When I arrived at Syracuse, I didn’t know what type of journalism I wanted to pursue. I was — and still am, to my occasional ire — a Broadcast and Digital major. I’d written in high school, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do in college.

So, I signed up for multifarious media organizations. The Daily Orange was one of them, and Zak Wolf soon gave me a story about a high school soccer goalkeeper. It was my chance to break in, my opportunity to show what I was capable of.

So, I wrote a 2,500-word story with section breaks.

Good thing Zak didn’t ghost me when I filed that. He brought me into the house, we sat on the porch and he distilled it down to 700 words, and it ran. Good thing Cooper didn’t kick me off the track beat when I did the same thing again with my next feature — 2,500 words, section breaks, bloated with extraneous fluff.

Good thing they stuck with me and let me show what I was actually capable of story-by-story, not in one humongous 2,500-word helping. Because, the memories I have with the staff and in the house are nonpareil. They are the best of my on campus life. Note: I said on campus. I loved taking a break and going to Madrid in the fall, but I couldn’t separate myself from The D.O. I’m honored I could culminate my in-house experience serving as Sports Editor.

However, now I’m done, and the Oregon fan is writing a Duck. It’s fitting, isn’t it?

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Jordan: I’ll admit I was slightly startled when an incoming freshman joined one of our Zoom meetings before the school year started last year and even more taken aback when you began working in house right away. But you quickly proved me wrong. Your improvement has been staggering and breathtaking. I’m honored to hand over the reins as Sports Editor to you. I’m writing this as I see you in The Chair. It looks good, and you’re leading with a level head — as expected. You’re a thoughtful writer and thorough editor. On top of that, a deliberative decision-maker. That’ll help you this fall, as well as the uncasing energy and care you had, fully on show during our 1 a.m. run to Denny’s — did that even happen?! I’m always here to help you and chat. I can’t wait to see what you and your staff do in the fall.

Harris: I feel like practically every Wednesday I’ve spent at The D.O., you’ve been there, too. With that has come innumerable jokes — Chipotle orders of varying lengths, delivery times and questions of if it’d be delivered at all — and so many lessons about the outré characters and trends inhabiting your reels. Find something else to do with your life. I kid, of course. Like all The Johnsons, I noticed immense growth from you in the semester I was abroad and even more during the spring. Your ideas are sharp, and your writing is always engaging and enjoyable to read.

Mauricio: “Zane Gonzalez would be proud, because this is a great kicker!” I know he’s no longer with the Commanders and he wasn’t all that great to begin with, but the point stands: your writing never ceases to amaze me. Your mordant tone is sui generis, and your storytelling ability is acerbic and captivating. I adored all the features in all — and I always relished waking up in Madrid to read them and send you a text, or awaiting the filing of your story — but it was Milk Gate that proved that most to me. That’s creativity. That’s energy. That’s mendacity. I see a lot of myself in you in the amount you read and incessant passion for sportswriting and journalism. You’ve been a strong editor, bolstering my story each time you read it. I know that passion for writing and editing will shine through as development editor. New writers are going to be fortunate to work with the great Mauricio Palmar. Yes, the full name was intentional. And yes, I blatantly stole that from you. I’m excited to cover the rest of men’s lacrosse’s season with you. Let’s hope all the travel goes smoothly.

Noah: I feel like we’ve gotten close the farther we were apart. I’m sad we hardly crossed paths this entire year, but those long calls and consistent random texts as I transitioned made it so smooth on my end. Thanks for holding down the fort in Syracuse while I was 3,600 miles away. When we were hired together as copy editors back in 2024, I didn’t know you, and then you left early in transition week. However, once we returned to campus in the fall, covered beats, had misadventures to Greensboro and coordinated copy at the waking hours of the morning — the same hours you had me post WICE from Madrid — I knew we’d work well together. I knew you’d be one of my closest friends on campus. We shared a desire to grind our way up and tell engaging stories. We did that, and it’s been awesome to witness your growth and be alongside you for it. The best compliment I can give is you wrote stories I wish I wrote, in the best way possible, with Tajon and McIntyre. I just wish I could’ve somehow retrieved the print copy and shown it to Buchanan when I saw him play at the Bernabéu, but both those things are unattainable. I’m so psyched that you’re in management and even more excited to spend more time with you next year covering beats and reminiscing now that we’re the geriatric guys — who also happen to be covering Gerry McNamara.

Zak: Zak, you could’ve kicked me to the curb when I filed that aforementioned tome for my first story. But you didn’t, and you were patient enough to edit that pablum and walk me through your very reasonable edits that trimmed the story to a quarter of its length. You were invested in my success and played as big a role as anyone helping me reach the point I did at The D.O. You hired me — a track beat writer — to your in-house staff. You helped me cover and interview Adrian Autry at that golf exhibition in Skaneateles. You helped me learn lacrosse and drove me to many road trips, including that trek to Charlotte. Those trips are some of my most memorable moments at The D.O. You showed me the ropes to football this spring. You gave me countless writing and reporting tips along the way. I’ll miss you on lacrosse the rest of the way, but I’ll always hold your advice and kindness dear for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

Cooper: Thank you for not hiring me to your in-house staff. No, I’m serious. I needed that. I was a cocksure freshman who wanted to catapult to the top right away. I wasn’t ready. But thank you for putting me on track and field. I treated that beat like it was the biggest thing on campus, and it allowed me to mature as a writer reading The D.O. more closely. One of the writers I was drawn to was you. Your voice is so acerbic, and I devoured everything you wrote. To work alongside you on men’s lacrosse and in house was a further opportunity to see how you approach your craft. I also got an intimate look at how you approach your craft of trying to hop a fence when we got stuck in SECU Stadium for over an hour. That has to be my best memory at this place, and I’m guffawing writing and remembering it right now. Long live Testudo. Gate H will be open all night.

Justin: Working under you as an assistant sports editor informed how I wanted to run the section when I was chosen as Sports Editor. Thank you for being such a fervent advocate for me during the application process. Thank you for making me feel comfortable to write like myself and be myself when you were heading the section. I still remember you and Aiden welcoming me when I was hired as a copy editor and you remarking I had The Athletic app on my laptop. I strive to report with the rigor you do and build the source rapport like you have. When I returned in house, I missed our hilarious chats and working together, but I’m glad we could hang out after you willed us to a Media Cup victory and that Friday night at Harvey’s. So excited to see what you and the rest of the seniors end up doing!

Aiden: After I survived Zak and Cooper’s editing without being jettisoned, I remember you doing a lot of the reads on my features and track staffers, which I stressed to file as soon as the meet ended. You gave me some invaluable advice I still carry: ask follow-up questions to uncover vivid details for a story. I envy your work ethic and reporting chops. I know we never covered a beat together, but it’s been cool to cross paths at football and lacrosse lately. I’ll try my best to continue the towering coverage you and the rest of the seniors provided on football and basketball.

Spencer & Jason: Oh, Brick. I don’t say that pejoratively. I say positively. You two are like a package deal and have put in exceptional work on dig all semester. I’m glad to see you move up to be assistants. You’re ready. Don’t tell yourself otherwise.

Fiona & Peter: Thank you both for working so tirelessly on copy this semester. As a former copy, I know these tasks can be incessant and the hours can be demanding and late. You both took it in stride and had an eye for detail that’d make a cyclops jealous no matter what time of day it was. Fiona, I relished your light-hearted nation in house and for helping me polish my final package. We’ll miss you in sports moving over to news, but I’m thrilled you’re staying in house, and I’m wishing you the best. Peter, your ambition and knowledge as a freshman is commendable. I look forward to you delivering on the inventive stories you envision once you’re on a team where access to coaches and players actually exists.

Quinn: I’m deeply sorry about Tottenham. Really. I know there’s been schadenfreude at times. But know I care, and I realize you care about The D.O. I hope you continue the outstanding work our dig team has produced this year. I’m sure you will. The recommendations are coming for Portland, and I’m elated you’re going to my beloved hometown. Here’s one to start: Visit the Japanese Garden. It’s my favorite place on Earth besides 230 Euclid.

Aspiring D.O. sportswriters: Whether you’ve interacted with me at any point — no matter how long the conversation — or you’re reading this at any point in time, know that I care about your success and development. I know how it feels to arrive at SU with a love of sports and telling sports stories. Trust me, The D.O. is the best place to do that on campus. I implore you to read the work The D.O. has produced in the past and be creative in your writing. Try stuff. If it works and you like it, great. If it doesn’t, no worries, it’s low stakes. I’m always here to help you in whatever way I can. I care about your success and hope you can have as great an experience as I did at this wonderful place.

Griffin: I’m gutted like a fish at Pike Place Market and like the Sounders in 2018 that I didn’t meet you earlier. But now that I know you, I have someone who shares so much with me. It’s incomprehensible. Journalism. The Timbers. Politics. That’s just the start. And I hope this is just the start of our close friendship — closer than Saad Abdul-Salaam was to scoring when he hit the post twice in 2015. Like Quinn, I’m overjoyed you’re heading to PDX. The consummation of my recommendations are on their way to the 503, but my tease is to hike Multnomah Falls. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s also staggering.

Rose: You wanted grandiloquence, and you got it. I’m sorry our time crossing paths was so ephemeral, but thank you for bringing a positive energy to the house each day and adding to the din of the sports room with your jokes. I’ll always relish our trip to Wolf’s Biergarten for the Arsenal game. I’ll hope to make that a tradition next year, and you just might have converted me into a Gunners fan.

Kendall: You are such a calming, knowledgeable, understanding leader, making my transition into Sports Editor and each day so much easier. On the lighter side, you could always lighten my mood giggling about something during production. You were always there to listen or as a bouncing board for an idea, and I truly valued that.

Ave: I appreciated all your jokes, lightheartedness and general positive disposition. Oh, and then the photos. You are a stupendous photographer and have made for an even better friend. Posting the In The Paint timeline with 30 photos brought us closest. We might as well have opened a Sherwin-Williams store with all the work we did on In The Paint. And though we probably permanently damaged the website, we collaborated masterfully and got even closer through that onerous task. Sorry I was chronically late to selects, but I did get a little workout each night dashing down the hall like a jackrabbit. It even sometimes made me break a sweat and shed my jacket. I did look hot, and in that moment, I felt hot, too.

Tara: I’m so glad you met Azzi Fudd in Storrs and you could take that assignment. Those photos and all the rest of your sports photos are exquisite — I have your Nate Kingz photo hung up in my dorm like an old Sports Illustrated cover.

Eli: One of my favorite D.O. memories from this semester were driving down to your house for the Johns Hopkins game. Thank you to you and your family for your graciousness hosting me and taking me to the alleged — apocryphal — site of PizzaGate and that wondrous bookstore next store.

Arabella: I’m so chuffed to bits we became close friends this semester. I didn’t always enjoy the inane and TikToks, but I always enjoyed your company and our earnest chats about our jobs, the WNBA or women’s sports in general. I hope we can continue next semester, but I understand you’ll be busier than a hill of ants as news editor. I know you’ll lead the section with your trademark composure and care.

Eliana: I remember you texting me out of the blue during Winter Break about doing a story on Britni Smith coaching in the Olympics. You were the one who brought that to my attention, and I’m glad we got a story out about such a prestigious accomplishment. It’s been great to be a head-ed alongside you. You’re a fantastic writer with a knack for finding and telling quirky culture stories expertly — the Goldstein check-out guy is a perfect example.

Zuck: Your energy is everlasting, and I knew you could always lift me up during a long night of production or whenever I’d see you. I’m so excited you’ll take over as culture editor — your passion is evident, and I’m sure it will show in the excellent stories the section tells. To quote you, and I mean this sincerely. “You’re perfect.”

Charlotte: Thanks for adjusting to the cadence of sports, approving headlines and tweets at odd hours and always coming up with inventive ways to present sports stories on Instagram. Plus, you’ve been a great presence in house for a great chat or to corroborate Milk Gate. I hope the sky-high standard you set continues.

Ilana, Addie, Lily & Abby: You always take our verbose articles and make them look beautiful with your magnificent print designs. Ilana, you outdid yourself with each guide we made, and your illustrations were always impeccable. Addie, Lily and Abby, I could always rely on you to design an artful print and for great conversations whenever I entered the Vis room.

To everyone else: No matter how large or small your imprint has been, thank you for making my time at The D.O. so special. It’s become me, a peripatetic person’s, home on campus. Thanks for putting up with my cogitations and catchphrases. You are not forgotten or unnoticed. You were fundamental to my experience at The D.O. and at Syracuse.

Mom, Dad & Cate: Thanks for always believing in me and understanding why I constantly had to chisel out time from our weekends and vacations to “post” — even when it’s 4 a.m. in a hotel in Köln. Thank you for trying to wrap your head around The D.O.’s travel policy and endearingly parsimonious nature and booking me rental cars for our roadtrips. It allows me to chase my dream and create some of my most cherished memories.

Published on May 1, 2026 at 10:42 pm
Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu | @nalumkal