and deflecting it onto others. For example, instead of being honest, taking accountability and facing this issue with respect for Americans,
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the media “continues to be focused on a sensationalized story from the failing Atlantic magazine that is falling apart by the hour.”
After the initial article, Hegseth referred to Goldberg as a “deceitful and highley discredited so-called journalist.” He followed
that statement up with “nobody was texted warplans.” It’s ironic. In the same statement, he called a journalist “deceitful” for sharing what turned out to be the truth, and then lied to the country.
Leavitt told reporters that there was “no classified information” shared. In reality, the CIA requested Goldberg not to release certain messages.
Goldberg practically took all of this as a challenge. He released the group chat messages two days after the original article was published. The reason? The Trump administration was lying to the American people.
If you just accepted that this wasn’t a big deal or “fake news” because someone in power told you so, you are part of the problem. This administration lies all of the time. Yet, no one bats an eye because they’ve either gaslight their supporters into believing it’s untruthful or because they do something even more stupid that overshadows a previous issue.
If you’re falling for everything they’re telling you, then you are exactly where the president and his administration wants you: susceptible and ignorant. It’s blind obedience, and it’s toxic. Do not allow yourself to be brainwashed and manipulated.
Transphobia in sports hurts everyone
By VIVIAN GAGE Contributing Writer
Pushing transgender women out of sports ‘protects’ no one.
In fact, it hurts everyone. It opens up the window for women and girls to have their appearances scrutinized, putting them into a box of what being female should look like. It spreads the idea that women are weak and in desperate need of protection, which is untrue. It aims to remove a problem that is essentially nonexistent and serves as a distraction from the incompetence of our current administration.
On Feb. 5 President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” Its goal, according to whitehouse.gov, is to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”
Essentially, the order intends to punish schools that allow transgender women to compete in sports under the guide of protecting and keeping the competition fair. However, the executive order has reached far beyond the scope of athletes in schools that receive funding.
In response to the order, the NCAA issued a new policy limiting competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only, according to ESPN. On Feb. 25, the State Department announced a ban on transgender athletes from entering the U.S. if they attempt to compete in women’s sports. The order should not apply to athletes in programs that do not receive federal funding, but the general transphobia it promotes will affect athletes everywhere.
Among Republicans, opposing transgender athletes in women’s sports is a cultural issue that
unifes all wings of the party. The fght is not restricted to one party though, and many Democrats, like Congressman Tom Suozzi, have spoken out in support of keeping “biological males” out of women’s sports.
A New York Times/Ipsos poll conducted in early January found broad opposition to transgender female athletes among the public as well. In asking respondents whether transgender female athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports, 79% of American adults said they “should not” be allowed to compete.
So why do so many people oppose transgender women in sports, and why now? They’ve been competing for years without much speculation, so what changed? Well, current media has convinced many people that transgender female
athletes are a pressing issue and a danger to other women. This just isn’t true, and by believing hateful propaganda, Americans are failing the LGBTQ+ community and helping to reinforce sexist stereotypes.
The current debate over trans inclusion in sports is rooted in misinformation, not genuine concern for safety or fairness. For starters, the number of trans female athletes is quite small.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said in December that fewer than 10 out of 530,000 NCAA athletes used the association’s transgender athlete eligibility policy. Researcher and medical physicist Joanna Harper estimates that the number of transgender athletes competing in public school sports can’t exceed 100 nationwide.
On top of this, research shows that trans ath-
letes perform at the same level as their cisgender counterparts. To put it simply, the traditional understanding of gender and athletic ability is evolving, and there is signifcant variability among all athletes already. Being trans isn’t some great advantage that guarantees victory.
Trans women also aren’t a danger to other women. There are no studies to show that violent crime rates against cisgender women and girls decrease when trans women are forced to use spaces that align with the sex assigned to them at birth. Cisgender women aren’t in any more danger than they always have been.
Our government does not honestly care about addressing the actual inequities that female athletes face. This executive order is a gateway into policing how women look and act. Enforcement of proposed restrictions threatens to sweep up any girl or woman athlete who is perceived as “too masculine” or “too good” at their sport to be a “real” woman or girl. By allowing trans women to be removed from women’s sports, all women open their bodies up to judgment and invasive questioning.
Ilona Maher, an Olympic bronze medalist in rugby and Quinnipiac alumna, has endured countless allegations that she’s a man. Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, was continuously called a man during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Caster Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner, had her sex questioned after winning the gold medal for the women’s 800-meter race at the world championships in 2009.
All of these women are cisgender females, but that didn’t stop the public from scrutinizing their bodies or diminishing their accomplishments. Once you start attacking trans athletes, you attack all cis women in sports as well.
Transphobia hurts everyone, whether we realize it or not.
TED EYTAN/CREATIVE COMMONS
Research claims that there are fewer than 100 transgender athletes competing in public schools.
MALASYIA TODAY
By BEN BUSILLO Opinion Editor
Opinion
NBA voter fatigue is ridiculous
The NBA this year has a particularly interesting MVP race, between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić. Gilgeous-Alexander is leading a young Thunder squad to the best record in the league, while also being on track to win the scoring title. Jokic on the other hand is averaging a 30 point triple-double a night.
But as the debate rages on, there’s an underlying problem that keeps creeping into the conversation: voter fatigue.
The Most Valuable Player award is not supposed to go to the most exciting player, nor the best new storyline. Its qualifications lie in the name. The award answers the question at the end of the season: who is the most valuable? Yet, time and time again, voters get tired of giving the award to the same guy and decide to hand it to someone else just for the sake of variety.
That’s not how it should work.
Jokić is the most impactful player in the league, and one of the most fundamentally sound players of all time. However, there’s a real chance voters will snub him because he’s already won the award three times.
That’s the problem. Players getting punished for being consistently unbelievable.
We’ve seen this play out before, most notably with Michael Jordan in 1997 and LeBron James in 2011. Both were the best players in the league. Both played for the best teams in the league. And both lost the MVP race because voters seemingly got bored of their dominance.
In the 1996-97 season, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to a 69-13 record while averaging 29.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3
assists per game. Jordan was the de facto best player in the league on the best team. Yet, the MVP trophy went to Karl Malone, who averaged 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while leading the Utah Jazz to a 64-18 record.
Why?
Because voters decided Jordan already had enough MVPs. Malone got 986 total points in the voting (63 first-place votes), while Jordan finished with 957 (52 firstplace votes). That’s what voter fatigue looks like — splitting hairs to justify snubbing the best player in the game.
Jordan took it personally, proceededing to dismantle Malone’s Jazz in the NBA Finals and secure his fifth championship. When it mattered most, Jordan proved yet again that he was the best player in the
world. But he should have had the MVP trophy to go with it.
Next year, Jordan took it personally once again, as he beat Malone in the MVP race in 1998. Jordan then in game six of the finals that year, famously hit the game winning shot to clinch his sixth title, after stripping the ball from Malone on the other end of the floor.
Then there’s LeBron in 2011. James had just taken his talents to South Beach, and despite being the most dominant player in the league, he finished third in MVP voting behind Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard. LeBron averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game while leading the Miami Heat to a 58-24 record. Meanwhile, Rose averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds while leading the Bulls to a
62-20 record.
Rose had an outstanding season and was a rising star, but LeBron nearly out-did him in every single major category. He was more efficient, more versatile and played for a team that — despite the “superteam” label — was still figuring things out. The Bulls won four more games than the Heat that year, but that wasn’t enough of a gap to justify giving Rose the award over James. Voters wanted a fresh narrative, and Rose provided it.
When their respective teams met in the Eastern Conference Finals of that year, LeBron led the charge in knocking off the D-Rose led Bulls in just five games, while leading the Heat in points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes per game.
Sounds pretty valuable to me.
At some point, the MVP award stopped being about identifying the best player and became about fnding the best new story. Whether it was Rose’s electric rise in 2011 or the desire to fnally give Malone his frst nod in 1997, the pattern remains the same. Voters get fatigued seeing the same name on the ballot and look elsewhere, even when the numbers and impact don’t justify it.
It’s an issue that keeps repeating, and now Jokić may be next.
If the MVP is about the best player, then it should go to the best player. Not the most interesting storyline. If the voters think Gilgeous-Alexander is the most valuable player in the NBA, then by all means cast your ballot for him, but don’t just say “oh it’s actually his turn to win it now.”
If Jokić is that guy — and right now, he is — then he should win.
Period.
‘Archive posting’ is so not the point of Instagram
By NEVE WILSON Staf Writer
“Archive posting” is a practice that is becoming more and more common on Instagram and it’s totally defeating the point of the app.
For those of you who don’t know, Instagram has a feature that allows you to archive a grid post or story — no longer displaying it on your profle but saving it rather than deleting it. This way you can put the post or story back on your profle at any time or just keep it for yourself. I like this feature and I do use it on my some of my posts — cringe worthy things that I posted in middle school or other photos I liked at the time of posting but don’t want on my profle anymore but still want to save.
However, people have started abusing this feature and using it as a way of avoiding actually posting on Instagram and instead only having the photo appear on their profle page. You do this by posting a photo and then immediately archiving it before it shows up in anyone’s feed. Then, once you think enough time has passed, you un-archive it,
restoring it to your profle without it showing up in people’s feeds again because it’s old and the Instagram algorithm tries to push recent content.
The reason that this practice of ‘archive posting’ became popular is because people don’t want the attention of posting but they still want their profle page to look nice. I’ve heard many of my friends complain that posting on Instagram feels embarrassing or even causes them
anxiety. It’s not only them — in an article for Stylist magazine, social media editor
Alyss Bowen says she and her friends also experience stress about posting (“Instagram anxiety” as she dubs it) and that it stems from a fear of whether your post will get enough likes. In a way, posting on Instagram is also like announcing something, which can be daunting.
I’m not saying choosing to archive a post is always rooted in anxiety, but it is
a way to avoid your post being seen by the majority of your followers, for whatever motivation. For example, others might choose to do it because the photos are clearly outdated but they still want to show them off somewhere.
This tactic sometimes backfires though, as Instagram will still show archive posts, even ones that are weeks old, in your follower’s’ feeds. I often scroll past photos that are clearly outdated or have no likes or comments and it always momentarily confuses me until I realize it was an archive post. The post will be seen by considerably less people this way though.
Whatever the reason for archive posting, I am firmly against it. The point of Instagram is to stay connected with friends and family, and posting is how you show what you are up to. Some people complain that Instagram content has become too curated and there is pressure to post pictureperfect content rather than casual. Archive posting exacerbates this by sending the message that if your photo isn’t perfect, it doesn’t deserve a spot in the feed.
ILLUSTRATION BY BEN BUSILLO
ALL-PRO REELS/RON CHENOY/PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BEN BUSILLO
Arts & Life
Students can't wait to see NLE Choppa headline Wake the Giant
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
To kick off the week, the Student Programming Board hosted Quinnipiac University's highly anticipated artist reveal for this year’s Wake the Giant Monday.
Students gathered in the Carl Hansen Student Center to enjoy free pizza with the company of friends as excitement grew and the minutes ticked down.
A 10-second countdown began at approximately 12:15 p.m. and students erupted in cheers after finding out that NLE Choppa would take the stage on Sunday, April 27, at the M&T Bank Arena.
Leading up to the announcement, SPB teased potential headliners on Instagram, leaving students to guess who it could be.
Artists such as Ke$ha, 21 Savage, Shaboozey and Fleet Foxes were included in a bracket-style poll, allowing students to vote and narrow down the choices to the final two: NLE Choppa and Zach Bryan.
“I thought Zach Bryan would be kind of cool too, but I feel like for a concert you need more hype music,” Grace Ungewitter, a first-year diagnostic sonography major, said.
Many students were happy with the school’s decision to go with NLE Choppa.
Aleksandra Schake, a frst-year biomedical science major and Olivia Gouzenko, a frstyear health science major were hoping for NLE Choppa; their attendance fully dependent on him performing.
“I don't know a lot of people that actually wanted Zach Bryan to come perform,” Schake said. “I'm also not a country fan, neither of us like country, so if it was Zach Bryan, I wouldn't be going.”
With the final choices representing opposite ends of the music spectrum, this year’s concert had people guessing until the very end. Now, they’re eager to see what NLE Choppa brings to the stage.
“I think this concert will be really fun for QU students,” Justice Korn, a junior finance major, said. “It’ll definitely have a different energy from last year, and it’ll be cool to see NLE Choppa up close.”
Some students aren’t willing to arrive early for floor tickets but wouldn’t miss the concert regardless.
EJ Gorman, a sophomore journalism major, hopes to secure a ticket before they sell out, saying he just wants the chance to attend.
“I think just being there is going to be a better experience than trying to wait there for five hours to get a spot in the front row,” Gorman said. “I think either way, I’ll be able to have a good time.”
The concert is open to all undergraduate Quinipiac students, as well as those in their first graduate year of a 3+1 program. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m. with an opening DJ.
Tickets went on sale the same day of the announcement at 3 p.m., with floor tickets priced at $25 and seats at $20.
Morgan Wallen’s bad luck streak with ‘SNL’ continues
By GINA LORUSSO Arts & Life Editor
Country music star Morgan Wallen is under fre again after abruptly walking off the “Saturday Night Live” stage on March 29.
Instead of participating in the post-show banter that follows each episode, Wallen gave his co-host actress Mikey Madison a hug then made an early exit, leaving many SNL fans and cast members shocked.
“I don't know what goes through people's minds when they decide to do stuff like that,” SNL cast member Kenan Thompson told Entertainment Weekly. I don't know if he understood the assignment or not, or if he was really feeling a certain kind of way.”
Usually, the cast and crew join on stage to say ‘goodbye’ or ‘great show’ as the credits roll. Wallen, however, didn’t seem interested in the tradition, sparking speculation about his abrupt departure.
“It's definitely a spike in the norm," Thompson said. “We’re so used to everybody just turning around and highfiving us, everybody’s saying, “Good job, good job, good job.” So when there's a departure from that, it's like, hmm, I wonder what that's about?”
Social media quickly lit up with theories after he posted an Instagram story of a plane with the caption, “Get me to God’s country,” making it seem as though he was eager to leave New York behind.
Wallen was previously featured on “SNL” as a musical guest in 2020 where he remained on stage, engaging with the cast during the closing moments of the show. His initial booking was postponed after a video surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic of Wallen partying at the University of Alabama without a mask.
“I'm not positive for COVID,” Wallen said. “But my actions this past weekend were pretty short sighted, and they've obviously affected my long term goals and my dreams. I respect the show’s decision, because I know that I put them in jeopardy.”
When the show invited Wallen back in December of that year, he performed a skit with Jason Bateman making fun of the situation.
“I am you from the future and I came here to stop you from partying tonight,” Bateman’s character said to Wallen. “Trust me, somebody’s gonna post a video of you ignoring COVID protocols, the whole internet’s gonna freak out. … Once people hear about the party, you’re in big trouble, man. You’re gonna get kicked off ‘Saturday Night Live.’”
This time around, many fans are speculating there were occurrences backstage where Wallen disagreed with producers about the planned segments, but there hasn’t been any confrmation of this theory.
This isn’t the frst time Wallen has found
himself at the center of controversy, though.
Beyond his seemingly turbulent relationship with “SNL,” Wallen has repeatedly made headlines for deranged actions — the most recent involving him throwing a chair from a six-story rooftop bar in Nashville. In court, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment.
Additionally, in February 2021, Wallen was recorded using a racial slur outside of his home in Nashville. TMZ got a hold of it, and the fallout was immediate. Wallen was dropped from Cumulus Media radio stations, which includes over 400 stations across 85 markets in the U.S.
“Effective immediately we request that all of Morgan Wallen's music be removed from our playlists without exception,” a directive sent to all Cumulus Media stations said at the time. Wallen was also temporarily suspended from his record label, Big Loud Records.
“In the wake of recent events, Big Loud Records has made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s recording contract indefinitely,” Big Loud’s statement said. “Republic Records fully supports Big Loud’s decision and agrees such behavior will not be tolerated.”
Despite the various instances of backlash, Wallen’s career remains largely unshaken, with his music continuing to top charts
and sell out arenas. His ability to weather controversy has led some to question if this “SNL” incident will just be another footnote in his history of public missteps.
ANDREW WENDOWSKI/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Morgan Wallen walked off the "Saturday Night Live" stage without acknowledging the cast and crew on March 29, 2025.
‘Brighter Days Ahead’ with Ariana Grande's ‘Eternal Sunshine Deluxe’
By GINA LORUSSO Arts & Life Editor
When Ariana Grande announced she was stepping back from music to focus on other projects like “Wicked,” many fans, including myself, feared it would be years before we got another album.
Then again, when fans keep begging for new music, it's only a matter of time before the artist caves. That’s exactly what happened with Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine: Brighter Days Ahead.” The deluxe version of her seventh studio album “Eternal Sunshine” arrived on March 28, adding a new layer to an already deeply personal era.
“Eternal Sunshine” opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March 2024, granting Grande her sixth chart topper, according to Billboard. The highly-anticipated deluxe didn’t just match this energy from “Eternal Sunshine,” it exceeded it.
I usually don’t stay up until midnight to listen to an album when it frst gets released, but knowing Grande put her entire soul into producing this album, I had to listen the second it became available on my Spotify.
When I heard the frst track, “intro (end of the world) - extended,” I was foored.
As one of my favorites on the original album, I was excited to fnally have the full version that expands on the song’s message. The opening track is a raw, honest exploration of insecurities in a relationship, posing questions throughout that summarize the album’s key themes.
The lyrics, “How can I tell if I'm in the right relationship?/ Aren't you really s'posed to know that shit?/ Feel it in your bones and own that shit?” capture Grande’s self-doubt and intuition which she expands upon throughout the album.
The second verse of the extended version asks, “Can't you sense me? I've been right here
all this time (All this time)/ Would you still be here pretending you still like me? (Would you still be?),” deepening the theme of emotional disconnect and highlighting her longing for reassurance during her marriage to Dalton Gomez.
“Twilight zone” is by far, one of the best tracks on the album. Not only does it bring a catchy chillwave beat, the lyrics are incredibly refective, capturing Grande’s past with Gomez with a feeling of disbelief.
There are rumors that Grande and Gomez have a non-disclosure agreement preventing them from discussing their divorce publicly, but as Grande once famously said on “Victorious,” “(they) didn’t say I couldn’t sing.”
“And it's not like I'm still not over you/ It's so strange, this I never do/ Not that I miss you, I don't/ Sometimes, I just can't believe/ You happened.” Despite Grande being in a budding relationship with “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, these lines suggest echoes of her past still resurface in unexpected ways. This song is a refection of how love — especially one that was this signifcant in Grande’s life — can feel almost unreal in hindsight.
My personal favorite song on the album is “Hampstead,” a unique mix of sound that begins with distant piano in a crowded room of chatter before Grande’s ethereal vocals cut through the noise as if she’s pulling you into a private moment. The opening lyrics, “I left my heart at a pub in Hampstead” places listeners directly in the scene, setting the tone for a song steeped in nostalgia and quiet longing.
In Grande’s sixth studio album “Positions,” she wrote an ode to her lover, expressing her wishes to see herself from his point of view. In “pov” she longs to understand what he sees in her, hoping that perspective will help her learn
how to love herself in the same way.
In “Hampstead” she nods to “pov” with the lyrics “I'd rather be seen and alive than dying by your point of view,” making it clear that she didn’t like the way she was perceived in this relationship.
Unlike “pov” where she yearns to see herself through an admirer's eyes, “Hampstead” fips this narrative, suggesting his perspective was stifing. Before concluding, the song reverts to Grande’s live vocals in the crowded pub, bringing listeners full circle to where the track began.
With “Brighter Days Ahead,” Grande has proved, once again, that her albums aren’t just
music; they’re art. The deluxe offers a more immersive experience that refects the highs and lows or Grande’s past relationship(s), love, loss and self-realization.
I may be biased, but Ariana keeps proving she’s at the forefront of pop music time and time again.
Maybe this deluxe will make the Recording Academy fnally take her seriously. With every album, Grande transcends the typical pop formula.
It’s time for the industry to recognize what fans have known since day one — she’s not just a pop star, she's a visionary who’s redefning what pop music can be.
The downfall of plus-size infuencer Remi Bader
Plus-size infuencer Remi Bader is facing backlash after turning her back on the community that made her famous.
On Wednesday, March 26, Bader appeared on Khloé Kardashian’s podcast “Khloé in Wonder Land,” where she revealed she had undergone weight-loss surgery back in 2023.
Bader shared that she lost 140 pounds less than a year after having 80% of her stomach removed in a gastric sleeve and bypass surgery.
Fans are accusing her of lying and perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, arguing that she hid her weight-loss surgery for two years — all under the guise of focusing on herself and mental health.
She made it seem as though her weight loss was due to lifestyle changes and mindset shifts rather than a medical procedure.
The choice to go on a podcast with Khloe Kardashian only added fuel to the fre.
The Kardashians, especially Khloé, have long been criticized for promoting unrealistic beauty standards, from heavily editing photos to endorsing weight-loss products like appetite suppressant lollipops and “Flat Tummy Tea” to young women.
For many, the conversation felt a little tone deaf because Bader built her platform around self-acceptance, body confdence and learning to love herself through highs and lows.
No one cares that she lost weight; it's about the lack of transparency.
Fans argue that Bader went from being a relatable creator known for try-on hauls to subtly faunting her new body without
addressing the drastic change.
I remember I frst followed her back when she would clown brands that made “plus size” clothing, proving them horribly wrong, making me cry laughing putting on a funny voice that expressed everyone’s agitation for the stress
and confusion that is women’s sizing. It sparks a conversation about how much information a public fgure owes to their fans.
Now, there is such a thing as parasocial relationships, people feeling entitled to knowing every aspect of an influencer’s
life, like how much they make off of their videos or the reason behind their last relationship ending.
However, the distinction in this case is that “Remi Bader” is a business — her entire brand is built around being real and honest in her body.
She is no longer just a person; she is a company whose entire platform has profted off of being plus size. Getting brand deals, endorsements and a community that trusted her voice in the body positivity space.
Bader has always been candid in the past, to the point of sharing videos of her struggling to cope with her body image, binge eating and revealing her dark, heavy mindsets. Even goes as far as opening up about her past eating disorders that have taken over her life.
Allegedly, Bader has been blocking fans that inquired about her weight loss, comments that grew video after video as she started to lose more and more weight.
Her body is her own, and she can do anything she wants with it.
But the monetization of her platform by promoting supplements, workout routines and diets while keeping her fans in the dark is where she went wrong.
Many feel duped — Bader has alienated her original audience, and as a result, her body positivity now feels performative.
At its core, this whole scandal really isn’t about weight loss, it's about authenticity. For an infuencer whose brand was built on inclusivity and honesty, staying silent only makes things worse.
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor
Netfix’s newest whodunit drags out the mystery
By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life
A classic whodunit thrives on twists and unexpected reveals — a story that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, capitalizing on the thrill of the chase. These are all elements that Netflix’s “The Residence” lacked.
I am a sucker for any type of murder mystery, especially a limited series that guarantees a definitive ending.
As I began to watch Shonda Rhimes’ “The Residence,” I noticed an obvious quirky and comical feature to the murder mystery, giving it a lighter feel.
“The Residence” follows worldrenowned detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) as she arrives to solve a murder at the White House during a state dinner. She is brought in by the chief of Washington D.C. police to take control of the case.
of what they thought happened that night.
She’s careful not to name a suspect, frustrating FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), who was assigned to help her and tries to keep up the best he can.
Cupp carefully analyzes the scene of the death. Several White House offcials pushed to write it off as a suicide because of a note found in his jacket, but Cupp isn’t convinced based on the severity of his injuries.
wrong and chips away at the case to get down to the root of the problem.
The show takes us through the inner workings of the White House and the people who keep it running, following procedures that go back decades. The historical framework is an interesting addition to the mystery.
“The Residence” aims for a sharp and clever narrative but struggles to follow through, coming off as
The list of possible suspects went on and on and on, which was part of the reason that I lost interest. It was made clear that multiple suspects had a clear enough motive, and there wasn’t one that seriously outweighed the rest.
A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), the head usher of the White House, is found dead in the game room and viewers are taken through Cupp’s investigation as she uncovers the truth.
Cupp immediately orders more than 150 guests to stay until she has a chance to interview each one, documenting their names and roles at the White House. She takes us through each character’s version
she knows to be true, relating her methods to birdwatching.
“You don't pick up your binoculars until you know what you're looking at,” Cupp says.
She doesn’t focus on any one theory until she has a full understanding of the situation, taking in all the details — just as birdwatchers observe the surrounding landscape before focusing on a particular bird.
Cupp has a very systematic way of thinking, which, as the narrator, is refreshing. She constantly proves people
entertained but quickly noticed a pattern of niche discoveries that would eventually, and painfully slowly, add up to the murder.
It felt dragged out far past its prime, going out of its way to explore random goose chase and included too many red herrings that added little to the fnal mystery.
What should have been a gripping story started to feel like a chore to watch. I lost interest, and by the end of the last episode, I didn’t really care who the killer was.
So who dunit?
Was it the loyal staffer (Susan Kelechi Watson) who was supposed to get promoted and take Wynters’ job as head usher? Maybe it was the president’s loathed brother (Jason Lee) or the emotionally charged pastry chef (Bronson Pinchot)? Or maybe it was the drunk butler, the president’s mother-in-law, the social secretary or the engineer? These are only some of the options that were investigated. With a new administration settling into the White House, the Morgans wanted to do things differently — embracing change while Wynter has always advocated and valued tradition. As head usher, his stern and strict nature made him a target for many people.
The show reveals the evidence has been there all along in plain sight, but it didn’t land as effectively because the story felt so drawn out.
A murder mystery is the last genre that should make viewers feel bored and unengaged; it should build tension — not test patience.
Coloring outside the lines
Why adults should embrace the childhood pastime
By GINA LORUSSO Associate Arts & Life Editor
Once seen as a childhood hobby, coloring has found its way back into adult life, but this time, with purpose.
Over the past few years, coloring books have surged in popularity among adults making it more than a nostalgic activity. In an age where there is constant digital stimulation, many people are turning to coloring as a way to unplug, refocus and unwind. Studies suggest that coloring can reduce stress, ease depression and anxiety, improve motor skills, help you sleep and promote mindfulness, according to Healthline.
Unlike doom scrolling on social media or watching TV, coloring forces your mind to focus on what you’re doing while simultaneously allowing your mind to relax.
The Mayo Clinic states that focusing on color choice and staying inside the lines permits you to block off external distractions and instead focus your mind on the movement of your coloring tool and emotions in the present moment.
Taking part in mindful crafts is not a new phenomenon, but it has gained traction in recent years. As more people seek ways to cope with overwhelming aspects of their life, simple activities like knitting, coloring, sewing and drawing have become powerful tools to combat negative feelings.
Coloring in particular stands out because
there’s no pressure to make it perfect. The art is already on the page, all you have to do is choose the colors and apply them in a way that you enjoy. The way I see it, it’s not about how the end result will look, it’s about how you feel along the way.
Over the past year, I’ve seen creators on TikTok taking basic coloring pages and turning them into frame-worthy art with highquality brush pens and a little bit of creativity.
By far, the most famous coloring books among these influencers are those of the brand Bobbie Goods. Within these pages are comforting designs of animals in a playful style.
What sets Bobbie Goods apart is its emphasis on simplicity instead of intricate mandalas or hyper-realistic landscapes that many adult coloring books contain today. Many TikTok users reimagine these pages by experimenting with shading techniques and textures to elevate the pages. Some add extra details with gel pens to make the work pop, proving coloring can be as advanced or as simple as you want it to be.
Creators often livestream coloring sessions so viewers can fnd inspiration, discover new coloring methods or design techniques. These streams create a sense of community where people bond over something so uncomplicated, yet so meaningful.
I’ve found that when I sit down to color, I can step away from my usual distractions
and focus on what I’m doing in that current moment. Even if it’s only for a short while, I tune into the process and clear my mind for the time being instead of worrying what I need to do the next day or getting caught up in rotating through Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
The window of time I carve out for coloring every day brings a sense of calm and allows me to ground myself in ways that other activities don’t. Coloring, in
its simple form, has become a method of meditation for me, reminding me to slow down and focus on the page in front of me.
As an adult, coloring is no longer about staying in the lines or creating a fawless piece of art. It’s about embracing the process, expressing yourself and fnding a space of relaxation in an otherwise busy world. Creativity doesn’t need to be complicated — sometimes all it takes is a few markers and an open mind.
IONBYEMILYKATZ
The latest chapter of the Red Bull Racing carousel
By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor
Red Bull Racing has been a top constructor in the Formula One paddock, with its driver Max Verstappen winning the drivers championship in four consecutive years and Red Bull winning two out of the last three Constructors’ Championships.
But each team has two drivers competing in all 24 races of the year, so who occupies that second Red Bull seat?
During Verstappen’s dominance in the last four years, Sergio Perez, a Mexican-born driver, has been his partner. Since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018, fve drivers have suited up for the energy drink brand, but none have lasted longer than one season besides Perez, who remained for four seasons.
Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have all fallen victim to poor decision-making from the Red Bull management based on bad short stints.
First, it was Gasly who took the reins from
Ricciardo in the 2019 season after being promoted from Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso. His frst season seemed promising, earning points in nine of his 12 races and providing a spark to the Red Bull team.
However, Gasly came under increasing pressure at the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix, where he fnished sixth but was lapped by Verstappen. Despite his poor results, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko stated that the team intended to keep Gasly until the end of the season.
When the season reached the summer break, Gasly seemed to have time to rewrite the story for the season, but it didn’t last long. Red Bull announced that it sent Gasly back to Toro Rosso and was replaced by Albon. At this stage of the season, Gasly was sitting at No. 6 in the Drivers' Championship.
Albon performed well for the remaining races of the 2019 season, earning him a seat for
the 2020 season, which would be his last in a Red Bull car. Although Albon fnished with two podiums in the shortened season, his inconsistent performances compared to Verstappen led to his replacement by Perez.
That’s three drivers in two years, which wasn’t ideal for a team that was pushing to catch up with Mercedes, who had a dominant car every season. Red Bull found a source of consistency in Perez, but his performances declined in his last season.
Despite three poor races in May 2024, fnishing fourth in Miami, eighth in Imola and crashing out at Monaco, Red Bull surprisingly handed Perez a two-year contract. The decision sparked criticism and questioning about whether his recent performances warranted a contract.
Speculation about Perez’s future with Red Bull grew heading to the season fnale in Abu Dhabi, with Horner admitting there would be talks about Pérez's future after the race. Perez retired the car for the second straight week and fnished
the season No. 8 in the championship with 152 points — 35% of Verstappen's fnal tally — and lost his seat in Formula One.
After Perez's departure, the second seat for Red Bulls Racing was open for the frst time in four years. There were a lot of names up for the most coveted seat in the 2025 market. Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, Lawson, Tsunoda and Ricciardo were all up for the seat, but eventually, Red Bull went for the inexperienced Lawson for the 2025 season.
But just as quickly as Lawson was selected, he lost his seat.
Lawson was promoted after just 11 races with the junior team, and his frst two races in the Red Bull car were a struggle; he qualifed last for both the sprint and the race in China and crashed in Australia to open the season. He did, however, fnish 12th in the Chinese Grand Prix, but even that race had issues. He was more than a minute off Verstappen, while he was lifted three places thanks to post-race disqualifcations by Gasly, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
While Perez had struggled to Verstappen in terms of position, he at least got points while Lawson was barely getting out of the frst qualifying session.
Red Bull decided to pull the trigger and demoted Lawson to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls — formerly known as Torro Rosso — and promoted Tsunoda on March 27, a week before Tsunoda’s home Grand Prix in Japan. Lawson ended his Red Bull tenure with fewer hours (173) from the start of the Australian Grand Prix to the end of the Chinese Grand Prix than Max Verstappen has raced in Formula One (188).
While Marko has said that Tsunoda will see out the entire season at Red Bull, like Gasly, Albon and Perez before him, Tsunoda will need to succeed and prove he can consistently deliver top performances if he wants to keep his seat. Otherwise, he risks becoming another casualty of Red Bull's ruthless decision-making in recent years.
Playboi Carti evolves with ‘MUSIC’
It only took fve years, but Playboi Carti has fnally delivered “MUSIC,” in addition to the even more recent deluxe. If you’re a fan of Carti like I am, you know how long the road was to get here.
From teasing a “NARCISSIST” drop in 2022 to posting what feels like hundreds of ft pics, I feel like I haven’t had a moment of peace in the last three years.
Regardless, the album is fnally out, and it is a lot. Carti gave us a whopping 30 songs, all of which landed on the Billboard Top 100 the week of the initial release.
“MUSIC” is characterized by a new, evolved sound from the punk trap that his 2020 album, “Whole Lotta Red,” brought. His voice is consistently deeper, but he still experiments with it throughout. The project is rife with superstar features and crazy moments.
I thought the frst four songs were underwhelming, especially the fourth, “EVIL J0RDAN.” This was a pretty popular song, but Carti made the intro too long and included elements from various TikTok remixes making it badly received by a lot of fans, myself included.
There was a standout song from this frst section, “CRUSH” with rapper Travis Scott. I think this is a minimum top three song on the album after multiple full listens, and it’s already poised to be one of Carti’s biggest hits. The way the intro swells with strings and booming choral vocals gives a grand sense of scale, perfect for a live performance.
As we push further into the album, I liked all four of Scott’s appearances on “MUSIC.” I was most impressed by his production, providing standout beats on this project. The guitars on “PHILLY” bring me right back to Astroworld in 2018, whereas “WAKE UP F1LTHY” shows more of Scott’s modern sound.
“CHARGE DEM HOES A FEE” is an all-
CREDIT” was one of my favorites, and Lamar had a fantastic verse. His fow whisks me back to when he dropped “euphoria” this year since he uses a very similar cadence.
Lamar shouting that Carti is his “evil twin” makes me crack up since I never thought I’d ever get a collaboration between them. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be proved wrong.
star hit with Future joining Scott and Carti. The way the beat changes for each verse and then all comes together at the end was so satisfying — without a doubt, another top fve song on the album.
Kendrick Lamar was another major feature artist with three appearances. “MOJO JOJO” and “BACKD00R” were both solid but nothing special. On the other hand, “GOOD
Carti’s collaborations with The Weeknd this year have been nothing but bangers, and the duo delivers another classic in “RATHER LIE.” The beat reminds me of something A$AP Rocky or other cloud rap/vaporwave artists might use. This song will be fun to hear if you catch The Weeknd’s tour with Carti this summer.
Speaking of the tour, I can already see
the pit parting like the Red Sea when I hear “COCAINE NOSE.” I think a guitar-based beat this heavy can only cause chaos at a live show.
While far from my favorite song, I have to shout out “TWIN TRIM.” The 16*29 reunion between Lil Uzi Vert and Carti is one I’ve been waiting for since “Die Lit” dropped in 2018, and this one did not disappoint. Uzi sounds like their old self foating on the wavy trap beat, and their chemistry together is off the charts.
The deluxe edition, “MUSIC - SORRY 4 DA WAIT,” released 11 days after the original album and came with four extra songs. Out of this batch, the most popular leaks were my favorites. “BACKR00MS” with Scott has a catchy hook with a very eerie beat. The beat gets an extra bass synth once Scott starts his verse, which gives it something extra, too.
The irony of “2024” is not lost on me, but I am such a huge fan of the beat. A 2023 release called “2024” getting dropped in 2025 is enough to make any sane person go crazy, but I’m glad it’s here, nonetheless.
If you’re not a fan of Carti, I can easily see why you wouldn’t listen to this album. It’s oversaturated, and some of the songs kind of blend together after listening for a while. I think there are so many diamonds in the rough on this project, though.
If I were to review this album three to six months from now, my favorite songs would look incredibly different. “MUSIC” is by no means a perfect album, but artists are meant to evolve and change, and Carti has done just that.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA
By ZACHARY REAGAN Staff Writer
Softball strives to turn season around after tough start
By JAMES KASSAN Staf Writer
The Quinnipiac softball team was picked No. 9 in this year’s MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, tied with Merrimack. Despite that Quinnipiac hasn’t had the best start to the season, currently sitting at 8-18 overall and getting swept by Iona to start conference play.
“We made the schedule before this season, in preseason before conference play, wanting to challenge ourselves,” head coach Hillary Smith said. “We played a lot of Power 5 schools and we competed against a bunch of them, one-run games, extra innings and we even came out on top. We felt like we were ready for this and I just don’t know what happened today.”
With the team’s diffcult schedule, one of the it’s bright spots has been the pitching, especially the duo of senior pitchers, Sydney Horan and Jaclyn Gonzalez. They’ve kept the Bobcats in games and kept the opposing team off the board. Gonzalez has pitched 39 innings this year while striking out 18.
“I think Syd did great,” Smith said. “I think we’ve gotta do a better job to get those wins for her because there’s too many games where she’s falling just short. It’s in our control to be playing better behind her. I thought she did everything she needed to do to get us that win. We, as a team, just need to have her back better.”
In a game against the University of Pittsburgh on Feb. 22, both Gonzalez and Horan only allowed two hits, but Quinnipiac only scored one run, leaving eight runners on base and losing 2-1.
The good news is it’s a long season, and if these problems correct themselves, the Bobcats can make strides and possibly go on a run. Led by some successful hitters this season, particu-
larly at the top of the lineup in junior outfelder Mary Fogg, junior infelder Sofa Vega and sophomore catcher Riley Potter, the production has been there.
“Mary, she’s an animal,” Smith said March 29. “Ever since she went 3-3 against Mizzou, I feel like she’s just been on fre, and she’s really our table setter. If Mary’s on (base), then we know that we’re probably going to win. It’s big having Sofa step up this year, and she’s just killing it. Potter has stepped up a lot this year. Those are two girls that didn’t really get as much playing time. It’s just awesome to see the three of them string it together.”
At times during the season, mental mistakes and errors have proven costly in big moments. In a loss to Iona on March 23, all runs came off Bobcat errant throws that led to steals or advancing runners.
“We just were a little out of character,” Smith said. “Usually, if there’s one thing we’re good at, we know it’s defense. We just didn’t show that this weekend, at all. We just gotta get back to the drawing board and we gotta have a short memory. It’s not how you start, and it’s not really about how you fnish either. It’s how we react after this (loss). This is going to set the tone for us.”
A positive sign for Quinnipiac is it split a doubleheader against Siena, a team that is the reigning MAAC champion and was picked No. 2 in the preseason coaches poll.
The Bobcats secured their frst conference victory on March 25 against Saints, with both Fogg and Vega combining for four of the team’s eight runs in the victory.
The game versus the Saints followed the trend of Horan pitching a gem, where she earned her fourth win of the year, striking out 11 — matching a career-high — and allowing just
three earned runs.
Horan followed that up with another starstudded outing on the mound, something that seems like a trend for the Bobcats’ ace. She pitched all 14 innings of a doubleheader against Rider on March 29. The ace carried a no-hitter through six innings in game one until it was broken up by a base hit from sophomore infelder Kiersten Buchanan.
“I honestly didn’t even know until after the game,” Horan said. “That was pretty cool. I mean, I wish it was a no-hitter, but can’t always go that way. That game was really good for me. Game two was too, but I defnitely did really well. I was happy with it.”
The Bobcats have been building up Horan to try to pitch both games of a doubleheader. As the ace of the team, she has a 2.67 ERA in MAAC play so far. She has toed the slab in six of the seven conference matchups.
“Defnitely a little stressful,” Horan said. “You know, pitching two games is defnitely a lot, and I’m glad I was able to do it. Taking a deep breath, and defnitely trusting my defense is such a big help.”
They may not be winning as much as they’d like, but there have been steps in the right direction for this Bobcats team. They can right the ship and beat good teams in the conference. The team is making strides to be great, picking each other up when they’re down or missing on a tough play, but most importantly, keeping the energy high.
“It makes the game a lot more fun,” Fogg said. “We are all able to stay loose when we have fun, and it’s a sport we play because we love it. It’s supposed to be fun, so why not have fun? We try to hone in on that, and we play our best when we just have fun.”
Men’s Lacrosse on the brink of missing the postseason Navigating the middle of the road
By MICHAEL PETITTO Copy Editor
As a sports team, how hard is it to transition from one identity to another in a single season? Quinnipiac men’s lacrosse is attempting to answer that question with mixed results.
Despite a 2-8 record, the Bobcats have played competitive lacrosse for most of the season. The defense and goaltending unit have kept up their end of the bargain, it’s the offense that’s struggled at times.
It’s tough to bounce-back after losing your top five scorers in a single season. This unique situation has forced the Bobcats to focus more on the defensive side of the ball, rather than trying to score 10+ goals every game.
Quinnipiac scored double figures in all but one game last season, the lone single figure outing was a 10-9 loss to LIU April 20. This year it’s been a different story, Quinnipiac has only found itself in double figures twice all season.
It can take time for a new offense to gain on-the-field chemistry, and while Quinnipiac isn’t quite there yet, players have started to break through the mold.
“The offense this year has a completely new look to it,” graduate student midfielder Trevor Douglas said Feb. 6. “We have a lot of young guys stepping into bigger roles.”
One of those younger guys taking a big leap is sophomore attacker Nate Watson. As a freshman, the New Brunswick, Canada native didn’t play at all for the Bobcats, but has taken up the mantle as Quinnipiac’s
leading scorer.
Watson has found the net in every single game this season, scoring 18 goals and dishing out 10 assists.
“His craftiness, his movement off-ball, he really does it all,” Poli said on March 29. “He’s been a great addition down there at attack.”
Poli and company put together a tough out-of-conference schedule, which saw road trips up north to play UMass Amherst and even to Colorado to face off against then No. 17 Denver and Air Force.
“I think it just forced us to learn our identity faster,” Poli said on March 22. “It exposed this team right out of the gate with that level of competition, so now we have a
better idea of who we are.”
Facing that tough level of competition has helped ease Quinnipiac into its MAAC schedule, starting conference play with a 21-10 statement win over Mount St. Mary’s on March 8.
Although the navy and gold-clad squad have been 1-3 in conference play since, each game has been competitive and downto-the-wire. Matchups against Marist, Canisius and Manhattan were all decided by just one goal. The only game the Bobcats lost by more than one goal was a 12-8 upset against Iona on March 29.
What’s given the Bobcats a fighting chance during conference play has been their outstanding defense
Senior goaltender Mason Oak has been the talk of the town for men’s lacrosse for the past two years, and that’s for a reason. The reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year picked up right where he left off last season, Oak is averaging 12.2 saves per contest which is keeping Quinnipiac in the fight during close games.
“Each team has a different game plan for coming after us,” Oak said on Feb. 6. “But I have a really strong defense in front of me and they give me good shots to see.”
That “strong defense” isn’t going to show up on the stat sheet in most games outside of turnovers. But the commitment of a young Bobcats defense to tracking down possessions and closing passing lanes has proved to be a difference.
The turnover game has served to benefit Quinnipiac, especially down the stretch. So far the Bobcat defense has caused 86 turnovers with three games left to go in the regular season.
But the time for figuring out team chemistry is coming to a close. Quinnipiac is nearing the end of the season and if playoffs started today the Bobcats would be the No. 6 seed. Just six teams advance to the MAAC postseason so if Quinnipiac continues to lose more games, its postseason dreams could be in serious jeopardy.
The Bobcats control their own destiny, as their remaining three games will all be against MAAC opponents.
Win, and you’re in. Lose a couple, and the team’s postseason fate will be up to luck rather than their own merit.
NICHOLAS PESTRITTO/CHRONICLE
Freshman infelder Madison Waltke claps after hitting a double during a game against Marist March 30.
Bobcats joined by Hamden Youth Lacrosse players during the national anthem
PHOTO: Men’s hockey bows out to UConn in NCAA Tournament
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Senior defenseman Davis Pennington walks off the ice after being eliminated against UConn on March 28.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Junior forward Victor Czerneckianair looks to pass the puck against UConn in the NCAA Tournament.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Quinnipiac fans celebrating while holding various items in the stands in the opening round of the NCAA Allentown Regional.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Junior forward Jeremy Wilmer scores on a 2-on-1 opportunity to cut the lead to one against UConn.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
The Quinnipiac Pep Band celebrate against UConn in the NCAA Tournament.
TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE
Freshman forward Tyler Borgula fips a puck in warmups against UConn.
‘It’s a little family rivalry’
Allentown Regional matchup between QU and UConn brings CT rivalry to national level
By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
ALLENTOWN, P.A. — When someone thinks about a hockey rivalry at Quinnipiac, it is no secret that Yale is the first school that comes to mind.
It’s well played into as well, being only 10 miles apart, fighting like cats and dogs theme with the schools’ respective mascots. But after 35 overall and 17 straight wins over the school down the road, can it still be considered a rivalry?
Recent events point towards a different instate opponent for the Bobcats, the one they currently hold a two-game losing streak with.
The UConn Huskies.
Even though the teams usually only meet once per season at the CT Ice tournament, being part of different conferences — Quinnipiac in ECAC Hockey and UConn in Hockey East — this year, the teams faced off in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night, a match-up where Quinnipiac once again came up short, 4-1.
Not for its lack of trying though. The Huskies were just a lot more desperate, a lot more physical.
It was an out-of-state game between in-state opponents, and even with the 3-4 hour ride, the stands were filled with fans of both schools. From current students to alumni and other onlookers, the sea of yellow and white jerseys in the PPL Center was hard to overlook.
“I’ve been going to Quinnipiac games all year,” Patrick from Southington, Conn said. “I drove all the way out here for it.
It’s cool.”
This game not only attracted home fans, but also fans from further distances — or you know, family members from all over. Graduate student defenseman Cooper Moore’s mother, Kelly, made the trip to Allentown all the way from Naples, Fla.
“We got in yesterday,” Kelly Moore said. “It’s so exciting. Quinnipiac can definitely beat them, we need to step it up right now. They have a lot of great kids, both teams, it’s awesome to come to the games.”
And because both schools are in the same state, it is not uncommon for some family rivalries to develop as well.
“Just wanted to support the team, been watching them since freshman year,” Quinnipiac graduate MBA student Joshua Zhang from Wallingford, Conn said. “It means a lot. It’s kind of a home rivalry as well, I had a brother who went to UConn.”
“We went to UConn, my husband and I, my husband played,” Emily from New Jersey said. “We’re here with our kids, it’s fun. My sister and my best friend went to QU, so it’s a little family rivalry.”
And yes, maybe the game didn’t have a turnout such as the next one between Penn State and Maine, and nowhere near the turnout of the Regional Final Sunday, but that
is not the point. It’s not fair to compare the turnouts of schools with widely different enrollment numbers, and Quinnipiac’s fan base has the spirit to make up for it anyways.
Rivalries are supposed to be fun. The fans are supposed to be on the edge of their seats every game. While proximity also plays a role, as seen between Yale and Quinnipiac, when the games get that predictable, it takes out of the enjoyment of watching it.
Quinnipiac and UConn, on the other hand?
For years, Quinnipiac stood undefeated against the Huskies in the CT Ice tournament until this year. In program history, the Bobcats have bested the Huskies 18 times, but also lost seven and tied twice. With the way the teams are shaping up, either one could win, and either one could’ve won Friday.
“We’re gonna keep up our part,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said during the Bobcats’ media day March 27. “I can see them being good for a long while, with the dedication they have. I don’t worry about UConn or Yale though, I have to just focus on Quinnipiac.”
UConn or Yale, rivarly or not, it might be the same thing for Pecknold and the players, but it certainly means something to the fans.
You have the proximity. You have the fans’ attention and dedication to even drive hours to see these schools face off. You have every ingredient you need for the real rivalry, if you just let it.
And, you know, there’s also still the cats vs. dogs aspect.
Quinnipiac fans celebrate after the Bobcats’ frst and only goal by junior forward Jeremy Wilmer against UConn on March 28.