Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, February 10, 2025
Suit against Irish Rover dismissed
An Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of Notre Dame professor Tamara Kay’s lawsuit against the Irish Rover Jan. 30.
Kay had sued the Rover in May 2023, alleging the paper had published defamatory and false statements in two articles about allegedly offering assistance to students seeking abortions.
A St. Joseph County Superior Court judge threw out the lawsuit in Jan. 2024, arguing the Rover’s comments were not defamatory and their speech was protected under Indiana’s
Professor lectures on tech, dignity SMC student-athletes teach youth sports skills
By ISABEL TORRES News Writer
On Friday, the Mendoza College of Business hosted the first Dean’s Speaker Series of 2025. The presentation, titled “The Dignity of Human Life in the Digital Age,” featured Paolo Carozza, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School.
The event took place in Stayer Center, Common Room A, and had an audience of about 80 students and faculty. Providing an attendance opportunity for students within the Mendoza College of Business Undergraduate Honors Program, the event’s discussion was centered around the relative dangers of technological advancement if human dignity is not upheld and honored in the modern day.
James Otteson, the director of the Mendoza Honors Program, introduced Carozza. Within the introduction, Otteson recognized
anti-SLAPP law which aims to protect freedom of speech. Kay then appealed the lawsuit in Feb. 2024.
Judge Paul Mathias authored the majority opinion of the appeals court, with judges Elaine Brown and Dana Kenworthy concurring. Mathias argued Kay did not provide enough evidence “to establish a genuine issue of material fact on that question.”
“We agree with the trial court that the undisputed facts established that The Irish Rover’s two articles were written in good faith and that the alleged defamatory statements were not false,” Mathias wrote.
SMC director of athletics Julie Schroeder-Biek speaks to participants in the National
By BERHAN HAGEZOM Staff Writer
Carozza as having worked extensively in government and policy efforts, specifically in the context of social media and online platforms. With an undergraduate degree from Harvard College and a multitude of accomplishments in the context of human rights, Carozza was highlighted as an extremely distinguished member of the academic community.
Carozza opened the discussion with an anecdote detailing a boy who seemingly cut off communication with both friends and family in pursuit of an interpersonal relationship with a female artificial intelligence chatbot. As their “relationship” grew stronger, the boy felt it necessary to commit suicide in order to be reunited with his “love” after death. Carozza shared the story as a prelude to his lecture, emphasizing that technological advancements should not replace human connection.
On Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex, 125 participants aged six to 12 participated in Saint Mary’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic. Saint Mary’s, it’s an open and free clinic provided for the community.
Saint Mary’s offered sessions during the clinic with all nine of varsity sports, including basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, STUNT, tennis and volleyball. Athletics director Julie Schroeder-Biek emphasized how the event is special to Saint Mary’s as an all-women’s college and the effect it has on participants who attend.
“It’s so natural for us being in an all-women’s college to want to celebrate little girls in sport,“ Schroeder-Biek said. “It has a big impact on the community and has been a very popular event for us, but it’s our way to give back to the little girls and really try to expose them to sports and fitness.”
The event began with a check-in process, where youth received name tags and a list of which four sports clinics they would be directed to attend. Following check-in, parents and children went downstairs to hear an introduction to the event presented by Schroeder-Biek and to be informed about where each sports’ clinics would be held.
The clinics for the sports took place on basketball courts and the track and in the fieldhouse, golf room and studio two.
At the sports’ clinics, children were able to learn basic-level drills. For soccer, young athletes participated in cone-weaving drills and a red light, green light game.
“These are kind of introlevel sports, because we go for about two hours, so they’re getting about 20 to 30 minutes in their sport,” Schroeder-Biek said.
Senior Emma Zmudzinski, a student-athlete on the lacrosse team, discussed what youth participants learned and experienced during the session the lacrosse team held.
“We did lots of throwing and catching ground balls, just the fundamentals of lacrosse, and then we were able to incorporate games in with the fundamentals, like musical ground balls,” Zmudzinski said.
Junior Julia Lizak, a student-athlete on the golf team, noted the benefits of being a mentor for young girls at this event.
“I love seeing all the young girls come out and learn the sport that they’re interested in,“ Lizak said. “It just reminds me of when I was younger and how far girls can come. You can see their energy and how much they love being involved in that stuff.”
Saint Mary’s student-athletes were responsible for much of the event’s execution. They aided youth participants by teaching basic principles of the sports and accompanying the young girls to their next clinic sessions.
Observer Staff Report
BERHAN HAGEZOM | The Observer
Girls and Women in Sports Day clinic at the end of the event in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex.
Photo Desk (574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com
Systems
webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com
Policies
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Anna Skoropad
sophomore Pasquerilla East Hall
“I
Anacat Sacher senior McGlinn
“Go
Ella Gerczak senior McGlinn Hall
“Eagles
Oluwatomi Ogunleye
junior Welsh Family Hall
“Kendrick Lamar, I want him to win.”
Trey Natili senior Off-campus “The
Finn Corboy
freshman
Basil Hall
“I
Today’s Staff
News Henry Jagodzinski
Grace Tadajweski
Madyson Casiano
Graphics
Daniel Burke
Photo Gray Nocjar
Corrections
The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.
214
8
Dunne
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Dunne Hall is hosting a blood drive with SBMF. Tuesday
Evening with Madeline Miller and Emily Wilson
O’Laughlin Auditorium
7:30 p.m.
Authors visit SMC.
Anti-nuclear Webinar Live on Zoom
4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Hirokazu Miyazaki and David Cortright on anti-nuclear activism.
Thursday
Light the Night Ice
Bengal Bouts Ticket
Letters of Love
5 p.m.
‘Harlem Legacy’ event explores Black history
By ANJA SCHAFER
News Writer
On Friday, Feb. 7, the Student Diversity Board (SDB), Black Student Association (BSA) and Saint Mary’s Sexuality and Gender Equity (SAGE) hosted “Harlem Legacy: Poetry, Pride and Resistance.” The event was held in Haggar Parlor, where it ran for two hours in two spaces. The event allowed attendees to reflect on the great poets and works of the Harlem Renaissance.
One of the event’s rooms offered refreshments and invited attendees to write poetry in a customizable journal provided by the event. In the other room, attendees read their own poems or works by famous poets. The organizers lined both rooms with poster boards showcasing renowned Black poets from the Harlem Renaissance, many of whom were also part of the LGBTQ+ community. The posters provided biographical information about the poets and their great works.
Giselle Martinez, the president of SDB, shared that the event was inspired by past poetry nights.
“I know last year there was a poetry night where people read their poetry, and this was kind of inspired by that. We kind of built off of it and added the Harlem legacy aspect to it because I feel like they played such a big part in shaping Black culture, and it’s really important to honor that,” Martinez said.
She shared her favorite part about organizing the event was completing research on poets and assembling their posters.
“I just love reading all the
biographies on them and like trying to dig through their poems and find out which ones I thought could be most relevant to today’s event,” Martinez said.
Angelina Wright, the vice president of SDB, echoed Martinez’s sentiments in terms of her favorite aspect of preparing for the event.
“Doing the research about the Harlem legacy, about the Harlem Renaissance and just finding out [how] it shapes the Black culture [was my favorite aspect of preparation],” Wright said. “It shapes the way different artists were
able to be showcased. And I thought this would be a really nice event. And having them displayed is really nice, [allowing] other people to just see how inspirational the movement was.”
Wright then emphasized her hope that the event would help people understand the importance of resilience and open-mindedness in recognizing the long-lasting impact of the Harlem Renaissance.
“I hope people take away the fact that there should be more open-mindedness, more resilience, to the fact that this has been throughout
the culture, this has been going on for many years, and it’s a part of culture,” Wright said. “It’s a part of Black culture. It’s a part of American culture. So it’s something that stands for our community overall.”
Martinez then touched on how “hearing everyone reading their poetry and reading others’ poetry was just really moving.”
Kennashia Chandler, a Saint Mary’s student who read her poem titled “For 28 Days,” described how she was inspired by Black History Month, which is 28 days long.
The Reform of the Roman Curia and the Promotion of Integral Human Development
Learn
10, 2025
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. 1050
“I was really mostly thinking about ‘what does that mean for most Black people.’ We don’t get the whole 365 days. Why do we always have 28 days?” Chandler said. She elaborated on her poem’s theme of 28 days.
“Having the 28 days is nice, for sure,” Chandler said. “But it’s emphasized in 28 days, I feel like I should be able to walk around as an African American and still be recognized every single day.”
Chandler then expressed her appreciation for the event.
“I think this is really creative. It’s a different side of African American culture, for sure, that people need to get out more,” Chandler said.
She shared that she learned about many poets at the event whom she hadn’t known before.
“It’s nice to learn something about my culture every single day,” Chandler said.
Looking ahead, Martinez and Wright mentioned more events celebrating Black History Month would take place throughout February, including the Melanin Makers’ Mart, the Black History Month PJ Bash and the African Drumming Circle, among others.
“I’m really looking forward to our African Drumming Circle,” Martinez said. “I’m excited because, I believe, it’s a lead-and-follow format, so you’ll get to learn. I’m really excited to learn about that part of the culture.”
Contact Anja Schafer at
ANJA SCHAFER | The Observer
Angelina Wright (left) and Giselle Martinez (right) pose at the sign-in table for the “Harlem Legacy: Poetry, Pride, and Resistance” event. The event, which focused on the poets and poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, took place on Feb. 7 at Saint Mary’s College.
Technology
“Humans’ new relationships with technologies can strike at the root of human dignity,” Carozza said.
Looking specifically within the context of religion, Carozza upheld a strong regard for human dignity, regardless of encroaching technological threats.
“Through the Catholic moral tradition and account … dignity and worthiness of each individual is seeing that they are all created in the image of God,” Carozza said.
In his lecture, Carozza outlined a list of three essential aspects of human dignity that need not only be discussed but extensively upheld in order to keep technological advancements as accounts of human aid and not as a means to replace humans at large.
Carozza first mentioned “[the] need to understand better how the meaning and dignity of humanity is embodied.”
With this, he appointed technology as a means to destroy human dignity. Carozza mentioned the daunting fact that Facebook publicly stated they were aware that one in three teen girls were subject to body dysmorphia after using the social media platform, but the company ultimately presented no aspiration to mitigate their impact.
He went on to argue that social media fosters a “connection without meaning.”
Working into the second of three points, Carozza explored the essence of technological advancements threatening the heart of humanity.
“The term ‘heart’ is the locus of desire and where profound intimacy is obtained,” Carozza said.
Seeking to preserve the essence of humanity from being overtaken by technology,
Professor Paolo Carozza speaks in common room A of the Stayer Center on Friday about technology, morality and humanity as part of the Mendoza College of Business Dean’s Speaker Series.
Carozza warned the audience that God granted individuals hearts as a means to cultivate life, which should and cannot be extended to technology.
“What meaning do I want to give my experiences?
What have I to give to others? How have I done this for God?” Carozza said.
In his third point, Carozza emphasized that algorithms are simultaneously “flushing out the heart” as well as the human capacity to function.
“Technology proves that our thoughts and will are easily predictable, but that is not true to the heart,” Carozza said.
He additionally contended
that technology, and specifically artificial intelligence, is based on a numerical system and only has the capacity to replicate relationships, not cultivate them.
“Algorithmically mediated connection to reality sacrifices the dignity and connection of humanity,” Carozza said.
Carozza concluded his third point by classification of “returning to the centrality of human dignity.”
Carozza discussed the fact that a majority of governments have not yet begun exploring artificial intelligence and its implications, let alone creating policy in its regard. In turn,
Carozza urged technology creators to be mindful of their inventions’ ethical implications.
“Creators need to already start with human dignity at the forefront of their designs,” Carozza said.
Carozza cautioned humanity to remain central to their God-given virtue of dignity and to put connection at the forefront of innovation.
“There is a constructive role in establishing common public values, essentially establishing a northern star to guide our principles,” Carozza said.
Contact Isabel Torres at itorres@nd.edu
Following the sports sessions, youth participants and parents went back to the basketball courts for a wrapup on the event and were given the opportunity to get signatures from studentathletes at the fieldhouse.
“They [student-athletes] are critical to us. They are our counselors, they are the teachers and they bring such great energy … Then at the very end, we do an autograph session, and the little girls get the autograph of our athletes who have put on the clinic,” SchroederBiek said.
Student-athletes enjoyed the autograph section of
the clinic and being able to have a final opportunity to interact with the kids oneon-one. Freshman Shannon Dudy, a student-athlete on the tennis team, felt the autograph session was a great aspect for the clinic to have.
“I think the autograph session is really cool because you can really see that the kids care about us as mentors and older peers,” Dudy said.
The clinic has been established for at least ten years and was able to persist despite the COVID-19 pandemic, reconstruction and renovation of the building along with the refurbishing of the field presenting challenges.
Saint Mary’s Sports
Exploration Camp, which was started five years ago, will be hosted from Monday, June 23 to Thursday, June 26, 2025, and will similarly teach participants about basic skills related to Saint Mary’s nine varsity sports.
Head volleyball coach Denise Van De Walle said she hopes youth participants felt welcome and had fun.
“I think the most important thing is that girls come and see what sports are out there, and they also come make new friends and especially have fun. We love to show what Saint Mary’s offers and give them a taste of it in a real short time,” Van De Walle said.
Schroeder-Biek also hopes this event sparks a passion
for young girls in pursuing sports throughout their adolescence and adulthood and actively taking part in living healthy lives.
“I hope that it ignites a passion in them for girls and women in sports, and I hope that they can see that sports are fun,” SchroederBiek said. ”Some of the studies say that if girls don’t get involved in sports between six and 12-yearsold, they’re less likely to live an active lifestyle. So, it’s our hope that we’re going to expose them and just ignite that passion in them for activity and just moving their bodies.”
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
ISABEL TORRES | The Observer
Walking as a child of the light
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
In the last week, I:
• Stopped a jog to run forty-yard dashes because I missed sprinting
• Played section basketball; played poorly and lost; felt annoyed but also glad I played
• Went straight to mass afterward
• Got really frustrated at a problem set but gave myself some time and came back to it and figured it out
• Rediscovered Fortnite, trading off solo games with the guys in my quad
• Relearned how to play Mancala, kept losing to my girlfriend, but loved the game
• Went into an interview without a ton of preparation, trusting in honesty (it went well)
Alternatively, I could have:
• Insisted that I hit my mileage for the day to not interrupt a training regimen
• Skipped mass to practice for section basketball next week
• Come up with various reasons why the problem set was dumb, or looked up the answers
• Told myself that video games were for teenage me, but now I have moved on
• Resolved never to play Mancala again so that I never lose to my girlfriend
• Rehearsed every likely interview question several times, memorizing certain phrases, so that I can only blame my interviewer if I didn’t get the position
The first set of actions was more childlike and brought me closer to the kingdom of heaven than the second set would have. I know that I tend to err on the side of overthinking, overcommitting, over-preparing, taking fun things too seriously and not being able to accept defeat. But the spirit of a child is the opposite: do without thinking because you want to, take serious things lightly, allow yourself to fail and be resilient. Unless I can keep embracing this spirit of a child, I cannot know true joy.
From the outside, the life of faith can seem so dry.
It can seem like faith is a matter of austerity and cautious observance and utmost solemnity. But the solemnity of faith cannot be the whole story, otherwise St. Teresa of Avila would not have quipped, “Lord, deliver us from sour-faced saints.”
Of course faith demands solemnity, but from the inside, living the faith is also a source of delight, rest and frivolity. Otherwise, St. Francis de Sales would not have written, “The
Where are the Catholics?
The meaning of Notre Dame’s Catholic identity is a subject of ongoing debate. Some students protest the University’s investments in weapons manufacturers; others pray for an end to abortion. Some may protest deportation, while others protest divorce. Despite these disagreements, defining Notre Dame’s Catholic character remains our responsibility as Catholic students and people of faith who value human dignity.
Yet, too often, this identity on campus feels unrecognizable from the Gospel’s call. Our Lady’s University invites leaders like Ron DeSantis, whose Catholicism is more defined by exclusion than a preferential option for the poor, the worker or the migrant. Notre Dame has subsidized trips to the March for Life, but offers nothing for students who want to protest one of the greatest assaults on human dignity we’ve witnessed: the mass deportation of undocumented Americans.
Pope Francis, in Fratelli Tutti, reminds us: “Our response to the arrival of migrating persons can be summarized by four words: welcome, protect, promote and integrate.” The dignity of migrants is not a political stance; it is a Catholic obligation.
So, where are the Catholics? Where is the Catholic outrage when children are torn from their parents? When the immigration system operates with brutal efficiency?
I shouldn’t have to report the gravity of these deportations. Parents are being taken away. ICE has raided restaurants, daycare centers and is gearing up for raids on schools and even churches. So, imagine my shock when I hear the loudest Catholic voices on campus decry “woke” culture instead.
Many Catholics on this campus are focused away from human dignity — the central value of our faith — and instead focused on politics. The Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, known for merging Catholicism with public policy, hosts speakers like Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a COVID-19 dissenter celebrated by the farright. Right to Life seems more concerned about transgender people than actual babies. The Irish Rover dedicates its pages to how many students attend “leftist” events but has nothing to say about the suffering caused by the policies of the politicians they support. The Catholics who claim to know what our University’s moral character should be are silent on the most egregious violations of human dignity unfolding before our eyes.
Last year, Notre Dame hosted a drag show, and some
Catholics reacted as if Satan was receiving an honorary degree. Students launched petitions, called the president’s office, protested en masse and went on EWTN. But where are they now, when ICE could deport the students sitting next to them? There’s no protest. No petition. No calls to the president. Not even a prayer.
I am a Catholic; perhaps my difference with the majority of Notre Dame Catholics is that I believe everyone is a child of God. I believe our faith calls us to protect those most vulnerable, not debate their worthiness. Notre Dame, as the country’s most prominent Catholic university, has a unique power to shape moral discourse. We could be setting the standard for what human dignity truly means. We could put an end to the mass deportation of our neighbors, our classmates. Instead, too many choose to waste the power we have as Notre Dame Catholics debating whether professors should discuss critical race theory or if trans students should be admitted.
Catholics have always disagreed on what it means to live out the faith. That debate has shaped our history, from the Council of Nicaea to Vatican II. Pope Francis himself has said, “If there were no differences of opinion, that wouldn’t be normal.” We will disagree. Some will define humanity through rigid gender constructs, others through the struggle for justice. Some will focus on the unborn, others on the mothers who carry them. But if we truly believe in human dignity, then we must act when it is under attack. We must demand more from our university, from our Church and from ourselves. We must recognize that the most vulnerable among us — the immigrants, refugees and undocumented students sitting beside us in class — are not just a political issue. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And right now, they need us more than ever.
Notre Dame’s Catholic identity cannot be exploited by the far-right who wants us to ignore what makes our faith unique: our commitment to human dignity. The Gospel is clear in Matthew 25:35: “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” If we fail to live up to this commandment, we betray not only our undocumented classmates but the very faith we claim to uphold. It’s time for Notre Dame’s Catholics to reorient our focus on those who need us now more than ever.
Connor Marrott is a senior from Cleveland. His writing has appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Cincinnati Enquirer. He serves on the board of SolidarityND and is always eager to discuss any and all ideas. You can contact Connor at cmarrott@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
world, looking on, sees that devout persons fast … deny themselves in all sensual indulgence and do many other things which in themselves are hard and difficult. But the world sees nothing of that inward, heartfelt devotion which makes all these actions pleasant and easy.”
Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden light.
G. K. Chesterton, who never wrote without a sense of humor, sums it up: “Angels can fly because they can take themselves lightly … But the kings in their heavy gold and the proud in their robes of purple will all of their nature sink downwards, for pride cannot rise to levity or levitation. Pride is the downward drag of all things into an easy solemnity.”
Unless I can be humble as a child, I cannot fly with the angels. I have found that I am most happy not when I am obstinately forcing myself into a new habit, or an elevated second nature (though at times that is necessary), but when something unexpected leads my inmost nature to bubble up. What emerges is always more free, more relaxed, more unassuming, more open and vulnerable, more at home — more childlike.
And I feel these bubbles of joy trying to lift me to the most free and familiar place I have never seen — the kingdom of heaven.
Richard Taylor is a junior from St. Louis living in Keenan Hall. He studies physics and theology. He encourages all readers to send reactions, reflections or refutations to rtaylo23@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The importance of being earnest
Liam Price Viewpoint Editor
A Donald Trump presidency is pissing people off again. And it forces us to think: how should we engage with each other? The problem only grows when the president is no example for us.
Alumni Hall rector Br. Dennis Gunn has spent a lot of time thinking about this question in his book, “Educating for Civic Dialogue in an Age of Uncivil Discourse.” His answer is firm: do not back down from the controversial sh*t.
“Educating for cosmopolitan citizenship should aim ‘to soften oppositional identities’ and to promote ‘cosmopolitan exchange’ with people of diverse backgrounds, diverse positions and diverse ways of seeing the world,” Gunn wrote. This requires educators to engage students in discourses that “do not turn away from controversy for the sake of a false truce, but weigh deeply into controversy for the sake of finding a more lasting peace.”
Br. Dennis, as he is known to me and the other Dawgs of Alumni, told me during an hour on my WVFI radio show that he is “an unapologetic optimist.” I am an unapologetic pessimist: I like to simply say, “we’re f***ed” to describe how I am feeling about the state of our world. Indeed, I think the forces of wealth and power in our nation’s politics are presently lined up in tandem in a very evil way, and resistance is extremely subdued despite its righteousness.
But Br. Dennis has a point. If we end up shying away from discourse, even if we think the other side of an argument is, as I do, “fascist,” then we also give up any hope in democracy. It is the same for those in support of Donald Trump, too, who I often find hard to engage with on real policies.
I love a good sense of humor as much as the next guy, but if you are asked why, for instance, you support the reopening of Guantanamo Bay, it is willful ignorance to switch the subject with a joke about trans women no longer playing in women’s sports rather than answering the question earnestly.
I know the recent editorial calling on Notre Dame to invite President Trump to commencement was controversial. And we’re certainly optimistic about Notre Dame students’ abilities to truly engage in civil discourse. But if we lose all hope, if we refuse to actually engage with one another on these issues, then what are we even doing here?
You can contact Liam at lprice3@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Richard Taylor Just Glad To Be Here
Connor Marrott Lefty With a Laugh
INSIDE COLUMN
Editorial dissent: Don’t invite Trump
We recognize the importance of intellectual discourse, both among the student body and within the editorial board at The Observer. A diversity of perspectives strengthens our work and challenges us to think critically. However, given the weight of the argument presented in last week’s “Invite Trump to speak at commencement” editorial and the significance of the topic, we believe it is important to clarify that the editorial does not speak for all of us at The Observer. As some members of the dissenting opinion, we have both a moral obligation to speak out and a historical obligation — ensuring those who venture into the archives of The Observer will see record of an internal debate.
Notre Dame certainly has a rich history deeply rooted in tradition. Many graduating seniors answered that exact prompt when applying to this University four years ago. From touchdown push ups to visiting the Grotto during Welcome Weekend, there are many traditions that, to borrow Fr. Pete McCormick’s language, “sustain us.” Inviting the recentlyinaugurated president is not one.
In explaining Notre Dame’s reasoning for not inviting Trump in 2017, former University President Fr. John Jenkins said, “regardless of one’s political views, if you’re the elected leader of the country, we invite you to Notre Dame. However, if you don’t meet a certain bar in terms of just moral decency, that’s why we invited Mike Pence. There’s a decency, I think. A genuine decency.”
If there was a time to write an editorial about upholding tradition and promoting discourse by inviting the elected leader of the country to speak at commencement, it was in 2017. But now, the “storied tradition” has already been broken.
In 2017, then-Vice President Mike Pence was invited to speak at graduation instead of Trump. Before that, the University had limited interactions with Presidents Lyndon Johnson or Richard Nixon. Though President Bill Clinton
was invited and spoke while still on the campaign trail, and President John F. Kennedy spoke at commencement as a congressman, neither president spoke during his term. If the tradition has been broken before, there is no need to uphold it when our current president is “personally repulsive,” as our colleagues wrote. These exceptions show that we are not forfeiting this tradition by passing over Trump. We hope that this and many other traditions at Notre Dame are stronger than the influence of one man.
Moreover, we should not tether this decision to the notion that it has been done before. Notre Dame should know, after taking action to close the historic Zahm Hall when serious behavioral concerns boiled over.
The editorial argues that rather than normalizing Trump’s behavior, inviting him would “force him to confront an audience that is not unconditionally adoring, that expects a level of propriety and reflection worthy of the occasion.” Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he cannot rise to this level of decorum we expect from our commencement speakers.
This is a man who has referred to fallen American soldiers as “suckers” and “losers,” who has called immigrants “animals,” and who has implied he would not mind gun violence against journalists. During one of his last town hall opportunities to speak before the 2024 election, Donald Trump decided to stand quietly on stage for 30 minutes, dancing to “Y.M.C.A.” rather than taking questions from the audience. If he cannot engage seriously with dissent mere weeks before an election, why should we expect him to do so at our graduation?
Inviting Trump would not be an exercise in civic discourse. It would grant him another opportunity to speak unencumbered to a ready audience. As the president, Trump is one of the freest men in our country to say his opinions without consequence. Allowing him to speak at this great University does nothing to encourage responsibility or reflection, nor
does it heal a polarized America.
It is impossible not to notice the way American politics have changed since Trump was first elected. Donald Trump is not the only controversial president, but he is certainly unique in his ability to sow division.
Our colleagues argued that inviting Donald Trump would both uphold a tradition and promote engagement across political differences. We acknowledge that these are important values, and important values at Notre Dame specifically. But not only would this invitation fail to truly enforce those values, it implies that we value tradition and discourse more than we value the moral character of our speakers. If we abstract the decision-making process from choosing the individual to choosing the office they represent, that decision will be arbitrary and uninformed.
Trump’s actions during his first weeks back in office, targeting political opponents, civil servants and immigrants, mark a moral decline from where we started in 2017. His rhetoric and policies have become increasingly vindictive over the last eight years. Traditions make a statement, but perhaps choosing to end a tradition makes a more powerful one.
The title of commencement speaker has always been an honor, regardless of the college you graduate from. While we should aspire to select an engaging figure to represent us on graduation day, we should not be forced to sacrifice our moral decency to do it. The 2025 graduates don’t deserve their commencement to be turned into a battleground for political protest and unproductive dialogue. They deserve so much more.
Back to the source
I follow the example of the person in front of me: one scoop of rice, beans, chicken and a couple pieces of pineapple. The kitchen staff stands proudly behind each dish, eager for us to try the food. As I move down the line, I smile and thank each one of them — Bryan, Cinderella and Betty — for preparing our meal. When I sit, I eat slowly, savoring every bit and focusing on the conversation around me. At the end, we gather our dishes for washing before heading to bed. The whole process, from cooking to cleaning, probably takes over three hours.
This was a staple dinner experience in Uganda, where I spent the better half of two weeks with Notre Dame in January. We were working at St. Bakhita’s Vocational Training Center (SBVTC), a remarkable women’s school that you should go support (right now!). Yet, while we had come prepared with projects and goals to accomplish, unsurprisingly, I left feeling like I gained way more than I gave. There was so much to learn from their culture during our short time there.
One day, our group went around to share what practices from Uganda we wanted to bring back to the U.S. Many of us echoed some version of the same thing: how intentional the people there were with everything.
Dinner was a prime example. They only took what they were going to eat. They put their fork down in between bites, and finished chewing their food
completely before talking. This mindfulness seemed partly due to the fact that they were closely connected to their food source: they had likely grown the rice and raised the chicken that was on their plate, or if they didn’t, then they knew the farmer who did. They were intimately involved in the journey that food took to end up in their mouth.
And they were more appreciative because of it.
This couldn’t be further from our experience in the U.S. Back at school, I am guilty of taking “to-go” cups of food from the dining hall, wolfing them down as I walk to my next meeting or class. At the grocery store, I don’t question how I can buy fresh bananas in Indiana in the dead of winter. I just fill my cart and keep going.
Beyond food, I’m disconnected from the production process of all goods I encounter. That cute minipurse I saw at the bar? I could pull out my phone and buy it on Amazon in seconds if I wanted to. I don’t have to know where or how it was made, will never know whose hands stitched each stitch. Its entire creation is invisible to me, the buyer, who just benefits from the finished product being delivered to my door in 24 hours.
This invisibility of the creation process is what fuels food waste, fast fashion, etc. Despite what we think consumer culture is today — materialism, and an attachment to things — it’s actually the opposite. It’s a complete detachment from our things, a detachment from the people and places where they came from.
The SBVTC staff were so intentional with their food because of their proximity to its source. They wasted nothing because they understood the value
of everything. I’ve decided that I want to bring that same intentionality into the new year: to use what I have, and use it well. To be attached to my things, not in a materialistic way, but in a way where I can appreciate the time and work that went into their creation. None of this is revolutionary (and I’m by no means going to be perfect), but this is the year of using every last piece of food in the fridge, of fishing out clothing pieces from the back of my closet, of stretching things out until they break. Cooking for myself abroad, I’ve become creative at making my Sunday groceries last for the entire week, even if it means some criminal leftover combinations on Thursday nights (see: scrambled eggs and roasted carrots for dinner). My mom’s old hiking boots are perfectly worn-in and have already proved themselves on Ireland’s cliffs. I can explore new bookstores in Dublin, but I know my favorite copy of “These Precious Days” is waiting for me back in my dorm, ready to be reread whenever I want.
It’s a privilege that what I have in my room, in my fridge and in my closet is enough. There is nothing I need that I don’t already have, and it’s time to make good on that blessing.
Allison Elshoff is a junior studying business analytics with minors in the Hesburgh Program of Public Service and impact consulting. Originally from Valencia, California and currently living in Badin Hall, you can find her unsubscribing from email lists or hammocking by the lakes.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Kathryn Muchnick
Caroline Collins Aynslee Dellacca
Gray Nocjar
Allison Elshoff Asking for a Friend
By PETER MIKULSKI Scene Editor
What’s the difference between an opera and a musical? I can think of two answers, besides the obvious ones. The first is that people clap longer after operas than they do after musicals. (In the classical music world, everything gets a standing ovation — this neurosis hasn’t spread to the musical theater world … yet.) The second is that an opera is 50 to 100% longer than a musical. Maybe it’s because the audience for opera these days is mostly retirees, a demographic which can make time for a four-hour performance — it’s not like they have much else going on.
“Dido and Aeneas,” presented by Opera Notre Dame last weekend, got the standard opera-length applause but — unlike your stereotypical work by Wagner or Verdi or whoever — is a mercifully short piece. It doesn’t drag its feet, lasting no longer than 75 minutes.
Consequently, the vocalists and instrumentalists were able to jam-pack every second with aural excitement. The opera was clearly well rehearsed — i.e., I scarcely noticed a note out of place.
The orchestra mixed baroque-and modern-style instruments. Music director Dror Baitel conducted from the harpsichord. The basso in the basso continuo section was handled by Phillip. W. Serna, whose consistent violone-playing gave the ensemble momentum. Baroque-style bass sonorities
can get fuzzy and awkward — and I often wish historical accuracy were sacrificed for the solid sound of modern cellos and double basses — but Serna played with remarkable exactitude and elegance leaving no room for complaints. The theorbo, a sort of massive lute, was a welcome addition to the ensemble. The violinists and violist played so well and with such richness that they sounded like a lot more than three musicians (no “historically-informed” “senza vib.” here!).
All of the singers were good matches for their roles. Vivian Ng made a great Belinda — the kind-hearted, softly smiling companion of Dido and her bosom to rest upon. The Sorcerer, portrayed by Reece Connors, had a hefty voice and was convincingly wicked. (The decision to costume him in a kilt was inspired — there’s something unsettling about a malicious man in a plaid skirt.) The Sailor, played by Hyunwoo Lee, did “Come away, fellow sailors” and its glib Stuart Era antics justice. As the Spirit, Wynona Wan starred in a well-staged, well-costumed and well-sung deus ex machina moment.
Seth Hobi was a charming and martial Aeneas, and his final back-and-forth with Dido was particularly heart-rending. Grace Parry Hancock was splendid, and her rendition of “Dido’s Lament” brought the house down — but how can a song like that not!
The two Witches (Gianna Macedon and Julia Bezems) demand special attention. Their singing was bright and colorful, and their characterizations of the roles were hilarious.
They fully committed to the hunching and cackling and plotting and scheming. It was kitschy, and that’s why it rocked. In this way, the production really worked — i.e., when it kept to campy witchcraft imagery and charming Caroline pastoralism.
But according to the stage director’s note in the program, this production wasn’t about kitsch. Rather, it was about “the profound personal toll of war,” “the immense forces of war and conflict” and “the flames of destruction ignited by greed.” Watching the show itself and ignoring the program, though, I’d be more inclined to say that “the flames of destruction” were ignited by two hilarious witches and not “greed.” In general, these heady gestures fell flat for me. (I’ll concede, however, that “Dido and Aeneas” has never quite been an opera for opera’s sake. Nahum Tate’s 1680s libretto does seem to allegorically associate the Witches with the contemporary Catholic Church.)
Nevertheless — despite the campiness of the witches and the intellectualism of some of the staging — Dido, Aeneas and the Sorcerer were directed into delivering genuinely down-to-earth, emotional and moving performances. I also loved the artworks projected onto the background and the corresponding tableau vivant scene design. Still, the broader attempt to connect “Dido and Aeneas” to wars of the 20th and 21st centuries felt forced.
Contact Peter Mikulski at pmikulsk@nd.edu
By HARRY PENNE Scene Writer
I am an avid fan of director Wes Anderson. His style, soundtracks, dialogue and stories are incredibly unique and set him apart from all other filmmakers in the industry. Anderson has always gone against the conventions of modern filmmaking, taking inspiration from the trends of the past while forging his own identity.
His films are often quirky, stylized tragicomedies, but in 2009, he released “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” an animated feature that broke his pre-established formula. Based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, Anderson’s approach to the source material is one of the greatest ever adaptations from book to screen.
What makes “Fantastic Mr. Fox” so special and beloved? To begin, the voice cast is fantastic, starring George Clooney and Meryl Streep as Mr. and Mrs. Fox along with Anderson’s regulars: Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody. Further, Anderson’s signature pithy dialogue translates well to stop motion voice acting and blends with Dahl’s story.
From a technical standpoint, the film is a marvel. The sets and more than 500 puppets are intricately detailed, and the photography alone took nearly 12 months. Originally, Henry
Sellick was lined up to collaborate on the project, but he had to leave to direct another animated movie: “Coraline.” Upon its initial release, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” was not an immediate success, but as with most Anderson films, it has gained a cult following over the years.
Anderson’s visual style is instantly recognizable and his films are beautiful to watch from an artistic perspective. His shots and sets are meticulously symmetrical. His films are dynamic as he implements whip pans, tracking and trucking shots. Each movie features a guiding color palette interwoven throughout the set and costumes. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is visually composed with oranges, reds, browns and yellows, giving it an autumnal aesthetic. Every shot of the movie features some shade of orange to really enforce this vibe. Anderson’s films are often called “story books come to life,” and I feel this is an apt description. They have an otherworldly, almost whimsical, quality to them.
Musically, Anderson has a nostalgic style, featuring selections from the 1960s and 1970s. The instrumental score for “Fantastic Mr. Fox” was composed by Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat, a frequent Anderson collaborator. Desplat’s scores often have an upbeat and playful quality while also making room for dramatic moments as required by the story.
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a difficult film to categorize. It was,
at release, Anderson’s first PG-rated work. (A funny running joke is that every swear word is replaced with the word “cuss.”) However, despite it being animated, I don’t think it’s a “family movie.” Families can enjoy the movie together, sure, but it has darker and more serious moments. Upon a recent viewing, I was struck by how existential and thoughtprovoking it is. The plot is morally ambiguous and has no clear hero. Mr. Fox is a thief, and this propels the events of the movie. At the same time, the men he steals from are deplorable in their own right. However, these heavy moments don’t prohibit younger viewers from enjoying the film. I would classify “Fantastic Mr. Fox” in the same category as Anderson’s other films: tragicomedy. It is a beautifully made movie that all ages can enjoy, but it is not itself exclusively a family movie.
Anderson’s career, I think, can be split into two halves: Wes before animation, and Wes after animation. In 2007, Anderson directed “The Darjeeling Limited,” a story about three brothers on a spiritual journey across India. One of his most emotionally heavy films, it is a prime example of “Wes before animation.”
Editor’s Note: This is an abridged version — to read the full piece, visit ndsmcobserver.com
Contact Harry Penne at hpenne@nd.edu MEG HAMMOND | The Observer
HOCKEY
Irish swept at home by OSU, losing 5-1 twice
By RYAN MURPHY Sports Writer
Notre Dame hockey hit the low point of its season this weekend.
The visiting No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes swept the Fighting Irish out of Compton Family Ice Arena with 5-1 wins on both Friday and Saturday nights, handing Notre Dame one of its worst weekend series at home since the Arena opened in 2011.
The most painful part? On both nights, the Irish weren’t all that bad. Friday saw Notre Dame get off to one of its best starts this season, and Saturday night Notre Dame might’ve been better, putting 19 pucks on goal in the first period.
“It’s just the consistency factor,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said after Friday’s loss. “We can’t seem to get a 60-minute hockey game in.”
In a season riddled with inconsistency, the manner of defeat on Friday and Saturday nights was ironically consistent.
On both nights, Notre
Dame scored first. On both nights, Notre Dame had chances to add to its lead but did not. On both nights, Ohio State tied the game late in the first. On both nights, Notre Dame allowed two second period goals. And on both nights, when the clock struck zeroes, the scoreboard read the same: Ohio State 5, Notre Dame 1.
Perhaps that makes the Irish consistently inconsistent. They displayed some of their best play of the season at the start of Saturday’s contest, taking a 1-0 lead behind sophomore center Danny Nelson’s 11th goal of the season. They forced Ohio State senior netminder Logan Terness to routinely make difficult saves, and very well could have led the game by multiple goals after the first.
“The consistency, we just can’t sustain it,” Jackson said after Saturday’s game.
The Irish head coach, in his 20th and final season, still remains two wins shy of 600 for his career. “We had a lot of good chances in the first. We needed to bury a few of
them, and we didn’t. It’s hard to chase the game.”
Terness made it especially difficult to do so. Making the start on consecutive nights for the first time since November, he stopped 41 of 42 Notre Dame shots for a total of 68 saves on the weekend. His two game save percentage? .971. He gave the Buckeyes time to get back into the game on both Friday and Saturday nights.
And get back in the game they did. The 10-2 aggregate score amounts to the worst visitor sweep at Compton Family Ice Arena by final score since Northeastern beat Notre Dame 9-2 and 2-1 in the Arena’s inaugural season.
The sweep also sends Notre Dame back out on the road, licking its wounds after a bye week that was supposed to help heal from a difficult January. The Irish will travel to Penn State and No.
19 Wisconsin in the coming weeks, still hoping they can find their game somewhere between State College and Madison.
“We need to find that consistency in our game, and it’s getting late.”
Friday: Ohio State 5, Notre Dame 1
Ohio State piled on late to win a close game by a wide margin Friday night. As they have in each of their last four Friday night losses, the Irish scored first. With 2:29 remaining in the first period, graduate winger Blake Biondi one-timed a pass from sophomore center Cole Knuble for a power-play goal. The Buckeyes answered just 48 seconds later, though. Junior forward Davis Burnside was left alone in front of the net, and tucked the puck past Irish junior goaltender Owen Say to tie the game. Late in the second period,
Ohio State got a bounce to go its way and took the lead for good. After having his initial shot blocked from the slot, sophomore forward Ryan Gordon found his own rebound and beat a sliding Say to the glove side. It would be the first of two goals on the night for Gordon. Fellow sophomore Riley Thompson added an insurance goal 2:02 later, beating Say with a backhander from the hashmarks.
Notre Dame was unable to muster a challenge against Terness in the third. Terness finished with 27 saves on 28 shots, 12 of which came in the first period. With less than a minute to play, Buckeye senior forward Patrick Guzzo scored an empty-net goal to put the game out of reach. Then, with Say back in the net, Gordon found himself open for a tap-in to make the
see HOCKEY PAGE 11
KEIRA JONES | The Observer
Freshman goaltender Nicholas Kempf reaches his blocker out in an attempt to stop a shot during Notre Dame’s 5-1 loss to Ohio State at the Compton Family Ice Arena on Feb. 8, 2025. Ohio State swept the Irish in South Bend this weekend, winning a pair of 5-1 contests. Notre Dame will start a four-game road trip to Penn State and Wisconsin next week.
and mentally rewarding. It’s up to you to incorporate what makes you happy into your everyday routine. Your numbers are 3, 18, 20, 24, 33, 36, 45.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Bide your time; refrain from letting anger mix with emotions. Keeping the peace is easier if you are physically active. Blow off steam hiking, going to the gym, or participating in a competitive activity. Choose peace and love over discord and animosity. Choose self-improvement over critiquing others.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Share your enthusiasm; you’ll gain support. Refuse to let lastminute changes alter your mood or plans. Adjust to whatever unfolds and move forward with a smile and a positive attitude. Make a concerted effort to put those you encounter at ease and welcome them to join you on your journey.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can think big, but be realistic when it comes time to put your time, effort, and cash on the line. Scour the internet for answers and the legitimacy of organizations, companies, and those making unrealistic offers. Focus on exploiting what you offer instead of buying into someone else’s plot.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Refuse to let laziness set in when action is necessary. Change begins with you; if you aren’t happy with your lifestyle or situation, do something. Dedication, truth, and positive solutions will help you rectify the problem. Show compassion and kindness, and you’ll get the same in return.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Chill, give yourself a chance to think matters through, and devise a plan that compensates everyone you love. You’ll discover something about who you are and what you can do if you put your best foot forward and help those facing trials and tribulations. Do good, and you’ll feel good.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Changing your environment will give you a new perspective regarding life, love, and what’s possible with some work, ingenuity, and patience. Participate in events offering insight into what’s possible and achievable. Incorporate what’s working for you already into your upcoming prospects and plans. Use your imagination and make things happen.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An open mind will help infuse exciting prospects. Social events, communication, and time spent with people who stimulate your mind will encourage you to stop procrastinating. Don’t waste pent-up energy and angst on criticism and complaining. Put your plans in motion, and you’ll gain confidence and satisfaction from your achievements.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Dig in and do something that requires concentration, enthusiasm, and energy. Challenge yourself to a fitness regime that entails top performance, and the rewards will rejuvenate and fortify what you can do when motivated. Dream big, follow through, and reward yourself. Your happiness depends on you, not on outside acceptance.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Remove limitations before you start something new. Let go of what’s holding you back; it will be uplifting and help you give your all to something that feels right and makes you happy. Align yourself with those who share your mindset and share information that will make your journey easier.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): People in the know and fast-forwarding in a direction that intrigues you will be your draw. Attend a function that allows you to interact with movers, shakers, and motivators, and the influence it has on you will get you on the fast track you want to pursue.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Broaden your horizons and explore what’s available in your community. Express your feelings and discover where you stand with someone you enjoy being around. An honest approach to friendship and love will help clarify the possibilities. Selfimprovement and taking time out to nurture yourself is favored.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Participate in something that interests you, and you’ll meet someone special. Sharing experiences and dreams will prompt you to plan and give you something to look forward to. Be bold and make the first move. Share your desires and be receptive to trying something different. A positive change is apparent.
Birthday Baby: You are talkative, restless, and active. You are engaging and attentive.
Irish lose third consecutive ACC game to VT
By HENRY LYTLE Sports Writer
Notre Dame men’s basketball lost its third game in a row on Saturday, Feb. 8, to Virginia Tech at home. Coming into the contest 8-2 at home, the Irish were in position to rebound after tough, back-to-back losses against Miami (Florida) and Florida State. The Irish were unable to hold onto doubledigit leads in both the first half (14) and second half (11) and fell in the final minutes against Virginia Tech, 65-63.
The Irish began the game on a strong run, getting out to an 18-4 lead with 10:18 left in the first half. The team shot an efficient 50% from the field during this stretch, holding Virginia Tech below 20% from the field, even without making a 3-pointer. Despite the early deficit, Virginia Tech was far from giving up. With three minutes remaining in the first half, Virginia Tech battled back to bring the lead back to just one point at 27-26. However, the Notre Dame starters reentered the game and found a late offensive rhythm to score three unanswered baskets and get the lead back to seven at 33-26, punctuated by an off-balance, contested jumper from sophomore guard Markus Burton as time expired.
After the game, junior forward Kebba Njie said, “The good teams, they get stops down the stretch, and then that fuels their offense. And so for us, I feel like that’s what we need to do.”
Experimenting with different lineups over the difficult last three games in ACC play, Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry played 11 different players in the first and second half to try and find lineups that could generate consistent production.
After the game, Shrewsberry said, “So I’m trying to get more guys in, trying to be able to play at the right pace. And the hardest thing to do is play short minutes and be really good in those short minutes, but you can be really good at effort. Effort doesn’t take anything right… I just want you to come in and sustain effort.”
Through the first eight minutes of the second half, Notre Dame again began on a 13-6 run to regain a double-digit lead at 46-35. Virginia Tech was quick to bounce back again, led by Tobi Lawal, who had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Lawal had three energyshifting dunks from lobs that breathed life back into Virginia Tech. The Hokies finished the game shooting
39.3% from the field, which was the exact same percentage as Notre Dame on the same number of shots.
Virginia Tech would then go on a sustained, 15-6 run through the next six minutes of the game to bring the score to 52-50 with Notre Dame ahead with 6:27 left in the game. Burton knocked down a jumper from the elbow to extend the Irish lead back to 54-51 lead with 4:24 left. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-18 shooting. Virginia Tech earned its first lead of the game on a Lawal jumper that made it 55-54 with
3:06 remaining in the game. Similar to Miami, The Irish again let the lead slip away inside of five minutes left in the game and never regained it. The Notre Dame offense went ice cold over the final three minutes and found itself facing a 5-point deficit inside of a minute left. Junior forward Tae Davis swished a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to bring his total to 18 points and the deficit back to 2, but Virginia Tech closed out the game with Brandon Rechsteiner knocking down 7 of 8 free throws in the final
30 seconds to keep the Irish from tying the game into overtime.
“I think we have tough guys,” Shrewsberry said. “We are just not getting it done right now. I deserve every bit of criticism that is coming this way. I’ll take the blame. I am the one calling the plays down the stretch.”
Notre Dame has struggled to close out the last three games against comparable teams in the ACC standings. Even with Burton’s return, Davis’s development into a 15-point per game scorer and the easiest stretch of the
conference schedule, Notre Dame has seemingly lost its identity on both sides of the ball. Taking on Boston College, Louisville and SMU next, Notre Dame needs to find a way to salvage this disappointing season and help its young players gain confidence heading into the ACC Tournament. Notre Dame will travel to Chestnut Hill to face Boston College on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with hopes of breaking the losing streak.
Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Junior forward Kebba Njie puts up a contested shot during Notre Dame’s 65-63 loss to Virginia Tech at Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 8, 2025. The Irish have lost three consecutive games and now sit at 10-13 overall and 4-8 in the ACC ahead of Wednesday night’s game at Boston College.
Irish split first weekend, underclassmen shine
By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor
The Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team opened up the 2025 season with a massive test on the road against No. 2 Northwestern. The Wildcats, a perennial powerhouse in the women’s lacrosse world, sought revenge after last year’s 14-10 upset defeat in South Bend. Last year’s win propelled the Irish to their first No. 1 ranking in program history. But after graduating 17 players from last year’s historic team, including their legendary attacking trio of Jackie Wolak, Madison Ahern and Kasey Choma, they entered this year’s matchup ranked 13th in the nation, penned as clear underdogs in Evanston.
Northwestern’s hunger for revenge was evident out of the gate. The Wildcats overwhelmed Notre Dame in the first quarter, taking a commanding 7-0 lead after the first 15. Last year’s leading point scorer Madison Taylor was the catalyst. She set the tone from the very first possession, capitalizing on a free-position shot to immediately put the Wildcats in front. She had a hand in the next two goals as well, finding the Harvard graduate transfer Riley Campbell in transition for the assist and dispatching a long-range effort
from straight on to extend the lead to 3-0. She would get her hat trick with 4:30 remaining in the quarter after putting away another free-position shot. Campbell would add a second of her own, on top of goals from Emerson Bohlig and a career-first for true freshman Aditi Foster to cap off the dominant quarter.
Taylor would pick up right where she left off in the second quarter, scoring her fourth of the day to make it 8-0. Notre Dame would make things interesting, though. Sophomore attacker Kate Timarky finally got the Irish on the board with 12:24 remaining in the second quarter. A little over a minute later, graduate student Kristen Shanahan, who returns after last year’s season-ending injury, would follow up the missed free-position shot off the post and cut the deficit to six. Northwestern would respond with the next goal before last year’s leading freshman point-getter midfielder Kathryn Morrissey answered on a free-position shot. Taylor could not be held down, however, as she masterfully split an Irish double team and converted her fifth goal of the half. Shanahan’s behind-the-back effort, her second goal of the day, took the Irish into halftime trailing 10-4.
Across the tail end of the
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
second quarter and the entirety of the third, Notre Dame’s defense kept the Wildcats scoreless. In that time, Timarky logged her second goal of the day and junior attacker Emma Murphy added another to cut the deficit to four. Northwestern would finally break its prolonged scoring drought, opening up the fourth quarter on a 2-0 run. Bohlig grabbed her second of the day on a free-position shot before Taylor added her sixth to make it 12-6. Morrissey, Timarky and Shanahan all completed hat tricks on a 4-1 run Notre Dame run down the stretch, but the Irish ultimately ran out of time to mount the comeback despite their best efforts. Northwestern’s 22-5 edge in draw controls tells much of the story in this game. Taylor’s offensive dominance tells the rest, her goal-scoring and playmaking powering Northwestern to a statement win in game one. With that said, Notre Dame more than held its own with one of the nation’s best and will be encouraged by the performance of its young core, particularly the sophomore duo of Morrissey and Timarky. Shanahan also proved to be a welcome addition back in the lineup after her injury absence in 2024. Notre Dame would turn around quickly, returning
home to face Central Michigan University in the home opener. Head coach Emilia Ward enters her third season after leading the Chippewas to a regular-season conference title in 2024. Her team, however, was no match for Notre Dame.
The Irish asserted themselves from the opening faceoff in what would be a one-sided first quarter. Graduate captain Shanahan went behind the back for the second time this season to open the scoring for Notre Dame. Central Michigan’s response on the next possession, a goal from Hanna Wegner, would be the closest the Chippewas would come.
The Irish would score the next 11 goals unanswered, holding the Chippewas scoreless for 18 minutes of play. Their dominant run was fueled by a lopsided advantage in draw controls. After struggling against Northwestern, Shanahan rarely lost in the draw circle against CMU. She won 14 of 18 in the first half, many of them leading directly to downhill opportunities that Notre Dame turned into several goals. The talent discrepancy was also evident throughout the game, as Irish midfielders and attackers feasted in their one-on-one matchups.
Unlike against the Wildcats, where only three players carried the scoring burden, the Irish spread the love on Sunday. While the trio of Timarky, Morrissey and Shanahan got on the board, scoring a combined six of the team’s 20 goals, three other Irish players tallied hat tricks. Junior attacker
Hockey
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
score 5-1 in garbage time. Say finished with 27 saves on 31 Ohio State shots.
Saturday: Ohio State 5, Notre Dame 1
Looking to salvage a series split, Nelson put the Irish out in front again on Saturday night. After helping to force a turnover against the Ohio State breakout, Nelson surprised Terness with a quick wrister on the blocker side.
Emma Murphy and sophomore attacker Angie Conley each had three, but it was freshman midfielder Madison Rassas who was the standout. The top recruit whose father, Todd, was an All-American with Notre Dame’s men’s lacrosse team, scored a team-high five goals to go with three assists. Freshman midfielder Ellie McClelland, another highlytouted recruit who played on the 2023 USA U18 National Development Team, also got in on the action with her first career goal. The high potential of this Irish underclassmen group was on full display during the first-half onslaught.
After taking a 14-2 lead into the break, Notre Dame would take its foot off the gas a bit in the second half. CMU put up a valiant effort, tightening up defensively and competing on draw controls, winning 6 of 13 compared to 4 of 18 in the first. It held the Irish to less than half of their first-half offensive output while more than tripling its own. While the game still finished with a comfortable 20-7 Irish victory, the Chippewas did not go down without a fight.
After splitting 1-1 in the opening weekend, Notre Dame will be optimistic for the future of this young, upand-coming group. The Irish will stay in South Bend for the Military Appreciation game against Eastern Michigan on Feb. 15. Face-off is set for 3 p.m. with ACCNX providing the broadcast.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
aurelian craiutu, political science, indiana university
Thursday, February 13, 2025 | 12:30-1:45 p.m. ET Jenkins Nanovic Halls Room 1030
Open to the public | Lunch is available at noon constudies.nd.edu
Notre Dame continued to pour on the offense, but Terness rose to the challenge. He made 19 saves in the first period, many from dangerous scoring areas, buying his team time to get back in the game. Ohio State made good on that time, tying the score yet again before the period ended. With Notre Dame graduate defenseman Zach Plucinski in the box for kneeing, Northeastern graduate transfer Gunnarwolfe Fontaine scored on the power-play to tie the game. Fontaine shot the puck off
the post and past freshman goaltender Nicholas Kempf. The Irish continued to carry the play at the start of the period, but momentum swung Ohio State’s way 10 minutes in when Buckeye sophomore forward Sam Deckhut beat Kempf on a breakaway. Officials initially waved off Deckhut’s goal because he had collided with Kempf after taking his shot, but upon review the officials determined that the puck was going into the net before the collision occurred. The Irish never quite seemed the same after the Deckhut goal. Burnside added his second of the weekend following Ohio State’s strongest offensive zone shift of the game, and the Buckeyes again took a 3-1 lead to the locker room. Sophomore defenseman Nathan McBrayer and sophomore forward William Smith added to Ohio State’s lead in the third, while Notre Dame tested Terness just five times in the final frame.
Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu
ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish dominate No. 21 Cal in Think Pink clash
By HENRY LYTLE Sports Writer
Following the 49-point victory on Thursday against Stanford, Notre Dame fans could only hope the Irish women’s basketball team would continue to play as well against a much tougher, 21stranked Cal team. The Irish took the lead in the first quarter and never looked back to go on multiple suffocating offensive and defensive runs. Winning 91-52, the Irish remain undefeated in conference play at 12-0 with an average margin of victory at home of 33 points.
Graduate forward Maddy Westbeld swished her first shot attempt of the first quarter to tie the game at 3-3. Then, sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo gave the Irish their first lead of the game at 6-5 with a stepback three with 7:41 remaining in the first
quarter. Hidalgo finished with 24 points, shooting 4 of 5 from 3-point range with 5 assists and 4 steals. The Irish retook the lead, 8-7, on a jumper from graduate forward Liza Karlen and never looked back. The Notre Dame defense was suffocating for Cal as it had 2 blocks and forced 7 turnovers in the first quarter. A 3-point jumper from Lulu Twidale for Cal cut the first-quarter lead to 22-15, but this was the closest Cal would be throughout the rest of the contest.
Notre Dame regained its stride on an offensive barrage in the second quarter. In the last six minutes of the second quarter, the Irish went on a 15-2 run, capitalized by a monstrous block on freshman forward Kate Koval on defense and back-to-back Westbeld jumpers. The latter finished with 9 points. The Irish defense was suffocating for Cal,
which shot below 30% from the field and the 3-point line in the first half. The Irish held a ranked team averaging 73.9 points per game to 23 points in the first half to lead 44-23 at the break.
After the game, head coach Niele Ivey said, “We forced 21 turnovers, and I thought their [Notre Dame’s] defense was fantastic. We held them [Cal] below their average, and then offensively, I think we’re growing and getting better. I thought we did a great job with 46 points in the paint, and we had 20 assists.”
Notre Dame picked up right where it left off in the third quarter. Westbeld and Karlen were put in difficult positions with foul trouble, but Koval stepped up to play critical defense for the Irish again. Cal hit a 3 to bring the game back within 20 points at 47-28 with 8:11 left in the third. The 6-0
run was quickly terminated by the Irish as Hidalgo stretched the lead past 20 with an elbow jumper to make it 49-28. Notre Dame’s shooting was simply too efficient for Cal to stay close, as the Irish shot 55.7% from the field, and 50% from 3-point range (8 for 16).
Graduate guard Olivia Miles made multiple highlight plays throughout the game, including a stepback 3-pointer to bring the lead out to 52-28 with 6:28 left in the third. The Irish would finish the final 5:19 of the third quarter with another 18-2 run. They held Cal to 1-for-9 shooting over that stretch with three turnovers.
The third quarter ended with the Irish ahead by 37 points, 72-35. Senior guard Sonia Citron finished the third quarter with 7 points. Overall, she had 16 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals.
After the game, she said,
“We are just working game by game, just preparing [for] the next game like it’s our biggest game of the season. So just not looking ahead and focusing in on our preparation.”
The Irish ballooned the lead to as many as 41 in the fourth quarter and gave the fans free nachos with 88-plus points in back-to-back games. Earning their sixth ranked win of the season, the Irish are catching stride at the right time before the ACC Tournament. The Irish are 21-2 overall, including 12-0 at home with victories against top-five-ranked Texas and UConn. Their next major test to finishing conference play undefeated is against No. 10 Duke on Monday, Feb. 17. A Thursday trip to Pittsburgh awaits before that showdown in South Bend.
Contact Henry Lytle at hlytle@nd.edu
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Senior guard Sonia Citron defends Cal’s Marta Suarez during Notre Dame’s 91-52 defeat of Cal at Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 9, 2025. Citron played a comprehensive game on Sunday, totaling 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting along with 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. She and the Irish have won 16 consecutive games and will visit Pittsburgh this Thursday night.
