Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, April 5, 2024

Notre Dame team wins at ACC prize venture competition

By Liam Price News Editor

Last week Notre Dame juniors Brian George and Luke Blazek competed in the ACC InVenture Prize competition for student entrepreneurs at Florida State University. At the competition, the pair took home the “people’s choice award” for their navigation app startup, “Rotorua.”

George and Blazek, along with Tom Vazhekatt, a junior at the University of Texas, Dallas, co-founded the company in

2022. The app uses artificial intelligence to determine the most efficient route when traveling to multiple locations.

The InVenture Prize competition, with teams representing all 14 ACC schools, began last Monday with a 10-minute virtual question and answer session with judges. On Tuesday, the competitors then made the trip to Florida State where they had dinner with a guest speaker and the other competitors, before practicing for the competition.

After visiting the Florida State entrepreneurship center in the morning and fine tuning their presentation in the afternoon, George and Blazek took the stage at 7 p.m. to present their startup.

Each team gave a two-minute pitch for their company and answered questions from the judges for one minute. The event was televised nationally on PBS. Voting for the people’s choice award took place via text message. Each college team was assigned a two

letter code that anyone watching could send to cast their vote via text.

For winning the award, George and Blazek will receive a $5,000 grant for their startup.

The pair thanked the Notre Dame community for their support.

“They rallied behind us to help us secure the people’s choice: students, alumni, teachers, everyone,” Blazek said.

George expressed similar sentiments.

See VENTURE PAGE 2

Spanish Club hosts dance club, promotes diversity on campus

By Aynslee Dellacca

The Saint Mary’s College

Spanish Club hosted a Latino Dance fundraiser Thursday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Haggar Parlor. Spanish professors Jennifer Zachman, Ruth SolarteHensgen and Marelys Valencia taught various styles of Latino dance including cumbia, salsa, merengue and bachata.

Students who attended the event were asked to give a $3 donation at the door, and any student enrolled in a

Spanish modern language class was eligible for extra credit.

Junior Madison Sexton, the treasurer of the Spanish Club, said the fundraiser was held in order to fund more events in the future.

“We wanted to… get our name out there as a smaller club on campus and make it an event for not just Spanish speakers, but everyone,” Sexton said. As a Spanish major as well, Sexton finds it important for herself and other students to learn more about and celebrate all types of cultures and

languages, especially within theSpanish-speaking world.

“I think it’s important to embrace other cultures and to understand more about the people you’re living side by side with,” Sexton said.

“And for me, Spanish is a beautiful language. I’ve been learning since I was in second grade, and I just kind of fell in love with understanding Spanish, being able to have an opportunity to explore other cultures in the Spanishspeaking world and being able to communicate with

people in my community.”

During the event, the professors would also take turns briefly explaining the culture and origins of the different styles of dance.

Valencia, who is originally from Cuba, has taught Spanish for the past five years and enjoys introducing students to Latin American culture. She cited the College’s mission statement of learning and community as part of the reason to expose students to global culture, global politics and daily life.

“For me, bringing a little piece of Latin

America to this college is very relevant and pertinent. So our mission is really focused on internationalizing the exposure of our students and the campus itself,” Valencia said. “We cannot create global citizens, we cannot educate global citizens, if our students are not exposed to this sort of engagement with other functions as part of a way to create a culture of confidence, not only through language, but also through all different aspects of the culture of any society.”

photo courtesy of Luke Blazek

Notre Dame juniors Brian George (left) and Luke Blazek (right) won the “people’s choice award” in the ACC InVenture Prize competition in Tallahasse last week.

Aynslee Dellacca | The Observer

The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error. Today’s

the Class of 2026.

Annunciation Feast

Lady Chapel -Basilica of the Sacred Heart 6: 30 p.m. - 845 p.m.

Marian consercration Mass followed by food.

Tuesday

Converstaion on Rwandan genocide Hesburgh Center 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

A survior and human right activist to speak.

“Secrets from Putumayo” (2020) DPAC 7:45 p.m. - 9:10 p.m.

British Consul looks at indigenous community.

Meg Lange | The Observer

Members of Notre Dame’s

Dawson-Maeve administration: inauguration, cabinet confirmation, and Jung-Rezner transition to emeritus

By Peter McKenna Associate News Editor

The first meeting of the 2024-2025 senate was held on Wednesday night and began swearing in those recently elected.

Student body president-elect Dawson Kiser and Maeve Miller were sworn in Wednesday evening as the new administration transitioned into their new positions. They took the oath of office and swore to uphold the student body constitution. The newly elected hall senators were also sworn in.

The senate approved last week’s minutes, with the Kennan senator interjecting to make grammatical changes.

Maeve Miller and Hunter Brooke reminded the new senators of parliamentary procedure and emphasized the absence policy.

“Please read the

Venture

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

senate bylaws. It does have a lot of important information; the most important to you guys right now is the attendance policy,” she said.

According to the policy senators are allotted six excused absences and three unexcused absences.

Following this, the resolutions for the executive cabinet nominations began.

Allison O’Connor was elected as the new administration’s chief of staff, Eileen Burger as the Student Union Secretary and Kevin White as the executive controller.

The following were also elected as cabinet department directors: Sarah Burton, Jeongwoo Kim, Grace DeCroix, Danielle Arno, Mason McCart, Jack Onderdonk, Evan Arsenault, Ethan Chiang, Sakura Yamanaka, Emma Ronck,

“I think that’s just a testament to the love and support of our community,” he said. “[It’s] the reason why we were able to win.”

The team from Georgia Tech University ended up winning first place in the competition, with the University of North Carolina team coming in second. Despite not winning the tournament itself, George and Blazek described the tournament as a very positive experience, not solely because of the grant money they won, but due to the beneficial experience of presenting their idea.

“Being in the spotlight and having to put together your business plan and be scrutinized and argue for why your business is going to be successful in a short amount of time, I think is just a great experience,” Blazek explained. “It forces you to look at the cracks and figure out, what’s the best way to showcase certain items so that the most people can understand it.”

The pair said the feedback from the judges was overall positive, but the company needs to focus on differentiating itself within the large market of the navigation industry.

“We’ll definitely go back to the drawing board and kind of fine tune our presentation,” Blazek said.

Blazek and George said they also enjoyed meeting and competing against entrepreneurs from other schools.

“I think it was also just great to

Tami Alli, Shahad Al Wuhaili, Lena Dougherty, Bode Menegay, Bennett Schmitt, Joshua Johnson, KazaZack Kazirukanyo, Kacper Szyller, Bryn Dougherty, Ben Martin and Alex Neff.

Subsequently, the senate proceeded to address resolutions concerning the transition of the outgoing administration to emeritus status. First on the docket was student body president Daniel Jung.

Aidan Rezner, student body vice president, spoke out in support of Jung.

“I worked with him very, very closely this year, and I am also his roommate. So, I saw an in-depth view of what this job really entails. I saw so many sleepless nights, so much work and effort with enthusiasm that was just unmatched,” Rezner said. “He cares so much about

this role and really did everything he could to make the experience for you and the students the best possible.”

The resolution was passed unanimously.

Aidan Rezner followed and received equally high praise by his colleagues. Hunter Brooke talked on the qualities possessed by Rezner.

“I really have great respect for the way in which he went about his job. I believe he was extremely passionate towards senators, but towards everyone, and I think he really maintained sort of a guiding light as to why he was doing his job and why he was making the decisions he made,” Brooke said.

Collette Doyle was also nominated to emeritus status for her work as chief of staff.

be around people that are also just young, ambitious and hungry,” George said. “It’s definitely motivating to see other people going out creating their businesses.”

Looking forward, Blazek said the company plans to integrate more “data gathering software” into their app and website in order to improve their ad and marketing strategies. They also plan to use the money they have won from the competition to create a partnership with a “gig driver assistance app.”

In the more immediate future, Blazek and George said they are preparing to compete in the McCloskey New Venture Competition at the end of April. The upcoming event is organized by the Notre Dame Idea Center.

Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly@nd.edu

Dance

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Valencia taught salsa during the fundraiser and explained the rise of salsa in New York City as part of a musical movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Immigrants from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Venezuela and others had created a new sense of pride in their heritage through the creation of this Cubanstyle based genre. Over a dozen students attended the fundraiser with the intent of either learning new dance styles or brushing up their dance skills. Freshman Destiny Magana-Stokes stated she originally attended for the extra credit, but she was glad

to have gotten a chance to practice her bachata and merengue dance moves.

“It is so fun, and I love learning new ways to dance cumbia. I think that it’s an awesome experience to have,” she said.

Magana-Stokes feels happy to support the Spanish Club, which consequently supports greater diversity on campus as well.

“I love that Saint Mary’s is trying to advocate for diversity, and being able to help the Spanish Club is essential to promote diversity on campus,” MaganaStokes said.

Contact Aynslee Dellacca at adel-

See SENATE PAGE 4 Dawson Kiser officially being sworn in as student body president for the 2024-2025 school year in the midst of the inaugural senate meeting on Wednesday, April 3.

Notre Dame Transportation, Institute for Latino Studies bolsters volunteering in South Bend

Hall of the Year 20232024 announced

Observer Staff Report

Notre Dame halls of the year has been announced and it seems a familiar face is making a reappearance.

Badin Hall claimed the title of Women’s Hall of the Year, while Carroll secured Men’s Hall of the Year for the second consecutive year. The prestigious Golden Hall award, open to both male and female dormitories, was clinched by Keenan Hall.

According to the Hall Presidents Council these awards go to the residence hall that most embodies the Notre Dame residence life ideal, fostering inclusivity for all and rooted in the Catholic ethos of the University.

Hall presidents convened this past Saturday in a spirited gathering to recollect events and communal dynamics within their respective dormitories. With enthusiasm palpable in the air, they showcased vibrant pictures capturing their events, alongside short videos highlighting diverse topics resonating within their living spaces, notably touching upon the critical subject of mental health.

The 130 bullfrogs of Badin Hall hosted events this year ranging from the signature polar plunge that raises money for St. Margaret’s House and a campus wide bake off to support the same organization. They introduced a signature event this year back in September called “Walk a Mile in her shoes” where participants put on high heels and sprinted against one another.

“I absolutely love the Badin community and am very happy to be part of it. I am looking forward to see what’s to come,” Bianca Slotabec, a freshman in Badin said.

By Rose Androwich News Writer NotreDame

Transportation

Services in 2007

founded a carpool program that allows students and faculty members to rent vehicles for University business. While using the service this year, a student fostered a collaboration between a local health clinic and the Institute for Latino Studies.

clinic that provides free primary healthcare services to people facing poverty who do not have health insurance. A professor in Latino Studies department encouraged him to get involved with the clinic, but transportation was an obstacle to service.

Latino community. Gaines was awarded the merit scholarship by the Latino Studies Department.

The vermin men of Carroll Hall won men’s hall of the year despite being the smallest of all residential dorms. The dorm’s signature event is Carol Christmas where students are able to see the halls decorated for Christmas, go on a horsedrawn carriage and even take a photo with Santa. In the spring they host their lakeside music festival to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club. Other traditions around the dorm include their “Go Irish” banner during football games and Carroll third floor abs where members from the dorm visit the dorm across campus to do workouts on the residence buildings third floor.

Keenan Hall proudly organized their annual Keenan Revue, drawing an impressive crowd of approximately 5,000. This hallmark event was just one among many hosted by the dorm. Events included a Chilean culture night to insightful Mercy Works talks and engaging academic nights. Keenan Hall collaborated closely with its sister dorm, Cavanaugh Hall, on various occasions, ranging from lively cookouts to serene grotto visits.

“Our leadership’s hard work went a long way towards earning the award, and maybe checked all the objective boxes for the Rockne and whatnot. But our Kulture is more importantly set apart by the dignity all Knights are treated with, allowing everyone to be their authentic, quirky shelves in all places from the big stage in the Revue to the small bar stools in Zaland,” Wyatt Fales, a freshman at Kennan Hall said.Keenan Hall demonstrated its commitment to philanthropy through events like Muddy Sunday, the proceeds of which were directed towards Habitat for Humanity.

“Students were having a difficult time renting vehicles for University business due to them not being 25 years of age. It’s important that students have the opportunity to travel for their respective student clubs and organizations as part of their experience at Notre Dame. This program is also widely used by employees as they travel for University business,” Cory Thompson said. Thompson is the manager of transportation services for Notre Dame.

“Vehicles can only be rented for University business,” Thompson said. “The reservation form requires the destination and purpose of the rental vehicle be completed. If the vehicle is requested for personal use, we direct them to contact our local Enterprise office, and they will assist with a rental vehicle.”

Parker Gaines, a freshman at Notre Dame, has been using the car rental service for his volunteering at the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center, a

Additionally, the dorm emerged victorious in the annual Stanford vs Keenan week. In a gesture of unity, the losing dorm during Stanford vs. Keenan week assumes the role of visitors at the shared chapel. The winning dorms will have their formal dances inside the dome next year.

“Not having a car on campus was a little difficult for me,” Gaines said. “I had reached out to my scholarship directors, and I had told them, I had this really good opportunity, but how am I supposed to get there?”

After a previous conversation regarding how he was supposed to get to the center, the Institute for Latino Studies (ILS) helped coordinate his vehicle rental.

“They agreed to work with the transportation services to get a rental vehicle ... it’s very nice that I have that form of transportation. It’s very generous of the Institute for Latino Studies to coordinate that for me, but also generous of the transportation services department to agree to let students use their vehicles to go do some of the community engagement,” Gaines said.

Gaines became involved with the Latino Studies Department when he applied to Notre Dame. Notre Dame admissions committee forwarded his application to ILS, an organization that awards merit scholarships to students who have been involved with the

Senate

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

“I think everyone in our cabinet knows that every initiative, event, or program that we put on was really her work in cultivating strong relationships with the cabinet. She so deeply cares about every single one of the cabinet members and their success,” Rezner asked.

“About 99% of the patients [at the clinic] are Spanish speaking, mostly undocumented patients, but they can access emergency Medicaid through an Indiana health care plan,” Gaines said. “It’s been very eyeopening to see some of the efforts that have been made on the government level to address the health care issues.”

The center takes a cultural awareness approach that he thinks helps people feel less overwhelmed by medical information, Gaines said.

“Even though I’m doing some of the behind the scenes work, it’s also great to be able to go in the rooms with the patients, speak Spanish and learn a little bit more about some of the different health issues that Latino communities are facing as a whole,” Gaines said. “It’s been a really good experience.”

Gaines facilitated the establishment of a formal partnership between the health center and ILS. Utilizing his connections at the clinic, he spearheaded the initiation of the partnership for the upcoming summer. This collaboration is a component of the Latino Studies crosscultural leadership program.

“We’re constantly building up the next generation, and particularly, the

Institute for Latino studies focuses on activism for Latino communities in the United States,” Gaines said. “And I think that it’s very tangible work. We can work directly with the community organizations to help Latinos specifically in the South Bend area.”

Thompson said Notre Dame Transportation services has various vehicles available for rental and that they do their best to honor specific vehicle requests. According to a University Press release on March 18, 2024, transportation services has added four new electric vehicles to their cars available for rental.

“We have sedans, SUVs, minivans, and electric cars,” Thompson said. “We do our best to honor requests when we can. If a specific vehicle is requested and is available, we will assign that particular vehicle to the reservation, again, doing our best to honor the request.”

Gaines said the institute’s focus on activism within Latino communities makes the partnership with the health center very tangible work.

“We’re constantly building up the next generation and particularly the Institute for Latino studies focuses on activism for Latino communities in the United States,” Gaines said. “And I think that it’s very tangible work. We can work directly with the community organizations to help Latinos specifically

Thomas Musgrave, vice president of peer advocacy, said, “Koryn always acted with kindness towards everyone she met throughout her time; I don’t think anybody has ever said a bad word about Koryn.” He further added, “She was always a shining light, especially when

Koryn Isa served as the Judicial Council president for the 2023-2024 term and was also awarded emeritus status.

things got tough.” The senate also extended the deadline for Judicial Council elections and extended the publication of senate recordings online.

The meeting concluded with the passing of the extension of the Committee on the Constitution.

Contact Peter McKenna at pmckenn2@nd.edu

Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame Plugging in a newly purchased university-owned electric vehicle, part of the rental fleet available for use by campus.

To those starting out

Madeline Ladd Assistant Managing Editor

Upon selecting senior year courses and seeing the Class of 2028 receive their admission letters last month, my friends and I have been very reflective. Reflective, specifically, on where we are now versus where we were on our move-in day on Aug. 20, 2021. These conversations included humorous recounts of our freshman year shenanigans, but also included the deeper ways Notre Dame has impacted us. I specifically found myself thinking about what I’d want to tell someone younger about getting involved in college. Though I could write an entire book on the topic, I hope sharing a snippet of my experience in this column resonates with any current, incoming or prospective students who may be wondering where their journey will take them.

Saying ‘yes’ while maintaining boundaries

Throughout college, I have continually taken advantage of opportunities thrown my way. Whether that was attending my first Observer Sports meeting on a whim, applying for that ND Listens job or checking out the Consulting Connect ”Why Consulting” panel my freshman year, some of my most favorite involvements have come from being willing to take a risk and just say ”yes.” These decisions eventually led to leadership positions I would not have imagined as a freshman. On the social side, saying ”yes” has brought me to the best people I have in my life and made for memorable stories I know I will tell my kids some day.

College is a time where you have to put yourself out there, which is easier said than done. But if you come in with the attitude of willingness to just try something, I guarantee you will learn about yourself as a person regardless of your feelings on the experience. If something piques your interest, I encourage you to explore further. Just think: How many settings will you be in where you have this much potential experience at your fingertips? Not many, if any.

As you can see, I’m a huge proponent of being unafraid to say ”yes,” but I also want to stress that there comes — and should always come — a time to say no. It is important not to let your desire to do everything get in the way of your personal well being. This is something I specifically focused on after my sophomore year, after realizing I put other things first over my own wellbeing. During this period, I was given the advice to treat things that help your personal well-being as non-negotiables, the same way you might prioritize important academic and career commitments. This stuck with me. For example, working out is a non-negotiable for me. So is getting a meal with my friends each day, among other things. I block out time to do these recharging activities and treat them as a high priority and make sure nothing — unless absolutely urgent — is keeping me from them.

So, if you are repeatedly pushing aside your personal non-negotiables or find yourself needing to be in three places at once (guilty) you may want to reevaluate your other involvements. To reevaluate, make sure you’re not just doing something

for the sake of checking a box, but rather because it really fulfills you. It is better to give 100% to a few involvements, rather than spread yourself too thin over a variety of areas. When it comes to social situations, make sure saying ”yes” too often isn’t negatively impacting things like your grades, your health or even your self worth. The key on both ends is balance. With a conscious effort you will find it.

Imposter Syndrome

So, once you are getting involved in all these things because you said yes, you may feel what is known as the dreaded imposter syndrome — something that plagues high-achieving students like us. Defined as the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally, despite being high-performing in external, objective ways, imposter syndrome can overtake anyone. I know I felt this way as a new student (hello, freshman fall microeconomics) and continue to sometimes feel this way even today. Imposter syndrome includes thoughts like: Is everyone smarter than me? Why me? Is it a mistake that I won this? Will I be able to do it again? Was it just luck? I consider myself a confident person, but the thoughts still creep in and it is hard to think any differently at times. Sometimes my most successful moments were riddled with these feelings of doubt and fraud rather than pride. Looking back, this was only because I convinced myself that I was not succeeding, but in reality, I was accomplishing great things.

In order to combat this, talk about it to those who care about you, they will be able to see just how amazing you are and often pick up on positive traits you don’t know about yourself. Call your parents, your family or friends from home. They will certainly boost you up. This is all to say that relationships are key. When reflecting on your progress, try to think objectively about your accomplishments, I can guarantee they’re more than average. An accomplishment does not have to be huge — finding a small win each day can shift your perspective and boost fulfillment. Despite this, college will undoubtedly be something new. You may find yourself being a small fish in a big pond rather than the biggest fish you were in high school. That’s OK. You will adjust and find your footing. I can bet your fellow classmates (and even your leaders) are likely thinking the same thoughts about themselves despite trying not to convey it. If you are able to acknowledge these feelings and keep them at bay early on in college, you will feel empowered to accomplish more and enjoy your success.

So, to the new or incoming student, whether you take every bit of advice from what I have said or brush it off, recognize what a pivotal time of life you are entering and what a special place this is to be. Whether you are enjoying college so far or not, know you are the writer of your own story and have the power to change it as you wish. Most importantly, you are meant to be here — don’t let anyone or anything let you think differently.

You can contact Madeline at mladd2@nd.edu.

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

A real campus tour

It’s hard to miss the prospective students milling around campus right now, poking their heads into buildings and staring wide-eyed at the Dome. Soon enough, they’ll be deciding where to spend the next four years of their lives — a decision influenced by scholarship money, some random YouTuber’s “day in the life” or simply, a leap of faith.

As I watch the Notre Dame tour guides lead their groups of students, I can’t help but think about my own expectations heading into college. I recall nodding along in response to statistics about campus clubs and the student-to-faculty ratio, envisioning shared meals with friends after class and pretending to remember the names of every building we walked past, their bricks all blending together in my head.

Yet after two years here, all this information and imagination now seems entirely insufficient. It’s no fault of our tour guides, who make navigating campus’s narrow sidewalks with 30 people — while walking backward — look easy. It just begs the question: can a 30-minute rehearsed tour truly convey the essence of college life?

The answer, simply, is no.

As decisions loom ahead, allow me to offer a humble attempt to shed light on what might be missing on your campus tour.

The tour guides won’t describe the equal parts excitement and anxiety you’ll feel on move-in day. The relief you’ll feel when a stranger, now roommate, instantly wraps you in a hug. The awkwardness of adjusting to each other’s routines — trying to breathe as quietly as possible that first night of sleep so you don’t wake them up.

They won’t tell you that, when anything seems possible, it feels like you need to do everything. How you’ll feel the overwhelming pull to explore different clubs and courses — your hands eager to mold your future. Sitting next to someone random in your economics class and trying out the feeling of an ND intro on your tongue. And again.

They won’t tell you about the anticipation of your first football game. A palpable giddiness in the air that makes the whole production feel monumental, almost sacrosanct. The sounds of hundreds of feet entering the stadium. The ensuing defeat by Marshall that should feel crushing, but instead seems like a small price to pay for four more years of gamedays. The shamrockshaped sunburn on your friend’s cheek.

They won’t tell you that once the initial shininess wears off, college turns out to be closer to real life than you expected. That despite your best efforts, you will cast your net wide and overestimate its strength, spread yourself a little too thin and start counting down the days until

fall break. How the first-year, existential drama can feel so urgent, so real: the tear-filled grotto visit after your first final, the quiet sadness of a failed situationship and the unsettling realization that maybe you don’t actually know what you’re doing.

They won’t tell you that it’s all part of the process — one that, you’ll learn, never ends. How constantly shedding parts of your identity, as you try on different versions of yourself is exactly what you should be doing, even if it sucks. That those countless academic advising meetings and the stubborn permacloud and even the awkward O’Neill dorm parties (I know, I’m sorry) are important, even necessary.

They won’t tell you about the moments of clarity that make you realize you’re in the right place. The prayer offering for “the loneliest kid on campus” at Milkshake Mass, the trip to Chicago with friends on Easter weekend, the book gifted to you by a kind professor you never even had and the person playing “Hillside Boys” next to you in the shower.

They won’t tell you that a person can feel like home. That, without realizing it, the random roommate you didn’t know eight months ago has become the sister you never had. How the girls on the floor below you would make you laugh until you cry and force you to go rock climbing and, suddenly, it’s all okay.

They won’t tell you that you’ll become comfortable with the unknown and learn to treat it as a familiar friend. The relief you’ll feel digging through your desk drawer and finally throwing away all those clubs’ QR codes, firms’ flyers and information cards. That you can be sad to leave and ready to go home at the same time.

They won’t tell you that each year only gets better. How, next year, you’ll savor the warmth this time, finally hammock by the lake, get to the semifinals of intramural flag football and relish the coziness of South Dining Hall. Meet someone whose favorite song is “Night Changes” and add it to your playlist. Stumble into new friendships that make you feel like anything is possible again. And this time you can do it, together.

No matter what future we imagine for ourselves, it exists only in our minds. Life has a way of constantly surprising us with reality.

So, you may miss a lot of information on your campus tour. And honestly, thank God for that — now you get to find out for yourself.

Allison Elshoff is a sophomore studying business analytics with minors in impact consulting and the Hesburgh Program of Public Service. Originally from Valencia, California and currently living in Badin Hall, you can find her unsubscribing from email lists or hammocking.

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

Allison Elshoff Asking for a Friend

A constellation of hope

Wider than a pickup truck and tall enough to brush the fan with his wispy receding hair, each step shakes the world around him. Sam, a self-described Catholic-Redneck falls into his chair, giving the whole room a scare as the metal made a cracking sound. Staring out at the kaleidoscope crowd of people, his gaze lands right on me.

Sam and I look nothing alike. We have almost no common experiences, but both our lives have been difficult but in very different ways. The only places in our collective memory are this room and him having been stationed near my home when he was in the military. When we eventually got to the topic of our future dreams, he unloaded a laundry list of things.

Yellowed, disintegrating and ominous smiley faces protruded out of the ceiling. Posters peppered the walls with reminders about the process of reporting sexual violence and suicidal ideation. Signs rang hollow with statements like “Heros Work Here:

“Context defines a writer’s destiny.”

Thankful, Appreciative and Grateful.”

Context defines a writer’s destiny. It’s the glue that makes any story understandable. The context of national conversations makes their words stick. This encounter could have happened in the hallways of my dorm, a high school classroom or the hospital down the street. Yet, our conversation and the smiley faces and signs on the walls were decidedly not average. They were inside Westville Correctional Facility, a prison holding captive nearly 2,000 men, a place where we, as a society, have decided to dispose of people, their stories, their dreams and ideas, and in many ways, slam the door on true repentance or redemption.

I thought back to just a few hours before I had walked through halls where heroes work — one with modern arches and an atrium that echos when you walk through it. As I descended towards the basement of Jenkins Nanovic Hall, I felt the dread of going to class.

The chalk my professor held almost broke as the blackboard screeched. Her peppered hair held streaks of gray that diverged like a map of her life. She asked us what we saw as our role in “working towards peace.” A sense of existential dread permeated the room. The problems were so great, and our power was so small.

It seems like the places where optimism should rain down from the skies in the context of the hallowed halls of an exclusive institution like Notre Dame, a place where truly so many doors are open and possibilities for the future are incalculable.

Seniors have a grand piano of dread hanging over their heads every time the question gets posed: so what are you going to do next year? For me, I know I want to do something to make the world a better place — such is the generational effect. Whether it’s smoothing over potholes, building communities gardens or organizing a voter drive, I know I want to get into the dirt. However, the road ahead feels dusty and uncertain.

“Respectable” options are the graduate school pipeline or a consulting job that will probably be double whatever my future paycheck will be. It’s hard to face the abyss. It’s scary. Last year, in an article for Notre Dame Magazine, I wrote about the optimism of my generation, but a parallel history is that of despair about our place in the future.

Walking through security and the thick iron Salle Ports for the first time, I felt trapped. At 22 years old, thinking of what it means to be free, my bright green visitor badge acted as a literal get-out-of-jailfree sign.

Being in a room with individuals who have been imprisoned anywhere from one to 20 years, I expected to hear tales of despair and malaise, and while there were plenty of those, there was a deep tension brewing in every word out of their mouths. In the room with 11 inside folks (men who are imprisoned), there were many things I expected to learn: lack of freedom, remorse for wrongdoing, the path to redemption and other cornerstone experiences with those who are incarcerated.

Yet, the thing I learned the most about was hope. They are folks who deeply understand hope from both sides. For those they harmed, hope is a spigot they turned off. While, their future can feel like a door that has been shut forever. In Westville, some men felt a similar dread, like an anvil that lived atop their head and seemed to sink them into the cold concrete floors. Most of the men I interacted with shined like a lighthouse directing others to safety.

Some in the world, especially in the context of Notre Dame, attempt to categorize a teleological view of history — an assumption that the world will get better because justice is bound to prevail. But for the men of Westville, their context shows that is not the case. Their lives bear the brunt of that in many ways. As the land of the free, we currently hold 25% of the world’s prison population.

Sam rolled up his sleeve to show me a tattoo. In thick black letters, the tattoo had the name of his daughter. Surrounding her name were all the other people he was responsible for and accountable to. They sat on his arm like a bright constellation of the world he hopes to bring about.

I often feel alone in the galaxy, wading through the abyss of space. Graduation feels like this last hurrah, where I fear of becoming someone who one point in time had a bright future. The problems around the world feel impossible: the genocide in Gaza, rising economic inequality and the rapidly increasing prevalence of climate disasters in our communities. It often feels like I could never have a role in solving these issues.

“I constantly see other people who are doing the work over and over again.”

But stars don’t float alone in the universe. They have planets that shield them, other stars that surround them and asteroids that sometimes come to visit. Around me, I constantly see other people who are doing the work over and over again.

Sam’s tattoo helped remind me that we each exist contextually with others. Dr. Felicia Case has dedicated her life to living the mission of Christ

and pushing Christian communities to become anti-racist forces. Will Deschamp rallies the men of Siegfried every week to go help out at the South Bend Center for the Homeless. Pat McGuire has made free and fast broadband a reality in South Bend.

None of these people do what they do alone. Dr. Case has a strong family support network, a thriving congregation and others who would go to bat for her. Deschamp has dozens of other hall staff members, family members, volunteers and friends he gets to come each week. Pat has a thick web of friends that surround him and a work office that puts their trust in him. Those making the world a better place exist within the context of others, but not in competition with others. Each can do their work without making the others’ work impossible.

Constellations are somewhat make-believe. They are groupings of stars that look clumped together enough to us humans. We create the context that gives them meaning. I’ve been searching for a golden ticket or a magic path that will lead me to a final place of success, but success is individually and contextually created. The success I was chasing was not my own construction, but something built by others. The hard work is done. We don’t require new revolutionary ideas to create heaven here on earth. It requires scaling up solutions that already exist, finding communities of eudaimonia and building out the world around them. I’ve found heaven in a small corner in Marion, Indiana, in the walkways of Siegfried Hall and in the crooked hallways of South Bend county government.

“In moments of darkness, we can each be a part of each other’s constellations of hope.”

Martin Luther King Jr. often said “only when it’s dark enough can you see the stars.” In moments of darkness, we can each be a part of each other’s constellations of hope. We can create heaven here on earth. It doesn’t require some out-of-this-universe solutions or individuals.

There is a constellation of hope at the tips of our fingers and all around us. There are people readily working to help make their block a little cleaner and each of them is supported by a multitude of others. No one is doing the abyss right or wrong, better or worse because we’re all on different journeys.

Meaning comes not from who we are when held towards the invasive lights that are the expectations of others. It comes from doing the work, having others around you, and being willing to reimagine the context around you. I don’t know what I’m doing next year, but I know I’ll start building another constellation wherever I go.

Dane Sherman is a junior at Notre Dame studying American Studies, peace studies, philosophy, and gender studies. Dane enjoys good company, good books, good food and talking about faith in public life. Outside of The Observer, Dane can be found exploring Erasmus books with friends, researching philosophy, with folks from Prism, reading NYTs op-eds from David Brooks/Ezra Klein/Michelle Goldberg or at the Purple Porch getting some food. Dane ALWAYS wants to chat and can be reached at @danesherm on twitter or lsherma2@nd.edu.

Dane Sherman Saints Among Us

Kat Regala

Food is an essential building block of our lives. Without it, our bodies cannot survive. It is also fundamental to our social lives, drawing people together over shared meals. Our culture is sewn together by the collective memory of food: traditions and heritage are embodied in shared dishes and ways of cooking.

My college experience has pushed the importance of food to the forefront. Dorm culture is centered around food, whether it’s sharing fresh baked cookies at hall government meetings, making sundaes after mass or ordering late night food from one of the dorm restaurants (shout out Za Land). The dining hall is the bastion of social life, with its tables filled with gossiping friends, rowdy dorm groups and awkward dining hall daters. Free food, whether it’s food trucks on library lawn or tabling in Duncan, mobilizes and socializes hungry students.

Beyond that, Notre Dame’s Catholic mission has emphasized the importance of food in the form of breaking bread. Sitting down to nourish my body in the presence of others is an act of solidarity that acknowledges our shared humanity.

While college has shown me how beautiful and profound food can be, the past few years have reframed my relationship to food.

To begin with, the tumultuous years of college are known to dramatically alter people’s eating habits, from the loss of structure given by family, the social nature of eating and drinking and the sheer accessibility of food on campus. The infamous “freshman fifteen” is illustrative of this dynamic, including the negative

A privileged diet

judgment attached to it. Alongside this new access to food, many colleges students struggle to eat enough. I was no stranger to experiencing this new dynamic. I grew up dancing all my life. The dance community is rife with toxic attitudes towards food. In an art that has historically — and still continues to — desire thinness, food is often depicted as something to be managed. Limited. Controlled.

When I hung up my leotard to become a college student, I struggled to navigate how to eat within the confines of the food available to me on campus, the sociability of food and my newfound, relatively inactive lifestyle. Living in the female space of the dorms, I came to know that many of the women in my life had similar tumultuous relationships with food. I was reminded of people’s struggles with food from conversations surrounding each macro and calorie in what was being eaten to the way North Dining hall’s bathroom consistently smells like throw up.

Beyond that, meeting new people meant having to introduce and explain my dietary choices. I have been vegetarian since I was in seventh grade. I am not quite sure what came over me, but one day I just decided to stop eating meat. People love to ask me why I am vegetarian, expecting me to lecture them on the health benefits of a plant-based diet, pronounce my mercy for all animal life, bash industrial food production or oust myself as a climate-change extremist. I certainly enjoy the vast benefits of being vegetarian and believe there are environmental, ethical and health components that can be incorporated into anyone’s diet, but my vegetarianism is a choice that has been motivated by reasons that have evolved and changed over the last eight years. Now, it’s largely driven by momentum.

While many times being vegetarian might simply be a quirk, my time at Notre Dame has put my in situations that have shown me what I eat is also a privilege. I distincintly remember times last summer in Mexico, where I was volunteering at a migrant shelter, where people would stare at me as I ate something different from them. As they ate rice with chicken that had been re-fried multiple times, I would quietly eat a salad. In an environment where meals carry significant emotional and spiritual value, I — embarrassingly — would find myself preoccupied, stressing about how unhealthily I had been eating.

My current study abroad program in Chile has been been one of the hardest challenges for my vegetarianism. High protein foods that I usually eat to sustain me — greek yogurt, feta cheese, protein bars, hummus — are expensive. My host family in rural Chile has one large meal a day, supplemented with bread and tea during breakfast and dinner times. With these new eating habits, I often found myself hungry.

These past years of my college experience have emphasized that food is not always as simple as feeding my body or enjoying a flavorful, cultural experience. My relationship to it is constantly evolving and changing. Ultimately, this relationship comes fabricated into who I am — physically and spiritually — because, after all, you are what you eat.

Kat Regala is a junior studying in the program of liberal studies with minors in computing and digital technology and science, technology and values. She originally hails from Naples, Florida, but loves traveling. When not reading or writing, you can find her drinking coffee, practicing yoga or binge-watching reality television.

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

Rejects from ‘The Juggler’

Lonesome City Blooms

I talked to the flowers today

They said they want out too.

The drooping fuschia hibiscus has gone gray at the edges

We’re here against our will, they tell me Clandestine

Let’s cut and run my dear

Neither of us belong.

Floral scent reeks like rotting flesh

So far from the meadow

Why’d the gardener have to meddle

But just you wait, just you wait

I’ll gather you all up in my apron

Every last one

Let’s squeeze onto that rusting barge

And liberate one another

Do you hear the trumpets sound?

The ones strung up along the chain link fence: Private property. Do not trespass.

While in a manic uprooting I partook

A single bulb began to unravel unearthing a curl of wafer paper

Roots like cursive ink that said:

The great secret is that we’re all alone

But the truth is

We’re better off not knowing

Sober

I have tried and failed, because I still inhaled.

— Maggie Eastland

Editor-in-Chief

Emeritus

And this time might not be different, but day 20 shows commitment.

I’ll tell you: it’s hard.

But we did not go to the moon because it was easy. We went because it was hard.

And I’m not doing this because it’s easy. But because one day at a time, my head hits that pillow, and I’ve done something for me.

— Liam Price Viewpoint Editor

Goose Abortion

Waddle Waddle Quack Quack

Look, the big bad duck is back! Oh, wait. It’s just a man in a boat.

ATTACK!

He pulls out his oil bottle and lathers up those big ole eggs. The babies don’t know what’s comin’. One big breath and they’re done for. No more waddles.

No more quacks.

It’s just black, Babies died at the hands of man. Only you can save our wildlife friends before the man comes back again.

— Annelise Demers Associate News Editor

California Sunset

The sky is painted with streaks of bright orange bulbs of yellow glow on the horizon.

Stratocumulus clouds soften the burnt orange as if Monet were busy in the skies delicately adding shadows and highlights to his cotton candy creation layering a blanket of translucent grey in the distance.

The spreading orange hue crawls across the reflection of the lake

like a flickering mirage fleetingly glimpsed. The glow’s intensity shines stronger now transforming the once clear blue lake into a portal A gateway to Dante’s Inferno.

The pine trees once distinguishable by their chlorophyllic tint are now dark figures silhouetted in the backdrop of the scorched sky.

The orange grows stronger. The fire’s hunger consumes.

Have You Ever Met Billy?

God, he’s a mess

Nothing but self-obsessed Looks in the mirror

Shocker, his skin’s clear

Then, there’s his hair

Not his first love affair!

God, he’s so vain.

My life’s biggest pain.

But,

I’ve actually never met a Billy

And all my grievances are silly.

To be frank, O’Hara

— Ethan Chiang Graphics Designer

— Jayden Espinoza Scene Copyeditor

says you are better than any painting in the MoMA and that’s crazy because he runs the MoMA so he really knows his stuff, being all artsy and whatnot. but I actually think I agree with him. You’re like a work of art in motion! You’re like sunshine though the leaves of a big oak tree! You’re better than any single thing I could try to find in a museum because you! are! alive! You are not an artifact! That’s a fact!

— Claire Lyons Viewpoint Editor Emeritus

The Absurd-ver

By CLAIRE LYONS

Picture a fisherman, arms spread wide, talking about “the big catch” he still remembers. Each time he tells the story, his arms slowly get further apart, and inch by inch, year by year, the fish gets bigger and bigger. The factual truth becomes more and more distorted to preserve a different one — the emotional truth.

Pasquerilla East Musical Company’s (PEMCo) production of “Big Fish” is a story about this kind of man, a man who tends to exaggerate and bend the truth. Whether you want to call him a storyteller or a liar is your prerogative — and that’s the main point of the musical.

First, let’s set the scene. In the fictional twentieth mid-century American village of Ashton, Alabama, nestled in a valley somewhere, suffocated by kudzu vines and fog and the limiting beliefs of one’s small-town neighbors, a boy is promised that he has the power to make his life extraordinary.

Enter Edward Bloom (Benjamin Sollom), the boy all grown-up. You get a sense that Edward Bloom looks at his life in the definitive and confident way you only can when you are looking backwards. A passionate story-teller with a penchant for nostalgia, Edward lives his life in a fictionalized past. He befriends giants, travels the world, gets both conscripted to the military and the girl of his dreams, saves a town, fights dragons, etc. At least, this is what he says happened. Only about half of these things are true.

Edward’s son, Will (Carlos Macias),

who grew up on a steady stream of his father’s tall tales as bedtime stories, wants something different, something real: to finally separate fact from fiction and to learn more about the man behind all the myths.

But after a falling out with his father, will he stay firm in his belief that his father’s larger-than-life persona leans narcissistic, or will he make peace with the ways his father cannot change?

This father-son relationship is a compelling narrative that I think

storyteller’s dedication to crafting emotional ones.

Another key relationship in the musical is between Edward and his wife Sandra (Evelyn Berry) and the huge over-the-top romance they’ve kept alive throughout their long marriage. “Time Stops” and “Daffodils” are some of my favorite songs from the musical, and while it’s impossible to capture the magic of the same scenes in Tim Burton’s film adaptation, this production still managed to give me chills. With yellow petals

in the opening number (featuring rhythmic choreography and flying fish) and an All-American big band jazz type tap affair in “Red, White and True.”

Mary Rozembajgier shines as a surprisingly sassy Karl the Giant who towers over Edward Bloom by a comedic couple of inches. Bryce Bustamante also garners some laughs as circus ringmaster Amos Calloway, a man hiding a surprising secret. (Think of an evil version of Hugh Jackman in “The Greatest Showman.”)

many of us can relate to as we reach young adulthood and reckon with our parents’ imperfections. But as much as “Big Fish” is a balance between the two men (“Two Men in My Life”), it’s also a fight between two ideologies: a journalist’s dedication to the factual truth and a

falling onto the stage at the finale of Act I, you can’t help but be reminded of all the clumsy but whole-hearted ways we try to love one another.

To single out some songs, there are several well-executed dance numbers involving all the cast members including the “Alabama Stomp”

But besides the larger-than-life production and overtly magical world PEMCo has created for this weekend’s audience, “Big Fish” ultimately explores things that are very much grounded in reality. The narratives we tell ourselves can empower or limit us — and we have the agency to choose which story to keep telling.

Luckily, in this review, I don’t have to sacrifice any factual truths for the sake of any emotional ones. There’s no need for me to embellish either. My feelings on PEMCo’s “Big Fish” are simple. I have no desire to remember it as something bigger than it was. It was just good enough as it is, and I’m going back to see it on Saturday.

PEMCo’s production of “Big Fish” is running from Apr. 4-6 at Washington Hall’s main stage. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the LaFortune Box Office for $7 for students and $10 for the general public.

Contact Claire Lyons at clyons3@nd.edu.

Viewpoint Editor Emeritus

Sofia CrimiVaroli | The Observer

Edward and Sandra Bloom (Ben Sollom and Evelyn Berry) share a passionate kiss during show-stopping musical number “Daffodils.” Some onlookers hold the titular flower.

Sofia CrimiVaroli | The Observer

Don Price (Rob Fuller) riles up the people of Ashton, Alabama in an angry mob to defend the town against a seemingly threatening Karl the Giant. But Karl is not all he seems.

Sofia CrimiVaroli | The Observer

Sandra Bloom (Evelyn Berry) and the Alabama Lambs (Erin May and Catherine Viner) perform “Little Lamb from Alabama” to audition for the circus. They are too normal.

By PETER MIKULSKI Scene Editor

I’m a little skeptical as I’m walking over, as I’m passing DeBart. Can you have fun 50 paces from the building where you take Moreau, where you “encounter narratives” and “engender vulnerability” with the “Notre Dame family” for 50 minutes a week? Can you have fun 25 paces from the Mendoza College of Business?

Well I was about to find out — I was heading to Legends to catch Boogaloo, a music festival in miniature starring eight student acts.

I used to go to punk shows in high school. I hated them, but my friends made me go. It was always a lot of sweaty guys and a lot of crummy music. It was a bunch of said sweaty guys moshing to said crummy music.

I got the impression they liked the moshing as much as, if not more than, the music itself. “Is this gonna be like that?” I wonder.

When I step into the venue, the first thing I see is a Catholic priest in his Roman collar. “It isn’t gonna be like those punk shows,” I gather. They’re giving away hats at the door. This is the third Boogaloo, and it’s titled “BOOGALOO 3: THE HAT.”

The lighting on stage is intense — pinks and purples and blues. It makes everyone on it look like they’re in “Euphoria.”

On the flier, it said “FREE FOOD.” And lo, in the corner, a table draped in black and covered in foil trays of chicken tenders! The whole room smells like chicken tenders the whole night.

Pangdemonium

First, I see Ryan. He’s here

because he plays guitar in the band Pangdemonium — from (you guessed it) Pangborn Hall — but I know him because he plays double bass in the symphony orchestra. Me too! We sit next to each other. He also plays the drums, and I saw him playing the banjo once: he’s a man of many talents. And Zuzu’s here; she’s the orchestra’s timpani player.

Block 250

But it’s Block 250 that’s playing right now. It’s an “indie band” playing “indie music,” and I’m a little skeptical of “indie music” ... I think that a lot of the time it uses being “vibey” and “lo-fi” as an excuse for being kind of lazy and bad.

Block 250 isn’t lazy or bad, though — they’re actually really clean and tight. The audience is into it, too. No one’s moshing, of course, but I’m seeing lots of soulful swaying.

They finish up, and I notice the priest start to leave. I run after him. He looks alarmed, like he thinks I’m super desperate for a confession or something. We get talking. He’s Fr. Stephen Koeth, the priest-in-residence of Stanford, and he calls Block 250 “the Stanford Hall house band” and says “they were spectacular.”

Last Quarter

Next is Last Quarter. They’re playing R&B and soul, but one of their numbers sounds sort of like a song by Bikini Kill — a female punk, or “riot grrrl,” band. It’s an eclectic set.

They’re killer, so killer that when I’m talking to Alex, their lead singer, she says they just started this semester and it shocks me. They play a lot better than that. Alex and Angelina, the other vocalist, were great. It’s pretty common that you can’t hear

the voices at a little DIY or indie show like this, but I can hear Alex and Angie, and they’re well worth hearing.

So is everyone. Jalen, the guitarist, does a couple of insane solos that the audience loves. Nick and Rich, on drums and guitar respectively, bring the rhythm and the texture. The keys, played by Aaron, are vibrant and rich. Alex jokes that the bassist Fabrice is their “ringmaster.”

“We’re one of the only Black bands on campus,” Alex mentions. She seems proud of the group. Last Quarter sure played a set worth being proud of.

Ben Warren Flynn

Then, it’s Ben Warren Flynn. He introduces himself to the audience like this: “I’m a freshman from Ireland — this is my first time playing any of my songs live.”

He has a beautiful voice. Sometimes I go to church, and I wonder why I believing is so easy that morning. Then, I realize it’s just because the people sitting around me have great voices. It’s that sort of voice.

He’s good at guitar, too. Also, he tells me he plays drums. And his song-writing is strong. He’s like Ryan — he’s got a lot going for him.

At this point, I’m getting this thirsty, so I head to the bar (for a Diet Coke). I try to pay in cash because I think that’s easier. I get really confused with the pen and the clip board and all the paper they hand you when you pay with debit. It sort of makes me feel like I’m signing the Declaration of Independence.

But the bartender sees my fiver and chirps, “Campus is cashless!” She says it in a sing-song way that

makes me think she says it often, so often that it doesn’t sound like words to her anymore.

Boys in the Tub

When I get back, Boys in the Tub are playing the hits. They kick off with “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure and follow up with “Bigmouth Strikes Again” by The Smiths. They’re doing them justice, and I’m having trouble not singing along.

The emcee had mentioned that this band was going to be “quirky.” They definitely look like the sort of people who would like The Cure and The Smiths, i.e. they’re kind of dressed like “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” characters.

Their lead singer, Julia, is wearing a lot of eyeliner and is a very emotive singer. I’ve been watching a lot of kabuki lately, so the effect reminds me of the actor Ichikawa Danjuro XIII — his makeup and the way he plays with his face and his eyes.

The Mourning Doves

When they’re done, The Mourning Doves go on. I had talked to them earlier, when I saw a guy inexplicably dressed like a cowboy and asked him why he was inexplicably dressed like a cowboy. “Because we are The Mourning Doves, and we rock and roll,” he replied. I asked his buddy to tell me about their band. “We’re The Mourning Doves, and we’re totally b*tchin’ man,” he said.

Whisk

Then I left, because Whisk was next. I’m seeing them tonight, and I didn’t want to spoil my appetite.

Contact Peter Mikulski at pmikulsk@nd.edu.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Participate and connect with people who share your concerns. Being part of something that can improve your life and your community will give you a sense of belonging and encourage you to do what you can to bring about positive change.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep life simple, don’t overreact, and use your ingenuity to improve yourself and how you handle your responsibilities. Discipline and enthusiasm will help you finish what you start and encourage positive change. Be bold and make a last-minute change.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take care of matters yourself. If you rely on others, they will disappoint you. Put emotional energy to good use, and you will make a positive difference in a meaningful outcome. Be direct in your approach but generous with your time and patience.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take your responsibilities to the next level, and you’ll gain recognition and rewards. Offering suggestions and taking the initiative to present and promote your thoughts will boost your morale and give you the momentum to push your agenda. Romance is favored.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take relationships seriously and wholeheartedly listen to complaints and suggestions. Be willing to compromise, and you’ll gain leverage that helps you maintain your integrity and popularity. Know your capabilities and be willing to share your skills and expertise. Choose peace and love over chaos and discord.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Changing your mind or heading in a different direction is okay. It would help if you did what’s best for you. A change of scenery will spark your imagination and encourage you to do things upbeat. Take control and make your dreams come true.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Pay attention to detail. It’s the extras you include that will help you win the prize. No matter what you do, your passion and dedication will make your peers respect you and bring you self-worth. A social event will lead to an exciting connection.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Show your enthusiasm and use your vision to gain support and the help you need to get things done. Participate in events that can further your interests and introduce you to people with something to offer. Respect and personal growth are in the stars.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Set boundaries and take care of your responsibilities before helping someone else. Someone will take advantage of you if you are too accommodating or if you try to buy approval. Let your intelligence shine through and offer suggestions instead of taking on more than you can handle.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Step up your game, turn on your charm, and you’ll convince others to see things your way. Don’t deny yourself the things that make you happy. Changing your living space will boost your morale and encourage you to take more leisure time.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put a halt on excess. Curb indulgent behavior, spending, and taking on more than you can handle. Stay focused on what’s meaningful and the people who make you smile. Put your heart into what matters most, and you’ll find your desired happiness.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Revamp how you do things. Consider what brings you the most joy and healthy return, and put a plan that focuses on the pursuit of happiness. It’s up to you to build the life you want. Choose to live your dream and forgo regret.

Birthday Baby: You are persuasive, intelligent, and resourceful. You are generous and sensitive.

Coming off Syracuse win, top-ranked Irish gear up for another major test at No. 3 Duke

By MATTHEW CROW Sports Writer

It’s often said that there’s no rest for the weary. That’s especially true when you’re in the thick of the ACC men’s lacrosse slate. Just one week after taking down thenNo. 3 Syracuse in what would have been a season-defining win for most teams, No. 1 Notre Dame has the challenge of attempting to match that feat on Sunday afternoon, when they face current No. 3 Duke on the road.

If the high stakes inherent to a top-five matchup between conference rivals weren’t enough, Sunday will represent a rematch of last year’s national championship game, where the Irish battled to a 13-9 victory on Memorial Day in Philadelphia to claim the program’s first national title.

But despite all of the excitement present amid the buildup to Sunday’s duel in Durham, the Irish are treating it no differently than any other game that remains in their daunting regular season schedule.

“Everybody we play from here on out [brings] a challenge,” Notre Dame head coach Kevin Corrigan said after the win against Syracuse. “If you’re not going to talk about Duke, you’re going to talk about Virginia. If you’re not going to talk

about Virginia, you’re going to talk about North Carolina. If you’re not talking about them, you’re talking about Cornell. We’ve just got to keep worrying about ourselves. We’re not going to get too caught up in our opponent until the time comes to get caught up in that.”

That “one game at a time” mentality has paid dividends in recent weeks for the Irish (6-1, 1-0 ACC), who have bounced back from their dramatic overtime loss to Georgetown in February with four consecutive wins in impressive fashion. That streak has seen them defeat a pair of top-threeranked opponents — Maryland and Syracuse — in addition to taking down Big Ten foes Ohio State and Michigan.

Duke (10-2, 0-1 ACC) has been similarly dominant through most of the season but has experienced a tumultuous stretch of play over the past two weeks. Following an 8-1 start, the Blue Devils suffered a comprehensive 10-4 defeat on the road against Syracuse, a surprising offensive output for a team that had scored at least 12 goals in each of their previous nine games and at least 16 in all but two.

Duke needed little time to get back on track, however, defeating then-No. 5 Denver in a neutralsite game just four days later and surviving an 11-10 scare at home

against Boston University three days after that. The Blue Devils will be highly motivated to avenge their two losses to the Irish last spring and avoid an 0-2 start to ACC play that could quickly turn into 0-3 with a matchup against No. 2 Virginia looming the following weekend.

Both teams come into the game among the most talented and well-balanced in the nation, with few weaknesses to speak of anywhere on the field and an abundance of strengths. Notre Dame features the NCAA’s No. 1 scoring offense and No. 4 scoring defense, while Duke ranks third in both categories.

The Irish gameplan — and the gameplan for any team preparing to play Duke — is likely to find ways to slow down Brennan O’Neill. The Blue Devils’ star attacker won the Tewaaraton Award for national player of the year last season and has been just as impactful as a senior, currently ranking second nationally in points and third in goals. O’Neill was notably quiet against the Irish last year, combining for just two goals and one assist across the teams’

two meetings, and Notre Dame will look to limit him in a similar way on Sunday.

Alongside O’Neill, Duke’s elite attacking trio also includes Dyson Williams (whose 36 goals match O’Neill) and Josh Zawada (sixth nationally in points), and seven Blue Devils have scored at least 13 goals this year. The Irish defense will have to be at its best to keep Duke’s wide array of threats in check.

That starts with graduate student goalie Liam Entenmann, who was named National Goalie of the Year in 2023 and has played at a similar All-American level this spring. Entenmann was masterful in both appearances against Duke last season, most notably recording 18 saves while ceding just nine goals in Notre Dame’s national title game victory.

With the support of the his strong defensive line of graduate students Chris Conlin and Marco Napolitano and freshman Shawn Lyght, Entenmann will aim to lead the Irish to a similar result on Sunday.

A key battle will come in the faceoff game, where Duke’s Jake

Naso will go head-to-head against Irish junior Will Lynch. Naso, a First Team All-American in 2023, got the better of that matchup in the teams’ regular season meeting last year, winning 22 of 32 faceoffs. But Lynch delivered a clutch, 12-of-19 performance in the national championship game and has carried that momentum into this season, where he currently holds a 64% faceoff win percentage that ranks third nationally.

Any extra possessions Lynch can create for Notre Dame’s starting attackers and leading pointscorers — graduate students Pat Kavanagh and Jake Taylor and junior Chris Kavanagh — will be crucial as the Irish look to defeat the Blue Devils for the fifth consecutive time and remain perfect in ACC play.

Notre Dame and Duke will renew their rivalry in a highly anticipated matchup at Durham’s Koskinen Stadium on Sunday at noon. The game will be available on the ACC Network.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

ND MEN’S LACROSSE

MEGHAN LANGE | THE OBSERVER

Graduate goalie Liam Entenmann protects the ball from an attacker during Notre Dame’s game against Georgetown at Arlotta Stadium on Feb.25, 2024. In seven games this year, Entenmann is 6-1-0 with 70 saves and 61 goals allowed for a .534 save percentage. He made eight saves during Notre Dame’s defeat of then-No. 3 Syracuse last Saturday at home.

Miller: Officiating should be done seriously

Those who know me well know that I have no shortage of “hot takes” — particularly concerning sports. One of my most controversial opinions is that many sports — especially football — are better watched on television rather than live and in-person. My exception to that rule, though, is basketball. I think that the smaller arenas serve as better vehicles for fans to express their excitement, distaste or awe for whatever happens in the game. At the game, fans can feel timeouts called after a scoring run. Fans can feel a game-tying transition layup. And possibly, more than anything else, fans can feel the officiating.

Unfavorable calls (against the home team) result in loud disapproval. Attending a game in-person often means seeing some of the conversations that the cameras don’t pick up. It’s a brutally difficult job, and at the collegiate level, it’s typically only a part-time one. Most officials have other work as well to pay their bills. After attending countless home basketball games this year, my admiration for the officials has only increased. Even in the midst of the

extensively competitive and tense atmosphere, I was always amazed by how personable the refs were. Roger Ayers always talked with fans in the front row during media timeouts. Lee Cassell calmly talked to players and coaches, even popping a smile amidst the chaos. These officials are pros.

It’s one thing to try to evaluate the game based on the “black and white” rules as laid out in the official book. It’s another thing to do that while maintaining a personality, understanding that there is no “black and white” way to communicate or come across as a person. It’s difficult, but ultimately, it’s very serious. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t fun — or personable. You can laugh and still maintain a level of seriousness. But at the end of the day, the rules need to be enforced.

Unfortunately, during this past weekend of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in Albany, New York, the officiating was not serious. By any stretch. In Notre Dame’s game against Oregon State, the officiating might have been the storyline. On ESPN’s home page, there was no mention of the outcome of the Sweet 16 matchup. But the website made sure to highlight Hannah Hidalgo’s displeasure with the referees — something she

called “B.S.” in the postgame press conference.

For those unaware, in the final seconds of the first quarter, the referees sent Hidalgo to the bench to remove a small nose stud or ring.

Throughout the season, Notre Dame’s freshman guard almost always wore the stud — both ingame and out. She said that prior to the Sweet 16, she never received any flack from the refs. However, that changed in the team’s biggest game of the season.

I have mixed emotions here. NCAA rules are very clear that no jewelry is allowed on the court (see rule 1-25.7). In general, I don’t blame the referees for enforcing that. Notre Dame has the responsibility to know what it can and can’t wear. The problem, though, is that in college basketball, many rules are simply not enforced at all. Think of 3 seconds in the lane or carrying the basketball. These violations are almost never called — except in the most egregious of situations (and even then, rarely!).

In the NCAA, rule 2-5.1 states that before the game, the referee will inspect all players’ equipment as well as everything on the court — including the ball and the clock. However, it seems like this procedure is very rarely followed — or only performed vaguely.

Hidalgo never changed her nose stud or put it in after the game began. She always had it in. In this case, the official screwed up, not Notre Dame. But unfortunately, the official didn’t pay the price. Notre Dame did.

The game went on, and Hidalgo was forced to sit out five valuable minutes, which is especially worrying for the Irish given that she typically plays the entire game. Decreasing Hidalgo’s production and playing time by 12.5% is a major advantage to Notre Dame’s opponent. Moreover, in the first few seconds of the game, play was stopped due a shot clock malfunction. The tenth of a second (after the decimal) was not appearing at the right time. Kudos to the officials for finding that — but why would that have not been checked prior to the game?

Unfortunately, the officials involved in Friday’s game may have been following the rules — in a “black and white” manner. But their application and communication of those rules was exceptionally impersonal without any regard for on-court play. The officiating was not serious by any means — a major concern in a nationally televised, regional round game.

Something has to happen from

this. The NCAA should come out with clear guidelines on apparel along with clear guidelines on how and when officials should check gear. But more so, the officials involved in Friday’s game should not advance on to work the Final Four.

A major mistake like the Hidalgo incident should result in a downgrade, and Notre Dame had every right to be upset. I’m honestly amazed how head coach Niele Ivey offered so much composure!

Regardless, I don’t think it significantly changed the outcome of the game, but you never know.

Even with five more minutes of Hidalgo, I don’t think Notre Dame was ever going to be able to stop a player like Raegan Beers. Yet, Oregon State’s season lived on for two more days. Notre Dame never got a chance to avenge its Paris loss against South Carolina. The fact that poor officiating played any role in that outcome (albeit small) is a shame, and Irish fans have every right to feel passionate anger. College basketball is serious. Last Friday’s officials were not.

Contact Jake Miller at jmille89@nd.edu. The

Belles showcase depth, pick up first victory under Susan Holt at Trine Spring Classic

By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor

As Saint Mary’s golf prepared for the Trine Spring Classic on Friday, its first competition of the spring, head coach Susan Holt expressed excitement about playing all eight golfers on the roster. Five would compete under team ramifications with the other three working individually.

ND MEN’S GOLF

Those golfers validated their coach’s confidence on Friday, helping the Belles to a team win at the Trine Spring Classic. Saint Mary’s shot 331 in the one-round competition, beating Hope (332) and Indiana East (334) among a tight top three.

Just three teams — Hope, Saint Mary’s and Indiana East — placed multiple golfers inside the top 15 at Zollner Golf Course. The Belles finished with

six women in that position and three scoring for the team.

Senior Haley Angel led team scorers with an eighth-place finish, shooting an eight-over par 81. A stroke behind her, junior Katelyn Tokarz tied for 12th with an 82. Next in line, sophomore Julia Lizak’s 83 placed her in a tie for 14th. Sophomore Amanda Melling’s 85 (24th) and sophomore Breana Harrington’s 95 (64th) rounded out the Belles’

team contributions.

Most encouraging for Saint Mary’s, perhaps, was its results from non-scorers. All three individual golfers cracked the top 15, with junior Joanna James leading Belles golfers overall with a seventh-place round of 80. Right behind her, junior Georgie Kersman added an eighth-place 81, while freshman Colleen Hand’s 83 tied for 14th.

Next weekend, the Belles will

look to extend their momentum across state lines at the Bluffton/Ohio Northern Spring Invitational. The competition will run from April 5-6 at Colonial Golfers Club in Harrod, Ohio. The sprawling par 72 and home base for Ohio Northern University golf sits on rolling terrain in the Ohio countryside.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Irish finish regular season at Hoosier Collegiate looking to extend impressive play

By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor

Notre Dame men’s golf could not have performed much better over the past five weeks. The Irish have a three-event streak of top-three results, including The Invitational at the Ford, the Johnnie-O at Sea Island and the Schenkel Invitational. Moreover, Notre Dame finished 18-under

par or better in each of those three competitions.

But three weeks have passed since the Irish posted the last of their impressive placements. Whether or not all the time off will cool Notre Dame down remains to be seen at this weekend’s Hoosier Collegiate, the last event on the team’s regular-season schedule.

Two Irish golfers unlikely to slow down anytime soon are freshman

Jacob Modleski and graduate student Palmer Jackson. They have each produced top-15 finishes in three consecutive competitions, leading Notre Dame’s late-season surge.

Modleski took third at the Ford, won the Johnnie-O at Sea Island and claimed a tie for 11th at the Schenkel Invitational. He delivered at least one round of 67 or lower in each of those three

events.

Jackson followed a 12th-place finish at the Ford by snatching third and fifth in the following two tournaments. At the Schenkel Invitational, he impressively shot 73-69-66 across his three rounds, easily putting forth Notre Dame’s best final round of the tournament.

This weekend’s event will take place at The Pfau Course at

Indiana University. The expansive course, designed by Steve Smyers and Fuzzy Zoeller, was ranked second in Indiana in Golfweek’s June 2023 “Best Courses You Can Play” rankings. It lays out as a par 71, leaning into the Griffy Woods on the northeast side of Bloomington.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Irish return to the field after postponement to host College World Series contender Clemson

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Senior Sports Writer

Following a midweek rainout that canceled Tuesday’s game against Michigan State, Notre Dame baseball returns to the field for the first time since last weekend’s sweep at the hands of NC State. Fortunately for the Irish, they will be at home, where they’ve gone a strong 4-1, including winning their lone ACC series at Frank Eck Stadium two weeks ago against Miami.

However, their opponent this week isn’t just their best of the season, but arguably the best in the country. The Clemson Tigers are ranked No. 2 in the nation, holding a gaudy 25-3 record. The Tigers enter South Bend on fire, winning 10 of their last 11 games. There is little doubt that they will be playing into the summer with sights set on reaching the College World Series for the first time since 2010.

In its most recent series, Clemson recorded the same result as Notre Dame against Miami, winning two of three, although it did so on the road.

The Tigers then thrashed USC Upstate 11-1, with the game being called for the run rule after seven innings.

The strength of the team lies in its pitching staff, which is one of three in the ACC with an earned run average under four. Sunday starter Aidan

Knaak is 10th in the conference with a 3.76 ERA, and last week’s game-one starter, Matthew Marchal (who has mostly pitched out of the bullpen), has an even better 3.24 mark. Lucas Mahlstedt and Rob Hughes have been dynamite in the back of the team’s bullpen, with Mahlstedt posting a 2.18 ERA and Hughes striking out 10.7 batters per nine innings.

While the Tigers overall aren’t truly special on offense (ninth in the ACC in runs scored), they can hit the ball out of the ballpark. Only three teams in the conference have more home runs than Clemson’s 51, and only two players in the ACC have more homers than team leader Blake Wright’s 13. Wright is one of four Tigers regulars with an OPS above 1.000 (Alden Mathes, Jacob Hinderleider and Jimmy Obertop), a group that Tristan Bissetta (.991) could join with a strong weekend.

The Irish pitching must rediscover the strong form it showed at the start of the Miami series. After allowing just four runs in the first two games against the Hurricanes, Notre Dame has surrendered 36 runs in its last four contests. It wasn’t just the number of runs the Irish allowed that broke them, but when they came across. Eight runs against the inning after ND SOFTBALL

jumping out to a 7-1 lead in the Miami finale, then two more yielded in the 10th after the offense rallied again. Backto-back walk-off losses to the Wolfpack, including giving up three in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday after graduate student outfielder David Glancy’s two-out, two-run homer broke a 4-4 tie in the top half.

There were some encouraging signs for the Irish in Friday’s game, as graduate right-hander Tobey

McDonough, sophomore righthander David Lally Jr. and graduate right-hander Nate Hardman all delivered outings free of earned runs. All three figured to be trusted arms for Shawn Stiffler entering this season but struggled mightily over the season’s first month.

Stiffler shortened the staff in the two close games in Raleigh, using just five pitchers across the final two contests. One of those was sophomore righthander Caden Spivey, who was charged with two earned runs

in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Senior right-hander Matt Bedford is projected to oppose Marchal in Friday’s opener at 4:30 p.m. Freshman right-hander Jack Radel is slated to take the ball Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against Clemson lefty Ethan Darden. The rubber match should pit sophomore right-hander Rory Fox against Knaak and will take place Sunday at 1 p.m.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

After schedule changes, Notre Dame prepares to take on Virginia in first series of April

By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer

The Notre Dame softball team, now 21-12 on the season so far and 6-6 overall in conference play, was supposed to play two games this week that got canceled and postponed. Their game on Tuesday against IUPUI was canceled altogether, and their game on Wednesday against Michigan was postponed to a later date. The Irish are now looking ahead to play the Virginia Cavaliers, who are 24-10 overall and 7-5 in conference play.

The last time that these two teams played each other was two years ago, when they played a doubleheader on March 11 and another a game on March 13. Two of the three games did not end in favor of the Irish. Notre

Dame lost the first game 7-5 and the second game 6-1 before managing to pull a close, 3-2 victory in the third game.

In the first game, Alexis Holloway took the loss in the first game in the circle. Holloway pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, conceding seven earned runs and collecting five strikeouts.

Offensively, in the first game, Leea Hanks led the Irish, finishing 3-for-3 in the box pulling two doubles with a walk and a run scored. Alongside her, thensophomore infielder Cassidy Grimm helped put some runs on the board, going 2-for-4 in the box with a double, a run batted in and another run scored.

In the second game, Payton Tidd started in the circle for

the Irish, throwing six innings in which she allowed eight hits and six runs and struck out three.

In the second game, four Irish players earned hits. Tidd, then-junior outfielder Abby Sweet and Emma Clark all earned singles while then-sophomore infielder Karina Gaskins stroked her fifth home run of the season.

The final game against the Cavaliers went in favor of the Irish with a close 3-2 victory. Then-freshman right-hander Shannon Becker started in the circle for the Irish, throwing all seven innings as well as throwing a career high of 137 pitches. Becker allowed 10 hits, allowed one walk and struck out five batters.

On offense, the Irish had two notable hitters leading in the box — Hanks and

Sweet — who both had a 2-for-4 effort. Sweet hit her fourth home run of the season and drove in two runs, Clark drove in the winning run in the top of the seventh inning, Gaskins added a hit with two walks and thenfreshman infielder Jane Kronenberger scored the game-winning run thanks to the effort from Clark.

Looking ahead, the Irish prepare to face Virginia, who is coming off of five straight wins. The Cavaliers most recently pulled two wins over Villanova, winning the first game 5-2 and winning the second game 5-1 in eight innings.

Some of the offensive leaders for the Cavaliers include Jade Hylton, who has a batting average of .350 with seven home runs and 11 stolen bases. Alongside her, Bella

Cabral has a high batting average of .306 for the season so far with a team-leading 22 runs batted in.

In the circle, the Irish want to watch out for Cavalier pitcher Eden Bigham. Bigham has a total of 123 strikeouts this season along with a total of 85.2 innings pitched for the Cavaliers. All four Virginia pitches who have worked more than 25 innings this season have an earned run average below 2.50.

Notre Dame softball is set to start its three-game series against the Virginia Cavaliers this Friday at 5 p.m. in Melissa Cook Stadium. Games will follow at 1 p.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday for the series finale.

Contact Claire Watson at

ROMINA LLANOS | THE OBSERVER Senior outfielders Brady Gumpf (left) and T.J. Williams (right) celebrate a home run hit by sophomore infielder Estevan Moreno during Notre Dame’s defeat of Purdue at Frank Eck Stadium on March 5, 2024.

ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE

The big three: Choma, Ahern and Wolak reflect on five years of memories at Notre Dame

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Senior Sports Writer

The collegiate careers of Kasey Choma, Madison Ahern and Jackie Wolak began with unfinished business. A 7-0 freshman season in 2019-20 was cut short due to a pandemic, preventing one of the most talented teams in Irish history from getting a shot in the postseason.

When the Irish lost to Boston College in the quarterfinals of last year’s NCAA Tournament, their time at Notre Dame could have ended the same way. But the same virus that took so much from them four years prior has provided an opportunity. COVID-19 gave the three an extra year of eligibility, should they choose to use it.

The decision was easy.

“When our season got cut short freshman year, there’s kind of no doubt that we’re all going to come back here for [our] fifth year,” Choma said. “And I think we just have so much belief in what the seniors this year and the

rest of the girls in our class that came back are going to do this year.”

Their careers will forever be linked no matter how they end. By the time the dust settles, all three will likely have exceeded the 300-point threshold, something only two players (Jillian Byers and Cortney Fortunato) have accomplished. Ahern and Choma were dominant from day one, finishing top three on the team in scoring their first year. Wolak started a little bit slower, then outpaced both the very next season.

Countless hours of hard work have gone into honing their crafts. The trio’s talent is undeniable, but their consistency and commitment to improving is second to none. Choma has scored in all but two games of her career, establishing a 52-game goal streak. Wolak just set her career high in points (11) in her most recent game.

As individuals, they are outstanding, but their chemistry together is what truly makes them special. The three have known each

other since they were in high school and live right across from each other now.

“I think us three could honestly be the most different people. Our personalities are so different, and I think it kind of makes it so special and so fun,” Choma said. “We balance each other really well — in so many different areas.”

Their growth shows in the evolution of their relationship with their head coach Christine Halfpenny, who knows the vast extent of their value and knowledge better than perhaps anyone.

“I think the older we are — year five with her — it’s more of [a] conversational [relationship], too. And she’ll try and pick our brains, [and] we’ll pick her brains,” said Choma. “We’ve been through it together, we know what the mission is this year — now it’s time to just do it. And I think her belief, she instills all of that in us to which is really cool.”

Halfpenny hasn’t been their only role model in the program, of course. The upperclassmen leaders who

guided them in their early years showed them the power of leadership, which they are thrilled to be able to instill in their teammates.

“The culture that we came into — it wasn’t an option on whether we were to buy in or not. It was just a standard,” Wolak said. “And I think when we got older on the team, we just wanted to honor those upperclassmen that brought us in.”

They’ve certainly done so this season. The Irish have earned victories over longtime rivals Northwestern and Boston College this season. Their only two losses came to top-10 teams. After being largely an afterthought in the greater landscape of the sport two seasons ago when they went 9-10, the Irish are national championship contenders once again.

“I think just taking it one day at a time,” Ahern said about her approach to the season. “Just staying humble and working hard each day is something that we’ve been focused on, not getting too ahead of ourselves each

week ... So it’s just honing in on those goals and winning those championships that we want to do.”

They will still have to wait a little bit longer before they can start chasing down those championship goals. But there are many more goals to be scored and memories to be made before then. A special moment will undoubtedly arrive Saturday when they take the field at Arlotta Stadium for their final regular-season contest. It has been a bumpy and chaotic journey at times for Notre Dame’s terrific trio. But they’ve made it together. All three — and Notre Dame as a whole — are better for every step of the way, and everything that’s to come. What comes next for the standout trio is a Senior Day battle against Duke, one which Notre Dame enters on a five-game win streak. The last hurrah at home for Choma, Ahern and Wolak begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Arlotta Stadium.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

MEGHAN LANGE | THE OBSERVER

Graduate attacker Madison Ahern (10 in white) rips a shot past the goalkeeper during Notre Dame’s game against Butler at Loftus Sports Center on Feb. 18, 2024. Ahern exceeded 200 goals for her career in last Saturday’s defeat of Pittsburgh. On the season, she now has 33 goals and 11 assists for 44 points, which tie for second among Notre Dame’s leaders.