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Volume 54, Issue 96 | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Students to stay in London despite virus University warns program participants not to travel to Italy amidst worldwide coronavirus epidemic Observer Staff Report
Notre Dame officials called a mandatory meeting for London Global Gateway students at Marian Kennedy Fischer Hall at noon Monday to update them on the ongoing spread of coronavirus throughout Europe. Notre Dame’s Dublin program — its secondlargest abroad program — has yet to call for such a meeting. In the meeting, administrators stressed that, as of right now, the London program will continue as normal. “As of today, we have no intention of closing the London
program. We’ve made that very clear to everyone,” Alice Tyrell, director of academic programs for Notre Dame in London, said. “That means, at this moment, if you chose to voluntarily withdraw from London today, that would constitute a voluntary withdrawal from the University.” The situation is active and changing, Tyrell said, and is informed by advice from the University, as well as both the U.S. and U.K. governments. “If this guidance changes, it will be communicated to you,” Tyrell see CORONAVIRUS PAGE 4
Priest reflects on time fighting in Bengal Bouts
Photo courtesy of Sarah Naatz
Notre Dame officials met with students in London on Monday about the coronavirus outbreak and its implications for the abroad program. At this time, students studying abroad will remain in the city.
SMC students discuss mental health resources By HANNAH THOMAS News Writer
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth article in an investigative series on the accessibility and effectiveness of mental health resources available within the tri-campus community. When junior Alexandria Leonardo’s grandparent was undergoing cancer treatment, she turned to the Health and Counseling Center for help. “Having a grandparent go through cancer treatment is just really stressful on that patient
and the whole family,” she said. Whether Leonardo was sick with strep throat or simply needed to talk with someone, the center gave her a place to talk about her anxieties and seek treatment for physical illness. “They’re really awesome about trying to get the girls in as soon as possible,” she said. However, she believes some students may be embarrassed to seek assistance for their mental health. And there’s research to support that belief. The “Healthy Minds Study,” conducted by the University of
Michigan — which includes data from Saint Mary’s — reported that 47% of all students surveyed believed “‘[m]ost people would think less of someone who has received mental health treatment.’” In October, The Observer circulated a form asking students to share their experiences about campus mental health facilities and mental health awareness. Several Saint Mary’s students responded to the form and detailed their journeys in finding both resources and acceptance on campus. see COUNSELING PAGE 3
Photo courtesy of Nathan O’Halloran
Fr. Nathan O’Halloran, seated, receives coaching from Fr. Brian Daley during Notre Dame’s annual Bengal Bouts boxing tournament. By RENEE PIERSON News Writer
When Fr. Nathan W. O’Halloran moved across the country to pursue a doctorate in theology at Notre Dame, boxing was the last activity he expected to pursue. Known by his competition names “The Exorcist,” “Priest Mode” and “Last Rites,” O’Halloran is the first priest to ever participate in Bengal Bouts, a campus tradition for 90 years. O’Halloran said his fellow Jesuit priest and Bengal Bouts coach Fr. Brian E. Daley encouraged him to
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get involved. “When I first arrived, he basically bugged me every day to get involved,” O’Halloran said. “I told him, ‘I’ve never thought about boxing in my life, I have no interest in boxing.’” Eventually, Daley wore him down. Daley, a Bengal Bouts coach, gives boxing pointers to O’Halloran. O’Halloran credited Daley for his involvement in the competition, citing him as a major source of motivation. see BENGAL PAGE 3
scene PAGE 5
College designs exhibit on women’s suffrage By MIA MARROQUIN News Writer
Women’s suffrage and the ratification of the 19th Amendment are explored in “Votes for Women: 100 Years of the 19th Amendment,” a new exhibit that will be on display at the South Bend History Museum from March 21 to Dec. 31. The exhibit was created by Jamie
viewpoint PAGE 7
Wagman, associate professor of history and gender and women’s studies at Saint Mary’s, and her students. The project was sparked when Wagman was granted a fellowship from Indiana Humanities to study suffrage, she said in an email. “I wanted to be able to use it to visit archives and create an assignment for U.S. Women’s
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History students to work with me on designing an exhibit,” she said. “It’s always exciting getting students involved and interested in primary document analysis, oral history interviews and public talks and performances.” Wagman said she studied a variety of sources as she undertook her research. see SUFFRAGE PAGE 3
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TODAY
The observer | wednesday, march 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
Have a question you want answered? Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com
How many Americans do you think are arrested abroad during spring break? (A: 2,500)
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Maria Leontaras Managing Editor Natalie Weber
Lindsey Reina
Jackson Mittlesteadt
freshman Ryan Hall
senior O’Neill Family Hall
“2,000.”
“2,000.”
Maryna Chuma
Zach Kowalczyk
freshman Ryan Hall
senior off-campus
“5,000.”
“400.”
Kyle McGeehan
Benito Murga
senior off-campus
freshman Duncan Hall
“1,000.”
“200,000.”
Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Steurer Asst. Managing Editor: Mary Bernard
Notre Dame News Editor: Tom Naatz Saint Mary’s News Editor: Maeve Filbin Viewpoint Editor: Evelyn Stein Sports Editor: Connor Mulvena Scene Editor: Mike Donovan Photo Editor: Nola Wallace Graphics Editor: Diane Park Social Media Editor: Mary Bernard Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf Ad Design Manager: Ruby Le Systems Administrator: Stephen Hannon Talent & Inclusion Manager: Zixu Wang Office Manager & General Info
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webmaster@ndsmcobserver.com Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content. The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information. Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Maria Leontaras. Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester. The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077
Today’s Staff News
Sports
Tom Naatz Callie Patrick Trinity Reilly
Stephen Hannon
Scene
Graphics
Nia Sylva
Theresa Tulsiak
Photo
Viewpoint
Hannah Huelskamp
Olivia Luchetti
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 (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
SUB Midterm Stress Relief LaFun Ballroom 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Free Rocco’s, Chipotle and ice cream.
Words in Prayer and Song Snite Museum of Art 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Rosary and choral performance.
Code Café 246 Hesburgh Library 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Community help with coding. Free coffee and cookies available.
Men’s Basketball vs. Virginia Tech Purcell Pavilion 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Irish take on the Hokies.
Spring Break campus-wide all day No classes in session. Classes will resume March 16.
Men’s Basketball vs. Florida State Purcell Pavilion 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. Irish take on the Seminoles.
Irish Music Concert DPAC 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Featuring Danú and Goitse music ensembles.
“Just Mercy” Showing Browning Cinema DPAC 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tickets are $4.
Spring Break campus-wide all day No classes in session. Classes will resume March 16.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. All are welcome to attend.
ND club mentors local high school students, encourages higher education By ALYSA GUFFEY News Writer
Senior Henry Byrne saw mentoring as a huge part of his life before he came to Notre Dame, so when he heard of the Explore, Excite, Engage Club (EEE) his freshman year, he jumped right in. Established in 2017, EEE gives Notre Dame students the opportunity to connect with local high schools in the South Bend-Mishawaka area and mentor students in after-school programs Bryne, the current president of EEE, said. “Our club really is focused on trying to build relationships with the kids and then help them in their schooling, but also give them a taste of what things we have at Notre Dame, and just things colleges have in general,” Byrne said. “One of the main goals of the club is to kind of increase the amount of students in the South Bend area that want to go to college.” Byrne said members of the club help out students in a variety of subjects such as math, science and English. The club leaves campus and travels to a high school every Monday from 4 p.m.
to 5:30 p.m. Sophomore Matt Locascio said he shared Byrne’s motive to join the club, saying he felt inspired to make an impact in the lives of younger students, as his mentors did for him. However, Locascio said he continued to be involved in the club because of the conversations he had with students that extended beyond school subjects. “During my first visit to mentor, I was struck at how excited the students were to see us and talk to us,” Lacoscio said. “I remember we talked to them about Notre Dame football for a long time. They have a vested interest in Notre Dame, like us, which was really cool to see, and that’s why I gravitated back week after week.” Byrne said at times scheduling times to visit the high schools can be difficult. “The big struggle with planning stuff with high schools is that they’re on a totally different schedule than us, so we kind of have to adapt to their schedule,” he said. “If they’re getting out of school at 3 p.m., they’re not gonna wait ’till 5 p.m. for us to get there. So we have had to figure that out, too.”
While EEE has relationships with multiple high schools in the area, Byrne said this year the club is focusing on creating a strong relationship with Washington High School so the club can have a greater impact on students beyond mentoring. “Setting up a program where we can work to help students get to Notre Dame is kind of the ultimate end-goal, but right now, we’re at the ground level, and we’re trying to build relationships,” Byrne said. “… It’s really important that we found people from South Bend actually truly understand the structure of public versus private high schools.” Although helping with high school academics is a big part of the club’s purpose, EEE also strives to spark conversations about looking past high school to college, said Locascio. “I think mentorship can be really powerful, all it takes is that one conversation with a student,” he said. “… We all know education is power, and it can allow them to do so much in their life.”
Contact Alysa Guffey at aguffey@nd.edu
News
Counseling Continued from page 1
Many students on campus have misconceptions about mental health, psychological sciences professor Catherine Pittman noted. A licensed psychologist, she often sees people who believe negative thoughts can be changed by positive thinking, or that mental health struggles are always the result of a traumatic event. “There’s not just a stigma among people, but people who have a mental disorder often have that stigma and when they realize they have a problem, then something develops called self-stigma where they feel embarrassed [or] ashamed,” she said. When Pittman teaches, she tries to fight this stigma and battle negative assumptions about mental health. “There are ideas that people with mental disorders are dangerous or somehow worth less than other people,” she said. “The average person on the street gets their education about mental disorders from the media.” However, this representation of mental disorders usually leads to misinformation regarding mental health, Pittman said. She believes mental health awareness should be an integral part of a student’s education
Bengal Continued from page 1
“My first year, I got involved and competed in the tournament,” he said. “I competed last year, my fourth year, and this year, my last year.” In his first year of competition, O’Halloran advanced to the finals. In his final year of eligibility this year, his boxing career came full circle as he qualified for the finals for the second time. “This year, I had to box twice before making the finals, and my semifinal match was a really tough bout,” he said. “I felt like I earned my way into the finals this time.” On paper, however, O’Halloran does not fit into the
Suffrage Continued from page 1
“I visited archival collections in South Bend and Indianapolis. Then two history majors and I interviewed the great-granddaughter of Alice Mannering, the first woman candidate in Indiana to run for mayor,” she said. “We donated the interview to the Civil Rights Heritage Center. I then asked U.S. Women’s History students to examine and present on primary sources like brochures, bulletins, flyers and photographs.” Elizabeth Ferry, a senior
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from early in their studies. “It’s so easy for a person to really feel on top of dealing with the disorder they’re dealing with, but they’re also dealing with stigma and they’re also dealing with hostility toward them or people’s fear of them,” she said. This fear of hostility can lead students towards isolation. Saint Mary’s alumna Elizabeth Stockwell (‘18) felt pressured by the social stigma of anxiety and depression, which prevented her from reaching out to her friends, family and faculty when she needed them the most. “I’m still struggling,” Stockwell said. “I’m still trying to work through my thoughts about mental health and how I can work within myself to not see this as a negative thing.” During her sophomore year, Stockwell’s anxiety disorder grew to be unmanageable on her own. “Sophomore year I had some anxiety and panic attacks,” she said. “During Mental Health Awareness Week, I decided to reach out to somebody. When I called the Health and Counseling Center, they said they couldn’t get me in for two weeks and that was a moment when I felt like they weren’t there for me, especially since it was such an important week, they should’ve had more appointments available.” The national average for
counselors to students is 1:1,600. The ratio for counselors to students at Saint Mary’s is 1:521, which is above the national average. But Stockwell said because she was not able to establish a connection with a counselor, the subsequent semester and the next year became almost too much to handle. During her senior year, Stockwell began seeing counselor Katharine Barron. Depending on her needs, Stockwell could go to counseling every week or other week, and her mental health improved. Once she graduated, however, Stockwell’s anxiety only got worse. She wished graduating seniors received an informational packet at their last counseling session, which would have helped her navigate the mental health care system outside of the College. For the Saint Mary’s administration, carving out time, money and labor to provide mental health resources on campus can be a challenge, Pittman said. “For the vice president for student affairs, this is one little sliver of her job, so it’s easy for this to get pushed to the side,” Pittman said. While many on campus — including the vice president of student affairs — monitor the mental health resources
available on campus, the treatment of students’ mental health crises falls on the Health and Counseling Center. “The [Health and] Counseling Center, they are so overwhelmed,” Pittman said. “I don’t know if they could maybe hire more people, but you know, the College is on a budget.” While the Health and Counseling Center offers individual counseling to students, group therapy is not available to students. The University Counseling Center at Notre Dame offers many forms of group therapy experiences, but according to its website, most of these groups are only available to undergraduate students enrolled at Notre Dame. Karen Johnson, former vice president of student affairs, said the College has no plans to facilitate any counseling or therapy groups outside of the grief and loss support group organized by Campus Ministry. “However, once the new [Health and Counseling Center] director is hired we will reconsider that,” she said. There is still work to be done to combat stigmas surrounding mental health at Saint Mary’s, but organizations such as the Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) and other confidential and nonconfidential sources can help, Leonardo said. When thinking of ways to encourage students to seek help
at the Health and Counseling Center, Leonardo said advertising and encouraging students to schedule appointments is so important. They should take their mental health seriously because taking care of the mind is equally as important as taking care of the body, she said. “Self-realization about that issue is important and so is being a good support system for friends,” she said. “I tell my friends, classmates and peers that mental health is just as important as physical health if not more, because your mind is so powerful.” Improving one’s mental health awareness can begin in the classroom or at presentations offered in the tri-campus community, Pittman said. Having students take courses related to mental health, she said, will also allow them to learn about mental health since that is one of the best routes to begin educating people on the subject. “There’s just a lack of knowledge that we really have to address if we’re going to go anywhere so I’m just trying to get that information out there to as many people as I can,” she said.
typical description of a championship boxer. A native of Vado, New Mexico, O’Halloran grew up working with the poor on the Mexican border through his parents’ Catholic missionary program, the Lord’s Ranch. “That’s how I was raised, was working with the poor in Juarez, Mexico,” he said. “I was homeschooled so that we could go over into Mexico throughout the week and participate in the ministry, visiting shut-ins, visiting prisons.” The missionary group that O’Halloran grew up in was founded by a Jesuit priest named Fr. Rick Thomas, who he called his “hero.” O’Halloran said the life and work of Thomas inspired him to become a priest at a very young
age, and this helped him discern he would become a Jesuit priest later on in his life. Currently, O’Halloran is a doctoral student at Notre Dame in his final semester working toward a Ph.D. in theology. He recently submitted his dissertation, which dealt with the inclusion of the healing of assault victims in Purgatory. O’Halloran’s vocation may not lead one to assume he is a skilled boxer. However, O’Halloran said boxing is a key part of his spiritual identity. “St. Paul talks about boxing. He uses boxing as a metaphor for spiritual training,” he said. “These last few years, I’ve felt like the Lord has been encouraging me to grow in certain areas, and boxing just happened to coincide with the growth I
felt I was being pushed toward. When I confronted a weakness, a vulnerability, a struggle and didn’t ignore it, but was open about it and brought it to the surface, and worked on it — that’s where there was growth.” O’Halloran also explained that amateur boxing isn’t the violent sport that most people picture, but rather a pointbased system. “I actually wrote an article for a Catholic magazine last year answering this question,” he said. “There’s no extra points given for hitting someone hard.” He said his article touched on how we define violence. “The way I understand violence is this intentional infliction of long-term injury
on someone that is part of the sport,” he said. “That may be true of professional boxing, but it’s not true of amateur boxing.” However, O’Halloran did not deny the sport has been physically challenging for him. “The huge pain in my left rib right now reminds me of how hard [my opponent] can hit,” he said. O’Halloran hopes his involvement with Bengal Bouts will encourage other priests to participate in the future. He said he is extremely proud of his legacy here at Notre Dame. “For me, [Bengal Bouts] will always remain a great memory I have of Notre Dame,” he said.
history major and student of Wagman’s, said her History of Women in the U.S. course will perform suffrage songs at the kickoff at the exhibit in April. “Singing was one of the ways that a suffragist would protest. … So, we have in our archives some of the sheet music for it, so we thought it would just be fun to sing some of it,” Ferry said. “I feel like the mom from Mary Poppins but with a political twist.” Ferry said the most rewarding part of the experience for her is the ability to connect people to local history. “I am focusing on this archive specific to South Bend and the
surrounding area, so I get to see how the movement was really big in Elkhart and South Bend,” she said. “…I feel like a lot of other education we get around the 19th Amendment is about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Seneca Falls and everything, but it was across the nation and it was super prevalent here.” Wagman said it’s important for college students to understand suffrage is complicated. It wasn’t a feminist victory for all women, she said. While the 19th Amendment passed in 1919 and was ratified in 1920, black Americans still encountered many barriers to voting, especially in the South. She
said the 1965 Voting Rights Act finally prohibited states from excluding black people from voting — after more than a century of work on voting rights. “A century of organizing led to the 19th Amendment,” she said. “Suffragists protested, picketed, lobbied and organized parades and pageants. They endured arrests and hunger strikes, in addition to public humiliation and threats. Yet they kept going, and oftentimes their daughters and even granddaughters carried the movement forward.” Ferry said this project has allowed her to challenge her preconceived understandings of what suffrage history is.
“One of the biggest challenges is learning to grapple with the fact that these women fought for our right to vote, but remembering that they had shortcomings,” she said. “So, it’s like you want to celebrate their accomplishments but also take it with a grain of salt because they did fail in a lot of ways and being able to hold all those perspectives in your head and think about it.” The exhibit opening ceremony will be held at the South Bend History Museum on April 1 at 1:30 p.m.
News writer Gina Twardosz contributed to this article. Contact Hannah Thomas at hthomas01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Renee Pierson at rpierso1@nd.edu
Contact Mia Marroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu
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News
The observer | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Coronavirus Continued from page 1
said. However, students were encouraged to take some travel precautions in the wake of the virus’ spread. Students were strongly advised not to go to Italy, after Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s cut both of their study abroad programs short. University-sponsored travel has been halted entirely, as it is unclear where and to what degree coronavirus will appear next. “The situation remains fluid,” Josh Copeland, director of student affairs for Notre Dame in London, said. “We follow the information as it’s given, in daily updates from local government resources both in the U.S. and in the U.K., but there’s only so much that we can predict about it. As you’re choosing where you go on your travels, please do keep that in mind.” These warnings should be given greater attention as students head into spring break, Copeland said. “Think about the the possible potential consequences for you returning from a place like Italy coming back to the U.K. if it becomes a greater concern,” Copeland said. “Travel restrictions could be put in place. You
could be facing more complicated screening. Depending on if you were to come back and be symptomatic of something, you might have to be facing quarantine or self-isolation as governed by those guidelines. … You could have significant issues at reentry, you could find yourself stuck and unable to be
back for classes because you’re dealing with an isolation situation. Personal advice — it’s just not worth it.” All students — those planning to leave London over spring break and those choosing to remain the city — are required to alert the University to their whereabouts for the
upcoming week by filling out standard travel forms. Furthermore, University officials confirmed if the Centers for Disease Control and State Department issue a level three travel alert for a country, the University will pull students from that country. “We are looking at working for
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all locations,” Jaime Signoracci, associate director of international travel and safety for Notre Dame International, said at the meeting over the phone. “Again, we’re monitoring the situation hour-by-hour [in] all the countries that we currently have international travelers due to faculty and staff.”
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THERESA TULSIAK | The Observer
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The observer | Wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
Can health be unhealthy?
How random are random roommates? Meghan Cappitelli Sensical Nonsense
Renee Pierson News Writer
As a freshman at this university, I have had to take in a lot of new things in the past several months — football chants, dorm stereotypes, colloquialisms like “ring by spring” and “Menbroza” are just a few. You’d think I’d have wrapped my head around campus culture by now after almost six months as a student here. However, there’s one thing about Notre Dame students that really gets my goat — their obsession with exercise. Don’t get me wrong — exercising is great. I definitely am a fan of exercise. I just think it’s kind of weird how seemingly every person on this campus was on their high school cross country team and/or hits the gym at least four to five times a week. Like, how do you have time for that? At least among people I know, there’s a subtle pressure to stay in shape one way or another, the preferable option being running. I have friends who have run marathons, attended week-long running camps and hold national titles for sprinting — and they somehow keep up these workout regimens here on campus. The part that baff les me the most is that I didn’t even know the half of it until I succumbed to the pressure myself. I’ll admit that I am at least pretending to train for the Holy Half in spite of my sheer lack of athleticism. This has caused me to make my way over to Duncan a couple times a week myself. The things I’ve seen at the Smith Center in these regrettable past few weeks have surpassed my wildest expectations. There have been times when I’ve walked in and every single treadmill in the entire place was taken. I’ve witnessed people furiously playing Sudoku while running at an 8.0 mph speed for an hour straight. One time I even laid eyes on one brave soul who decided to run in the opposite direction of everyone else on the track. And dare I mention those men of steel that run outdoors … on the ice … in SHORTS?! I’ve concluded that people will risk it all to get their daily workout in. Now, I have to give these people credit — it takes a lot of effort to get to the gym that often and go that hard. But I must say that the exercise culture on this campus can be suffocating at times. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it’s okay to not eat salad at the dining hall every day. It’s okay to not be able to run an eight-minute mile. It’s okay if you don’t go to the gym at all! There are a million other ways to stay active on this campus that don’t require AirPods and a gym bag. Taking a walk outside on a nice day or playing a game of casual pickup basketball can be just as fulfilling as a three-hour workout, if that’s how you operate. If you’re one of the people who exercises like it’s your job, I’m here to tell you that you look great. If you can’t make it to the gym one day, please don’t stress out over it. You’re already way ahead of the rest of us — I beg of you, take a day off if you need it. And if you’re like me and you know you’ll never be able to run for 10 minutes without breaking a sweat, consider this a personal invitation to hang out far, far away from the gym and enjoy a guiltfree dessert and a leisurely stroll around campus. Contact Renee at rpierso1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The prospect of rooming with a total stranger is simply the cherry on top of the mountain of worries we had already built up as incoming college freshmen. All Notre Dame students felt this uneasiness during the months leading up to the disclosure of their long-awaited roommate assignments. After we had been left in the dark long enough for the Notre Dame room assigners to make their pairings in the alleged random manner that they do, we were informed of who we would be inhabiting a small, enclosed space with that fall. I remember the feelings of anticipation vividly. Would I like my roommate? Would she like me? Would she tolerate my unconventional sleeping schedule or my messy habits? I remember these questions and more f loating around in my head that day this past June. 2:58 p.m., 2:59 p.m., At 3 p.m. on the dot, my phone buzzed. First insight about my new roommate — she is prompt. We did our introductions, covered all of our bases. We had a lot in common, the most apparent similarity being that we both ran cross-country and track all throughout high school. My running career, however, came to an end when I graduated, while hers would be furthered as a member of the Notre Dame Women’s XCTF team. We were both delighted to possess a shared affinity for running, and also noted the unlikeliness of our coincidental pairing. It was a happy coincidence, though, so we weren’t complaining. We were, however, wondering — what were the chances? You could argue that the chances were fairly high, considering many Notre Dame students ran for a team in high school, but this instance was simply the first of many clues that support my roommate conspiracy theory. As I met more and more of my fellow classmates, I heard many roommate success stories, as well as plenty of not-so-successful stories. Despite the amiability (or lack thereof) between any two roommates, there were, in many instances, similarities that required some careful consideration. So that is precisely what I did — considered carefully. One of the only outwardly professed determinants of the Notre Dame random roommate assignments is that any two given roommates cannot be from the same zip code, which sounds like a fair policy to me. What, then, were the chances of not one, but two, (possibly more) cases of freshmen roommates coming from neighboring zip codes? One pair attended four years of high school together, and now live as randomly assigned roommates. The others were friends before even arriving at Notre Dame, but they were friends whose differing zip codes allowed the algorithm to deem them “fit to room.” This newfound knowledge only heightened my preexistent suspicions. Residence halls Pasquerilla East, McGlinn and Knott are rumored to be STEM or engineering dorms. Obviously these dorms are not comprised of solely science majors, but it has been observed that there is a striking number of STEM majors in these halls. Additionally, non-STEM students living in these dorms more often than not have roommates that are also non-STEM majors. The thought behind grouping students of similar majors within the same dorm and rooms is to foster positive study habits and a sense of academic community for indisputably rigorous fields of study like engineering. I do not condemn this
method of clustering; I think it’s a smart idea. It does, however, raise some questions about the legitimacy of the “random” aspect of the roommate policy at large. Moreover, there is a clear correlation between a dorm’s “standard of living” (that’s what we’ll call it) and the number of donor or legacy kids who reside in that particular dorm. This is another practice that makes sense. I mean, if I donated a building, I’d want my children to reap all of the possible benefits. It is also worth noting that relatives and siblings can pull in incoming freshmen to their dorms. This further creates dorm communities that gravitate more toward sameness than the diversity intended by the University. This evidence merely confirms that there is a human hand systematizing and organizing dorm assignments. It is not completely up to the haphazard fate of a computer program, but perhaps the results of a Harry Potter-esque sorting hat. If this is so, then a rational concern to raise is, does the same premeditated, nonrandomized nature of the dorm assignments hold true for individual roommate assignments? The intent behind Notre Dame’s random roommate policy is to expose first-years to diverse groups of people, people they might not have socialized with if given the option of choosing a roommate. I believe that the policy succeeds in this regard, but there is a notable number of commonalities between many roommates. The commonalities are hidden deep beneath the surface. They are shared traits, passions and experiences that might have revealed themselves perhaps in a certain essay read by certain administrators of a certain University. I have a friend whose college essay was written about cultural immersion and her time spent living abroad during the early years of her life. Her random roommate is an international student with plenty of distinct cultural experiences and customs to share with my friend — my friend who explicitly told the University she was looking to experience other cultures in college. I can just see it now — the housing administrators sitting around a long table, sifting through resumes and essays, finding the ideal pair of roommates with just the right amount of differences and similarities to make it work. It’s a foolproof plan, one that produces a balanced number of success stories and nightmares. After all, they have to keep the sorting hat method a secret, or else the whole brand will be ruined. Notre Dame prides itself on its random roommate system. This institution is one of the few colleges that still implements such a policy. It is one of the many uniquely Notre Dame things that makes this school special. So if Notre Dame is proud of this practice and students (for the majority) also appreciate it, then why does the University mess with a good, random thing? Now that I have outlined my conspiracy theory, it is up to the general public to support or oppose my claims. While my findings are certainly telling, they are not comprised of enough solid evidence to directly challenge the authority of the Office of Residential Life. No, that is not my intent, and for that reason, it will remain as a conspiracy theory, until more evidence surfaces. Until then, maybe ask your freshman year roommate what they wrote their college essay about … Meghan Cappitelli is a freshman studying economics and English at Notre Dame. A native of Long Island, New York, she enjoys running, procrastinating and eating ice cream for dinner. She can be reached at mcappite@nd.edu or @meghancapp on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Ivan and Alyosha Gabriel Niforatos The Road Less Traveled
Do you ever feel like you’re running away from something deep inside yourself? I am sometimes worried that I am running away from faith. I am a theology minor directly, and quite ironically, because I am not religious and I enjoy debating religious ideas with people. I never imagined that I would eventually study at a Catholic university, or that I would take theology classes where the existence of God was discussed as a given. And yet, education has patinated the charm of religion for me, and I guess that this is a good thing in a sense because it has trained me to think critically. Studying the Bible in Foundations of Theology and questioning suffering while reading Gustavo Gutiérrez will never allow me to look at religion the same way. When you are in my position, it is easy to point out the flaws in the Old Testament, the illogic of Jonah and Noah, the fact that Genesis is likely composed of two different creation accounts strung together and the lack of archaeological evidence for a grand Exodus of the Hebrews (Foundations professors will pound their podiums and insist that absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence). And yet, I feel a sort of uneasiness when I rigorously attack religion. For all of my friends who know how much I enjoy debating the existence of God and the myriad flaws of religion (seriously, most of my friends know this about me), I have an earth-shattering confession to make. There are some nights when I think to myself that resistance is futile and I will begin, or continue, to believe in God. And yet, there is a strong uneasiness with this position as well. I know how naive this will sound, but I expect a sort of comfort when I utter this monthly confession, as if God will reach out and acknowledge that another wayward soul has found
the light of salvation. Elijah called down fire and the bush burned for Moses, but I am not asking for something so showy. But the darkness of my dorm room greets me every time, and, if anything, I feel myself even more uneasy than before my spontaneous confession. I guess this is because the idea of Pascal’s Wager seems incredibly weak to me. I refuse to believe in God if that means that I am attempting to avoid the remote logical, moral or theological possibility that there is eternal damnation if I do not believe in God. I refuse a watered-down faith. But this is where I am afraid that I am running. I can assure myself all I want that it is selfish to Kerry Schneeman I The Observer think miracles are performed for me. Some people pray for rain, others for sunshine, and those who find themselves looking at clear skies feel the blessings of the Lord while the unlucky ones question why miracles do not happen anymore. And yet, what if my unbelief is predicated on laziness? What if I am afraid to acknowledge that there is a God because this means that there is a binding agreement where I am required to sign above the dotted line? Belief is not exactly something you can rescind and take part in on a weekly basis. So, I tell people that I am agnostic when, in reality, I wish that there was a check-box for “searching.” This is not an admission that I am thinking about conversion to any religion. I am a firm believer that religion is, and always will be, a flawed political institution that is created by humans who cannot ever truly understand the God or gods that they are trying to. However, this is simultaneously not an attack on overtly religious people. I am also a firm believer that people should be allowed to do, say, think and believe
what they want (as long as this does not mean people are getting harmed, which I believe religion can often spiral into). I have a certain respect for people who have the patience for religious morality where I do not. What I have no patience for is dogma. Although I try to be careful and apply this logic to all debates and conversations, religious pretexts or otherwise, I am, admittedly, biased toward attacking religion when it is wielded as a political tool of propaganda and corruption. But there it is again. That uneasiness. So, where do I stand today? I haven’t changed. It is one thing to debate the existence of God from the perspective of theory and pontification, from the comforts of the Notre Dame Bubble while the vast majority of the world does not have this privilege and must worry about daily survival, let alone the existence of God or the merits of flawed frameworks that attempt to understand whatever it is that God may be. I am fortunate to have risen from the ashes of homelessness, but for every event you could point to in my life and call a “miracle,” there are a thousand people for whom God did not choose to bestow his blessings on. It’s selfish to claim the sunrise is for me when there are those who prayed for rain. Is there a God? I don’t know. But don’t call me Thomas. I am Ivan Karamazov with a splash of Alyosha. I am a believing unbeliever, and I want to talk to you about what you think. Gabriel Niforatos is a junior majoring in political science with minors in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and Theology. He is passionate about giving a voice to the disenfranchised and writing is the muse he is persistently chasing. He can be found at gniforat@nd.edu or @g_niforatos on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Guest Column
Burn down the Dome Gary Caruso Capitol Comments
My classmates nearly burned the Golden Dome. My class is the unique anomaly in the Notre Dame annuals. During the chaotic Vietnam War era, not only did we attempt to set the Golden Dome ablaze, but we also initiated a strike from classes, which University President Emeritus Fr. Theodore Hesburgh supported. We wore white t-shirts emblazoned with a Kelly green clenched fist and, “Strike Irish!” across our chests. My class championed a cause greater than simply blindly playing our subservient student roles of hoop jumping upon the Catholic academic stage. So profound our epiphany in 1970, we became like Paul on the road to Damascus. This spring marks a half-century since my freshman second semester at Notre Dame — a time haunted by the raging Vietnam War with thousands of 20 year-old college students losing their military draft deferments each month nationwide, while overseas others were ultimately losing their lives. The era was scarred by a societal collision between hardhats and hippies, war and peace, idealism and status quo, but most personally for me, between my life and death. The Observer archives are rich with accounts of our strife during that spring. In fact, The Observer published 10 consecutive days in May since it was the social media campus outlet of the time. In late April, unrest burst across the nation’s campuses. We Lyons Hall residents huddled around our dormitory lounge television while our paranoid president, who ultimately resigned as a liar and crook, announced that he had invaded Cambodia in order to end the Vietnam War. I can still hear my classmates’ angrily swearing at the screen as President Richard Nixon declared that he had ordered more troops into battle. How did it logically follow that expanding our war into a second nation could ever end our war in the first nation? A mere handful of days later, our fellow American
National Guard soldiers cold-bloodedly massacred my fellow American students at Kent State University. For the first time in my life, something was more important than my personal goals or comfort. The effort to stop the government’s insanity was greater than anything I had ever known or felt. I, too, was shot dead in Ohio. I, too, was sent off to uselessly die in Vietnam. With each passing day, anger and tension boiled hotter on campus. Hundreds of white crosses were planted for the first time at Notre Dame dotting the green area from Lyons to Howard Hall. Each represented a dead Notre Dame student or graduate killed in Vietnam. One of those was mine. Until that moment of awareness, death had always been an existential concept, something so far off in time that I needed not concern myself. Arts and Letters students seemed most engaged through our all-night intellectual debate sessions and more outraged than the engineers or scientists. I, like many others, hailed from a conservative small town and arrived at Notre Dame supporting the notion that the United States was fighting the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. I, like many of my Arts and Letters classmates, soon converted from that position whenever Americans gunned down Americans on American soil. A small element affiliated with the national Students for Democratic Society (SDS) movement advocated burning the ROTC building. As a result, professors volunteered to patrol the campus overnight to assist with security and lessen the “Strike” graffiti that disfigured the campus. But one early morning around 3 a.m., a few professors dissuaded a group from setting the iconic Golden Dome on fire as passions exploded throughout May of 1970. Obviously, the movement did not generate only from my class, as we freshmen were only one-fourth of the campus. Our student body president, who called for the strike, was a senior, and upperclassmen participated as heartedly as we. However, it was we freshmen — who had the least experience on campus — who would carry
the trauma, the passion and the commitment the longest during our collegiate existence. We created a “Lord of the Flies” governance norm from which the University could never tame us or change over us. Once Hesburgh publicly denounced Nixon’s expansion and the students went on strike, Hesburgh relented. Nearly every undergraduate and graduate student, except the College of Engineering, could follow their consciences through public expression or action. Students could drop a class, elect to continue their coursework as usual, or elect a pass-fail grade in each class. I personally boosted a projected 2.2 to a 3.0 grade-point average with my creative a la carte maneuvering. During our public campus rallies, clean-cut FBI agents — so obvious compared to us shaggy-haired students — photographed us on campus. Local hardhat supporters clashed with us. Yet, anti-war New York Congressman Al Lowenstein inspired us with his Bernie Sanders-like callto-action while accepting his Senior Class Fellow Award. In fact, afterwards I volunteered with legions of Domers and worked in his unsuccessful re-election campaign. Luckily, I ate dinner with him a decade later while I worked on Capitol Hill. Sadly, shortly afterwards an assassin shot him in his office, seemingly the last casualty of Vietnam. A half-century can blur and muddy some details of life. But the searing of a conviction that teaches right versus wrong never fades, just like the song lyrics, “Four dead in Ohio.” Gary J. Caruso, a guest columnist and Notre Dame ’73 American Studies major, serves in the Department of Homeland Security and was a legislative and public affairs director at the U.S. House of Representatives and in President Clinton’s administration. Contact him on Twitter: @GaryJCaruso or email GaryJCaruso@alumni.nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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DAILY
The observer | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | david j. kahn
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Deal with emotional matters swiftly. If something isn’t fixable, have enough sense to walk away. You have far too much to lose if you let others interfere in your life and pursuits. Take the path that will encourage satisfaction, happiness and a bright future. Change begins within; don’t sit on the sideline, waiting for someone to take over. Your numbers are 3, 10, 16, 24, 32, 40, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Resolving issues will require compromise if you want to keep the peace. How you display what you have to offer will have to be authentic and accessible for others to understand. Don’t make promises you cannot keep. Romance is in the stars. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get your priorities straight, and you will achieve what you set out to do. Ample preparation will ease stress and ensure your success. Don’t leave a last-minute change in the hands of someone else. Leave nothing to chance. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your persuasive jargon will result in an emotional battle. Make sure you know and understand what you are saying. Charm may get you a step ahead, but if you don’t have the facts to back up your claims, you’ll be stepping backward. CANCER (June 21-July 22): High energy, coupled with unique ideas, will get you moving in the right direction. Common sense and less drama will help you convince others to get on board and assist you in reaching your objective. Meetings will bring better results than anticipated. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Finish what you start. If you flit from one thing to another, you will end up going in circles. Don’t believe what you hear. Joint ventures will not turn out as anticipated. Your charm alone won’t help you seal a deal. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Discuss what you want to do with the people you know will give you good advice. Someone with more experience will offer a suggestion that will encourage you to put your plans in motion. A partnership will fuel your creativity. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t venture off the beaten track. Stick to the basics, take care of your responsibilities and avoid getting into discussions with people who don’t share your opinions. Schedule rest, and adopt a healthy lifestyle that supports your hectic routine. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The people you bring into your circle will inspire you. A change to the way you approach life will improve your attitude as well as your performance. Greater respect for someone will develop and bring you closer. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t wait for approval to move forward on your own. You’ll be led astray by someone who doesn’t want to see you succeed. Put greater emphasis on the way you look and how you present yourself to the world. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change will be enlightening. Taking a new approach to an old idea will help you see flaws that weren’t apparent in the past. A shift in attitude will help you adjust to a healthier, happier lifestyle. Let go of the past. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Test your ideas, and make changes that will help you explore new possibilities. A project can turn into a prosperous sideline business with a little thought and adjustment to your space that accommodates what you want to pursue. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Choose to use charm and a positive attitude to get what you want. If you let someone bring you down, it will ruin your day and stifle your prospects. Project what you want, and make it happen. You are overdue for a change. Birthday Baby: You are unique, trendy and relentless. You are engaging and farsighted.
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Sports Authority
Is there another Joe Burrow? Aidan Thomas Sports Writer
Before I start this blasphemous article, be assured I am not suggesting any of the quarterbacks on this list can match what Joe Burrow did this season. His numbers were historically great, and to predict someone could come close to that would certainly be bold. However, by predicting the next Joe Burrow, I’m taking a look at QBs who are not necessarily a favorite right now to win the Heisman, but have the potential to experience a Burrow-esque breakout season and earn some hardware. Before starting that list, I just wanted to present the QBs who were too good to make the list; in other words, these QBs have odds too high (+1,000 or better) to be considered for the Next Joe Burrow Award: Trevor Lawrence, Spencer Rattler, D’Eriq King, Justin Fields, Mac Jones and Bo Nix. With that being said, here are three picks (one with a little hometown bias) to be the next Joe Burrow.
Ian Book, Notre Dame Why he could: Book looked absolutely dominant in the second half of the season. After rushing for a game-winning touchdown against Virginia Tech, Book was lights out, tossing 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions and racking up 295 yards on the ground at a 6.7 yards per carry clip. The potential is there, and with a home game versus Clemson and a road game against Wisconsin, Book has the potential for some Heisman moments if he can perform and lead the Irish back to the Playoff. Why he won’t: Book has not performed consistently against good teams. He threw just three touchdowns and two interceptions in their two losses, finishing 8-25 for 73 yards against Michigan. Book also loses several offensive playmakers in running back Tony Jones, tight end Cole Kmet and wide receiver Chase Claypool. Adjusting to life without Claypool and Kmet especially will be tough, and there may be a learning curve that hurts Books’ stats.
Kyle Trask, Florida Why he could: Trask is probably the most similar to Burrow as far as where the LSU QB was heading into this season. Trask is a long-time backup who got a chance to start this season and performed fairly well if not great. He’s on a very good SEC team that has long played second fiddle within its own division but has a chance to go
further next year. The initial CBS Sports projection has the Gators in the Playoff next year, which could happen if they usurp Georgia in the SEC East. If that happens, and Trask is a major reason why, expect the Florida signal-caller to be near the top of the lists. Why he won’t: Obviously he is not a favorite, but there’s no other obvious reason to not like Trask’s chances. The biggest concerns are probably Florida being able to finally take the next step and whether Trask can level up. The long-time backup avoided any horrible games, but he also only had a couple games that you could qualify as “great.” His biggest difference from Burrow’s 2018 season is that Burrow played his best four games of the season in the last four games, indicating a sign of things to come. You can’t say that about Trask who was probably actually a little bit worse in his final four games.
Sam Ehlinger, Texas Why he could: I could really see this one happening. Ehlinger had an amazing sophomore season, but many people blamed him for Texas underperforming this year when, in fact, he was actually statistically better than last year on several levels. Aside from a couple duds, Ehlinger was really good, posting a quarterback rating of 89 or above in six games, including his best two performances in his final two games. Texas absolutely has the talent to be a national title contender; they just have to put it together for once. But Ehlinger, at a traditional football powerhouse? Coming off a slightly disappointing season that ended in a massive bowl win over a ranked team? Sounds a lot like Joe Burrow… Why he won’t: The same reason for hope with Ehlinger — that he put up the numbers he did without playing his best — are also reasons for concern. Ehlinger had two total duds against Baylor and Oklahoma and a bad stretch of mediocrity for most of November before he turned it around late with two great performances. Can he avoid long slumps like the one that plagued him this season. He had five games with a QBR under 73.8 — Burrow’s worst mark of the year. Also, can Texas avoid being Texas and actually perform to expectations? Those questions will be key if Ehlinger wants a chance. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Continued from page 12
pitched. The pitching staff has a combined record of 12-6 and a total ERA of 1.46, compared to NC State’s ERA of 3.00 and an overall record of 14-6. The Irish have posted impressive numbers on the offensive side of the ball, with a team batting average of .285 and an on-base percentage of .344. Junior centerfielder Abby Sweet leads Notre Dame’s offensive charge with 22 hits, 20 RBIs, 17 runs and two home runs through 56 at-bats. Senior infielder Katie Marino has also excelled in the batter’s box, with 19 hits, 14 RBIs and a team-leading five home runs through 54 at-bats. Gumpf said she believes winning at least two aspects of the game will lead to success in this weekend’s series. “Out of the three parts of the game — hitting, defense and pitching — we need to win two out of three of those,” she said. “… When we’ve played really well, we’ve done that.” NC State, much like Notre Dame, saw success in defense, pitching and hitting in non-conference play. Senior outfielder Tatyana Forbes leads the Wolfpack in offensive production with a dominant batting average of .538, an on-base percentage of 1.241, and 14 RBIs through
65 plate appearances. Senior outfielder Brigette Nordberg hit six of the team’s 32 home runs in their first 20 games. Gumpf is well aware of NC State’s early offensive dominance. “NC State is a very powerful team,” she said. “… Our goal is to limit their power and limit their offense, because I feel really confident
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that we will do a great job of finding a way to score runs.” The Irish play the first game of their Saturday doubleheader against the Wolfpack at 1 p.m., their second game later Saturday afternoon and their third game Sunday at noon. Contact Trey Turner at tturner5@nd.edu
allison thornton | The Observer
Irish junior outfielder Abby Sweet prepares for the pitch during Notre Dame’s 8-0 win over IUPUI on April 3 at Melissa Cook Stadium.
allison thornton | The Observer
Irish senior infielder Katie Marino gets ready to react to a pitch during an 8-0 Notre Dame win over IUPUI at Melissa Cook Stadium on April 3. Marino has a team-best five home runs on the season. The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
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Sports
The observer | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
M Bball Continued from page 12
Seminoles (24-5, 14-4 ACC) could provide the Irish with a marquee win to give their tournament resume the desperate boost it needs. Notre Dame nearly upset then-No. 5 Florida State on the road Jan. 25 After jumping out to a 15-4 lead, the hosts stormed back and took a large lead, before the Irish made another run of their own that came up just short in the final minutes. Timely defensive plays by graduate student guard Rex Pf lueger and clutch baskets, including one coming on an inbounds steal, by senior forward Juwan Durham were for naught as Notre Dame fell 85-84, nearly handing FSU what would have been its only home loss of the season. The ending of the game was somewhat controversial based on questionable foul and nocalls, including a technical foul on Notre Dame’s bench for protesting a Pf lueger travel. As such, Brey was slapped with a $20,000 fine by the ACC after he publicly criticized official John Gaffney in a postgame press conference that lasted less than a minute before Brey stormed out. Florida State holds the alltime advantage over Notre Dame, winning six of the 10 contests between the two schools, but the Irish are 3-0 at home against the Seminoles. While Notre Dame comes in
having lost to Wake Forest (1315, 6-12 ACC), FSU also comes in on a low after losing 70-69 at Clemson. The Seminoles are undefeated at home on the season at 15-0, but they have struggled on the road, staying just above .500 at 6-5 with losses to the Tigers(15-13, 9-9 ACC), Blue Devils, Cavaliers, Panthers and Hoosiers. In terms of how they have fared against these shared opponents, the Irish bested the Tigers 61-57, lost to the Blue Devils (24-6, 14-5 ACC) by 34, lost to the Cavaliers (21-7, 13-5 ACC) by one in overtime, beat the Panthers (15-15, 6-13 ACC) 80-72 and lost to the Hoosiers (18-11, 8-10 Big Ten) 62-60. Despite the loss to the Demon Deacons, senior forward John Mooney had another standout game for the Irish, collecting 24 points and 17 rebounds en route to his 24th double-double of the season, good for first in the nation. He currently has 15 doubledoubles in ACC play, tied with former Wake Forest standout Tim Duncan for the best single-season total. Wednesday night’s game against Florida State is of such importance that team captains Mooney, Pf lueger and senior guard T.J. Gibbs wrote a special Sports Authority for The Observer, imploring fans to show out to the game and cheer on their team while their backs are against the wall. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion, and the game will air on ESPN2.
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Irish senior forward John Mooney leaps to dunk the ball during an 84-82 loss against Syracuse on Jan. 22 at Purcell Pavilion.
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ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | The Observer
W Bball Continued from page 12
season in which they eventually won the national championship. Notre Dame is play ing as well as they have all season, w inning three straight games to close the regular season, including an 18-point w in over North Carolina on Senior Night on Thursday and a road w in over 19th-ranked Florida State on Sunday. During these last three w ins, the Irish have been averaging 75 points and nearly 50% shooting, including 41.7% from deep. “It feels so good to come off a couple of w ins,” head coach Muffet McGraw said. “I thought the North Carolina game was the best game we
played all year, but to w in at Florida State against a ranked team … I think we’ve got a lot of momentum going into the tournament.” In a season which Notre Dame began in the Top 25, and at its lowest points consisted of multiple 30-point losses, McGraw said she is happy w ith the way the Irish are play ing. “This is what I thought we would be. I thought it would be earlier, but I’m glad it came around at least at the end,” she said. “You can see improvement. Generally, we get better in March, and we’re certainly a team that’s gotten better.” As it has a losing record, Notre Dame is in the unique position of likely hav ing to w in five games in five days in order to qualif y for the NCA A tournament. If Notre
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Dame defeats Pittsburgh, it w ill take on seventh-seeded Georgia Tech. If the Irish can overcome the Yellow Jackets as well, they would play the second-seed, No.-10 NC State, in the quarterfinals Friday. McGraw addressed the challenges of play ing so many games in a short timespan. “We definitely feel good, but we have to be able to get into the game [and] take care of business,” she said. “It’s a little more strategic for the coaches, looking at how are we going to sub, can we rest people at different times — there’s a lot of questions that we need to figure out.” The Irish have been playing a seven-player rotation for much of the season due to injuries, so rest w ill be an issue should they advance. However, the Irish appear up for the challenge. “Nobody’s ever done it, so let’s do it,” McGraw said. Notre Dame also earned some recognition from the media and the ACC coaches this week. A ll three of Notre Dame’s freshmen were named to the ACC A llFreshman team: for ward Sam Brunelle, guard Anaya Peoples and redshirt freshman guard Katly n Gilbert. “[I’m] so excited, McGraw said. “Sam and Kat were t wo that played great all year long, but for Anaya to make the team only play ing in five [conference] games … it
really shows the respect she has among the coaches in the league.” Peoples was ruled out for the season in Januar y w ith a torn labrum. This is the second time a trio of freshmen has received all-freshmen nods and the first in the ACC era, w ith the other coming in 2007, when the Irish were in the Big East and Erica Williamson, Melissa Lechlitner and Ashley Barlow received the honor. Additionally, graduate
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student guard Destinee Walker was named A ll-ACC honorable mention. The Irish points-per-game leader was also approved recently by the NCA A to return next year for her sixth year of eligibilit y. The game against Pittsburgh tips off Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu
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junya kanemitsu | The Observer
Irish redshirt freshman guard Katlyn Gilbert dribbles up the court during Notre Dame’s 84-60 victory over Loyola Maryland on Nov. 8. Paid Advertisement
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The observer | wednesday, March 4, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd men’s basketball
nd softball
Irish to face off against Wolfpack By TREY TURNER Sports Writer
The Notre Dame softball team will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, to take on North Carolina State in a three-game series this Saturday and Sunday. The softball team looks to capitalize on the momentum gained last weekend when the Irish went 2-1 against the Blue Devils in their first ACC series of the year. Head coach Deanna Gumpf, now in her 19th season as head coach, attained her 750th career win during the series, joining Muffet McGraw of the women’s basketball team to become the only coaches in Notre Dame history to pass the 750-career-wins milestone. “The best thing about reaching 750 is the fact that our team has been consistently good over the years,” Gumpf said. “It’s the consistency of the team and the
Notre Dame seeks upset against No. 7 Florida State
coaches combined that really is the thing that I am the most proud of.” Gumpf’s team’s early success this season has been partially due to the Irish defense that touts a fielding percentage of .936 with 35 errors through 18 games played. Sophomore catcher Shelby Grimm and junior infielder Sarah Genz lead the Irish with fielding percentages of 1.0, committing zero errors in their combined 155 defensive plays. Notre Dame’s pitching has been strong so far this season, with junior pitcher Alexis Holloway leading the way with an ERA of 0.61 through 68.2 innings pitched. Sophomore Payton Tidd had an impressive completegame performance in Notre Dame’s second win over Duke, striking out five batters and improving her ERA to 2.62 through 40.0 innings see SOFTBALL PAGE 9
Observer Staff Report
ann curtis | The Observer
Irish graduate student guard Rex Pflueger looks to pass during Notre Dame’s 80-72 win over Georgia Tech on Feb. 1 at home.
ND to begin ACC Tourney not as top seed for 1st time By LIAM COOLICAN
Squad to play in home-away split Observer Staff Report
Sports Writer
see W BBALL PAGE 11
see M BBALL PAGE 10
nd women’s tennis
nd women’s basketball
The Notre Dame women’s basketball team w ill begin play Wednesday afternoon in the ACC tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. This is the first time since joining the ACC in 2013 that the Irish (13-17, 8-10 ACC) do not ow n the top seed heading into the tournament. This year, after an often-disappointing season, the Irish w ill be the 10th seed. In their first matchup, they w ill take on 15th-seed Pittsburgh (4-25, 1-17 ACC), who finished last in the conference w ith only one ACC w in. The Irish have already defeated the Panthers tw ice in the regular season, an eight-point w in on the road Jan. 2, and a 22-point triumph at home Feb. 9. Notre Dame is 17-1 all-time in the ACC tournament, the only loss coming in the championship game in 2018, the
The Notre Dame men’s basketball team is set to show down against the No. 7-ranked Florida State, coming to town for the penultimate game of the regular season. The Irish (18-11, 9-9 ACC) are currently on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field of 68 teams but were making their way into contention for a spot as a bubble team behind a three-game winning streak. Now, coming off of a back-breaking loss to Wake Forest on the road, the odds are stacked against head coach Mike Brey’s team. The Irish would be guaranteed a spot in the Big Dance if they were to win the ACC Tournament in Greensboro next week, but that would be a tall task with them having to win four games in four days as the best-case scenario. However, hope lives on, as the
hannah huelskamp | The Observer
Irish junior center Mikayla Vaughn, left, posts up during Notre Dame’s 76-53 win over Miami on Jan. 19 at Purcell Pavilion.
The Irish head out this Friday after a split weekend this past Friday and Saturday. After losing to Syracuse 4-3 in Syracuse, New York, but beating Boston College 4-3, Notre Dame (9-5, 2-2 ACC) has another split weekend. They will spend the afternoon Friday at home hosting Indiana before heading to Louisville, Kentucky, to play another ACC team on the road: Louisville. Notre Dame is currently ranked No. 24, falling nine spots from last week’s ranking, but junior Cameron Corse is now ranked No. 96 in singles. With seven of their nine matches in February decided by a score of 4-3, the Irish are looking to win more convincingly. W hile Indiana (95, 1-1 Big Ten) has a strong overall record, the team is 1-3 when playing away from Bloomington. Louisville (8-4, 0-3 ACC), on the other hand, will be defending its home
territory, where the team is 7-3 so far this season. The Irish will need to come out strong in their doubles matches and maintain that momentum through the singles matches. With Corse and freshman Page Freeman — the No. 33 doubles duo in the country — at the helm, the first doubles match should be within reach. Redshirt sophomore Julia Lilien was instrumental to the 4-3 win over the Eagles last weekend, when she churned out a three-set singles victory, a victory that built on a win from Corse. Lilien redeemed herself after a narrow singles loss against Syracuse that was the difference-maker in the Irish loss. With that Corse, Lilien, Freeman and senior Zoe Spence succeeding, the Irish would be in a good place to win the game. The respective games are scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. at Eck Tennis Center and 1 p.m. in Louisville at Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.