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Volume 53, Issue 91 | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Saint Mary’s elects Nelson-Allen Future College president, vice president seek to balance tradition, progress By MARIA LEONTARAS Associate Saint Mary’s Editor
Juniors Terra Nelson and Oliv ia A llen were elected Saint Mar y’s student body president and v ice president for the 2019-2020 term after an election held Thursday. The ticket’s election over juniors Emma Schmidt and Andrea Ruiz-Montoya was announced Friday afternoon v ia an email to the student body. Nelson, the incoming Student Government Association (SGA) president, said she was pleased w ith the execution of the work she and A llen, her v ice president, put into their campaign, noting that one of their goals was to interact w ith as many students as possible before the election. “I think you reach more
people when you’re meeting and conversing w ith them and sharing your ideas,” she said. “In the budget, we wanted to have money set aside for our pop-up events. They were useful and beneficial to our campaign because instead of spending $ 80 on color posters … we’re going to … plant ourselves ever y where around the school and tr y to reach people.” Though the pair spent less money on posters, A llen said their signage did have an impact on the outcome of the election. “A lot of people really backed us,” she said. “People enjoyed seeing our poster that had 10 things we wanted to accomplish on it. I walked to get The Obser ver after the endorsement in the dining hall, and there
Senate to elect council Observer Staff Report
really cool to see that even people we’re not friends w ith or people we didn’t get
A special senate meeting will be held Monday to finalize the sophomore class council election after no tickets received a majority vote in Thursday’s runoff election. According to section 17.5. (a.3) of the Student Union Constitution, “In the event that neither ticket receives a majority of the valid votes in the runoff election, the ticket/candidate which wins the most amount of senate constituencies shall win the election. … The student senate shall convene a special meeting for the purpose
see ELECTION PAGE 3
see COUNCIL PAGE 4
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Juniors Olivia Allen and Terra Nelson were elected SMC student body vice president and president, respectively, for the 2019-2020 term.
were t wo girls in front of our poster. One was talking to her friend and said, ‘This is why I voted for them. Look at these ideas.’ That was
SGA hosts ‘Love Fulbright Assistants share Your Body Day’ to cultures, languages promote self-love By NICOLE WHITE News Writer
Notre Dame is currently hosting 11 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs). The FLTA program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The prestigious
Photo courtesy of Olivia Allen
Juniors Haley Mitchell and Olivia Allen participate in annual “Love Your Body Day” on Sunday to promote self-care and mental health. By REBECCA STELLA News Writer
On Sunday, the Student Government Association’s (SGA) social concerns committee hosted its annual “Love Your Body Day” — an event emphasizing the importance of self-care and self-love.
SCENE PAGE 5
“I think since we’ve been lacking a Belles Against Violence [Office] director, there hasn’t been a lot of events for self-care, self-love, mental health or sexual assault awareness, which are things that are all encompassed in self-love,” see BODY PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
program supports teaching assistantships in over 30 languages at hundreds of institutions of higher learning. The program has motives similar to that of study abroad programs — to enrich the lives of all involved through the exchange of cultures and languages. The program is highly competitive, and FLTA
scholars must compete against other top applicants in their countries for a limited number of spots. Graduate student Fabielle Rocha Cruz secured one of these spots from her native countr y of Brazil and now teaches Portuguese. “For such a big countr y, see FULBRIGHT PAGE 4
Twin students discuss experience at Notre Dame By AVERY WYTHE News Writer
In October of their freshman year, twins Connor and Ryan Powers and Connor and Ryan Green initially met due to a set of odd coincidences. The two sets of twins shared the
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
same first names, birth month and future commencement ceremony. Now seniors, both sets of twins are reflecting upon their unique college experience. Not only do the Green twins share identical DNA, but they also share their major, friend
ND M BASKETBALL PAGE 12
group and some extracurriculars too. The pair of computer engineering students did not plan on attending college together. Connor was “dead set” on Northwestern with only two weeks until decision day. see TWINS PAGE 4
ND W BASKETBALL PAGE 12
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TODAY
The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
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What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?
P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Courtney Becker Managing Editor Tobias Hoonhout
Asst. Managing Editor: Elizabeth Greason Asst. Managing Editor: Lucas Masin-Moyer News Editor: Viewpoint Editor: Sports Editor: Scene Editor: Saint Mary’s Editor: Photo Editor: Graphics Editor: Advertising Manager: Ad Design Manager: Systems Administrator:
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“‘Ponyo.’”
“‘Frozen.’”
John Couri
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freshman Dunne Hall
junior Badin Hall
“‘The Kissing Booth.’”
“‘The Lego Movie.’”
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sophomore Pasquerilla East Hall
sophomore Breen-Phillips Hall
“‘Contagion.’”
“‘Jaws.’”
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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 Courtney Becker. 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 The Observer is a member of the Associated Press. All reproductive rights reserved.
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MICHELLE MEHELAS | The Observer
Notre Dame’s women’s lacrosse team improved to 5-0 after beating Kent State 27-0 on Sunday afternoon. Thirteen different Irish players netted goals in the team’s home win. The Irish will next face Louisville at home Saturday at 2 p.m.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Getting Started in Research Brownson Hall 110 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Explore research opportunities.
Lecture: “Shadows of the Past” Hesburgh Center C103 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Sponsored by the Kellogg Institute.
Ecumenical Prayer Service and Lunch Geddes Hall 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sponsored by Black Faculty Association.
Lecture: “On Suicidal Murder” Hesburgh Center C103 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lecture by Nermeen Shaikh.
Ten Years Hence Lecture Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business 10:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
MLK Jr. Study of Race Lecture Series DeBartolo Room 101 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. #MeToo founder Tarana Burke to speak.
“Roman Sources for the History of American Catholicism” 102 Hesburgh Library 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Conversation: “The U.S.-North Korea Summit: A Real-Time Assessment” Hesburgh Center 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Concert of Sacred Music: National Lutheran Choir Basilica of the Sacred Heart 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Musical: “Stupid Humans” Philbin Studio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
News
Body Continued from page 1
junior Olivia Allen said. In the past, “Love Your Body” was a week-long event with small activities every day such as talks, panels or free food. In order to encourage greater attendance this year, all the activities are packed into one day in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. Allen said the mission for this year’s “Love Your Body Day” is to encourage self-love in all aspects, rather than focusing on only the physical body. “There is more to self-love than just one’s physical body, and we need to deter from the pressure to have a pictureperfect image,” Allen said “We are encouraging Belles to find joy and love within themselves by simply being genuine.” The day started with activities such as meditation, yoga and a free Barre class with a professional instructor, Allen said. In addition to these activities, Allen said there were different giveaways students could receive throughout the day’s festivities. “There [were] photo backdrops, a free smoothie bowl bar with toppings, including a non-dairy and gluten-free
ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 25, 2019 | The Observer
option,” she said. “There are also giveaways of Saint Mary’s ponytails.” After the events in Angela, there was a panel full of students and one former faculty member that answered questions in Welsh Parlor in Haggar Hall. “Some of the people on the panel are individuals who have struggled with self-love,” Allen said. “Hearing how other people in the community have overcome struggles is very important.” Junior Haley Mitchell, a member of the SGA social concerns committee, said one of the panelists was a previous communications professor at Saint Mary’s College, Marne Austin, an advocate for inclusion and acceptance. “[Austin] had a big impact on students here and is very passionate about topics such as this,” Mitchell said. “She constructs her classes in an interesting way which has a lasting impact on a lot of students in regard to these topics.” SGA wanted to encompass topics they found important including self-love, mental health awareness, eating disorder awareness and sexual assault and decided a panel would be the best way to accomplish all of this, Allen
Photo courtesy of Olivia Allen
Students pose with a photo backdrop at “Love Your Body Day,” which took place Sunday in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex. Photos, giveaways and activities were followed by a panel discussion.
said. “The panel shows different perspectives from a different range of people,” Allen said. “Especially with social media and the 21st century, it is important to see that loving
your body has so many different definitions and it doesn’t matter who you are or how you look.” Mitchell said SGA will also have a “Love Your Body” booth set up at the
second-annual Health and Wellness Fair on Friday in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex.
Election
of t he women t hat founded t his Col lege a nd t he a ma zing a lumnae t hat have come f rom t his Col lege. Let’s stay t r ue to t hat; let’s work towa rds being better.’ … I t hin k t hat was rea l ly interest ing, ba la ncing t radit ion a nd being prog ressive. You ca n do bot h. You ca n look a nd t he Col lege a nd say, ‘This place is a ma zing. We wa nt to ma ke it better, a nd pa r t of ma k ing it better is being more prog ressive a nd maybe g iv ing some push back to t hings t hat have been t he norm.’” A llen said the pair is already looking for ward to putting their platform points into action. “Right after we won on Friday, we looked at each other and said, ‘W hen are we going to start going to meetings? Let’s do this thing,’” A llen said. One of the ticket’s priorities, Nelson said, is restructuring first-year orientation. This plan includes improving the state of the College’s Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO), which is currently leaderless. “We w ill begin in April, and hopefully we can make some little t weaks, and a big t weak to the College in hiring a BAVO director, or interim, or even just an adv isor, someone to be w ith those women,” Nelson said. “[We are also set on] starting the
all-hall Masses, so that when the first years are here, it’s part of the routine. Tr y ing to open up Regina, so that at the beginning of the year, that is open. … We want to work to start as soon as possible.” Bot h Nelson a nd A l len sa id t hey understa nd t here is more to being in cha rge t ha n hav ing t he posit ions of president a nd v ice president. “We understand that this isn’t just a title. It really is work, and that’s where that tenacit y comes in,” Nelson said. “We want to work hard, and we want to get it done. We both have such get-it-done personalities, I don’t want to just sit around.” Nelson said she and A llen are grateful to be able to ser ve a communit y for which they care deeply. “Women that don’t even know us that well or maybe have only seen us in the dining hall or read our platform supporting us and standing behind us and show ing kindness is just the most beautiful thing, and reminds me of why I attend this college and why I am so humbled to be able to represent a student body that is beautiful, unique, diverse and different,” Nelson said.
Continued from page 1
JOSEPH HAN | The Observer
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the chance to talk to were still like, ‘I love their ideas,’ or ‘I voted for them not because they’re my friends or I think they’re cute,’ but because they genuinely like our ideas.” A llen said she also enjoyed being able to directly engage w ith problems that matter to the student body in the College’s first presidential debate. “We actually really enjoyed the debate,” she said. “W hile that was never done before, it was really helpful to put us on the spot and hear the questions that the student body has submitted about what they want to see and what they want to have done at Saint Mar y’s, and we were able to say this is exactly what we want to do and not just read off our platform.” The ticket said they ran on the notion of tenacit y and tradition. Nelson said upholding the traditions of the College does not equate to promoting a communit y of div ision. “In no way do we t hin k t radit ion mea ns we’re going to be exclusive, a nd we don’t wa nt cer ta in members to be a pa r t of our communit y,” Nelson sa id. “It was like, ‘Let’s uphold t he t radit ion
Contact Rebecca Stella at rstella01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Maria Leontaras at mleontaras01@saintmarys.edu
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NEWS
The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Council Continued from page 1
of observing the judicial council president announce the runoff election results from the individual senate constituencies.” The constitution defines senate constituencies as “each undergraduate residence hall, who shall be represented by their respective undergraduate residence hall senators, and the offcampus residents, who shall be represented by the offcampus senator.” The King-Tighe-HoganCase ticket was required to forfeit 33 votes in Tuesday’s
Twins Continued from page 1
“I’m not exactly sure what changed my mind,” Connor Green said. “I just sat and thought about it and ended up here.” Although they are identical twins, Ryan and Connor Green said they have never switched places in class at Notre Dame, despite doing it a couple of times as children. The Greens said they estimate now that it takes two to three weeks to be able to tell them apart. They think they look similar — like brothers would — but no longer view themselves as identical. “I never really believed we could switch places,” Connor Green said. As for Connor and Ryan Powers, campus life does not include as many mix-ups — they are fraternal twins. So, although they have the same majors and career aspirations, the two are not identical in appearance. The pair has never spent more than a week apart, Connor and Ryan Powers said. “We’re closer than pretty much any two people could be,” Connor Powers said. While they did not plan on attending the same college, the Powers said the right choice for both of them just happened to be Notre Dame. “Connor has always been the one that likes to match more, clothes or things we do, but as far as I’m concerned we each made our own decision,” Ryan Powers said. Both Ryan and Connor Powers participated in the Appalachia Seminar, worked at Camp Sweeney and studied abroad together in London. The two science business majors also both hope to attend medical school after a gap year working with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. “I always make my class schedule and then Connor texts me ‘okay, what are we taking this semester,’” Ryan Powers said. Although the Powers twins have the same goals for the
initial elections after the ticket was found to have violated regulations outlined in Section 17.1(f ) of the student body constitution, which restricts the use of listservs and Google Groups for campaigning. After Tuesday’s elections did not result in a winner, a runoff was held Thursday. The senate meeting will take place in Duncan Student Center Room W246 on Monday at 6 p.m. If no ticket receives a leading number of constituencies, the senate chairperson will vote. Further information about the election results will not be disclosed before the vote.
future, Ryan and Connor said they think it’s unlikely that they will end up with the same Jesuit Volunteer Corps placement or at the same medical school. The Greens, however, are both headed to Chicago and plan on living together. They do not foresee a move apart happening for five to ten years down the line — a move that might be hard considering Connor Green’s philosophy of “you don’t leave the other one, you can’t.” The Greens said they have many memories that prove they both live by such a philosophy. “Freshman year I was super sick at the end of September … I was sitting in bed, watching TV just feeling terrible and I get a knock on my door,” Ryan Green said. “It was Connor [with an Einstein’s bagel] and he was like ‘Hey, I just wanted to drop this off. Hope you’re doing well.’ For me that was huge, having someone to support you in that way so early in school.” Contact Avery Wythe at awythe@nd.edu
Fulbright Continued from page 1
there were only 20 spots available, so I got one, running against the whole [of Brazil],” she said. During the 2018-2019 school year, 400 scholars were chosen from over 50 countries to teach their languages and share their cultures in universities and communities across the United States. Graduate student John Prendergast, from Ireland, is currently teaching the Irish language — Gaeilige — in the department of Irish language and literature. Pendergast has previously taught or tutored classes in the language at universities in Montana, Canada and Wales. “Each FLTA that comes to Notre Dame brings with herself or himself their own history, language and rich interwoven tapestry of culture,” Prendergast said. “Sharing and exposing these facets of their identities with the University is not only rich and rewarding, but a sheer necessity in today’s globalized climate.” Graduate student Pooja Ranade is from India and is teaching two courses in Hindi this semester. Before participating in the program, she was an Assistant Professor of English at Savitribai Phule Pune University in India. This year she, along with other Notre Dame FLTAs, has participated in community outreach and teaches Indian culture and Hindi at local elementar y schools. “It is like a mini gateway to the world,” Ranade said. FLTAs at Notre Dame do not just teach classes, but also take them. Each semester the teaching assistants take three Notre Dame
Photo courtesy of Fabielle Rocha Cruz
The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants attended their mid-year Conference in Washington, D.C., in December of last year.
courses, one of which must be with the American studies department. This allows the scholars to learn while they teach. “We face so many different emotions at once that I feel like there are a million different things I have learned about myself and about the world,” Rocha Cruz said. “It is a globalized version of living, much more than my local community back in Brazil.” FLTAs also share their home worlds with each other. As part of the networking and professional development enmeshed with the program, all 400 teaching assistants gathered in Washington, D.C. last semester for a midyear enrichment conference. “Being amongst so many different voices, intellects and backgrounds was hugely
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inspiring and reinforced my deep-seated belief that no matter how different people may seem, we’re all bound together by our shared humanity,” Prendergast said. Notre Dame has one of the largest groups of FLTAs in the countr y. They work together through interdisciplinar y measures to, “foster great moments with our language and culture, in order to nurture the idea of human beings rather than individuals,” Rocha Cruz said. Rocha Cruz said she found an incredible sense of community at Notre Dame. “Notre Dame became our home, and so we take care of it the way it should,” she said. Contact Nicole White at nwhite1@nd.edu
The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
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JOSEPH HAN | The Observer
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The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Street angel
Inside Column
Jumping in to ‘Swimming’ Mike Everett Sports Writer
I was sitting down with some friends at South Dining Hall in September when somebody mentioned that Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller died that day. I would never have called myself a Mac Miller fan and I had only listened to a couple of his songs before. But, after dinner, I opened up Spotify and started listening to his last album, “Swimming,” which had been released a few months before his death. Man, I was blown away. In my mind, Miller was kind of a goofy version of Eminem — a guy you listen to in high school and then kind of forget about as you grow up. Miller was a symbol of the past for me, and, to be honest, I hadn’t even really thought about him in a couple years. But “Swimming” opened my eyes to what a talented artist I had been missing out on. The album is full of slow-burn, rhythmic rap with fantastic melodies and surprisingly thoughtful lyrics. The songs on the album range from dark and brooding in “Self Care” and “Hurt Feelings,” to the bittersweet but hopeful in “2009,” to a portrait of deep depression in “Come Back to Earth.” Many of the songs paint the picture of a man who was battling with a host of inner demons, and who eventually succumbed to a battle against drug abuse. The tragedy of Mac Miller’s death imbues the album with an additional layer of meaning. But “Swimming” isn’t the best album to come out of 2018 because of Miller’s death — it stands on its own as an absolute masterpiece in crafting songs that are, in essence, works of art. Miller’s combination of lyrical complexity with musical elements not traditionally seen in rap albums creates a supremely unique body of music which is not only more interesting, but also more thoughtful, than most mainstream rap. There are a multitude of great rap artists today, but I was a bit disappointed to see Cardi B win the Grammy for best rap album of 2018 this year over Miller. A lot of Cardi’s songs were extremely popular and catchy, but I found her music to be, for the most part, loud without much substance (also, it’s a bad sign if the best part of your song is a sample from another song). Miller’s album, oftentimes slow and deliberate, shows us how versatile rap music can be and represents a maturation and evolution in musical style for the late rapper. The album motivated me to check out Miller’s other albums, and I was surprised to find out that he had always been a lot more than I gave him credit for. Whether you are listening to the fun and naive early songs from “Kids,” or checking out his aggressive, punchy style in “GO:OOD AM” or listening to one of the best rap love songs created, “ROS,” I hope you found a lot more than you were expecting. I did. Contact Mike Everett at meverett@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Gabriel Niforatos The Road Less Traveled
The “Notre Dame bubble” is a theme and topic that sometimes seems to be overshadowed by more “local” occurrences on campus. I have taken a number of courses, in topics ranging from theology to policy, that seek to address how Notre Dame is an island in South Bend. But this narrative often seems like it is lacking on more personal levels. Because I am from New Mexico — a state which consistently ranks among the poorest in the country — poverty is an inescapable narrative to me. There was, in fact, a period of time when my own family was homeless and an even longer time when we daily faced the reality of food and shelter insecurity. These issues are just as important in South Bend. In 2016, the median household income in South Bend was well below the national average, with poverty rates almost twice the national figure in the same year. And yet, here at Notre Dame, the average family income is over five times that of the South Bend average. With such numbers and statistics in mind, I wrote the following poem in large part as an indictment to the view of people as numbers and statistics. We live in an era that is highly polarized. Even the most well-meaning of politicians, commentators, journalists and, at times, very regretfully, some educators tend to reduce people to categories so that people can be summarily and inadequately described in ways that satisfy a one-sided narrative or argument, but that notably are starkly devoid of any recognition of humanity. In the end, stereotypes — even those which seem positive — are wrong and harmful on every level and overtly miss all that is important and real.
There are no hard and fast, simple solutions to poverty and homelessness in America, and proposing some is not the purpose of this poem. Rather, it seeks to explore a simpler and more fundamental conf lict, one that is poignant in light of the “Notre Dame bubble.” Before we can even conceive of structural, tangible solutions to homelessness and poverty in America and local communities, the biggest hurdle we can sometimes overcome is taking the step and noticing them in the first place. I can’t tell if its tears Or the gathering of puddles From a light post above his head. Is that a signpost in rotting fingers, Or a road-sign of wet atoms and f laky cardboard? I can’t tell if those are spiky wings on his back, Or just a raggedy black sweatshirt Haloed in a pool of light. I can’t tell if he’ll f ly away, Or just freeze in motion like a half-melted icicle. Is that his hair or a cloud that fell here, Crashed and changed phases on his body. Is that his body? I almost couldn’t tell, It looks like a streetlight Without blinking lights. I pass the quiet, loud, silent lights on a corner, The empty corner. Was he there at all? I can’t tell. Gabriel Niforatos is a sophomore who has diverse interests ranging from political science to music. When he’s not at school, he is busy hiking and running in the New Mexico mountain range. His email is gniforat@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
The devil wears a MAGA hat Jeff Murphy Spilling the Tea
“The fake news media is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People.” — President Trump “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” — Malcolm X “If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.” — Mark Twain Catching the mainstream media in a colossal lie is so commonplace in 2019 that attempting to keep them honest seems futile. From Justice Brett Kavanaugh to Ralph Northam to Jussie Smollett, the media are incapable of learning their lesson. They are on a fanatical crusade to propagate their agenda, and nothing — not evidence, not logic, not reason — will stop them. Even when they are caught red-handed in the orchestration of an obvious falsehood, no apologies are issued, no corrections are disseminated. If they can’t fabricate a new angle to support their demonstrably false position, the trail is left cold and a new target is identified. No one is more intimately aware of the media’s blind commitment to the leftist agenda than the students of Covington Catholic in Park Hills, Kentucky. Most people’s initial exposure to this now infamous controversy was the notorious video depicting Native American activist Nathan Phillips, the angelic martyr incapable of sin, pitted against high school student Nick Sandmann, the demonic white boy responsible for all evil. The video shows Phillips beating a drum in Sandmann’s face and chanting while other Covington Catholic students surround the pair. The video ends with a brief interview of Phillips during which he wipes away well-rehearsed tears while falsely alleging that the students were shouting “build that wall” at him (as is established in this third-party investigative report conducted by a professional investigation firm in which they clear the students of
all allegations of offensive conduct). The media could not have imagined a video more conducive to the proliferation of their antiTrump narrative. They had an ideal villain — a young, Catholic white male — and the perfect victim — a diminutive-looking, older Native American. The articles alleging racism and bigotr y basically wrote themselves. No questions were asked, no context was sought. The media wasted no time in rushing to publish headlines like: “Nathan Phillips, Native American man harassed by high schoolers, tells his stor y.” They would have had us believe that Phillips was handing out hugs and heart-shaped candies when a group of pitchfork-wielding Catholic boys descended upon the innocent, feeble demonstrator. Nothing could have been further from the truth. It took merely days for additional footage of the event to emerge. It became quickly apparent that the media’s too-good-to-be-true depiction of the event was just that: too good to be true. The additional footage reveals that it was Phillips who approached the boys, not vice versa. He is shown clearly approaching the group of students, physically invading their circle, and happening upon Sandmann in the middle. There is one person to blame for the conf lict, and one person only: Nathan Phillips. He decided to approach the students. He decided to beat his drum in the face of Nick Sandmann. He decided to create a confrontation. No self-respecting person can watch the comprehensive footage and allege that Sandmann is to blame. Moreover, additional information about Phillips was divulged in the aftermath of the conf lict. We learned that Phillips lied about being a Vietnam veteran, attempted to disrupt a Catholic mass and has a violent criminal histor y. Even more infuriating, once the event gained national attention, Phillips decided to play the victim and construct a backwards narrative that he knew the mainstream media would love too much to question. In the days following the release of the viral video, Phillips — the darling of the media — offered numerous accounts of the event. In one imaginative recount in an interview with the
Washington Post, Phillips stated, “It was getting ugly, and I was thinking: I’ve got to find myself an exit out of this situation and finish my song at the Lincoln Memorial. I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldn’t allow me to retreat.” Nathan … you approached them! Moreover, at no point in any of the available footage does Sandmann, or any Covington student, attempt to block Phillips’ path or move in his way. It is painfully obvious that Phillips could have waltzed right out of the group just like he marched his way in. How exactly could Sandmann have better handled the situation? That isn’t a rhetorical question; I pose it seriously. The kid literally stood there and smiled. There is no response that would have been sufficient for Phillips or the media. Sandmann could have thrown himself to the ground and pledged his eternal allegiance to Phillips and the Democratic Party and it wouldn’t have been enough. The second he put on that shiny red hat, the media decided there was no length to which they wouldn’t go to ensure his demonization. Even if they had to lie through their teeth, promote an account that diametrically opposed the truth and maintain that narrative in the face of damning evidence, they were willing to do it. If the mainstream media’s constant perversion of the truth and blind allegiance to partisan politics doesn’t make them the enemy of the people, then I do not know how to show that to you. Jeff is a senior at Notre Dame majoring in sciencebusiness with a minor in sociology. A native of St. Louis, Jeff believes that his hometown is the greatest city in the world and is always ready to talk about The Lou. In his free time, Jeff likes to play tennis, bake in the sun, read autobiographies, spend time with friends, talk on the phone with his mother or twin sister and listen to Mariah Carey’s voice soar through one of her signature love ballads. Hate mail can be directed to jmurph29@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Just one question, Crossroads team I love Notre Dame — always will. While I wasn’t a fan of the Crossroads project when it was first announced, I was always willing to admit that there were significant needs for more student union-type spaces, and that using the space around the stadium was creative, even if it was not a desirable symbol. My decision to refrain in the debates about Crossroads was about the unnecessary extravagance that I knew would be involved. The directional signage, I anticipated, would be gold lettering on gleaming mahogany on stylishly asymmetrical slabs of frosted glass. A few weeks ago, I visited Duncan Student Center for the first time and I wasn’t far off. The place absolutely screams wealth. But it was worse than I thought.
Picture this. I’m an alumna with a baby, attending a conference. I might just as well be a graduate student with a baby, or a football game attendee with a baby or a concert-goer with a baby. My baby does what babies do. After walking the length of an airport terminal, I find a women’s restroom. The single “family” restroom I see is closed — not just locked, but closed. I assume, naturally, that there will be a changing table in the women’s restroom. Airplanes? We all know to expect inconvenience. Restaurants? Hit or miss. But Notre Dame, in a busy, brand-new, multi-purpose building? Surely, I think, sighing with relief as I start to lower the diaper bag from my shoulder, Notre Dame gets it. But no — $400 million, and no changing
table, in 2018, at a Catholic university — pardon me, a Catholic research university, constantly patting itself on the back for its boundless resources and excellence at being excellent — and there isn’t a changing table in the women’s restroom. Seriously? W hose decision was that? My husband is a graduate student at Duke, and has said there have been changing tables in every men’s restroom he’s been in. Come on, Notre Dame. Calm down about the rock wall, and install a few changing tables for the members of your Notre Dame “family” to use when we come home. Rebecca Devine class of 2016 Feb. 3
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DAILY
The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Recognize the possibilities, and take advantage of the opportunities. Thinking about what you want to do and actually taking action are not the same things. Embrace life and follow through with your thoughts. Life is meant for living, not watching others leap into action. Know your boundaries and limitations but also your attributes and capabilities. Experience is knowledge. Your numbers are 8, 15, 22, 27, 34, 41, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Learn from experience and recognize the people who are on your side and those who aren’t. The best change you can make is the one you do on your own that will clear the space you need to explore better options. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Express your thoughts, vision and what’s in your heart. Getting on the same page as someone you love and want to spend more time with will encourage good things to transpire. Positive change begins with yourself and spreads to those you love. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take one step at a time. Fix mistakes before it’s too late. You cannot move forward without taking care of loose ends. Ease your stress by doing what’s right and what’s best for you and those you love. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Opportunity knocks. Don’t shy away from a chance to try something new or to expand your interests. The people you encounter along the way will inspire you and make a difference to the way you live your life. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your emotions aside when it comes to making decisions. If you let your heart rule your head, you will make a move that will lead to regret. Know what you are up against, and be moderate moving forward. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Look past the obvious and into the abyss. You’ll see something you have missed in the past that will open your mind to a host of new ideas and solutions. Love will improve the way you live life. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Observe and learn. Consider the consequences you will face if you take action too quickly or you hesitate to act when you should. Timing is everything and facts matter. Gather information and execute your actions with thought and compassion. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Pay closer attention to what you want, and put a plan together that will help you make the changes necessary to reach your goals. Communicating with someone unique will help you discover possibilities you never knew existed. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Change can be good, but only if you plan carefully. Don’t let someone else make decisions for you or coax you to take part in something that isn’t right for you. Think and do for yourself, and avoid being used. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Make decisions based on what you want, and be willing to do the labor required to reach your goal. Home improvements should give you greater freedom to follow your heart and do what’s best for yourself. Romance is highlighted. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Greater stability is the result of consistency. Stay on track and follow through with your plans. Own what you do, and do what’s best for yourself. Life is simple; people make it complex. Invite positivity, structure and goodwill into your life. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use experiences creatively. Let your imagination guide you in new directions that broaden your outlook and bring you in contact with people who inspire you to engage in life, love and liberty. Express your feelings and pursue your goals. Birthday Baby: You are emotional, caring and proactive. You are adaptable and open-minded.
WINGin’ it | OLIVIA WANG & BAILEE EGAN
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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SPORTS
ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 25, 2019 | The Observer
Sports Authority
nd women’s tennis | syracuse 4, nd 3
Kraft has tainted Patriots’ legacy Will Richard Sports Writer
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft made national headlines over the weekend as police in Jupiter, Florida, linked him to a prostitution sting at a spa holding trafficked Chinese women. Prosecutors additionally claim to have video evidence of Kraft at the scene. If the accusations turn out to be true, this would perhaps leave another stain on the Patriots’ dynasty — one that could prove far more permanent than past transgressions. The era of powerhouse trio Robert Kraft, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick has endured a great deal of controversy accompanying their overwhelming amounts of success. The Patriots are fresh off of their sixth Super Bowl title of the 19-year period Tom Brady has been calling the shots. Wide receiver Julian Edelman was potentially the stor y of the game, catching 10 passes for 141 yards and earning MV P of the contest. Even more remarkable, Edelman came into this season after missing the entire year prior with a torn ACL suffered in the preseason. However, it seemed many were quick to forget Edelman also missed the first four games of the 2018 season, though this time not for injur y. According to League officials, Edelman violated the performance-enhancing drug policy. However, this was far from the team’s first scandal. The issues began well before, with SpyGate — a incident in which the Patriots were caught illegally videotaping rival New York Jets’ defense signals — in 2007. The organization received fines totaling $750,000, and lost their 2008 first round draft pick. In 2010, tight end Aaron Hernandez was
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drafted to New England despite multiple warning signs stemming from his tenure with the Florida Gators, including repeated violations of the law. These negative indications came to a head in 2013 when Hernandez was charged with the murder of Odin Lloyd, a bombshell stor y which eventually made worldwide headlines. Def lateGate became yet another infamous stor y after the 2015 AFC Championship game when Tom Brady was accused of deliberately requesting to have his in-game footballs be def lated below the legal pressure. Brady ser ved an unpaid four game suspension for the 2015-2016 season, as debate surrounded the conclusion of the League’s investigation. As a sixth-round draft pick, Brady draws the adoration of fans ever y where due to the underdog mantra associated w ith his name. The Patriots have never prided themselves on being an immensely talented group, but instead, a group of self less individuals who will take whatever role necessar y in order to w in. Despite this level of outside attractiveness, the New England dynasty may now have tainted its legacy in an irreversible manner. The aforementioned trio of Belichick, Brady and Kraft all now have their ow n unique blemishes as the end appears near. How will sports historians look back on one of the greatest runs of success in the duration of any sport? Regardless, opposition to the Patriots’ legitimacy entering the pantheon of sports lore now have an even larger mountain of evidence to defend their position. Contact Will Richard at wrichar2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Irish lose first home match of season to Orange By PATRICK GALLAGHER Sports Writer
The Irish lost 4-3 in heartbreaking fashion to No. 25 Syracuse on Sunday. Notre Dame (8-3, 2-1 ACC) suffered its first home loss of the season against the Orange (8-4, 2-2 ACC), who have won their last four matches. Irish head coach Alison Silverio said both teams played tough in the match. “We knew coming in that Syracuse is a well-coached team and … is certainly competitive,” Silverio said. “They’ve had a great season so far, and we knew that we were going to be in a fight. They certainly brought it today. I give credit to them for stepping up in big moments and being able to convert. For us, it’s just another example of our fighting spirit. There is so much to build on and so many positives. Yes, it stings a little bit that the team match didn’t go our way, but we have so much momentum moving forward.” The match began with the Irish claiming the first doubles point behind the strong play of junior Zoe Spence and graduate student Brooke Broda. However, Notre Dame would lose the next two doubles
single point up and down the line. We were able to convert in a lot of those matches today. The last one didn’t quite go our way. … To see that we’re right there is a positive as we press on.” With upcoming matches against No. 2 North Carolina and No. 23 North Carolina State, Silverio said the Irish need to improve in a few areas of their game. “We’re continuing with our doubles [strategy] of really playing first strike in an aggressive style, and today, I didn’t feel that we were quite as sharp with our returns and serving placement,” Silverio said. “When those are … where they need to be, we’re able to convert a bit better. The area in singles that we’ve been working on is transitioning when we are coming forward and finishing at the net. We had a few girls that were certainly being courageous with that … but we still have to keep working on it.” Next up for the Irish is a trip to North Carolina on Friday to take on the Tar Heels. The match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Contact Patrick Gallagher at pgallag4@nd.edu
nba | knicks 130, spurs 118
Knicks end 18-game home losing streak, beat Spurs Associated Press
NEW YORK — This Broadway smash even made news on Hollywood’s big night. Hey, when the Knicks win a home game, Spike Lee needs to know. Even if he’s across the country at the Academy Awards, busy getting his own big victory. So when the Knicks snapped franchise-record losing streak at Madison Square Garden at 18 games by beating the San Antonio Spurs 130-118 on Sunday night, actor Samuel L. Jackson made
Write Sports. Email Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu
matches giving Syracuse the lead. The Irish were quickly defeated in the first two matches of singles play as junior Bess Waldran and Spence were defeated by sophomore Sofya Golubovskaya and senior Gabriela Knutson, respectively. Broda cut into the Orange’s 3-0 lead by beating senior Libi Mesh in two sets. The Irish then worked hard to complete the comeback after the rest of the singles players lost their first set. Irish sophomore Ally Bojczuk defeated junior Miranda Ramirez in three sets while sophomore Cameron Corse needed a tiebreaker to beat junior Guzal Yusupova and tie the overall match at 3-3. Notre Dame freshman Zoe Taylor fought to push her match to a third set, but senior Dina Hegab was able to secure the match for Syracuse by winning the last set 6-3. Silverio praised her team’s resilience and competitiveness in the face of 3-0 deficit. “There are a lot of little victories here,” Silverio said. “Of course, the team match didn’t go our way, but to be down 3-0 and fight all the way back to 3-3 was amazing. That’s the spirit of the Fighting Irish. It’s about moments like these where we are in a battle every
the announcement from on stage to Lee. Lee was in the audience on the night he won the award for best director for “BlacKkKlansman,” but for so long sat courtside when the Knicks used to win home games. “It’s major,” guard Dennis Smith Jr said after his first home victory as a Knick. “We’ve been having our fans come out and support every night and haven’t won here since Dec. 1. I wasn’t part of that one, so I’m glad that we could get it tonight and just give the fans something to
see.” Damyean Dotson scored 27 points, and Smith, Kevin Knox and Emmanuel Mudiay all had 19. Smith had 13 assists and Knox had 10 boards, while rookie Mitchell Robinson finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Coach David Fizdale said the Knicks never talked about their home skid, which began after a victory over Milwaukee. “They get over it, they get back to work,” he said. “And at some point you know the basketball gods will look out for you when you’re doing that.”
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Uptown girl / She’s been living in her uptown world / I bet she’s never had a backstreet guy / I bet her mama never told her why I’m gonna try for an uptown girl / She’s been living in her white bread world / As long as anyone with hot
blood can / And now she’s looking for a downtown man / That’s what I am And when she knows / What she wants from her time / And when she wakes up / And makes up her mind
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Sports
The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
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for fourth. Hokies head coach Buzz Williams and company will cap off the regular season against three more ACC opponents, taking on the likes of No. 1 Duke, No. 16 Florida State and Miami (FL). Redshirt junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. led the way for Virginia Tech, finishing with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field to go along with 14 rebounds and three assists. Freshman guard Isaiah Wilkins also provided the Hokies with good minutes off the bench, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds. The Hokies, who are still without senior point guard Justin Robinson, have been leaning on Blackshear more and more for production on both ends of the floor as the season progresses. Robinson, who is the active ACC leader in career assists, has been sidelined since suffering a left-foot injury in a game against Miami (FL) on Jan. 30. The win moved Virginia Tech to 4-3 without Robinson who was averaging 14.4 points and 5.5 assists per game at the time of his injury. After the game, Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams noted that Blackshear, “has become so integral to literally every single thing we do on both ends.” For the Irish, junior forward John Mooney recorded his 17th double-double of the season, finishing with 12 points on 5-10 shooting from the field, and 10 rebounds. “I think he’s the most improved player in the league, I don’t even think it’s close,” Williams said of Mooney in a postgame press conference. Junior guard T.J. Gibbs, who has been hot for the Irish as of late, was Notre Dame’s leading scorer, netting 18 total points for the game. Freshman forward Nate Laszewski also
Hockey Continued from page 12
opened the scoring with a shot that was saved by junior Irish goaltender Cale Morris before being deflected by a Notre Dame defenseman. Eight minutes later, freshman forward Nathan Burke notched another goal to put the Gophers up two. Irish head coach Jeff Jackson noted that his team tends to fall behind early in games but believes that Notre Dame played well in the final 10 minutes of the first period. “We’ve had a problem of falling behind and chasing the game,” Jackson said. “I thought we played really well the second 10 minutes of the first period.” With their backs against the wall the Irish fought back and increased the pressure in the second period. Sophomore forward Colin Theisen capitalized
Dame’s chances for success. Notre Dame struggled on the boards, and ultimately the Irish were outrebounded 49-27. Virginia Tech was able to corral 18 offensive rebounds that led to 15 points, while the Irish ended up finishing with 18 total defensive rebounds. Williams spoke highly of Brey, and what Brey has meant to him as a coach as well as Notre Dame sports overall. “In respect to coach [Brey], he’s my hero, and I tell him that every time I see him. … I also have so much admiration for how he handles his position,“ Williams said. “I think football means a lot at Notre Dame and
I don’t think that there could be a better ambassador for the basketball program and the athletic department than him. … I think our society needs more of him because I think he’s changing kids’ lives because he always speaks hope.” Williams said Brey was one of hundreds of coaches that he reached out to on a consistent basis when he was first trying to get into the coaching business, and one of the only ones who always took the time to answer. Brey said he also held Williams in high esteem. “I’m really proud of [Williams],” he said. “ … I respect the coach that he is.”
added productive minutes off of the bench and finished with 12 points in the contest. “We’re not getting the results that we’d like, but we’re growing within that. … At the same time this team has shown that we can play with a lot of teams; almost anybody in the country,“ Gibbs said following the game. “We just got to be resilient, we’re not gonna fold, we’re not gonna bust, just gotta keep playing.” Gibbs said he’s been trying to play more within himself since the start of his recent scoring tear, and is keeping the mindset that, “if one doesn’t fall, the next one will.” While freshman guard Prentiss Hubb didn’t have the best scoring game for Notre Dame — shooting just 1-of-8 from the field — he recorded his 100th assist of the season as a freshman. Brey has reiterated time and time again how well Hubb has come along in terms of his development as a floor general and the main ball handler for the Irish. “I know he didn’t score today or shoot it well, but the guy has been unbelievable for us. I mean he’s basically become our point guard … we can’t ask much more out of Prentiss Hubb,” Brey said. “The guy is a fighter, a battler, he’s got an amazingly bright future.” Other bright spots for the Irish, despite the loss, came in terms of their defense and foul shooting. Notre Dame was able to force 16 turnovers, 11 of which came in the first half, and held the Hokies to just 67 total points, roughly seven points below their normal average of 74.4 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting (19-of52). Meanwhile, the Irish shot 15-16 from the charity stripe, ultimately keeping them to stay in the game with the Hokies. Brey was pleased with the way his team play defensively, holding an “explosive team in check,” but noted that second chance points hurt Notre
Irish freshman guard Prentiss Hubb goes for a layup during Notre Dame’s 83-61 loss to Duke on Jan. 28 at Purcell Pavilion. Hubb recorded seven assists during Saturday’s game, which took him above 100 this year.
on a power play at 2:47 in the period to get the Irish on the board. Later in the period, Notre Dame freshman forward Cam Burke finished off a pass from sophomore forward Pierce Crawford and scored an evenstrength goal at 17:43, tying things up at two goals apiece. “It was good for us to score that first goal because it gave us some confidence going into the second period,” Jackson said. Notre Dame’s defense had a critical penalty kill in the early onset of the third period, with Morris recording four saves alone on the sequence. Theisen attacked and scored once more against the Gophers with a game-winning wrist shot at 8:01 in the final period. Jackson had high praise for Theisen’s improved form. “He’s been playing well over the last month. He’s been playing up and down on the lineup. He started showing some real
positive signs about two weeks ago,” Jackson said. “He’s a guy that we rely on to potentially score some goals for us and tonight he did a great job.” Despite the 28 saves from Minnesota’s goaltender, junior Mat Robson, it was Morris who picked up the win with his 24 saves. The Irish offense outshot the Gophers 31-26. The action returned to the ice the next day as the Irish looked to get a firm grasp on possibly locking up second place in the conference. Just like the night before, the Gophers drew first blood. Junior defender Tyler Nanne scored after being left alone at the top of the slot. His fourth goal of the year made it 1-0 in favor of the Gophers at 8:53 in the opening period. The Irish evened things up 4:50 into the second period with a goal from freshman forward Alex Steeves, whose chance was
Looking ahead, the Irish will take on a physical and experienced Florida State team, who is coming off of a loss to No. 8 UNC, on the road on Monday night before finishing up the season with No. 18 Louisville, Clemson and Pittsburgh. While it hasn’t been the prettiest of seasons for Notre Dame basketball, Brey said he likes how is young guys are battling and improving every day, and the future certainly is bright. Tip-off in Tallahassee, Florida, is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. Contact Grant DelVecchio at gdelvecc@nd.edu
ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer
created thanks to the forecheck of the freshman forward duo of Graham Slaggert and Jake Pivonka. Minnesota quickly responded however, scoring its second of the night at 9:28 in the second period. An Irish turnover ended with a goal from sophomore forward Scott Reedy from the faceoff circle. In the final period, Notre Dame upped its offense. Numerous quality chances were created especially in the final 2:11 of play when Morris was substituted for an extra attacker. The final flurry from the Irish included close-range shots from Theisen and Pivonka, and a shot from senior forward Dylan Malmquist that got redirected just wide. The efforts by Notre Dame proved to be insufficient as the Gophers halted any attempts at an Irish comeback. The Gophers finished their Big Ten
regular-season play with a 2-0 win and currently sit at second place in the conference behind Ohio State — which has already locked up the No. 1 seed. Jackson said that his team has been lacking a reliable offense. “Just can’t find a way to score goals on a consistent basis. Last night we had a little bit of secondary scoring, tonight we didn’t,” he said. “I thought we played well in the first and the third [period], it was just the second period that made the difference in the game.” Notre Dame is now tied for third place with Michigan in the Big Ten conference standings with 34 points, trailing second-place Minnesota by two points. The Irish finish off their Big Ten regular-season play next weekend when they host Penn State. Contact Charlie Ortega Guifarro at cortegag@nd.edu
sports
Baseball Continued from page 12
ahead 4-2 and had the bases loaded. On the first pitch of the at-bat, he ripped a triple down the right-field line, plating all three baserunners, increasing the Irish lead to five. “I thought he had a really good season last year and he continues to mature as a hitter,” Aoki said of Jung’s development as a player. “He has really good plate discipline and looks to drive the ball when he has to.” The balanced performance of Jung and Myers to thank, Notre Dame landed its first win of the season, beating the Eagles 11-3. In game two, junior Cameron Junker started the game for the Irish and struck out five batters in five innings, giving up just two earned runs. After Junker’s strong performance, junior right-hander Zack Martin allowed two runs in only one third of an inning, putting Eastern Michigan on top by four. “I thought [Junker] did a good job. It is important for him to stay in pitchers’ counts,” Aoki said. “He has really good stuff. He uses an above average fastball and an effective slider.” Eastern Michigan’s starting pitcher, sophomore Holden Cook had excellent control throughout the contest, throwing 99 pitches. Although the Irish bats went on to tack on two late runs, Cook’s six-inning shutout solidified the 4-2 win for the Eagles. After splitting the twogame series against Eastern
ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 25, 2019 | The Observer
Michigan, the Irish turned to junior Cameron Brown in the series against Incarnate Word (6-2). Brown ran into some trouble in the top of the first inning, allowing an unearned run to score on a passed ball. After the run in the first inning, Brown settled in and pitched into the sixth inning without allowing another run. While the bats were quiet for the first four innings, they rallied in the fifth, when senior right fielder Eric Gilgenbach singled to center field, plating freshman third baseman Zack Prajzner. In the seventh inning, the Irish unknotted the tie, as a Jung single put the Irish on top for good, taking home the win 2-1. Aoki said he has high hopes for Brown moving forward and said he believes Brown will be a firm starter for this season. However, despite Brown’s good numbers, Aoki thought he still could have been sharper, but Brown made good pitches when he needed to be. After winning two of the first three games of the series, the Irish pitching struggled in the last game of the weekend against Incarnate Word. Notre Dame found itself in a hole early, as freshman Aidan Tyrell allowed six runs in the first inning. After walking the first two batters of the game, Tyrell earned a strikeout. But the next batter launched a home run into left field, putting Incarnate Word up 3-0 and the Cardinal never surrendered their lead through the remainder of the game. While the Irish bats could not string together runs in the early innings, they ultimately found their groove. Gilgenbach led the Notre
Dame offense, reaching base safely in all four plate appearances and adding four RBIs on the afternoon. While the Irish offense clicked in the second half in the game, it was too little, too late — the Irish lost 15-7. While having Jung, Kavadas and Gilgenbach in the middle of the lineup is crucial to the
team’s success, Aoki said the squad cannot learn to be too reliant upon them. “We are going to need more contributions from other guys,” Aoki said. After splitting the series with Eastern Michigan and Incarnate Word, Notre Dame will travel to South Carolina to play Charleston Southern
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and Ball State at the Swig and Swine Classic next weekend. “Both of those programs present a good matchup,” Aoki said. “Ball State has two really good starters. We have to find a way to put everything together.” Contact Austin Rooney at arooney1@nd.edu
BRIDGET DONNELLY | The Observer
Irish senior right fielder Eric Gilgenbach follows through on a swing during Notre Dame’s 14-4 win over Western Michigan at Frank Eck Stadium on May 1. Gilgenbach tallied four RBIs during Saturday’s loss.
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Peter st. john | The Observer
Irish senior guard Arike Ogunbowale aims a shot during Notre Dame’s 89-61 victory over Duke on Thursday at Purcell Pavilion. Ogunbowale became the program’s leading scorer during the game.
to be a priority for the Irish heading into the final stretch of ACC play. “Maybe we’re a little more woke than we had been previously, [since losing to Miami on Feb. 7],” McGraw said, prompting a laugh from Ogunbowale. “I would say that I’m always looking for perfection and we’re just so far away from it that it’s hard for me to see the good things right now.” Notre Dame currently stands atop the ACC conference standings with a 12-2 record, tied with No. 4 Louisville. Syracuse trails Notre Dame by two-and-ahalf games, positioned in fifth place. “I’m looking for a team that can do what we did in practice and bring it into a game,” McGraw said. “We’re just not able to do that. I would be really happy if we could take from the huddle and bring it to the court. We’re not able to
do that. We have got a lot of room for improvement.” Over Syracuse’s last four games, the Orange have reached 90 or more points on offense twice. In the eyes of the Notre Dame coaching staff, the play defensively needs to elevate. “Defensively, it’s been our Achilles’ heel all year long,” McGraw said. “ … Until we get better defensively, I don’t know how far we’ll go.” The Orange have proven to be tough opponents, having lost to the Irish by only 15 last season. “It’s going to be another big top-25 matchup,” Ivey said. “Syracuse is an incredible program. They play really well at home. A lot of people [are] coming out, but every night we have that target on our backs.” The Irish will be in search of their 13th conference victory against Syracuse. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Carrier Dome. Contact Holden Perrelli at hperrell@nd.edu
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The observer | monday, february 25, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
nd men’s basketball | virginia tech 67, nd 59
nd women’s basketball
ND looks to build on 4-game streak By HOLDEN PERRELLI Sports Writer
Notre Dame will look to build upon its four-game winning streak in conference play as the team travels to upstate New York for a road matchup with Syracuse on Monday. The Irish (25-3, 12-2 ACC) most recently routed the Blue Devils (89-61) the same night senior guard Arike Ogunbowale became the program’s all-time leading scorer, topping Skylar Diggins-Smith. “Really happy for Arike, she didn’t waste any time,” head coach Muffet McGraw said after the game Thursday. “She didn’t keep us in suspense too long, taking care of business. What a momentous day, she was really on point today.” Ogunbowale scored 25 points, needing only 12 to claim the top spot on the scorer’s list. Associate head coach Niele Ivey echoed McGraw.
Irish fall below .500 for 2nd time under Brey
“It’s such a remarkable accomplishment,” Ivey said. “She’s exceeded my expectations.” With a number of games remaining for the Irish this season, Ogunbowale continues to distance herself from Diggins-Smith’s score. Ogunbowale said DigginsSmith reached out to her before she claimed her new title. “She messaged me before the game and said ‘good luck’ and to do well,” she said. Similarly, No. 18 Syracuse (20-6, 9-4) comes off a recent blowout victory against ACC foe Pittsburgh. The Orange beat the Panthers by 27 points behind a well-balanced team effort, with four different players scoring double digits, including 17 points off the bench by freshman guard Emily Engstler. A recurring theme for McGraw throughout the season, defense will continue see W BBALL PAGE 11
By GRANT DelVECCHIO Sports Writer
ANNIE SMIERCIAK | The Observer
Irish junior guard T.J. Gibbs makes a drive during Notre Dame’s 82-55 loss to Virginia at Purcell Pavilion on Jan. 26.
Notre Dame splits series against Minnesota By CHARLIE ORTEGA GUIFARRO
Squad earns first wins of year By AUSTIN ROONEY Sports Writer
Sports Writer
see HOCKEY PAGE 10
see M BBALL PAGE 10
baseball | alamo irish classic
HOCKEY | nd 3, minnesota 2; minnesota 2, nd 1
No. 16 Notre Dame split this weekend’s pair of games against Minnesota as the Irish triumphed with a 3-2 win on Friday but fell in a 2-1 outing the following evening. The Irish capped off their regular-season series against the Gophers and have two games remaining before the Big Ten tournament. The Irish (17-12-3, 10-10-2-2 Big Ten) entered Minneapolis trailing the Gophers (14-154, 11-10-3-0) by two points in the standings, hoping to get two wins at the 3M Arena at Mariucci and take sole possession of second place. Despite the split, the Irish kept that goal in sight with two games remaining in the regular season. Friday’s game was a comefrom-behind win for Notre Dame. After the first 20 minutes, the Gophers had a 2-0 lead. Gopher sophomore forward Brannon McManus
After suffering another conference loss to No. 19 Virginia Tech (21-6, 10-5 ACC) on Saturday, Notre Dame (13-14, 3-11 ACC) fell further in jeopardy of not getting either an NCAA or NIT bid for just the second time in Mike Brey’s 19th season as Irish head coach. The Irish have officially fallen below .500 for the second time in the Mike Brey era, the only other occasion being when Notre Dame fell to 15-16 en route to finishing the 2013-2014 season 15-17. Saturday afternoon’s contest was all Hokies from the start, as Virginia Tech jumped out to a 14-4 lead eight minutes in and led for the entire game on their way to a 67-59 victory. The Hokies entered the game sixth in the ACC Standings after losing three of their last five, but a half-game back from being tied
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish sophomore forward Colin Theisen skates for the puck during Notre Dame’s 5-2 Big Ten win over Michigan on Feb. 12.
Heading south for a fourgame series over the weekend, Notre Dame split matchups with Eastern Michigan and Incarnate Word to earn its first two wins of the season. The Irish started the season slowly, as the Sun Devils swept the Irish, outscoring them 46-13, but the trip to San Antonio served as an opportunity to rebound against the Eagles and the Cardinal. The bounce-back effort started strong in game one of the series against Eastern Michigan when Notre Dame (2-5) sent sophomore Tommy Sheehan to the mound. Sheehan shined Thursday night, pitching seven innings and shutting down the Eagles’ offense. Meanwhile, the Irish offense got off to a hot start, connecting two runs in the opening frame to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Although the Eagles (1-6-1) added two runs in the top of the third inning, Sheehan quickly settled down
afterward and the offense got to work, bringing nine batters around the bases, five of which came in the sixth inning alone. Having clinched the team’s first win of the season, head coach Mik Aoki said he was impressed by Sheehan’s starting performance. “I thought he did really well commanding the fastball and kept the game under control,” Aoki said. “He did a really good job executing his pitches and doing what you expect him to.” Irish junior first baseman Daniel Jung led the offense with three hits and six RBIs. Jung started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single, driving in sophomore centerfielder Spencer Myers. Myers also proved critical to sealing the Notre Dame win, scoring four runs and two hits. Jung continued to produce in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Irish were already see BASEBALL PAGE 11