Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, March 3, 2023

University confers honorary degrees

Notre Dame announces five honorary degree recipients to be recognized at commencement

Observer Staff Report

The commencement ceremony for the n otre d ame c lass of 2023 will honor five “distinguished leaders in science, business, music and community service,” according to a u niversity press release.

a long with commencement speaker Juan m anuel s antos, the honorees will be advocate for underrepresented students h oward g a dams, singer-songwriter a my g rant, doctor James o ’ c onnell ‘70, n otre d ame trustee and retired

executive James e r ohr and s outh b end community leader m arguerite Taylor.

a dams will be named honorary doctor of science. h e headed a consortium headquartered at n otre d ame “credited with providing fellowships and internships that assisted 3,000 students from underrepresented backgrounds obtain advanced degrees in engineering and applied science,” the release said. h e’s been appointed by presidents to national commissions and received the p residential

a ward for e xcellence in s cience, m athematics and e ngineering m entoring in 1995.

g rant has been dubbed the “Queen of c hristian p op” and was a Kennedy c enter honoree in 2022.

s he’s receiving a honorary doctorate of fine arts, recognized for her extensive work in philanthropy.

o ’ c onnell, who will receive an honorary doctorate of science, is the founding physician in 1985 of the b oston h ealth c are for the h omeless p rogram.

“Known as d octor Jim

symphony orchestra preps for first performance

By EMMA DUFFY news writer

The n otre d ame s ymphony o rchestra will be performing on Friday, m arch 3 at 8 p.m. in the l eighton c oncert h all in d ebartolo p erforming a rts c enter for their first concert of the semester. The orchestra, composed of 90

students that rehearse once a week, put on around three to five concerts a year. The orchestra has been working on these pieces for about two months.

The n otre d ame s ymphony o rchestra in the midst of their practice for their Friday performance. The winter concert will include r espighi’s “ p ines

on the streets of b oston,”

o ’ c onnell “has delivered health care to that city’s homeless population for almost four decades,” the release said.

r ohr, receiving an honorary doctorate of laws, is the former chief executive officer of the pnc

Financial s ervices g roup and has served on the n otre d ame board of trustees since 2010. The release points out that he “was the driving force behind g row u p g reat, pnc ’s $500 million, multi-year, bilingual program that helps prepare

children from birth to age 5 for school and life.”

Taylor is being awarded an honorary doctorate of laws. s he “was instrumental in establishing the u niversity’s r obinson c ommunity l earning c enter,” and has worked at the center for many years.

Taylor “has dedicated her life to improving her hometown of s outh b end and building lasting relationships between the city and n otre d ame” and was inducted into the s outh b end c ommunity h all of Fame in 2011.

SMC adjusts flex points

of r ome,” c hopin’s p iano c oncerto n o. 1, r eicha’s c larinet c oncerto and wagner’s o verture to Tannhauser. These pieces are all distinct from each other, and orchestra director d aniel s towe believes playing different kinds of pieces shows the level of

ND Law School presents panel on women’s rights

By EMMA VALES news writer

notre dame law school presented a panel discussion Thursday morning titled “protecting a ll women’s r ights in the developing world” in the eck hall of law, co-sponsored by the Klau institute for civil and human rights, nd law’s international human rights society, women’s legal Forum, black law students association, hispanic law student association and middle eastern law students association. prior to the start of the event,

the hallway outside of the lecture hall where the discussion took place was lined with informative posters made by individual members of the ll m international human rights law class of 2023, providing opportunities to learn of women’s rights in situations across the developing world in the middle east.

The discussion highlighted the Taliban’s war against women and girls in a fghanistan. The panel featured speakers including commissioner margarette macauley of the inter-a merican commission on human rights,

Tahmina sobat ‘20 ll m., and roqia samim ‘22 ll m., as well as discussant christine venter, director of the legal writing program at notre dame law school and closing remarks by Jennifer mason mcaward, law school professor and director of the Klau institute for civil and human rights. The discussion was moderated by diane desierto, global affairs professor and faculty director of notre dame law school ll m program in international human rights law.

By CATHY DOHERTY news writer

a t the end of last semester, s aint m ary’s campus leaders announced changes to students’ meal plans: m eal swipes can no longer be used for snack items in the g rabn - g o, and students will have the opportunity to buy additional flex points.

o n d ec. 13, g loria Jenkins, dean of students, sent an email to all s aint m ary’s students regarding meal

plan changes that would be occurring starting in the spring semester. The email highlighted changes being made to flex points and the g rab- n - g o program.

p rior to this semester, students were unable to add more flex points to their account if they ran out. Jenkins announced in her email that for one week in the semester, students will have the opportunity to purchase more

CATHY DOHERTY | The Observer

The 1844 Cafe on the main floor of the Saint Mary’s Student Center offers both Grab ‘n Go dining options and Starbucks Coffee.

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MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Basketball head coach Mike Brey had never visited The Linebacker during his 23 years as coach. After his final game Wednesday, a 88-81 win against Pitt, Brey visited the local landmark with former New Jersey governor and

“That Just Isn’t Fair; Settling for LeftOvers” Hesburgh Library

9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Archival exhibit.

“Unruly Catholic Feminists” Stapleton Lounge

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Professors discuss prose, poetry and faith.

macaulay was the first to speak on the panel. in addition to being the current Jamaica commissioner of the inter-a merican commission on human rights, she was also formerly a judge on the intera merican court of human rights and is the organization of a merican states (oas) special rapporteur on Persons of a frican descent and against racial discrimination.

macaulay passionately spoke about how “women’s rights are the future of human life,” because women quite literally are the ones who carry the future of human life inside of them. The women in a fghanistan are victims of receiving less education than men and are unable to hold the same positions of power as the a fghan men. she stated that she “blames the men” for the issues of women’s inequality in a fghanistan, as they are the ones who hold the power to sustain real change. macaulay’s call to action was that “we have to do something on an equitable basis” to create change.

next to speak on the panel was notre dame LL.m. 2020 graduate Tahmina sobat. sobat is now a doctoral candidate at the

University of minnesota and was formerly with the a fghanistan independent human rights commission. sobat was very enthusiastic to return to campus, and recently wrote a letter calling for a fghan women’s protections from the United nations human rights system that was featured by the special report for human rights defenders.

The main question that she addressed was asking how we can achieve some kind of transnational solidarity despite the bad experiences of attempts at transnational solidarity that have resulted in war.

“Transnational solidarity can happen in a situation where we should be aware of the inequalities of power, the relations of power and these spaces of solidarity should take the projects of imperialism, colonialism and settler colonialism seriously,” she said.

roqia samim, a notre dame 2022 LL.m. graduate, was next to speak on the panel. samim is the first Global human rights Fellow at the notre dame Law school LL.m. program in international human rights Law, and she was formerly with the United nations mission to a fghanistan. she presented several devastating pictures and videos that demonstrated the

harsh ways that a fghan girls are treated behind closed doors of a fghan universities, as well as how the a fghan girls work to protest and rage against the Taliban. she ended with the important call to action that “ignoring a fghanistan is not a solution,” but rather, “there is a dire need to act against this deep and widespread discrimination based on gender in a fghanistan,” she said. closing remarks were delivered by law school professor christine venter followed by mason mcaward. venter acknowledged that it is easy to be overwhelmed by all of the struggles that the a fghan girls and women face, but “the struggle continues, and we can say that we are choosing hope,” she said. mason mcaward left the audience with an important question regarding the way that notre dame students and faculty will grapple with the questions regarding women’s rights issues that all three of the speakers addressed.

“how will those questions form you into a graduate of notre dame who does something as a citizen, as a voter, as an advocate to advance the rights of women around our globe?” she asked.

Contact Emma Vales at evales@nd.edu

Global Catholicism: The Past, Present, and Future of the Church

Concert

talent held by orchestra students.

“They have a lot of range and ability to play in different styles,” s towe said.

The two concertos stand out from the other pieces because they will include soloists. a lex Kaup will play a clarinet solo in r eicha’s c oncerto and James b ennett will be the piano soloist in c hopin’s c oncerto.

These two students had to participate in the annual concerto competition to earn their spots. This competition is open to all music majors and symphony orchestra members. i n this competition, students compete in front of a panel of individual judges.

“You know, really all of them could have won, depending on the year,” s towe said. “ i t turns out that a lex and James were just spectacular.”

s towe explained it is rewarding to work with these soloists, and he is not the only one to say so. m aya Kvaratskhelia, co-concert master and violinist, said working with the soloists is the most rewarding part of

preparing for this concert.

“The most exciting part is interacting with the soloists and listening to the fruits of their labor,” she said.

r eicha’s c oncerto is acknowledged not only for the soloist, but also for the history behind it. The piece was written around 1815, but it was never published. w hen n otre d ame graduate student Fenian Kenney was in the Paris n ational Library during her study abroad, she noticed this unpublished work and decided to take photos of the score. i n doing so, she allowed the soloist Kaup to transcribe the manuscript for the orchestra to perform.

“ h e really built the performance from scratch in that way,” s towe said.

The orchestra has only had half of the semester to work on these pieces. i n such a short time, the students and faculty alike recognize the way in which the work comes together so quickly.

“ i t’s kind of like building a plane when you’re flying it in a way,” s towe said. “ s eeing things come together, seeing order emerge from chaos is the most exciting thing. b ut just again, it just keeps

Monday, March 6 12:30–1:45 p.m.

215/216 McKenna Hall

Lunch available beginning at noon

A conversation on Provost John T. McGreevy’s Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis, featuring reflections on the Church in the Global South

Featuring:

Jeremy Adelman, Princeton University

Stan Chu Ilo, DePaul University

Anna Moreland, Villanova University

With a response by John T. McGreevy, Charles and Jill Fischer Provost, University of Notre Dame de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture Nanovic Institute for European Studies

ethicscenter.nd.edu/globalcatholicsm

flex points. The email did not specify when that week would be.

“We will announce a onetime, week-long window for Flex Point additions up to $400, sold in increments of $50,” Jenkins explained in the email. “The reason for providing an opportunity to add additional flex points and starting it this semester was due to students’ requests.”

Jenkins shared that the meal plan options will remain the same in the years to come, and students will continue to have the option to buy additional flex points mid-semester.

Concert

con TInued From PAGe 3

coming back to the incredible gifts of the n otre d ame student community.”

Admission to the concert is free and the event is open to all. Those in the concert feel as though there are many reasons why people should attend.

Kvaratskhelia acknowledges that many people out there are not interested in classical music; however, she feels there is still something for people to enjoy.

Kvaratskhelia explained these concerts are a historical representation of music in the past. b y performing, n otre d ame is interpreting this old, cultural music how they see fit.

“You can come and hear music that people have listened to for hundreds of years, played by people living today,” she said. “I think it is very cool because it continues this timeline of interacting with people who you will never know.”

For those not interested in classical music or history, Kvaratskhelia still thinks the concert is worth attending. s he said the calming atmosphere of these concerts often leads her to reflect on her life.

“If you want to come and zone out, you can have a total revelation about your life,” she said. “Just sitting there is like surround sound music. You don’t have words to focus on, so you’ll just sit there and meditate for like an hour.”

For those who have an interest in classical music, s towe believes the quality of the performance will also not disappoint.

“Just hear how incredible these students can perform and how gifted they are,” he said.

Contact Emma Duffy at eduffy5@nd.edu

d an Patterson, assistant director of c ampus d ining, explained that offering more flex points upfront, as n otre d ame does, would mean charging more upfront as well.

The 1844 c afe also adjusted the Grab- n -Go point system.

“ b eginning in January 2023, Grab ‘n Go meals will be provided in the form of sandwiches, salads and fruit,” Jenkins wrote. “ c andies, packaged drinks, and packaged snacks will once again be purchased using Flex Points or credit card payments, no longer in exchange for a meal swipe.”

Patterson expanded on, explaining how s aint m ary’s

brought Grab- n -Go over to their campus after witnessing the program in place at n otre d ame. The addition took place during the cov I d pandemic, and it was designed to allow students to better utilize their meal plan when other options were limited.

“We are now past the cov I d period limitations,” Patterson said. “It was decided that the snack items should probably be eliminated at this point, back to its original intent as a meal substitute,” Patterson said. This decision was made with smc officials and was meant to resemble n otre d ame’s Grab- n -Go, she added.

When asked why this change occurred in the

middle of an academic year rather than the start of a new one, Patterson responded, “At this point, we [ smc officials and nd c ampus d ining] felt [ cov I d ] restrictions had lessened enough for everything to go back to the original intent of the concept. s o it’s not really limited or scaling back — It’s where it was intended to be.”

Along with the recent changes to flex points and the Grab- n -Go program, Patterson detailed further updates within the cafe.

“You have probably noticed that we have added a few more items,” she said. “We had some students point out some very good items that we inadvertently

missed.”

s ome of these additions include Pillsbury s oft b aked cookies, applesauce and fruit roll ups.

“We also had a freezer in Grab- n -Go that had stopped working, and it took about six to eight weeks to get it replaced.” Patterson continued, “We now have a new freezer in which a few more items were added in that location also.”

m ost of the additions can only be purchased with a credit card or with flex points. s andwiches, salads and fruit remain the only items eligible for the price of a meal swipe.

Contact Cathy Doherty at cdoherty01@saintmarys.edu

bishop barron speaks at notre dame

By LIAM KELLY news Writer

b ishop r obert b arron, second-most-followed priest on social media and founder of Word on Fire c atholic m inistries, spoke at n otre d ame Thursday evening and urged the university to commit itself to its c atholic character in all that it does.

“A c atholic university is one in which c hrist holds a central and organizing place in all the disciplines and activities of the university,” b arron said.

In addition to serving as bishop of the d iocese of Winona-r ochester in m innesota, b arron is also the founder of the c atholic ministerial organization Word on Fire. b arron’s homilies have amassed hundreds of millions of views online, causing him to become one of the most popular c atholic priests in the world.

b arron emphasized that in a truly c atholic university, “the relationship between c hrist, the Logos, and all other disciplines and activities is explored and celebrated.”

In explaining this vision of a c atholic university, b arron compared the proper role of faith in academics to the proper role of God in the life of human beings.

c entral to this understanding, b arron argued, is the idea that “God is not a being.”

“If h e were, we’d be in a competitive relationship,” b arron pointed out. Instead, God is “ipsum esse,” or being itself, b arron said.

In this framework, b arron asserted, humans become uplifted by God’s presence instead of controlled by it.

“The closer God is, the more alive we are. God is not in the business of supplanting us or dominating us but

rather lifting us up,” b arron said.

The same, then, is true of the relationship between God and a university, b arron argued.

“I don’t think theology comes crashing in and pushes the physicist aside, pushes the chemists aside, pushes the mathematicians systems aside or pushes the philosophers aside,” b arron emphasized. “ n o, no. God opens up a depth dimension to all these disciplines.”

b arron explained how this approach to God can be applied to seemingly disconnected subjects such as mathematics. m athematical concepts, much like God h imself, b arron said, are not always readily apparent to the visible eye.

“Pure numbers, pure mathematical intelligibility, those don’t belong to the world of ordinary human capacities and experience. Those are invisible things,” he said.

To b arron, this “different, higher, stranger world … touches upon the absolutely, sure intelligibility of God.”

b arron also applied this concept of intelligibility to the sciences.

“All the sciences rest upon the fundamental presumption that the reality we operate in is imbued with intelligibility. It’s imbued with something like a pattern or form that can be understood, that corresponds to the inquiring mind,” he said.

The connection from an intelligible universe to an intelligent creator is then an simple one, b arron argued.

“The only way finally to explain the universal intelligibility of our experience is to recourse to a creative and personal intelligence that has thought it into being,” he said.

When it comes to history, b arron pointed out that most historians don’t look at

history merely as a sequence of events but rather try to organize these events into a “meta narrative” that gives them meaning.

b arron described how the predominant meta narrative today is one of “secular modernity.”

“The idea is that there was a long period of oppression and then in the 17th and 18th century there was this marvelous e nlightenment, focused on the physical realm, that overcame all the centuries of oppression, oftentimes tied to religion,” he said.

While affirming the benefits of the advancements in modern science brought about by the e nlightenment, b arron urged c hristians to develop a different meta narrative in their view of history.

“The climax of history is not in the 17th and 18th century,” he said. “We think history came to its climax on this squalid hill, outside of Jerusalem around the year 30 A. d. when this young rabbi was dying on an instrument of torture. We think the dying and the rising of the s on of God is the climax of history.”

“What would history look like if we take seriously that that’s the meta narrative?” b arron questioned his audience.

o n the subject of literature, b arron elaborated on the point of American writer William Faulkner who said that “the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself.”

All writers “are talking about that reality,” b arron argued. To b arron this problem in the human heart “comes when we tie our inner desire for God onto something less than God.”

b arron urged the university to explore the relationship between God and human discontentment “in

relation to literature.”

s hifting his focus to law, b arron made the point that there is an unshakable relationship between human law and God’s law.

“Law opens up onto morality and morality opens up onto theology. There’s a relationship between law, morality and God which is inescapable,” b arron said.

b arron argued that this theological approach to law has the same principles as the theological approach to science.

“These moral intelligibility that we discern in the world come from the great Logos that gave rise to the world just as the intelligibility we explore in the sciences come from that same source,” b arron pointed out.

c oncluding his address to a packed crowd, b arron called upon the university to take pride in its c atholic roots.

“Pope John Paul II said, quite correctly, that universities emerged “ex corde ecclesiae” — from the heart of the church,” b arron recounted. “That should be a point of pride, especially in a place like this.”

Finally, b arron implored his audience not to think of the c hurch and the university as opposite forces, but rather as compliments that have the power to lift each other up.

“I do think that one of the tragedies of our time is that we’ve forgotten that relationship and, at times, have even set c hurch and university at odds with each other,” b arron lamented. “I’m here to argue precisely the contrary. The more we recover this idea of the university itself coming from the heart of the c hurch, the more the university is authentically itself.”

Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu

Graduate school hosts ‘Three minute Thesis’

By MATTHEW BRODER news Writer

o n Wednesday night, n otre d ame Graduate s chool hosted the finals for their annual Three m inute Thesis (3 m T) competition. The 3 m T competition highlights research being conducted by graduate students on campus. Participants are given no more than three minutes to explain their research to a diverse panel of judges and are evaluated based on their comprehension, the content of their presentation, engagement with the audience and communication. They are allowed to use a single static PowerPoint slide with no transitions, animations or movement of any kind. Participants exceeding three minutes are instantly disqualified.

“The exercise cultivates students’ academic, presentation and research communication skills,” m ary Ann m c d owell, the associate dean for professional development at Graduate s chool and a main driver behind this year’s competition, said. “It supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.”

This year’s panel of finals covered a wide range of expertise within academia. Aside from professors within the Graduate s chool, judges included K m atthew d ames, a University librarian; s arah Wright, a senior scientist at m erck and James m ueller, mayor of s outh b end. Wright was herself a finalist in the 2018 3 m T competition.

In the first round of

competition, students competed within three divisions based on the colleges: e ngineering, s cience and Arts and Letters combined with the Keough s chool of Global Affairs. The top three contestants from each division competed in the final competition.

“What really stands out [about a finalist] is their passion for their research and the accessibility for a diverse audience,” m c d owell said.

This year’s winner was Alex b oomgarden from the department of biological sciences, for his presentation “Looking for c ancer with c APture.” h e will have the opportunity to compete at the m idwestern Association of Graduate s chools ( m AG s ) competition at a later date. The 3 m T competition was

originally developed at the University of Queensland. The first competition was held there in 2008, with 160 research graduate students competing. s ince 2011, the popularity of the competition has skyrocketed, and competitions are now held at over 600 universities across more than 65 countries.

n otre d ame first hosted their own competition in 2016 and has held it annually since. This is the second year in which all graduate students are encouraged to participate. Planning for this event has been going on since early fall 2022. Four to six information sessions took place from n ovember through January, as well as two prep workshops hosted by the office of grants and fellowships and the presenter

center. Qualification rounds were held over the course of three nights.

“We partner with multiple graduate-focused areas on campus to ensure students have resources available to support their planning and prep,” d awn r izek said. r izek, the associate director of Graduate c areer s ervices, was heavily involved in planning the event this year.

o rganizers say they are excited about the future of the 3 m T competition here at n otre d ame.

“This is n otre d ame’s seventh year conducting the 3 m T event, and as a principal Graduate s chool event, it will no doubt continue to be offered well into the future,” r izek said.

Contact Matthew Broder at mbroder@nd.edu

vendor and market shifts limit nd recycling

By LIAM PRICE

Associate news editor

notre dame still recycles, but don’t try recycle your red solo cup, even if you do at home.

The campus currently recycles using a blue cart and gray toter system, introduced by the office of sustainability in early 2022.

single-stream recycling, in which multiple materials can be recycled in a single load, should be placed in blue toters. At notre dame, this includes empty bottles, papers and clean cans, but not plastic bags, styrofoam or cups. due to its large size, cardboard should be recycled in gray carts. more information about recycling the right way on campus can be found on the office of sustainability’s website.

People on campus can locate the blue toters and cardboard carts for dorms and other buildings online.

Five years of change for worldwide recycling markets

senior director for sustainability and vice president for campus safety and Geory Kurtzhals said market shifts forced notre dame to change their standards and accept fewer materials for recycling.

“over the last few years, sudden changes in both worldwide recycling markets and industry standards required the University to adapt its recycling program quickly to meet new on-theground conditions,” Kurtzhals said. “before these market changes, we were able to recycle a wide array of materials. As the market changed, we were no longer able to recycle as much.”

back in late 2018, the office of sustainability made changes to its recycling system including the “use of clear bags to support visual inspection,” according to

Kurtzhals.

Throughout 2019, he said the office of sustainability continued to recycle, but some recycling shipments were rejected by the office’s then-vendor, Waste management, due to a lower threshold of contamination being allowed in recycled materials.

In early 2020, the University paused single-stream recycling, but they didn’t pause specialty recycling of cardboard, scrap metal and wood. Then, in march 2020, the office piloted the blue toter and gray cart system, which was again paused as the University “essentially closed due to the pandemic,” Kurtzhals said.

The pandemic delayed the rollout of the new recycling system, but the initiative continued in the 2022 spring semester.

“once cov Id-related priorities were addressed, we were able to continue collaboration with a new vendor, recycling Works, and continue to expand the previous pilot program with the blue toter/gray cart system in early 2022,” he said.

Though fewer materials are recyclable now, it is not clear exactly how notre dame’s campus recycling system has performed compared to its pre-2019 recycling programs.

“because we have made changes to our data collection process, we’re unable to make valid comparisons,” Kurtzhals said in the email.

Communication issues

This stricter policy for recycled materials has posed problems for sophomore hayden Kirwan, stanford hall’s sustainability commissioner. Kirwan’s responsibilities include coordinating sustainability events and educating his dorm members about pertinent topics on campus

regarding sustainability.

Kirwan said his biggest challenge as commissioner has been getting students to understand the University’s recycling process.

“It seems the students have zero clue,” Kirwan said. “even when we put fliers out, students still put the wrong things inside of the recycling bins,” he said. “And that largely is because the University’s recycling policies are so stringent.”

When a batch is contaminated — meaning that there is too much non-recyclable material in a blue toter — Kirwan said the entire toter gets dumped in the trash.

“If people put 60% of actual recyclable material and 40% not [recyclable], then none of it gets recycled,” Kirwan said. “And that includes that 60% that other people chose to recycle.”

Kirwan said that notre dame’s recycling system accepts a lot less material than students are used to recycling at home. even with the help of posters, students’ prior recycling habits may be difficult or confusing to rewire.

“students, when they get to notre dame, continue to recycle the same way they would at home, or just guess how, or what, they think should go in it, and don’t take the time to read the specific University policy,” Kirwan said.

Kirwan added, however, that he wasn’t blaming the University because “it’s understandable, since they’re simply contracting out recycling.”

Mislabeled “recycling” fated for the trash custodian billy Gene easton sr. was not aware of any recycling program having been implemented in o’neill hall of music, which he was recently

moved to from his prior location in Flanner hall. on the other hand, he said Flanner hall did have a recycling program when he worked there. easton, who has worked as a custodian at notre dame for four years, added that in meetings with other building services employees, recycling seemed to be dealt with in a way that was admirably responsible.

“I’m impressed with the way that they deal with a lot of issues here at notre dame. I enjoy working here. I get all the equipment that I need to do a good job, and I don’t know what they’re gonna do about the recycling part here in o’neill hall,” easton said.

despite no recycling actually being carried out in o’neill hall, however, containers labeled “recycling” remain. These containers are simply thrown in the landfill dumpster with the rest of the building’s trash, easton confirmed.

For buildings like o’neill hall that have no recycling system set up, the office of

sustainability does have a recycling toter request form available online for staff, students and faculty to make requests to add recycling to their building or office.

Kurtzhals added in his email that the office of sustainability is taking up several initiatives to raise awareness on campus about the new recycling system in order to improve its efficiency and decrease the number of contaminated bins on campus.

“There are a series of additional awareness items forthcoming,” Kurtzhals said. “Faculty and staff received the nd Works Quarterly publication last week which includes more information and you’ll see a similar article being published digitally… We are also working with different student-focused avenues to share this information, including the engagement opportunities.”

Contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu

Despite not yet implementing a recycling program, the third floor of O’Neill Hall has waste containers that are labeled for recycling.

How does knowing the end affect the journey?

Alysa Guffey Editor-in-Chief

On Sept. 12, 2019, I achieved greatness. I wrote my first news article for The Observer.

The 618-word article was arguably the most researched, well-crafted story The Observer had ever seen. The story offered a behind-thescenes, intimate look into one of the most beloved traditions at Our Lady’s University: the annual Lewis House of Pancakes (LHOP).

Rereading my preview of LHOP resulted in a few moments of cringe given some of the word choices from my freshman-year self and the fact that I hadn’t learned the importance of paraphrasing a large portion of a news article. But, the rush of the vivid memory I have of sitting in the hallway finishing my story (a whole 18 hours before the deadline!) and rereading the account I created from scratch trumps the self-deprecating comments in my head. Rereading my first bylined report while writing this also raises a question in my mind.

How does knowing the end affect the journey?

I often say I found my place in the news department because I don’t like sharing opinions or talking about myself. Writing opinion columns has always felt like a selfish act to me. It took me some time — and a conversation with a friend over a tasty quesadilla in South Dining Hall — to realize that not jumping into debates

isn’t this terrible thing I had convinced myself into believing it was.

But, that doesn’t mean what I do isn’t selfish at times. In working this job, I’ve learned that even writing and reporting news stories can be selfish. The first time you see your byline in print excites you and motivates you to want to write another, and another and then another. Soon enough, you’re hooked, and four years later you’re writing a farewell column for the organization you’ve dedicated a significant portion of your collegiate experience to.

Come this Sunday, I’ll step down as Editorin-Chief of The Observer. The day has lingered in the back of my mind and has been sketched in my planner since the beginning of the year. Honestly, I thought I would be sadder once the day was only three nights away, and I’ve struggled to figure out why I’m not more emotional.

In an interesting moment Tuesday night, while editing a basketball story, I understood what Mike Brey meant when he said he was “not at all” emotional before his last home game as men’s basketball head coach. He had mentally prepared for his time to go. I’ve mentally prepared for mine.

And the journey to this Sunday has come with a reminder to myself: I’m more than a position. The people I care about have appreciated me whether I was a news writer, an editor or — pretty soon — nothing at all.

Instead of sadness, I feel pride in the work that all of my fellow student journalists

completed in the past year. I think about our sports writers and photographers who worked before, during and after the biggest football game of the year to publish complete coverage immediately following the game. I think about how two of our writers had the brilliant idea to recruit ChatGPT to write the lede for a story about ChatGPT usage at Notre Dame. I think about Viewpoint columns that made me cry. I think about the creative people that dedicated their time and energy to launch several new projects for the paper — including a new TikTok account and a reader-generated series that answers the questions readers care about most.

Last semester, I took Introduction to Creative Writing, easily one of my favorite courses at Notre Dame. On the first day of class, we began with the reason to write: “There’s no worse feeling than bearing an untold story inside you.”

It might not come as a surprise if you’ve been paying attention, but I have untold stories that I don’t share. The reality is that so does everyone else on this campus, and it’s our job at The Observer to tell those untold stories.

I might not have had 23 seasons like Mike Brey, but if anything, I know I’ve helped tell untold stories in my time at The Observer and that’s enough to feel good about stepping down.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Stop South Bend slander

Corn, soy, cows, semi-trucks. Corn, soy… oh, and occasionally, more corn.

This describes the grey and unstimulating drive across America’s heartlands that I took this weekend as I made the trek from South Bend down to Urbana-Champaign to visit a friend. Flat, dry and littered with the occasional gas-station-McDonald’s crossover, the drive made me reaffirm every negative stereotype I’d come across about the Midwest.

“Notre Dame, right? All I know is that it’s a good school in a crappy area,” said a random (and very bold) Urbana-Champaign boy from California.

With a string of awkward laughter, I could only agree. What was there really to defend about South Bend other than brutally cold winters, constant construction and an ever-present permacloud? Even in UrbanaChampaign, there seemed to be infinitely more diversity and things to do.

I left my trip feeling somewhat depressed about having to return to a colorless spring in Indiana. The three-hour drive was an exact replica of the same journey I might take from my hometown of St. Louis to any other city in any direction. Everywhere in the Midwest seemed to look the same, smell the same and even taste the same. I found myself wondering why I didn’t pick any place other than Indiana to spend what are supposed to be four of the most exciting years of my life.

The longer I drove, the more I reflected upon the Midwest. Fueled by the tunes of Genesis and Buffalo Springfield, I waded through an endless sea of corn. I thought of many of my

hometown friends who had chosen much more glamorous locations to spend their college years and the judgment they passed on South Bend. I am often jealous of their college experiences, where they can hop in the ocean after finishing an assignment or take a subway downtown to grab a meal from any cuisine they desired.

And then I thought of my Notre Dame friends, many of which had selected Indiana over these more alluring options. One had even chosen ND over Colombia, and while she admits that she likes New York much better than South Bend, she also argued that our campus and city have so much to offer.

Still zooming through fields of farmland, I thought of the South Bend citizens I meet with every Thursday at La Casa de Amistad, eager to learn about America so they can grasp their citizenship. Their colorful stories remind me that being here is a freedom to many.

I must remember — as I’m sure many of us here at Notre Dame do — to be cautious with my vocabulary when speaking about this city. We toss around deprecating jokes and complain about the “lack of culture” all too quickly without remembering the thousands of people that live here. Our judgment comes from a place of privilege. We are allowed to make fun of Indiana and complain about the dull area surrounding our campus because (for most of us) we only need to endure it for four short years. And then, we can return back to our bustling cities and expensive homes.

When Fr. Sorin first arrived here after months of travel and crossing a vast ocean, he exclaimed with much fervor in his journal that “Everything was frozen, and yet it all appeared so beautiful.” A quiet lake, tall, sheltering trees with icicles that dripped down

like teardrops — the new world was to Fr. Sorin a “new Eden.” He knew the land to be blessed. He knew what he was building was going to be a great “force for good.”

To pass judgment on our location, we must first explore what it has to offer. South Bend is more than just Notre Dame. In choosing to come here, we have dedicated ourselves to four years in a community full of rich history. Many of us will complain about our geography without ever exploring it.

I stopped in Portage, Indiana, to fill up my tank before finishing up the last leg of my journey across America’s heartlands. Reflecting upon all this, I was filled with a great disdain for the bold Californian boy who had shared his opinion so freely, assuming I would agree. I was equally annoyed at myself for allowing him to make this statement, for laughing it off instead of defending my school and my area. The Midwest may not be glamorous, alluring or glittering, but it is important. The waves of grain I’d driven through fuel America’s economy and give way to many meals that people from across the nation will enjoy.

While I continue my brief stay in South Bend, I promise to explore more of what it has to offer. And, I encourage any readers to stop the South Bend slander and instead work towards appreciating this “new Eden.”

Gracie Eppler is a sophomore Business Analytics and English major from St. Louis, Missouri. Her three top three things ever to exist are 70’s music, Nutella and Smith Studio 3, where she can be found dancing. Reach her at geppler@nd.edu

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Gracie Eppler The Soapbox

Why you should be concerned about Christian nationalism

Blake Ziegler

Following Pope Urban II’s call to wage war on Muslims, members of the First Crusade took up arms and departed Europe to conquer the Holy Land. Before they arrived, though, Crusaders found themselves pillaging Jewish villages along their journey. The most notable of these incidents was the Rhineland Massacres of 1096, which is considered the first large-scale act of antisemitic violence in medieval Europe. Jewish towns in central and western Germany were attacked and plundered. Some Jewish residents fled while others found by the Crusaders underwent forced conversion or were killed.

As we all know, the Rhineland Massacres weren’t the end of Jewish persecution in Europe. The antisemitic attitudes that prompted them, especially calls for vengeance against “the murderers of Christ,” continued well beyond the 11th century with its climax of the Holocaust (although antisemitism is still very much alive in Europe today). The Disputation of Paris in 1240 involved Pope Gregory IX’s efforts to censor the Talmud, a collection of rabbinic commentary in Judaism, through the court of King Louis IX of France. In a broader effort to convert the Jews to Christianity, nearly 10,000 handwritten Jewish holy texts were burned on the charge of blasphemy.

In 1894, Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a French Jew, was arrested on the charge of spying for the Prussians following France’s loss in the Franco-Prussian War. Amidst accusations about his loyalty to France, Dreyfus was exiled to Devil’s Island on account of a colonel’s testimony. When later evidence showed that testimony was falsified, the French army attempted to cover up their mistake. Dreyfus was retried and acquitted following pressure on the army after the information was leaked. Still, he was found guilty and only freed after a presidential pardon. Global Jewry was shocked that such blatant antisemitism could occur in a nation that proclaimed liberty, equality and fraternity. Scholars view the Dreyfus Affair as emblematic of the tension between Catholic and Republican forces in France. Church supporters, including the Vatican’s official newspaper, viciously

condemned Dreyfus and called for attacks against Jews for treason.

I share these historic episodes to showcase the marginalization and oppression that Jews have experienced throughout history. I especially want to note that these acts were committed by governments often hand-in-hand with the Church or were used by religious groups for nefarious purposes. These events in Jewish history drove many Jews out of Europe, a significant number of whom found themselves in the U.S. This includes my family, who fled the pogroms in Lithuania in the late 19th century. Today, 69% of American Jews identify as Ashkenazi or Sephardic, descending from the Jews of Central/Eastern Europe and Spain, respectively.

Although we may have left Europe, we carry our ancestors’ experiences with us. The intergenerational trauma of witnessing systematic antisemitism, often perpetrated by religious forces through the state, has left an indelible mark on American Jewry. Unfortunately, even Jews whose families came from places other than Europe also faced this religiously-fueled violence from the state. As a result of these experiences, American Jews have a unique attachment to the separation of church and state. We’re raised with the understanding that the lack of codified protection for religious liberty leaves us at risk. We’re weary of religious injections into politics, and that sentiment remains today.

A 2020 survey by Pew Research Center found that 63% of American Jews believe that houses of worship should stay out of politics. In fact, American Jews’ attachment to a strict wall of separation between church and state is often an explanation for our voting patterns. Scholar Kenneth D. Wald has argued that the Democratic Party’s historic emphasis on religious liberty and the separation of church and state is one of the primary contributors to Jews’ support for the party. The evidence is clear that we Jews take the separation of church and state seriously.

For that reason, I raise a concern about the deterioration of the wall between church and state in our country today. The rise of the Religious Right since the 1980s has led to candidates who fuel political division, promote disinformation and undermine democracy through religious rhetoric. Just last year, the Supreme Court turned its back on

decades-old precedent to reintroduce prayer in public schools. As I’ve written before, the Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade also employed religious themes, ignoring the fact that some religions allow abortion in some circumstances, including Judaism. The Dobbs decision imposed the religious views of some on all Americans, eroding the separation of church and state further.

My worries don’t end there. Some members of this movement label themselves Christian nationalists, seeking to explicitly embed a Christian identity in our democratic institutions. Beyond breaking down the separation of church and state, we can see antisemitism and other anti-democratic efforts in these groups. For instance, alongside the Trump flags and crosses at the Jan. 6 insurrection, we also saw antisemitic messaging. Researchers at The Washington Post found a strong link between identification as a Christian nationalist with antisemitic views and QAnon beliefs. Ideologies like these can lend themselves to actual violence which we’ve already seen before. For instance, the shooter from the 2019 Poway synagogue shooting espoused Christian beliefs as the basis for his actions.

Let me be clear: My criticism is not against Christianity or any other faith. Religion is a beautiful experience as one seeks a spiritual connection. My critique is against the minority who misuse religion for ulterior motives. Part of the reason I came to Notre Dame was for interreligious dialogue; for which I’m grateful for all the friendships I’ve made. There is a reason for concern about the politicization of religion and the threats we face in our country today. I fear that history will repeat itself. For the sake of all our religions and our democracy, we have an obligation to stand against this hatred.

Blake Ziegler is a senior at Notre Dame studying political science, philosophy and constitutional studies. He enjoys writing about Judaism, the good life, pressing political issues and more. Outside of The Observer, Blake serves as president of the Jewish Club and a teaching assistant for God and the Good Life. He can be reached at @NewsWithZig on Twitter or bziegler@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

News with Zig

For today’s column, I wanted to finally place ADHD at the forefront. For me, the main difficulty with writing a full article about ADHD was general nervousness about misrepresenting or misunderstanding aspects of others’ experiences. e ventually, I determined that I could alleviate this concern by interviewing one of my friends from the Liturgical c hoir who has ADHD. We had already had some previous conversations at “choir dinners” where we had discussed our experiences with neurodivergence, so I felt like she would be a great resource for learning more about the experiences of those with ADHD. Fortunately for me, she obliged, and we met in the comfortable third-floor c oleman-m orse lounge for a conversation.

I began by asking her what she thought were some of the misconceptions people had about ADHD. r ight away, she identified the common trope of individuals with ADHD as lazy and unmotivated, as if ADHD was simply an excuse for not getting things done. r esponding to these harmful stereotypes, she pointed out how most people do not recognize the specific obstacles folks with ADHD face. For example, she described the challenge of time blindness, in which someone doesn’t “feel” a deadline until it’s right upon her. Another obstacle she identified was how she struggled to start tasks because there were so many that she had to complete. b oth examples helped me to recognize how I’ve taken my ability to plan tasks well in advance for granted, as I hadn’t given enough thought to how some people’s minds might have to work harder to accomplish the same goal. Internally, I connected this to my experience with autism, as people might not recognize how much more work I have to do to participate in social settings, something others might not view as challenging at all.

After mentioning these more general stereotypes, she then also reflected on some misconnections she’s encountered as a woman with ADHD. s he referred to the underdiagnosis of women with ADHD, something that I was familiar with. We discussed this situation of how neurodivergent women, whether they are autistic, have ADHD or have a different condition, are often dismissed whenever they outwardly struggle to adapt to neurotypical standards. s he then described the stereotype of women with ADHD as “ditzy,” an example of how negative perceptions of ADHD can intersect with misogynistic tropes. We both emphasized the need for more inclusive diagnostic criteria that could ensure that neurodivergent women, along with minority groups who face similar obstacles, obtain the resources they need and deserve.

s he then spoke about how, in her view, the University’s current accommodations for those with ADHD were somewhat lacking. s pecifically, she felt like too many of the accessibility measures were focused on providing extra time for assignments and tests. e xtensions didn’t necessarily help her because they didn’t address the fundamental challenges of time blindness, as it would just move the stress point of a deadline to a future date, rather than alleviating the primary source of the stress. We likened this strategy to someone moving further down the train tracks when she hears that a train is moving — even if it takes a little longer, the train will still come.

When I asked if she had any solutions in mind for this dilemma, she admitted that it was difficult to come up with any specific ones. For her, making these educational processes more inclusive for people with ADHD would necessitate a more fundamental rethinking of how assignments and tests are designed. e ventually, we approached something that resembled a solution. We discussed how educators at n otre Dame could work proactively with students with ADHD to help them develop

planning habits, such as looking at a syllabus and creating a detailed planner. Given how energyintensive planning can be for those with ADHD, having someone assist in a collaborative manner is not only helpful but necessary in many cases. m ore generally, we determined that processdriven approaches would be superior to deadlinedriven approaches.

Finally, she brought up the challenges that people with ADHD face in terms of over-stimulation, something that I could deeply empathize with. s he described living with ADHD as always having a “ton of tabs open” in her brain, a phenomenon that especially occurred in locations with multiple sights and sounds. As someone who also occasionally struggles with overstimulation, I felt validated, and we proceeded to laugh in disbelief of all the people who study in Duncan s tudent c enter (seriously though, how do you all do it?).

This conversation not only gave me incredible insight, making me aware of terminology that helps to explain the ADHD experience, but it also demonstrated the importance of neurodivergent people having open forums to discuss their stories with other neurodivergent individuals. m y friend stated that she felt more comfortable talking with me about ADHD than with many of her other peers at n otre Dame. I agreed. We need spaces for collaborative neurodivergent storytelling, not only to discuss the challenges we’ve encountered but also to demonstrate pride in who we are.

Jack Griffiths is a senior at Notre Dame majoring in English with a supplementary major in global affairs. His areas of interest include neurodivergence, migration and the intersections between faith and public policy. When he’s not writing, you can find him singing with the Liturgical Choir, walking around the lakes or playing Super Smash Bros with folks in his dorm. He can be reached at jgriff22@nd.edu.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

You should care about the Student Life Council

Last week, the s tudent Life c ouncil ( s L c ) reconvened after a 50-year hiatus.

In its current form, each s L c meeting has a predetermined theme that is timely. For the first time in five decades, any student could raise their hand and ask the vice president for student affairs Fr. Gerard o linger, vice president and associate provost for undergraduate education Fr. Dan Groody and student body president Patrick Lee — alongside that week’s guest speaker — anything.

Although the majority of the event is reserved for discussion on the topic assigned for the meeting, 10 minutes are allotted for any questions about the University or student life. Those are 10 minutes n otre Dame students didn’t have before.

As the tri-campus independent student newspaper, The o bserver acknowledges the s L c as a step toward transparency, but it will only live up to its ideals if both students and administrators invest in the meeting. In order for the s L c to be productive and effective, both parties have to hold up their end of the deal.

s tudents: Let’s not waste this opportunity to voice our questions or concerns.

Administrators: m ake this effort worth our while by answering our questions in a substantial way.

Last week, that theme was faith and formation, and most of the questions asked that evening

reflected a conservative, c atholic perspective. Although many students at the University hold this perspective — and given the topic, this representation imbalance was expected — the absence of questions from even one student of a different faith or with different perspectives on c atholicism was notable. This is something the student body and administrators should reflect on. While this was only the first meeting, it serves as a reminder that the s L c will be most effective when students with a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives show up to voice their thoughts.

The next time n otre Dame student government announces an s L c meeting, seize the opportunity to speak directly to the three permanent members: Fr. Groody, Fr. o linger and Patrick Lee. Don’t let one side dominate the conversation.

Though the transparency and open communication once realized by Hesburgh-era s L c meetings might seem far off, s aint m ary’s has already shown how these meetings can still be effective.

This past fall, c ollege President Katie c onboy and student body president Angela m artinez c amacho hosted an open forum for students to discuss issues of sexual violence after several tri-campus students shared social media posts alleging cases of sexual assault. Any student was invited to ask questions or share concerns about s aint m ary’s plans for assault prevention and survivor support.

“This is a place where you should feel that when something isn’t working for you, you can bring it forward to your administration and we will be

responsive to that,” c onboy said at the forum. This instance of responsiveness to student needs by the c ollege is commendable and can serve as a model for open, on-campus dialogue between students and administrators. n otre Dame campus leaders should take a page from c onboy’s playbook in responding to student concerns.

n otably, the University has not widely advertised or announced the s L c o nly student government messages and social media have been used to promote the meetings. We hope clear communication and transparency are one of n otre Dame’s own goals, and we encourage the University to be more willing to advertise the s L c . We ask them to answer questions more decisively instead of deferring to the “we can talk after the meeting” response heard frequently at the first s L c held in this capacity.

b oth students and administrators must make an effort to ensure the s L c does its job. It’s easy to write off the s L c as just another performative piece of student government programming, but that’s what it will become if we don’t show up.

s tudent body president Patrick Lee himself acknowledged this risk in an interview with the Irish r over. The next few s L c meetings will be pivotal in determining whether it sticks around and actually acts as the “instrument of hope” The o bserver once called it.

A brief listen to dining hall discussions and dorm room conversations reveal that students have plenty of questions for administrators. What does it say if we don’t follow through when the University opens up that opportunity?

Jack Griffiths neuroDivergence

By AMANDA DEMPSON scene Writer

“outer banks” (obX) season three has taken netflix by storm, garnering over 100 million viewers within its first couple days of release. As a fan myself, I anticipated watching the Pogues and Kooks take the screen again with the ambiance of summer that so many of us are excitedly awaiting. While I wasn’t let down by the action and adventure, there’s something about this season that separates it from the rest, and I can’t decide if I want more or less of it. The show follows a group of friends, the Pogues, who embark on a journey to find the treasure of el dorado, diving deep into its rich and dangerous history all whilst clinging to their rebellious and zestful teenage spirit. This season John b., J.J., Pope, Kiara, sarah and the most recent addition to the group, cleo, find themselves breaking and entering while in barbados, dodging bullets during dangerous shootouts, stealing from moving trains and perhaps the scariest of it all, dealing with complicated feelings of love. It’s difficult to summarize the many moving parts, and although it’s refreshing to watch the plot expand from the small Kildare Island we know and love, it’s hard not to feel that it’s moving further from what fans were initially drawn to.

When “outer banks” first came out, I burned through the episodes. With its sun-kissed color grading, witty characters and beachy setting, it possessed all the qualities of a riveting teenage drama. I’m a sucker for the found-family trope and the bond that we witness with the Pogues, and their rivalry with the Kooks — who live on the richer side of the island — sets up the perfect landscape for heartbreak, betrayal and romance. The characters, for me, are what made it so good. however, the Pogues aren’t in obX for part of season three, and even when they return, much of their attention is focused on the treasure. While the treasure has always been a part of the plot, there were a lot of new characters such as carlos singh, this season’s main villain, who felt unnecessary when there are plenty of compelling antagonists already. While he is a large reason why the Pogues are sent on these crazy rescue missions and high-speed chases, it would’ve felt more impactful if characters from the previous seasons were fleshed out more as opposed to being replaced. Although big John, John b’s father, was alluded to in the previous seasons, he played a major role in the plot. I, along with a lot of fans, found him difficult to like. his importance to the story is there, but his character fell flat. All these additions seemed to take up space that I think most of us would’ve rather seen used on evolving the characters that make the show what it is.

This season wasn’t without its faults, but I did enjoy it. The writers handed us the relationships we pleaded for, gave us a relatively satisfying end and above all else, brought another season back to our screens and recently got renewed for another. In episode seven, Kiara says “we’re all a little messed up.” I think she sums up much of the craze surrounding the continuation of the Pogues’ story. Whether we like it or not, a successful show must expand its horizons, and “outer banks” has done exactly that. The characters are growing, the plot is thickening and priorities are different than they were. Who wouldn’t expect things to change after a little gold is involved?

Contact Amanda Dempson at adempson@nd.edu

“Outer Banks”

Starring: Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes, Rudy Pankow, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Carlacia Grant

Favorite episode: “Welcome to Kitty Hawk”

If you like: Treasure hunts and love triangle

By AYDEN KOWALSKI scene Writer

Pokemon day is advertised as a celebration of the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, a universe that is, at its heart, the illustration of a simple childhood dream. The appeal of befriending magical, and in some cases, divine animals and competing against the animals of others is rather fundamental. There’s a magic to the series that still endures, but if one watches the Pokemon Presents showcase of upcoming releases that debuted for Pokemon day, there won’t be much magic to see. The presentation rarely excites, devoting far too much time to uninteresting side projects in the franchise. but its promises for the mainline games are genuinely exciting.

most of the presentation is devoted to dull detours from the main games, such as mobile games, a Wcontroversial mobA and, somehow, the logo for an upcoming Pokemon tournament. (regrettably, that final element is not a joke.) At the center of the show is “Pokemon sleep,” a sleep-tracking app that, depending on how the user sleeps, connects the user with virtual Pokemon. And that is it. Given that this is a presentation intended for all fans of the franchise, putting an ultimately banal product at its core, is a bad choice for the show. The other mobile games are more interesting by default, but nonetheless, these are probably not the products for which thousands of people who willingly seek this show out on YouTube care. (The voice work

promoting the battling game “Pokemon masters eX” deserves mention for being entirely ineffective, completely clashing with the cartoon characters from the game.)

The most interesting element of the presentation is the announcement that Pokemon and netflix are partnering for animated series based on “fan-favorite [Pokemon] stories and manga.” Unfortunately, the first project seems to be a fluff piece: entitled “Pokemon concierge,” it is about, well, a concierge at a hotel that Pokemon visit. This partnership is an obvious opportunity to finally develop a more thematically mature Pokemon product for older fans, especially given the popularity of franchise dramas streaming now. This is not to advocate for a needlessly grim thriller or even a pure drama, but the world of Pokemon, with its cast of moody gods and misanthropic supervillains, easily lends itself to a more emotionally intense story. even the all-ages stories of the “Pokemon mystery dungeon” side games would work as a starting point for a show. (A new Pokemon mystery dungeon game would be an interesting side project and was rumored to debut in this presentation.)

There is the inevitable announcement of “Pokemon scarlet” and “violet” downloadable content, and it looks pretty good. The dLc for “Pokemon sword” and “shield” vastly improved upon the original games with two new side quests in large new areas, featuring genuinely inspired writing. The “scarlet” and “violet” expansion has a similar premise, with two new adventure areas

far away from the main area of the game. Given that the base game is markedly better this time, this expansion could easily be the best mainline Pokemon experience on the nintendo switch. Additionally, the presentation announces a limited-time event for new Pokemon in the base games available right after the show, and this is an amazing concept. The possibilities for patching new Pokemon into games at a moment’s notice are endless, especially if more nuanced adventures for rare Pokemon are developed in the future. “scarlet” and “violet” were upswings for the franchise, and they continue to provide a basis for successful “Pokemon” games.

“Pokemon” has practically unlimited potential to inspire wonder, and the few highlights of the presentation elicit that wonder. but risk is a requirement for truly wondrous works, and this is a franchise fundamentally afraid of innovation. After all, if one can print money without innovating, why change? The universe in this series can give adults a spark of childhood and expand the dreams of younger players, but that is only if its human authors are willing to give the work and take the chance necessary to make something special. This author did not expect a masterpiece to be unveiled at this presentation, but Pokemon day was a stark reminder of how far off that mythical adventure that can so easily exist still lies.

Contact

happy Birthday: keep your life simple, your words truthful and your pursuits doable, and you will discover the path to victory. life is about doing what’s right and best for you. your happiness is attached to your actions and words, not what others do or say. Trust in yourself, your ideals and your dreams. Don’t stop until you achieve the happiness you deserve. your numbers are 6, 13, 24, 29, 36, 38, 44.

ArIES (March 21-April 19): Stop talking and start doing. you’ll have to act fast if you want to make up for taking on too much. Preparation will require innovation and originality that match the challenges you encounter. Travel and romance will lead to new beginnings.

TAuruS (April 20-May 20): Don’t fall short of your goal because you haven’t prepared properly. look over your options, call in trusted allies and choose to make your home a place everyone feels comfortable sharing and comparing notes. A group effort will pave the way to victory.

gEMINI (May 21-June 20): Ignore what others are doing, or you will lose sight of what you want to achieve. helping others is admirable, but before you proceed, ensure your efforts are appreciated and appropriately handled. Someone will disrupt your plans if you are too trusting.

CANCEr (June 21-July 22): Stop overdoing; incorporate balance into your life. Too much of anything will cost you one way or another. Think about what you want and act accordingly, and you will reach your goal. face interference head-on and don’t back down.

lEO (July 23-Aug. 22): you are not alone. Join programs, groups or pursuits with like-minded people, and jump-start something you find fulfilling. Someone you encounter along the way will help you recognize what you have to offer and how to hone your skills.

vIrgO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Choose to make a positive change if you are astute and participate in what’s happening around you. Don’t let what others do disrupt your plans. Implement what you want to happen and let others fend for themselves. Put your needs first.

lIBrA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take advantage of whatever comes your way. Be ready to swivel when necessary and change course midstream. hesitation is the enemy, and trusting your instincts, skills and experience will take you to the winner’s circle. Procrastination leads nowhere.

SCOrPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Be a good listener and a resourceful contributor. Taking a unique approach won’t please everyone, but if it serves you well, it’s the best route. Avoid joint ventures, shared expenses and lofty investments. Choose travel or creative pursuits that promote change.

SAgITTArIuS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sit tight and see where the dust settles. A friend or peer will lead you astray if given a chance. focus on home and family and what you can do to make your life easier. A romantic gesture will encourage a lifestyle change.

CAPrICOrN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Avoid situations that are compromising. Taking on more than you can handle or letting someone take advantage of you will cost you emotionally. look at your domestic budget and make plans to enact changes that encourage your success and emotional well-being.

AQuArIuS (Jan. 20-feb. 18): Think outside the box, and you’ll find a way to outmaneuver someone trying to manipulate you. Don’t make a move or change for the wrong reason. Choose your path based on your goal, not someone else’s. Don’t overspend to make an impression.

PISCES (feb. 19-March 20): Be original in your approach to life, love and happiness. you can reach your goals if you aren’t afraid to take the road less traveled. Trust your instincts, change what you don’t like and head in a direction that puts a smile on your face.

Birthday Baby: you are gifted, trendy and ambitious. you are persuasive and mysterious.

Coleman: Muffet and Niele

For as long as I can remember, I have been a n otre d ame fan. That’s just part of being from s outh b end. m y grandparents gave me n otre d ame onesies when I was a baby. At one point, I remember having a navy and gold cheer skirt when I was a toddler. As a child, I loved n otre d ame sports unconditionally and unquestioningly.

b ut the first Irish sport that I grew to love on my own was women’s basketball. For many years, my godparents bought season tickets and took me along to several home games a season. Purcell Pavilion was a short drive from their house on e . Angela b lvd. b ack then, n otre d ame seemed like an enormous, nebulous campus that I thought I would always feel small on.

As of the publication of this column, I’m just over two weeks from retiring as one of The o bserver’s assistant managing editors. s omehow, that smallness turned out to be not true. After I got over my initial culture shock, we’d stop at the h ammes b ookstore and grab some concessions — I always opted for a hot dog and popcorn — and found our seats. Those games, as the kids say, were like a movie. These were the early 2010s, so I got to watch future W nb A stars s kylar d iggins- s mith, n atalie Achonwa, m ichaela m abrey and Jewell Loyd at the start of their careers. Their grit and sheer talent always blew me away no matter how many times I saw them play in person or on T v

n o matter who was on the team or how I watched them, the one constant I could count on was m uffet m cGraw. e ven though m uffet has no idea who I am, I feel like we have a special connection. s he won her first national championship in 2001, the year I was born.

With the net all his, Bischel leads the Irish

m ore importantly, she was one of my first tangible examples of women taking up space in traditionally male-dominated professions. s urrounded by all-female coaching staffs, m uffet remained a rock-solid leader, no matter if her team was winning or losing. s eeing m uffet’s team of coaches beside her at the helm of an objectively and consistently fantastic program would shape me as a female leader for years to come. I learned as much about what it means to be a strong woman from the sideline as I did watching the players in the game.

After hearing the news of m uffet’s retirement in 2020, I, like many n otre d ame fans, was heartbroken. h ow do you replace an institution like m uffet m cGraw after over 30 seasons? Who would continue to lead this team to college basketball greatness?

The answer is n iele Ivey. After watching Ivey take the lead of the program for the last two seasons and considering her previous coaching at the University, I am convinced Ivey will carve out her own legacy and reach phenom status, just like m cGraw. Though she had a rough go her first season, Ivey has had incredible success turning the program around over the last two years. I was thrilled to hear she was named Acc c oach of the Year at the beginning of this week. In addition to her incredible presence both on the sideline and on social media, I know I would have been equally blown away by Ivey’s work as head coach when I was an Irish fan in the 2010s as I was by m cGraw’s coaching.

I can’t wait to see where Ivey takes my favorite n otre d ame team next.

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

since notre dame hockey ended its 2021-22 season in Albany, the year of ryan bischel has taken hold. Through patience and relentless work, the goaltender has transformed from a platoon player into a household name. having just concluded one of the greatest netminding regular seasons in Irish history, bischel has the chance to lead the Irish on a deep playoff run beginning this weekend. The journey began with three words from head coach Jeff Jackson last offseason: it’s your net.

“That was a big thing for me. It definitely gave me some motivation to have a big summer in the weight room,” bischel said. “I feel like I was more prepared this year than going into any other year.”

It’s easy to forget that bischel was never supposed to be in south bend. he committed to c larkson University as a high school junior, not wavering for three years. however, after signing his national letter of intent and making an official visit to Potsdam, something didn’t sit right with him. Upon revealing his change of plans to c larkson’s staff, bischel moved away from the eastern college Athletic conference. Through current Irish associate head coach Paul Pooley, he found notre dame.

Although he fell in love with everything the program had to offer, bischel had plenty of waiting to do at notre dame. As a freshman, he sat behind star goaltender cale morris, who finished his time in south bend with a stellar .931 save percentage. Then, after initially splitting time with d ylan st. c yr in 2020-21, a mid-season concussion set him back. Last season could have been his time with st. c yr’s transfer to Quinnipiac. but graduate transfer matthew Galajda swooped in from cornell. even so, bischel kept his head up and showed promise with a .924 save percentage in 2021-22.

“With every goalie that’s been here, I’ve taken little pieces from each of their games and tried to find ways to put those pieces into my own,” he said. “I’ve tried to be a student of the game for sure.”

For example, take d ylan st. c yr, who will oppose bischel between m ichigan state’s pipes this weekend. While their Irish careers overlapped, bischel focused on learning from what st. c yr does best: playing the puck. on or off the ice, the two never shied away from taking the time to learn and grow together.

Fast-forwarding to this season, bischel has benefited from another man with goaltending expertise: his head coach. Already having developed four different goalies into Frozen Four-caliber players, Jackson is everything bischel could ask for.

“I think he’s taught me a lot about how to understand systems,” bischel said. “being prepared for a different team, having the knowledge of what their systems are gonna look like and what their threats are gonna be offensively — that’s been a big deal.”

Just as valuable has been bischel’s mental preparation. Jackson has played a role in that aspect as well, offering up books to help the netminder keep his mind in top shape. In their conversations, playing with swagger under pressure has surfaced quite frequently. sure enough, that’s exactly what bischel needed to stop 80 of 84 shots and earn home playoff ice in the first round of the big Ten Tournament at no. 4 m ichigan last weekend.

“For me [swagger] is about having that inner confidence so that everyone can see it. They can see your confidence without you being cocky,” Jackson said. “Great goalies that I’ve had in my coaching career have all had that, and I thought ryan was lacking that at first.”

remember how c larkson’s coaching staff wished not to face bischel on another ec Ac

team? Instead, he is now puzzling the big Ten, a conference with six of its seven teams ranked. his nc AAbest 1,095 saves have helped him reach the m ike r ichter Award List and earn a nomination for the hobey baker Award nomination. The awards honor the country’s best goaltender and overall player, respectively.

bischel admitted that he has given up on trying to understand the PairWise rankings that predict notre dame’s nc AA tournament chances. however, he has turned in his best performances in his team’s biggest games. o ver the last four contests, none of which the Irish have lost, bischel has posted a spectacular .960 save percentage.

“ o ur backs were against the wall the last couple weekends, and it seems like when we’re in that position we find another gear and we find a way to win,” b ischel said. “It’s been a commitment to doing the little things 100 percent.”

b ischel’s week has served as a microcosm of the workload he has accepted as n otre d ame’s starting puck-stopper. After making 48 saves s aturday in Ann Arbor, he returned to campus to take a fixedincome securities exam m onday morning. e ntering the postseason, secure may be the best word to describe how Irish fans feel with b ischel in net. With his efforts, n otre d ame is playing better than it has all year. And, the team is ready for more.

“We’ve had a roller coaster of a year, and I think our team has been put in a lot of tough environments,” b ischel said. “ o bviously, the b ig Ten’s been pretty tight this year, so I think we’re more battle-tested than a lot of other teams in the country, and that gives us a lot of confidence going into the playoffs.”

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

successful results against national title contenders.

b ut an upset somewhere along the gauntlet could go

a long way in both boosting the national rankings of the Irish and establishing confidence heading into the nc AA tournament.

n otre d ame women’s lacrosse will take on d uke

s aturday afternoon in

c harlotte, n orth c arolina. The game is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on the A cc n etwork e xtra.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

Genevieve Coleman

Assistant managing editor

By RYAN MURPHY sports Writer

The storied hockey rivalry between n otre d ame and m ichigan has produced some iconic late-game heroics over the years. Think of c alle r idderwall’s overtime goal that sent the upstart Irish to the 2008 national championship in d enver. Perhaps instead Jake e vans’ game-winner with 3.7 seconds left in the 2018 Frozen Four semifinal first comes to mind. e ven as recent as last year, the series has produced some dramatic gamewinning goals. Forwards then junior m ax e llis and then sophomore r yder r olston scored in overtime on consecutive nights to give the Irish a sweep of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor just a season ago.

The list of epic moments between the two rivals is long. And this past weekend at Yost Ice Arena, the list got longer. The latest to add his name to the pantheon of great moments: junior defenseman d rew b avaro.

Playing in the final game of the b ig Ten regular season s aturday night at m ichigan, n otre d ame needed just two points to secure home ice in the first round of the b ig

Overtime hero Drew Bavaro leads Irish into postseason

Ten tournament. b y the end of regulation, the score was tied at one, giving the Irish at least one point. h ome ice advantage hung in the balance of overtime.

“It kinda developed into a slow two-on-two, and [Irish senior forward Trevor Janicke] did a great job getting to the net,” b avaro remembered of the moments just before his game-winning overtime goal in the 2-1 Irish win. “I think that took out the defender, he thought it was kinda like a two-onone, so I think he left his feet a little early. I just tried to get it on goal, and luckily it went in … on the third whack.”

b avaro’s hack-and-whack heroics silenced a stunned m ichigan crowd and set up a date with m ichigan s tate in the first round of the b ig Ten tournament this weekend. For b arvaro, the goal was a milestone moment both in this rollercoaster season and in his hockey career.

“It’s definitely the top hockey moment I’ve had, especially just because of how much that meant for our team. We wanted to clinch home ice so bad, we knew it was kinda in our hands. I was just happy that I could contribute to that and get

us this advantage this weekend,” b avaro said. “I actually called my mom right after the game, and she was kinda in shock, just as I was — kinda, ‘what just happened?’” b avaro, who transferred from b entley University over the summer, said.

“If you would’ve told me last year that I woulda’ been able to be in this position, I woulda’ told you you’re crazy,” he added.

That b avaro would score the seminal goal of n otre d ame’s season to date indeed would have seemed a bit unlikely at this point last year, to say the least. After all, he wasn’t even on the Irish roster 365 days ago. Instead, b avaro was playing with the Falcons of the Atlantic h ockey Association. h e put up nine goals and 18 assists in his second season with b entley last year.

“I couldn’t have been more happy with my time at b entley. I think they gave me an opportunity when not many people did,” b avaro said. “I wasn’t a very highly recruited kid. I was on a good high school team with a lot of the b U, bc , n ortheastern commits. I always thought I was a pretty good player, but maybe I was a little overshadowed in that aspect.”

“Part of the reason he came here is for the opportunity to play in a b ig Ten environment and develop here,” n otre d ame head coach Jeff Jackson said of b avaro. “I think he’s been committed to that. h e’s grown.”

b ig life changes often come with difficulties, but b avaro says that the n otre d ame program made him feel at home right away. s oon after joining n otre d ame, he knew playing for the Irish was special.

“It was hard at the beginning, just because [it’s a] new place, new facility, you’re kinda in awe, honestly, because we have it so good here — we have probably the best, one of the best, facilities in the country, one of the best fan atmospheres in the country,” b avaro said. “o bviously, the first few games, I’m kind of starstruck, looking around, not really believing this is happening … I don’t take it for granted.”

With six goals and 12 assists for 18 points this year, b avaro has contributed on both sides of the puck. In the eyes of his head coach, the defenseman is a growing player with pro-hockey upside.

“At his size and his skating ability, he could be an elite

level defender, let alone contribute offensively,” Jackson said. “It’s not like he’s a pure offensive defenseman, so for him and his career I think it’s going to be critical that he really develops that part of his game without the puck.”

b avaro and his teammates now turn their attention to this weekend’s playoff series against m ichigan s tate, which begins Friday. Fresh on the Irish minds is a recent series in e ast Lansing, during which the s partans swept n otre d ame.

“[We’re] feeling pretty good going into m ichigan s tate, where we feel we didn’t play our best there a few weeks ago,” b avaro said. “That could’ve been our season, honestly, if we didn’t turn it around, so we feel like we owe these guys, and we’re excited to have them back at c ompton.”

A new season begins for b avaro and the Irish against the s partans this weekend. The puck drops on game one Friday night at 7 p.m. s aturday’s game two will begin at 4:30 p.m. If necessary, the best-of-three series rubber game will be played at 6 p.m. s unday.

Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu

MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer

In a tight matchup against the Buckeyes, junior defenseman Drew Bavaro shields the puck from Ohio State forward Matt Cassidy. Bavaro’s performance this season has been consistently dominant. Going into the Big Ten Tournament, he boasts 18 points, which makes him the fourth leading scorer — first among defensemen — on the Irish’s roster.

Irish baseball opens March with trip to Birmingham

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

The notre dame baseball caravan is preparing for its next stop in the heart of dixie. This weekend, the i rish (3-3) will play their third consecutive road series at the university of a labama at birmingham (3-5). notre dame and uab last met on the opening weekend of the truncated 2020 season. i n that series, the i rish took two of the three games, extending their all-time head-to-head lead to 3-1.

Notre Dame looks to gain confidence from commitment

With head coach shawn stiffler’s new regime in place, the i rish have battled through some growing pains early on. even so, the players remain invested in the team’s system. The offense is still developing its identity in the wake of last year’s home-run happy run to omaha. evidenced by a .163 batting average and .247 slugging percentage, notre dame’s hits have been hard to come by. however, the lineup has made up for it with timeliness. Junior catcher danny neri stole the show in that regard last weekend. h is go-ahead dinger Friday and two-run single sunday helped turn another largely quiet offensive series into two big wins.

“a nytime you can do anything that helps your team out, it’s definitely a confidencebooster,” neri said. “You’re always gonna need guys from the top of the lineup to the bottom who are gonna step up in big situations.”

Through two weekends, neri leads the i rish in rbi (five), slugging (.538) and oPs (.913). notre dame’s pitching staff is battling for consistency as well. a fter losing several arms to the offseason transfer portal, the i rish currently hold a 4.41 earned run average. The hurlers took a big step in sunday’s win, bouncing back from a 12-0 loss to allow just four runs. For junior pitcher matt bedford, the change came down to shortterm memory. he tossed three

con

From Page 16

say that s aturday’s game will come down to details. notre dame seems to play at the level of whatever opponent they are facing, as evidenced by their performances against strong teams like v irginia and Pitt and in games against lesser opponents like boston c ollege and Florida state.

The i rish need to take all of

vital scoreless innings during the middle part of game three, allowing notre dame’s offense to build a cushion.

“The first thing coach stiffler said to us in the sunday meeting was ‘the beautiful thing about our game is we get to wake up and do it again today.’ We put [ saturday] behind us and got back after it,” bedford said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that are capable of a lot of different things, and i’m just excited to see our best work.”

a long with graduate southpaw a idan Tyrell, bedford is one of two i rish pitchers with at least five innings of earned run-free baseball. Look for sophomore arm radek birkholz to ride the wave of momentum going forward. he opened the uncg series with three scoreless innings and will do his best to put notre dame in the driver’s seat the rest of the season.

Small ball, close wins keeping Blazers on track

Through its first eight games, uab has become well-acquainted with the nail-biter. six of those contests were decided by two runs or less. Like notre dame, the blazers sandwiched a lopsided loss between two dramatic wins against murray state. They played again Tuesday, coming out on the wrong end of an 8-7 battle with Troy. a ll three uab victories have been tight, and the winning formula has been largely the same each time. despite recording no more than five hits in any of the three, the blazers scored early and pitched well late.

uab’s offense doesn’t jump off the page, but a few players have started particularly strong. c hristian h all, who slashed .370/.443/.614 last year, leads the team rbi s and has their only home run.

To complement him, d arryl

b uggs has been an on-base machine. he currently carries a five-game hitting streak and a batting average just below .400. o verall, uab has struggled to a combined oP s around .600, but the i rish won’t let their guard down.

“What stood out to us at

the energy and passion they discovered Wednesday night with them to their final regular season game. Their starting five has a solid amount of offensive talent and has been able to play high-level defense at times this season. They just need to put it all together with more consistency to make games like Wednesday’s less of an outlier.

This season obviously did not go the way anyone

practice is that they have guys we highlighted on the report with speed,” b edford noted.

“c oach voltz hinted at being on top of our bunt defenses because the guys at the top and bottom of their order — with their speed — can get on and cause some traffic with bunts.”

n otre d ame can expect to face two strong starting pitchers in b irmingham.

b layze b erry has conquered five innings in each of his first two starts, working his way to a 2.70 era . The e ast m ississippi c ommunity c ollege transfer has a stellar 11-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio and should present a tough test for the i rish offense. c arson m yers should get the ball s aturday. i n two starts, he has tossed a total of eight innings with 10 punchouts for an era of 3.38. s unday arm b rooks Walton has a 6.00 era but allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings last week. d espite a team era of just over six, the b lazers have the high-end starters and bullpen pieces to give the i rish trouble.

The right time to get hot

For both teams, the series will serve as a key segue to the upcoming schedule. uab faces a tough stretch ahead with a uburn and m ichigan slated to follow the i rish. m eanwhile, n otre d ame will open up acc play at g eorgia Tech next weekend. The i rish haven’t lost their first conference series in five years, and a strong effort at uab can set them up well to extend the streak.

“You want to come into conference play winning and feeling good, especially because the acc is a really tough stretch of games,” n eri said. “ i think we can get that done this weekend.”

First pitch times for the weekend series at Young m emorial Field are 5 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. s aturday and 2 p.m s unday.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

thought it would. b ut all is not lost. The win against Pitt was not an accident. i t shows that there is more to this i rish team than its overall record. i f they can somehow turn the corner and keep battling, perhaps there is an acc Tournament run left in b rey and this veteran group. Tip-off is set for s aturday at 8 p.m.

Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu

ND WOMEN’S l ACROSSE

Irish prepare for No. 13 Duke

By J.J. POST sports Writer

n otre d ame women’s lacrosse will face a major test s aturday when they travel to c harlotte, n orth c arolina to take on n o. 11 d uke.

The b lue d evils have gotten off to a strong start to the year so far, posting a 3-1 record over the opening month of the season.

o pening with a threegame win streak, d uke recovered from a 17-8 loss to n o. 4 b oston c ollege with a bounce-back win over Liberty on Tuesday.

Katie d e s imone has gotten off to a torrid start for the b lue d evils, taking an early team lead in goals. With 19 tallies and seven assists, d e s imone has had a hat-trick in four of d uke’s five games so far this season.

The i rish, who themselves are coming off a key victory over an upstart c lemson side at home, are in search of their first ranked win of the season. n otre d ame was able to dispatch s an d iego s tate and c entral m ichigan with ease but fell short of a potential upset of n o. 3 n orthwestern on the road. h ead coach c hristine h alfpenny has emphasized the importance of her deep stable of veteran attacking options. a nd, the i rish scoring has been divided accordingly. Through four games, five different players have five or more goals. d raw control success has also been a major strength

of h alfpenny’s squad. n otre d ame has won 78 draw controls on the year and has only lost 37.

The d uke game marks the start of an important stretch for an i rish squad looking to make a deeper tournament run than last season’s first-round exit. a fter d uke, the i rish stay on the road to face an even higher-ranked s yracuse o range team. i n a deep acc , results in either of those games away from home could allow the i rish to make an important early statement. The i rish showed plenty of grit against n o. 3 n orthwestern a few weeks back. n otre d ame took the lead in the opening minutes. Whenever the brilliance of Wildcat i zzy s cane seemed to put the game out of reach, the i rish didn’t relent.

e ven when n orthwestern amassed a nine-point lead late on in the fourth quarter, h alfpenny’s side kept battling. They unleashed an ultimately futile but spirited four-goal run in the final minutes in e vanston to turn a rout into a respectable finish against one of the nation’s best.

With games against the likes of n orth c arolina and b oston c ollege, ranked n o. 1 and n o. 2 in the nation, respectively, looming down the line, the schedule won’t get easier for the i rish going forward. n otre d ame isn’t expected to record a consistent string of

see Lacrosse PAGE 12

Friday and scored a PPG of his own saturday. recently, big-bodied players have freed up notre dame’s outside shooters by creating traffic around opposing goalies. bavaro’s goal, a slap-shot fired through the visual obstruction of 6-foot-6 forward Jack Adams, was a prime example. Adams and fellow tall graduate chayse Primeau will look to frustrate msU in the same sense.

Well-rested spartans look to get over the hump

There’s an elephant in the room with michigan state’s program. The spartans have lost their last 15 postseason games dating back to 2013. however, if there’s an msU team to break the curse and send the Irish home, it’s this one.

In his first year in east Lansing, head coach Adam nightingale has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround. The spartans ended last season on a 1-15 nosedive. now, they sit at a respectable 16-16-2 after competing well in the loaded big Ten.

“I think [nightingale] made some really good choices as far as building his roster, and they’ve done an incredible job of getting their guys to buy in,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “It reminds me a lot of when I started at notre dame. It’s about building a culture and an identity in how you play the game.”

Like notre dame, michigan state enters south bend with an appetite for vengeance. Two weeks ago, msU unexpectedly lost its final regular season game to lowly Wisconsin, allowing the Irish to steal the four seed. After

last week’s bye, the spartans have had plenty of time to heal up and chew on its loss of home ice.

contrary to michigan, msU doesn’t have big names but thrives on balanced offensive contributions. That starts with nicolas muller’s 29 points. he scored both times the spartans beat notre dame last month.

Jagger Joshua has posted seven power-play goals but has taken an alarming number of penalties lately. meanwhile, msU’s experienced defensemen have stepped up down the stretch. Fifth-year man cole Krygier has 10 goals on the year, while senior erik middendorf has assisted seven times in his last five games.

“our style is that we want to clog up and make teams play not as fast, but they do similar things,” bavaro said. “I think they play a little bit heavier than most

other teams — more structured with less run-and-gun. They’re gonna be physical, and they’re not afraid to dump pucks in.”

An epic showdown between the pipes

Among all the storylines, this weekend’s goaltending matchup might top the list. michigan state’s dylan st. cyr and notre dame graduate student ryan bischel have a history together. The former spent his first four collegiate years in south bend with bischel backing him up for the final two. The two split time in the 2020-21 season before bischel‘s concussion put st. cyr in charge. Though they are still buddies off the ice, the former teammates have found another gear when facing one another. In their four meetings this season, bischel has a .952 save percentage to st. cyr’s .944.

bischel currently sits second in the nation with a .932 save percentage and leads the country with 1,095 saves. on the other side, st. cyr carries a .914 save percentage and will likely eclipse 1,000 stops over the next two games. both goalies have seen it all this year, playing in a combined 59 of 68 games.

michigan state has been notre dame’s second-worst matchup among big Ten opponents this year. The spartans took eight of 12 points from the Irish in the regular season, including a shootout victory at compton on oct. 29. This weekend’s puck drop times are 7 p.m. Friday, 4:30 p.m. saturday and, if necessary, 6 p.m. sunday. each game will be broadcast on Fs2.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Notre Dame softball heads into ‘prove-it’ series against Duke

By ADAM AKAN sports Writer

n otre d ame softball has had a strong season to date, posting a 10-4 record. The Irish are currently on a blazing win streak of five games. They defeated UT m artin 8-7, FIU 4-0, s iena 2-0, FIU again 4-3 and d artmouth 7-4 while in m adeira b each, Florida, for The s pring Games.

The Irish have struggled against higher-profile

ND MEN’s l ACRossE

opponents, however. After thrashing o hio s tate 7-2 in their first game of the b1G/ Acc c hallenge in c lemson, the Irish would go on to lose twice against n o. 13 n orthwestern, 2-0 and 10-3. They would also fall to o hio s tate 6-5 in a tense, nineinning rematch. Their additional loss came against s an d iego s tate on the road by a 3-0 score.

As Acc play opens up, the Irish have an opportunity to

prove that they can compete at the highest level. They begin their conference slate this weekend against n o. 12 d uke in d urham, where they will play a three-game series against d uke.

The b lue d evils currently sit at 15-3. Their sole losses have come in close games with n o. 14 Washington, n o. 15 Alabama and n o. 1 o klahoma. They have already earned four wins against ranked opponents in n o. 17

s tanford, n o. 4 Arkansas, n o. 25 m ichigan and n o. 20 Uc F in extra innings. d uke comes into the series red-hot as they seek to add to their current 12-game winning streak.

n otre d ame head coach d eanna Gumpf and the Irish believe they can match up with the top squads in the Acc , a group that includes n o. 4 c lemson, n o. 5 Florida s tate, n o. 10 v irginia Tech and yes, d uke. If they want to make a statement this

weekend, and climb up the conference standings and into the top 25 nationally, they must win this series against the b lue d evils. Friday’s game is set to begin at 6 p.m., s aturday’s at 2 p.m. and s unday’s at noon. All games will be streamed on Acc n etwork e xtra and played at d uke s oftball s tadium.

Contact Adam Akan at aakan@nd.edu

Irish look to stay unbeaten in top-five matchup with Maryland

By MATTHEW CROW Associate sports editor

The notre dame men’s lacrosse season could not have gotten off to much better of a start. The no. 2 Irish sit at 3-0 and have won each game by at least seven goals, including a dominant road victory against no. 15 Georgetown last weekend. but the team will have their toughest test to date on saturday when they face no. 4 maryland.

The Terrapins have established themselves as the premier men’s lacrosse program in the nation over the last several years. In each of the last two seasons, they reached the national championship game with an undefeated record, losing to virginia in the 2021 final before claiming the nc AA title last year. That marked their second national championship since 2017 and their seventh appearance in the title game since 2011.

In addition to its success on the national stage, maryland has been a foil for notre dame in recent years. The Irish won four

consecutive games in the series between 2014 and 2017. but the Terrapins have been victorious in four of the five matchups since then, most notably ending notre dame’s 2021 season in the nc AA quarterfinals. The teams’ most recent meeting came in south bend in march 2022. maryland won 75% of the game’s face-offs en route to a hard-fought 11-9 victory.

While notre dame’s roster looks largely the same as it did last year, the Irish are a muchimproved team and appear ready to flip the script in college Park on saturday.

That loss to maryland came as part of a difficult stretch that saw notre dame suffer four losses in five games. since then, the Irish have won nine straight — the longest active streak in the country — and have opened the 2023 season playing as well as anyone. much of their early success has come on the offensive end. notre dame ranks second in the nation with 18 goals per game. Their high-octane attack has led to each of their three wins being

decided in blowout fashion. The Irish are tied for the best scoring margin in the country with an average differential of nearly 10 goals.

As reigning national champions, maryland entered the year ranked second nationally and seemed ready to meet those expectations after a seasonopening 15-4 win against no. 19 richmond. That was followed by a shocking road defeat against unranked Loyola, the team’s first regular-season loss in more than three years. maryland has since bounced back, beating no. 16 syracuse and taking down no. 4 Princeton on the road last saturday. meanwhile, Loyola has risen to no. 7 in the country, making that defeat look much more palatable. saturday’s game will feature contrasting styles of play. maryland’s offense has not been as effective as notre dame’s. but they have an elite defense that has held four high-caliber opponents to just over eight goals per game. The few instances of the Irish struggling this season

have come when they lost control of the game’s tempo. For example, that is what caused a 4-0 run in the second quarter of their opener against marquette. maryland will look to take notre dame out of its comfort zone by slowing the pace and limiting the Irish’s shot attempts. notre dame will attempt to continue its aggressive, attacking play that has been highly effective thus far in the season.

The Irish’s biggest obstacle will be overcoming maryland’s faceoff advantage. Face-offs were a key factor in the Terrapins’ win in last year’s matchup. And they once again feature one of the nation’s best specialists in Luke Wierman. notre dame has won less than half of its face-offs this year. so far, they have been able to make up for that deficiency through strong play on both ends of the field. This will be more difficult against a team as good as maryland, and the Irish will need a standout performance from sophomore face-off specialist Will Lynch. notre dame is headlined by

senior Pat Kavanagh and sophomore chris Kavanagh, two of the nation’s most prolific playmaking attackers. but their talent and depth will make them a challenge for maryland to match up with. In the midfield, junior eric dobson and senior reilly Gray each recorded hat tricks against Georgetown. defensively, graduate student (and Yale transfer) chris Fake was named to UsILA Team of the Week just three games into his notre dame career. And in the net, senior Liam entenmann enters the game coming off an outstanding performance, having recorded 10 saves while allowing just six goals against Georgetown. notre dame earned a crucial road win last weekend. They will have to be at their best to do the same in this top-five showdown. The Irish will attempt to improve to 4-0 as they play on the road against maryland on saturday at 1 p.m.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

By ANNIKA HERKO sports Writer

After losing their last seven games, the notre dame men’s basketball team shocked the world and impressed fans by beating no. 25 Pitt 88-81

Wednesday night in coach

m ike brey’s last game in Purcell

Pavilion. The 11-19 overall Irish now travel to south c arolina to play against c lemson.

c lemson has had a pretty strong season so far. They went 21-9 in regular season games and 13-6 in Acc play. Two of their best performances so far have been in the double-overtime victory over Penn state and their win over Pitt in January. Like notre dame, they lost both games against the Acc’s two highest-ranked teams, v irginia and m iami.

In their most recent game, the Tigers struggled to clean up some sloppy play against v irginia. c lemson played an undisciplined game, committing 17 fouls to the c avaliers’ 10. That ended up being one of the key differences in the game,

HoCkEY

Irish set to wrap up regular season in Clemson

as c lemson got only four points from the foul line whereas v irginia got 15. o ther than that, both teams were pretty even on scoring, both shooting just over 40% from the field. The Tigers, however, had a slight edge in both three-point volume and percentage.

It was a very similar situation when notre dame played v irginia. They had nearly identical overall and three-point percentages. Free throws made all the difference in the two-point loss.

Against Pitt, notre dame shot exceptionally well. e xcept for the uncharacteristically high number of fouls for both teams, many stats were very similar to other games against tougher opponents. That is not something the Irish should take with them to c lemson and the Acc Tournament. Against Pitt, the Irish found a way to win, holding a big lead for most of the contest that allowed them to control the game.

It seems pretty reasonable to

see mbb PAGE 14

Irish seek payback against Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament

By TYLER REIDY sports Writer

Why has notre dame hockey spent the last three weeks in mustwin games for its ncAA tournament hopes? Why did it take an improbable series of events to bring the Irish back to compton Family Ice Arena? The answer: michigan state. A month ago, the spartans swept notre dame in east Lansing, pinning the Irish firmly against the proverbial wall.

“Losing there was disappointing, but we didn’t have much time to be down on ourselves,” junior defenseman drew bavaro said. “We got right back to work. It’s a credit to our coaching staff and a credit to our leadership group.”

now, after two victories and two ties (both of which ended in Irish shootout victories) against no. 9 ohio state and no. 4 michigan, the Irish are hungry to get the last laugh against the spartans. They’ll host michigan state this weekend for the right to play in the big Ten quarterfinals. With both teams sitting right on the edge of the presumptive ncAA tournament bubble, the three-game series may

serve as a win-and-in for the big dance.

Unleashing a pent-up power-play

It’s been a long time coming for notre dame’s power play. Through three-quarters of the season, the man advantage had yielded only disappointment, contributing to notre dame’s puzzling overall inconsistency. however, the group has flipped a major switch in recent weeks. The Irish power-play is 10-for33 over its last eight games and has struck at least once in every series of 2023.

“That’s been huge, especially in this league. everyone’s so good in five-on-five that it’s hard to score goals,” bavaro said. “on the powerplay, we feel like we have an obligation to help the team gain some momentum. I think over the past month everyone took a deep breath and just started trusting their instincts a little bit more.”

bavaro’s efforts helped notre dame punish michigan in man-up situations last week. The blue-liner assisted on both power-play goals

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

During the Irish’s riveting victory against Pitt on March 1, graduate guard Dane Goodwin drives to the basket with conviction. Goodwin contributed 12 points that would help to secure an 88-81 Irish win.

MARY VOTAVA | The Observer

On Feb. 11, graduate defenseman Chase Blackmun controls the play in the Irish’s contest against the Buckeyes. Blackmun went pointless this game but has a solid total of 11 to build on in the postseason.