Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, February 14, 2022

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Volume 56, Issue 47 | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Organization hosts Riley Week Dance Marathon raises money for Indianapolis Riley Children’s Hospital

By GENEVIEVE COLEMAN Saint Mary’s News Editor

This week, Saint Mar y’s Dance Marathon (SMCDM) w ill be promoting its mission in its annual Riley Week.

Vice president of finance Kathleen Soller explained why Riley Week is important to achiev ing SMCDM’s yearly goals.

“The purpose of Riley Week is to raise funds and awareness for Riley Hospital for Children ahead of our Dance Marathon on April 9th,” Soller said. “We use this week to educate the campuses about Riley and the importance of Dance Marathons. We have a whole week of events planned and all are welcome.”

The week w ill include themes beginning on Morale Monday and ending w ith Fun Friday. Events include a hy pe room, a silent auction and tabling across Notre Dame and Saint Mar y’s.

Soller emphasized her personal connection to Riley Children’s Hospital caused her to join Dance Marathon her first year.

“I originally joined Dance Marathon because I became a Riley Kid in 2017 when I was treated at Riley for cancer,” Soller said. “I was so grateful for all that Riley did for me, so I decided to give back to them in the form of Dance Marathon.”

Because fundraising see RILEY WEEK PAGE 4

ND to house future Gateways Observer Staff Report

Beginning w ith the Gateway 10.0 cohort, all Gateway students w ill be guaranteed on-campus housing upon their transfer to Notre Dame sophomore year, given the cohort does not exceed 75 students, Gateway program coordinator Aurelia Wishart said in a Friday email to current

Gateway first-years.

The 10.0 cohort refers to students who w ill arrive as first-years in fall 2022.

The email ser ved as a guide for current Gateway first-years on how to respond when answering questions from prospective Gateway students. In the fall, The Obser ver reported see GATEWAY PAGE 4

Guffey announces Editorial Board Observer Staff Report

Seven new and two returning department heads w ill complete The Obser ver’s 2022-2023 Editorial Board, incoming Editor-in-Chief A lysa Guffey announced Saturday.

The nine editors w ill join

NEWS PAGE 3

Guffey as well as incoming Managing Editor Aidan O’Malley and Assistant Managing Editors Mannion McGinley, Genev ieve Coleman and Maggie Eastland in directing the paper in its editorial see BOARD PAGE 4

SCENE PAGE 5

College updates masking policies Observer Staff Report

Courtesy of Dance Marathon Tech Committee

During last year’s Saint Mary’s Dance Marathon, the group revealed it raised over $200,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital.

In a Friday afternoon email to the Saint Mar y’s communit y, the COVID Response Team announced all students and employees who are up to date on their vaccinations — including the booster, if eligible — can remove their masks indoors, effectively immediately.

The announcement comes t wo weeks after Saint Mar y’s see MASKS PAGE 4

Spike in ticket demand exposes system flaws

By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

The return of fans to arenas for the 2021-2022 winter athletics season and increased efforts to improve attendance have caused a spike in ticket demand in recent weeks. Largely a sign of a flourishing athletic program, the rising popularity of Notre Dame winter sports has created a competitive student lottery process to obtain tickets and also highlighted unequal approaches to marketing men’s and women’s sports. Students have expressed frustration with these issues and are looking for explanations and improvements as the season continues.

What led to the increased demand?

The increased demand at men’s basketball and hockey games can partly be attributed to improved success of on-court and on-ice products.

In basketball, the Irish lead the ACC. At 10-3 in conference play, they have equaled their

VIEWPOINT PAGE 6

most conference wins since 2016-2017. The hockey squad continues to play with the best in the country. After sweeping Penn State last week, they are a consensus top-15 team in the country.

However, Notre Dame has had good teams before. The men’s basketball team went to consecutive NCAA Tournament Elite Eights in 2015 and 2016.

Hockey has made runs to the national championship game.

Part of it can be attributed to the return of fans post-COVID. The Irish did not allow students to attend basketball or hockey games last season until the very end of the year. The return of on-campus athletic events has been cause for celebration among some students.

However, there were few issues with too many ticket requests in the first semester.

Additionally, the efforts of the Notre Dame marketing and fan experience team and its collaboration with “Lep Legion” — the official student section of Notre Dame — have helped the cause,

M BASKETBALL PAGE 12

said Jade Fung, a junior and one of the leaders of Lep Legion.

The closer collaboration between Lep Legion, athletics and marketing has improved the student section experience, Fung added.

“We’ve brought things back that we used to do my freshman year... It’s been really easy because freshmen and sophomores haven’t really been to games, so they don’t know what to expect,” Fung said. “We’re working with marketing and ND athletics really closely. Lep Legion used to be different from marketing, so it’s really nice that we’re coming together.”

Amidst other events, Lep Legion orchestrated t-shirt promotions, green pom giveaways and created “Jeer Cards” placed throughout the student section before each men’s basketball contest. Fung said that while she believes Notre Dame will always predominantly be a football school, she has been pleased to be able to play a part see TICKETS PAGE 3

W BASKETBALL PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

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In honor of Valentine’s Day, what is your favorite romantic comedy?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Kathleen Soller

Shannon McCloskey

senior Opus Hall

senior Le Mans Hall

“‘13 Going on 30.’”

“‘Christmas in the Wild.’”

Erin Dotson

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junior Le Mans Hall

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“‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.’”

“‘The Princess Diaries 2.’”

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Lindsey Herdsman

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“‘Love Hard.’”

“‘Love, Rosie.’”

Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Evan McKenna Asst. Managing Editor: Isabella Volmert Asst. Managing Editor: Colin Capece Asst. Managing Editor: Nelisha Silva Notre Dame News Editor: Alysa Guffey Saint Mary’s News Editor: Genevieve Coleman Viewpoint Editor: Abby Patrick Sports Editor: Mannion McGinley Scene Editor: Aidan O’Malley Photo Editor: Allison Thornton Graphics Editor: Maggie Klaers Social Media Editor: Veronica Navarro Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf Ad Design Manager: Alyssa Rave Systems Administrator: Rachel Johnson Talent & Inclusion Manager: Siobhan Loughney Office Manager & General Info

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Today’s Staff News

Sports

Genevieve Coleman Liam Price Claire Reid

Mannion McGinley

Graphics Maggie Klaers

Photo

Scene

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Coach Mike Brey sways along to the Notre Dame Alma Mater with students after the men’s basketball team defeated the Louisville Cardinals 82-70 at the Joyce Center Wednesday. The team’s season is wrapping up with only four Irish home games remaining.

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Monday

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Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Love Data Week Haiku Contest Virtual All Day Three winners receive a free coffee mug.

Nanovic Forum with Lord Alton of Liverpool Hesburgh Center 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Free public lecture.

Black History Month Lunch and Learn Virtual noon - 1 p.m.

Conversation on critical race theory.

Blood Drive LaFortune Student Center 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sponsored by the American Red Cross.

“Dressers and Delph Stories in Western Ireland” 1050 Jenkins Nanovic 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Livestream available.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 5:15 p.m.

Join us for mass. All are welcome.

Film: “The Stand” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Film on 1968 Olympics silent protests.

Galentine’s Day with Breen-Phillips Hall Rice Commons 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Speed friending and goody bags.

An Evening with Jaume Plensa Snite Museum of Art 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Internationally renowned sculptor.

“Cyrano” DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

A love story with a modern musical twist.

News

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Tickets Continued from page 1

in improving the atmosphere at other events.

“There’s a ton of student-athletes that work really hard and deserve support,” she said. “It’s really great that we can get that to them. It’s creating new experiences for students because there’s not that much to do in the winter in South Bend.”

Arenas experience an abundance of no-shows after lottery A fallout of the increased ticket demand has been that the ensuing lotteries have denied many students the opportunity to support the Irish in person. Just in the second semester alone, men’s basketball games against Clemson, NC State, Virginia and Duke have all conducted a ticket lottery. Recent hockey games versus Boston College, Minnesota and Penn State also saw excess ticket demand.

The frustrating part for students is that tickets frequently go to buyers who do not show up. A stark example of this was the NC State men’s basketball game Jan. 26. The recorded game attendance was 6,881. That fell well short of Purcell Pavilion’s capacity of 9,149. Yet student tickets went to lottery. Similar issues were seen on the ice against Boston College Jan. 19. During that game, the recorded crowd came in at 4,124 — nearly 1,000 people short of Compton Family Ice Arena’s 5,022-person limit. Yet, once again, students were left to the random whims of the ticket lottery to earn attendance.

The Observer reached out to representatives of the Notre Dame ticket office but did not receive comment on the ticket lottery situation.

Students frustrated lottery system

by

Students have been both frustrated and surprised with the process.

“I knew tickets were free, so I assume they want students there,” first-year Nalani Malackowsi said. “Now it’s weird when only half my friends can go, and we’re scrambling to find extra tickets.”

An inability to apply in groups and link tickets with others in the ticket lottery has been a common complaint among students. This frequently leads to situations similar to Malackowsi’s lastminute scramble to find extra tickets.

Off-campus senior Maddie Galvin described her experience finding tickets at the last moment before Saturday’s game against Penn State.

“I applied for both Penn State and Minnesota and did not get either of those,” Galvin said. “For the Penn State game, I wasn’t actually notified until 2:06 p.m.”

Galvin noted that several of her friends that she planned on attending the game with heard of their ticket status by 11 a.m. that same day. With a 6 p.m. start time for the Saturday game, the late email notice left Galvin with less than four hours to scout for a ticket.

The late notices and inability to group tickets have led to another issue with the ticketing system: the Notre Dame student version of ticket scalpers.

“It’s been ridiculous. People are entering the lottery just to resell the tickets,” Galvin said.

“I’ve been really close to paying for the [resold] tickets. I lucked out and got them from friends. A lot of people have to pay whatever the asking price is.”

Malackowsi referenced a similar issue. While she paid a

small amount for some of her tickets, she said she knew of other students charging over $100 for a ticket they had gotten for free.

However, resold tickets never officially transfer names, so the original owner of the ticket still gets credit for attending. And because of the lottery system, once a student attends a game, they are more likely to win tickets to future games. This leads to more and more scalpers requesting tickets without any intention of attending.

Both Galvin and Malackowsi said providing a fair opportunity for students to attend the games and preventing ticket re-sale is a tough balancing act. Whether it’s a poor notification system, a lottery system that incentivizes re-selling tickets or a lack of attendance from local fans leaving empty seats that could have been filled by students, there has been a lot of questions raised by the ticket lottery system.

And they are questions Notre Dame students have yet to receive any clarity on.

Unequal atmospheres amidst attendance spike Another major impact of the attendance surge has been a noticeable difference in attendance between men’s and women’s games. Considering Notre Dame doesn’t have a women’s hockey team, the most obvious comparison can be drawn between men’s and women’s basketball games. In back-to-back nights, the unranked men’s team played No. 7 Duke, and the women’s team played No. 3 NC State. The former boasted a sellout crowd, bolstered by an overflowing student section. The latter saw a crowd of 5,566, barely 60% capacity. The student section was a vocal but very small presence in the Purcell Pavilion.

There are multiple problems when it comes to the unequal atmospheres. The issue is not the performance of the Irish, who are nationally ranked inside the top 20. Part of it may be attributed to a national problem when it comes to student interest in women’s sports. However, Notre Dame can hardly blame everything on this, as other prominent programs routinely pull large crowds with sizable student sections.

But the atmosphere at the games is not catered to a student crowd, starting with entering the building and all the way through where students are seated.

Administrative issues have hindered the gameday experience for women’s games.

In a top-20 battle with North Carolina, there were no tickets ready for students who presented their identification, as had been advertised. Rather, a group of roughly several dozen Irish students stood outside the gates for nearly a quarter of the game, waiting to to be allowed to enter. The majority of them did not get to their seats until the second quarter.

The issues at the gates have prevailed throughout the season, making themselves apparent at several other points.

Galvin said she experienced issues entering the arena for the women’s game against NC State.

“We tried to walk through security. But there were no directions, no email about the procedure for tickets,” Galvin said. “We had to go around, and then we got stopped and sent to a different gate. Once we got inside, we got directed to a different tunnel that wasn’t the one closest to our gate.”

Students have also expressed frustration at the layout of the student section. Ushers send students to a group of seats

3

closer to the upper level than the court, where a significant portion of the students have a view of the court that is obstructed by the band.

Galvin expressed her frustration with the lack of priority given to students for the NC State game, perhaps the most highly anticipated Irish home game to date.

“When we get there, we’re up behind the band, behind the basket, it’s not even a very good view,” Galvin said.

Groups work to address the problem Necessary parties are beginning to mobilize to correct these prevalent issues with women’s basketball student attendance.

“For women’s basketball, we’re starting to get all in,” Fung said of Lep Legion’s involvement. “ND Athletics and marketing have been getting in on it a lot this past week…

There was an article about the difference between the Duke and NC State games.

Representatives from the fan experience team read it, sent it to me and told me ‘I’m all in, let me hear all your ideas.’”

Such ideas, he said, included a revamped student experience at women’s basketball games. Fung and Lep Legion’s current efforts center on creating an actual student section next to the band and not behind it, akin to where they sit for the men’s games. Fung said she takes pride in the opportunity to help improve the issue of poor student attendance at the women’s games.

“They’re already balling out like this with no student crowd, imagine how much better they can be with the whole school there,” she said. “We’re bringing that back.”

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

UCC adopts Innsightful Wellness program

By EMMA DUFFY News Writer

The University Counseling Center (UCC) is attempting to evolve by partnering with Innsightful, a company aimed at helping young adults deal with their stress and other emotions. Notre Dame is conducting a pilot run of a 12week program set to help the mental health of students. The deadline for students to sign up for the program was Feb. 4.

This program is different than anything currently offered from the UCC because it utilizes the Human Givens approach, a method that is focused on basic human needs, according to UCC director Christine Conway. The program itself is concerned with fulfilling different needs.

“The group ... is focused on another one of those needs

[and] how do you get those needs met?,” Conway said.

“And then the whole basis of it is having connection with other people and how can a group of people support each other in meeting their needs and prioritizing their self-care.”

The new Innsightful Wellness Program is available to undergraduate and graduate students alike. This semester there will be 31 graduate students and 52 undergraduates in the program, according to the UCC. Conway hopes the group involved will learn proper skills to manage their lives and emotions. ”It’s connection with people,” Conway said. “And just, I think, learn some strategies to manage stress and emotions.

I think that’s a big piece of it too. Just how do you manage the changes in emotion that

are a normal part of life?”

Conway noted ideally students will be able to use what they learn in this program and apply it to their life beyond their time in school.

“I think the goal of the group is to just teach students some skills that they can use while they’re at Notre Dame, but use in their life in general,” Conway said.

Conway believes this is a growing opportunity for the UCC. “If it is really successful and students like it, then I think we can consider how we would keep it going for the next year. We said something that we can do more of on campus through our resources. So I hope we just learn from it”, Conway said.

Since registration is closed, Conway encourages students to visit their website to see the other resources offered by the

UCC. These resources span from skill building groups to group therapy and Conway recommends them for all students.

“All of them are just good life skills for people”, Conway said. “[It is] not like you have to have a mental illness to do those groups, but they are ways to learn skills”.

Many students may be reluctant to go to the UCC if they have heard about inefficiencies. However, Conway explained that there was limited space in scheduling.

“We saw so many students right at the beginning of the semester in the Counseling Center [that] we just got filled up pretty quickly, and so we had a waiting list for the first time in our history”, Conway said.

Conway noted that the UCC has responded to the feedback

by hiring more staff.

“Since that happened, we’ve hired eight new part time people and so, we are in much better shape this semester,” Conway said. “We have a lot of availability to see students, we’ve also increased a lot of groups and workshops.”

Emphasizing the resources at the UCC, Conway assured students that there are many ways to get help from the Center.

“I just want students to know that, you know, we’re available if people need help and that, you know, there isn’t a waiting list, and there’s just lots of different opportunities to fit people’s schedules and I hope if we can be helpful to students, they’ll take advantage of it.”

Contact Emma Duffy at eduffy5@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Riley Week Continued from page 1

comes from a variet y of sources throughout the week, Soller noted that Riley Week has historically been Dance Marathon’s largest annual fundraiser.

“Riley Week is historically one of our biggest fundraisers throughout the year,” she said. “The money we raise during Riley Week w ill go towards our total on Marathon day. Most of our fundraising comes in the form of generous donations from friends and families, but we w ill also raise money through our Smick beanie and SMCDM bucket hat sales, along w ith our silent auction!”

Soller stated that Dance

Board Continued from page 1

responsibilities.

Juniors Anna Hurt, Aidan Thomas, Willoughby Thom and Ryan Vigilante and sophomores Hannah Hebda, Maggie Klaers, Meg Lange, Siobhán Loughney and Ryan Peters will lead their respective departments beginning March 13.

Hurt, from Dallas, Texas, will take over as social media editor.

She is a junior from Pasquerilla East Hall, double majoring in theology and philosophy with a minor in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. She’s worked on the social media team for The Observer as a Twitter manager for the past year, and has enjoyed watching The Observer’s social media platforms grow throughout her time on the team.

Thomas, from Front Royal, Virginia, is a Dillon Hall junior. He is double majoring in marketing and applied computational and mathematical statistics and will take over as Sports Editor. He’s covered primarily the football and baseball beats over the last two years.

His favorite opportunities have been covering the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona and covering the baseball team through their Cinderella 2021 season.

Outside of The Observer, he plays Ultimate and works as an

Marathon has successfully adapted to COVID conditions over the last t wo years.

“This w ill be our third Marathon during COVID,” Soller said. “In 2020, we adapted last minute and transformed to a v irtual Marathon from home. Last year, 2021, we held our firstever outdoor Marathon.

Both years, we continued to break our prev ious fundraising records.”

For this year’s marathon, Soller said while she hopes conditions can be more normal, Dance Marathon is prepared to change course.

“This year, 2022, we plan to hold our Marathon indoors again in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Center on Saint Mar y’s Campus,” Soller said. “W hile we hope

this year’s Marathon w ill be as normal as possible and look more like a pre-COVID Marathon, we are remaining f lex ible and w ill adapt to any changes or challenges that come our way.”

Soller inv ited any member of the tri-campus to join them for the marathon.

“We would love for anyone in the tri-campus communit y, students and staff, to join us at our Dance Marathon on Saturday, April 9th from 10am-10pm in the Angela Athletic and Wellness Center on Saint Mar y’s Campus.”

If members of the tricampus want to register for the marathon, they can text “SMCDM22” to 51555.

athletics marketing intern with Notre Dame.

Thom, from Los Angeles, California, will take over as Scene Editor. She is a Badin Hall resident double majoring in art history and French. Thom has been working at the Observer since her freshman year, and this past year she held the position of Associate Scene Editor.

Outside The Observer, she has a weekly radio show on WVFI, enjoys collecting records and is a curatorial research assistant at the Snite Museum of Art. Vigilante, from Potomac, Maryland, will take over as Photo Editor. He is a Dillon hall resident double majoring in applied computational and mathematical statistics and film, television and theatre. Vigilante’s first experience with The Observer was taking photos at a ND women’s soccer game against Iowa in 2019, and since then he’s had the opportunity to cover many events from the baseball team’s meteoritic rise last season to the football team’s epic nail-biter against Virginia Tech.

Hebda, a sophomore economics major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will take over as Viewpoint Editor. Hebda started working with The Observer this past fall as a copy editor for the opinions department.

Elsewhere on campus, she is involved with various student organizations including Student

Consulting for Non-Profit Organizations (SCNO), Design for America (DFA) and the Student Policy Network (SPN).

Klaers, a sophomore from Minneapolis, Minnesota, will be continuing her role as Graphics Editor. A Flaherty bear majoring in biology and visual communication design, Klaers has been working for The Observer since her freshman year. Her favorite part of her job has been collaborating with the photography and sports departments to put out the Irish Insiders.

Lange, originally from Chicago, Illinois, will take over as Saint Mary’s News Editor.

She is majoring in Humanistic Studies and Global Studies with a concentration in Global Justice and Human Rights. She currently serves as a news writer for the Saint Mary’s News department. Lange has written for The Observer since her first year at Saint Mary’s and has covered a variety of topics including the return to full capacity at Notre Dame Stadium and lectures covering the prevention of sexual assault.

Loughney, a sophomore from Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, will continue in her role as Manager of Talent and Inclusion. She is a resident of Welsh Family Hall, majoring in economics with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Loughney has written in the news department throughout her time with The Observer. Outside of the paper, she throws javelin for Notre Dame’s Track and Field team.

Peters, a Knott Hall resident from Lake Forest, Illinois, will take over as Notre Dame News Editor. He is majoring in business analytics with a minor in constitutional studies and currently serves as an Associate News Editor. During his time at The Observer, he has covered events including Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s lecture at the Notre Dame Law School, the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to campus and the University’s COVID-19 response.

Contact Genevieve Coleman at gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu

Gateway on t he f r ust rat ions of members of t he 9.0 cohor t — pa r t of t he Not re Da me class of 2025 — a f ter t hey were told t here wou ld not be g ua ra nteed housing for t hem during t he 2022-2023 academic yea r.

Wisha r t sha red t he off icia l statement f rom

Not re Da me’s Of f ice of Resident ia l Life : “Once off icia l ly admitted to Not re Da me, Gateway students (not exceeding 75) w i l l be assig ned to on-ca mpus housing during t he summer preceding t heir fa l l enrol lment by Not re Da me’s Of f ice of Resident ia l Life.”

Wisha r t encouraged a ny member of t he 9.0 cohor t to spea k w it h her if t he news is “cha l leng ing.”

Masks

Residence halls

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

a nnounced a n ex tension to t heir indoor mask ing requirement unt i l Feb. 14.

COVID Response Tea m cha ir Mona Bowe noted t he decision was made based on t he Col lege’s booster complia nce a nd low infect ion rates.

“Because of t he current t rajector y of t hese importa nt met rics, we feel conf ident rela x ing our mask ing policy to our fa l l semester sta nda rds,” Bowe sa id.

To rema in in complia nce w it h Sa int Ma r y’s vaccinat ion policy, elig ible students had to prov ide proof of vaccinat ion by Ja n. 21.

As of Feb. 7, 92% of elig ible students a nd 91% of employees had received t heir booster vaccinat ion, per t he ema i l. In addit ion, bet ween Ja n. 31 a nd Feb. 11, t here have on ly been four posit ive student cases.

Bowe sa id t hese stat ist ics a re simi la r to nat iona l a nd loca l t rends.

“These numbers mirror nat iona l t rends, as t he Omicron va ria nt seems to be subsiding,” she sa id.

“Our count y hea lt h numbers a lso cont inue to drop at sat isf y ing rates.”

Masking W hi le t he Col lege communit y is permitted to unmask in most public places, masks a re st i l l required in classrooms for students rega rd less of vaccinat ion status a nd facu lt y who a re not up to date w it h t he COVID-19 vaccine.

W hi le facu lt y who a re up to date on t heir COVID vaccinat ion a re permitted to unmask, t hey do not have t he discret ion to a llow students to unmask, t he ema i l sa id.

Ot her notable except ions to t he policy include when a mask is requested in a private of f ice a nd during lectures a nd per forma nces.

If an indiv idua l is a recent close contact, recent ly released f rom qua ra nt ine or isolat ion, unvaccinated or not up to date w it h vaccines, t hey need to cont inue mask ing, according to t he ema il.

Sa int Ma r y’s a nd t rica mpus students, as wel l as facu lt y a nd sta f f, do not have to wea r in private residence ha l ls rooms or ot her public spaces, unless t hey a re required to mask t hrough t he Col lege’s policy.

Bowe reminded students t hat no ot her v isitors a re a l lowed in private residence ha l ls rooms.

“At t his t ime, ot her t ha n t he popu lat ions out lined above, no ot her v isitors, including pa rents, a re a l lowed in private residence ha l ls rooms,” she sa id. “We w i l l cont inue to rev isit t his policy as t he semester prog resses.”

Meetings Bowe noted t hat a l l meet ings ca n be held in person, at t he discret ion of t he orga ni zer. A l l pa r t icipa nts a re required to follow mask ing policies a nd a re encouraged to wea r masks if t hey feel more comfor table doing so.

Eating and drinking Beg inning Feb. 15, food a nd drin k w i l l be a l lowed at student a nd employee act iv it ies a nd meet ings.

In addit ion, Ca mpus Dining w i l l no longer prov ide ca rr y-out conta iners as a n a lternat ive dining opt ion, ef fect ive immediately.

Bowe stated t he Col lege w i l l cont inue to rev isit t he food a nd drin k policy as t he semester cont inues.

Visitors A l l v isitors, rega rd less of vaccinat ion status, a re required to wea r masks a nd a re a l lowed in a ny ca mpus bui lding w it h t he except ion of private residence ha l ls.

In t he ema i l, Bowe t ha n ked t he Col lege communit y for t heir cont inued dedicat ion to fol low ing COVID protocols.

“We hope t his is welcome news, a nd we t ha n k you for your cont inued commit ment to keeping our ca mpus hea lt hy,” Bowe sa id. “It is because of your commendable act ions t hat we a re where we a re today.”

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

5

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

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The observer | monday, February 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

The long distance guide to Valentine’s Day Olivia Schatz Associate Sports Editor

Couples who start dating their senior year of high school always have to face the dreaded conversation of college. In the summer of 2019, my boyfriend and I decided to stay together and move our only monthslong relationship into a long distance one. When choosing our colleges we made the decisions for ourselves and ended up over 2000 miles, and a three-hour time zone, apart. Considering this will be our third Valentines Day together on zoom, I call myself somewhat of an expert on long distance. So, this year I’ve collected my past experiences and have decided to make a couple’s guide to a long distance Valentine’s Day.

1. Lay out the ground rules.

We do not always celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14. Don’t get me wrong, we have a long call every year and we typically send each other something small, but with a conversation in advance we always determine exactly what we expect from one another. Freshman year, he visited Notre Dame the weekend after Valentine’s Day, so while we watched a movie with one another, we planned a dinner and a bigger event that next weekend.

Another important thing to communicate in advance would be if and how you are doing presents. Last year, we both decided to ship each other our presents and have a date night on call. Due to the fact that the shipping cost more than what was in the actual box, we have since abolished this practice. Rather, we exchange gifts the next time that we see each other. Sadly, travel is hard, especially in the times of Covid, and this possibility is not always feasible. So, this leads to my next point …

2. Even though you are apart, make the date special.

I hate to stereotype, but men do not always think about making dates extra special. This is even more true for long distance. There are very few special dates you can go on via zoom. The best, and the go-to would be to watch a movie and order dinner. Although Telaparty has been in existence for a few years, post-Covid, the brand connected with a lot more streaming services, making it significantly easier now to watch a movie together (and be certain it’s on at the same time).

If a movie is not your thing, there are still plenty of other options available for couples. You probably haven’t thought about this since middle school, but we enjoy pulling up Buzzfeed quizzes and answering them for each other. There are also other games online specifically created for the pandemic or couples. Card games like “We’re Not Really Strangers” have become popular recently, and it is easy to play via FaceTime.

No matter what you do, the main point is to do something different.

If you are anything like me, you text your boyfriend constantly and FaceTime minimum once a day. While it is not reasonable to fly out every Valentine’s Day, it is always nice to plan something special.

3. No presents doesn’t actually mean no presents.

Whenever I say “no presents” I don’t actually mean no presents. As I stated before, my boyfriend and I almost always postpone present giving until we are with each other. In saying this I always expect at least a letter, and I always try to send him candy or food in return. If this is your first Valentine’s Day apart, I would most definitely talk about this ahead of time, but seeing as this is being released on February 14, GrubHub is always a perfect solution in a pinch.

For the past few years I have scoured the internet with google searches akin to “what’s the equivalent of flowers for men?” I have since come up with two solutions: food and flowers. I am sure you have heard the phrase the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Honestly, the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. I do not know a single person, regardless of age, gender or sexual preference who does not love some good food. Number two, I saw a post online last spring saying that the first time a man will ever get flowers is their own funeral. Flowers are objectively pretty, and I think men deserve more flowers.

Regardless of how you celebrate, just make sure the date is special. We have all heard the argument that Valentine’s Day is a made up holiday and it should not be celebrated. So what if it is made up, I believe we should use whatever excuse we have to celebrate love in a time where we as a planet have been distant for so long. Plus, who doesn’t want some cheap candy the next day?

You can contact Olivia at oschatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Letter to the editor

Siegfried Day of Man: Stand with us again Dearest members of the Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s community, On Wednesday, February 16, the Siegfried Ramblers will be once again asking for your financial support.

Siegfried’s Day of Man fundraiser for the South Bend Center for the Homeless is just a few short days away, and we would love for you to stand with us again and support the South Bend community.

Over the past couple of years, Siegfried Hall’s signature event has evolved quite a bit. Just two years ago, the Ramblers of Siegfried loomed large over campus. We stood outside of DeBart during class change, the dining halls during dinner, and any where else we could gather, all clad in just T-shirts and shorts through the February cold.

One of our posters asked campus to vote on their favorite Pete (Pilot, Mayor, Father, etc.), and others made bold political statements such as “Krusty Krab Unfair.” W hile a bit chilly, we had an absolute blast, and we were thrilled to raise more money than we ever had before for the Center.

Last year, everything changed.

Not only was all of the on-campus collecting shut down due to the COV ID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic had left the South Bend Center for the Homeless in dire need. They had a deficit of over $1 million dollars around the time our fundraiser rolled around, and we were worried that without our activity on campus, we wouldn’t be able to help them as much as we had in the past when it mattered most. We really looked inwards last year and ref lected on the true reason we dressed so poorly for February’s biting winds one day every year. We took to social media, got the word out through every channel we could and tried our best to make the virtual Day of Man have the same impact as the in-person event. Despite our efforts, we still were expecting to take a hit on the donation total for 2021.

That’s when you all saved the day.

Thanks to immense support from everyone in the community, we absolutely shattered our record total from last year and raised around $33,000 for the Center in just a few days. We were so happy and grateful to everyone

who donated that we could support the Center for the Homeless when they needed it most. We cannot thank everyone who supported us enough for all the good they helped cause.

This year will definitely be shaped by the previous two. Cash donations and on-campus fundraising are approved again this year, so you’ll definitely see us around campus with our solo cups and posters again. If you’re looking for a Rambler to collect your donation, you won’t have to look far. However, last year helped us realize that we love when we can have fun with the event, but we always have to keep our why at the forefront of our minds. W hile restrictions on campus are largely gone, the pandemic continues to make it harder for the South Bend Center for the Homeless to operate normally. Every penny donated makes a positive impact on the South Bend community, and we want to have the same or even more impact than we did last year.

The Day of Man fundraisers in 2019 and 2020 could not have been much more different, but two things remained the same. Siegfried Ramblers were still dressed in T-shirts and shorts in February, and both years we set a new record for money raised for the South Bend Center for the Homeless.

In a year that still brings new challenges, let’s keep those two traditions going. If you’re looking to donate, most of our donations will go through the link https://w w w.tinyurl.com/dayofman2022. The link is live from now until March 4th.

Still freezin’ for a reason,

Follow us on Twitter: @ObserverViewpnt

Miles Kelley junior Aidan Creeron junior Ben Jung junior Brogan Pivnicka sophomore Sean Donohue sophomore Feb. 10

The observer | Monday, february 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Toward the celestial city Andrew Sveda Church and State

“[S]hould a man so carelessly cast away himself” the character Worldly Wiseman exclaims to Christian in John Bunyan’s famous allegor y “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”

In this tale of a Christian named Christian’s journey from the Cit y of Destruction to the Celestial Cit y of Mount Zion, Christian meets many different indiv iduals tr y ing to lead him off the narrow way that leads to salvation, one of the most memorable of which is Worldly Wiseman.

The figure warns Christian of the terrible hardships, trials and sufferings he w ill encounter if he continues in the faith. Faced w ith such a troublesome road ahead and a much easier road if he leaves the narrow way, how, Worldly Wiseman argues, could Christian possibly even consider continuing along such a path? Is Christianit y really worth all the trouble, all the pain and anguish?

Like Bunyan’s pilgrim, we, too, must have an answer to give Worldy Wiseman — not simply to intellectually satisf y the objection but to guard our hearts both in the present and the days to come. For there w ill come times when we w restle w ith this question at a deep and profound level.

W hen we grow wear y and worn dow n by the things of this life, when we seem to be driv ing in neutral spiritually, when the personal cost of follow ing Christ grows higher and higher, and when preaching the gospel and liv ing in light of it causes us to lose friends, to have people hate us, to be persecuted and to even face death, having an answer to this question is absolutely crucial. I tremble w riting this; it is no light matter.

How do we respond to the thoughts in our mind about this, the desire to just give in, give up and turn back?

W hat are some of the things the Bible says about this subject? Firstly, God’s Word makes it clear that the cost of follow ing Christ is great.

“If anyone would come after me,” Jesus said, “let

him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his ow n father and mother and w ife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his ow n life, he cannot be my disciple. W hoever does not bear his ow n cross and come after me cannot be my disciple … any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27, 33; cf.

Matthew 10 :37-38).

Jesus here is not talking solely about physical sufferings but also the need to die to self, hate and fight against sin and desire Christ before any thing the world has to offer. This is no casual or empt y thing. “Thy w ill be done” (Matthew 6:10) and “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30) are some of the scariest things to utter. But Christianit y is not some side interest or section of our lives. Jesus doesn’t lay claim over a section of our lives but all of it. C.S. Lew is puts it well: “[I]t is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is ourselves … He w ill be infinitely merciful to our repeated failures; [but] I know no promise that He w ill accept a deliberate compromise … there w ill be nothing of ‘our ow n’ left over to live on … He claims all. There’s no bargaining w ith Him.” But right after Jesus’ command to take up one’s cross and follow Him in Matthew 16, He also says this: “For whoever would save his life w ill lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake w ill find it.

For what w ill it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? ” (Matthew 16:25-26).

In this, Jesus reminds us of the utter futilit y of liv ing apart from Him. He is the only way to God (John 14: 6). To walk away from Him is to leave the difficult but only road to salvation for the easy road “that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13). “[U]nless you believe that I am he you w ill die in your sins” (John 8:24), Jesus says. Will you so foolishly trade Christ and eternal life for “the f leeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) and, after that, eternal damnation? Do you see, then,

the utter meaningless of life w ithout Christ? You wake up today. You live for yourself. You die tomorrow. You go to hell. It all meant absolutely nothing in the end because you rejected Christ.

Like Bunyan’s pilgrim, there is nothing for you to go back to except the Cit y of Destruction. Peter’s words must be our words: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6: 68).

But Christians do not persevere only to avoid hell but because they love Christ and have seen something of His immeasurable beaut y and glor y. It is by “looking to Jesus” that we are to “run w ith endurance the race … set before us” (Hebrews 12:2). He is that “pearl of great value” that drives one to leave all to obtain it (Matthew 13:46). It is because Paul saw something of “the surpassing worth of know ing Christ” that he “counted ever y thing” else “as loss” and “suffered the loss of all things” that he would know more and more of Christ (Philippians 3:8).

And where do we see most brightly His love and beaut y?

At the Cross, where He saved all who believe in Him from the condemnation and w rath of God we deser ved. Christ, the eternal Son of God, suffered the just and terrible w rath of A lmight y God and died in the place of w icked, God-hating sinners, securing for them an “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12) and “peace w ith God” (Romans 5:1) through faith in Christ.

If we were to understand even the tiniest fraction of the gospel in all its glor y, it would ignite and increase the Christian’s love of God far beyond his arrival at the Celestial Cit y. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 5:12)!

Andrew Sveda is a junior at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in political science with a supplementary major in theology. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @ SvedaAndrew on Twitter.

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

8

Sports

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Sports Authority

Ben Simmons fills Nets’ needs Liam Coolican Sports Writer

Almost a year ago, I wrote a Sports Authority about the Brooklyn Nets’ new big three.

While it didn’t pan out that way, it was abundantly clear, from the short time that trio shared the court, that it could have been something special. It is a shame that we as basketball fans only got to experience 16 games of that superteam, as it could have been one of the best offensive units ever assembled.

A combination of bad injury luck, Kevin Durant’s size-toobig shoe, a vaccine mandate and apparently New York City itself derailed this experiment before it ever really got off the ground.

It’s a credit to general manager Sean Marks, then, that despite all these difficulties, the Nets are still the odds-on favorite to win the title. It has to be disappointing that barely a year after paying an exorbitant amount to acquire James Harden, the Nets were all but forced to trade him away. Yet somehow, Marks turned a potentially disastrous situation into his team being even better.

Ben Simmons is exactly the type of player that the Nets need. With James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Durant sharing the floor, the Nets had three of the premier scorers in the league, but Simmons brings a different, and much-needed, dynamic. Lost in the drama of Simmons’ poor performance in the playoffs last year and his recent holdout is that he remains one of the league’s top players. He’s an elite defender, one of the best playmakers in the game, and presents a matchup nightmare for opposing point guards on both ends of the floor with his size and length.

His shooting remains a question mark, but he won’t be counted on to score as much as he was in Philadelphia. He can serve as the primary ballhandler which allows Irving to play shooting guard where he is more comfortable, and he’ll help the Nets get out in transition even more than they already do, which will only help Durant and Irving.

The Nets are poor defensively— they currently sit 21st in the league in defensive rating — and shipping out the often defense-averse Harden for last year’s DPOY runner-up is unquestionably an upgrade in that area, and defense becomes critical in the postseason.

Additionally, it’s a better fit for both Simmons and the Nets. In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid spends most of his time

down low, but since Simmons excels at getting to the basket and doesn’t space the floor, it was always an imperfect fit. In Brooklyn, he’ll be surrounded by an excellent supporting cast of wings and shooters who space the floor, which will allow him to play to his strengths.

As for Harden and Irving, they ultimately have very similar play styles, and while they proved they could co-exist very effectively, the Nets now have three stars who all provide different aspects and will complement each other exceptionally well.

We also can’t forget the other assets the Nets received in the trade. Seth Curry remains one of the league’s top shooters, and Andre Drummond provides a much-needed inside presence.

Two first-round picks is also a boon for a team short on draft capital. Simmons is also under contract for an additional three seasons, whereas Harden appeared likely to walk away after the season, leaving the Nets with nothing.

This is definitely a risk for the Nets, but it’s a risk they had to take. Simmons appeared to lose confidence in himself in the Sixers’ playoff run last year and hasn’t played in nearly 8 months. Irving remains a question mark as he is only playing in away games due to the city’s vaccine mandate. Durant’s injury history is also an issue.

There is no doubt that this group has potential, but will it translate to on-court success?

Success is by no means guaranteed, but the Nets found themselves backed into a corner and still found a way to come out on top. The 76ers didn’t come out badly from this trade, either. They were at risk of wasting Embiid’s MVPcaliber season and seemed destined to wait until the offseason to deal Simmons. Instead, they acquired one of the best offensive players in the league. Both teams upgraded, but the 76ers had to pay more to do so.

If Simmons can return quickly to game form, the Irving situation somehow resolves itself, and Durant stays healthy, there’s not a team in the league, including the 76ers, who can stop this version of the Nets.

Their biggest enemy is themselves. As this entire situation highlights, seemingly elite units can find a way to sabotage themselves. I have high hopes for this new super team, but I’m also not holding my breath.

Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

NFL 2022 mock draft 1.0 Tom Zwiller Sports Writer

With the Super Bowl in the books, it is time to look towards the next big NFL event: the NFL Draft. The 2022 Draft, the 87th draft in the leagues’ history, will occur in Vegas on April 28th and run through the 30th.

The draft is always exciting (and for some teams more exciting than the season) because it creates hope.

The young QB taken early is a franchise savior. The defensive player is the next Aaron Donald. So over the next couple of months, I will release a few mock drafts, not only looking at the first round but the second and third.

For all team needs, I will be using thedraftnetwork.com, which is (in my opinion) the best draft resource available.

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are back where they were last year: first overall.

The only difference is that they will not take a QB; currently, I think they will take an edge rusher. Kayvon Thibodeaux is incredible, but (as a Michigan fan), I may be biased in saying Aidan Hutchinson is the better prospect and will go first.

Detroit Lions The Lions are picking second this year which is honestly right about where I had them.

Detroit has plenty of needs, an edge rusher, a safety, a QB, a WR, and an LB. I think that the Lions will keep Goff; according to overthecap.com, a trade would result in a dead cap hit of 15 million. Instead, they should take edge rusher, Kayvon Thibodeaux, out of Oregon.

Houston Texans So, the Texans have their QB? And I don’t mean Deshaun Watson, I mean Davis Mills, which feels odd to say. But Mills was better than Trevor Lawrence this season, so it makes sense to go in another direction in a weak QB draft.

I honestly can see the Texans taking Kyle Hamilton, a safety, out of a small school in South Bend. The Texans were 23rd in passing yards against despite having the 8th fewest passing attempts against.

New York Jets The Jets could go in a lot of different directions, offensive linemen, an edge rusher, a safety or a cornerback. Zach Wilson was underwhelming this year, but that doesn’t

mean taking a QB. Wilson had a pocket time of 2.4 seconds and was pressured on 30.6% of dropbacks. For comparison, Joe Burrow had a pocket time of 2.3 seconds but was pressured on 24.5% of dropbacks.

(Both of those come courtsey of ProFootballReference).

So, the Jets need to take an offensive lineman, most likely Evan Neal, out of Alabama (though thedraftnetwork.com has Ikem Ekwonu as the better prospect).

New York Giants The Giants have the fifth and seventh picks in the draft (the seventh comes from the Bears).

The Giants need to shore up their o-line and take a defensive weapon. So I am projecting that the Giants take Ikem Ekwonu fifth and then George Karlaftis, an edge rusher out of Purdue. I do not feel great about their seventh pick (trading back and then taking a wide receiver might be better).

Carolina Panthers As a Panthers fan, I am of two minds here. The Panthers have a horrible offensive line: defenses pressured Darnold, Newton and Walker on 29.1%, 24.5%, and 30.7% dropbacks, respectively. Yet, this is a year where the Panthers should take a QB where they currently are.

However, because the Panthers have committed to Darnold, I think their best move is to take an offensive lineman. As of right now, I think their best option is Charles Cross, an OT out of Mississippi State.

Atlanta Falcons The Falcons are picking 8th this year, and while they did not follow my advice to take a QB last year, they should this year. Ryans’ cap number is over 48 million and 23.4% of the cap. If Ryan were traded or cut, he would be a postJune one cap hit of about 25 million, so I do not see him going anywhere. Instead, the Falcons can draft a rookie QB, let him sit behind Ryan, and trade Ryan the following year.

And while I am not a huge fan of any of the QBs in this draft, I feel that the Falcons will take Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh.

which I 100% agree with. Much like with some of the teams above, this is sort of a draft where the Broncos likely will not need to reach to get their QB. So, I have Matt Corral, the junior from Ole Miss, as the second QB to go in the draft.

New York Jets (Courtesy of Seattle) With the Jets having addressed their offensive line needs earlier, I can see them shoring up their defense next.

Seeing that the top three edge rushers are gone, I think they will take a player to shore up their secondary. The highest graded edge rusher remaining is Derek Stingley Jr., a CB from LSU.

Washington Commanders That is the first time I have written out the word Commanders, and it feels odd.

I am going to miss Football Team.

But, names aside, the Commanders have two primary needs, a QB and a WR. Current QB Taylor Heinicke is under contract through 2022 and is only a three million dollar player (1.4% of the cap). I think it makes sense for the Commanders not to resign Fitzpatrick, keep Heinicke for a season and have a rookie compete for the starting job.

The options are still plentiful; Desmond Ridder, the QB from Cincinnati, Sam Howell from UNC and then Malik Willis from Liberty. While thedraftnetwork.com currently has Willis as the lowest on that list, I think that Washington would do well to pick him.

I am not in love with Ridder, and while someone will draft Howell, I think he should have stayed in UNC for another year.

Minnesota Vikings

Denver Broncos

If I were the head coach of the Vikings, I would not worry about drafting an offensive piece in the first round. The Vikings offense is fine (it just needed a new play-caller); the focus this offseason should be on the defense.

Considering that the Vikings gave up the 28th most passing yards, the focus should likely be on a secondary piece.

According to the Draft Network, the highest remaining secondary player is Andrew Booth Jr., a junior from Clemson.

The Broncos are a unique team. They have a solid defense; their only problem was their offense which was much too conservative under Teddy B (now a FA). As a result, their only primary need is a QB,

Contact Tom Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

DAILY

ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

9

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Keep your ideas to yourself until you are ready to launch.

This year, preparation will be key if you want to turn your wild and crazy ideas into something spectacular. Don’t give anyone a chance to interfere or mess with your plans. Be true to yourself, and move forward with discipline and optimism. Build the stage and step into the spotlight. Your numbers are 8, 14, 22, 24, 31, 38, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take care of your responsibilities, and relax. Refuse to act on assumptions or let your emotions spin out of control. Keep the peace and give yourself a chance to put things in perspective. Time is on your side.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Embrace whatever comes your way. Learn from the experiences and people you meet, and use what you discover to get ahead.

Don’t let a lack of confidence stand between you and what you want. Revamp your image and flourish.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep your life and relationships simple. An unexpected change handled diplomatically will bring positive results. Don’t fuss when an intelligent conversation favors getting the help you want. Shared expenses will lower your overhead and free up cash.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do whatever it takes to get what you want. Take on more if it will help you gain momentum and win favors. Put more emphasis on meaningful relationships to ensure you nurture and protect what you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Sit back and observe what’s going on around you. Let others dip, dive, and make decisions and changes while you relax and decipher what works best for you. Learn from others’ experiences, and you’ll bypass mistakes and losses.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change of plans will favor you. Get together with friends or attend a function that offers valuable information that can help you use your talents in new and exciting ways. Make romance part of your plan, and you won’t be disappointed.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t start something you cannot finish. Getting involved in a dispute that can affect your personal life won’t pay off. If you want to make a change, lower your overhead or invest in something that is low risk and helps you save.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Be creative, and you’ll come up with a plan that will offer skills, knowledge and connections that will help improve your life.

Physical or virtual travel will help clear up a pending problem and free up cash.

A partnership looks inviting.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Put your time and effort into something meaningful. Reach out to a friend or relative who can offer expert advice or insight into something you want to pursue. Don’t trust an offer someone makes that sounds too good to be true.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Set high expectations. Implement changes that offer less stress and good relationships with those near and dear to you.

A physical transformation you make will boost your ego and confidence and result in additional attention from someone special. Romance is encouraged.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Own whatever you do, and don’t let anyone steal your thunder. It’s easy to follow someone, but it’s not the way to get ahead. Rely on your ingenuity, and strike out on your own. Trust in your ability and enjoy the rewards.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take to the podium, and you will draw a crowd.

Network, socialize and share your vision with movers and shakers. Expand your concepts and charm those who have something to offer in return. Enjoy adventure, romance and mingling.

Birthday Baby: You are emotional, proactive and skilled. You are tactical and persuasive.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

MBB Continued from page 12

“The young guy is special,” Brey said of Wesley. “He jumpstarted us, and when you have a special one, you kind of let him go.”

Wesley finished with a gamehigh 21 points. The Irish as a team shot 52.7% from the field and 54.2% from beyond the arc.

“We were really methodical offensively, it’s a group that’s played together a lot and you can really see it,” Brey said.

After building a big early lead, the Irish kept Clemson at arm’s length throughout the game.

Every time the Tigers began to make a run and cut the deficit to single digits, Notre Dame had an answer.

“Every time their crowd wanted to get into it, we had a mature, assassin-like possession,” Brey said.

In the second half, as Wesley cooled off, the Irish turned to Goodwin, and he scored all over the court to help keep the Irish lead intact.

His three-pointer with 14 minutes left gave the Irish a sixteen-point lead.

Senior guard Cormac Ryan added 13 and 6 rebounds for the Irish. Nate Laszewski, who had missed the previous game with a leg injury, did not start but played 16 minutes off the bench.

“He just gutted it out,” Brey said of Laszewski. “He’s sore as heck, but he gave us some minutes just to help us.”

The Irish return home to face Boston College on Wednesday.

They will seek to continue to strengthen their NCAA tournament resume. The game tips off at 7 p.m. from Purcell Pavilion.

Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

WBB Continued from page 12

work in the paint was pivotal in a game where Louisville proved dominant in the category of second-chance points, putting up 17 to Notre Dame’s six.

As a team Louisville generally played with top-level efficiency. They turned the ball over less than the Irish and shot at an impressive 44% clip from the field.

Looking ahead, the immediate future doesn’t get any easier for Niele Ivey and her squad.

The Irish will stay on the road this week, as they’ll look to rebound from their defeat with a matchup against another ranked squad.

This time in the form

of #11 Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets have been excellent at home this year.

They are currently 12-2 at McCamish Pavilion, and most notably notched a signature win in front of their home fans earlier in the year. They took down a previously top-five UConn.

Tech has looked somewhat poor — by their own high standards — recently.

Their last three games included a pair of losses to North Carolina State and Virginia Tech.

But, they did rebound on Sunday with a tough overtime win against Clemson.

Both Georgia Tech and Notre Dame are currently tied for fourth in the ACC standings.

Thursday’s matchup could prove pivotal to seeding in the conference tournament as the regular season enters the final stretch.

Look for the Yellow Jackets to try and spread the ball around as they have four players who average over ten points a game.

They’ll try to pace a Notre Dame offense that will need to break out of Sunday’s slump.

Notre Dame women’s basketball will be back in action on Thursday night against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.

The game will tip-off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcasted on the ACC Network.

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

ND SOFTBALL | 5-0

Irish sweep series

By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

This weekend ND softball swept the Green and Gold Classic 5-0 at Charlotte University. The Irish took on the Bucknell Bison and Boston Terriers twice and the Charlotte 49ers once. Coach Deanna Gumpf said in an email she’s feeling confident about the team after this weekend.

“I love the way we came out this first weekend and set a tone for how we want to play this year,” she said.

On Friday, the Irish opened the weekend against the Bison at 10 a.m.

The game only lasted five innings after the Irish opened with a 4 run first inning. The Irish would go on to score in the rest of the first four innings, not making it to bat in the fifth.

Graduate student pitcher Alexis Holloway pitched for the first four innings, logging six strikeouts.

Holloway saw two hits and only one Bucknell run of the game from Chase Knapp. Freshman pitcher Shannon Becker came in, grabbing one strikeout of her own. The final score of the opener was 9-1.

The closest game Notre Dame had on the weekend was their first matchup against Boston on Friday afternoon. The Irish won 4-3 off runs from graduate student centerfielder Abby Sweet, freshman shortstop Anna Holloway and freshman pinch-runner Emily Tran. Senior pitcher Payton Tidd snagged 3 strikeouts, but also opened up three runs before Becker closed again, grabbing another strikeout and a clean sheet on hits, runs and errors.

Tidd, Becker and Holloway carried the Irish into the next three games.

Early Saturday, Holloway and Tidd pitched, allowing only three combined hits in Notre Dame’s second win over Boston. Holloway had four strikeouts in the 8-0 win.

The Irish squad saw six different players score in the game, including five runs from the outfield trio, Sweet, senior right fielder Emma Clark and junior left fielder Leea Hanks. Senior second base player

Quinn Biggio, Anna Holloway and senior catcher and pinch-runner Shelby Grimm scored the other three runs.

Gumpf said it’s the pitchers who shape the way for that kind of scoring.

“The pitchers set the tone for our game,” Gumpf said of her bullpen.

“All three did that this weekend. I love the leadership that Holloway and Tidd displayed on the mound.

Becker has a huge future for us and I couldn’t be more proud of the way she handled her first start and contributed in three wins.”

Becker got the chance to lead her own game claiming six strikeouts with five hits, no runs and no errors.

This was Saturday afternoon as the Irish took on the Bison for the second time. Winning 12-0, the Irish saw eight different scorers.

To close the weekend on Sunday, the Irish faced Charlotte for the first time and came to play. Winning 16-1 in only five innings, the Irish were led by Tidd who scored three runs. While pitching, she allowed only one while snagging three strikeouts with one error. The Irish scored nine runs in the first inning followed by five and two in the second and third.

Six of those runs came from the outfield trio whose performance thrilled Gumpf at the end of the weekend. She celebrated the skill she’s seen from them on offense and defense.

“The leadership in the outfield is tremendous,” she said. “They’re playmakers on both sides and they should continue to do what they’ve been doing.”

Sweet, Clark and Hanks had eight, seven and seven runs respectively.

Though she thought the team shined this weekend, Gumpf knows they’ve only just begun and the work’s not done.

“There are always things to improve on,” she said. “And we’ll continue to work every day on those improvements throughout the year.”

Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

Sports

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ndsmcobserver.com | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | The Observer

Athlete of the Week

Athlete of the Week: Sweet, Nuguse top lists, softball opens season with team of the week

By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

The beginning of spring sports saw some new teams throw n into the voting for athlete and team of the week, as Notre Dame softball and lacrosse both earned their first awards of the year. Meanwhile, Holy Cross also produced their first award-w inner in the fifth week of Obser ver Athlete of the Week voting.

Women’s Athlete of the Week: Abby Sweet, Notre Dame Softball Last year’s Obser ver Female Athlete of the Year, Sweet kicked off her 2022 season in st yle, rapping out 11 hits in 16 at-bats this weekend. That was good for a .688 average over five games. As the Irish went 5-0 over three days, Sweet knocked in eight runs.

Two of those came in a crucial spot Friday. With

Notre Dame trailing Boston Universit y 3-2, Sweet came up w ith a runner on in the top of the seventh. She drilled a two-run homer for a 4-3 lead that Notre Dame preser ved.

Batting out of the leadoff spot, Sweet sparked the Irish to a hot start on the diamond all weekend and earned the Women’s Athlete of the Week.

Honorable Mention: Madison Ahern, Notre Dame Lacrosse Notre Dame women’s lacrosse started off their season w ith a dominant 24-5 v ictor y over Central Michigan. W hile there was a bev y of contributors in the v ictor y over the Chippewas, A hern stood out. She tickled the tw ine six times and dished out an assist, contributing to seven of 24 Irish scores. That was enough to earn honorable mention over a couple of competitive candidates this week.

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Irish graduate student runner Yared Nuguse hugs teammate Dylan Jacobs after a race durng the Notre Dame Invitational on Jan. 22.

Men’s Week: Notre Field

Athlete of the Yared Nuguse, Dame Track &

Breaking an NCA A record is a prett y surefire way to earn Athlete of the Week, and Nuguse accomplished the task this past weekend.

The Oly mpian claimed his second NCA A record, this one in the 3000-meter race. He also holds the 1500 record.

This record-breaking effort came at the Boston Universit y Dav id Hemer y Valentine Inv itational.

He blistered through the event in 7:38.13, breaking an 18-year-old record of 7:38.59. The effort was more than enough to claim the Men’s Athlete of the Week by a large margin in the voting.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Black, Holy Cross Men’s Basketball Black’s stats for the week

are impressive - 43 points and 21 rebounds over t wo games.

However, more impressive was an absurd performance on Saturday that boosted him into contention for Men’s Athlete of the Week.

In Holy Cross’s 86-73 w in over Saint Ambrose, Black was a force all over the court. He tallied 29 points and 15 rebounds in a monster double-double effort. He did damage from 3-point range, going 6-10 from beyond the arc and also dished out three assists to earn the honorable mention.

Team of the Week: Notre Dame Softball The Irish softball squad got off to a rocking start this past weekend, as they racked up five straight w ins against Bucknell, Boston Universit y and Charlotte.

The v ictories ranged from the tight 4-3 affair w ith BU to

a 16-1 domination of a prev iously undefeated Charlotte squad. Sweet led the team at the plate, while the pitching staff dominated.

A lex is Holloway threw ten innings and gave up just one run, while Shannon Becker fired eight innings of shutout ball.

Pay ton Tidd got the w in in the final game of the weekend and added three hits to lead the offensive onslaught versus Charlotte.

Athlete of the Nominations

Week

Sweet (ND Softball, 1st nomination), A hern (ND Women’s Lacrosse, 1st), Julia Schultz (SMC W BB, 1st) and Holloway (ND Softball, 1st) Nuguse (ND XC/TF, 1st nomination), Black (HCC MBB, 1st) and Dane Goodw in (ND MBB, 1st) Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Courtesy of ND Athletics

Irish graduate student centerfielder Abby Sweet takes off to third base during Notre Dame’s 13-0 win over UNC on March 13. The Irish split the series 2-2 with the Tarheels and went 33-15 on the season.

12

The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

MEN’s BASKETBALL | 76-61

Irish keep pace atop ACC standings with impressive win at Clemson

By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior guard Prentiss Hubb dribbles around a Cardinals defender during Notre Dame’s 63-57 win over Louisville in Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 9. Hubb had seven points and three rebounds on the day.

Notre Dame kept pace with Duke, who had won earlier in the day, atop the ACC standings with an impressive 76-61 road win over Clemson Saturday night.

Freshman guard Blake Wesley scored 18 points in the first nine minutes of the contest and senior guard Dane Goodwin scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half to lead the Irish. Notre Dame has won four in a row and 14 of their last 16 games.

It was a conference-leading sixth win on the road for the Irish and the seventh game in a row in which they have held their opponents under 65 points. Head coach Mike Brey credited the defense as a big part of the victory.

“We never let them get going from the three-point line, which was a goal,” he said. “Our zone helped us.”

Brey highlighted limiting threepointers and not fouling as reasons for his team’s defensive success.

Clemson was 5-18 from beyond the arc and took just five free throws.

“If you can keep people off the

foul line, and keep it at five or six threes, how do you get to 70 [points]?” Brey asked.

Notre Dame fouls the least of any major-conference team and limits opponents to just 32.3% from beyond the arc on the season. Leading scorer PJ Hall led Clemson by 19 points. Ultimately, he didn’t receive much help from the rest of the offense.

The Tigers were missing numerous players, including David Collins. Collins was suspended from the contest after picking up a flagrant foul 2 against Duke on Thursday.

A flagrant foul 2 involves unsportsmanlike conduct that is extreme in nature. This includes when a player swings an elbow excessively and makes contact above the shoulders. It was Clemson’s third game in five days when Collins committed the foul.

Wesley could not miss early for the Irish. He made his first six attempts from the field, including four three-pointers. From there, the Irish built a 28-11 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. see MBB PAGE 10

WOMEN’s BASKETBALL | 73-47

Notre Dame struggles with scoring, fouls during loss to Louisville

By J.J. POST Sports Writer

Sunday afternoon No. 18 Notre Dame fell at the hands of No. 3 Louisv ille 7347 at the KFC Yum! Center.

Ver y little went right for Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon.

The Irish were snakebitten from the field, shooting just over 30% on the day in a game where the offense struggled mightily.

The Irish especially had trouble from distance. The team went just 2-22 from behind the arc.

Plagued by fouls, the Irish struggled to get physical w ith a fast-paced and high-scoring Louisv ille offense.

Four key members of the Notre Dame rotation in Maya Dodson, Oliva Miles, Anaya Peoples and Maddy Westbeld found themselves in foul trouble.

Three fouls called on

Westbeld and Dodson proved relevant. The pairing initially had some success scoring in the interior for the Irish during a close first quarter.

Ultimately, the pair also would account for over half of Notre Dame’s total rebounds in the game).

But as the fouls came, the front-court pairing had to play w ith more cautiousness. The Cardinals quick ly took advantage of that fact.

The Irish struggled to figure out how to contain Louisv ille’s scoring trio of Pay ton Verhulst, Hailey Van Lith and Chelsie Hall.

The three of them combined for nearly as many points as a trio (46) as the entire Irish team (47).

Emily Engstler also had a big day for the Cardinals on the glass, as she brought dow n 12 rebounds to go w ith nine points. Her see WBB PAGE 10

GRACIE LEE | The Observer

Irish freshman guard Olivia Miles dribbles away from a Hokie defender during Notre Dame’s 68-55 win over Virginia Tech at home in Purcell Pavilion. Miles had 24 points and three rebounds in the matchup.