Audra Linsner strolled out into the middle of the basketball court dressed in a retro-tuxedo and a mask that adds six inches to her head but takes four from her hairline. A cheering Carrier Dome crowd surrounded her. A gold and red striped tie completed the look: She was impersonating Jim Boeheim, the Syracuse University men’s basketball coach, for a halftime contest during the 2016 men’s basketball game against Notre Dame.

“Ready?” She said with a grin to Juli Boeheim, who officiated the contest.

“Ready number one,” Juli replied with Linsner’s contest number.

Despite her attempts to look angry, Linsner wore a huge grin as she ripped off her jacket, like Boeheim, lassoing the jacket around her head — half jumping, half stomping around the court.

She won the contest, beating out four other students and cementing her proudest moment in college.

Linsner is a member of Otto’s Army and Phi Sigma Pi, a resident adviser, on the membership board of OrangeSeeds, part of University 100, a player on the Women’s club ultimate Frisbee team and a fellow with Believe in Syracuse. She keeps track of all of her classes and daily activities with a detailed and jam-packed iCalendar on her laptop. Without it she never knows where to be.

Linsner’s graduating class at Midlakes High School in Clifton Springs, New York, consisted of about 140 people. So when she came to SU, a school with an undergraduate program 13,000 people larger than the size of her entire hometown, she wanted to “experience as much as physically possible.”

Growing up an hour away, Linsner said Syracuse has always been a presence and she’s been a fan for as long as she can remember. She and her friends bonded over Syracuse athletics. During her seventh-grade study hall, they would sometimes play basketball and pick an SU player to impersonate.

“I picked Wesley Johnson,” Linsner said. “I still have a huge crush on him. And when Arinze Onauku got hurt, we were all devastated.”

Upon arrival at Syracuse, Linsner actively pursued Otto’s Army, despite being denied a position as a freshman ambassador. She kept showing up to events, bringing her enthusiasm and pride. After serving as promotions officer this year, she’ll be president for next season.

Otto’s Army is a close-knit group, Linsner said, because members spend so much time together. She loves to campaign for her club, saying it’s the most inclusive group on campus.

“At the beginning of the year at the (activity fairs), people would be like ‘what’s Otto’s Army?’ And I would say, ‘congrats, you’re already in it,’” Linsner said.

Brian Greenwood, a senior computer engineering major, met and began dating Linsner through Otto’s Army, where he is the treasurer.

“She gets emotionally invested in the games,” Greenwood said. “And she’s very knowledgeable about Syracuse sports. She’s a lot of fun to be with during the games.”

Greenwood added that Linsner acts as a “Swiss army knife” for Otto’s Army. She’s always willing to do anything for the organization.

This summer, Linsner will work with Believe in Syracuse, a nonprofit which aims to better the city. She started working with the organization through the citizenship and civic engagement program and will continue with them until her graduation.

“Audra’s the type of girl who is extremely proud of being Orange, but that goes beyond the campus boundaries,” her friend Alex Versoza, a junior computer science major, said. “She sees the community as the whole city.”

Versoza met Linsner through a public speaking class they took together. She presented speeches on Interstate 81, and other large projects in the community. Versoza said he hasn’t met anyone who is as passionate or dedicated as Linsner.

“With her whole heart, she just loves her home,” he said.

Linsner is close with just about everyone back home, especially her three siblings. Since she’s only an hour away, she can easily go home to visit her family. Her sister also attends SU as a grad student and often meets up with Linsner.

When applying for colleges, Linsner knew SU was top of her list, but her family wasn’t sure it would be financially feasible. When the spring of her senior year came around, she was enrolled in Kent State University in Ohio. It wasn’t until the SU financial aid letter arrived that Linsner knew she could attend her dream school.

“I made a pros and cons list,” Linsner said. “But that was dumb. I was like ‘duh, I’m coming to Syracuse.’”

Simone Girma, a sophomore television, radio and film and citizenship and civic engagement dual major, described Linsner as a caring, funny person who bleeds Orange in everything she does.

“She teaches people how to be a better person,” Girma said. “She’s very thoughtful. … It’s not ‘let me give you my notes,’ it’s ‘let me walk you back up the Mount.’”

Despite her busy days, being able to share Orange pride with new faces both on the athletic teams and on campus keeps Linsner energized.

“I just love Syracuse,” Linsner said. “It’s so hard to put in words what it means to me.”

Banner photo by Frankie Prijatel | Senior Staff Photographer