Vol. LV, No. 3
The Signal
https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/
September 18, 2026
Serving The College of New Jersey since 1885
Sound the alarms: Students permitted to move back to Townhouses East By Stephen Martin Correspondent
Yet another email was sent to upperclassmen students who were supposed to be living in the Townhouses East this semester regarding the issues with the fire alarm system; this email, however, will likely be the last. The relocation came after issues with the fire alarm system had been identified in July of this summer. The situation necessitated that upperclassmen planning on living in the townhouses would have to seek housing in locations they had not previously chosen until the beginning of October. Most students were relocated to Wolfe Hall, Travers Hall or Eickoff Hall. The previously estimated return date for students was set for Oct. 1, but according to Tina Tormey, the executive director of residential education, housing and dining at the College, students will be able to move back into the townhouses as early as Sept. 16. In the email Tormey states, “We appreciate the flexibility and
After temporarily being closed, the Townhouses East have reopened. patience you’ve had throughout the last few weeks as we’ve navigated this unexpected situation.” She thanks campus construction, Office of Facilities Management, Building Services and contractors for completing this project ahead of schedule. Sophomore Teagan Walker, a criminology major at the College, was relocated into Wolfe Hall following
Photo by Ben Weiss
the initial email sent on July 30. “It was pretty disappointing honestly. I’m really happy we get to move back in earlier than expected. I am glad that we don’t have to pay for living somewhere that we weren’t supposed to.” Additionally, students returning to the townhouses were given three options regarding their final move for the rest of the academic year: students
can opt for an assisted move on Sept. 16, a self-move between Sept. 17 and Sept. 20 or a permanent stay in the temporary housing provided. However, any temporary Wolfe and Travers Hall residents will not be able to remain in the temporary housing provided. Walker plans to do the self-move on Sept. 17 to get into her townhouse as soon as possible. Likewise, Lilla Porter, sophomore mathematics major, shared her poor experience going back to the tower she stayed at freshman year with The Signal. “I really did not want to be there, and it was much worse than last year. But, I’m glad we are getting relocated soon. They need AC in the towers; it’s way too hot, there’s way too many people—it’s just abysmal.” All students making the shift are required to do so by Sept. 20 as per the Housing Office. “While we are able to relocate students prior to the anticipated Oct. 1 move date, your housing credit will still include the weeks between opening and Oct. 1,” the email said, promising a further discounted housing bill for the hassle.
The Atrium at Eickhoff introduces new dining concepts
Princeton University Art Museum: Keeping up with times and politics
By Sydney Herold Correspondent
By Carolyn Nguyen Correspondent
The Atrium at Eickhoff, the College’s oncampus dining hall, has introduced several menu changes this semester. The updates focus on the Vegan Loop, 91.3 Wokery and Roscoe’s Tacos, bringing new dishes and rotating cuisines to stations students use regularly. At the Vegan Loop, the menu has shifted the station toward composed grain bowls with plant-based proteins. Instead of the protein and vegetable options offered last year, there are now new options including a red hummus chickpea bowl, a Latin potato bowl and a Mediterranean rainbow bowl in order to align with a new “Grown” concept. The dining team explained that the new approach is intended to provide more complete meal options while expanding the variety available at the station. The 91.3 Wokery has also received a new “Showcase” concept. Its menu features dishes inspired by different cultures, including food items such as arepas and Thai curry. For students who eat at Eickhoff regularly, the change offers an opportunity to encounter foods that may not otherwise be part of the dining hall’s menu. Sophomore students Lilla Porter, a mathematics major, and Mia Zicchinella, a political science major, both appreciate having more variety at the dining hall. “I like the showcase method because it diversifies the food we get to eat, especially since the dining hall can get repetitive after a while,” Zicchinella said. Roscoe’s Tacos has taken a different approach with its new “Serranos” concept, a Mexican-inspired build–your-own bowl station. The menu is scheduled to change each month, with the Korean-inspired “BiBimBap”
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concept and Indian-inspired “Spice Market” concept planned for later in the semester. The changes were led by Sodexo’s dining management team, including Residential Dining Manager Nelson Morales, General Manager of Residential Dining Danielle Blanco and Executive Chef Michael Knipp. Da’Vaun Davis, the College’s associate director of the dining experience, also worked closely with the management team during this process. Student input was a major consideration in deciding what to change. According to the dining team, feedback came from the “dining meal choice and movement” survey that students submitted, monthly Dining Service Committee meetings, and post-event surveys. Responses from MyDTXT, the College’s interactive text-message feedback system, was also used during this process. “What we prioritize most on our dining initiatives is student feedback,” Field Marketing Specialist Faith Chang said. “We are always working to create the best dining experience possible for students and one way we do that is to continuously innovate and update our offerings based on student requests and feedback.” That feedback has continued to shape the menu even after the new stations were introduced. Some items were removed to make room for the expanded offerings, including smoothies at the Vegan Loop. After students asked for them to return, Dining Services added smoothies back to the menu. With several new concepts and updates to the dining hall being introduced, students will have more variety in what they choose to eat throughout the semester. As the semester progresses, student feedback will continue to play a role in determining which offerings remain and which ones change.
FEATURES
Gloria Steinem
page 3
In the wake of American journalist and social activist Gloria Steinem’s recent passing, WILL reflects on Gloria Steinem’s visit to the College.
OPINIONS
Twenty minutes away from the College, the Princeton University Museum of Art offers free admission as a part of its mission to teach the world through artistic objects. The museum has been open since last October after a six year hiatus dedicated to destruction and reconstruction. Though the old building has been demolished for a brutalist 146,000-square-foot complex, its original artistic essence lives on inside the decorated corridors. The university’s collecting history dates back to 1755, when New Jersey Colonial Governor Jonathan Belcher gifted a portrait of himself to Princeton’s trustees. The trustees displayed it inside Nassau Hall, where a portrait of King George II and archaeological artifacts later joined. Though this collection was destroyed after the Revolutionary War and a fire in 1802, it outlined the museum’s framework. In 1882, then President Josh McCosh called for the creation of an art curriculum, headed by William Cowper Prime and General George McClellan who established the Museum of Art. “The foundation of any system of education in Historic Art must obviously be in object study. A museum of art objects is so necessary to the system that without it...it would be of small utility to introduce the proposed department,” the two reasoned. The museum initially only housed art from the Renaissance, but it grew to include prints and drawings, pre-columbian antiquities, illuminated manuscripts and American art. By the 1930s, the collection began to feature works from Chinese, Japanese and subSaharan African artists. Today, the museum’s collection numbers page 5
In defense of New Jersey
Critiques of NJ are unwarranted, and the Garden State has much more to offer than it may seem.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
2026 Emmys
over 117,000 objects that intersect art with culture, time and politics. “I like everything here. It’s really hard to choose a favorite. A ton of these paintings are very realistic and full of detail,” Julia, an astonished 11-year-old aspiring animator and painter, shared. “I’m really happy that these artists took their time to make all these.” Her father Shannon added, “I like to explore and read the details. I noticed how old some of these works are. You know, I think I saw one like 700 old and another that’s like 500 years old.” The museum’s intertwining halls seamlessly blend the pre-colonial American oil paintings, Edo ink scrolls and 13th century Persian ceramics with newer pieces. “Clay Has Memory,” which will be on display through next July, focuses on the clay works of African artists throughout generations. The exhibit includes sculptures from the past, as well as those as new as the 2000s to show the endurance of African legacy despite the abrasions of time and diaspora. The contemporary exhibit “What is an American?” is open through October and compiles various prints and illustrations crafted from American symbols, phrases and politics to explore the paradox of American identity. Moreover, the university will host its “Revisioning America” initiative on Sept. 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary. Events will be held in partnership with the Arts Council of Princeton, Morven Museum & Garden, Art Against Racism, Princeton Public Library, Historical Society of Princeton, William Trent House Museum, Garden Theatre, Princeton University Art Museum and the Princeton University Humanities Initiative. see MUSEUM page 3 page 9
The 2026 Emmy Awards was a grand celebration of the arts, specifically highlighting and honoring our everyday on-screen heroes.
SPORTS
page 12
Men’s Soccer undefeated
The team scored five goals in two games, which includes their best game of the season in a dominant 4-0 win against Farmingdale State on Sept. 12.
page 2 The Signal September 18, 2026
Cop Shop: Money gone missing, anonymous burglar and a public notice By Gloria Vittadello News Editor The Signal and Campus Police work together on a weekly basis to inform the campus community about crime on and around campus. All records given to The Signal are public records and do not contain personal information. Some information provided may be triggering for some students. After a couple weeks of the Lions being back on campus, Campus Police have already interacted with many different scenarios. The fall semester has presented burglaries, larceny, fire alarms and the consequences of using too much perfume, to name a few. Aug. 26: A wallet returned empty At 11:10 a.m. a student arrived at Campus Police headquarters to report a possible theft. The day before, she went to Eickoff Dining Hall to grab lunch with a friend. Ultimately, she misplaced her wallet, but later found it at the lost and found. When she retrieved her wallet though, $57 was missing. She said she didn’t remember any suspicious movement around her.
have left it at home. At 4:30 p.m., a third student went to Campus Police with a concern for his stolen property. The student stated $50 was stolen from his room as well. After two instances of theft, students on his floor were notifying each other of what was happening, so he went back to his dorm to check if he had his belongings. He said nothing else from his room seemed to be missing or messed with. He recognized that the door could have been left unlocked but he wasn’t sure. At 5:56 p.m. a fourth student met with Campus Police after realizing on Aug. 21 $100 was missing from his room. A $50 gift card was taken from his desk as well. He saw the giftcard the night of Aug. 22, and then noticed
missing on Aug. 24th around 5 p.m. August 31: Moving hats At 12:29 p.m., $60 dollars was taken from a student’s wallet that was under a stack of hats inside of his dorm. The student said he had three $20 bills, which were taken, but his smaller bills were left behind. He said he saw his money on Aug. 22, before it was taken. He was aware of the thefts and headed back to his room to check his belongings after playing basketball. His roommate also has 30 dollars taken from his wallet at the same time. He didn’t wish to report the incident. Another student informed the police that a $50 bill was stolen
Wolfe Hall burglaries There were several thefts in Wolfe Hall reported between Aug. 26 and 30. Aug. 26: Only the big bills A Wolfe Hall resident made a report to Campus Police that $50 was stolen from his room. The student explained the last time he noticed the money was on Aug. 22 between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on top of his dorm dresser. When he came home on Aug. 23, at approximately 10 a.m., the $50 bill was no longer on top of the dresser. Nothing else in the room was out of the ordinary. Two hours later, at 2:35 p.m., Campus Police met with another student who reported missing money. He stated $120 had been taken from his wallet, though $30 singles dollars were left behind. He explained the last time he saw his money was on Aug. 21. On Aug. 23rd though, he noticed the money was no longer in his wallet. He also mentioned a $50 Amazon gift card could have been taken as well, but he wasn’t sure, because he may
West occurred at 12:53 p.m. because there was too much dust and dirt in one of the smoke detectors. A positive response was confirmed, and students were able to return to their units at 1:05 p.m. August 27: Lot 13 evacuation Campus Police were sent to Lot 13 due to an activated fire alarm on the second floor. Upon arrival, strobes, audible alarms and full evacuation were active. No smoke or fire was observed. Police determined that the active fire alarm was due to the pull station getting wet from the rain. A positive reset was confirmed and Lot 13 was clear for re-entry. August 28: Fire alarm in the maintenance building A t 8:10 a.m., Campus Police were dispatched to the Facilities Building due to an active alarm. The light strobes and audible alarms were active. Campus Police proceeded to check all the rooms on the first floor, which were cleared. The activated smoke detector was located in the Auto Shop office room 121B and appeared to be set by a toaster oven. There was an evacuation. Sept. 1: Too much perfume In one of the residential halls, the Ewing Fire Department confirmed there were no signs of smoke or fire and suspected the smoke detector in the room went off because there was a heavy scent of perfume.
it was missing when he woke up for his football scrimmage on Aug. 23 around 7 a.m. He believes the perpetrator entered his room at night while he was sleeping. Aug. 27: A stolen Amazon giftcard The following day, a fifth student came to the Campus Police at 4:02 p.m. to report a $50 gift card was taken from his room. The card was inside a small blue and black box with a smiley face on it, which was also taken. The student last saw the gift card in his desk on Aug. 22nd and noticed it was
from on top of his dresser. The resident stated his door was unlocked. At this time no suspect has been identified and all of these investigations are ongoing. Fire alarms There were a plethora of different fire alarms since the start of the fall semester. The causes of them have been too much dust in detectors, rain, too much perfume, hair dryers and more. Aug. 26: A dusty smoke detector Full evacuation of the Townhouses
Photo by Kit Ackerman
The Signal shares police reports since the beginning of the fall semester.
Sept. 10: Hair dryers At 1:22 a.m. in Cromwell, a student set off an alarm with her hair dryer. When Campus Police arrived at the scene, there were no signs of smoke or fire. At 1:29 a.m. the area was confirmed as safe. Sept. 13: Overcooked fajitas At approximately 1:08 p.m., Campus Police were dispatched to Decker Hall for a smoke detector that went off. There were active audible alarms, but visual strobes were not flashing. There was light smoke in the room, but no signs of fire. The student in the unit where the alarm went off, accidentally burned their fajitas when they were reheating them. The building was occupied, and there was no need for evacuation. Public notice: Feedback to Campus Police On Sept 28., Campus Police plans to hear feedback from students and faculty based on the following categories: the administrative function, the personnel function, the operations function, the investigative function and the arrestee/detainee function. The assessment is going to be on-site, as well as by phone call between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The department invites agency employees and the public to send feedback. The assessment is going to be on-site as well as by phone. The phone number is 609-771-3483. Email comments can be sent to the police department at tcnjpd@tcnj.edu. Telephone comments are limited to five minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards. If you have any questions, students are directed to call Accreditation Manager Rebecca Joseph at 609-771-2845.
Features
MUSEUM / Princeton University Art Museum continues to evolve
Photo by Gloria Vittadello
Entrance wall art at the Princeton Art Museum. Continued from page 1 All venues are free and publicly open to participate in exhibitions and accompanying programming. Programs include lectures, artist conversations, film screenings and a gallery crawl about America’s past, present and possible futures. Hailey, a student at the university, emphasized, “Politics and art have hella intersections. I think almost every art is influenced by politics, and they are almost the same. So, it’s great to see different perspectives and different stories told
through art. That’s how you learn about the world, and that’s a hundred percent important now. ” Other exhibits currently showing include “What Photographs Look Like” and Takeda Hideo’s “Genpei: Defying Authority,” which will be on display until December and January, respectively. The former pushes viewers’ expectations of photography through composition and presentation, whereas the latter showcases Hideo’s colorful, silkscreen depictions of the Genpei Civil War. Additionally, Princeton Art Museum is set to open a new exhibit this October titled
WILL remembers Gloria Steinem’s visit to TCNJ
“Basquiat, the Blue Ribbon Paintings, and the Art of Reproduction.” The exhibit focuses on American neo-expressionist and social critic Jean Michel Basquiat’s Blue Ribbon paintings and print works. Atlanta’s High Museum of Art remarks, “Conventional narratives around JeanMichel Basquiat…tend to emphasize his meteoric rise as a self-taught prodigy, often placing him outside the art historical canon rather than in dialogue with postmodern ideas and artistic networks. In contrast, this exhibition reframes Basquiat’s legacy by emphasizing his deep engagement with ideas around appropriation, identity, and
An almost 200-year-old museum is closing By Sky Pinkett Features Editor
Photo courtesy of Cecilia Colbeth
Gloria Steinem spoke to the College’s WILL program in 2016. By Isabella McHugh she is remembered by to this day. Nation & World Editor Rosie Driscoll, another one of the College’s alumni and former president In the wake of American journalist of WILL, described her first encounter and social activist Gloria Steinem’s with Steinem’s work, Ms. Magazine. recent passing, former students and Driscoll had a friend whose father a staff member shared their personal worked in a New York City mail experience meeting her at the College room. “He knew I loved to read, and during Women’s History Month in so he would always give me stacks of 2016. extra magazines,” she said. “And one “She was gentle, but powerful; she day, in the stack, was a copy of Ms. was mystical yet practical,” Jennie Magazine.” Sekanics, one of the College’s alumni Ms. Magazine is a national said about Steinem back in 2016. American feminist magazine designed Sekanics emphasized how Steinem to give voices to women and other would always bring listeners back marginalized groups. It was cotogether and see a bigger picture founded by Steinem and Dorothy regarding issues she discussed. Pitman Hughes in 1971, according to Cecilia Colbeth, current director of Ms. Magazine. Women in Learning and Leadership Driscoll described Ms. Magazine said that Steinem spoke about her book as her gateway to understanding what which had recently been published at feminism actually was. She said the the time titled, “My Life on the Road.” term ‘feminism’ “wasn’t really a Steinem’s book detailed her trendy thing back then.” Driscoll said experience traveling across the world she had not read about the term until and bringing about change while around 2011 or 2012, but Steinem’s finding herself along the way. “My work helped shape her perspective Life on the Road” is Steinem’s personal even before meeting Steinem. story of transformation into the woman Read more on our website!
reproduction.” This season, the museum restaurant Mosaic also offers a monthly themed three course dinner outside of its small, but rotating lunch and bakery menu. The dinners cost $85 and are served for one day of each month. Themes include summer harvest, Filipino American History Month and the restaurant’s upcoming anniversary in November. Students without a car can visit the Princeton Art Museum by taking the loop bus to Princeton. For museum hours, menus, events and additional information, visit the museum website.
Museums. For the enthusiastic learner, parent or teacher, the word brings the promise of an exciting, educational experience. For the disgruntled student, the word is a foreboding omen of homework assignments on the horizon. Regardless of which camp you fall into, museums have long stood as the epicenter for accessible education and research for communities worldwide. And on Sept. 1, the oldest epicenter of them all announced that they will be closing their doors permanently. The Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the oldest natural science museum in all of the Americas, shared a statement that their museum will be shutting down to the wider public. “While the museum will close, the Academy remains committed to public engagement and education,” Drexel University, which has owned the museum since 2011, said in their statement. “Work will continue to identify new and financially sustainable opportunities for the public display of elements from its collections and engagement with the
Photo courtesy of Flickr
The Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences will be shutting down.
natural sciences.” The Academy itself was founded in 1812 by seven natural scientists whose goal was to advance scientific research in their field. In 1828, they opened up the natural science museum in Philadelphia to share their research with the public. Drexel’s announcement was met with shock and grief. Shock, because the sudden news came as the museum was less than two years away from celebrating its 200th birthday. Grief, because the once-seemingly immortal institution is now joining an increasingly concerning pattern in museum closures and cutbacks across the country. “Exacerbated by the lasting effects of the pandemic, small museums are closing due to a combination of financial challenges,” the Center for Art Law wrote in their investigation into museum closures. “[This] includes rising operating costs, decreased attendance, and limited funding opportunities.” Readers will notice that this article specifically names these “financial challenges” as threats to small museums, and the Academy of Natural Sciences is anything but. The Academy holds over 19 million natural specimens within its walls, one of the largest bird collections in the entire world, the fourth-largest mollusk collection, its famous 42-foot Tyrannosaurus rex and over 75,000 natural science literature in its library archive, some of which are almost 500 years old. And yet, these “financial challenges” plaguing small museums were one of the factors into Drexel’s decision to close the museum. Read more on our website!
OPINION: Sydney Sweeney’s ad is a swing and a miss
Sydney Sweeney’s advertisements continue to cause controversy. By Sandra Abrantes Multimedia Coordinator & Editorial Cartoonist For the entirety of history, women have been undermined, objectified and not taken seriously. This is especially true within sports, as female athletes or other women in the industry have to work much harder to be recognized. Actress Sydney Sweeney, known for her roles in the show “Euphoria’ and films like “The Housemaid” and “Anyone But You,” has recently partnered with Novig, a sports trading company. The ad features Sweeney, posing nude in a variety of positions, with various sports equipment. It has had an incredibly large
Photo courtesy of IMDb
impact on female athletes and Olympians specifically, many of whom have made statements regarding the damage it is doing to the preexisting stigma surrounding women in sports. In an interview with CNN, Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer made a statement regarding the ad, her reaction to it being, “Incredibly disappointing, like, how far you can put women’s sports backwards in the space of a 40-second commercial.” She went on to discuss how the hypersexualized content of the ad is damaging to young females getting into sports and other women in general. Not only is the advertisement incredibly harmful to women at large,
but it is also actively harming its target audience: young men. Statistically, young men are the target audience for this ad, and using a nude woman to promote sports gambling is only expanding the ever-increasing gambling and porn addictions rising amongst these men. Addiction Resource identifies that roughly 69% of men in the U.S. view online porn each year. Statistics from Addiction Help reveal that on a worldwide scale, men are 3.4 times more likely than women to gamble at a problem level. According to Sienna Research Institute, in a survey released on April 13, 2026, 27% of Americans and half of all men, ages 18-49 say they have an active account with an online sports book. These facts do not go unnoticed by marketing professionals, who exploit this to take advantage of consumers. In late 2024, an advertisement featuring Sweeney partnering with Dr. Squatch was released and caused a similar stir of unease. This advertisement featured a naked Sydney Sweeney in a bathtub saying “Hello, you dirty little boys. Are you interested in my body…wash?” The ad then goes on to promote Dr. Squatch body wash, with Sweeney saying “It isn’t for boys. It’s for men.”
With Dr. Squatch being a men’s soap and hygiene brand, having Sweeney be the promoter and main focal point of the commercial was a perpetuation of the long-time marketing scheme of selling sex. This same strategy is used in her newest advertisement with Novig. Using Sweeney’s body as the center of attention for the advertisement is purposeful. It is a way to make sports betting and gambling even more attractive. In other Novig ads, there is a male-centered focus, primarily featuring male athletes playing while a male sports announcer promotes the app. The only advertisement with a front-facing woman was Sydney Sweeney’s recent nude ad. It should not be socially acceptable for a male-run sports betting app to use Sydney Sweeney as a marketing prop to gain male interest in gambling, and the trend in her recent advertisements reveals she sees no issue with this. In response to the backlash her ad has received, Sweeney responded by posting Instagram stories of front covers from magazines that male and female athletes have been featured on. These covers were primarily for ESPN’s The Body Issue’s. Read more on our website!
OPINION: It is the best time to be a fan OPINION: A defense of New Jersey
Photo by Jadyn Buccilli
Advances in technology have made it the best time to be a fan. By Jack Salaki Opinions Editor We live in a time of infinite abundance. Through the spread of the internet, social media and other technologies, access to information is limitless, allowing a person to explore any topic and gain knowledge that wouldn’t have been possible in the past without a formal education. That also translates to our entertainment. Consider this: 40 years ago, there were three major news channels. Now there are dozens. Before the advent of streaming, you were stuck with a few options for entertainment. There were more limitations to what you could experience. Today, you can choose to watch cable TV. Or you can watch TV on Netflix, HBO, Disney, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple or any of the numerous streaming platforms. That also applies to music, books and gaming. Then there’s the creation of social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, which allow people to share content about anything they are
Photo courtesy of IMDb
interested in, vastly increasing entertainment options even further. The point is: entertainment is everywhere. If you want to read Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” which was written over 200 years ago, you can do that. Or maybe you are curious to listen to an old Beatles album from the 1960s. You can do that too with essentially no cost. There are real questions about the effect that so much information and entertainment can have on us. I’ve written about this before and the importance of cultivating a media diet. But ultimately, the staggering access to so much information and, more specifically, entertainment, makes it the best time to be a fan, since there is so much to see. Fans, by my definition, are people who are interested in and admire specific pieces of artwork, pop culture, sports teams or even just have hobbies that they are interested in: whether it’s watching your favorite football team and following them intensely, or listening to every album from a musician you love. Read more on our website!
One of the many examples of New Jersey’s beauty is a Victorian style building in Cape May.
By Jadyn Buccilli Staff Writer If you own any social media platforms, you have likely seen countless jokes about how New Jersey is a terrible state. Similar to the “Only in Ohio” memes, New Jersey is constantly ridiculed for various things, such as the state’s ugliness and the rudeness of locals. While these jokes are funny and harmless, I cannot help but think that the people who ridicule Jersey haven’t experienced it to its fullest, and I want to prove that the “Armpit of the United States” is not so bad. To begin, the food in New Jersey is delicious. Everyday foods such as bagels and pizza taste especially amazing, and I am reminded of this high quality every time I have these items on trips to other states. Salt water taffy and pork roll sandwiches are items that are most commonly found in the state, and I cannot imagine living without being able to eat either of them again. While Wawa convenience stores are becoming increasingly popular among other states, it is a good feeling to have grown up with it for all of my
life. The franchise originated in Philadelphia, but has been all over South Jersey for as long as I could remember. Other food franchises, such as Tastycake and Chickie’s & Pete’s have had similar origins, and I am grateful that New Jersey is close enough to Philadelphia that I have indulged in food from all of these companies for years. The location of the state is just as good as the food that comes with it. Being one of the smallest states, it is relatively easy to travel out of state for day trips. As a person from South Jersey, I only need to drive around 45 minutes to find myself in Philadelphia, and only around two hours to make it to New York City. And since this is a coastal state, it is a significantly shorter drive to the shore. The shore towns in Jersey are the main tourist attractions of the state. Towns like Long Beach Island, Wildwood, Seaside Heights and many others are full of fun things to do. I personally live closest to Ocean City, and it is my favorite out of all of the shore of all ages. Read more on our website!
Editorials
Colleges owe their students safety and transparency
Photo by Andre Paras
A recent Rutgers’ dean’s arrest raises questions about how well colleges are protecting their students. By Tasnim Oyshi Editorialist Choosing a college is one of the hardest decisions you can make, particularly when thousands of dollars fuel your choice and you’ve barely had real world experience. When teenagers choose the colleges they will spend their next four years at, they’re picking where they will build connections, learn about their future career and become independent. College essentially becomes
somewhat of a second home. Thus, it is the responsibility of colleges and universities to meet certain requirements. Of course, the pedagogy of professors and the quality of dorms matter. However, what is equally important is safety. On Aug. 24, Rutgers-New Brunswick’s Dean of Research at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Josh Kohut was arrested for allegedly taking inappropriate videos on his phone while working there. He is being accused of recording “upskirt”
videos with his phone without the knowledge of the victim, according to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Rutgers has taken action by putting Kohut on an administrative leave and banning him from the campus. Despite this, his faculty page is still up on Rutgers’ website. Kohut’s case is clearly problematic because of the invasive crime that he is alleged to have committed. The situation is made worse, however, by the fact that he had been working at the school since 2002
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and teaching students there since 2008. While it is unfortunately not abnormal to find bad people in places of power with longstanding careers, it does spark questions about how long they have been getting away with such actions and what else they have been doing. Kohut’s case is not finished yet and under the legal system, he’s innocent until proven guilty. Nonetheless, this type of situation can certainly occur. No one should ever have to worry about being filmed inappropriately. With the advancement of technology, this issue seems to be growing. At a place meant for the pursuit of higher education, voyeurism and cyber sexual crimes should not become regular worries. When students are entrusting colleges with their livelihoods, colleges should take care to do proper background checks on who they’re hiring. Perhaps stricter punishments for taking “upskirt” videos should be in order or maybe colleges should invest in more training for their faculty that addresses such subjects. Every college and university should ensure that students can feel safe walking around campus and interacting with the people hired. It is understandable that not every single creep or pervert can be caught by colleges taking precaution. Nonetheless, it is up to the colleges to be transparent with their students and learn from the situation. When something like Kohut’s case happens, colleges should take it as a lesson to take the best measures possible to keep students safe.
Administrative Staff
Email: signal@tcnj.edu Business Email: thesignalbusiness@gmail.com
Sandra Abrantes Multimedia Coordinator & Editorial Cartoonist
Editorial Staff
Erin Reilly Social Media Manager
Alena Bitonti Editor-in-Chief Andre Paras Ashley Ragone Managing Editors Gloria Vittadello Natalia Tomczak News Editor Devyn Briones Arts & Entertainment Editor Jack Salaki Opinions Editor Sky Pinkett Features Editor Jhett Laurie Sports Editor
Tasnim Oyshi Editorialist Parker Gatts Web Editor Sandra Abrantes Editorial Cartoonist Michael Darcy Business Manager Abhinav Aima Faculty Advisor
Isabella McHugh Nation & World Editor
POLICIES The Signal is published bi-weekly during the academic year and not financed by the Student Activity Fund, but solely by advertisement revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The Letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. The Signal willingly corrects mistakes. If you think we have made a mistake, contact us at signal@tcnj.edu.
Wordoku How to Play: 1. Same rules as sudoku, but with letters! 2. All nine letters are provided in the puzzle. 3. Fill each blank box with one of the letters. Make sure it isn’t repeated horizontally, verically or within each 3x3 box. 4. Find the hidden word spelled out diagonally from left to write!
Charlie Kirk’s assassination case moves forward after an intense September hearing
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Tyler Robinson is tried for the assassination of right wing activist, Charlie Kirk. By Emily Lindsey attention in global news. Correspondent According to NPR, many people travelled a great distance to bear witness to the hearing, Tyler Robinson, the man accused of including one of Kirk’s former cameramen and murdering right wing activist Charlie Kirk, members of the UVU chapter of Turning Point pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against USA, a conservative youth organization that him at a probable cause hearing in Provo, Utah Kirk co-founded. on Sept. 1. In order for the hearing to go to trial, Utah The judge decided that Robinson’s case county’s prosecution team, including attorney will go to trial on Oct. 23 and that he may Ryan McBride, had to establish that Robinson receive the death penalty if he is convicted in was a legitimate suspect. Part of the evidence accordance with Utah law, according to Utah McBride presented to the judge were images of News Dispatch. the assailant, whom he claimed was Robinson, Nearly one year after the fatal shooting of taking up a sniper position on top of a building Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, 2025 at Utah Valley and delivering the fatal shot to Kirk. University, this case still garners widespread After hearing the rest of the prosecution’s
argument, Utah County Judge Tony Graf, determined that “this evidence is sufficient at this stage to support a reasonable belief the defendant is the individual who shot and killed Charlie Kirk.” However, the hearing did not end there. To incur the possibility of capital punishment, the prosecution had to elevate Robinson’s primary charge from murder to aggravated murder by proving that he “created a ‘great risk of death’ to others” beyond just Kirk, according to Reuters. According to the Associated Press, the defense fought hard against this elevation. One of Robinson’s defense attorneys, Staci Visser, said, “There is one shot. There is one bullet. There is one victim.” She pointed out that Kirk’s position on a platform isolated him from the crowd and even his own security details as he spoke. Reuters reported that “she [Visser] said the assailant simply shot Kirk then ran away, without reloading the weapon or threatening anyone else.” Meanwhile, the prosecution built a staunch argument for the opposing stance. NBC quoted McBride stating, “You can’t shoot a rifle into a crowd of 3,000 people without knowing that you create a great risk of death to all those around your target.” According to The Associated Press, prosecution attorney Chad Grununder also “noted that the alleged murder weapon - a boltaction rifle - was loaded with additional rounds that had not been fired.” The prosecution asserted that the assailant was prepared to use these bullets on the day of the shooting. Ultimately, the judge ruled that “the state met its burden at this preliminary stage.” If
Robinson is convicted of the elevated charge of aggravated murder at his trial on Oct. 23, he will face the death penalty. Another point of contention in this hearing was the possibility of labelling Kirk’s shooting as a politically motivated crime. According to Reuters, “Kirk was credited with energizing young voters behind President Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign” through his Turning Point USA organization. The prosecution presented the court with the evidence of several of the bullets loaded into the alleged murder weapon that carried seemingly political messages, such as “Hey Fascist! CATCH!” Reuters also cited messages entered into evidence by the prosecution from Robinson to his partner Lance Twiggs, reading, “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” The defense contended that this evidence was insufficient. According to NBC, defense attorney Richard Novak justified this stance in court by pointing out that “we have no testimony that Mr. Robinson had ever spoken about Charlie Kirk, that he’d ever heard anything he’d said, that he’d ever discussed anything.” Additionally, the defense argued that the wording of the online messages were far too vague, and that the prosecution had no evidence as to what the ‘hate’was that Robinson mentioned as reported by The Associated Press. With the heightened punishment for Robinson’s conviction, his trial in October is even more anticipated than before. Robinson’s prosecution team has not yet offered an alternative theory or suspect for Kirk’s murder, which could be the deciding factor of Robinson’s fate.
Lindsay Clancy case remains unresolved after a declared mistrial
By Emma Alejandro Staff Writer
The Lindsay Clancy case was formally announced as a mistrial, leaving room for possible retrial, according to WBUR. This case has received increasing attention in the media. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has charged 36-year-old Lindsay Clancy with three counts of first degree murder of her children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan, according to Today, Explained, Vox Media. According to Biography staff, Clancy pleaded not guilty, relying on Massachusetts’ insanity defense. She admitted to strangling her children, but her defense argued she ultimately lacked criminal responsibility as she was under the grip of postpartum psychosis, according to WBUR. On Jan. 24, 2023, as Clancy was on leave as a prenatal and delivery nurse, she claimed she heard a voice telling her “this is your last chance,” instructing her to kill her children,” according to The New York Times. Clancy used exercise bands to strangle her kids and was found by her husband at the time, Patrick Clancy, in their yard after having jumped out of their second-story window, according to PBS News. AP News noted that the prosecution claimed that Clancy’s actions were premeditated. She had sent Patrick out to the store and searched how long it would take him to reach his destination, according to the Boston Globe. The conflicting interpretations of Clancy’s behavior ultimately made the question of criminal responsibility difficult for the jury to resolve, according to CNN. The jury, deadlocked, spent six days in deliberation. All but one of the twelve jurors held a consensus view, according to NPR News. Court proceedings started July 29 of this year at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth Massachusetts, lasting around five weeks according to CNN. Judge William Sullivan issued a Tuey-
Rodriguez instruction, urging the jurors to continue deliberating in an effort to reach a unanimous decision. The instruction is used for deadlocked juries to encourage further discussion while allowing each juror to maintain their individual judgment, as reported by PBS. Despite the judge’s instruction, WBUR reported that the jury’s final note to the judge wrote that “It is with a heavy heart that we report we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to.” As mentioned by The Guardian, Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, requested to remove the opposing juror via an emergency appeal with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. According to The New Yorker, Reddington argued that the juror was refusing to adhere to the judge’s instructions on reasonable doubt. As the lone holdout in an otherwise 11-1 split, Reedington believed the juror was preventing the jury from reaching a verdict, according to WBUR. From USA Today, Reddington’s filing also argued that the court’s handling of the case reflected a broader bias “against those who suffer from debilitating mental illness.” However, according to NPR News, the petition was denied. As mentioned in The New York Times, Lindsay Clancy may be up for another trial, a plea deal, or other legal proceedings. According to Associated Press correspondent Rebecca Boone, the decision ultimately rests with prosecutors. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said that no decision has been made about whether to retry Clancy. A status hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29, when the next steps in the case will be discussed, according to CNN. Yet, the case’s impact extends beyond the question of whether Clancy will face another trial. The proceedings have brought attention to mental health treatment and how the criminal justice system handles cases involving severe psychiatric illness, according to CNN and the
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Lindsay Clancy is tried for the murder of her three children. New York Times. For some, it is difficult to imagine that there will not be a second trial. “There are three dead children…the political pressure on the prosecution to retry the case will be overwhelming,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, to PEOPLE. “Not refiling the case is how district attorneys get voted out of office…when you deal with elected officials, public sentiment matters.” He continues, “Not prosecuting means that Lindsay Clancy goes free. This is not insanity where she would spend time in a psychiatric facility. She would be a free woman.” When asked, Timothy Cruz said the trial was “about getting justice for those three little babies” rather than a broader commentary on mental health, the New York Times reported. According to AP News, Lindsay Clancy has been in custody since the killings in 2023, but not in a conventional jail due to injuries she sustained after her suicide attempt, including a spinal injury that left Clancy paralyzed from the waist down. The New York Post concluded she was treated at Tewksbury State Hospital for most of the time in the last three years. After the mistrial announcement, she has since returned to Tewksbury State Hospital. Mark Arsenault and Christina Morales from the New York Times addressed the fact that in the months before the killings, Clancy sought
treatment from a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Tufts, and was later admitted to McLean Hospital in January of 2023. Clancy told Tufts she was becoming desperate and was not bonding with her baby. Clancy’s family’s lawsuit alleges she later reported suicidal and homicidal thoughts involving her children. According to AP News, Clancy reported feeling weighed down by “brain fog” as well as “desperate to get a mental break from taking care of everyone.” Up to one in five women experience a perinatal mood disorder, which can include conditions like postpartum anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, according to Dr. Lauren Osborne, vice chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine, as reported by PBS NewsHour. Cleveland Clinic notes that 2 out of every 1000 women may experience postpartum psychosis after childbirth, making it one of the rarest disorders attendant upon giving birth. If untreated, a 2024 review by the University of Washington reported estimates of a “4% risk of infanticide and a 5% risk of suicide.” Other reproductive psychiatrists have emphasized the difficulty of treating postpartum psychosis, which medical experts say is notoriously understudied, according to Scientific American.
page 8 The Signal September 18, 2026
Tech companies reaction to President Trump’s Lake America executive order
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Several GPS apps rename “Lake Ontario” to “Lake America” following Trump’s executive order. By Luke Hunter Correspondent In the wake of President Donald Trump’s Aug. 27 executive order, federally renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, several GPS applications have followed suit, according to The White House. According to the executive order, only federal references to Lake Ontario such as “agency maps, contracts, and other documents and communications” will be changed. Major private companies such as Apple and Google have also changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America for users of their map services in the United States. According to USA Today, Google Maps was the first to make the change. On Aug. 29, two days after the signing
of the executive order, Google Maps renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America for all Google Maps users in the United States. USA Today further reported that, following the name change, Google posted to its news blog to clarify, “we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources.” The social media post further clarified that while using Google Maps users in Canada will see the Lake listed as only Lake Ontario, users in the United States will see the Lake listed as only Lake America. Outside of the two North American countries, the lake will be listed as both Lake Ontario and Lake America. The tech company, Apple, had a more difficult time deciding on how to respond to President Trump’s executive
order, according to The Guardian. The company spent time “mulling” over the decision. Ultimately the company was persuaded to make the name change after President Trump sent a personal request, according to The Guardian. Following this, President Trump released a Truth Social post declaring “Apple Maps has just announced that it has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, so now that very important change of names, between Google Maps and Apple Maps, is complete, ratified, and binding. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” While the two tech companies, Apple and Google made the name change, the company MapQuest continues to identify the Lake as Lake Ontario. As reported by Newsweek, in response to the executive order, MapQuest released a short message through their social media accounts stating “We’re not changing it.” According to The American Bazaar this decision has given MapQuest a major boost in popularity. The article highlights that MapQuest has now surged to the No. 1 spot in Apple’s App Store navigation rankings as well as No. 6 on the Google Play store when games and apps were combined. MapQuest appeared to have doubled down on their decision, by posting “a GIF featuring an apple alongside the words “Them Too,” seemingly taking a swipe at Apple’s decision to adopt the new name.” according to The American Bazaar.
MapQuest’s decision not to rename Lake Ontario is reminiscent of the company’s earlier decision to keep the name of the Gulf of Mexico following President Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025 executive order. Similarly to Google, Apple and MapQuest have made their positions clear following President Trump’s executive order, and so too have leaders within Canada. According to The Hill, Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has refused to accept President Trump’s renaming of the Lake. “The name Lake Ontario comes from the Wendat word Ontari’io, which, appropriately, means ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big,’” the Prime Minister stated on the social media platform X. Similarly, other officials throughout Canada have refused to adopt this change. According to The Hill, Ontario Premier Doug Ford took to Social Media posting “It’s Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world. Now and forever,”. A nationwide poll conducted by USA Today found overall disapproval from Americans in regards to the renaming of Lake Ontario. According to USA Today “The poll found 63% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s renaming of the lake, compared to only 14% who said they support the move.” As tensions continue to mount between the United States and Canada, the future of America’s relationship with its neighbor to the North remains uncertain.
ICE agent faces federal charges for lying Tensions escalate in the US-Iran conflict By Isabella McHugh Nation & World Editor
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Christian Castro was accused of shooting a Venezuelan Man in Minneapolis and then lying. He was charged with six federal counts in total. Castro is the first ICE agent to be federally prosecuted by the Justice Department for his actions during Operation Metro Surge in January, according to The Associated Press. Castro claimed Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosa-Celis and another individual attacked him, and that he shot him in the leg out of self defense, according to ABC7 New York. Castro swore under oath when made this statement. Sosa-Celis was initially charged with assault, but those charges were dropped after evidence surfaced which contradicted the officers’ statements, according to NPR. Along with facing federal charges, Castro is facing state-level assault charges for shooting SosaCelis. “Video evidence has revealed the sworn testimony of the two agents appeared to
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ICE Agent faces federal charges for lying under oath.
be false,” former ICE director Todd Lyons stated, according to ProPublica. Castro allegedly shot through the front door of a house, and a bullet hit Sosa-Celis in the thigh, The Associated Press reported. He and another officer pursued Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna to the home where Aljorna and Sosa-Celis lived. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans wrote a letter to Sosa-Celis’s attorney telling the attorney to prepare for Castro to be charged “only with false statements,” according to ProPublica. He was charged with “four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime,” according to ABC News. Sosa-Celis’s attorney said that Castro “lied to cover up the fact that he shot my client through the door of an occupied house without a self-defense justification,” according to NPR. The federal charges arose a week after Castro was released from jail in Brownsville, Texas, according to NBC News. He was arrested back in May for the state-level assault case. Whether or not this will result in a more serious charge is to be determined, NBC reported. As of now, Castro “has not yet entered a plea” to any of the state or federal charges, according to ABC news. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott would not sign Castro’s extradition warrant. However, one of his spokespeople, Andrew Mahaleris, said, “State law enforcement stands ready and willing to assist federal partners in facilitating Mr. Castro’s arrest if needed.” Hennepin County, Minnesota, Attorney Mary Moriarty thinks Castro will end up in Minnesota shortly, according to NBC news. She said, “Despite Gov. Abbott’s best efforts to shield Mr. Castro, we will see him soon.” ICE has faced significant backlash in recent years, with people citing violent incidents, including the deaths of two U.S. citizens. They’ve shot over 20 individuals under the Trump administration’s intensifying immigration crackdown, according to NPR.
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U.S. and Iranian tensions increase in the Strait of Hormuz. By Frankie Sanchez Staff Writer A new series of U.S.-Iranian exchanges began on Aug. 31, and continued into Sept. 1, according to CNN. Iran fired upon American military targets in Jordan and the UAE, “In retaliation for a U.S. strike on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island,” according to CNN. The U.S. claims that Iran was attempting to deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, the focal point of the near six-month long conflict. This first exchange caused oil prices to rise about three percent globally and lowered U.S. Stock indexes on Sept. 1, according to CNN. CNN reported that a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, the U.S. strikes on Larak Island were due to Iranian forces attempting to launch rockets armed with mines into the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command later commented in a post on X that it took “limited, precise action” against “minelaying forces posing an imminent threat.” CNN reports that the state run Islamic Republic News Agency announced at least two people killed and more wounded as a result of the strikes. In a statement responding to the attacks,
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sept. 1 that “We are not seeking war…but in the face of aggression, we will never sit idly by, and we are capable of delivering a decisive response.” Following the vow of retaliation, Jordan’s army claimed to have intercepted and destroyed eight missiles that entered their airspace, according to CNN. The United Arab Emirates also detected a drone in its territorial waters, following an Iranian claim to target U.S. bases in the area. In another statement on Sept. 1, Iran warned its neighbors not to allow the U.S. access to their territory, airspace, or territorial waters, CNN quoted Iranian state media in saying that it would “decisively strike the point of origin of any aggression.” According to The Associated Press, the U.S. continued with more strikes on Iranian targets. Most strikes were focused on the area around the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported that a U.S. bombardment hit a wedding celebration in an Iranian community in Southern Iran on Sept. 1. Iranian State Media claims that five civilians were killed in the strike. Read more on our website!
The 2026 Emmys: TV’s turn to celebrate the stars
By Mahnoosh Arsalan Staff Writer
The 2026 Emmy Awards was a grand celebration of the arts, specifically highlighting and honoring our everyday on-screen heroes. Hosted by Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law & Order: SVU,” the event took place at the Peacock Theater in California on Sep. 14th and had a star-studded attendance, bringing in up-andcoming stars like “The Pitt” actor Patrick Ball to cinema icon Nicole Kidman. Actors were celebrated, legends were honored and the art of television was ultimately given the recognition it deserves. Hargitay had a big night ahead of her, as she was the first woman to host the ceremony in 15 years since Jane Lynch in 2011. She also won two awards for her documentary, “My Mom Jayne,” telling the story of her late mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. Hargitay started the show off with a parody skit about the many nominated shows of the night. She showed appreciation to each television nominee with positivity and anticipation for the night ahead. The new comedy-horror series from Apple TV “Widow’s Bay” made quite the impact at the ceremony, with Matthew Rhys winning the award for Outstanding Comedy actor. Rhys also received another Outstanding Actor award for his role in the limited series
Mariska Hargitay hosting the 2026 Emmys. “The Beast in Me,” making history as the only actor to ever receive two Best Actor Emmys in a single night. On top of that, Rhys’ show “Widow’s Bay” completely swept the night away by winning a total of 14 awards for a single season. Hiro Murai won the award for Outstanding Directing for a comedy series, making him the first Asian director to win this award. This is an incredible accomplishment; “Widow’s Bay” cleared the Emmy race. Jean Smart, iconic actress and star of “Hacks,” made history as the first woman to win Outstanding Actress in a comedy series award for every
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single season of a show. “Hacks” is an extremely beloved show, and Smart is an extremely beloved and talented actress. The show just ended with their fifth and final season. This makes this feat all the more extraordinary and exciting for fans. Smart now has eight Emmys to her legacy, and the show has a total of 14 Emmys. HBO Max’s “The Pitt” was the most nominated show of the night, leading with 25 nominations. This is a huge feat for the show and for television history in general, something to truly celebrate. The iconic show ended up gaining two wins at the ceremony, one
going to Noah Wyle for Outstanding Actor in a drama series, and one for Best Drama Series. Wyle now has two Emmys for the same role, and the show has a total of 11 Emmys. The cast took the opportunity to tease information about the next season of the show during the ceremony and red carpet, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The new season of “The Pitt” airs in January 2027. Hartigay participated in a midshow skit imitating her show “Law & Order; SVU,” which starred popstar Taylor Swift, ultimately leading to intense online speculation. Fans believe her appearance in the skit stands a clue or hint for her next album, ultimately causing a spectacle within fan bases. The awards ceremony took a sentimental turn when honoring those who have passed away this year. Stars like Dolly Parton and Tim Curry were highlighted, reminding audiences of the immense heartache. This small memorial was respectful, meaningful and absolutely necessary to remember who has gone too soon. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards show was a beautiful and graceful celebration of the past year in television and the iconic figures seen on everyone’s screens. While shows like The Oscars and The Grammys get immense recognition and love, the television academy had its chance to get its flowers, and did so in a poise, fun and memorable manner.
Everything to know about New York Fashion Week 2026 for about seven to nine days. These are important events from this season that you might have missed.
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Olivia Palermo, Anna Wintour and Lisa Rinna strut the New York City streets. By Camille Sanez Staff Writer Without World War II, there’s a big chance New York Fashion Week wouldn’t exist. Its first showing occurred on July 19, 1943. Organized by publicist Eleanor Lambert, its original purpose was to steer attention away from French fashion. Because of the war going on at the time, fashion insiders were unable to travel to Paris to see fashion shows. Eighty-three years later, NYFW still stands. It’s an event that occurs biannually, spread out throughout New York with multiple popups in locations across the city. Designers showcase new collections through shows, gatherings and presentations
Sept. 10 Around 9:00 a.m., Gigi Hadid opened for Tommy Hilfiger’s new collection. Slayyyter also appeared with a surprise performance, playing her track “UNKNOWN LOVERZ.” Michael Kors’ Spring/Summer 2027 runway show took place at Terminal Warehouse in Manhattan. Sept. 11 Michael Kors showcased the 2027 line once again, but in the Museum of Modern Art. Tory Burch’s latest collection debuted at Isamu Noguchi’s sunken garden space. Burch’s Spring/ Summer 2027 collection focuses on the “psychology of how women pull things together.” Specifically, she wanted to portray the happiness that comes with getting dressed. The collection featured a beautiful color palette with fabrics and textures reminiscent of old vintage rugs. Deep reds, vibrant blues and gold detailing, all clashing together to create an air of elegance that night. Veronica Leoni, creative director for Calvin Klein’s runway fashion line, unleashed her Spring 2027 collection at Terminal Warehouse. Her
theme this year was minimalism and the relationship between the female form and textiles. Teyonna Taylor and Rosalía showed at Leoni’s show dressed in Calvin Klein.
Sept. 12 New York native designer Conner Ives made his NYFW debut. He described his collection as flamboyant, using “color as shock therapy.” Some big names were also seen that night. Alysa Liu attended Anna Sui’s show, and Kaia Gerber opened for Khaite. While the main hubs were bustling with activity, Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza hosted its own annual free community fashion show, The People’s Runway. Powered by the clothing brand KidSuper and Brooklyn borough President Antonio Reynoso, five local up and coming designers showcased their looks. The grand finale of the first dog fashion week also took place. This new addition to NYFW features dogs on the runway, which are chosen through partnerships with New York local animal shelters, direct connections to designers or being specifically chosen by designers and related parties. Sept. 13, 14 & 15 On Sept. 13, a major event occurred that took over the talk of fashion for the next three days. Steven Kolb, chief executive of the Council of Fashion
Designers of America, got into an altercation with PETA protesters during a COS runway show. The protesters claimed that COS and their partner company H&M abused sheep to get wool for their clothing. This led them to storm COS’s runway show, holding up signs with statements such as “SHEEP BEATEN AND BLOODIED FOR WOOL. DON’T BUY IT!” This season’s NYFW also marks the first since CFDA’s ban of featuring runway looks made of real animal fur. In a statement with People Magazine, PETA said, “This animal advocate got to go home, but sheep used for wool end up at the slaughterhouse.” Steven Kolb was placed on leave from his position as chief executive. He eventually apologized, taking to Instagram saying, “I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today. It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation.” New Yorkers and visitors alike were caught in the flurry of fabrics this season, with a side of drama near the end of the week to top it off. Designers, behind the scenes workers, puppies, protestors and viewers all left their mark on the carpet. This season’s fashion week, like those before, brought all walks of life together to make for an unforgettable experience.
page 10 The Signal September 18, 2026
Charli XCX debuts the ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ tour in Philadelphia
Photo by Andre Paras
Charli XCX performing at the first ever “Music, Fashion, Film” tour. By Andre Paras Managing Editor 2026 has been another monumental year for British singer, songwriter and actress Charli XCX. It began with the pop star acting in her own mockumentary feature film as herself in “The Moment,” released on Jan. 30. Two weeks later, the release of Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation of the classic “Wuthering Heights” was released on Feb. 13, featuring a No. 1 charting soundtrack by Charli. Later in the summer, Charli released her eighth studio LP, “Music, Fashion, Film,” her second No. 1 album of the year. This
makes her the first British female artist to ever accomplish this feat, according to Official Charts. A week later, another acting role for Charli hit the big screen in Gregg Araki’s new erotic comedy, “I Want Your Sex.” After headlining major music festivals playing a majority of these new songs for the first time, this September brings the dawn of the “Music, Fashion, Film” tour, with two short tour legs in North America, as well as Europe and the U.K in 2027. Filipina-American hyperpop singersongwriter and producer, underscores, opened the show at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sept. 11, and this specific set felt like watching the breakout of a future star, live in the flesh. Notably, this was her first ever arena show. However, with the way she commanded the crowd as an opener, you could be convinced that she was the headliner seeing how excited the arena got at times. It helps that some songs like “The Peace,” “Do It” and “Music” are all trending online following the release of “U,” the fourth studio release for underscores. Still, underscores had a dedicated fan base that night, with lots of fans wearing merch of the artist, and even swinging around “U-LIGHT” merch, a distinct light stick as part of underscores’ merch and overall live show aesthetic throughout the audience.
Lady Gaga welcomes first child with Michael Polansky
there is no public confirmation of a wedding date. Gaga and Polansky met in late 2019, after the singer ’s mother urged them to meet. The couple fell in love during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they shared a home in quarantine. Gaga recalled in an interview with Vogue, “My mom met him, and she said to me, ‘I think I just met your husband,’ and I said, ‘I’m not ready to meet my husband!’ I could never have imagined that my mom… found the most perfect person for me?” Polansky is a Harvard-educated tech CEO, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and philanthropist. He Photo courtesy of IMDb currently works as CEO of The Parker Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky in 2024. Group, founded by former Facebook President and philanthropist Sean By Molly Tursi Baker. Polansky is also attached to Staff Writer Gaga’s new skin-health company, Outer Biosciences, and her cosmetic Ever since Lady Gaga’s debut brand, Haus Labs. album “The Fame” transformed Although the recent news has the world of pop music, Gaga has come as a surprise to fans, Gaga been known as Mother Monster to hasn’t shied away from speaking of millions of fans worldwide. Now, 18 her desire to become a mother in past years later, Gaga has stepped into interviews. After her engagement to complete motherhood, welcoming Polansky in 2024, the singer told her first child with her fiancé, numerous outlets she is ready to Michael Polansky. start a family of her own. To maintain the privacy of Gaga’s During her 2025 appearance pregnancy, the couple has yet to on “The Late Show” with Stephen disclose the baby’s name or gender. Colbert, Gaga remarked, “I would The exact date of birth is unknown; like to do many things. But what I however, the news was announced really want is to be a mom. That’s on Sept. 11. my next starring role, I hope.” After the conclusion of her That same year, Gaga shared her Mayhem Ball tour in April, Gaga sentiments on motherhood to Elle effectively reduced her public Magazine: “It’s such an intense presence to zero. Page Six was the thing for kids coming into the world. first source to report on the couple’s And they’re told how to think and new addition, publishing exclusive what to believe in and how to eat…I photos of the postpartum singer and just kind of want to let my kids find Polansky with their newborn child. out who they are.” The photos mark the first time that Gaga has worn many hats Gaga has been spotted in public throughout her career, but she may since the summer. find motherhood to be her most Gaga and Polansky both plan to rewarding yet. Gaga has received an put their careers on pause as they outpouring of congratulations from focus on adapting to parenthood her fans, who are sharing the joy of and their upcoming marriage. The this exciting moment in the singer ’s couple expects to marry soon, but life.
It was the perfect hyperpop sound to set the tone and get the energy right for Charli, and on this she capitalized. Charli opened the night on the middle level of a multi-layered stage, alongside a full size standard rock band, fittingly for the electronic-rock hybrid track “Rock Music.” The energy was instantly infectious, with the pop star headbanging in a red dress and moving the mic stand like a true rock star. Just goes to show her versatility in sound and the type of performance she can offer as a performer. The 29-song setlist was certainly heavily focused on recent releases, coming off the success of two No. 1 records, as well as “brat” from 2024, forever ingrained as a cultural touchstone with the “brat summer” trend. For “Music, Fashion, Film,” she played all 11 released songs, performing “Persona” for the first time live, as well as playing two un-released b-sides “If You Take Away the Music, Then What Has She Got?” and “Playboy Bunny,” as well as eight off “brat.” Exclusively for Philadelphia, Charli played her first ever released song “Stay Away,” and it seems like Charli will play a surprise older song each night of the tour. What’s also worth noting is that every song felt like its own production. A lot of that aided by the live steadicam operator
camera crew walking around stage tracking Charli, her huge backup dance team and live rock band when they were up there. On the big projectors, the “Music, Fashion, Film” songs all followed a gritty black and white aesthetic, and any song from other areas were all vibrant in color. The camera operators weren’t simply just observing, but in sync with the choreography and blocking of each performance. For the song “House featuring John Cale,” Charli’s seen crawling around stage singing along to the eerie, almost horrifying song passionately, with firework sparks and pyrotechnics going off behind her. Amidst the chaos of the “brat” era part of the set, “Guess featuring billie eilish” ended with an explosion of women’s underwear on the stage and into the crowd for those nearby. It all goes to show how crazy yet calculated and effective all the production work was to help elevate this into a stadium-ready show. What was a truly victorious, reflective and even nostalgic night for the star ends with a sobering, introspective outcome. Charli closed the night with two very important and timely songs, even if they didn’t match the rest of the tone of the night. Read more on our website!
‘Love Island USA’ reunites with a bang By Mahnoosh Arsalan Staff Writer
The cast of “Love Island USA” reminded America of their iconic and unforgettable summer with a special reunion episode on Aug. 31, bringing back the core four of the season, every bombshell who stepped foot into the villa and all of the drama. Season 8 of “Love Island USA” lasted over six electrifying weeks, leading to long-lasting friendships and unfathomable heartbreak. The season started with 10 islanders: Aniya, Trinity, Melanie, Kenzie, Beatriz, Sean, Bryce, Zach, KC and Sincere. Trinity and Bryce began their connection on day one on the island and stayed true to their love throughout the entire season, crowning them as the winners of the season. Aniya came in second place with her Casa Amor bombshell Carl, a surprising yet extremely loved contender. Carl quickly stole the hearts of millions of viewers, so much so that after being dumped from the villa, fans voted him back into it, and into Aniya’s heart. Aniya’s Love Island experience was rocky before her coupling up with Carl due to the destruction of her connection with KC after Casa Amor when he picked bombshell Titi over her. Despite all of the drama, KC and Titi were able to positively continue their relationship alongside Aniya and Carl, showing each other support. Melanie and Sincere’s love story began in the early episodes of the season, but took many hits and turns. Despite
their spot in third place, their connection was brought to a screeching halt after bombshell Sol entered the villa. Their love triangle became extremely tense, messy and judged by viewers. Sincere’s actions defied his character and his name, ultimately causing a large loss of respect for him inside and out of the villa. Zach made it to the final four couples with his bombshell Kayda, two fiery souls finding their way to each other. The two have been together for the majority of the show since Kayda’s entrance during day two of the Love Island experience. The two have gone through their ups and downs, mostly due to Zach’s Casa Amor experience involving a surplus of disrespectful comments against Kayda and the other women on the island. Even with this short span of negativity at Casa Amor, Kayda and Zach found their way back to each other. The reunion special took place six weeks after the season eight finale, giving the islanders an equal amount of time outside of the villa to settle back into their normal lives. But, no matter how much these islanders yearn for normalcy, nothing will ever be the same. The show gained immense traction during season six, but its popularity significantly increased this summer. Now that the islanders have experienced six weeks stuck on an island together and six weeks readjusting to every day routine, they were able to come back together and get some things off of their chests. Read more on our website!
The cast of “Love Island USA” at the reunion special episode.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
September 18, 2026, The Signal page 11
No. 14 TCNJ Women’s Soccer team remains undefeated
Photo by Nick Kurti
President Michael Bernstein watches as women’s soccer takes down Arcadia. By Edward Johnson Staff Writer The College’s women’s soccer team stunned at home on Saturday, Sept. 12, coming even against the No. 13 ranked Swarthmore Garnet in a 1-1 tie. The team remains undefeated on the season at 3-0-1. The Lions have continued to look
dominant in both of their home games, trouncing the Arcadia Knights 6-1 on Sept. 9, to improve their record to 3-0. As the season progresses, they have continued to show their depth, with 19 players on the team seeing at least 20 minutes of action. Although their second game ended in a draw, keeping the Garnet at just one goal was an impressive feat.
Swarthmore has averaged 3.2 goals per game, showing that the Lions are capable of being a great defensive team. The Lions five goals against the Knights are the most they’ve scored in a single half since Rutgers-Newark in 2023, where they scored five goals in the second half of a 9-1 victory. They dominated the Knights,
leading in shots with 37 compared to just eight. Junior Maggie Murphy led all scorers with two goals, pushing her total for the year to a career best of five goals in just three games of the 2026 season. Senior Alyssa Alfano extended her regular season streak of scoring a point to nine straight games, dating back to last year, with her assist on Murphy’s second goal of the season. Junior Jenny Ward, senior Taylor Bielan, junior Ava Visaggio and freshman Kate Johnson all added a boost for the Lions with one goal each. Junior goalkeeper Ellen Williams finished with four saves. She’s been a standout in goal this year, tallying 15 on the season through just four games. Williams added a season high nine saves against the Garnet, with five in the second half. Ward has registered either a goal or assist in each of the College’s first four games, and freshman Olivia Hnat added one assist as well. The Lions success on the field has earned them a spot in the top 25 rankings, securing No. 14 after their draw with Swarthmore. The College looks to add to their undefeated record Saturday, Sept. 19, when they play against the Ithaca Bombers in Ithaca, New York at 1 p.m.
TCNJ Football has slow start to season TCNJ Cross Country starts off new season By Tyler Fennell Staff Writer
The Lions played on Sept. 5, marking the home opener and season opener for the College’s football team against Lycoming. The scene marked a packed Lions Stadium filled with students, alumni and parents all looking for the same outcome: a Lions win. Unfortunately for the College’s fans, the team would not deliver. The Lions were handed a loss at the hands of Lycoming with a score of 17-7. The first quarter was dominated by Lycoming completely. The opening drive saw the College fumble the ball on third and five which was recovered by Lycoming at the College’s 24 yard line. From there, Lycoming didn’t struggle to put the ball in the end zone, scoring the first points shortly after. The rest of the quarter saw the College struggle to get the offense going, only to be further punished by a Lycoming field goal to close out the quarter. The second quarter sparked a lot of optimism in Lions fans, with sophomore Defensive Back Brayden Kelly intercepting a Lycoming pass which was returned for 33 yards. This wouldn’t be the only interception in this quarter as senior Linebacker Sean Gallagher would also record his first pick of the game. The College saw a lot of momentum from this, resulting in freshman running back Sam Dech scoring the first touchdown of the Lions’ season. It seemed like half time killed both team’s momentum as both teams’ offenses struggled to find the end zone in the second half entirely. Halfway through the
The College is off to a 0-2 start.
third quarter, Gallagher would record his second interception of the game. With less than two minutes left to play, Lycoming forced a fumble at the College’s 20 yard line, which was recovered and returned for a touchdown to ice the game. Any hopes of a late game comeback was snuffed out and the College’s home crowd walked out in disappointment, with the small population of Lycoming fans in attendance gleeful with the joys of victory. The College would follow this up with another disappointment with a loss to Wilkes in their road opener with a final score of 8-28. The Wilkes offense would start strong, scoring a touchdown on the first drive of the game. The Wilkes offense would slow down a bit in the second quarter. The College’s defense would capitalize, scoring a safety right before half time with less than 30 seconds on the clock putting the score at 2-7 going into halftime. The third quarter saw the College take their first lead of the season with Dech getting his second touchdown of his career on a 62 yard rush. The Lions attempted a two-point conversion and were unsuccessful. Wilkes would respond with a rushing touchdown of their own later in the quarter. The fourth quarter saw another Wilkes rushing touchdown early in the quarter. This would be followed up with a Wilkes interception to kill any momentum the College tried to gain in the second half. With less than a minute left in the game, Wilkes would score another touchdown, sealing the game. Read more on our website!
Photo by Andre Paras
Cross Country starts the season strong. By Kevin Llumiquinga Correspondent The College’s men’s and women’s cross country team started off a great season by breezing their way to finishing first and second place at the Herb Lorenz Invitational on Friday, Sept. 11 at home. The College’s men’s cross country team dominated their way to first at the Herb Lorenz Invitational, placing several runners across the top-ten. With an average time of 20:16, the team ultimately scored 24 points on the six-kilometer course which marks the start of their ambitious 2026 slate. In his first competitive race, freshman Tyler Hurst had a standout performance which gave the Lions a runner-up in the standings. Hurst finished just below the 20-minute mark posting a time of 19:50.01, only three seconds shy of the winner. This is an outstanding first run from the Lions rookie. His efforts earned him a New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week award. Following Hurst’s amazing performance, the College’s runners secured spots four through eleven in which boosted the team to 24 points, enough to secure a win on the day. Freshman Will Nelson finished in fourth place in his first ever collegiate race, while junior Silas Matteson set a new personal
Photo by Shane Gillespie
best with a time of 20:27.3. Junior Will Evarts also set a new personal best time, recording a time of 20:30.3. The College runners from fourth to 11th place holders crossed the finish line with an average of 20:25.3, starting their season off with a dominant run. On the women’s side of the race, the team finished strong in second place. They dominated with an average time of 20:47, ultimately scoring 48 points on the fivekilometer course. Freshman Ananya Raja’s performance led the Lions with a runner-up finishing the fivekilometer course. Stockton dominated the race, however, and took home first through fourth. Raja placed fifth with a time of 20:13.8, followed by freshman Chloe Mellot with a five-second difference. Junior Amaya Zorrilla’s performance led the Lions to be in the top-10. Zorrila fast tracked her way through the five-kilometer course and dominated the race, beating her personal-best 20:22.01. She was followed by junior Alyssa Maybeck finishing in 16th place, with a time of 21:28.9. The College’s victory at the Herb Lorenz Invitational marks the start of their ambitious season and they look forward to dominating at the DeSales Invitational on Sept. 19 in Center Valley, PA.
TCNJ Men’s Soccer team puts up best performance of the season and remain undefeated
Sophomore Aidan Ayar battles for the ball against Farmingdale State. By Shawn Retta Staff Writer While the Lions were undefeated through their first three games, two last-minute goals from opposing teams which led to two draws gave the team something to improve on. And improve they did. The team scored five goals in two games, which includes their best game of the season in a dominant 4-0 win against Farmingdale State on Sept. 12. “The group is continuing to
come together extremely well, and the process takes time, so it was nice for us to get such a positive result against SUNY Farmingdale,” stated head coach Steve DiMatteo. With that being said I think all of our performances throughout the early part of the year have shown progress game to game, and has shown the character the group has.” This win was the most goals the Lions have scored all season. Four different players scored, including sophomore Aidan Ayar, who continues his hot streak with
five goals in five games. He has surpassed the amount of goals he had last season. “Aidan is a player with loads of quality and he has shown that since his arrival here last year as a Freshman… He has a good sense for goal and he is very calm in pressure moments,” Coach DiMatteo responded, “He is a great person to have in our team, he is very selfless, has a great mentality, and has a very team first mindset.” Another key factor from this game was the stellar defense from
the Lion’s back half of the pitch. Defense from the likes of junior Lawrence Mancino and freshman Alex Lopez kept the Ram-bo offense on ice as they were only able to get one shot on goal, which was saved by sophomore Carson Dodd. One interesting note to add is that Dodd and the Lions other goalkeeper, sophomore Sean Nadjzinowicz, have alternated time at the goalkeeping spot this season. Both have had stellar starts to the year, and that’s exactly why Coach DiMatteo has faith in both of them. “We are extremely fortunate to have the quality that we have in our entire GK group. Sean and Carson are both very talented goalkeepers and bring a lot to the team with their play and personality… The more experience we get both players the stronger we feel the team will be. Sean and Carson are both great teammates and competitors, they both always want what is best for the group and show that by their play and actions,” Coach DiMatteo said. In their next match against Muhlenberg, the Lions were able to overcome a 1-0 deficit when sophomore Defender Matt Maceri laced one through the net in the 41st minute. Neither team was able to net another, and 1-1 remained the final score, with the Lions getting their third draw of the season. Their record now sits at 2-0-3. The Lions complete the second half of their four game homestand with the Hunter Hawks Saturday morning, then bring the Swarthmore Garnet into Lions Stadium on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.
as a Lion and first this season. Freshman Avery Gower recorded her first collegiate point off an assist to Huff. Desperate to make up the three-point gap, Haverford’s offense cranked up the heat. The Fords attempted 13 more shots to close out the fourth quarter, with Racey securing eight of them. Racey ended off the day with 17 saves, the most by a Lions goalie since 2018. Racey’s monstrous day in goal moved her up to third all-time in Lions career saves with 269. Junior Rachel Tetzlaff picked up two defensive saves to extend her record to 18. The team faced their stiffest challenge yet when they traveled down to Baltimore to take on No. 4 Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays put the pressure on early scoring their first goal seven minutes in on a penalty stroke. The Lions offense struggled to get something started, not recording a shot on goal in the first period. Hopkins put up four more shots before securing yet another stroke, which found its way past Racey in the goal. The Blue Jays tallied four more shots before the Lions got their first shot on goal in the 27th minute. In unprecedented fashion, Hopkins secured another stroke, giving them a 3-0 lead going into the half. The Lions offense seems to not have not woken up, with the shot tally being 13-1. Racey did all she could in goal, keeping six of shots out. The second half started off about as bad as it could have, with Hopkins
scoring yet another goal to bring the score to 4-0. The Lions found a spark in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, with Tetzlaff scoring her first goal of the season. This did not prove to be enough. The College saw an unprecedented number of substitutions, with 10 players coming off the bench. Sophomore Oliva Cano, junior Lindsay Fehir, junior Morgan Hanna and senior Kendal Justus all made their season debuts in this game. Racey recorded 14 saves, making her total over the last two games 31, the most in Lions history. On Sept. 16, the Lions took on Swarthmore to cap off their stretch of away games. The Lions offense showed some signs of life compared to their game against Johns Ho pkins, taking three shots compared to Swarthmore’s one. Senior Isabel Maher was able to find a hole and scored her first goal of the season to give the Lions the lead early on. The second quarter was a stalemate, as neither team was able to find any space. Racey picked up two saves on three shots. Swarthmore woke up late in the third quarter, sneaking one in to tie the game up. Racey made a miraculous save in the 43rd minute bringing down a stroke. In the fourth quarter, the Lions put the pressure on, forcing the Swarthmore goalie to make three saves in less than a minute. Read more on our website!
Photo by Nick Kurti
No. 19 Field Hockey struggles on the road
Senior Emma McElroy drives up the field. By Jhett Laurie Sports Editor The College’s field hockey team has been off to a solid start, securing a 3-2 record over their first five games. These games were highlighted by a thrilling game against Haverford on Sept. 9. To start their three-game away stretch, the Lions traveled to Haverford to put their impressive defense on display. The team struggled early on, not recording a single shot until the waning minutes of the first half. Freshman Lindey Hoffman was able to force the Ford’s goalie to make a save. Haverford
Photo by Matias Sanchez
outshot the Lions 9-1 in the first half, with graduate Brigitte Racey recording her first four saves of the day. Haverford kept the pressure on the Lions, ripping three shots in the first five minutes of the second half. The Lions managed to find a break, with senior Jadyn Huff finding the cage on a penalty stroke. Just four minutes later, Huff took what was only the fifth shot of the game for the Lions and picked up her second goal of the day. Huff showed no signs of letting up in her most dominant season to date, ripping in a penalty corner at the start of the fourth quarter. This is her third hat trick