Print Edition for The Observer for November 11, 2024
Ron DeSantis gives speech, draws protestors
The Florida governor was invited to speak at Notre Dame. Four student clubs gathered outside.
By SOPHIE HANAWALT and LIAM KELLY Staff Writer and Notre Dame News Editor
On Friday afternoon, Florida
governor Ron DeSantis spoke in DeBartolo Hall, discussing his tenure as governor of Florida and the future of the conservative movement, as protestors gathered outside the building. The lecture was hosted by the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government and was this year’s Jeanie Poole O’Shaughnessy Memorial Lecture.
DeSantis’ lecture
The auditorium in DeBartolo 101 was full as DeSantis took the stage around 4 p.m., with the crowd giving him a standing ovation upon his entry. Also in attendance were DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis, and his sixyear-old son, Mason DeSantis.
DeSantis explained his sense of conservatism is based on his
WSJ editor Gerard Baker analyzes election results
By ZACK POHLMAN Staff Writer
On Friday, the Mendoza College of Business welcomed Gerard Baker, the former editorin-chief of the Wall Street Journal, to the Jordan Auditorium to discuss the results of last week’s election. The experienced reporter and columnist spoke on why the results of this election cycle are so significant and what caused the races to play out as they did.
The lecture is part of the Thomas H. Quinn Lecture Series, an annual event hosted by the University. Sponsored by alumnus and trustee John Jordan ‘69, he started the tradition as a tribute to his friend, who died in 2016. Thomas Quinn ‘69 served as the CEO of Jordan Industries Inc. and was a member of the 1966 national championshipwinning football team.
“When he passed away, I tried
to think about how I can honor him both as a great friend, as a business partner, but also as a very important Notre Dame benefactor and chairman of the Advisory Council,” Jordan said.
“We came up with this idea of the Quinn lecture series. And I endowed it, forever, so you’re stuck with this forever.”
Baker, whose four daughters attended Notre Dame, said he considered it a great privilege to honor Quinn’s legacy with the lecture.
Heading into the election, the polls predicted the race was going to be decided by a very thin margin, and either candidate would be able to pull off a victory. However, on election night, Donald Trump won every swing state, the popular vote and improved his margins in the safest blue states.
“Trump won by advancing the Republican vote across the country,” Baker said. “His vote
share went up from 2020 in 49 states out of 50 and the District of Columbia, the first president to have done that in 50 years.”
Even among voter groups that traditionally vote Democratic, the shift was pronounced. Trump made gains with all Hispanic voters, especially men, Black men, younger voters and women. According to Baker, these statistics reflect a much larger trend in American politics.
“Not only did he win a clear victory, he has reshaped the political elect, but the political geography and the political demographics of this country,” Baker said. “We are in the process of a major political realignment here, where the Republican Party is becoming an increasingly multi-ethnic party, particularly among working class voters and among the non-college educated.”
Although Trump deserves
“fidelity to founding principles,” and these principles serve as a “means to an end” for him to “preserve a free society” in his state. He pushed back against conservatives who only propose lowering taxes and nothing else, urging Republican officials to proactively “re-orient the institutions of the state,” instead of simply reacting to changes to the status-quo.
DeSantis outlined the priorities which he argued have made him an effective leader, the first of which he described as fighting “the pathologies of the modern American left.” DeSantis specifically pointed to the choices he made during the Covid-19 pandemic to keep schools and businesses open, as well as his feuds with teachers’ unions and corporations to protect children from what he called “indoctrination.”
DeSantis also stressed the
First-generation week concludes
By SAMANTHA GEBERT News Writer
Last week, the tri-campus community hosted ”First-Generation Week” to celebrate and support first-generation college students.
On Friday afternoon, First Gen Family and the Office for Student Equity hosted ”First Gen Day” at Saint Mary’s College in Angela Fieldhouse. The event was open
to first-generation students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross, staff, faculty and firstgeneration allies.
Friday’s event had numerous activities to celebrate first-generation college students in style, including a DJ, photo booth, bracelet making, butterfly clip bedazzling, frame decorating and
see FIRST-GEN PAGE 4 see BAKER PAGE 4
SOPHIE HANAWALT | The Observer
Demonstrators hold signs and chant to protest against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The Republican politician talked inside DeBartolo Hall while the protestors gathered on the quad in front of the entrance. see DESANTIS PAGE 3
SAMANTHA GEBERT | The Observer
Attendees of the event created canvas paintings and other crafts. First Gen Family hosted the event along with the Office for Student Equity.
The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.
Tuesday
Tri-Military
Ceremony
Memorial 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Ceremony in honor of all military personnel.
Bulls vs Irish Purcell Pavilion
7 p.m.
Notre Dame men’s basketball takes on the Buffalo Bulls.
Film: “Tigers Are Not Afraid” DeBartolo Center
7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Horror film directed by Issa López. Wednesday Workshop: “Responsible AI”
Auditorium 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Workshop to teach ethics and use of AI.
Bell’s Brewery Euchre Tournament
DeSantis
importance of conviction, arguing while politicians should listen to their constituents, they should also stand by their values.
“You cannot simply put your finger in the wind and try to do whatever you think the fleeting passions of the public may want on any given issue,” he said. “I look back at my time as governor, the best decisions that I made, decisions that saved lives, decisions that saved businesses, that saved jobs, that saved education, those decisions at the time were the most unpopular decisions.”
As a part of this philosophy, DeSantis pushed back against always trusting “experts,” arguing many so-called experts have political agendas.
“Anytime I hear ‘experts say,’ I just try to make sure I’m doing the opposite of whatever, because we have worked hard to protect our citizens from the excesses of the left,” he said.
DeSantis stressed leaders in government must produce results above all. He specifically criticized members of government who focus on entertainment or building their brand above governing.
“Are your incentives to accomplish anything? Are your incentives to build a brand, to get on cable news, to do social media posts? The incentives are all to do things that don’t actually lead to any tangible positive results for the people that you represent,” he lamented.
He emphasized voters will respond more than anything to the tangible changes in their lives, citing high migration into Florida, as well as the recent increased electoral success for Republicans in Florida as evidence of his success in this.
DeSantis was re-elected by an almost 20-point margin in 2022, after barely winning his first gubernatorial race in 2018, and registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats in the state of Florida for the first time ever.
“You gotta play like a champion. And when you do that, and when you produce results, the people, man, they’ll walk over broken glass to support you,” he said.
At one point, when referring to the increased number of Republicans in the state, DeSantis mistakenly referred to the time he was “elected President,” prompting a laugh from the crowd. DeSantis challenged President-elect Donald Trump for the Republican nomination before dropping out and endorsing Trump after losing the Iowa caucus.
Speaking on the 2024 election results, DeSantis argued Vice President Kamala Harris lost because she failed to deliver on the issues voters cared about.
“I think what the election showed was people rejected the Biden-Harris agenda because they didn’t produce good results for those folks,” he stated.
DeSantis also touted the defeat of referendums in Florida which would have allowed abortion up to fetal viability and
legalized marijuana in the state, arguing both proposals were more radical than most voters wanted. In addition, DeSantis criticized the concept of constitutional amendments via referendums, arguing the language in the referendums was made intentionally vague in order to manipulate voters.
When asked, DeSantis notably said he would not accept a position in the new Trump administration, saying there were “a lot of great people” and arguing he would be most effective in furthering the causes he believed in as governor of Florida.
“I think me quarterbacking the Sunshine State is probably how I make the biggest difference,” he said.
Although there will be a Republican president, a Republican-controlled Senate and possibly a Republican-controlled House of Representatives starting in January, DeSantis expressed doubt anything would be done to lower the national debt in the coming years.
“I think it’s going to be very difficult to get anything done,” he said.
Despite being a native Floridian, DeSantis picked Notre Dame to triumph over Florida State by a margin of 31-14, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Protests
As DeSantis spoke in DeBartolo Hall, a collection of student groups, including College Democrats, Students for Immigration Advocacy,
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Solidarity ND and Student Voices for Palestine held a protest outside on the quad.
Olivia Anderson, co-president of College Democrats, said the club decided to organize a protest because DeSantis’ “policies in Florida do not align with any of our club’s values.”
Anderson emphasized that the goal for College Democrats was to stand for academic freedom.
“They can say what they want to say in there, it’s a free country, they are well within their rights to do so, but we are also well within our rights to protest,” she said.
In a statement to The Observer, Connor Marrot, a board member of Solidarity ND, wrote the goal of the protest was to “advocate for democracy, civil rights and inclusivity,” adding,
“we are united in our fight against oppression and discrimination.”
[Editor’s note: Connor Marrot is a viewpoint columnist for The Observer]
At the protest, participants held signs supporting a wide range of causes. Some read “keep abortion legal,” “immigrants make America great,” “gay is okay,” “ban whitewashing in classrooms,” “climate change is real” and “Jesus is a liberal.”
Explaining her decision to participate in the protest, senior Sofia D’Agostino shared she was motivated by disappointment over Amendment 4’s failure to pass in her home state of Florida. The amendment, which would
have created constitutional protections for abortion in Florida up to the point of fetal viability, failed due to the requirement of a 60% supermajority.
“It’s really disappointing when we see an amendment gather a 57% majority, which clearly signals it’s a bipartisan issue for so many people, but then have democracy fail actively,” D’Agostino said. “States were supposed to be able to protect this right, but it didn’t matter.”
Senior Abby Thatcher was motivated by DeSantis’ education policies.
“It’s absolutely horrible that Notre Dame thought it was okay to bring this dude here to speak about government when his policies are terrible,” she said. “As someone who has a parent who is an educator, banning books and trying to get rid of the education system is not what our country stands for.”
When the lecture event began, leadership from each of the clubs present gave speeches to the protestors.
Senior Jocelyn Limon, president of Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy, argued DeSantis’ immigration policies stand in contrast to Notre Dame’s Catholic values. Limon stated the decision to invite DeSantis “does not represent Notre Dame’s mission to welcome all, or leadership rooted in love, compassion and commitment to the common good.” She specifically critiqued DeSantis’ immigration policies.
Representing Student Voices for Palestine, senior Jamil Allan criticized DeSantis’ restrictions on pro-Palestinian student protestors. He shared his purpose in participating was to “defend our rights to advocate, speak and stand in solidarity with those who are oppressed.”
Marrot thanked the protestors for their efforts, adding, “that man in DeBart right now has blood on his hands.” Marrot discussed DeSantis’ policies regarding LGBTQ+ youth in Florida, saying “It’s his message in Florida that you cannot be
LIAM KELLY | The Observer
Ron DeSantis speaks on Friday in DeBartolo Hall. The lecture was hosted by the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.
Notre Dame faculty discuss 2024 campaigns
By DAVID MURPHY News Writer
As voters across the country go to the polls, Notre Dame professors within the political science department have expressed their thoughts on this historic election season in interviews with The Observer.
Professor Geoffrey Layman, who teaches the “Election 2024” course and chairs the Department of Political Science at Notre Dame, pointed to President Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race as a particularly historic aspect of the election cycle.
“We’ve never had a situation where a candidate who had essentially won his party’s nomination dropped out,” Layman said. “It’s this huge thing.”
Layman did, however, note that there were important similarities
with previous elections — particularly Trump’s presence as head of the Republican Party.
“But then, of course … it’s kind of the same race as we had in 2020, which was kind of the same race we had in 2016,” Layman said. “Same Republican candidate. So huge differences, but also a lot of similarities.”
Defining issues of the two campaigns was a notable topic as well. In an interview with The Observer, Professor David Campbell — director of the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative and whose research focuses on civic and political engagement — remarked on the significant differences in subject matter emphasized by the two candidates.
“If you listen to one campaign versus the other campaign, you would think that they are living in different worlds,” Campbell said.
“The issues that are emphasized by the Trump campaign are very different than the issues emphasized by the Harris campaign.”
Althoughitisnotunusualforcampaigns to focus on their strengths, Campbell noted that the dynamic had changed this election cycle.
“If you only listened to Republicans, you would think that this election was only about immigration,” Campbell said. “And if you listen to the Harris campaign, you might think that this election was only about maybe abortion rights, maybe a little bit more than that.”
Notre Dame professors also highlighted the importance of down-ballot congressional races. Professor Jeff Harden, who specializes in American politics and political methodology, noted the difficulties in accomplishing policy goals when the opposing party
controls Congress but stressed that even a unified government presents challenges for the majority party.
“In recent times when the president’s party has held one or more chambers of Congress, internal divisions within parties have become more apparent,” Harden wrote in an email to The Observer. “Additionally, we have seen that the minority party can still wield considerable influence and extract policy concessions with threats to hold up the process.”
In interviews with The Observer, professors frequently discussed the long-term trends underscored by the 2024 election cycle. Professor Campbell, in particular, voiced concerns about the resilience of America’s institutions.
“I think that what we have seen … is that support for some of the fundamental norms that we had
taken for granted in American democracy … are a lot weaker than we thought,” Campbell said. “It does suggest that the country would have a long way to go to rebuild the sort of trust in the very institutions of government that are needed for a democracy to flourish.”
Professor Campbell concluded with a crucial message for young people observing today’s politics, especially regarding the intensified rhetoric that has marked recent years.
“I do worry [for] today’s college students because they are witnessing politics today and … may think that what we’re experiencing now is normal,” Campbell said. “I just want to emphasize a lot of what we have seen in the last eight years is not the norm.”
Contact David Murphy at dmurph23@nd.edu
credit for his win, Baker noted it is sometimes more interesting to analyze the reasons for Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat than it is to dissect Trump’s victory. The economy and immigration were the two major issues in the election, and ultimately, more people resonated with Trump’s message than with Harris’s.
“I think the bigger story here, and it’s the reason behind this realignment that I talked about, is the Democrats have lost touch with their traditional voters, and they have become the party of the elites,” Baker said.
Baker cautioned against creating too strong of a link between the economy’s performance and the president.
“I’m the first to say that I don’t think whoever is sitting in the Oval Office has that much influence over the economy, either way,” Baker said. “Some of the changes that are made under one president don’t actually become realized in economic benefit terms until the subsequent president.”
Matthew Hall, the event’s moderator and a professor of Constitutional Studies at the University, noted the political landscape in America has become more and more polarized in recent elections.
“[The Harris campaign] is clearly showing extremist Democratic policies,” Hall said. “On the other hand, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Donald Trump has said a few things that maybe could be called extremist.”
The audience laughed, and Baker agreed, citing Trump’s famous “They’re eating the dogs” quote as an example. However, Baker went on to say many of the alarming things Trump campaigned on in the past have merely been campaign tools, with the Republican Party overall remaining focused on the “kitchen-table” issues that resonate the most with voters.
“There are more and more
Democrats, I think, who are starting to say, ‘we have to change,’ and ‘we can’t be the party that looks like it’s not on the side of ordinary people,’” Baker said. “But instead, campaigns focus on these kinds of niche issues that frankly are just out of the mainstream of America.”
Hall dedicated a portion of the discussion to the fact that both of Trump’s electoral victories have come when running against female candidates. Baker, who immigrated from the United Kingdom, noted that Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister in 1979, and other countries, including Italy and Germany, have had successful woman leaders.
“I think it probably is true that women do have to clear a higher bar in many orders of life,” he said, noting major parties likely will not be dissuaded from nominating a woman, especially a more moderate candidate. “It would be wrong to conclude that the reason Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris lost was because they were women.”
The lecture wrapped up with a look forward at American politics in the next two to four years. In the past, landslide elections like those in the 1930s and 1980s have helped the losing party to reflect and change, usually bringing them back towards the center.
In contrast, recent elections have been extremely closely called, which could pose a problem and result in increased polarization. However, Baker remains optimistic.
“This is the greatest country in the world, and it has succeeded because it’s remained true to those values [of democracy, freedom of expression and free market capitalism] through endless, endless crises,” Baker said. “I have faith in the resilience, the creativity, the capabilities and the basic decency of the American people to see it through.”
Contact Zack Pohlman at zpohlma2@nd.edu
First-gen
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cactus pot and canvas painting. Students also got me to meet students from across the tri-campus at the event.
“I got to meet people from Holy Cross to Notre Dame today,” president of First Gen Family Cordelia Vazquez said. “It was very refreshing to meet other first-gens beside Saint Mary’s.”
The event had snacks and beverages such as fruit cups, candy apples and mocktails.
“We’re all collectively sharing something, which is caring about first-generation students. That means a lot to me and makes me feel more included within a community,” freshman Berhan Hagezom said.
Two staff members who attended the event shared they were first-generation college
DeSantis
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
gay, you cannot be trans, and this University is sending that exact same message to us today.”
Marrot encouraged the protestors to “work with compassion with those who hate and fear us.”
In a joint speech, College Democrats co-presidents Anderson and Trista Brantley called DeSantis’ policies “a slap in the face to American and Catholic values alike.” Elaborating on Notre Dame’s Catholic values, it was noted what DeSantis stood for was contradictory to the messaging on the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue on God Quad, which reads “venite ad me omnes,” Latin for “come unto me all.”
Anderson and Brantley addressed Tuesday’s election results, calling DeSantis “just one symptom of a deep, deep sickness in this country.”
“All four groups are excited to keep working for justice and keep working for peace and
students. Both wished they had a group like First Gen Family when they were in college.
“Coming to SMC, I was nervous to be so far away from home and without much familial direction,” junior Allys Hager, from Texas, said. “Both the CFAM [Center for Faith, Action and Ministry] and First Gen offices have done an amazing job with offering activities and events like the one today. The community that has formed from it is truly inspiring.”
First Gen Family was founded in 2016.
“What I’ve seen from the past three years, as a junior now, it’s grown, and I think now being involved, you see how much of an impact it is to even freshmen,” Vazquez said.
First Gen Family hosts First Gen Chats every month where students can communicate
love both at Notre Dame and beyond,” Anderson told The Observer.
In between each speech, protestors were led in a series of chants. Once the speeches concluded, protestors chanted as they turned to face the attendees of the DeSantis talk while they exited the building.
Chants included, “my body, my choice,” “free, free Palestine,” “stand for love, not for shame, we say gay at Notre Dame,” “say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here,” “not the church, not the state, the people must decide their fate” and “Black Lives Matter is here to stay.”
Many onlookers could be seen recording the protest, but most did not interact with the crowd.
Before concluding the protest, protestors turned around to direct the same chants at Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was inside the law school at the time. Anderson encouraged protestors to take a pride pin to wear at the football game, which
their experiences in being a firstgeneration college student with others. A First Gen Chat will take place this week and center on family expectations.
“Being first gen, it’s just being you and owning it,” Vazquez said. Hagezom noted first-generation students often hail from diverse backgrounds. Vazquez added, as a woman first-generation student, she feels many are also Latina and people of color.
“Intersectionality is so beautiful because you just really love to see people thrive, especially the minority of it,” Vazquez said.
The First Gen Chat series was started this year.
“We have different intersectionalities we want to showcase and highlight from Saint Mary’s,” Vazquez said.
Contact Samantha Gebert at sbegert01@saintmarys.edu
DeSantis would be in attendance at.
During his lecture, DeSantis responded to the protestors outside of DeBartolo Hall in a question-and-answer session. He urged them to “get new material,” and argued there had never been a legitimate Palestinian state.
DeSantis also portrayed the protestors as living in an ideological bubble.
“On a lot of these college campuses, those types of students are never challenged on their assumptions, and so they come out without questioning,” he said.
Despite this, DeSantis also urged students to see past their political differences.
“Politics is stuff that just happens, and you deal with it, but I do not take it personally,” he said. “And if I have a friend that sees things a different way, they’re still gonna be my friend.”
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawal@nd.edu and Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
Carlos Basurto Eudaemonic Banter
The crave for stagnant cognition
There is something most deeply disturbing about the way humans behave themselves around the objects they worship. I speak not exclusively of extreme zealotry, though the cognitive dissonance with which we envelop our feeble, empty minds is entirely identical — altogether indistinguishable. We flip a switch, turn the lights off, and stagnate all cognition. And, worse yet, it is as if at times we crave nothing more. It occurs in the big and it occurs in the small. It brandishes its bloody fangs in our most minute, fun rituals and it too singlehandedly launches nations to wage war against one another. Every football game we witness it, in every violent religious uprising it is echoed, in every false narrative it spreads.
Why, of course, I speak of that which lies within our monkey brains. This is not to disrespect our simian brethren but to rightfully shatter this illusion of ours that we are all particularly clever in matters of the soul. What a laughable proposition that is.
We love to consider ourselves to possess the most brilliant of minds, to transcend the weaknesses of our forefathers. We are overwhelmed by hubris, believing ourselves to be the exception. We swear upon all that we believe when basic facts are displayed before us, we will elect logic posthaste. We promise to ourselves that we possess the capacity with which to recollect history, to make the most informed decisions, to know better. But, most tragically clear, that was never the case, was it? If that were so, this country would never have reelected Donald Trump.
That sentence alone brings forth a magnitude of obnoxious, nonsensical bloviating. I care not for politics, for engaging in hollow, futile banter that has no objective but to scream at one another, to have the slickest phrasing or howl the loudest. There is naught but shame to be attained upon winning a fool’s contest.
Self-evidently, ignorance and hatred have won: there is no deeper reading nor shall one need to entertain the notion that there is discussion to be had. Trump has vowed to erase social progress, violate essential women’s rights, cripple educative and medical systems, separate immigrant families, push for an idiotic economic vision with no basis in reality, sully our international relations and bow to dictators, who he indubitably
feels a kinship with. Though not the first rapist, racist or pedophile in the White House by any measure, rarely has their vileness been such a relevant element of their platform, nor has it been so cheered by their bases. In good conscience, in wise cognition, in the world where we possess the brains we so dearly claim to have, this would have never come to be.
Yet, it did. That says not merely something about any one group, or party — after all, this is not an isolated incident. That is, I wish not to alone reflect on Donald Trump, on the genocidal regime of Israel, on the Third Reich or on any other failures of democratic experiments. These are symptoms of something much greater about who we are. I wish to reflect on our failure as humanity — on our willing blindness to its bare exhibits in all that we do.
Though it is hard to discern why, there is pride to be found in willful ignorance. After all, it is seen as a valiant service to our objects of worship to rescind our cognitive abilities and succumb to primal desires. I cannot help but ponder from whence it emerged; nevertheless, it is undeniable: we have a lust for naïveté, we have fetishized nescience.
Merely take a cursory glance at the sickeningly fanatical veneration of the modern American military. Beyond the apparent issues surrounding cheering for an oppressive lethal force, this is not a respect being paid towards someone who provides a service, or even who has made a great sacrifice, as firemen or doctors do — it is a cult. It dominates people’s lives, overrides their sense of selfhood and subjugates their values to the whims of a globally dominant military complex that prioritizes shareholder value and political interest at the cost of massacring faceless innocents abroad. For those who are conscious of their humanity, this is deplorable enough, but it worsens: we have made a spectacle out of it!
In this weekend’s football match against FSU, the game opened with men parachuting from the sky, blinding fireworks and deafening songs. We sang and danced and pranced for the American military-industrial complex. We saluted and cried and laughed and hugged and smiled, bereft of the most basic of sensibilities. Why, they are our most beloved traditions! How we roared and roared, blissfully ignorant of what we were actually doing, what we were inculcating into our subconscious, of what we were deeming morally permissible. It is so easy to get lost in the decor, forgetting the substance of our support. It is so easy not to think at all. It was a circus, yet it was us who were the jumping animals, exploding with joyful bloodlust and a
moronic, misguided sense of belonging.
Truly, how can we claim to be any more than that, when we purposefully deprive ourselves of the only thing we claim to separate us from animals?
We were simply repulsive.
Naturally, our crave for stagnant cognition is exploited by propaganda, as it was in the FSU game or in Trump’s reelection, but this is a deeper issue than that. The fact of the matter is as follows: it is infinitely harder to select empathy, to suspend our cognitive dissonance and rationalize against our raw urges. It is so much easier to dance than to think; it is so much easier to cheer than to feel.
But, our human failures need not be the standard.
Progress was never meant to be linear — where we take a step back, we will take two steps forward. We must fight not through rocks alone but also through thought. We must break the shackles of our isolated bubbles, of our streams of confirmation bias, of our primitive patterns. We must learn to want what’s hard: what’s right.
Though we may be cursed with finding bliss in cognitive dissonance, we are blessed with the ability to break free from it. We have the possibility, nay, the duty to be more. To truly transcend hatred and solitude, to be what we can be, we must think, and think hard. These conversations are hard, hurt, and may be impossible to have at times, but they are most imperative.
What legacy do you want to leave behind? Are you a circus animal, or are you something else? Only you get to decide that. The more people that decide right, the easier this world will be to live in.
When you lie down and your final wind leaves your mortal coil, let it be said that because of you someone breathed easier.
Carlos A. Basurto is a junior at Notre Dame studying philosophy, computer science and German. He’s president of the video game club and will convince you to join, regardless of your degree of interest. When not busy, you can find him consuming yet another 3-hour-long video analysis of media he has not consumed while masochistically completing every achievement from a variety of video games. Now, with the power to channel his least insane ideas, feel free to talk about them further at cbasurto@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Thoughts after a midnight birthday wish
Madyson Casiano Staff Writer
“Happy birthday,” she said.
My birthday passed as swiftly as usual, but unusually this one felt different. My environment was different, could that be the source of my unease? Oh, could it have been because my family wasn’t here? No. I think it was me, I think I have changed. This birthday felt empty, yet accomplished. This birthday was the anniversary of my first year of adulthood.
Growing up, and getting old.
There’s something energizing in the essence of growing up. Birthdays are urgent, the want for responsibility daring, and time flies without much warning. Birthdays became like achievement levels, unlocking a wave of impatience for the next. Once, there was a spring in my step as I dashed along the timeline of life. I achieved each milestone and unlocked every year as quickly as I could. Now in my new age, I find I do not have the steam to do so. Nineteen, my last teen year.
Since childhood, I have wanted to be an adult. I made detailed plans of my steps toward years now gone by, years which went awry of my juvenile expectations. I was supposed to be an engineering student by now, I was
supposed to be desperately in love with a fiancé — and I was supposed to be put together. These expectations were so-called dreams, which would fill my life with success, marking me with the praise I had yearned for in the naivety of my yesteryear.
Ignorant kid, there is so much more to life than praise. Now thrown into the whim of adulthood, these dreams seem so unrealistic and unattainable. Where did all the time go? Did I ever even enjoy this? How do I balance everything? Though an “adult” for hardly a year, I have learned you simply cannot. You cannot control time, you cannot enjoy something solely for praise and you cannot balance a life devoid of true direction.
For passion I seek, and fulfillment I will meet.
I’ll remember the hunger I used to have for my career. I’ll remember the ambitious nights of study. Maybe I’ll remember the awards. But will I regret it? We fight and work to finally relax, to finally pursue our passions and to earn freedom. “I’ll wait until I’m retired, I don’t need to vacation.” “I don’t have time for love.” “I just have to get through this year.” And while there is a need for hardworking drive, there is more of a need for hardworking passion.
To love or not to love, that is the question.
What do I love? I am not an engineer. I am a writer, a writer who still loves math nonetheless, but seeks it for
more than external praise. Language defrosts some buried desire within me that I cannot ignore. Maybe that is what appealed to me in math. The breathable, provable language of the universe. Who do I love? I love my people, I love the ones who make me feel at home and I love who makes me feel I do not need to rush. How do I love? Through the trials of life, it becomes difficult to love. But, perhaps that is the point: to love continuously despite the rocky turbulence which grows a deeper sacrificial love. Getting old, but growing up.
There’s something romantic about getting old. Happy birthdays may dwindle as people grow apart. My drive for success may slowly dissipate. And years of experience may place wedges in relationships. But, as time flies some still stay. This year and the next I know they will wish me a happy birthday at midnight without hesitation. I know that even if I change, even if my values shift, and even if I rebuke all that I have just said, getting older with all of you is something I will never regret.
At midnight, my hometown best friend texted “Happy Birthday!”
You can contact Madyson at mcasiano@saintmarys. edu.
The views expressed in this inside column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Gracie Eppler The Soapbox
Why social media is ruining discourse
When BeReal first took off my freshman year, I knew it was never going to last. My cynicism was encouraged by a clear understanding of what young adults actually use social media for — to gloat. The idea of the 2021 platform, BeReal, was to transform social media from a source of materialistic and often fabricated posts to an outlet for genuine connection. At a random point during the day, a notification would pop up telling users to snap a quick picture of what they were up to. This was supposed to inspire a “real” form of online networking with no editing allowed.
The problem with this new form of social media? People just didn’t listen. Instead of taking a picture immediately when they got the notification, some users chose to wait until they had more fun and social activities planned. While it’s true that scrolling through an endless stream of photos of classmates working on homework assignments is far from fun, it is, in fact, “real.” That’s what we Notre Dame students spend the majority of our time doing. But within a few weeks of its release and quick rise to fame, BeReal became a platform for its users to share the most exciting, social and extravagant things they had done that day, instead of what they might have been doing when the notification really released. Some users would purposefully delay their image, waiting until they got to a party or were at the mall with a group of friends to snap their picture.
It isn’t just that we, as young adults, are still selfconscious and eager to share our social interactions.
INSIDE COLUMN
It’s also that BeReal went entirely against the concept of social media as we knew it. Social media is a realm in which we can be fake, and we all know it. Sure, we can use Snapchat to catch up with an old friend, or we can occasionally use Instagram Reels to find a new recipe for dinner. But the fact of the matter is that we present the best versions of ourselves to our internet community to brag that we went to cool places, that we have the most friends and that we are attractive and adventurous.
With the recent election, social media has also become a platform to share political beliefs. It has not, however, inspired any sort of political conversation across the aisle. Rather, social media has only reinforced echo chambers and invigorated animosity. On the morning after Trump’s victory, I saw a circulation of three types of posts on people’s stories. First, a cry of outrage against the Trump administration, asking how anyone could choose to vote in a President who is a convicted felon and contributed to the events of January 6th. Second, celebrations for the GOP’s triumph and exclamations that “America was back.” Third (and the least common of the three), posts about not letting politics ruin our relationships. These posts assured users that a sign of maturity is tolerance.
The “unfollow” button is one of the most tempting and powerful tools of the modern age. Clicking it leads to no noticeable change for the victim, who likely won’t notice that they’ve lost a follower. But it makes all the difference for you, the unfollower, as you get to decide whose content you choose to view. Social media isn’t just about bragging or informing users of your opinions, it’s also about creating a pseudo-reality. Advanced algorithms let you tell the apps what
you want to see. The apps will listen. If you see something you don’t like, you can dislike it or unfollow the creator. On the one hand, this eliminates the possibility for discussion with clashing parties. On the other hand, do Instagram DM’s ever actually produce fruitful conversations?
I told my sister once that I hated going on Instagram and seeing posts from people I met back in 5th grade who I didn’t even know. She advised me just to unfollow them. I argued that this was rude. She defended herself, saying, “You don’t have to look at the content of anyone you don’t want to. You don’t owe them anything.”
We have total autonomy over our platforms and what we choose to do with our social media. In some ways, this is a comforting and empowering thought: we don’t have to look at anything we don’t want to see. In other ways, this is a frightening solution, to know that we can erase any opinions we dislike. This use of the “unfollow” button and the political rhetoric shared on social media reflects a larger issue in our country — the notion of real-life “unfollows” for those people we disagree with. The era of John McCain and President Barrack Obama’s opposition seems so long ago — a time in which presidential candidates could sit down and discuss what they did and did not like about the other’s opinions with mutual respect and understanding, an era without the possibility of “unfollowing.”
Gracie Eppler is a senior Business Analytics and English major from St. Louis, MO. Her top three things ever to exist are ‘70’s music, Nutella and Smith Studio 3, where she can be found dancing. You can reach her at geppler@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
My grandma tried to kill me
Yeah, you read the title right. But we’ll get there.
My grandma Marilyn Disbro, my mom’s stepmom, passed away on All Souls Day this year. She was in the hospital for a whole week beforehand, and that Saturday morning, my dad called me to come home and say goodbye. She was gone just three hours after I arrived. I imagine God brought her soul straight up to heaven, that she was giving an express pass for leaving on such a night.
Her funeral service is this Tuesday, and I still feel like I haven’t processed that she’s passed. I try to remember her in all the times I’ve spent with her — during all of the major holidays, the birthday parties and the Sunday lunch visits. I hold these memories so close to my heart, but I just can’t help that when I think of her, I laugh.
For context, I have a pretty severe tree nut allergy. Several times I’ve ended up in the hospital and experienced near-death, life-flashing-before-my-eyes type allergic reactions. They’ve all ended up as (I think) hilarious ‘lore’ I like to drop in conversation from time to time. The one that will always stand out to me, however, was the Christmas of 2020.
My grandma Marilyn loved to bake, but she baked things like pecan pies or walnut-chunk cookies, pastries I didn’t quite have the immune system for. This Christmas, however, she came through the garage door with a box of cookies with my name on it.
“I’ve baked them just for you,” I remember her telling me. “I cleared the whole kitchen of nuts to make sure you could eat them.”
I, of course, was very excited to finally taste my grandma’s famous tasty confections. So, after we finished our Christmas dinner, I went into the kitchen to find the cookie box with my name sprawled in Sharpie. I stacked a few cookies onto my plate, making a show of appreciation, and sat back down at the table.
The first bite I take, I bite into a fully intact walnut in the center of the cookie.
Trying not to embarrass her or make a scene of the situation, though completely freaking out on the inside, I quickly excused
myself back to the kitchen. I promptly tried to wash out every bit of cookie from my mouth with a glass of water. When I began to feel my lips tingling, I rushed to my room to brush my teeth. But it was too late. My lips and throat were beginning to swell. I hurried back to the dining room and very calmly and politely asked my dad to meet me in the kitchen (again, trying not to embarrass my poor grandma). I told him the situation and he immediately flipped out. He did not feel like acting calm or polite at the moment, which was fair.
You have to imagine the whole house suddenly going all up in arms, from zero to 100. My family of six and all three sets of my grandparents, 11 of us in total, were suddenly yelling and freaking out about how I suddenly started having a reaction and who was going to take me to the hospital. My family’s four dogs all began barking, too. They must’ve wanted to be a part of the sudden pandemonium.
As my dad grabbed masks for us (#COVID) and pushed me out the door, I could hear my mom scream from the other side of the house, “MARILYN, YOU PUT WALNUTS IN HER FU — ?!” The door slammed shut.
The drive to the hospital was increasingly worrisome with the Christmas traffic, and, with each passing minute, I was struggling more and more to breathe. Hives had now covered nearly every inch of my body. By the time we reached the ER, the nurses had us sit in the waiting room, already full with COVID patients. Because of the mask and my heavy coat, they couldn’t tell how dire the situation had become, and I couldn’t speak up to tell them.
We were ushered into the back after just a few minutes of my dad desperately trying to explain the situation. I vividly remember the stark contrast between the relaxed and steady stroll of the nurse and my rapid, straining gasps for air behind my mask.
The moment I sat down and the nurse allowed me to take off my mask, revealing the truest extent of my condition, another round of chaos ensued. Within seconds, six doctors flooded into the curtained-off room. The next thing I knew, I was laid down, had tubes in each arm, and an oxygen mask over my face. I felt terrified as tears ran down my face, and then everything was bright and then I was asleep.
For the next several hours, I was well-sedated with Benadryl and epinephrine and who knows what else. I also had to
complete breathing treatments to bring my lung capacity back to normal. I feel sorry for my dad in hindsight, as I had made him restart the audiobook we were listening to together every time I had fallen asleep (it was several times).
When I was finally ready to be released from the hospital, one of the doctors came in to wish me and my dad a Merry Christmas and, “Oh, by the way, if you had come in even just a minute later, you wouldn’t have made it. Close call, huh!” My dad and I glanced at each other and gave a very nervous laugh. We were glad to be leaving then.
My grandma never officially apologized, at least with words. Rather, she gifted me a $20 Visa gift card and a head nod on New Year’s a few days later. I found the entire interaction quite amusing, honestly.
I believe my grandma and I both understood each other in some kind of unspoken way. Sure, it was frightening to nearly die on Christmas, but she didn’t mean to feed me my potential death. I knew she was sorry, so she didn’t have to say it. There was nothing that could be said or done to change what had happened, and so I was happy to take the $20.
As I sat with my grandma during her final few hours, now in her own hospital bed and also heavily sedated, I struggled with what to do or say. We were never big talkers with each other to begin with; we both would much rather sit together on her porch swing and complete word puzzles on our phones.
I tried for several minutes to tell her that I had forgiven her, and in that moment realized I had never said anything either that day. But I just couldn’t find the words; and so we sat in silence together, like we always had. Finally, frustrated with myself, I squeezed her hand and, through my tears, I told her I love her. In the same way, I believe God gave her an express ticket to heaven, I believe she heard me, that she understood what I meant. Though the words were never spoken aloud, she already knew I forgave her, just like I knew she was sorry four years ago. I now only wonder how I’m supposed to send a $20 Visa gift card up to heaven.
You can contact Aynslee at adellacca01@saintmarys. edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Aynslee Dellacca
Saint Mary’s News Editor
By PETER MIKULSKI Scene Editor
“The Color of Pomegranates” is worth watching on a big screen, and you’re in luck, because the Browning Cinema at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center is showing the picture this Thursday. Still, I have to admit that the first time I watched it was on the tiny, dirty screen of my high school–issued Chromebook, and nevertheless, it was a great watch — that’s a testament to the power of its visuals, I guess.
The screening is part of the “Notre Dame Writers Pick Some Movies for Us to Watch” film series, sponsored by the University’s Creative Writing Program. Presumably the writer who picked this one was a poet, not a screenwriter, because “The Color of Pomegranates” has almost no dialogue. Based on the poetry of Armenian troubadour Sayat-Nova and inspired by Persian miniature paintings, the film consists of a series of elaborate visuals strung together into a 75-minute collage. You don’t need to know anything about Armenian troubadour Sayat-Nova or Persian miniature painting to get something out of the movie, though. I certainly don’t, but it’s still one of my all-time favorites.
It reminds me a lot of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “The Decameron” — which was also screened at the Browning
last year — and its beautiful “Giotto’s Pupil” interludes, where the director poses his cast into massive Renaissanceinspired paintings. It should be noted, however, that “The Color of Pomegranates” predates “The Decameron” by a couple of years. And, to be honest, Sergei Parajanov (the director of “The Color of Pomegranates”) is a lot better at executing these complex tableaus.
That makes sense, though. The visuals are the bread and butter of “The Color of Pomegranates,” but in “The Decameron,” the focus is on Pasolini’s improvisational way of shooting Italian serfs up to no good — the striking interludes are just an added touch.
Once, I was describing “The Color of Pomegranates” to a friend — all its bleeding fruit, black lace, intricate costumes, bizarre staging and cavernous sets — and he said something like “Sounds like a great movie to watch high!” Reader, that just about threw me into a tizzy! If anything, “The Color of Pomegranates” is a movie that you need to be sober for.
Firstly, all of the ominous Armenian music in the background and the actors enigmatically staring at the audience sound like the perfect recipe for a bad trip. Secondly, there are details in every nook and every cranny of each frame, and you’ll miss it all if you’re sitting there thinking stuff like “My feet feel funny” and “Food hits different when you’re
hungry.” If you have to get high, then watch “Click,” but don’t bother with “The Color of Pomegranates” — the movie is its own high, anyway.
I’m no post-structuralist, but I think “There is nothing outside the text” is a pretty good rule of thumb for talking about movies. Who cares about whether production was difficult, what the box office numbers were, who got canceled before or after the release, etc.? Just tell me about whether you liked it or not and why!
When I watch “Color of Pomegranates,” I’m not thinking, “Wow, what a beautiful movie about Armenian culture made in the Soviet Union at a time when Armenian culture was heavily repressed.” No, I’m thinking, “Wow, what a beautiful movie.” Art can be political, sure, but it never stops being art and must be first-and-foremost enjoyed as such — as art.
So maybe Browning’s decision to screen “The Color of Pomegranates” has something to do with the recent eviction of Armenians from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh by the Azerbaijani government. Maybe it doesn’t. Either way, it’s a great movie — certainly one worth 75 minutes of your time — and that’s ultimately what matters.
Contact Peter Mikulski at pmikulsk@nd.edu
By SHANNON LIPSCOMB Scene Writer
With retailers already pushing Christmas to the forefront of everyone’s minds, why not see a new Christmas movie in theaters before Thanksgiving? “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” directed by Dallas Jenkins, hit theaters this weekend and opened to a strong second-place showing at the box office, just narrowly behind the thriller “Heretic.” Jenkins may have struck gold again, adding another promising title to his slate of television shows and films centered around Christian media. Based on author Barbara Robinson’s 1972 children’s novel of the same name, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” offers a comedic and religious take on the Christmas season. The movie transpires in the fictional town of Emmanuel where the narrator, Beth Bradley, and her family live. An adult Beth reflects on her most memorable Christmas as the audience watches her younger self, her little brother Charlie and her parents Grace and Bob live it themselves. The Bradleys are a picture-perfect family in a picture-perfect town.
In fact, everyone in Emmanuel is a little too picture-perfect, and, as teased by the town’s name, they are exaggeratedly Christian — everyone except for the Herdmans, who are known to steal, smoke and curse. A fierce family of six known for their fiery red hair, the children Imogene, Ralph, Claude, Leroy, Ollie and Gladys are outliers in the town of Emmanuel. It is not hard for the other townspeople to notice
their tattered clothing or their dilapidated house, but it is hard for them to live out their Christian ideals and actually offer the poor children a helping hand.
With a runtime of 99 minutes, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a straightforward family film that unpacks its story as quickly as it wraps itself back up with a shiny ribbon. All of the children in Emmanuel loathe the Herdmans and literally pray for them to vanish from their lives. The Herdmans burst into church after Charlie tells one of the boys that they are unable to enjoy all of the fun activities and sweet treats that the “good kids” receive after Sunday School sessions. Guided by the promise of free cake, the group begrudgingly sits through the sermon and then attends the annual pageant meeting where they comically bully the other children to not raise their hands for parts.
So it is set — Imogene and Ralph will play Mary and Joseph; Claude, Leroy, and Ollie will be the wise men; and little Gladys will play the Angel of the Lord. The only problem? The Herdmans know absolutely nothing about Christianity or the birth of Jesus.
The Herdmans remind us what it means to be an outsider and face resistance, especially Imogene, who is the true star of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” As the oldest of the family, she deals with the brunt of the town’s distaste. She never gets to be an individual, only a member of the Herdman clan. At one point, Imogene sees herself in a painting of Mary hung in the church hall, enraptured by her sweet and soft face and inspired by her resilience in giving
birth to Jesus. Imogene is a maternal figure for her siblings, so the audience is unsurprised when she becomes the ideal mother Mary.
She delicately carries the baby Jesus doll to the manger during the pageant, and after she hilariously burps the doll as if it were a real baby, she sets him down as the parishioners sing “Silent Night.” The crowd is shocked by Imogene’s poise and even more flabbergasted when she begins to weep.
For weeks, she had to depend on Grace Bradley to be an advocate for her and her siblings, even as the other mothers and churchgoers openly expressed their terrible opinions of her family. For as long as she can remember, she has always been the leader of a flock of black sheep in the town of Emmanuel. Imogene’s vulnerability evokes shame from the town, who claim to be model Christians. As Grace reminds Beth, “Jesus was born for the Herdmans as much as he was for us.”
Sadly, I don’t think there are enough moments like these for us to realize that we are all alike. Even if you are not religious, it is not hard to realize that we are all searching for a community and a deeper meaning in life.
As Bob Bradley reminds Beth when they drop off a Christmas ham to the Herdmans, “Christmas comes for everyone.” In this divided time, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a delightful way to inspire charity and compassion during the holidays.
Contact Shannon Lipscomb at slipsco3@nd.edu
BARAKA BOUTS
President Prest reflects on Baraka Bouts journey
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Anna Prest can picture the scene as if it unfolded yesterday. But it was more than three years ago that then freshman Prest from Chesapeake in the southeast part of Virginia, took in her first view of Baraka Bouts. With music blaring, young women eager to hone their boxing craft packed onto the lawn of Jordan Hall of Science. Unsure of what to expect, Prest decided to join them and stick around.
“I was just kind of like, ‘Alright. Well, this seems to be a good workout, and this seems to be a lot of fun,’” Prest recalled.
Three years later, she’s at the head of the club once so new to her. As a sophomore, Baraka leadership tapped Prest and classmate Olivia Mancuso to serve as junior captains for the 2023 bouts. Among a leadership group dominated by seniors, Prest spent her junior season observing and learning from those older than her, including former president Nicole Lies.
“She’s a fantastic role model for me as far as ... she’s very taskoriented, very driven, incredibly self-motivated,” Prest said of Lies. “And her time management was also something that was very inspiring to me.”
After the season wrapped up, Lies called Prest with a simple offer: the Baraka Bouts presidency. Having never considered the position an explicit goal, Prest found herself a bit shocked by the opportunity. And as a political
BARAKA BOUTS
science and Japanese doublemajor, a fourth-year Navy ROTC member and a new attendant for Rec Sports, she wouldn’t have the easiest time fitting the role into her schedule. Nevertheless, Prest counted on the trust of her mentor and took the offer.
“It was a pretty big adjustment,” Prest recalled. “Essentially, my job is to plan the arc of our season.”
As a junior captain, Prest could focus more deeply on mentoring and training individual boxers. The presidency, on the other hand, demands wide-ranging oversight of the club. Whether it’s informing people about the club, working with coaches or facilitating the ring’s layout in Dahnke Ballroom, Prest takes pride in handling all of the little things her position entails. She also takes plenty of pride in the women who help her keep the organization moving.
“I have this fantastic group of 10 co-captains,” Prest said. “And it’s more so like, ‘Okay, here’s the next thing on the timeline. Can you guys get started on it? Let’s talk about it. Who do we need to contact?’”
One of Prest’s favorite parts of the club, global outreach, carves out a huge part of Baraka’s identity. The organization raises funds every year for two institutions in Uganda, St. Joseph’s Hill Secondary School in Kyembogo and Lakeview Secondary School in Jinja. Its goal of $75,000 for this year’s bouts has Prest excited about the club’s service potential.
“We recently got a figure from the Holy Cross Mission Center
that about a $60 donation provides one year’s dorming – essentially room and board for an entire academic year for one student,” Prest said. “So that’s pretty powerful when you think about that in terms of how much money we’re fortunate enough to be able to raise each year for the mission.
Heading into this academic year, Prest and the organization received a jolt of momentum from over 7,600 miles away. At the end of the summer, the funds raised by Baraka Bouts helped Lakeview break ground on a new women’s dormitory.
“Seeing those posts and hearing at mission Monday that’s a really good week-to-week [message of], ‘Hey, this is a reminder of this is what it’s all about. This is why we’re really here,’” Prest said. “Yes, we love being in the ring. We love boxing. But it’s always been about so much more.”
While so involved in and amazed by the club’s worldwide impact, Prest also makes the time to create strong bonds with the fighters at Notre Dame. Some might expect that a Baraka president’s role might keep her detached from and above the emotions and experiences of individual competitors. But Prest regards mentorship much too highly to fall under that categorization.
“It’s always an adrenaline-filled experience, and I think I find no greater joy [than] standing in that corner and looking at someone — whether it’s their first year or their fourth year in the club — and looking them in the eyes and
being like, ‘How awesome is this? How cool is this that you have gloves on your hands, your headgear on, a mouth guard in – and you’re about to start punching someone?’”
Just like it has in Uganda, the club has seen tangible progress in the involvement among its youngest members. When Prest served as a junior captain last year, only one freshman participated in the Baraka Bouts tournament. This year, the president reports that seven first-year members will step into the competitive ring.
“It’s more than words can even describe – how I feel about it,” Prest said. “I’m just so proud of them for taking that leap of literally coming to college three months ago, starting with this club very early on and just kind of pressing the ‘I believe’ button and committing, sparring, fundraising – just absolutely buying into all of it and excelling in all those areas.”
“I just could not be prouder of the younger women in this club this year.”
Better yet, Prest, now in her fourth year with Baraka Bouts, believes that the club’s promising youth is here to stay.
“Once you’re in it, you just can’t leave,” Prest said. “It’s this community of strong, confident, funny, supportive women that’s like no other on campus.”
Despite all the obligations next to Prest’s name on a daily basis, she hasn’t lost sight of how special Baraka Bouts really is. After all, Baraka is the largest women’s boxing club in the world. With
this year’s tournament right around the corner, Prest encourages all to appreciate the unique experience that the club brings to Notre Dame’s campus.
“It’s not every day that you get to see your friends and classmates step into a boxing ring and start hitting each other for charity,” Prest said. “[It’s] not just because of the sport and not just because of entertainment purposes, but the fact that this is a charity tournament and that it’s the women that you see walking on campus, that you see in your classes –they’ve been putting in incredibly large amounts of work and so many hours into bettering themselves and learning a new skill.”
The Baraka Bouts quarterfinal round kicks off at 7 p.m. on Monday at Duncan Student Center’s Dahnke Ballroom, beginning the road to the Nov. 21 finals. Ahead of the year’s first competitive jabs, hooks and uppercuts, Prest shared her message to the Notre Dame community.
“If you see [a] Notre Dame women’s club boxing tournament and you feel curious at all or you’re like, ‘What is going on with that?’ I can guarantee you that it’ll be a night that’s absolutely full of cheering — whether it’s from various dorms or organizations on campus coming to support their members — it’ll be full of laughter … If you’re curious, no words can describe it, and you’ll just have to come see for yourself the real deal.”
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Vice presidents forming powerful community
By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor
Three years ago, Olivia Mancuso and Monica Caponigro joined hundreds of women on Notre Dame’s campus in the women’s boxing club known as Baraka Bouts. In her freshman year, Mancuso noticed the sweatshirt of a fellow Howard Hall resident and team captain, signed up and didn’t look back. Caponigro’s contact with the club came much earlier, long before she resided in Pasquerilla East as a Notre Dame student. Following her dad on a football Friday, nine-year-old Caponigro was invited by a group of girls to join their plank workout. She later learned they were in Baraka Bouts. Stepping foot on the campus years later, her sights were set on the club.
Hailing from Buffalo, New York, Mancuso studies applied computational math and statistics as well as Italian. She served on the Student International Business Council (SIBC) as a project leader, guiding freshmen and sophomores through their first experience preparing for a job.
She also interned for the United Nations in their Human Refugees Department, teaching applicant refugees how to speak Italian and acclimate to their new country. Along with her role as Baraka Bouts vice president, Mancuso’s pursuits are all united by a common thread.
“A huge part of my life and what I’ve learned that I’ve really enjoyed through my activities on campus is mentoring others through what is usually a confusing and unfamiliar experience,” Mancuso said.
“You’re getting all these girls coming into a sport that’s oftentimes a little isolating, very physical and kind of intimidating. So being able to coach them and guide them through that experience is extremely rewarding.”
Caponigro, a South Bend native, studies peace studies and film, television and theatre. She was the first Notre Dame intern to be a part of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Rome and initiated the RISE and First Home Team programs with the Institute for Social Concerns. Taking on a variety of new experiences has shaped her mindset both inside
and outside the ring.
“It’s been an opportunity for me to learn and grow in ways that push and pull me the way that boxing does,” Caponigro said. “Different skills are able to transfer into the boxing ring in the way of trying new things and not being afraid to — being able to kind of roll with what’s given to me.”
A core pillar of the Baraka Bouts mission is a commitment to service. The club helps support funding new resources at two Holy Cross schools in Uganda, St. Joseph’s Hill Secondary School in Kyembogo, and Lakeview
WANTED
Secondary School in Jinja. Beyond the value placed on international outreach, the club also works to build up students on campus.
“A big direction I love to see Baraka going into is such a personalized style of leadership for our boxers,” Mancuso said. “I love to see coaches, captains and boxers connecting and forming these personal relationships that are really going to benefit them both inside and outside of the ring.”
Caponigro’s time spent teaching at a Ugandan school brought her into close contact with one of the most impactful parts of the
club’s mission. That impact runs far deeper than any money donated, a truth she witnessed firsthand living in the East African community, a community with values that women in the club seek to model.
“They go through so much together and their joy with one another and their excitement with one another is infectious,” Caponigro said. “Having those kids as a reminder of the infectious joy that we should be spreading with boxing is a pretty big way
see BARAKA VPs PAGE 10
Happy Birthday: Take every opportunity that comes your way to turn a negative into a positive. This is a year of change, making a difference in your life and the lives of those you love. Pay attention to what matters, surround yourself with those heading down a similar path, and make a point to fulfill your dreams, hopes, and wishes for a brighter future. Make the best choices for you and bask in the glory of doing what’s best for you. Your numbers are 4, 11, 17, 27, 34, 39, 42.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Think before you act, and avoid regret. Direct your time wisely, apply your attributes to doing something you enjoy, and gain insight into your goals. Approach your path passionately, and you’ll attract someone who can help you advance. Choose an open mind and a positive direction forward.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Encompassing what excites you will change your perspective and encourage you to reach for things you have denied yourself for too long. It’s time for a new look, direction, and life-long goal. Eliminate what’s no longer working for you and replace it with a fresh look and start.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You may want to review details carefully before agreeing to participate in something time-consuming or expensive. Don’t trust others to be factworthy. Do the research and verify the information. Excess is the enemy; keep your life and plans simple and affordable. Apply your energy and enthusiasm to learning.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Your efforts will help you gain recognition and advancement. Differentiate yourself from the competition, stand tall, and make yourself heard. An honest look at your past will help you redefine your future. You may not relish change, but it will be easier to digest if you consider it an improvement.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Apply force where necessary but let others decide for themselves. There is a fine line between bullying and encouraging others to do what’s right. Offer facts and a good example, and be willing to lead the way; you’ll be well-received by those who can impact your plans as you intend.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Learn from your mistakes and avoid temptation. A change will spark your imagination and drive you to participate in something different. Don’t hesitate to make suggestions or put a unique spin on whatever you do. Your happiness and satisfaction are up to you. Deter anyone pressuring you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Broaden your horizons, learn, and seek whatever makes you happy. Finding your happy place will do wonders for your outlook and the response you receive from others. Short trips, educational pursuits, and communication will offer food for thought, but it’s up to you to decipher what’s good for you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Enjoy the moment. Don’t let anyone interfere or lead you astray. Everything will fall into place if you stick to your budget and fulfill your desires. Secure what you have and want to keep, value those who enrich your life, and put your energy into what makes you happy.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Step back, observe, analyze, and come up with a plan before you consult with others. You must have sound ideas before you go to bat for what you want to see transpire. There is no room for error; get your facts and plan of attack in order.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Change begins with you. It’s time to lighten up and have some fun. Consider your attributes and the best way to put them to good use, and enjoy the process. Be creative and let your diversity shine through. The contributions you make will surprise others and define your beliefs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep an eye on your money, possessions, and reputation. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something inappropriate or expensive. Put your energy into getting ahead and turning your space into something that helps you accommodate your long-term plans. Don’t trust hearsay; get the facts firsthand. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Declutter your life, home, and belongings. Letting go or paying it forward to those in need will be rejuvenating. If you need cash, sell off what you no longer use and pay down debt. A practical attitude will offer peace of mind and a path to a better life.
Birthday Baby: You are creative, opportunistic, and playful. You are changeable and proactive.
Baraka VPs
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
that I consider the community within boxing to be important as well.”
Mancuso and Caponigro share a vision for what they believe to be the fundamental principle of the Baraka Bouts community. It centers on how they define power, and what it means to empower each woman in the club.
“We look at power with the mindset that everybody has power. It’s about how they claim it that’s a little bit different, and how
ND VOLLEYBALL
they voice it,” Caponigro explains. “I think the club is a place where we can give more tools to women to be able to claim their power in different ways and feel powerful.”
Mancuso also addresses how this mentality requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone not only to get into the ring and fight but also as a woman in a predominantly male sport. Helping women overcome expectations or stereotypes that exist in society is central to the club’s goal and her mission as a leader within it.
“To encourage these women to step past that societal expectation
or that stereotype is really important to me, and I think it translates to a lot of other things,” Mancuso said. “Not only in the ring in boxing but outside of boxing with pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.”
The two vice presidents are important leadership figures in the club but also must balance their individual aspirations as fighters among other responsibilities. The way they can strike this balance, however, is a testament to the strength of the tight-knit community of the club. Laying out her demanding four-hour practice
routine bouncing between personal training and coaching, Mancuso cites how taking the time to teach other boxers aids in her own growth when evaluating strengths and weaknesses. As tough as this is, the experience is a rewarding one for her.
“Being intentional with your time, knowing that it is quite a large time commitment, but you can do a lot of good to others and to yourself is so important,” Mancuso said.
Caponigro also stressed the importance of the little things, especially when making time for other
boxers.
“Checking in on them or making sure that they’re feeling good about a spar. That doesn’t take more than 30 seconds to send off a text but it means a lot more,” Caponigro said. “It goes back to that community aspect. We really care about each other.”
This year’s edition of Baraka Bouts will commence Monday with the quarterfinals. They will take place beginning at 7 p.m. in Dahnke Ballroom.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
Irish drop games at Boston College, Syracuse
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
This past weekend, the Notre Dame volleyball team faced off against the Boston College Eagles and the Syracuse Orange. The Irish took a 3-0 loss against Boston College and a close, 3-2 loss against Syracuse.
Boston College
The Irish traveled to Boston College on Friday, Nov. 8 to face off against the Eagles but took the 3-0 loss.
The Eagles came out strong during the first set as they held a 12-8 lead early on in the first part of the set. Senior outside hitter Sydney Palazzolo responded with a kill that would help the Irish make a comeback and go on a 4-0 run to tie up the score at 12. The Eagles took no time to keep pushing as they went on their own 4-1 run against the Irish to make the score 16-13 nearing the middle of the set. Junior outside hitter Lucy Trump stepped up as she used multiple blocks to force errors on the Eagles and help the Irish go on a 6-1 run to take the lead and make the score 19-17. The Eagles, however, were not affected as they quickly regained the lead to go on a 3-0 run and make the score 20-19. Palazzolo added on another kill for
FOOTBALL
herself to tie the set at 20, but the Eagles managed a 5-3 run to make the final score of the first set 25-23.
The Eagles continued to push against the Irish with a 13-4 run in set two, but the Irish responded as they added on an additional seven points for themselves to make it a two-point difference at 13-11. A combined effort from freshman middle blockers Mallory Bohl and Anna Bjork helped the Irish tie the set at 14, but a 6-2 run from the Eagles put the score at 20-16. While the Irish managed to add on three points for themselves, the Eagles pulled through by adding five more points to finish the set 25-19.
Straight out the gate, Boston College wasted no time in the third set as it went on an 11-4 run over the Irish. In an attempt to close the gap, the Irish went on a 3-1 run to make the score 12-7, but the Eagles kept on moving as they rounded out the third and final set of the night with a final score of 25-17.
Palazzolo and Trump led on the court for the Irish as both players put up nine points throughout the night. Bohl and Bjork also contributed five points for the Irish.
Graduate libero Hattie Monson led on defense for the Irish as she hit double digits in digs with a total of 13, and senior setter Phyona Schrader also managed a total of nine digs to help the Irish.
Syracuse
The second game of the weekend was against the Syracuse Orange, where the Irish took a fiveset loss.
While Syracuse made the first points of the set, kills proved to be the key to the Irish victory. A kill from Schrader helped the Irish get on the board, but the Orange responded to make the score 4-1. With that, the Irish took no time to go on a run of their own to tie the score up at four. Another 9-4 run from the Irish thanks to the help of a kill from Schrader, a kill from graduate setter Ella Sandt, a kill from freshman middle blocker Grace Langer, a kill from Bjork, a kill from Bohl, a kill from Trump and a block from Bohl and Trump gave Notre Dame the 13-9 lead. Syracuse managed two points for itself, but a service error and another kill from Bohl made the score 15-11. A solid finish for the Irish helped them take the first set at 25-20.
The second set went back and forth as both teams put up a point within the first minute of the set.
A 5-3 run from the Irish made the score 6-4, as the two teams battled hard defensively. While the Orange added on two points, a service error, a kill from Bjork and a kill from Langer made the score 9-6. Bohl kept the ball rolling as she
sparked an eight-point run for the Irish, but the Orange fought back to make the score 18-15. While the Irish held the lead throughout the rest of the match with the Orange only two points behind, the Irish managed to pull through and take the final 25-21 win and make the overall score 2-0.
With the lead, two kills from Langer and two kills from Trump made the score 4-0 Irish at the beginning of the third set. The Orange then went on a 4-0 run of their own to tie the score at four, but the Irish responded with a kill from Langer to put them back ahead. The two teams continued to fight for the lead, but a kill from Schrader helped the Irish pull ahead to a 9-6 lead. A 5-2 run from the Orange shook things up as the set was tied at 11 and the teams continued to go back and forth as they tied up the score four more times before the Orange went on a 9-6 run to finish and win the third set 25-22.
The fourth set looked similar as the Irish took the first three points thanks to a kill from Bohl, a kill from Schrader and a service ace from Sandt, but a 10-3 run from the Orange put them ahead 10-6 over the Irish. As the Irish closed the gap in the next few minutes closing within three, the Orange pulled ahead with a 4-2 run to
make the score 15-10. The Irish managed to bring the score within two with kills from Schrader and Bohl that made the score 1513. The score stayed within two throughout the rest of the match, but the Orange pulled ahead at the end with a 3-2 run to make the final score 25-22 and tie up the overall score at two.
Neither team was giving up in the final set of the day as the teams battled back and forth throughout the first part of the fifth set. Junior outside hitter Avery Ross made her appearance on the court as she added on a kill to help the Irish gain the 7-5 lead, but the Orange responded with an 8-3 run to make the score 13-10. As the margin stayed within three the rest of the way, the Orange pulled through with a 15-12 win and took the overall 3-2 win over the Irish. Schrader and Trump led on the court for the Irish as they both hit double digits in kills. Schrader finished with 17 kills and Trump finished with 13. Schrader also contributed on defense as she finished with a total of 19 digs.
With this, the Notre Dame volleyball team now prepares to host North Carolina on Nov. 15 starting at 6:30 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
Five key moments from Notre Dame’s 52-3 win
By HENRY LYTLE Sports Writer
Leonard uses athleticism in opening drive score
To begin the sellout night game for the Irish, senior quarterback Riley Leonard capped off the opening drive with a 34-yard rushing touchdown. On the read option play, Leonard took off and juked one defender, sprinted along the left sideline and was able to finish the play with a dive over the pylon for the score. The Irish have found major success this year on the opening drive. Scoring in five of the total nine games during the opening drive, and the last three in a row, Notre Dame has found a way to build an early lead and control the flow of the game from there.
Price makes a house call to reawaken the offense
To open the second quarter, Jadarian Price exploded for a 65-yard rushing touchdown. Breaking free from the middle of the field, the sophomore running back outran the Seminole defenders to give the Irish a 14-3 lead. Outside of the Leonard rushing touchdown on the first drive, to this point, both of the main Irish running backs (junior Jeremiyah Love and Price) had rushed for six carries and 22 yards. This run opened up the offensive scheme for the Irish and allowed the offense to feel comfortable taking more vertical shots in the passing game. The sophomore running back broke free for a 70-rush in Week Three against Purdue, and this 65-yard run was his
second-longest of the season.
Irish strike again in the shadow of halftime
With 22 seconds remaining in the first half and on a fourth and 10, Leonard completed a 22-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison. With the help of a penalty at the end of the play, the Irish were set up for a touchdown to close the first half with a 21-3 lead. After graduate kicker Mitch Jeter missed a 42-yard field goal, the Irish felt comfortable going for it on a fourth and long considering the Seminoles had no timeouts remaining and had struggled to move the ball on offense. While it was certainly a somewhat risky play call for the Irish, the gamble helped bring the lead to 18 points on a touchdown pass to senior
tight end Mitchell Evans and put the Irish in a commanding position to open the second half.
Clark’s first interception sets up another score
To open the third quarter, Florida State began to get into a rhythm running the ball. But after a sack from graduate defensive tackle Rylie Mills, graduate nickelback Jordan Clark intercepted Brock Glenn’s pass on third and 17. With 12:38 left in the third quarter, this interception set up a quick touchdown to open the second half and bring the lead to 28-3. The transfer from Arizona State earned his first interception in blue and gold, helping the Irish secondary hold the Seminoles to under 100 yards passing on the game.
Talich tops off the win with a pick-six
With 1:23 left in the fourth quarter, sophomore safety Luke Talich intercepted the second ball for the Notre Dame defense and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown. Bringing the score to 52-3, Talich’s interception was the cherry on top for the dominant Notre Dame defense Saturday night. Talich brought in the first interception of his career, and Notre Dame stadium celebrated this moment with him in the only night game of the season. The Irish would finish the game at 52-3, energized for the upcoming Senior Daymatchup against Virginia on Nov. 16.
Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
HOCKEY
Irish go winless in road series at Michigan
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Yost Ice Arena has turned a cold shoulder to Notre Dame hockey as of late. After the thrilling overtime victories of 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Irish have now lost six consecutive games at Michigan with a Wolverine sweep this weekend. Notre Dame fell 2-1 in overtime on Friday and 4-2 in regulation on Saturday, dropping to 5-5-0 overall and 1-3-0 in Big Ten play.
Say’s showcase not enough in Friday overtime loss
To start the weekend, junior goaltender Owen Say put forth an effort reminiscent of Ryan Bischel’s February 2023 performance that helped Notre Dame clinch home postseason ice at Yost. With Michigan outshooting Notre Dame 4719, Say kept the Irish in the hockey game, making 45 saves – at least 10 in every regulation period – to force the game into overtime.
Michigan controlled the majority of Friday’s game thanks to a distinct advantage at the faceoff dot. The Wolverines captured 51 of the 79 available draws, dropping Notre Dame’s faceoff percentage from second nationally to 16th nationally in a single night.
After the first period went down scoreless, Michigan began to take the upper hand in the second period, putting 19 shots on Say.
Notre Dame, however, capitalized on a rare opportunity to deposit the game’s first goal. With Michigan entering the Irish zone with a 3-on-1, junior defenseman Michael Mastrodomenico made a fine lunging play to break up a cross-ice feed and kickstart Notre Dame in transition. Sophomore forward Brennan Ali scooped up the puck and marched into the Michigan end in a 2-on-1, opting to shoot and pinpointing the upper left corner of the net. On Ali’s second goal of the season, Notre Dame led 1-0 with 13:31 to play in the second period.
Michigan would answer nine minutes later on a wrister from Josh Eernisse. Say made the initial save, but his rebound kicked out to the low slot, where Kienan Draper wrapped a follow-up try around Say and into the net. With goals from a pair of Detroit Red Wing draft selections, the series opener entered the third period level at 1-1.
Early in the third period, Michigan’s power play –which led the nation in conversion rate last year – went on a 5-on-3 for 66 seconds. The Irish hung on tight and managed to kill off another penalty midway through the period. After Say made 11 saves in the final period, the horn sounded and Notre Dame turned the page to overtime for a second consecutive Friday night.
Unsurprisingly, the 3-on-3
setup in overtime favored the speedy and skillful Wolverines, who produced all four of the extra period’s shots. Two minutes into overtime, reigning Big Ten First Star of the Week led a 2-on-1 Michigan rush up the right side, firing on goal. Say made the initial stop, but Werner beat Notre Dame’s backcheckers to the rebound and squeezed it through for the game-winning goal.
Rough start holds the Irish back on Saturday Night two yielded a better performance from Notre Dame skaters, but you never would have guessed it from the game’s first three minutes. Just 41 seconds in, Michigan turned its first offensive-zone possession of the night into a goal as Michael Hage whipped his fifth of the year past Say from the slot. A minute and 27 seconds later, the Wolverines doubled up on Werner’s fifth goal. His sharp-angle shot from the bottom of the circle was headed wide, but it clanked off the helmet of freshman defenseman Jaedon Kerr and trickled over the Irish goal line.
The bad nearly went worse for Notre Dame midway through the first period, as Michigan jumped on back-to-back power plays. However, the Irish penalty killers, which went 8 for 8 on the weekend, held the Wolverines down. With the game settling down,
Notre Dame responded to Michigan in the first period’s final four minutes.
Sophomore forward Cole Knuble carried a puck battle down to the left dot in the Wolverine zone, setting up Ali to step into a dragand-fire shot that went topshelf. Ali’s second goal of the weekend had Notre Dame within a 2-1 deficit at the first intermission.
After being outshot 16-7 in period one, Notre Dame would outshoot Michigan 22-18 the rest of the way. Michigan, however, restored its two-goal lead six minutes into the second period on a Thomas Daskas wrister that clipped Say’s glove and dropped into the cage. The Irish came back with another late-period answer, pushing a 3-on-2 into Michigan’s zone in the final minute. Senior forward Hunter Strand slipped a pass over from the high slot to the left dot, where graduate forward Blake Biondi slammed a onetimer home. Having scored for the first time since Oct. 11, Biondi celebrated by taking off his glove, reaching his right hand behind his helmet and tossing the invisible monkey off his back.
Down 3-2 throughout the third period, Notre Dame found several opportunities to tie. Strand and sophomore forward Danny Nelson each had a point-blank look from the low slot, but one shot went high and another into the chest of Michigan goaltender Cameron Korpi. Notre Dame also went on a power play midway through the frame but couldn’t cash in. With two minutes remaining, Say went to the Irish bench for an extra attacker, but Notre Dame struggled to sustain possession time in the Michigan zone. After a tie-up in neutral ice, the puck trickled back toward the gaping Irish goal, and Jackson Hallum tapped it in with 20 seconds left to seal the Michigan sweep.
With three Big Ten points through four games to start November, the Irish will play, on paper, their toughest series of the first half this weekend. Notre Dame will face No. 4 Michigan State in East Lansing with the Spartans having just swept No. 13 Ohio State at Munn Ice Arena.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
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FOOTBALL
Irish dominate Florida State in primetime
By ANNIKA HERKO Associate Sports Editor
Following a pregame fireworks display that lit up the stadium, the Notre Dame football team wasted no time in delivering fireworks of their own on the field.
Less than two minutes after the start of the game, Riley Leonard ran one into the end zone for the Irish. The first play of the game, a pass to graduate wideout Beaux Collins, fell incomplete, but that was the only miscue of the drive. The senior quarterback hit freshman running back Aneyas Williams for 28 yards on third down before running it in from 34 yards himself.
On their opening possession, Florida State’s offense looked unusually comfortable, orchestrating a methodical 16-play, 75-yard drive that drained nearly eight minutes off the clock. Graduate linebacker Jack Kiser almost put an end to the drive with a forced fumble, but the runner was ruled down after replay. After taking a sack on third and goal, the Seminoles settled for a field goal.
The teams exchanged punts before Notre Dame got the ball back with less than three minutes to go
in the first quarter on the 21-yard line. But the Irish would go threeand-out quickly. Sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love lost one yard on first down. On second down, junior back Jadarian Price lost two on a rush along the sideline. An inaccurate deep ball from Leonard cemented the three-and-out.
On the next Irish drive, Price bursted for a gain of 17, giving the Irish a bit of momentum going into the second quarter. That momentum set up an explosive 65-yard touchdown run by Price to give Notre Dame a 14-3 advantage. Price was originally ruled out of bounds three yards out of the end zone, but a replay revealed impressive footwork to stay in bounds.
Florida State regained some offensive rhythm in the second quarter before Notre Dame’s defense responded firmly, ultimately stalling the drive. During the sequence, graduate defensive tackle Howard Cross III went down with an injury before walking off under his own power. Amid growing concerns about the health of the Notre Dame defense, graduate defensive tackle Rylie Mills recorded back-toback sacks, allowing Leonard and
the offense to take the field again. Notre Dame was unable to do anything with the ball and gave it back to the Seminoles, but sophomore safety Adon Shuler would get a hand on the ensuing punt (though it was not called a block), and Notre Dame would take over on the 50-yard line, its best starting field position of the night. Leonard then kept it for a 7-yard rush. Several plays later, Leonard aimed for junior tight end Eli Raridon, and pass interference was called to get the Irish a fresh set of downs. After the drive stalled out, graduate kicker Mitch Jeter’s field-goal attempt went no good from 42 yards out.
The Irish’s next drive seemed destined to end with another long field-goal attempt by Jeter. However, following a Florida State timeout, Notre Dame reconsidered and decided to go for it. Leonard connected with sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison for a 22-yard gain, setting up several plays later a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Mitchell Evans.
Florida State appeared ready with a fresh strategy after halftime, but graduate nickelback Jordan Clark swiftly derailed their efforts, intercepting Brock Glenn’s pass
and setting the Irish up at the 40yard line. Six plays later, Leonard ran it in for Notre Dame’s fourth touchdown of the night.
The Irish were pretty dominant on defense during Florida State’s next possession, racking up several sacks and really getting the crowd involved in the game. Ball back in hand, Leonard rushed and then threw deep for graduate wide receiver Jayden Harrison, who caught it for a 26-yard gain. Leonard was roughed on the play and the Irish moved even closer to scoring. However, the Seminoles defense got a stop and the Irish had to settle for a Jeter field goal.
On what turned out to be Leonard’s final drive of the game, he led the Irish right down the field with some help from Love and sophomore wideout Jaden Greathouse, who drew a pass interference flag and then caught a 26yard pass to set the Irish up at the 1. Love handled it from there and increased Notre Dame’s lead to 35.
After that, it was Steve Angeli’s turn. The junior quarterback hit junior running back Justin Fisher for 16 yards on his first pass attempt of the day. Connecting with several different receivers, Angeli
eventually found graduate wideout Deion Colzie for another Notre Dame touchdown.
With just over four minutes remaining, Florida State regained possession, hoping to put some points on the board. Glenn led a promising drive upfield, but sophomore safety Luke Talich intercepted a pass and returned it 79 yards for the final touchdown of the night.
After the game, head coach Marcus Freeman was proud of the way his guys played.
“[I’m] proud of those guys — proud of the way they prepared. As you watch film, you know you’re going against a talented group, but it could have been easy to overlook those guys in terms of preparation because of their record, but we have a mature group. We have a bunch of seniors who are continuing to lead this group in the right way.”
Notre Dame delivered a commanding performance, especially in the second half. A 52-3 victory — even against a team like Florida State — was a statement win.
Contact Annika Herko at aherko@nd.edu
MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer
Senior quarterback Riley Leonard hustles away from Seminole defenders during Notre Dame’s 52-3 defeat of Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 9, 2024. Leonard capped off the opening Irish drive with a highlight-reel touchdown of 34 yards in which he juked one defender and outraced the rest to the pylon. Leonard gained 70 rushing yards in total.
