thursday, march 26, 2026
celebrating 122 years
free
O • ‘Burn the boats’
C • Musical moves
S • Storrs scenes
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Syracuse men’s lacrosse must acknowledge the harm caused by the team’s “burn the boats” practice jerseys, our guest columnists write.
Downtown music venues encourage Syracuse University student performers, especially after the closure of student house shows.
Our photographer captured moments from Syracuse women’s basketball’s NCAA Tournament matches in Connecticut.
‘Unapologetically herself’
After Kayla Corrigan, a 21-year-old marketing management senior, died in December, those close to her remember she always brought her full self to the table — and never apologized for it. courtesy of isabel gordon and sophia terlecky
Kayla Corrigan made life her dance floor with kindness, humor and grit By Remi Turner asst. copy editor
W
hether it was her signature heeled pumps or her infectious laugh, Kayla Corrigan made life her dance floor. During a spring break trip to Malta, the Syracuse University senior whirled around the cobblestone streets, grasping hands with a group of older women she had befriended — a moment her friend Isabel Gordon said captured her perfectly.
“She taught me about getting out of your head a little bit and being down for an adventure,” Gordon said. “I just hope that I can live up to that for her.” Kayla, a 21-year-old marketing management senior at the Whitman School of Management, died in a December house fire in her hometown of Needham, Massachusetts. Friends remember Kayla as someone who always brought her full self to the table — and never apologized for it. “Like a magnet, she literally drew people towards her,” Sophia Terlecky, SU senior and one of Kayla’s closest friends, said.
While Kayla was a driven student with big goals for herself, she cared just as much about uplifting the people around her. In and outside the classroom, those who knew Kayla remember her as the ultimate “hype woman,” known to command any room with her “bubbly” personality. She mastered the art of balancing her silly and serious sides and always lived life spontaneously. Kayla often enlisted her friends, like Terlecky, in random “side quests” at a moment’s notice. She was the epitome of a “Get ready, I’ll be there in 10,” kind of girl, Terlecky said. Once, see kayla page 7
men’s basketball
Gerry McNamara named Syracuse men’s basketball head coach By Justin Girshon senior staff writer
Siena head coach Gerry McNamara has been named Syracuse’s next head coach, the program announced Tuesday morning. Across his two seasons with the Saints, McNamara notched a 37-30 record, including the program’s
first NCA A Tournament appearance since 2010. ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported McNamara had been reportedly hired Sunday afternoon. Tuesday morning, Thamel reported SU was finalizing the deal, and the university announced McNamara’s hire an hour later. During the hiring process, Thamel reported SU officials promised McNa-
mara a name, image and likeness commitment that projects in the top third of the Atlantic Coast Conference. A source familiar with the program’s thinking told The Daily Orange SU spent just under $8 million on its roster this past season. They said the figure was triple the cost of the Orange’s 2024-25 roster and guessed it was seventh-to-ninth spending-wise in the ACC this year.
“I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” McNamara said in a press release. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks
different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.” During the 2024-25 season, McNamara’s first at the helm, Siena improved from a 4-28 record the year see gerry page 13