Marquette Tribune | April 14, 2026

The Marquette Tribune

Man claims to be God, slashes Gesu doors

Parish has been vandalized twice in three weeks

By Elena Metinidis elena.metinidis@marquette.edu

Aron Mark Ferris was charged by Milwaukee County prosecutors with a felony of criminal damage to religious property and a misdemeanor of disorderly conduct using a dangerous weapon.

On April 5 — Easter Sunday — the 50-year-old Green Bay man slashed the doors of the Church of the Gesu and told police he was God, according to a criminal complaint. The door repair is expected to cost about $50,000.

Despite most Marquette students being home for Easter break, the Marquette University Police Department did not send out a safety alert or an email about the event.

This marks the second case of vandalism at Gesu within three weeks.

Police responded to the parish around 4 p.m., where they found Ferris sitting on the church’s altar steps with an ax. The complaint said Ferris repeated that he was God as officers tried getting him to toss his weapons

aside. He told officers if they shot him, the bullet would turn around on them.

Police found the ax, two knives, a multitool, a loaded rifle and extra ammunition after handcuffing Ferris and searching his possessions.

In his car, they found a loaded handgun, and snacks and drinks to sustain him during his time at the church.

While interviewing with police, Ferris talked in detail

about how he believed he was God, according to the complaint. He said he took an ax to the church door because it was locked and chose to go on Easter because “there would be people there that he could tell his story to.” Ferris said his gun was for drawing media and public attention.

Ferris will undergo a competency exam since the court believes he is

competent to proceed, an online court record said.

Another hearing will occur May 11, where a judge will consider a doctor’s report after the competency exam.

This incident follows a vandalism incident at the Church of the Gesu from March 18 involving Demetres Xaviar Martece Henderson, 29, who is charged with criminal damage to property. His damage to

Wisconsin's

By Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu

In Sensenbrenner Hall 203B, blank spaces on the wall are few and far between. The glossy, white walls are hidden behind posters, history books and Milwaukee Brewers memorabilia — making Sergio González’s office not just a workspace, but an ode to Wisconsin’s history.

Born to Mexican immigrants, the associate professor of history has an emphasis on Latino studies, represented on the office walls with posters that read “Migration is beautiful” and “¡No pasarán!” —

“They shall not pass!” Bookshelves act as runners along his walls, holding history in hundreds of thousands of pages. González has read most of them but also spends his time writing his own. His most recent book, “Strangers No Longer,” was released in 2024.

The Brewers bobbleheads, just over his right shoulder, were collected during his summer internship with the team’s community foundation in 2009.

But, just like the walls in his office, there is little blank space in González’s calendar. When he’s not teaching, reading, spending time with his family or watching the Brewers, the middle school teacher-turned-college professor can be found in

Madison, where he cohosts an educational TV show for PBS Wisconsin.

“Acting is just like when you’re in front of students — you’re doing a bit of a performance,” González said. “You’re trying to keep people engaged, you’re trying to make information accessible.”

“The Look Back” is a history series for fourthto-sixth grade teachers to use in their classrooms. Episodes, each roughly ten minutes long, tell the history of Wisconsin through artifacts from the Wisconsin Historical Society.

González is one of five historians to host the show, all of whom have day jobs outside of PBS. In his episodes, González has done show-and-tell of bicycles, maps and even an

several statues, candle holders, kneelers and other items in the church amounted to an estimated $25,000. Both incidents occurred despite increased regular church patrols by Marquette University Police officers and increased security camera monitoring. Recent renovations to the upper church also included security cameras and a security desk near the entryway.

PBS

clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu

Professor Sergio González has an emphasis on Latino studies.

airplane from 1929. That episode, “Airway Beacon,” was nominated for a regional Emmy.

But even with the award nomination, the aviation episode isn’t González’s favorite.

Instead, his top memory is showing off a worn-down

bunk bed in a 2024 episode called “Ripe for Change.”

The bed was used by migrant farm workers in Wisconsin in the mid-1900s, and because he focuses on Latino history, González helped write the script. In the episode, he talks about News

What

414

Sports Howell silences self doubt First-year

14,

The MarqueTTe Tribune

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Boone pleads not guilty to charges

bond is set at $100,000.

By Elena Metinidis elena.metinidis@marquette.edu

Tedrick A. Boone, the 34-year-old charged in the Feb. 18 sexual assault and armed robbery of a female Marquette University student, pleaded not guilty April 9.

Boone is suspected of first-degree sexual assault with the use of a dangerous weapon and armed robbery, according to online court records. His cash

The incident occurred on the 900 block of 14th Street around 2 a.m. on Feb. 18 when a female Marquette student was walking to her residence. In the alley near 14th street, Boone threatened her with a handgun, sexually assaulted her and took her cell phone.

On Feb. 26, the university sent out an update that police took an individual into custody.

According to the criminal complaint, Boone tried to flee twice from cops upon his Feb. 26 arrest at a facility on West Vliet Street.

He denied having contact with any Marquette students when questioned by police.

While reviewing surveillance footage from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning on 12th Street, police identified a subject matching the defendant’s description leading the victim into the alley around 1:40 a.m. on Feb. 18.

On Feb. 20, officers recovered a tan coat from under the porch of a vacant home on West Highland Avenue with a gun in the pocket and a used condom near-

by. The evidence was tested and came back positive for Boone’s DNA. Wisconsin court records show Boone had an active warrant for two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sexual assault from incidents in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 sexual assault took place on the Milwaukee Area Technical College campus. Boone remains in custody, with his next court date scheduled for May 21. This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Celebrating 414 Day in Milwaukee

Citywide

By Lilly Peacock lilly.peacock@marquette.edu

Each year on April 14, the date aligns to represent a crucial marker of Milwaukee’s identity — the area code.

414 Day is a citywide holiday that honors Milwaukee’s history and culture, aiming to bring people together to support local businesses and promote community pride.

“When you think about the people, the businesses, our public spaces, our parks, they really represent who we are as a community,” County Executive David Crowley told the Marquette Wire. “It provides an opportunity for us to come together, eat, drink and really just enjoy how much we love the city of Milwaukee.”

A group of friends first created Milwaukee Day in 2010 after realizing the correlation between the date and the area code. Once the celebration gained traction, former Mayor Tom Barrett officially proclaimed April 14 as a holiday in 2012.

The day is often celebrated with various events and activities, with multiple venues around the city participating in special $4.14 deals on food and drink. Oggie’s Kitchen & Bar in the city’s Juneau Town neighborhood will have select menu items priced at $4.14 and Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria will serve $4.14 house margaritas all day.

This year also marks Milwaukee’s 180th birthday, which will be honored as part of Tuesday’s celebrations. A birthday event occurred in January 2026, the month the city was founded.

For the seventh year in a row, the annual 414 Day flag drop will occur outside City Hall at 11 a.m., where Milwaukee Pretzel Company will hand out free pretzels to those in attendance.

“I think it speaks to the fact that we celebrate 414 Day to understand our foundation and who we are, with all the different activities you’re able to connect with families, friends, neighbors from all over,” Crowley said.

Dani Hart, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences born and raised in Milwaukee, said she’s always been proud of her city, but 414 Day is something that’s become more popular and

celebrated over the years.

“Holidays bring everyone together to celebrate what [the city] has to offer and honor the culture that has been shaped by the various communities that inhabit the land,” Hart told the Wire in an email.

Crowley said Milwaukee cares about its community and wants to celebrate the diversity that exists here, while utilizing its social scene to exemplify what happens inside the city limits.

“Whenever I interact with people who have never heard of or been to Milwaukee, I tell them it’s the best place they’ve never been,” he said.

Hart often chooses to celebrate the day by wearing a t-shirt from a local business that commemorates her identity as a Milwaukee resident. She also makes efforts to engage with others from the city on social media or on Marquette’s campus, matching Crowley’s vision of bringing people together.

“I see 414 Day as an opportunity to show up and out for the city with love and pouring back to the greater community,” she said in an email. “Milwaukee is a great place that has produced a community like no other.”

Arguably the most significant part of the day is the commitment from everyone to get involved, Crowley said. Local businesses, restaurants, the county government and county parks collaborate to create space for celebratory events and activities, demonstrating the bond between the city and its residents.

The Milwaukee Zoo and Mitchell Park Domes will offer $4.14 admission on Tuesday, both of which are accessible by public transit from Marquette’s campus.

The Harley-Davidson Museum, just a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk from campus, is hosting Milwaukee’s Biggest Party with a brat eating contest, $4.14 admission to the museum and a Milwaukee toast at 4:14 p.m.

“There is a sort of unison or agreement of pride among people, including myself, about calling Milwaukee home or a place that we enjoy living in,” Hart said in an email. “It makes me proud as I pay homage to being from Milwaukee on such a day.”

More 414 Day events and activities can be found on MKE Downtown and Visit Milwaukee.

Senior hosts her final suicide prevention walk

Elizabeth

Gnau

has organized the event since 2023

By Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu

Three years ago, Elizabeth Gnau stood in front of a crowd at Eckstein Common while braving midApril rain, snow and sleet. As the paper holding her script disintegrated in her hands, the first-year nursing student commended the group surrounding her for bringing awareness to an important cause.

After all, Gnau had organized the whole thing: Marquette’s first ever Out of the Darkness Walk. In partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Marquette became one of over 400 communities nationwide that walk to raise awareness for suicide prevention.

“She saw a need and she wanted to do something,” Ron Gnau, Elizabeth’s dad, said. “That was really impressive.”

The following year, Gnau gathered another group. And she did it again the year after that.

On April 11, 2026, Gnau — now a senior — stepped up to the podium in Eckstein Common one last time. This year’s walk was the fourth she has organized for suicide prevention. Each year has brought different weather, routes and crowds, but the walks have collectively raised over $20,000 for AFSP.

“By joining us, you are part of a national movement,” she told the group of over 130 registered walkers. “Because of you, we are able to continue to fight for a day when no one will die by suicide.”

As the warm, breezy morning turned into an overcast, chilly afternoon, walkers gathered to don stickers and beaded necklaces as signs of support. Friends, family — and even

a few dogs — gathered, surrounded by tabling support organizations like Campus Wellness, Campus Ministry and Recovery at Marquette.

“It’s always powerful, it’s always emotional and it’s always full of pride,” Gena Orlando, AFSP’s Wisconsin area director, said about the walk.

Prior to the march through campus, Orlando joined Gnau at Eckstein Common to help sell AFSP merchandise and speak with walkers. Orlando has attended all four of Marquette University’s walks, helping Gnau with administrative work since its first year.

Gnau, a Madison native, contacted the AFSP in 2022 to organize the first walk at Marquette after attending the AFSP’s annual walk at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while in high school.

Under Gnau’s leadership, the 2025-26 school year is Marquette’s first with

an AFSP chapter on campus. After working to get the chapter started over her previous three years at Marquette, Gnau was finally able to table at O-Fest in the fall and now has about 30 active members. Among them is Kalliyen Kay, a firstyear student in the College of Health Sciences.

After walking past Gnau’s O-Fest table in September, Kay put her name on the member list. Then, after learning about the Out of the Darkness Walk a few months later, she sent Gnau an email.

“I asked about what the walk was and she said she didn’t really have that much help going on into it,” Kay said. “So, I asked if I could volunteer and shadow her.”

Five months later, Kay sat in the registration booth at the walk as Gnau’s cochair. As the other half of a two-person organizing team, Kay helped to arrange the event in her first year at Marquette, just as Gnau did in 2023.

“It’s been really awesome to see Kalliyen as a freshman be so ready to be involved and be a leader on campus,” Gnau said. “She’s passionate about this work, which is super necessary for what we’re doing.”

At the walk, Kay quite literally followed in Gnau’s footsteps as she walked from the registration booth to the podium. She, too, took a turn standing in front of the crowd, reading an acknowledgement for participants’ beaded necklaces.

Walkers donning purple beads raised them to remember lost family members and friends.

Green beads symbolized personal struggles and blue beads, lifted at the end of Kay’s statements, represented support for suicide prevention.

“It’s definitely cool to learn about the different stories and what it means to be a part of a club that supports this,” Kay said.

Then, following a short send-off, walkers hit the pavement. Friends sorted

people that are here.”

When the walkers marched across the pavement — with beads and a purpose — it marked the end of a chapter for Gnau. With the upcoming change of hands, Gnau and Kay know the walk might not look exactly the same next year.

But Gnau hopes that with a new first-year leader, Marquette students will

into groups, faster walkers stayed at the front and Gnau slipped into the crowd to trek the 1.5-mile loop alongside her mom, dad and sister, who drove from Madison to walk for the fourth year in a row.

“[We’re] incredibly proud,” Claire Gnau, Elizabeth’s mom, said. “But, more than that, it’s the thought of all the people who are impacted. When I see people with the different color beads, it becomes less about the event and more about the

still be walking for suicide prevention for years after she graduates.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Support is also offered at Marquette by visiting the Center for Student Health and Wellness Promotion or the Counseling Center on the third floor of Wellness + Helfaer Recreation.

Tuesday, april 14,

STORY: Show used as part of local curriculum

Continued from page 1

the history of migrant agricultural work in Wisconsin and the conditions workers faced.

“I believe very deeply that my obligation as an academic is to take all of this knowledge and make it as accessible as possible to as many people as possible,” González said.

As a first-generation college student, González said, his goal is to convert his work into something that he can share with families like his own.

González joined the show at its inception in 2022, at the invitation of producer David Boffa and then-coordinating producer Mia Forslund. With his experience as a middle school teacher, González said, he jumped at the opportunity.

“We were looking for younger, early-career historians or public

historians, people who are not your traditional idea of what a historian might be,”

Boffa said. “It was pretty clear he was going to be a good fit.”

Boffa said episodes usually take six to eight weeks to go from an idea to the air. Hosts are involved in each stage of the process, from the initial brainstorm sessions to the interviews to scriptwriting, all scheduled around their 9-to-5 jobs.

On April 10, González’s most recent episode hit the internet, a feature on Racine’s Little Golden Books. To him, the episode is among the most special he’s worked on, and not just because he pitched the idea — rather, it’s because his 6-year-old daughter joined him onscreen as an actress.

“That’s so cool because she gets to have some

screen time,” González said. “When would that have happened in my life had I never been part of the show?”

"It's allowed me to stay connected to middle school teaching."

Sergio González Associate professor of history

Back in Milwaukee, González also works as a faculty affiliate for MKE Roots, a Marquette University professor’s project devoted to developing local education. Melissa Gibson, program director, said González’s experience as an educator and Latino

historian has made him invaluable to the program.

“He’s just so real,” Gibson said. “He’s clearly brilliant, but he knows how to talk about his vast knowledge of history in really accessible ways.”

That teaching style also includes an animated personality, which González said stems from his experience as a teacher. Being energetic, he said, is a key reason why he enjoys hosting “The Look Back.”

“It’s allowed me to stay connected to middle school teaching,” González said. “I love being a college professor, but there’s a goofiness that you are allowed to be as a middle school teacher that is a little bit harder to access in the college classroom.”

The onscreen silliness has made González a favorite in classrooms around Milwaukee, Gibson said.

Students who use MKE Roots’ curriculum and watch “The Look Back” have turned to González as the subject of research projects and presentations, some even dressing up as him for a living wax museum.

“He’s a local celebrity to our students and teachers,” Gibson said.

Beyond classrooms, González’s wife will bring praises of his show home from work, he said.

But, unlike many celebrities, he does not retreat to a trophy room during the day.

Instead, he sits at his desk in Sensenbrenner Hall, reading, writing and planning his next appearance on screen — surrounded not by adoring fans, but with the company of books, posters and Milwaukee Brewers bobbleheads.

Upperclassmen offer advice on apartment life

Housing search typically begins sophomore year

By Elena Metinidis elena.metinidis@marquette.edu

With only a few weeks left in the 2025-2026 school year, Marquette University students are preparing for their dorms to close for the summer. Most first-years will return to the dorms in the fall, while many sophomores will soon make themselves at home in off-campus apartments.

Students are responsible for choosing their junior and senior year residence and usually start the search their sophomore year.

To better understand what might be ahead, a few Marquette University upperclassmen offered insight based on their experiences. Some sophomores are soaking up their final days in their dorm rooms, reminiscing on memories with their roommates. Others are itching to escape the confined space and get their first taste of apartment life.

Regardless of how enthusiastic or prepared sophomores feel for this next step, it’ll be most of their first times living more independently.

“If you haven’t learned how to be independent in your two years in a dorm, living in an apartment will force you to,” Matt Kuntaras, a senior in the College of Engineering and Campus Town West apartment manager, said. While an apartment can be much more comforting than a dorm, Kuntaras said, it demands more effort to

for choosing their

maintain a good lifestyle and living space.

Jacob Roncone, a junior in the College of Business Administration, echoed that idea, saying apartment living pushes students toward a self-managed lifestyle. In his experience, apartment life feels very freeing yet requires more discipline in everyday tasks.

“You get a whole new set of responsibilities, like cooking, cleaning and coordinating with roommates, which changes how you spend your time and what you prioritize,” he said.

Roncone said it’s a stark difference from life in the dorms, where food and social life don’t require much extra thought. When the keys are

handed over, they often don’t just open the apartment door. For many students, they also offer the chance to unlock a new sense of independence.

The first taste of responsibility starts from the moment students consider where they want to live.

The apartment hunt usually picks up at the start of every fall semester at Marquette. Chatter about locations, prices, leases, roommates and floor plans fill the air as students weigh the pros and cons of their future residences.

“It’s worth taking the time to explore different places and understand the different factors in each before committing,” Roncone said.

Jessie Beyer, a junior in

the College of Arts & Sciences, didn’t start looking until the second half of her sophomore year and said there were significantly less options available. Her advice to current freshmen is to start earlier than what seems necessary.

Once sophomores have locked in their leases for next year, the next step is preparing for the new lifestyle.

“Take advantage of the fact that it’s your own personal space for the first time on campus,” Roncone said. “Making it feel like your own can make a difference in how comfortable and settled you are.”

Beyer says decorating her apartment was the most fun part of moving in,

and she encourages others to spend time curating their space.

“I love walking in and thinking, ‘They spent time on this,’” she said.

Apartments make for a better social setting, she said, because friends can make themselves more at-home. While students might have to go out of their way to spend time with friends, having a larger, cozier place to congregate is a plus for Beyer. Kuntaras said some of his favorite college memories come from chill nights in his apartment with friends and roommates.

“Make dinners, play board games, host often,” he said.

First-year goalkeeper Jillian Howell leads Marquette women's lacrosse with 74 saves, over 50 more than the next-highest goalie.

Howell silences self doubts

First-year grows more confident with each game

By Ben Hanson benjamin.hanson@marquette.edu

Jillian Howell squares up to the ball. The opposition shoots. Howell jumps and extends her stick to the corner of the net to redirect the attempt past the cage.

“The first save is always a big save,” the first-year

goalie Howell said. “After that first one, I know I’m on today.”

She takes a shuffle left.

The opponent shoots high right. She swings her stick over to save.

Stay quick on the feet.

Foe rifles at the right hip.

Deflect down to stop.

All of a sudden, Howell has 11 saves and Marquette women’s lacrosse is up 16-8 against No. 24 Villanova with just under three minutes to play. Those 60 minutes against the Wildcats were almost rhythmic for

Howell as she led the team toward its first win against a ranked opponent since April 2023.

The performance was the most saves in a single game for a Marquette first-year since 2017. It was sparked, in part, by the team’s 5-19 loss against No. 19 Denver, the prior game in which Howell was pulled early after allowing 11 first half goals.

“I remember sitting in the locker room just like, ‘Okay, that’s not happening again,'” Howell said. “So,

TRACK & FIELD

I went out against Villanova and played my game and did what I know how to do.”

A little over a month before, the Cicero, New York native notched the same amount of saves against Arizona State.

Alongside other firstyears, such as attackers Dani Serrano and Ella Mautz and draw control specialist Gabby Windesheim, Howell has played a crucial role in propelling the Golden

See SELF page 7

BASKETBALL

New faces on benches

Both basketball teams add one assistant coach

By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu

By Ben Ward benjamin.ward@marquette.edu

Marquette men’s and women’s basketball experienced the first wave of offseason roster shake-ups last week.

But all of the changes occurred on the sidelines instead of the court.

Shaka Smart hired Jeremy Ballard as a men’s basketball assistant coach, while Cara Consuegra acquired Sheila Boykin on the women’s side.

Smart reunites with former VCU assistant

Relationships are the name of the game for Smart, and his newest men’s basketball assistant coach acutely reflects that. By hiring Ballard, Smart reunited with one of his former assistants. Ballard served on Smart’s staff at Virginia Commonwealth from 2012-15. Ballard joins Marquette after spending eight seasons as head coach of Florida International until they parted ways in March.

“Jeremy Ballard is one of the best coaches I have been around in 27 years in college basketball,” Smart said in a release from Marquette athletics. “He will

See FACES page 6

Marquette senior day hits close to home

Track & Field hosts annual meet in backyard

By Lukas Schulze lukas.schulze@marquette.edu

Gus Kasun got reflective. Understanding his Marquette track & field career is winding down, the senior multi-event athlete tried to sum up why his four years were so meaningful.

“We have something special in the water here at Marquette,” Kasun said. “It’s the closest you can come to a family.” Kasun was one of the 13 seniors and graduate

students honored Saturday night for senior day during the Marquette Invitational, the team’s only meet at the Melvin “Bus” Shimek Track and Field at Valley Fields.

“It’s a special time for me to see it all come together for them,” Marquette head coach Bert Rogers said.

“These little moments of recognition for seniors is really nice.”

One of those athletes includes thrower Josh Pirogovsky, who has been a member of the program all four years at Marquette.

“This is the place where we spend all our time,” Pirogovsky said. “Looking around at all of us, we belong here.”

That’s why the meet means more. For the third year in a row, Marquette gets to host one on their home turf. A track that both the athletes and coaches are familiar with.

“It’s good ol’ fashioned home-cooking,” Rogers said. “We are used to the facility, we know what the runways are like, what the circles are like and what the track is like.”

Athletes also benefit from being able to sleep in their own bed and not spend hours on a bus.

“There is just a different level of calm and peacefulness that comes with

See DAY page 6

BASKETBALL

april 14,

FACES: Ballard and Boykin fill staffing gaps

Continued from page 5

add value to our program in a wide variety of ways.”

Along with VCU, Ballard spent 14 years as an assistant coach at Colgate, Tulsa, Illinois State and Pittsburgh.

“I am beyond grateful to Coach Smart and Marquette University for this incredible opportunity to join a national championship program,” Ballard said in the release.

"...Ballard is one of the best coaches I have been around..."

Shaka

Smart

Marquette men's basketball head coach

“I’m thrilled to reconnect with Coach Smart and help him and the staff on the quest for winning championships and maintaining a championship culture.”

Smart lost two members of his staff this offseason after Nevada Smith became the head coach at Siena and De’Andre Haynes quietly left the program after the season ended.

Consuegra hires Boykin as new recruiting coordinator

Consuegra has locked in Marquette women’s basketball’s new recruiting coordinator.

A position previously held by assistant coach Khadijah Rushdan before her discreet departure part-way through last season, Consuegra found a replacement in Boykin.

“We are excited to have

Sheila join our staff,” Consuegra said in a release from Marquette athletics.

“Sheila is an accomplished coach with championship-level experience and a relentless worth ethic that sets the standard every day.

“Just as important, she

TRACK & FIELD

role.

embodies a culture that aligns perfectly with our values and will be a tremendous relationship builder with our student-athletes, helping them grow both on and off the court.”

"She embodies a culture that aligns perfectly..."

Cara Consuegra Marquette women's basketball head coach

Boykin joins the Golden Eagles after three seasons in the same role at South Florida. Before joining the Bulls in June 2023, Boykin was an assistant coach at Loyola Chicago (2022-

23) and California State, Northridge (2020-22), also serving as the Matadors’ recruiting coordinator.

After making 113 appearances across four seasons at LSU, Boykin played professionally in both Greece and Turkey before starting her coaching career at San Diego State as a graduate assistant in 2018.

Boykin joins Marquette at a critical time for the program.

The Golden Eagles have 10 open roster spots and only five projected players — three of which are underclassmen — and only two weeks before the transfer portal closes April 20. Marquette lost all its post players (including leading scorer Skylar Forbes) along with five guards, and seriously lack experience and depth.

DAY: Golden Eagles win 16 events as a team

Continued from page 5

it,” Pirogovsky said. “We get to show up when we want, we’re not like the outcasts… the whole thing is ours.”

It’s not just the track that makes senior day special for the Golden Eagles; it’s the connection that they have with each other; which makes it that much harder to leave.

“It’s crazy you spend all your time with this group of people, and then you are kind of gone after that,” Kasun said. “These last couple moments… to be with these people I care so deeply about, that’s what I’m most excited about.”

The connection lies not just between the seniors or position groups, but throughout the whole team.

“Everybody is deeply rooted in the values that we have as a friendship,” Kasun said. “I feel like that’s something that’s very valuable and something that won’t leave me as I go away from Milwaukee.”

This meet is of course very special to the athletes to honor their time as a part of the program, but it’s equally as special for the coaching staff. The ones who introduced the athletes to the program and watched them grow up right in front of their eyes.

“It’s cool to see them kind

of come in as kids in a lot of ways, and leaving here as young adults,” Rogers said.

“You see a lot of growth in that four or five years.”

The Marquette Invitational goes beyond just the performance on the track but also the support the athletes receive off the track from their families

and loved ones. Marquette has 53 athletes including Kasun and Pirogovsky that reside from either Wisconsin or Illinois; which makes the trip to Milwaukee a lot easier for loved ones to come out and watch the meet.

“It’s cool to see everybody else’s families too,”

Pirogovsky said. “You don’t really get to see that a lot in college.”

With that hometown crowd behind them, Marquette was able to win 16 different events and record 20 new personal bests on Saturday, proof of how valuable it is to have your biggest fans cheering you on.

“It’s great to see a community that you belong to come out and support in such a good way,” Kasun said. “I think that’s what is especially special about this meet.”

Even though their careers are coming to an end, Marquette will always be a special place to not only Kasun and Pirogovsky, but to the rest of the seniors as well.

“There’s something special about after you’re done competing,” Pirogovsky said. “Just standing on the turf and it says Marquette on it… you never feel quite the same as when you’re at home.”

MEN'S TENNIS

Luis Heredia finds new purpose coaching

Former tennis star back at MU as team asssitant

By Mikey Severson michael.severson@marquette.edu

Luis Heredia arrived at Marquette in 2017 with the goal of competing in college tennis.

He won the Big East Championship in 2018 after coming from Spain to the United States, met his wife, earned three All-Big East second team appearances in four years and received a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing.

Heredia split time between Milwaukee and New York for almost a year after graduation and then made the decision to make Milwaukee home — also occasionally going back to his native Spain to visit family.

He grew up playing tennis with his dad as his coach and has traveled to 33 countries for the sport.

Now, after extensive globetrotting and while balancing his career in finance, he is back in the blue & gold this season, volunteering as Marquette’s assistant coach starting this season.

“I felt like I needed to give something back to the program, if it’s my time,” Heredia said. “Helping all those

players that I’ve had a connection with, even when I stopped the program, I’ve always wanted to help.”

Heredia doesn’t travel with the team or attend regular practices. Instead, he finds time to instruct players whenever he can to supplement Marquette’s practice schedule, while still prioritizing his career as an investment adviser at Paramount Financial Partners. It makes for some early mornings and late evenings, assisting the tennis team on top of working 1011 hours a day. But it is all worth it to him.

“It’s trying to fit it wherever I can in the day-today,” Heredia said.

Marquette men’s tennis head coach Jud Shaufler has always seen Heredia’s motivation, all the way back to Heredia’s time as a player and Shaufler’s time as an assistant under Steve Rodecap. It made Heredia one of Shaufler’s all-time favorites.

“I had a ton of respect for his competitive fire, and when a player shows me that kind of heart, it makes it easy to coach,” Shaufler said. “He was always easy to coach, because I knew that he was going to lay it

all on the line for me, so that immediately bonded us together a little bit.”

Heredia’s eye for detail stood out to Shaufler in his leadership style, as this serves as his first collegiate coaching opportunity in his young career.

“He’s not going to soft soak anything, if he sees a guy isn’t competing hard enough, they’re not coachable or not changing a losing game, he’s going to be pretty honest,” Shaufler said. “That’s a good quality to have.”

Teddy Wong, a senior from River Hills, Wis., said that Heredia’s insight and

high-level experience has added a new perspective in which to learn from.

“He knows what it takes to be a good team and to be successful in the Big East,” Wong said.

Against Creighton on April 10, sophomore Clayton Anderson found himself trailing after an 0-6 first set at the No. 3 singles position. With Heredia’s help, he gave up only five more games the rest of the match and won in three sets.

“Luis was noticing my shot quality. It was landing short often, he helped me get through the mental block, a little bit more depth, using my spin and spreading the cord a bit,” Anderson said.

As Heredia’s first season coaching Marquette tennis wraps up soon, the aspects of combining his love of tennis with his alma mater has fueled his fire to pursue this pathway.

“I think Marquette has been the most important period of my life,” Heredia said. “In the transition from one place to another, having Milwaukee as my home — it’s giving back, just being involved in the sport and being present here is what motivates me to be able to help them every single day.”

SELF: Rookie has trust of goalie unit

Continued from page 5

Eagles to fourth place in the Big East. Only the top four teams qualify for the Big East tournament and if Marquette wins its last two games against UConn and Butler, it punches its ticket to the postseason for the first time in three years.

Howell has played at least 30 minutes in every game this season, standing at the cage for nearly 66% of all possible time. Head coach Meredith Black has a hard time remembering, besides the program’s inaugural season, when a first-year played as much as Howell.

“She’s awesome,” Black said. “She is so consistent in her play.”

This talent was recognized early in Howell’s career. In eighth grade, she was called up to the Cicero-North High School Northstars — her eventual high school team and a program that sends multiple players to Division I every year — as a reserve goalie. The team’s top two netminders were out for the season with concussions and, after the thirdstring was sidelined during

a close game, Howell got her chance.

She only played less than eight minutes, but during that time made multiple saves contributing to the win.

“She really didn’t even hesitate,” said Stephanie Prentice, Howell’s high school coach. “It tells you a little bit about who she is, her character and also her confidence.”

Throughout her high school career, Howell showed collegiate ability. She led her team to a state championship in 2024 and a regional title the following season. All while earning three citywide and three conference honors, including making the first team in each her senior year.

Swimming in accolades, Howell still struggled to always have confidence in herself.

During her team’s sectional championship game her senior year, she was pulled toward the middle of the second half because she was struggling in the cage. Howell told her goalie coach she didn’t want to go back into the game. Prentice took a beat to re-

mind Howell about the team’s belief in her, but Howell, given the chance to go back, would’ve encouraged her younger self the same way she does her current self.

"Everyone's totally all in to whatever she's gonna say."

Meredith Black Marquette women's lacrosse head coach

“See the ball and save it. Don’t over-complicate it — because I tend to do that a lot,” Howell said. “It’s really simple. Just like, do your thing and you know what to do.”

Howell went back in the game and the Northstars hoisted the sectional championship trophy that day.

“She’s just a great asset to any team,” Prentice said. “I definitely knew that she would 100% play at the D-I level.”

The summer after gradu-

ating high school, Howell worked on her skills with teammates from Cicero North, including one who now plays at Vanderbilt and another who is committed to North Carolina.

The transition from high school to collegiate lacrosse is a step up for any player, but especially for goalies because of the increased pace of play. Even so, as a two-time all-conference honoree in high school basketball, her footwork on the hardwood gives her a leg up in the crease.

When Howell returned home for winter break this past year, she scrimmaged with her old team and her high school coaches immediately noticed some differences.

“She looked even faster,” said Prentice, who will watch Howell’s Marquette games occasionally. “Her stick looked faster and her feet looked faster and we all noticed.”

Howell agrees her confidence in herself has grown since putting on the blue & gold. It’s always been in her — when she was pulled up from eighth grade, when she left the

comfort of the sideline to get back in net during that important game her senior year, when she made her collegiate debut against Eastern Michigan and made a save that ended up on Sports Center Top 10 later that evening.

It’s now bubbling up enough that other players are beginning to learn from her.

“She’s just built so much trust within the (goalie) unit,” Black said. “Everyone’s totally all in to whatever she’s gonna say.” Some things never change. That unity is the same energy she brought to the Northstars.

“Everybody wants to cheer her on,” Prentice said. “Everybody’s proud of her and happy for her.”

Before the final buzzer had finished blaring in Marquette’s win against the Wildcats, every Golden Eagle had sprinted from the sideline and ran cross-field toward Howell, who was already being embraced by a few teammates.

Her No. 27 jersey became lost in the dogpile immediately.

april 14,

MEN'S LACROSSE

Depth shows in strong Big East start

MLAX overcomes injuries with 2-1 conference record

By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu

Marquette men’s lacrosse has been through a lot this season.

Adversity has shown up in all shapes and sizes, with injuries and a mixed bag of results making for a tumultuous start to the season. But despite that, the Golden Eagles’ only Big East loss is on the road at No. 12 Georgetown.

“I think at this point of the season, we’ve kind of seen every situation possible,” head coach Jake Richard said. “We’ve played really good teams really close. We’ve gotten crushed by really good teams.

“We’ve played teams we should beat really close and we’ve beat teams we should beat pretty well. And we’ve done it with and

without different personnel at all times.”

The personnel has looked a lot different specifically over the last three weeks, starting with junior attacker Tucker Mullen and senior midfielder Mike Piraino being out heading into MU’s game against Providence on March 28.

Then, senior attacker Matt Caputo and junior long stick midfielder/defender Bradley Johnson both suffered knee injuries during the game against the Friars — meaning four of MU’s key contributors were sitting on the sideline.

But up stepped junior attacker Ethan Salvia and sophomore defender Colin Maloney, determined not to let the Golden Eagles lose their opening game of Big East play.

With the Golden Eagles down four scores with 13 minutes to play in regulation, Salvia netted two goals that were 45 seconds

apart to cut the lead in half. The blue & gold battled to get the game to overtime — where Salvia scored tallied his career-high seventh point of the day courtesy of a game-winning overtime goal.

“It was pretty surreal,” Salvia recalled of the game-winner. “Having my parents there was pretty cool, and my little brother — who’s like my one of my best friends — was there too. It was the first game he’s been able to make it to this year, but really it was cool to have them all there.”

Maloney was all over the place on the defensive end against PC, scooping up a game-high and career-high eight ground balls while adding a caused turnover. He was a big part of securing possessions for the Golden Eagles throughout the entire game, but especially during the fourth quarter. Maloney also added his first collegiate point on an assist.

"The only way we're going to get through things is together."

Jake Richard Marquette men's lacrosse head coach

The performances landed the duo on the Big East weekly honor roll for the first time in their careers.

Mullen and Piraino returned for Marquette’s April 4 contest against St. John’s, but Caputo and Johnson remained out. Once again, the Golden Eagles were in need of an unusual hero if they wanted to start 2-0 in the Big East for the first time since 2022. And, this time, senior attacker Andrew Bowman and senior defender Calvin

answered the call. Bowman finished the game with a career-high four points (two goals and two assists), helping MU to a 12-11 win in double overtime.

“When a guy like Caputo goes down, I’m just thinking how bad I want to play for him,” Bowman said. “I want to come out on top because I love that guy and I want to play for our team.”

Hicks’ impact on Marquette’s defensive unit goes far beyond what the box score shows. The senior has been just short of cracking the rotation for several years now according to Richard. But now that Johnson is out, Hicks has become an important part of the Golden Eagles’ defense.

“He’s made some really great plays for us,” Richard said. “He was big in that Providence game in particular.”

Hicks, Bowman, Maloney and Saliva didn’t have any starts heading into Big East play. While Bowman and Hicks had appeared in games at different times

over the course of their career at Marquette, Maloney and Salvia were yet to play in a game coming into this season.

Now, all four have been thrust into roles on a team that is fighting for a chance to play in the Big East tournament and beyond.

“It’s kind of been an extension of the year,” Richard said. “The only way we’re going to get through things is together. And what that looks like on gameday has been different every week.”

Despite stumbling in a 17-7 loss at Georgetown on April 11, the Golden Eagles are tied for second place in the conference standings with Villanova — both teams boasting 2-1 records. The Wildcats travel to Milwaukee to face Marquette on Saturday.

“We’ve been a bit behind the eight ball in the tiebreaker scenario for the last three years,” Richard said, “and so it was really important we were playing our best come Big East play to put ourselves ahead of the eight ball for once in terms of tie breaking scenarios.”

04/17-04/18

T/F @ G-Tech Inv.

Atlanta, GA

04/18

MLAX vs. Villanova Valley Fields

Opinions

Stop anti-LGBTQ+ school board policies

By Bella Gruber isabella.gruber@marquette.edu

Across America, an increasing number of school boards have passed policies to restrict LGBTQ+ narratives in recent years. Implementing policies that exclude students’ identities and reject the idea of gender entirely silences LGBTQ+ students and puts all students at a disadvantage.

616 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in the United States in 2025, and individual districts have adopted policies that suppress the identities of their students. Additionally, the Trevor Project found that 44% of LGBTQ+ young people reporting their school has at least one anti LGBTQ+ policy. Many bills that restrict LGBTQ+ people’s rights emerged as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts were dismantled by President Trump, primarily in red states.

Some laws and policies target transgender students by prohibiting them from using appropriate bathrooms and participating in school sports. Others censor the LGBTQ+-related content permitted in curricula, known as “don’t say gay” laws.

Arrowhead High School

District in Waukesha County, Wisc. passed a policy — “Restoring Biological Truth” — on July 9, 2025, which prohibits all courses from discussing “gender ideology” and requires all communications, policies, documents and questions about gender to be replaced with “sex.” The policy goes so far as banning all employees from including their preferred pronouns in email signoffs, among other restrictions.

At a school board meeting on March 11 in Hartland, Wisc., some students from Arrowhead High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance spoke out against this policy. Some students explained their experience hearing derogatory terms on a regular basis at Arrowhead, describing this policy as a “gamble with students’ lives.” They also expressed the danger of compelling staff to turn away LGBTQ+ students who confide in them.

Watertown School District in Jefferson and Dodge Counties, Wisc., also passed a “gender support” policy. This policy indicates that parents must be notified if their child seeks to be called a different name or use different pronouns from their assigned sex, and staff

members may decide if they would like to use the student’s preferred name and pronouns. Parents are left with little input in how their child is addressed and students have no power over the information shared with their parents.

While the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has provided guidelines on the importance of creating an inclusive educational environment for LGBTQ+ students, these districts have directly ignored their instructions.

Most often, these policies are adopted following feedback from parents and community members.

These policies blatantly reject the validity of LGBTQ+ students’ existence, which may lead to increased bullying, harassment and discrimination against them. In turn, LGBTQ+ students may feel uncomfortable expressing themselves authentically in the classroom, leading to feelings of inferiority and insecurity.

These policies claim to ensure safety and privacy among students, but they really foster feelings of discomfort and ostracism by alienating LGBTQ+ students.

Among a historically

vulnerable group that is 2.5 times more likely than heterosexual individuals to experience anxiety, depression and substance misuse, anti–LGBTQ+ school policies put students at risk of experiencing these issues early on. These individuals must navigate their identity, social challenges and relationships during adolescence, so policies invalidating their existence in schools adds another unnecessary layer of challenges.

Conversely, the Trevor Project’s U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People found that 54% of transgender and nonbinary students consider their schools gender-affirming, supporting their identity. Consequently, fewer considered attempting suicide among this percentage.

On a state level, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers vetoed five restrictive LGBTQ+ Republican bills on March 31, International Transgender Visibility Day. These proposed bills would have restricted trans students’ access to school sports and gender-affirming healthcare. Evers says he will continue to veto bills that make Wisconsin “less safe, less inclusive and less

welcoming place for LGBTQ people and kids.”

A study from the University of Pittsburgh also discovered that providing LGBTQ+-inclusive sexual education is associated with less bullying in their LGBTQ+ students, and in effect, less suicidal thoughts and depressive symptoms for these individuals. Offering inclusive courses like this is imperative to self-discovery.

Schools must provide students with the resources they need to discover their identity and feel comfortable engaging in a learning environment. Using students’ preferred names and pronouns is only a fraction of the respect schools must give their students. Public K-12 education seeks to educate all students equally to prepare them to achieve their goals in adulthood.

Excluding the LGBTQ+ community in a school setting only perpetuates longstanding discrimination, hindering these individuals’ livelihoods at a young age. K-12 schools must value their students’ unique identities, not suppress them.

Taylor Swift must respect artist authenticity

By Amelia Lerret amelia.lerret@marquette.edu

Singer, TV host and columnist Maren Wade sued Taylor Swift for copyright infringement over Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Wade owns “Confessions of a Showgirl,” which started as a column for Las Vegas Weekly in 2014 and later turned into a podcast and show.

Swift’s album not only mimics its title structure but also its central idea, making it hard for fans to recognize the originality of Wade’s creativity.

Copyright protects a person’s unique expressions, like photographs, music, books, movies and more. In an industry built from creativity, it is important that artists and fans respect these guidelines so individuals can fully own their outputs without fearing replication.

To be protected under these guidelines, work must be original and fixed. For example, a song has to be created independently by a human author and recorded in a permanent way.

Any creator of something original and permanently captured automatically has copyright, but additional steps can be taken to advance its security. Registering it grants legal ownership and adds value to it as the public can see its permanence through the Copyright Public Records Portal. In the U.S., a product must be registered to be legally protected.

Especially in a competitive field like the entertainment industry, it is important for work to be protected, and the recent lawsuit filed against Swift amplifies this importance.

Wade has spent over a decade building her brand that provides a behind-thescenes perspective into the entertainment industry –an idea that Swift also had for her album.

"Confessions of a Showgirl” was legally registered in 2015, granting Wade ownership and protection of her idea, and that should be respected by fans and artists in the industry.

The lawsuit identifies trademark infringement as well. Trademarks give ownership to authors by

granting them the right to label and distribute products related to their work.

It is common to sell merchandise to promote and celebrate popular works in the entertainment industry. In stores or online, people can find shirts or mugs with their favorite movie or album title on it. This added exposure makes it increasingly important that authors are identified and recognized.

So, when Swift’s album takes over the showgirl labels in stores, it makes it difficult for fans to recognize and appreciate the authenticity of Wade’s idea. This disregards her authorship and the years she spent building her brand. She’s also suing for unfair competition, which highlights that Swift’s album is one among many, but “Confessions of a Showgirl” is Wade’s only identifier. Swift’s large fanbase makes it difficult for Wade to compete with getting recognition for the idea. Their Instagram followings exemplify the popularity gap as Wade has just over 2,000 followers and Swift has 280 million.

Copyright laws exist for a reason. Wade’s time and effort spent on “Confessions of a Showgirl” over the last 12 years should not be forgotten because of Swift’s album, released a decade later.

A potential limitation of copyright law is the possibility for two people to have the same idea. Whoever has a record of it first owns it, leaving any following creators unable to share similar expressions.

In every case, existing work should be respected to give creators the recognition that they deserve.

Authorship rights are not only advantageous for artists but also for fans. People can appreciate the things they read or watch because they know it was created independently, not just a copy of something already made. Respect artists’ authenticity and appreciate the uniqueness of their creations because copyright and trademark laws make originality possible.

Disney live-action remakes erase the magic

By Rachel Lopera rachel.lopera@marquette.edu

As someone who grew up watching Disney films religiously, I’m always looking forward to the franchise’s next creative work. However, its obsession with live-action remakes blights imaginative artistry — a staple of many childhoods. Disney is known for its multinational entertainment, whether it’s movies, streaming platforms or theme parks. The company has a talent for bringing clever, heartfelt stories to life on the silver screen, many of which still bring me joy today. Because of their traditional 2D animation and whimsical storylines, some of my favorite films include “Hercules,” “The Princess and the Frog” and “Alice in Wonderland."

But now, the Disney magic is slowly getting lost with each live-action remake the franchise films. Recycling past stories does not revive nostalgia; it kills the inventive creativity that has captivated audiences for generations.

Just last month, Disney launched the official trailer for its live-action remake of “Moana” — set to release this summer — and unfortunately, my conniptions with this adaptation decision are greater than previous ones.

Not only is Disney reusing another one of its films, but it chose to remake one from just 10 years ago. The original “Moana” film was released in 2016, making it far

from a classic. While there is no specific criteria for what makes a Disney film a “classic,” I would argue that any movie released after 1999 does not fall under this category. Therefore, there is no need to reimagine “Moana” with realism.

The trailer has already left fans unhappy, many making critiques about the film’s desaturated appearance and Dwayne Johnson wearing a long curly wig as his character, Maui.

After watching the trailer myself, I was also left disappointed because it doesn’t capture the same magical essence as the original. It didn’t leave me feeling excited or wanting to see the movie, which is how I’ve felt for many of these adaptations.

Whether it’s an unnecessary plot change or poor casting, many of these remakes lack artistic expression. They miss key elements from the originals, like Ariel’s bright red hair in “The Little Mermaid” or the entirety of the musical numbers from “Mulan.” These films simply cannot compare to the original animations.

However, despite my personal criticism, there have been instances where I’ve been amazed with Disney’s remakes.

The company’s first live-action remake was “The Jungle Book” in 1994, but the live-action obsession started with the 2015 “Cinderella” remake, which admittedly, did blow me away. Everything from the enhanced emotional narrative to the breathtaking costume design was a cinematic masterpiece of a true reimagined classic.

The film was a huge box office success, grossing over $542 million worldwide, which is arguably why Disney has continued to make live-action adaptations. The ability to profit with minimal effort by recycling characters and plotlines is an easy money grab, but it negates the concept of creative storytelling.

It’s why I commend Pixar, an animation studio owned by Disney, for its stance against making live-action adaptations.

Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter told Time how he likes making original and unique movies.

“So much of what we create only works because of the rules of the [animated] world,” he said. “The worlds that we’ve built just don’t translate very easily.”

Instead of remaking previous films like Disney, Pixar has produced unique movies such as “Luca” and “Elemental” in recent years. The former follows themes of self-exploration and childhood friendships, and the latter focuses on the immigrant experience and overcoming societal prejudice.

While watching these films, I can feel the passion and integrity that went into their creation. It’s these same qualities I’ve been missing from Disney. We don’t need more live-action remakes; we want visionary experiences with original ideas.

If Disney keeps recycling its animated films into live-action remakes, the company will lose the magic that has taken decades to create.

Do not expand the NCAA tournament

By Owen Parker owen.parker@marquette.edu

March Madness is commonly viewed as the best postseason tournament in all sports. It’s the unexpected upsets, legends born and that one shining moment every fan, coach and player chase that define the event. But now the NCAA wants to compromise this feeling by expanding the tournament for a few extra dollars.

On April 3, the day before the 2026 Final Four started, the Sports Business Journal reported that the NCAA is “expected to finalize an expansion of the men’s and women’s tournaments to 76 teams” — something that NCAA President Charlie Baker has been insistent upon.

“It bummed me out that they didn’t get in,” he said, referencing certain teams that didn’t make the 68-team bracket.

This is a ridiculous excuse to change the most entertaining tournament in American sports. Expanding the tournament does nothing but give mediocre, rich power conference schools an opportunity to get into the tournament, minimizing the impact of the fan-favorite mid and low majors. It all starts and ends with money. Instead of catering to the

real fans and preserving to college basketball’s integrity, tournament expansion helps only the greedy executives, who care most about making their wallets even thicker. More teams mean more games, meaning more opportunities to generate revenue through broadcasts, tickets, concessions, merchandise, etc. March Madness viewership only keeps growing, and the NCAA is trying to capitalize on this.

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports put it best when he reported on the tournament’s inevitable expansion.

“In the most financially stressful time in college athletics history, the power leagues are aggressively seeking more access and revenue in NCAA championship,” he said.

A common argument for expansion is the potential for more meaningful postseason games, which could be a good thing. In all sports, the playoffs are supposed to bring the best of the best to compete in a tense win-or-go-home situation. But all expanding the tournament will do is lower the bar of entry, which will simultaneously minimize the impact. It will pit underserving teams with underwhelming resumes against each other in a meeting of mediocrity. The exact opposite of the

postseason’s point.

The tournament has been expanded before, and it has largely led to thoughtless games between sloppy teams. We can look at past years’ First Four games as examples.

The 2024 matchup between Colorado State and Virginia was a memorable one. Virginia lost in embarrassing fashion, only scoring 42 points. Colorado State won handily in an eyesore of a game and then lost in the next round to Texas and only scored 44 points.

Similar events happened in 2025 with North Carolina vs. San Diego State and 2022 with Indiana vs. Wyoming. It feels like every year, the biggest takeaway from the First Four is that further expansion would further diminish the product.

The Big Sky Conference Commissioner Tom Wistrcill commented on the pressures from power conferences to change the event to fulfill their own desires.

“This is the greatest three weeks on the planet,” he said. “But it’s our job to protect this event. There are pressures and the Power Four have shared that with us. We’re not putting our heads in the sand.”

The committee overvalues power conference schedules when it comes to at-large seedings. Just

look at Miami Ohio. They went undefeated in the regular season and yet the committee still sent them to Dayton, citing the limited strength of schedule as to why. Further expansion will solely enlarge this problem. These games lower the high standard of competition in the tournament. Expanding drains the energy from the regular season, lowering the cost of losing for power conference programs. Instead of treating every game as essential, power conference teams gain a margin of error while mid majors are left with none.

College basketball executives are money hungry, and they are threatening to ruin a highly watched tournament in favor of their own greed. Tournament expansion is a mistake and exists to provide a simpler way for mediocre big schools to get into a tournament they don’t deserve. The homegrown emotion of college basketball is being lost. As NIL and the transfer portal continue to shape the sport, the integrity of the tournament must be protected to preserve the tradition of March Madness.

Statement of Opinion Policy

The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.

Our editorial board consists of the managing editor of the Marquette Tribune and all executive editors including news, sports arts & entertainment and opinions.

The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a fourweek period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration.

Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 600 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 300 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content.

Please e-mail submissions to: rachel.lopera@marquette. edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.

Fun & Games

Coachella Performers

Sabrina Carpenter Karol G Justin Bieber The Strokes Young Thug Addison Rae Kaskade GIVEON Disclosure

Ethel Cain KATSEYE Major Lazer

david.hanneken@marquette.edu

2016 Throwback

Across

1. Necklace style of the year.

7. One-third full is the best way to land this trick.

8. Frozen trend to "Black Beatles."

9. Geographically-interactive creature-catching game.

10. Household item children ingested.

11. Tiktok's predecessor.

12. Popular Snapchat lens.

Down

2. Gorilla that died in Cincinnati, Ohio.

3. Beyoncé album released this year.

4. Six-second reels app.

5. Viral Kardashian makeup product.

6. Handheld spinning device.

Submit finished puzzles to sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu by May 7. Most accurate crossword submissions wins a grand prize.

Arts & Entertainment

MU Greek Life's 2016-themed Airband

By Allison Scherquist allison.scherquist@marquette.edu

It was a jam-packed April 13 for Marquette University’s Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council as they presented their annual Airband competition — a lip sync dance battle between Marquette sororities and fraternities. The event, officially hosted by Safe & Sound, Inc., was MCed by Ellie Golko, a junior in the College of Communication, and Sean Connolly, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, and raised over $5,000.

Marking the 11th year of the competition, this year’s theme was “2016.” Members from Marquette’s six sororities and four fraternities dressed in thematic costumes, as each chapter performed a five-to-seven-minute dance and lip-sync to a mash-up of popular songs from the 2010s.

The judging panel was composed of Cassandra Mori, the Director of Student Engagement Services, Rae Dakins, Vice President of Marquette University’s Student Government and Bridget Whitaker, the Executive Director of Safe & Sound, Inc. – a charity that focuses on building safer and empowered communities in the Milwaukee area.

The trio judged each performance on creativity, originality, adherence to theme and, of course,

each group’s dance and lip-syncing ability.

The competition holds some strict rules to ensure student safety, including not being allowed to leap too high or have more than 15 people on stage. If they violate these rules, the chapters risk a point deduction or small fine.

The high-energy competition aims to raise money for Safe & Sound, Inc., but the winning chapters also receive $100 towards their respective philanthropies.

The event kicked off at 7:00 p.m. with a performance from Alpha Omega Epsilon. Various throwback songs from 2016 were performed throughout the night, such as Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” and “HandClap” by Fitz and The Tantrums.

Sigma Phi Epsilon made references to the 2016 Harambe incident, in which a zookeeper shot a gorilla after a child fell into its exhibit, by having a member dance on stage in a gorilla costume.

Sigma Kappa recreated the viral mannequin challenge, while other chapters made various other cultural moments from 2016. Delta Tau Delta even recreated the famous “‘Dance Moms’ Boss Lady” dance and executed a water bottle flip, bringing the crowd to their feet.

At the end of the night, audiences were treated to a performance from the

all-male Marquette a cappella group, The Naturals, where they sang two 2016 songs — including “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles — and a preview of their spring concert.

After the judges deliberated and determined the winners, the MCs announced the top three fraternities and sororities.

For the fraternities, Sigma Phi Epsilon placed third and Delta Chi placed second.

"It's not just about performing; it's about community, creativity and giving back."

Molly Tobin Vice President Programming Marquette Panhellenic

For the sororities, Alpha Chi Omega placed third and Sigma Kappa placed second. The big winners of the night were Delta Tau Delta and Kappa Delta, with Delta Tau Delta becoming backto-back Airband champions.

Kappa Delta President Lilly Hanslik, a junior in the College of Business Administration, served as head

choreographer for Delta Tau Delta and assistant choreographer for Kappa Delta. She was responsible for design formations, visuals and dance transitions.

“Delta Tau Delta [winning] was exciting because they had won the previous year and wanted to win again,” Hanslik said.

Coordinating this event was a group effort between members of the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Board. Chapter presidents and delegates worked in tandem in order to plan logistics, communicate with chapters and ensure everything ran smoothly.

Molly Tobin, a junior in the College of Health Sciences, serves as the Vice President of Programming for Panhellenic Council and worked as a coordinator for Airband.

“One of the biggest challenges was coordinating so many groups at once,” Tobin said. “But overall, everyone was really cooperative, and it’s been exciting to see everyone come together and have so much fun supporting each other.”

The event sparked a huge turnout with upwards of 1,000 audience members showing up to enjoy and take part in the competition. Shortly after the doors opened, seats filled and people had to stand in the back or sit on the floor.

“Airband is one of the best examples of how Greek life can bring people together in a positive and impactful way,” Tobin said. “It’s not just about performing; it’s about community, creativity and giving back.”

MU student places in Irish Dance Worlds

Elise Weske was ranked 20th in her age group

By Annie Goode annie.goode@marquette.edu

Marquette student Elise

Weske’s Easter Break looked a little different than the average Marquette student's. Rather

than spending time relaxing at home or visiting family, she competed at the 2026 Irish Dance World Championship, also called Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne 2026.

Weske, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, said only 1% of dancers qualify for the world championships.

Past world champion-

ships have been in places like Dublin, Belfast or Glasgow, but this year’s competition took place in Schaumburg, Ill., from March 29 to April 5.

“What was unique [about this year] was that it was in the states, so I didn’t have to deal with jet lag or anything, which was really nice,” Weske said.

Weske has been Irish dancing since she was just five years old, competing at the world championship since 2022. She also had to make it through several different qualifier competitions in Milwaukee, Maryland and Killarney, Ireland to make it to the world championship.

Weske was also joined by other members of Marquette’s Irish Dance Team, Saoirse, who qualified with their dance studios. However, she competed as a soloist.

“What’s unique about Irish dance compared to other forms of dance is that you are dancing on

stage with one or two other people to the same music, but you’re doing your own choreography, so you have to navigate going around them,” Weske said.

Weske began the competition by dancing in hard shoes, then switching to soft shoes later in the day.

While soft shoes are often compared to ballet’s pointe shoes and are used for big jumps, kicks and lifts, hard shoes are more similar to tap dancing shoes and rely on explosive rhythm and percussion.

As a seasoned world’s competitor, Weske noticed trends in both the dancing and fashion of the event.

“For dancing, it’s a lot of swap jumps and a lot of moving around the stage more,” Weske said. “There’s a lot of ruffled skirts and sleeves that are more flowy.”

If she placed in the top half of dancers after the second round, she would be using hard shoes for the final round, where she

dances alone to her own music and speed.

“It all comes down to that moment, and you either have an on day or an off day,” Weske said. “It just depends on how you dance that day and what the judges see.”

Despite one trip in her second round, Weske was proud of her performance in the competition, placing 20th in her age group out of around 70 dancers.

Weske competed at the collegiate level with Marquette’s Irish Dance team, Saoirse, for nationals on April 11, in Madison, Wis.

“I’m really excited because I’ve never competed at a collegiate nationals before, and it’s a very different vibe,” Weske said.

“We get to do fun numbers, and we’re doing more team dances, which I don’t usually get to experience with my studio.”

Weske will have a short break before her season starts again in July.