Hunter Brooke resigned Tuesday to avert impeachment showdown in student senate
By ISA SHEIKH and LIAM KELLY Editor in Chief and Notre Dame News Editor
Capping a long career of controversy in student government, Judicial Council president Hunter Brooke resigned Tuesday evening. Brooke, a senior, has served as Carroll Hall senator and Student Union parliamentarian. He also ran an unsuccessful campaign for student body vice president in 2023. He resigned to avert an impeachment hearing that would have been held at Wednesday’s senate meeting. A 28-page bill of impeachment circulated to senators compiled evidence and screenshots, alleging misconduct and unethical conduct, from ensuring his
election as Judicial Council president by violating a closed vote to weighing in on elections he was administering.
“Throughout my time, I’ve also tried to promote transparency, democracy, accountability and to heed the call of service to the best of my ability, guided by the simple hope that the days of future students be even better than our own,” Brooke wrote in a resignation letter acquired by The Observer. Brooke did not respond to a request for comment.
“I am profoundly thankful to have served,” he added. “So, too, am I deeply saddened to leave at this time, and in this way.”
This would have been Brooke’s second impeachment hearing before the student
senate. Two years ago, the then-Carroll Hall senator’s impeachment trial was over his emails to first undergraduate experience in leadership (FUEL) students, freshmen who take on a role learning the ropes of student government.
Brooke advertised an invented “senatorial aide” position and promised to prospective aides that the position would include learning to write legal documents and how to win election campaigns, and that Brooke could renew his aides across positions in student government.
Brooke’s nomination to lead Judicial Council was highly contentious last year. Many senators voiced concerns about Brooke’s previous actions in student government. The bill
Notre Dame community reflects on exam schedule
By SOPHIE HANAWALT Staff Writer
For the first time during their time at Notre Dame, many students will begin sitting for final exams this Saturday, Dec. 14, due to a schedule change announced Aug. 12 in preparation for the possibility that Notre Dame could host a college football playoff game.
Instead of the typical Tuesday through Friday schedule, finals will take place Saturday, and Monday through Thursday, with reading days on Friday and Sunday.
According to assistant vice president and University registrar Chuck Hurley, the decision to adjust the finals schedule was made “because we had to try to help our students.”
Hurley shared that the administration decided to be proactive even as they were unsure whether the playoff game would take place Friday or Saturday or if the team would make the playoffs at
In anticipation of Notre Dame hosting a college football playoff game, the office of the registrar moved finals to avoid game day.
all. The final decision, based upon Notre Dame’s high preseason ranking, aimed to inform students and parents of the finals schedule well in advance so they could plan accordingly.
He cited accommodating students who might choose to go home rather than stay for the playoff game as another reason to make the change.
“In order to make those end of semester plans, it just
seemed fair to make the adjustment as early as possible so that families and faculty students can make those plans,” he said.
Freshman Faustine Errecade shared that she’s grateful the adjusted schedule will enable her to travel home early to France. The early change meant she could purchase these tickets far in advance.
of impeachment alleges that Brooke had interfered with that vote, accessing the results of a closed ballot in which he did not receive a majority.
Brooke texted Madison Denchfield, Judicial Council’s vice president of elections, “And do you think you have a feel for who voted no.” After Denchfield said she did, Brooke asked “Alrighty who are we up against.” Denchfield provided him with screenshots of the vote count and names of senators who had voted ‘no’ and ‘abstain’ on the motion.
Denchfield told The Observer that she did not know that was wrong and was under the impression that Brooke was supposed to have access.
In the texts that followed, Denchfield texted Brooke after
a phone call, “Do you think [then-Judicial Council president] Koryn [Isa] is going to fire me?”
Brooke responded, “No no no no. Don’t worry at all. I was just saying. Ya know,” and followed the messages with a GIF of “The Office” character Dwight Schrute doing a shush motion. Having accessed the vote count and names of voters who had voted no and abstained, Brooke won in the following week’s vote when he was renominated.
“We don’t even know if he should have been rightfully elected. We don’t even know about that because [he] looked at the votes, [he] looked at who voted yes and no, and then who
ND Law fights for religious liberty
By ZACK POHLMAN Staff Writer
As Notre Dame Law students have immersed themselves in their classes and reading this semester, they have also looked beyond the walls of the Law School, contributing to the San Carlos Apache people’s fight for their sacred lands through the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic.
As featured in Notre Dame’s
award winning “What Would You Fight For?” series, Oak Flat, a mountainous area in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona, has a deep cultural significance to the Apache people, who use it for religious ceremonies and rely on it for some natural resources. The area is in danger of being marred with a crater two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep, the result of a
SMC offers art, logic courses
By MONICA SCHAFER Staff Writer
Saint Mary’s College will offer a wide variety of courses next semester, including a course on fabric printing and one on philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Julie Tourtillotte, a professor at Saint Mary’s and art program department chair, teaches drawing, fibers and video art classes
with a focus on fabric constructions, drawings and prints. Her art has been exhibited at the Stark Gallery in Phoenix, Ariz., the University of Dallas, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and The National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., among others. This past semester Tourtillotte see COURSES
see EXAMS PAGE 4
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Policies
Have
Martha Engel
freshman Lewis Hall
“I’m
Victoria Baltz freshman Lewis Hall
“Going
Ariana Yeganeh
junior Lewis
“Going
Prompt Sudlabha
junior Keough Hall
“Going home to Thailand and getting ACL surgery.”
Grace Lynch
junior Ryan Hall
“To stay with family and work.”
Connor Dudas
junior Dunne Hall
“Go home.”
| The Observer
Marcus Freeman, Joanna Freeman and Kayla McBride were in attendance at the women’s basketball game against Texas on Dec. 5. McBride was honored during halftime for her contributions to the Notre Dame team when she was a player from 2010-2014.
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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.
Wednesday
Collegium Musician
Concert
Reyes Organ and Choral Hall
7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Motets of J.S. Bach.
Men’s Basketball vs. Dartmouth Purcell Pavilion
7 p.m.
Notre Dame faces off against Dartmouth.
Thursday
Women’s Basketball vs. Connecticut
Purcell Pavilion
7 p.m.
Notre Dame plays the Huskies.
Film: ‘Fargo’ DeBartolo Performing
Arts Center
6:30 p.m. - 8:10 a.m.
DeBartolo hosts showing of “Fargo.”
Friday
Visio Divina
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Christian meditative prayer focused on art.
Furry Friends for Wellness
SMC Student Center
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Study break with therapy dogs.
Saturday
Glee Club Concert DPAC
8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Glee Club and Symphony Orchestra Christmas concert.
Christmas Star
Lecture.
Jordan Hall Room 100
7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Astrophysicist speaks about Christmas star.
Sunday
Women’s Basketball vs. Eastern Michigan
Purcell Pavilion
2 p.m.
Notre Dame takes on Eastern Michigan.
Film: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ DPAC
1 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. Classic 1946 Christmas movie.
MARIELLA TADDONIO
abstained,” Alumni Hall senator James Baird said.
Brooke’s impeachment bill was sent to senators Monday morning by Baumer Hall senator Matthew Dunn, after the Student Union Ethics Commission (SUEC) refused to refer Brooke for impeachment Sunday evening, and issued the sanctions of an apology and censure. Dunn refused to comment.
Notably, the SUEC did refer Knott Hall senator John Knott for impeachment just months ago for an email to Knott residents that referred to “Dawson Kiser and his gimps” and protested a proposed hike in the student activity fee. In his role as Judicial Council president, Brooke had brought the case against Knott to the student senate.
Brooke had little choice but to resign, as an impeachment in the senate appeared inevitable.
“They would have, like, f***ing eviscerated him over the closed ballot thing,” Baird said.
Denchfield concurred.
“I had over half of the voting population in the Senate confirm either that they were going to co-sign or vote yes,” she said.
The bill of impeachment circulated on Monday contained 13 alphabetized articles, corresponding with screenshots of evidence. Several articles alleged that Brooke was not impartial during the 2024 student body election because of his disparaging remarks about candidates running that year. The bill argues that Brooke violated the standards he was held to as a Judicial Council officer.
At the Knights of Columbus debate in February, he texted, “They’re all lyin. Also. Annah marie saying MLK day? Big mistake. Wrong audience honey.” The text referred
Courses
taught Drawing I, a foundation drawing course. The course is a requirement for art majors but also satisfies general education requirements.
“There are no prerequisites. So some people are coming in with a lot of drawing experience and some may have very little,” Tourtillotte said.
Throughout the course, students work with a variety of subject matters including still life and landscape, while also exploring a variety of design elements and principles.
“We expose the students to a lot of different drawing tools and media. So in addition to working with pencil and charcoal, we also introduce the students to ink,” Tourtillotte added.
During Spring semester, instead if Drawing I, Tourtillotte
to candidate AnnahMarie Behn mentioning student government’s advocacy for a holiday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, suggesting that the conservative audience at the debate would not be favorable.
In another text referring to Behn’s ticket, he celebrated the campaign’s demise. “In the former* Behn/Bowden campaign. And amen to that,” he wrote.
Another allegation dates to Brooke’s tenure as Judicial Council president, in which he weighed in on a senate vacancy election in Stanford Hall. He called candidate Pablo Oropeza a “sad sap,” writing, “Also LOL Pablo who once ran for student body president doesn’t even have enough clout to carry a Senate election … Couldn’t be me.”
Other allegations refer to Brooke’s active role in pushing legislation when he was parliamentarian, an activity expressly forbidden in that role.
Brooke was taken down by allegations from former allies who had worked closely with him, including Denchfield and former Dillon Hall senator Sam Godinez. The pair provided screenshots of messages and emails to SUEC, and then to Dunn for his bill of impeachment. They also shared the evidence with The Observer prior to the SUEC’s consideration.
Editor’s Note: Godinez is a former news writer for The Observer. However, his campus political coverage was taken down from our website following evidence of his campaigning for Brooke’s ticket in the 2023 student body election while reporting, and later citing stories to defend Brooke in senate debates without disclosing that he had written them.
In discussing Brooke’s nomination to the post last year, Godinez was a vociferous advocate in the senate debate. He pushed back against the motion for a closed vote and defended Brooke against
will be teaching Drawing II. This course also does not require prerequisites while offering a continuation of the work done in Drawing I through still life and landscapes. Unlike Drawing I, students in Drawing II will work with color, learning about color theory with colored pencils and ink.
Tourtillotte will also be teaching Fabric Printing, a fibers course. According to Tourtillotte, the course “looks at different ways to print color, designs, patterns, images on cloth.” The class will begin with a Japanese rice paste resist technique, also known as Kanazome, and later spend a large portion of the semester working with screen printing.
In her other fibers course, Sculptural Knitting and Crochet, students will learn about both knitting and crochet techniques through creative projects.
allegations.
“He is very … He follows the rules all the time. He’s never told me anything in private. I’m being very honest. You like, take my word for it. Hopefully, you do,” Godinez said last year during that debate.
Godinez is no longer in the student senate or student government.
“I no longer want the position. I believe that student government is a waste of my time, if we have to be very honest,” he said.
WhatsApp messages contained in the bill of impeachment show that Godinez and Brooke worked closely on student government matters, including when Godinez was the subject of an ethics complaint. Brooke summoned Godinez to Carroll Hall and told him details of the complaint filed by Sorin College senator Andrew Ryan, violating the anonymity of the process.
“Very secret - do not share this info with anyone or I’ll def be in trouble,” Brooke wrote when sharing information of the ethics complaint with Godinez, and told Godinez that the complaint was “killed” before making it onto the senate agenda.
The bill of impeachment alleges that “these events clearly demonstrate Hunter Brooke’s repeated failure to maintain his duty of impartiality and his willful disregard of the ethical standards expected of a member of the Student Union.”
Baird said he was surprised to see that Godinez had been involved in bringing the accusations to the ethics committee.
“It struck me as very, very strange because him and ‘Sammy G’ were, like, homies, you know, they’re always talking together. ‘Sammy G’ started to wear suits, you know, after Hunter,” Baird said.
Godinez affirmed that he had been close with Brooke.
Philosophy professor Patricia Sayre will be teaching an introductory course to philosophy that also fulfills the Saint Mary’s writing requirements. “The aim of the course is not only to give students an acquaintance with the history of philosophy, but to make interaction with these thinkers an occasion for beginning to articulate their own philosophical worldviews,” Sayre said.
The class will introduce students to philosophy, beginning with the history of philosophy in classical Greece. Students will read Plato’s works “Symposium” and “Republic,” considering how Plato’s worldview can be incorporated into religion. From there, the class will read several medieval philosophers and then move towards examining at the modern world, learning about rethinking to accommodate the newly
“I considered him a friend and a mentor, but I later learned that the parliamentarian cannot engage in substantive advice on legislation, nor can he break confidentiality. I was not particularly aware that he could not give substantive advice, and looking back at it, I’m not proud of engaging in these conversations, but I viewed it [as] kind of my obligation to still advance my issues, because it’s what the students wanted,” Godinez said in an interview.
Godinez says he stepped in to help prepare an ethics complaint after Denchfield reached out to him asking for evidence following an alleged request from Brooke for Denchfield to resign in October. Godinez said he and Denchfield became acquainted when he was a senator and she was parliamentarian and became friends over the past year.
Godinez said he was willing to publicly release his messages with Brooke for Denchfield’s “wellbeing.”
“I wanted to avoid the possibility of someone else suffering in the same way she suffered by all of Hunter’s comments. I don’t have any vendetta against the man. I personally don’t even recall the last time I talked to him, but I honestly could not sit idly by while he continued to verbally abuse one of my friends,” he said.
Denchfield had received a Google Doc in October entitled “Conversation Regarding Respect.” In the letter, Brooke said his concerns were “threefold” before listing four points including: “You are not demonstrating adequate respect for me, which I hope you’d agree I am owed.”
In a text to The Observer, Denchfield said she had a meeting with Brooke the Tuesday after receiving the letter, in which Brooke said he was not sorry for the content of
emerging scientific approaches. Through Nietzsche, students will learn about postmodernity, finally reaching the 20th century which will lead back to lessons from Plato’s “Symposium.”
Sayre will also be teaching an introduction to Logic course required for all philosophy majors and minors. The historically-focused course will teach students how to reason logically and what it means in terms of various systems of logic that have been developed in parallel to developments in intellectual history.
“In addition to picking up logical skills and developing an understanding of the history of logic, we also frequently step back from the systems we are studying to consider the philosophical assumptions on which they rest, with short paper assignments that
the letter and asked her to consider resigning.
Brooke wrote in an email to Denchfield that his “prior note was overly firm, aggressive, unneeded in severity and over-escalatory.”
Denchfield said she and Brooke met two weeks after the first meeting and Brooke asked her to resign again, which she refused to do. She claimed she was subsequently denied access to the Judicial Council email account and was forbidden from attending events that she was not constitutionally obligated to attend.
Denchfield wrote Brooke’s request for her to resign “certainly did not impact my decision to report Hunter to ethics.”
The ethics complaint and potential impeachment came in shock to some senators.
“I had no idea. I was flabbergasted,” Baird said in reaction to the impeachment resolution. “I was blown away because when I look at the document, right, and I’m like, ‘Hey, all this stuff was really old, like the stuff has been there for ages.’”
In his resignation letter, Brooke said he was grateful for his time in student government.
“I have never known this University without the Student Union. It seems that time has finally come again. I have considered this reality at length over the past several days, and that realization has left me simultaneously saddened, frightened, unsure and, yet, excited about the future — what else I might do, and what a non-Student Union collegiate experience might look like,” he wrote.
The full bill of impeachment can be read in the online version of this story at ndsmcobserver.com
Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu and Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
provide students with the occasion for reflecting on those assumptions, and, perhaps, challenging them,” Sayre said.
In addition, Sayre will teach an upper level course on Wittgenstein, the philosopher who she says has made the biggest impact on her life. “If the coming semester is anything like semesters in the recent past, we are likely to get so engrossed in the work of the early Wittgenstein we may not get on to the later,” Sayre said. Students will undergo a deep dive into the 72 pages of Wittgenstein’s “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.” His writing claims to solve all the problems in philosophy and, by the end of the semester, students should be able to see how he does it, Sayre said.
Contact Monica Schafer at mschafer01@saintmarys.edu
Panelists discuss martial law in South Korea
By ISABEL TORRES News Writer
In response to President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea’s imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies held a flash panel titled “A Stand for Democracy in South Korea” on Tuesday afternoon in Jenkins-Nanovic Hall to discuss the use of martial law’s social, economic and political implications.
Speakers included Hayun Cho, assistant professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures; Yong Suk Lee, associate professor of technology, economy and global affairs; George Lopez, professor emeritus of peace studies; Sun-Chul Kim, climate justice organizer and
Exams
Hurley also noted the difficulty for students and faculty to focus on exams in a game day environment.
“Just trying to put those two things together in your head and say game day and final exams … how would that marry up? It just wasn’t going to work for anybody,” he said.
Notre Dame freshman Kara Gallagher said she does not believe the trade off was worth it. She said her Applied Calculus II exam on Saturday will likely be her hardest exam and wished she had more time to dedicate to studying for it.
“People say that it’s good to get it out of the way, and I understand why they changed the schedule, but I know my grade would be better if I had more time to study,” she said.
On the alternative solution of having a final on a game day, Gallagher said, “I feel like the environment would make me excited, and the game would be something to
author of “Democratization and Social Movements in South Korea” (who spoke via Zoom); and Sharon Yoon, associate professor of Korean studies, who moderated the talk.
The panel opened with an overview of the recent events, detailing the law, only in effect for a few hours before the congressional assembly voted unanimously to overturn the martial law. Panelists also explained reporting of an impeachment trial and subsequent prosecution as a result of the imposition by the President.
They then shifted to a discussion of the historical significance of a martial law declaration in South Korea. “Yoon’s declaration
of martial law is the first since the 1980s, and is only declared in a state of war or national emergency, neither of which were relevant,” Cho explained.
Cho then went on to reference a novel, Human Acts by Han Kang, which she said poised an essential question: “How can people remain in such heavy opposition to violence, yet continue to be so violent?”
When asked about the upcoming political repercussions for President Yoon, Lee said, “I think it is safe to say that many have lost confidence in their government, regardless of political party affiliation.”
To explain why the president would sacrifice his political career through this
action, Lee took a broad perspective and suggested that abstract behaviors from political leaders among a multitude of nations are becoming increasingly consistent.
“This is not that uncommon around the world, and even now we are beginning to see it in the United States as well,” Lee added.
With the notion of political unrest rising amongst leaders between nations, Kim expressed the rising need for domestic political balance in the South Korean National Assembly.
“The understanding that martial law is unlawful, and on those grounds, even his own political party members do not see connections
that they should maintain with him in order to survive politically,” Kim said.
In regards to economic factors, Lopez expressed his concerns for the South Korean economy as a result of his observations of financial indicators.
“I look particularly at economic indicators. Forbes had looked, earlier this fall, at the stability of economic growth in South Korea. Since the declaration of martial law, there has already been a declining sense of public confidence, which is directed in economic terms,” Lopez said.
Contact Isabel Torres at itorres@nd.edu
proposed copper mining project by Resolution Copper. The land was transferred to Rio Tinto, the mining company that owns Resolution Copper, in a 2014 national defense bill, according to John Meiser, director of the clinic.
Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit organization of Native groups working together to protect Oak Flat, sought an injunction to block the land transfer and stop the project on the basis that it violated federal law and infringed upon religious liberties. Apache Stronghold v. United States has worked its way through the justice system since 2021 and now awaits to see whether it will be heard by the Supreme Court.
“The court hasn’t decided yet
look forward to, but I would still be able to focus on my finals if they were on Friday morning.”
Errecade disagreed, saying she would “absolutely not” be able to focus on a game day. She believes Notre Dame made the best move for students by rearranging the schedule.
Hurley noted that consideration of student athletes was part of the decision, as football players with Friday finals would also have a game that same day, but emphasized that the overwhelming concern was for all students and faculty.
Notre Dame freshman quarterback CJ Carr wrote in an email that football students were able to reschedule exams which conflicted with their football schedules. Nonetheless, he noted the struggle balancing his football and academic pursuits during finals season.
“I think we are in a difficult situation because we want to do well with our
whether to hear [the case], and there’s no deadline [for their decision], but they’ll probably decide within the next several weeks whether they hear it or not,” Meiser said.
The clinic, one of seven offered as classes by the Law School, provides students with opportunities to learn from their experiences working on real cases. The hope is that students of all professional interests, ranging from exoneration justice to special education, can benefit from the opportunities the clinics provide.
“The whole mission is not just to represent our clients or just to participate in legal matters, but it’s to teach our students,” Meiser said. “Every single thing we do in the clinics is with that goal, and it’s designed to allow students to take real leading roles in it.”
academics but at the same time we are playing in the biggest game of our season and we want to represent Notre Dame in the correct way. This is the first year that this problem has come up … I hope we can get through finals, and also be able to play well,” Carr wrote.
Hurley shared that a number of factors went into choosing which exams would take place on Saturday. Larger classes and sections were chosen so that the changes “would create a nice buffer for a healthy set of students, where they’ll have a reading day on Friday, exam on Saturday,” then another reading day on Sunday.
He said he believes that having Saturday finals will be beneficial to students due to the break it creates between reading days, allowing students to better separate which exams they’ll be studying for and when. He expects finals week to run similar to those in the past, with typical quiet hours
This October, the clinic filed an amicus curiae brief for the Apache Stronghold case in the Supreme Court, the fifth such brief in the life of the case. Students are the primary drafters and authors of the briefs, and after feedback and revision they are submitted to the court.
As Meiser explained, the goal of these briefs is to help spread the clients’ perspective on the case.
“This isn’t just something that matters to one tribal group, to the Apache in Arizona, it’s not something that matters to just one site, but there’s a broader problem of the government threatening or destroying native sacred lands, and it’’ a bigger issue that federal courts need to protect,” Meiser said.
Importantly, the clinic does not represent Apache Stronghold, the
in the dorms and a continuation of “the best practices that we’ve developed over the years.”
Hurley said he had received generally positive feedback on the schedule change.
“I don’t think it will surprise anybody that students said they were happy to not have final exams on a game day,” he said. He noted that faculty would have an additional day to grade exams with the changes.
Saint Mary’s did not make the decision to adjust their finals schedule with the playoff game in mind. Finals will take place between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Friday at SMC.
According to the Indiana University Office of the Registrar webpage, Indiana’s exam schedule will remain the same, with finals beginning on Monday and continuing through Friday. The latest listed time slot on their webpage is on Friday from 7:40 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.
Indiana did, however, make the decision to
plaintiff in the federal case.
“We have represented a coalition of tribal interest groups who are interested in the outcome of the case,” Meiser said. “They personally, perhaps don’t go to Oak Flat, but they recognize the importance of protecting sacred sites like Oak Flat for their own tribes.”
The Apache Stronghold case is just one of the clinic’s many cases fighting for religious liberty. It filed another amicus curiae brief in the case Perez v. City of San Antonio, which was argued in the Texas Supreme Court on Dec. 4 and involved the protection of a religious site on the San Antonio river. It recognized that there was a need for the protection of land-based religions and acted accordingly.
Similarly, while working for a federal judge, Meiser saw a need
move their winter commencement ceremonies to earlier in the morning at 9 a.m. and noon “so students graduating this December will have the opportunity to attend the IU football team’s historic appearance in the College Football Playoff,” according a statement made by Mark Bode, IU’s executive director of media relations.
Penn State University’s academic calendar lists finals as happening from Monday until Friday, but their home playoff game does not take place until 12 p.m. on Saturday.
The other schools with teams participating in the first round, including University of Tennessee at Knoxville, The Ohio State University, Clemson University, The University of Texas at Austin and Southern Methodist University will all be done with finals before the first CFP round.
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawal@nd.edu
within the legal profession.
“Over that time, it became very obvious to me, both that there are an awful lot of religious freedom cases that are interesting and complex, and that the rights at their core are important, but also that there’s a real need for good lawyering in these cases,” Meiser said.
As the director of the clinic, which was created in 2020, he teaches the class and guides students as they make their contributions to real world cases.
“That really spoke to me where I thought, if there’s a way to serve and to help using your talents as a lawyer, this is an area that it’s toward a fundamental right that everyone shares and everyone needs,” he said.
Contact Zack Pohlman at zpohlma2@nd.edu
On Catholic bridge building
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads, “To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son’s Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is ‘the world reconciled’” (#845).
On Friday, Sept. 13, Fr. Bob Dowd echoed the Catechism’s sentiment in the Notre Dame context. He said in his inaugural address, “As bridge-builders, we must use [Notre Dame’s moral] foundation to reach out even further, stretching ourselves beyond the familiar and the comfortable ... during this academic year and throughout my presidency, we will redouble our efforts to create an environment and cultivate a culture that allows us to have difficult conversations and become the bridge-builders the world needs.”
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, two meaningful opportunities for bridge building were offered to the campus community in the Coleman-Morse Building. From 6:30-8:00 p.m., Black Student Ministry hosted a prayer service, dinner and talk about Black Catholic History Month and the Black Catholic experience. At 8:15 p.m., the Gender Relations Center hosted a prayer service for the 2024 Trans Day of Remembrance, ending at the Grotto. The first service was provided by Campus Ministry, and the second was co-sponsored by Campus Ministry.
In full disclosure, I am a Campus Ministry graduate student intern, but these views are solely my own. I attended these events in a student capacity. The relevance of both events was valuable to me as a committed Catholic who supports the Church at every level of Her teaching. As Catholics, we celebrate culture and history, especially of historically underrepresented minorities; the Black Catholic History Prayer Service did this, sharing the Black Catholic experience and six African-American causes for canonization. As Catholics, we remember and mourn the deaths of any persons, all of whom are created in the image and likeness of God; the Trans Day of Remembrance did this, grieving those trans persons who were killed by others’ acts of violence.
I am thankful to everyone involved for offering each event, and for the providential timing which allows me to reflect on both events together. In prayer at the Grotto, I found myself asking the question: Where are the Catholic bridge builders? There was nothing, absolutely nothing, about the
programming on Nov. 19 that was anti-Catholic. Perhaps the only “anti-Catholic” element I found was the underwhelming presence of Catholic students, and white students, who were present to support these important causes. To be specific, there were approximately three white students present (myself included) at the Black Catholic Prayer Service; approximately 20 people total. At the Trans Day of Remembrance service, there were approximately fifteen people total, and at least five of us were graduate students or staff. In both programs, we were united in prayer and fellowship.
Of course, there are many reasons why a given event may be under-attended. Campus life is very full! Organizers may not promote events effectively, and/or the campus may believe the program is for an “in” group of which they are not a part. It may seem that even a certain agenda will be promoted. And yet, for the sake of Our Lady’s University, I want to dig a little deeper. My reflection is about more than event attendance, but living in solidarity with the marginalized.
When we hear the subjects for these prayer services — Black Catholic History (celebrating its legacy) and Trans Remembrance (mourning those who have been killed, praying for peace) — do we believe that these events can both be essentially Catholic? That they can be part of a holistic pro-life ethic?
Catholics have the responsibility to take causes of unity seriously, especially in prayer. “The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit” (CCC #820). Catholics are called to be both “catholic” and “apostolic.” The Church is Catholic because “She has been sent out by Christ on a mission to the whole of the human race” (CCC #831), and “all members of the Church share in this mission, though in various ways” (#863). If we do not engage in the mission of unity within campus, it will be only more difficult, more busy and less opportune to do so in “the real world” beyond the Dome.
So, how can we live out our mission for unity across differences? I myself am a Catholic who grapples almost daily with the difficult topics of bridge-building. It is uncomfortable to do so, and yet I am too uncomfortable not to do so. Jesus’ desire for oneness and unity convicts me. He prays to the Father “So that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you
sent me” (John 17:21).
In all humility, here are some questions I grapple with. Do we have a preferential option — one which is living and operative — for marginalized communities, through a unifying way of life? Or do we take the preferential option only for those who look like us, think like us or serve as our closest friends? How are we working against our own biases?
At a certain point, bridge-building requires that we intentionally move out of our comfort zone and exactly to the space where we may feel uncomfortable. We stand fully with the Church while we reach out to those on the margins. God’s grace is sufficient. The love of Christ and service for His Church compels us forward.
How are groups such as Rover readers, Right to Life club members, Sorin Fellows and theology majors, taking seriously Fr. Dowd’s call to bridge-building, and the Church’s call to unity? I value each of those groups, and I know they desire unity for the Church. Many of them support engagement toward that end. I intend this reflection as an invitation for them and for all of us, not only to more events but to a deeper “living solidarity.” How are we standing with our partners across campus for the sake of unity?
In addition to events, we might engage with written and online resources, thoughtful conversation and prayerful reflection on difference and unity with the love of Jesus. There are a variety of questions, to be sure, even regarding November’s campus programming. How do I engage in cultural celebration from a white majority background? How do I care for people in the LGBTQ+ community with love from the heart of the Church, while I stand with Church teaching? What does it mean to be a Catholic bridge-builder?
I will be living with questions like this for the rest of my life, and I don’t intend to speak for anyone else. I humbly share my thoughts from prayer here, and an encouragement to consider more events and engagement on topics of apparent “difference.” We have so many opportunities to experience the universal Church at Notre Dame. And I reflect on Our Mother Mary’s heart, who desires all children to be united under Her mantle — most especially at Her university, as we develop our community toward our heavenly home.
Maureen Schweninger graduate student, Master of Divinity program Dec. 8
The dorm form: which dorm is the best?
Sophia Anderson Transfer Tales
In my first column for the Observer, appropriately titled “On Dorm Culture from the Outside,” I discussed my situation as a transfer student who did not receive on-campus housing this fall. I wrote my article in September, when the shock of my long daily walks and lack of residential community were still fresh; now, they feel so routine to me I was jarred last week to hear a girl in my class brag about making it to DeBart in under three minutes (well done to her).
I described my apartment in The 87, my place on the waitlist (lucky number 54) and the 2024 transfer dilemma: did I accept a spot on campus mid-semester at the expense of paying double rent? Or should I remain sequestered off-campus, in our little transfer community, and accept the reality that my first year at ND might look a little different? No matter my decision, at the end of my article, I promised to keep you (my enraptured audience) posted on the transfer housing updates as they unfolded.
Now, at the end of the semester, most of my fellow apartment-dwelling transfers and I still live off-campus. I got off the waitlist at the end of September, when I had already grown too attached to my brand-new bathroom and queen-size bed to make the move. Most, if not all, transfers were offered a chance to move on campus sometime throughout the fall — most of
us chose to stay for the semester, and some are even renewing their leases.
Of course, the transfer dilemma has evolved since September. Those of us who plan to move on campus in the spring, which is most of us, face a new decision: how to fill out (what I call) the “dorm form.”
What’s the dorm form? It’s a form giving us the opportunity, unlike all other first-time on-campus residents, to rank our top dorm choices. Opening the form, I was at first excited — I had the opportunity to choose my dorm! I wouldn’t get stuck in any of the famously terrible dorms that people in my classes make jokes about. I would get to live somewhere with the best facilities, the best location, the best culture. My residential problems were solved.
Ready to begin my dorm ranking decision, I sat down to make a list of my ideal places to live. I began with the dreaded dorms I was sure I knew I didn’t want to live in. I was going to write down all the halls I was swearing off. As I sat thinking, however, I realized I couldn’t name one dorm that was actually so terrible. I’d heard bad things about all the dorms. I’d heard great things about all the dorms. People identify so closely with their halls here that it’s hard to even tell the difference between them — while everyone says their dorm is unique, they pretty much describe them the same.
I am so completely disconnected from the dorms, in fact, that I couldn’t even match which stereotypes I had heard about
which. I still mix up Farley and Flaherty (although I’ve been told they’re very different), and I discovered yesterday that besides Walsh Hall, there is a Welsh (Family?) Hall. Although many transfers are, of course, more aware of the halls than I am, I think my complete lack of knowledge speaks to how separated from the broader campus culture I have become while living in my apartment.
While I don’t really subscribe to dorm stereotypes, or really even that the dorm I get is very important (I’ll be relieved to be in one at all), I still grapple with the looming decision of which halls to rank as my favorites. As the dorm form deadline approaches, I have to decide which factors are most important to me: location, facilities, “culture?” Which dining hall do I want to go to? How many girls do I want to live with? Where will I fit best?
The reality is that I will likely only live in a dorm for two to three semesters of my time at Notre Dame. Nonetheless, as I make my final decisions, I invite anyone with a strong opinion on which (women’s) dorm is best to send me an email and make their case. Who knows? You might sway my top three.
Sophia Anderson is a sophomore transfer at Notre Dame studying political science and planning to go to law school. You can contact her at sander38@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Wait, that wasn’t my Spotify Wrapped
Spotify Wrapped is my Super Bowl.
Every day in early December, I open my Spotify and think “this could be the day.” And when it is, I make it known by posting the infamous poster of my top five artists and top five songs.
But this year, on the Dec. 4 release, something felt off. For me, it was the fact that “I Love You, I’m Sorry (Live)” by Gracie Abrams wasn’t in my top five songs (One day, I played it 75 times, according to AirBuds. Don’t fret, Abrams was still my top artist).
For others, it was an array of complaints: one of my friends said they didn’t care about their AI wrapped podcast; another said the “vibe” section felt too much like the “Daylist” playlist (a playlist curated at different times of the day depending on listening habits); two friends said they didn’t listen to their top artist as much as they thought, and many said their top songs simply weren’t accurate.
Other Spotify users felt the same; they turned to social media and complained about AI. An Instagram post from user commonsearth, a sustainable lifestyle app’s profile, uploaded a post featuring online opinions that encapsulated what younger audiences felt:
“Spotify Wrapped is underwhelming and reeks of AI.”
“No quirky interactive bits.”
“So Spotify didn’t give us something fun like the personalities or different genres for Wrapped but involved AI instead that adds nothing ... right.”
Spotify began investing in AI or AI-related companies beginning in 2013 to better personalize music recommendations and generate algorithms to enhance user experience, according to Marketing AI Institute. Since then, Spotify has aimed to land their first profitable year on record through greater investments in AI directly, according to Axios.
“Through the combination of Spotify’s powerful personalization technology and generative AI, we’ve created hyper-personalized Wrapped experiences that connect millions of listeners worldwide with the music and audio they love,” Spotify said.
AI does have a role in Wrapped, but it’s unclear exactly how large of a role. That is, there isn’t a clear divide made publicly known on the distinction of roles between humans and AI.
I agree that using AI can be a beneficial tool to enhance company earning projections, redirect human jobs and promote a more efficient business. It’s important to adapt to the growing roles of technology and AI, but they become an issue when the line between human creativity and automatic AI response becomes blurred and disconnected. This disconnection has already been felt at large companies, including Spotify.
Last December, the company laid off more than 1,500 employees — a resounding 17% of total staff. Let me be clear, there was no mention of jobs being replaced by AI.
However, there were mentions that the company had “a ways to go before we are both productive and efficient. Today, we still have too many people dedicated to supporting work and even doing work around the work rather than contributing to opportunities with real impact. More people need to be focused on delivering for our key stakeholders – creators and consumers. In two words, we have to become relentlessly resourceful,” Daniel Ek, Spotify’s CEO said in a statement.
Using AI or other technologies, as implied, isn’t controversial. What’s controversial — and dangerous — is totally replacing human personality, edge and dimension with an algorithm, an inherently mechanical scaffold of
Graduate Campus Visit Day
response.
Again, AI has a place, one that is similar to “a lazy assistant,” as a journalist told me once. Of course, he used this in reference to basic code generation and basic data analysis. Creativity and interpretation require the human mind. I think we should approach AI with this mindset; it can be a powerful tool for efficiency, but there is a time when its use is overreaching. That time was Spotify Wrapped.
Redmond (Reddy) Bernhold is a junior studying biochemistry and journalism. He originally hails from Minster, Ohio but calls Siegfried Hall his home on campus. When not writing, he explores South Bend coffee shops and thrift stores. You can contact Reddy at rbernho2@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Friday, December 13, 2024
Throughout the day you’ll...
• hear from Graduate Admission, the Office of Financial Aid, and graduate faculty.
• take a tour of campus to see our labs and facilities.
• learn more about your program of interest. Our graduate programs are open to women and men.
Redmond Bernhold Born Reddy
Film
“Challengers” — Peter Mikulski, Scene Editor
Director Luca Guadagnino has been on the up-andup since “Call Me by Your Name.” It’s not like his earlier flicks didn’t get any love, but how many “Call Me by Your Name” fans have bothered watching them? “Challengers” will represent the high-water mark of Guadagnino’s meteoric rise following “Call Me by Your Name,” I think. While the trailer for “Queer” (to be released Dec. 13) underwhelmed me, Guadagnino need not worry — “Challengers” will cement his place as an all-timer.
“Gladiator II” — Gray Nocjar, Photo Editor
If you watched the “Gladiator” franchise on a split screen, the biggest tell that you are in fact watching two films may be the runtime (the original is six minutes longer). Who cares, though? This movie wasn’t made to revolutionize your understanding of Roman politics or a plot line. Instead, this is about bulging head veins, bloody pageantry and rallying your fellow moviegoers to take up arms against a corrupt regime (popcorn price setters). If you wake up the next morning without a down payment on a warship, you missed something.
“Lisa Frankenstein” — Andy Ottone, Scene Writer What can I say? I love a quirky, dark comedy, and Zelda Williams’ direction and Diablo Cody’s (“Juno,” “Jennifer’s Body”) script are a great combination. Excellent directing meets inspired performances from the expected (Kathryn Newton, proving she’s much better in horror, once more, than superhero films) and the deeply surprising (Cole Sprouse — that’s it.) “Lisa Frankenstein” is campy, stylish, a little violent and has the second-best use of REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore” in a film (first is the Jim Carrey version of “Horton Hears a Who”). Is it perfect? No, but I love it still.
“Inside Out 2” — Claire Watson, Scene Writer I won’t lie, “Inside Out 2” is definitely one of my top five favorite movies. As finals peer around the corner, this movie could not feel more relatable. The main character Riley (Kensington Tallman) is heading into high school, the main plot being how she deals with her new emotions Ennui (Adéle Exarchopoulos), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Anxiety (Maya Hawke). This is relevant given, well, the emotions surrounding finals. Overall, this movie — while it is a cartoon — appeals to many different audiences.
“Wicked” — Zora Rodgers, Scene Writer
Or should I say, “Wicked: Part One.” Despite only being fed the first couple courses of this delicious masterpiece, I was engrossed in all 160 minutes. Live music, extravagant costumes and captivating characters that you hate to love and love to hate (I’m looking at you, Nessarose). Needless to say, I was “holding space” for my tears during “Defying Gravity.”
“Dune: Part Two” — Luke Foley, Scene Writer
While award shows may refuse to give any non-technical awards to sci-fi films, I am not afraid to say this is my favorite film of 2024. It’s the kind of film that (almost) restores your faith in Hollywood. Its grammar is deeply mystical, moving with a dreamlike rhythm that makes it so unique and haunting. And the world building is simply stunning. The expansive deserts, colosseum fights and gigantic brutalist machinery all make your jaw drop. But even amidst the grand scale, the film still beautifully captures the intimate relationships between its characters. It’s a masterpiece.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” — Madyson Casiano, Scene Writer Ah, another installment to a masterful film series. Having watched this movie without seeing the previous nine, I was surely confused. Why are humans wild? Why are the apes talking? Who is Caesar? So many questions, all nearly satisfied upon watching the three prequels. There were still infuriating cinematic choices and plot holes, and l felt I had numbed my brain by watching them. Yet, during the week-long binge, I had a paradigm shift. I emerged quoting the apes. I sympathized with the apes. I became one with the apes. What a wonderful day it was to be a scene writer.
“Snack Shack” — Jack Horton, Scene Writer
I bet many people missed this movie’s theatrical release (it grossed $455,708 at the box office) but caught it through in-flight entertainment on an airline this summer. When I watched this comedy about small-town life in 1991 Nebraska, I thought, “This feels like the ceiling for a lighthearted teen movie in 2024”. Gabriel LaBelle gives a charismatic performance as Moose with quotable one-liners and funny reactions.
Television
“English Teacher” — Peter Mikulski, Scene Editor
It’s been a funny year for politics, has it not? (In both the sense of “comical” and the sense of “odd,” I mean.) At the very least, surviving the culture wars of the early 21st century will have been worth it because we got “English Teacher” — a perfect, farcical distillation of the Trump-Biden-Trump era into the 30-minute sitcom format.
“Very Important People” — Andy Ottone, Scene Writer If you haven’t heard, there’s a video going around involving the stars of the new “Wicked” movie where they’re being interviewed, and the questions and statements on both ends, as well as body language, just get progressively weirder. That’s because, allegedly, nobody on either end knew what was going on. Now, what if that was on purpose, and with a series of excellent comedians from the LA improv community? Hosted by Vic Michaelis, that’s called “Very Important People.”
“Heartstopper” (Season 3) — Claire Watson, Scene Writer
In October, the third season of “Heartstopper” hit Netflix. Personally, it is my favorite season that they have released as it covers and discusses many different themes, including mental health and relationship tensions. The main characters Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Conner) navigate their relationship as Charlie struggles with an eating disorder and anxiety while Nick is trying his best to help him but does not know how. Having anxiety myself, I believe that this show did an amazing job raising awareness about anxiety and mental health.
“Agatha All Along” — Harry Penne, Scene Writer “Agatha All Along,” released weekly from September through October with perfect Halloween vibes, is my new favorite MCU installment. Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and her coven face magical trials (which parody different horror movies and tropes) on the Witch’s Road. “The Ballad of Witch’s Road” is arguably the catchiest tune in the MCU and it was fun hearing it evolve over the series. The finale was incredibly satisfying with multiple twists, and I hope the follow-up isn’t far away!
“Nobody Wants This” — Naischa Puri, Scene Writer
As autumn hit campus and coursework picked up its pace, I found a way to kick back with this lighthearted, modern romantic comedy series starring the talented Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. A Netflix original released in late September this year, the story focuses on Joanne, an agnostic, sex-positive podcaster (Bell) and a rabbi named Noah (Brody) and how they deal with societal and family expectations as well as their own relationships with their identities as they fall in love and navigate their lives as a couple. Created by and loosely based on the life of Erin Foster, this show will leave you fulfilled and wanting more all at the same time.
“The Curse” — Luke Foley, Scene Writer
Leave it to Nathan Fielder to make the defining work of American art from the 21st century. The story is about a couple trying to shoot an HGTV show in New Mexico, but it takes countless dark turns from there. Its social commentary is astonishingly dense and incisive, and the direction is excruciatingly eerie. The characters contain layers of depravity that will equally appall and engross you. But all this culminates in a show that’s extremely powerful. So, if you’re willing to open yourself up to this bizarre show, you’ll be left thinking about it long after its haunting finale.
Music
“brat,” Charli xcx — Peter Mikulski, Scene Editor
After six months of “brat”-mania, I think people are a little weary of the album. That’s fair, but no matter how heavy-handed the “brat” memes and marketing got, I could never hate its music — and that’s what counts. “Pop 2,” “how i’m feeling now” and “brat” are a pop album hat-trick for the ages. (Still, it’s a shame people haven’t come around on “CRASH” yet.)
“American Hero,” Towa Bird — Andy Ottone, Scene Writer
The fact Towa Bird didn’t crack my top five on Spotify this year only leads me to believe Wrapped isn’t as accurate as the corporation claims. While it’s been a great year for pop albums and my playlists are 90% from other artists, I truly love Bird’s debut album. While the album is far from revolutionary, Towa’s unique voice and mix of harder sound with softer messaging, along with her phenomenal mixing on certain tracks, make this my standout album of the year. At least, one of the ones without a huge following.
“Going Through It,” Eliza Mclamb — Caroline Collins, Assistant Managing Editor “Going Through It” is the debut studio album from LA-based (now NYC transplant) pop culture icon Eliza Mclamb. Best known for her podcast “Binchtopia” with co-host Julia Hava, this album is packed with the same sharp wit and humor beloved by “binchies.” Released in January, this album is perfect for yearning and people who have never gotten over anything ever. “Going Through It” is a musical memoir filled with teenage angst and what it means to be a modern woman: “Buying clothes on Instagram / And standing in front of my fridge eating deli ham.”
“A Place Like This,” Peter McPoland — Aynslee Dellacca, Saint Mary’s News Editor Peter McPoland has been a favorite artist of mine since high school. He’s grunge; he’s alternative; he’s indie; he’s pop. And he continues to never disappoint me with each new release. My favorite song from him this year was “A Place Like This,” which was originally released as a single in October and then included in his third album “Friend,” released Dec. 6. Honorary mention goes to “Speed of the Sound (of you)” as well. If you love to find niche and eclectic artists and obsess over them as much as I do, Peter and his music is for you.
“I Lay Down My Life for You,” JPEGMAFIA — Luke Foley, Scene Writer
JPEGMAFIA has been on a generational run these past few years. His singular combination of boundary-pushing production and chronically online lyrics has made him one of the few exciting artists in a rap industry that is currently stagnant. His newest album only further proves his brilliance, as he once again innovates his sound by embracing industrial and hard rock aesthetics. The results are songs full of abrasive textures and staggering moments. But underneath the heavy production is some of his most poignant lyricism to date, as evident in my favorite song off the album, “either on or off the drugs.”
“Bando Stone and The New World,” Childish Gambino — Marissa Panethiere, Graphics Editor
My top artist from 2018 to 2020 was an artifact of my teen angst: Childish Gambino. Utilizing his alter-ego for one final addition to his discography, Donald Glover released “Bando Stone and the New World” as a sendoff to this beloved character. The album made frequent appearances in my summer listening, with “Lithonia” as a vocally-forward farewell to a piece of Glover’s rap career. My particular favorites were “Got To Be” and “Yoshinoya” because of their likeness to his previous albums “Because the Internet” and “Camp.”
FOOTBALL
Postseason roundtable part two: Irish analysis
By Observer Sports Staff
As conference championship weekend approaches, Madeline Ladd, Matthew Crow, Annika Herko, Tyler Reidy and Noah Cahill of The Observer’s football beat analyze how Notre Dame shapes up heading into the College Football Playoff.
What was the highlight of Notre Dame’s 11-1 regular season?
Madeline Ladd, Assistant Managing Editor: The dominant victory over Texas A&M showcased the team’s ability to shine on the national stage and was definitely a highlight for me. Going into such a hostile, intimidating environment early into the season gave the Irish a chance to show what they came for in 2024. The A&M game quickly showed the resilience the Irish would need to display after NIU to reach the playoffs. Sept. 7 could have been the end for them, but they were able to rise above.
Matthew Crow, Sports Writer: Pick-sixes are likely at the forefront of many Irish fans’ minds after Notre Dame closed out USC with two in a row during the fourth quarter last weekend, and while I’ll stay on theme, I’m going with one that occurred several weeks earlier. When Notre Dame traveled to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech, the Irish held a four-game win streak but hadn’t left the state of Indiana for any of those games and had done little to sway their doubters and return to the national forefront. That all changed when they thoroughly rolled over the Yellow Jackets on the road, and safety Adon Shuler’s pick-six in the game’s final minutes extended Notre Dame’s lead to a commanding 31-7 and closed out the game in emphatic fashion. That game — and Shuler’s highlight play, specifically — was one of the first moments in which it felt like the Irish had a real chance to redeem themselves from the devastating Northern Illinois defeat and run the table for the remainder of the season to earn an unlikely Playoff berth. Five wins later — bringing the streak up to 10 in a row — Notre Dame has done exactly that.
Annika Herko, Associate Sports Editor: The win at Texas A&M in Week One was my highlight. The Irish started off the season with a tough top 25 match-up and the team really came together to win, with the Irish starting to pull away in the second half. While watching from South Quad on campus, the student body left the game confident that the Irish were a top team and the inconvenience of moving finals was worth it because there was no way we were not going to host a playoff game. The rest of season was a gradual ramp up to getting back to the sentiment after that game.
Tyler Reidy, Sports Editor: What happened the week after
took a lot of shine off this game, but I’ll go with the Week One win at Texas A&M. No contest anywhere else in Notre Dame’s season came close to providing the hype that the opener did. And under the lights before 100,000 screaming Aggie fans, the Irish delivered, setting the tone for what this season could be. With the College Football Playoff looming, the 23-13 victory might not stand as the biggest win of Marcus Freeman’s tenure for long, so I intend to enjoy it while it still holds that title.
Noah Cahill, Associate Sports Editor: This may feel like a copout answer, but I have to choose Christian Gray’s game-sealing 99-yard pick-six against USC as my highlight of the season. The sophomore cornerback had been picked on in man-to-man coverage all game and was targeted again on USC’s attempt at a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter. With the regular season and a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line, Gray pounced on a rare underthrow from Trojan quarterback Jayden Maiava and took it to the house. The electric moment was the defining moment of an Irish defense that had dominated all season, and while they were far from their best in the season finale, the group delivered when they were needed most to secure the victory.
Who is your MVP of the regular season?
Ladd: Jeremiyah Love earns my MVP nod for being the ultimate difference-maker on the Irish offense. His dynamic style of play elevates the team and makes him a must-watch every time he’s on the field. But I’d also give quarterback Riley Leonard significant praise for his transformation. Leonard’s improvement in the passing game has not only opened up the offense but has also bolstered Love’s success on the ground. Leonard’s dualthreat ability has kept defenses guessing, and he is really shaping to be what Freeman referred to as “the right quarterback to lead this program.”
Crow: My pick goes to Xavier Watts. The Irish secondary had some question marks entering the year, and even more after All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison suffered a season-ending injury in October. But despite the adversity and setbacks, Notre Dame still boasted one of the nation’s most dominant secondaries — finishing the regular season ranked fourth nationally in passing yards allowed per game — and Watts played the biggest role in that success.
The reigning Nagurski Trophy winner for national defensive player of the year, he somehow managed to elevate his play to an even higher level during his fifth year in South Bend by seemingly eliminating all weaknesses from his game. Watts was elite
in coverage, got to the opposing quarterback in a flash when the Irish dialed up pressure from the safety position and showcased his incredible range by making crucial open-field tackles from sideline to sideline. And most importantly — as Notre Dame fans have become accustomed to — he was a magnet for the ball. He finished the season with a teamhigh five interceptions as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery, most notably closing out the Irish’s playoff-clinching win against USC with a 100-yard pick-six. As Notre Dame prepares to face off against elite passing attacks in the playoff, Watts’ play will be more vital than ever as the team captain aims to close out his illustrious career by leading his teammates to a national title.
Herko: The defense was expected to be strong this year and while losing Benjamin Morrison hurt, the offense was the real unknown this year. Jeremiyah Love’s play all season was the consistency this team needed. He had at least one touchdown in every game this season and ran for almost 1,000 yards. He was especially essential when the passing game was still being developed at the beginning of the season, as Leonard and the receivers struggled to get on the same page. Hopefully, he can get healthy in the few weeks the Irish have to rest before the big game.
Reidy: I can’t convince myself to turn down Xavier Watts here. Riley Leonard, Jeremiyah Love and Jack Kiser in particular deserve a lot of credit for this season, but Watts acts as the consistent anchor of this team like nobody else can. Whenever Notre Dame needed a play — to grab crucial points at Texas A&M, to settle down the Louisville game or to send USC fans home — he delivered. Notre Dame’s secondary hasn’t had the easiest year, losing junior All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison halfway through the season. But I’ve been particularly impressed with the play of the Irish safeties, ranging from breakout sophomore Adon Shuler to graduate newcomer Jordan Clark. All of that trickles down from the terrific play of Watts, one of the premier defensive players in college football.
Cahill: My MVP of the regular season is running back Jeremiyah Love. Safety Xavier Watts was an enticing choice, the graduate student following up his Bronko Nagurski-winning season where he managed seven interceptions with another stellar season logging five more including a dagger pick-six against USC in the final game. However, I feel Love has been the catalyst and greatest weapon on an Irish offense that improved each week of the season. Described by many as the best player on the field, the
sophomore superstar has put his immense talent on display all season behind a young and unproven offensive line. He’s managed 949 yards from his 134 carries, averaging an efficient 7.1 yards per touch. Most notably, he’s pitched in 15 touchdowns on the ground while setting a Notre Dame record for his streak of 12 straight games with a score, a streak that continues after he powered one in at the goal line against the Trojans. Beyond the impressive stat sheet, Love is a chunk run waiting to happen on every play, adding a valuable dimension to an Irish offense that struggles to generate explosives in the passing attack. On top of breakaway speed, he has showcased incredible vision and elusiveness, making men miss moving side to side and on three separate occasions, over the top. He’s also shown his prowess as a pass-catcher, catching 22 passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Love has proven to be the full package at running back this season, and his return to full health will be vital to Notre Dame’s success in the postseason.
Who is your player or position group to watch for Notre Dame’s postseason run?
Ladd: The defensive line is the key to Notre Dame’s playoff hopes. Howard Cross’s potential return could revitalize the pass rush, giving the defense a much-needed edge against high-powered offenses. However, kicker Mitch Jeter must find consistency in what has been a rocky latter half of the season. Special teams can often be the deciding factor in tight postseason games, and his performance could make or break the Irish’s chances.
Crow: Notre Dame’s success in the postseason will hinge largely on the play of its offensive line. Despite the Irish program being known for churning out elite units up front, confidence in the O-line was unusually low entering the year due to a severe lack of experience and several long-term injuries to projected starters. But the unit has stepped up all season long, getting better and looking more comfortable with each passing week. Notre Dame’s offense revolves around its run game, and when the line is at its best and opening up big holes on a consistent basis, the Irish offense goes from good to truly great. They’ve been able to do that for much of the season so far — as shown by Notre Dame’s gaudy rushing numbers — but it remains to be seen if they can find the same success against some of the nation’s best front sevens. If a still-inexperienced but now battle-tested unit can continue to rise to the occasion, the Irish have a strong
chance to make a deep run in the coming weeks.
Herko: The running back position led by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price has been outstanding for the Irish all season. In the postseason, the Irish will play more talented teams than they faced in the regular season. It will be really cool to see how these high-achieving players fare against better defenses than they faced previously. Overall, this offense faced a fair amount of criticism, especially in the beginning of the season. The only team on Notre Dame’s schedule this season who was ever discussed as a potential playoff team was Texas A&M. This team has changed a lot since traveling down to College Station and it will be fun to see the development of this offense.
Reidy: I’m looking for Notre Dame’s defensive line as a difference-maker, especially early in the tournament. Sure, the Irish secondary looked bad for most of the USC game, but that happened in part due to a largely neutralized pass rush. Notre Dame’s defensive line, which was unexpectedly quiet during many regular-season games, heads into the postseason less than fully healthy. The Irish have been on their third vyper since the start of October, and graduate defensive lineman Howard Cross III has not played in a month. With Notre Dame’s firstround game likely to take place in a frigid and potentially snowy South Bend, the winner will advance in the trenches, an area the Irish will have to control on both sides of the football.
Cahill: After facing their first real test against USC’s passing attack, which put up 360 yards and three touchdowns behind a brilliant performance from Trojan quarterback Jordan Maiava and his talented pass-catchers, I have my eye on the Irish secondary heading into the postseason. Ranked first in passing efficiency, this group has dominated, albeit against poor competition, all season, and delivered when they were needed most. However, Saturday was a wake-up call for a group that had yet to see the kind of size and speed on the outside that USC had to offer. That will be the norm from here on out, and while the seasonending injury to junior cornerback and projected first-rounder Benjamin Morrison didn’t make a massive impact in the regular season, it was always going to be more glaring when competition stiffened. Freshman cornerback Leonard Moore held his own against the Trojans while Xavier Watts and blossoming sophomore safety Adon Shuler continued to play at a high level, but despite making the game-deciding play, Christian Gray looked liable to get exposed in one-on-one coverage, so he’ll need to step up.
to thrive. Live, learn, and grow this year; your progress will boost your confidence and bring you joy. Your numbers are 7, 18, 21, 29, 33, 38, 42.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take nothing for granted. If you want something done, do it yourself. How you handle situations will determine who you will draw into your circle. Be sure to take care of every detail to avoid technicalities that can put you behind schedule. An activity requiring physical attributes will pay off.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Giving up or into someone putting pressure on you will leave you at odds about your future. Check out how best to raise your profile and qualifications. The confidence to promote yourself and what you have to offer will decide the outcome. Trust and believe in you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Focus on what you can do to improve your life. Take a course, learn a new skill, or make domestic alterations that make your space more inviting. Let your charm and desire to make a difference influence those you encounter. Follow through; be the one to make things happen.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Spend time taking care of business instead of discussing your plans. Use your connections, call in favors, and stand up and be counted. Putting your heart and soul into whatever you do will give you the edge to outmaneuver anyone who tries to slow you down.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Set your plans in motion, and finish what you start. Let your energy flow freely and efficiently as you strive to achieve your goals. A creative endeavor will offer a lesson that helps you overcome any reservations regarding your skills or benchmarks you want to conquer. Romance is favored.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Spend more time at home dealing with domestic matters and personal investments. Consider what will make your life easier and implement the changes that will put your mind at ease. Forward-thinking and executing your plans with discipline and detail will make a difference in how others treat you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Get moving. The more you fit into your day, the better. Travel, attend events, reunions, or sign up for something motivational. The people you encounter will offer insight into potential opportunities to improve your life. Selfimprovement projects will turn out well, and romance will be in the stars.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): TA change of heart is likely, but first, understand the consequences. Avoid unsafe situations that can endanger your health or physical well-being. Stick to what and who you know and focus on projects that you find exciting. A networking or social event will lead to a beneficial encounter.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Take pride in what you do; shortcuts won’t pay off, and relying on someone else to do as good a job as you will fall short of your expectations. Build assets by investing in yourself and your home. Updating your look will be uplifting and encourage physical and emotional growth.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Work behind the scenes to avoid drama and those trying to force their will on you. Map out your route before you head out. Preparation will allow your intuition to take over and lead you down the path most likely to suit your needs. Personal updates will boost your confidence.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let what others decide to do interfere with your plans. Put your heart and soul into creating the perfect environment to house your desires. Look for opportunities that allow you to utilize your space and talents to master what you do best. Explore, expand, and excel.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dig in and press forward until you reach your objective. Refuse to let anyone lead you off course or tempt you with gestures of grandeur that lack substance. Change begins with you. Research, follow proper protocol, and let your innovative ideas point you in the right direction.
Birthday Baby: You are progressive, ambitious, and opportunistic. You are energetic and proactive.
HOCKEY
Irish resume Big Ten play with Ohio State trip
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Back in the United States for the remainder of the season, Notre Dame hockey (6-10-0, 1-7-0 Big Ten) will take on No. 15 Ohio State (11-4-1, 4-2-0 Big Ten) this weekend in Columbus. Historically, the Irish have played the Buckeyes well, going 22-13-3 in their last 38 matchups with Ohio State dating back to the 2010-11 season.
Where
the Irish stand
The games Notre Dame will play this weekend in Columbus are the only games it will play in December. The Irish took last weekend off after competing at the Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There, they claimed a runner-up finish by defeating Harvard, 5-2, and succumbing to a third-period comeback in a 4-3 loss to Boston University in the championship game.
While Notre Dame snapped its overall seven-game losing streak with the Harvard win, it still carries a seven-game skid in conference play. The last six of those seven losses came against teams ranked top-eight nationally at the time, with Minnesota sweeping the Irish in their last Big Ten series three weeks ago.
Notre Dame currently occupies the sixth position in the Big Ten standings, two points ahead of lastplace Penn State. The Irish received seven votes in this week’s edition of the USCHO poll, making them the
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fifth team out side of the national rankings.
Notre Dame’s offense coming around
Despite their suboptimal record in November, the Irish have shown signs of better play, especially on the offensive end of the ice. They have at least three goals in six straight games for the first time since November 2021. Notre Dame hasn’t scored three or more in seven consecutive contests since the early part of the 2017-18 season. With top-scoring sophomore forward Cole Knuble in and out of the lineup over the past month, nearly all of Notre Dame’s remaining top-six forwards have stepped.
Fellow sophomore center Danny Nelson heads to Ohio State with a six-game point streak. His linemate, sophomore winger Brennan Ali, has registered all four of his goals in Big Ten play. Senior winger Justin Janicke tallied three points across two games in Belfast, and graduate winger Blake Biondi has a five-game point streak with nine points during that span. Their contributions have also fueled a Notre Dame power play converting at a rate not seen in decades within the program. At a success rate of 28.0%, the Irish power play is off to its best 16-game start in the Jeff Jackson era. Notre Dame ranks seventh nationally and leads the Big Ten in power-play percentage heading into this weekend.
Generally speaking, Notre Dame has become a team that needs to
score to win. The Irish have not won a game since scoring less than three goals since Game One of the Big Ten quarterfinals on March 3, 2023.
Catching up on the conference
With Notre Dame off last weekend, each of the remaining six Big Ten teams played a conference series, producing a few intriguing results. Ohio State swept Penn State in a Thursday-Friday set, moving the Nittany Lions to 0-8-0 within Big Ten action. Wisconsin gave No. 1 Michigan State a tough test in Madison, shutting out the Spartans on Friday before taking them to overtime in an MSU win on Saturday. With Sparty securing only two points, Minnesota became the nation’s new No. 1 with a dominant, two-shutout sweep of Michigan.
Still unbeaten in conference play, Minnesota leads Wisconsin by eight points for first place in the Big Ten with 23 points. The Golden Gophers will host the Spartans in a No. 1 against No. 3 matchup this weekend in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, the suddenly surging Wisconsin will travel to a snakebitten Michigan team, while Penn State takes the weekend off.
Breaking down the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes have been much better this season than last in year 12 under head coach Steve Rohlik. Ohio State ended up as the clear
and obvious worst team in the Big Ten last year, going 3-18-2 in conference games with a 1-3-0 record against Notre Dame. However, the Buckeyes showed signs of life in March, upsetting No. 2 Wisconsin on the road in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
This season, Ohio State jumped out to an 8-0-1 start, capitalizing on a fairly weak non-conference schedule and sweeping Wisconsin in an early Big Ten series on Oct. 18-19. The Buckeyes have been all over the place since the start of November, though. They started the month by scoring 15 goals in a two-game sweep of Lake Superior but lost in sweeping fashion at Michigan State a week later. Ohio State then went to Lindenwood and swept before losing both games again at Princeton on Thanksgiving weekend. As previously mentioned, the Penn State series put the Buckeyes back on track a week ago.
Defensively, Ohio State conceded 3.3 goals per game last year but now gives up only 2.1 on average. Steve Rohlik has split goaltending duties between sophomore Kristoffer Eberly (7-1-0, 1.44 goals against average, .941 save percentage) and senior Logan Terness (43-1, 2.38 GAA, .912 SV%) for most of the year but gave Eberly an entire series for the first time last week. Notre Dame saw both netminders last season, giving Terness a difficult time in South Bend and putting five goals on Eberly in Columbus.
One Ohio State weakness Notre Dame must aim to exploit this weekend is special-teams play. The Buckeyes have been sound on the penalty kill, ranking 19th nationally, but their power play sits in the basement of the Big Ten and bottom 15 in college hockey with a success percentage of 15.5. Ohio State’s man-advantage unit has been better of late, scoring in six of the last seven games, but that’s more a byproduct of increasing opportunities than stronger play.
Notre Dame and Ohio State will drop the puck at Value City Arena at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
Ohio State has significantly improved on both sides of the puck to start the season. Offensively, the Buckeyes have jumped from scoring 2.6 goals per game last season to 3.3 this year. Three newcomers have enhanced the Ohio State offense, with Alaska-Anchorage transfer forward Riley Thompson, Northeastern transfer forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine and RIT transfer defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata checking in as the team’s top three scorers. The three entrants brought a combined six 20-point seasons with them to Columbus ahead of this season and have translated their success to the Big Ten, each producing at least 15 points in scarlet and gray. Sophomore Max Montes leads the Buckeyes with eight goals, one shy of his total from last year.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Irish, Belles and Saints head into the holidays
By TYLER REIDY and CLAIRE WATSON Sports Editor and Sports Writer
As students around the tricampus community head home for Winter Break in the coming weeks, several teams will press on with their seasons into the new year. Here’s a look at what’s coming up in Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross athletics.
Notre Dame
Men’s basketball: Coming off a defeat of Syracuse in its ACC opener, 5-5 Notre Dame will close out non-conference play by hosting Dartmouth on Wednesday and Le Moyne on Dec. 22. The Irish will then move fully into conference action, traveling to Georgia Tech, where they won in overtime last year, on New Year’s Eve. Notre Dame will open 2025 at home against North Carolina, the No. 2 team in the ACC preseason poll, on Jan. 4. After traveling to 2024 Final Four qualifier NC State on the 8th and conference championship favorite Duke on the 11th, the Irish will close out the break by hosting the Holy War against Boston College on Jan. 13.
Women’s basketball: The 7-2 Irish have their schedule laid out similarly, wrapping up outof-conference play on Dec. 22 against Loyola Maryland after battling UConn and Eastern Michigan at home this week. ACC-only play starts on Dec. 29 against Virginia, a matchup that will end Notre Dame’s fourgame homestand.
A huge game at North Carolina, currently outperforming preseason expectations and ranked No. 14 nationally, will bring the Irish into 2025 on Jan. 5. After that, the schedule lightens up for the remainder of January, beginning with a Wake Forest trip to South Bend (Jan. 9) and a Notre Dame visit to Clemson (Jan. 12). Should the Irish get through their excursion to Chapel Hill, they’ll have a favorable chance to enter February at 9-0 in conference games.
Hockey: After heading to No. 15 Ohio State this weekend, the 6-10 Irish will exit the ice for the remainder of 2024. They’ll return with a marquee game on Jan. 3 at The Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series against Penn State. Wrigley Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, will host the Irish,
Nittany Lions and four other Big Ten men’s hockey teams during the first weekend of 2025.
Notre Dame will close the Penn State series with a rare Sunday evening game at Compton Family Ice Arena on Jan. 5 before hosting No. 8 Michigan Jan. 10-11. The Wolverines swept the Irish in Ann Arbor just over a month ago.
Swimming and diving: The Notre Dame swimmers will come out of a seven-week break and look to snap a four-game skid in dual meets on Jan. 10 in West Lafayette. There, the Irish will take on Purdue and a Kentucky team currently receiving votes in the CSCAA Coaches Poll.
Just over two weeks ago, Notre Dame claimed a fifth-place finish at the Ohio State Fall Invite.
Men’s tennis: Notre Dame will kick off the spring season with back-to-back matches at home on Jan. 12. The Irish will host Duquesne from the Atlantic 10 and Western Michigan out of the Mid-American Conference. That doubleheader will start a ninematch homestand for Notre Dame, which won’t hit the road until Feb. 15 at Illinois.
The Irish men went 13-14 in
the spring of 2024 and ended the fall by sending junior Sebastian Dominko and freshman Peter Nad to the NCAA individual championships in Waco, Texas.
Saint Mary’s Basketball: Currently 3-5 on the season and 0-1 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play after a loss against Calvin, the Saint Mary’s basketball team prepares to play four more games over break. The first game will take place on Dec. 21 as the team travels to Elmhurst. The team will then have a break before facing off against Trine at home starting at 1 p.m. on Jan. 4. Quickly following that game, the team will face off against Kalamazoo on Jan. 8, starting at 7 p.m., and the final game will be at home on Jan. 11 against Alma at 1 p.m.
Holy Cross
Men’s basketball: After a big win against St. Ambrose, the Holy Cross men’s basketball team is now 4-5 on the season so far and 2-1 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play and will continue their games over Christmas break.
The Saints will play four
games over the break starting on Dec. 21 when they face off against Calumet starting at 3 p.m. at home. Then, the team will travel to Illinois on Jan. 4 to face St. Francis starting at 4 p.m. The Saints will then return back home to face off against Olivet Nazarene on Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m., and the final game over the break will be on Jan. 11 against Judson, starting at 4 p.m.
Women’s basketball: Coming off of an 85-67 win over St. Ambrose, the Holy Cross women’s basketball team is now preparing for five games of its own over the break.
Calumet will be the first team the Saints will face off against on Dec. 21 at home, starting at 1 p.m. The second game will be against Grace College on Dec. 31 at 6 p.m. Holy Cross will then head on the road to face off against St. Francis on Jan. 4, starting at 4 p.m., before hosting Olivet Nazarene starting at 5:30 p.m. The final game will be against Judson, starting at 2 p.m. on Jan. 11.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu and Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
FOOTBALL
Eastland: Why Notre Dame is on upset alert
By RYAN EASTLAND Sports Writer
Indiana is the best team Notre Dame has faced this season.
Around campus and within the sphere of Notre Dame fans, Indiana is not being taken seriously. Students are talking about getting tickets for the Sugar Bowl already, and the spread is currently sitting at -7.5 in favor of the Irish. At the time of writing this article, ESPN gives Notre Dame a 70.4% chance of winning against the Hoosiers. While Notre Dame has been dominant on the gridiron since a brutal loss to Northern Illinois, Indiana will not be a cakewalk.
Curt Cignetti has his Hoosiers firing on all cylinders. Their passing attack is no joke, and they rarely turn the ball over. Louisville and USC, both with good air attacks, played the Irish very closely. In
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fact, without a clutch pick-six from sophomore cornerback Christian Gray, there was a good chance USC would have forced overtime. The Irish have performed well with the loss of junior Benjamin Morrison and senior Jaden Mickey in the cornerback room, but their secondary is still susceptible to fatigue and an injury could rattle the Irish secondary. Additionally, Notre Dame is struggling to make field goals. In a close game field goals are crucial, just ask Ryan Day and Ohio State. Notre Dame-Indiana will be a close game, and Irish fans and players need to prepare for a dogfight inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Another aspect that could hurt the Irish is that Notre Dame Stadium is notorious for being overtaken by away fans, particularly against teams in red. Most recently, it looked like Christmas during the Ohio State game. But other instances of this occurring
were against Cincinnati in 2021 and Georgia in 2017. All three of the aforementioned games resulted in Notre Dame losses. The Irish lost to Ohio State 17-14, lost to Cincinnati 24-13 and lost to Georgia 20-19. Georgia in particular was one of the most embarrassing stadium takeovers in recent history. A simple Google search will reveal that Georgia fans took over the whole south end of the stadium. It was frankly embarrassing. Ohio State was not as bad in terms of a stadium takeover, but Notre Dame’s campus was flooded with Buckeyes. There were more fans in red at the grotto than green, and there were more Ohio State fans taking pictures with Touchdown Jesus than Irish fans. Buckeye fans were even present at South Dining Hall on Friday night, taking up a whole table to themselves. Droves of Ohio State fans were tailgating in Stadium Lot as well.
It would be one thing if Notre Dame was playing a team from the South who wouldn’t want to play in the bitter cold of South Bend in December. But this is an in-state game. Indiana isn’t going to be affected by the weather, and neither are their fans. Indiana fans haven’t had a season like this one ever. This is a once-in-a-lifetime season for Hoosier fans, who were going to travel well regardless, but now they don’t even have to cross state lines. Notre Dame also has the most friendly fans in college football. Away fans love coming to Notre Dame, seeing the beautiful campus and enjoying the company of welcoming home fans. To away fans, Notre Dame is a five-star, all-inclusive resort destination for football. On a TikTok posted by @handshakebets, two Indiana graduates could be heard saying, “We want Notre Dame,”“It’s a home game” and “One of the
most overrated teams [in college football].” I don’t blame them. It is the most optimal matchup for the Hoosiers and the least hostile trip. Indiana is the best team that Notre Dame has faced this season. We need to make our presence felt when Indiana fans flood the campus. We need to be loud in the stadium. We have to dominate physically if we want to win. We cannot sell a single ticket to an Indiana fan. This is the rhetoric that Notre Dame fans need to spread. Notre Dame is the better team, and it has the advantage over Indiana in terms of talent, but Indiana is not going down without a fight. Notre Dame fans and players alike need to be ready to defend the Cathedral of College Football with a tenacity and ferocity, unlike any game in Notre Dame history.
Contact Ryan Eastland at reastlan@nd.edu
Tri-campus athletics’ best of the fall semester
By TYLER REIDY and CLAIRE WATSON Sports Editor and Sports Writer
Since the middle of August, the tri-campus sports community has packed the fall semester with memorable team runs and noteworthy individual performances. As classes wind down at University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College, here’s a look back at the best athletic moments each school has produced so far.
Notre Dame
Ferreira hits a hole-in-one in East Lansing: With Notre Dame women’s golf competing at the Mary Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Michigan, in September, senior Montgomery Ferreira accomplished a feat no other competitor could. During round three, she stepped up to the seventh hole, a 145-yard par-three and drained a hole-in-one. The once-in-alifetime shot helped Notre Dame secure one of the three best thirdround team scores among the field of 15.
Roou’s remarkable stretch: The crown jewel of Matthew Roou’s 14-goal ACC Offensive Player of the Year season unfolded halfway through the season, when the senior forward of Notre Dame men’s soccer tallied 10 goals in five games. He began with consecutive hat tricks against Chicago State and Detroit Mercy, becoming the second player in program history to record multiple hat tricks in a season. In the next game, Notre Dame’s last of September, he delivered the game-winning goal in the final minutes of a College Cup final rematch against Clemson. Roou would go on to score three more goals against Trine and Syracuse, vaulting himself to the top of national scoring leaderboards.
Knuble caps terrific start with overtime winner: Notre Dame hockey centerman Cole Knuble went on a hot streak of his own through the season’s first month. After notching three goals during a season-opening sweep of St. Lawrence and Clarkson, the sophomore would score one more time in each of the two home series that followed. Then, with Notre Dame playing into overtime against Wisconsin in the Nov. 1 Big Ten opener, Knuble delivered his most important goal yet. With a powerplay wrister from the slot, he put Notre Dame in the Big Ten won column for the first time, scoring his sixth goal in seven games.
Notre Dame unseats NC State from women’s cross country throne: Two weeks later, the Notre Dame women’s cross country snapped NC State’s eight-year streak of ACC Championship victories. Senior Siona Chisholm paced the Irish with a sixth-place 6k time of 19 minutes and 42.3 seconds, capturing her third consecutive All-ACC selection. The Irish women edged out Stanford and North Carolina by six points for the conference crown and would go on to join the men’s team in sweeping the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. Freshman phenoms lead the way in upset of Mississippi State: This season, the 13-member freshman class of Notre Dame women’s soccer made history as the largest first-year group in the program’s existence. Ranked top-four nationally, the batch would lead the Irish to four top-25 wins in the regular season and even more postseason success. Matched up against No. 1 seed Mississippi State on the road in the Sweet 16, fourth-seeded Notre Dame used goals from two freshmen, forward Izzy Engle and midfielder Grace Restovich, to upset the Bulldogs and advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in
three years.
Irish go coast-to-coast to seal CFP bid: At 9-1 and on an eightgame win streak, Notre Dame football took its College Football Playoff on a nationwide adventure for the regular season’s final two weeks. First, the Irish visited the Big Apple for a top-25 tilt against No. 18 Army at Yankee Stadium. Ignited by a brilliant hurdle and touchdown by sophomore running back Jeremiah Love, Notre Dame cruised to a 49-14 win. A week later, Love produced another leaping highlight as the Irish battled USC across the country in Los Angeles. The Trojans remained close until late in the fourth quarter, when sophomore cornerback Christian Gray and graduate safety Xavier Watts scored on interception returns 199 combined yards in length to seal the game and Notre Dame’s postseason bid.
Hidalgo, Miles churn out highlights as Notre Dame outlasts Texas: A dozen days after taking down No. 3 USC on the road, Notre Dame women’s basketball returned home for another top10 clash against No. 4 Texas. The Longhorns entered South Bend undefeated, but Notre Dame’s superstar backcourt duo of sophomore Hannah Hidalgo and graduate student Olivia Miles made sure that the perfect start would snap. With highlights ranging from Hidalgo’s overhead pass to Miles’ neargame-winning layup at the end of regulation to Hidalgo’s go-ahead three-pointer in overtime, Notre Dame toppled Texas for a signature win at Purcell Pavilion.
Saint Mary’s Jordan Siminski led the Belles to finish in fifth place in the MIAA Cross Country Championship: In the MIAA Championship, the Belles competed against eight other teams but sophomore Jordan
Siminski led the way. Siminski finished in 32nd place in the 6000m race with a time of 23:51.6 which was 40 seconds faster than her previous race time.
Katelyn Tokarz leads Belles golf in final fall competition: As a split sport, golf starts its season in the fall and finishes in the spring. As the golf team finished up their fall season, senior Katelyn Tokarz led the way taking the top spot in the individual round to lead the team to victory as she finished the day carding a 72.
Seniors lead the Belles soccer team to the MIAA tournament: The Belles soccer team has not made an appearance in the MIAA since 2008 but this year proved to be different. Senior forward Izzi Linus and senior midfielder Grace Barresi played a big role in this as both had a team high of three goals on the season. Senior goalkeeper Riley Lindsey played her part with a total of 31 saves.
Nicole Connolly saves the Belles basketball team with a buzzerbeater: In a back-and-forth contest against Franklin College, the Belles came out victorious with a 75-74 win thanks to junior guard Nicole Connolly who added a buzzerbeater to take the win. Connolly finished the night with five points and five rebounds.
Cali Allen leads the Belles volleyball team on senior night: The Belles volleyball team only graduates one senior this year, outside hitter Cali Allen, who led the team in kills against Olivet. Allen finished the night with 13.5 points and 13 kills to lead the Belles to victory.
Belles tennis sweeps Concordia Chicago in home opener: The Belles tennis team had a quick start to their season, logging a 7-0 win over the Concordia Chicago Cougars. The team won all of their matches to secure the shutout victory.
Holy Cross
Juan Perez breaks school records for goals and points for Holy Cross men’s soccer: Indiana native and senior forward Juan Perez broke the record for the Holy Cross men’s soccer team this year in October. As a senior on the team, Perez finished this season with 26 points, 11 goals, 19 shots on goals and 35 shots taken.
Phil Robles II leads the men’s basketball team to its first conference win against Viterbo: In their first conference game, senior guard Phil Robles II did not disappoint as he led the team to victory over Viterbo University. Robles took charge in the game scoring 23 points and securing four rebounds.
Freshman soccer player
Madeleine Agee named CCAC athlete of the week: Hailing from Houston, Texas, freshman goalkeeper Madeleine Agee was named CCAC Athlete of the Week for her performance on the field. The freshman had three shutouts throughout the season and blocked three shots to allow the Saints to take a 1-0 win over Indiana University of South Bend. Agee finished her first season with Holy Cross with a total of 102 saves and six shutouts.
Holy Cross women’s basketball takes a huge win over MichiganDearborn in home opener: The Holy Cross women’s basketball team started off their season, securing a 90-52 win over MichiganDearborn. Senior forward Grace Adams led the team to victory, finishing the night with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Audrey Tallent contributed significantly as well, scoring 15 points and adding three assists.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu and Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish to take on UConn in Shamrock Classic
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Notre Dame, UConn, women’s basketball. What more needs to be said?
Thursday night will pit the eighth-ranked Irish (7-2, 1-0 ACC) against the secondranked Huskies (8-0) for the 55th time, with Connecticut making its 18th trip to Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame will host its second top-four opponent in a week after defeating No. 4 Texas in overtime last Thursday and blowing out Syracuse on the road Sunday. UConn, meanwhile, will deal with its second consecutive ranked opponent after destroying Louisville in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Only eight other women’s college basketball games, none involving power-conference opponents, will take place on Thursday. The eyes of the sport will fixate squarely on South Bend at 7 p.m.
A yearly tradition
With the exception of 202021, Notre Dame and UConn have faced off at least once in every season since their first meeting in 1995-96. The matchup has visited the Big East Tournament 11 times, the national semifinal round six times and the national championship game in 2014 and 2015, with UConn winning both titles. Even after Notre Dame left the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference a decade ago, the Irish and Huskies have continued to
ND MEN’S BASKETBALL
play once yearly.
Though UConn holds a 3915 advantage all-time over the Irish, Notre Dame has won each of the last clashes. Two Decembers ago, the Irish used a phenomenal first half to knock off the Huskies, 74-60, at home in the Jimmy V Classic.
Current graduate guard Olivia Miles led Notre Dame with 21 points and eight assists.
In January last year, with Miles out, Notre Dame traveled to Connecticut on the heels of a tough home loss to Syracuse and beat No. 8 UConn by double-digits again. Current sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo shined in the 82-67 victory, amassing 34 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for a massive double-double.
Notre Dame’s backcourt on a tear
All signs point to Miles, Hidalgo and even senior guard Sonia Citron combining for a big night against the Huskies this year. The Irish backcourt trio has taken over its last two games, producing 66 of Notre Dame’s 80 points against Texas and 69 of the 93 Irish points at Syracuse.
In the Texas game, Hidalgo stole the show, racking up 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Before hitting what turned out to be the game-winning three-pointer in overtime, she heaved an incredible, overhead pass to Miles that led to a second-quarter layup. Miles went on to score 18 points, add six assists and nearly win the
game in the final two seconds of regulation with a go-ahead layup. Citron also contributed 18 points and notched a career-high seven steals, matching the magnitude of the game with the effectiveness of her defense once again.
Three days later, the trio went to Syracuse and lit up the stat sheet, marking the first time Notre Dame had three players go for 20 points since 2022 and the first time it had three players record doubledoubles since 2019. Citron set the pace with 25 points and 11 rebounds, Miles went for 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Hidalgo notched 24 points with 10 rebounds. With her performance, Hidalgo became the fastest player in Notre Dame women’s basketball history to reach 1,000 career points, doing so in just 44 games.
Citron’s two-game sequence earned her national recognition as one of five U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Players of the Week. After missing the season opener with an injury and starting the year quietly, the senior has found her game in recent weeks. Over the last four contests, she’s averaging 19.8 points and 3.8 steals per contest with a three-point percentage of 47.8. Overall, she ranks 14th in the ACC with 14.9 points per game, one of only three major conference players nationally with the combination of 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block per game.
Another week, another All-American opponent
Having already beaten preseason AP All-Americans Madison Booker of Texas and Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins of USC this season, the Irish will face another one on Thursday. Paige Bueckers, a redshirt senior, made the list after leading UConn to the Final Four last year. The AP Player of the Year in 2021 before knee injuries dashed her next two seasons, Bueckers returned in full last year, posting 21.9 points per game to finish as the Big East Player of the Year and a consensus First Team All-American. This year, she ranks inside the nation’s top 40 with 18.6 points per contest.
Freshman forward Sarah Strong, the top-ranked recruit from her class, has played a terrific Robin to Bueckers’ Batman this season. Having started all eight games, she’s averaging 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, ranking top-40 national with Bueckers for field goal percentage. Before UConn, she captured two Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year awards and finished the 2023-24 season as the Naismith High School Player of the Year.
Like Texas, UConn plays with depth, regularly using up to 10 or 11 players during games. A knee injury to graduate guard Azzi Fudd, who missed last year’s Notre Dame game with a torn ACL, will likely put said depth to the test this week. When healthy, Fudd
has averaged 10 points per game this season.
UConn heads into Thursday’s game with a wellearned 8-0 record. After reaching their 15th Final Four since 2008 last season, the Huskies have already defeated three ranked opponents, each by double-digits. UConn knocked off No. 14 North Carolina on Nov. 15, took down No. 18 Ole Miss in the Bahamas on Nov. 27 and curb-stomped No. 22 Louisville on Saturday.
From a matchup perspective, keep an eye on the battle between UConn’s efficient offense and Notre Dame’s stingy defense. The Huskies make more quality plays with the basketball than anyone in the country, leading the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.02. That leads to a nationhigh field goal percentage of 51.8, as UConn makes the right moves to set up the best possible looks on the offensive end.
The Huskies haven’t yet faced the Irish, though. Notre Dame holds national rankings of sixth for blocks per game (6.9) and 25th for steals per game (12.6), limiting opponents to the 31st-lowest field goal percentage in the country at 35.4. UConn knows how to defend as well, with its opponents converting at an even more abysmal 34.3% clip from the field.
Notre Dame will host UConn at 7 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion on Thursday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Irish host Dartmouth before finals week hiatus
By BEN HICKS Sports Writer
Fresh off Saturday’s much-needed 69-64 victory over Syracuse, Notre Dame men’s basketball will host Dartmouth on Wednesday night in its final game before a 10-day layoff for finals.
Sitting at 5-5, the Irish have played a gauntlet of a schedule to begin head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s second season in South Bend. Six of the team’s 10 matchups have come against high-major opponents, with only one of those games being played inside the confines of Purcell Pavilion.
Notre Dame remains shorthanded heading into Wednesday’s clash, as
touted freshman wing Sir Mohammed and preseason all-ACC First Team sophomore guard Markus Burton continue to be sidelined indefinitely with lower body injuries. This weekend’s victory over the Orange snapped a frustrating, fivegame losing skid for the Irish and also marked the team’s first triumph in the absence of Burton, who went down early in the Nov. 26 overtime defeat to Rutgers in Las Vegas. Without Burton and his over 22 points per full game, the squad’s offensive efficiency has plummeted, but the increased opportunity has allowed multiple players to shoulder the load while the ACC’s best playmaker
continues his recovery. Sophomore guard Braeden Shrewsberry broke free from a weeks-long shooting slump on Saturday, as his 25 points and six three-pointers marked season-highs following a breakout freshman campaign a year ago. Also stepping up has been junior forward Tae Davis, whose 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game have made him the catalyst for the Irish on both ends of the court. Additionally, graduate guard Matt Allocco has enjoyed some hot shooting nights, including a memorable performance against Rutgers, while also assuming point guard duties in Burton’s absence.
On the opposing bench,
the Dartmouth Big Green of the Ivy League travels to Northern Indiana with a 4-4 record, following a heartbreaking overtime loss at UIC on Sunday. Despite winning just six games a year ago, the Big Green have looked much improved thus far in 2024-25, including a marquee road victory at ACC opponent Boston College on Nov. 29. Head coach David McLaughlin’s side also went on the road to Durham, New Hampshire, where it knocked off the New Hampshire Wildcats in a tense rivalry showdown. The Big Green deploys a balanced scoring attack, as seven players average over eight points a night. Senior guard Ryan Cornish leads
the team with 14.3 points, with senior forward Cade Haskins not too far behind at 13.6.
Wednesday night will be only the seventh meeting between Notre Dame and Dartmouth, with the Irish emerging victorious in all six previous contests. The Irish have been dominant against Ivy League foes alltime, boasting an illustrious 47-4 record, including a winning streak dating back to early January 1977.
Tip-off between the Big Green and the Irish is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday night and can be streamed on ACCNX.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu