The Slate 9-18-25

SU honors the memory of those who passed during and after Sept. 11, 2001

Madison Sharp / The Slate Flags were placed along the walkways of the quad. Student Trustee Member Colin Arnold designed much of the memorial.

Evan Dillow News Editor

Students, faculty, service members and members of the community gathered outside of the Lehman Memorial Library at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday to attend a memorial ceremony for the lives lost during the Sept. 11 attacks and the conflicts that followed.

Throughout the early morning, the Old Main bell rang four times to signify the time each plane went down during the attacks.

Thursday morning’s memorial began with an opening statement from the Director of Academic Entry Alex Karlheim, which was then followed by remarks from ROTC Cadet Aidan Brenize, Student Veterans Association President Connor Harig and University President Charles Patterson.

According to Karlheim, she worked with cadet and Student Trustee Member Colin Arnold throughout the summer to design the memorial.

Brenize, who serves as the current cadet battalion commander of the

Raider Battalion, spoke from the perspective of not having lived through the events of Sept. 11.

According to Brenize, events like Thursday morning’s ceremony help keep the memories of that day alive for future generations.

“Events like this, being here on the quad, no matter how big or small they are, are so vitally important to our country and communities,” Brenize said. “Today, this event is a reminder for those who were alive and for those like me who weren’t that the events of Sept. 11, 2001, should never be forgotten.”

Harig reflected on the dedication of the men and women who served in the armed forces following the attacks.

“Although many of us did not live through the events of 9/11, the days and years that followed still impacted us,” Harig said. “The men and women who attended to their duties to defend this great nation are an example of who we should all strive to be.”

Patterson followed by sharing his own experiences during the attacks.

“The feelings that resonated with me shortly after that time, in due time, were pride, unity and strength,” said Patterson.

“The men and women who attended to their duties to defend this great nation are an example of who we should all strive to be. ”

Connor Harig SVA President

Patterson continued, speaking on the strength that Americans have exhibited following moments of tragedy throughout history.

“Our hope is to truly remember that we all encompass the American spirit. It’s that spirit, most often seen in the face of tragedy, that we should strive to live by every day of our lives,” said Patterson.

Karlheim provided the closing remarks with her own personal experiences on Sept. 11 and recognition to those who gave their lives to their coun-

try during and after the attacks.

“We learned at a young age that heroes don’t wear capes, they wear turnout gear, carry radios, run toward the danger when everyone else is running away and they hear the call to protect our country and put their lives on the line to safeguard our freedom,” Karlheim said. After each speaker had given their thoughts, attendees joined in a moment of silent reflection followed by a prayer by Professor Ford Brooks. As the memorial concluded, a member of the marching band performed Taps.

On what Thursday morning’s event may look like in future years, Karlheim said that there may be plans to offer the memorial yearly, especially as the campus has an active SVA. The memorial ceremony ended at 9 a.m., shortly before the Old Main bell rang a second time, representing the time when United Airlines Flight 175 went down in the second attack on Sept. 11.

What to know about studying abroad

You can fulfill degree requirements while seeing the world, but the sooner you act, the better.

In a meeting held Thursday, Sept. 11, Malu Takahashi from the Global Education Office went over important information about the study abroad program at Shippensburg University. She shared important information about passports and the possibly that a student visa is required when studying abroad. Students who need a passport can

visit the post office in downtown Shippensburg to get their passport processed. Students are also responsible for scheduling and paying for flights, but the Global Education Center will give recommendations.

A trip that was highlighted during the presentation included visiting three countries: Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria. This trip allows students to learn about German beer culture while also receiving credits. The trip also fulfills two gen-ed requirements: Global Perspectives and Environmental Sustainability. The Global Education Of-

fice offers trips in a variety of time periods for students. Some trips take place during winter or summer break, whereas some are yearlong.

To be eligible to study abroad, a student must have a minimum of 30 credits, be in good academic standing and have a good judicial standing with no problematic or legal issues on record.

Students may also use their financial aid while studying abroad to cut down on costs. There are also various scholarships students can apply to before studying abroad. For more information, students can contact the Financial Aid Office.

Editor’s notes for August 28 edition:

In an article titled “Shippensburg University honors the life of Ms. Di,” published in the August 28 print edition, it was incorrectly stated that there are plans to rename Gilbert Hall 100 in her honor. There are no plans to rename Gilbert Hall or the location of the MSA office, Gilbert Hall 100. Additionally, Shippensburg University administration has provided a list of events for homecoming weekend, which begins Friday, Oct. 24 and ends Sunday, Oct. 26. More can be found online on the university website under the homecoming page.

• Homecoming Parade, 10 a.m. Saturday on King Street.

• Multicultural Alumni Memorial Service, 11 a.m. Saturday in CUB Room 119.

• March in Remembrance of the Rev. Diane L. Jefferson, 12 p.m. Saturday outside Gilbert Hall.

• Honoring Diane Jefferson, a tribute at 5 p.m. Saturday. More information to come soon.

• Harmonic Voices of Truth Worship Service, 11 a.m. Sunday at the Old Main Chapel.

Students are responsible for securing their housing on study abroad trips, and the Global Education Center can help students through the process. Students can choose from a variety of housing options including an apartment, university dorm or living with a host family.

Deadlines to sign up for the 2026 winter and spring study abroad programs are on Friday, Oct. 3. The due date to sign up for summer and fall programs is March 27, 2026.

For more information, you can contact the Global Education Office at (717) 477-1279 or by email at

SGA Corner: A warm welcome

Daniel McCleary SGA Vice President

On behalf of the Student Government Association (SGA), I would like to extend a warm welcome to our Raider community as we begin another exciting academic year. SGA is proud to serve as the voice of all students by advocating for

student needs, concerns and ideas to help shape a better Ship experience for all.

SGA’s mission is to ensure that every student is heard, valued and represented. We work diligently to listen to student concerns; support student initiatives and collaborate with our campus partners, clubs and organizations; and share the student perspective with university administration. We look forward to continuing to build a stronger, more connected campus community that encourages students to share ideas, attend public meetings, visit SGA members in CUB 201 and participate

in upcoming events. I encourage you to discover who your senators are and have your voice be heard through them. SGA senator elections will be held starting Sept. 22. All students will receive an email to be able to vote for their candidates of choice. Students may also run for positions as a write-in candidate.

Our first public meeting of the semester is on Thursday, Sept. 18. Meetings for October, November and December are the first Thursday of each month. All meetings begin at 4 p.m. and are held in CUB Room 119, and we hope to see you there.

No limitation on innovation Renovation launched in Kriner Hall

On Friday, Sept. 12, history was made as walls were broken to launch the renovation of Kriner Hall. President Charles Patterson hosted a ceremony to mark this momentous occasion with key contributors in attendance.

In 2021, Kriner Hall closed as a public dining hall on Shippensburg’s

campus. It was first dedicated in 1958 and named after former University President Harry Kriner. Patterson has worked diligently with a team of visionaries to give Kriner Hall a new life as the home of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation, the Mr. and Mrs. Milton K. Morgan III Makerspace, and the Shippensburg Univer-

kick off the new renovation project.

sity Small Business Development Center (SBDC). These three growing programs have been at the university for quite some time but have not had a central location on campus that could be accessible for students’ benefit. The programs encourage students to embrace innovation and aim to support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

After months of raising funds with the SU Foundation and working with State Rep. Torren Ecker, Sen. Greg Rothman and Rep. John Joyce on securing additional grants, plans to move forward with the construction of the project have been made.

The Breaking Walls for Innovation ceremony marked this moment with many key people in attendance, including Charles H. Diller and his wife Jane

Your World Today

“I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.”

That is a quote from Charlie Kirk, a political commentator who was shot and killed on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Utah State University during a speaking engagement.

I could not decide what to write about for my first column. Jayden Pohlman, editor-in-chief of The Slate, wrote in her most recent “Your World Today” about “the beginning of the end” and how it feels to be a senior. She captured my feelings, and it felt repetitive to write a piece saying the same. However, with the death of Kirk earlier this week, there has been a lot on my mind.

People around the country are mourning Kirk and praising him as a hero, a patriot who lost his life for speaking the truth.

For me, when I look at Kirk and

Diller, Milton Morgan, Robin Burtner, John Kooti, Leslie Former Clinton, Lani Longarzo, Amanda Schaeffer, Doug Harbach, Michael Kane, among others. These individuals have been crucial to supporting this project.

There were also student representatives from the entrepreneurship program at the John L. Grove Business School, executive members from the CEO club, and an engineering student in attendance.

Many individuals were tasked with breaking the first ceremonial holes in the wall while wearing hard hats and using sledgehammers.

Patterson said a few words to express how grateful he is to everyone who helped the vision come to life. He is hopeful for a bright future.

“I want to see our stu-

the person he was, I don’t feel the same feelings of grief.

This is the man who not only compared abortion to the holocaust but said that it was worse. This is the man who said that black women, like Michelle Obama, “do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken seriously” without affirmative action.

This is a man who peddled racial stereotypes, hate speech and conspiracy theories to his audience. For someone who defended guns above human life, his death could not have been more ironic.

I am not advocating for political violence. His death was unnecessary and cruel. I feel empathy for his family and the people he left behind. No one should meet this kind of end.

What makes my skin crawl is when the reactions to Kirk’s death are compared to other gun violence tragedies. Alex Jones, long-time conspiracy theorist,

dents leave Shippensburg University proud of their degree and proud of their discipline,” said Patterson. “This is an expertise that they would not have been able to gather or experience by virtue without this entrepreneurship hub.”

Official construction will begin in Oct. with plans to open in 2026.

mourned Kirk’s death publicly on X by tweeting, “The left is now celebrating Charlie Kirk’s brutal murder. We are all Charlie Kirk now …,” with a photo of himself crying.

After the tragic Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, 20 children and six adults lost their lives. What did Jones say after this tragedy? He called the relatives of the deceased “crisis actors” and claimed that none of the deceased had actually lost their lives.

This is just one of the reprehensible ideas pushed by Jones over the years. But now that an ally has passed, it’s a tragedy, and the 26 people who lost their lives in that school shooting, and the hundreds since, are given no mercy. What makes one death more tragic than another?

According to CNN, there have been 47 school shootings this year, as of Sept. 10. As school shootings have become more and more common, activists and survivors have been pushing for stricter gun control.

The 2025-26 Pennsylvania races that will shape the politics of the Keystone State

While the presidential election season has wrapped up until 2028, Pennsylvania will be holding consequential elections this year and in 2026.

Elections range from municipal and Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention elections this year to the governor, Pennsylvania Congress and the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Retention Elections taking place on Nov. 4, 2025 include the following judges up for retention: Christine Donohue, David Wecht and Kevin M. Dougherty, and all three are currently hold seats for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

If a judge is not retained, Gov. Josh Shapiro will temporarily appoint a judge with approval from the Republican-controlled State Senate. This appointment would last until 2027, when there will be an election held for a permanent replacement.

Funding

It is ironic that a man who said that gun deaths were worth it to keep the Second Amendment lost his life in this way. It is tragic. It is brutal. It is completely unnecessary. That is how I view Kirk’s death. At the same time, it was entirely preventable.

I am not a political strategist. I do not know what the solution is. But one would think that after the rising cases of gun violence over the last several decades in this country, the people in charge would take steps to prevent tragedies like this.

We are a divided country, now more than ever. Underneath all of the political bullsh*t, at the end of the day, we are all human. Will we ever unite to make a change? How many more innocent people have to die for something to give?

As I said earlier, I do not condone political violence. But I know that the future of this country is bleak unless we do something about it.

AmeriCorps after a series of heated legal battles

The candidates up for reelection that represent Cumberland County are Republicans Thomas Kutz (District 87), Sheryl M. Delozier (District 88) and Torren Ecker (District 193). A single Democratic candidate, Nathan Davidson (District 103), is also up for reelection. The Pennsylvania Senate has 25 seats up in the 2026 elections. Twelve Republican and 13 Democratic seats are up for the election. The current split in the State Senate is a Republican majority of 27 to the Democratic minority of 23 seats. This means that the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania would need to retain their 13 seats and pick up two to create a split chamber in the Pennsylvania Senate.

District 34 Rep. Greg

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives will have all 203 seats on the ballot in Nov. 2026. The current breakdown of the state House of Representatives is Democrats with a one seat majority of 102 to the 101 Republicans. Republicans need to gain just one seat and maintain the current Senate to have a majority in both chambers.

Rothman, a Republican who represents Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties, is up for reelection in Nov. 2026.

Gov. Josh Shapiro is up for his reelection campaign in 2026, where a challenger has already emerged in the Republican party. According to Politico, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has launched her campaign. She still has to win the Republican primary before she can run against the governor in the general election.

According to Politico, Garrity appears to be the frontrunner for the Republicans as of now, but state Sen. Doug Mastriano has entertained the idea of running in the gubernatorial election.

On the national stage, every U.S. House of Representatives member will be on the ballot in 2026. Pennsylvania will have all their representatives up for election, 10 of which are Republican and seven are Democrats.

According to the Cook Political Report, as of now the consensus is that 15 of the Pennsylvania seats are safe to remain with the same par-

Weather Forecast

ty following the next election in 2026. Two seats are seen as tossups, both currently being held by Republicans. Those seats are PA-7, held by Ryan Mackenzie, and PA-10, held by Scott Perry.

There is no Republican challenger as of now for the primary election against Mackenzie, but Perry does have Republican candidate Josh Hall to go against in the primary.

Candidates on the Democratic side for PA-7 are Bob Brooks, Ryan Crosswell, Lamont McClure, Carol Obando-Derstine and Mark Pinsley. Democrats seeking PA-10 are Justin Douglas and Janelle Stelson. Independent Isabelle Harman has also announced her candidacy for PA-10.

The dates provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the 2025 election deadlines are Oct. 20, the last day to register before the election; Oct. 28, the last day to apply for mail-in or civilian absentee ballot; and Nov. 4, the last day for the county election office to receive mail-in and absentee ballots and election day.

An AmeriCorps volunteer firefighter helps contain a spot fire in an evacuated area of forest on Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Following months of legal challenges, funding and grants are beginning to resume for the AmeriCorps program across the U.S.

According to the Associated Press, on June 5, U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman granted a temporary block on the cancellation of funding and grants for AmeriCorps. Boardman also ruled that all AmeriCorps NCCC members who were terminated early should be reinstated, if they are willing and able.

Judge Boardman’s ruling is only in effect for the states that sued the Trump administration in April.

Just weeks prior to Boardman’s ruling, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) placed around 85% of the AmeriCorps programs federal staff on paid administrative leave. Additionally, DOGE cut around $400 million in AmeriCorps grants.

The decision to resume funding aims to restore

around 80% of the agency’s cut grants. It also ensures that volunteers and staff will be paid for the projects they worked on in 2025, a release from the Attorney General of New York stated.

In addition, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) plans to release more than $185 million in funding for AmeriCorps projects across the nation.

According to a PA Commonwealth press release, 25 states and the District of Columbia joined together to allege that the OMB was continuing to withhold the $185 million after Judge Boardman’s preliminary injunction.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is among the states that challenged the Trump administrations cutting of funds and grants for AmeriCorps. Prior to the cuts, AmeriCorps had approved $6 million in support for PA service and volunteer programs, according to the same press release.

Matthew Scalia Opinion Editor

The future of media in an AI world

The adults in the room were nervous. Everyone seemed to be treating the New Year’s Eve party normally, though there was palpable tension in the room. Even young children were aware that something was off. Television shows had made parodies of it; morning radio programs at the bus stop discussed it.

Y2K — the unfounded belief that computer systems would crash and the world would be subsequently thrown into chaos — had descended over 1999 America.

It is now 2025, and similar fear lingers and drives the same tense atmosphere that existed decades ago. But instead of it being an unfounded belief that computers could not handle the calendar rolling over to 2000, it is mass joblessness and human obsolescence in the face of generative artificial intelligence.

Shippensburg University Communication, Journalism

and Media Professor and Ethnic Studies Director Dhiman Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., notices the similarities between the two moments in time.

Chattopadhyay, who prefers his students to refer to him as D.C., remembers coming up as a journalist alongside the internet, and he is not ready to sound the alarm in the face of another tech hysteria.

“There was a lot of talk and a lot of confusion back then about what [the internet] would do,” D.C. recalls. Today he sees that confusion again. “Whether generative media is going to destroy, that [is] the fear as well.”

So, if the rapid growth of technology does not destroy, what does it do? As might be assumed for someone who was an earlier adopter of the internet, D.C. sees its potential with enthusiasm.

“I don’t believe it destroys anything,” D.C. said. “It disrupts, and disruption is not necessarily always a bad thing.”

His colleagues, like many

students and professionals now, did not agree.

“I remember many of my colleagues ... telling me the internet is going to kill journalism because people are going to stop going out and interviewing people and just Google everything,” said D.C. “They thought this was a passing fad; this would not last. Sure, a lot of platforms on the World Wide Web have been passing fads — nobody talks about Vine or Flickr anymore — but there are new

Slate Speaks: Discussing the new SU athletics logo

A logo is important. If you ever thought otherwise, just ask Cracker Barrel how their country-old-man-removing rebrand went, or how much consternation Major League Baseball fans have every time their team adopts a new City Connect uniform scheme.

So, it is only natural that Shippensburg University’s Athletics Department’s release of their new logo would invite a scrutinizing eye to determine if it makes the grade.

On paper, it is a positive addition to the SU brand, though it falls short of being a perfect fit.

To judge it properly, it helps to first identify why it was needed. Traditionally, a university’s academic and sports branding are separate. That had not been the case at SU, so it is exciting to think about this new logo as the start of a new legacy.

The logo itself is a bit odd, though. It is hard not to think of it as a missed opportunity to not have used a whole ship, as opposed to just an anchor. After all, we are Shippensburg, and we have never been shy to play

into the name before. Not to mention the anchor could be parodied against us. It could symbolize being stuck in place or being unable to move, which is generally the opposite of what you should do in sports. The color scheme seems

off as well, and this is popular topic to debate in sports. When the Philadelphia Phillies debuted their first City Connect jersey last year, many fans were irate over the decision to use navy blue and yellow over the team’s usual red and blue.

SU also waded into this issue as they made a similar move. The pastel blue feels out of place when navy blue is default in

Where’s Your Voice?

everything else. And for the typography critics, the font of the aforementioned “S” does not mesh well with the other typefaces used by the university.

But all things in art are subjective in their interpretations. The new logo pops over what some may consider an anachronistic former logo. The new logo may give a little whiplash because it is new, but it is a good kind of new. Simple logos often look better, so the red “S” and blue anchor fit the intended aesthetic.

And, while an anchor can stop a ship, it can be argued that it symbolizes strength. Teams have players who are anchors, who hold it all down and go out there and game. Alternatively, it is entirely possible that SU dropping the anchor in the end zone could be a popular touchdown celebration.

The lens in which to look at the new logo is this: uniformity is bland, and the new logo is a step in the right direction in bringing back creativity in a world where artificial intelligence makes that creativity harder to find.

kings in that place.”

What does D.C. conclude is the lesson to take away from those ready to prematurely bury journalism or other industries? It is too soon.

“Journalism did not die in 1996. People had told me journalism is dying. It’s still not dead,” said D.C. That does not mean the media business has not taken its lumps. Newspapers and broadcast channels depend on advertising dollars that disproportionally go to

search engines and social media platforms. The lack of financing has run roughshod through the industry.

According to a University of North Carolina study cited by The Wall Street Journal, “Nearly 1,800 newspapers closed between 2004 and 2018, leaving 200 counties with no newspaper and roughly half the counties in the country with only one.”

D.C. does not believe technology is entirely to blame for these numbers. He believes it is a lack of support for local news organizations that became more prominent early in the internet age, when consumers were loath to start paying for things they were originally getting for free. This affected some more than others.

“Local newspapers are the most hurt because they don’t have the funding backup of the New York Times, much like Harvard is hurt, but not as much as a local regional university would be by a lack of funding,” said D.C.

But for every door that closes, a window opens. The internet has vastly

improved the quality and variety of journalism that organizations were able to publish, and AI can similarly aid the field.

D.C. remembers being an editor who had to assign young reporters to monotonous jobs like transcribing news releases and long government reports. Now, an editor can feed those to AI, which can summarize them in seconds.

“It frees up my 45 minutes to go chase that investigative story where I needed that code from that person who is proving to be elusive, or write that story in a more rigorous manner because my seven o’clock deadline or my eight o’clock deadline doesn’t change,” D.C. said.

Murder in the marketplace of ideas

Luke Rainey Staff Contributor

It was 3:07 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10. I was in the library with my friends while procrastinating on my homework.

Then, words echoed from a student at a neighboring table: “Oh, my gosh. Charlie Kirk just got shot.”

Skeptical, yet alarmed, I scrambled to social media to verify this unbelievable statement. As all decent people were, I was horrified to learn that statement was correct. Even more horrifying were the gasps from across the library as each student, one at a time, saw a close-up video of Kirk losing his life.

Within three hours, the world learned Kirk was dead, and an assassination had taken place on a public campus. He has been eulogized appropriately by many as the young conservative’s generational voice. His political impact is known widely. It is most clearly seen through the creation and growth of Turning Point USA, which is located on 3,500 college campuses with 650,000 student members.

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• Letters become property of The Slate. Letters without a name and title (affiliation to SU) will not be accepted.

• Letters should be sent to The Slate one week prior to the day of publication. Late letters may be accepted but published the next week.

Disclaimer

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The message that Charlie Kirk promoted was counter to the mainstream perspectives of politics in the 21st century.

He was a champion for socially conservative ideals in an era where national pride has been diminished marriage rates are falling and Americans are afraid to share their political beliefs

Kirk’s followers and supporters are in mourning, but none can understand the pain that his wife and two young children will endure for the rest of their lives.

It is this account that makes the reaction from his political enemies especially concerning. I was appalled when a student, whom I previously interacted cordially with for three years, learned he was dead. While having no prior knowledge of the incident, he said, “Couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

The internet bred equally troubling reactions, and some have faced professional consequences for their shameful remarks.

A few examples among many include a Carolina Panthers employee, several school and university faculty members, and a New Orleans

firefighter, who were all fired from their jobs.

Readers should recall when Kirk once said, “You can tell a lot about a person by how they react when someone dies.”

His opponents will naturally default to sharing out-of-context soundbites to validate such vicious thoughts. There is no point in picking these apart because there is no hope in changing others’ minds when their wrath is so strong. It is impossible to entertain civil discourse or seek common ground when death is cheered.

As the adage goes, “One cannot reason with unreasonable people.” When killing is embraced, efforts to achieve good-faith dialogue and unity are meaningless.

Ship Life

From student to director, Dylan Curtis steps into new role

Dylan Curtis is making the leap from the associate director of recreation to the director of fraternity and sorority life and commuter and nontraditional students.

Curtis has been a part of the Shippensburg University community for several years now. He attended SU as a student and was a long snapper on the football team.

He received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a concentration in human performance and fitness, along with a minor in coaching, in 2021.

He received his master’s degree in organizational development and leadership with a concentration in higher education structure and policy in 2023.

He took the role of associate director of recreation in 2023 and was hired as the head coach of the women’s tennis team in 2024.

Now, Curtis is tackling a new position at Shippens-

burg. On the opportunity to work with fraternities and sororities, Curtis said, “It was something I was interested in because I enjoyed my interactions with them, especially the fraternity men through intramurals and club sports. It was a great opportunity to work with a different cohort of students on campus, and that was something that interested and excited me,” said Curtis.

Curtis is excited for his new role at SU, and he has explored the process of learning the intricacies of Greek life.

“I’ve dove into those handbooks, and I’ve really tried to familiarize myself with everything that I need to know,” said Curtis.

He described the biggest challenge of being director of fraternity and sorority life as balancing the different policies for each of the 15 chapters at Shippensburg. Each chapter has a national organization with their own policies and expectations,

LSO cooks up a fun night for students

celebrate diversity with the campus community.

Shippensburg University’s Latino Student Organization (LSO) held its annual cookout on Sept. 12 at the McCune Pavilion.

LSO members were joined by the student body to celebrate a night of food, dancing, and culture.

This event is LSO’s first of the semester, serving as a welcome back for students as well as a kickoff for Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Sept. 15 and ends Oct. 15. The cookout welcomed students of all backgrounds while highlighting the vibrant Latino culture on campus. Attendees enjoyed food and dances representing Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan heritage.

LSO created a space to

LSO members served dishes including quesadillas, chicken wings, hot dogs, beans and rice, hamburgers and other refreshments to students.

Music played throughout the night, and after students had gone back for seconds, they joined members of LSO to dance.

LSO members encouraged dancers and non-dancers alike to join them on the dance floor.

Several students took the opportunity to learn new dances, connect with LSO members and enjoy a night of excellent music and culture.

The cookout offered students a glimpse into the excitement of upcoming LSO events.

With music, dancing and food, this event had something for everyone.

and Shippensburg also has its own policies for its fraternities and sororities.

Curtis said the most rewarding aspect of his position was being able to give students guidance.

“This role gives me an opportunity to be more hands on with leadership development and success in all parts of the students lives in terms of in the classroom, within their chapters, and all that. It’s an all-encompassing, satisfying [feeling],” said Curtis.

He described much of his responsibilities as the director of fraternity and sorority life as being a “support system” for students. Whether it is personally advising a student or directing them to a resource on campus, Curtis ensures he can provide students with what they need.

Curtis is taking over the role from Brigette Allen, who is now a consultant at Plaid, LCC. He plans on maintaining the status quo for the time being, then evaluating at the end of the year to see if changes need to be made.

On top of his new position, Curtis continues to be the head coach for the women’s tennis team.

“It’s an opportunity for me to be with a group of student athletes and see the same ones every single day and build a good rapport with,” said Curtis.

Maintaining these two roles is certainly a challenge, but Curtis faces it head on.

“I’m beyond lucky to be a head coach of a varsity athletic team and a director of an office in student affairs. I’m going day by day. I’m thoroughly enjoying this,” said Curtis.

When managing his different responsibilities at SU, Curtis says, “It’s just being present where your feet are.”

He explained that he makes sure he is focused on the role he is currently in. When he is at tennis practice, he is focused on tennis practice and not being the director of fraternity and sorority life and vice versa.

Curtis enjoys being busy, even if it takes a large

amount of planning to balance his different positions on campus.

“It’s a lot of forecasting what a day looks like, what a week looks like, a month even,” said Dylan Curtis.

Despite how involved he is

at SU, Curtis takes the time to enjoy hobbies outside ofcampus. He enjoys taking his dog on long walks, working out, cooking and baking. This is the beginning of a new chapter for both Curtis and the SU community.

Cozy and Crafty: APB Hosts Smoothies and Groovies

Hannah Stoner Asst. Sports Editor

Shippensburg University students gathered at the CUB amphitheater for refreshing smoothies and relaxing crafts during Smoothies and Groovies, hosted by the Activities Programming Board (APB).

Attendees gathered materials for various crafts, which included painting on

a miniature canvas, coloring a design on a small tote bag, bracelet making and more. The event was welcoming for everybody, even those that would not consider themselves artists.

Freshman Precious Boylan said that she does not consider herself an artsy person, but she and her friends participated in almost every craft provided, with their favorite being decorating the bag.

The smoothie bar had two blenders. One produced protein-packed drinks, and the other was for more general smoothie or acai flavors.

There were plenty of ingredients and toppings to include in the blended beverages as well as a choice in serving style. Individuals could enjoy their smoothie out of either a cup or a bowl.

Sophomore Cheyenne Whitaker was among the attendees who enjoyed

the event. She said: “I just thought that it was a cute little thing to get people out of their dorms and to get them outside and do some crafts. I just thought it was a fun idea.”

With smoothies for fuel and music mostly from the 1970s filling the air, crafters were delighted with a cozy evening surrounded by a supportive and welcoming community.

Cones and Culture brings sociology department together

Jordan Neperud Asst. Ship Life Editor

Shippensburg University’s sociology department and Sociology and Anthropology Club hosted their annual Cones and Culture event on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Grove Hall patio.

The purpose of the event is to bring professors and students in the sociology department together in a non-academic environment.

The events aims to encourage conversation between faculty and students, while enjoying a slice of pizza and some ice cream.

“Last year, I went as a transfer student and I met two professors I never had before. Now, those two professors are helping me with applying to the PHD program I want,” David Boatwright, Sociology and Anthropology Club president and senior so-

ciology major said. He added that the event was a way to ensure enrollment in the program, along with attracting new students.

The students in attendance included sociology majors and minors, as well as students taking any sociology class. Students also spent time chatting with professors.

“I came because I claimed sociology as a minor. I thought it would be interesting and I wanted to meet people,” SU student Michael Shorlo said.

The professors, much like the students, enjoyed having a casual environment to meet people and chat about their shared interest in sociology.

“I always meet students

from across different programs. Ship has great students,” sociology professor Lawrence Eppard said. Cones and Culture is held at the beginning of every fall semester. It helps students become introduced to both the sociology department and the Sociology and Anthropology Club.

‘The Conjuring’: Exorcising a Franchise

*Spoiler Alert*

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved horror movies. I yearn for the thrill, the tension and the connection to a supernatural reality. It is comparable to the excitement and fear you experience on a roller coaster, but better. The horror movie series that I have followed religiously since I was 8-years-old is “The Conjuring.”

When I saw the last seats available for the 9:50 p.m. showing of the last Conjuring movie ever at the R/C Carlisle Commons on Sept. 5, I booked the $12 tickets, and made the 30-minute drive in a heartbeat.

There are four movies in this series: “The Conjuring” (2013), “The Conjuring 2” (2016), “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (2021) and “The Conjuring:

Last Rites” (2025). These movies are based on the reallife adventures of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who were paranormal investigators. They would use their supernatural senses to help hundreds of families struggling with evil paranormal activity present in their homes. These evil spirits caused intense physical pain, unexplainable occurrences and significant heartache. In “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, the Warrens are investigating a case while Lorraine is pregnant. Ed feels the spirits were too evil and strong for Lorraine to conquer while pregnant, but she is resilient. When she uncovers a demonic mirror with odd faces carved into it, lightning begins to strike, thunder begins to pound and she touches the mirror

with her cross necklace. The mirror cracks, and she feels unexplainable pain, dropping to her knees.

Ed rushes Lorraine to the hospital to deliver their baby girl, Judy. There were extreme complications, and Lorraine begins to see demonic figures. The electricity goes out and their daughter Judy is delivered still born. After

approximately a minute, Judy begins to cry, breathe and open her baby blue eyes. That moment was their decision to restrict their work in this field and focus on their small family. But their final case would completely end their careers, and almost their lives.

In 1986, the Warrens traveled to a haunted home in West Pittston,

Pennsylvania, that ultimately inherited the same mirror Lorraine touches the night her daughter was born.

The two daughters of the Smurl family try destroying the mirror by setting it out on the street for trash night after a few unexplainable occurrences, but you can’t run from your demons — literally.

The next day, the oldest sister begins to choke, throw up blood and vomit shards of glass from that same haunted mirror. This scene was the eye-opening moment that the Smurls were not alone in their home. From first-hand experience, in the very front row of the movie theater, the blood, acting, sounds and style all worked together to create jump scares, realistic scenes, tension and fear.

When I was lying on Australia’s beautiful beaches without a care in the world, I had “Espresso” on repeat.

Sabrina Carpenter also released “Please, Please, Please” while I was in the land down under, and it was quickly added to my daily rotation.

I can’t say I was overly excited when I heard that Carpenter had a new album in the works, and I didn’t

even listen to it the first day it came out. But when I started seeing TikToks backed by some of her new music, I decided to give it a chance.

“Man’s Best Friend” is Carpenter’s seventh studio album and was released on Aug. 29. After listening to the album, I will say that it does have a very similar sound to her previous one, “Short and Sweet.” However, I would argue that the similarities are a part of her signature sound. Both albums have a playful pop sound with influences

Classic blues rock band George Thorogood & the Destroyers performed at the Luhrs Center on Wednesday as part of their “The Baddest Show on Earth” tour. Thorogood put on a fantastic performance, both in the songs themselves and ad-libbing between tracks.

The show began with a 45-minute opening set from Canyon Lights, a blues rock trio from Boston. The band put out their first album, “Breathe Easy,” late last month, and most songs from in their set were from this album.

It was a strong performance with a wide range of subjects, ranging from slower tracks like “Codeine and Caffeine” to songs about, as lead singer Pat Faherty said, “trying to flirt with

from 1970’s disco, which I really enjoy.

Lyrically, both albums employ comedic jabs and strategic wordplay to express Carpenter’s love life. While “Short and Sweet” explores the impact of short-lived relationships, “Man’s Best Friend” has a stronger focus on Carpenter’s disappointing experiences with men.

“Man’s Best Friend” fittingly opens with the song “Manchild,” where Carpenter humorously criticizes an ex-boyfriend by comparing him to a child. She also questions why men who exhibit immature tendencies constantly pursue her in the chorus with the lyrics, “Manchild / Why you always come running / Taking all my loving from me?”

“Sugar Talking” is the fourth song on the album and my personal favorite. In this song, Carpenter expresses her frustrations with a partner whose actions fall short of their words. In the chorus of the song, Carpenter alters the popular phrase, “Put your money where your mouth is,” and instead sings, “Put your loving where you mouth is,” to express that she’s done with her lover’s empty promises.

The cinematography for “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” was precise and convincing, making the movie frightening, as opposed to it being cheesy, cringe or gory.

The demon in the Smurl home was hiding behind three souls: an abusive farmer, his wife and her elderly mother, whom he slaughtered to death with an axe in the basement of the farmhouse. The demon tries possessing Judy, killing her fiancé, using imitation of other voices on Lorraine, which almost strikes Ed with another heart attack. This case was intense, traumatizing and risky, but, as always, the Warrens did not run from fear. The main message they relay to their daughter was to face her fears, instead of running from them because it will always come back. They conquered the demon, saved another family’s lives and destroyed the mirror as their “last rites.”

George brings the noise and thrills

women while on the autism spectrum.”

Thorogood & the Destroyers took to the stage around 8:30 p.m., when the band walked out to Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction.” The band opened with “Rock Party,” featuring some extended instrumental sections, before moving onto “Who Do You Love?”, one of many covers in the set.

Two of his major hits were played back-to-back early on, with “I Drink Alone” leading seamlessly into “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.” The latter featured a great saxophone solo. This was followed by a cover of “Cocaine Blues.”

Thorogood kept the audience entertained between tracks, often quipping jokes and discussing his 50 years of touring. He even mixed it up during instrumental parts, and he walked into the crowd while playing at

one point.

His biggest hit, “Bad to the Bone,” was a fan favorite late in the main set.

Covers of “Gloria” and “Move it on Over” ended the main set, with a short break before an encore of “Born to be Bad” to close out a 105-minute performance.

Thorogood said multiple times on stage he wanted the audience to feel like they were back in their teenage years, and his energetic music got most of the viewers back there in their minds.

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Get Booked: Iron Flame

Abbygale Hockenberry A&E Editor

*Spoiler Alert*

Immediately after I was finished with “Fourth Wing,” I had to pick up the sequel and continue reading because the story had such a chokehold on me. Luckily, “Iron Flame” picks right off where the previous book ended, and there wasn’t a notable time jump.

In this book, Violet and Xaden are still fighting in the beginning, and it continues halfway through the book. Violet is forced to stay in Aretia to heal, where she discovers that her brother Brennan is still alive.

This is yet another reason why she is mad at Xaden because he kept this secret from her. Brennan was presumed dead years ago when organizing a rebellion on “enemy territory” — we soon discover who the real allies are.

A new Vice Commandant is appointed by Dain’s father, Major Varrish. When Violet and the others return to Basgaith, they are under Varrish’s strict scrutiny. He pays extra attention to Violet because he doesn’t trust her, and he thinks she is working with the enimies, Xaden and the ones who are marked. His entire character makes me enraged, and I know he’s supposed to, so congratulations to Rebecca Yarros for really doing her job.

One thing about Violet and Xaden is that they cannot be separated for long because of their bonded dragons, Tairn and Sgaeyl. Varrish knows this and he forces them to be a part for longer than they are supposed to because since Xaden graduated Basgaith College, he is not a Lieutenant and has to fight on the front lines to protect the wards.

While this is happening, Violet

chooses to research more about Venin. This research is forbidden and classified information, so she breaks rules and even gets her friends to help her. Varrish finds out about this and sees her as a threat. He interrogates her for days, taking away her powers, not giving her much food, and ultimately tortures her physically. He wants to find out what really happened in Resson, the rebellion, and who helped her with the stolen journals. Violet is extremely strong for not even caving once — I know if I went through what she did, I probably would.

On the brink of death, Dain comes originally to look into her memories per Varrish’s request, but he quickly realizes what is going on. He stabs Varrish, and Xaden arrives to help her out. I do not shed one tear for this man. As for Dain, this scene was his redemption because I was starting to hate his character for how much of a suck-up he was, so you can only imagine how much my jaw actually dropped when he stabbed him.

Violet and Xaden reveal to everyone at Basgaith the truth of the Venin, to recruit more of a rebellion. This scene is incredibly powerful because they continuously do not give up – especially Violet after all the pain and agony, and she rises above.

In summary, they recruit cadets to join their rebellion and Basgaith and Aretia must coexist alongside the gryphon riders. They prepare for a battle against the Venin, and they try to destroy the wards of Navarre and consume their magic. This is where things get serious. The Venin get to be too powerful and too much to handle at once. Xaden makes a choice that changes things for him.

Field hockey beats trio of Top 10 foes

Mason Flowers Sports Editor

Shippensburg University’s field hockey team has won each of their three games against nationally ranked teams. The week began with

3-2 in double overtime on Tuesday, followed by a 1-0 win on Friday at home against No. 5 Assumption. On Friday, the team had a 4-0 victory over No. 4 Saint Anselm.

defeating No. 7 West Chester

SU’s offense was off to a strong start on Tuesday, scoring a pair of goals in the second-quarter. Senior Lilly Cantabene gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead early in the period, before senior Kelly Naudé scored to double the lead.

West Chester fought back well, scoring in both the third and fourth quarters, tying the game with six minutes remaining.

Following a scoreless overtime period, junior Kayla Snyder converted a penalty stroke goal to give Shippensburg the road win. It was a very balanced game, with West Chester outshooting SU 21-19 and the Raiders making 10 saves compared to

WCU’s eight.

The Raiders returned home on Friday to face Assumption. SU took the lead early on thanks to a firstquarter goal from sophomore Anne Garnder, tipping in a shot from Cantabene.

The game stalled out through the next two quarters, remaining 1-0 entering the fourth. The Greyhounds controlled possession for most of the fourth-quarter, getting a real chance late.

Assumption fired three shots in the span of 12-seconds, with graduate goalkeeper Emma Albee making two phenomenal saves before the last went wide, allowing SU to hold on for the win.

Albee spoke on finding a way to win after the game.

“We have it in us deep down, even if we’re not playing to our best and to our potential, it’s great to see that we can still find the outcome,” Albee said.

Shippensburg outshot Assumption 16-9 in the match, with each team earning six shots on goal. The Raiders also had six penalty corners compared to two for

the Greyhounds.

Junior Hannah White shouted out the team’s chemistry postgame.

“We only have four freshman and a transfer, so a lot of us were already together during the spring, and everyone’s really gelling well together. The small numbers allow us to be really connected on the field,” said White

SU head coach Rayell Wallace commended Albee postgame.

“She definitely asks a lot of her teammates, I believe they ask a lot of her… for her to then show up and do what everybody’s asking her to do is great,” said Wallace. She also was a bit displeased with the team overall, saying “We have some growth that needs to happen.”

The team seemingly grew quite fast, as they dominated Saint Anselm on Sunday in a neutral-site game hosted at Widener. SU jumped out to a first-quarter lead thanks to Cantabene’s second goal of the season.

Junior McKenna Boyle scored her first goal of the season early in the secondquarter, which created a 2-0

lead, prompting the Hawks to bring in a new goalie. SU’s offense was very strong in the frame, racking up 10 shots.

Gardner scored her second goal of the season in the third-quarter off an assist from graduate Savannah Silvestre. Silvestre scored

Shippensburg University’s women’s soccer travelled to Shepherd University on Wednesday to face the No. 5 Shepherd Rams in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest.

It was the 21st meeting between the two teams, which resulted in a 1-1 draw.

The draw earned Shippensburg a valuable road point against the defending conference champions.

Shippensburg is now 1-0-2 overall and 0-0-2 in conference play.

The Raiders jumped out to an early lead just over five minutes into the game because of a breakaway goal by forward Lannah Werynski. Werynski now has two goals in the first three games of the season.

Shepherd answered back in minute 22, when forward Reagan Ackermann toepoked a shot past goalkeeper

Kirstin Brown. Brown was kept busy in the goal, accumulating 10 saves on the day. Both teams had opportunities later in the game, but neither side could find the back of the net.

Shippensburg mostly played defense in the second half in an effort to hold off an attack from Shepherd. The pressure by the Rams totaled 30 shots and 11 corners throughout the game compared to the Raiders’ 3 and 0, respectively.

In the final few minutes, junior forward Ashley Hughes made a run to the Shepherd goal but was called offside. Only a minute later, Shepherd was awarded a free kick just outside the box, but the shot from Ackermann banged off the crossbar before being cleared.

Shippensburg returns this week with two matches at home. They will face Bloomsburg at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, and Millersville at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.

It will be another threegame week for SU field hockey, beginning with

the last goal of the game by herself, putting one in off an assist from White.

SU controlled the match statistically, outshooting Saint Anselm 26-11, with 14 shots on goal. Albee only needed to make four saves, all in the fourth-quarter, but she earned her third shutout of the season. It was a chippy game throughout, with the teams combining for five green cards and a yellow card.

a home game against Frostburg State at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Robb Sports Complex. They will then host Slippery Rock on Friday at noon, and the team will travel to Mansfield to face the Mountaineers on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Volleyball goes 2-1 at Bobcat Invitational

Hannah Stoner Asst. Sports Editor

Shippensburg University’s women’s volleyball team traveled to Frostburg State for the Bobcat Invitational, where they went 2-1 over the weekend.

Friday, the Raiders battled Ohio Dominican University through five sets, but ultimately lost to the Panthers. Scores went back and forth with the Raiders winning the first and third sets, 27-25 and 25-17, respectfully. ODU prevailed in the second and fourth sets, 25-22 and 25-14, respectully.

During the fifth set, SU scored first following two attack errors from ODU. The lead did not last long, and the Panthers began to pull further ahead to win the set 15-8.

The Raider offense totaled 53 kills compared to ODU’s 63. Leading SU in these were redshirt sophomore Gracen Nutt who had 14, junior Na-

talya Montague with 11 and senior Isabella Bombas with 10. Saturday, the Raiders won both matches. The first game against Pitt-Johnstown in the late morning, and the second against Frostburg State University in the afternoon.

The Raiders won in four sets against the Mountain Cats, with scores of 20-25, 25-17, 25-20 and 25-21. SU outperformed Pitt-Johnstown in every statistic except blocks, each team totaled five. The Raiders had 52 kills, 13 aces, 29 assists and 67 digs compared to the Mountain Cats’ 47, 8, 41 and 55. SU also carried a .234 hitting percentage, while Pitt-Johnstown’s sat at .216. Leading the team against Pitt-Johnstown was senior Kayla Johnson with 11 kills and three aces. Bombas contributed another ten kills, with her ninth giving the team match point and her tenth securing the win.

In their second match of

the day, the Raiders went another five sets against the Bobcats.

SU won the first set despite FSU opening with a 5-0 run.

The Raiders followed suit and quickly tied the game at 8-8. The set followed consistent back and forth play between the two teams, with the score reflecting a tie ten different times. SU earned the win with a score of 25-23. The Raiders went on to win the second set as well with a score of 25-11. FSU took the next two sets, scoring 25-22 and 25-13, which forced the fifth set. The Raiders claimed the fifth with a score of 15-8.

Junior Hailey Cappleman led the team with 18 kills in the match against the Bobcats, totaling 23 on the day. Nutt tallied another 13 kills, while Johnson provided nine. Cappleman also led the team in blocks with five.

Junior Shay Kolivoski led Shippensburg’s defense all weekend with a match-high 27 digs on Friday, then tal-

Men’s soccer drops non-conference game against Jefferson

Shippensburg University’s men’s soccer team faced the Jefferson University Rams in a tense, back-and-forth game for a non-conference match last Wednesday at Robb Sports Complex.

The SU lost to the Rams 3–0, mirroring the score from the teams’ previous game in fall 2024.

The first-half started intensely and evenly for both sides of the field. The game was played mostly in the midfield, with no clear opportunities for either team.

The game was very even, as both teams had similar statistics in shots, fouls and corners. By the end, the Raiders managed to consolidate their attack, with high pressure on the ball, generating some positive moments.

Even though the first-half ended scoreless, there were some moments to highlight for the Raiders.

Senior forward Ethan Paulukow had three

shots and collaborated with the Raiders’ front line. Junior defender Evan Brandt had one low, well-placed shot in minute 31 that was denied by Jefferson goalkeeper Lucca Bellina.

Sophomore forward Kyle Ganley also recorded one shot on goal after an interception that was saved by Bellina.

The game shifted after halftime. Jefferson’s aggressive attack punished Shippensburg. Diego Guzman scored for the Rams in minute 50, followed by goals from Parker Smith in minute 57 and Zayd Ahktar in minute 78.

This secured the win for Jefferson. The Raiders could not find any solid scoring opportunities, while the Rams capitalized on theirs.

Redshirt junior Jack McCann started and played the entire game as the goalkeeper for the Raiders, recording four saves.

Shippensburg men’s soccer will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 17, for an away game against Lock Haven. The Raiders will not be back at Robb Sports Complex until Sept. 27, when they will host Seton Hill.

Football fights back, falls just short against Clarion

Shippensburg University

football put together a valiant comeback effort in its game at Clarion on Saturday, but it was not enough, as SU fell by a score of 3124. The Raiders were down 21 points for most of the third-quarter but got back to a one-score game with 10 minutes left.

Each team punted on their opening drive before Clarion scored the first touchdown of the game.

The Raiders answered right back, as redshirt sophomore quarterback Riley Gunnels connected with sophomore wide reciever Ty Neal for a 23-yard touchdown to tie the game. This was the first touchdown of Neal’s college career.

Clarion’s next two drives ended with scores, giving the Golden Eagles a 10-point lead. SU then responded with a field goal, making the score 17-10, then getting bailed out by a Clarion facemask penalty on a fourth-and-17 earlier in the drive.

The next two touchdowns went to Clarion, scoring one on a two-minute drill to end the first-half, then getting good field position due to an SU fumble early in the third-quarter. Clarion took a 31-10 lead before the teams traded punts for the next four drives.

SU turned it over on downs, then sophomore Trevor Watts forced a fumble while sacking Clarion’s quarterback. It was recov-

ered by redshirt freshman Micah Smith, immediately putting the Raiders in the red zone. Sophomore Vincent Micucci ran it in from a yard out to give Shippensburg a touchdown.

The Raider defense forced a three-and-out next.

Gunnels then put together an 85-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 41-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman Caiden Pines. It was the first catch of Pines’ collegiate career, making it a seven-point deficit with 10:43 left.

Both defenses were at their best from that point on, though SU only got two more drives. The first was a three-and-out, and the other ended on an incompletion on a fourth-and-11 in SU’s own territory, allowing Clarion to hang on for the win.

Gunnels had a strong game, going 24-for-41 with 245 passing yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. Neal led the receivers with 63 yards on five catches. The running game struggled though, with the team putting up just 45 rushing yards.

Redshirt sophomore Nate Myers led SU in tackles for the second straight game, putting up 10, including 1.5 sacks. The SU defense totaled five sacks for the game, with Watts and sophomore Ty Millhimes each getting one.

Shippensburg football will look to get in the win column next week, with a trip to Slippery Rock. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

SU Tennis opens season at Bloomsburg Invitational

Savannah Silvestre Staff Contributor

The Shippensburg University women’s tennis team opened its 2025-26 season at the Bloomsburg Invitational tournament last weekend.

The “Dynamic Duos” tournament had players first compete in a doubles match, and then the four competitors broke out into singles play.

Shippensburg had two “dynamic duos” secure wins

on Friday. Juniors Rachel Gallagher and Brinley Orris won their doubles against Daemen University, and Freshman Taylor Maguire and junior Ava Kalist won their doubles against West Liberty.

Senior Corinne Markovich had a standout performance with a comeback win over West Liberty in the singles matchup. She dropped the first set 0-6 but then dominated the second and third sets, 6-2 and 11-9.

Overall, the Raiders won five singles matches and two of four doubles matches.

Moving to Saturday, sophomore Jade Miller and Kalist secured singles wins. Miller posted a 4-2, 5-4 (8-6) victory over an East Stroudsburg opponent, while Kalist posted a 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 win over a Bloomsburg opponent.

Graduate Yasmin De Meyer said the opening weekend was a great opportunity to see where the team is at against competition.

“We used the weekend to try some new things and implement what we’ve been working on in training in real matches,” said De Meyer. “We now have a better idea of which areas we need to work on as we get ready for our home opener this weekend.” The Raiders’ next matchups will be at home against California University of Pennsylvania on Friday at 6 p.m., and the team will play Clarion on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Coming Up in SU Sports

Friday, September 19

Field Hockey: vs Slippery Rock, noon, International Students Game

Volleyball: PSAC/MEC Crossover, at Wheeling, 3:30 p.m.

Cross Country: Main Line Invitational, at Haverford, 4:30 p.m.

Tennis: vs California (PA.), 6 p.m.

Volleyball: PSAC/MEC Crossover, vs Fairmont State (at Wheeling), 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 20

Volleyball: PSAC/MEC Crossover, at West Liberty, 11 a.m.

Men’s Soccer: at Slippery Rock, 1 p.m.

Tennis: vs Clarion, 1 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: vs Millersville, 2 p.m.

Volleyball: PSAC/MEC Crossover, vs West Virginia State (at West Liberty), 4 p.m.

Football: at Slippery Rock, 6 p.m.

Sunday, September 21

Field Hockey: at Mansfield, 1 p.m.

Wednesday, September 24

Swimming: at Kutztown, 5 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: at California (PA.), 6 p.m.

Friday, September 26

Volleyball: at Clarion, 6 p.m.

Saturday, September 27

Cross Country: Long/Short Invitational, at Dickinson, 10 a.m.

Field Hockey: vs IUP, noon, Alumni Day

Women’s Soccer: at ESU, 1 p.m.