Friday, April 12, 2024 Print Edition

The

TANGERINE

New Fall 2024 Business Law course sparks excitement and intrigue

◊ KAYDEN LAMPHERE SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Announced on March 28 on Utica University’s Facebook page, the Fall 2024 semester will offer a brand new course titled MGT 300: “Pop Culture Through the Eras (Lawyer’s Version).” The post garnered a lot of attention from students, staff and alumni.

Developed by Title IX Coordinator and Adjunct Lecturer Ann Ciancia, the course will aim to cover aspects of business and contract law through the lens of pop icon Taylor Swift.

“Business law is a part of the business curriculum, and it can be a dry subject,” Dean of the School of Business and Justice Studies Richard Fenner said.

“Across the curriculum, we’re trying to come up with ways that make the information as

interesting, compelling and contemporary as possible.”

According to Fenner, the MGT 300 prefix is used to designate courses that are “selected topics,” allowing for variation in course content and themes. For the coming term, Ciancia’s course will occupy the slot to give it a “trial period.”

Emmalee Kadle, a first-year physics major, voiced her excitement regarding the course on the university’s Facebook page, stating that she hopes she can fit it into her schedule.

“I am excited about the course for numerous reasons,” Kadle said. “My main reason is that I look up to Taylor Swift not only as an artist but as a person. She has broken records and has inspired lots of women including myself. I believe that she has truly paved the way for future generations of women in the

The course cover image for MGT 300, detailing the course information

Courtesy of Utica University’s Facebook page

music industry.”

Kadle said the course will be a breath of fresh air in her education, since it will be relating academic concepts to a topic she engages with.

“I can’t speak for everyone but I think one of the main reasons why students aren’t more involved in their classes is because we’re learning about things that don’t relate to us,” Kadle said. “We’re learning

more about what our ancestors did and went through to the point where it’s drilled into our brains and it simply doesn’t interest us anymore.”

While the course has been well received by many, some have voiced concerns regarding an adjunct faculty member developing an original course on their own.

Students enjoy eclipse and appreciate a shared experience

◊ JAMES HYMON STAFF WRITER

On Monday afternoon, students came together at Strebel to witness the solar eclipse. Over 100 students gathered outside of Strebel Center and many said the experience was worth the wait.

The SLCE office prepared students and staff for the eclipse by giving out 500 pairs of eclipse glasses and “eclipse moon” cookies from Holland Farms.

Freshman Claire Bruley said she was excited but a bit nervous because she was afraid

of something happening to her eyes since she would be looking directly at the sun, even though she had the proper eyewear.

“It was really cool,” Bruley said. “It was like nothing I’d seen before and I wish I could have seen it longer.”

Once the moon had almost completely covered the sun and darkness set in, there was a bit of an applause from the crowd with some “oohs and ahhs” in amazement.

Sophomore Katie Rockhill was surprised by the clapping

and said the “applause was a bit weird,” but enjoyed watching the eclipse.

Junior Lauryn Munson said the celestial event was a positive shared experience during a time when there are few shared experiences.

“I’m glad (students) honored it,” Munson said. “It’s good to bring people together.”

Animal behavior major and Tangerine editor Breannan O’Hara went to Rocky Mountain in Inlet to witness the eclipse. Following is her account of the event:

I arrived at the peak at 1 p.m. and there was already a crowd of people waiting for the eclipse. The crowd was filled with good energy as people relaxed in lawn chairs and waited looking into their telescopes. The hours leading up to the eclipse, more people trickled in and soon the rock on the peak was not to be seen. People traveled from Connecticut and Massachusetts to see the eclipse from the vantage point and some locals were present as well. As the moon covered the sun, everyone cheered and clapped. It was an amazing experience to share together. PHOTOS

STAFF

Spring 2024 STAFF

@UticaTangerine

@Utica_Tangerine

@Utica_Tangerine

Editor-In-Chief - Isa Hudziak

Managing Editor - Diana Sidorevich

Features Editor - Breannan O’Hara

Sports Editor - Brady Barnard

Online and Social Media Manager - Eleanor Berkhoudt

Senior Feature Writer - Charles Buckley

Senior News Reporter - Kayden Lamphere

Sports Reporter - Nick Phillips

Staff Photographer - Luke Reed

Circulation Manager - Juan Alvarez Garcia

Adviser - Mary Christopher

About

The Tangerine is published biweekly during the academic year by and for Utica University students. To reach a member of the staff, email tanger@utica.edu or call 315-792-3065. All material printed in The Tangerine is copyrighted. The Tangerine was first published as the Utica College News on Nov. 6, 1946.

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Letters to the editor are welcomed from all members of the Utica University community. Letters must meet fair and accurate publishing standards and contain no libelous material. Anonymous letters to the editor will not be printed. All letters and editorials must meet the print deadline of 5 p.m. on Mondays. Please send all submissions to tanger@utica.edu. Takeback requests are a form of censorship and therefore not accepted.

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CONT FROM P 1

Typically, adjunct faculty are hired to teach curriculum and courses that have already been fleshed out by full-time professors.

“In general, I agree that full-time faculty members should design and teach courses. But, there are exceptions, and I believe this is one,” Fenner said. “For the last thirty years, we have not had a full-time position in business law. It is mandated by our crediting body that we have business law

credits, but I don’t believe that is enough to justify hiring a full-time faculty line in that area.”

Fenner said that this is not the first time an adjunct faculty member has taught a business law course, but it will be the first time one has fully developed and taught their own business law curriculum at Utica University.

“There was a faculty member, Professor Donna Dolansky, who was doing much of the official work with the adjunct,” Fenner said. “It then went to the business faculty, they voted on it, then it went to the school of business and

justice studies, they looked at it, and then it went to the curriculum committee.”

According to Fenner, originally the course was going to be admitted as a permanent course in the catalog. However, the concerns surrounding it resulted in it being turned into the selected topics offering for the Fall 2024 semester.

“If it is accepted and it does well, students like it and it meets our objectives, then we will consider going through the official process to make it a regular course,” Fenner said. “If that is the case, it isn’t always necessarily the case

that [Ciancia] would teach it. It would be on the books, and we could hire someone else.”

Students enrolling in the class for the Fall 2024 semester should be aware that it will not be a Taylor Swift course, but a business law course, Fenner said. Nevertheless, he and other students at Utica University are excited to see the results of presenting business law information in a new way.

Campus Safety Blotter

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024

March Associates awarded contract to renew Clark Athletic Center

◊ KAYDEN LAMPHERE SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

March Associates, an architecture company based in the Utica area, have officially been awarded a contract to begin work on the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center renovations, according to Vice President of Facilities and Emergency Management Shad Crowe.

Reported by The Tangerine on Dec. 7, 2023, the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center will be renovated in the coming semesters in a plan meant to update the entire building.

“The contract will allow

March Associates to begin a full review of the entire project and provide architectural renderings for proposed renovations and improvements,” Crowe said.

Previously completed projects by March Associates at Utica University include the Sherwood Boehlert Hall and Conference Center and South Hall Lounge. The group has also had experience working for other higher education institutions, such as MVCC and Kirkland.

“March Associates was chosen due to their extensive experience

in projects not only here on the Utica Campus but also in the Central NY area,” Crowe said. “Their proposal was identified by the committee as having the greatest potential to provide a thorough and definitive review of the existing facility as well as a vision for the future.”

According to Crowe, the next step for both March Associates and Utica University is to fully assess the Clark Athletic Center, specifically in how it services the Utica University community from the public student body to sports teams.

Student photos of eclipse

“Additionally, and most importantly none of the above can be assessed without first completing a thorough infrastructure assessment,” Crowe said. “[This includes] structural integrity, HVAC, water, gas, electricity, etc.”

At this time, there are no specific proposals, designs, or plans to detail, as the March Associates team still needs to complete their assessment. Further updates will be provided in the coming months as the project develops.

Photos of students viewing eclipse on Utica’s campus (left). Courtesy of Luke Reed and Grace Christopher.

Photos of eclipse and spectators on Rocky Mountain in Inlet (above). Courtesy of Breannan O’Hara.

Utica students and faculty present at EPA Conference

◊ BREANNAN O’HARA FEATURES EDITOR

Psychology students and faculty had the opportunity to present their research at the 2024 Eastern Psychological Association conference in Philadelphia. Attendees from Utica University presented four different studies across various disciplines, representing the academics of the university.

The annual conference allows for attendees to learn about the latest advancements in the field of psychology and apply that knowledge to advance their own career. Psychology experts from various specialties are invited to discuss the current state and future prospects of their respective fields.

Distinguished Professor of Psychology Steven Specht was one of the

four faculty members that attended the conference. He said that they learned about all sub-disciplines of psychology such as “clinical, social, developmental and experimental.”

Specht said that students and faculty attending and presenting at conferences like these has many benefits. “Faculty research which includes undergraduate research assistants helps the institution be academically prestigious, thus improving our reputation,” Specht said. “When faculty are active in research, they are not only able to keep up-to-date in the field, but it allows them to bring fresh ideas and examples into the classroom and enhance their teaching... which benefits all students.”

Mary Quinn, a senior majoring in occupational

therapy, co-presented a study with Kaylee Seddio, assistant professor of psychology, and Aana Blaszka, a senior majoring in psychology. Their study found that immersing oneself emotionally in a story led to higher degrees of personal discomfort, allowing people to identify with the characters in the story.

Quinn expresses that conferences bring an experience that “simply cannot be taught from a textbook”.

“At EPA this year I’d say some of my biggest takeaways were regarding current trends in the psychology field and how this is impacting today’s practice,” Quinn said. “This conference in particular reminded me of the importance of planning

ahead, trusting your brain, and putting yourself out there.”

This conference granted an oppurtunity for both students and faculty to network, exchange ideas, and gain a new perspective.

“I feel as though being involved in the Department of Psychology research during my time in undergrad has absolutely set me up for success in my graduate studies and profession going forward,” Quinn said. “Hard work absolutely pays off!”

Students and faculty presenting their research at the EPA conference. Photo courtesy of Utica University Facebook.

FEATURES

Review: ‘Baby’ cast worked together in ‘harmony’

◊ CHARLES BUCKLEY SENIOR FEATURES WRITER

Utica University Theater Club’s spring musical “Baby” opened on April 4 and ran through April 6. After seeing the show, I can say that the theater club once again has outdone themselves with another spectacular show.

The show tells the story of three couples of expectant parents and the ups and downs that come with becoming parents.

The show opened by introducing the audience to the couples, one being in college in their twenties, one in their thirties and wanting to be parents more than anything, and the final couple being in their forties and enjoying their lives after their older children have already grown up.

Each couple reacted to having a child differently. The youngest couple was mostly shocked, the oldest couple was a mix of shocked and happy, and the middle couple

was the most ecstatic with the news of having a baby. I thought the casting choices for the couples were very well done as each couple had actors who were in-sync and complemented each other’s roles well.

I loved how the set changed as the show went on. The setup of the stage was simple but there was enough design and use of props that no matter where the lights landed, you felt as if you were in a different area entirely,

instead of all couples being in the same room or place.

I especially loved how the story seemed to focus equally on both the mothers-to-be and the fathers-to-be. The show really gave a chance for people to see things from each person’s perspective which helped me to understand both personalities of each couple if they argued or were trying to work out a solution to a problem.

The music in the show was entertaining and fun. I also

liked how some songs focused on some couples during their heartfelt moments. One of my favorite songs is between the youngest couple Lizzie and Danny as Danny is about to leave to go on tour with a band to make money for their new baby. He sings her a song called “I Chose Right” as a farewell before he leaves. I liked this song because I felt it really established that no matter what, Danny and Lizzie truly love each other and won’t give up on one another.

The show’s lighting was simple yet brought creativity to the stage since the lights shone not only on the cast as a whole but also to focus perfectly on each couple if there was a scene where only one of the three couples were present.

Overall, it was a very nice show done with a very well casted group of people who worked together in perfect harmony. I would see it again if I got the chance.

Summer J. Hart named winner of 2024 Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize

• Poetry Reading

• by Nassar Prize Winner

• Summer J. Hart

• on Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m.

• in Wilcox Center, Utica University

• Open to the Public

◊ UTICA UNIVERSITY PRESS RELEASE

The winner of this year’s Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize at Utica University is Summer J. Hart, with her book, “Boomhouse.”

The Nassar Poetry Prize is awarded to one Upstate New York poet for their published poetry collection. The poems must be written in English, and the book must be at least 48 pages long in order to qualify for the $2,000 prize.

The annual contest is named in memory of Eugene Paul Nassar, professor emeritus of English at Utica University, who passed away in April of 2017 at the age of 81.

“Boomhouse” is available via independent literary press The 3rd Thing, which publishes members of traditionally marginalized groups, primarily Indigenous people, womxn, queer people and people of color.

W. Todd Kaneko (author of “This Is How the Bone Sings”) describes the poems in “Boomhouse” as “grim and tender, brutal and yielding, as they unfold with intense lyricism: dark omens, protection spells and prayers intermingle.”

Summer is a mixed-media artist and writer whose work has been supported by NYSCA/ NYFA and MacDowell fellowships. Her creative work appears in Best Small Fictions 2023 and numerous journals, and her mixed-media installations have been featured in shows and galleries across the country. Summer is a member of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation.

Summer will read her poetry next Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Francis A. Wilcox Intercultural and Student Organization Center on Utica University’s main campus. The event is free and open to the public.

“Baby” cast onstage

Photo courtesy of Victoria Deluca

FEATURES

Utica University holds the “Give Faith a Chance” event

◊ CHARLES BUCKLEY SENIOR FEATURES WRITER

On March 27, Utica University held a panel event titled “Give Faith a Chance.” This event was a chance for students to connect with fellow student panelists and talk about what their faith means to them. The event was created by a new initiative called Utica Unified. “Utica Unified, is a new initiative to increase a sense of belonging and connectedness with Utica University students,” said Mary Siniscarco, an associate professor of health sciences at Utica. “Experiencing a sense of belongingness and connectedness with one another can positively maximize one’s mental health, as well as increase one’s resilience in cultivating relationships with each other.”

Siniscarco said the mission of this new initiative is to provide students with a plethora of experiential holistic experiences. These experiences include anything from yoga and nature hikes to interfaith practices and meditation.

“Adjunct Professor Dave Roberts and Adjunct Professor Patrick Collver surveyed students

◊ STAFF REPORTING

at the first introductory Utica Unified meeting and found that more than half the students expressed a desire to explore their spiritual awareness,” Siniscarco said.

The panel consisted of six students ranging from freshman to graduate student status with different faiths. Faiths represented include Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu. Each panelist took turns to answer a series of questions such as what they would define their faith as, what they believe in, if their faith provided them hope, and whether their faiths have an

impact on their purpose in life.

“I thank God that I was able to be a part of this event. God provided me with the opportunity to be His ambassador and to share His Word with some of my fellow students,” physical therapy student Christian Stevens said. “Additionally, I enjoyed getting to know some of my fellow students who share my faith or believe in a different faith.”

Over 50 students attended this event, with everyone saying a prayer once it had concluded. One of the panelists said the

ISU Cultural Week

parting prayer was the best part of the event.

“It was very powerful to be with people who you think are so different from you all coming together for the same reason. Just thankful for being able to be together,” said Sara Garrow, an occupational therapy major.

The panelists also took a moment to talk about some of the biggest takeaways they had from this event.

“I want people to know, no matter the religion you practice or your own beliefs I pray you find the courage to keep going,” said Leena Kanan, a freshman and biology major. “The deepest tunnels always lead to light at the end.”

Siniscarco said with the event being so well received by students and faculty, there will be plans for more such events in the future.

She added: “The plan is to have more ongoing opportunities to share each other’s faith in the Fall 2024 semester as well as participate in the other identified experiential opportunities as per the Utica Unified student survey.”

The International Student Union will host Cultural Week from Monday, April 15 through Friday, April 19. A variety of activities will be offered throughout the week, including different food offerings daily in the Strebel Dining Commons, a diverse book cart in Gannett Library, Songkran Water Festival, Spring Masquerade awards ceremony and more. For more information contact Mariami Kentchadze at makentch@utica.edu or Jerome Nembhard at jenembh@utica.edu.

Group photo of the student panelists Photo courtesy of Mary Siniscarco

FEATURES

Cowboy Carter Album Review: Beyonce has done it again

◊ ISABELLA YAGHY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Beyoncé’s most recent studio album, Cowboy Carter, guides listeners along through a rollercoaster of grief, rage, lust, love, motherhood, betrayal, gratitude and everything else under the umbrella of life. Historically, Beyonce felt push back from country music spaces, despite her southern roots and diverse musical ability. Since then, she’s been curating the masterpiece that is Cowboy Carter. This groundbreaking project has been in the vault since 2020, and its release sparked a high volume of discussion, that I’ll add to.

AMERICAN REQUIEM -

The opening song beautifully sets the tone for the rest of the project. American Requiem is a triumphant, momentumbuilding power track. Beyoncé sings, “And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country enough … Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years - They don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this.” The artist is referencing the rejection she’s faced from various country artists and enjoyers since her performance at the Country Music Awards in 2016. This album is a rejection of such.

BLACKBIIRD - A cover of The Beatles’ iconic, “Blackbird,’’ for which Beyoncé has earned praise for crediting four lesser known Black country voices. Through lyrics such as, “You were only waiting for this moment to arrive”, Beyoncé continues to warm listeners up to the storytelling that is Cowboy Carter, illustrating a taxing trek through motherhood, marriage, and one of the most prolific careers in the history of entertainment.

16 CARRIAGES - A highly favored track of the notably lengthy 27 song album, 16 Carriages highlights the relentlessness of life in fame. Beyoncé draws connections between having achieved massive success in her teenage years which seem to increase exponentially with time. There is a sense of “grind culture” to a fault — wishing you didn’t have to be strong all the time, but being able to look back on it all and smile, grateful to be able to harness that strength.

PROTECTOR - opens with her six year-old daughter’s voice, Rumi Carter, saying, “Mom, can I hear the lullaby please?” This is a stunning introduction to a tender chapter of the album in which she explores motherhood and self-love. The two lyrics that really stuck out to me are,

“I gave water to the soil and now it feeds me,” as an ode to the cyclical nature of raising children - when you pour out unconditional love and they follow suit. - “I first saw your face in your father’s gaze, there’s a long line of hands carrying your name.” It’s a beautifully poetic approach at loving both your husband and your children.

MY ROSE - The first interlude on the album, falling just short of a minute long, is where Beyoncé takes a moment to deeply and unabashedly love herself. “You’re my love, my sweetie pie, my baby, you’re my heart,” she says to herself. It becomes clear as this project develops that the artist allocates so much energy and thought into everything around her and uses this interlude to selflessly throw herself in the mix.

SMOKE HOUSE * WILLIE

NELSON - Another 50 second interlude that drastically shifts the energy. A grainy audio snippet of Willie Nelson welcomes listeners to a country radio station. He includes a line that let’s listeners know, if you don’t like it, “…go and find yourself a jukebox!” This interlude briefs listeners that the country style is present, as it leads them to her hit single.

TEXAS HOLD ‘EM - This was the perfect track to release as a single! Texas Hold ‘Em features a very recognizable country cadence, and pairs it with Beyoncé’s danceability. This is the foolproof formula for musical vitality - we saw this with Lil Nas X’s record breaking “Old Town Road.”

BODYGUARD - This song is explicitly dedicated to her husband, Jay-Z. Beyoncé depicts their marriage in a way that draws a picture of undying passion and unbreakable devotion. This is particularly memorable as the couple has infamously suffered due to her husband’s scandalous infidelity. Nonetheless, it is both a fantastic and vulnerable track.

DOLLY P - In this short clip, listeners hear the unmissable voice of Dolly Parton. Parton has earned her spot in country music as a living legend, and this encouraging message to Beyoncé serves as a stamp of approval to open the following cover.

JOLENE - This cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” has been discussed with no end in sight.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024

Recap: Women’s lacrosse on 10-game winning streak and scores big

◊ JAMES HYMON STAFF WRITER

The rafters were packed at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium as the Utica University women’s lacrosse team brought a sevengame winning streak into their matchup against Keuka College on March 30.

The game also coincided with Senior Day at the stadium, as graduating players were honored for their contributions to the team. Fueled by the cheers of the crowd, the team showed out with a dominating performance, ultimately winning by a score of 21-0.

“We played a complete and clean game for 60 minutes,” women’s lacrosse head coach Kristin St. Hilaire said. “A fantastic team victory to honor a group that has given so much to this program over the years.”

The game was marked by the performance of the Stuhlman sisters, Grace and Maria. The junior and freshman led the team with five points each in the contest.

Starting in net for the ninth

◊ ALEXIS WIMETT STAFF WRITER

time this season, goalie Makayla Purdy made two saves to pick up her first collegiate shutout, a feat that the freshman gives credit to her defense for making happen.

“It feels amazing to get my first collegiate shutout of the season and on Senior Night,” Purdy said. “Having a great team as a goalie helps me focus more on the ball.”

The Pioneers exploded out the gate, putting up 10 goals in the first quarter, three coming from Grace Stuhlman. This performance resulted in the junior’s eighth hat trick of the

season.

Utica outshot Keuka 11-2 in the first, as well as winning 8-3 in draws. Going into the second quarter, the Pioneers scored five goals, two of them on the power play. Holding Keuka to zero shots in the second, Utica took a 15-0 lead into halftime.

For the second half, junior Karen Troche of Amsterdam replaced Makayla Purdy in net. She made three saves in the second half as the Pioneers cruised to a 21-0 victory.

Utica’s Grace Stuhlman complimented the togetherness

that the captains bring to the group.

“For us, our biggest enemies are often ourselves,” Stuhlman said. “Our captains have been making it a point to stay positive on the field…They are all super dedicated to the team, and it has definitely shown.”

Utica finished ahead of Keuka in almost every facet of the game, finishing with 27 more overall shots (37-10), 20 more shots-on-goal (25-5), one more save (5-4) and seven more draw controls (16-8).

The women’s lacrosse team has won ten games in a row, dating back to February. At the time of publication, the team won two games on the road, including a historic, first-ever win against Nazareth College on Saturday, April 6.

The team is currently tied for first place in the Empire 8 conference, making the upcoming matchup against St. John Fisher on Saturday, April 13 a big one. They’ll be back home in Charles A. Gaetano Stadium on Wednesday, April 17 to take on Hartwick College.

Athlete Profile: Justin Swavley breaks school record

him currently ranked fourth nationally in NCAA III.

The all-time leaderboards in program history are being filled up by a number of athletes and are being rewritten after every meet. One athlete in particular has stood out in the ring.

In his fourth and final season for the Pioneers, Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Week Justin Swavley is off to a notable start. He recently set a new school record throw of 63.54m in the javelin throw. Not only is this a school record and a personal best throw for Swavley, the throw now gives him the conference record, facility record and has

Swavely also broke the 16-yearold conference record set by 2008 NCAA DIII Champion Stephen Burns of RIT. Swavley’s ability to rewrite record books did not come as a surprise to his coaches or teammates.

“It’s something we all saw coming…” teammate Laura Meade said. “Swavely is one of the most hard working individuals I’ve ever met. It was no surprise to me that he set that record. The amount of time and effort he puts into this sport really shows.”

However, Swavley is so much more to the Pioneers than just a thrower.

“What sets Swavley apart from other athletes is his keen ability to make anyone smile at any given time,” Assistant Coach David Brannigan said. “He is very good at compartmentalizing his outside life vs. his track and field life. He is also a great supporter when it comes to his teammates. I would argue no one comes close to him on the team when it comes to support of other athletes.”

The future looks bright for the Pioneers track and field team.

“I will say that this team is one

of the best track and field teams (talent-wise) in Utica University history and I am very grateful to be a part of it,” Brannigan said.

Swavely and the rest of the track and field team will be back in action on Saturday, April 13 at the Jerry Gravel Classic in Westfield, Massachusetts with the time to be determined.

“I hope to show the underclassmen what track is all about, show them what supporting each other looks like and coming together as a team and inspiring them to beat records placed before them,” Swavley said.

Women’s lacrosse team plays on Senior Day. Photo courtesy of YSM Media

Utica softball finding success after sweeping Elmira

◊ NICK PHILLIPS SPORTS REPORTER

Utica’s softball team is currently on fire, winning four straight after sweeping SUNY Morrisville and Elmira College. Over that span of games, the Pioneers have outscored opponents by a score of 70-12.

After starting the season at an even 5-5, Utica is now up to a 9-5 record so far on the season. Their season kicked off March 10 while they began playing games during their Florida trip.

Utica played their first home game against SUNY Morrisville on March 29 where they won both games in blowout fashion by scores of 20-4 and 30-0.

In the second game of the doubleheader, freshman Jennifer Rodriguez made history, hitting two grand slams in the bottom of the 2nd inning and finishing the game with 9 RBIs. Pitchers Lucia Gargiulo and Maggie Habernig combined to only give up 1 hit over 5 innings.

On Sunday, April 7, Utica began Empire 8 conference play with a doubleheader against Elmira college. For the first game, graduate student Jordan Conte took the bump where she earned her 4th victory of the season. Conte went the complete game allowing only 2 earned runs and striking out 9. Utica got the win 9-4 in the first game of the doubleheader. The second game saw more offense as Utica picked up the win 11-4. Emily Joss and Rodriguez both had multi-hit games and 3 runs batted in the contest. Maddie Zulager cranked a two-run homer in the 2nd inning off Elmira pitcher Shelby Dawe, marking the first earned run that Dawe has given up all season

On the mound, junior Kylie Murray got the start for the Pioneers. She went 5 innings, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out two in route to

her earning her 3rd win of the season. Murray currently has a 2.67 ERA on the season in 39.1 innings pitched.

When asked about the team’s early success, Murray gave most of the credit to her teammates.

“I believe the biggest reason for our early success this season is due to the depth of our team,” she said. “We can count on anyone to step in at any time and get the job done. We have a very well-rounded team of players who have all been contributors to the team’s success.”

Murray believes that Utica can compete with any and every team in the Empire 8 this season.

“I believe that one of our assets is that no one expects us to be as strong and talented as we are,” Murray said. “Other teams in the conference may underestimate

us, so I think we will be able to go into conference play and surprise a few teams and have a lot of success in the conference.”

Freshman catcher Rachel Little had very similar views to Murray about how she feels about the team this season. “We have very strong hitting and defense which has helped us be successful in some of the more difficult games we’ve played,” Little said. “I think we’re going to do very well in conference play, we have good team chemistry and it clicked very early on. I’m confident we’re gonna be one of the top teams in our conference this year.”

The Pioneer’s next conference matchup will be a double header against Nazareth University on Saturday, April 13.

Photo courtesy of Luke Reed

PHOTO FROM P 9 Athlete Justin Swavley

Photo courtesy of Kayleigh Sturtevant

Utica women’s softball gallery photographed by Luke Reed

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

4. EAT: Parent company of Chili’s

5. NG: Utica’s main electricity provider, since their takeover of Niagara Mohawk in ‘02

7. BBW: Get your mind out of the gutter, we’re talking about stuffed animals here.

11. HOG: Motorcycle manufacturer

14. FAT: Multi-brand restaurant operator, founded in 2017 in this LA suburb

16. TAST: Franchisee company, operator of Burger King and Popeyes

17. TSQ: Alongside Galaxy Comm., the other major radio station owner in the Utica-Rome area

18. WWW: Footwear manufacturer (believe it or not), produces licensed footwear

19. CAKE: Founded as bakery in ‘72, became restaurant six years later

DOWN

1. WOLF: Semiconductor manufacturer, opened plant in nearby Marcy in 2022

2. GIS: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Yoplait, among others in their portfolio

3. PLAY: Entertainment + Restaurant chain, founded in Dallas in ‘82

6. FL: Sportswear retailer, formerly known as Woolworth’s

8. AAL: Largest carrier serving nearby Syracuse Hancock International Airport

9. CAR: Rental car holding company, parent of Avis and this other

10. CHTR: Cable company for Utica, branded as Spectrum

12. AFL: American insurance company, popular with ducks

13. WH: Hotel company, parent of Days Inn & Super 8, among others

15. GOLF: Specializes in golf equipment and accessories (what else), parent of Titleist

19. CNMD: Before 2022, this medical equipment manufacturer had its HQ in Utica

Created by James Hymon