Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Bryan Stevenson speaks on injustice
The Equal Justice Initiave founder discussed judicial reform and racial bias in
By LUKA VAICEKAUSKAITE News Writer
On Tuesday, Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), gave a lecture on his life and career as a criminal justice lawyer for prisoners on death row. The lecture was in collaboration with the Institute for Social Concerns and was held in the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend.
The annual Rev. Bernie Clark, C.S.C., Lecture was created by the Institute for Social Concerns in 2009 to discuss justice issues and themes related to the common good.
Stevenson opened the discussion with the victories he was
Bryan Stevenson gives a lecture, in collaboration with the Institute for Social Concerns, on his career as a criminal justice lawyer. The event was held at the Morris Performing Arts Center, located in South Bend.
SMC’s CFAM hosts climate discussion
By ELLA NOVAK News Writer
This Monday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saint Mary’s Center for Faith Action and Ministry (CFAM) hosted its monthly “Discussion and Donuts” meeting in the student government lounge. The discussion began with donuts, dried apples, cookies and spiced apple cider. Before the discussion began, students were given a few minutes to journal their thoughts and feelings on climate change.
The discussion was hosted by two student advocacy interns at CFAM, Jeanett Ochoa and Amelia Moroney. The “Discussion and Donuts” series attempts to help students become more comfortable talking about difficult political topics, Moroney notes.
“For this one specifically, we were just hoping to get students curious about climate legislation and how they fit into the climate justice narrative,” Moroney said.
Moroney recounted that the discussion went well.
“I thought we had a lot of really great people with a lot of diverse backgrounds and knowledge about climate change and I think it sparked a really unique
conversation that we wouldn’t have had with different people,” Moroney said.
Moroney and Ochoa both emphasized the importance of caring about the environment as a Catholic institution.
“With Saint Mary’s being a Catholic [institution], we do adhere a lot to the Catholic social teaching.
So Laudato Si’ just came out not too long ago, and that does a great [job] of explaining how climate change and care for the environment is a part of Catholicism, not saying that you need to be Catholic and also believe in climate change, just it’s a practice today,” Ochoa said.
Laudato Si’ was a book written by Pope Francis that came out in 2015 that called for Catholics to take care of the environment.
“[Climate change is] really important to talk about, especially because we’re students and we’re kind of finding our own place in the world, and we’re like doing under the charism of the Holy Cross, I think it’s really important to address the needs of our community and I think right now, that is about addressing climate change and trying to find justice in that,”
see CLIMATE PAGE 3
able to achieve through the EJI. These included ending certain unjust sentencing practices, exonerating wrongfully convicted death row inmates, addressing mistreatment of prisoners and the mentally ill and supporting children tried as adults.
“The narrative of this inequality has to change — that some children cannot even experience being children. We must lift the justice quotient,” Stevenson said. “This country isn’t free. As a matter of fact, we are burning from justice inequality and racial injustice and that history has created these toxins in the air.”
Stevenson spearheaded new initiatives targeting poverty and
Dorm kitchens serve latenight eats, camaraderie
By ANNELISE DEMERS and AMELIA BELTRAN Associate News Editor and News Writer
Beyond a community to live in, many of Notre Dame’s halls offer student-run kitchens that provide convenient late-night meals. From smoothies to smoked meats to quesadillas, these dorm kitchens serve as a gathering spot for students across campus.
St. Edward’s Hall has built a following with its rotating menu of snacks and casual atmosphere.
“This year, we’re serving paninis, pizza sticks, mozzarella sticks, milkshakes, smoothies and we just added chicken nuggets — both spicy and regular,” sophomore Garret Hanlon said.
The kitchen operates from 10 p.m. to midnight on most nights, with longer shifts on Sundays. Students can pay with cash or via PayPal and the service has become a go-to for late-night cravings.
Morrissey Manor, another dorm with a popular kitchen, is focused on smoked meats and macaroni and cheese. They are
also known for their rotating milkshake flavors.
“Each day has a different milkshake flavor. Today is Oreo, and people love it.
Other favorites include mint chip and cinnamon toast crunch,” sophomore Caleb Vaughan said.
Most customers are Morrissey residents, but Vaughan noted that collaborations with other dorms like Badin Hall have increased traffic.
Dawg Pizza, Alumni Hall’s student-run food service, offers a variety of frozen foods, including pizzas, chicken nuggets and mini corn dogs. The most popular item is the Pep Stick — a breadstick stuffed with cheese and pepperoni.
Logan Lucas, a junior working at Dawg Pizza, described the signature food option.
“It’s simple but a crowdpleaser. We also offer a chicken bacon ranch version, where we cut up chicken nuggets and serve it with ranch for dipping,” Lucas said.
The service operates from 10 p.m. to midnight, giving students a convenient option for
late-night snacks.
“It’s mostly guys from our dorm who come down, but we’re always happy to welcome people from other dorms,” Lucas said. “It’s a great way to build community, meet new people, and have a quick meal.”
Students can pay using cash or cards thanks to a recently added card reader. Lucas also described how hectic the work can be during busy nights.
“When we get a big rush, especially early in the night, it can be stressful,” Lucas said. “But it’s a good opportunity to get to know the other guys in the dorm and bond over the shared experience.”
Duncan Hall takes a different approach, offering quesadillas, nachos and their signature item — the Dubuff. Sophomore Gabriel Angaiak described the Dubuff as cheese, chicken and buffalo sauce. They also offer a quesadilla with chicken, bacon and ranch.
Duncan’s kitchen is a favorite among residents but also see KITCHENS PAGE 3
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Andrew Jitendran junior Siegfried Hall “Two minutes.”
University President Fr. Robert Dowd introduces Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and author of “Just Mercy,” at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend. Stevenson gave the annual Rev. Bernie Clark, C.S.C. Lecture hosted by the Institute for Social Concerns.
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Wednesday
Election 2024 and the Economy
1030 Jenkins Nanovic Hall
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Discuss the economy.
Letras Latinas 20th Anniversary Event Reyes Family Room
5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Join for Letras Latinas’ 20th anniversary.
Thursday
Furry Friends
SMC Student Center
4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Come take a study break with therapy dogs.
SCELF Speaker Eck Hall 1130
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame Athletic Director, will speak.
Friday
Mercy Works Service partners
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Sign up to serve at one of 24 community partners agencies.
The Met Opera Live in HD: “Grounded” DPAC
1 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Composition by Tonywinner Jeanine Tesori.
Women’s Lacrosse vs. Louisville
Arlotta Stadium
1 p.m.
Notre Dame takes on Louisville.
Sunday
“The House with a Clock in Its Walls” DPAC
1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Fantasy comedy about young orphan boy.
Volleyball vs. Wake Forest Purcell Pavilion
1 p.m.
Notre Dame faces off against Wake Forest.
GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer
Mendoza minors open doors for ND students
By GABRIELLE KILE News Writer
Friday, Oct. 18 at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for students outside of the Mendoza College of Business to apply for a minor within the business school. Students in any college at Notre Dame may apply for minors in accountancy, innovation and entrepreneurship, marketing and real estate. Students in the College of Arts and Letters, College of Science and the Keough School of Global Affairs may also apply for a minor in foundations of business.
This opportunity to study in Mendoza appeals to students across all majors and disciplines and has proven to be
popular. In recent years, statistics from the Office of the Registrar show that five of the top 15 most popular minors at Notre Dame have been in business.
“No matter what you do after graduation, you’re going to be doing it in the context of business,” said Mitch Olsen, assistant chair and director of undergraduate studies in the marketing department.
Olsen stresses that business is a pervasive element of life after college. Regardless of a student’s post-graduation plans, opening a practice, working for a corporation or even making a purchase requires a basic knowledge of business, which the minors offered in Mendoza can help students develop.
“Any business minor can supplement any major — it just depends on how you want to complement your studies at Notre Dame and your life beyond the dome,” Olsen said.
Grace Hayes, a sophomore psychology student, is applying to add a marketing minor to her studies.
“I’m interested in studying and pursuing a career in consumer behavior, which will be a good combination of my psychology and marketing programs,” Hayes said.
She believes that having a marketing minor, along with experience in a business setting, will aid her search for employment and opportunities after college.
According to Dr. Olsen,
psychology, ACMS (applied and computational mathematics and statistics), economics and FTT (film, television and theatre) are among the majors frequently combined with a minor in marketing.
Students who pursue a minor in Mendoza will need to complete around 15 credit hours, which includes foundational courses and elective options. These classes cover subjects such as research, strategy and analytics which delve deeper into the business curriculum without placing an excessive burden on students’ primary majors.
The flexibility of adding a minor in Mendoza is one of its key appeals, according to Ellie
Beckstoffer, an English major who already has a minor in sustainability but is interested in adding the foundations of business minor.
“I think, and hope, that it will expose me to experiences and opportunities within the business world,” Beckstoffer said. She looks forward to courses in Mendoza, such as business law concepts and accounting, both of which she believes will provide the immersion into business she seeks.
“A foundations of business minor will help me find and build connections that I wouldn’t have developed otherwise,” she said.
Contact Gabrielle Kile at gkile@nd.edu
New Eddy St. apartments under construction
By EMILY BARLETT News Writer
New apartment complexes are being constructed on the South of Eddy Street, a popular off-campus location for Notre Dame students. The space will provide additional living options for the community.
The project is covered by Irish Realty, a real estate company that has sold homes in the Michiana area for over 25 years.
“Irish Realty is a boutique real estate firm that caters to all things Notre Dame and works with builders, developers, buyers and sellers to find properties close to campus that will meet their lifestyle and investment goals,” realtor Steve
Smith said. “We have a clientfirst approach and look to understand our clients’ needs and then connect them to properties and services that will bring joy and build community.”
Irish Realty has been working on the construction of new homes in the South Bend area. They recently announced that they were creating townhouse developments on Eddy Street called Eddy Square and 5 Corners.
“With the continued expansion of Eddy Street Commons further south toward downtown, and with the addition of Trader Joe’s, the 5 Corners area has become the epicenter of game day action,” realtor Brigid Beattie said. “Notre Dame has one of
the strongest and most loyal alumni networks in the country, and the demand for expansion in the ND housing market continues to grow, especially among the ND alum.”
Due to their location near Notre Dame, the homes were marketed as an ideal place to stay during the football season.
“The condos are a high end luxury offering which deliver first class living experience to our future residents. These four units will have all of the amenities of a larger community while providing a smaller, more private offering,” Holladay Properties department manager James Randolph said.
Eddy Square’s recently
renovated homes were highlighted for their proximity to South Bend stores and restaurants.
“We see a strong desire in the marketplace for buyers and renters to live within walking distance to both Notre Dame’s campus and the Eddy Street Commons area. They value the access to Trader Joe’s, restaurants and retail options that they can walk out their door and take advantage of,” Smith said.
Prices for the new townhouses are starting around $350,000 and have open floor plans, advanced kitchen set-ups and other stylish features. There are units that are currently available, providing an option for families coming to the area.
“We expect the condominiums to be completed by summer 2025 and the apartments are on a similar time frame with residents moving in by next fall,” Smith said.
The townhouses are varying structures that allow for a variety of different home plans for buyers to choose from. They have between three and five bedrooms, providing a range of options. Additionally, the available private parking and maintenance-free living provide a convenient living environment for purchasers.
Contact Emily Barlett at ebarlett@nd.edu
Moroney said.
Ochoa notes that October has been a month that has focused a lot on the environment and climate issues.
Injustice
discrimination to combat inequality in the U.S. He led the development of EJI’s Legacy Sites, including the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. These landmarks document the history of slavery, lynching and segregation, connecting them to mass incarceration and ongoing racial bias in the judicial system.
“It doesn’t matter where we are — Alabama, New York, New England. We live in a space of long history of social injustice that created these contaminants. This is what prevents us from fully being [in] neighboring and supporting
“Specifically, after a lot of dialog between the advocacy interns and Dr. Sarah Neitz, we concluded that climate change would be a good discussion to have, especially right after we had Francis fest earlier in October, and just this month of October, [CFAM has] just been focusing a lot on climate issues, and so we just thought it would fit was our office’s current vision and focus of the month,” Ochoa said.
fellowship. All these things are compromised from this bad environment and toxins in the air,”
Stevenson said.
He also talked about what prior generations had accomplished for civil rights, from the 1850s to the 1960s.
“I think we have to change this narrative of racial hierarchy [and] social injustice that we have inherited. Our parents and grandparents did what they could, but they didn’t do enough,” he said.
Stevenson continued to stress that there was more to do on the road to racial equality in the justice system, particularly when it came to capital punishment.
“In order to make a change we have to take action. We have to
Next month CFAM is planning to hold a discussion about the election.
confess on our flaws as a society. Recognizing these flaws will allow us to reach grace and mercy, all the beautiful things in life,” Stevenson said.
According to Stevenson, truth and justice are sequential. He argued for open doors for redemption and repair in society.
“We need to find the courage to change the justice quotient and be hopeful,” he said. “Hopelessness is the enemy for justice. Our hope is our superpower to change the world. We must protect ourselves from the hopelessness, because hope can make us stand up when everyone else is making us sit down.”
Contact Luka Vaicekauskaite at lvaiceka@nd.edu
“Our next event, which is going to be on November 18, is going to be an election recap. So, it’s just going to be a space where students can come and discuss how they’re feeling about the future of the US, regardless of who’s going to be the president. We want to provide a space where people can come and express their emotions and just in a very civil manner, respectful dialogue,” Ochoa said.
Contact Ella Novak at enovak01@saintmarys.edu
changes to the menu this year that really work for the Duncan Hall community,” he said.
attracts students from other dorms who study in Duncan or have heard about its reputation. Payments are made through Venmo or cash, and like the kitchens at St. Edward’s and Morrissey, Duncan’s operation is entirely student-run.
“Nothing comes from the hall itself — it’s all run by residents,” Angaya said.
Students work one shift per week, typically lasting two hours, with the kitchen open from Sunday through Thursday. Angaya appreciated the job’s flexibility and the camaraderie it fosters.
“It’s cool working here and we’ve made some
Freshman Nathan Koo, a recent fan of Duncan’s food service, echoed Angaya’s sentiments.
“We had hall council early in the year and everyone wanted to buy one of the Dubuffs. It’s great food — quality stuff,” Ku said.
Ku’s go-to order is the Dubuff, but he takes it up a notch.
“I get two Dubuffs, which is basically four quesadillas’ worth of chicken, cheese, hot sauce and goodness. It’s a lot, but it’s amazing,” Ku said.
Contact Annelise Demers at ademers@nd.edu and Amelia Beltran at abeltra4@nd.edu
On good company
Duncan Stangel
Center
While this column focuses on new connections, my existing ones with friends, family and teachers back home deserve some attention. I have heard from many of you, and I look forward to seeing you all soon. It is your perspectives that have shaped this piece. Thank you.
Small town life in the middle of nowhere is often better than people think. It’s quiet. Nature is present all the time. People walk slower. They greet you in public. You can think in peace. It’s all these things that make me happy to say that I am from a small place that most people can’t find on a map.
There is one unfortunate downside with living in a small town: everyone knows each other. I shouldn’t call it a downside, since it isn’t necessarily one depending on who you are. If I were to talk to a high school student from my area, we probably have a mutual friend. It’s not always a bad thing. However, it does create complications. If there’s an argument or a falling out, everyone knows about it. If you make your disdain public, everyone knows about it. If you don’t like somebody, too bad. You’re going to see them a lot. Again, this isn’t always bad. It has helped me develop a tolerance for different people.
Notre Dame is a change. There is room to make friends in the ways I hadn’t before. It’s no longer as much of a risk. I can reach out and discover more about people who have similar or completely
different interests. It’s a unique and new concept. So far, I have met people from the Midwest and the East Coast. My roommate is from California. The guys in my residence hall come from every region of the United States and abroad. Logic says we all wouldn’t get along, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I have made connections across campus. Chance encounters have turned into real and substantial bonds. Even though I’m not an extrovert, there is still a thrill to see where these encounters take me.
As a matter of full disclosure, I was worried that I wouldn’t find people. I feared this newfound freedom to explore friendship without the guardrails of small town gossip would drive others away, rather than bring them closer. I am a relative outsider compared to the many people from the Midwest and the mythical “Chicago suburbs” I keep hearing about, where everyone lives (apparently). Luckily, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Notre Dame is a famously rigorous institution. Not just in terms of academics, but for extracurriculars and social life too. We need people to thrive in this environment. We need people to walk to class with and mourn our grades after exams. We need people to share opinions openly and freely to better our perspectives. I did not know how to crystallize these thoughts. After midterms, I was on my daily doom scroll through Instagram reels where the motivational content was in full swing, and I was fed a clip from a Brad Pitt speech. He says:
“I was reading a passage recently where a character was asking: which is more important,
the journey or the destination? And the other replied: it’s the company. And I couldn’t agree more.”
The company I have developed has lessened the stress of attending one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. It’s not that I am apathetic about academics or extracurriculars, I certainly care. It’s more comforting to know I am developing bonds built on openness and genuine interest with the people around me. Whether we talk regularly or rarely, I am proving to myself that I can break out of my mold and develop connections with a wide variety of people. It is empowering, as this whole experience has been in one way or another. People talk often about “the college experience.” Its definition is elusive and often left undefined. Other times, it’s used to justify poor decision making. I haven’t defined this term yet. I’m still working on it, but I think that challenging myself to develop genuine human connections is getting me closer. We are all “strangers in a strange land,” experiencing life for the first time. Perhaps a part of this experience is for us not just to find friends, but uncover good company.
Duncan Stangel is a first year Global Affairs major at Notre Dame. Currently residing in Alumni Hall (the center of the universe), he hails from the small town of Cumberland, Maryland nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. When he’s not saving kittens from trees, you can find him stumbling to Debart with a caffeine source in hand. Contact at dstangel@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Celebrity endorsements and young voters
polarization and new age of media that distinguishes the 2024 election from others.
A few weeks ago, I went to a Gracie Abrams concert in Chicago. It was sold out, lively and political. When I first approached the pit, an election volunteer, wearing multiple election pins, asked, “are you registered to vote?”
I responded, “yes,” and continued to the barricade, rushing to get a closer spot for Abrams and her opener, ROLE MODEL. For the rest of the night, and especially between sets, I watched volunteers ask attendees the same question. Most fans either said “yes” or acknowledged they weren’t old enough to vote.
Later in the show, Abrams mentioned her tour’s mission to spread political awareness, specifically on how her fans should vote to preserve their own individual freedoms, which she has been vocal on for years.
In an interview earlier this year with the Hollywood Reporter, Abrams spoke on the election, noting that “one of the reasons that I’m most stoked to be on the road right now is the ability to speak face-to-face with the people that will have a massive say in the way that this election goes, you know what I mean? Like young people really need to show up, so I think all of us doing our part to make sure that happens is crucial.”
The concert, and knowing Abrams’s history of political activism, made me think if celebrity endorsements actually carry significance, considering the
Abrams’s audience is predominantly Gen Z, who comprise the entire 18 to 24-year-old cohort of youth voters.
Because of Gen Z’s strong social media presence, we are also likely to engage with celebrity endorsements online. However, the most effective online endorsements are ones that Gen Z deems as authentic and genuine — typically reinforced by casual yet serious rhetoric.
Abrams isn’t the first celebrity to voice her values and beliefs. Other celebrities have done the same: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Mark Cuban and Bruce Springsteen have all endorsed Kamala Harris. Harrison Butker, Elon Musk and Nicky Jam have endorsed Donald Trump.
These endorsements aren’t groundbreaking, but they’re representative of the new age of celebrities authentically engaging with their fans, bolstering visibility for their beliefs. Any celebrity can turn to the internet with their phone and upload on Instagram, post on X or make a video of themselves. In turn, their fan demographic consumes more content in their political light.
Little data is known on how much political endorsements sway celebrity-to-candidate turnout (due to celebrities protecting their own engagement statistics), but the trend of political endorsements is decades long: Babe Ruth, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland voiced their opinions in the early 20th century. From then on, other public figures have followed suit.
However, the technology’s accessibility, allowing anyone to access nearly any celebrity post, has boosted a stronger sense of connection between public figures and their fans.
In a 2024 Harvard data study, researchers found that influencers, which also represents celebrities with strong social media presences, have “the largest impact … realized by those influencers who are personally motivated and passionate about the cause at hand. Voters respond better to authentic messaging from influencers that conveys personal passion and doesn’t require a high production value.”
The results of celebrity endorsements in recent elections have been shown to widen the electorate.
For example, after Taylor Swift posted on Instagram in 2023, a voter registration site saw an over 1,000% increase in traffic. Over 35,000 new voters registered for an off-year election.
So when Abrams took the stage, in front of hundreds, she participated in a much larger call to action for celebrities to sustain a history of sharing political beliefs with the aim to mobilize fans before a highly contested election nearly three weeks away.
Redmond (Reddy) Bernhold is a junior studying biochemistry and journalism. He originally hails from Minster, Ohio but calls Siegfried Hall his home on campus. When not writing, he explores South Bend coffee shops and thrift stores. You can contact Reddy at rbernho2@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The
of the Universe
Redmond Bernhold Born Reddy
LETTER EDITOR
We owe each other so much more
When I was a freshman at Notre Dame during the 2017-18 academic year, the Notre Dame Forum hosted a conversation with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was wrongfully detained and tortured by the United States Government at Guantánamo Bay for fourteen years. In preparation for his talk, we were encouraged to read his book, “Guantánamo Diary.” I remember spending my winter break working through the memoir, crying as the illusion of my country’s values disintegrated for one of the first times in my life. In my discussion group at the Center for Social Concerns, the book inspired deep discussion about our failures toward each other and the world.
This Friday, the Notre Dame Forum hosted Condoleeza Rice, someone who deeply impacted Ould Slahi’s life during his fourteen years in detention, to explore the question, “What do we owe each other?” a report by the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2009 indicates that then National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice personally conveyed the administration’s approval for torture techniques, including waterboarding, that would be used on detainees at Guantánamo Bay. Secretary Rice has defended the United States’ use of torture techniques on detainees held without trial, which would be illegal under the U.S. Constitution, arguing that it was the right thing to do.
Yet, on Friday, there was no critical conversations about imperialism, torture or human rights
violations. Instead, at the beginning of the talk, when asked about the football game, Secretary Rice quipped, “Fr. Dowd, I said no hard questions.” This rang true for the rest of their conversation, which did not include an opportunity for Q&A from the audience. The talk focused on the global influence of the United States, with Rice arguing that “great powers don’t mind their own business, they try to shape the world.” While I firmly disagree with the colonial notion that the United States should “shape the world,” I can think of many examples of the ways that it has. Many of these examples are violent and disruptive and some tie back to the decisions Secretary Rice made during her time in government. For example, some of the same techniques authorized under Rice’s tenure are being used by the Israeli government, with the support of the U.S. Government, to torture Palestinians today.
A UN Press Release from August 5, 2024 reports that “Countless testimonies by men and women speak of detainees in cage-like enclosures, tied to beds blindfolded and in diapers, stripped naked, deprived of adequate healthcare, food, water and sleep, electrocutions including on their genitals, blackmail and cigarette burns. In addition, victims spoke of loud music played until their ears bled, attacks by dogs, waterboarding, suspension from ceilings and severe sexual and gender-based violence.” A B’Tselem report “Welcome to Hell” further details the torture networks of Israeli prisons, with
Is fall overrated?
overwhelming negatives.
Gilmore Girls, Ugg boots and PSLs (or football, hoodies and holidays, depending on the kind of person you are): what do they all have in common?
It is officially fall on the Notre Dame campus. Fall is a lot of people’s favorite season, especially here. The beginning of September means game days, moving past those awkward first few weeks of classes and the nicest weather we will experience until next spring. People here love fall so much, they’re willing to sacrifice studying abroad if they can’t go in the spring — nobody at ND wants to miss a fall. While reflecting on the beginning of the season and discussing my excitement with my friends, I began to wonder if our love of autumn is almost a little morbid. Think about it: the beautiful orange and red trees we’re so excited to see are leaves dying and decaying; the cooling weather is a sign that the days are about to get dark and short. For Halloween, we carve pumpkins into scary faces and leave them on our porches to slowly rot. Halloween itself, the hallmark holiday of the season, is a holiday celebrating death, monsters, and fear. Isn’t it a little strange we glorify the fall so much?
Perhaps it is a coping mechanism — when surrounded by the dark and cold, we invent reasons to celebrate and find light. The glamorization of autumn could represent human optimism: our ability to find the positives in even the most
But if our love for fall is metaphorical, why don’t we celebrate the spring, the time of renewal and growth? Starbucks doesn’t sell a limited-edition beverage to announce that we made it through another long, dark winter, Ugg doesn’t make an airy sandal to enjoy the warming weather and football has ended. Maybe, then, our love of the fall is rooted in consumer culture — we love to make fall-themed purchases and participate in the “fall aesthetic,” after all. My FYP (for you page) is full of TikTok Shop must-haves for trendy fall outfits, ads for Rory Gilmore’s favorite reads and cute Chiefs sweatshirts I can order on Etsy (TikTok knows the threepeat is going to happen).
The truth is, fall has been chronically misrepresented in our culture. Every summer, I get so excited about watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and all the new sweaters I’m going to buy. By the end of October, I have been sick four times, defaulted to always wearing sweats and procrastinated studying for my midterms so long I ran out of time before Halloween to watch Charlie Brown.
As disappointing as these fall-time traditions are, the holidays are even more disappointing. Thanksgiving, for example, is one of the worst holidays of all time. The only national holiday that requires more work than going to class, Thanksgiving, is about spending all day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning massive meals that consist of some extremely mediocre foods (wet mushy stuffing and bizarre “cheesy” casseroles make Thanksgiving
many parallels to the American tradition of torture and wrongful imprisonment that persists to this day at Guantánamo Bay.
After this talk, I am left wondering what we really owe each other. I can think of no better image than the one Mohamedou offers at the end of his account of Guantánamo Bay, where he says that “he holds no grudge against any of the people he mentions in this book … and that he dreams to one day sit with them around a cup of tea, after having learned so much from one another.” In the updated edition of his book, he says, “I want to repeat and affirm this message here, and to say that now that I am home, that dream is also an invitation. The doors of my house are open.” To me, this is deeply compelling. Sitting down to tea requires that we recognize the humanity in each other and take accountability for the wrongs committed in our names.
So, what does the U.S. owe to the world? An immediate end to its support for torture, wrongful imprisonment and violence of all kinds against civilians, including by ending its military aid to Israel and closing Guantánamo Bay. What does Notre Dame owe to its students? Let’s start with the ability to ask critical questions.
Elsa Barron first-year Ph.D. student political science Oct. 15
scarier than Halloween to me). If you genuinely love Thanksgiving foods, then you can’t convince me that you don’t prefer Christmas: you eat most of the same foods but on a more manageable scale, and with presents.
Halloween is fun, I’ll admit, but like other party-oriented holidays, such as New Year’s Eve, it always falls into the same disappointing pitfalls. How much fun can you really be having when you have to get up and go to class the next morning? It’s also always too cold to wear the outfits you planned and you’re freezing when you wear them anyway. Fewer and fewer kids in cute costumes come to your door every year (where are they going?) and if we’re being honest, people rarely recognize that hilarious, genius costume idea you came up with.
If you’re a die-hard fall lover, don’t let me ruin your excitement. Appreciate the cute dining hall decorations and the brief non-freezing weather while we have it. Just remember that if the autumn months kind of depress you, like they sometimes do for me, there’s hope in sight. In a couple of months, we’ll be romanticizing piles of slightly brown snow, massive coats and “Love Actually” (or maybe “Die Hard” if you’re the aforementioned football-loving kind of person). There really is a season for everyone.
Sophia Anderson is a sophomore transfer at Notre Dame studying political science. and planning to go to law school. You can contact her at sander38@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Sophia Anderson Transfer Tales
By CLAIRE WATSON Scene Writer
As I was doomscrolling through Netflix my freshman year of college (I am now a sophomore) to find a new show to watch, I came across the new Netflix Original, “Heartstopper.” Its name was interesting to me, and it looked like a super cute show. I was very intrigued by this comingof-age romance/drama. After binge watching the first and second season when it came out, I was stoked for the third. While the show is live action, it has many cute animations that bring the story to life while addressing many different, relevant themes.
The show “Heartstopper” is based off of comic books created by Alice Oseman. Following members of the LGBTQ+ community and set in the United Kingdom (which means I do not understand the British vocabulary used sometimes), the show follows the shy Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and the extroverted athlete Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) as they start their relationship together in season one and season two. The show portrays these two lovers and their
friends as they navigate high school.
If you have ever looked through any of my articles, I always try to discuss mental health and both its general and personal relevance. In season three, one of the most notable themes was mental health. Throughout the series, we see Charlie struggle with his mental health concerning his eating disorder and his anxiety. We also see how Nick responds to it and takes the time to take care of Charlie, telling him that it is OK to get help. I will not lie, I definitely cried while watching this character development. I relate to this theme so much because for a long time I thought that I was dealing with being anxious by myself. In reality, I had so many people around me that loved and cared for me. I really appreciated how they accurately portrayed this mental health struggle.
Another central theme in “Heartstopper” is supporting people through their self-discovery. For example, two of the main characters, Tao Xu (William Gao) and Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney) — a couple since season two — talk through their dating life, as Elle is transgender female and starts to experience gender dysphoria. The
two discuss the topic, and I think this display of communication and support in a relationship is very important. Their presentation of both mental health difficulties and journeys of self-discovery helps raise awareness for these experiences and offers examples of how to navigate them.
I have always been a fan of animated television shows, so I enjoyed this show’s subtle animated elements. For example, when Nick and Charlie hold hands, the filmmakers added in little sparks to raise the mood and set a relaxed and romantic tone. Or if two characters are staring into each other’s eyes in a romantic way, animated leaves float around the screen. I absolutely love this because it makes the show much more fun and more enjoyable.
Overall, “Heartstopper” did a fantastic job traversing relevant topics and creating a calm, magical mood through its animations. All of the main themes it broaches are important to talk about, especially in today’s age.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
By ROSIE MAESE Scene Writer
The original “Mean Girls“ could never be beat. The iconic lines, the attitude and the aesthetic created a cultural phenomenon and a movie that’s constantly being referenced twenty years later. A core memory of mine is watching that movie for the first time with one of my friends and being excited to get to high school after seeing it because I wanted to have the friendships the girls formed by the end of the film. It was truly iconic!
I loved the movie so much that when it was adapted for Broadway, I wanted to see it immediately. Being from New York, Broadway is accessible for me, so I saw the musical shortly after its debut with two close friends who also enjoyed the film. The costumes and vocals were truly mesmerizing — the play had upbeat music that you could truly feel as a member of the audience and vocals that gave everyone chills. So, I was quite excited to watch the musical made into a film for the anniversary.
Generally, I’m not a fan of these adaptations and remakes because I feel they lack originality and take away from the initial film, so I had some bias going into the musical remake. I personally felt that this movie was not marketed properly: people expected an adaptation of the original film, rather than the Broadway musical. I felt that Renee Rapp’s vocals were great, and I am a huge fan of her music outside of the film. But her vocals and Avantika Vandanapu’s portrayal of Karen Smith were essentially the only positives of the film. I felt that the acting didn’t provide the same attitude as the movie or the musical. The film would’ve done better if it was simply a recording of the musical, like Disney did for “Hamilton.” By attempting a musical movie, too much was going on, and I felt that the singing felt random and the acting felt forced. For instance, in the iconic Santa scene, when Regina tells Gretchen to “stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen,” the sassy demeanor and mean girl energy Regina was supposed to give felt underdone. In general, I found much of the acting to be monotone. In terms of the singing, the vocals were overall
better than the acting, but because the film employed performers who are better actors than singers for a musical film, I felt that some of the vocals were lost in what could’ve been a more vocally-accurate depiction of the Broadway performance.
I also felt that “Mean Girls“ was already so great by itself that it didn’t need something else added to its franchise. I felt that many, including myself, would’ve enjoyed simply the original movie being released in theaters temporarily, as done with “The Nightmare Before Christmas” last year. Unnecessary additions, especially ones that don’t do well, can actually cause more harm to a franchise than good. For instance, the “Frozen” sequel and Broadway play did not do nearly as well as the original and usually get lost in the conversation when discussing the original film, or simply are viewed in a negative light. Unfortunately, while I believe this movie is overly hated in the media, I think it ultimately hurt the iconic “Mean Girls” franchise.
Contact Rosie Maese at rmaese@nd.edu
FOOTBALL
Stock up, stock down: Georgia Tech week
By TYLER REIDY
Sports Editor
The middle part of October is already off to a very interesting start for Notre Dame football. The Irish clobbered Stanford with a 49-7 win on Saturday. Then, on Monday, they officially lost junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison for the season due to a hip injury. However, on the same day, they flipped two four-star recruits in offensive lineman Cameron Herron and quarterback Blake Hebert. With so much developing at the season’s midway point, here’s a look at what’s trending up and down around Notre Dame football.
Stock up: passing efficiency
You might not choose to celebrate it too much because it happened against Stanford, but Notre Dame just had its best passing game of the season. Senior quarterback Riley Leonard posted season highs in passing yards (229), passing touchdowns (3) and quarterback rating (205.2) as the Irish cruised down the field after a bumpy first quarter. The timing on Leonard’s short-range passes looked as sharp as it has all year, as
senior wide receiver Jayden Thomas, graduate wideout Kris Mitchell and junior tight end Eli Raridon each caught touchdowns in the red zone. Mitchell had his best game in an Irish uniform since transferring from FIU, snagging four balls for 32 yards, including his 5-yard score before halftime.
Even senior center Pat Coogan hauled in a tipped pass for 11 yards. They say effective passing offenses know how to spread the football around, right?
Stock up: the defensive line
The strength of Notre Dame’s defense is most often its secondary, but that changed on Saturday. The Irish defensive line, quiet throughout most of the first five games, got after it and made for a slow day of Stanford offense. Led by graduate defensive tackle
Howard Cross III, who totaled two sacks and two tackles for loss, the Irish collected four sacks on the afternoon. Cross made a key fourth-down stop when the game was still close in the second quarter, busting around a low block to sack the quarterback. Graduate defensive tackle Rylie Mills also contributed a sack,
while junior defensive end Joshua Burnham made a phenomenal play to intercept a pitch in the backfield. With graduate student Jordan Botelho and sophomore Boubacar Traore both out for the season at the vyper defensive end position, Notre Dame has a lot to figure out at the line of scrimmage. Holding Stanford to 200 total yards and 2.8 yards per carry is a great start.
Stock up: strength of schedule
Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Notre Dame has two ranked opponents remaining on the schedule. Florida State and USC, two College Playoff contenders at the start of the season, right? Absolutely not.
Navy and Army are both ranked now, the Black Knights at No. 23 and the Midshipmen at No. 25. The two service academies have used high-powered offenses to produce a combined record of 11-0. What looked like an incredibly weak stretch run of scheduling actually carries some nationally
recognized challenges now.
At the same time, Notre Dame’s Week One at Texas A&M keeps looking better by the week. The Aggies are now 5-1 and ranked 14th in the country after obliterating No. 9 Missouri two Saturdays ago. Many have said this Texas A&M team isn’t the same one Notre Dame saw on Aug. 31, and they’re probably right. But what are the Irish supposed to do, play the Aggies again?
The Texas A&M win is still a very important one for the Irish, and it’s a big reason why an 11-1 Notre Dame team should easily make the playoff.
Stock down: health
This stock has been dipping all year long, and the Morrison injury really exposed its decline. It’s been every other week that Notre Dame has had a significant injury pop up somewhere on the team. Going into Week One, it was projected starting sophomore left tackle Charles Jagusah going down with a torn pectoralis.
Week Three put junior center Ashton Craig and junior
right guard Billy Schrauth on the shelf long-term. Botelho suffered his season-ending injury that week before his backup, Traore, went down in Week Five.
Minor injuries have also shuffled the deck for Notre Dame at times. Leonard’s health was a major question mark early in the season, and his physical rushing approach still leaves him susceptible to damaging hits. Sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison hasn’t established his footing due to a Week One ankle injury, while senior tight end Mitchell Evans hasn’t looked like himself for the better part of a month since returning from last year’s torn ACL. Even graduate kicker Mitch Jeter missed most of the Stanford game due to a hip injury.
Notre Dame’s depth has already been tested in the trenches. Now, the step forward of several young players in the secondary will play a significant role in shaping the season’s second half.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
INDIA DOERR | The Observer
Senior wide receiver Jayden Thomas goes to the ground with a touchdown reception during Notre Dame’s 49-7 defeat of Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 12, 2024. Thomas hauled in one of senior quarterback Riley Leonard’s three touchdown passes, fueling Notre Dame’s most efficient and comprehensive passing performance of the 2024 season so far.
Happy Birthday: Expand your mind, look for opportunities, and make things happen. Sitting idle and waiting for things to come to you will lead to frustration. Step outside your comfort zone, and let your creative imagination initiate innovative ideas. A change that encourages a better lifestyle, health and fitness routine, and budgeting for something you want to pursue will be uplifting. Personal gain is heading your way. Your numbers are 6, 10, 19, 26, 32, 38, 47.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep secrets to yourself. Observe what others do and say without comment. The less others know about you, the better. Flying under the radar will help you achieve what you set out to do without interference. Listen to your body and address health issues with hope and vision.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are overdue for a change. Consider what’s missing in. your life or how you can extenuate something you enjoy and build it into your daily routine. Let your imagination and thoughts lead the way, and you’ll discover a path that makes you feel good about your life.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Refuse to let anyone manipulate you. Change must come from the heart and have meaning for you. Letting someone talk you into something you don’t need or want will weigh heavy on you if you are a pushover. It’s up to you to create your desired opportunities.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Consider and develop ideas and skills that excite you. Doing something you love or that has meaning for you will change the atmosphere and how you use your time to get ahead. Refuse to let someone’s mixed emotions mess with doing what’s best for you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be careful who you align yourself with. Someone will offer misleading information or make a last-minute adjustment that doesn’t favor you. Do your research and be ready to state facts. Protect your position, reputation, and health from anyone or anything that may be toxic.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep life and explanations simple. Don’t underestimate anyone or anything. Keep your finger on the pulse and your head in the game. Recognize what’s real and what’s conjecture. An opportunity is only valuable to you if it works for you. Create situations that address what’s important to you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep an open mind when dealing with associates, business opportunities, and healthy living. Refuse to let frustration and anger surface when there are better ways to use your energy. Hard work will pay off and encourage you to use your experience, knowledge, and skills to accommodate current trends.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Strut your stuff, do your thing, and make a splash that embeds what you have to offer in the minds of those you encounter. Go all out, express and articulate your thoughts and position, and you’ll mesmerize someone who has as much to contribute as you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stop, look, and listen. Protect your position, popularity, and property from anyone trying to make you look bad. Walk away from people who play emotional mind games or try to control what you do or think. You’ll get the best results working toward your goal alone.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’re in a better position than you realize. Pump up your stamina and aim to get things done. High energy, vision, and charisma will help you raise awareness and summit qualified individuals to help you reach your objective. Leave nothing to chance, get the facts, and follow through.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take your time. Premature changes will turn out differently than you anticipate. Be open to suggestions, break down costs, and make decisions based on facts, figures, and binding contracts. Play it safe; don’t risk financial loss, injury, or impaired health. Abide by the rules and regulations.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take control and do things your way. Put your energy behind your word and discipline toward finishing what you start. An innovative approach to using your attributes will help you bring about positive change and attract and connect you to someone special. Romance is favored.
Birthday Baby: You are insightful, creative, and proactive. You are energetic and persistent.
ND WOMEN’S SOCCER
Irish host Cal in a matchup of top-25 teams
By ALEX TREANOR Sports Writer
It’s been over 20 years since the Notre Dame women’s soccer team played the Berkeley women. The two haven’t played each other since 2000 when Notre Dame defeated Cal 3-0 at home.
This Thursday, however, Notre Dame will again host the Golden Bears for a longawaited rematch. The Irish women are currently ranked 12th in the NCAA with a record of 8-1-2, and in Atlantic Coast Conference play, the Irish are ranked ninth with a record of 2-0-3. In comparison, the Bears are ranked 25th in the NCAA but sixth in the ACC.
The Irish last played unranked Louisville on Oct. 12 in Kentucky. Though the Irish had four times as many shots as their opponent and maintained the majority of possession, they ended with a scoreless draw. However, just one week before competing against Louisville, the Irish dominated against Syracuse, ending comfortably with a score of 3-0.
Lily Joseph, a freshman midfielder from Connecticut, scored two goals against Syracuse, and she has five goals this season. Freshman goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica played the entirety of the games against Louisville and Syracuse, and the Florida native secured the shutouts with three saves. Freshman forward Izzy Engle from Minnesota continues to lead the team in goals scored with
FOOTBALL
10 goals in just 12 games. In the ACC, she is ranked second for goals scored. Grace Restovich, a freshman midfielder from Saint Louis, leads the team in assists with eight and also has three goals for the Irish. The Irish have crushed their opponents in terms of goals with 2.5 goals per game compared to their competitors’ 0.42. They also have almost double the amount of shots per game as their opponents (20.2 versus 10.6).
Compared to Notre Dame’s record of 8-1-2, the Berkeley women have a record of 10-1-2 in overall play and a record of 3-1-1 in the ACC. Over the past week, the Golden Bears have lost to both No. 1 Duke and No. 2 North Carolina. Most recently, Cal lost 2-1 to Duke, whom they played on Oct. 13. Duke came back from 1-0 down late in the second half with the equalizer in the 71st minute and game winner in the 87th. Against North Carolina, the
Bears lost 1-0 on Oct. 10.
Up top, senior Karlie Lema leads the Golden Bears in goals scored with 14 this season and 29 over her four years. She scored the lone goal against the Blue Devils on the 13th.
Velize King, a senior from Moreno Valley, California, made the assist to Lema and has seven other assists this season. Junior Teagan Wy plays in goal for the Golden Bears and has 26 saves this season and has let in six goals.
Last year, Wy ranked second in the ACC with 86 total saves. It’s been a long time since the Irish have faced the Golden Bears, and neither of the teams are coming off of wins. It will definitely be a tough battle to see who comes out on top.
The Irish will host the Golden Bears on Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
Contact Alex Treanor at atreanor@nd.edu
Benjamin Morrison ruled out for the season
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
During Monday afternoon’s weekly press conference, Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman announced the loss of junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison for the remainder of the season. Morrison will require surgery on a hip injury, leaving the Irish with a team captain and All-American-sized hole to fill in the defensive backs room.
Morrison, who burst onto the scene with six interceptions as a freshman in 2022, had spent the last two seasons as Notre Dame’s top cornerback. He led the Irish with 10 pass breakups last season and added three interceptions. Through six games this year, he had four passes defended and ranked fifth on the team with 20
tackles. Most experts projected him to find a professional home about halfway through the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Obviously, it’s a blow to our team. You lose a captain — a great football player — and you feel terrible for the kid because he gives football and preparation everything he has,” Freeman said.
“It’s tough, but he’s a tough kid … He’s been through this before, and he’ll have surgery and get to work on becoming the best version of Benjamin.”
Morrison’s injury is far from the first significant one Notre Dame has dealt with this year. Elsewhere on defense, graduate defensive end Jordan Botelho and sophomore defensive end Boubacar Traore suffered season-ending knee injuries within two weeks of one another at the vyper position.
On offense, projected starting left tackle sophomore Charles Jagusah went down for the year in August, while junior center Ashton Craig and junior right guard Billy Schrauth each picked up long-term injuries in mid-September.
Moving into the second half of the season, tremendous responsibility now rests on three underclassmen (that’s all Notre Dame currently has listed on the depth chart) to carry the position forward. Sophomore Christian Gray, who has started opposite Morrison all season with four pass breakups and an interception, becomes the top Irish corner. Freshmen Karson Hobbs and Leonard Moore, who respectively started the year as Notre Dame’s fourth and fifth corners, will play a larger role, especially with former third cornerback Jaden
Mickey having recently entered the transfer portal.
During Monday’s presser, Freeman spoke about what Moore in particular has to offer as his workload figures to increase.
“You understand he has the talent, he has the length, he has the skillset and he’s a super intelligent young man. But it still takes time to play fast in a new defense,” Freeman said. “He was a guy in fall camp that you said, ‘Okay, he’s playing fast already.’ We knew he would help us this year, and at some point if injuries happened he would have to start for us. He’ll be ready.”
Notre Dame, in the first week after Mickey stepped away from the program, got somewhat of a dry run for handling personnel shifts at cornerback on Sept. 28 against Louisville. With Gray unable to play, the
Irish leaned on Moore for 76 snaps, also calling on graduate safety Jordan Clark to adjust his nickelback responsibilities to accommodate more traditional cornerback snaps.
“I’m very confident in the room,” Freeman said of his defensive backs group.
Fortunately for the Irish, none of their next five opponents are real juggernauts through the air. Georgia Tech, Navy, Florida State, Virginia and Army each rank outside the nation’s top 40 in passing yards per game. Southern California, which ranks 26th nationally in that category, will pose more of a threat at the regular season’s end, but Notre Dame should have more stability at the position by that point barring additional injuries.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
JONATHAN KARR | The Observer
Freshman forward Annabelle Chukwu dribbles the ball near a defender during Notre Dame’s 1-1 draw against NC State at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 26, 2024. Chukwu and the Irish will square off with Cal for the first time since 2000 in a top-25 matchup this Thursday in South Bend.
Irish drop road games to Miami, Florida State
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
Notre Dame volleyball traveled to Florida this past weekend to play two games but took two losses. The first was a close, 3-2 loss against the Miami Hurricanes on Friday, and the second was on Sunday, a 3-1 loss against the Seminoles of Florida State.
Irish battle hard in 3-2 loss to the Miami Hurricanes
The Irish traveled to Miami, Florida to face off against the Hurricanes, battling hard throughout the match and completing a total of five sets.
The first set looked in favor of the Hurricanes as they finished with a 25-22 win over the Irish. Miami pushed ahead early with the Irish tailing behind closely to start the set off at 9-5 in favor of the Hurricanes. After the Irish tallied three more points on the board to make the score 9-8, Miami went on a six-point run to push the score to 15-8 over the Irish. The Irish then went on a four-point run of their own to catch up and make the score 15-12. The two teams stayed close in points until Miami was able to pull through and take the final two points to win 25-22.
The Irish bounced back and took the second set for themselves with a 25-19 win
COLUMN
over Miami. Notre Dame started out strong with a 7-4 lead. But, with a four-point run from the Hurricanes, the two teams were tied up at eight. The Irish were able to close out the set with a three-point run to make the final score 25-19. This win tied the overall match score 1-1.
As the teams battled back and forth throughout the third set, Notre Dame made it out on top with the same 25-19 win over Miami. Miami started out strong at the beginning of the set as it gained a 13-9 lead. As Miami put two more points on the board to make the score 159, Notre Dame responded by going on a six-point run to tie up the score at 15. Only allowing Miami to score one point, Notre Dame kept the momentum going as it added on four more points to make the score 19-16. Notre Dame finished with a threepoint run to take the 25-19 win over Miami and bring the overall score to 2-1 in favor of the Irish.
The fourth set did not go well for the Irish, as Miami took advantage and won the set 25-13. Miami took an early 12-3 lead over Notre Dame. The Irish managed a comeback as they reached a closer, 14-9 score, but Miami kepts its momentum going and took the final 25-13 win. This win for Miami in the fourth set tied the overall match score 2-2.
In the final set, after being tied at 5-5, Miami gained five more points to make the score 10-7 as the Irish also added two points. Miami added two points to make the score 12-7, Notre Dame responded by adding five points of their own to tie the set score at 12. With this tied score, Miami pushed through at the end, making the final score 15-12 over the Irish. With this win, Miami took the close overall victory over Notre Dame.
Freshman outside hitter Morgan Gaerte led on the court for the Irish as she tallied 16 kills, 10 digs, three service aces and two blocks. Senior outside hitter Sydney Palazzolo contributed by adding on 15 kills and 10 digs of her own. Senior setter Phyona Schrader tallied her seventh triple-double of the season with 13 kills, 15 kills, 35 assists and a team best of four blocks.
Irish take another tough loss against Florida State
After a close loss against Miami, the Notre Dame volleyball team took another tough 3-1 loss against the Florida State Seminoles.
Both teams started out strong in the first set as the two teams were consistently changing leads throughout the set. After being tied at five points in the beginning of the set, the Irish were able to pull ahead and take an 11-8 lead over Florida State.
Despite this new lead from the Irish, the Seminoles battled back to tie the set at 14. Notre Dame pushed back, taking a new 18-15 lead, but Florida State quickly responded to take a 20-19 lead.
As the two teams continued to fight and keep the score close, Florida State pulled through with a 25-22 win over the Irish. This win made the overall match score 1-0 in favor of the Seminoles.
The Irish did not let that rattle them as they came out strong during the beginning of the second set, gaining a 6-2 lead. Florida State then tied up the score. The two teams battled back and forth throughout the entire set, staying within one point of each other. As the Irish were behind 14-13, they put up a 6-0 point run to gain the 1914 lead over Florida State.
The Seminoles made a comeback around the end of the set to bring the score to 2422 before the Irish added the winning point on for themselves to take the 25-22 win. This set win for the Irish now tied the overall score 1-1.
Notre Dame took a head start at the beginning of the third set, gaining a 6-4 lead. The Seminoles responded quickly as they went on a 7-0 run to make the score 11-6.
After Notre Dame managed six more points to make the score 12-11, Florida State wasted no time and added nine more points onto the board to make the score
20-12. With this, Florida State kept the momentum going to finish out the match 25-18. This win made the overall match score 2-1 in favor of the Seminoles.
Florida State started off early with a 9-3 lead in the fourth set, but as the set moved forward, the Irish were able to make a comeback and make the score closer at 14-10. After the Seminoles went on an 8-1 run, they took the 22-11 score over the Irish. While the Irish managed to put up a 4-0 run of their own, Florida State took the final 25-16 win.
Schrader put up her eighth triple-double of the season as she led on the court with 15 kills, 18 assists and 13 digs. Gaerte also contributed throughout the match as she also finished with 15 kills and contributed to four blocks. Junior outside hitter Lucy Trump, freshman middle blocker Grace Langer and Palazzolo all finished the night with six kills. Freshman middle blocker Anna Bjork finished with an all-team best rounding out the night with a total of six blocks.
After these two losses, the Notre Dame volleyball team now prepares to host NC State in the annual Pink game on Friday, Oct. 18, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
Watson: Notre Dame’s student section
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
Someone once asked me why I do not write for the football team at The Observer. I will be completely transparent — I have no clue what is happening in football in terms of game play and terminology. Now you may now be wondering, “why would you call yourself out on not knowing football?” Well, it was already pretty obvious anyway so I may as well put it out there. Starting freshman year, I went to most of the home games but only stayed the for the entirety during the most important ones (aka Ohio State). I never really enjoyed football. I never understood it and honestly, there is so much happening I never took the time to learn it. The student section plays a part in this. There are many different aspects of it I find appealing, but at the same time, there’s plenty I am not a huge fan of.
I remember last year as a Saint Mary’s freshman, I was so excited when I found out that I could get seats in the Notre Dame student section. Though I loved all the energy I saw the students bring after the first home opener, it can be overwhelming.
As an introvert, I am not a huge people person. I have never enjoyed being in big groups or hanging out with a large amounts of people. I have always preferred being by myself or with one or two others, which certainly does not apply to the student section. It is so loud all the time with people shouting, swearing and throwing things — it is just a lot. I understand getting hyped up (I am an athlete myself so I know), but the constant yelling overwhelms me. I think another factor in this is how close people stand to each other. I am not a fan of people being in my space, so part especially throws me off. Last year, I stayed for about half of the home games
played. Out of the four home games the Irish have had so far this year, I stayed for two of them: Northern Illinois and Louisville.
That being said, I have learned that standing next to a random stranger and not saying anything is just awkward. Strangely enough, I have made a bunch of new friends in the student section. That is one of the things that makes this area great — it is fun to be able to introduce yourself and have long conversations about school, dorms or future plans while cheering on the Irish.
Another thing that I enjoy is the chants that bring the entire tri-campus together. This includes things such as dancing an Irish jig with someone next to you, cheering on first and third-down, singing to the songs that ring throughout the stadium or dancing to the band’ music in between plays. One of my favorite moments is at the end of the game when the football team comes over to the student section and everyone sings the alma-mater, “Notre Dame Our Mother.” Whether it was a win or a loss, everyone comes together to sing
this song. It is a wonderful thing.
Overall, while the student section can be overwhelming and at times somewhat stressful for me, there is so much beauty behind it. It is amazing to see almost every student from the tri-campus rallying together to cheer on our football team. With that, as always, go Irish!
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
FOOTBALL
History of the matchup: ND-Georgia Tech
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
On Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame will square off with Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the state-of-the-art home of the SEC Championship game, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons. The Irish and Yellow Jackets have never collided in this venue, but they are familiar foes. Here’s a look back at the highlights of Notre Dame’s 37-game matchup history with Georgia Tech, which the Irish lead 30-6 with one tie.
Notre Dame-Georgia Tech through the years
Interestingly enough, the Notre Dame-Georgia Tech series is older than several of Notre Dame’s rivalries with opponents like Navy, Stanford and USC. The first matchup took place in 1922, when Knute Rockne’s Fighting Irish claimed a 13-3 victory at Grant Stadium, which was renamed to Bobby Dodd Stadium as Georgia Tech’s current home in 1988. The series continued yearly through the end of the 1920s, as Notre Dame won
seven of the first eight contests, defeating Georgia Tech en route to national titles in 1924 and 1929. Georgia Tech carried a strong program at this time as well, winning it all in 1917 and 1928, the first season in which it beat the Irish.
The yearly series would return from 1938 to 1945, cutting off as Georgia Tech legend Bobby Dodd became the Ramblin’ Wreck’s head coach. Notre Dame once again dominated this stretch of play, winning seven out of eight times and dropping 55 points on the Yellow Jackets en route to a 1943 national championship.
After a brief hiatus postWorld War II, the matchup returned in grand fashion during Notre Dame’s 9-0-1 season in 1953. At this point, the Irish were ranked No. 1 in the nation, while Georgia Tech held the No. 4 spot as the defending national champion. With Frank Leahy at the helm and eventual Heisman-winning halfback Johnny Lattner at his disposal, the Irish picked up a 27-14 victory. Georgia Tech would take down the Irish in 1959, only for Notre Dame to rattle off six straight wins through 1975, the year Rudy
Ruettiger famously sacked the Yellow Jackets’ quarterback at the end of a 24-3 win.
Georgia Tech, which largely struggled through the 70s and 80s, managed to beat the Irish once more in 1976. However, Notre Dame again responded by claiming five of the next six matchups, scoring 69 points in 1977 as Joe Montana and the national championship team dismantled the Yellow Jackets. The series would go on a 16-year break toward the end of the millennium and return in 1997 after Notre Dame and Georgia Tech had claimed respective national titles in 1988 and 1990. Two years later, the Irish and Yellow Jackets met for the first time in a location not named South Bend or Atlanta. They got together in the Gator Bowl at the conclusion of the 1998 season, playing an entertaining game that Georgia Tech won 35-28. Since that lone bowl meeting, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech have squared off only five times in the 21st century. They opened the season against one another to start the 2006 and 2007 seasons, with both teams winning on the other’s home field. Georgia Tech kicked off Notre Dame’s ugly 2007
campaign with a 33-3 shellacking of the Irish in South Bend. Notre Dame, however, has won three straight matchups since then, downing Georgia Tech in a top-15 contest at Notre Dame Stadium in 2015. In that game, Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer’s first career start, running back C.J. Prosise ran for 198 yards and three scores, including a game-sealing 91-yarder.
Most recently, the Irish toppled Georgia Tech in both 2020 and 2021. The former year featured the series’ only conference matchup, as Notre Dame had joined the ACC due to the COVID-19 pandemic and beat the Yellow Jackets 31-13 in Atlanta. A year later, independent Notre Dame steamrolled Georgia Tech on Senior Day in South Bend, winning 55-0 with 45 first-half points and two defensive touchdowns.
Randomly selected game: Nov. 15, 1969
In year six of Ara Parseghian’s coaching tenure, No. 9 Notre Dame rolled into Atlanta with a record of 6-1-1. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, was reeling under Bud Carson, having lost at Tulane a week earlier to fall to 3-5 on
the year. Notre Dame’s defense helped the Irish take control of the game early, recovering multiple fumbles and picking off four passes in the first half alone. Three of the turnover returns went for 50-plus yards, including a 70yard interception return for a touchdown by Clarence Ellis. At halftime, Notre Dame led 31-6 as Joe Theismann had contributed two touchdowns – one through the air and another on the ground.
Theismann would add another passing score as Notre Dame cruised through the second half. The players on the Irish sideline, however, might not have felt so comfortable. According to The Scholastic’s 1969 football review, Georgia Tech students “hurled unopened cans of Coke, whisky bottles, cardboard squares, dead fish and tightly packed cups of ice” at the Notre Dame bench. The ill will would continue as the 38-20 Irish win went final, as Notre Dame allegedly played its first unit, threw passes and burned timeouts on the final drive up 18 points.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
RICHARD TAYLOR | The Observer
Sophomore defensive end Boubacar Traore fights off a block during Notre Dame’s 28-3 defeat of Miami (Ohio) on Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 21, 2024. The 5-1 Irish will take on
Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, facing the Yellow Jackets for the 38th time overall and the first time at the home of the Atlanta Falcons.
