The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 96, Issue 24

Quinnipiac student petitions for fair agreement for dining services staff

Quinnipiac announces discontinuation of QCash for the 2026-27 academic year

In an email sent out to Quinnipiac University students, faculty and staff last Monday, Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett announced the discontinuation of QCash effective May 29, claiming the change is the result of the university’s ongoing efforts to modernize campus operations and improve the overall community experience.

QCash is a debit account that is separate from your meal plan. It allows you to make purchases at off-campus merchants, the university bookstore and the on-campus post office. QCash is also accepted at a handful of other off campus merchants, according to Quinnipiac’s website.

The school is working towards a system that adheres to more “commonplace transitional pieces,” according to Ellett, such as Applepay, Venmo and Paypal — platforms that can be utilized with students’ phones.

The apparent lack of students regularly using QCash on campus has also provided administration with a window to shift directions in terms of campus currency.

QCash will remain a feasible form of currency on campus through the 2026 Spring semester and students are encouraged to use their remaining QCash balance before their discontinuation date. Issues regarding granting students refunds for

their unused QCash have also been an ongoing issue leading to their discontinuation. With the process of refunds being lengthy, and there being a $5 minimum on each, administration felt it was time to make the switch.

Students with remaining QCash after May 29 will be issued a refund at some point during the fall 2026 semester. Additional details regarding the refunding process will be released when the time comes.

“It’s really about reducing the administrative time and effort to actually do this effectively, as quickly as possible without making errors. So, you know, it’s the first time we’ve done it in this massive way, so we want to do it right,” Ellett said.

Ellet highlights the inconvenience of QCash with complaints about there being a multi-day waiting period when additional money is wired to each student’s account. This often inconveniences students who need the money immediately.

Students were surprised by the abrupt announcement and had mixed feelings on the matter, but ultimately emphasized the convenience of the new system.

“I mean, I think everybody has their QCard card, as well as their credit card or debit card. So I don’t think there’s really a difference,” sophomore health sciences major Erion Risvani said.

With many Quinnipiac students express-

ing frustration regarding the cost for printing on campus, junior occupational therapy major Jillian Galvin shared her thoughts on the matter.

“I think it’s annoying, and it’s unfortunate because, you know, you pay so much for tuition to begin with, and so many other schools do free printing,” she said. “If you have to increase the technology fee by, like, 100 bucks or even 50 bucks, it wouldn’t be a huge difference.”

With amenities on campus like printing making the switch to systems like Apple Pay, Venmo, Paypal, etc., Ellett reassures students that the new systems will be thoroughly tested before the fall semester begins to ensure they don’t cause issues when taking payments.

“I think it will be in the eye of the beholder to say whether they think it’s better or not based on whether or not families were, there were some families using it pretty regularly, and there’ve been a lot of families who don’t use it,” Ellett said.

“So I think for the majority of, a high percentage of students, this won’t affect at all because they’re not using it.

Ellett advises anybody with concerns to contact him and he will be in touch.

“Any change can be discombobulating to a student, but looking at the amount of money and the number of people using it, I don’t think it’s going to be a huge issue,” Ellett said.

By AVA HIGHLAND News

In response to Quinnipiac University’s Division I rugby program being cut, Assistant Coach Colleen Doherty created a petition to “Reinstate Women’s Rugby at Quinnipiac University” Tuesday afternoon.

The petition has nearly 3,00 signatures in about five hours since its creation, at the time of publication.

“Quinnipiac University’s recent announcement of athletics realignment cites long-term financial sustainability, competitive success, and Title IX compliance as guiding priorities,” Doherty wrote. “However, the decision to eliminate the women’s rugby program directly contradicts these stated goals and undermines a program that has been central to Quinnipiac’s national identity, athletic success, and leadership in women’s sports.

Doherty highlights two previous lawsuits against Quinnipiac: Biediger v. Quinnipiac University in 2011 — which found that “Quinnipiac failed to provide equitable athletic opportunities” for women.and a 2013 settlement — where Quinnipiac committed to expanding women’s athletic opportunities, which specifically noted the women’s rugby team.

“Cutting women’s rugby now raises serious concerns about whether Quinnipiac risks falling out of compliance with Title IX once again,” Doherty wrote. “Title IX requires institutions to provide equitable participation opportunities for women; removing a women’s sport, especially one created to address a prior gender equity gap, could reduce those opportunities and recreate disparities that federal courts have already ruled unlawful.

Doherty also notes that rugby is “one of the least financially burdensome programs” totalling at $128,000 per year.

Doherty calls on Director of Athletics Greg Amodio and President Marie Hardin as the decision makers.

A smaller first petition, “Restore Women’s Rugby Team at Quinnipiac University,” was also created by a petitioner listed at “b c” and is now closed.

The team is being transitioned from varsity to club status, per a QU Athletics press release Tuesday morning.

“Supporting 27 student-athletes whose dreams were shattered by the sudden decision to eliminate Quinnipiac’s Division I women’s rugby program, downsizing it to a club team,” “b c” wrote. “After years of

MEET THE EDITORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alexandra Martinakova

MANAGING EDITOR

Gina Lorusso

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Emily Adorno

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tyler Mignault

NEWS EDITOR

Ava Highland

OPINION EDITOR

Lillian Curtin

ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR

Joanna Farrell

ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Sophie Murray

SPORTS EDITOR

Claire Frankland

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITORS

Emily Marquis

Cooper Woodward

DESIGN EDITOR

Katerina Parizkova

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Elisabeth McMahon

ASSOCIATE SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Taylor Huchro

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION EDITOR

Quinn O’Neill

ASSOCIATE MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION EDITOR

Harper Ferraro

ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Ryley Lee

Lily Zahka

COPY EDITORS

Anthony Angelillo

Amanda Dronzek

Chloe Grant

The views expressed in The Chronicle’s opinion section are those of the respective authors. They do not reflect the views of The Chronicle as an organization.

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Put the phone down: It's distracted driving awareness month

By ADRIANA CERBONE Staff Writer

For National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced a statewide distracted driving enforcement campaign and public awareness initiative at Hartford Police Department.

Law enforcement agencies and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) partnered up for the “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign. Throughout April, distracted driving enforcement will be enhanced.

For the campaign, officers around the state will have a specific focus on identifying and punishing drivers with bad habits such as texting or calling.

CTDOT will highlight the extreme dangers of distracted driving and encourage drivers to stay focused on the road.

Three thousand two hundred and seventyfive people were killed in 2023 due to distracted driving crashes. Just in Connecticut alone there were 5,202 crashes due to distracted driving in 2023. This resulted in 12 fatalities and 78 injuries, according to NHTSA.

CTDOT encourages all drivers to practice safe driving by not letting distractions take over.

Five tips they mention to avoid distracted driving is pull over if you need to make a call/ text, ask your passenger to help manage navigation/ sending messages, avoid checking your social media, limit interaction with in-vehicle technology (start music before your drive) and use your iPhone’s “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature or just simply silence your phone to reduce temptation.

Department of Public Safety Chief Tony Reyes explained what Quinnipiac will do to take distracted driving seriously.

“On campus, our Public Safety officers patrol daily and address distracted driving and

Student

unsafe vehicle operation as part of their regular responsibilities,” Reyes wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “Their presence and engagement help support a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers across all three campuses.”

According to Reyes, the Hamden Police Department has secured a grant.

“I also want to share that the Hamden Police Department recently secured a state grant dedicated to combating distracted driving,” Reyes wrote. “As part of that initiative, they’ve been conducting targeted enforcement throughout the city, including in the areas surrounding our campuses.”

About 25% of Quinnipiac undergraduate students either live off campus or commute.

Senior marketing major Laine Dimartinis explains the importance of distracted driving awareness month, especially for young drivers.

“There are many distracted people on the roads who tend to prioritize answering the phone, texting, eating and other activities while behind the wheel instead of being more aware of their safety and the safety of others,” Dimartinis said. “I think there needs to be more awareness around this issue.”

Dimartinis expresses how the problem stems from everyone’s addiction to their devices.

“Everyone is addicted to their cell phones,” she said. “I think mobile devices are a major distraction when driving, whether that’s changing music, answering phone calls, texting or using social media.”

She explains how the workforce is constantly answering business calls or emails while driving and believes the issue needs to be “reinforced” so distracted driving doesn’t continue.

She also believes that Hamden and Quinnipiac University should take this month seriously.

“I think teachers should be told to have a quick conversation with their students to ad-

dress the topic and spark conversation,” she said. “Your life and someone else’s life are far more valuable than sending a text message.”

On the first day of distracted driving awareness month, there were two crashes alone on the Merritt Parkway. Both crashes involved car fires and one was fatal.

In the first crash, a woman veered off the road and collided with a tree. The passenger died at the scene and the driver was brought to Norwalk Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It is possible the driver was distracted, leading her to serve off the road.

A state trooper stopped to investigate this crash. The police vehicle was parked on the parkway to block any traffic.

The trooper was not in the cruiser when another vehicle sped into the cruiser, making it catch fire. The driver was taken to Stamford Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. These crashes occurred by exit 13 in New Cannan and shut down a part of the Merritt to clear both scenes.

Distracted driving is a serious safety issue. First-year occupational therapy major, Gabby Assignon, also believes social media is the biggest issue.

“The biggest distraction for drivers is 100% our phones,” she said. “On multiple occasions I’ve seen people watching TikTok’s or Instagram reels while driving and texting and driving is also incredibly dangerous. I once had someone compare texting and driving to you driving with your eyes closed and I found that to be incredibly eye-opening.”

Assignon explains how, as a commuter, she sees people not using turn signals and texting and driving regularly.

“I find this to be a problem for the obvious reason that it’s dangerous, as I previously mentioned, it to be very inconsiderate,” she said.

petitioner calls on Chartwells to ‘bargain in good faith’

By AVA HIGHLAND News Editor

With contract negotiations coming up, a student-led petition, “Quinnipiac Students Stand with Our Dining Workers: Support a Fair Contract for USW Members” created March 24, urges fair agreements for Quinnipiac University’s dining service staff.

At the time of publication, the petition reached 481 signatures.

The petitioner highlights that the United Steelworkers (USW) are essential to the community across Quinnipiac’s three campuses.

Staff Meetings on Tuesdays in DO 123 at 9:15

“They keep us fueled for classes, events and late-night study sessions,” the petitioner wrote.

The petition starter’s name is now anonymous and did not respond to The Chronicle’s attempts for comment.

The petitioner calls on both Chartwells and Quinnipiac administration for change. Chartwells did not respond to The Chronicle’s attempts for comment.

Chartwells is urged to “bargain in good faith and meet these reasonable demands” and the university is to “encourage a swift, positive res-

olution that prioritizes worker well-being and campus harmony.”

Negotiations for dining service workers remain between Chartwells and its employees.

“The university does not comment on negotiations between Chartwells and its unionized employees,” Associate Vice President for Public Relations John Morgan wrote in a statement to The Chronicle.

The request for fair agreements includes four demands: “Living wages that reflect the rising cost of living in Connecticut, affordable, quality healthcare benefits, stable scheduling and hours to support work-life balance and respectful working conditions with no retaliation for union activity.”

The petitioner notes the benefits of reaching said fair agreement.

“A fair contract means happier, more supported workers - better service, higher morale and a stronger dining experience for all students. We pay significant meal plan fees and deserve food services run by valued, fairly compensated staff.”

Several students shared comments on the pe-

tition in support of dining workers.

“A lot of these workers care so much and are so passionate about their job, but don’t get the treatment that should be reciprocated from the school,” a supporter wrote. “It seems as if these workers care more than the school that we pay so much to attend. They recognize the change that needs to be made and don’t get the respect they deserve.”

Others shared similar sentiments about the staff displaying a clear enjoyment for their jobs.

“I love the staff in the cafeteria, they are genuinely so kind and happy to serve us,” another student wrote. “My two favorites at Grilled always show up with a smile on their face in the mornings.”

While contract negotiations approach for current Chartwells employees at Quinnipiac, there are currently 10 positions open at the university, hiring immediately.

“The dining hall worker(s) always have the best interest of the students, and deserve to be treated better instead of being replaced,” a student wrote.

Students still left without housing lottery numbers during new selection process

By AVA HIGHLAND News Editor

Quinnipiac University students continue to experience aggravation after several students are still without a lottery number for housing selection.

Earlier this year, Quinnipiac’s Office of Housing announced changes to the housing selection process for the 2026-27 academic year, in response to student feedback.

This year, students had to create a full group in order to receive a lottery number — one number was assigned to each group, instead of each individual student as in prior years.

“Students, parents and a group of MBA consultants agreed that it would be beneficial for students to register their preference of group size in the first round of selection,” Director of Housing Melissa Karpidis wrote to The Chronicle.

Lottery numbers were posted March 27, but many groups did not receive one and were moved into the second round of the selection process.

Students had to regroup in order to receive a new number April 9. Round two of housing selection for rising juniors will take place April 13, and for rising sophomores April 14.

However, when numbers for round two were posted, several groups were still not given a number.

“Have a full group. Got sent an email basically stating there are too many juniors and we’re being put wherever they have room for us,” one student wrote on the anonymous social media platform Yik Yak.

Many other students shared the same anger and confusion.

“Had a complete group and now they’re saying there’s no room for a complete group make it make sense,” another student wrote.

While round two will conclude on Tuesday, April 14, not all students will have their housing assignments yet.

“By the end of the second round of room selection, 93% of rising juniors and 92% of rising sophomores will have been given a choice to select a room assignment,” Karpidis wrote. “In total, 47 group selection numbers were assigned to rising juniors in Round Two. This represents 282 students.”

Karpidis cites several reasons why someone may not have received a number.

Some students did not participate in the process after signing their housing contracts, under the assumption that they would ultimately be placed somewhere by the Office of Housing.

“Others were part of mismatched groups or groups whose size did not align with available

spaces (groups of eight for rising sophomores and groups of six for rising juniors),” Karpidis wrote. “After the regrouping process, only three groups of the required size did not receive a selection number.”

In round one, this happened because the number of groups of a certain size exceeded the amount of available suites.

As an example, Karipidis explained that there were 33 suites available in Westview — holding five residents — but there were over 70 groups of five registered. This left more than half of rising juniors with groups of five to be moved to regrouping.

Students were also moved to regrouping if they formed “a group size for which no living units exist (such as groups of three or seven) or having a mismatch of roommates within the group.”

Frustration in the housing process is not new for Quinnipiac students.

“They need to let juniors off campus an(d) let the sophomores live on york so this can stop,” a student wrote on Yik Yak.

Once the process concludes, the Office of Housing will begin assigning students to the remaining available spaces.

Karpidis reassures that “all students with housing contracts will receive a room assignment.”

dedication, hard work, and national titles, this team was abruptly downgraded to club status without warning.”

News quickly spread across social media, garnering attention and a response from former women’s rugby player and American rugby union player Ilona Maher, via Instagram story posts.

Maher posted correspondence with an unknown person in regard to their player’s athletic scholarships.

“None of them can afford to stay,” the person wrote. “I have two athletes who have no parents. They have nowhere to go if they aren’t at QU.”

The post has since been taken down.

Maher’s legacy still remains on campus, as highlighted by the petitioner.

“Quinnipiac University continues to use Ilona’s past enrollment as part of their promotions, having a highlight dedicated to her on their official Instagram, but still decided to cut the program that she was a part of,” the petitioner wrote.

The petitioner urges the team’s reinstatement to honor tradition, history and future for the university.

“This decision affects 27 current students and all those who have come before us, who’ve invested everything into representing Quinnipiac from all over the world,” the petitioner wrote. “The lack of communication and the way it was handled shows a complete disregard for students as both athletes and as individuals.”

University officials did not yet respond for comment.

Quinnipiac Law Alumni discuss immigration law during the Trump Administration

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

Quinnipiac University School of Law hosted QU Law alumni for a panel on “practicing immigration law in the ICE age,” April 6.

The panel, moderated by Immigration Law professor Sheila Hayre, consisted of alumni from various graduating classes that graduated at Quinnipiac Law School. It included Immigration Attorneys Justin Fappiano, Alicia Kindsman and Brittany Eckerd in person, with Eli Macdonald and Danielle Robinson-Briand participating remotely.

“It’s so important to get together with fellow practitioners because I am always shocked at how things currently stand for lawyers practicing in this area of law,” Hayre said to The Chronicle.

The event aimed to be a discussion of the field of immigration law now that President Donald Trump is in his second term as president.

“When I teach immigration, I tell the students we’re going to learn about constitutional law and civil rights, and then we’re going to see how in the area of immigration, none of this is followed,” Hayre said to the audience.

She said that her students are disturbed by the realizations.

Fappiano started the introductions.

”I was doing the LSAT and applying before 2003, post-9/11 that definitely kind of formed some of my intentions and my interest in going into law school,” he said.

Kindsman explained that going to law school wasn’t her intention, but later fell in love with practicing law and the people that came with it, while volunteering at the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants.

Eckerd was Dean of Students at a school in California during the first Trump administration.

“Seeing the impact that that bit of chaos had on my students prompted me to want to do something outside of the higher education sphere,” Eckerd said.

Many of the students she worked with were Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or either they or their families were undocumented.

Macdonald’s inspiration was his mom and community.

“She’s a bilingual midwife in North Carolina, and we developed a lot of friends growing up in the Guatemalan community,” he said.

Robinson participated via Zoom from Minnesota, which has been a hot spot for Immi-

gration and Customs Enforcement. Especially since Operation Metro Surge, which began in Dec. 2025, to apprehend and deport undocumented immigrants.

“When the surge happened in December through the end of February, I felt really, I think, proud that I have the right skill set to help people, and so I hope to get to talk a little bit more about what that was like during that time,” said Robinson.

Kindsman says that immigration law has been difficult even before Trump was elected.

“Our current system that we’re operating in… under the Immigration Nationality Act, has been in place for some decades now, and has been difficult,” she said. “Especially

for vulnerable individuals and individuals, those who are desperate to save their lives and feed their children, those who probably should have been at least part of the focus or priority and never really happened.”

Kindsman said that our world is changing, but our laws have not changed to reflect that.

She believes that many people speak inaccurately and without understanding the reality of the citizenship process.

“The thing that always kind of re-centers me is that many of those comments show very clearly that most folks have no idea how immigration laws work,” she said. “They really, truly believe that there must be a pathway that exists for folks who just do it the right way, who just do the paperwork.”

Robinson explained her experience in Minnesota. She said it was “tragic for everyone” when United States citizens Alex Pretti and Nicole Good were killed by Department of Homeland Security agents in January.

The panelists agreed that racial profiling is now a large factor in immigration enforcement.

“People were so scared about getting detained, and not just clients without papers. We’re talking even people who are naturalized citizens, who were so scared to leave their homes because of the color of their skin,” Robinson said.

Fapiono believes the system is broken and that things have gotten “uglier” since he first started in his career.

“If you’re inclined to despair, take a deep breath. Look at a lot of the federal courts, stuff that has happened. Go beneath the headlines. Look at what real attorneys are doing, and stay tuned,” he said.

Opinion

Why everyone needs a Rottweiler

By ADRIANA CERBONE Staff Writer

The feeling of walking through your front door and being greeted by your dog is by far one of the best feelings in the world. Getting attacked with love after a long day of work, school and people is simply unmatched.

On Sept. 29, 2019, my family and I drove to upstate Connecticut to potentially bring home a baby Rottweiler. My first dog was a Rottie named Bella.

Because of her, my whole family adores

stop my family, so we took him home later that evening.

My brother wanted him to have a scary name like Drogon or Zeus. Since he would not stop licking us, we thought he was more of a lover than a fighter. So, we named him Romeo.

Romeo is now six years old and a legend.

I call my mom everyday just to ask “Where’s the dog?” It’s probably not the greeting she wants but college can be stressful with school, clubs and crazy roommates.

dog can hug you.

He’s not a certified anxiety dog, but he serves the duties perfectly.

Some people turn to alcohol or drugs when they’re stressed. I turn to my dog. I think everyone should experience something like this.

When I come from college (which is like every weekend because I miss my dog) he gets so excited. I look through the window to see him wagging his tail, barking and trying

how Rottweilers are not on that list. It’s because they’re the best breed for love, support, loyalty and protection.

I remember there was one night I was home alone and my dog refused to move from the front door. Later that night he slept in my bed, which he never ever does. Trust me, I’ve tried. He did this to protect me.

For everyone saying they’re so dangerous and scary, sorry you’re wrong.

Rottie’s used to be police dogs but they’re no longer used due to their high distractibility. They’re just silly loving dogs, not K9 beasts. If you don’t believe me, look up Nala the needy Rottweiler on TikTok. Watch just one video and tell me you don’t want a Rottie. Spoiler, you won’t be able to.

If you still think they’re dangerous, look up Dillion the Rottweiler on TikTok. You’ll learn what the “Rottie Rumbles” are.

Many people think this is how they growl or warn you that they’re going to attack. You couldn’t be more wrong. A “Rottie Rumble” is the Rottweiler version of a cat purring. It’s a sound Rottweilers make that signifies happiness, playfulness or contentment. I think it’s how they talk.

A Rottweiler is a best friend and everyone needs to experience the love they show.

If you thought Rottweilers were aggressive or if you thought cats are better, I hope this changed your mind.

Was Bryon Noem's kink exposure just a PR stunt?

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

As if this government and administration could not become any more of a joke, all I have to do is open my phone, and there’s something new every day.

At least I can say I’m entertained in the field that I chose.

If you haven’t heard, Special Envoy for the Shield of Americas (whatever that means) Kristi Noem’s husband, Bryon Noem, was found to have a “bimbofication” fetish and was cross-dressing.

A “bimbofication ” fetish is when someone roleplays as a persona, embracing a “bimbo ”

I find the timing interesting. She was ousted as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in March, and the attention was on her. It was rumored that she was having an affair with former DHS aide Corey Lewandowski.

Then it comes out randomly that her husband has this big bombshell?

Listen, in any other circumstance, with any other person, I would not want to be bringing light to this. That’s his business, and frankly, I don’t care enough about what other

people do with their bodies.

But because MAGA operates under the idea that we should control everyone’s bodies if we don’t like what they do with it — whether it be abortion, or transitioning — I think it’s safe to say, I don’t care about judging in this situation.

yeah, Bryon Noem allegedly told the dominatrix, who he was in a nine year relationship with while married, that he wanted to be a “trans bimbo slut.” who are MAGA are more often than not homophobic. Which is crazy considering situations like this are much more common than you’d think.

not forget that when the Republican National Convention comes around, gay dating app Grindr has been confirmed to have seen a spike in activity.

Because MAGA is homophobic, Noem would’ve known how people were going to come after her husband. She knows their supporters wouldn’t approve. He knows it too. He enrolled in a Christian “sexual behavior” rehab back in January.

I honestly feel sorry for the guy. Sexuality isn’t a choice,

but they’ve been indoctrinated to believe it is. Instead of embracing it and being happy, he’s forced to hide it and think there’s something wrong with him. The only thing wrong with him is that he’s married to Kristi Noem.

Apparently, Kristi Noem was “blindsided” and “devastated.”

I would just like to remind everyone, she’s allegedly cheating on him too.

This is just a messy drama that should be on “Dr. Phil,” but I wouldn’t be surprised if Kristi Noem was the one behind the leak, so she could save face after being fired, and have the attention on something else.

That’s my theory. It may be cold, but she’s also the same woman who shot a puppy. She’s not exactly a saint.

It’s just PR. She looks like the sad wife who was betrayed by her husband's scandal. I don’t know who ’s dense enough to believe it, but hey, A for effort.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if, in a few days, it comes out that they’re going to be getting a divorce. Clearly, she couldn’t do it when the allegations were circulating about her and Lewandowski, with everyone knowing, but now she has the chance to do it and blame it on someone else.

It’s horrifically, horribly genius.

It's time to bring back bullying

By GINA LORUSSO

Society is way too nice now. Let’s bring back bullying.

First, let’s run it back to my good ole’ middle school days, where I was quite literally a freak and was told that to my face pretty much ev ery day. How else would I have learned resilience without someone roasting my side-part, duck lip selfies that I posted on Instagram in an attempt to look hot?

I really believed I was one filtered selfie away from Pinterest fame.

Delusion was at an all-time high — I miss that level of confidence. I had posting anything I posted, yet I was fully committed to the aesthetic.

After that, the only heat I experienced was that of my bullies. Nothing builds emotional endurance quite like get ting the photos of YouTubers Lance Stewart and Jake Paul ripped out of my locker and rumors of me hugging the weirdest kid in the grade outside by the busses after school.

To this day, I’m still not entirely sure how rumors traveled that fast in middle school, but at the time, gossip spread faster than mono and had absolutely zero journal -

Kids these days are encouraged to be kind and accepting of everyone, to stay quiet if they have nothing nice to say. As a parent, I would never enforce that behavior. I’ll probmy kids left and right because if they’re anything like me, God knows they’ll need it. They’ll thank me later. Family dinners will double as roast sessions. It’s a bonding experience.

If anything, middle school bullying prepared me for adulthood more than any life skills class ever could. Honestly, we could formalize bullying. Bring back a class period designated for constructive criticism where students can humble each other in a controlled, supervised environment. Participation points will be awarded for creativity and emotional damage. You can’t expect kids to grow if they’re not being publicly humbled at least once before lunch. We could have the lunch aides walk around with

Bobcat Buzz

Opinion Editor

This just in: Quinnipiac students realize that not everyone has the same taste in music.

Oh my God. If I had a nickel for every time I saw someone complaining on YikYak about The Driver Era headlining Wake the Giant, I’d be able to pay for all

clipboards to ensure everyone is receiving equal opportunity criticism. Of course, we wouldn’t want anyone missing out on this peak developmental experience, would we?

In my eyes, this saves parents a lot of time. There’s no need for long conversations about the “you’re perfect the way you are” crap. All that stuff will be handled at school, where most valuable learning happens anyway.

After school, you ask your kid what they learned. And they’ll respond, “apparently my aggressive side part isn’t working out for me.” Honestly, that’s constructive feedback. It’s growth.

At this point, I don’t even need bullies anymore. I can roast myself before anyone gets the chance, which is the ultimate form of independence. My LinkedIn should include “emotionally resilient due to my seventh grade experience.”

It might be my most marketable skill. Forget leadership, I became great at surviving unnecessary commentary from people — and even better at giving it.

To be honest, I think I turned out great. I’m hilarious and anyone will tell you that. I give my thanks to my middle school bullies — I truly hate you and wish you the worst — watching you peak in high school, then get fat in college is my Roman Empire.

‘Wake’ up: Not everyone has the same music taste as you

of you whiners to see the mainstream rap artist of your choice. Since I’ve gotten here, we’ve booked Rappers NLE Choppa (who didn’t perform due to “dehydration”), Quavo and even Flo Rida. I don’t care for any of these artists, but I did not whine and moan about it loud enough for former Quinnipiac President Judy Olian to hear in Arizona.

Complainers just need to accept that it may not be a “bad artist,” but rather not their style. That’s not a crime.

And of course, people can express their opinions; I’m not a hypocrite. But when I say “whining,” I mean going to Instagram comment sections and commenting (alone) and harassing the Student Programming Board.

I’m going to be honest: I never pay attention to SPB. I appreciate its work, and it has all my praise, but I don’t think I’ve ever given them a second thought. So to go and attack its members on anonymous platforms like YikYak, or even a public forum like Instagram, is absolute insanity.

“We wanted A Boogie.” Well guess what? He isn’t an option anymore. Sorry you feel edged, but it is what it is.

Let’s face it: we aren’t going to get an A-list Grammy winner to perform at our tiny private college in Connecticut.

I would love to have singer Zara Larsson here, but we’re not exactly Yale. I hate the elitism too, but it’s there.

Frankly, having sweaty singer and actor Ross Lynch, tearing his shirt off sounds pretty great to me. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s a good number of people who would drink that up. I would drown in it.

People are acting like their mom just told them it was someone else’s turn to pick a TV show. Go to your room and cry about it in your pillow or something, it’s just a concert.

I get it, it’s some of our last, including my own, but we’re privileged enough as it is to get a concert in the first place.

Act like an adult, and stop publicly whining about it. Get a journal.

Arts & Life

Why you should be shopping Amazon fashion

By SOPHIE MURRAY Associate Arts & Life Editor

Amazon fashion doesn’t typically have the best reputation, and it makes sense. At first glance, it feels overwhelming. It’s not a designated clothing site; you can literally find anything on Amazon. So when looking for clothes, there’s no clear storefront guiding you the way other curated and traditional retailers would on their websites.

But buried within what may feel like all of that chaos are some of the most affordable yet chic pieces; you just have to know how to look for them.

THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION

People assume Amazon clothing is low quality or doesn’t have style. In reality, it’s not that strong pieces don’t exist, it’s just not presented in the clearest way. Unlike traditional brands, Amazon doesn’t filter what you see. It dumps everything into one massive marketplace and leaves it up to the user to sort through it.

So if you're casually typing in “cute dress” you’re left scrolling for two minutes and not going to find anything impressive. That doesn’t mean there aren’t great options, it just means you’re not searching in the right way.

WHY AMAZON IS ACTUALLY WORTH IT

The biggest reason to shop Amazon fashion: you will never catch yourself feeling like you’re overspending. Bonus if you have Amazon Prime, where your package arrives basically within two days. Any other online store you’d buy from

would take at least a week to ship, rounding up the price as well.

More importantly, Amazon is one of the best places to find pieces that look far more expensive than they actually are, like matching sweat sets, bodysuits, linen dresses and minimalist basics.

It also gives you the freedom to experiment. Anytime you want to try something new out, you're not making a dent in your wallet by experimenting, finding your style and building new outfits.

THE CATCH

This is where Amazon separates itself from every other fashion retailer: it’s not designed for easy browsing.

Instead of searching “long sleeve” or “short dress,” you have to search for more specific phrases like “ribbed long sleeve top neutral” or “linen midi dress square neck.”

The more detailed your search, the better the algorithm will be. Once you find pieces you like, scroll through “similar items,” and you’ll start to notice better options popping up. One good find will lead to five more strong finds.

DON’T MISS THIS STEP

One thing you can never skip out on is reading the reviews. As someone whose sizes fluctuate based on the article of clothing, always check reviews. They’ll tell you if something runs true to size, if the material is tight or breathable, the

quality of the fabric and how the color looks in real life. It’s also important to look at the pictures buyers post under their reviews to see how the piece looks on different body types as well.

A SHORT CUT

If you don’t have time for digging or don’t know specifically what you’re looking for, influencer Amazon storefronts are a lifesaver.

I can assure you that any of your favorite lifestyle content creators have their own storefronts filled with pieces they’ve found and loved. Most of the time, these storefronts are broken up into categories like loungewear, spring finds, dresses, summer wear, making it so much easier.

If you don’t know who to look at, simply search “Amazon storefront” on TikTok. You’ll find tons of videos where creators share their favorite finds, all linked directly on their page. To access their storefront, go to their TikTok profile and it’s usually linked in their bio. It’s that simple.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Amazon fashion is great for trendy or dupes of high-end pieces, elevated basics that will pull an outfit together and affordable wardrobe building. What it’s not great for is perfect consistency. While it can be super helpful, sizing, quality and comfort can always vary. So don’t cut out every other store you shop at for Amazon, but use it to its advantage and save some money with it. Ultimately, if you're willing to dig a little bit (or use what others have already found as inspiration), you can find some really great pieces for a fraction of the price by shopping smarter.

Your bond with your siblings matters more than you think

By ANTHONY ANGELILLO Copy Editor

Trigger warning: thoughts of suicide

Growing up with two younger brothers who are 18 months apart from me meant that peace and quiet was never really an option in our house. My twin brothers, Derek and Devin, and I spent most of our childhood at each other’s throats. We were not the type of siblings who sat around a campfire singing songs and making s’mores. No, we were the type who could turn a simple car ride home into an all-out war.

One specific car ride, just days before I attempted to take my own life, is one that, even all these years later, is burned into my mind.

The three of us, mainly my brother Derek and I, were going back and forth, our voices getting louder and crazier, until my mom was screaming too. Everyone in that car was at their breaking point, and looking back, that was the last true, serious argument we ever had, with none of us, including me, not knowing what would happen shortly after.

For years, the pattern was always the same. My brothers would push my buttons in ways that only a younger sibling can. They would instigate, poke and prod until I snapped. And when I snapped, I didn’t just yell; I would get physical. I would beat them up in ways I am not proud of, and that guilt still eats at me, even now. My parents begged us to stop. I would then promise them over and over again that I would change, that we would be better. However, none of those promises would last a week, and the toxic cycle would just return.

Megan Gilligan of the University of Missouri,

who has studied sibling dynamics over several decades, has found that tension between siblings typically peaks during the teenage years before a turning point happens in early adulthood. She also notes that earlier sibling conflicts stick with us and shape how we relate to each other long after the fighting stops.

I can say from experience that she is right. Every argument I had with my brothers left a mark on all of us, even if we did not talk about it. The frustration built up on both sides. They saw an older brother who was supposed to protect them, acting like someone they needed protection from.

All I saw were two kids who did not understand what I was going through and who seemed to enjoy making things worse. Neither perspective was fully right. Neither was fully wrong.

However, after I was admitted to an inpatient facility following my suicide attempt, everything between us changed. My family came to visit me, and Derek sat down and started crying because he was scared that his big brother was not going to be around anymore. I walked over to him and hugged and kissed him, promising that I was not going anywhere and that I was getting the help I needed. That moment was the first time in years when the walls between us started to come down.

A year and a half later, I can say that I have kept my promise. We have not had a single major blowup since that last car ride from the dentist, and the dynamic between

the three of us is the healthiest it has ever been. Derek has stepped up and has become a real support system, not just for me but for my parents. When I would get into an argument with either my mom or dad, Derek is the one who would come upstairs and help calm me down before things got even uglier.

I got into a nasty fight with my dad on my brother’s birthday a couple of months ago. Things escalated so quickly that my dad and everyone around me were confused about what

had gotten into me.

Things were said that crossed a line, and I knew better not to cross that line, but I was so emotional that I didn’t care who was hurt by my words.

In the middle of all the chaos, my brothers stepped in, got my dad away from me, and got me inside the house, where they talked to me at the staircase and got me to calm down.

A couple of years ago, that would have been unthinkable because instead of adding fuel to the fire, they were the ones to put it out, which I couldn’t be more grateful for.

I will admit that even with all the progress, our relationship is still not perfect. I still retreat to my room more than I should. There are days when I do not even go downstairs to talk to either of them and my only interaction is when we pass each other upstairs when we are getting food or taking a shower.

Living in the same house does not mean constantly connecting, and I can take responsibility for that. But what is different now is that there is a foundation of sibling love that is more present than it ever was.

One of the biggest regrets in my life was not being the big brother that my brothers deserved until recently. I spent too many years being the one they feared instead of the one they looked up to. That is something that will bother me for the rest of my life, but I can say to anyone struggling with the same sibling relationship that anything is possible, even between people who spent years hurting each other.

A Master-ful showing

Rory McIlroy secures second-straight victory at Augusta National

By EMILY MARQUIS Associate Sports Editor

Two years ago, the notion of Rory McIlroy winning the Masters once was impossible. In 16 attempts, the Northern Ireland native had fallen short of the final major trophy for the prestigious “grand slam,” wins at the Masters Championship, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, every single time.

But in 2026, McIlroy capped off a second straight year of Masters glory, becoming the first golfer to win back-to-back Masters since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002.

But the story of the 90th running of golf’s most prestigious tournament isn’t complete without the moments that lead up to it.

THE FAVORITES

Entering the tournament, a few obvious favorites littered “most-likely to win the Masters” lists across social media, starting off with who else but the eventual winner, in McIlroy. Even with the history of winning the tournament back-to-back not falling in his favor and no top 10 finishes in PGA events since February 22, his “masterpiece” was still fresh in the mind of many fans heading into the weekend.

To add to the case for the world’s No.2 golfer, the 2025 Masters champion spent the last three weeks trading in the PGA Tour for an extended stay at the most exclusive golf course in the world, playing multiple rounds at Augusta National in preparation for the event.

“I honestly just don’t like the three tournaments leading up to the Masters,” McIlroy said. “The more time I could spend here, the better.”

Right in the same conversation with McIlroy is the man that precedes him in the official world rankings. American golfer Scottie Scheffler is just two years removed from winning his second Masters, and consistently shows out in major tournaments.

Last season, Scheffler placed in the top ten in each of the four major tournaments, winning both the PGA and The Open Championship. He started the 2026 season in typical Scheffler fashion – dominating the Pro-Am Desert Classic by four strokes to open up the season in the win column. Scheffler has yet to miss a single cut this season, and has remained in the top 25 in each of his seven starts.

Along with that, the final two names heavily favored in the 2026 green jacket conversation bring us back to the cyclical discussion of professional golf — LIV Golf and its impact on the future of the sport.

Both American Bryson DeChambeau and Spaniard Jon Rahm, full-time members of LIV, were heavily favored to make their presence known in the Masters — one of just four Tournaments in which golfers from both the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour compete alongside one another.

THE ROAD TO A GREEN JACKET

Before Friday’s cuts, the favorites from LIV struggled. Both Rahm and DeChambeau struggled on Thursday falling to +6 and +4 over par (72) respectively. Rahm was able to salvage the Friday performance, shooting -2 to put him just above the 54 person cut-line of +4.

DeChambeau wasn’t so lucky. Despite shooting one stroke under par through 17 holes, a triple-bogey on Hole 18 ended DeChambeau’s latest pursuit of his first ever green jacket. It capped off a difficult weekend for LIV Golf, as out of 10 players competing, only five made the cut to finish a combined +11 strokes over par.

If DeChambeau’s tournament went as bad as it could’ve, McIlroy’s went the complete opposite. He would finish Friday not only at the top of the leaderboard at -6, but holding the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history.

But as it always is with McIlroy at the Masters, the question remained: Would he be able to maintain that lead until the final putt? Saturday brought that into question. Rory only managed to shoot a 73, with golfers like Scheffler, Justin Rose and eventual coleader Cameron Young finishing Saturday under par to completely chip away at McIlroy’s lead.

The final 18 holes didn’t disappoint. In the first nine, it was a dog fight between McIlroy and Young for control of the lead. A McIlroy double-bogey seemed to secure Young the chance to pull away, but a misplayed putt on hole 7 kept the contest close. With neither golfer taking early command, Rose also spent much of the first nine right along with the leaders after shooting a -32 on the first half of the course. Known for his recent stretch of Masters second-place finishes, including in a playoff against McIlroy last year, Rose was looking to become the second-

oldest Masters winner and the oldest first time winner in Augusta National history. Scheffler, despite not having his best showing prior to the weekend, also played exceptional heading into Sunday, playing two bogey-free rounds on Saturday and Sunday, a Masters first, to nearly erase McIlroy’s lead completely, getting within one stroke on the eventual champion.

But as the saying goes, the Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday, and McIlroy showed that to a tee. For eight of the nine final holes, he was perfect, leaving little opportunity for Scheffler, Rose and Young to take the lead.

But it wouldn’t be a McIlroy win without a frantic end. After slicing a ball so far into the pine straw on hole 18 with just a two stroke lead over Scheffler, it appeared the McIlroy Masters luck of old was set to return.

But after giving everyone one of his fans in Northern Ireland a miniature heart-attack, McIlroy would sink the final putt, with 71 strokes cementing his legacy with the sports’ best as a two-time Masters champion.

However, before the green jacket touched his shoulders for the second straight season, McIlroy found the two people that made it all possible — his parents, Gerry and Rosie.

“I owe everything to you,” Rory said. “You’re the most wonderful parents, and if I can be half the parent to (my daughter) Poppy as you were to me, then I know I’ve done a good job.”

Throughout the day, the steady reminders of his parents’ sacrifice littered the broadcast. Whether it was announcer Jim Nantz discussing the McIlroy’s multiple jobs to fund their son’s dream, or the fact that the bar in the background of CBS’s live feed to Northern Ireland was once manned by Gerry, they were right at the forefront of the victory. If Rory’s first win at Augusta National was to end a decades-long struggle to achieve a legacy, then his second was for his parents and the little boy from Northern Ireland who never stopped dreaming big.

One secret changes everything in ‘The Drama’

By ADRIHANNA COLLINS Staff Writer

How well do you truly know anyone you love? We go about our lives thinking we know our loved ones like the back of our hands, but then they reveal something we didn't know about them. For most people, that's a secret love for a TV show or a hidden disdain for a certain type of food. But what if you learned something much more sinister than that? Would you still look at them the same, or would everything you thought about them change?

That is the issue that screenwriter and director Kristoffer Borgoli skillfully tackles in the dark romantic comedy, “The Drama.”

“The Drama” follows Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson): a couple madly in love who are about to get married in a week. One night at a dinner with their maid of honor, Rachel (Alana Haim), and best man, Mike (Mamoudou Athie), they play a game where everyone must confess the worst thing they have ever done. Everyone shares their awful, yet redeemable, answers until they get to Emma. When Emma drunkenly shares her deepest darkest secret, she shakes the conversation and her relationship to the core.

What follows is chaos. Rachel screams at Emma, Mike starts searching for answers and Charlie sits befuddled, realizing his soon-tobe wife is not the woman he thought she was.

Next comes the breakdown. Despite Emma’s tearful (and vomitful) explanations, Charlie can only see her as the person he has never met, scouring his memories for glimpses of that ghost. He cannot get over it, though he says he is. Charlie even quotes Freud, saying, “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” And they sure as hell did.

From the moment she confesses, the movie is a jumpy, emotional mess that literally had me curled in a ball within my seat, staring at the screen, praying it would get better. The cuts are snappy, the angles break certain film “rules” skilfully, and the sound design creates such a sense of unease that there are moments where I literally jumped in my seat.

At the same time, you’re left literally cackling at certain parts from pure

shock and discomfort. From the photographer scene to my favorite line, “Shoutout Kelly, you're going to fucking die first,” Borgoli skillfully crafts hilarious scenes despite the dark and tension-filled atmosphere.

The movie is the best release of this year, and I hope it’s nominated for just about every Academy Award. The performances, the editing, the cinematography, the set design and the sound are all done with such masterful brilliance that even if the concept doesn’t entice you, the production of the film will.

The film offers so much to explore, both in character analysis and for yourself. What is the worst thing I’ve ever done? If I were Charlie, would I break up with her? Would the drama be too much for me?

Apparently, it was for Charlie. In an act of retaliation after having a mental breakdown at work, he commits a workplace violation. Eaten up by guilt, the wedding itself goes terribly wrong, ending in a confrontation between the couple and a terribly awkward wedding speech that leaves Charlie getting punched and Emma crying as she storms out.

Despite how awful the ceremony itself goes, the movie ends positively. An ending that reminds you that no matter how awful we are deep down, so is everyone else. We all have the ability to do awful things. What is important is that we can move on from them and be better. This movie emphasizes the importance of grace in a relationship. Love can conquer all, even “The Drama.”

MLB finally lets you challenge the man behind the mask

By ANTHONY ANGELILLO Copy Editor

Every baseball fan knows the feeling of yelling at their TV after an umpire makes a terrible call behind the plate. For generations, players would see the pitch coming in, see it wasn’t the right call and either walk back to the dugout and shake their head or blow up and argue with the umpire.

Of course, you would get the manager of that team storming out and getting ejected, being held back by the bench coach while saying every swear word in the English language at that ump.

Well, that era of baseball is no more, as on March 25, the automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) debuted on Opening Night of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

For the first time in MLB history, hitters, catchers and pitchers can challenge a ball or a strike and either get it right on the spot or realize that the umpires can be good sometimes.

The ABS System uses 12 Hawk Eye cameras set up around each ballpark to track a pitch. The batter, pitcher or catcher taps his head within two seconds of the call and the entire stadium watches the video board to see if the ball was in the strike zone or not.

Each team gets two challenges. If the team gets it right, they keep their challenges, but getting it wrong makes them lose that challenge, going down to only one until they have no more.

The early results have been wild. Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez went 4-4 on challenges behind the plate March 30. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout led all

players with four challenges through the first three days. He won three of them.

However, one person who has become the center of attention for why this system is now in place is umpire C.B. Bucknor.

In a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox date, Bucknor would call back-back pitches strikes on a 1-2 count against Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez, which were both successfully challenged by Suárez.

Bucknor would have eight calls challenged, with six of them being overturned, three pitches he missed by more than two inches.

Overall, Bucknor has been rated the least accurate umpire in MLB over the past five seasons, having a grade of 253.74 calls below the expected accuracy. He has been an umpire since 1996 and the fact that he still has a job and has been ranked the worst umpire in the league multiple times proves that ABS was designed not just for better accuracy, but also so shitty umpires like Bucknor can be held accountable.

I can go on and on about even more examples of Bucknor’s calls this year, but there is a silver lining: umpires are becoming better at their jobs.

Through early April, MLB umpires have a 93.5% accuracy rate on pitches, up from 92.7% from the same stretch last

year. Considering that 2025 was already a record high, the improvement is even more noticeable, with nearly half of all challenged pitches being correct.

This means that the miscalls are often borderline pitches, rather than crazy errors.

The accountability element will now force umpires to change their ways behind the plate, as they now focus on avoiding overturned calls.

For all the drama, however, there are still concerns. Pitch framing has been a skill that catchers have spent years perfecting, but now it becomes less meaningful if borderline pitches that fool the umpire are then overturned.

Then we have cases where Los Angeles

first pitch of the game, and catcher Will Smith thinks it’s a challenge signal and taps his own helmet.

It’s the kind of moment where you wonder if MLB might rethink the head-tap signal, since players touch their helmets and caps so many times a game.

Full ABS testing in the minor league showed that walks increased game time, which goes against the improvements made by the pitch clock.

On top of that, during spring training, challenges averaged 13.8 seconds each and occurred 4.1 times per game. If you're doing the math, it comes out to 57 seconds per contested call, and when you have umpires like Bucknor missing eight calls a game, the added time becomes more noticeable.

So, where this system goes from here is the biggest question. The main goal is to give players a way to correct missed calls in highleverage situations that fans can enjoy, and it has so far done so. However, will MLB eventually feel pressure to expand the amount of challenges, reduce umpires’ involvement by replacing them with robotic umps or go full automation on all pitches?

For now, the answer is no, and we will continue to see how the ABS system tries to preserve what makes baseball feel like baseball by adding a layer of accountability that has been missing for decades.

The Egyptian King says goodbye

By REX NAYLOR Staff Writer

Soccer player Mohamed Salah announced he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season with only eight games left in the season. Since he joined the Reds nearly 10 years ago, the Egyptian King has said goodbye.

Mohamed Salah is one of, if not the best players to ever play for Liverpool. From starting his career in his homeland of Egypt, to moving around Europe repeatedly and achieving immortal status for club and country, Salah is one of the best stories in the sport.

When he was only a teenager, he had to miss school to make a three-hour journey to training for his youth team. Only a year later, he was put into the first team at only 15 years old, and made his debut a few years later.

Salah got a move to Europe in 2012, playing for Basel in the Swiss Super League, replacing the big boots of Xherdan Shaqiri, who had just left for Bavarian giant Bayern Munich.

During his two seasons in Switzerland, Salah scored 20 goals in 79 games. On the surface, not eye-scratching numbers, but still impressive considering his impact in the Europa League against Premier League clubs. Those two seasons earned him another move to Chelsea, where Salah couldn’t adjust to the pace and technical level of

the Premier League. From there, he was loaned out to Italian clubs Fiorentina and Roma, where he impressed. Salah scored 15 goals in his loan season, then 19 the next season in 83 games, playing alongside his childhood idol, Francesco Totti.

This is when Liverpool came calling.

Since Salah had spent time in Italy, English clubs and fans labeled Salah as a flop,

goals for Liverpool in 52 games.

This awarded him the Premier League Golden Boot for most goals with 32 in 38 matches, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season and sixth in the Ballon D’or ranking.

Salah and Liverpool also saw huge success in the UEFA Champions League, where Salah scored 10 goals in the campaign behind only Cristiano Ronaldo with 15. Liverpool made it to the final but were defeated by Real Madrid.

Salah was forced to leave the game early with a shoulder injury, which most definitely changed the course of the match.

His achievement that may stand above all that season was punching Egypt’s ticket to the 2018 World Cup for only the third time ever. Salah and Egypt qualified for this summer’s edition, which will likely be Salah’s last time with the Pharaohs.

The following season, Liverpool made it back to the Champions League final, beating Tottenham, making Salah a European champion.

Still, there was an elusive trophy for Liverpool, the Premier League Title. The last time the Reds won the league was in 1990, when it was called the first division.

In the 2019-20 season, Salah netted 19 goals

as Liverpool won the Premier League for the first time, losing only three games, clinching the title with seven games remaining.

For years to come, Liverpool was a dominant force in English and European Football, consistently challenging for the title and making deep runs in the Champions League.

Salah won another golden boot in the 2021-22 season, scoring 23 goals and finishing runner up to Manchester City, even though their point total would’ve won the league in almost any other season.

In the 2024-25 season, Salah scored 29 goals, his most successful and impactful season with Liverpool since joining. Despite a new manager, Arne Slot, Liverpool won the Premier League convincingly, adding to Salah’s accolades.

By the end of his career, Salah will be third on Liverpool’s all time scoring list. Considering he has played for the club for less than a decade, Mo Salah is one of, if not the greatest, Liverpool player of all time. What Salah did on the field is one thing, but his effect off it is another. Salah is a devout Muslim, and a UCLA study found that Muslim hate crimes dropped 16% in the Liverpool area after Salah arrived.

Very few athletes have been able to replicate what Salah has done, and with murals of him all around Anfield, even when Salah leaves this summer, his kingdom will still remain.

People watching as a form of entertainment

By GINA LORUSSO Managing Editor

When I’m sitting in the dining hall between classes or sitting outside on a nice day, I people watch.

Yeah, yeah, I know staring is rude. But people watching is a prime example of harmless entertainment to resort to when you’re bored. Everyone has a story, everyone has a different life — it’s incredibly interesting to observe their manners, their cadence or their attitude from a distance.

A college campus is basically the perfect setting for it. The dining hall alone is a goldmine. You have people rushing in and out, being able to tell exactly who is crunched for time. And then you have the ones who linger for a bit, sitting down with their friends for what seems like hours. Some people sit alone, headphones on, completely oblivious to what’s going on around them. It’s the same space, but everyone is moving differently.

The best part is that you don’t really know anybody — that’s what makes it so interesting. That kid walking fast with his head down — is he late to class or avoiding someone? The girl laughing loudly with her friends — is she genuinely happy, or did her friends just cheer her up after a rough day?

If you’re like me, you start building these little narratives in your head, not out of judgment — most of the time — but out of curiosity. It’s like creating these

miniature stories about people you might never see again.

You can find out a lot about someone without even hearing them speak. The way they carry themselves says a lot. Head high and moving with purpose gives off a completely different energy than looking down with shoulders slightly hunched.

As a communications student, it’s actually quite difficult not to notice these things. Nonverbal communication honestly says a lot more about someone than if they were actually speaking. The way people present themselves, react to others, take up space — it all sends a message.

Once you start noticing, you can’t really stop. It’s like an addiction. It makes you wonder what you look like to people in passing. I often ask myself if my RBF makes me unapproachable or if my naturally fast paced walk makes me look stressed.

It’s also just genuinely entertaining. It’s basically live, unscripted TV, except it’s right in front of you and not on a screen. I could always scroll through social media when I have downtime during the day, but people

watching makes me feel so connected to my environment. I’m actually paying attention to what’s in front of me — something that rarely happens these days.

Obviously, there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Don’t pull out a pair of binoculars and straight up stare someone down. You can

observing and who’s staring — don’t be a creep, you’ll end up getting flamed on YikYak.

The point of people watching isn’t just

to sit there and judge, it’s more about the curiosity aspect than anything else. There’s something so grounding about realizing that everyone around you has their own stressors, their own thoughts and their own problems that have absolutely nothing to do with you. It could make you a little more empathetic, too. You start realizing that the person who looks irritated might just be having a bad day, or the person who seems distant while talking to their friend might just be tired. People watching pulls you out of your own thoughts for a while, reminding you that you’re just a campus character in everyone else’s eyes. You’ve probably been people-watched before, and they have probably wondered what kind of day you were having. So yeah, people watching may get a bad reputation sometimes, and it could feel a little awkward to admit that you enjoy doing it. At the end of the day, you may never know the story of the person sitting across the room from you — but for a moment, your lives are overlapping in the same space at the same time. Sometimes, at least for me, that’s interesting enough.

System of a Down's message: Down with the system

By JOANNA FARRELL Associate Opinion Editor

System of a Down. Unless you’re a numetal freak like me, you’ve probably never heard of them. By now, all of their most well-known albums are more than two decades old. If you’ve read my previous articles, it should be no surprise that one of my favorite bands has “unc status.” System of a Down’s music is timeless, and why is that? Because it’s about war. And if you’ve played the Fallout games or watched the series, then you know, “War never changes.”

Many System fans are half speculating, half joking when they say: new war, new album.

The last time System of a Down released a new album was in 2005, with both Hypnotize in May and Mesmerize in November. Both albums are conspicuous in their criticism of the government and of war in general.

Since then, lead singer Serj Tankian has taken a step away from the band, despite criticism from the band's drummer, John Dolmayan, who wanted to ride the high of their success.

Aside from the band’s supposed infighting, it doesn’t take away from the message of the band’s music, no war, antibillionaire, anti-global leaders and direct criticisms of some of the most powerful systems in the world.

The most blatant of these is B.Y.O.B.

Now this isn’t the fun party saying for bring your own booze, no not System of a Down, in this case it’s

“bring your own bombs.” A commentary on the Global War on Terror that started after the attacks on Sept. 11.

The song features lyrics like “dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine,” a reference to the propaganda released to get soldiers to enlist during the

presidents fight the war, why do we always send the poor?” a clear statement about sending people off to wars they didn’t start.

Should we correlate these messages to our time, 21 years later, we don’t have to think very hard to see the relevance. System of a Down was never anti-soldier, they’re anti-war, and to be frank, we’re sending soldiers to fight in a war that has no American impact when we could put President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a ring and let ‘em duke it out.

They even wrote an entire song about the unnecessary deaths of soldiers called “Soldier Side,” featuring powerful lyrics about sending soldiers off knowing that they’ll be coming home in a casket.

If you truly take the time to listen to System of a Down’s lyrics, you’ll find so much more than the screaming that ensues when you press play on a random song. And I’m not trying to be one of those “you just don’t understand” people, but really, you don’t. Unless you do, I don’t know you people.

Take “Cigaro” for example. A song about how our world leaders drain us and our planet for every single cent we have and then move on to the next best thing while we suffer for scraps.

If you put on this song, the first lyric you’d hear is “My cock is much bigger than yours.” My point exactly. It’s so easy to turn System of a Down off if you don’t really know the lyrics because the song continues like this, “We’re cool, in denial We’re the

cruel regulators smoking cigaro…”

If you do decide to start listening, here are some of my favorites: “Hypnotize,” “Toxicity,” “Question!,” “Cigaro,” and, of course, because I’m a journalism major, “Radio/Video.”

So, if you’re as upset about the state of the world as I am right now, maybe it’s time to tune into some music as angry as you are. Trust, you won’t regret it.

“Toxicity,” “Question!,” “Cigaro,” and, of course, because I’m a journalism major, “Radio/Video.”

So, if you’re as upset about the state of the world as I am right now, maybe it’s time to tune into some music as angry as you are. Trust, you won’t regret it.

But wanting recovery and actually achieving it require more than a press release and a few weeks out of the spotlight.

It needs the kind of sustained, uncomfortable accountability that nobody around Woods appears willing to enforce, whether out of loyalty, financial interest or the simple awkwardness of telling a legend what he does not want to hear.

Tiger Woods changed golf forever, and the sport owes him a debt that stretches well beyond trophies.

However, at some point, the world has to decide whether to love Tiger Woods the person or Tiger Woods the brand.

Because right now, the way everyone rallies around him with statements and soft language every time something like this happens feels a lot like protecting an investment than protecting a human being.

Ethan Wyttenbach named National Rookie of the Year

By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Sports Editor

Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey freshman forward Ethan Wyttenbach was named National Rookie of the Year and First Team East All-American Friday evening, per Quinnipiac’s Instagram.

After a stellar freshman campaign, the Roslyn, N.Y. native finished the season recording 59 points, good enough for first in the nation.

Alongside this honor, the fifth round Calgary Flames draft pick earned himself a spot on the All-ECAC Rookie Team, All-ECAC First Team and was named a Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalist.

Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey freshman forward Ethan Wyttenbach holding the National Rookie of the Year Award after winning the honor March 10.

Bobcats enter the portal

Men's ice hockey sees six Bobcats hit the transfer portal

By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Sports Editor

Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey has seen six Bobcats enter the transfer portal,which officially opens April 13.

The first Bobcat to enter the transfer portal April 7 was senior forward Alex Power.

The St. John’s, Newfoundland native has been a long-time Bobcat, playing for Quinnipiac during all four years of his undergraduate career. Power is one of the last Bobcats on this year’s squad to be a part of the program’s first National Championship in 2023.

Despite being a part of the squad for four seasons, Power saw little ice time in his senior campaign, appearing in 11 games, recording one goal and one assist. His lone goal of the season comes as the game-winner in the Bobcats 4-1 victory over Princeton Feb. 15.

Entering the portal as a graduate transfer, Power will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Once the portal opened April 13, five Bobcats put themselves in the transfer portal: freshmen forward Ben Riche and defenseman Logan McCutcheon, sophomore defenseman Drew Hockley and junior goaltenders Matej Marinov and Dylan Silverstein.

Marinov and Silverstein joining the portal rips two-thirds of the Bobcats current netminding talent out of Hamden.

Marinov ended the 2025-26 season with a .898 save percentage on 486 shots faced in 24 games played. The Nitra, Slovakia native averaged 2.33 goals per game, concluding the season 17-4-2.

After spending three years in Hamden, Marinov will have one year of eligibility left.

For Silverstein, in 18 games played, he held a .912 save percentage – averaging 2.09 goals per game, concluding the season 10-6-1.

The Los Angeles, Calif. native, who decommitted from Boston College in 2022 before joining the Bobcats in 2024, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Hockley, who left Quinnipiac in the middle of the season and signed a con tract with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the Que bec Mari times Junior Hockey League, is no surprise to see in the portal.

The Kentville, Nova Sco tia native only appeared in nine games this season and failed to record a point.

With two years of eligibility left, Hockley will ideally look for a place to spend the remainder of his collegiate career.

Riche joined the portal af ter his first season in Hamden, where he appeared in 14 games, re cording one goal and three assists.

The Saskatchewan, Canada native’s lone goal of the season would come as the Bobcats’ only goal in their 6-1 loss to the Cornell Big Red Feb. 20.

McCutcheon, who, like Riche, is also in his first season in Hamden, saw nine games of action, recording two assists. Both the Saskatchewan, Canada natives’ two assists came in the Bobcats 7-0 win over St. Lawrence Jan. 30.

By EMILY MARQUIS Associate Sports Editor

Most sports teams are quick to compare themselves to a family, but Quinnipiac golf truly lives it.

Golf isn’t a team sport in the traditional sense — players aren’t on the field or the court at the same time, with each of the Bobcat golf ers teeing off in different groups. While play ers’ scores are tallied together for the final team totals, gameplay is completely

Yet, Quinnipiac golf has one of the tightestknit groups on campus.

“It’s really special, and when I recruit I talk about it too,” head coach John O’Connor said.

“The friendships that they make, I assume will last forever, and it’s fun for me to see that.”

It’s part of the reason this team has been so prolific throughout its 17 years as a program. This camara derie builds a team culture where ev eryone wants to work hard, but players enjoy being a part of the program. The system has worked. Quinnipiac has won three of the last four MAAC Champion ships, taking home the title last season.

Reigning MAAC Individual Champion, sophomore Sophia Fujita, credits that culture to helping her continue to develop her game after her stellar freshman season at Quinnipiac.

“The dynamic of our team and just the atmosphere that we’re in always keeps me positive and always keeps me going,” Fujita said. “They’re extremely supportive…so it’s easy to keep going.”

That support was evident in the Bobcats final regular-season event

before the MAAC Tournament. With the Bobcats maintaining an eleven-player roster, O’Connor has to make tough decisions on which golfers start which tournaments. With half of the team getting their final regular-season reps in at the Rutgers Invitational over April 11 and April 12, Monday’s Fairfield TriMatch granted the other half of the team the opportunity to play before

But the other Bobcats were still right on the green, putting on their cheering caps to congratulate their teammates at every turn. Nowhere was it more obvious than on Hole 15, when redshirt freshman Tekla Fine-Lease secured a birdie to the excitement of

Yes, it’s a competition, both against each other in the individual competition and for a spot on the final five player roster for the MAAC Tournament, but it comes with the understanding that the competition is built on that

“Seeing each other when one (of us is) on the green and we’re on the fairway, we look back and wave and give a little smile,” Fujita said. “It really keeps us going throughThe Torrance, Calif. native has made her mark in Hamden, becoming the only Bobcat to win MAAC Rookie of the Year, MAAC Player of the Year and the MAAC Individual Championship in the same season, with hopes of repeating

As freshmen, Riche and McCutcheon will

Golf's title defense is built on camaraderie and competition

that performance in 2026.

“She works very hard at her game,” O’Connor said. “She has a different way to go about her training that rubs off on everybody else.”

Fujita leads the team in average scoring (75.4) and has secured par or better six times in 22 rounds. She is also one of just two Bobcats this season to win an individual tournament, placing first in the Lehigh Invitational during the fall season.

The key to getting her second win of the sea son? Fujita says she has the tools, but it remains about maintaining focus.

“Just trying to stay patient and humble, and just keep working at it every day,” she said.

That mindset isn’t exclusive to Fujita. The other Bobcat to secure a first place finish, junior Natalie Spiska, mentioned that being in that team environment is a benefit to her game.

“I think just being able to know that you can rely on your teammates if something feels off,” Spiska said. “Even today, while I was working on my putting my teammate (junior Samantha Galantini) looked at my stroke and told me, okay I think this is what you’re doing wrong.”

She also commended the team’s ability to have fun together while also knowing when to put in the work, cred iting O’Connor.

“Coach this year has been my favorite version of Coach,” Spiska said. “I think its the perfect balance of him making sure that he’s still our coach ... but also joking around with us ... making funny comments, just overall helping the team gel together.”

That balance of having fun with one another and working hard together builds the MAAC Championship winning cul

ture, and is what O’Connor is most proud of from his squad.

“They’ve got the same drive that they had last year,” he said. “They want to win, they don’t like to lose, and they want to keep working hard.”

O’Connor has spent the entire spring season trying out combinations on the course to find the five golfers who will best represent the Bobcats in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Now with the tournament less than a week away, O’Connor is excited to see how this year’s

“The pressure is far more than it is for any other tournament,” O’Connor said. “I’m excited to see them handle that and prove that they are the best team in

fense will begin on Tuesday, April 21, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. at

A season coming down to the wire

Previewing Quinnipiac women's lacrosse versus Sacred Heart with a trip to the MAAC playoffs on the line

By COOPER WOODWARD Associate Sports Editor

Control your own destiny.

It’s a message that the Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team is taking to heart as all of the hard work it’s put in for the entirety of the 2026 season comes down to one game — Saturday, April 18, versus Sacred Heart on the Campus Field turf in Fairfield.

The winner punches its ticket to the MAAC Tournament, while the loser will see its season end with a 4-4 or 3-5 conference record. The stakes truly don’t get much higher than this in mid-major lacrosse.

The Bobcats are entering the game with the same mentality they have had for the entire year: belief in themselves.

“Reaching game 17 will be really special for this group,” senior attacker Cate Bendowski said. “It would say a lot about this program and how far we’ve come.”

SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC

When looking at the grand scheme of the Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse season, one sees a lot of inconsistencies. However, one of the biggest and most impactful forces on this team comes from the offensive end.

Looking up and down the roster, this team is full of stars. At the top, you have the twoheaded monster of Bendowski and senior attacker Mia Delmond, who have combined for 34% of the Bobcats 328 total points. The pair have also become the two latest members of the 100-point club.

Bendowski has had a stellar senior cam-

paign, leading the team in scoring with 69 points, which puts her two points shy of setting the Quinnipiac single-season point record, which is currently held by former attacker Katie Latonick ‘10.

Looking further down the roster, the Bobcats have gotten consistent contributions from the fresher faces, with sophomores midfielder Emma Miller-Ayala and attacker Peyton Choma currently ranking within the top five in goals scored.

But that’s about where the consistency ends, as the rest of the team has struggled to find stability from the rest of the lineup.

Last year, the Bobcats benefited from a stellar rookie season from sophomore goaltender Shannon Alden to get them to the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament. This season, however, Alden has had her fair share of struggles, seeing a drop in total saves and save percentage.

To punch their ticket to the MAAC Tournament for the second year in a row, the Bobcats will need to capture a vintage Alden performance while getting a consistent game from their defensive core. It’s a tall order, but head coach Jordan Solari is continuing to preach a belief in the team that can propel them past the Pioneers come Saturday.

“They just have a belief that they are destined to do something great,” Solari said. “It’s going to take every one of us to do it but they’re ready to do it.”

SCOUTING SACRED HEART

While the Bobcats’ consistency struggles

begin at the bottom of the lineup, the Pioneers’ consistency problems begin at the top.

The Sacred Heart offensive group has struggled all year against MAAC competition. As of publication, the Pioneers rank at the bottom or near the bottom in goals (6.36), assists (3.29) and shots on goal (14.57) per game.

But despite this, the Pioneers rank sixth in the conference and will be in the playoffs if the season ended today. Why? A stellar defensive core anchored by a netminder making her mark in her debut year.

Freshman goaltender Madalynn EderLinell got the reins as the primary goalie during the Pioneers’ March 14 matchup versus the Monmouth Hawks. Since that date, she has averaged a 44% save percentage with a 9.18 goals against average. It’s a stat line that put her second and third in the MAAC, respectively. Her performances have been the difference maker in all four of the Pioneers’ MAAC wins, having all come by less than five goals.

Their defensive group has also been steadily productive. Leading the way is senior defensemen Brooke Gyllenhaal, forcing the second most ground balls in the entirety of the MAAC with 41 and junior defensemen Madelyn Breitbeil with 27.

It’s a timeless battle of the unstoppable force versus the immovable object. The latest chapter of that matchup will be written Saturday, April 18, with a spot in the MAAC Tournament on the line. Face-off from Fairfield is scheduled for 1 p.m.

QU Athletics demotes rugby team, adds men’s distance track team

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

Quinnipiac Athletics announced Tuesday morning that women’s rugby will move from varsity to club level after 15 years as a Division I program.

“Following a comprehensive review of varsity participation, conference affiliation, department resources, and gender equity considerations, Quinnipiac will add a men’s indoor and outdoor distance program enhancing participation opportunities within the existing track and field structure and will transition women’s rugby from varsity to club status at the conclusion of the current competitive cycle,” Quinnipiac Athletics wrote in a press release.

With 15 years of history, the program was one of the first of its kind in the nation for women’s rugby and won three consecutive Division I National Championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Additionally, the university will add a men’s indoor and outdoor distance program. This is the first time this program will return to Hamden since they folded after the 2008-09 season.

Both changes will take place after the current competition cycle.

“These decisions are never easy, but they are essential to ensuring that Quinnipiac Athletics remains equitable, competitive, and sustainable for the long term,” wrote Director of Athletics Greg Amodio.

Women’s rugby will remain a “well-resourced” and “organized” club, per the university’s press release.

Is it time to panic yet ?

Men's and women's basketball experiencing drastic roster changes since the conclusion of the 2025-26 season

By CLAIRE FRANKLAND Sports Editor

Quinnipiac women’s basketball has found itself in quite a predicament since the conclusion of its 2025-26 season.

Since the Bobcats lost to Stanford in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament 81-69 — despite ending the season with a strong 27-7 record and a MAAC record of 19-1 — the Bobcats are dropping like flies.

Currently, only three rostered Bobcats remain who haven’t gradu ated out or entered the transfer portal. Those three Bobcats are ris ing senior guards Maria Kealy, Paige Girardi and Ava Sollenne.

To say the program will be experiencing a major roster turnover is an understatement.

With key players from this season hitting the transfer portal almost as soon as it opened, including standout ris ing sophomore guard Ella Ryan and rising se nior forward Anna Foley, the Bobcats will need a major rebuild going into next season.

Foley’s departure from Hamden would be con firmed April 13, as she announced her transfer to Villanova University.

In her junior campaign, the Andover, Mass. native aver-

aged 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while leading the Bobcats with 36 blocks across 34 games. She was also named to the All-MAAC Third Team.

Ryan would also confirm her departure from Hamden April 13, announcing her transfer to Arizona State University via Instagram.

In her lone season in Hamden, the Brentwood, Tenn. native averaged 10.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. She further earned herself a spot on the MAAC

With junior guard Karson Martin entering the transfer portal April 4, only to announce her commitment to Tennessee Tech University a week later, the Bobcats are experiencing one major punch to the gut after another.

Additionally, sophomore forward Emma Lizotte announced her commitment to the College of Holy Cross March 11, after seemingly never announcing her planned departure from Hamden.

Amidst all the roster chaos, the program can look for light at the end of the tunnel with the arrival of new head coach Roman Owen, who boasts a long and successful coaching resume be -

Going into next season, the Bobcats await four commits in Imani Mullings, Mya Alston, Uliana Doronina and Ava Thomas. These commits will bring in three strong combo guards, paired with a strong shooting guard, to a Bobcat squad that needs to rebuild its depth before next season.

Yet, everything comes in pairs, doesn’t it?

With all the roster turnarounds women’s basketball is experiencing, men’s basketball is right alongside them, with some of its most influential players hitting the transfer portal.

Sophomores guard Jaden Zimmerman and forward Grant Randall both announced their decisions to enter the transfer portal after both having fantastic seasons for the Bobcats.

Zimmerman finished his season second on the Bobcats squad in points per game with 15.1, while Randall finished in fourth with 11.4, and both ending with 393 points and 365 points, respectively.

Zimmerman’s agency, 3v Group, announced his com mitment to Grand Canyon University April 14.

Partner those departures with the exit of senior forward Amarri Monroe, and Quinnipiac will lose some of its most influential Bobcats.

Despite Monroe graduating, rumors have circulated that he may be able to ap peal for an extra year of eligibility, yet many expect him to enter the transfer portal if he is given another year.

Looking at the incoming Bobcats, Quinnipiac can find hope in six-foot-four commit Malik Fields from the Bronx, N.Y. Fields has been a standout athlete at

Cardinal Hayes High School.

On April 13, the Bobcats also saw their first transfer into the program from Assumption University: rising senior guard Tayshawn Cunningham-Pemberton. In his junior campaign with the Greyhounds, the New London, Connecticut native averaged 14 points and 4.4 re

@QUCHRONSPORTS

From a Long Island backyard to Quinnipiac immortality The making of Cate Bendowski

By COOPER WOODWARD Associate Sports Editor

It’s a warm, windy day on the Mount Carmel Campus of Quinnipiac University, where Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse is in the midst of a duel with the Niagara Purple Eagles. With five minutes remaining in the third quarter of that contest, senior attacker Cate Bendowski etches her name into Quinnipiac lacrosse history, becoming the latest Bobcat to achieve 100 career points.

“I couldn’t have done it without my team

she could obtain.

“When I made varsity for lacrosse in high school, I thought ‘Oh this could be a real thing,’” she said.

A stellar college career meant that Bendowski had all of the options in the world on where she wanted to pursue college lacrosse. But it was a visit during the COVID-19 pandemic that made Hamden feel like the place to be for the Long Islander.

“I couldn’t meet them in person for the

season that saw seven multi-point games and an 18-point debut year. Was it solid? Sure. But deep down, Bendowski knew that both she and the team were destined for more. In her junior season, that reality came to be.

Bendowski saw statistical increases in nearly every major offensive stat. She netted 30 goals and 19 assists, upping her shot total from the year prior while starting all 18 games for the Bobcats. The team jumped from two wins to ten, making it to the MAAC

for the 2026 campaign. Now with one game left on the schedule, Bendowski has left a history-making season in her wake.

As of publication, Bendowski has found the back of the net 26 times, adding 43 assists — good enough for second on the team at the time — to the tune of a 69-point senior season, putting her two points shy of breaking the single-season point record.

One of those most important points came against Niagara, as she joined lifelong teammond as the only active Bobcats to hit the century mark. For Bendowski, it’s the latest

garten through sixth grade together. It’s crazy lege. She’s an amazing athlete through and Bendowski has one more year left in Hamden, but she’s already feeling grateful for the fellow seniors who won’t get the privilege of taking the

“I love my grade,” she said. “Even matically throughout my four years here, I couldn’t have done

Her senior teammates aren’t the only ones Bendowski has expressed

“I want my teammates to know that if they need anything from me at any point of the day, I will come drop everything from them,” she said. “They ed me through good times and bad times.

cat behind her, she has a simple message to the version of Bendowski who stepped onto

When Bendowski steps off the turf for the final time, she will be leaving a legacy of positivity, determination and joy behind, forever leaving her mark on Quinnipiac