Print Edition for The Observer Wednesday, August 30, 2023

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, Amul Thapar, speaks on new publication surrounding Clarence Thomas

society responsible for most donations

By CATHY DOHERTY news w riter

a lthough it may account for only a small percentage of donors, s aint m ary’s m adeleva s ociety plays a crucial role in supporting the c ollege, said d anielle h aydell m ason, director of annual giving and overseer of the s ociety.

d onors from the m adeleva s ociety make up only 13% of all who give to s aint m ary’s, but their donations account for 81% of the money given to the college, m ason said. This past fiscal year, over 1,200 people donated via the m adeleva s ociety level, raising a total of $8.7 million, she noted.

The m adeleva s ociety was established in 1979 and is named after the college’s third president, sister m adeleva wolff, c s c . To be a member of the m adeleva s ociety, donors must give $1,000 or more annually, according to the s ociety’s website. m ason discussed the important relationship s aint m ary’s has with its donors.

“ we value the input and

their stories as donors because if you’re giving at that level at an institution, you clearly care a lot about it,” she said.

The m adeleva s ociety hosts a number of events for its donors throughout the year, notably the b elles b ackyard tailgate.

“usually we have about 200 [ m adeleva s ociety members] who come back with their guests and their families,” m ason explained. “ we have cornhole and different tailgate games that people can play and then we have tailgate foods like burgers and chicken.”

m ason noted m adeleva s ociety members are sometimes invited to campus for different occasions such as the special dinner held for s ociety members during d r.

Katie c onboy’s presidential inauguration in 2021.

m ason explained how inviting donors to special events can cultivate relationships.

“it’s a good opportunity for them to come back to

By RYAN PETERS managing editor

Judge a mul Thapar, who serves on the u s court of appeals for the sixth circuit, defended supreme court Justice clarence Thomas in light of recent scrutiny in a lecture at the notre dame l aw school on Tuesday.

Thapar, who was on former p resident donald Trump’s shortlist for a 2018 supreme court vacancy, praised Thomas for his jurisprudence, care for people and presence as a “strong black voice.” in June, Thapar released his book, “The people’s Justice: clarence Thomas and the constitutional stories that

define him.”

Judge defends Supreme Court Justice Students attend SAO’s 2023 Activites Night

Thomas has recently come under fire from critics for allegedly violating court ethics. Thapar said criticism is nothing new for Thomas, who has experienced it since his nomination to the court over 30 years ago.

“i think the reason that the critics keep going after him is the amount of influence he has,” Thapar said.

Thapar, like Thomas, identifies as an originalist. Thapar and Thomas’ originalist judicial interpretation broadly means they try to identify what the framers intended when writing the constitution.

Thomas’ commitment to

see Judge PAGE 4

By JANE MILLER news writer

a n estimated 2000 students flooded n otre d ame s tadium to learn about and apply for new clubs and activities in the annual a ctivities n ight on Tuesday night. c lusters of students, mostly firstyears and sophomores, strained to grab a map

of the activities layout, which spanned across the entirety of the stadium concourse. a ll around students shuffled by, sporting complementary plastic totes filled with pamphlets, t-shirts and candy from various tables.

little overstimulating at first, but it’s also kind of exciting to see all of the clubs and activities that n otre d ame has to offer.”

From the h erbivore c lub to The s hirt c ommittee, n otre d ame has no shortage of variety in its c lubs and activities. Freshman Kylie s taebler joked that

see madeleva PAGE 3 see acTiviTies

w hen asked what she thought of the event, sophomore c ate l ynch said that she thought it was “a

RYAN PETERS | University of Notre Dame

Federal Judge Amul Thapar speaks at Notre Dame Law School on Tuesday. Thapar, recently released his new book “The People’s Justice: Clarance Thomas and the Consitutional Stories that Define Him.”

MAGGIE EASTLAND | The Observer

Students attended the 2023 Student Activities Fair hosted by SAO. The event took place Tuesday night in the concourse of Notre Dame Stadium. Students were able to speak with their peers about ND clubs.

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campus, kind of be stewarded in that different way, have an opportunity to meet the new college leadership and just talk with other donors,” she said. “When those opportunities present themselves, we make sure those donors are included and that they have another level of knowledge of what’s going on at s aint m ary’s at all times.”

a long with being invited to annual events, m adeleva s ociety members receive free parking passes in designated lots, discounted rates for certain weekends at the i nn at s aint m ary’s and discounts at the i nnJoy cafe and the college bookstore.

a lso instrumental in soliciting donations is the Young m adeleva s ociety, a gradually increasing donation plan specifically designed for b elles who have graduated in the last ten years, m ason said.

a lumnae in the program donate in increasing intervals of $100 each year after they graduate from the college, with an alumna one year out of college giving $100 and an alumna ten

years out of college giving $1,000. a t this point alumnae move up from the Young m adeleva s ociety to the m adeleva s ociety.

m ason explained the program gives young alumnae the opportunity to give back to their alma mater.

“it makes it easy for [recent graduates] to still give at that level and then as they get further away from their time at s aint m ary’s, it increases,” she said. “it just makes it an easier transition.”

members of the Young m adeleva s ociety also receive all the same benefits as those in the m adeleva s ociety.

m ason stressed the importance of alumnae giving back to the college.

“The more alumnae who make a gift to the college, it strengthens every single alumnae’s degree. it just shows how impactful the s aint m ary’s experience is,” m ason said. “a s an alumna, i owe it to s aint m ary’s and i owe it to the students here now so that every student that comes through s aint m ary’s can have that same amazing experience that alumnae all had and love.

Contact Cathy Doherty at cdoherty01@nd.edu

Notre Dame joins the AAU

Observer Staff Report

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online this summer.

notre dame has been invited to join the association of american universities (aau), a collective of north america’s leading research universities, university President fr. John Jenkins said in a press release Thursday.

founded in 1900, the aau strives to “help shape policy for higher education, science and innovation; promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education; and strengthen the contribution of leading research universities to american society.” in 2020, aau institutions awarded 48% of all research doctoral degrees in the u s. and received 63 percent — $28.8 billion — of federally funded academic research and development.

“While notre dame has long been known for its undergraduate education, we have striven to be a preeminent research institution with superb graduate

education, all informed by our catholic mission,” Jenkins said. “We are honored to be invited to join the aau and heartened by the aau board’s recognition of our progress as a research university, and we look forward to participating in this august organization.”

since 2007, research funding received by the university has increased 194%. in recent years, notre dame has been awarded tens of millions of dollars to study mosquito-borne diseases, improve global education outcomes and form the Labs for industry futures and Transformation (LifT) network in the south bend-elkhart region.

five other universities — arizona state university; george Washington university; the university of california, riverside; the university of miami and the university of south florida — were also selected to join the 65 institutions previously invited into the association.

membership is by invitation only and based on qualitative and quantitative measures that assess the quality and breadth of a university’s research and graduate and undergraduate programs.

Paid a dverT isemen T

notre dame welcomes eight new rectors

By PETER BREEN Interim notre dame news editor

n early a quarter of n otre d ame’s 33 undergraduate residential communities received new rectors this academic year.

r ectors serve as pastoral leaders and administrators for the 17 men’s and 15 women’s residence halls on campus. A rector will also guide the University’s new Undergraduate c ommunity at Fisher.

e very freshman and 80% of sophomores, juniors and seniors live on campus under the supervision of rectors, according to Undergraduate Admissions.

d illon h all’s new rector, e dward d olphin, a seminarian with the c ongregation of h oly c ross who graduated in m ay with a master’s degree in divinity, will be professing his final religious vows later this month.

d olphin said during his time at m oreau s eminary he met many fellow seminarians who attended n otre d ame as undergraduates and had transformative experiences in their halls.

The seminarians who graduated from n otre d ame “were super complimentary of their (residential

Judge

con TIn U ed From PAGe 1 originalism has had a large impact on jurisprudence, Thapar explained.

“he puts originalism first and foremost, nothing else comes first,” he said.

Thomas’ strict adherence to originalism even influenced famed originalist and Thomas’ former colleague, the late supreme court Justice Antonin scalia.

“And by sticking to his principles, he’s moved justices and he’s moved jurisprudence,” Thapar said.

The book details several cases that Thapar said combat common attacks on originalism and Thomas. namely, he hopes they dispel the criticism that originalism favors the powerful over the weak. Thapar said the cases in the book are examples that prove this narrative is backwards.

“What I realized is most often, not always, but most often the opposite is true,” he said. “And the cases in the book prove it. Why is the opposite true? All he’s trying to do is reach the

assistants), rectors and assistant rectors about how those guys were really good mentors, good role models and good people to go to for help,” d olphin said.

“ o nce I heard about how great of an opportunity (becoming a rector) was to help students, especially when they’re first beginning their years in college, that sounded like a great opportunity, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

s arah m otter, the new rector leading the b reenPhillips community — which will occupy Zahm h all this year while b reenPhillips h all undergoes a full-year renovation — graduated from n otre d ame with a degree in biological sciences and then was a teacher for seven years.

m otter said she grew so much living in Lyons h alls during all four years at n otre d ame and wanted to be part of that experience for future classes. When it comes to advice for incoming freshmen, m otter said new students should “own” the nerves.

“The first thing is to acknowledge and accept that the nerves and the fear are all really valid, and it’s a feeling that probably almost

original meaning. It makes sense because the document, the constitution, our laws, are written often to protect us from predatory individuals, predatory government and predatory corporations.”

Thapar argued against the narrative that originalism has favorites. originalism only favors the constitution, and the nature and purpose of the document often leads to rulings in favor of the ordinary citizen, he said.

“That doesn’t mean he’s always going to rule that way, in favor of the little guy,” Thapar said. “It just means when the document counsels it, he will.”

Thomas gets little recognition for his presence as the second black justice in supreme court history, Thapar said.

“he has a strong black voice that no one talks about,” he said.

Thapar gave two examples that highlight how Thomas’ originalist philosophy and judicial track record at times benefits black people. First, Thapar said Thomas has consistently fought against the evolution of eminent domain issues. The

everyone else is feeling,” she said. “I think it’s really easy to feel like I’m the only person that’s nervous about coming here. e veryone else is figuring out their lives, and here I am.”

Keenan h all’s new rector c ory h odson has no prior connection to the University, although he did earn a degree from Yale d ivinity s chool and worked at a m assachusetts middle school in a role very similar to that of n otre d ame rectors.

h odson said the biggest challenge for the Keenan community this year will be finding balance.

“These guys are incredibly endearing and authentic and committed to virtue and faith, but are deeply, deeply funny,” h odson said. “They don’t take themselves too seriously. They know when it’s time to laugh and to build other people up by good humor. It is a major part of the culture of Keenan h all.”

c heyenne s chuster, a double domer who served at a parish in s outh Jersey for two years through n otre d ame’s e cho Graduate s ervice Program, will be Walsh h all’s rector this year.

Fifth Amendment states that the government cannot take private property for “public use, without just compensation.”

o ver time, the court expanded the term to include “public purpose.” Thomas has advocated to return to eminent domain cases considering the original term “public use” instead of “public purpose.”

Thapar said Thomas’ view would limit the ability of government to use eminent domain, which disproportionately impacts black people.

second, Thapar said Thomas has long championed historically black colleges and Universities ( hbcUs). Thomas has pointed out the large percentage of black judges, doctors and engineers that come from hbcUs, Thapar explained. Additionally, Thapar said Thomas points out that Xavier University of Louisiana, an hbcU, is responsible for raising the highest percentage of students out of poverty and into the middle class of any school in the U.s

This, Thapar argues, paired with his support for school vouchers as a constitutional

e ven though n otre d ame can feel like a very overwhelming environment, it’s necessary to take risks, according to s chuster.

“ m y first day of (general chemistry) I sat next to a girl that I did not know, and she knew the girl who was sitting on the other side of her. They were talking about getting brunch,” s chuster said. “I said, ‘ h ey, can I join you?’ And I did, and now we’re best friends.”

s iegfried h all’s new rector, m ichael d avis, is a former s iegfried r ambler who was a residential assistant his senior year. h e worked as a consultant for two years before enrolling in the Alliance for c atholic e ducation program.

d uring his time in s iegfried, d avis said he witnessed the power of an intentional community focused on c hrist, sacrifice and love.

“ m y favorite part about s iegfried is that it is filled with people who care — people who are going to be present to you and are going to care for you no matter what, no matter who you come into this hall as, no matter your values or political beliefs or lifestyles,” he said.

m ike r yan, another seminarian who graduated this year with a n otre d ame divinity degree, will be the rector in o ’ n eill Family h all. r yan was a residential assistant in o ’ n eill as an undergraduate.

“ m y rector, a guy named e d m ack, was a really big influence in my life, so I always saw the rector as this guiding figure throughout college,” r yan said. “Then during my time in seminary, I really enjoyed working with college-aged students.”

m atthew Tucci, an educator who taught and coached in s outh b end after graduating from Purdue University, will be the new rector for m orrissey m anor this year. b eatrice c omtyc harnock, who spent the past 11 years as a marriage and family therapist and drug and alcohol counselor, became the inaugural rector for the Undergraduate c ommunity at Fisher. e ach n otre d ame residential community has its own unique history, set of traditions, rector, chapel, mascot, colors and signature event, according to r esidential Life.

solution to struggling public schools, displays a jurisprudence and vision that can benefit black students in the long run.

one reason Thapar named the book “The People’s Justice” is because of instances of Thomas recognizing “real people” who have come in front of him. one instance is Kathy mcKee, whose suit accusing

bill cosby of defamation after he allegedly raped her was declined to be reviewed by the supreme court. In an unrelated case two years later, Thomas named mcKee in his opinion.

“he doesn’t forget the real people in front of him,” Thapar said.

Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu

Contact Peter Breen at pbreen2@nd.edu

RYAN PETERS | The Observer

Judge Amul Thapar addressed students on Tuesday while lecturing on the topics of his new book and Supreme Court Justice Thomas.

Professor sues student paper

Observer Staff Report

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online this summer.

some of the clubs who invited her to sign up just weren’t a good fit for her. “ i was asked by an a capella group, ‘do i sing?,’ and i said, very respectfully, ‘you don’t want me to.’”

c lubs employed a variety of methods to attract new members. s ome offered incentives in the form of free gifts; which ranged from t-shirts and candy to c rumbl cookies from d ance m arathon and fanny packs from the c atholic e ducation a lliance.

m any clubs caught the eyes of new members through their lavish table decorations. The r adio c lub erected what appeared to be a miniature cell phone tower that said “W snd ” in led lights. The table was complimented with classic records and a poster board listing all of the leadership and creative opportunities the club provides.

The s hirt c ommittee’s table was decorated with tshirts made by the committee in years and decades past. c lub v ice President m olly s ullivan explained “the s hirt designs and markets the shirt that students wear to the first home football game. i t’s super popular with students and alumni and the proceeds from selling the shirt go to student organizations and

student medical funds.”

s ome of the clubs were more geared towards service, like the Timmy Global h ealth c lub. The club works all year to plan a m edical b rigade to e cuador. They travel with physicians from the U s and partner with local e cuadorian doctors to help provide health care to those who lack it in e cuador. o ther clubs were more activity and community oriented, like n otre d ame c lub s wimming. “ c lub s wim is absolutely the best team on campus” said team treasurer Paul d avid Quimby. “We go to meets at different Universities around the country and

have practice four days a week, which you can attend as little or as much as you want to” Quimby explained. “The people are the best and the community that we build is really lovely. There’s no requirements, everyone should join!”

h olding up colorful posters, dressing up in funny outfits and passing out bags of free candy while eagerly explaining the details of their club, these students stopped at nothing to attract new members and showcase their respective missions.

Contact Jane Miller at jmille95@nd.edu

in a statement published to her website Friday morning, Tamara Kay, the sociology and global affairs professor who is suing the irish rover for defamation, said the signs on her office door were about sexual assault.

“The note on my door referenced sexual assault, and the inadequate resources and support for student survivors at notre dame,” Kay wrote in the statement. notre dame administrators have known directly from Kay for almost a year that women students were being assaulted with illegal rape drugs, allegedly by male students, according to the statement.

Kay, who is a mandatory reporter as a member of the notre dame faculty, said she reported these sexual assaults to university officials and extensively documented her communications.

“There has seemingly been no institutional response — no investigation, no attempt to get more information, no warnings to faculty and students, no public education campaign on campus,” she wrote.

W. Joseph dereuil, as editor-in-chief of the irish rover, published a story on oct. 12, 2022 with the headline: “Keough school Professor offers abortion access to students.”

The letter “J” on office doors “denotes notre dame

professors who are willing to help students access abortion,” dereuil wrote.

dereuil’s reporting on the signage on Kay’s office door in his oct. 12 article and another irish rover article from march are at the heart of the defamation lawsuit Kay filed against the publication in may.

a photo from dereuil’s oct. 12 article included as part of exhibit h in The irish rover’s motion to dismiss Kay’s case shows multiple signs on Kay’s office.

one sign identified Kay’s office as a “saFe sPace to get help and information on aLL healthcare issues and access — confidentially and with care [and] compassion.” The note also included the capital letter “J” with a circle around it and Kay’s personal email address, which mentioned reproductive health.

another sign on Kay’s door read, “i still believe anita hill.”

The door also featured a rainbow-colored “aLLY” sticker in the bottom right corner and a poster saying, “Families belong together and free,” in the bottom left. in a July 18 interview with LooPcast, a show created by catholicvote, dereuil said Kay “put a sign on her door advertising ways to access abortion pills and abortifacients.”

Kay’s social media activity and the signs on her door were brought to dereuil’s attention by one of his professors, he said. The irish rover filed a motion to dismiss the case under indiana’s anti-sL aPP law, arguing its coverage of Kay’s public statements and actions about abortion qualify under the law’s public interest and free speech criteria.

a July 14 statement published by The bopp Law Firm, the irish rover’s legal representatives, said the letter “J” was a symbol indicating people willing to help students access abortions.

“healthcare in this context clearly referenced abortion-related services, not strep tests,” the statement said.

Courtesy of The Irish Rover Safe space signs displayed on Notre Dame professor’s door.

For the love of cooking notre dame: A fairytale or a piece of disaster literature

José Sánchez Cordova Assistant managing editor

It’s a running joke at my dinner table that everyone loves d ad’s food, but he always finds something wrong with it. h e loves it cooking and he’s good at it, too. h e loves trying new recipes and experimenting. And he holds his food to an extremely high standard, hence the inside joke.

That’s why, somewhat non-traditionally, my dad did most of the cooking for as long as I can remember. m y mom is on the opposite side of the spectrum, cooking occasionally, but feels it’s little more than a chore.

For the longest time, I fell kind of in the middle of my parents. I liked the idea of knowing how to cook, but when it came down to it, I lacked the love I needed to learn how to. I had a great cook to learn from, but no matter how much I hung around the kitchen during dinner time, it never stuck.

Then I had to learn.

I moved to Paris in January for my study abroad program and, finally, I simply had to learn. There were no dining halls or meal plans. o nly a kitchen and a stipend that wouldn’t cover eating at restaurants all the time.

That first time walking into the m onoprix in the 14 arrondissement was a daunting moment. n o shopping list, just vibes.

The first meal I made was some penne pasta with a piece of salmon. I under-seasoned the salmon, and the pasta was plain and almost flavorless, but from there, I was hooked.

s oon after, I learned how to make carbonara pasta. Pancetta (it’s supposed to be guanciale, but that’s hard to find), eggs and cheese are basically all you need. This was a special recipe because it was my girlfriend in Paris’ favorite meal. Anytime she would come over, I’d make it for us, and then we’d watch a movie or a show as we ate. h er smile was worth many times the effort it took to put together the simple dish.

c ooking has a special way of making people happy. s haring a meal with someone is a unique kind of love. It’s taking care of someone. It’s an appreciation of their company.

b ack in Paris, a good friend of mine was going through a tough time after receiving some rough family news. I had no idea, but that night, something compelled me to cook for everyone studying in Paris with me. h e never left his room, but he later told me the quesadilla we took to his door helped him more than I could ever know.

I am by no means an incredible cook. Just last night I made the most underwhelming white rice I have made in a while. I have a lot to learn but the last few months have made me eager to practice. I have seen the ways that cooking can bring joy to those around me, and I’m chasing the feeling I get from putting a plate in front of my friends and loved ones.

b ut I can’t pretend my motives are purely altruistic. I have so much fun in the kitchen. I love the opportunities that I see when I open my fridge. I love learning new recipes and trying new things. o ften, I do terribly that first time, but sometimes I nail it just right. I fill with pride when I sit down to eat something I’ve just spent time and effort making. I appreciate it that much more, knowing exactly what went into it.

s o, make something you love and do it with pride. Ask your roommate or your best friend what their favorite dish is and share a homemade dinner. Learn to cook and do it with patience. Give yourself room to burn a few dishes and under-season a few salmons, I promise it’s worth it in the end.

Contact José at jsanch24@nd.edu.

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

As I wrapped up my first year at notre dame, I could’t help but reflect on all that has changed over that past year. s trangers became family, r yan turned into home and 60 degrees fahrenheit became crop-top weather. however, out of anything I could add to the list, the one thing that changed the most was how I perceived the world around me, and the books I read for my seminar were a big part of that. m y life in notre d ame became filled with references to books such as c amus’ “The Plague” and “1984” by George o rwell.

e verything in notre d ame, except for the weather, screams d isney. The Golden d ome, the football games, the grotto and the tulip gardens give our campus a fairytale-esque ambience. b ut underlying this magical scenery, direct connections with “The Plague” by Albert c amus can be drawn. notre d ame’s location itself deeply reminds me of the setting of this classic of disaster literature. e ven before the plague that installed the ultimate confinement, o ran is described as an extremely isolated city, leaving the idea that “exile” is relative and could be applied to the town just as easily before the plague as after. It deeply reminds me of s outh b end. The endless flat lands, the serious gentrification and the 90-minute train ride from the closest “big city” really sets up this feeling that we are completely exiled from the rest of the world, and that a plague could affect our area and not spread to the rest of America. however, this is not the only parallel between our beloved university and c amus’ masterpiece. notre d ame is also struck by a plague: the menbroza. This very particular name is used to characterize the students of the renowned mendoza s chool of b usiness, who are known on campus for having the life that I, as an Arts and Letters kid, sometimes wish I had. The idea of being able to live a life with no classes on Fridays, three-day weekends and 15 credit hour semesters spreads like a plague, and infects people in all of notre d ame’s colleges. s uddenly, people that arrived with dreams of changing the world with anthropology, economics and political science degrees got infected with the s I bc /finance-bro lifestyle virus and decided to dedicate their freshman year to transferring to mendoza so they can get a more “useful” major.

As I mentioned before, notre d ame’s connection to classics of disaster literature is not restricted only to “The Plague.” America’s best c atholic University is infamous nationwide for its parietals policy, which restricts members of the opposite sex from being in each other’s living spaces after specific hours. At first glance, these rules may seem simply to be an attempt to promote healthy relationships and prevent sexual activity, but they, in a way, share similarities with the politics of sex that George o rwell explores in his dystopian novel, “1984.” In this classic, o rwell portrays a society where sex is heavily regulated and used as a tool for the government to maintain control over its citizens. The party in the novel seeks to control not just people’s actions, but their thoughts and desires as well, extending to their sexual lives.

however, at the heart of this classic lies an erotic love story between Julia and Winston, whose liaison is, therefore, a political act in opposition to the powers that be. While the specific contexts and motivations behind notre d ame’s parietals and o rwell’s politics of sex may differ, both highlight the ways in which sexuality can be used as a tool of control and regulation. moreover, in both cases, this regulation that serves to limit personal freedom and individual autonomy, suggests that personal responsibility and decision-making are not trusted or encouraged.

most of my writings so far tackled my family relations, dreams, fears, friendships and love (dis)encounters. In them, I allowed parts of me that I didn’t even know existed to come out. I explored my newfound creativity and developed critical sense. As I nostalgically read through all of them, I am able to see all that has changed and how much I matured not only as a writer, but also as a person. For this, the countless advice and unconditional support that being a student in such a prestigious university entails, I will be eternally grateful for my seminar and professor.

Lara is a member of the class of 2026 from Taubaté, Brasil with majors in Economics and Chinese. When she is not complaining about the weather, you can find her studying in a random room of O’Shaughnessy with her friends or spending all her flex points in Garbanzo. You can contact Lara by email at lvictor@nd.edu.

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

Lara Novaes Victor diary of an International student

To scoot or not to scoot

n otre d ame is a big university. s panning 1,250 acres with about 170 buildings, our campus may at times appear as a ground for hiking rather than strolling. First-years especially know all too well the laborious, time-consuming, daily walks from n orth Quad to d e b artolo h all. And so, how does one overcome the locomotion issue? s cooters.

You are probably thinking to yourself: “Wait! I see plenty of bikes parked outside classrooms and skateboards illicitly stored in dorm hallways.” To that, I say I have seen an equal number of bikes parked among the sprawling branches of a tree and skateboards constructed of a jerry-rigged 2x4. It is quite apparent that scooters are the most common and safest form of transportation across campus. h owever, not every student has a scooter to ride to class. Why is that so? I offer a few explanations for why there are not over 8,000 scooters on campus.

The most obvious reason is one of spatial logistics.

Why should someone living in s outh Quad need a scooter to scoot 100 yards to s outh d ining h all and then scoot another 150 yards to their next class? The same applies to any student living near their classes or areas of activity. In this case, it would be unnecessary, even unreasonable for someone to need a scooter. What if one cannot afford a scooter? o ften costing hundreds of dollars, scooters are a significant investment that many students are quite frankly not able to fit within their or their family’s budgets. It is an unfortunate

reality that not every n otre d ame student has equal access to simple possessions that facilitate transportation. The University is dedicated to bridging socioeconomic gaps through generous financial aid and scholarship programs and promoting equity, especially among students of historically underserved backgrounds. These initiatives are fantastic, even necessary for defraying academic costs, but they do not cover the cost of purchasing transportation on or off campus. Perhaps in the next four years, there might be a student-led initiative to fundraise for campus transportation for any student who needs a scooter but cannot afford one.

The next reason is from personal experience. I remember, quite vividly, the multiple occasions on commutes when I heard the droning melody of an electric scooter behind me accompanied by the jingling harmony of a collection of lanyards. s uddenly, a whirl of wind rushes past me at 15 miles per hour. I am displaced a few feet off the sidewalk and glare hopelessly at the n otre d ame athlete bag gradually disappearing in the distance. s omehow or some way, every studentathlete seems to own an electric scooter with a customary name/sport tag to travel to classes and athletic facilities, all of which are quite a distance from dorm halls. n ow, I do not expect n otre d ame to present me with a brand-new electric scooter with a red ribbon tied to the handle. I have no role in contributing to potential national championships. b ut for the rest of the student population like me who are not athletically gifted, I sense a resulting stigma behind using a scooter.

s ome might contrive that regular students are attempting to impersonate student-athletes.

o thers might think that a regular student does

not need a scooter to condense multiple 15- to 20-minute walks to each class. Whatever the case is, there is certainly an unspoken pressure to not use a scooter as a student living on campus, even if it makes your life more difficult than it must be. The class commute social norm is to not attract attention to yourself, to get from point A to point b within the 15-minute time interval and to blend in. s tanding at least a foot taller and traveling 12 miles per hour faster than your neighboring commuters is a surefire way to draw unwarranted attention. m y resolution to the question “to scoot or not to scoot” is complex.

s tudent-athletes? Yes, they deserve to scoot around however they please. (Although, I would still like to know how every one of them magically gets a scooter.)

r egular students? Yes and no, depending on the circumstance. n ot riding a scooter should be purely out of choice, uninfluenced by a financial situation or social pressure. Put simply, if you think you need a scooter, you should be able to purchase one and ride to your heart’s desire.

The more common scooters become among regular students, the more attention drawn to the financial gaps and stigma concerning transportation. Until that happens, I along with many others will slip on their sneakers, tie the laces and set out bravely to the other side of campus for class.

Jonah Tran is a sophomore at Notre Dame double majoring in Finance and Classics with a minor in Constitutional Studies. He prides himself on sarcasm and his home — the free state of Florida. You can contact Jonah by email at jtran5@nd.edu.

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

Five kids and a full-time job

I am writing this from the perspective of a young woman, ambitious to achieve a healthy career, marriage and family … but is this too much to ask for in 2023? According to the data, potentially.

Women account for over 50% of the population but, in 2017, women accounted for less than 4% of board chairs across nearly 7,000 companies in 44 countries. Furthermore, only one in four c - s uite leaders are women … only one in 20 are woman of color. h ow does this happen? Well, for every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level to manager, only 87 women are promoted. This trend continues up the ladder leaving fewer females available at each level to promote to the next.

Additionally, women leaders are now leaving their companies at the highest rate in years. In fact, for every woman director who gets promoted, two women directors are choosing to leave their company. Perhaps this is because female leaders are two times as likely as male leaders to be mistaken for someone more junior. Perhaps this is because women filed 78% of the 27,291 sexual harassment charges from 2018 to 2021 and 59% of women have reported experiencing microaggressions and/or sexual harassment while at work. o r, perhaps this is because the gender pay gap in the United s tates has closed only two cents over the past two decades. Whatever the case, the data has shown again and again that females who take the hardest hits in their careers all share one thing in common — they are mothers. This is not good economically. It is estimated

that gender pay gaps cost the global economy roughly 15% of potential G d P. h owever, increasing female employment rates in oecd countries to match that of a current leader in the space, s weden, is projected to boost G d P by over $6 trillion U. s d

This is not good for individual companies. s tatistically, gender diversity is a 62.6% predictor of increased profits and productivity; 59.1% of openness and innovation; 57.8% of enhanced company reputation and 37.9% of the ability to better gauge consumer interest and demand.

Last but not least, this is not good for our current and future families alike. Longitudinal U. s . data suggests positive associations between mothers’ employment and adult daughters’ employment probability, income, hours worked and equitable division of household work. Likewise, adult sons of U. s .-employed mothers engage in more housework and are more likely to be married to women who are also employed. e ncouraging and helping women from the current generation to stay in the workforce and climb the corporate ladder will have positive effects on future generations.

While interning this past summer, I was asked by an older colleague if I would like to be a mother someday. “Absolutely!” I replied. “ h ow many?” he asked.

“Three to five.”

“Wow. d o you want to work?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a full-time mom.”

“I completely understand that, but my mom has always worked full time, and I look up to her immensely for it, so I’d like for my kids to do the same.”

“ v ery ambitious and to each their own, but it

may come down to which one matters more to you in the future.”

This conversation meant no harm on either side and no offense was taken. h owever, I would be shocked to hear that any male colleagues ever experienced a conversation like this in the workplace.

In order for ambitious young women to “have it all” and to really succeed, society must stop telling women they have to choose. Women who have left their jobs in the past 12 months cite the top reasons as work-life balance (45%) followed by career advancement (39%) and higher pay (36%). In order to become more equitable and efficient environments, workplaces could prioritize increasing flexibility, protecting employee personal time, increasing pay transparency and releasing detailed commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion measures. It is important to create workplaces welcoming to all–to create work that is applicable to all. Furthermore, it is important to continuously leave the world a more equitable place so that our children may be even more ambitious to do the same. If I can’t have five kids and a fulltime job, then I at least hope my granddaughter might.

Emma Schoenauer is a junior living in Johnson Family Hall studying Economics and minoring in Sustainability and in Public Service. Emma is Vice President of BridgeND and is heavily involved in sustainability efforts on campus. She is passionate about utilizing economics to establish efficient and sustainable practices for financial firms and government institutions in her future. You can contact Emma by email at eschoena@nd.edu

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

Emma Schoenauer bridgend

Jonah Tran saturae et sapientia

Is AI the catalyst of a liberal arts renaissance?

At the beginning of this semester, my professor in a data-focused research elective told us that he was making some changes to the course. He was going to spend less time walking us through the coding skills needed to operate a popular data manipulation software called Stata. Instead, he advised us to take advantage of ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that can write and explain dozens of lines of perfect syntax on command. As long as we take time to understand what the code is doing, he said, ChatGPT is an excellent learning resource and it allows him to focus his lectures on more interesting material. Then, he told us what students are hearing increasingly around campus: AI is here to stay. You might as well use it.

As the age of AI closes in, professors around campus are going to make similar decisions. Programming-related courses will adapt to AI tools, focusing on the theory behind the code rather than the syntax itself. Andrej Karpathy, a leading AI researcher, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that “The hottest new programming language is English.”

He’s right. As AI continues its rapid development, we will no longer need to learn to code – only to understand programming at its more fundamental level. On top of this, analytical skills like accounting, visual communication and data literacy can all be mastered by AI. These developments don’t mean that these skills will become obsolete or that Notre Dame students should be concerned about job security, but the way we understand college education needs to change to accommodate the emergence of AI.

Notre Dame, like other American universities, has seen a huge decline in liberal arts enrollment

in the last decade, losing half of its humanities majors between 2012 and 2020, according to the New Yorker. In a world where the cost of a college education has risen at nearly five times the rate of inflation, this should not be a surprise. Students need a return on their investments, and this leads them to the “useful” major — one that teaches concrete, resume-ready skills that pave a secure path to career success. Often, this means STE m majors that teach students software such as Stata, m atLab, r , SolidWorks and Excel. But there’s now a problem: AI is about to take an axe to the labor market and data analysis is the first on the chopping block. At a school where the number one job title for recent graduates is analyst, this should be cause for concern.

most studies predict that AI will not cause a mass firing of technically skilled professionals, but the tasks demanded of skilled workers will change. According to Forbes, the professional service jobs of the future will “evolve around the ability to deploy tools like ChatGPT while practicing human decision-making, problemsolving, strategy, leadership and team-building.” Forbes advises professionals to prepare for this change by embracing AI and finding its shortcomings like my research class did. In short, the technical skills that students covet will lose value, but we will remain employed if we focus on what sets us as apart from AI. That’s where the liberal arts education comes in.

The problem causing the demise of the liberal arts is not a lack of interest. It’s the growth of a category of students who would study the humanities but are otherwise held back by concerns about job eligibility. Now, as technical skills lose their value in the job market, STE m and business majors will lose their career advantage. When the English major is as qualified for a position in financial services or strategy consulting as the finance major, the liberal arts have their renaissance. Students will once

again choose majors for the sake of interest rather than practicality.

In fact, the humanities might gain an edge over their technically focused counterparts because humanities majors do everything that machines cannot do. Sure, ask ChatGPT to write a sonnet or a paper on v irginia Woolf and it will write one, but AI cannot experience arts and letters in the way humans can. AI will never do something for the sake of itself, which is the nature of activities like poetry, philosophy and art. Artes liberales, the “free arts,” are free in that they do not depend on the usefulness of their study. Useful skills are a by-product of a liberal arts education, but the true goal is the experience itself. In fact, the humanities might be the only course of study not threatened by the advent of AI.

So, what does this mean for Notre Dame? It doesn’t mean that the whole student body will suddenly flood O’Shaughnessy Hall. Students who study STE m and business fields out of interest, not utility – and there are plenty of them –will continue their courses of study. But my hope is that fifteen years from now, no student will give up on their interest in the liberal arts for the sake of job security. The hundreds of posters in O’Shaughnessy trying desperately to persuade students that they can “do anything” with a humanities degree can come down, and the liberal arts can return to their former glory.

Rose is a senior from Buffalo, NY with majors in economics and the Program of Liberal Studies. Her writing interests include ethics, campus culture and the intersection of economics, politics and philosophy. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading on the tenth floor of the library, losing intramural basketball games or working at the Law School. You can contact Rose by email at rquiniaz@nd.edu.

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

More than a game

played, and I was amazed by the deep sense of enthusiasm and love and devotion the crowds seemed to have for Notre Dame.

excitement. The game experience was one I know I’ll never have again, and thinking about it now, I am still at a loss for words.

Traveling to Dublin this past weekend with the Notre Dame cheerleaders was nothing short of incredible. Having been to Dublin before, I was amazed by the city’s transformation into what felt like South Bend on a football weekend. The streets were flooded with fans who flocked from the United States, and even those who call Dublin and Ireland home were eager to cheer on the Irish.

The identity and influence of Notre Dame was put on full display this weekend. No other school could have garnered the enthusiasm and the crowds abroad like Notre Dame did.

On Saturday, the parade down Dame Street (which was rebranded to be Notre Dame Street) turned into a pep rally with the band and cheerleaders. The bustling streets were packed by fans whose level of excitement was simply indescribable. People of all ages sang the alma mater and victory march as the band

On Friday night, Le Cheile, a concert celebrating Ireland and America’s musical talents, featured incredible acts with an opportunity for the University band and cheerleaders to perform. As a cheerleader, this experience was so special because I got to wait backstage, talk with other acts and hear the director of the show talk about the power of the Notre Dame identity. He told us about how he immigrated to America and found a home with the Notre Dame community. Through Notre Dame football, he found a place in America. He had such a deep respect for us and Notre Dame, and he could not express enough how we are so incredibly fortunate to be a part of this institution.

While Notre Dame’s planned events were fun, the most rewarding experience was interacting with the fans and locals. And then it all came to a head Saturday night when the team ran onto the field. The stadium, filled with about 40,000 people, erupted in

Everyone talks about the power of attending Notre Dame; its identity in the world is unparalleled. I saw that in full force this past weekend. The slogan for the game was “much more than a game,” and that could not be more true. The fans. The city. The interactions. The enthusiasm. The tradition. It all showed me why this football game meant so much to so many people. It was an opportunity to celebrate Dublin, to celebrate Ireland, to celebrate the historical relationship between Notre Dame and the Navy and to celebrate Notre Dame internationally. It was an opportunity to come together as a Notre Dame family, to partake in the rich tradition of our University and to cheer on the Irish in more aspects than just one.

Contact Hannah at hhebda@nd.edu.

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

Rose Quinlan A Contrarian’s Contribution

INSIDE ColUmN Hannah Hebda

Assistant managing Editor

By ANDY OTTONE scene Writer

before the release of marvel’s “Iron man” in 2008, if you asked someone on the street to name a superhero, you weren’t likely to hear much beyond spider-man, superman, batman or Wonder Woman. If you were to ask that same question now, there are dozens of heroes that the casual fan would know as a result of the influx of superhero media that has come out in the last decade and a half. no hero has received a popularity boost on the same level as the Guardians of the Galaxy, however. originally an obscure team from the 1970s with a small presence in the wider marvel universe, the vision of one artist turned the team of intergalactic do-gooders into the lovable, albeit morally gray, band of misfits that have become household names. That man is James Gunn.

Gunn’s work within the superhero genre demonstrates a love for the bizarre and the obscure. In his work with marvel, Gunn not only brought the Guardians of the Galaxy to life but expanded the film franchise to the stars, establishing the cosmic societies hinted at in previous films. his previous work at dc fulfilled a similar purpose, revitalizing the “suicide squad” franchise

with a soft reboot of the titular team, taking obscure characters from far reaches of dc comics’ history and making audiences invested in their fate as they pursue an unwinnable mission.

Last may, James Gunn ended his stint with marvel studios with the finale of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” series. before the film’s release, Gunn had already announced his next project, and it was bigger than just one movie, or even a movie series. James Gunn, alongside producer Peter saffran, has been named co-head of dc studios, a subsidiary of Warner bros. Though the studio’s first projects won’t debut for another two years, Gunn has already revealed a partial outline of what to expect from the company: classic heroes such as superman and batman, alongside lesser known characters such as the swamp Thing or the Authority, are receiving films.

Gunn will not only act as ceo for dc studios but will continue to write and direct, starting with the upcoming “superman: Legacy.” over the summer, Gunn announced he had found his superman and Lois Lane in david corenswet (“The Politician”) and rachel brosnahan (“The marvelous mrs. maisel”) respectively. however, Gunn’s love for the obscure hasn’t faded completely. Alongside the film’s central

leads, Gunn announced the casting of four supporting heroes, whose presence indicates that this is not just a film to show a new superman, but a new world of superheroes entirely. Alongside superman, Gunn has cast edi Gathegi as mr. Terrific, Isabela merced as hawkgirl, nathan Fillion as Green Lantern member Guy Gardner and Anthony carrigan as metamorpho.

The characters Gunn has picked exemplify the title’s name: legacy. none of the four supporting heroes have been in a live-action film, but all hold deep ties to various parts of the dc comic universe. Terrific, hawkgirl and Gardner all are legacy characters that took up the mantles of other heroes that came before them, and metamorpho’s adventures are less heroic but focus more on science fiction, mystery and even horror. regardless of who these characters are and the roles they play in the film’s story, what they represent is the greatest thing about dc comics. It’s a world as vast and varied as our own, and I have a feeling that with “superman: Legacy,” James Gunn is ready to bring that world to life.

Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu

By ANNA FALK scene editor

Themed outfits, gaggles of young people, surprise songs, mention of a mirrorball. sounds like the eras Tour, right? Wrong.

sunday evening, I made the trip to chicago to see one of my favorite bands of all time: Arctic monkeys. I’ve been known by friends, family and readers of The observer to be a huge fan of the british rock group. once I heard the song “snap out of It” during my sophomore year of high school, I was never the same.

since then, my tastes have definitely changed, but I still love Arctic monkeys all the same. I jumped at the chance to see them live, and I had been looking forward to this concert for almost a year.

Arctic monkeys released their seventh studio album, “The car,” on oct. 21 last year. many aspects of the album show the quartet’s continued musical and lyrical strength, but it definitely was not what most fans were expecting. however, it was the new era, and any hardcore fan knew they would eventually embrace it wholeheartedly.

similar to Taylor swift, this era came with its own particular aesthetic, its own era of hairstyles, outfits and vibes. “The car” is definitely more toned-down compared to previous albums’ aesthetics, fitting the development

of the band’s musical styles and interests as well as their maturation.

but they still manage to have fun on stage.

I can confirm: The concert crowd looked like the infamous 2014 Tumblr picture. There was absolutely no doubt about it. Looking around, I also found many people donning custom merch, bedazzled hats and shoes, clothes from drummer matt helders’ line and even those wearing an outfit found on one of the members from a previous monkeys era. (I opted for frontman Alex Turner’s Glastonbury 2016 fit.)

once the music began, though, all eyes turned to the stage. Their set design was minimal but tasteful, focusing the audience on the band and their music. opening with “sculptures of Anything Goes” from “The car,” the United center shook with the intensity of the bass. The screams at their entrance to the stage were deafening.

hits and fan favorites from (almost) every album followed, including “crying Lightning,” “505,” “do I Wanna Know” and “Why’d You only call me When You’re high?”

The outro of “Arabella” turned into “War Pigs” by black sabbath. The “surprise” songs — that is, the ones that weren’t on the setlist the night before — were “Potion Approaching,” “one Point Perspective” and “I Wanna be Yours.”

Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of “Potion Approaching;” there are much better songs on “humbug,”

like “Pretty visitors,” “Fire And The Thud” and “The Jeweller’s hands,” that would have been much more exciting to see. however, this album is my favorite, and I was just glad to see it on the setlist. In the words of Turner: “‘humbug,’ babey!!”

Throughout the performance, the band kept a great energy. They made minimal breaks to talk in between songs, but anything they said was a short quip or note of excitement at seeing everyone in the crowd. Turner recently has been known to change up the rhythm of the songs — an observation I made but felt wasn’t too dramatic to prevent the audience from singing along. he pranced around the stage and rocked with the melody, mirroring the enthusiasm of the pit. As my friend michelle and I both noted, he seemed to speak with no accent and every accent at the same time. despite the band being from sheffield, england, it certainly didn’t sound like it. he was quite entertaining, however, and I will always be grateful for a man who pronounces chicago like Trina vega from “victorious.”

It can be difficult to hear your heroes live. sometimes, they simply do not live up to the hype in person. Arctic monkeys were not one of these bands. I enjoyed every minute of their performance, and I can rest easy knowing that Turner (supposedly) loves “humbug” just as much as I do.

Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu

happy Birthday: Size up situations, get the facts and act with precision and detail. If you refuse to let your emotions interfere with logic this year, you will ward off taking a costly roller coaster ride. Put changes into play, but first, you must address a budget and use common sense. good timing is essential if you want to reach your target. refuse to let temptation and emotional factors lead you astray. your numbers are 5, 12, 20, 27, 31, 44, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take a walk down memory lane and revive an old idea, friendship or activity that can add positive components to your daily routine. Call the shots and make things happen. Do whatever it takes to increase your self-esteem and put your best foot forward.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make a statement and follow through. Show confidence in yourself and what you can bring to the table. Offering a truthful assessment will stop anyone from trying to talk you out of your hard-earned cash. Don’t let anyone play on your sympathy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): you have more leverage than you think. Don’t stop; question what others say and walk away from demands you don’t like. run the show instead of letting someone take advantage of you. Put your energy into learning, details and finishing what you start.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Proceed into any proposed joint transaction requiring a quick decision or down payment with trepidation. Question what others offer and expect in return. Be smart, take your time and don’t be afraid to go it alone. have confidence in your ability to make wise decisions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take control when deciding what’s best for you. Be wary of anyone using emotional tactics to push you in a problematic, costly or questionable direction. Put your energy into building a stronger, healthier self and gravitate toward like-minded individuals. Put yourself first.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Ponder over details until you feel comfortable with the results. use intelligence when dealing with outside influences or pursuing new information that can transform your life or how you do things. Dedicate more time and effort to how you use your cash and skills.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Surround yourself with people who point you in a healthy and profitable direction. Say no to temptation and over-the-top suggestions. Socialize and network with those who care more about health and well-being. Pay attention to tips that improve your looks and feelings.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Think before you respond. Overreacting will result in changes that are emotionally damaging to a meaningful relationship. Concentrate on creativity and using your imagination to bring about stability and security. Walk away from chaos and people who set a poor example.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Speak kindly, be patient and protect your privacy. keep life simple, moderate and honest. Stick to what you know, and respond in good faith and with compassion. Pay attention to how you feel, and curb spending, binge eating and drinking.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Develop a detailed plan before moving. A lifestyle change will positively impact your financial well-being; however, it’s likely to create a problem with someone in your life who tends to take advantage of you or your generosity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): have faith in your intuition and ability to respond, but don’t rule out that the information you receive may be exaggerated. get the facts before you act or share what you hear. A new look will draw compliments, and romance is on the rise.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s up to you to make changes if something is holding you back. Tidy up loose ends and explore the available possibilities. leave nothing to chance or in someone else’s hands. use your intelligence to devise a plan that delivers.

Birthday Baby: you are astute, imaginative and giving. you are energetic and intriguing.

Dublin

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

way of tailgating did nothing to detract from the traditional excitement of a game day. If anything, it only enhanced it.

As a Notre Dame student, hearing “Here Come the Irish” echo through the streets of Dublin could only be described as spiritual. The band’s performance only heightened the sentiment as Central Plaza replaced Bond Hall for the day. By the time we disbanded and hopped in line for merch, we were already ready for the game to begin.

Once it did a few hours later, it didn’t disappoint. The overwhelmingly Notre Dame crowd was deafening from the beginning as players took to the field alongside traditional Irish musicians and dancers. The usual hype videos certainly brought South Bend to Dublin; however, the pre-game rendition of the national anthem was accompanied by Ireland’s and a fly-over unlike any

HCC wOmeN’S SOCCeR

we’ve seen at Notre Dame Stadium. The roar of three aircrafts operated by the U.S. Navy Ospreys took us by such surprise and awe that we didn’t have time to process and scrambled to try to capture the moment with our phones. We got lucky with our seats and sat right alongside the players’ tunnel, giving us a first-hand view of the team as they prepared for their season debut. Coach Freeman looked locked in from the moment he came into view, and the couple of minutes the team stood there waiting were exhilarating as we screamed at the top of our lungs, adding to the chorus of shouts and cheers coming from the players themselves. It seemed from the moment they lined up, they were ready for the job they had to do, especially with all the build-up and hype leading to that moment.

With the Irish dominating the entire game, the excitement never tapered — but the touchdown push-ups unfortunately did. They occurred all throughout

the stadium as the points racked up, but slowed as the number continued to grow. My three friends and I made an attempt, getting each of us in the air at least once, but quickly realized we had taken the group of twelve we usually have at games largely for granted. By the end, we were tired but overwhelmed by the rush of the whole day. The grand finale of the trophy presentation was the perfect cap for the Aviva Stadium experience, and as the golden streamers floated through the air and fireworks set off behind the end zone, we had the collective feeling that this once-in-a-lifetime experience was one we’d relive again and again back on campus. It seems everyone shared the same sentiment, for as we walked through town after the crowds had returned to the pubs, cheers to the Irish and an unforgettable day in Dublin clamored over the typical excited chatter of a home win.

Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

Opponents

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

if Williams plays his best football.

No. 2: Clemson (Road, Nov. 4)

Had this been a list of most valuable games on the schedule, No. 9 Clemson would’ve taken the top spot.

According to ESPN Analytics, the Irish will likely split with Ohio State and USC. Such an 8-1 start would make this game the equivalent of the 2017 Notre Dame-Miami game. A win would put the Irish on a Playoff path, a loss would almost certainly end their hopes.

Head coach Dabo

Swinney remembers the 35-14 whooping Notre Dame inflicted on his team last November.

Given Swinney’s pickup of Playoff-tested offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, the Tigers will be ready. As will Death Valley, the toughest environment Notre Dame will have played in since the pandemic.

No. 1: Ohio State (Home, Sept. 23)

What more needs to be said? No. 3 Ohio State enters as both a perennial championship contender and a program that has essentially given away the last two Big Ten titles to rival Michigan. And while this primetime clash on the first Saturday of fall means nothing for their conference dreams, the Buckeyes will be hungry from the start in 2023.

They’ll be loaded, too, featuring All-American wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. among an NFL-worthy group of pass-catchers. OSU’s big question mark (offensive line) will oppose one of Notre Dame’s (defensive line). By winning up front and bothering talented, but raw quarterback Kyle McCord, the Irish might just find a way to shine in their new green jerseys.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

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

Last-second goal pushes Saints to 3-2 win against Indiana East

By MATTHEW CROW

Associate Sports Editor

On Saturday afternoon, Holy Cross women’s soccer picked up its second victory of the season, coming from behind to defeat Indiana East 3-2 on the road. After a scoreless first half, the Saints exploded for a trio of goals after the break to seal a thrilling win against the Red Wolves. The match was not decided until the final seconds. With the victory, Holy Cross got back on track after a 4-1 loss to Bethel on Wednesday and improved to 2-1 on the year.

Neither offense could find much of a rhythm in the game’s early stages. The teams combined for just six shots in the first half. Midway through the period, Saints senior midfielder Olivia Shaw put the game’s first shot on goal. But after a save by the Red Wolves keeper, it was IU East who would strike first soon after.

In the 25th minute, IU East’s Amyah Thacker executed a crisp giveand-go move with Denise Davalos. Firing a shot into the upper right corner of the net, Thacker gave the Red Wolves an early 1-0

advantage. That proved to be the only score before halftime, as both defenses continued buckling down. Saints freshman goalkeeper Payton Ladson made two key saves late in the half to keep Holy Cross within striking distance.

The Saints came out of the break as the aggressors in what was a high-octane second half. Less than five minutes into the half, Shaw leveled the score at 1-1 with a high-arching shot from long range that slipped just past the goalie’s outstretched hand. The goal was the second in as many games for Shaw, who was Holy Cross’s lone scorer against Bethel.

Neither side could break the deadlock for the next 30 minutes, setting up a tense final stretch of play. With Holy Cross on the attack on the right side of the field, junior defender Katherine West sent forward a long pass that cut

through the Red Wolves defense and connected with freshman forward Miriam IturriagaSanchez in stride. Staring down a clear path to the goal, IturriagaSanchez made no mistakes. She notched her second goal of the season, putting the Saints ahead for the first time in the 83rd minute.

Holy Cross’s lead proved short lived, though, as IU East responded just 51 seconds later. After forcing a turnover deep in the Saints’ territory, the Red Wolves’ Thacker made a short pa ss to Maggie Bischoff, who used a shot fake to create space before evening the score at 2-2.

Despite the game seemingly headed toward a draw, the Saints were not done yet. Holy Cross earned a 90th minute corner kick, and Shaw launched the ball to the middle of the field.

Freshman defender Abigail Fouts scored the gamewinner from close range, sending the Saints into celebration with her first career goal. The come-from-behind victory came as a result of Holy Cross taking full control of the game in the second half. After attempting just two first-half shots, the Saints outshot the Red Wolves 13-6 after the break. Nine of those shots were on goal, in comparison to just two for IU East. Moving forward, the Saints will look to maintain that offensive aggression and utilize the momentum given to them by the last-second win as they continue to approach conference play. Holy Cross will return to action on Wednesday for a third consecutive road game against Goshen at 6 pm.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

Reidy: Ranking Notre Dame football opponents

No. 8: Wake

f orest

Saints get win over Indiana East

Tyler Reidy Associate Sports Editor

This spring, ESPN’s Football Power Index ranked Notre Dame’s schedule the 19th-toughest in college football. Of their final 11 games, the Irish will face eight teams that won eight or more games last year. Headlining that list are serious playoff contenders in Ohio State, USC and Clemson. With their season-opening rout of Navy behind us, here’s how the Irish schedule stacks up from easiest to hardest.

No. 11: t ennessee State

(Home, Sept. 2)

Notre Dame’s next game, its first against an FCS school, should be its easiest. Under former star running back Eddie George, the Tigers have gone 9-13 across the last two seasons. Additionally, TSU has not met a Power 5 program since the end of 2021, when Mississippi State dished out a 55-10 beatdown. The Irish stayed an extra night in Dublin after trouncing Navy in the season opener, so the possibilities of a letdown game here are minimal.

No. 10: Central Michigan (Home, Sept. 16)

Sandwiched between two of Notre Dame’s four toughest matchups, CMU could make some noise in South Bend. The Chippewas scored 44 points at Oklahoma State and hung with Penn State for a half last year. But they still went 4-8 and now return only a few starters on offense. The Irish should improve to 7-0 against the Mid-American Conference.

No. 9: Stanford (Road, Nov. 25)

Notre Dame has a bone to pick with Stanford. Last October, a stunning home loss to Stanford dropped the Irish to 3-3 before they caught fire down the stretch. But this year’s game sets up differently for the Irish, who will likely have plenty to play for down the stretch and have dominated their last two visits to Palo Alto. Meanwhile, this is a rebuilding season for Stanford under new head coach Troy Taylor. Everything points Notre Dame’s way. But uncertainty runs wild in a rivalry matchup nearly three months away.

(Home, Nov. 18)

The Irish haven’t lost on Senior Day in seven years, and the odds of a streakbreaker in 2023 are slim. Wake must overcome a poor defense, the loss of a historic quarterback and diminishing talent in the receiver room. Furthermore, the Demon Deacons have never beaten Notre Dame in five opportunities. Still, the storylines around this game could make it interesting. How will graduate quarterback Sam Hartman handle a reunion with his former team? Will the Irish take their foot off the gas with their most difficult games in the rearview mirror?

No. 7: Pittsburgh (Home, o ct. 28)

Like Wake Forest, Pitt marches into South Bend on the heels of an Irish bye week. And an argument can be made for this game entering the top five, as the Panthers traditionally play the Irish tough. In 2012 and 2018, Notre Dame’s last two 12-win seasons, Pitt took the Irish to the brink of imperfection. Now, former Irish quarterback Phil Jurkovec expects to fully return to Notre Dame Stadium after missing last year’s trip back with Boston College due to injury. If he finds his 2020 form and Notre Dame starts slow, an upset could be imminent.

No. 6: NC State (Road, Sept. 9)

The positioning of these next three games is very interchangeable. Notre Dame’s week two trip to Raleigh is their lone road test of the first four weeks, which poses some concern. And as seasoned offensive coordinator Robert Anae and transfer quarterback Brennan Armstrong reunite, the Wolfpack offense should improve.

When the two were together at Virginia in 2021, Armstrong led the ACC in passing yards, so the Irish defense must come prepared. They’ll have extra time to prepare with the Pack’s opener falling on a Thursday. A program with eight-plus wins in five of the last six seasons, NC State can and will compete with Notre Dame.

No. 5: l ouisville (Road, o ct. 7)

This early-October contest leads into Midterm Week with the USC rivalry,

increasing risks of overlooking Louisville and performing poorly in general. Notre Dame can take solace in Cal transfer Jack Plummer, who struggled mightily in South Bend last season, becoming the starter. But Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm provides a dangerous setup for the Irish. Beating Notre Dame would be an impressive signature win in his first year at his alma mater. During Brohm’s tenure at Purdue, the Boilermakers shocked No. 2 Ohio State, No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State. While the Irish likely won’t reach the nation’s top three by week six, Louisville is still no cakewalk.

No. 4: Duke (Road, Sept. 30)

No team on the Irish schedule screams “trap game” at the volume of Duke. Among Notre Dame’s three most difficult games, only Ohio State comes with another game seven days later. It’s this one. Last season, the Irish followed their two battles against top-five opposition with a 26-21 loss to Marshall and a 35-32 edging of Navy. Not exactly desirable.

Fortunately, we’ll know much more about the Blue Devils soon. They’ll start the season by hosting No. 9 Clemson on Labor Day. What we do know is that Hartman has at least 340 passing yards and three touchdown passes in both career meetings with Duke.

No. 3: USC (Home, o ct. 14)

Now for the cream of the crop. Midway between Ohio State and Clemson lies the 97-year rivalry between Notre Dame and No. 6 USC. Should the Irish fall to the Buckeyes three weeks prior, another loss here would almost certainly drive them from playoff contention. Thankfully, we’ve already seen a sliver of what the Trojans have to offer, as told by their 5628 week zero defeat of San Jose State. Reigning Heisman quarterback Caleb Williams will have his way. But the USC defense is once again suspect. Notre Dame wields a quarterback who knows a thing or two about shootouts. That and improved play in the trenches may be enough, even

By DANNY NERI Sports Writer

The Holy Cross College men’s soccer team tallied its first victory of the season against Indiana East on Saturday night. Both the Saints and Red Wolves entered the game 0-1 on the season, looking for their first win. Holy Cross, however, took control of the match early and never looked back.

The scoring began for the Saints in the 19th minute. Junior forward Isaac Filippo scored off an assist from sophomore midfielder Tristan Alfaro, marking the first goal and first assist of the season, respectively, for the duo. Not content to sit on one goal for long, Filippo struck again in the 24th minute from an assist by Isaac Contreras to put the Saints up 2-0.

Despite continued offensive pressure and three more shots on goal, the Saints failed to score again in the first half. The match remained 2-0 as the teams entered the intermission.

The Saints stayed on the offensive coming out of the half, tallying four shots and three corner kicks before eventually capitalizing in the 68th minute. A goal from senior forward Gabe Nyenka — his first of the year — gave the

Saints a commanding 3-0 lead. He was assisted by fellow forward Kevin Vidana, marking the junior’s first assist of the season.

The Saints offense would keep the heat turned up on the Red Wolves defense for the remainder of the game. Holy Cross tallied six more shots and three more corner kicks, although ultimately were unable to convert their opportunities.

This was no issue, however, as they were able to ride their stellar defense for the remainder of the game. The Saints’ defense finished the match with 0 shots on goal allowed, and sophomore Isaias Rubio recorded his first clean sheet of the season. This led to a final score of 3-0 and a dominant performance on both sides of the ball from Holy Cross.

With the triumph, the Saints get into the win column and move back to level on the season with a 1-1 record, while Indiana East still searches for their first victory, falling to 0-2.

With their first win in the books, the Saints now look forward to their next matchup on Wednesday, Aug. 30th at Goshen College.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

Observer on the ground in Dublin

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

With 40,000+ fans flocking to the city, Dublin this weekend felt like South Bend Abroad. On each of my four flights to and from the city, at least 90% of travelers self-identified as Irish fans, sporting everything from baseball caps to fullon shamrock suits in a declaration of their loyalties. While there were a handful of Navy supporters in attendance well aware of the reason for the migration, the remaining poor travelers in ignorant bliss of the game were surely greeted with a surprise at the gate.

But the airport was only the beginning. Pick a street in the city, and at least one building had gold and blue balloons lining their awnings, not to mention travel-essential Dame Street transforming into “Notre Dame Street” for the weekend. When the front desk manager of our hotel noted this kind of shutdown had never happened before, not even for St. Patrick’s Day,

you knew they were pulling out all the stops ahead of Saturday’s match.

As someone who has attended St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, that is the only thing I can liken the fervor of the weekend to. Flags advertising the game dotted our path into town, forming a kind of yellow-brick road as we inched toward Aviva Stadium. But instead of the parking lot hosting the majority of fans as it does in South Bend, game day’s usual tailgates transitioned into a universal pub crawl.

Even as we made our way to Dame Street for the marching band’s midday concert, we were fighting through crowds spilling out the doors of different establishments in the Temple Bar district. The Temple Bar itself was a Fighting Irish stomping ground. Seeing the iconic pub’s patrons exclusively in Hammes Bookstore-issued merchandise was a worldscolliding moment that is still hard to wrap my head around. However, this new

won their opening match, coming from behind to beat Wichita state before another comeback effort against Texas Tech on the red raiders’ home court fell short. It’s only two games, of course, but rockwell is impressed by what she’s seen.

“We started the match with the right mentality, [the one] that we’ve had all through preseason,” rockwell said. “We really took the last few weeks to talk about the process, about getting better, about trusting one another. All of those things that are important to get to the endgame, really not focusing on outcomes, but our training. And it was really, really cool to see all of those things come through.”

but just because the Irish had holes to fill for 2023 didn’t mean the cupboard was barren. When rockwell arrived, she was immediately impressed by senior libero hattie monson. she had played almost 200 sets in her first two seasons in south bend and was already a classic “leadership by example” style of player. but rockwell saw an opportunity for monson to grow, even if it meant stepping out of her comfort zone and into a more vocal role.

Offense

con TInued From PAGe 12

Wide Receivers

There’s always a bit of a chicken-and-egg dynamic between quarterback and receiver play. hartman certainly made life easy for his wideouts saturday, consistently making on-time throws and leading them into open space. That being said, the receivers themselves certainly made some plays themselves. Freshman Jaden Greathouse fought off a defender to free himself for the team’s third touchdown on a deep route in the second quarter. Junior Jayden Thomas capped off the half with a two-handed snag through contact for six points and popped the entire day. The two represent the team’s best chance of having an impact receiver, something the Irish sorely lacked in 2022.

They weren’t the only ones to shine in a positive light. Junior deion colzie flashed as well after an inconsistent 2022. senior chris Tyree had a respectable first career game playing in the slot after converting from running back. even graduate student matt salerno got in on the fun.

The one disappointment was sophomore Tobias merriweather, a popular breakout candidate. he failed to catch the two passes thrown his way, which were the drop and near-PI aforementioned in the quarterbacks section. still, considering wideout was essentially a universal weakness heading into the year, the unit being a strength saturday represents a huge success.

Weekly Grade: A-; season Grade: A-

“The team just respects her work ethic,” rockwell said. “because she doesn’t talk all the time, it’s very valuable, the things she has to say are impactful. so, on the court, of course, she did almost five digs, [which] for six, seven digs of sets, is crazy. but more than that, she passed [the ball] … she’s just elevated for game and she wants to be great. And she’s put in the work to do it on and off the court.”

monson isn’t the only returner leading the charge for the Irish in 2023. sophomore outside hitter Lucy Trump earned Acc Freshman of the Week honors late last season.

senior middle blocker charity mcdowell was spoken highly of by rockwell as one of the team’s top blockers a year ago. Another senior middle blocker, Lauren Tarnoff, is also looking to build off a strong finish to 2022.

The road to greatness is a bumpy one with no shortcuts. Time will tell how the journey goes for the Irish. outsiders may not see much success in the numbers of rockwell’s debut season. dig deeper, though, and there is evidence the Irish are on that road.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

Tight Ends

For the second time since 2019, the Irish played a regular-season game without michael mayer, and it showed. not only did the Irish tight ends fail to garner so much as a single target from hartman, junior mitchell evans took the team’s lone penalty, a potentially drive-stalling hold on an opening-drive third down. The group deserves some credit for its blocking efforts, of course. And they get some slack for the setback of losing senior Kevin bauman to a torn AcL late in training camp. but they’ll need to show more going forward.

Weekly Grade: c; season Grade: c

Offensive Line no sacks or penalties, just one hurry allowed and a bevy of impact rushes from across the running back core. hard to do better than that for the Irish line, which enters 2023 as a dark horse Joe moore Award candidate. Graduate student center Zeke correll looked good after not being confirmed to play until Thursday due to a left ankle injury. Juniors rocco spindler and Pat coogan looked like the right choices to start at guard after coming from behind to win those roles in camp. credit both the line for executing at an incredibly high level and the Irish coaches for putting them in a position to succeed.

Tougher tests lie ahead, but they passed test no. 1 with flying colors.

Weekly Grade: A+; season Grade: A+

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

FOOTBALL

Week 1 defense grades

By TYLER REIDY Associate s ports e ditor

The 42-point thrashing of n avy was met with high marks nearly all across the board for the Irish offense. o n the flip side, the Irish were up to the task against the m idshipmen’s unique offensive game plan. Limiting the opposition to just three points, which were not scored until the fourth quarter, n otre d ame controlled the game defensively, taking loads of pressure off the many new faces in the Irish offense. h ere’s a deep dive into what Al Golden’s units — plus special teams — showed us in the season opener.

Defensive Line

As one of n otre d ame’s biggest gray areas, the defensive line has room to grow and shoes to fill. Immediately thrust into battling the triple option, this unit largely performed very well. Though n avy won at the line of scrimmage and ran for big chunks on the opening drive, the Irish buckled down and limited the m idshipmen to 2.6 yards per carry in total.

The big men up front were at their best every time n avy dropped back to pass. Twice, when the Irish secondary let a receiver break free downfield, pressure forced the ball out quicker, resulting in incompletions. And in the final quarter, n otre d ame successfully rushed n avy on a pair of trick plays. s enior

r ylie m ills and sophomore Joshua b urnham came alive late, each recording a sack.

Against the run, n otre d ame’s edge players were most proficient in limiting the m idshipmen. Graduate student Javontae Jeanb aptiste flashed in his first game with n otre d ame, using his 6-foot-4 frame to shed blocks and vacuum up draw plays. s enior Jordan b otelho was rangy and quick to the ball, also factoring in on the pass rush.

s hort-yardage situations emerged as the defensive line’s only true blemish. In several fourth-and-short situations, n avy ran its quarterback behind its slot backs and fullbacks. s uch a play design forces the signalcaller to retreat from under center to behind his backfield after the snap, adding time for the defensive line to penetrate. h owever, the Irish were mauled on the interior on those plays, allowing the m idshipmen to convert each time.

Weekly Grade: A-; s eason

Grade: A-

Linebackers

The best weapons a group can wield against the triple options are experience and discipline. Time and time again, those two characteristics shined through in the Irish linebacker room. Graduate students J d b ertrand, Jack Kiser and m arist Liufau had all seen n avy before. And despite cheating inside and losing contain a few times early,

the trio was close to perfect after the m idshipmen’s opening drive.

Among Irish fans and head coach m arcus Freeman, Liufau earned defensive mv P status with his performance. The h awaiian notched a near-careerhigh seven tackles, second only to his eight against the m idshipmen in 2022. With a strong display of lateral speed and awareness, Liufau made several key hits just before the sticks on third down. h e also forced a fumble and improvised to cover the quarterback on n avy’s first trick play.

While Kiser didn’t capture attention like Liufau did, he pieced together a solid effort in his own right. h e finished with a team-high eight tackles from the rover position, rushing the passer effectively as well. b ertrand struggled a bit more, missing a few tackles and shooting the wrong gaps early. s till, he and sophomore Jaylen s need made a couple of key stops later in the game.

Weekly Grade: A-; s eason

Grade: A-

Secondary

It’s n avy, so take this evaluation with a grain of salt. o n each play, including the m idshipmen’s few passing attempts, the Irish were geared up to stop the run. As a result, all defensive backs played within about 10 yards of the line

MARIA GORECKI | The Observer

Junior outside hitter Paris Thompson celebrates with her teammates during Notre Dame’s 3-2 win over Milaukee at Purcell Pavilion on Aug. 28, 2022. The win was Salima Rockwell’s first coaching the Irish.

r usso led the team in points in 2022. h is strong end to the season lends itself to hope that the veteran forward can take a step forward in his senior year. Junior forward m atthew roou has been good for double-digit points each of his two years in s outh b end, but will his final total be closer to 10 or 20? s ophomore midfielder KK b affour flashed moments of all-acc level talent his freshman year. how consistently can he affect the scoresheet as a full-time starter? a nd how many points can the always-forward-thinking burns chip in from defense?

The answers to all of these hypothetical questions don’t all need to be a resounding “yes” for notre d ame in order for the i rish

to have a strong attack. but at least a few will be needed in order for an offense that ranked seventh in the conference in goals scored to rise higher in 2023.

a n underrated benefit the i rish will enjoy this season as they look to return to prominence is their schedule. Last fall’s acc slate did notre d ame no favors: the team had to travel to s yracuse, Pitt, d uke and v irginia. Unsurprisingly, the team went 1-1-2 in those contests against the acc ’s best.

This year, notre d ame faces just one team that finished in the top half of conference standings on the road: an o ctober date with Wake Forest. The i rish have historically excelled at a lumni stadium. a schedule that features 10 home games should rate as a rather favorable one.

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

Week 1 offense grades

By ANDREW McGUINNESS sports editor

The story of any sports team changes over the course of the season. areas that look like weaknesses at the start of the year can turn into strengths. depth charts change. injuries necessitate new heroes. examining how these developments shape up is one of the most exciting parts of following a sports team. one of the best ways to do that is through assigning grades. Whether it’s physics or blocking assignments, grades offer a great snapshot of success and progress. of course, there is always a greater context to slot them within.

so, this article marks the beginning of a season-long project for The observer. For each game, we’ll break down how each position group for the irish football team fared the previous week.

We’ll both assign a grade to the group for that week and average it out with previous grades to see how each unit evolves throughout 2023. This will be split into two articles — one for the offense, one for defense and special teams. First up is the offense, looking to earn high marks after hanging 42 points on navy.

Quarterbacks

The midshipmen aren’t exactly known for having a stellar secondary. in 2022, navy ranked 98th out of 131 schools in passing yards allowed per game (250.2). They came into dublin with a new head coach and defensive coordinator. it’s important to note that for all of the grades in this article, but especially at quarterback.

That being said, all you can do is play the team in front of you. and graduate student sam hartman played the

midshipmen like a fiddle from start to finish. it’s almost always a good sign when you have as many incompletions (four) as touchdowns. especially when one of them was a drop and another drew a flag for pass interference that was eventually picked up.

The statistics certainly tell an impressive story. hartman went 19-for-23 with the aforementioned four passing touchdowns. he spread the ball around to nine different players, six of which had multiple receptions. but the eye test was just as impressive, if not more so. hartman looked poised and composed, lacking the frenetic nervousness that irish signal callers displayed at times over the past two seasons. he expertly moved through his progressions and maneuvered the pocket on the few occasions the navy pash rush made noise. hartman looked exactly like you’d expect one of the most decorated college quarterbacks in the country to look, no matter the quality of the opponent. add on sophomore steve angeli notching his first career completion, and it’s hard to dream of a better day for the irish Qb room.

Weekly Grade: a+; season

Grade: a+

Running backs

The big question coming into saturday was how the irish would spread carries around. The irish enter the season with a clear no. 1 in junior audric estime and a quartet of quality options behind him. Three of them received multiple carries in dublin, in addition to estime. notre dame’s leading rusher picked up where he left off from 2022. estime rumbled for 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. he may have done even more damage if he wasn’t benched for the second quarter after a fumble (which, fortunately for the irish, bounced out of bounds).

sophomores Jadarian Price and Gi’bran Payne and freshman Jeremiyah Love all showed promise in their irish debuts. Love and Price showcased speed and big-play ability, with gamehigh rushes of 21 and 19 yards, respectively. Payne was very solid in his own right, leading non-estime irish backs with six carries and also being counted on in pass-blocking. Love led that trio with 40 rushing yards on just four carries, a 10-yard average per carry that bested even estime.

Graduate student devyn Ford notched just a single carry in his first collegiate game since sept. 24, 2022, back when he was still with Penn state. but even he received some important snaps during the first half two-minute drill and also hauled in a nineyard reception.

Weekly Grade: a-; season Grade: a-

Paid a dverT isemen T

Irish gear up for bounce back 2023 campaign

By J.J. POST Associate s ports e ditor

notre d ame men’s soccer has reached something of a crossroads as a program.

The Irish made the c ollege c up in 2021, but they missed the nc AA tournament altogether in 2022. Which year represents the standard in s outh b end? head coach c had r iley and c o. will be hoping to prove it’s the former in 2023.

o ne reason r iley hopes this season will be closer to 2021 is as simple as it is important: the team got older.

o ne of the greatest strengths of notre d ame’s c ollege c up team was its experience. Key players all over the pitch had years and years of collegiate games under their belt: namely 2021 seniors Jack Lynn, mohamed o mar and Philip Quinton, as well as graduate student d awson mc c artney. meanwhile, last season featured lineup that seemed more developmental in nature. six starters were underclassmen. s o were several substitutes. m any of those starting players had never done so on a consistent basis.

As a result of the experience gained last season, notre d ame lines up this year with a more seasoned lineup. The team’s most recent contest against IUPUI saw the starting 11 feature nine upperclassmen. The return of graduate student

ethan o’ brien from injury will add another veteran to the Irish team sheet as well.

e xperience can only get you so far in a conference as deep as the Acc , though. notre d ame will also need to answer key questions along the backline and in attack. For defense, the key question will be if a retooled backline can find more consistency.

The Irish defense never truly let the team down in a glaring way in any single game last year. notre d ame only allowed more than two goals in a contest just twice all season. but it also seemed to leak goals every game as well. notre d ame kept just one clean sheet in conference play last fall.

c aptain Paddy burns gives the Irish a senior mainstay at the fullback spot. Junior Josh r amsey has been consistently reliable at center back as well. but will sophomore m itch Ferguson and junior Kyle Genenbacher look strong filling the remaining holes in the back four? If the answer is yes, notre d ame is set to have a much stronger foundation than last season.

o n the attack, the question is less about who notre d ame’s options are and more about how many of them can take a sizable step forward. s even Irish players scored multiple goals in 2022. none of them, though, scored more than six in total.

s enior forward daniel

ND

Irish ready to be ‘moving forward’ in year two under rockwell

By ANDREW McGUINNESS sports editor

There was a buzz around notre dame volleyball at this point a year ago. An Irish program that had once been a consistent winner had stagnated around the turn of the decade. They brought in first-time head coach salima rockwell who, with an extensive playing pedigree, had the support of everyone. even head football coach marcus Freeman, who met with rockwell before she even took the job, attended a match last fall. When she was hired, rockwell called notre dame volleyball “a program that is right on the edge of greatness.”

her assessment made sense.

The Irish entered the rockwell era with an all-time record of 827-519, a .614 winning percentage. They reached the ncAA Tournament as recently as 2021, even winning their first-round game. but greatness was not in store for the Irish last fall. Far from it, in fact. notre dame finished 10-18, its worst mark since a 7-25 disaster in 2015. That also came in the first year of Jim mcLaughlin’s coaching tenure, who led the Irish to consecutive 22-10 seasons the next two years and an ncAA Tournament berth in 2017.

There have may been some hard moments for the Irish in rockwell’s first season, but a year

spent growing as a coach and growing the program was a feature, not a bug. rockwell believes that will be reflected in the team’s growth this fall.

“We had an amazing group of young women that worked their tails off that helped us create a culture of excellence of hard work of representing the University, all those things,” rockwell said. “despite our record last year, it was an absolute win-win season for me, for the team and for our future. I learned a lot along the way, but I think the biggest thing is just moving forward. I have very high expectations of the team now and moving forward, but it’s all about the process.”

A new coach can have a huge impact on a program, but she can only do so much without the right roster. Given the Irish went 13-15 in 2022 leading into rockwell’s arrival, expecting greatness in year one was probably unreasonable. rockwell was aware the team had holes to plug, and over the summer, the Irish did their best to fill them. The team brought in five freshmen and two transfers, including a rare undergraduate transfer in junior outside hitter sydney Palazzolo from high Point.

“Anyone can play for us right now, which is so reassuring,” rockwell said. “And it’s really nice to have that level of depth.

We have five freshmen that have come in and all have really been getting after it in the gym.”

The new additions haven’t waited to make their mark. Two freshmen — outside hitter Ava Lange and libero Alyssa manitzas — stepped up in notre dame’s first two matches of the season, as did Palazzolo and graduate student setter nicole drewnick (a Georgia Tech transfer). Last year, the Irish limped out of the gate, starting 1-4 and established a streaky tendency that would never stabilize throughout the campaign.

This time around, the Irish

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Irish sophomore midfielder Sebastian Green prepares to strike the ball during Notre Dame’s 1-1 tie with Indiana on Aug. 24 at Alumni Stadium. The Irish are off to a 1-0-1 start this year after going 8-7-2 in 2022.

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ND mEN’S SoccEr