When Gerry McNamara ’06 walked into the Dome the first time as a highly touted basketball recruit, he knew Íű±ŹĂĆ was the right place to play basketball and win championships.

Twenty-six years later, McNamara has a similar vision, only this time, McNamara is tasked with returning men’s basketball to national prominence as the program’s ninth head coach.

“Anybody that knows me knows why I’m here. I’m here to win. It’s who I am and it’s who I will always be,” McNamara said to more than 2,000 Orange fans who packed Miron Victory Court Monday afternoon for his introductory press conference.

Among those who offered remarks were Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie, incoming Director of Athletics Bryan Blair and Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80, who said McNamara was the perfect candidate because he “epitomizes what Syracuse basketball is [all about].”

“Gerry’s ready for this. We didn’t choose Gerry because he’s an alum, or his number 3 hangs from the rafters in the JMA Wireless Dome,” Wildhack said. “He’s the right person at the right time to lead our program.”

Recognizing that “Syracuse basketball is embedded in the soul of this University,” Chancellor-elect Haynie echoed Wildhack’s sentiment, welcoming McNamara “back where he belongs, back in Orange.”

“What stood out about Gerry wasn’t just his resume, which is impressive. It wasn’t just the results, though they speak for themselves,” Haynie said. “Every person who worked with Gerry, every reference that we talked to said the same thing. They said he makes people better. He holds them to a high standard. He cares about them as people, not just as athletes. That he’s the kind of leader that we would want for our student-athletes.”

McNamara expressed gratitude to return to the place where he starred for four years.

“I can’t even tell you how honored, how blessed I am for this moment to be here. It really is kind of a dream come true for us,” said McNamara, who helped the Orange win the 2003 men’s basketball national championship.

It’s a dream McNamara wasn’t sure he’d ever get after leaving Syracuse in March of 2024. After 14 seasons as an assistant coach and one season as associate head coach, McNamara took over as Siena University’s head men’s basketball coach.

But following two successful seasons, including guiding the Saints into the 2026 NCAA Division I tournament for the first time in 16 years, McNamara is back with the Orange.

“During the four-year stretch of my [undergraduate] experience, my love grew for the people of this city, for the University that gave me the opportunity to showcase my gifts on the biggest stage,” said McNamara.

Get to know McNamara and his message for the Orange community.

Winning Is in G-Mac’s DNA

McNamara’s playing days at Syracuse were defined by wins. Not only did the Orange win the national title in 2003, Syracuse made the NCAA tournament in four consecutive seasons, compiling a 103-32 overall record with two Big East postseason championships.

Winning also matters to Bryan Blair, the Orange’s new director of athletics who was tasked with hiring a new basketball coach. After an initial phone conversation about the job, McNamara sat down for a face-to-face conversation with Blair, who leaned in close, looked him in the eyes and said “I want to win. No matter what, I want to win.”

“That statement from Bryan, for me, was where this went from being like an interview to motivationally aligned,” McNamara said. “We’re lockstep: same mentality, same goals, same direction.”

McNamara told current and future Syracuse students that, as part of their college experience, the basketball team “needs to be good. That should be non-negotiable. 
 That should be part of your journey as a student. It should be so much fun because the basketball team is so good. 
 I’m going to do my best to work my rear end off to change it.”

Relationships Stand the Test of Time

McNamara credited his parents, Gerard and Joyce, for teaching him “everything I feel like I am as a person, as a man, as a husband and a father.”

After McNamara was offered the opportunity to take over at his alma mater, one of the first things McNamara did was FaceTime with his parents to let them know “I’m about to sign a contract to be the head coach at Íű±ŹĂĆ. [It was] one of the great things and memories of my life.”

In the name, image and likeness (NIL) age, where student-athletes have agents and eye lucrative sponsorship deals, McNamara emphasized the importance of the relationships he builds.

“For me to truly be at my best, there’s that communication level and relationship building,” McNamara said. “To me, the relationships and the love for a place are always going to stand the test of time.”

G-Mac Learned to Love Basketball From His Dad

Before he set school records for Íű±ŹĂĆ—aČÔ»ć before he was the two-time Associated Press Pennsylvania Boys High School Small School Player of the Year and the 2002 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year for Bishop Hannan (now known as Holy Cross)—McNamara was simply a basketball enthusiast.

“I loved basketball, and because I loved it, my father gave me as much of it as I could absorb, [from playing in] different leagues to [getting the] key to the gym at Holy Rosary Parish,” said McNamara, the Orange’s leader in career three-pointers made, free throw percentage and minutes played.

Simple Formula for Success

Between frequent travel for games and recruiting trips and late nights at the office watching game film, the life of a college basketball coach can be complicated.

But at home, surrounded by sons, Gerry and Patrick, and daughters, Maggie and Grace, McNamara says he’s found a simple formula for success. It all starts with his wife, Katie, a fellow Scranton native.

“Going into the last job [at Siena], Katie said, ‘Our happiness is simple’,” Gerry said. “And the way I took that was, ‘Yes, it is. It’s very simple because it’s us.’ It’s always going to be us. We’re in this together always. But as I take this job, it’s not as simple as that. Our happiness is simple because you make it so easy for us to be happy. There’s no one I love and truly admire more than you.”

One of Íű±ŹĂĆ’s most celebrated alumni is coming home. The University today announced that Gerry McNamara ’06, a member of the 2003 National Championship-winning team, has been named head coach of the . A Scranton, Pennsylvania, native, McNamara returns to lead the storied program where his legendary career began, following two seasons as head coach at Siena University where he engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Division I basketball. His appointment, effective immediately, was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” says McNamara. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”

McNamara spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach on Jim Boeheim’s staff before serving as associate head coach under Adrian Autry in 2023-24, then departing for Siena in March 2024. In his first season leading Siena, he guided the Saints to a 14-18 record, a 10-win improvement over the previous season that ranked among the top 10 turnarounds nationally and earned him recognition as one of 16 finalists for the CollegeInsider.com Joe B. Hall Award, presented annually to the nation’s top first-time Division I head coach. He opened his tenure with three consecutive victories, becoming the first Siena coach to start with three straight wins in more than four decades.

“Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment,” says Bryan B. Blair, incoming director of athletics. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion was undeniable—it’s simply part of his DNA. He returns to Syracuse as a proven Division I head coach who led a program through a turnaround and back to the NCAA Tournament. At every stop in his playing and coaching journey, he has elevated those around him—student-athletes, staff and the broader community—through his energy, his standards and his ability to connect. While Gerry’s deep connection to Syracuse is meaningful, it’s simply a bonus to what he brings as a coach and leader. He honors our past, but he is driven to build for the future. This is a critical moment for Syracuse basketball, and it will take all of us—everyone connected to Íű±ŹĂĆ, Syracuse Athletics and Central New York—locking arms and supporting this program like never before. We welcome Gerry home and can’t wait to see where he takes our program.”

“Gerry is a leader who brings out the best in people,” says John Wildhack, outgoing director of athletics. “I watched him for years as an assistant: in the gym, on the road recruiting and in conversations with players and their families. What has always distinguished him is the trust he builds. He has proven in a short time as a head coach that he knows how to build a program. I am proud that this was among the final pieces of work I had a hand in, and I have no doubt that he will make Syracuse and all of Orange Nation proud.”

A four-year starter from 2002-06, McNamara is the program’s all-time career leader in made three-pointers (400), free throw percentage (.888) and minutes played (4,799) and ranks among the all-time leaders in assists, steals and scoring. He was part of the 2003 National Championship team, earning All-Final Four honors after hitting six three-pointers against Kansas in the title game as a freshman. As a senior in 2006, he earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American honors and was named the Dave Gavitt Award winner as tournament MVP after leading Syracuse to the Big East Championship. His No. 3 jersey was retired by the University in March 2023. Following his collegiate career, McNamara accepted an invitation to Utah Jazz training camp and played professionally in Europe before returning to Syracuse to begin his coaching career.

As an assistant at Syracuse, McNamara was a cornerstone of the program’s recruiting operation for 15 seasons, helping guide the Orange to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including Final Four runs in 2013 and 2016. He was a primary mentor for NBA players, including Michael Carter-Williams, Dion Waiters and Tyler Ennis, as well as Buddy Boeheim, Cole Swider, Michael Gbinije and Elijah Hughes.

“Gerry McNamara’s story is as authentically Syracuse as they come,” says Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie. “He came here from Scranton with something to prove and became one of the greatest players this program has ever seen and one of the most trusted coaches to sit on our bench. Now he’s coming home with a singular mission: to return Syracuse basketball to where it belongs, among the elite programs in the country. His coaching, recruiting and fundraising prowess, his passion and talent, and his deep belief in what it means to be Orange are exactly what we need. I could not be more excited to welcome Gerry, Katie and their family back to the Hill, and I can’t wait for the tip-off of the 2026-27 season.”

McNamara brings to the role deep and proven recruiting relationships, having spent well over a decade as the primary contact for elite guards and perimeter players nationally. During his time as an assistant, he was widely credited with building the pipeline of backcourt talent that kept Syracuse competitive at the highest level. Student-athletes who have played for McNamara consistently point to his accessibility, his direct communication style and his commitment to preparing players for life beyond basketball as hallmarks of his approach.

McNamara graduated from Syracuse in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. He earned two AP Pennsylvania State Player of the Year honors at Bishop Hannan High School and finished seventh all-time in Pennsylvania high school scoring history. He is a gold medalist with the United States national team at the 2005 World University Games. McNamara and his wife, Katie, have four children: sons Gerry and Patrick and daughters Maggie and Grace.

Bryan Blair spent his college years studying history, and he knows a storied program when he sees one. His job now is to build on the proud winning tradition of Íű±ŹĂĆ Athletics.

“Seeing the heights this university had over time, seeing the constant brand and how it speaks to the entire country. Everybody knows when they see that block S that it means something special,” Blair, the school’s 12th athletics director, said Thursday morning during his introductory press conference inside the Miron Victory Court.

“How do we harness that history, that excellence and the other intangibles we have?” Blair said. “We want to wake this sleeping beast 
 and take control of our destiny and make sure the world knows that Íű±ŹĂĆ is one of the top 10 brands in all of college athletics and we’re here to stay.”

Before coming to Syracuse, Blair served as vice president and director of athletics at the University of Toledo. He will officially take over as director of athletics on July 1.

Get to know Blair and his message for the Orange community.

No Silver Bullet for Success

In the ever-changing college athletics landscape, Blair admits there’s pressure for Syracuse to “win, and we’ve got to win a lot.” But those lofty expectations come with the job, and Blair said he is embracing this latest challenge in his career.

Tapping into curiosity, one of his five core values, Blair is looking forward to challenging everything when it comes to leading the athletics department.

“Nothing is an easy silver bullet,” he said. “Because this place is unique, it’s going to take a unique solution, unique collaboration and unique energy to pull this thing together to do what we collectively want to do and really leverage those unique assets.”

Blair says he plans to “modernize our enterprise,” “attack revenue generation and NIL,” because “NIL is one of the most, if not the most important aspects of what we do.”

5 Core Guiding Values

Besides curiosity, Blair shared his core values that guide and shape how he runs an athletics department.

• Family: “My family means the world to me.” (More on that below.)
• Passion: “I will match the passion and the energy of this fan base, and of our alumni and our supporters.”
• Integrity: “We’re going to do things in a way that always makes this university proud.”
• Curiosity: “Everything we do can get better, it can be challenged, it can be thought of differently. Now is the time to lead from the front and think outside the box in terms of what [college athletics] should look like.”
• Servanthood: “I am the fullback of the athletic department, the guy 
 empowering somebody else’s success; doing the dirty work to clear the way.”

“If we keep the student-athletes as that North Star, we’ll be really successful and will also produce future leaders of this country from Íű±ŹĂĆ,” Blair said.

Drawing Inspiration From Family

Blair says you’ll see his 7-year-old daughter, Brielle, and 5-year-old son, William (Beau), around the office. That’s because he believes in blending family with work.

“They’re my everything, they are my inspiration,” Blair said.

Blair draws strength and inspiration from his family, especially his wife, Jenna, who he refers to as his “ride-or-die.”

“[Jenna is] that person who speaks that power and that vision into you for you to make it possible. You’d love to say that you’re bulletproof and nothing bothers you, but all of us have those days, all of us need that support, that inspiration,” Blair said.

A Learned Work Ethic

Growing up in the small town of Bennettsville, South Carolina, Blair learned firsthand from his parents the important lessons of finding success both on the football field and in the classroom.

His parents, Dannie and Woodrow, insisted that Blair had to earn all As on his report card if he wanted to play football.

After playing Division I football and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history from Wofford College in 2007, Blair went on to earn a law degree from the University of South Carolina in 2010. He credits his successes to his parents, the biggest influences in his life and the hardest-working people he knows.

“You cannot escape the work. You have to put in the time and the effort and even when it gets hard, you work harder,” says Blair, who paused with emotion when talking about his parents.

Creating the Dome as an Experience

One of the best draws for the Orange is playing home games inside the raucous JMA Wireless Dome, or the Loud House. Blair got his first glimpse inside the JMA Dome with Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie, and the JMA Dome left an immediate and lasting impression.

“We can build a unique, immersive experience that’s unlike anything you see in this country outside of [Las] Vegas,” Blair said. “We’re going to think outside the box [about] what that experience looks like. How do we create that home court advantage for all our teams?”

The ten women stand together in the gymnasium, faces serious, hands on their hips. With their shoulders squared, right feet turned in a split stance, their eyes stare into the camera in an unmoving challenge.

That’s the photo that accompanies an April 15, 1895, article titled “Women’s Gymnasium Work” in the University News, describing the activities of the Syracuse women students playing a unique sport on campus—battle-ball.

“We, too, have our college athletics,” the article reads. “You have doubtless heard of the basketball teams of Wellesley, and other women’s colleges; but do you know that in our own University we have two teams of young women, not playing basket-ball but the splendid game of battle-ball? Vigorously do we practice on Tuesday and Thursday of each week, and so expert have we become that we quite belie the accusation that ‘a girl can’t throw a ball.’”

What exactly was battle-ball? According to the , there’s no other information on the game in the library’s collections.

But the article’s author Carrie S. Romer wrote that battle-ball was only “a part of our work in the gymnasium.”

“Our eyes have long since wearied of the statement—or we might almost say epitaph—so often seen in our college papers, ‘Miss — has been obliged to leave college because of ill-health,’ and we have determined that we, the members of the women’s gymnasium classes, will prevent, as far as we can, the possibility of such remarks concerning ourselves,” she wrote. “Hence, two, three, or four times each week we repair to the gymnasium to enjoy our exercises and games.”

A Higher Stakes Game

, professor of history and senior associate dean for academic affairs in the , reviewed the article for Íű±ŹĂĆ Today. She says the piece gives a glimpse of the experience of women attending college in the late 19th century.

Women’s education and college athletics both expanded dramatically in the United States after the Civil War, she says.

“Americans worried that men might become weak without the testing ground of war,” Faulkner says.

There was particular concern at the time about “neurasthenia”—a nervous disorder for both men and women, she says.

“As the article makes clear, there was concern that college might be too mentally (and physically) taxing for women, which could also be an argument to exclude them from education, careers, political and legal rights, etc.,” Faulkner says.

According to the University News article, the women used “traveling rings, horizontal bars and ladders” during those gym sessions in the University’s , which was built in the early 1890s and demolished by 1965.

“We strengthen the various muscles of our bodies, and acquire a courage that we should not have dreamed of possessing a few years ago,” Romer wrote.

In the 1895 article, the students made clear that their exercise wasn’t a chore.

“We should not be college women if we did not mingle a bit of fun with our work, and one of our chief pleasures has been to invent names for our various exercises,” Romer states. “Perhaps you have heard of our ‘gymnastic hop,’ ‘chicken walk,’ ‘ostrich walk’ and ‘flying angel,’ but if you do not know what they are, we invite you to come and see for yourself—if you may. Should you be so unfortunate as to belong to the sex seldom admitted during ‘ladies hours,’ we can give you no better advice than to follow the suggestions given by the names and learn for yourself what we mean.”

Faulkner says the article and accompanying photo make clear the women exercised separately from their male classmates, which is likely why their skirts are shorter. During the 1890s, women’s activities were “severely proscribed” by fashion (corsets and long skirts), modesty and propriety of the Victorian era.

The 1890s saw those standards giving way to the era of the “new woman,” Faulkner says, in which women discarded those restrictions as they embraced sports for the health and social benefits.

“I love the picture because their choice of clothing, especially the short skirts, shows how much athletics challenged the still powerful views that women should be modest,” she says. “Women’s fashion did not allow shorter (above the ankle) skirts for everyday wear until about WWI. Earlier, in the 1850s, women’s rights activists stopped wearing the ‘’ because they were mocked so severely.”

Beyond the Gymnasium

The article that follows the story on battle-ball also focuses on the experience of women in higher education at the time, titled “What is the College Woman Doing in the World?”

“We can hardly imagine a woman who has had the inspiration of four years of college life as going out into the world and leaving behind her all the life and stir that have been hers for four years,” the article by M.S. Coon says.

The second article delves into ways female graduates were making careers for themselves, namely with social activism or social work. Specifically, it mentions women college graduates founding and working in , which functioned as community-based centers in poor neighborhoods.

The two articles, side-by-side, give a clear look at how women on the Syracuse campus were advocating at the time for their own athletics, education and careers after graduation.

“The author and her fellow athletes were asserting their physical health along with their academic capabilities in hopes of creating or advancing post-college opportunities at a time when careers were still very limited for women and most women would still marry and have children,” Faulkner says.

The articles from the University News are housed in the in the University Archives. Anyone can visit the Special Collections Research Center and request to see them.

One of the nation’s rising stars in intercollegiate athletics will soon take the helm of Íű±ŹĂĆ Athletics. Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie today announced the appointment of Bryan B. Blair as the University’s next director of athletics. Blair has served as vice president and director of athletics at the University of Toledo since 2022. He is widely regarded as one of the most creative and accomplished leaders in college athletics: a builder of championship programs, a generator of innovative revenue strategies and a genuine believer in the transformative power of higher education. His appointment has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“Bryan Blair is the athletics leader for this moment and for the future of Íű±ŹĂĆ,” says Haynie. “He is a fierce competitor who knows how to build winning programs, a visionary who approaches the business of college athletics with genuine creativity and ingenuity, and a leader of exemplary character who understands that athletics exists to serve students and the broader University mission. He is exactly the right person to lead the new era of Íű±ŹĂĆ Athletics.”

Fierce Fundraiser and Innovative Revenue Generator

Blair has built a reputation across the industry for finding new and creative ways to grow programs, generate revenue and create experiences that connect athletics to its surrounding community. Under Blair’s leadership, the University of Toledo has accomplished the following:

• grew fundraising by 282% since FY22, including securing the second-largest gift in school history;
• built the Mid-American Conference’s most sophisticated NIL ecosystem, securing national partnerships with Powerade and pioneering auto-lease arrangements for women’s basketball;
• launched the 1923 Society, generating more than $13.6 million with nearly 50% first-time major gift donors;
• achieved 71% growth in Rocket Fund with more than $1 million-plus gifts in 13 months than the previous decade combined;
• secured KeyBank as the inaugural title sponsor of women’s athletics and launched the Venture Visionary Courtside Club, two transformational corporate partnerships that elevated the Toledo brand and increased revenue generation;
• established a departmentwide data and analytics initiative focused on “Data Excellence,” integrating advanced analytics and AI to drive decision-making, revenue growth and student-athlete support;
• partnered with Vu Technologies to create the first digital studio of its kind in college athletics and converted dormant facilities into active revenue and corporate activation assets;
• launched “Glass City Live,” the program’s first football stadium concert in more than 30 years, drawing 18,000 fans and establishing a new revenue stream;
• added rowing as a varsity sport through a novel partnership model projected to generate more than $1 million in annual net tuition; and
• led the development of a $75 million facilities master plan.

Blair says he looks forward to bringing his big ideas and bigger energy to Íű±ŹĂĆ.

“Íű±ŹĂĆ is one of the most iconic programs in college athletics, with a proud championship history, world-class academics and an incredibly passionate fan base,” says Blair. “The opportunity to lead Orange Athletics at this moment is incredibly exciting because the potential ahead is extraordinary. With the clear alignment and shared ambition of Chancellor Haynie, the Board of Trustees, our campus leadership, coaches, student-athletes, alumni and the entire Central New York community, we will build a modern athletics enterprise that competes for championships, elevates the Orange brand and positions Syracuse as a national leader in the future of college athletics. The best days of Syracuse Athletics are ahead of us, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the program to new levels of excellence.”

Blair also thanked the search committee for its work.

“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Steve Ballentine for his leadership as chair of the search committee, to Mike Tirico, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, and to the entire committee for the time, care and thoughtfulness they invested throughout the process. Their passion for Syracuse was palpable throughout the process, and I’m excited to work together to move Syracuse Athletics forward.”

Building Cultures of Success

During his tenure at Toledo, Blair built an unprecedented culture of success. He led Toledo to three consecutive MAC Cartwright Awards as the conference’s top overall athletics program and 16 conference championships in less than four years—more than the program had won in the previous decade combined. His tenure included a MAC football title, two bowl wins, two championship game appearances and historic victories over Mississippi State and Pitt. Toledo’s football program also produced consecutive Top-65 NFL Draft picks and multiple AP Top-25 appearances, while leading all Group of Six programs in 2026 NFL combine invites. Toledo Athletics led the nation in combined football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball conference wins from 2022–24 with 76, and finished second nationally in the Excellence in Management Cup. In the same year, Toledo became the first program in school history to win both the MAC’s Reese Trophy for top men’s programs and the Jacoby Trophy for top women’s programs. Toledo also secured the program’s first-ever volleyball championship, while nearly doubling attendance.

Search Committee Chairman Steve Ballentine ’83 says Blair’s vision and track record combined with his business acumen position him to hit the ground running.

“Bryan is an impressive leader who stood out in a pool of high-caliber candidates from across college athletics, professional sports and other relevant industries,” says Ballentine. “He is an innovator who finds opportunities others don’t see, a competitor who builds championship cultures and a leader who brings out the best in every member of his team. He is going to do big things at Syracuse, and I am thrilled to welcome him to the Orange Nation.”

Track Record of Success

Prior to Toledo, Blair served as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Washington State University (WSU), where he helped guide a Power Five program through one of the most visible periods in its history. While at WSU, the program:

• doubled annual fundraising to more than $30 million and secured an $11 million naming rights agreement;
• secured a Top-10 national finish and the program’s first 11-win season in football;
• made NCAA tournament appearances in six sports;
• had 35 All-Americans; and
• and accomplished record academic achievement.

Blair played a key role in hiring two future Power Four head coaches, including Kyle Smith, now at Stanford, and Jake Dickert, now at Wake Forest. He directed the program’s NIL strategy, including assisting in the recruitment of future No. 1 NFL Draft pick Cam Ward, who played two seasons at Washington State before transferring to the University of Miami. Before Washington State, Blair spent four years at Rice University as a senior associate athletics director, where he helped the department win 16 conference championships across nine sports, grow its annual fund by 73% and secure a record $3 million partnership with the Texas Medical Center. He also held a compliance role at the University of South Carolina, working closely with Dawn Staley’s Top-10 women’s basketball program during a formative period that included the recruitment of the nation’s top prospect and future WNBA star, Aja Wilson.

Commitment to the Academic Mission

What distinguishes Blair as much as his competitive and business record is his commitment to the mission of higher education. A lifelong learner with a law degree and a background as a Division I student-athlete, he has consistently integrated athletics into the academic and civic life of the institutions he has served. At Toledo, he co-chaired the search process for the university’s executive vice president and provost, a role rarely assumed by an athletics director. Student-athletes excelled in the classroom during Blair’s tenure producing 11 consecutive semesters above a 3.3 department GPA. Blair’s “Team Toledo” movement created a unified identity across the athletics department, the broader university and the Northwest Ohio region, aligning partners, fans and institutions around a shared mission and purpose.

In 2024, Blair was named to the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) Forty Under 40, one of only two MAC athletic directors ever to receive the honor. The SBJ Forty Under 40 is one of the sports industry’s premier executive honors, with previous alumni that include Adam Silver (NBA commissioner), Kevin Plank (founder, Under Armour), Brett Yormark (Big 12 commissioner) and Brian Rolapp (CEO, PGA Tour). Blair is also a member of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, and formerly served on the Steering Committee of the National Sports Forum, one of the largest gatherings of revenue generation executives from a diverse array of teams, leagues, agencies and brands. Blair holds a juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law and a bachelor of arts in history from Wofford College, where he was a Division I football student-athlete.

Blair and his wife, Jenna, have two children, daughter Brielle and son Beau.

When the puck drops for women’s ice hockey at the , three members of the Orange community will be competing for gold, representing Canada, the United States and Japan.

The University’s women’s ice hockey coach will be serving as an assistant coach for Hockey Canada, ’16 will be working as a video coach for Team USA and ’15 will be playing defense for Team Japan.

Seeing Smith and other members of the Orange’s hockey alumni community on the Olympic stage is “an amazing feeling,” says current defensemen ’26.

“It’s awesome to see how far the game has grown,” she says. “Obviously, everyone dreams of one day playing in the Olympics. So knowing your coach is there, some of the teammates you played with before are there, it just represents something bigger than yourself. And it’s really motivating to see the younger girls and the younger generations really get inspired, hopefully, to have the same dream that we all did of hopefully making it to the Olympics.”

Gendron says she hopes others watching women’s ice hockey know they can stay motivated and determined in pursuit of their own dreams of Olympic gold.

“Believe in yourself, be confident and you’ll succeed if you just keep working hard every day,” Gendron says. “One thing I really learned at Syracuse, especially, is there’s always something bigger than yourself. So remind yourself when you play, always play for something bigger than yourself and for the people around you.”

The Syracuse women’s ice hockey team is planning big watch parties with their coaches to cheer Smith on in particular, she says.

“We’re obviously very happy and proud for her, and we just can’t wait to watch her succeed,” Gendron says.

Below, learn more about Smith, Piacentini and Hosoyamada:

Smith, the second head coach in Orange women’s ice hockey program history, has worked in coaching positions for Hockey Canada since 2014. A native of Port Perry, Ontario, Smith was a Top-10 finalist for the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award while a defenseman at St. Lawrence University. She was an assistant coach at Clarkson for eight years, taking the reins at Syracuse in May 2022.

She and Hockey Canada took silver at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Czechia in April, falling only to the United States in an overtime classic for the Gold Medal Round.

“Representing Canada on the international stage is both humbling and exciting, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute alongside some of the most accomplished athletes and coaches in the game,” Smith in a statement when her Olympic position on the team was announced in July.

Smith said she looks forward to returning to Syracuse “with valuable experiences and insights that will further benefit our team and the continued growth of our program.”

Piacentini ended her senior season playing forward for Syracuse as the program’s all-time leader in career points (112, accounting for both goals and assists) and was the recipient of the . She also won the award in 2016.

After graduating, she played professionally for the EVB Eagles SĂŒdtirol (formerly the EV Bozen Eagles) in Bolzano, Italy, winning the Italian league crown in 2017.

A native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, she served as a video coach for the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team and is currently the assistant coach for the .

Hosoyamada will represent Team Japan for the at the Olympics. A team member since 2017, she previously competed as a defender in Pyeongchang (2018) and Beijing (2022).

During her time at Syracuse, Hosoyamada played five seasons after redshirting during her sophomore year and served as team captain during her redshirt senior year. During her college career, she played 151 games, tallying 10 goals and 51 assists.

Hosoyamada told Íű±ŹĂĆ Today that representing both Team Japan and the University brings reflection and responsibility.

Playing for the Orange, she says she learned to trust her instincts and “embrace the process.” She says she’s carried that mindset with her after graduating, to the Olympic bench and Team Japan.

With each Olympic appearance, she says her understanding of what it means to wear her jersey has “deepened.”

“I’m proud to represent Team Japan—not just as a player, but as someone who understands the history, the growth and the responsibility that comes with it,” she says. “Íű±ŹĂĆ will always be a huge part of who I am. It’s where I learned how to compete, how to lead and how to handle adversity. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career and continue to shape how I approach moments like this. Standing on the Olympic stage again, I feel grateful, grounded and motivated to give everything I have—using my experience to help the team and to perform at our best when it matters most.”

Hosoyamada says her biggest advice to young athletes dreaming of competing in the Olympics is to not give up when you encounter adversity.

“For me, there was a season when I felt like giving up completely,” she says. “But instead of walking away, I gave myself another chance—one more season, one more push. Looking back, that decision changed everything. Growth often happens right at the point where things feel hardest, so trust the process, stay patient and keep showing up, even when it’s tough.”

Over the past two years, the University’s athletic dining program has undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of chef Jeff Dover, who has worked to establish a standard of nutritional excellence for the Division I student-athletes.

The program was rolled out in stages, expanding alongside the construction at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The Fallon Family Dining Center in the complex’s Football Performance Center first opened in the spring 2025 semester for use by the football team. In the fall semester, the Magee One Team Dining Center opened, thanks to a $2 million gift from Ed Magee ’70, G ’72 to honor his father,Ìę effectively doubling the size of the dining program. Dover and his team now serve hundreds of student-athletes every week.

“The new dining facilities at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, in both the Football Performance Center and Magee One Team Dining Center, showcase our continued strategic investment to help our student-athletes compete at the highest level,” says director of athletics John Wildhack ’80.

“Nutrition is a cornerstone of athletic performance, and we’ve seen firsthand how this facility has impacted our teams. Working with our nutrition staff and chef Dover, we’ve created a space where our student-athletes can fuel their bodies properly and build the kind of team culture that leads to success.”

When he was hired, Dover knew he could play a vital role in the success of student-athletes on the playing field. He works closely with team nutritionists and strength and conditioning coaches to provide food for fuel, recovery and everything in between.

“I tend to focus on the macro nutrition,” Dover says. “Whereas the performance nutritionist has to focus on the micro nutrition: hydration, vitamins and minerals, refueling and recovery.”

The transition to coach Fran Brown’s tenure in early 2024 brought fresh dynamics to the program. Dover’s team served their first meals to Brown’s squad on Jan. 17, 2024, and quickly adapted to the new coaching staff’s preferences through player surveys and constant communication.

“Coach Brown is hands-on, very involved with our nutrition program. You can tell that the details matter to him,” Dover says, emphasizing the value of direct feedback from both players and coaches.

Mixing Up the Menu to Avoid the Mundane

The menu ranges from comfort food favorites like homemade biscuits with gravy and baked French toast to upscale options on special nights. Monday nights will often feature comfort standards like burgers, hot dogs and fried fish, while Wednesdays often include player-favorite varieties of chicken wings.

The key, Dover stresses, is variety over the 15-week semester to keep meals from becoming mundane. Keeping it fresh for the juniors and seniors, players new to the program and staff requires frequent communication and input.ÌęHe says that the players won’t hesitate to let his staff know if they’re getting tired of something on the menu.

“This team and the coaching staff let you know, no questions asked,” Dover says with a smile. “I couldn’t ask for a better dynamic between my staff, particularly the supervisors and the coaching staff. It’s very familial.”

This fall, when construction ended and the Magee One Team dining area opened, the athletic dining culinary team knew that their scope of responsibilities was going to expand. They’re now providing breakfast Monday through Friday, catering departure meals for teams preparing for away games and providing pregame meals for same-day competition in Syracuse seven days a week.

Dover’s ultimate goal is ambitious: to make Syracuse’s athletic dining program the standard of excellence that other Division I programs seek to emulate. With a motivated staff that arrives as early as 4 a.m., a collaborative relationship with coaches and their staffs and leadership from both the Athletic Department and Auxiliary Services, the foundation appears solid.

“This [experience] has been really gratifying for both myself and my staff,” Dover says. “We love these teams. You know, a lot of my staff don’t know the first thing about sports, but they really like providing these meals for the players and the coaching staff. It’s a point of pride.”

When Brian Tarrant’s email arrived in the inbox of design faculty in the (VPA), it carried with it more than a simple project proposal. It carried the weight of history, the story of college football’s most famed number—the legendary 44—aČÔ»ć those who wore it.

Tarrant ’96, a former Orange football player and senior vice president with MC2, a brand experience solutions agency, reached out to partner with the University. He sought help curating the memorabilia and developing the storytelling for the Legend of 44 exhibition, which his company designed.

The primary stakeholder, Rob Konrad ’02, the last Syracuse football player to wear the number before it was retired in 2005, invested a significant amount of time and personal resources to help acquire the iconic memorabilia. “His generosity and deep love for the University truly made this project possible,” Tarrant says.

The is not just a jersey at Syracuse; it is part of the University’s identity. From 1954 to 1998, 11 players wore the number, beginning with Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown ’57, who ushered in the modern era and transformed it into a symbol of excellence.

The most notable players to follow Brown include Ernie Davis ’62, the first African American Heisman Trophy winner in 1961; Floyd Little ’67, H’16, a three-time All-American at Syracuse and Hall of Fame running back with the Denver Broncos; Michael Owens ’90; Terry Richardson ’94; and Konrad, who went on to play six seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

Honoring the Legend of 44

To create the exhibition, environmental and interior design students Trisha Mohta ’28, Katja Wetzel ’27, Carmela Garcia ’26, Isabel Lamporte ’26 and Holly Ishiro-Randall ’26—along with museum studies graduate student Daniel Griffaton G’26—worked alongside faculty members Zoriana Dunham, assistant teaching professor, Andrew Saluti, associate professor, and Tarrant and his team.

The students learned the stories behind the artifacts, including game-worn helmets from Brown and Konrad and cleats from Davis’ Heisman season. They visited the storage site to measure objects and examine them firsthand. The challenge was to translate decades of achievement, sacrifice and cultural significance into a cohesive narrative that would resonate with fans across generations.

Within the exhibition’s design, larger cases feature Brown, Davis and Little, and smaller cases feature Owens, Richardson and Konrad. A backlit 44 display lists all 25 players who were known to wear the number on the football field.

A Rewarding Experience for Students

As the project progressed, the team saw how individual stories wove together into something larger—a tapestry of excellence that transcended any single student-athlete. They collaborated through shared digital whiteboards, collecting sketches and concepts, refining their vision through multiple meetings with Tarrant’s team.

Garcia has focused on big-scale design in her studies, and this project taught her that human-centered design must prioritize the small scale.

“It was so exciting to see this project come to life within the course of a few weeks,” Garcia says. “And it made me realize the power of cooperation, various skills and a shared interest.”

Randall says the students were involved in the full design process. “For the first time, we were able to follow a project from initial ideation through installation, and I am proud to have been able to contribute to a project that celebrates Syracuse’s legacy,” she says.

“A particularly meaningful element for the students was shaping the ‘legend story’ of the iconic number 44,” says Dunham. “They worked to design a display that would connect fans across generations while preserving the legacy and significance of the number within the school community.”

When installation week arrived in mid-November, the students and faculty completed the hands-on work. The exhibition, now permanently situated outside Club 44 at Gate C in the JMA Wireless Dome, features the artifacts alongside a timeline honoring every player who wore the number, plus video and photo displays that bring the legacy to life.

“Working with students from the environmental and interior design and museum studies programs was an incredible opportunity,” says Tarrant. “The students assumed ownership of the storytelling, including image selection, artifact descriptions and overall layout, which became a major asset to the project’s success. I could not be more proud of this project and the role the students played in bringing it to life.”

The unveiling ceremony in November was attended by Konrad and William Schoonover ’65, who also wore the 44, along with the families of the legendary players and Chancellor Kent Syverud.

For Dunham and Saluti, watching their students succeed was deeply rewarding. “The students gained experience in artifact research, narrative development, client collaboration, iterative design and team project management,” says Dunham. “It is a rare opportunity for students to leave a permanent mark on campus while applying the skills they are learning—what could be more powerful than that?”

Playing in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. Maintaining high marks in the classroom. Seeking career-launching internships.

The time management skills required of the student-athletes on campus are impressive, but despite those obligations, many student-athletes prioritize giving back to the community that cheers them on to victory through service projects.

With Thanksgiving approaching, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is once again partnering with Wegmans to provide between 300 and 400 turkeys to families in need around the holidays.

Anna Rupert ’26 has participated in the drive for the last two years and says it is especially important for her to spread some holiday cheer and help people enjoy a turkey dinner at Thanksgiving.

“It’s amazing to see how this act can impact someone’s life. Service creates bonds and creates friendships. Through service, we become more well-rounded, holistic leaders on campus,” says Rupert, a member of the women’s soccer team studying economics () and philosophy ().

Setting a Positive Example

The turkey drive is just one of the ways Orange student-athletes are supporting the community through service.

Rupert and some of her teammates also volunteer at the Central New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, playing with and taking dogs for walks at the shelter.

“Volunteering is about setting an example of what it looks like to be a student-athlete,” says Rupert, vice president of SAAC. “Once our student-athletes are out in the community, they’re able to see how their efforts are making a difference. We are leading by example and showing what it means to represent Syracuse.”

Service Fuels Holistic Development

The importance of community service was instilled in Sydnie Waller ’27 from a very early age. When she was 5 years old, Waller remembers accompanying her parents, DarKenya and Sean Waller, to food banks near their home in Nashville, Tennessee.

When Sydnie first arrived on campus as a member of the women’s volleyball team, she sought ways to give back to the community. Those efforts have included reading to and playing games with area school children, and serving up hot meals, sorting food and washing dishes at food banks.

Through her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Waller is also involved in three different food-based community service projects leading up to Thanksgiving.

“I volunteer because I have the ability to give back and I’m trying to do something to make a change,” says Waller, a marketing major in the . “We all have an obligation to our community. It’s important to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and know that you made a difference with the time you had.”

A Role Model for Children

Whenever Angelica Velez ’27 and her women’s basketball team play inside the JMA Wireless Dome, they know the Central New York community is rooting for them. Children from the Syracuse Central School District and other elementary, middle and high schools can always be found in the stands.

Velez says the team relies on that support to transform the Dome into the “Loud House,” and knowing how much the community shows up for the team fuels her service efforts.

Last year, after transferring from Louisiana State University, Velez spent roughly 80 hours volunteering, giving back to the Syracuse Rescue Mission and the Food Bank of Central New York, preparing meals at the Samaritan Center and making care packages for children.

“Giving back brings me joy. I really enjoy being able to impact somebody else’s life,” says Velez, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the .

“I can be a role model for the kids in the community. For them getting to know me on a personal level is humbling and allows me to grow as a leader because I understand the impact we’re having through service.”

Giving Back What They Have Received

The SAAC features students from every intercollegiate athletics team coming together to make a difference on campus and in the community through professional development and networking opportunities, cultural celebrations and community outreach.

Within SAAC, the Community Outreach Committee connects interested student-athletes with more volunteer opportunities in the community. Opportunities exist to assist those facing homelessness through a partnership between the Samaritan Center and We Rise Above the Streets.

Last spring, during Sandwich Saturdays, Emma Klein ’25, G’27 would spend three hours making sandwiches and distributing them to Central New Yorkers. Hoping to entice others to join in, Klein sent out texts in the team’s group chat. She was amazed at how quickly her teammates answered the call to assist. Soon there were seven to eight of Klein’s teammates handing out sandwiches.

“Seeing the impact we can have on our community was really touching. You don’t realize that the littlest things mean the world to someone,” says Klein, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and is pursuing a master’s in engineering from the . “I’m grateful and fortunate for everything the Syracuse community has given me. I want to be able to give back what I have been given.”

Eleven awards recognizing excellence in research innovation were presented at s annual symposium last week.

More than 100 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty members from , and presented their research at the event. Leaders from regional businesses and industry partners also attended.

Winners were selected in five categories:

Sensing, Actuation, Intelligence and BioInspired Systems

First Place: Rohit Jakkula
Graduate researcher, (ECS)
, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, adviser
“Transformable Modular Robots”

Second Place: Silverio Johnson
Postdoctoral scholar, (A&S)
, assistant professor of physics, adviser
“Quenching Variability of Drosophila Larval Behavior Using Multi-Sensory Stimulation”

Development and Disease

First Place: Anthony Watt
Graduate researcher, ECS
, associate professor, Samuel and Carol Nappi Research Scholar and biomedical and chemical engineering graduate program director, adviser
“Machine Learning Analysis of Multimodal Waveforms and Synthetic Data Augmentation for Predicting Cardiotoxicity in Single Cell hiPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes”

Second Place: Anton Jayakodiarachchige
Doctoral student, A&S
, assistant professor of biology, adviser
“Investigating the Dual Role of Mediterraneibacter Gnavus in the Small Intestine: Friend or Foe?”

Honorable Mention: Arpan Banerjee
Doctoral student, SUNY Upstate Medical University
, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, biochemistry and molecular biology and cell and developmental biology, adviser
“The Role of USP10 in Corneal Angiogenesis via YAP/TAZ Signaling”

Designer Biology

First Place: Daniel Fougnier
Doctoral student, A&S
, professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, adviser
“Voxelated Assembly of Large-Scale Tissue Constructs”

Second Place: Paul Sagoe
Doctoral student, ECS
, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, adviser
“Tailoring Polymeric Nanoparticles Properties for Enhanced Targeted Delivery to Macrophage Subpopulation”

Function Without Form

First Place: Nirbhik Acharya
Postdoctoral scholar, A&S
, associate professor of biology and chemistry, adviser
“STI1 Domain Engages Transient Helices to Drive Phase Separation of Yeast Ubiquilin”

Second Place: Jess Niblo
Postdoctoral scholar, A&S
, assistant professor of chemistry, adviser
“Profiling Structural Sensitivity Across Human Transcription Factor”

Adaptive Energy and Infrastructure Materials

First Place: Vanshika Vanshika
Doctoral student, A&S
, associate professor of chemistry, adviser
“Turn on the Lanthanide NIR Emission of Non-Fluorescent Lanthanide-Based Double Perovskite Nanocrystals by Incorporating a Fluorescent Sensitizer”

Second Place: Ruosi (Joyce) Qiao
Doctoral student, ECS
, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, adviser
“Binder-Free Dry-Processed Electrode Enabled by a Porous Carbon Current Collector for Lithium-Ion Batteries”

BioInspired supports research on complex biological systems and the development and design of programmable smart materials to address global challenges in health, medicine and materials innovation. ÌęAssociated faculty come from life sciences, engineering, physics and chemistry.

“A dark presence looms over the sanctity of a collegiate event.

In walks the top-ranked player, in walks the destroyer of worlds.

You asked for friendlies and you got a war; Syrup is in the building.”

Those were the words commentators uttered as Andrew Mo ’29Ìę took his place with his Syracuse teammates , the largest gaming competition for Super Smash Bros. in the world. The University competed at the August event, facing off in a best of three crew battle against Shenandoah University.

When it was his turn at the controller, Mo sat slouched slightly forward in the black folding chair, focused on the monitor before him, seemingly unshakable as onlookers and commentators reacted to his gameplay.

“This guy is crazy,” one of them said.

After one devastating blow to an opponent, the commentators let out squawks of delight while people in the crowd clasped their hands to their heads in amazement.

Mo deftly removed his headphones, offered his opponent a fist bump and turned forward again, waiting for the next player to take a seat beside him.

By the time the battle was over, the commentators labeled the “Syrup sweep” complete.

At the time, Mo was ranked eleventh globally for Super Smash Bros Ultimate. His Smash Bros. coach , who is also the esports program manager in the , says Mo is now trending closer to the top five.

“He’s probably the fifth in the world right now,” Bair says.

What Makes Syrup So Good

Mo, an undeclared major in the , first picked up a controller when he was 5, playing Smash with his brother. He says what he loves about the game is how free form it can be.

“There’s a lot of room for creativity and your gameplay has personality in it,” he says. “Your gameplay is your own, and it’s unique.”

He began playing competitively in 2019 at the age of 12, starting with local tournaments in his home state of New Jersey.

Mo says when he was getting ready to compete in his first match, he forgot to create his “in-game” tag, or name. So he played with the moniker left behind by another player—Syrup.

“It was someone else’s, so I was just like, ‘OK, this is mine now,’” Mo says.

Now, it’s how he’s known around the world.

Why He Chose Íű±ŹĂĆ

Mo says he was drawn to Syracuse for its programs, but also for its investment in esports and new state-of-the-art facilities.

Esports started on campus in 2017 as a student club, but the University now has both an esports communications and management bachelor’s degree—offered jointly by the and the —aČÔ»ć , meaning the squads are school-supported, under . Thirty students field the six varsity teams playing Call of Duty, Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Valorant.

Programs are run out of two gaming facilities on campus, at the Barnes Center at The Arch and the Schine Student Center. A third space is also being built in the Marley Building.

“Syracuse is probably the only school with two whole facilities,” Mo says. “And the facilities inside, they’re very advanced and modern looking. It’s literally the perfect place to play any competitive game.”

While the NCAA doesn’t currently support esports, the University’s varsity teams compete in the Power Esports Conference (PEC) against other Division I schools, such as Michigan State, Boise State and Ohio State, among others. With a fall and spring season, the University plays each school in the fall and then again in the spring, culminating with an in-person championship in April. Some of the varsity teams also compete in the PlayVS College League (PCL).

There are seven student-athletes on the varsity Smash team, including Mo.ÌęBair said separate of his skill, Mo’s contributions as a person and teammate in the program have also been significant. He’s humble when Smash comes up in classes, a good student and hardworking member of the varsity team.

“He represents collegiate esports really well,” Bair says.

The Impact at Syracuse

To convey what it means to have a player of Mo’s caliber, Joey Gawrysiak, executive director of esports and professor of practice, brings up another Syracuse legend.

“The analogy we always use is that Andrew is the best recruit Syracuse has had since Carmelo Anthony,” he says. “He is not only just technically gifted, he is mentally gifted at the game and understands how somebody is going to react to his play style, so he can then counteract it really well and not have to react in real time as much as the average person might have to.”

Bair says Mo might be the most talented person at a single skill you could meet in your lifetime.

“I don’t know if I will meet someone better at something than Andrew is skilled at this video game,” he says.

Part of Mo’s talent is simply innate, Bair says.

But the coach stressed the time Mo puts in to develop his game is also huge.

Mo says he tries to play every day. And if he can’t pick up a controller, he is still thinking about the game.

“I think about Smash a lot,” he says. “A big way to improve once you reach a higher level is you have to start thinking of new situations and how to implement new ideas into your game.”

Mo says Syracuse is the “perfect place to go” if you’re interested in esports.

He’s learned in his own classes how esports can translate to other majors, like business, management or production.

“I want to lean toward learning how to make content and get into maybe the production side of things, which Syracuse can definitely help me with,” he says.

, the Ìęand today announced they will team up to launch the Student-Athlete Financial Empowerment Program, an initiative designed to prepare Orange student-athletes for long-term financial success during and beyond their college careers. The program will launch in January 2026 and will be open to all Íű±ŹĂĆ students.

Among the first of its kind nationally in the post-NIL era, the program will provide comprehensive financial literacy education to more than 550 Syracuse student-athletes across all 20 varsity sports, as well as any Íű±ŹĂĆ student interested in enrolling.

Students will take a for-credit course offered by Whitman School faculty. Through the course’s workshops, one-on-one guidance and hands-on experiences, students will learn essential skills, including budgeting, credit and debt management, investing, wealth protection, and career and post-college financial planning. Student-athletes will be able to leverage what they learn in the program to help them navigate NIL opportunities and tax responsibilities.

“This partnership reflects our deep commitment to preparing student-athletes not only for success in competition, but also for success in life,” says Director of Athletics ’80. “By combining the Whitman School’s academic expertise with Visions Federal Credit Union’s industry knowledge, we’re equipping our student-athletes with the tools to make smart, confident financial decisions.”

Visions Federal Credit Union will serve as the exclusive financial education partner for the program. Its involvement ensures consistent, personalized support for all students, including student-athletes, while also aligning with the credit union’s mission to empower communities through financial wellness.

“At Visions, we believe financial empowerment is life empowerment,” says Ty Muse, president and CEO of Visions. “Partnering with Syracuse Athletics and the Whitman School allows us to invest in the next generation of leaders, helping them build strong financial foundations that will serve them well beyond their playing days.”

The Whitman School will play a pivotal role in the program’s academic integration, providing a for-credit academic experience to ensure students are able to learn the tools needed for financial empowerment offered by Whitman’s nationally ranked expertise in finance and business education.

“This collaboration exemplifies the best of what Íű±ŹĂĆ offers—an intersection of academics, practical and relevant experience, and community partnership,” says , interim dean of the Whitman School. “We are proud to help our student-athletes develop the skills needed to thrive in a complex business world.”

The Student-Athlete Financial Empowerment Program is part of the University’s campaign, which is dedicated to providing student-athletes with the resources, support and opportunities they need to compete—aČÔ»ć succeed—at the highest levels.

has officially joined the name, image and likeness (NIL) era.

The beloved Íű±ŹĂĆ mascot is the first in the nation to ink a merchandise deal with The NIL Store as a part of the new .

It features a throwback-style jersey with an oversized graphic of Otto the Orange, paired with the numbers of current Orange football players signed to the NIL Store. At a press conference, Otto received their first jersey from football punter Jack Stonehouse, who warmly welcomed Otto to the NIL team.

The jersey designs combine vintage fashion with mascot flair, offering a fun way for fans of all ages to represent Syracuse while also supporting current athletes.ÌęEach purchase from the store provides direct NIL earnings to Syracuse football players and the Orange mascot program, bringing together tradition and innovation.

The benefit to the mascot program will be in allowing Otto to be at more places and to deliver a better experience, says Otto Coach Julie Walas ’07, G’13. “We’re excited to use the proceeds from the store to help celebrate big milestone moments for the University,” Walas says. She looks forward to working with the NIL Store team to develop more Otto-themed products in the future.

“Otto has been bringing joy to our campus and community for decades, and this NIL opportunity allows us to enhance that experience while providing additional support to our student-athletes,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80. “It’s one of the many creative possibilities of NIL and we’re proud that Syracuse has the first collegiate mascot to secure this type of deal.”

Otto became a fixture on the sidelines of Íű±ŹĂĆ athletic competitions in the 1980s and the official University mascot in 1995. Along with keeping the enthusiasm level high during sporting events, Otto is a University ambassador who attends a broad range of University and community events. They were inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in August 2023.

Fourteen student-athletes will experience Washington, D.C., next week as part of a new Maymester program hosted by the (IDJC).

The one-week program, Democracy Playbook: DC Media and Civics Immersion for Student-Athletes, will give students an up-close look at the inner workings of the nation’s capital and prompt them to explore how they can use their skills as athletes to bring visibility to important issues.

“Athletes are born leaders and team players,” says , Kramer Director of IDJC. “This program will guide them as they take their talent, discipline and passion off the field to develop their civics muscles, with a playbook for how to navigate media, politics and policy.”

Students will arrive in Washington having chosen a policy or issue that matters to them, with the goal of learning to support and advocate for that issue. A series of instructional modules will cover topics like Representing Your Community, Media Literacy and Engagement, and Social Media, Traditional Media and Your Brand. Students will also participate in media/advocacy training sessions, and hear from various civic and business leaders based in D.C.

The week will also include tours the U.S. Capitol Building, the Department of State, the National Archives and ESPN studios, as well as social activities like the , a and a game at Audi Field.

The new program helps expand opportunities for student-athletes, whose training and game schedules often prevent them from participating in traditional semester-long programs.