Issuu

THE HOFSTRA

CHRONICLE

HEMPSTEAD, NY VOLUME 94 ISSUE 2

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935

OPINION

NEWS

Autocorrect: ‘Deconstructing Venus:’ New exhibit featuring female artwork and artists Correcting my culture

By Sahana Shastry NEWS EDITOR

More than 140 people attended Hofstra University’s Museum of

Art to celebrate the opening of the newest exhibit, “Deconstructing Venus,” on Thursday, Sept. 24. The exhibit, which is open to the public until Dec. 11, features art

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

The Hofstra Museum of Art will be hosting a public panel on ‘Women, Art and Activisim’ on Oct. 22 at the Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater.

pieces and artists that engage with ancient notions of womanhood by overcoming gender norms, embracing traditional values and confronting gender limitations. The idea of the exhibit comes from the goddess Venus, who represents love, fertility and desire. The central theme also aims to portray modern art by women that depict the reality of the experiences they face after centuries of artwork in which female figures played insignificant roles. The event took place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Emily Lowe Gallery with food and beverages provided. The audience consisted of students, faculty, supporters and artists.

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By Sahana Shastry NEWS EDITOR

I hate autocorrect because it makes my life harder. As someone with a diverse background and a vocabulary consisting of words beyond the English dictionary, I hate autocorrect. As a person living away from home and communicating with my family in our own brand of speech, I hate autocorrect. I hate when autocorrect makes me feel like my culture and language are things to be corrected. Take the simple act of typing someone’s name, for example. Ask anyone with an “uncommon name” – uncommon with people inside the United

States – and they probably have plenty of stories of autocorrect getting their name wrong. By comparison, even the weirdest of English names don’t faze autocorrect. The world has changed tenfold since the last time we assumed caffeine to only be in the form of a hot cup of coffee – now everything requires an elaboration – maybe it’s a cold brew, an espresso, a matcha or, even, a Red Bull. Every category now has a subcategory, and, with the advent of all these intricate complexities, we still rely on a generalized autocorrect to copilot our everyday speech.

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Hofstra rules in Long Island rivalry SPORTS

By Shannon Bickert SPORTS EDITOR

The Hofstra University volleyball team extended their win streak to five straight matches with a 3-0 victory over Stony Brook University on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Pride remains undefeated in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, starting off their conference slate with a 4-0 record. Hofstra has only dropped one set in CAA play, going 12-1 across their four conference matches. As a team, the Pride hit .236 and recorded 12 blocks. Julia Amorim was huge in the blocking game, totaling nine blocks in the win. Hofstra’s captain hitters showed

up on the attack. Beatriz Braga was spectacular all over the floor, tallying a team-leading 18 kills and 17 digs. Braga added a service ace and two total blocks. Constanza Perez Sain added to the Pride’s offensive attack with 15 kills on the day. Melis Başaran, a freshman native to Istanbul, Turkey, had only logged one play before the match, but was a standout against the Seawolves, hitting .316 while recording eight kills and five digs. Ellie Pamatat had a strong outing as the setter, recording 31 assists. After getting swept the night prior, the Seawolves came out hot against the Pride, taking the first set 25-19. Hofstra’s offense

was stuffed in the first set as the Pride hit at just a .061 mark. Stony Brook’s net-front presence stopped five attacks, which was the difference in the set. Hofstra fell behind early as the Seawolves built a four-point lead in the first set. The Pride clawed their way back behind back-toback blocks from Amorim to go on a 6-0 run and pull ahead. From this point, all scoring came from Stony Brook, who capitalized on the Pride’s miscues and gave Hofstra their first set loss of the CAA slate. The Pride responded by taking the second set with a tight 25-23 victory. The Hofstra attack was much more precise, with the team recording a .333 hitting

percentage. The Pride’s two main attackers, Braga and Perez Sain, came alive in the set, tallying six kills and three kills in the stanza, respectively. The Pride had control of the

second set, putting together a 6-1 run in the middle of the set to take a commanding lead that they would keep – despite the Seawolves coming within one.

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Photo Kim Nadler Courtesy / The of Hofstra Hofstra University Chronicle

Beatriz Braga tallied 34 kills and 26 digs in the series against Stony Brook University.

A2 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

hofstrachronicle@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief Gianna Costanzo Managing Editor Hannah Mudry Secretary Paula Amoroso Lomelí Business Managers Katelyn Buchalter Anthony Favilla News Editors Katelyn Buchalter Sahana Shastry Assistant News Editor Natalia Rivera Arts & Entertainment Editors Matt Fisher Vanessa Flanagan Kimberly Lopez Sports Editors Shannon Bickert Ethan Poole Assistant Sports Editors Royce Dickson-Child Samantha Nadler Evan Papadopolus Features Editors Emilie Morrissette Denivia Rivera Opinion Editors Anthony Favilla Tom Saxa Copy Chiefs Madison Demko Emily Hyman

By Esa Gadson

THE CHRONICLE

NEWS

Rain or shine, Hofstra shows its pride: Jones Beach cleanup

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

What was supposed to be Hofstra University’s annual Jones Beach cleanup on Sunday, Sept. 20, became a rainy day full of learning about the environment and how students can give back to their local community and preserve oceans. Despite the weather, over 20 students and faculty showed up to find ways they could give back to their local beaches and environment. “This is one of my favorite events of the year, and we do it in conjunction with [a Hofstra office,]” said Rabbi Dave Siegel, executive director of Hofstra Hillel and university chaplain. The beach cleanup, hosted in partnership between Hofstra Hillel and the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement (OSLE), has been an annual event since 2021. The beach cleanup holds special meaning for Siegel within Jewish tradition. “Around the Jewish holidays, there is a tradition where you ceremonially throw away your sins into the water,” Siegel said. The tradition, known as Tashlich, means “to cast away” in Hebrew. The original movement known as Tikkun HaYam: Repair the Sea, was founded in 2018 by Rabbi Ed Rosenthal, who would scuba dive to the bottom of the ocean and collect trash to help

keep it clean. “Recognizing that not everyone has the ability to go scuba diving, [Rosenthal] started an international beach cleanup,” Siegel said. Rosenthal’s movement helped inspire Hofstra Hillel’s interest in getting involved. The beach cleanup was created with a similar focus in mind and to allow members of the Jewish community to perform a ritual akin to the Tashlich. Rather than symbolically throwing their sins into the water, participants remove garbage from it. The event is open to all students, including those who aren’t Jewish. Siegel and his family have taken part in this tradition for years. His father, Lou Siegel, a former high school teacher, college professor and chairperson of science and oceanography at multiple New York schools, joined the group on its visit to the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center. He spoke about previous beach cleanups as well as the importance of keeping oceans and the environment clean. “I’ve been doing it for maybe 40, maybe 45 years,” Lou said. “It’s always been a very personal thing when you have somebody walking down a beach, picking up materials.” Lou mentioned the data collection that goes into tracking the trash that is picked up and how it is used to encourage reforms from local officials. “The garbage is actually

Photo courtesy of Esa Gadson

Compared to last year’s beach cleanup, the weather presented more challenges with the upcoming Nor’eastern storm.

recorded on data sheets,” Lou said. “That data is then used to try to influence politicians to change laws, and indeed things like that have occurred in New York state and in other states.” While the rain prevented students from participating in the actual cleanup, they were able to learn ways they could give back to their environment through interacting with infographics and marine life in the animal touch tank. Yahaira Rivera Gamez, graduate assistant for OSLE and event leader, emphasized how important it is that students – both commuters and residents – get involved in community service. “Commuter students and resident students have that barrier of not knowing [each other],”

Assistant Copy Chiefs Paula Amoroso Lomelí Juliana Calcao Ellen McCarville Multimedia Editor-in-Large Joe Orovitz Multimedia Editors Kumba Jagne Joe Orovitz Marilyn Steele Assistant Multimedia Editor Kim Nadler Social Media Managers Mariana Agustin Mariya Morales Madi Valentin

Photo courtesy of Esa Gadson

Rivera Gamez said. “We all can come together for one thing, no matter what the differences are. Everyone is just here to do one thing, which is community service.” Throughout the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center, there are multiple infographics showing different ways to preserve energy, information on local marine life and interactive experiences that give students the opportunity for hands-on activities. “If you’re not from around Long Island, it’s a good way to learn about the things around you,” said Dani McGrath, a sophomore theatre performance major. Students and faculty gained knowledge they could share with friends and family while learning the importance of coming together with your community to make a change. For Cass Till, a senior theater arts major and Alpha Psi Omega member, bonding with friends and meeting new ones was a major takeaway from the trip. “Finding a group of people with Alpha Psi Omega to come here with was really fun,” Till said. “Then, getting to interact with people from other organizations [who] are also here or people who just have an interest in service [is great]. We get to meet and connect with them on something other than school.”

Participants focused more on reflecting on how they could better the community and environment rather than venturing out in the poor weather.

The Hofstra Chronicle is published on Tuesdays during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by contacting the chronicle.business@gmail.com. The Chronicle reserves the right to blood drive lasted 12 reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous orThe offensive to the university community, from or8 its a.m. The Chronicle or its advertisers may refuse. The products and opinions expressed within an advertisement are not endorsed byhours, The Chronicle staff.to 8 p.m.

THE CHRONICLE

NEWS

What you may have missed

Taste of the Neighborhood connects Hofstra students with local restaurants

By Adriel Ventura

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

7:45 AM

Germany’s Merz faces setback after state election losses – Monday, Sept. 21 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union faced a major setback after losing support in state elections in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The far-right-pro-Russia and anti-migration Alternative for Germany are the favored party. Despite the losses, Merz said he plans to remain chancellor and continue leading his government.

The United Nations annual meeting hosted major countries – Tuesday, Sept. 22

Nations from across the globe gathered in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 22, for the annual United Nations General Assembly to discuss current political and economic issues. United States President Donald Trump addressed a possible deal with Iran after the midterm elections, warning that he could “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if a deal is not reached soon. Trump and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also discussed the war in Ukraine, including efforts to end the conflict with Russia. Ethiopian government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front head into another war – Wednesday, Sept. 23

A four-year peace deal between the Ethiopian government and the northern Ethiopian group Tigray People’s Liberation Front has ended after an escalation of conflict. Tigrayan forces seized the airport in the city of Mekelle and other areas in the northern region, leading Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to these areas. The rising tensions have raised concerns of another possible war in Ethiopia after the previous conflict ended with a peace agreement in 2022.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A3

Hofstra University students gathered in the Hofstra USA parking lot on Thursday, Sept. 24 for Taste of the Neighborhood – a free food-sampling event that brought local restaurants to campus and encouraged students to explore dining options in the surrounding community. Hosted by the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement, the event ran from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and featured samples from restaurants including Vincent’s Clam Bar, Jersey Mike’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Napolini. Students moved between tables, tried dishes from participating businesses and spent time with friends. Yahaira Rivera Gamez, a graduate assistant for the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach, said the event was organized to support nearby restaurants while creating an accessible opportunity for students to try food from businesses they may not have previously visited. “The main purpose of this event is to help support local vendors and help students try out their food,” Rivera Gamez said. According to Rivera Gamez, organizers of the event considered student feedback, restaurant reviews and whether businesses offered student ben-

efits, such as discounts, when selecting vendors for Taste of the Neighborhood. She estimated that over 100 students attended the event. Chazz Jean, a junior criminology major, said he attended after hearing others talk about the event. “I attended the event because there was a lot of talk about it amongst my friends and peers, and I wanted to experience foods from different places,” Jean said. He also said Dave’s Hot Chicken and an Indian food sample were among his favorite. Before the event, Jean had heard online discussion about Dave’s Hot Chicken, but had not tried the restaurant. “I’ve always heard discourse about Dave’s Hot Chicken on social media, and trying it for the first time, especially the medium chicken, has definitely made me like it,” Jean said. For Jean, the event went beyond food; trying vendors near campus made him more interested in visiting local restaurants. “This event definitely made me feel more connected to the local community,” Jean said. “I’m definitely planning on trying off-campus spots whenever I get the chance. For example, I haven’t had Jersey Mike’s before, and trying it for the first time tonight has definitely put this place on my radar.” Elijah Phillips, a graduate student studying computer sci-

ence, attended for two reasons: “I wanted free food and to have a good time with my fellow companions.” Phillips also said Vincent’s Clam Bar was his favorite vendor of the evening because he enjoys Italian food. His experience reflected one of the event’s central attractions: Students could sample food without committing to a full meal or spending money, while restaurants had a chance to make a first impression. For businesses, Taste of the Neighborhood created both direct exposure to a large student audience and the opportunity to introduce their menus to these students. William Carbajal, a team member at Dave’s Hot Chicken, said, “We decided to participate to help support the community.” He also said the restaurant chose to participate to introduce more students to its food, hoping students who enjoyed its samples would later visit the business and help it gain visibility among Hofstra students and other members of the local community. The event also featured student performances hosted by Hofstra Concerts, a bouncy house race and an axe throwing booth for students to enjoy free of cost.

A 6-year-old girl in China set women’s Rubik’s Cube speed record – Wednesday, Sept. 23 A new women’s world record of solving the 3x3 Rubik’s Cube was set by 6-year-old Lian Yunzhi, who broke the average time of 4.52 seconds at a World Cube Association-certified competition held in the city of Wuhan, China. Yunzhi set the record to 4.27 seconds and became the only female speedcuber to achieve an average time below 4.5 seconds. Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle

Graphic designed and information compiled by Natalia Rivera

Taste of the Neighborhood was introduced as part of President Susan Poser’s inaguration celebration five years ago.

A4 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

NEWS

‘Deconstructing Venus:’ New exhibit featuring female artwork and artists

CONTINUED FROM A1 Lori Horowitz, a Long Islandbased visual artist and president of the New York Society of Women Artists, had two of her mixed-media artworks featured in the exhibition. Horowitz said her work reflected what she sees around her in terms of politics, economics and social issues. One of her pieces, “Venus Among Her Treasures,” which she worked on three years ago, was an homage to her close friend who passed away. “I have had a very close friend, who’s quite a dynamic [and] strong woman, who was out there,” Horowitz said. “I advocated for her while she was sick and pretty much on her deathbed. I found out that she had some very personal traumas and very personal demons that I never knew about. So, after this piece was finished, I realized that it was a portrait of her.”

The exhibit also showcased non-Western art to demonstrate similar societal expectations of women outside Europe and North America. During the event, Sasha Giordano, director of the Museum of Art, spoke about the meaning of the event as well as expressed her gratitude for the people who had worked on curating the art. “This exhibition itself is a testament to the remarkable team of women who run the museum,” Giordano said. Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library’s Special Collections also created a digital supplement to present artwork from the collection that further reflects themes presented in the exhibit. Susan Grabel, a New Yorkbased sculptor and president of Ceres Gallery, has several of her pieces featured in the exhibit. She started working on her collection called “The Venus Cycle” in the 1990s, with handmade cast paper and collagraph

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle At the exhibition reception, Sasha Giordano, director of the Hofstra University Museum of Art; Presley Rodriguez, assistant director of exhibitions and collections; and artist Susan Grabel gave remarks.

prints exploring the aging of women’s bodies. “I did that in the late 1990s, actually, just noticing changes in my own body and the fact that there were so few positive images of the women in the media

and the way the media displays the women,” Grabel said. “[For] younger women, as well as older women, there is no relationship to what any of us see in the mirror.” Grabel said a significant part

“I found out that she had some very personal traumas and very personal demons that I never knew about. So, after this piece was finished, I realized that it was a portrait of her.”

Royce Dickson-Child/ The Hofstra Chronicle

The Emily Lowe Gallery will display a new exhibition starting January 2027 called ‘Between the Lines: Artists & Writers,’ featuring artwork displaying the relationships between artists and writers.

of her collection was about normalizing the aging process of a woman’s body and to amplify women’s voices and stories. Isabelle Jackson, a freshman political science major, said that the exhibit was important because of the values it represented. “I really was drawn to it because of the feminist values that are portrayed here,” Jackson said. “[Anti-feminism] isn’t an issue that goes away. We are far from perfect equality, and [feminism] really needs to be celebrated.” Along with the opening event of “Deconstructing Venus,” the museum is hosting a panel and other special programs in relation to the exhibit in the coming months. Daniel Waiata Parr, a senior filmmaking, philosophy and religion triple major and student aid at the Museum of Art, has been working at the museum for a year now. “It’s always lovely to see a big crowd at the museum, and I recognize that there are a few of the artists of our pieces in and about the crowd today,” Waiata Parr said. “This might be my favorite exhibit so far. I think all the pieces are so diverse and beautiful.”

THE CHRONICLE

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A5

NEWS

Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Sahana Shastry

Key: PS – Public Safety HU – Hofstra University UFD – Uniondale Fire Department CS – Office of Community Standards

On Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at 8 p.m., an HU student reported to PS they placed their backpack along the sideline near the wall in the HU Fitness Center while playing basketball. Upon retrieving their bag, the student discovered their wallet was missing. Their wallet had been found

in the locker room and returned to the front desk of the Fitness Center. The student reported that cash inside the wallet was missing. Police assistance was declined at the time. On Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at 8:30 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that an unknown person had taken their wallet containing cash from an unlocked locker. Police assistance was declined at the time. On Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at 11:28 p.m., an HU student reported to PS that the paper of a sandwich bag was burning inside the mi-

crowave of Alliance Hall. A different HU student broke the glass for the emergency fire extinguisher. The flame was contained and extinguished before the fire extinguisher could be used. The director on duty was notified and responded. On Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at 4:03 a.m., the fire alarm in Suffolk Hall activated due to an unknown person pulling the alarm on the fifth floor. The fire alarm sounded, and the building was evacuated within five minutes without incident. PS, Plant Department and UFD responded to the location. The situation was

corrected, and the fire alarm was reset. On Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, at 10:35 p.m., the fire alarm in Hofstra USA activated due to burnt pizza in Dutch Treats. The fire alarm sounded, and the building was evacuated within one minute without incident. PS, Plant and UFD responded to the location. The situation was corrected, and the fire alarm was reset. On Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, at 10:41 a.m., an HU student reported to PS they left their electric scooter locked outside of Alliance Hall for the weekend. Upon

return, the scooter was missing, but the lock was still there. Police assistance was declined at the time. On Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, at 5:25 p.m., while on routine patrol, PS observed a lit candle inside a room in Breukelen House of The Netherlands Complex. The room was unoccupied at the time. The candle was confiscated and vouchered at public safety. The resident of the room was referred to the Office of Residence Life.

A6 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

FEATURES

Our Voices at Hofstra: Layla McNeil By Denivia Rivera FEATURES EDITOR

“To be a person of color in a position of power, knowing that I would stand up for someone if they had asked or if a problem had come to my attention, makes me feel comfortable, and I think would make other people of color feel comfortable,” said sophomore dance and public relations (PR) double major Layla McNeil. McNeil serves as the PR chair for Hofstra University’s Mind Vision Movement (MoVoM) and acapella group Making Treble. She is also one of the morale chairs for Hofstra’s Dance Marathon and a member of the Eta Nu Chapter of Delta Gamma. Last semester, McNeil ran for public relations chair of MoVoM with the desire to get more involved in the dance department while involving her public relations major in her work. “I posted videos of our student choreography auditions recently,” McNeil said. “With MoVoM, it’s different because that is the main dance [Instagram] page that people who are looking into Hofstra as a college for dance will look at.

It’s a lot more professional so a lot more work and time goes into that.” McNeil is also immersing herself with the dance community on Hofstra’s campus by holding a leadership role in this year’s iteration of Hofstra’s Dance Marathon. “For Dance Marathon, I’m going to be a co-host with Sami Bruce, [a junior dance major], in a couple of months,” McNeil said. “We come up with a dance, and we teach everyone that comes to the event and keep it going, like a line dance type of thing.” Hofstra’s Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropic event that raises money for Cohen Children’s Medical Center. McNeil said the event is open to everyone and the committee is trying to get as many people to attend as possible. The event will be hosted on Nov. 7 in

Hofstra USA. In addition to her previously mentioned leadership positions, McNeil said she ran for PR chair of acapella group Making Treble to express the creative side of her ability. “For PR for Making Treble, I run all of the social media platforms,” McNeil said. “It’s all of my creative ability. I post any events that we have, meet the [executive] board and meet the sections. I am currently in the process of making videos that help promote our Instagram to have more followers. We really want to get ourselves out there so we can go to more events.” Not only is McNeil a dancer at Hofstra, but she is also a vocal performer, having participated in the Vocal Jazz Ensemble for two semesters last year. “I joined Vocal Jazz because jazz is kind of where I feel like my voice feels comfortable,”

Photo courtesy of Shea Gordon

“Seeing someone that looks like you in a position of power, and knowing that they could stand up for you in a room that you’re not in is so important ...”

Photo provided by Layla McNeil

McNeil said. “I have a really emotional connection to jazz and the messages that it gives.” “I was offered a solo in the concert at the end of the semester, and I sang ‘Moon River,’” McNeil said. “It hits home because that was one of the first jazz songs that I ever practiced singing with. The next semester I got offered another solo.” McNeil began seriously singing in high school when she auditioned for “A Chorus Line.” “[In ‘A Chorus Line’] there was one character that danced, but couldn’t sing,” McNeil said. “That was her thing. You had to sing for the audition, but they knew I was a dancer. I sang ‘Almost There’ from ‘The Princess and the Frog,’ and all of their jaws dropped.” However, McNeil didn’t end up getting a callback. So, she

went back the next day to ask for another chance and wound up getting the role, boosting her confidence in singing. Seeking a sense of community that was lacking in her high school, McNeil said she joined Delta Gamma to have a community she can represent. “In high school, I never got to rep something,” McNeil said. “I never had that team of people that you just support. That’s why I joined Greek life in the first place. I wanted to feel like I had something to give my heart to.” After experiencing division in her high school, McNeil noted the importance of having students of color in leadership positions at Hofstra. “People are so quick to look at you and immediately define who you are as a person,” McNeil said. “I’m half white

and half Black, and growing up I felt like I never fit in with either group. I never fit in with the Black kids. They always said I was whitewashed, and then with the white kids, I never fit in with them. I felt like I was always hopping back and forth between identities.” McNeil said she thinks having student leaders of color helps other students of color feel more comfortable in a space. “Seeing someone that looks like you in a position of power, and knowing that they could stand up for you in a room that you’re not in is so important,” McNeil said. “It’s not funny to joke around or make someone feel small for being who they are. So, coming from a place of hurt and of not fitting in certain places, being in a position of power where I can make sure no one is feeling down or hurt for being who they are, is so important. I know that I’ll be there for that person. I’ll stand up for them. I’ll say something. They might not know that, but I know that I will do that for them.”

THE CHRONICLE

FEATURES

By Hannah Mudry

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A7

Chron Critique: Minion Rush and scramble down tracks by swiping left, right, up and down on the screen. Players try to collect bananas along the way. The bananas can be cashed in for new locations, outfits and cosmetics. The endless running route features lane splits, slides, rockets, other minions and jam machines. Along the path, players may also run into mystery boxes, filled with possible superpowers, including flying Fluffy Unicorn, piloting Gru’s rocket, vacuuming bananas or turning into a Mega Minion. Villains, including Vector and El Macho, appear at certain checkpoints for the minions to outrun and outplay. The game resembles Subway Surfers, another endless runner game for mobile devices. On level one, the minion starts in Gru’s lab and runs from Kyle, Gru’s scary dog. The player avoids obstacles and collects bananas through the rest of Gru’s lab. Similarly, in Subway Surfers, the player runs from the subway ticketer and collects coins along the way. For a 2013 game, the graphics are great. The game developers

programmed hundreds of updates to ensure the graphics and content continue to be engaging. Turning on the game today looks crisp and fun, matching the animation style of new movies. The plus side of strong graphics is that the game feels relevant and up to date; however, the game’s newer animation style loses the nostalgic element I played Minion Rush for. Now, I find myself playing one or two runs before getting bored because even though the game is exactly the same, I crave the old graphics and childlike characters. As a kid, I used to laugh and laugh when I knocked out another minion along the route – non-playable minions stand on the edge of the track and in front of obstacles. When a player successfully hits a minion, they earn points while the minion dramatically throws itself toward the screen. I giggled a little when I saw it recently because I forgot it was a characteristic of the game. As players complete more runs and collect more bananas, they advance in levels, leading to new locations. The locations reflect

key moments in different movies: Gru’s lab, Minion Beach, El Macho’s Lair and The Mall are just a few. Rumors took to social media on Tuesday, Sept. 22, saying game developers are considering shutting down Minion Rush after 13 years. Minion Rush rose to the number one most downloaded family game in the application store the week the rumors circulated. I downloaded the game again with the fear it would leave. Gameloft has since confirmed

the news on Friday, Sept. 25, stating the game will be removed from all app stores on Oct. 30, with the game officially shutting down on Jan. 29, 2027. Minion Rush continues to be an interesting game with a fun premise. The game reflects childhood nostalgia but stays relevant with new graphics and updates. Whether that is important is determined by the desires of the player: to play for childhood nostalgia or to just play a fun, no-brainpower game.

was just mine. I still, however, had to follow the rules and restrictions that came with living Moving off campus during in a residence hall. Now, living my time at Hofstra University in a house, I can decorate my has been a big change. Living room and the rest of my space in a dormitory made it easy to whichever way I want. I do not get to class, meet people and have to worry about the long list take advantage of everything of “dos and don’ts” and “cans the college campus had to offer; and can’t haves,” and I don’t however, living off campus has have to be worried that my room provided me with more freedom won’t pass an inspection from and privacy and has helped me the fire marshal. Being able to to save money. I moved off make my living space feel like campus after my spring semesmy own has made living off ter of 2026, during which I lived campus so much more comfortin a single dorm my sophomore able and enjoyable than living year. I now live with eight of on campus. my closest friends, and I have Another major benefit is experienced both the positives having my own room while still and the negatives of living away being surrounded by commufrom campus. nity. During my first year and The biggest advantage of a half at Hofstra, I lived with a living off campus has been the roommate in one of the campus freedom and the privacy. When towers. I loved my roommate, I lived in my single dorm, I had don’t get me wrong, but while my own room and could come we got along great, I wished for and go as I pleased and live how my own space. Living by myself I wanted to live in a space that last semester was just too lone-

ly, though. I was too by myself. Now, living in a house with my friends is really nice. I have my own peaceful oasis I can return to anytime – my room – while still being able to hear the laughter from downstairs and knowing I’m not alone. I have the independence of living off campus while still having a social environment similar to the one I enjoyed while living on campus my freshman year. Cost is another important advantage. Even though renting the house I live in now comes with utilities, rent, groceries and other household costs, it is still cheaper than living on campus. In my situation, paying rent for my house all year – including summer vacation – is cheaper than living on campus for the eight months I attend classes. Being able to stay in the same house year-round also means I do not have to move my stuff out at the end of the year and find somewhere to keep it

during break. There are also disadvantages to living off campus, though. One thing I do miss about living on campus is the natural social interactions that occurred. When living in a dorm, I would constantly run into people I knew while walking to class, grabbing a bite to eat or just waiting in the elevator. Those random interactions made it easier to feel connected to people I didn’t see daily. Now that I live off campus and I’m not using the common spaces or paths that everyone used, I have to make a greater effort to stay connected and to stay up to date with what’s happening on campus. Cooking for myself has also been another challenge. While I love cooking for myself, living in a dorm meant that on-campus dining was close and convenient. If I was hungry, I could quickly and easily walk to the dining hall and get something to eat. Now, I live closer to where

my classes are but farther away from the dining options, so it makes more sense to cook for myself. But that means grocery shopping, planning meals, cooking, cleaning up and doing all of that on top of a day of classes. On the bright side, I have control over what I eat. This means more variety than the options provided by the school. Overall, moving off campus has both advantages and disadvantages depending on what preferences you have. I miss some of the on-campus convenience and spontaneous social interactions that came with living in the dorms. But, having the ability to decorate my space, come home to the people I love while being away from my family and the financial benefit of living here year-round makes the move worthwhile for me. Living off campus has given me independence without taking away the sense of community that makes college feel special.

MANAGING EDITOR

As we get further into 2026, the nostalgia trend is dying across social media. “Bring back 2016” dominated January, and Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino returned for one summer weekend. Since then, there has not been much reflection of the past in media trends. However, I have not let go of my favorite childhood games, foods and movies. One game I always go back to playing is Minion Rush: Running Game. The “Despicable Me” themed game, developed by Gameloft, was released in 2013 on mobile platforms. The game has had over 1 billion downloads and earned multiple awards – The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award in 2014 for Favorite App and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Kids’ Vote in 2013 for Game Winner, as well as receiving a nomination at the People’s Choice Awards in 2016 for Favorite Mobile Game. Players control a minion as they dodge obstacles, jump, roll

Photo courtesy of Gameloft

Personal Essay: Off-Campus vs. Dorming

By Cassidy Isaacson SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

A8 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

FEATURES

MAN ON THE UNISPAN “What is your favorite fall activity?”

By Denivia Rivera

THE CHRONICLE

Overheard @ hofstra “Does anyone know anything about how to catch a predator?”

FEATURES EDITOR

“His eyes were laser focused on your butt.”

“You pulled trig in front of their house.” “Going to a pumpkin patch.” - Jacob Iacobovici, junior

“Me? Shower?”

“Hey Siri, where’s the nearest bridge?”

“I think that shampoo and conditioner are definitely dating.” “Fall Fest.” - Nene Dzaveluri, senior

“Just do it, like Nike said.”

“We just 6-7 ate.”

“Love a good pashmina.”

“Baking.” - Jasier Tejeda, freshman

Marilyn Steele / The Hofstra Chronicle

If there’s something funny you overhear, you can now submit it here! Spread by Emilie Morrissette and Denivia Rivera

THE CHRONICLE

FEATURES

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A9

Club Feature: SOAR’s relaunch

Photo courtesy of Jaid Vazquez

By Anthony Favilla OPINION EDITOR

Hofstra University’s Student Organization for Animal Rights (SOAR) experienced a rebirth as a club. Founded in 2016, SOAR was very active during its first run, advocating for veganism and other alternatives to eating meat; however, the club experienced a hard decline in membership during the Covid-19 pandemic and folded in 2020. During the period following the pandemic, there was not a club on Hofstra’s campus that advocated for animal rights. In 2024, SOAR was reintroduced to Hofstra to fill that gap. The club was reactivated by junior geology major Jaid Vazquez and graduate student Joanna Gibbs. Vazquez joined the executive board as treasurer during the spring 2024 semester, when the club was mostly in the planning stages. They began hosting events again during the fall 2024 semester, and the club grew rapidly from there. Now, SOAR is an incredibly active club on campus, shifting their focus to keeping the community informed about animals on campus and hosting frequent donation drives. Vazquez, now SOAR’s president, was inspired to be a part of the fledgling club as she has owned and loved animals all her life. After President Donald Trump took office, she became bolder as a way to reject potential cuts to environmental services and softening Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations. “As soon as we caught wind of [the cuts to environmental services], we thought that this

would be something good to push back on and educate people about,” Vazquez said. Arietta Xylas, senior biology major on a pre-veterinarian track and current secretary of SOAR, joined the club as soon as it reopened. Though the club is composed of members from all different majors and programs, Xylas felt the club spoke to her as a pre-veterinary student, with her major offering a different perspective on animal rights. “Maybe [others] don’t ever have to work with an animal in a lab, so they form very different opinions about what’s right and wrong,” Xylas said. “Everyone [has] come with many different perspectives, and I think it’s really important for me to be exposed to and in conversation with [these perspectives].” Last year, SOAR hosted a donation drive for the organization Save the Chimps. The non-profit works with chimpanzees rescued from circuses and the pet trade. The club donated blankets, toys and toiletries for the chimpanzees. This November, they plan to host a bake sale to fundraise for the organization Save the Manatees. All are welcome to volunteer for the fundraiser and bake muffins and cupcakes. SOAR is also looking to volunteer at more local shelters, such as All About Cats in Freeport, New York. They have attended beach cleanups in Long Beach, Lido Beach, Jones Beach and others. The club attended some of those cleanups with Hofstra’s Leaders for Environmental Action and Fellowship chapter. LEAF is SOAR’s most frequent

collaborator, working together on projects such as birdhouse making for the Hofstra Bird Sanctuary. “Everything we do is so in tandem,” Vazquez said about LEAF. “Environmentalism and animals go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.” SOAR also works closely with Bidawee, the organization that takes care of the cats on campus. They are working together to create new homes and shelters for the cats. According to Xylas, Bidawee plans to have SOAR communicate things to the Hofstra public for them, acting as a “mouthpiece” for the organization. Bidawee informs the club of their plans for the cats. SOAR also keeps Bidawee up to date with the condition of the cats, specifically contacting them if one is seen injured or in need of assistance. SOAR gets information about the cats from club members and members of their GroupMe. With 140 members, the GroupMe acts to keep not only club members informed, but also people with questions about animal welfare around campus. When crows on campus exhibited signs of avian influenza last semester, members of the organization gave students advice on what to do if they saw an infected bird through the GroupMe. Club members also provide resources, such as shelter names and general tips about taking care of animals. Spencer Hamilton, sophomore forensic science major and treasurer of SOAR, is a volunteer who takes care of the cats and often fields questions about

Photo courtesy of Jaid Vazquez

them in the GroupMe. “The whole community is a super open forum for people to ask questions and express concerns,” Xylas said. “That’s my favorite part of SOAR, and it’s also a part of our importance on campus.” The club also spreads awareness about animal cruelty in the meat industry. As a pescatarian for three years, Vazquez thinks it’s important to call out animal abuse in every industry. While the club used to be very involved with advocating for veganism and other such dietary restrictions before its relaunch, it is now more open to anyone regardless of dietary choices. SOAR does not require anyone to have a dietary restriction to join, but some members do advocate for self-imposed dietary restrictions. SOAR has also gotten more involved on the policy side of animal rights. Recently, they supported a bill in the New York State Senate that would prohibit some animals from being used

in traveling animal acts. Professor Priscilla Mezrahi spoke to the club about how to reach out to local representatives to support the bill – which has since passed the state senate. Vazquez and Xylas view the work of the club as essential to Hofstra to keep people informed about animals on and off campus. Xylas hopes the club will get even more involved in animal rights legislation. “A goal we’ve all discussed is how we really want to get more into the policy side of it,” Xylas said. Vazquez talked about Hofstra’s environment and wanting the student body to know that they can help take care of the animals on campus. “We have lots of wildlife that live here,” Vazquez said. “Wildlife that needs to be protected. If we all band together, then we could help wildlife in ways that you wouldn’t even imagine.”

Photo courtesy of Jaid Vazquez

Taste of the Neighborhood

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

Photo courtesy of Grace Lacek Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

The Hofstra University Emily Lowe Gallery exhibition “Deconstructing Venus” featured art from the 20th century and 21st century which examined womanhood from a female perspective. Historically, women have been blocked from professional artistic careers and, therefore, from the most famous depictions of their bodies, according to the Hofstra Events Calendar. The exhibition will continue until Dec. 11.

Photo courtesy of Grace Lacek

Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

The Office of Student Leadership and Engagement hosted their annual Taste of the Neighborhood event in the Hofstra USA parking lot. The event showcased local restaurants, including Jersey Mike’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken. Students received free samples and coupons to the restaurants in attendance. OSLE also brought out Mister Softee and inflatable games.

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle

Background by Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

‘DECONSTRUCTING DECONSTRUCTING VENUS’ VENUS Background photo by Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle

Spread by Kumba Jagne, Kim Nadler and Joe Orovitz

Arts and Entertainment

VOLUME 94 ISSUE 2

Photo courtesy of Acacia Evans

B2 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

A&E

These 2026 summer movies revived cinema By Avah Laren SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

From traveling to Homer’s ancient Greece, the colorful world of Toy Story and all the way down to Hadestown, audiences had plenty of reasons to trade their streaming services for a seat in the theater this summer. “OBSESSION:” An indie horror film kicked off the summer with an unexpected social media popularity. Originally premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, Curry Barker’s “Obsession” officially hit public theaters last May, bringing a twisted supernatural romance to the horror genre. The story kicks off when Bear, a shy, friend-zoned music store employee, buys and subsequently breaks a mysterious trinket known as the “One Wish Willow” in the hopes of winning over his long-time crush, Nikki; however, this hopeless romantic soon comes to discover the consequences of his actions as he gets exactly what he wished for. When Nikki suddenly falls madly in love with Bear, her affection quickly devolves into a violent, autonomy-stripping fixation, turning his forced romantic fantasy into a claustrophobic, living hell. While the film’s premise is enough to leave audiences scared, it’s Indie Navarrette’s shocking and incredibly intense performance as Nikki that has kept people talking. Her ability to shift from the sweet and unsuspecting Nikki to the obsessively violent “Freaky Nikki,” especially during the film’s more intense scenes, made her performance truly exceptional and established Navarrette as one of this summer’s breakout stars. “THE ODYSSEY:” Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, based on one of literature’s oldest stories, absolutely swept the box office this past summer.

The star-studded cast, made up of Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Noyong’o and Eliot Page came together to bring Odysseus’ decade-long journey home from the Trojan War to the big screen. “The Odyssey” opened to $264.1 million worldwide, marking this Nolan’s biggest opening weekend ever. Shot entirely with IMAX cameras, the film quickly became one of the defining theatrical experiences of the summer. Nolan’s adaptation is about more than the ancient Greek hero’s journey home. The film emphasizes the psychological weight and lingering consequences of the Trojan War while following Odysseus and his crew through the perils that stand between them and home. All these ideas build toward the film’s most iconic scene: Odysseus’ return home. After a decade of travel, his anticipated return is met with the chilling pluck of a bow. The iconic four-note leitmotif wasn’t the only notable musical component. From the raging roar of the Cyclops to the eerie song of the sirens, Ludwig Göransson, the composer of the film’s score, created a breathtaking soundtrack by reconstructing ancient instruments – fully immersing the audience inside the world of ancient Greece. “SUPERGIRL:” James Gunn takes us to the skies with his newest film in the DC Universe, “Supergirl.” Starring the once “Realm’s Delight” of Westeros, Milly Alcock brings the same rebellious and fierce determination to Kara Zor-El, more famously known as Supergirl. The film grossed $68 million globally its opening weekend, setting the stage for a gritty, interstellar epic that takes the iconic superhero beyond the streets of Earth and introduces audiences to a completely different side of the House of El. Nearing her 23rd birthday,

Kara travels the galaxy on a brutal mission of vengeance alongside a young alien named Ruthye who enlists Kara to help track down the cold-blooded fugitive Krem. The two set off across the galaxy, turning Kara’s birthday trip into an unexpected celestial adventure. Beneath the revenge-powered journey, Supergirl unpacks her history on Krypton, her complicated relationship with her famous cousin, Superman, and her struggle with grief. And of course, there is Krypto. This Kryptonian canine became more than just Kara’s super-powered sidekick, stealing every scene with his chaotic energy while giving her a sweet reminder of home and becoming every woman’s best friend. “TOY STORY 5:” The Toy Story franchise is still alive and thriving with its newest addition. Nearly three decades after audiences first met Woody and Buzz, “Toy Story 5” brings the gang back together for another adventure. The film opened to $312 million worldwide with the same nostalgic charm and fan-favorite characters. This time, the toys face a threat a little closer to home: technology. Returning to Bonnie’s bedroom, the toys find themselves competing with the one thing that has captured her attention more than anything else, a snarky frog-themed tablet named Lily. At the center of the film is Jessie, the fiery red-headed cowgirl who steps into the role of Bonnie’s room sheriff. As Bonnie becomes increasingly absorbed in her new tablet, Jessie takes on the challenge of keeping the toys together and reminding Bonnie of the imagination and creativity that once made playtime special. In the film’s most memorable scene, an emotional moment reveals Jessie discovering Emily, her original human owner, named her daughter after the cowgirl, reminding Jessie and the viewers of just how

much our childhood memories mean to us, no matter how much we continue to grow. Famous pop singer Taylor Swift debuted a new single for the film, “I Knew It, I Knew You.” The original song, written and produced with Jack Antonoff, marks a return to Swift’s country roots with fans excited for more. “HADESTOWN:” From stage to screen, “Hadestown” finally released its long-awaited pro-shot of the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical. Following two interconnected ancient Greek myths through a post-apocalyptic, New Orleans-inspired setting, this folk and jazz musical has swept audiences in a riveting story full of love, loss and hope. Originally premiering on Broadway in 2019, “Hadestown” retells the stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone, weaving together themes of devotion, sacrifice and resilience. Its release also sparked a bittersweet trend online in which users shared photos and clips of their loved ones paired with the musical’s infamous refrain from the song “Road to Hell (Reprise),” “It’s a sad song / But we sing it anyway,” mimicking the musical’s emotional motif. The film, initially advertised as a “five nights only” theatrical event, proved too popular to leave the screens that soon and extended its run in theaters by an additional four weeks. Don’t worry if you missed the screenings: they’re going to sing the show again and again because “Hadestown” is still alive and thriving on Broadway with showings eight times per week. Thanks to these stellar films, the 2026 summer box-office was at an all-time high, hitting a record $4.76 billion in the U.S., according to Deadline.

Quick Hits

Want more A&E Content? Scan to learn more about what's happening in the world of entertainment!

Photo courtesy of Variety Tom Holland, Sabrina Carpenter and Margaret Qualley to star in Paul King's untitled Fred Astaire biopic.

Photo courtesy of Billboard

Olivia Rodrigo kicked off her 'Unraveled Tour' in Hartford, Connecticut.

Photo courtesy of MovieWeb

The 'Avengers Endgame: Encore' included new scenes that excited fans.

Photo courtesy of @consequencedaily via Instagram

Nirvana recieved the 2026 Video Vangaurd Award, the highest honor at the MTV VMA Awards.

THE CHRONICLE

Editor's Picks

A&E

‘I’m just a girl,’ says GAYLE on debut album By Matt Fisher ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Photo courtesy of IMDb

MOVIE

'Resident Evil' (2026) Director: Zach Cregger

Photo courtesy of Spotify

SONG

'Autobahn' (2026) Artist: Kim Petras

Photo courtesy of GQ

MOVIE

'Primetime' (2026) Director: Lance Oppenheim

Photo courtesy of Spotify

ALBUM

'petal' (2026) Artist: Ariana Grande

*Find album review on our website

Photo courtesy of GamesBeat

VIDEO GAME

'Marvel's Wolverine' (2026) Creator: Insomiac Games *Find game review on our website

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • B3

GAYLE is observing her chaos. On Friday, Sep. 18, Grammynominated singer-songwriter GAYLE, born Taylor Gayle Rutherford, released her debut studio album “Observing Chaos.” Known for her breakout single, “abcdefu,” and for touring with multi-platinum artists, including Taylor Swift, P!NK, Cyndi Lauper, Tate McRae, AJR and My Chemical Romance, the Billboard charttopping singer's debut album details her “tumultuous transition” from her teenage years to adulthood. “When I was looking at the songs I’ve written over the past four years, [I realized] the ages of 17 to 20 is literally straight up chaos,” shared GAYLE during a virtual interview with The Hofstra Chronicle. “Then, I realized, even just down to the story I was telling as a listener, you were truly just observing chaos.” For the now 22-year-old artist, the “chaos” emerged under circumstances that would be considered abnormal for any teenager. “I was 17 when I put out [‘abcdefu’],” GAYLE said about her breakout single that earned a number three spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed a 2022 Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. “I didn’t realize how young I was. Then, I was 18 when I had the honor of opening up for [Swift] and P!NK. I just got asked to do such incredible gigs … I truly was a kid in my bedroom playing guitar and then, within a year and a half, opening up for [Swift].” While grateful for her career successes, GAYLE still faced typical teenage issues, which she chose to make the focus of “Observing Chaos.” “For this album, I’m kind of giving you an insight on more of my life [and] what it was

like to be a teenager, rather than being a teenager on the internet,” she said. “Yes, I had a song on the radio and [was] opening for [Swift, but] I still got cheated on. I still had dealt with things that were so normal … I think that’s also why it’s ‘Observing Chaos’ – because, yes, I was doing this stuff, but I was just a girl. I’m just a girl.” As a self-labeled “perfectionist” with a busier than average schedule, GAYLE waited years to begin work on her first fulllength project. “I felt like I couldn’t be the best opener I possibly could be while making the best album,” she explained. “I didn’t want to feel like I half-a**ed my debut album, and so when I came off tour … I wish I would [have] been able to … instantly jump in the studio and start working, but I left the house at 17 and came back at 20 and was like, ‘Who am I?’ and kind of had a little bit of an accidental crisis and kind of took a year to figure out what was happening ... Then, I was able to kind of step up and think, ‘Okay, now’s the time.’ It was one of those things where I realized I wasn’t doing things because I was scared, and I [realized] I can’t let fear control me anymore.” Her willingness to move beyond fear also shaped the project’s creative direction, encouraging the Texas-born singer to embrace her full range of musical influences. “Originally, I was really leaning into ‘Observing Chaos’ genre-wise because I really love pop music and I love writing pop music,” GAYLE said. “But I’m also extremely inspired by rock music and indie music and pop-punk music … I’m from Texas and live in Nashville, and I grew up around a really intense singer-songwriter community. I wanted to have a project that [allowed me to] explore my inspirations while still feeling like a consistent project.” Leading up to the album,

GAYLE released three singles, “junebug!,” “loving you is” and “bite the bullet,” each hinting at “subtle inspirations” that she “takes from different genres.” “‘Junebug!’ to me is kind of representing my love for bedroom pop and indie pop,” she said. “I think you can just kind of hear that in the way I’m stacking the vocals. The song overall is very messy, but I am doing it intentionally ... I feel like ‘loving you is’ [represents] my love for pop music and just straight up songs that I think are really catchy. It is also kind of showing you that okay, yeah, this album is going to kind of talk about a relationship and talk about an intense moment in my life. ‘Bite the bullet,’ in my opinion, kind of plays off of [the term] ‘bite the bullet,’ just in the way that we’re stacking the vocals. But then it kind of highlights a little bit more of the rock and maybe, like, punk inspirations that are in a few of the songs.” The album was produced and written alongside Caroline Pennell, Reed Berin, John DeBold and Noah Conrad, all of whom the singer has been “lucky to work with for a long time.” “I actually met [Conrad] over Zoom when I worked with him when I was 16 years old,” GAYLE recalled of the famed producer and songwriter who has previously worked with other artists, including

Chappell Roan, BTS, Kelsea Ballerini and Role Model. “It’s really cool getting to see his growth in his career … He’s friends with such talented people, like, it’s absolutely insane, and he’s such a funny, nice [and] talented guy ... [DeBold] is hilarious. I had such a wonderful time writing with him and working with him – such a talented guy, and the songs he’s created are just insane. [Berin,] I’ve been working with since I was 14, and he’s become, like, my partner in crime with music. He’s really pushed me. He’s made me a better guitar player … songwriter [and] ... singer.” With the support of her longtime collaborators, GAYLE has found honesty doesn’t rely on having everything figured out but on embracing the uncertainty that continues to shape her artistry. “My takeaway from this album is I hope you can just listen to it and also think, ‘Wow, this girl just wants to do music, and she’s just trying to figure out the most honest path to take to then do music for the rest of [her] life,’” GAYLE concluded. “I’m just a girl who wants to do music, and I’m just trying to figure out the most honest ways to do that.” “Observing Chaos” is now available on all major streaming platforms.

Photo courtesy of Acacia Evans

B4 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

A&E

Debut album review: ADÉLA is the ‘PRIMA’ of pop By Maltide Gaudio SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

On Friday, Sept. 4, musical artist ADÉLA released “PRIMA,” an 11-track debut album, with Capitol Records. The album’s title, per ADÉLA’s announcement via an Instagram post, describes her goal to become the “prima ballerina” of pop music, which combines her past as a ballerina and her chosen genre. If you know ADÉLA, you’ve probably heard of her through two things: her time on “Dream Academy,” the reality competition show where she competed to be part of KATSEYE’s lineup and her insanely viral song “Ain’t in LA.” While her debut EP, “The Provocateur,” partially addressed public perceptions of her following “Dream Academy,” “PRIMA” proves the experience was only a launching pad for ADÉLA’s artistic vision. “PRIMA” starts with lead single “KGB,” which ADÉLA described to Vanity Fair in April as a “get-to-know-me track”

that also showcases her sense of humor. It delves into details of her childhood in Slovakia dreaming about pop stardom while introducing listeners to the album’s themes. This energy carries into track two, “Nicole Kidman,” where ADÉLA’s soft vocals emphasize the self-confident lyrics that affirm her popstar ambitions, including a cheeky reference to her “pop princess” license plate. Track three, “I’m The Man,” places the dominant persona ADÉLA established on “The Provocateur” back in the forefront while also inserting some brazen humor. It’s a catchy, deeply fun song that reverses stereotypical notions of gender dynamics in relationships with lyrics like “In my itty, bitty dress / I’m the man.” “Boys,” track four, has arguably the strongest production on the album, as well as the vocal talents of KATSEYE’s Lara Raj in its spoken interludes. The song describes the experience of trying to party with your female friends without male intrusion.

In track five, “Red Bottoms,” ADÉLA likens herself to a pair of worn-out red bottom shoes to describe the lingering feeling that her partner is going to lose interest, suggesting ADÉLA’s feelings of inadequacy. ADÉLA’s vocals are at their most delicate, which highlights the fear of abandonment in her lyrics. Track six, “Hitachi,” also narrates a relationship’s decline as her partner’s initial passion for her starts to fade. It’s also a deeply honest track, as ADÉLA admits to crossing her own boundaries to try to keep his interest. “Fantasize,” track seven, marks the moment where ADÉLA stops mourning her past relationship and starts looking elsewhere for the attention she deserves. It signals a reclaiming of the positive energy of the earlier tracks. Track eight, “Starving Artist,” features the raunchiest lyrics on the album. Rich with double entendres, it’s a playful track with a catchy chorus. “Marijuana,” the ninth track,

depicts a possibly unequal relationship. She sings, “I think I like you like you like marijuana.” It adds a layer of nuance to what is otherwise a sweetly infectious love song. The penultimate track, “Therapy,” which ADÉLA told Capital Buzz she freestyled in the studio while sick, reveals a more vulnerable side to the album and the singer’s popstar persona. The song establishes nostalgia for home that pays off perfectly in the final track,

“Ain’t in LA.” Track 11, “Ain’t in LA,” is ADÉLA at her best. As the third single, it went viral on social media as a way for girls from places underrepresented in mainstream media to celebrate where they come from. Overall, as a debut album, “PRIMA” showcases ambition and the skill to execute a clear creative vision. If you’re looking for the next pop phenomenon, you don’t want to miss out on ADÉLA.

Iron Maiden remains one of metal’s best live acts By Ethan Poole SPORTS EDITOR

Labor Day weekend saw Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, become a heavy metal cathedral. British metal titans, Iron Maiden, headlined a two-night stop on their “Run For Your Lives World Tour 2026” with support from thrash metal legends Anthrax and Megadeth on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Sunday, Sept. 6. This power trio of bands showed, despite their age, they are still among metal’s greatest live acts. Anthrax kicked things off with a seven-song warm up. Rhythm guitarist Scott Ian electrified the crowd even before a single note was played. Stepping onto the stage and spinning his finger around, Ian delivered the universal signal for the crowd to begin to mosh. Fittingly, the opening riff to “Caught in a Mosh” followed and sent the stadium into hysterics. My personal highlight was their performance of “Medusa,” a deep

cut off their 1985 breakout album, “Spreading the Disease.” In my two prior Anthrax concerts, they had not played it live. The whole band was in top form, especially singer Joey Belladonna, who delivered his trademark soaring melodic vocals. This was my third time seeing Anthrax and they’ve never disappointed me. The only negative to their set is the 30-minute time crunch. Megadeth came on stage next, and this was the band I was the most nervous about seeing. I had never seen them live, and their recent albums have ranged from mediocre to bad with David Scott Mustaine’s live vocals having become a bit of a punchline in the metal community. I am overjoyed to say my concerns were washed away by the opening riff of “Hangar 18,” the second song in their set. Mustaine had a good night and left a lot of

the high notes for the crowd to take over, which wasn’t a problem for 30,000 ravenous metalheads. The backing band was absolutely electric. Megadeth has had a lot of turnovers in their lineup history, and while nothing will ever come

live, and they form a cohesive unit. The four-piece roared through a nine-song set. “The Conjuring” was a fantastic surprise in the middle and “Sweating Bullets” was a crowd pleaser. Everyone in the stadium was waiting for one song: “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due.” It’s Megadeth’s traditional closer and is every bit as perfect live as it is on the studio recording. Next up was the main event. The 40-minute wait between Megadeth and Iron Maiden only served to build the tension to a fever pitch. The stadium exploded as soon as the opening Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone notes to “Murders in the Rue Morgue” played. close to their legendary “Rust in The entire band was in top form, Peace” era lineup of Mustaine, especially singer Bruce Dickinson. Marty Friedman, Nick Menza and The human air raid siren hit every David Ellefson, the current lineup, note like it was 1985. I had some consisting of Mustaine, Teemu concerns about the drumming, Mäntysaari, James LoMenzo and since Simon Dawson replaced the Dirk Verbeuren, sounds massive immortal Nicko McBrain behind

Photo courtesy of Billboard

the kit last year and has faced some criticism, but Dawson put together a solid performance. Outside of a considerably slowed tempo during “Killers,” he played everything very faithfully. The setlist was incredible and only featured songs from Iron Maiden’s first nine albums. This was my fourth Iron Maiden show, and I got to see songs that I never thought I’d see played live, especially “Infinite Dreams,” which was played for the first time since 1988 earlier this tour. The entire production was jaw dropping. Massive screens with moving graphics replaced Iron Maiden’s typical use of props, but there was still just as much pyrotechnics as ever. I’ve said for years that Iron Maiden is the greatest live band on Earth, and at their shows in New Jersey, they reminded me exactly why.

A12 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

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OPINION

The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. They are not an endorsement of the views of the Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

Sydney Sweeney’s advertisement is ‘Just Sports,’ right? By Eris Kabanda SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

“My body, my choice” does not mean exploit the female anatomy and disguise it as empowering feminism. Unfortunately, people, like actress Sydney Sweeney, believe it does. Over the past few weeks, the internet has been hit with another controversial advertisement from the “Euphoria” actress in a campaign for the sportsbetting application Novig. The advertisement consists of Sweeney in full nudity representing different sports such as football, basketball and baseball. Throughout the campaign, she repeats the company’s motto, “Just Sports,” as she positions herself in a sensual, vulgar manner in front of balls and nets. The internet was once

again displeased with the way Sweeney presented herself to the public, and I have never agreed with X users more. This comes just a few months after Sweeney was featured in an American Eagle advertisement, flaunting her “good jeans.” People online were enraged and deeply disturbed by the underlying, raciallycharged pun on having “good genes” – all because someone over at American Eagle thought it would be a great idea to have a blueeyed, blonde, white woman be the face of having “good genes.” Women in sports are already largely disrespected in the media, physically and even within their own professional field. Using an actress known for exploiting her body to the

public, specifically for the malegaze, to promote a sports-betting application endorses a false image of women in sports. This image fuels the crowd that discredits female athletes and the rigor of their work by further sexualizing women who participate in the sports demonstrated in the advertisement. We should be watching actual women in sports. The more attention we give to Sweeney for these harmful advertisements, the deeper we feed into whatever satisfaction her incel fanbase garners from this type of press. Let’s talk about real sports and real women empowerment. Eris Kabanda is a freshman journalism major. You can find her on Instagram @erissborealis.

Plug in your outlets, Hofstra By Anthony Favilla OPINION EDITOR

When I’m in a public space at Hofstra University and I need to charge my laptop or phone, I often look for an open outlet. They can be difficult to find sometimes, often being in inconvenient places or not there at all. Luckily, for me, couches in locations including the Commuter Lounge, the Pride Den and Breslin Hall have outlets readily available on the legs. Sometimes, side tables will have available outlets too. The outlets are convientely on the furniture, rather than having students reach for the wall. The school saves us from reaching into dark

corners behind chairs; however, most of the time, the furniture outlets are unplugged. It is inconvenient and a slap in the face to Hofstra students to have non-working outlets in essential locations. I challenge you to look under the couches in the Commuter Lounge; they’re unplugged. This goes for the outlets in the couches in residential buildings, as well. This begs the question: Why have couches with outlets attached to them if they will not be connected? It is not just those two locations either. I have plugged my computer into outlets in the Pride Den, the lounge in Breslin Hall and in some of the chairs in Bits & Bytes, and no power comes through.

It speaks to Hofstra’s lack of care to upkeep the convenient technology it has provided for students. Why tease people with outlets if they can’t use them? The furniture’s outlet should be plugged in. It is great that Hofstra has these couches as they can be very useful. I would love to not have to search for an outlet on the wall every time, so having outlets built into the furniture is much easier. If they actually were plugged in from time to time, I would use them more. Anthony Favilla is a junior journalism major. You can find him on Instagram @antho_fav_jrnl.

Digital minimalism in a technology-dependent society By BK Kennedy SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Four weeks into the semester, I have already had several instances where Hofstra University staff and peers have asked me to scan a QR code. They asked me to do something online, despite the fact that we are both present and alive in the real world. Whether it was to print an article, register my attendance or join a club, I had to tell them I could not. When they asked why this was, I simply took out my phone: a TCL Flip 2 – a model with no internet browser function. Allow me to supply some context for what informed my phone decision. As this past summer began, and I was craving the structure academic life brings, I took personal stock of what I was doing with my life. I realized that people around me, myself included, were just

existing while the technology they used did the heavy lifting. In June, I deactivated my Instagram account and switched phones. Implementing digital minimalism has changed my life for the better and is one of the best decisions I have made for my well-being. Firstly, my relationship with technology changed from one of nearly blind reliance to thoughtful, individual discernments. Considering the cost and benefits of using a particular technology has not only prompted a reclaiming of my human agency, but a deeper connection with myself. Similarly, my relationships have improved as I favored in-person conversations instead of texts that can risk misinterpretation. Additionally, I do not have any social media as to not live in constant comparison to my peers. Social media cannot carry the

true weight of the human experience. We are simply alone online alongside others, scrolling away our precious time and effort on algorithms of slop while getting jealous of framed images people post. This problem extends further than just Instagram; consider LinkedIn, where one literally must market the idea of themself to get a job. This is perhaps what Jean Baudrillard was almost predicting in “Simulacra and Simulation,” with how signs can be taken for reality. Furthermore, consider three waves of technological advancement: industrial, computer and artificial intelligence (AI). Each of these incurred massive costs on the overall human ability to create, to know and, now, to think. My concern is if humanity keeps relegating their faculties to non-human instruments and transferring our abilities onto

technology, what traits remain of our species that separate us from others in the animal kingdom? Not only this, but the rest of life also loses its charm. Friendships are a number on a profile. Music is background noise. Life is dulled, and what is to blame but rash adoption of technology? Embracing a posture of digital minimalism, at least in a personal sense regarding use of new technology, can be incredibly fruitful in the realms of concentration, inner peace, understanding and beyond. Perhaps downgrading your phone may just upgrade your actual life. I am not saying you have to throw out all technology. You very well may be reading this online. Additionally, consider how many assignments you have to submit on Canvas. Just as you think before you act, you should think before you ChatGPT (or consider if

you should even consult AI programs). Follow suit before you use any technology. Those of you who are worried about being left behind, who is to say the future path is the right one? Are you to wait and see, playing it safe only to possibly be rid of your humanity? Indeed, the future may be easier, but living itself has not come easy. Convenience slaughters meaning, and what is more meaningful than a human life? When I see a QR code, I cannot help but see static. I see a distortion of what reality should entail – misrepresentation of what human interaction should offer and is instead relegated to technology. Reflecting on these squares and rectangles, consider this: Do you own your phone, or does your phone own you? BK Kennedy is a senior philosophy and history double major.

THE CHRONICLE

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A13

OPINION

Portmanteaus ACROSS 1 16-year-old's want 4 A female deer 7 ___ Edebiri of "The Bear" 10 Greek god of war 12 Small batteries 13 Stimpy's pal 14 No-nos at a racetrack 16 Shirts, colloquially 18 Frank Sinatra's "___ Kick Out of You" 19 "Got a better idea?" 21 Trig functions, for example 23 Become acquainted over Zoom 24 Canadian neighbor of NY, abbr. 25 Often described as "bottomless" 26 Frozen spikes 28 Popular hybrid pastry 31 Closed Hofstra University eatery, familiarly 34 Tackled 35 Satellite of 1962 38 Annual subscription period 40 Solitary 41 Warrior, in yoga

42 Pants hybrid, like 25- and 28-across named by a portmanteau 44 Olympic stadium cry 45 California city, Santa ___ 46 Milkshake add-in 47 Black gunk 48 Highways, for example 49 DiCaprio, to fans

4 11

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25 26

34 38

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DOWN 41 42 1 Spotted cat 2 Catherine of 44 45 _____ 3 Student's 47 48 second chance 4 Actor Daniel ___ 29 Had nothing left Kim 30 ____ A'zion 5 Solemn pledges 31 Lacking 6 "It," in Italian, traditional masculine musical keys 7 19th century 32 Type of bracelet writer Ward 33 Magic word 8 1987 Malian Back at Hofstra 35 What is film ACROSS 37 Where a 9 "Hang on!" 1 Snow gear currently Hofstra student 11 "The X-Files" resemblingpopularmight purchase their textbooks 36 Slowness program, for overalls, colloquially 42 "Light" swords 37ofSkinny43 Like a short 7 Opposite present39 Slightly convenient open 15 Forbid 13 "No hard washer and doors dryer feelings, dude" 17 Rogen of 14 Largest43 cityBeetle in 44juice? Nova ___ Superbad England 45 It makes the Statue of 20 Used to be 15 Coy response to a compliment Liberty green 22 TV Girl's debut 16 "I mess with it" 46 Main part of the human body studio album17 Newly renovated 47 Uses money "French ___" dining hall DOWN 25 Sad, colorfully inside Memorial 1 Q-Tip Hall 2 "Felicity" star 26 12 months from 19 "Me too," Russell formally now 3 American 20 ___ pet rapper and 27 Like a button22 Prefix with actor "present" and 4 Grown and 28 Cut of lamb "vore" 25 Freshmen dorm complex, familiarly "The ____" 26 "Bye-bye Miss American ___" 28 Purple and gold university

shaped miniature trees 5 Greek "I," plural 6 To be without vision 7 Said, "She was with me all day" 8 ___ language 9 To tell on

40 43 46 49

Graphic by Nola Dunnaway Last edition’s answer key: 1

15 17

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21 Taiwanese manufacturer of thin computers 22 Magnum ___ 23 Bite-sized version of traditional Mexican dish 24 One who lives

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39 "Door's open, come ___!" 40 Unwanted part of an orange 41 When planes are due, for short 42 Sound barrier breaker, for short

Email us at huchronicle.op.ed@gmail.com or check out our Instagram @huchronicle for this edition’s answers.

A14 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

OPINION

The inaccessibility of Hofstra’s new signs By Olivia Ladd STAFF COPY EDITOR

With a new semester comes new updates. Hofstra University adopted new signage to the grounds. Gone are the distinct blue markers that can still be spotted throughout the north campus, and in their place, there are sleek gray pillars. Some may say they bring a refreshing, modern look to Hofstra, but I am more concerned with the accessibility – or lack thereof – that the new signs have. Accessibility does not seem to be at the forefront of Hofstra’s design choices. It appears they care more about taking on a minimalist direction. I was initially struck by how much smaller the text on the signs is; it is not as visible from the

pathways as it was on the former blue signs. Before, I had no issue being able to read the signs casually while walking around campus, but now I struggle. The new signs require you to be much closer to clearly read them. This makes it harder to know where you are and to find the building you need. I can imagine this made navigating a new environment for freshman more challenging than it would have been previously. Getting to class on time is already a stressful task, and between looking for parking and weaving through crowds, finding where you need to go should be easy for everyone. In addition to the text size being reduced, the text has been changed from white on blue signage to blue on gray signage. The blue text against

the gray metal can be hard to see from far away, especially when the sun reflects directly off the signs or at night when visibility is already low. With fall just beginning, more and more daylight will be lost and the difficulty seeing the signs will only increase. Not only are the words smaller and less readable, but they are also placed on buildings out of most people’s immediate line of sight. Considering the reduction size, the signs are much easier to miss in comparison to the old signs. Now, having the signs next to the doors is a thoughtful placement; however, they do not have braille on them like most signs by building entrances do. Once again, Hofstra did not account for people with limited sight.

Some may argue you can use Google Maps or the QR code on the signs to help find buildings on campus. They are correct, but the QR codes on the signs are placed at the bottom. To scan it, you have to crouch or bend over to reach it. This is another issue of accessibility because it does not account for someone with limited mobility. In addition to being at the bottom, the QR codes are very small, which makes for another element of how the signs are hard to see. All of these design aspects put together result in more of a burden placed on students and divides their attention between their phone and surroundings. We all know many people are already not fully paying attention while walking – phone or not.

Accessibility should mean creating experiences that reduce barriers and burdens on individuals. The new signs implemented do not foster an equitable experience for students, staff or visitors. Hofstra’s north campus still has some of the older signs. Hopefully, when replacing these, Hofstra further reviews planned placement and design elements; and, if possible, it addresses the signs’ accessibility and student concerns for a more equal campus experience for all.

Olivia Ladd is a senior English major.

Autocorrect: Correcting my culture cont. CONTINUED FROM A1 While autocorrect plays the role of training wheels for many adults out there, for individuals with diverse identities, it’s more like a road with speed bumps every two feet. Imagine this: You’re crying and distraught, trying to text your support system in the way that you usually do – only for autocorrect to change your words into something else. Suddenly you find yourself pausing, blinking away tears as you struggle to see the screen, deleting and retyping the same message again and again. Autocorrect filters out my speech. It kills the vernacular. The concept of autocorrect comes from the company Microsoft. When Dean Hachamovitch, who was part of the Word team, decided typing was a matter of “a little bit of creativity and a whole lot of scutwork,” as stated in a 2014 WIRED article. From a functionality standpoint, and from the standpoint of an overthinker, I can see how it can be convenient to let autocorrect be your cowriter

when your thoughts race faster than your typing ability. Microsoft’s dominance ensured that autocorrect became omnipresent. It went from a simple code to a statistical affair where the popularity of a word determined if it made the cut for autocorrect’s dictionary. Oh, and you know that annoying thing autocorrect does when it corrects a word you spelled correctly? That’s called the “Cupertino effect,” when the spell checker will occasionally replace words you spelled right with the wrong word. It is named after the fact some older spell checkers used to replace the English word “cooperation” with “Cupertino” – a Californian city – because its dictionary had only the hyphenated variant, “co-operation.” Drawing the box correctly was never the problem, fitting into it was. Apple’s introduction of predictive text further complicates the matter by employing user-data and artificial intelligence to adjust wording based on observed typing habits. If autocorrect wasn’t

already the “know-it-all” friend who gives their opinion without being asked, it is now recording patterns in a “we finish each other’s ... sandwiches” type of way. I get it. Writing is not everyone’s thing; however, it is one of those essential skills to be able to put “pen to paper,” not “ChatGPT to document.” As much as we would like to phone a friend at our post-graduate job posting, it wouldn’t produce authentic, personally-driven work. Let’s consider the argument of productivity. One might say autocorrect increases the efficiency and productivity of a person by refining small mistakes we might otherwise miss. In this fast-paced world, I would argue it might be even more important to pay attention to what you are writing. Autocorrect takes away from writing with intention. If typing a text wasn’t already a three second activity, this makes it a millisecond activity. We wonder why people find more comfort in texting than

interacting face-to-face when you could probably articulate a perfect message with autocorrect while typing with both eyes closed. As we get more digitally and physically connected with people of all different diverse backgrounds and identities, communicating with intention becomes more vital. Autocorrect is yet another thing in our lives that we have come to believe has no important effect on society; however, the automatic function of the tool takes away from our ability to formulate and recognize correct spelling. The report “The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools,” published by the Pew Research Center, claims digital tools have both positive and negative impacts on students, such as making students more likely to use poor spelling and grammar. Its negative impact on education and literacy for society makes a tiny part of me glad when teachers assign in-class writing. I’d even go so far as to say a person’s writing on paper differs from

their digital writing, not only in spelling, but also overall sentence structure. In 2018, researchers Massimo Ragnedda and Bruce Mutsvairo argued social and digital exclusion are deeply intertwined and reciprocally influence and affect each other because of the digitally enabled society we live in. Shouldn’t digital inclusion not only extend to access and connectivity, but also diversity? I get the appeal. As Gideon Lewis-Kraus said in a WIRED article, “We feel honored to have a companion like autocorrect who trusts that, despite surface clumsiness or nonsense, inside us always smiles an articulate truth.” I’m not arguing that we add every nuanced cultural word to the autocorrect dictionary; I would just like to be able to communicate effectively without being reminded that I don’t fit the mold of standard English. Sahana Shastry is a junior journalism major. You can find her on Instagram @__sahana_3_.

THE CHRONICLE

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A15

Pride draw on the road in conference matchup

By Kayla Leibowitz STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra University women’s soccer team traveled to North Carolina to face Elon University on Sunday, Sept. 27. Both teams remain undefeated in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, as the match resulted in a 1-1 draw. Hofstra came out of the first half with high intensity, resulting in an early goal for the Pride. At just four and a half minutes, Hofstra’s Marika Svensson put the ball on net, leading to a tap-in goal from Sasha McTiffin. The goal marked McTiffin’s first points

and goal of the season. It was also her first goal since her freshman season in 2023. Elon stole the momentum back, creating offensive opportunities and challenging the Pride’s defense. Hofstra goalkeeper Lilly Bailey played an impressive game, coming off her line when necessary. Bailey had one save and faced 12 shots from the Phoenix. The Pride’s defense continued to stay organized, working together to keep Elon from getting clear chances near the goal. Elon proceeded to put high pressure on the Pride, not giving them any room to play with the ball. The Pride remained composed, not allowing any goals for the Phoenix in the first half. Hofstra continued to fight through the pressure and held onto their lead heading into halftime. Going into the second half, Elon was determined to find the equalizer, and they did just that. About four minutes into the second half, Gabby Tirado found the back of the net with

a header off a corner kick from Lauren McCauley, equalizing the match for Elon. The goal came early in the second half and gave Elon the momentum they were looking for. Hofstra had to quickly regroup and continue to battle after their early lead disappeared. Not allowing Elon to take control of the game, the Pride continued to generate several scoring opportunities. On the other end of the field, the Pride’s defense remained strong, permitting very few shots from Elon and keeping the match level. Nearing the end of the game with the score still tied, every possession became important as Hofstra looked for a way to break through, but these efforts from weren’t enough. According to the statistics, the game was even offensively. Hofstra had 13 shots, with four on goal, while Elon had 12 shots and two on goal. Both teams had their chances throughout the game, keeping the match competitive.

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle Sasha McTiffin registered on the scoresheet for the first time since 2024.

The Pride now hold an undefeated CAA record of 1-0-2. Hofstra will get a week of rest as their next game will be played on Oct. 4 against Northeastern University. The Huskies are currently 2-0-1 in CAA play and are also undefeated. With both teams looking to continue

their strong conference starts and remain undefeated, the matchup is expected to be a competitive challenge for the Pride. Kick off from Parsons Field in Brookline, Massachusetts, is set for 1 p.m.

Offensive outburst powers Pride over Northeastern By Shannon Bickert SPORTS EDITOR

The Hofstra University men’s soccer team dominated Northeastern University in a 4-1 win on Monday, Sept. 28, after a Nor’easter moved the game from Saturday, Sept. 26. The Pride moved to 7-1-2 on the season and 2-0-2 in Coastal Athletic Association play. “This is our 10th game of the season, and I think after every game, we’re waiting for this

spark from our attacking players, and we really got it today,” said Hofstra head coach Stephen Roche. Brady Elmblad was busy between the posts for the Huskies, seeing eight shots on goal and making four saves. Milo Risenhoover, Hofstra’s starting goalkeeper, allowed one goal and made three saves. Aidan GaNun saw his first minutes in net this season for the Pride, playing the final six minutes and not facing a shot on goal. Four Pride players scored

Photo courtesy of Charles Kuschmider

The Pride now rank first in the Coastal Athletic Association North Division.

against the Huskies: Henri Poll, Axel Ruben, Marc Perkuhn and Ben Schulz. Ruben and Perkuhn’s goals were their first of the season. Despite Bastian Carlman, the Pride’s top scorer, missing his second straight game, the Hofstra offense was in command. The Pride were relentless early. They saw six opportunities on net within the first 45 minutes of the match, and their defense was just as strong, allowing just a single shot on goal in the first half. Hofstra capitalized on their first opportunity of the night. A minute in, James York found Joel Bona in the left corner, who sent a perfect cross into the box for Poll, who headed the ball into the bottom-right side of the net for his second goal of the season. Hofstra kept attacking in the offensive third and found the back of the net in the 28th minute, but the play went under review, and the goal was disallowed. Poll passed out to

Perkuhn to his left, and Perkuhn found Ruben, who let one rip to the bottom-right side. Hofstra’s chance was deemed a no-goal after review, and a yellow card was assessed to both the Pride and Huskies’ benches. Ruben got his goal back just six minutes later. Schulz took a diving shot that deflected off the gloves of an outstretched Elmblad. Ruben took advantage of the mispositioning of the keeper on the rebound, heading in the ricocheting ball and finding the bottom-right corner of the net for his first goal of the season to give the Pride a 2-0 lead. “[The disallowed goal] for me was a bit unfortunate, but getting that first goal was nice, especially after the beginning of the season, when I was struggling to put them away,” Ruben said. “That feeling today gives me a lot of confidence going forward, and everything else will fall into place, hopefully, and I can keep coming out there and performing for my guys.”

Bona quarterbacked the Pride’s third goal of the match with a pass to Perkuhn, who traveled down the right wing, forcing Elmblad out of position. Perkuhn chipped the ball over Elmblad’s head to the bottom-left corner and into the net in the 54th minute. Hofstra continued to attack in the 62nd minute; Schulz caught the Huskies’ defense off guard, dribbling past the back line and fooling Elmblad, taking an extra touch to put away the Pride’s fourth goal of the evening in the bottom-left corner of the net. Tate Duax broke Risenhoover’s clean-sheet streak that spanned 247 minutes, delivering the Huskies’ lone goal of the night in the 68th minute. Hofstra returns home to host their Long Island rivals, Stony Brook University, on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Captains Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. In their last meeting, the Pride drew with the Seawolves in a 1-1 final.

A16 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

THE CHRONICLE

SPORTS

Pride fall to ranked Hawks By Sean Strohofer SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The Hofstra University field hockey team suffered their fifth straight loss, falling 4-0 to No. 19 Monmouth University on Friday, Sept. 25. Hofstra is now 0-2 against Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) opponents, with a 2-6 overall record this season. After Monmouth ended Hofstra’s season last year in the CAA tournament, the rematch saw the Hawks outshoot the Pride 21-5, recording 14 shots on goal compared to Hofstra’s two. Monmouth also had a 5-1 advantage in penalty corners as

part of a consistent offensive attack throughout the contest. “I don’t think the score was really reflective of how we played today,” said Hofstra head coach Hillary Fitts. “We had a good overall first couple of quarters, and then, in the fourth quarter, we played pretty well, so we just need to play a consistent game.” Luci Hollister made seven saves in net for the Pride, allowing four goals through the first three quarters. Madison Geiger made her collegiate debut after relieving Hollister in the fourth, notching three saves in the final 15 minutes. “[Geiger] did great,” Fitts said. “She stepped right in, communicated early [and] communicated well. [She] got stuck on a couple of scary situations but did a really good job of slowing it down, bringing it down and giving it all of her effort.” The first quarter was an even battle between the two teams. While Monmouth controlled the ball for most of the quarter, Hofstra got their fair share of scoring opportunities. Hawks

goalie Charlie Bowman made two saves to keep the game scoreless, but the Pride had a 3-2 advantage in shots at the end of the first. Six minutes into the second quarter, Monmouth scored their first goal of the game. Stella Goddard-Despot took advantage of an unlucky rebound off Hollister’s pad in front of the net to get the Hawks on the board. Three minutes later, Monmouth doubled their lead on a pretty sequence of passes following a penalty corner. Lauren Relik hit Audrey Mullen at the top of the arc, who then set up Anna Moors to club it off Hollister’s foot and into the back of the cage. The goal was Moors’ first since returning from a knee injury that ended her 2025 season. Coming out of the break, the Hawks kept their foot on the gas throughout the second half. Five minutes into the third quarter, Alicia Vanderlyde kickstarted a breakaway with a beautiful pass downfield to Milla Frye, who then found the bottom-right corner of the net

Photo courtesy of Emma Leibowitz Hofstra University has been outshot in four of their last five games.

for her CAA-leading 10th goal of the season. Monmouth scored their final goal of the game on the second of back-to-back penalty corners. Relik found Luisa Schlueter out of the corner, where Schlueter set up Moors head-on for her second goal of

the game, putting the finishing touches on a four-goal shutout win for the Hawks. The Pride return to action on Friday, Oct. 2, against Fairfield University for an in-league matchup. Game time is set for 3 p.m.

Pride in the ‘pros’ By Shannon Bickert SPORTS EDITOR

In recent years, Hofstra University’s baseball program has seen a surge in athletes going on to play professional ball. In the past two seasons, two athletes from the Pride got drafted in the MLB Amateur Draft. Since the MLB Draft’s creation in 1965, the Pride have seen 15 players selected in the draft. John Rooney, a Melrose, New York, native and 2018 third-round selection by the Los Angeles Dodgers, made his MLB debut on Aug. 24, 2025. He became the first member of the Pride to make an MLB debut since Ken Singleton on June 24, 1970. The southpaw was traded from the Miami Marlins to the Houston Astros and was named to the 40-man roster upon the trade. Rooney

came out of the bullpen against the Baltimore Orioles, tossing 1.1 innings and striking out two hitters. This past offseason, Rooney signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays and earned an invitation to spring training. Rooney went down with an elbow injury at the tail end of the 2025 season and spent his 2026 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In 28 innings pitched, he posted a 3.84 ERA, recording 32 strikeouts. Alex McCoy spent one season with the Pride after two seasons with the University of Eastern Maryland Shore before signing as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Padres in 2024. Since going professional, McCoy has appeared for four different teams in the Padres farm system. The power hitter has reached as high as Double-A

in the 2026 season, playing 25 games for the San Antonio Missions and hitting at a .314 clip with the club. McCoy has spent the majority of the 2026 season with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. McCoy has shown off his versatility in the minors, playing every outfield position, playing every first base position and serving as a designated hitter. In the past two seasons, McCoy has been impressive, sporting a .289 batting average, .885 OPS, knocking in 111 runs, ripping 26 long balls and 46 doubles in 181 games. McCoy has made progress with his raw power and pop and ranked as high as No. 19 in the Padres farm system. Dylan Palmer was drafted in the 11th round of the 2025 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates after hitting .400 in his junior

season with the Pride. Since his selection, Palmer has played for two teams in the Pirates farm system. Palmer spent the bulk of his 2026 campaign with the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. Palmer hit .314 in 60 games played with Greensboro. In 112 games played in minor league ball, Palmer has swiped 46 bags and hit .297. Carlos Martinez is Hofstra’s most recent draft pick, and he was selected 118th overall in 2026 by the San Francisco Giants. The Coastal Athletic Association First-Teamer was the first CAA player selected in the 2026 draft class. Martinez’s draft selection came one year after recovering from Ulnar Collateral Ligament surgery. Martinez has not recorded an outing yet in the minors, but has been activated by the ACL Giants.

The Pride’s free agent signees have also impressed with their respective clubs. Mike McKenna, a Farmingdale, New York, native and threeyear member of the Pride, signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins in 2025. McKenna has tossed to a 2.79 ERA in 38.2 innings pitched with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Muscles in 2026. Infielder Austin Gauthier spent his entire collegiate career with the Pride and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021. Since signing, Gauthier has worked up to Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, where he hit .234 this season with six long balls. From University Field to The Show, the Pride are making their mark on baseball.

THE CHRONICLE

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A17

Hofstra rules in Long Island rivalry cont. CONTINUED FROM A1 The Pride struggled to close out the set with two straight errors until Geovanna Gonçalves Rocha closed the door, laying down the hammer. Hofstra used the momentum from the second set and carried it into the third, besting Stony Brook 25-22. In a tightly contested third set to start, the Pride took off courtesy of a 7-0

run spearheaded by back-toback kills from Başaran. The Pride continued to struggle finishing out sets late when up by several points. Hofstra saw four set-point chances before finishing off the Seawolves in the third set. In the fourth set, the Pride cruised to a 25-17 win to seal the match victory. The Pride hit a match-best .455 hit percentage. Hofstra quickly

jumped out to the lead, which they would not relinquish. Leading by as many as eight points, Hofstra took complete command of the match after dropping the first set. The Pride returns home to host a 2025 CAA Championship rematch against Campbell University on Friday, Oct. 2. First serve is set for 6 p.m. from the David S. Mack Physical Education Building.

Kim Nadler / The Hofstra Chronicle Julia Amorim was named Coastal Athletic Association defensive player of the week.

Women’s soccer looks for rebound conference slate By Benjamin Buch STAFF WRITER

The Hofstra University women’s soccer team is just getting into conference play. The Pride had plenty of roster turnovers from last season to this one, with 13 departures from last year’s team. “I’m disappointed to lose so many quality people,” said Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough. The Pride have nine freshmen on this year’s roster, five of whom play defense. Seven of these first years are from Pennsylvania, Maryland or New York. Chloe Letocart is a native of France, and Daniek Tiemersma is from the Netherlands. Some of these freshmen have already earned playing time, such as Mia Claro and Tiemersma. Claro is local to Long Island, hailing from Bayside, New York, and graduating from Kellenberg Memorial High School. Claro was named 2025 First Team All-Long

Island and is the all-time Kellenberg leader for goals, assists and points. The Pride made the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) tournament by the skin of their teeth last season. Olivia Pearse’s late goal against Stony Brook University powered the Pride to a win that afternoon and third place in the north division. Despite the roster turnover, Riddiough believes the Pride are still on par with the rest of the conference. “[The coaching staff] feel we are on the same playing field as our opponents,” Riddiough said. In his 21st season as the head coach for the Pride, Riddiough has an overall record of 241-114-42. He has been named CAA coach of the year four times, won seven CAA championships, only missed the CAA tournament once and has never had a losing season. His best season came in 2010 when Hofstra went

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle Hailey Moschitta scored her first goal of the season against Campbell University.

19-3-0 with an undefeated conference season. They made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, where they ended up losing to Boston College 3-1. While Riddiough has been coaching, the team has made it to the NCAA tournament nine times, including eight trips to the second round. Despite the heavy changes in roster, junior goalkeeper Lilly Bailey is returning for her second season with the Pride. Bailey started 17 of Hofstra’s 18 matches last year and rocked a .712 save percentage. She allowed 1.25 goals per game and won five matches. The Pride came out of the gate red hot last season, rattling off wins against Saint Joseph’s University, Quinnipiac University and Columbia University. Their first loss came against Yale University in the fourth game of the season. Overall, last season, the Pride had six wins, five losses and seven ties. In conference, they came in third place with a record of 3-3-3. The Pride were unblemished at Captains Field, going 4-0-5 on Hempstead Turnpike compared to a 2-5-2 mark on the road. Last year, Hofstra’s offense struggled to create scoring chances, only scoring 1.25 goals per game. The Pride topped out at three goals in a game last year; they hit that scoring mark against Stony Brook, Drexel University and Quinnipiac. So far in

Royce Dickson-Child / The Hofstra Chronicle Lilly Bailey has recorded a 0.619 save percentage.

the limited games they have played this season, they have had a similar struggle finding the back of the net. The Pride are averaging exactly one goal per game thus far. The Pride’s worst loss of the season was against Yale – a 4-0 defeat they avenged this season with a 3-2 win. Leading into conference play, Hofstra set an NCAA record with seven consecutive draws, which was tied later in the season by Coastal Carolina University. This streak carried into CAA play with draws against Elon University, Towson University and Campbell University. Hofstra found their first conference win with a 2-0 victory over Northeastern University. The only team they played twice was Stony Brook, winning 3-2 on the last day of the regular season to clinch a postseason spot, only to lose 2-1 in extra time in the opening round of the CAA championship. Alexia Des Croisselles’s foul in the

penalty area teed up Stony Brook’s Reilly Rich for the game-ending penalty kick. The standard for Hofstra is high, to the point where any season that doesn’t end in a championship is disappointing, even if there are positive strides taken. “This year we fell short, we made it to the playoffs, and I thought we played pretty well,” Riddiough said. The Pride have started the season 2-5-3 and have started to find an identity. Amy Meadows leads the team with nine points, while Sasha McTiffin, Emma Johnson and Des Croisselles have formed a stout defense. Additionally, Bailey has been her typical, steady self in net. Hofstra has shown signs of life after a winless August, winning their first CAA game against Towson and drawing against Campbell. If the team continues to gel together, there might be some more magic on Long Island for the Pride.

A18 • SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

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Preview: Hofstra field hockey looks to make a tournament run

By Frank Chiapperino

Kelly Levengood, who will help lead a Pride offense that was ranked among the best in the CAA last season. The Hofstra University Hollister and van Dijk made field hockey team turned an immediate impact during the page in 2025. After 10 their freshman campaign, with consecutive losing seasons, Hollister ranking second in the the Pride finished 9-9 overall CAA in shutouts per game and and appeared in the Coastal third in saves per game, while Athletic Association (CAA) van Dijk led the team with 10 Semifinals for the first time assists. since 2015. Under third-year Nine freshmen and three head coach Hillary Fitts, the newcomers join the team, team looks to build on last including fifth-year senior year’s breakthrough. transfers Juana Laskowski The Pride improved on and Victoria Nazar from Long both sides of the ball last Island University and senior season, ranking third in the transfer Sarah Smalley from CAA with 37 goals and 32 Syracuse University. assists, while also ranking Smalley helped the Orange third in the conference with 39 reach three consecutive NCAA goals allowed. This marked a Tournament appearances, significant improvement from bringing winning and veteran 2024, where the team ranked experience to the Pride. sixth in the CAA with 17 goals “I think the biggest thing and 15 assists, while allowing is that we have a young team, 55 goals. Fitts attributed the and a lot of the team is very improvement to the greater moldable, so being level of intensity while being in able to bring the circle. kind of that “A lot of what the girls are intensity doing is trying to find a sense into this of urgency and hunger when program in the circle to score,” Fitts has been a said. “This year, we’re big thing,” trying to find a way to Smalley said. score in both areas of “It’s a lot of our game, between learning. It’s a lot penalty corners and of talking to each in open-field play.” other, figuring out The Pride lost what works, and nine players I think coming from the 2025 from Syracuse, I roster to learned a lot there graduation as well. Taking and the that knowledge and transfer bringing it into this portal, team has been the including biggest thing for me their lead goal – and stepping into scorer, Teresa more of a leadership Karoff. Among role here.” the returning With the new players in the roster, Fitts talked 2026 season about how the players is preseason got accustomed to All-Region the season before it CAA honoree booted up in goaltender Luci the fall. Hollister. She “They is joined live in these Kaylee Roche / The Hofstra Chronicle little units pretty much together by honorable mention [and] talk with each other selections Gwenn van Dijk and every day,” Fitts said. “I STAFF WRITER

think communicating early to get them to know each other outside of just field hockey, and then once they [got] here in preseason, making sure that they find ways to get close-knit, whether it’s communicating, hanging out with each other [or] getting ice cream … Then on the field, finding little feedback partners and ways for them just to get better each and every day.” Since the 2026 season kicked off on Aug. 28, Smalley has made major strides for the Pride, becoming the leading goal scorer with five goals for Hofstra. She has already exceeded her goal total through three years with the Orange. “[Smalley will] always find the back of the net if she can,” Fitts said. “She’s someone that I think exemplifies what grit is and is just, all in all, an awesome human. So, it makes sense that she’s scoring goals, but she’ll certainly score a lot more, too, over the rest of the season.”

play a little bit more [freely], which I think kind of is why I’ve been able to score a little bit more and kind of get the ball under me a little bit more.” Among the freshmen on the team, Malena Bertone has been

exceptional this season, ranking second on the team in goals and points with four and 10,

Photo courtesy of Jason Stoller

[and we can] be the best team,” Bertone said. Hollister has had a strong start to her sophomore campaign in net. Through the first five games this season, she ranked in the top 50 in the nation in saves per game, save percentage and goals against average. “She gets better and better every game,” Fitts said. “She’s doing great back there. I think she’s in a really good position as to where we are during the season right now.” Despite a 1-0 start, the Pride hold an overall record of 2-5 and are 0-1 in conference play, losing their most recent game 4-2 to Temple University and

“[Smalley will] always find the back of the net if she can,” Fitts said. “She’s someone that I think exemplifies what grit is and is just, all in all, an awesome human. So, it makes sense that she’s scoring goals, but she’ll certainly score a lot more, too, over the rest of the season.” The coaching staff has had a major influence on Smalley and her confidence as she develops into major roles. “[The coaching staff believes] so much in me, and they kind of look to me to be more of a leader on this team and bring that intensity,” Smalley said. “I think being under them has been kind of really good for my confidence and just knowing that they trust me. It kind of allowed me to

respectively. She took home CAA Rookie of the Week honors on Aug. 31 and Monday, Sept. 7. In the 5-4 victory over Wagner College on Friday, Sept. 4, Bertone recorded her first multi-goal game, including the game-winning goal in overtime. “All my teammates have been working with me so I can improve and be the best on the field, so I can help them,

their first CAA game of the season 5-0 to Northeastern University. Hofstra was picked to finish sixth out of seven teams in the preseason CAA poll with 19 points, finishing in front of the College of William & Mary. The Pride continue CAA play on the road as they face Fairfield University on Friday, Oct. 2, at University Field at 3 p.m.

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SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 • A19

Christine Dannenfelser honored with Nick Colleluoiri Tribute Award By Conner Keough STAFF WRITER ‘

“Dear Colleluori Family, We hope this note finds you well. One of the most meaningful traditions in Hofstra [University] Athletics is the way your family and our men’s lacrosse program have honored Nick Colleluori’s legacy throughout the Nick Colleluori Tribute Award and the passing of No. 27 from one deserving student-athlete to another. Year after year, that tradition has ensured that every new generation of Pride players understands who Nick was, what he stood for and what it truly means to be a teammate.” That is how former Hofstra women’s lacrosse head coach Shannon Smith opened an email to the family of former Hofstra men’s lacrosse player and creator of the HEADstrong Foundation, Nick Colleluori. Nick’s time at Hofstra was cut short when he died in November 2006 after a year-and-a-half long battle with diffuse large B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. His impact on the Pride’s lacrosse program continued long after his death. Beginning in 2009, Hofstra’s men’s lacrosse team began passing the No. 27 from one player to another, awarding the number to the studentathlete who best represented the dedication, determination,

selflessness and “turnpike tough” attitude Nick embodied. Nearly two decades later, that tradition is expanding beyond the men’s lacrosse program. Senior defender Christine Dannenfelser will become the first Hofstra women’s lacrosse player to receive the Nick Colleluori Tribute Award and wear No. 27. The Colleluori family welcomed Smith’s request to expand the tradition to the women’s lacrosse program. For Michael Colleluori, Nick’s brother and an alumnus of the men’s lacrosse program, it offers another way to cement Nick’s story and values in the minds of another generation of Hofstra athletes. “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Dannenfelser said. “It was such an amazing surprise, and I was so honored that my coaches and teammates thought I should be the one to wear this number. Nick’s story is so inspiring and knowing I was chosen to represent that means the world to me.” The announcement was made on social media on Thursday, Sept. 10, and when the press conference was called; Dannenfelser didn’t know what was coming. “I was shocked,” Dannenfelser said. “I had no idea at that moment. My heart was racing. Hearing Nick’s story, the legacy

Joe Orovitz / The Hofstra Chronicle Christine Dannenfelser has been a captain for the Pride for three seasons.

of No. 27, when we’re talking about this, you want it to be you. I am so grateful and proud to get this opportunity.” Michael Colleluori responded to Smith’s email echoing the message of what No. 27 has meant to Hofstra and how the legacy would be great to expand to the women’s team. “The support of the Hofstra community and lacrosse program helped give us the strength, belief and momentum to turn an unimaginable loss into a mission. To think now that No. 27 could become part of the women’s lacrosse tradition [and] that young women who never had the opportunity to know Nick will learn his story, understand his character and be challenged to live out the values he represented is incredibly powerful,” Michael Colleluori wrote. Smith described Dannenfelser as a “fiery leader with extremely high lacrosse IQ,” also noting the entire team “believes in her and respects her.” To Dannenfelser, leadership comes naturally, and she sees it as her duty to the team. “I feel like the leaders before me had a bunch of different leadership styles I’ve learned from,” Dannenfelser said. “I’m a little bit more of a ‘ra ra’ type of captain on the field. I’m always excited to be on the field with my teammates. Whether it’s a 6 a.m. practice or right before a game, a big part of what I do is try to get the team excited. I share my emotions with the team prepractice or pregame to get them to the level we need to be at to succeed.” HEADstrong has been prominent in Dannenfelser’s career at Hofstra. She helped organize and participated in Nick’s Big Bench Club Competition last spring along with teammate Olivia Hoover. This fall, she will participate in her fourth HEADstrong Colleluori Classic. Her first one was the moment she first felt a connection to Nick’s values. “Our first HEADstrong tournament my freshman year is when I really got to learn a lot about Nick and how he impacted

Joe Orovitz / The Hofstra Chronicle The men’s laccrosse program began passing down the No. 27 in 2009.

[Hofstra],” Dannenfelser said. “He’s the kind of teammate, player and leader that you want to be, and his story inspired me so much when I first heard it. It’s about loving your teammates, being gritty, being relentless and giving everything you have and more.” This fall’s HEADstrong tournament will take place at James M. Shuart Stadium from Saturday, Oct. 3, to Sunday, Oct. 4. The women’s lacrosse team will host Fairleigh Dickinson University, Temple University and Sacred Heart University. It will be the college lacrosse world’s first look at Dannenfelser wearing No. 27 in Hofstra royal blue. Dannenfelser has been a member of the Pride for four seasons and has made a massive impact on the defensive side of the ball. The Suffolk County native has 50 career starts, 101 draw controls, 123 ground balls and 83 caused turnovers. Dannenfelser’s 37 caused turnovers in 2026 were the third most in a single season in Hofstra school history. She is a three-year captain and was a member of the All-Conference team last year. She is one of the top players returning to the Coastal Athletic Association in 2027 for a Hofstra team that finished 6-1 in conference play just one

season ago. Her leadership will be counted on more than ever with the women’s lacrosse team welcoming new head coach Nicole Levy from Syracuse University. “We’re really excited about Coach Levy being here,” Dannenfelser said. “Being a captain, it’s exciting to help build something here with her. We get to start a new chapter for the program, but we will still implement the same traditions we had before as a program and grow something special.” Now, as one of the most experienced players on the team, Dannenfelser will have an opportunity to lead the Pride in a different way. She will not only be counted on to lead a new era of Hofstra women’s lacrosse, but she will also carry on a legacy that has been a part of Hofstra lacrosse for nearly two decades. For Dannenfelser, those responsibilities are closely connected. “For this to be at Hofstra is special. [Nick’s] legacy lives on every single day through Hofstra athletics and Hofstra lacrosse,” Dannenfelser said. “Nick Colleluori is Hofstra lacrosse.”

THE HOFSTRA CHRONICLE SPORTS SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

F our of a kind Four different goal scorers lift the Pride to a 4-1 win over Northeastern University. Photo courtesy of Charles Kuschmider