Print Edition of The Observer for Thursday, February 13, 2020

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Volume 54, Issue 82 | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Saint Mary’s announces new president Katie Conboy shares hopes for College in Wednesday speech addressing community

By MAEVE FILBIN and GINA TWARDOSZ Saint Mary’s News Editor, News Writer

Photo courtesy of Saint Mary’s College

President-elect Katie Conboy introduced herself Wednesday in a speech to the Saint Mary’s community.

Conboy previously served as provost and senior vice president for seven years at Simmons University.

Katie Conboy, the newly announced 14th president of Saint Mary’s, began her pursuit of a sense of “belonging” as a young girl growing up on army bases around the world. Conboy, who previously served as provost and senior vice president at Simmons University, as well as a professor of English literature and provost at Stonehill College, will take office this summer.

“As an army brat, I grew up moving every couple of years, and sometimes every year,” Conboy said. “I found that you sort of have to bring your belonging with you wherever you go

because you can’t go out in the world looking to have somebody tell you that you don’t belong.

You need to arrive with a sense that you belong somewhere.”

Conboy said she feels like she belongs at Saint Mary’s, addressing a crowd of students, faculty, trustees and Sisters of the Holy Cross — as well as alumnae and students studying abroad via livestream — in the atrium of Spes Unica Hall.

After 13 years at Stonehill College, a Holy Cross institution in North Easton, Massachusetts, Conboy’s career took her to Simmons Universty, a private women’s college in Boston.

Conboy said she felt the same see PRESIDENT PAGE 4

Mercugliano-Lund ND senate rejects DuganPozas Garza appeal forfeits candidacy Observer Staff Report

The Mercugliano-Lund ticket must forfeit its candidacy after it was found to have engaged in “highly unethical behavior,” Judicial Council announced in a press release early Thursday.

The council’s Election Committee found junior Zachary Mercugliano and freshman Aviva Lund violated Section 17.1(i)(1) of the Student

Body Constitution, which reads: “The promise of any office or position in the Student Union by any ticket or candidate shall be considered highly unethical behavior, the penalty for which may include a maximum penalty of forfeiture of candidacy.”

All votes cast for the ticket will be voided and not considered in the primary student body elections.

Sodexo aids in student trip to TX

By MIA MARROQUIN News Writer

While some students spend their spring breaks jetting off to Athens or Barcelona, others choose to use their week doing service work. Five students and two faculty members from Saint Mary’s are preparing for their upcoming trip to McAllen, Texas during spring break for a border immersion experience. Situated

NEWS PAGE 3

in the southern tip of Texas, McAllen is just minutes away from Reynosa, Mexico — a large manufacturing center.

The group will be working with the Respite Organization, an asylum clinic which is sponsored by Catholic Relief Services. There they will be assisting people who have escaped organized crime, gang violence and extreme see SODEXO PAGE 3

SCENE PAGE 5

Observer Staff Report

Student body vice president junior Patrick McGuire announced in an email to campus media Wednesday that the student senate declined to overturn the appeal of an earlier Election Committee decision.

“The student senate has concluded their hearing of

an appeal to an Election Committee decision and decided not to overturn it,” McGuire said in the email.

“The Election Committee’s original decision shall stand.”

McGuire announced the senate’s intention to hear the appeal on Tuesday night. The appeal regarded a sanction placed on the Dugan-Pozas Garza ticket early Tuesday for

two violations relating to ethical behavior.

The appeal postponed student body election results indefinitely. Now that it has been resolved and there are no known pending appeals or allegations, Judicial Council should be free to announce the results.

Even so, results were not announced Wednesday night.

Annual Bengal Bouts tournament kicks off

By JOHN SALEM News Writer

Thursday marks the beginning of the 90th Bengal Bouts competition, a series of boxing tournaments put on by Notre Dame’s boxing club to raise money for a number of Holy Cross-run institutions in Bangladesh.

These institutions, which include hospitals and primary schools, are mostly located in the rural areas of the nation, where poverty is most severe. Bengal

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

Bouts has been raising money for these institutions for a number of years and have donated a total of over $2.5 million throughout the course of the tournament’s existence.

“There are a lot of reasons why we do the Bouts, whether it to stay in shape, for competition or for the camaraderie of the team,” junior and boxing club captain Kyle Mettler said. “However, the most important aspect of Bengal Bouts is, without a doubt, the mission we are working towards: raising

BASEBALL PAGE 12

money for those less fortunate in Bangladesh.”

According to senior and club president Parker Revers, the tournaments have raised at least $100,000 every single year since 2009. This year, the club is setting its goal at $200,000.

“We work directly with the Development Office all year to help reach donors, alumni and previous boxers to try and get them back on campus,” Revers see BOUTS PAGE 3

Women’s tennis PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

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Are you celebrating Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Kelli Smith Managing Editor Natalie Weber

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“Galentine’s Day.”

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“Fridays are for the boys.”

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“No.”

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Corrections A Wednesday track and field sports preview was given an incorrect byline.

The story was by Mannion McGinley.

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ERIN FENNESSY | The Observer

Bengal Bouts captain Taylor Vucinich reflects upon his senior season. The team is preparing for its upcoming tournament with regular training and conditioning. This year marks the 90th installment of the boxing competition, which kicks off Thursday.

The next Five

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Thursday

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Saturday

Sunday

Monday

“Racial Violence, Historical Memory” Geddes Hall, Coffee House 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Open to the public.

ND Band JPW Concert Ricci Band Rehearsal Hall 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Free to all.

JPW Mass Purcell Pavilion 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

University President Fr. John Jenkins will preside.

JPW Sunday Brunch Dahnke Family Ballroom 9 a.m. - noon Ticket required for entry.

Panel Discussion: “Lessons From Afghanistan” Eck Center Auditorium 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

All are welcome.

Better Together ND Launch Geddes Hall, Coffee House 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

RSVP to attend.

JPW Opening Gala Duncan Student Center and Corbett Family Hall 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Ticketed event.

JPW President’s Dinner Joyce Center Fieldhouse 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Ticketed event.

Stand-up: “Alien in the Basilica” Washington Hall 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Proceeds to go Education Bridge.

“Strangers, Neighbors, Friends” 1030 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

All are welcome.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, february 13, 2020 | The Observer

3

College students celebrate ‘Galentine’s Day’

By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer

Fictional character Leslie Knope marked Feb. 13 as a day for “ladies celebrating ladies” in the now-infamous “Galentine’s Day” episode of television show “Parks and Recreation.”

Since then, the Knope-ism has exploded into a real holiday, which has become a nationwide celebration of female friendship.

“Here at Saint Mary’s, Galentine’s Day allows us to focus on our female friendships and sisterhood,” sophomore Abigail Pinnow said. “It’s a great way to celebrate the platonic love we share.”

Each class council planned a Galentine’s Day-themed event for the week of Feb. 10. Pinnow’s event, organized along with fellow sophomore class council representative Sydney Hutchinson, featured cookie decorating, giveaways and a playlist titled “Girl Power Anthems.”

The College has participated in

Bouts Continued from page 1

said.

This year’s Bengal Bouts are split into 10 distinct weight classes, each of which has its own tournament ranging from eight to 16 boxers. Revers emphasized the club did not want any of their participants resorting to dangerous behavior to cut weight.

Sodexo Continued from page 1

poverty and come to this country for a fresh start, according to an email sent to the student body Feb. 3.

Junior social work major Rebecca Klaybor registered for the

its own celebration of Galentine’s Day for many years. It has become somewhat of a tradition for Saint Mary’s students to receive a carnation in the dining hall on Valentine’s Day from Sodexo.

This year, Megan Briegel, Sodexo’s field marketing coordinator, said Sodexo will be treating Belles to Astor Chocolates on Valentine’s Day, and that there will be a “pop-up event” Thursday.

But besides surprises, treats and proclamations of love and female empowerment, what does the advent of Galentine’s Day say about American society? Mary Celeste Kearney, an associate professor of Film, Television and Theatre at Notre Dame, said the media is “the great normalizer.”

“Media has a lot to do with normalization,” she said. “Since the early ’70s, there have been representations of young, single women not going directly into marriage, like Mary Tyler Moore, or Marlo Thomas. And if you can see it, you can be it.”

Kearney has studied women in music videos, the girls of punk rock, riot grrrl, feminism and finally, the teenage girl as an icon.

A big part of Galentine’s Day is its fixation upon the promotion and celebration of female friendships outside that of a traditional, heteronormative romantic relationship. Kearney said she feels that the figure of the teenage girl has helped to normalize the continuation of girlhood as it prevents acceleration into womanhood.

“I’m really fascinated by the figure of the teenage girl as a kind of cultural icon,” she said. “A lot of people don’t because they think she’s silly and superficial, but part of my argument is that the teenage girl helped Americans become more comfortable with this notion that girls and women, especially women, could be doing things besides being wives and mothers.”

Although “Parks and Recreation” might have been the first to name and commercialize a phenomenon like Galentine’s Day, Kearney said the concept of

a “Galentine’s Day” has been performed long before the sitcom.

“It’s been happening for longer than that — as long as there’s been single women who’ve been alone,” she said.

Galentine’s Day encourages relationship independence while also focusing on the interdependence between women and girls. Yet, Kearney said she feels not enough of the conversation is focused on what kind of girls have the agency to pursue an unencumbered independent selfhood.

“Teenage girlhood is not an experience that most working girls get to enjoy,” she said. “Many poor girls end up dropping out of high school on behalf of their families, either to have a job outside the family home or to stay at home because both parents are working and they need to take care of the siblings, do laundry, etc. So who has the opportunity to spend time as an independent? That tends to be upper-middle-class and wealthier girls who have a chance

to delay that trajectory towards motherhood or marriage.”

Kearney said she feels the celebration of platonic female friendships should happen more often than just one day a year.

“I would just hope that girls and women get to celebrate each other and their friendships all year and not just the day before Valentine’s Day,” she said.

Sophomore Andie Srdoc said she feels Galentine’s Day is every day at Saint Mary’s.

“It’s for all women, whether or not they’re in relationships doesn’t matter,” she said. “We go to a women’s college — we have to support each other and love each other..”

For senior Anastasia Hite, Galentine’s Day is more than a commercialized holiday — it can be a way to extend love.

“It’s a day to appreciate your fellow sisters throughout the world,” she said.

“We’re students first, we want to make sure people are eating healthy and not attempting to shed weight for a fight,” he said.

Each of the boxers is ranked according to skill and then seeded accordingly.

“Every one of the boxers participating [is] required to do at least three spars,” Revers said. “After these spars, we come together as coaches and captains to rank the fighters in the different weight

classes.”

Though the tournaments are mostly organized by the Notre Dame boxing club, there are several other organizations that contribute to Bengal Bouts’ success, such as RecSports, Halftime, the Notre Dame marketing department and the Office of Information Technologies.

The boxers have come to Bengal Bouts for a variety of reasons.

“I got into boxing mostly to

supplement a university sport that I was planning on playing here at Notre Dame,” Mettler said. “I tried it out freshman year and ended up getting hooked.”

Each of the boxing club captains will be participating in the Bouts, including Mettler and Revers. The rest of the captains are seniors Taylor Vucinich, Tim Leisenring, Johnny Link, Chris Lembo and Eric Requet and juniors Lenny Calvo, Bo

Heatherman, Dan O’Brien and Ryan Smith.

Preliminaries for the Bouts begin Thursday at 7 p.m. in Purcell Pavillion. The finals will take place Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. in Purcell Pavilion. Tickets are $30 for access to all four rounds of fighting or $10 for access to individual rounds.

trip because of her desire to help others.

“I decided to go on a trip because it’s an event that my major is hosting. I thought it would be pretty cool to go with people in my major and people who want to help others,” Klaybor said. “I think it will be really interesting to see

what’s actually going on [at] the border and what people are doing to help.”

In an attempt to offset costs, the group partnered with Saint Mary’s dining services to fundraise.

Sodexo’s customer satisfaction survey, which can be accessed via a link sent to students, comes with

an incentive — every completed survey will result in a $1 donation to the McAllen trip. The group also received a grant to fund the travel.

Klaybor said the group will be able to cross the border into Mexico.

“What we will be doing is changing every day because of

the regulations that are changing daily,” she said. “When we first initially heard about the trip, we weren’t going to be crossing the border or anything, but that’s changed because of more people being allowed in the U.S.” While the itinerary is not finalized, Klaybor is looking forward to the experience as a whole.

“I think the most rewarding part of the trip will being able to just physically be there and actually make a difference and help these people,” Klaybor said. “To be able to be helping hand for Sister Norma Pimentel, our contact with the Respite Organization, because she sits in on meetings that decide where they end up and is responsible for talking to people and organizing where they’re going to go from here.”

In addition to the financial struggle to make the trip possible, Klaybor spoke to her personal concerns.

“A difficult thing that I’m kind of worried about that no one has talked about is the language barrier,” she said. ”I think we have a couple of girls who speak Spanish, but that wasn’t a concern or a requirement to go on the trip. But as the trip approaches the more it worries me.”

The fundraiser will run until spring break.

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Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu

Contact John Salem at jsalem2@nd.edu

Contact Mia Marroquin at mmarroquin01@saintmarys.edu

4

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The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

President Continued from page 1

sense of belonging during her years at these institutions, though it’s a feeling she said she carries with her as she moves from place to place.

“Seven years ago, I left Stonehill for Simmons University in Boston, and I did that because I could see there a very different but equally compelling mission: women’s education as the engine of social and economic empowerment,” she said in her address.

“And now, Saint Mary’s offers the opportunity for me to combine my commitments to Holy Cross education and to women’s education in my new academic home. Home is not a word I use lightly.”

Her new start in South Bend is essentially a “return home,” Conboy said, as she and her husband Tom met while attending graduate school at Notre Dame. They were married in the Basilica, and both took courses at Saint Mary’s before graduating. They now have three grown daughters: Mairéad, Caitríona and Siobhán.

Growing up, Conboy’s family maintained a loose definition of home, relocating about two dozen times to accommodate her father’s military assignments. She elaborated on this traveling lifestyle in her official introduction to the campus community.

“I might start a school grade in Fort Dix, New Jersey and finish it in Charlottesville, Virginia, or attend a year of college in Kansas and go home for the summer to Heidelberg, Germany,” Conboy said. “I often think that my own adaptable spirit was forged in the life of an army brat. I tried to bring a sense of belonging with me wherever I go.”

Cultivating this sense of belonging is a priority Conboy said she holds not only for herself, but also for the entire Saint Mary’s community.

“I’ve spent my career thinking about the ways that a small college like ours with a robust mission can become a true home for its students, faculty and staff — a place where everyone with all their differences intact still belongs,” she said.

Today, Conboy said, such spaces are essential and sacred, as well as integral to her vision for the College.

“I ask you, three-and-a-half months before I actually arrive on campus, what kind of home do we want to build together?

What kind of community do we want to be with and for each other, and also, how can we be open to change even as we maintain our solid foundation?” she said.

While these questions could not be answered today, Conboy said, the answers will be more fully realized through her work within the College.

In an interview with The Observer, Conboy said she feels a natural alignment between the institutional DNA of Saint Mary’s and her own personal double helix, informed by a life

spent surrounded by influential women.

“I am one of a family of four daughters, I have three daughters and I think a lot on behalf of women your age and about the world you’re going to inherit,” she said. “Personally, I care about the world I’m leaving to my three daughters, but on a professional basis, I think it’s an incredible privilege to work at a place where I’ll have the opportunity to think about the issues that are most important to women today.”

Having witnessed growth at both of her previous institutions, Conboy said she hopes to see Saint Mary’s expand its reach to students from regionally diverse areas, potentially through online access.

“I want Saint Mary’s to be seen as a very serious place out there in the world,” she said. “I want students to be seen as serious students and to be taken seriously as students and as people who are contributors to this society.

I’m not interested in any fluffy images of women’s colleges or girly images of women’s colleges.

Saint Mary’s is a place that began in order to give women access to higher education, and it continues to this very day to do that — but it does that here on a campus that’s bound by who can come and pay tuition.”

By pushing beyond this campus-based experience, Conboy said, Saint Mary’s will become recognized nationwide.

“I want Saint Mary’s’ name to be spoken in places where it isn’t being spoken right now,” she said.

In her address, Conboy offered three hopes for the student body to contemplate in the months before she takes office.

“First, I hope we will foster a spirit of togetherness and belonging,” she said. “Second, I hope that our community continues to be one of moral imagination, one that can take its powerful and positive

community commitments and model them outside the walls of the College. And finally, I hope we can also work up an appetite for change that we can approach renewing and renovating our Saint Mary’s home with excitement and openness.”

Conboy concluded her introduction by reading “The Skylight” by Irish poet Seamus Heaney, which describes a man who has since lived under the claustrophobic confines of his wooden roof, but is soon set free by the installation of a skylight, opening his world up to a

brilliant blue sky.

Heaney’s poem reminds readers that it’s easy to settle into the familiar, and prefer the arrangements we’ve always known, Conboy said. The speaker resists putting in a skylight for fear that his house will no longer feel like the same home; however, when the slates come off, he experiences a sense of wonder. “[The speaker] recalls the Gospel of Luke, where a paralytic man is lowered through the roof by his friends, to be healed

by Jesus, and the feeling among all present is one of one,” Conboy Paid Advertisement

said. “And that’s what I wish for all of us — that we foster a spirit of togetherness and belonging under our Saint Mary’s roof, that we make our walls permeable and share that spirit with the broader community. And that we’d be willing to change to cut a hole in the roof if necessary. To invite wonder and surprise into our midst, and perhaps, to find ourselves transformed in the process.”

Contact Maeve Filbin at mfilbin01@saintmarys.edu and Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu

5

The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MATTHEW KELLENBERG Scene Writer

The sun has set off the coast of Miami, Florida and Khaled Mohamed Khaled is lost at sea. On a jet ski.

“Aight, it’s dark,” Khaled tells his Snapchat audience in one video. “In a minute, there ain’t gonna be no lights to navigate us to where we need to go.”

As the sky darkens, Khaled bestows a piece of life advice: “The key is not to drive your jet ski in the dark.”

Viral content such as this has made DJ Khaled an inescapable celebrity, though the attention is not always positive. While Khaled’s social media dominance is irrefutable, many question his merits as a musician. It is true that DJ Khaled has little hand in the songs he releases; a team of producers creates his music, and Khaled merely contributes a catchphrase soundbite: “Major key!” “Another one!”

“Bless up!”

However, to refute DJ Khaled’s musicianship is to deny the direction that music is headed. In the 20th century, artists such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Elton John hired outside songwriters. Today, nobody questions their musicianship. Furthermore, since the late ’90s, singers have used autotune to digitally alter their voices, replacing the need for singing talent; at its inception, autotune carried

By MARGAUX MILLER Scene Writer

Growing up, my house was always filled with music.

My dad insisted surround sound be installed in nearly every room regardless of if there was a TV present or not.

This led me down a path of fascination regarding any sort of music genre, with a variety that expanded from country to soul, musical theatre to heavy metal and the most contested topic: pop to indie.

I felt like I had heard every single artist in existence, as well as any song ever made; however, my vast knowledge regarding music was halted in its tracks as soon as I entered high school. There were songs by The Beatles other than the greatest hits? There were soul artists other than Aretha Franklin?

New artists’ names, as well as album titles, ricocheted off my friend’s tongues, and I became overwhelmed at the idea of having to decipher what was worthy of listening to and what wasn’t. How could there be so much music and how does anybody have time to listen to it all? This overwhelming feeling inspired an idea. Rather than become overwhelmed, I compiled a list. This list

a stigma, but today, it is ubiquitous. Additional industry trends — ghost production, sampling, etc. — further indicate a shift away from self-made musicianship.

The only logical end of this shift is a “post-creation” era of musicianship. The post-creation musician plays a curatorial role, cultivating an image rather than sweating through songwriting and production. In other words, the post-creation musician is DJ Khaled. While his production team puts together music, Khaled rides his jet ski around Miami making content. And if he likes the album his team has made, he shouts out his seal of approval — “Major Key!” — and releases the songs to his fans.

Of course, if DJ Khaled’s music were bad, his method would fail. But Khaled’s music is consistently good — or more precisely, good enough. Nearly every album in his discography has been met with middling-to-mildly-positive critical reception. And in the music industry, that is what keeps a star burning.

This consistency is not limited to Khaled himself, but rather a direct product of the DJ Khaled music-making model. Music by committee is rarely exceptional, but with a strong-enough committee, the output can be satisfactory.

Furthermore, while singer-songwriters are prone to inspiration ebbs and flows, committees always gravitate toward a mean. Also of note, music by committee can be churned

accumulated until the end of my senior year of high school (and is still being added to) with artists similar to the range of music that encompassed my house growing up, as well as ones that differed greatly from what I was used to.

They were called my deep dives, and they were all special to me. I embarked on an ambitious project that I would grow to be more and more passionate about the deeper I went. I generated a process, one that involved singling out the songs that I believed were uncovered gems and weeding out the ones that I believed were overrated.

I pick an artist from my long list and write down all their albums, analyzing every single cover, release date and song in their discography. And I listen to every single one: every single song, every single album, every single commentary and every single feature. The songs that stand out to me are compiled into a playlist, which I call Deep Diver. I listen to this music while doing homework, running on the treadmill, walking around campus, cleaning my room and just about any time of day when it is acceptable to wear headphones. The ones that stand out go on the list, and the ones that don’t are left alone.

out constantly, even when the artist is on tour or otherwise occupied.

How long DJ Khaled will maintain his grip on the music industry is uncertain. Khaled has built much of his celebrity through social media, which is notoriously fickle. Today, he is a master of Snapchat storytelling. But tomorrow, as other platforms dominate the social media space, Khaled will have to adapt — and who knows how his skills will translate?

Yet, the likelier cause of DJ Khaled’s decline is his own replicable success story. Post-creation musicianship does not require musical talent. It requires only an eye for viral content and self-branding. Thus, as conventional celebrities and lagging pop stars cross over into post-creation musicianship, Khaled will lose his edge over the rest of the music industry. The next superstar bigger than Khaled to replicate his method will eclipse his music industry dominance.

Today, however, the music industry is not full of DJ Khaleds — just the one. In an industry that has not yet recognized the merits of his method, Khaled has no contenders. Maybe he likes it that way. Because as long as the music industry lags behind his innovation, DJ Khaled will sit at the top of the charts, a superstar ahead of his time. “Bless up!”

Contact Matthew Kellenberg at mkellenb@nd.edu

These songs then go on a separate playlist which I titled Shallow Waters. The best of the best and uncovered gems alike. The Beatles are known for their contribution to the development of pop culture, so I look for that, as well as variations in their style (“I am the Walrus”, for example).

FKA Twigs, conversely, is known for her experimentation and lonely angst, so I harness that energy when I listen.

Understanding the context the music was made in, the background effects and the lyrics the artist decided to use separates the commercialization of music from the art that it is often intended to be.

That’s my goal for this project: put the art back in artist. Bi-weekly, there will be a new artist, some songs you’ll know, and some songs you won’t, as well as historical context, lyrics and notes that stand out and any other fun fact that will help you appreciate the music and the people that helped create it. Enjoy the process, enjoy the deep dive and enjoy the resulting shallow waters that leave you both humbled and enlightened regarding the process of making, writing, producing and harnessing the music we so often take for granted.

Contact Margaux Miller at mmille56@nd.edu CRISTINIA INTERIANO | The Observer

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The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

What happened Tuesday night

Inside Column

But actually, there’s a lot to do in South Bend Nola Wallace Photo Editor

You hear it all the time. “South Bend has nothing to do!” This phrase is usually met with a chorus of agreement and groaning about the dismal weather conditions. Have no fear — as someone who has spent the last nine years as a local on the outskirts of the Bend, I am here to tell you about some of the best hangouts and activities around town.

1. The Well Coffee House, 2410 E Mishawaka Ave. South Bend The Well is a nonprofit coffee house which is all about coffee, community and culture. They host many events for live music and local artists. They also host Smash Bros. game tournaments in an event called “Smashfest” every Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

2. Cambodian Thai, 235 S Michigan Street South Bend If you want to try something new and get out of the dinning hall, Cambodian Thai has the best curry, spring rolls and Cambodian cuisine around. It’s located a short seven-minute Uber ride off campus. It is also family-run — it’s always great to support local businesses!

3. The Pigeon and Hen Pottery Shop, 217 S Michigan Street South Bend If you are more of the artsy type, you may be interested in having some fun with pottery. Here you can simply pick a premade ceramic to decorate, or try your own hand in their clay throwing studio. Check out their website to find a whole host of events on their calendar.

4. Orbit Music Record Store, 2538 Miracle Lane Mishawaka Rather than giving all your money to Urban Outfitters, why not check out records, cassettes or CDs at Orbit? You will save even more money and honestly revamp your music tastes.

5. South Bend Farmers Market, 1105 Northside Blvd.

South Bend The South Bend Farmers Market has a history spanning over 100 years and offers a variety of items from over 75 farmers and artists! It is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Their Facebook page often promotes some of their fun and quirky events, such as Baby Goat Day on March 7!

6. The South Bend Art Museum, 110 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.

South Bend Founded in 1947, the South Bend Art Museum is a beloved part of the community. They often change out their exhibits throughout the year and hold five galleries.

The best part is, it is free! In the past, they have featured vintage sci-fi art, videography installations and various scholastic contest winners. Sadly, even with all of its interesting treasures, it is hidden inside of the century center right down town, and many students do not know they are so close to such a fun and cost effective activity!

7. Strikes and Spares Entertainment Center, 5419 N Grape Road Mishawaka Located just up the road from the mall, strikes and spares hosts a mini arcade, indoor go kart track, glow in the dark mini golf and a bowling alley! It also has a sports bar and serves snacks. It’s a great way to have fun even in the worst weather Indiana has to offer.

So the next time you may think there is nothing around, peak out of the tri-campus bubble and explore South Bend!

Contact Nola at nwallace01@saintmarys.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Jackie O’Brien Dear Father Jenkins

W hile ever yone has been lamenting Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ripping up of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech as the ultimate display of partisanship and lack of civ ilit y, we seem to have forgotten who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom that same night.

Our president bestowed our nation’s highest civ ilian honor on a racist, sex ist, misog y nistic radio shock-jock, but for some reason the tearing of a piece of paper is ev idence that partisanship has gone too far.

Let me prov ide you w ith a list of recipients of this same honor: Tom Hanks, Marjor y Stoneman Douglas, Norman Rock well, Katharine Graham, Ellen DeGeneres, Hellen Keller and Father Ted Hesburgh. Now to join that list, Rush Limbaugh, the same man who dev ised the term “feminazi,” repeatedly referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as Michelle “My Butt” and said white people should carr y no guilt or responsibilit y for American slaver y as they are the ones who brought it to an end.

Trump bestowed the honor on Limbaugh during his State of the Union address, stating, “And, Rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and that you inspire and all of the incredible work that you have done for charit y, I am proud to announce tonight that you w ill be receiv ing our countr y’s highest civ ilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

With Trump’s remarks in mind, I struggle to pinpoint what Limbaugh has done for our nation that even comes close to matching the accomplishments of Hesburgh, or another honoree in the entertainment arena, such as Oprah or Ellen DeGeneres. Rather, he made a name for himself through shocking comments and degrading rhetoric that for some reason has earned him recognition as the voice of “new conser vatism.”

This is a man who brought a world of hate dow n upon Sandra Fluke, a law student at Georgetow n who was blocked by Republicans from testif y ing in front the committee considering Conscience-Clause exemptions for the contraception mandate of the ACA. W hen news of this development broke and it was revealed that the only woman who was inv ited to testif y on the mandate was blocked from the hearing, Limbaugh stated on his program: “W hat does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke [sic] who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex – what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.”

I would hope for the sake of all American conser vatives that his racist and misog y nistic rhetoric falls far short of embody ing contemporar y conser vative values. But rather than discrediting this monger of hate, it seems as though his claimed part y has decided to embrace him. In that context, it is unsurprising Trump honored him w ith the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Even though there is definitely an initial shock reading through the histor y of Limbaugh’s commentar y, what are members of the Republican part y doing to separate themselves from this t y pe of rhetoric? Instead, they gave him a standing ovation.

It is important to acknowledge that Limbaugh is battled advanced state lung cancer, and I wouldn’t w ish this aw ful disease on anyone, but to use his diagnosis as defense against claims about his character is disingenuous.

Ever yone should be held accountable for their opinions and actions, and Limbaugh’s most certainly discredit him as someone deser v ing of a presidential honor.

This shocking example of the extremit y of partisanship w ithin our system has begged a larger question for me. Do our supposed standards of political decency carr y any weight today?

In a way, what happened this past week isn’t outside the norm. W hile it is convenient for Republicans to lambast Pelosi’s action as the ultimate insult in order to draw attention away from the actions of their president and the vast majorit y of their part y, we experienced similar unruly behav ior during President Barack Obama’s tenure.

In 2009, while Obama was addressing a joint-session of Congress on the issue of healthcare, Representative Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, interrupted his speech shouting “You lie !” The primar y critic of Wilson’s actions was the now-late Senator John McCain.

It seems that we have found ourselves lost today in an era of partisanship so severe to crowd out any standard of decency. Is there anyone left w illing to speak up against the despicable actions of those w ithin their part y?

Maybe Senator Mitt Romney, but anyone else?

This made me ponder an even more frightening question, is there any value left in fake political decency? Do we gain any thing as a nation when our elected officials pretend to get along or at the ver y least shake hands?

Honestly, I don’t really know. I want to say yes and I want to see value in those t y pes of interactions, but another part of me w ishes we could just be honest about how far we have fallen.

In 2020, we awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a man who referred to former First Lady Michelle Obama as “My Boot y” Michelle.

But apparently tearing up a few sheets of paper was the true affront to the American values of democracy and discourse.

Kerry Schneeman | The Observer

Jackie O’Brien is a Notre Dame senior studying political science and peace studies originally from the Chicago suburbs. When she’s not writing for Viewpoint, you can find her attempting to complete the NYT crossword, fretting over law school applications or watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. She can be reached at jobrie21@nd.edu or @im_jackie_o on Twitter.

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

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The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

It’s OK to disagree with your friends Vince Mallet Politically Ambidextrous

The other day, my friends and I talked about the opinions we allow our friends to have.

To be fair to them, I understand that my position is an ideal which I ver y rarely meet myself.

But I think the above framing of the issue puts it in the most accurate light: what, exactly, are we w illing to let our friends believe? At what point do we stop considering people as friends because of their opinions?

I tr y to hold myself to the follow ing standard: I w ill not allow another’s opinions to harm our friendship unless those opinions ref lect a deep lack of integrit y in that person. For example, I believe casual racism is a result of either serious ignorance or a serious lack of a moral backbone.

If someone I consider a friend is casually racist, and I don’t consider it to be a matter of ignorance, that person would no longer be my friend.

That might sound harsh, but I’ve found that this is actually a more forgiv ing standard than many others tend to hold, consciously or not.

My conversation the other day centered around friendships w ith people who did not support same-sex marriage; ever yone in the conversation did so, and a few were surprised to here that I am totally w illing to be friends w ith those who do not. Especially at a school like Notre Dame, which prizes its Catholic identit y, it is difficult

for me to imagine what it would be like to cut off ever yone who believes in the traditional definition of marriage.

W hich brings us to the broader issue: W hat do we have to gain from friends w ith whom we already totally agree? I cannot comprehend how one can expect to learn from their peers w ith whom they share the same beliefs. We do not become stronger in our conv ictions w ithout those conv ictions being challenged; we do not come to the truth except when we start from falsehood; and we do not learn that which we already know.

Some might reply that they agree w ith their friends on the “fundamentals,” but not on ever y thing. In theor y, I am not sure I disagree w ith this mindset. In practice, I think our societ y has f lipped the “fundamentals” and the “not-fundamentals.”

For example, if you ask your friends whether they believe in objective morals, or what they think of the respective roles of church and state, or how they understand “the good,” I highly doubt you might end your friendship based on their answers. Maybe it’s just the philosophy major in me, but I certainly consider these questions to be more “fundamental” than one’s opinions on same-sex marriage, abortion or President Trump.

For some reason, Americans seem to value one’s positions on a handful of salient social issues more highly than one’s conv ictions on the truly fundamental. This makes the number of

people unw illing to have friends w ith whom they disagree all the more devastating. If we cannot disagree in good faith on the matters of import here-and-now, we w ill never collectively move for ward on the big-picture questions, which need solid answers today more than ever.

Vince Mallett is a junior at Notre Dame majoring in philosophy with a minor in Constitutional Studies. He is proud to hail from Carroll Hall and northern New Jersey. Vince can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter.

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

Renee Yaseen | The Observer

Letter to the editor

Called and chosen: Vocation in Frozen II I’m grateful for Professor Legarre’s recent letter to the editor and for the important conversation it begins on the question of vocation. I’d like to offer, though, in charity and out of my own discernment (and love of “Frozen II”), a response to the piece and what it might mean for God to call us.

The noun “vocation” (verb: vocare) does suggest a voice who calls, who utters words. In His Goodness, God does call, as the voice in “Frozen II” calls Elsa.

God is the Word, and speaks throughout history, in the Scriptures and with a voice! What a gift it is to know and trust that voice, whether it comes in words, through friends, in desires or by doors opened and doors shut.

But, back to “Frozen II”. Legarre is mistaken when he says Elsa is the only character who hears that voice. The voice is for her, but she’s assured of its verity when the gecko (a brilliantly cute marketing ploy) hears it too. It is also important to acknowledge it is not her voice, but her mother’s, that calls. When, in “Into the Unknown” Elsa first begins to acknowledge the persistent song that has been “keeping her awake,” she’s reluctant to answer. When she accepts the invitation and follows the voice through trial (and error) she finds herself, finally, at its source.

This is where the song “Show Yourself” unexpectedly and beautifully captures vocation and what it is to call and to be called. “I can sense you there,” Elsa sings, “like a friend I’ve always known / I’m arriving / And it feels like I am home.”

Vocation is our homecoming. At long last, we have

responded to the voice that knows our longings and hopes, our insecurities and fears. Finally, we have found the one for whom we were made: the Love for which we were created.

Elsa could not have planned her call, and neither can we. Whether it’s to the single life, marriage or consecrated life, to medicine, law or art, it is God who has chosen us: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain” (John 15:16).

She continues: “I’ve never felt so certain / all my life I’ve been torn / but I’m here for a reason / could it be the reason I was born?” With vocation comes the exhilarating certainty of finding for what we were made. This is not a certainty we can create! I cannot will myself into a perfect relationship, community or job. Rather, I find the certainty of my call in knowing that it is Another Who has spoken to my heart from its creation.

I appreciate Legarre’s eagerness to clarify that God’s speech is often not written in the sky, though we might like it to be. But it is a mistake to propose that it is no call at all. God calls both in silence and in clear conversation with our hearts. He moves, when we are close to Him in prayer and sacrament, in our desires and in community with those who know and love us. The call does not come in a vacuum; it echoes through our whole lives and selves. Ultimately, we know it, difficult as it may be to articulate, when we hear it. And we do hear it because, well, He does speak.

When we are given that gift — when He speaks through and in our lives and loves — we can sing with Elsa: “You are the answer I’ve waited for / all of my life.”

Discernment is difficult. It asks for vulnerability.

While “Frozen II” is not perfect, it does offer us a lens through which we might better see how we can respond to our own call. For Elsa, discernment asked for a willingness to risk her home and queenship to cross a literal ocean of uncertainty. If we place ourselves in that position, we can recognize, as Legarre does, that our attributes, preferences, circumstances and talents have all been calling us to our vocation.

But I want to suggest that those things — though they are not words, per se — are God’s speech just as much as His call to Samuel, His invitation to the apostles or His cry of thirst to Mother Teresa is His speech. Even when the silence isn’t filled with the words we long to hear, we can still trust that God is calling. Assured by our prayer and in the peace of knowing that we have entrusted our will to Him, we can act, confident that in His Providence we will live out His call. Like Elsa, we can answer with all that we have and all that we are: “I am found.”

“The one who calls you is faithful,” Paul tells us in the first letter to the Thessalonians (5:24). Thank God for that.

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt

Maggie Garnett sophomore Feb. 8

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Classifieds

The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | MIKE BUCKLEY

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Set goals, and adjust the way you do things to suit your needs. Once you fix what hasn’t been working for you, everything else will fall into place. Tidy up, make amends and move forward. Adopt a “me first” attitude with the intent to pull the ones you love along once you break through any obstacles standing in your way. Your numbers are 6, 14, 22, 27, 30, 37, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Plan your next move. If you take on too much, you’ll miss an opportunity. Be realistic in your pursuits, and live in the moment. Love is encouraged. Don’t squelch someone’s intentions due to a lack of time or energy on your part.

TAURUS (April 20-May20): Don’t overthink what you need to implement. Put your plans in motion, and bring about the changes that will make you feel complete. Refuse to let someone take over or control your interests. Use your insight to make decisions that are in your best interest.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your success depends on you. Strive to get out, to be active and to participate in unique activities. Put out your ideas for all to view. You are heading into new territory, and the results you get will depend on your performance.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick close to home. Avoid any sort of dispute or getting into a no-win situation that will stifle your ability to get ahead or finish what you start. Alter your living arrangements, or perhaps improve your surroundings. Stay active; avoid emotional discord.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take care of personal matters. You can enhance a partnership, start a new project or travel for knowledge. Offer your talents and enthusiasm, and you will find an interest that captures your imagination and grows into something substantial.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Lighten up and enjoy the moment. Plan to have some fun with people who bring out the best in you. Open your doors to friends and acquaintances, or make arrangements to socialize with people or groups that interest you. Self-improvement is favored.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take action, do your part and strive for perfection.

Love and romance will offer you options that have skirted you in the past. Make your expectations known before you commit to demands or ultimatums. Use charm to get ahead.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Temptation will lead you to take on jobs that will not help you prosper or reach your goal. Consider what’s important, and put your priorities first. Refuse to let someone confuse you with empty promises.

Trust your intuition.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t give in to someone who is being manipulative. You may not want to face facts, but you won’t stand a chance if you aren’t realistic. Stand up for your rights, even if it means moving on and finding new friends.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Hide behind your poker face. No one will have the slightest idea what you are thinking or what you are about to do.

The response you get from others will determine who has your back and how best to move forward.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your life simple, moderate and affordable.

Focus on personal, financial and physical stabilization. Take the initiative, and use your skills to mastermind your way into a critical position. Romance is featured, and a commitment looks promising.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get a grip on reality before you let your emotions take over and cause havoc. Back off rather than get into a heated discussion with someone who won’t budge. Bide your time, and keep your personal life and intentions a secret.

Birthday Baby: You are playful, determined and secretive. You are sensitive and helpful.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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W Tennis

Sports Authority

If Brady leaves Pats, he should go to Titans or L.A. Will Richard Sports Writer

Reports this week have emerged confirming that quarterback Tom Brady w ill enter free agency on March 18. This w ill be the first time in Brady’s 20-year tenure w ith the Patriots that he has been a free agent.

Experts and the public alike are split on what would be Brady’s best move going for ward: Return for year 21 w ith the dy nastic Patriots, or depart to find a roster better equipped to get Brady his seventh Super Bowl ring?

There is recent precedent for a long-tenured quarterback to leave his original franchise to prove himself elsewhere in the latter stages of his career. In 2012, rival Pey ton Manning left the Colts to join the Broncos for the last four years of his career.

At age 36, Manning won MV P and led the Broncos to a Super Bowl appearance.

At age 38, he captured his second Super Bowl. Brady, though 42, has been lauded through the years for the immense amount of time and resources he devotes to ensure that his body stays in the most pristine conditions possible.

By this point in his career, Brady is w idely considered to be the greatest quarterback to ever play.

With that said, Brady’s six Super Bowl v ictories are not solely attributable to his greatness; coach Bill Belichick and ow ner Robert Kraft have done an exceptional job at sustaining an advantage over the rest of the league through talent acquisition and revolutionar y tactics.

It would be impossible to scorn Brady should he decide to return to Foxborough for his 21st season.

However, I believe it would ser ve Tom much better to explore the avenue of a new team; specifically, w ith the Tennessee Titans or Los Angeles Chargers.

Let’s start w ith the Titans.

Last season, Tennessee jumped out to a 10-point lead over the Super Bowl w inning Chiefs w ith six minutes left in the first half

of the AFC Championship.

They were able to do this by establishing the run game w ith Derrick Henr y, while the defense caused Patrick Mahomes to struggle relative to his standards.

However, their undoing was an inabilit y to move the ball dow n the field through the air once they were forced to abandon the run game in a deficit.

Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota are both set to become unrestricted free agents.

For Mariota, his benching this season seems to be an indication of the Titans’ belief in his abilities mov ing for ward.

As for Tannehill, he posted 15 completions and 160 yards passing in his first two playoff games combined, and has never posted a season QBR above 65.

Simply put, neither quarterback has show n an abilit y to lead this team to a Super Bowl.

Should Brady take the helm, he w ill be assisted by talent which far exceeds that of his prev ious year in New England.

Running back Derrick Henr y was perhaps the best player in this postseason, and rookie receiver A.J. Brow n posted 1,051 yards and eight touchdow ns in just his first year. In addition, head coach Mike Vrabel spent eight seasons as Brady’s teammate in New England and boasts a hard-nosed, exceptional defense. With the potential addition of Brady, it is not crazy to consider Tennessee as a serious title contender heading into the 2020 season.

As for the Los Angeles Chargers, similarly longtenured Philip Rivers has agreed to part ways w ith the team, leav ing a vacancy for a team other w ise stockpiled w ith talent. Running backs Austin Ekeler and Melv in Gordon both have demonstrated an abilit y to be highly productive.

Receivers Keenan A llen and Mike Williams are quietly as good of a 1-2 pair as you w ill find in the league.

On the defensive side of the ball, Joey Bosa and Melv in Ingram are both elite pass rushers, w ith Der w in James, Casey

Hay ward and Desmond King manning a shutdow n secondar y. Rivers’ decline in recent years has inhibited the team, and most would consider Brady an upgrade at the quarterback position even at age 42.

Furthermore, a move to Los Angeles would perhaps be most desirable for Brady’s w ife, Gisele, who has ver y openly advocated for Brady to leave the game and enter the role of fulltime husband. The family has spent a great deal of time in Los Angeles, and should Gisele concede to Tom’s w ishes to continue play ing, what better place to be than the West Coast for an immensely successful model, actress and businesswoman?

For New England to retain Brady, Belichick w ill have to demonstrate a w illingness to upgrade the talent surrounding Brady drastically, specifically on the offensive side of the ball.

With weapons like Gronk and Randy Moss retiring in recent memor y, the 2019 offensive personnel left much to be desired outside of Julian Edelman.

Additionally, it seems a pay raise w ill also be required for Brady, who has consistently taken less than his worth in his career to allow for more salar y cap f lex ibilit y for the remaining 52 roster spots. That said, in the past few weeks, reports have emerged that the Patriots would be w illing to offer in excess of $30 million, which would align him much more closely w ith the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL today.

W hatever Brady decides, it w ill be the over whelmingly dominant stor yline this offseason. Rarely does a NFL player of this caliber reach the free agent market, especially at the quarterback position.

One thing is for certain: Bet against Brady wherever he is under center at your own peril.

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.

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Continued from page 12

“It takes a team to get a v ictor y,” she said. “It was certainly positive to see certain struggles that we had on Friday w ith some of our players, and we were able to make those adjustments for Sunday’s match and improve.”

With so many returners, the Irish are rely ing heav ily on experience and the confidence that comes w ith it.

Silverio spoke highly of her battle-tested team, composed almost entirely of returning players.

“I think that just the experience that we have on our team, the professionalism that they used in approaching this season, has certainly made an impact and is going to keep propelling us in the right direction as we continue our season,” she said.

Specifically, Silverio said the upperclassmen on the team carr y a lot of weight, both on the court and off.

“Obv iously we have our t wo seniors, Zoe Spence and Bess Waldram, and our t wo juniors, A lly Bojczuk and Cameron Corse,” she said.

“They’re all doing a phenomenal job leading vocally

9

and also leading by example.

They’re really stepping up in that competitive mindset as we move for ward. They all were a part of last year, as well as our sophomores, going through the gauntlet of the ACC season.”

The match against USC w ill be the team’s last before heading right into ACC play.

A v ictor y here could signif y a positive outlook for the rest of the season.

Silverio commented on the grander-than-normal stage that this competition w ill be played on.

“Our whole squad w ill be traveling, all eight of us,” she said. “We’ll have performance staff w ith us, as well, which w ill be exciting to take a larger group to Orlando w ith us. It is a College MatchDay, which is put on by the USTA. It’s an exciting event. We’ll be on T V. There w ill be great coverage, not only for the tennis world, but also for our Notre Dame family. We’re looking for ward to being able to represent in the right way on that big stage.”

The match is scheduled to begin 5 p.m. Saturday and w ill be broadcast live on Tennis Channel Plus.

Contact Inigo Yturralde iyturral@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Senior Zoe Spence finishes her swing during a 4-0 Notre Dame win against Purdue at home in the Eck Center on Feb. 13, 2019.

W r it e S p o r t s .

Emai l Con nor Mu lvena at cmu lven a@nd .edu

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Sports

The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Swim&Dive Continued from page 12

130 athletes will be competing.

The other teams present will be Akron, Johns Hopkins, Illinois, Purdue, Pittsburgh and Eastern Michigan.

Irish head coach Mike Litzinger spoke ti the unique style of the end-of-the-year meet.

“It gives everyone an opportunity to have their athletes have an end-of-the -ear, championship-style meet,” Litzinger said. “So you can actually see what the year gave you in terms of work, and it actually helps plan for your future because we’ve had athletes come out of this meet and the following year advance to the ACC meet, so it is kind of a seed meet — a feeder meet.”

With postseason competition just around the corner, Litzinger said his squad has been taking an individualized approach to preparing for their first round of competition at the ACC Championships.

“We set the ACC squad about two-and-a-half, three weeks ago, and we are in this training period, and everybody is kind of on a different path,” Litzinger said. “The Ohio State group is on a path, so they are speed work and pace work and

race strategy-type work [and] started a couple weeks ago. The ACC women have followed that up, so they are kind of a week behind the Ohio State kids, and then the ACC men are kind of two weeks behind everybody. … This is the time of year where you really dial in on your speed work, and you’re trying to get some rest and let yourself recover from a full season of training.”

As far as his goals for his team heading into this weekend’s meet at Ohio State, Litzinger said it is best to keep things simple.

“We just want to swim as fast as we can and put up some times that are meaningful to us and our program,” he said.

“Most of the people going to this meet are freshmen, so we want to be able to see them kind of use this opportunity to step forward and take advantage of a really great pool and a good facility and a championship-level meet to show us what they can do, so we can hopefully plug them in in the future.”

The meet will take place in Columbus, Ohio inside the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion and will run Friday through Sunday, aired on BTN Plus.

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Baseball Continued from page 12

“I’d like to see us play good defense. That’s something that’s been holding the team back. … It’s going to be the first time we’re going to be outside on a natural surface field,” he said.

“It’s just different [than practicing indoors].”

Jarrett has implemented a new approach for the Irish hitters, emphasizing the mental aspect.

“We talk a lot about our approach. They have certain mental thoughts and points of attack for ever y pitch,” he said. “It’s an approach-based, pitch by pitch hitting system that allows our guys to use these mental weapons based on what the pitcher seems to be doing, what the pitcher’s stuff looks like and the capabilities of the hitter.”

He also emphasized creativ it y on offense and getting back to the basics of pitching.

“We have to be creative offensively to tr y and find ways to score,” he said. “…

[Ever y pitcher is] a little different, but the fundamentals are fastball command, an above-average Paid Advertisement

secondar y pitch and hopefully a third pitch.”

The Irish are returning t wo of their top starting pitchers, senior Cameron Brow n and junior Tommy Sheehan. The pair combined for 151 strikeouts over 170.1 innings pitched in 2019. The team is excited to take the field Friday after a long w inter of training.

“You’ve spent five months, six months training, but ultimately, it’s against your ow n team,” Jarret said. “The scoreboard is not on, you don’t have to truly deal w ith success and failure. W hen you play outside teams and ever y thing is publicly v isible and there’s an outcome, … it’s just a different feel.

How we respond to the reallife competition w ith [an] outcome is important, so I’m excited about it.”

On Jan. 27, t wo Irish players were named preseason A ll-Americans, junior third baseman Niko Kavadas and junior relief pitcher Joe Boyle. Kavadas led the team last year w ith 12 home runs and 43 RBIs, while Boyle finished w ith 39 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched, both career highs.

Jarrett said ever y game w ill be a challenge.

“College baseball’s more deep than it’s ever been,” he said. “Ever y team has capabilities, and talent and personnel. You have to prepare based on who you’re competing against, and if [UAB] had a different uniform on, you probably wouldn’t realize if they’re ACC or nonACC. UAB’s a well coached, aggressive, action-oriented team, and it’ll be all we can handle.”

However, he said he knows it w ill pay off for the Irish if they can build on the progress they’ve made over the w inter “If we can implement some of things we’ve practiced and trained to do, we’ll see success,” he said.

First pitches this Friday, Saturday and Sunday are scheduled for 5 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

The Irish w ill play the next five weekends on the road before opening their home slate March 17 against Western Michigan.

Jarrett said he understands the challenge this w ill pose: “It’s a neverending cycle of tr y ing to be elite.”

Contact Liam Coolican lcoolica@nd.edu

Sports

W Bball Continued from page 12

and Georgia Tech, including 17 against Pittsburgh, marking a team-best 21 games w ith double-figure points.

Her effort earned her the ACC Rookie of the Week honor, her first ACC accolade in her young career.

A lso heating up is freshman for ward Sam Brunelle, who struggled adjusting to collegiate play early on.

Brunelle shot a 13-68 from three through her first 14 games but as of late has picked it up.

Since Jan. 5 Brunelle has managed to go 24-69 from deep, averaging 2.4 triples per game, ranking sixth in the conference in that period of time.

If the Irish can put all of these pieces together, they may just find success on the road against Boston College in Chestnut Hill on Thursday.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Thursday inside Conte Forum and w ill be broadcast live v ia ACC Network Extra.

ndsmcobserver.com | thursday, february 13, 2020 | The Observer

11

ND Track & Field | MEYO Invitational

Notre Dame to play Illinois coming off sweep of Boston College

By DOMINIC GIBSON Sports Writer

The Notre Dame men’s tennis team w ill travel to Champaign, Illinois, to take on the Fighting Illini on Saturday. After sweeping Boston College 5-0 last Friday, The Irish (3-3) w ill be looking to pick up another v ictor y at the end of a stretch of five matches on the road before they head home to take on 6th-ranked Ohio State (8-0) at home.

Grabbing the opening doubles point can turn out to be paramount in deciding matches.

The Irish have had the benefit of strong doubles play this season, securing the doubles point their last five matches in a row.

Irish head coach Ryan Sachire praised the efforts of his doubles teams.

“We have had great

continuit y at our No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions this year, and both of those teams have played well,” Sachire said. “As a program, we take a great deal of pride in our doubles and emphasize it in practice. Hopefully we can continue the success that we have had to this point.”

Notre Dame w ill once again need to start off quick and grab the early point as well as play their st yle of tennis if they are to be successful against a solid Illinois (1-5) squad.

“Illinois is an extremely talented team and w ill certainly be ranked in the top 15 by the end of the year.

Keys to our success are going to be simple and consistent w ith what they have been all year,” Sachire said.

“We want to play strong doubles and give ourselves a great chance to earn that first point of the match, Paid Advertisement

and we have to be poised and competitive at all nine spots in the lineup. If we are able to meet these goals, it is going to be a highly competitive and entertaining match.”

Both the Irish and the Illini boast firepower in their singles lineup. At the top of their line, Illinois is led by the 18th-ranked player in the nation in junior A lex Brow n as well as last year’s NCAA singles semifinalist in senior A leks Kovacev ic.

Notre Dame w ill look for strong performances from fifth-ranked junior Richard Ciamarra, sophomore A xel Nef ve and junior Tristan McCormick to help power the squad.

W hile the schedule may seem daunting, Sachire said that it has helped his team prepare for these kinds of matches against top tier opponents.

“The beaut y about our schedule is that we play many of the ver y best teams in the countr y.

We know what the env ironment is like and what we are going to face on Saturday night in terms of play ing against a great opponent,” he said. “Our week of preparation is aiming toward hav ing our guys feeling sharp, rested and ready to roll on Saturday night.”

Doubles play w ill begin at 7 p.m. at the Atkins Tennis Center, w ith singles directly follow ing it.

Next weekend, the Irish w ill be at home facing off against a trio of opponents: No. 5 Ohio State, St. Bonaventure and Michigan, before w rapping up the homestand a week later against Louisv ille.

Contact Dominic Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu

12

The observer | thursday, february 13, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND WOMEN’s TENNIS

nd Baseball

Irish match Trojans before ACC play

By INIGO YTURRALDE Sports Writer

This Saturday, the Notre Dame women’s tennis team will be traveling south to Lake Nona, Florida, for a match against No. 20 University of Southern California. This is the first time that Irish (6-3) will take on the Trojans (4-1) in more than a decade.

Coming off of a tough weekend of regional competition against Northwestern and Purdue, the Notre DAme women seek to be both prepared and excited to face off against a storied school rival.

The team will be traveling to the Orlando area with all eight players, including redshirt sophomore Julia Lilien.

Looking to capitalize on last weekend’s momentum, head coach Alison Silverio said she aims to utilize all of the tools that this team has to offer. She made reference to freshman Page Freeman’s performances last weekend

Team travels to Alabama to open season at UAB

against both Northwestern and Purdue.

“Freeman has really been stepping up and working diligently on her game, but also her mental toughness and attitude throughout her matches this past weekend,” Silverio said. “She displayed a lot of that confidence and that championship mindset.”

Freeman is the team’s only freshman addition for the 19-20 season and is already proving able to carry her own weight against top competitors. The team will be relying on a continued hardfought performance from her against USC this upcoming weekend.

Again ref lecting on the past week’s matches, Silverio pointed to the team’s ability to quickly adapt and improve from past failures. She believes this desire to keep improving will help push the team to victory. see W TENNIS PAGE 9

By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

ALEXIS HERNANDEZ | The Observer

Junior pitcher Tommy Sheehan awaits the catcher’s signals during a 5-2 home win against the University of Virginia on April 5.

Squad prepares for final meet before post-season

By JIMMY WARD

ND hopes to keep winning streak Observer Sports Staff

Sports Writer

see SWIM&DIVE PAGE 10

see BASEBALL PAGE 10

ND WOMEN’s BASKETBALL

nd SWIMMING AND DIVING

This weekend the No. 12/16 ranked Notre Dame swimming and diving team will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the second time this season to compete at the Ohio State Winter Invitational.

Earlier this season, Notre Dame found success in Columbus, finishing second place with a full roster.

However, this weekend the Irish will not be sending their full team, but the meet will instead serve as a litmus test for the younger members of the squad. Notre Dame will be facing off against top competition in the country, including host No. 7/14 Ohio State as well as No. 13/25 Kentucky.

But with postseason competition just a week away for the women and two weeks out for the men, these teams find themselves in much of the same position as the Irish. Of the eight teams attending, over

Notre Dame baseball will begin its season this weekend, as the team travels to Birmingham, Alabama, to take on UAB in a threegame series. The series will be head coach Link Jarrett’s first games with the team, as he was hired in July after seven years leading UNC Greensboro.

“We need to be better than we’ve been here in the last couple years,” Jarrett said.

“Obviously I wasn’t here, but I can look at the stats and see where some of our needs for improvement are.”

The Irish finished sixth in the seven-team ACC Atlantic division in 2019 with a 2430 overall record and 13-17 in the conference. He said he wants the team to specifically improve upon their defense.

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Freshman Elizabeth Fry stands ready to dive off the blocks during a relay in a home meet against Northwestern on Jan. 17.

This season has not been one the Notre Dame women’s basketball team is accustomed to, but for the first time this season the Irish (10-14, 5-7 ACC) have gotten back to their winning ways.

The Irish have won three games in a row, their longest streak this entire season.

Notre Dame started their hot streak with a narrow win on the road over Georgia Tech (16-8, 7-6 ACC) 59-51. They stuck with their road warrior mentality and found another close victory over Wake Forest (12-12, 5-8) in Winston Salem, 75-71. Carrying the hot hand into Purcell Pavilion, the Notre Dame dominated against the worst-ranked team in the conference in Pittsburgh (4-19, 1-11 ACC).

The Panthers managed to put up 52 points, but it was nothing compared to the offense of the Irish, who got 74 on the board by the end of the night.

The Panthers may have been

no match for the Irish, but the same can not be said for the Eagles (13-10, 6-6 ACC) who are ranked two spots above the Irish in the conference standings and are coming off a win.

Graduate student guard Destinee Walker is carrying the hot hand for the Irish. The North Carolina transfer tallied 24 points in each of the last two Irish victories, marking the third time in her career she achieved back-to-back games with 20-plus points and the second time she has done so with Notre Dame this season.

When Walker performs, the Irish tend to do well; in all 10 Irish wins she has notched double-digit games in the points column.

Sophomore guard Katlyn Gilbert has also been playing well for the Irish during their hot streak. She averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in their wins over Pittsburgh see W BBALL PAGE 11