O • SAVE Act silences
The SAVE Act’s requirement for documented proof of U.S. citizenship to vote is not only unnecessary, but would also deter voters.
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thursday, april 2, 2026 celebrating 122 years Page 4
C • Varsity’s centennial
Varsity Pizza has become a longstanding establishment at Syracuse University as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
S • Back for more Page 16 Syracuse center Uche Izoje is returning to the Orange for her second season after a remarkable freshman year.
Gerry McNamara’s Syracuse return tests his most defining trait
By Brenne Sheehan news editor
Syracuse University will pause or close 93 of its programs as a result of its academic portfolio review, Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew announced in a Wednesday campus-wide email.
Out of the affected programs, 55 have zero students enrolled and 28 are “advanced certificate programs” — specialized curriculum programs that supplement a graduate degree. Agnew wrote that SU offered approximately 460 programs at the time of the review, a number she called “well above the peer average” of 200 programs at other large universities.
In total, 258 students — roughly 1.2% of SU students — are currently enrolled in the closed or paused programs, Agnew wrote. Every student enrolled in the paused or closed programs will have the opportunity to complete their degree, she confirmed in the email.
Out of the 93 programs slated for pausing and closure, 36 are undergraduate programs and 22 are graduate programs. Thirty-
By Justin Girshon senior staff writer
SCRANTON, Pa. — A blue “Hometown Hero” banner hangs from a utility pole outside a house on West Market Street. It bears Gerard McNamara’s name and a photo of him wearing a United States Marine Corps service cap. Beneath it reads: 2nd Battalion 5th Marines Battle of Hue City 1967-1969 Dozens of similar banners line the streets of North Scranton. This one hangs just
three are certificate programs, including 27 advanced and six non-advanced certificates. Of the programs listed, 55 have zero students currently enrolled, Agnew said the Wednesday email.
A list provided by the university to The Daily Orange detailed the majors with zero enrolled students. The university also provided The D.O. with a spreadsheet of the 93 degree programs that have been closed, paused or are “pausing,” organized by school or college, program title and degree type.
No positions have currently been identified to be eliminated, she wrote. Deans of SU’s schools and colleges will work directly with faculty on teach-out plans, curriculum transitions and developing “reenvisioned” programs that “better position Syracuse for the decade ahead.”
In August, Agnew announced SU would perform a portfolio review of its 13 schools and colleges, with deans reevaluating their respective programs, degrees and majors throughout the fall semester.
outside a set of concrete steps, leading from the sidewalk to a home with a front porch supported by five white pillars — looking no different from any other nearby home.
It’s where Gerard raised his youngest son, Gerry, and first introduced him to basketball through “NBA Superstars” videos. A few minutes down the road, the McNamaras had a key to the gym at the Holy Rosary Center, where Gerry learned to play and later took hundreds of shots after high school practices.
degree programs ‘sunsetting’ source: syracuse university see M cNamara page 13
Total degree programs ‘sunsetting’
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By Arabella Klonowski asst. news editor
While studying at SUNY ESF, Ph.D. candidate Sina Jarahizadeh said he received text messages from the Islamic Republic of Iran warning him against speaking up on behalf of the Iranian people.
The messages, which Jarahizadeh said he and his family living in Iran were sent on their Persian phone lines, read that all of their assets in the country would be seized by the government if they engaged in any political activity opposing the regime.
For Jarahizadeh, the messages are one of many examples emphasizing the need for a change in government in Iran — one he not only hopes, but expects, to see following United States interference in the Iran war.
“Trust does not exist at all between the Islamic Republic and people of Iran or Persians,” Jarahizadeh said. “That is the difference maybe (between) this war and all the other wars that are happening or have happened in the past.”
For months, Iranian students across the world have organized against the government’s crackdown on protesters in Iran and an ongoing internet blackout by their current regime.
On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump launched a missile strike on the capital Tehran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The attacks, which Trump said were intended to “take back the country,” were sanctioned without congressional approval and have resulted in over 1,600 casualties.
The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran has spread beyond each country’s borders through Iranian attacks on U.S. allies, including Israel and the Gulf states. Hezbollah militants, backed by the Islamic regime, are firing attacks
on Israel from southern Lebanon, leading to the displacement of about 700,000 Lebanese people, mostly fleeing the strikes.
As of March 25, Trump announced the deployment of around 2,000 soldiers to the Middle East from the 82nd Airborne Division, which specializes in quickly and forcibly entering military zones and completing parachute assaults.
Jarahizadeh said he has “no doubt” that the U.S.’s interference was justified to aid in a switch from Iran’s current regime.
“Most of the people know that the regime is going to be changed, no matter what,” Jarahizadeh said. “The only difference is, if there’s no such strike, it will happen with more people being killed inside Iran (and) more civilians being killed.”
Mehdi Nejatbakhsh, a sociology Ph.D. candidate at Syracuse University, said many Iranians, including himself, also have conflicting feelings regarding the U.S. strikes, but feel “hopeful” that the country may be turning in a more “positive” direction.
“It might sound contradictory from an outside perspective, but there are fears and concerns about human losses or our families in Iran,” Nejatbakhsh said. “But, at the same time, many hope that this war would result in a kind of a regime change that will free up Iran from the current dictatorship.”
Growing up in Iran, Nejatbakhsh said he witnessed many protests during his lifetime, similar to those that sparked the strike. During a Green Movement protest at the University of Tehran, he
By Laura Lemgruber asst. copy editor
Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications canceled its fall 2026 D.C. program in an email to the three-person cohort on Tuesday.
“We know you have committed to Newhouse D.C. in Fall 2026 and that this news may not align with your plans,” Newhouse Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Aileen Gallagher wrote in the email. “Ultimately, we expect this switch to create more opportunities for more students - including you.”
With only three students enrolled for the program in the fall, program directors said they felt it would be better to adjust the timeline to better meet the needs and desires of students.
Students who had planned to study in D.C. this fall were offered three alternative choices for their semester: defer to Newhouse D.C. in the spring, transfer to the Newhouse NYC program in the fall or remain at SU and register for classes as usual.
“I look at my job, in part, as being a good steward of your tuition dollars,” Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato said. “Programming courses with just a handful of students, in my opinion, isn’t the best way to deploy our outstanding faculty.”
recalled seeing police entering dorms and “crushing” student protesters, emphasizing a “demand for change” among the Iranian people.
Emma Wahba, an international student from Belgium with family living in Israel, said she feels that without interference from the U.S. and Israel, there would be “no escape” to the cycle of violence from the Islamic regime.
Wahba said she’s heard the war has taken a toll on her Israeli family’s daily lives, forcing them to stay home from school and take cover in bomb shelters frequently, particularly at night. Wahba said this is a “mentally exhausting” tactic for Israeli people and can be especially difficult for older populations.
Despite the real-life impacts her family faces, Wahba said they, along with many others in Israel, still believe in the war’s continuation to put an end to the Islamic regime.
“I feel the entire world should support the Iranian population right now because they’re suffering a lot,” Wahba said. “And Iran has a very powerful impact on the Middle East, so if we disarm the Islamic regime there … I believe we will see a positive impact all around the world.”
Addressing current coverage of strikes from the U.S. and Israel, Wahba said she thinks the media is “strategic” on behalf of protecting Iran’s image to the rest of the world. She pointed to “less discussed” topics, including the storage of ammunition near school buildings in Iran, brought to her attention by her family members in the Israeli military.
Though she’s worried about her family in Israel, Wahba said her family’s grown “used to it.” She said that she sometimes feels more affected than they do due to a rise in antisemitism.
“I feel very insecure living in Belgium because of this war, and I probably feel more insecure
Lodato said Newhouse remains highly invested in providing opportunities for students in D.C. But, given students’ interest in previous semesters, Gallagher said the university will hold off on offering fall D.C. semesters for now, until the next presidential election — a period that usually gets more student interest.
Students will automatically be accepted into any spring or summer programs they choose to attend, according to the email.
SU junior Jack Siciliano, one of the students planning to go to D.C. this fall, said he was not surprised by the news and is still very excited to study in New York City. Siciliano said he expects a seamless transition to the New York City program.
“It is unfortunate that there’s so few people that are interested in going,” Siciliano said. “I feel like they’re great opportunities, and they can really help students, especially in the journalism field.”
Students were encouraged to reach out directly to Gallagher with their plans moving forward or with any questions.
Newhouse will still host a semester-long D.C. program in the spring as well as a shorter Maymester term that runs from May 10 to May 21, according to the email.
lalemgru@syr.edu
By Vivian Collins asst. news editor
An outsourced construction worker has filed a negligence lawsuit against Syracuse University and construction firms BOND Brothers, Inc. and CenTrio Energy.
Plaintiff Rachel Pittenger claims that on or around April 23, 2025, a “massive” pipe suspended on a roller stand fell onto her foot at SU’s construction site located on 500 E. Taylor St., the location of the university’s Steam Station, according to the lawsuit filed on March 11.
The lawsuit alleges SU, both construction firms and their employees, violated New York state labor laws 240(1), 241(6) and 200, causing Pittenger to sustain “serious injuries” while onsite. The laws are designed to protect employees from workplace injuries.
“CenTrio takes safety very seriously and denies the claims against CenTrio in the law-
suit,” CenTrio wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange.
An SU spokesperson told The D.O. that the university cannot comment on ongoing legislation. The plaintiff’s law firm, Maxwell Murphy LLC, and BOND Brothers, Inc. did not respond to a request for comment.
Due to the severity of her injuries, Pittenger is suing for damages, and the amount of money she’s seeking exceeds the limits that lower-level courts can handle, according to the lawsuit.
Riggs Distler, Pittenger’s employer, entered a contract with BOND Brothers, Inc. to do work at the SU construction site. BOND Brothers, Inc. is also in contract with SU to conduct work on the site.
Both BOND Brothers and CenTrio both had the authority to “supervise and control the work of contractors performing work at the construction project,” according to the lawsuit. viviancollins@dailyorange.com
By Rosina Boehm managing editor
In 1926, when Varsity Pizza first opened, there were only a few buildings on Syracuse University’s campus, which had been open for 56 years. Much of the now-University Hill was farmland. But now, the Hill is bustling. Nurses, doctors and construction workers crowd Varsity on weekdays, and Syracuse sports fans pack it before and after visiting the JMA Wireless Dome on weekends.
Varsity is celebrating its centennial this year. While it didn’t serve pizza 100 years ago, the essence of Varsity hasn’t changed much — that’s what keeps people coming back and working there long term.
“We’re really part of the fabric of the community because we’ve been there so long,” Jerry Dellas, a co-owner of Varsity, said. “The downtown area didn’t have what they had today. The Hill, the university area, that’s where everything was happening. The whole community used to come up to the university area.”
Varsity has been run and owned by the Dellas family for 100 years. Jerry’s grandfather — also named Jerry Dellas — immigrated to the United States from Greece, coming through Ellis Island, then making a pit stop in Utica. When he made it to Syracuse, Jerry Dellas sold popcorn and candy near Marshall Street and the Hill, saving up money to buy a house adjacent to SU. That’s where Varsity originated.
Jerry’s grandfather had four sons: Spud, John, Nick and Jerry’s father, Ted. As kids, they all chipped in, working at the restaurant. Jerry said his grandfather added a house on top of the Varsity storefront, where he, his four sons and wife lived. As SU and the hospital expanded, Jerry’s grandfather sold the farmland.
By then, Varsity was a full-service restaurant, Jerry said. Everything was made from scratch — sandwiches, baked goods and even ice cream. Varsity switched to cafeteria-style dining because their clientele was expanding alongside SU and its surrounding areas.
Pizza — which is what the restaurant is now most known for — wasn’t introduced until the late 1960s or 1970s, along with beer and wine. It was Jerry’s father, Ted, and his uncles who made that change. Jerry described Varsity as being
“mobbed” Thursday, Friday and Saturday, remaining open into the early morning, still serving beers during that era.
Ted Dellas has been alive just one year longer than Varsity Pizza at 101 years old.
“For my father, he’s 101, and he knows nothing but Varsity. He grew up in the Varsity. He lived above Varsity. He ate, drank and slept Varsity. It was all Varsity,” Jerry said.
And Jerry has been there forever, too. At just 3 years old, Jerry was in the back washing dishes or sitting on his mom’s lap as she worked the cash register.
In 2001, Jerry took over with his brother John, and the two are still the people running Varsity today. The duo introduced new menu items like wraps and made-to-order salads, which have stuck around alongside the now-over-50-year-old pizza.
“The Varsity has been around so long and started ‘cause the same family runs it. It’s never been out of another family,” Diana Hester, a Varsity manager who’s worked there for 24 years, said. “It just stayed in the family. I think that’s what makes it so unique, different from other places that have had so many different owners and changes of things. But this place has always stayed the same.”
But in 2022, SU purchased several properties on South Crouse Avenue for $12 million, including Varsity and Faegan’s Cafe & Pub. For the first five years, it continued to be entirely run by the Dellases.
In July 2027, that might change. Jerry’s looking to retire and pass over Varsity to university ownership. That sparked rumors on social media and between employees that Varsity, and other purchases like Faegan’s, would close indefinitely. Employees, like Gus Forsman, who’s worked at Varsity since 1981 — nearly half the time it’s been open — worry about what that means for their jobs.
“I’m really concerned about what the university’s gonna do with the place,” Forsman said. “Hopefully, they’ll keep it open.”
Jerry said Varsity would’ve never considered a deal with the university had it not intended to keep the iconic establishment open.
“I don’t think the Varsity is going to die. I think that it’s going to continue,” Jerry said. “And that was one of our concerns while we were negotiating with (the university). They showed an interest in continuing the Varsity, and that was important to us.”
The Dellases originally wanted to redevelop Varsity and other buildings next door. Because of its cost, SU was the solution. In July 2027, they’ll have talks about what the transfer of ownership may look like.
Everything else same here, and that’s what makes staple it is. Just way it is, it never
else is the and I think makes it the Just being the never changes.
“It may not necessarily be the same family, but it’s tradition, and the way of doing business hopefully doesn’t change, and the Varsity lives on with the next owner,” Jerry said.
When asked, a university spokesperson said the Dellases are “best equipped” to discuss the future of Varsity.
“Varsity Pizza is an iconic part of the Syracuse community, and has been a terrific partner to our university,” the spokesperson wrote. “As they celebrate this remarkable milestone, we wish the Varsity family and team our warmest congratulations on 100 years.”
It’s that tradition that some employees are scared of changing. Much of Varsity hasn’t changed since pizza was introduced. The photos on the walls are the same. The booths, chairs and tables may have been updated, but they look the same. The layout is the same. Forsman is still known for his “your wings are ready” line.
“Everything else is the same here, and I think that’s what makes it the staple it is. Just being the way it is, it never changes,” Hester said. “You can come in here any day, and it’s the same.”
It’s such a university staple that it’s become a hit for newly admitted students and sports recruits. Eric Ockert, a former Varsity employee, said that Adrian Autry and Jim Boeheim would bring basketball recruits to Varsity. Ockert went “out of his way to make them feel like royalty.” The lacrosse team would come in frequently for breakfast for a period of time, and he learned all of their first names, Ockert said.
Even after former football coach Dick MacPherson retired, he’d still frequent Varsity. He came in with another university’s coach one day. MacPherson came up to the cash register and said he couldn’t let anyone else pay for their meal.
Ockert continued on putting in the order and turned to MacPherson: “Coach, you’re not going to believe this.”
“What?” MacPherson asked.
“Coach, your total is $44.44,” Ockert replied.
MacPherson took the receipt, signed it for Ockert while also calling him a liar. It’s Ockert’s favorite Varsity story because it symbolizes how important Varsity is to the university culture.
“Where else could something like that happen? A little mystique of the Varsity,” Ockert said. “I was looking over my shoulder for the ghost Ernie Davis.”
Syracuse’s sports culture is a significant part of Varsity. After a football win, the SU marching band mobs Varsity and turns the tables into its own concert.
“There’s nothing like when the band comes down after a football game,” Ockert said. “I mean, there’s just no experience like that at any place I’ve ever worked, it’s so much fun. And I never even went to SU but I can still sing a fight song, because I was here after many football games.”
Floyd Little called Jerry’s dad Uncle Ted. Ockert said, no matter what, Little would rush to Varsity to see if Uncle Ted was in. He’d drop everything if he was in a meeting or dealing with a long work day just to see Uncle Ted. Uncle Ted turned into a parental figure for many students who were away from home, like Little, Ockert said.
“That family vibe is what really makes this a special place,” Ockert said.
Varsity’s significance reaches beyond sports, too. Gov. Kathy Hochul worked there while she was a student at SU; she’d call out orders so everyone received their pizza. She honored the restaurant in February with a proclamation from the state of New York.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, sporting a Gerry McNamara jersey, rated the pizza in 2022 for his “One Bite” reviews. Campaign trails also hit Varsity, like Hillary Clinton’s in 2016.
Before Clinton arrived at Varsity, Ockert said Jerry and John told him to stop taking orders. Ockert didn’t. It was Friday during lunch, and they’d seen way more orders at
that point before. But he also didn’t know the Democratic nominee was about to enter the establishment. People who had placed phone orders waited outside the restaurant, peering through windows; many did not get their pizza. Ockert gifted that pizza to Clinton’s team, later receiving a thank-you note from her chief of staff.
It’s also a huge spot that alumni return to. Forsman used to sell Mike Tirico beers, staying open so his friends could have another pitcher. Tirico always comes back looking for Forsman, he said.
Class of 1977 alum Samuel Metz said he still remembers Forsman for his classic wings line. Metz said he would go with his fraternity, packing the long tables because the space was big enough for so many of them. It was always easy for Metz to go to Varsity since it was always right there. It’s familiar now, too. The way you order and go through the line is the exact same. Metz also said few other places that feel the same and can fit large groups of people like his fraternity.
“There’s some places that are fads, but this is not a fad, this is tradition,” Metz said. “It’s stuff that people like. Who doesn’t like pizza?”
Hester said alumni come back with their kids, and Varsity is a place they want to share with them. Forsman said a young girl came in with her family for an old Family Night tradition where they could get discount pizza. She danced up and down the aisles between tables. The next time he saw her, she was attending SU.
Most recently, Hester said a young boy rated the pizza a “600.” She found it “so cute” and loves when kids get excited about the food.
The family atmosphere that ran it keeps alumni and employees coming back.
“One of the things that sold me on coming to work here was they talked about the Varsity family, you know, it’s been family owned for 100 years,” Ockert said. “I bought into that, basically. And that’s one of the reasons I always tried to be a good host to people coming in, was that, we always like to think of our co-workers as our family and our customers as our family.”
Hester doesn’t know what kept it open all these years, but what she does know is that people keep coming. And that might just be the reason.
Between the loyal employees who have spent years crafting a familiar atmosphere or the fresh ideas from the different generations of Dellases, Varsity is synonymous with the university and so clearly ingrained into its culture.
Jerry hasn’t really thought about potentially saying goodbye to Varsity, but that change is looming. He’s excited to golf and is ready for something different in his life — because Varsity has quite literally been part of his entire life.
“I guess that when that day comes, I don’t know, I know I’ll miss it,” Jerry said. rosinaboehm@dailyorange.com
By Remi Turner asst. copy editor
Syracuse University fraternities Zeta Beta Tau and Lambda Chi Alpha are no longer under investigative status as of Wednesday, according to SU’s Hazing Awareness Hub.
The university placed Lambda under investigative status on Feb. 16. At the time, Lambda was the third fraternity to be placed under investigative status this semester.
Four weeks later, ZBT was also placed under
investigative status.
While under investigation, the fraternities were limited to philanthropy events and community service activities, an SU spokesperson previously told The Daily Orange. They could not recruit new members or hold social events.
Seven fraternities and sororities have been placed under probationary or investigative status this semester, including Mu Sigma Upsilon on Wednesday. rturne03@syr.edu
By Remi Turner asst. copy editor
Syracuse University has placed its chapter of the Mu Sigma Upsilon sorority under investigative status as of March 27, according to SU’s Hazing Awareness Hub.
The chapter is one of five campus organizations currently under investigative or probationary status.
The sorority is recognized as the first multicultural sorority in America, founded in 1981
at Rutgers University. Chartered in April 2006, MSU is one of SU’s seven Multicultural Greek Council chapters.
Organizations under investigative status cannot hold social events or recruit new members, an SU spokesperson previously told The Daily Orange. They can, however, engage in volunteering opportunities and host philanthropy events.
MSU and SU officials did not immediately respond to The D.O.’s request for comment. rturne03@syr.edu
By Chloe Fox Rinka asst. news editor
Cjala Surratt’s great-grandmother, Ruth McCrae, a ship fitter from Norfolk, Virginia, was the first Black woman to serve as president of the Boilermaker Union. Through her greatgrandmother, Surratt, a local business owner and current candidate for common councilor at-large, said she learned that true equity requires persistence, dedication and leadership that centers those most impacted.
In her downtown Syracuse store, Black Citizens Brigade, Surratt keeps her greatgrandmother’s union coat in the window. She said it’s there as a reminder that big actions take “small radical acts” – it’s people’s passions that move the needle.
Now, Surratt is running for councilor at-large against Helen Hudson, who currently occupies the position. Both are running as democrats.
The Daily Orange spoke with Surratt about her campaign and business and how they intersect.
The D.O.: Why did you decide to run for Common Council?
Surratt: It really begins (with) that I grew up here in Syracuse, New York. I’m a proud alum of the Syracuse City School District, which I think is particularly important because there’s, of course, a lot of different perceptions about our public schools, and there’s a lot of really great people who graduate from the Syracuse City School District (who) are doing amazing things in the private and public sector here.
I’m also an alum of Syracuse University, the school of performing arts. And then I worked there for eight years in marketing public relations at Lightwork Urban Video Project.
There are a lot of individuals and people who poured into me and helped me be able to aspire and then achieve the things that I want to do within academia, and then as an entrepreneur. And so it only makes sense then that I lean in and do that for those who are coming behind me.
I spend a lot of time working in the nonprofit sector, but also in social justice and organizing spaces as well. Particularly, as we were in conversation about George Floyd, I was a part of a lot of movements here, where
we marched across the city for 40 days and 40 nights. And we really were in conversation with our local governments about various things that were of concern to us.
And I realized that we needed another mechanism in addition to the ability to assemble and make noise and march and be in the streets. We also need metrics of accountability, and that comes through policy and governance. I think (that) was an integral part of me deciding to step into running for common councilor at-large.
It doesn’t make sense to try to advance a policy, if I haven’t necessarily engaged and listened to what people need.
Cjala Surratt candidate, syracuse common councilor at-large
The D.O.: What issues in the community do you believe are the most important?
Surratt: I think it’s interesting because they all are situated within an ecosystem. We have 45.9% of our children living in poverty. We have a housing crisis. We have an environmental crisis here in terms of lead poisoning. Still, about 14,000 service lines to our homes are (of concern) regarding lead poisoning.
The numbers are 600 of our youth every year are impacted by lead poisoning, and particularly that centers Black and brown youth living in our city centers. There are larger health implications that we’re going to have to look at in conversation down the road.
As I opened my phone this morning, I was really excited to see that our new mayor, Sharon Owens, along with other mayors across upstate New York, are really pushing and advocating for the New York State For All Act. I think that’s very much important as a sanctuary city, that we want to make sure that our immigrant, refugee, new
American communities feel safe here and protected, and assured that no parts of our government, our police, are engaging with or interacting with ICE.
The D.O.: How do you use the managerial and leadership skills that you’ve developed from owning your own store to now running for Common Council?
Surratt: It’s wonderful to have your own store, to have your own hours, but it’s also you have your own hours, which means
that you’re never necessarily off the clock. And I think that’s also about constituent services. It’s something that I learned about. Customer services, constituent services, listening to people, leaning in — I very much believe in a participatory process. I think (what) comes out of my organizing space and my nonprofit space as well, is that you have to be listening to people. It doesn’t make sense to try to advance a policy … if I haven’t necessarily engaged and listened to what people need.
Deans were provided “detailed data,” including enrollment trends, course data and faculty information to inform their recommendations, Agnew wrote in her initial review announcement.
The decision to “sunset” each program came from several factors, Agnew wrote. Some programs affected have already stopped producing graduates and some were “genuinely difficult choices” about programs with “dedicated faculty” but low student enrollment.
Other programs will face “significant curricular redesign” or combine with established majors to save resources, Agnew wrote.
Agnew wrote in the email that 34% of SU’s programs account for 80% of total student enrollment, while the remaining 66% of programs serve just 20% of students.
The results of the review were “not a costcutting exercise” or aimed at “eliminating departments or people,” Agnew emphasized. She added that every dean worked closely with faculty, department chairs and program leaders to review their programs against “student demand, academic quality and mission alignment.”
Students, faculty and staff of each home college will receive specific information about how the review affects their school, Agnew wrote. Curriculum changes that require authorization from the New York State Education Department or the University Senate are also underway, she added.
Agnew wrote that those with questions about the portfolio review results should contact the deans of their respective schools.
“This review is an important step in developing a portfolio that is more focused, more distinctive and more aligned with student demand,” Agnew wrote. “The outcomes position us to strengthen the University’s ability to attract talented students, support exceptional faculty and fulfill our mission as a leading research university.”
The announcement follows seven months of review across SU’s 13 schools and colleges, including significant restructuring within the College of Arts and Sciences, where 18 humanities majors were paused and later selected for closure, consolidation or “re-envisioning.”
According to a March 20 email from College of Arts and Sciences Dean Behzad Mortazavi obtained by The Daily Orange, nine undergraduate majors will be “sunset,” beginning in fall 2026.
Three majors — African American studies, music history and culture and religion — will be “re-envisioned,” and five additional programs will merge, consolidate or rebrand, according to the email. Current students in any of the affected majors can still complete their degrees. Courses in the majors will continue as minors, general
living in Belgium than my brother feels about living in Israel,” Wahba said. “You can see on the street that this war is a real excuse to increase antisemitism. We could just see that this war has spread a lot of hate against Jews and also against the United States from Europeans. ”
On campus, however, Wahba said she feels a sense of strength from fellow Jewish students who support her.
Prior to the U.S. strikes, SU students and alumni spoke out against the Iranian government during a protest on the Shaw Quadrangle organized by the Iranian Student Association.
Nejatbakhsh, who previously served as the ISA’s president, said he helped to organize similar protests on and off campus. Though he said protests and calls for change have been “milder” in years prior, recent demonstrations have called directly for regime change.
In a statement to The Daily Orange, the Palestinian Solidarity Association at SU said its advocacy work mainly lies with Palestine, but also emphasized an “interconnectedness of oppression” among “imperial powers,” particularly referencing the U.S. and Israel. On March 20, an Iranian missile fire in the West Bank killed four women.
“These imperial powers will never reflect the interests of the people in their conquests for cap-
education and/or interdisciplinary programs.
“I want to reiterate that sunsetting a major does not mean closing a program or abandoning an intellectual tradition — it means sustaining that tradition in the form that best serves our students today,” Mortazavi wrote in the email. “Students are intellectually engaged with humanities content but are not seeing themselves in the majors.”
Department chairs and program directors were given nine years of program data and participated in a series of meetings with associate deans and students, Mortazavi wrote. In some cases, he wrote, majors identified for closure averaged fewer than four declared students over 10 years.
After pausing admissions in September, departments were tasked with submitting stabilization plans in mid-December. Associate deans followed with recommendations for “lowdeclared” majors, and Agnew later extended the deadline for deans to submit their final recommendations to Jan. 23.
Chairs in the affected departments said the pause surprised them, as they claim Mortazavi informed them of the decision in a meeting the same day they had been asked to present their own program evaluations.
In the months that followed, many students, faculty and alumni braced for “uncertain” futures as decisions remained pending through the fall and early spring semesters. Departments held listening sessions with students, surveyed alumni and looked for ways to boost enrollment.
The portfolio review has renewed concerns among faculty about their level of input on curricular decisions.
In October, SU’s University Senate passed a resolution calling for faculty and the senate to be involved in the review process. The combined faculty of A&S and Maxwell followed in February with their own resolution. Passing 185-51, the resolution stated that eliminating any program in their respective schools would require approval through the colleges’ curriculum committee and faculty body, philosophy professor and university senator Robert Van Gulick said.
“The administration’s view seems to be, ‘This is a purely administrative action, and the faculty have no official role whatsoever to play in this.’ The faculty obviously think otherwise,” he said following the vote.
USen’s Committee on Curriculum and Instruction is now gathering information from schools and colleges about their procedures for pauses and closures.
Enterprise Editor Samantha Olander contributed reporting to this story.
brennesheehan@dailyorange.com
ital,” PSC members wrote. “And as such, United States and Israeli interventionism anywhere pose a serious threat to people everywhere.”
Mateo Lopez-Castro, a senior studying sociology and television, radio and film, said he believes much of the conflict reflects U.S. intervention in other countries, driven by monetary exploitation and profitability, such as Iran’s oil.
“We like to sort of put out this narrative that we are the foremost example for democracy for human rights, and because of that, we have the credibility and we have the authority to be able to go into other countries and intervene,” LopezCastro said.
Andrew Cole, an SU senior studying history and philosophy, said while there is an argument for U.S. intervention in a repressive regime such as Iran, he remains conflicted.
“The only time that I think it’s clear that a war is justified is when another country invades us,” Cole said. “Otherwise, I think like an open table, and we need to be convinced of the fact that we should be at war.”
Echoing Lopez-Castro’s sentiments, Jessica Garcia, a sophomore international relations major, called the war a “waste of taxpayer dollars” based on an unjust involvement on behalf of the U.S.
“I think maybe if a country’s citizens do ask the United States for help, maybe I could see where then intervention could be just,” Garcia
SU will ‘sunset’ a total of 93 programs, 34 of which are undergradute programs. View the complete list, including graduate and certificate programs, at dailyorange.com.
Program School
Classical civilization (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Classics (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Digital humanities (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Earth sciences (B.S.) College of Arts and Sciences
Ethics (B.A., B.S.) College of Arts and Sciences
Fine arts (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
French and Francophone studies (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
German language, literature, and culture (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
History of architecture (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Italian language, literature and culture (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Latino-Latin American studies (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Middle Eastern studies (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Modern Jewish studies (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Russian language, literature and culture (B.A.) College of Arts and Sciences
Statistics (B.A., B.S.) College of Arts and Sciences
Nutrition science (B.S.) Falk College of Sport
Systems and information science (B.S.) Engineering and Computer Science
General studies in management (B.S.) Whitman School of Management
Citizenship and civic engagement (B.A.) Unassigned (formerly Maxwell)
Art video (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Ceramics (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Fiber and textile arts (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
History of art (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Jewelry and metalsmithing (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Painting (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Printmaking (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Sculpture (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Special studies in art (B.F.A.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Music composition (Mus.B.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Performance (Mus.B.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Piano (Mus.B.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Sound recording technology (Mus.B.) College of Visual and Performing Arts
Innovation, society and technology (B.S., pause to closing) School of Information Studies
Inclusive elementary and special education teacher prep (B.S.) School of Education
said. “But, I think to almost self-impose ourselves as the police of the world, it’s unfair, and I don’t think that’s how it should work.”
Lopez-Castro compared the strikes to U.S. attacks on Venezuela in January to capture their president, Nicolás Maduro, and other examples of U.S. interference as means to “save” other regimes. He said that despite outside interference, Venezuela remains under the control of an authoritarian administration, which he believes would repeat in Iran.
“There’s no change for the people,” LopezCastro said. “And so this is the lie that the U.S. has continuously told, and continuously tries to spread out there, to convince people and to justify it to people that, ‘We’re able to do this and we’re allowed to do this and we can do whatever we want.’”
Garcia also referenced a U.S. strike that hit an Iranian girls’ school, killing over 100 children, calling the civilian casualties “heartbreaking.”
“If that were here, that could be like someone’s sibling, someone’s sister,” Garcia said. “So I think when it comes down to civilian life, that’s where the line is. The line is drawn immediately.”
Alex Tingly, a junior and triple major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said that while he believes Iran’s current regime is “terrible,” he is wary of continued U.S. interference.
“I think the longer this war drags out, it’s just (going to get) worse and worse and worse,”
Tingly said. “More people are gonna die, and I see civilian deaths going up.”
Ava Lydotes, a sophomore psychology major, said she worries about external perceptions of the U.S., especially regarding its stronger allies who may have pulled away during Trump’s presidency.
“I think that it’s difficult, because I feel like the U.S. is continuously embarrassing itself on the world stage,” Lydotes said. “Having a president who’s so trigger-happy to start wars without any sort of real thought process behind it has really, really dire implications for the future of America.”
Though Lydotes said she was glad the “tyrant” in Iran is gone, she said there is a lot of nuance to the conflict, noting it wasn’t the U.S.’s war to start.
Amid the conflict, Nejatbakhsh said he’s noticed more heated debates both in and out of the classroom, along with more “extreme” ideas from both sides, which he said he tries to avoid.
“I hear everyone,” Nejatbakhsh said. “It’s a stressful moment, and it’s not a normal situation.”
Disclaimer: Mateo Lopez-Castro is an opinion columnist for The Daily Orange. He did not influence the editorial content of this article.
arabellaklonowski@dailyorange.com
The D.O.: What has been one of your proudest moments as a local business owner?
Surratt: I think first and foremost is that I always say the store is relational and not transactional. One of the proudest moments I’ll say is that I expanded the store, and I expanded the store explicitly because people kept standing around. They would come in to purchase, but then we began to be in conversation with each other about things that are important to them. Some of it was personal, some of it was policy, and I was like, OK, I think you guys want a place to be.
And so ultimately in year two, I was able to expand the store.
And now, there is a performance space, a community space, there’s a book club. But, the other thing that I’m definitely very proud of is that we saw a rescinding of SNAP benefits. In November, I had (a) Books for Food program. So over the course of a month and a half, I was able to raise over $3,000, and that was by individuals coming into the store and purchasing books with the explicit intention of all that money going to local food pantries. So it’s expanded beyond this retail experience, being one that is participatory and one that’s responsive to community, and that’s also how I want to lead, that it has to be practical.
The D.O.: What would you say Black Citizens Brigade’s mission is, and how are you going to carry this into your campaign?
Surratt: Our mission is to be a gathering space, a place in which we can have challenging conversations, but I also think the Black Citizens Brigade is also a prime example of how we can reimagine underutilized corridors in our city.
I’m very proud of what it looks like now.
When you’d (first) come down, it was a service alley. There wasn’t much pedestrian activity. Because when I first came, I won’t lie, it was me and the garbage chute. That was it. So there’s me, and then there’s an art gallery on the other side, there’s a speakeasy that’s being
developed. We have a tea lounge at the other end of the block. During the summer, there’s much more pedestrian activity. There’s music going in the alley.
So how do we, through a small business, reimagine these corridors that generally before, again, had a lack of activity? So now we have economic and workforce development happening because those people are being employed in this space. So I think that those two things, that’s the kind of things I would like to bring into the Common Council. I’m also thinking about how we think of small impacts, microcapacity building, that also then have these radical kinds of change making moments in our city.
chloerinka@dailyorange.com
Dining hall chef managers serve over 8,000 SU students with a meal plan.
By Lily Zuckerman asst. culture editor
Whether it’s in between classes, during a study break or before a football game, the more than 15,000 undergraduate students at Syracuse University have to eat somewhere. Their options range from picking up a Dome Dog at the JMA Wireless Dome to a salad from CoreLife Eatery at the Schine Student Center. But with over 8,000 meal plan users, people like Richard Leonardo, SU’s corporate executive chef
of Campus Dining, need to track what students are consuming and what’s being disposed.
“If you ever see me in a dining center, you will see me somewhere near the trash area because I want to see what’s being taken, but maybe not eaten,” Leonardo said.
When Leonardo arrives at his office every morning, he reviews roughly 20 photos of SU dining halls’ food waste from the day before. The photos help the dining halls control their consumer waste. Leonardo tracks consumption through Leanpath, AI software that measures how much food is thrown away each day.
Students eat roughly 12,000 meals a day across SU’s six dining centers, Leonardo said. Over the course of a semester, the dining halls serve more than 1 million meals. The most challenging part is creating a menu that meets the needs of all students, he said.
“There are students who are here two or three times a day, this is their home.” Corey Jordan, chef manager at SU’s Orange Dining Center, said. “If I can give them a healthy, comforting meal and
then they’re off to do bigger and better things, that’s a win.”
Though Orange Dining Center is the smallest of all six dining centers, Jordan said he and his team serve nearly 1,300 people per day.
SU’s dining halls cycle menus every four weeks until the end of the semester. Leonardo said they balance a menu with staple dishes like mac and cheese and pizza, while also including dishes that encompass dietary needs and diverse cultures.
Leonardo said this variety is one of the most difficult parts of his job, so he focuses on dietary types like kosher, halal, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free students to express their needs.
Working with a nutritionist, Leonardo curates the semester’s menu months in advance.
Another difficult part is ensuring meals taste the same way they did the last time a student had it at an SU dining hall. With over 200 dining employees across the university, that consistency requires collaboration with other teams. see chefs page 11
By Joel Pelachik asst. copy editor
When Syracuse University master’s student Bryson Carter arrived on the film set of “Pizza Movie” in Syracuse last May, he wasn’t sure which crew role he’d pursue.
“That was actually the first time I had ever been on a real set,” Carter said. “Prior to that, the only thing that I had really done was the short films in class and stuff like that, so I wasn’t really versed in that world.”
Carter, studying television, radio and film at Newhouse School of Public Communications, spent the summer interning alongside other students on the set of “Pizza Movie” with one of his professors, Molle DeBartolo.
Directed and written by sketch comedy duo Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, “Pizza Movie” follows two college students, Jack (Gaten Matarazzo) and Montgomery (Sean Giambrone), as they go on a hallucinatory adventure to get pizza after taking drugs labeled “M.I.N.T.S.”
The movie premiered at South by Southwest’s film festival last month and — continuing the partnership between Liverpool-based production company American High and Hulu — releases on the platform Friday. But central New York got a sneak peek through the eyes of six SU interns: five graduate students and one undergraduate. DeBartolo, who joined American High in 2017, co-produced the movie
and said she began having direct interns when she started working fulltime at Newhouse in 2024.
She said a former Newhouse graduate student, Xuan Yang, “spurred” these internships when she assisted Debartolo on “Summer of 69.” Yang even came back after graduating to help on “Pizza Movie,” DeBartolo said.
“I started creating these mentorship opportunities and by connecting with (students), I was like, ‘Okay, well, this would be a great opportunity. Let’s start making this happen,’” DeBartolo said. “‘Because if you’re here, and I’m already doing this, I would be happy to bring you along for the ride.’”
The stoner comedy was entirely filmed in and around Syracuse.
Filming locations for “Pizza Movie” included Le Moyne College for exterior shots, Onondaga Community College to depict a college dorm lobby and at American High’s headquarters to mimic dorm rooms, DeBartolo said.
Carter, who was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, said it was exciting to see places in Syracuse outside of campus.
“For the longest, I just really thought Syracuse was boring,” Carter said. “You always hear about New York City, but then there’s these places outside of New York City that also do these big things as well. So, it was super cool.”
DeBartolo connected Carter with Max Butler, a fellow Nashville native and line producer for “Pizza
Movie.” This eventually led to Carter’s involvement in the second season of Amazon Prime Video series “Scarpetta,” currently filming in and around Nashville, where he’s a costume production assistant.
Dawei “David” Wang was the only Newhouse undergraduate intern on the set of “Pizza Movie.” The thensenior helped multiple departments, like art and lighting. DeBartolo taught Wang in a production design class but said she didn’t know him well before working on the set together.
However, through “Pizza Movie,” DeBartolo learned about Wang’s passion for digital media, she said. After watching an American High TikTok post, Wang pitched them an
see ‘pizza movie’
By Caroline Erskine asst. digital editor
I like to think I’m a nice person. I’m there for my friends, I lead group projects and I don’t leave a mess in the dining hall. By college student standards, I’m practically a saint.
But once a year — on April Fools’ Day — I allow myself to be completely and unabashedly horrible. Not just “forgot to text you back” horrible, but “left hair in the shower and didn’t replace the toilet roll” horrible.
It’s one day. You’re allowed to be mean. Here’s your guide:
Tell your roommate Blackboard is down It’s always kind of down, so there’s a 50% chance you’ll actually be right. Deliver it with a straight face, zero inflection and the quiet confidence of someone who has never once in their life been surprised by a loading screen. Success rate: near perfect. Effort required: none.
Tell your final project group chat you’re “almost there”
You’re not almost there. You’re in bed. You have been in bed for 45 minutes. You are wearing yesterday’s clothes, and you have not looked at the shared Google Doc since Tuesday. Nobody questions this because they are also in bed, also wearing yesterday’s clothes and they also have not looked at the Google Doc since Tuesday.
Tell your roommate there’s free food somewhere on campus College students love free food; we don’t have money to spend. When you use this, be vague about the location. Say you “heard it from someone.” By the time they’ve walked 15 minutes in the wrong direction and texted you three times asking where exactly, you’ll be back in bed. There is no free food. There is never free food. They know this. They went anyway. That’s on them.
Click “Reply all” to your professor’s email to ask if the final is cumulative Choose a class with no final. The chaos this creates is not your problem.
Post-it your roommate’s entire room
The classic. Labor-intensive, deeply satisfying and best executed while they’re trapped in a three-hour lab. Cover the desk, mirror, mini fridge and the back
of every single one of their notebooks. For extra credit, use pictures of Jack Black instead. His eyes are inescapable. This is not just a prank, this is public art. This is legacy.
Tell cyclists on Euclid that the bike lanes are finally being ticketed
Are they? No. Will they ever be? Probably not. Will your target believe you instantly and start catastrophizing about a $40 fine they cannot afford? Hopefully.
Something about this campus makes everyone assume they are perpetually five minutes away from getting in some kind of trouble, which, if they’re trying to park a car, is usually true. The bikers have gotten away with too much for too long.
¡Viva la revolución!
Slip a note from their situationship under your roommate’s door
Do they want to get serious? Is this a ring by spring situation? Do they actually have a girlfriend that goes to the University of Connecticut? Whichever
one it is, make sure you buy earplugs, because reading any of those things ending with “Yours always, xxx,” will have your roommate screaming.
Tell your friends you’re transferring I might be evil, but I think this is my favorite one. Make sure to text them just after midnight so they don’t think it’s a prank, just you genuinely crashing out. Tell them you’ve filed the paperwork already. Pull up Degree Works and talk about transfer credits. The world is your oyster. Bonus points if you wait the whole day to reveal that it’s a joke.
Show up to your 8 a.m.
If you haven’t shown up for your early morning classes in a while, this will be the most disorienting prank of all. Your professor will not know what to do with you. Your classmates will not recognize you. You will sit in a seat you have never sat in before and feel, for the first time, like a stranger in your own life. Welp, that’s all from me folks. Can’t give away too many of my good ideas. Happy April Fools’, fools. cberskin@syr.edu
By Tara Binte Sharil asst. culture editor
In a booth of the Schine Student Center’s Atrium, Syracuse University graduate students Shraddha Aher, Soumya Mahalaxmikar and Shreya Kale sampled foods from across Asia. Gulab jamun, Sichuan fried rice, palak paneer and vegetable dumplings were among the foods in the friends’ spread. As they shared their meals, band Twona Jams filled the atmosphere with smooth jazz music.
The afternoon gave the trio, who are all from India, a chance to learn and explore other Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultures through speeches, performances and food.
“It’s very good to see everyone from other countries who’s also traveled for so long and to see how they’re representing us, and also the food,” Kale said.
SU’s Belonging and Student Success hosted the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Kickoff event at Schine Wednesday afternoon. Though the celebration is nationally celebrated in May, SU celebrates the holiday in April. The kickoff event marks the beginning of other events this month, like “What’s The Tea?” and “Flavors of the Philippines: AANHPI Celebration.”
The afternoon began with an informational fair from multicultural student organizations like the South Asian Students Association, alpha Kappa Delta Phi and Sigma Beta Rho. For Starlyn Terry, president of the Filipino Student Association, the AANHPI Heritage Month Kickoff event allows SU students to explore other communities — an experience Terry has taken advantage of.
When selecting a college, Terry’s utmost priority was to find a robust Filipino community. She came across SU’s FSA while touring SU and immediately felt at home. FSA is the main reason Terry applied early, she said.
Now, four years later, Terry is president of FSA, where she works to nourish that same community she fell in love with through events, like the AANHPI Heritage Month Kickoff.
“Syracuse is a predominantly white institution, and a lot of underclassmen feel like there’s not really a home for them or there’s not like a place
where they can be themselves,” Terry said. “This is a good way to showcase what we actually have at Syracuse, the little small pockets of communities that we have.”
The latter half of the kickoff event transitioned to speeches from SU’s Belonging and Student Success. Speeches ranged from a detailed history of AANHPI to a rundown of upcoming AANHPI events.
Performances were sprinkled in between speeches. From a Desi performance to a jazz showcase from Twona Jams, the acts offered an extra sneak peek into other cultural practices.
One showing was from fourth-year architecture student Michelle Lei. Lei, who is from Shenzhen, China, performed a guzheng piece. Lei played a piece inspired by Chinese opera music, representing the changes from past to present as Lei shifted from one melody to the next.
When Lei performed for the Lunar New Year event for the School of Architecture in February, she met a member of Belonging and Student Success and was invited to perform at the AANHPI Heritage Month Kickoff event.
Lei started playing the guzheng in elementary school and continued for ten years before quitting.
However, when Lei moved to SU four years ago, she returned to the instrument to reconnect with her roots and release stress, Lei said.
Ian Asher
Whether you like remixes or not, chances are you’ve heard Ian Asher’s DJ mixes in the background of a TikTok. The DJ has produced medleys like “Desire” and “think you’re someone new” through collaborations with other artists.
WHEN : Thursday, 9 p.m.
PRICE: $47.19
WHERE: Westcott Theater
The AANHPI Heritage Month Kickoff event gives SASA a platform to showcase other events it has planned, sophomore Riya Gada said. On April 12, SASA will host “What’s The Tea?” in collaboration with Belonging and Student Success. The event will showcase teas from all over the world, from chai and jasmine to oolong. What’s The Tea? highlights commonalities between different cultures — in this case, tea.
“Despite having very different cultures to have something so similar and simple as tea, I think it’s cool that this month allows us to go deeper and delve into our similarities in different Asian cultures. It means a lot to me,” Gada said.
By bringing together student organizations and showcasing cultural performances, the AANHPI Heritage Month Kickoff event marks a time for students of all ethnicities to share traditions, making SU a smaller and more inclusive community to be part of, Gada said.
“Coming to a PWI, it’s always tough. You want to be surrounded by people who understand you in a way that a lot of people don’t,” Gada said. “I think that this month not only allows us to stand out and show our differences, but actually come together and realize how similar we actually are.”
tabintes@syr.edu
SU Records featuring Passing grade + Katie Lee + Grace Ferguson
The Syracuse University student-run music label, SU Records, presents Passing grade, Katie Lee and Grace Ferguson. These artists signed with the label to gain hands-on music industry experience. You must be 18 or older to attend.
WHEN : Thursday, 8 p.m.
PRICE: $13.07
WHERE: Funk ‘n Waffles
Charley Orlando Music
Join Charley Orlando for a night of original sounds, including performances by Ruha and Mike Powell and The Echosound. Orlando, who is from Syracuse, is also a Ruha band member.
WHEN : Saturday, 8 p.m.
PRICE: $12.88
WHERE: Middle Ages Brewing Company
Dave East
Rapper Dave East (who has collaborated with A$AP Ferg, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa and more) is bringing his 1990s-inspired hiphop to Salt City. East’s most recent album, “FOR THE LOVE 2,” was released in February.
WHEN : Sunday, 7 p.m.
PRICE: $42
WHERE: Westcott Theater
Sound Of Salt Hardcore
For a weekend of hardcore music — complete with distorted guitars and fast drums — get a weekend pass for Sound Of Salt Hardcore Weekend. Nine bands will perform on Saturday and seven on Sunday.
WHEN : Saturday, 5 p.m. and Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
PRICE: $51.93
WHERE: The Song & Dance
With more than 20 places to eat, Leonardo said there are a lot of moving parts to produce the necessary breadth of food for SU. That includes coordinating with vendors, visiting the dining centers, collaborating with catering and planning upcoming menus.
Jordan is one of the many SU chefs that work with student-athletes to eat three healthy meals a day. Like Jordan, Jeffrey Dover ensures student-athletes are supplied with sufficient meals throughout the day.
Dover began working at SU in July 2023 as the director of athletic dining. As a former track and field and cross country student athlete at Penn State University, Dover said he understands the importance of sustaining proper nutrition.
For student athletes, Dover said he’s providing the bulk and stable calories that everyone needs because everyone needs nourishment.
“But if you’re burning, you know, seven or 8,000 calories a day, your needs are going to be different than someone who’s burning 3,000 calories a day,” Dover said.
Since launching Magee One Team Dining in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex last April, Dover can serve food to more athletic teams. From Monday to Thursday, the Magee One Team
idea: post American High clips on Douyin, a Chinese version of TikTok. Wang thought Chinese audiences would be interested in videos depicting daily life in American high schools, he said.
Wang, who’s originally from China, now chooses which American High clips get posted to Douyin, translating them and including subtitles. Since launching the account last December, it’s reached over 500,000 likes, Wang said — and it stemmed from his involvement on “Pizza Movie.”
“Molle is like a hero to me,” Wang said. “She gave me the opportunity to take the (“Pizza Movie”) internship, and also while I was doing the internship, she cared a lot about my daily life.”
In the beginning, the six interns stuck by DeBartolo’s side, but by the end of filming, they had found their place on set, DeBartolo said. She and the interns jokingly called the internship a “Molle-ship,” she said.
After studying stage management in SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, Xiangyi
“Annie” Meng pursued a television, radio and film master’s degree at Newhouse, where
Dining room is open to athletes and staff of any intercollegiate team at SU for breakfast. Teams can also reserve that space for a pregame meal or postgame dinner.
Since July, Magee One Team Dining, Fallon Family Dining Center (which is exclusively for SU football) and the dining area in the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center (where the basketball teams eat) recorded over 1,000 room bookings for team dining across 14 sports, Dover said.
Before teams dine together, Dover collaborates with nutritionists to curate menus that meet athletes’ nutritional and performance needs, he said. When the teams are on their off-season, Dover said he customizes the meals to themes. For example, the day after SU football’s spring game, Dover worked with SU head coach Fran Brown on a carnival-themed menu — funnel cakes and Jersey tomato pies were on the menu.
Dover said he’s become friendly with some athletes, to the point where they request meals. Before approving offensive lineman Byron Washington’s request for chicken-fried steak, which Dover had never served before, Dover said he had to ensure that Washington met his performance goals.
But the meals Dover prepares aren’t just for leisure. He also organizes NCAA-mandated training table meals for the sports teams, changing portion sizes based on the NCAA criteria.
DeBartolo taught her. As a “Pizza Movie” intern, Meng worked as a construction shop production assistant.
“The big thing I learned is you can always ask. I loved to ask Molle ‘how this works’ because I have no idea, and there’s no stupid questions,” Meng said. “Learning is always a great experience, no matter what.”
DeBartolo said she’d like to provide a screening of the final product at Newhouse, and despite “Pizza Movie” not having a theatrical release, DeBartolo encourages watching the film with other people to enjoy its “ridiculousness.”
At one point in the movie, Matarazzo and Giambrone’s characters are filmed getting dragged through squid intestines. After shooting the scene, they were covered in goo, but because it was the last scene they shot, DeBartolo said everyone had to hug.
Carter said the end of filming felt like another graduation. He’d known the other interns mostly through classes, but seeing them in a different light brought them closer together.
“I felt like we became like a family toward the end,” Carter said. jdpelach@syr.edu
“It’s really hard to know from an outsider’s perspective how specific those nutritional needs translate to performance on the field of play,” Dover said. “You really can’t have a lot of guesswork in what you’re providing for the teams. It has to be scientific in nature.”
Athletic dining centers aren’t the only places where dishes are customized at SU. Jordan and his Orange Dining Center team of nearly 60 people have hosted five food “pop-ups” this semester, including upstate New York classic, Mediterranean mezze and Mardi Gras.
“Some of the students have come up to me and the team and said things like, ‘That meal was fire.’ And I’m like, ‘yes, fire is good. I know that,’” Jordan said.
Though menus are usually planned three months in advance, Leonardo said recipe testing is continuous, determining what ingredients might need to change.
That collaboration extends across the dining centers to Orange Hall. Jordan doesn’t want his team in distress when they’re producing food. He said creativity stems from a comfortable environment, whether that be in the kitchen or restocking dishes in front.
Once the kitchen is safe and clean, Jordan feels like it’s time to relax and produce the food.
“I like to say I’m up here in the land of the living because there’s this interaction with people and students,” Jordan said.
lvzucker@syr.edu
By William Dumond columnist
On March 26, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE America Act, stalled on the Senate floor. This bill, which would require government-issued identification proving citizenship in order to register to vote, would upend voting as we know it.
But, the system it aims to replace already works.
Proponents of the SAVE America Act insist it’s a necessary safeguard against noncitizen voting, but the data tells a different story. Utah recently completed one of the most exhaustive voter citizenship reviews in the country, conducting a multistep audit of more than 2 million registered voters over nearly a year.
The result: one noncitizen registered to vote but never voted.
This isn’t a crisis, nor is it a rounding error. Utah follows the same registration method as the majority of the nation, providing options to register in person, online or by mail. A study of this magnitude proves that the bill won’t provide additional security to our already secure voting methods; it just doesn’t make sense.
In fact, data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services highlights that only 0.04% of registered voters have been flagged as potential noncitizens. To implement additional verification in response to such a small number is both unnecessary and irrational.
The SAVE America Act would require all currently registered voters to re-register with updated documentation. That is a significant issue — and not a partisan one. Tens of millions of Americans would need to navigate a more complicated registration process, and for some, these added burdens may drive them away from voting altogether.
Despite the heightened security, many Republicans claim these additional forms of identification won’t disenfranchise voters, as 36 out of 50 states already have some form of voter ID laws to register. But, the SAVE America Act would require documented proof of U.S. citizenship, a regulation that is significantly more extensive.
This means birth certificates, naturalization certificates, records of birth and other government-issued documents must be presented along with a government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license. None of the 36 states with voter ID laws require this level of identification.
opinion
For many, these documents might not be easily accessible.
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts expressed his concerns for the many citizens who don’t have an easily accessible passport or birth certificate. Others, like women who have changed their name in marriage, may not have proof of identification without providing additional documentation or signing an affidavit.
Sixty-nine million women don’t have a birth certificate to match their name. About 21 million American citizens don’t have easy access to identification documents. Requiring extensive documentation may scare off students from registering at all.
These numbers aren’t abstract. Behind these statistics might be a student who participated in a voter registration drive on their campus, a first-time voter who showed up to the polls or a young person whose political voice is just beginning to take shape.
The SAVE America Act doesn’t just complicate paperwork for new voters — it threatens to silence that voice before it ever gets the chance to be heard. For many young people, that voice
is first developed and expressed on college campuses like Syracuse University. Organizations like SU Democrats or The College Republicans at SU meet freely on campus to discuss their party’s opinions, host events and learn more about our nation’s government. Other groups, such as Kappa Alpha Pi or Kappa Omega Alpha, two Professional Fraternity Council fraternities that center around policy, law and government, discuss how laws are implemented and what policy can do for our nation. The Student Government Association helps build a student government grounded in the values of our nation’s democracy.
Many students learn key ideas about policy through groups like these outside of the classroom. These organizations work because they all allow students to vote and be represented. Effectiveness in government depends on votes, and students here have full access to express their opinions through voting.
These student organizations exist at SU because students recognize their importance. Student engagement matters. College is a space where students are free to find their voice and practice the civic principles they hope to
uphold. The SAVE America Act threatens that opportunity, making it more challenging for students to voice their opinions through the power of the vote.
If voting becomes more difficult, the impact would extend beyond the ballot. The protests that students attend, speakers that come to incite change and all the other events that spark ideas and interest in our nation would all become less effective. Engagement lessens, and our voices are softened.
The SAVE America Act won’t save student voices, and it’s crucial to stand against this bill.
I have faith in the minds of our senators. With discussions on the SAVE America Act currently stalled, it’s exceptionally important that they remember that American voices are at stake over small instances of noncitizen registration. When the final vote comes, they must vote against this bill. The cost isn’t just our vote — it’s our voice, a price democracy can’t afford to pay.
William Dumond is a sophomore studying political science and policy studies. He can be reached at whdumond@syr.edu.
By Navya Varma columnist
It’s becoming a cliche to say that Generation Z overthinks. We’re known for overanalyzing conversations and second-guessing how we come across. But, that explanation feels too shallow for what’s actually happening.
On platforms like TikTok, identity is no longer just expressed; it’s constantly evaluated. It’s not just about how you look, but how you come across — whether you seem intelligent or performative, effortless or carefully curated, classic or just following a microtrend.
The “performative male” trend fits seamlessly into this environment — men wear a tote bag, carry matcha in one hand, feminist literature in the other and listen to curated playlists featuring Clairo. These traits function to signal a kind of desirability to women.
Even intelligence has become a performance; the wrong phrasing can make you seem uninformed, while too much can make you seem pretentious. The result is a meticulous calibration of the self.
The same is true for aesthetics. Getting dressed is no longer just about personal taste. On TikTok, stylistic choices are determined by the vibe they project, from quiet luxury to nonchalance to microtrends. Even authenticity has an aesthetic now, one that can be imitated and optimized.
In that sense, the pressure isn’t just to look good, but to mean something at all times. This helps explain the growing nostalgia for a more casual internet. Today, even a single post can feel like it needs approval from an imaginary PR team. Spontaneity has been replaced with calculation.
An example of overthinking aesthetics can be seen with weddings. Many modern couples feel pressure to plan “timeless” weddings where any-
thing dated or overly trendy is warned against — a pressure that, in effect, erases personality.
The very pursuit of timelessness will produce a uniform blandness, which ironically has become another trend of 2026.
The tension extends to personality itself, rather than the aesthetic one wants to portray.
Coined as a “nonchalant epidemic,” it’s a cultural obsession with appearing effortlessly indifferent. Often, Gen Z tries to cultivate a mysterious,
laid-back persona, even when it clashes with their natural selves.
The constant attempt to appear effortless while constantly aware of how you’re perceived mirrors the pressures of a curated identity, making authenticity a performance.
This shift carries real psychological weight, as suggested by McKinsey Health Institute, which found that Gen Z is more likely than other generations to report negative feelings linked to
social media, including crippling self-confidence or FOMO.
Research shows that 40% of teens say they often or sometimes decide not to post something on social media because they worry people might use it to embarrass them, and 38% say they refrain from posting because it doesn’t align with how they want to represent themselves.
The contradiction is hard to ignore: The same environments that allow us to build our identity also make that identity feel constantly up for judgment. The solution to “care less” is simple, but that advice overlooks the reality of how these platforms function. Constant visibility and immediate feedback make self-awareness a skill instead of a choice.
The cost is a subtle, yet persistent mental strain. When someone is always anticipating how they are perceived, it becomes difficult to experience anything without interpreting it simultaneously.
If everything we do is shaped by how it’ll be perceived, the fun of being present in the moment becomes rare. Yes, Gen Z thinks too much, but not in the self-deprecating way it’s often dismissed as. It’s a constant awareness of being seen, one that turns even ordinary moments into something to refine.
As long as identity is shaped by environments built to put evaluation on a pedestal, overthinking and the anxiety that accompanies it won’t go anywhere. Instead, Gen Z must choose not to edit themselves for external approval, even when that means coming off as unpolished or inconsistent.
Under current conditions, even ordinary moments are filtered through possible perception, and what we call overthinking begins to look less like a flaw and more like a consequence.
Navya Varma is a freshman majoring in political science. She can be reached at navarma@syr.edu.
With solid wins over Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and Maryland, Syracuse could lose to Notre Dame and still possibly get the No. 1 seed. A loss this weekend, however, would be detrimental due to North Carolina’s trajectory and current metrics.
North Carolina (9-1, ACC)
Key wins: Harvard, Army, Johns Hopkins, Penn State
Current RPI: 1
North Carolina’s schedule has been easier than Syracuse’s. The Tar Heels have had the 15th-toughest strength of schedule, per the NCAA. That doesn’t mean their resume is weaker than others. Their top RPI ranking means if Selection Sunday were today, the Tar Heels would likely claim the top seed.
UNC has won three straight ranked games, narrowly defeating No. 6 Penn State and No. 19 Army before dismantling No. 7 Harvard last weekend. Prior to that, the Tar Heels handily defeated Johns Hopkins and Penn. The only blemish on their schedule is an 11-9 loss to Princeton, where they led by one with 9:28 remaining. If North Carolina had held on, it’d be in the driver’s seat to get the No. 1 seed. Instead, it has to get by Syracuse this weekend. UNC’s final four regular-season games are all ACC contests following its bye last week. After playing SU, North Carolina faces Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The Tar Heels haven’t defeated the Fighting Irish since 2021 and haven’t won in South Bend since 2004.
On April 18, North Carolina will match up with Virginia, then finish the regular season with a rivalry game against Duke. The Tar Heels are a dangerous team, led by Owen Duffy and Dominic Pietramala, arguably the best one-two punch in the country. Having Brady Wambach — a 71% faceoff specialist — doesn’t hurt either.
Princeton (7-2, 2-1 Ivy)
Key wins: North Carolina, Maryland, Syracuse
Current RPI: 3
It helped him become more popular than Scranton’s mayor.
“When you love something, you want to do it all the time, and when you do it all the time, you want to be really good,” McNamara said of his early passion for basketball. “And to be really good, you’ve got to beat other people.”
McNamara has done that his whole life, leading to his biggest test as Syracuse’s next head coach. Rekindle the standard Jim Boeheim set, and McNamara will forever be known for bringing SU back. Continue the decline from Boeheim’s final years through Adrian Autry’s tenure, and Syracuse slides further from relevance.
On the heels of five straight missed NCAA Tournaments — a drought he called a “shame” and pledged to end — McNamara understands the magnitude of the pressure he faces. But, it doesn’t concern him.
“Anybody that knows me knows why I’m here,” McNamara emphatically said, looking into a crowd of over 2,000 people during his introduction Monday at SU’s Miron Victory Court. “I’m here to win. It’s who I am. And it’s who I will always be.”
• • • Luke Cecchi remembers McNamara laying into him during his first Siena practice. The graduate walk-on was thrown into a drill that required walkons to keep the ball away from scholarship players, and he turned the ball over a couple of times.
McNamara stopped the drill, telling Cecchi he didn’t have time to make exceptions for him.
“He expected basically the same out of me as anybody else,” Cecchi said, “which I love, because it showed that there was a certain standard there that each of us had to meet.”
In two years, the environment McNamara built turned a four-win Siena program into one that pushed No. 1 seed Duke to the brink in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Saints’ 14-18 record in McNamara’s first year was among the best turnarounds in the country before their 23-12 campaign, including a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, brought McNamara national attention.
To ignite Siena’s turnaround, Cecchi said McNamara’s ability to intertwine personal connections off the court with his ability to motivate them on the court made his players buy in.
“The ability to transition from that kind of man into somebody that’s pushing you really hard, kind of like a drill sergeant in the army, without missing a beat, is pretty special,” he said. “He can get so much out of you because you want to do so much for him.”
After the Saints lost three straight games in November 2024, Cecchi remembers McNamara
Despite losing to Cornell for the seventh straight time a couple weeks ago, Princeton has the third-best RPI in the country.
There’s still plenty of lacrosse left to play, but Princeton has an easier schedule compared to North Carolina and Syracuse. The Tigers will match up against unranked Vermont on Saturday before closing out Ivy League play against Penn, Harvard and Dartmouth — all games where they’ll be heavily favored.
As of this week, Princeton has the fifth-best strength of schedule in the country after taking down Maryland, Syracuse and North Carolina consecutively. The Tigers’ loss to Cornell hasn’t really affected their metrics, and their other defeat to Penn State was a quality loss.
If Princeton wins the rest of its regular-season games, the metrics could change. It might end up with the best argument for the No. 1 seed due to its head-to-head wins over SU and UNC.
Richmond (9-0, Atlantic 10)
Key wins: Cornell, Georgetown, Virginia
Current RPI: 4
If seeding were based purely on record, Richmond would be the highest-rated team in the country. Alas, that’s not how the system works. Still, the Spiders are building a more-thanrespectable NCAA Tournament resume. This past week, they earned the No. 1 spot in Inside Lacrosse’s Top 20 Poll for the first time ever.
Dan Chemotti has created a gritty program over the past decade, and it’s finally breaking into college lacrosse’s upper echelon. Richmond was supposed to open its season against Maryland, but that matchup was canceled due to cold weather. Elsewhere, it dismantled Virginia, snuck by Cornell and used a strong fourth quarter to defeat Georgetown.
Even with that, the Spiders have the 30thbest strength of schedule in the country, which can be boiled down to playing in a mid-major conference where wins over ranked teams have less meaning. Richmond could make a statement this weekend by beating Notre Dame in Chicago. ND is No. 7 in RPI, so a win would do wonders for Richmond’s resume. A tough Atlantic 10 game against Saint Joseph’s is sandwiched in between
telling his team that individual talent wouldn’t win any games. That’s when, Cecchi said, the Saints first realized McNamara’s system could take them far.
Though Siena finished the season with a 10-win improvement, Cecchi noted the Saints felt they “left a lot on the table.” That’s because McNamara kept the bar high and convinced his team they could beat anyone.
After Cecchi graduated, he remained close to the program. He said the expectation entering McNamara’s second season was clear: it “couldn’t go any other way” except winning the MAAC. From his perspective, Cecchi said the idea that “there’s no victory without us completely relying on each other” rubbed off on the 2025-26 team.
Cecchi is confident McNamara will bring the same moxie to the Orange in the next step of his head coaching career.
“Anything less than a guy giving his all for the school and for the ‘S’ is not going to be tolerated,” Cecchi said.
• • •
When ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Syracuse would hire McNamara as its next head coach, Andrew Kouwe sent an orange heart emoji to the 2003 National Championship team’s group chat. He added that everyone from the team chimed in to congratulate their former point guard, whose No. 3 hangs in the JMA Wireless Dome’s rafters.
“We were all hopeful that it was going to happen, and just kind of elated that it stays within the Syracuse family,” Kouwe said.
Staying within the family versus going outside was one of Syracuse’s dilemmas in the coaching search. Throughout the process, incoming Director of Athletics Bryan Blair said Monday he felt many of the candidates were “a little afraid of the moment” that comes with leading the Orange.
Not McNamara.
He’s played in a packed Dome, knocking down game-winning shots. Throughout his 19 years at SU as a player and a coach, he’s experienced three of the program’s six Final Fours.
“He said to me, ‘I need to win, and I need to win now,’” Blair said of McNamara. “And from that moment on, I remember going back home with my wife, telling her, ‘There’s something special here.’”
When McNamara arrived on campus in 2002, Kouwe, a junior walk-on, realized McNamara was a “grinder.” He quickly realized he’d never see a player lay it all out on the line like that freshman guard from Scranton would.
As cliché as it sounds, that tenacity was the engine that helped McNamara do exactly what he told Blair he wanted to do 24 years later — win.
He knocked down six 3-pointers to down Kansas in the national title game as a freshman. He led the Big East in triples as a sophomore and
matchups with St. Bonaventure and High Point, which will likely be blowouts. Richmond still has a chance at the best seed come May, but the Spiders will need help elsewhere. It’s definitely possible, considering the ACC and Ivy League teams could beat up on each other.
Dark horses:
Penn State and Notre Dame have an outside shot at being the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
PSU does have three losses, including a bad defeat to Villanova. However, the Nittany Lions are eighth in RPI, with ranked games against Johns Hopkins and Rutgers, as well as the Big Ten Tournament, ahead.
junior. He willed Syracuse to a Big East championship by magically spearheading four wins in four days as a senior.
Once McNamara joined the coaching staff, beginning as a graduate manager in 2009, he helped develop the program’s next crop of guards. Syracuse made March Madness in nine of McNamara’s 15 seasons on staff before he forged a new path at Siena.
“He checks every box from being just a Syracuse legend, part of the Syracuse family, but also just an unbelievable competitor and unbelievable drive to want to win,” Kouwe said.
McNamara helped establish the Orange’s standard. Now, he’s tasked with restoring it.
• • •
Stirna’s Restaurant was quiet and had no customers 10 minutes after opening on a Saturday evening. But once “Syracuse” and “Gerry McNamara” were mentioned, a buzz spread amongst the staff.
After reminiscing about the bus trips they used to make up Interstate 81 to watch McNamara play for SU, one of the employees quickly called someone, trying to remember which company organized it. The owner, Cathy Gavin, would have all the answers once she walked in.
Once Gavin learned the two customers sitting in front of a framed McNamara jersey and bobblehead were from Syracuse, she immediately sat down, pulled out her phone and eagerly showed a photo of herself with McNamara. She then briefly left the table to retrieve another keepsake, returning with a framed poster of SU’s 2003 National Championship team.
Gavin has known and supported McNamara his whole life. When he played for the Orange, she was one of thousands of Scrantonians who bused up I-81 to watch him live. When he coached Siena to a near-upset over Duke in the NCAA Tournament over two decades later, her restaurant hosted a watch party.
Throughout the Saints’ game against Duke, Gavin said there were whispers about McNamara’s potential return to Syracuse. Now that it’s official, they’re already trying to coordinate a plan to have Scrantonians — or, as Gavin likes to say, “people from Stirnacuse” — take buses up I-81 to the Dome again.
“When he was coaching Siena,” Gavin began, “we were all like crazy people just watching this young kid and thinking, like, ‘You got to be kidding me.’ And then his home, his love, is Syracuse, and now he gets this opportunity.”
She paused for a second. “Wowww.”
Stirna’s, founded in 1908 by Lithuanian immigrants, is a McNamara family staple. Staff members even excitedly remarked they were expecting to host them later that night.
One block up the street, another place that helped shape McNamara’s legend still stands. To the naked eye, the Holy Rosary Center — that
Notre Dame’s issue is it’s only played six games. The Fighting Irish have solid wins over Ohio State, Michigan and Maryland, but their loss to UVA this weekend wasn’t ideal. ND probably has the hardest remaining schedule in the country, which could boost its stock.
Games against Richmond, North Carolina, Duke and Syracuse are on the horizon. Win out, and the Fighting Irish could make things interesting. However, it’s tough to see them surviving that gauntlet unscathed.
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rectangular brick building on one of West Market Street’s corners — blends in with the rest of North Scranton.
To the McNamaras, it’s where Gerard’s best friend, Teddy Bloom, coached and gave them a key to the gym. By the time he was in eighth grade, McNamara etched his name in Scranton history by winning the Catholic Youth Organization title. At that point, his uncle Jimmy Connors — who was then Scranton’s mayor — became known as “Gerry McNamara’s uncle.”
McNamara’s legend only grew in his time at Bishop Hannan High School, being named 2002 Player of the Year in Pennsylvania while leading a state title run.
Anybody can say they want to win. Not everybody can say they’re still a folk hero in their hometown because they’ve won their whole life.
• • •
SU Chancellor-elect Mike Haynie called the process of hiring McNamara “one of the most consequential hires that this program has seen in decades.”
Like McNamara, Syracuse is used to winning. But over the last five seasons, that identity is unrecognizable.
“I was a player when we were (winning), and I’m telling you right now, this place was jumping,” McNamara said. “So that’s what’s a shame, it needs to change. I know that, and I’m gonna do my best to work my rear end off to change it.”
As part of that vision, McNamara explained the Orange will be strategic with chasing positional size but will also use their eyes to get “the right people.” Above all, McNamara highlighted he’ll never turn down “good,” and if he gets it, he’ll “figure it out later.”
In college sports’ changing landscape, name, image and likeness money also plays a major role. Sources told The Daily Orange SU spent around $8 million on its 2025-26 roster — a figure believed to be near the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference. During McNamara’s hiring process, ESPN reported Syracuse officials stressed a commitment to NIL that projects in the top third of the ACC.
Blair and Haynie both stressed that McNamara will have the necessary resources to succeed. No matter the circumstances, though, McNamara has always found a way to win.
If McNamara had a “Hometown Hero” banner hanging next to his father’s in Scranton, it would bear his name and a photo of him wearing a No. 3 Syracuse jersey. Below it would read: Winner Now, that’s what he has to be.
Senior Staff Writer Cooper Andrews contributed reporting to this story.
women’s lacrosse
By Jason Glick asst. digital editor
A double-digit-game win streak is foreign to Syracuse’s players who weren’t on its 2023 Final Four team, which won its first 15 games. Last year, SU’s longest stretch lasted four contests.
But lo and behold, the 2026 Orange are defying odds during what seemed to be a transition year. Being ranked as low as No. 15 in the Inside Lacrosse Poll, transitioning to a new head coach and losing two program icons — Emma Ward and Olivia Adamson — didn’t promise much.
Calling on players who were excluded from last year’s rotation sparked the change more than external talent. The rapid emergence of Molly Guzik, Mackenzie Rich and Izzy Lahah helped SU to a 10-game winning streak down the stretch of its season.
Here’s everything to know before No. 3 Syracuse (10-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast) looks to extend that streak to 11 against No. 18 Duke (9-4, 5-2 ACC) Saturday:
All-time series Syracuse leads 9-2.
Last time they played Duke was one of two ACC teams Syracuse didn’t face last year. So, their last meeting dates back to March 2, 2024, when the Orange put the Saturday matinee in the JMA Wireless Dome out of reach early, leading 10-3 at halftime and eventually winning 15-8.
It was another day in the office for Emma Tyrrell, who nabbed a game-high five goals in what would become a career-best 70-goal season. Three of them came in just over a threeminute span in the opening minutes, helping SU to a six-goal advantage about eight minutes in.
Syracuse supported Tyrrell with nine other scorers, including defenders Superia Clark and Kaci Benoit. The Orange also caused a seasonhigh 16 turnovers, and the unit’s 21 ground balls were one shy of a season high. Meanwhile, the draw performance was never dubious, with Kate Mashewske winning 11 of SU’s 20.
The Blue Devils report Syracuse hasn’t played an offense as explosive as Duke’s since the Orange faced then-No. 1 North Carolina in mid-February. The Blue Devils score 14.5 goals per game, third in the ACC, topped by
Izoje and the Orange had to find a common ground on the future. Building off this past season’s success started with retaining Izoje.
“From what (Syracuse’s coaching staff) told us, they intend to put together the best team possible,” Colomé told The Daily Orange. “And they plan on doing it around Uche.”
The decision had been finalized since March 18, but on March 27, Syracuse announced Izoje was officially returning to the Orange for her sophomore season. In 33 starts this past year, Izoje led SU in points (15.6), rebounds (9.2) and blocks (2.6) while shooting 55.4% from the field.
She etched her name in Syracuse’s record books all year, ranking fourth in single-season blocks (85), third in single-season total rebounds (303) and third in single-season field goals (230). In an era of transfers and rampant movement driven by name, image and likeness money, keeping Izoje became the most important task of SU’s offseason.
Although Syracuse bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round on March 23, Izoje believes the Orange can return to meaningful postseason basketball next season, per Colomé. And it starts with her.
“(Izoje) wants to win,” Colomé said. “And now that we made the decision to return, the program is capable of putting together a competitive team to win.”
Weeks before Izoje’s formal meeting with the coaching staff, Izoje, Colomé and LegetteJack regularly met informally to discuss Izoje’s future. But once the Orange eclipsed 20 wins, and the final days of February approached, the postseason became SU’s main focus.
Colomé said conversations about Izoje’s future never fully stopped, but they became less frequent. Still, Legette-Jack made it clear she — and Syracuse’s administration — were doing their best to retain Izoje. The final decision, however, rested with the 21-year-old rising sophomore.
She had to factor in everything. Izoje would have two seasons of eligibility remaining after playing professionally in Japan. The Orange would lose Laila Phelia — their second-leading scorer — and starting point guard Dominique Darius’ extra year of eligi -
Ava Biancardi’s 38. Their 48.5% shot percentage is fourth best in the conference.
The production doesn’t drop off after Biancardi. Avery Doran (35), Quinn Whitaker (30) and Bella Goodwin (28) have all added 20-plus goals. Duke has six total players with double-digit scores, one of whom is Eva Pronti, who’s also dished out the second-most assists in the conference (41).
The Blue Devils’ defense is shaky. Their 11.15 goals allowed per game is the fourthworst mark in the ACC, and goalie Hope Schoudel has one of the conference’s lowest save percentages at 38.8%. Duke doesn’t have a single player north of 30 ground balls or caused turnovers, with Amanda Paci the most viable at 22 and 28, respectively.
The Blue Devils shine brightest on the draw, where their 17.2 controls per game pilot the ACC and sit among the top 10 in the country. That stems from Ellie White, whose 140 wins spearhead the conference by nearly 40.
How Syracuse beats Duke
In nearly every media availability and postgame press conference this season, Regy Thorpe has mentioned draw success as a necessity. He knows
the Orange will run into tough cookies to crack along the way, and White is certainly one of them.
While the responsibility to dethrone the Duke junior lies on Guzik’s shoulders, she’s also responsible for commanding the Orange’s offensive surge. She’s scored in every game this season. SU could use help from Caroline Trinkaus and its midfielders, who combined for five goals Tuesday at Cornell.
Dealing with three 30-goal scorers, let alone one, is arduous. But Syracuse has arguably the most improved defender in the country in Lahah, who’s up to 34 ground balls and 35 caused turnovers. And she’s just one layer of a fourheaded backline monster.
Stat to know: 9.15
While Syracuse ranks above Duke in the Inside Lacrosse Poll, the Blue Devils are far more dominant on draw controls. Duke’s 9.15 drawsper-game advantage over SU is drastic, and White is coming off her hottest three-game stretch of the season, controlling 41 draws across the span.
While she’s one of the preeminent specialists in the nation, SU has the tools to flip this trend. Although Guzik hasn’t reached
bility is up in the air as she goes through the waiver process.
Syracuse had lost promising players early in their careers in the past, notably Kamilla Cardoso to South Carolina and Alyssa Latham to Tennessee. It seemed that, based on the uncertainty with next year’s squad, Izoje could be next.
But Legette-Jack told Izoje what every young player would want to hear.
“Uche is the foundation of our program,” Legette-Jack wrote in the press release announcing Izoje’s return.
When their discussions picked back up on March 14, Legette-Jack reiterated Izoje was the future of this team, and they discussed her development and role if she chose to stay.
After crossing continents for basketball, Izoje had found comfort at SU, Colomé said. She saw her teammates as sisters and had placed trust in Legette-Jack since their first phone calls before Izoje’s commitment in January 2025.
Colomé was unsure whether other top programs would give Izoje the same freedom she had with the Orange. She’d been given the flexibility to showcase her skills in the mid-range, the post and at the free-throw line. For Izoje to develop, Colomé thought the stability of a second year at the same place was best.
As Syracuse’s administration rapidly shifted — Bryan Blair was hired as SU’s next director of athletics, and Mike Haynie begins his tenure as Syracuse’s 13th chancellor on May 11 — the changing of the guard excited Izoje and Colomé. Legette-Jack told them SU’s women’s basketball program, which already saw increased revenue in 2025-26, would remain a strong — if not stronger — commitment from the university.
But would it be a strong enough commitment to keep Izoje? Colomé compared Izoje’s monetary value to that of one of the best players on a top-15 squad. If she chose to depart Syracuse, Colomé said she’d likely only entertain programs of that prestige.
It would be challenging to come to an agreement in just 45 minutes. After both parties left that March 14 meeting, Izoje and Colomé were given 48 hours to discuss the future before they’d meet with SU’s coaching staff again.
“We all believe (Izoje) has a very high ceiling,” Colomé said. “Syracuse had their position. We just tried to make it work.”
Legette-Jack’s “ambition” to keep Izoje didn’t let up easily. Izoje and the coaching staff continued conversations throughout the week before Walker and Legette-Jack sat down for another meeting with Colomé on Monday, March 16, to discuss financials.
double-digit draw wins in a game this season, she still emerges as the best offensive player on the field. This game’s fate relies on her, or other specialists in the committee like Joely Caramelli or Ireland Mistretta, to at least remain competitive.
Player to watch: Ava Biancardi, attack, No. 23
When Duke takes the field, don’t expect to spot Biancardi. You might be wondering where the Blue Devils’ leading scorer is. Did she get hurt?
The reality is, no, she didn’t. Biancardi has come off the bench in all 13 games this season and never disappoints when called upon. The redshirt junior’s fresh legs have given Duke the fire to embark on two threegame winning streaks.
Biancardi’s 2.64 expected goals added per game are in the 87th percentile in the country, per Lacrosse Reference. The attack has strung together three five-goal performances and seven hat tricks despite her unorthodox usage. jaglick@syr.edu @jason_glick
Colomé said he based Izoje’s value on her past performance and projected production, as well as what other “superstars” in college basketball are making. In his opinion, it’s attainable for Izoje to increase her scoring (15.6) and rebounding (9.2) averages to 20 points and 10 boards, marks that would rank among the best centers in the country.
SU had a number in mind, which Colomé didn’t disclose. It was different from Colomé’s, but both sides went back and forth to eventually arrive at the “same ballpark.” Colomé said he and Izoje also realized Syracuse had to save part of its funding for its incoming freshman class, which is headlined by highly-touted guard Madison Howard. Still, the two sides worked out the deal, and Izoje “pulled the trigger” four days after the formal discussion began on March 14. But there was still basketball to play.
With SU traveling to Storrs, Connecticut, for the NCAA Tournament, the university chose to keep Izoje’s recommitment private until the season concluded. Izoje combined for 35 points in games against Iowa State and UConn, pushing ISU’s Audi Crooks into foul trouble to ultimately eliminate the Cyclones.
The next day, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said Izoje was the best player his team had seen this season. But Izoje alone wasn’t close to enough to knock UConn from the tournament. SU fell 98-45.
In the aftermath of the lopsided loss, the blueprint was obvious. Syracuse had to retain Izoje, which seemed in question when she said she had “not yet decided” her future following SU’s loss to the Huskies. But Colomé said Izoje’s response simply reflected a few kinks still needed to be worked out in the deal. In reality, it was nearly set in stone.
Izoje will soon travel to Los Angeles, where she’ll face the Los Angeles Sparks in a WNBA preseason game with the Nigerian women’s national basketball team on April 25. Then, she’ll be right back in Syracuse, training to bring the Orange back to the national stage in 2027.
“I am coming back stronger, more aggressive and more confident,” Izoje wrote in the aforementioned press release. “And as a team, we are going to rise together.”
By Zak Wolf senior staff writer
Syracuse football received its biggest news of the spring season when the program announced Tuesday that five-star freshman Calvin Russell III will be out for an “indefinite period of time” due to injury.
SU head coach Fran Brown didn’t reveal the nature of the injury during his weekly media availability Wednesday. However, within an hour of Brown speaking, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Russell underwent successful surgery on a torn Achilles. According to Thamel, Russell’s surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley, who also operated on NBA stars Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum when they suffered the same injury.
Despite the severity of Russell’s injury, Brown expects the wide receiver to be back in late October or early November if he heals the way SU expects him to. That means Russell will be sidelined for seven months.
Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli suffered the same injury in late September. Although Angeli’s isn’t fully cleared, he’s been practicing with Syracuse this spring, and Brown alluded he’ll be fully healthy by summer practice in August.
Even after his injury, Angeli was around the team throughout its turbulent 2025 season. Russell’s situation will be similar, with Brown mentioning the freshman will be back with the team tomorrow.
“We’re excited about him getting back, and we’ll just start to plan his rehab already,” Brown said Wednesday. “You’ll see him on the field this season, just probably not in the beginning of the season, so we got some time for him. He’ll probably heal pretty fast.”
Russell has generated a lot of hype. He’s Syracuse’s highest-rated recruit in decades, earning a five-star rating from 247Sports. He was also ranked as the 31st-best player in the 2025 recruiting class, choosing SU over big-time programs like Miami and Michigan. Russell is an explosive player when the ball is in his hands, totaling 47 catches for 742 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season with Miami Northwestern (Florida).
Unfortunately for the Orange, Russell’s injury was non-contact (like most Achilles tears). Brown said everything was fine before Russell’s setback, adding there were no previous injuries
men’s lacrosse
for him, and he simply got hurt while running. The head coach added Russell was scoring two to three times per practice and making big plays.
“His energy is contagious, and it rubs off on the team,” Brown said. “So everybody’s excited, though, that we have him on our football team, and we’re just happy he’s here. He’d be able to go through some stuff with us, but we’re good.”
Without Russell, Syracuse’s receiving depth will be tested. Due to his pedigree, Russell was expected to be a key contributor right away. With Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. — SU’s top two receivers from last year — transferring to Ole Miss, the Orange will need other players to step up.
This offseason, Brown added Cole Weaver (Miami University Ohio), Elijah Moore (Florida State) and Zamondre Merriweather (Glendale Community College) in the transfer portal. None of them are proven at the Power Four level; Moore had just five catches for 69 yards in two seasons with FSU, meaning someone will have to step up. Brown remains confident in wide receiver coach Josh Gattis’ ability to develop talent.
“I think (Gattis) is one of the best in the country at what he does,” Brown said. “He’s done it for a long time. So I just like watching him at work with the guys that he has to play with. He’s done a really good job. Gattis is the truth when it comes to working these wideouts.”
Syracuse also returns receivers Tyshawn Russell and Darius “Boobie” Johnson, who Brown said “keeps getting better.” Brown also had high praise for local product Darien Williams, who, per the head coach, is “making a big play every day.”
Umari Hatcher is also back in the fold, over a year after tearing his ACL. Hatcher entered the transfer portal on Dec. 26, 2025, but withdrew his name on Jan. 8. Hatcher has 797 receiving yards in three seasons with SU. Brown said the receiver was upset and felt he should’ve been appreciated more. The two reconciled in the offseason, and Hatcher will look to make a greater impact in his final season of eligibility.
“Sometimes when two parties don’t talk and there’s no communication, you assume the worst,” Brown said. “So the way that we communicated it, we were able to be on the same page. I’m so thankful for him, and I’m happy that he’s here. I’m happy that he showed me what I wasn’t doing and what I needed to do to really make him feel appreciated.”
As for Russell, it’s hard to say his absence will be missed because he hasn’t played in a competitive game for Syracuse yet. But because he’s such a highly-touted recruit, there was a buzz about his potential impact.
Russell had previously stated his goal as a freshman was to record 1,100 yards and 10-12 touchdowns and to be the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year. Brown was confident Russell would’ve attained those goals. Instead, Russell will be forced to watch from the sidelines for most of his freshman season.
Depending on how fast Russell recovers, he could redshirt the upcoming season. If he comes
back in time to play in more than four games, though, that’ll get thrown out of the window. Until then, all anyone can do is speculate.
“We’re excited about the opportunity of being able to work with (Russell) in this capacity,” Brown said. “A lot of times, everybody worried about just football. I think that you guys will have an opportunity of seeing just who we are as our culture, our staff and it’s how everybody’s going to embrace him, love him and treat him just as if he was on the field giving us 2,000 yards coming in.”
zakwolf784254@gmail.com @ZakWolf22
By Nicholas Alumkal sports editor
Syracuse got off to a winning start in Atlantic Coast Conference play with a breathless 16-15 victory over No. 8 Duke Saturday. It continued a rich vein of form for the Orange, extending their win streak to six.
That run may be in jeopardy in SU’s next game. Syracuse travels to No. 2 North Carolina, which is coming off a dominant 17-7 win over No. 7 Harvard in Severn, Maryland, Sunday. The Crimson defeated the Orange 13-12 in Cambridge on Feb. 21.
The Tar Heels will be another litmus for SU as it continues its conference slate and rolls into the latter stages of its regular season schedule.
Here’s everything to know about No. 2 North Carolina (9-1, ACC) before it hosts No. 3 Syracuse (9-2, 1-0 ACC) Saturday:
All-time Series Syracuse leads 20-13.
Last time they played No. 11 Syracuse’s barnstorming comeback fell short in its 14-12 loss to No. 8 North Carolina on April 26, 2025. The Tar Heels extended their lead to six goals with 3:01 left in the fourth quarter. Then the Orange hit desperation mode, scoring four unanswered in under two minutes. They were within two goals with 37 seconds left, and Finn Thomson looked to have drawn within one with 32 seconds to go. However, he was called for a crease violation and all of the Orange’s momentum escaped the balloon.
Faceoff struggles set Syracuse back in that defeat. John Mullen won 11 of his 26 draws, his second-lowest mark of the 2025 season, losing out to UNC’s great faceoff man Brady Wambach. UNC’s 10-man ride also suffocated the Orange into a lowly 58.8% clearing percentage.
The loss continued Syracuse’s spiral, sending it into the ACC Tournament with three straight losses. That didn’t matter; the Orange won the conference tournament.
The Tar Heel report
North Carolina entered the season full of promise. Its two-headed attack of Owen Duffy and Dominic Pietramala combined for 82 of UNC’s 192 goals last season. The two are now in their junior years and remain prolific. Duffy has 21 goals and Pietramala has 28 scores, making up nearly a third of the Tar Heels’ goals. However, the best returner may be faceoff man Wambach. The nephew of legendary women’s soccer player Abby Wambach, Brady has similar dominance at the faceoff dot like Abby had when the ball was in the air in front of the
goal. Brady leads the nation with a 71.8% winning percentage. Top of the stat sheet — just like Abby’s place atop the United States women’s national team’s all-time scoring list.
North Carolina’s sole loss was in an 11-9 defeat at No. 5 Princeton on March 1 after the Tigers beat the Orange two days earlier. Since then, the Tar Heels overcame No. 6 Penn State, No. 19 Army and beat the No. 7 Crimson on Sunday.
On top of unsurprisingly having the best faceoff winning percentage in Division I, the Tar Heels boast the third-best scoring offense (14.67
goals per game) and are tied for the eighth-best scoring defense (8.8).
How Syracuse beats North Carolina Extra possessions afford more goal-scoring opportunities, so Syracuse can’t allow Brady to tip the scales heavily at the faceoff dot. In North Carolina’s sole loss of the year, while UNC won the draw battle 13-10, Princeton kept it close. Mullen will likely have to do the same to keep Syracuse in the game and allow SU’s own electric offense to go to work.
At the center of the Orange attack is Joey Spallina. He’s seven points away from setting the program record. Spallina logged five assists but no goals when SU met North Carolina last season. Another slight edge for SU is on the manup. The Orange hold the 13th-best extra man offense in the country, while the Tar Heels sit in middling 45th, conceding on 62.5% of attempts.
Stat to Know: 88%
If I haven’t made it clear how good Brady is — that his faceoff wins match his aunt, Abby’s, trademark header, Mariano Rivera’s cutter and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook — then here’s the kicker: He won 22-of-25 faceoffs in North Carolina’s 10-goal thumping of then-No. 3 Harvard Sunday. Eighty-eight percent. Against a Harvard faceoff corps that won 14-of-29 faceoffs against Syracuse. Brady Wambach is a force to be reckoned with.
Player to Watch: Owen Duffy, attack, No. 8
Duffy was the top-ranked class of 2023 recruit, and he made an immediate impact when he arrived in Chapel Hill, earning ACC Freshman of the Year with 32 goals and 22 assists. The East Quogue, New York, native upped his production to 34 goals and 27 assists as a sophomore in 2025. So, entering this year, Inside Lacrosse listed Duffy as the fifth-best player in the country. njalumka@syr.edu @nalumkal
By Zak Wolf senior staff writer
The lacrosse season goes by in an instant. One moment, the cold weather is canceling February games. Before you know it, conference foes are duking it out for postseason berths.
It might still seem early, but the NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed in just over a month. Like Syracuse, most teams have four regular-season games remaining before conference tournaments start.
By Jordan Kimball asst. sports editor
Uche Izoje could’ve gone anywhere she wanted, her agent Gerard Colomé said. But first, she had to give Syracuse a fair shot at getting her back. On March 14, a week before the Orange faced Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament First Round, she had a longanticipated discussion.
Izoje, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, assistant coach Khyreed Carter and general manager Mykala
SU’s NCAA Tournament berth is all but sealed. Per Lacrosse Reference, Syracuse has a 100% chance of getting an at-large bid and a 99% chance of earning a top-eight seed. However, the Orange want more.
With an impressive resume and strength of schedule, there’s a strong chance Syracuse earns the top overall seed in the tournament. But first, it needs to take care of business in its final four games.
Here’s a look at the teams contending for the No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
Syracuse (9-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast)
Key wins: Duke, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Maryland, Boston University Current RPI: 2 Syracuse is playing the best it ever has under head coach Gary Gait. You could’ve said the same thing this time last year when SU won six straight games after losing two of its first five. This season is different. Syracuse only beat two ranked opponents during its winning run last year. In 2026, that’s increased to five.
Walker gathered in the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center. Colomé was in Atlanta at the time, but he joined the conversation through a video call. This was SU’s best chance to convince its star center to stay rather than leave for a perennial top program.
This past season, Izoje transformed a flailing Syracuse team into a March Madness story nobody on the outside expected. She became SU’s second-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and received praise from the most respected figures in the sport. see izoje page 14
Gait put together a brutal nonconference schedule, which included a six-game, 37-day road trip. The Orange lost back-to-back games to Princeton and Harvard in February but haven’t lost since. Like most teams chasing the No. 1 seed, Syracuse controls its own destiny. The Orange have a showdown with No. 2 North Carolina this weekend in Chapel Hill. The winner of that contest may put themselves in a prime position for the top seed. Both programs are top three in the Rating Percentage Index, the key metric the selection com-
mittee uses for seeding. Meanwhile, Syracuse’s strength of schedule is the fourth-best in the country. SU will also face Notre Dame and Virginia. The Cavaliers upset the then-No. 1 Fighting Irish Saturday, setting up another resume-boosting opportunity for Syracuse. There’s still room for SU to slip up, considering its strong RPI and schedule. The only result that would be problematic is if it lost to sub-.500 Colgate on April 18. However, the Orange haven’t lost to the Raiders since 2019. see no. 1 seed page 13