THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 9
Notre Dame loses to Texas A&M in heartbreaker
Chris Dailey Sports Writer
There are moments in football that define a season. It felt as if in No. 8 Notre Dame’s heart-wrenching 41-40 defeat to No. 16 Texas A&M, those moments came aplenty. From a failed 4th-and-1 attempt at their own 48 to a PAT mishap late in the game, small errors from the Irish proved pivotal as Notre Dame’s hopes for the College Football Playoff have greatly diminished.
As fireworks ignited the sky while Notre Dame took the field, gold rally towels waved in the air, painting Notre Dame Stadium in a tantalizing mix of red, white, blue and gold. The sparks weren’t done there, however. Texas A&M was forced to punt from their own 36 after going three-and-out on the game’s opening drive. Notre Dame seized the opportunity, with sophomore defensive lineman Loghan Thomas blocking the punt thanks to an open lane. The speedy freshman safety Tae Johnson then scooped the ball up and
On Saturday evening at Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish football went against the Texas A&M Aggies and lost with a score of 40-41. CJ Carr made his second start with the Irish and performed
Barrett returns to Notre Dame, discusses book and orginalism
By Liam Kelly Editor-in-Chief
On Friday afternoon, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett returned to her alma mater, speaking at DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, as part of a media tour promoting her new book “Listening to the Law.” During the roughly 45 minute long discussion, moderated by professor Vincent Philip Muñoz, the director of the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, Barrett discussed her faith, her life on the Supreme Court, the judicial doctrine of originalism and her time at Notre Dame Law School, where she earned her J.D. in 1997.
The event began on a somber note with remarks by University President Fr. Robert Dowd noting the recent assassination of conservative political activist and organizer Charlie Kirk, as well as recent mass shootings
NEWS | PAGE 4
STEM posters
Saint Mary’s students in STEM fields presented summer projects and experiences.
at schools in Minnesota and Colorado. Dowd led a prayer, urging the audience and the country to engage in dialogue across differences.
“We’re all shocked and dismayed by this terrible violence and it’s good for us as members of the Notre Dame community to come together and rededicate ourselves to respect and dialogue across differences, and to rededicate ourselves to being peacemakers and peace builders,” Dowd said.
Following Dowd’s invocation, Muñoz spoke, also mentioning Kirk’s assassination and arguing that, in light of the tragedy, the event was all the more important.
“We had to host this event today because our democracy, our ability to govern ourselves as Americans … will perish if violence silences us,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz began the discussion by asking Barrett her thoughts on the state of the country in
OPINION | PAGE 5
Kirk was wrong
Columnist Zora Rogers shares insight into Charlie Kirk’s views on Black women.
light of recent events. Barrett denounced political violence as a “grotesque symptom” of the state of a “poisonous” political discourse in America and stressed the need to disagree civilly.
“I think it’s important … that we learn to have disagreements in a civil and collegial way, and [at] Notre Dame, that is, as Fr. Bob said, in the DNA here,” Barrett said.
Barrett recounted her decision to accept President Donald Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020. Barrett was a federal judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago and still taught classes at Notre Dame Law School at the time. While honored by the nomination, she said she hesitated, realizing the impact the decision would have on her family, especially her seven children. She recalled
see “Lecture” on page 2
SCENE | PAGE 7
Meeting with Pol Pot
The film was underwhelming, with bad acting that doesn’t properly reflect atrocities.
delivered a house call.
That play set the precedent for the whirlwind of a first half that was to come for both teams.
Following the hectic opening touchdown, both teams went three-and-out. The game did not flash its firepower again until the Aggies’ third drive of the game. Backed up on his own 14-yard line, quarterback Marcel Reed found star wide receiver Mario Craver wide open in the left-side flat. When Craver approached midfield, Notre Dame senior safety Jalen Stroman attempted to make a tackle, as did junior cornerback Christian Gray. Neither were successful in their pursuit, as Craver fended them off en route to an 86-yard touchdown.
The Irish responded immediately. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock silenced critics by busting out a clever flea flicker. Carr initially pitched the ball to junior running back Jeremiyah Love, who then tossed the rock to junior wide
see “Texas A&M” on page 8
Shooting reported on Eddy Street
Observer Staff Report
Around 10 p.m. on Saturday evening, shots were fired near Brothers Bar and Grill at Eddy Street Commons, according to a press release issued by the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) early Sunday morning.
During the incident, several officers “were attempting to help disperse large crowds in Eddy Street Commons when they heard gunfire in the area,” according to the press release. Multiple SBPD officers remained on the scene to investigate and check for possible victims.
No one was injured, but police shared that five vehicles and two apartments were damaged. The shooting took place during the Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M
SPORTS | PAGE 10
Men’s soccer
The Irish picked up a 2-0 ranked win on the road against Pitt in second ACC match.
football game, where thousands of fans gathered in the Notre Dame Stadium. University officials and the Notre Dame Police Department did not issue a warning or comment on the situation. “We defer to SBPD on this incident,” Erin Blasko, associate director of the Office of Media Relations, wrote. Police initially detained two individuals but later released them, SBPD shared in the press release. The South Bend Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit continues to investigate the incident.
The police ask that anyone with information about the incident report it anonymously through Michiana Crime Stoppers by calling 574-288-STOP or visiting their website.
SPORTS | PAGE 10
Volleyball
The Fighting Irish finds success with a 3-0 victory against Colorado State.
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Lecture
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the impact the decision would have on her family, especially her seven children. She recalled that her husband, Jesse Barrett, told her that if she accepted the nomination, she should be all-in on the decision, urging her to “burn the boats” and not look back.
“It’s just not sustainable to second guess the choices you would make. So I haven’t thought about it,” she said.
Barrett said she wrote her new book, which focuses on her own life, the workings of the court, and the history of constitutional interpretation, as a form of civic education meant to give readers a firmer understanding of the judicial process.
“I wanted those who don’t know the court to get to know it,” Barrett said. “I love the court and I love the constitution and I want to share it with people, I want to invite people in and I think it’s easier to have confidence in institutions when you understand them.”
Barrett noted she sometimes disagrees vociferously with her colleagues on the court, as evident in her recent majority opinion in
“Trump v. Casa,” in which she denounced Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissenting opinion as “at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself.”
She stressed, however, that, as in this case, she aims to attack her fellow justices’ ideas and not them personally. Barrett said, perhaps contrary to popular belief, the justices have positive working relationships with each other and get lunch together every day when oral arguments are taking place at the court.
“We have life tenure, so I think it is much like an arranged marriage with no option for divorce. You don’t pick your colleagues, but you will be working with them for the long haul,” Barrett said. “You can much more easily debate heatedly with people when you know not to take it personally, because you are perfectly warm to them when you actually have relationships with them.”
During the discussion, Barrett focused particularly on the doctrine of originalism, arguing for its superiority over other doctrines of judicial interpretation. Barrett defined originalism as focusing primarily on the text of the constitution and seeking to understand what it meant at the time it was written.
“If you believe as I do that
the constitutional text is the law and if you think that the words that comprise the law are understood as they were understood by those who ratified it, then it doesn’t really matter if it’s hard, it is the task of the judge,” she said.
She explained that while precedence still plays an important role in deciding cases in an originalist mindset, precedence that is not in agreement with the constitution should be reversed, unless the precedent has been long established and overturning it would be particularly disruptive.
Speaking on the 2022 Supreme Court case “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” which overturned “Roe v. Wade,” Barrett said her decision to side with the majority hinged on the fact that “Roe v. Wade” had misinterpreted previous precedence on the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment in a way that was not originalist.
Barrett argued that more “pragmatic” interpretations of the law, favored by liberal justices, give too much power to judges to influence the law. However, Barrett also argued against conservative critiques of originalism, which attack the results that it sometimes produces, framing this position as advocating for an improper role for the judiciary.
“If you want different
results, turn to the democratic process,” Barrett said. “If you want results, turn to your fellow citizens for results. For courts, we’re about applying the law.”
Along similar lines, Barrett stressed that she aims to separate her personal beliefs from her decision making as a justice, arguing it was her duty to do so in a pluralistic society.
“I can honestly say that I have disciplined myself and worked very hard to set those things aside,” she said. “If I did think I wasn’t going to be able to separate my moral views, I would recuse from the case rather than impose my own moral views on the law.”
While her faith and personal beliefs, which she said were shaped in many ways by her time at Notre Dame Law School, may not influence how she decides cases, Barrett emphasized that they do shape the person she is and the way she thinks about her job and duty as a justice.
“Notre Dame has made me a different kind of person, and therefore I think I think about my contribution to the law, to society, thinking about my job as a form of public service,” Barrett said. “I think [in] all of those things, Notre Dame has shaped who I am.”
Contact Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu
Justice Barrett’s lecture draws public protests
By Sophie Hanawalt Notre Dame News Editor
30 minutes before Supreme Court Justice
Amy Coney Barrett was set to address a crowd of students and community members in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame, a crowd of protesters gathered outside the University’s entrance on Notre Dame Avenue to protest her invitation to campus.
Today’s Staff
Photo
The protest was organized by the Michiana Alliance for Democracy, an affiliate of Indivisible Central Indiana, a grassroots organization formed in opposition to President Donald Trump. The aim of the peaceful protest was to “speak out” against Barrett, according to an event sign up.
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., a crowd of roughly 75 protesters gathered on all four corners of the intersection.
The protestors held signs reading, “Amy Coney Barrett betrays women, Christian faith, democracy, justice,” “Supreme Court for sale, going fast,”
“We are not a Christian Nation” and “Keep your theology off my biology,” among others.
There did not appear to be many Notre Dame students in attendance; rather, the protestors were largely local community members.
Chants at the protest expanded from those directly related to Barrett to instead covering a variety of progressive issues. Examples included, “No justice, no peace,” “keep your rosaries off our ovaries” and “Notre Dame,
don’t you fear, immigrants are welcome here.”
In light of the Wednesday shooting of Charlie Kirk, the Michiana Alliance for Democracy emphasized their commitment to protest peacefully to ABC57.
In a statement, the organization told the station, “We are, of course, deeply saddened by the tragic events at Utah Valley University and extend our condolences to everyone affected. We recognize the heightened sensitivity around public
demonstrations in light of such incidents, and we want to be clear that our protest is — and always has been — peaceful in nature.”
Ann Hoewing, a South Bend resident, has been attending protests in the area since President Donald Trump was elected. “This is the time we must take action,” Hoewing said.
She said that she was at the protest “just to stand up one more time against what’s happening in our country, including the Supreme Court’s rule in okaying everything that Trump and his team are doing,” adding, “We’re losing our democracy.”
Mike McManus, a 1972 graduate of Notre Dame, expressed his discontent with the lecture not being open to the public. He recalled attending a lecture by Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Purcell Pavilion, which he said was “totally filled out and totally open to the public.”
“As a graduate of the University, I’m a little disturbed that people like me who would be respectful aren’t even thought about being let into a Supreme Court Justice
see “Protest” on page 4
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Protesters from the South Bend community show opposition against Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s appearance on campus.
Pragmatism Over Polarization: A Conversation with US Governors
Friday, Sept. 19
1:00-2:30 p.m.
Dahnke Ballroom
Open to the public.
Learn about how Western state pragmatism can serve as a model for the country to overcome polarization. University President Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., will give opening remarks.
FEATURING: IN CONVERSATION WITH:
Gov. Spencer Cox
R-Utah
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
D-New Mexico
Provost John McGreevy
University students and faculty remember Charlie Kirk
By Matthew Morin News Writer
Charlie Kirk, political activist and co-founder of the organization Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in Utah at the age of 31. Kirk, visiting Utah Valley University as part of “The American Comeback Tour,” was speaking to a gathering of students and supporters. At 12:23 p.m., a single shot was fired from 200 yards away, on the roof of the Losee Center, hitting Kirk in the neck.
Immediately following the shooting, Kirk was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Kirk was known for being an avid supporter of President Donald Trump and for hosting daily radio talk shows and podcasts, which reached many young Americans online and through social media.
On Friday afternoon in an email to students, University President Fr. Robert Dowd
denounced Kirk’s killing and urged the Notre Dame community to “recommit to listening to those with different viewpoints and to engaging in respectful dialogue.” Dowd echoed similar themes in an opening prayer at an event hosting Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s Friday afternoon.
Following Kirk’s death, classes at Notre Dame discussed the shooting, and students visited the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes to pay their respects.
Freshman Caden Chuang said that “Even in hatred and deep disagreement, we must never let conflict descend into violence.”
Tyler Robinson was arrested as a suspect in the political assassination. Aged 22, he is a Utah native and attended Utah State University for one semester before going into an apprenticeship at Dixie Technical College. He was described as a respectful, kind and quiet child by those who know him.
Governor Spencer Cox of Utah suggested in a press conference that the death penalty would be pursued. Charges have yet to be announced.
In a statement, Notre Dame College Republicans wrote, “A leftist assassin killed Charlie Kirk in cold-blood … standing up for his convictions, engaging in debate with those who disagreed, and inviting all to participate in the political process through civil discourse.”
“Facilitated by Democrats and perpetrated by their radical left, this terrorism is deliberately aimed against white people, Christians, and conservatives,” the statement continued. According to reports, Robinson was not registered with a political party.
Notre Dame College Democrats similarly decried the violence, with senior co-president Alex Young pulling from personal experience working for
Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg when he was the target of an assassination attempt in 2022.
“I hope everyone’s opinion is that it was a horrific, active political violence and assassination is no place in our country or anywhere, and my hope would be that we come together to find ways to have civil dialogue,” Young said.
The official statement of the College Democrats read, “We are numbed by the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. Political violence is never acceptable in the United States of America. Period. Differences must be settled through democratic institutions, elections, and civil dialogue — never violence.”
Professor Geoffrey Layman, chair of the Notre Dame Department of Political Science, compared the events surrounding Kirk’s death to the assassination of late Minnesota State legislator Melissa Hortman, the
fire set to Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, the attempted assassination of Trump, the attempt on the husband of Nancy Pelosi and the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“Whatever you think about Charlie Kirk’s political opinions, he had, as we all have, a fundamental right to express those opinions in a peaceful way without fear of physical harm,” he stated. “This, unfortunately, is what happens when political disagreement turns into political demonization. When we demonize people who disagree with our political views, turning them into inhuman monsters rather than fellow citizens with a constitutional right to express their opinions, it is inevitable that political violence will occur. Words matter.”
Contact Matthew Morin at mmorin2@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s holds STEM Poster Day for student research
By Berhan Hagezom Saint Mary’s News Editor
Saint Mary’s students pursuing STEM-related degrees presented their summer research and internship projects Friday afternoon inside of the Saint Mary’s Science Hall for interested attendees to learn more about these opportunities. These projects were done both within the College alongside faculty and outside of Saint Mary’s with other mentors.
Junior Cadence Groen, a psychology major, presented cross-disciplinary summer research she worked on with the neuroscience department under Teresa Aubele-Futch, associate professor of psychology. Her study consisted of observing changes in hormone levels on female rats.
“The project is about testing whether or not female rats, which are underrepresented, can perform a divided
Protest
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talk. I practiced law for 42 years,” McManus said. He reflected on the duty he felt to attend the protest.
“I’m 75, in my golden years.
I never thought I’d have to be defending democracy at my age,” McManus said, “But I’m here because I’m truly concerned that we are
attention task and if their ovarian hormones can affect that,” Groen said.
Senior Rachel Hensley, a physics major, worked on a research project titled, “Measuring Distances to Type la Supernovae With Vera C. Rubin Observatory,” with Christina Peters, associate professor of chemistry and physics, alongside sophomore Jules Hollis and senior Aubrey Harper. She completed this project with the help of the College’s Marjorie Neuhoff Summer Science Research program, a grant for STEM students to pursue summer research. Hensley studied absolute and apparent magnitudes of supernovae.
Hensley discussed what made her interested in pursuing this type of summer research. “Last semester, I took astrophysics here at Saint Mary’s as my physics elective and I really loved it and I was fascinated. I thought
losing our democracy … I want to stand here to stand up for America, because we’re fighting for you.”
McManus shared that his six nephews and nieces inspired him to attend, saying, “I don’t want to leave them nothing and I’m really concerned about what will happen if we don’t wake up in this country.”
As she passed by the protest, Jennifer Miller, a
supernovae were so cool because a star’s exploding. Then I also really liked the practicality of finding a distance, which is something that I can actually grasp the importance of [as] that’s something we work with every day,” Hensley said.
Hensley is planning to use this summer project as part of her senior comprehensive, creating an additional paper, project and presentation on her research.
Charlotte Marran, a senior chemistry major, pursued a summer experience with the U.S. Green Building Council in Libertyville, Illinois, to promote sustainability in corporate environments, specifically with customers creating projects to obtain sustainability documentation.
Marran shared that the experience solidified her goals to pursue research rather than working in the corporate world, but she appreciated
local community member who recalled attending mass at the same parish as Barrett when she taught at Notre Dame Law School, expressed her discontent with the lack of understanding shown by the protestors.
“I’m just so proud of Amy Coney Barrett. She’s a mom with seven kids and works as a wife and a mom and Supreme Court justice. So whatever
the opportunities the experience presented.
Junior Ava Lin, a biology major on the pre-vet track, discussed why she chose a 12week summer opportunity in the South Bend community.
“I was looking for something to do over the summer related to my interests and hopefully [my] future career. As a pre-vet student, I was looking for opportunities to be involved with animals and with veterinarians. So I found the Potawatomi Zoo Animal Care Internship, which mostly involved shadowing the zookeepers, but I was also able to shadow the veterinarian at the zoo,” Lin said.
Additionally,Sheccid Gutierrez and Maria Coman shared their work with the Sustainable Farm this summer, where they worked with farmer Matthew Insley, sustainability coordinator Maria Gonzalez-Diaz and Christopher Cobb, associate
your politics are, that’s one thing. But I’m just really proud of what she’s accomplished and where she’s going,” Miller said.
She also noted her appreciation for how Barrett “looks at every single case as it comes to her,” and for her faith. Throughout the protest, drivers honked their horns at protestors as they passed by, with some
professor of English and environmental studies, on a weekly pop-up shop providing free cultivated vegetables to the South Bend community with pastor Carrie Badertscher. Gutierrez explained that experiences like these help her to grow outside of her major.
“Honestly, it did really inspire me to pursue that sustainability aspect and maybe even go to another country and help them with sustainability in their in their community. Honestly, this has been incredible because I’ve learned the steps needed to farm, different processes [on] what different farms need and different vegetables needed. So it really has been an amazing experience, an amazing summer and I have met so many amazing people through it,” Gutierrez said.
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
pointing their middle fingers or yelling at the protestors. Pedestrians traveling through the intersection also made comments to the intersection, with one man walking back and forth and taunting protestors for a few minutes.
The protest concluded around 4:45 p.m.
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawal@nd.edu
I do not belong to that ‘happy’ past
By Hannah Alice Simon Columnist, “Eyedentity”
I was filled with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia as I read “Dear Enemy” by Jean Webster, a book published in 1915. Written by one of my favorite authors from childhood, it recounted the life of a young college graduate who finds herself in charge of the children of a home for orphans. For a book that was written in the early 1900s, it was surprisingly feminist. I found myself laughing out loud at the snarky comments and sharp arrows that were clearly meant to pierce the thick walls of entrenched patriarchy. But what stayed with me beyond the last page was the exuberant joy that characterized the protagonist and the world she inhabited. In Webster’s world, the clouds made a very brief appearance, only to be chased away by the ever-present rays of sunshine and the laughter of the light-hearted protagonist. As I continued to devour the book, I found myself wondering wistfully, why wasn’t today’s children’s literature able to capture this sense of pure and effervescent joy?
Unable to find an answer, I fell back into the blissful world that Webster had created for me. I continued to read with a wide smile, and then I encountered this sentence. Sally, the protagonist, writes to her friend about some of the orphans under her care, “Five other children have been sent to their proper institutions. One of them is deaf, one an epileptic, and the other three approaching idiocy. This is an educational institution, and
By Aynslee Dellacca Assistant Managing Editor
“A servant’s heart” is what I’m told makes great volunteers, and I was around plenty of them over the summer. To have a servant’s heart is often defined as having humility, showing compassion for others and being selfless and generous to those in need.
For over 75 years, the charity organization I interned with this past summer has been run almost exclusively by volunteers and continues to offer help and assistance to those in need. I met volunteers at their three different food pantries, their rental and utility assistance office, their transitional housing facility, the dining room of their unsheltered ministries and at their clothing, furniture and ap -
we can’t waste our valuable plant in caring for defectives.”
My smile froze as my brain struggled to process the words I had just encountered. “Proper Institutions,” “deaf,” “idiocy,” “defectives.”
I was thrown out of the past into the present. The world that I had sought to escape into told me loudly that I, and people like me, did not belong, because we were blind, deaf or intellectually disabled.
I continued reading, filled with a sense of dread. As I read, I encountered a world whose fixation on eugenics and notions of genetic purity drove its “perfect” protagonist and her friends to cultivate a dangerous sense of hatred towards individuals with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities. Sally writes to the doctor in charge of the home about an intellectually disabled 13-year-old orphan, “You know, I’m tempted to ask you to prescribe arsenic for Loretta’s cold. Is it right to let her grow up and found a line of 378 feeble-minded people for society to care for? Oh dear! I do hate to poison the child, but what can I do?”
The naive innocence and helplessness that Sally tries to shield herself behind cannot disguise the venom in her words. Whether she will choose to act on her words or not, in this moment, she clearly articulates her desire not only to create an exclusionary world, but a world in which individuals with disabilities, even children, can be annihilated without a second thought.
I turned away from the last page of the book feeling
physically repulsed. How could anyone have the heart to send such dangerous ideas into the world, carefully packaged beneath the sweetly deceptive label of juvenile fiction? How could anyone capture the joy of life so well, speak so powerfully about women’s rights, and yet refuse to recognize the right of people with disabilities even to exist?
For a moment, I looked down at my hands that had clung to the past, to a world that sought to erase my identity. Other books and other authors of the past that had filled me with joy flowed through my mind. They had not sought to end my existence in the same way that Webster wanted to, but in their attempt to create worlds that were gently exclusive, they too had whispered, “You do not belong, because you are blind, a person of color. There is no space for you here.”
I allowed despair to course through my veins.
But then I turned to today’s children’s literature. With a smile, I remembered Rick Riordan, who had chosen to write children’s fantasy from the perspective of a young protagonist who has ADHD and dyslexia. Percy, the protagonist, navigates an imperfect world, a world that forces him to fight monsters, even monsters within himself. But even while naming the darkness, the author gives agency to the protagonist and his friends, creating for them an inclusive space that enables them to determine their own destiny. My memories took me back also to “Julia and the Shark,” a book that explores the beautiful and complex relationship between a young girl and her mom, who struggles with bipolar disorder. I remembered “Freewater,” a book that celebrates the courageous lives and adventures of Black children who lived during the time of slavery. I held on to these books, and
Why the servant’s heart is dying
pliance distribution center.
Amid the impressive feats and accomplishments by these amazing volunteers, what also surrounded me was a sort of uneasiness in the long-term future of the nonprofit; there always seemed to be a lack of volunteers. Across the various programs, every ministry was on the lookout for potential “servant hearts” to step in and continue their work. An executive shared with me this is the case for nearly all nonprofits across the country; people simply don’t volunteer anymore.
Culturally, this phenomenon can be attributed to all sorts of economic, social, religious and political changes. But what’s consistent in all of these factors is the increasing normalization and encouragement of individualism within the U.S.
The influx of individualistic tendencies can be witnessed in nearly every industry, not just in the effects on nonprofit organizations. It’s the cultural pressure of personal achievement and superiority, the motivating drive for a better career or lifestyle, the polarizing and radical political ideologies, the drastic decrease of religious community or affiliations and even the encouragement of selfish tendencies in mainstream movies, television shows and social media. This is not to say individualism is entirely bad. Such a philosophy produces beneficial outlooks on acceptance, tolerance and self-expression, and competition with others generates (ideally) greater success rates and greater quality of life. Many of our rights and freedoms in the U.S. are based on individualistic principles. And in some twisted capitalistic way, our economy generally benefits from individualistic consumerism. What I will say, however, is the instant gratification of convenience has allowed for external interaction and communication to hold less importance in our society. Yes, with fear of sounding like someone of the boomer generation, online relationships and interactions are not nearly as impactful on our well-being as face-toface interaction. We see less of others when we order groceries or food online or when meetings are held on Zoom calls. Instead of relying on human connection for entertainment, we find comfort in our online entertainment through streaming media on our phones or computers.
they gave me a sense of peace. Perhaps today’s children’s literature is not filled with the same effervescent joy of the past. But perhaps that is a good thing. Because the joy in Webster’s books was empty, a mere disguise to mask the prejudice and hatred towards all who were labelled as “other” and “defective.” I am glad that the books of today do much more. I am glad that today’s children’s literature attempts to create inclusive worlds. I am glad that today’s children’s literature celebrates the voices of the marginalized, giving them the space to tell their own stories. I am glad for the present, in which I too can hope to belong. eggs and spoiled bananas.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Hannah Alice Simon at hsimon2@nd.edu
As college students, with so much of our research at our fingertips, we interact less with our peers, professors, librarians and other expert researchers. Our generation has seen parks degenerate, local stores close and theaters on the verge of bankruptcy. Third spaces have diminished drastically, and spontaneous interactions with strangers feel nearly socially unacceptable. Such a loss of human connection directly correlates to a lack of empathy or compassion for others. Look it up. Ironically, there are plenty of YouTube video essays on how individualism has negatively impacted our nation. What’s more interesting is the finding by professors Yuji Ogihara
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
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Continued from page 5
and Yukiko Uchida that an individual orientation negatively impacts subjective well-being in students from Japan and the U.S. in a 2014 psychology study.
I believe we see less of the needs of others because we physically don’t see others anymore. We are so consumed with ourselves and how to personally achieve more, to better ourselves and to make our lives more convenient that we’ve lost what it means to fight for and care for others. And that is why the servant’s heart is dying. As the needs and injustices in our country continue to grow, they must be met with those who are willing to fulfill those needs and enact justice. If we want to see change in the way people are treated and offer relief to those suffering hardship, we must bring the change, and we
must offer relief. Even more simply, if you want greater human interaction and to find community, you must go and find your community. I called for something very similar in an opinion column around this time last year, for us to put aside time to volunteer and make positive impacts in our community. Don’t allow the needs of others to fall to the wayside. Choose to pour out radical love in the face of apathy. Support methodical collectivism over mainstream individualism. We need more servant hearts in our community in order for our community to thrive. Don’t watch as your servant’s heart dies, but use it, and use it for selfless good.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Aynslee Dellacca at adellacca01@saintmarys.edu
What Charlie Kirk got wrong about Black women
By Zora Rodgers
On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University during the first stop of his “American Comeback” tour. I was in my audition seminar class when I absentmindedly checked my phone and audibly gasped as my eyes glanced over the Washington Post notification. I followed the story into my next class, refreshing my laptop for updates and texting my friends. I was vaguely familiar with Kirk for his controversial right-wing extremist takes, and his murder came as a shock to me and many others, most likely because we tend to view public figures as untouchable.
This was a story I followed for days. I analyzed my classmates’ reactions to it, the media’s coverage of it, social media and politicians’ takes, etc. I wondered why his death and the handling of such (being flown on Air Force 2 and posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom) was of the highest honors despite him being a podcaster and having held no public office.
As news outlets chronicled his legacy and Kirk’s friends and family emotionally reflected on his life, I was curious to see what truly made this man so great. Some surface-level research and video compilations of his most controversial quotes quickly left me frustrated but not surprised, most specifically his comments about race.
This piece could’ve been “What Charlie Kirk got wrong about Black people,” instead of Black women. The only reason it is not is because I am loosely bound to a word count, so I will instead
focus on the demographic that most directly affects me.
For about as long as America has been alive and colonized, Black women have been deval ued, degraded and unfairly de preciated. It is a common saying in Black households that Black women must be “twice as good” to be awarded half as much as their white counterparts.
There are two direct quotes that I would like to pick apart. Both were said by Kirk on “The Charlie Kirk Show.”
The first is, “If I’m dealing with somebody in customer service who’s a moronic Black woman, I wonder is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affir mative action?” The second is as follows, “If we would have said that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative action picks, we would have been called racists. Now they’re com ing out and they’re saying it for us … You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.”
First, let’s take a quick crash course in affirmative action. Affirmative action is when organizations make an active effort by devoting resources to better the employment and educational opportunities of marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities and women. Historically, white women have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action. It is not executed in the form of quotas (banned by the Supreme Court in the late 1970s), it does not discriminate against white men and it certainly does not hire unqualified individuals
(which is against federal law). Additionally, Joy Reid went to Harvard for her undergraduate degree. Michelle Obama went to Princeton and Harvard Law School. Sheila Jackson Lee went to NYU, transferred to Yale, and later attended UVA Law School. Ketanji Brown Jackson attended Harvard University for her undergraduate degree and Harvard Law School. Charlie Kirk attended Harper College for one semester before dropping out. Why was he challenging the intellectual competency of these Black women when they have run educational laps around him? Kirk saying that these highly educated women do not possess the “brain processing power” to be taken seriously is problematic primarily because it is reminiscent of 19th-century
pseudoscientific rhetoric that white people would use to justify the abuse of Black people and their low social status. They alleged that Black people had thicker skin and could thus tolerate more pain, less lung capacity and smaller skulls attributed to the pseudoscience of phrenology, which asserts that cranium size and shape is indicative of mental ability.
Finally, Kirk’s assertion that these women are “stealing a white person’s slot” is troublesome because it implies that only white people are entitled to prestigious roles like “first lady” or “talk show host” or “Supreme Court justice”. This is white supremacist ideology that should be condemned on all fronts. The idea that white people are the only ones deserving of positions of power
is incredibly racist and false, given that they are not the only competent ethnic group and those “slots” in question are fair game for anybody. Kirk’s harmful rhetoric toward Black women is something that I felt compelled to address given that his words are not only insulting to me, but to my Black female friends, family, classmates and colleagues as well. His racist remarks are inevitably a part of his legacy, and should be consequently painted into the picture of his character.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Zora Rodgers at zrodgers@nd.edu
Columnist, “The Quiet Part Out Loud”
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
‘Meeting with Pol Pot’ pulls its punches
By Christopher Cope Scene Copy Editor
Last Sunday, I walked over to the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center to watch the film “Meeting with Pol Pot.”
The movie was introduced by professor Ray Offenheiser and prefaced with a speech by the author Elizabeth Becker, who was portrayed by actress Irène Jacob in the movie. The film begins with three journalists in Cambodia, invited by Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot to tour the country. Slowly, they realize the horrors and atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.
I did not enjoy the movie. The performers were unremarkable. The characters’ reactions to the atrocities didn’t seem real or carry much depth. While one might say this is entirely the fault of the actors, their performances were not at all cushioned or elevated by a well-written script. In defense, one might say the background of individual complexity was intentionally discarded so the movie could focus on the horrors of the external world that was Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, but even given
this opportunity, they don’t take it — we spend most of the movie watching the characters’ slow acknowledgment of the horror. But the average watcher, even if he doesn’t have a cursory conception of Pol Pot’s Cambodia, is able to guess at the magnitude. The movie spends all this time building up to
several emotional revelations where the viewer can guess the emotional revelations about two minutes into the movie.
The portrayal of the first flurry of dramatic moments, where the viewer is first alerted that the country is in disarray and people are suffering, was diluted by the director’s clumsy “creative” cinematography. He portrayed the evils committed by the Khmer Rouge with static wooden carvings. The director switched out what was intended to be the dramatic height of the movie with frames that were supposed to be a symbol for its
significance. Never will merely pointing to a symbol of a distressing scene actually leave the audience with the same impact as the actual distressing scene. The director had budgetary constraints, and he solved it by avoiding any confrontation with the primary subject of the movie — a poor move.
The second climax, where the interviewers finally meet and talk to Pol Pot or “Brother Number One,” is similarly disappointing. Pol Pot has his face concealed (a lazily enacted cliche) while he justifies to the interviewer, an educated Marxist, why he committed the atrocities. Pol Pot is given zero nuance in his justifications and is portrayed as a cartoonish supervillain. And perhaps the director ethically doesn’t need to portray Pol Pot as having nuanced justification for the massacres, or perhaps he doesn’t because Pol Pot realistically had none — either way, the discussion was uninteresting, and I think uninteresting is a decent encapsulation of the entire film.
Contact Christopher Cope at ccope@nd.edu
Alcohol sales in stadium boost ND approval rating
By Joe Rudolph Scene Writer
On April 11, 2025, the University of Notre Dame put the “drunk” back in Irish when they released the following statement: “The sale of alcoholic beverages at Notre Dame football, hockey and basketball games will expand to include both premium and general admission seating beginning with the 2025 football season.”
It didn’t take long for the Notre Dame community to react.
“THE AGE OF SOBRIETY IS OVER. THE TIME OF THE ALCOHOLIC HAS COME,” an enthused RA from Knott Hall said.
“We needed something to turn the page, something to make this school unparalleled in terms of grandiosity,” a spokesperson for the administration said. “It’s safe to say that we knocked this one out of the park.”
“We also didn’t make enough money from the bowl games last year, so we had to expand our stadium operations somehow,” he said snidely.
In their announcement, University administrators also wrote that they are “committed to promoting responsible consumption and ensuring a safe … ” Yeah, yeah, whatever: beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer.
Eager to conduct some investigative journalism concerning this groundbreaking event, I turned to the people whom this decision is going to affect the most: the parents.
“We. Are. Terrified,” said a concerned mom. I’m sure you are! Nonetheless, the University has received an overwhelmingly
positive response to this decision, leading to record-high approval ratings.
“Thanks to this new implementation, everyone in the Notre Dame community has finally started to like us,” said another official.
“Students are eager to try out their fake IDs, older fans are ready to take the edge off, and even donors are now less irritated when we send them several emails, faxes, letters and phone calls every week asking them for money!”
With such promising remarks from the University, I then decided to get the perspective of the student body. The responses were overwhelming.
“What I love about beer is that you order it and then drink it. And then you order another one. And then another one. And then you order and drink another,” said a sophomore philosophy student.
“This is a much needed addition. In prior years, I would get so desperate for beer that I would sneak onto the field and eat the black rubber pellets layered beneath the turf.”
“It’s good to know that I will be able to pay tribute to the sailors on the Edmund Fitzgerald within the confines of Notre Dame Stadium.”
The student sighed. “Every night I drink 29 beers to remember the 29 lost at sea that fateful night.”
“I LOVE BEER, AND THANKS TO NOTRE DAME, BEER LOVES ME.”
“Cops used to tell me to save the results of my drunkenness for the parking lot trash cans,” said a junior. “Now, I can save it for the stadium bleachers in front of me!”
“ASK NOT WHAT YOUR BEER CAN DO FOR YOU. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR BEER.”
“I remember about 50% of the
football games I go to,” said a fifthyear student. “Thankfully, that number will drop drastically.”
“DRAFT BEER, NOT MEN!” commented a Notre Dame alumnus who participated in the antiVietnam War protests on campus nearly 50 years ago.
“Thanks to Notre Dame, I will continue to kill my brain with beer with the University’s consent and support!” said an overjoyed junior studying neuroscience and psychology.
“What I love about this decision is that it allows me to drink even more irresponsibly before the game, black out in the first quarter, wake up in the fourth when we’re up by 30 and then get right back to work!”
“There is going to be so much beer in my digestive tract on football Saturdays that you might as well call me the brewery, my friend,” said an eager freshman.
Some weren’t as enthusiastic about Notre Dame’s decision, arguing that more steps should have been taken to improve the overall fan and stadium experience. “Miller Lite and Guinness are our options?” one student complained. “What about Everclear or vodka, huh?”
Pessimists have suggested that we only sell liquor for games where we play teams from the MidAmerican Conference. “It would have been good for people to selfmedicate during and after the Marshall & NIU games,” said avid Notre Dame football fan Bernie Weavelstein.
Security personnel have not embraced the new change in the football stadium with as much enthusiasm as the administration or the student body. I spoke to a stadium security guard to get his take.
“We’re going to need to expand the drunk tank, where seriously intoxicated students are deposited during the game,” a Notre Dame security officer said.
“Why? Is the drunk tank small?” I inquired.
“No, sir. It’s plenty big. It just ain’t big enough.”
Local law enforcement chimed in: “We anticipate the number of alcohol-related car accidents to jump significantly,” noted South Bend police officer Judy Hopps.
The Notre Dame fanbase had its first chance to make the Dowd administration deeply regret the decision to permit alcohol sales this Saturday in their home opener against Texas A&M. I continue to pray that Notre Dame Stadium will start selling whole milk as well.
Contact Joe Rudolph at jrudolp3@nd.edu
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
ISABELLE RUTLAND | The Observer
Texas A&M
Continued from page 1
receiver Jordan Faison. The dual-sport athlete gave the ball back to Carr, who delivered a 43-yard strike to senior tight end Eli Raridon. Moments later, junior running back Jadarian Price knifed through the defense from seven yards out, and the Irish took a 14-7 lead.
A few minutes of game action later, Price would once again receive the ball and explode for 24 yards. His big play inspired the Irish to drive down into the red zone, eventually settling for a field goal shortly after the conclusion of the first quarter.
Just as the Irish did, the Aggies wasted no time answering. Reed found KC Concepcion for a 16-yard gain to lead Texas A&M past midfield. On the next play, Reed and Concepcion linked up once again, this time for a 45-yard strike down the right side of the field. Removed only one yard from the goal line, running back Le’Veon Moss punctured his way through at the first attempt, cutting the Aggies’ deficit to three.
The Aggies’ quick strike was
countered by Notre Dame’s superstar. Love ran for 27 yards on three combined plays. Two snaps later, Love made one of the best plays of his career — an impressive feat considering all of the highlight-worthy moments attributed to his name — by snagging a slightly overthrown ball by Carr with one hand. Wide-open and with room to run, Love did just that as he raced to a 36-yard touchdown, extending the Irish lead to 24-14.
Moss pulled the Aggies back within three points on Texas A&M’s next drive. Disaster then struck for Notre Dame with 3:51 on the clock. Carr frantically threw a short check-down to Price, but overthrew the target.
The Aggies’ Scooby Williams was there for the interception, and Texas A&M capitalized with Moss at the end of a sevenplay drive. The Aggies held that 28-24 lead into the half.
If the first half was chaos, then the second half was pure mayhem.
Notre Dame kicked things off with a touchdown on its second drive of the half. Positioned deep in Aggie territory, Notre Dame made the most of its
prime opportunity. Price darted to the left of the line before exploding 17 yards for his second touchdown of the night, just about untouched on his way there.
Following a short Aggie drive, Notre Dame had the chance to grow its 31-28 lead into two scores. However, its plans to do so were interrupted when Denbrock’s decision to run wildcat with Love backfired on 4th-and-1 at the Aggies’ 48yard line. The Irish fell short, and the Aggies proceeded to tie the game.
“We started the second half better, but I put them in a bad situation. We didn’t convert the 4-and-1 offensively. They got the ball, I think at the minus 49, and ended up getting a field goal,” Freeman said after the game.
The teams went on to exchange field goals, tying the game at 34. With 9:06 left in the game, all eyes rested upon Carr and the offense to what seemed likely to be the decisive score. Carr and company did just that, driving down the field in 6 minutes and 10 seconds, closed out by a quintessential Love 12yard touchdown. The Heisman
candidate tallied an impressive 37 yards on the drive more than he had through the entirety of the Miami game. But the drive ended on a sour note, as Tyler Buchner’s hold on the PAT turned what should have been a seven-point drive into just six.
When asked about what went wrong on the play, Freeman stated, “I didn’t talk to [Buchner]. I didn’t ask him. I was trying to get ready for the next play.”
Down 40-34 with 2:41 on the clock, Texas A&M did the unthinkable. Launch-padded by Reed’s 34-yard strike to Craver on the second play of the drive, the Aggies were able to march into red-zone territory rather quickly. From there, the Irish defense did well at fending off the Aggies’ attempt at the end zone.
However, on a crucial third down at Notre Dame’s 20-yard line, Gray was called for holding. This moment gave the Aggies a fresh set of downs, and on 4th and 11, Reed found Nate Boerkircher for the game-tying score. Randy Bond’s PAT went right through the uprights with 13 seconds left on the clock, sealing the deal for Texas A&M.
With the loss, Notre Dame’s odds for the College Football Playoff are not impossible, but seem unlikely.
“You’ve gotta go to work and practice and get better,” Freeman said. “So what do you control? You control getting better and getting ready for the next one.”
He later emphasized, “We’ve got to focus on getting better for the next week. The future is uncertain. I don’t know what the playoff number is. It doesn’t matter. We need to focus on getting better and getting ready for next week.”
Freeman’s star back Love echoed a similar sentiment: “We’re going to keep our heads up. Stay together.”
Freeman’s assertion is correct. The world of college football is an uncertain one. If Notre Dame is to win out, there is a chance it is in the mix. However, it’s foolish to look that far ahead. For now, the Irish are going to take everything one day at a time in their quest to return to turn the tide on their young season.
Contact Chris Dailey at cdailey2@nd.edu
Love and the Irish sticking together after loss
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
A key part of the Notre Dame offense, junior running back Jeremiyah Love showed his worth on the field throughout the game against Texas A&M on Saturday evening.
Kicking off the first quarter, Love was a key player who freshman quarterback CJ Carr was looking for in all of the big plays despite dislocating his finger early on in the game. The junior finished the first quarter with a total of 25 rushing yards and one receiving yard, a big part of why the Irish were able to gain their second touchdown of the night. After pushing the ball inside the red zone on the Irish end of the field, Carr found junior running back Jadarian Price, who found a pocket to get the 7-yard touchdown, putting the Irish up 13-7.
“I see a lot of greatness in CJ. CJ is one of the greatest quarterbacks in college football,” Love said.
Now going the other direction, Love took no time in getting the ball down the field, going from the Irish 25-yard line to the Aggie 50 over the span of three plays, giving hope to those in the stands. Following that, Carr found Love open on the right side with a deep, 36-yard pass, and Love made the third touchdown for the Irish, putting them up 23-14 at 9:43 in the second quarter. With that touchdown, Love and the
Irish were in control of the game.
Following an injury on the Aggie side with just a little over a minute left in the second quarter, the team jumped right back into action but appeared out of sorts. Love remained focused, though, jumping on an errant snap near midfield to avoid an Aggie scoop-and-score before halftime.
Going into the second half, Love became a main player in rushing, as in a span of around four minutes, he took the ball 15 yards. In addition to this, Love woke up around the four-minute mark, as he collected nine yards over three plays that happened within the minute. Ending the third quarter, the junior had a game total of 59 rushing yards with a long rush of 16. In addition to this, Love had a total of 50 receiving yards with the 36-yard touchdown. Moving to the fourth quarter, with the energy still high in the stadium due to Notre Dame’s 34-31 lead, the team kept composure and was ready to take on what Texas A&M was bringing. After tying up the score for the second time in the evening, the stadium got rowdier, and Love gave them more to cheer about. Late in the fourth quarter, he found the end zone on the ground, putting the Irish ahead 40-34.
Finishing the game, the Irish took the close 41-40 loss after Texas A&M found the end zone in the final seconds
of the game.
“We all brothers. We all love each other, so don’t point fingers,” Love said after the game.
“It’s not good enough ... We
had some unexpected injuries, but it doesn’t matter ... We didn’t play well enough,” head coach Marcus Freeman said.
The Irish will face off
against Purdue this Saturday, Sept. 20, at 3:30 p.m. in Notre Dame Stadium.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
INDIA DOERR, GABRIELLA MARTIN | The Observer
Junior running back Jeremiyah Love carries the football into the end zone while scoring his second touchdown of the contest during Notre Dame’s 41-40 defeat to Texas A&M on Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium.
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
How many books have you read this year?
Molly Gruber junior Johnson Family Hall
Anthony Hartman freshman Duncan Hall
Andrew Li freshman Carroll Hall
Agapi Gialamas freshman Pasquerilla East “Two.”
CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ
Peter Belin sophomore Coyle Community “Three.”
SOCIAL MEDIA POLL
Have an idea for a poll? Email dstangel@nd.edu
How many alarms do you set in the morning?
A recent poll conducted by The Observer via Instragram asked students how many alarms they set each morning. With 198 votes, the majority of respondents, 41.4%, said they only set one alarm. The next largest group, 23.2%, said they set two alarms. A similar number of respondents set three, 17.2%, and 18.2% set four. With Saturday’s game ending around 11:30 p.m. Notre Dame students might have needed to set a couple extra alarms to get up yesterday.
THE NEXT FIVE DAYS
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Monday
2025 Carrier Medal Ceremony and Lecture
Jordan Hall of Science 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Tuesday
GET THE SCOOP on Recovery — free ice cream
LaFortune Community Kitchen 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday
Constitution Day speaker — professor Vincent Philip Muñoz Driscoll Auditorium
7 p.m.
Thursday
Notre Dame women’s soccer vs. Duke Alumni Stadium
7 p.m.
Friday
U.S. Governors: “Pragmatism Over Polarization” Dahnke Ballroom
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Gabriella Martin |The Observer
Freshman safety Tae Johnson carries a loose ball from a blocked punt by lineman Loghan Thomas to score for the Irish in the first drive of Saturday’s game. The Irish lost to the Aggies 41-40 in Notre Dame Stadium.
Key moments from Notre Dame’s loss to Texas
Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
On a gloomy Saturday evening in a sold-out stadium, filled with the tri-campus students and fans alike waving bright gold towels, a sea of gold helmets representing Notre Dame football lined up
to face off and took a 41-40 loss against the Texas A&M Aggies. Here are the top five moments leading to the high-scoring Irish defeat in their 2025 home opener.
Instant special teams touchdown
After the Irish took the ball at
the beginning of the game and kicked for a touchback, Notre Dame was quick to make it to the end zone.
As the Aggies looked to punt the ball away early on in the game at the 13-minute mark and the ball was spotted at the Aggies’ 20yard line, sophomore defensive
ND MEN’S SOCCER
lineman Loghan Thomas was first on the scene of a punt, going straight into Texas A&M’s Tyler White and blocking the kick to set the ball loose.
The ball, quickly picked up by freshman safety Tae Johnson, was run 20 yards to the Irish end zone, putting Notre Dame up 6-0.
The point after, brought up by senior kicker Noah Burnette, gave the Irish their 7-0 lead.
Moore’s first-quarter interception
As the stadium kept up its
see “Key Moments” on page 11
Irish men’s soccer thwart Pitt on the road
By Chris Dailey Associate Sports Editor
The Notre Dame men’s soccer team picked up a crucial ACC 2-0 road win against Pitt on Friday night. Freshman forward Luke Burton and senior forward Wyatt Borso led the way for the Irish with one goal apiece, while junior midfielder Nolan Spicer chipped in with two assists. The Irish were no less proficient in the defensive third, allowing only one shot on target as sophomore goalkeeper Blake Kelly picked up his third clean sheet of the season.
In the 13th minute, senior defender Mitch Ferguson delivered a corner kick that had just enough juice to reach the first man at the near post. The ensuing 50-50 battle sent the ball bouncing to the top of the box, right into the path of Spicer.
Spicer’s left-footed volley indirectly bounced off the chest of Burton and into the back of the net. The goal was certainly an unconventional one, but fortunately for the Irish, they count all the same. It also marks the first of Burton’s career, a big weight off the young forward’s shoulders.
Burton had a stellar game, nearly scoring again after his first goal. However, the Panthers were able to cling on defensively and maintain the 1-0 deficit into the half.
The Irish stampede continued in the second half behind brilliant work from senior midfielder KK Baffour, Spicer and the rest of Notre Dame’s attacking threats. About 20 minutes through the second half, Spicer was at the right place once again as he intercepted a miscued Pitt pass at the top of the 18.
Spicer quickly slipped a
well-weighted ball to Borso, whose first touch set him up for a beautiful right-footed finish. Borso ran to the corner flag to celebrate and was greeted by the entirety of the Notre Dame bench.
The Irish’s defense remained strong throughout the rest of the half, and head coach Chad Riley’s team cruised to a 2-0 victory.
With the win, Notre Dame improves to 2-1-2 on the season. The Irish have revived their young 2025 campaign after a rough start, initially drawing Michigan on the road and then IU Indy at home to start the year. Since then, Notre Dame has picked up wins against ranked Oregon State and a Pitt program that has reached six consecutive NCAA tournaments. Sandwiched between those two results is a 1-0 loss to No. 1 Indiana, an impressive result considering the prowess of
ND VOLLEYBALL
the Hoosiers’ attack.
Notre Dame now turns its attention to a seven-game home stand, kicked off with a clash against non-conference foe Omaha. The Mavericks are 0-4-2 on the season, having allowed 14 goals to only five scored. They are led by head coach Donovan Dowling.
The game should prove a good test for the Irish, as it’s likely that many depth pieces will play significant minutes if all goes to plan. That plan requires another strong defensive showing, particularly from center backs Ferguson and graduate student Diego Ochoa. The tandem has provided a steady presence in the defensive third for Notre Dame, all while making Kelly’s life a lot simpler.
The midfield also must control the tempo of the game. Sophomore defensive midfielder Will Schroeder
has done a great job at stepping into an increased role so far this season. Schroeder’s physical presence, meshed with a strong technique on the ball, makes him one of Notre Dame’s key figures.
Riding lots of momentum into the homestand, Notre Dame knows there’s still plenty of work to do. Riley’s team must be able to take the energy from its win against the Panthers and carry it into a vital stretch of the season. Following its clash against the Mavericks, Notre Dame has dates lined up with the likes of Louisville, SMU and No. 14 Virginia Tech. Notre Dame vs. Omaha is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Alumni Stadium. Admission is free, and streaming can be found on the ACC Network.
Contact Chris Dailey at cdailey2@nd.edu
Irish get back on track with Colorado trip
By Andy Caron Sports Writer
Despite three straight losses for Notre Dame volleyball, there was substantial optimism heading into its Colorado road trip. Two of these three losses came from tight, fiveset matches to the likes of Villanova and Illinois. Salima Rockwell and her crew headed to Fort Collins, Colorado, where they faced off against Colorado State and East Texas A&M.
Following a four-set win against East Texas A&M the night prior, the Rams welcomed the Irish to Moby Arena. Close to 8,000 fans packed the arena Friday night for what looked to be an exciting matchup. However, the Rams and their home crowd were immediately silenced with six straight Irish points, resulting in a Colorado State timeout. Three of these first six points in set one were finished off by Sydney Helmers kills. The 6-foot-4 junior transfer from the University of Texas showed up in a big way against the Rams, totaling 11 kills, a season high for the junior. Colorado State never seemed to be in the first set as the Irish instilled constant pressure. An eight-to-one run by Notre Dame in the middle of the set increased the deficit to 10 for the Rams. A patented block by sophomore middle blocker Anna Bjork
secured the first set for the Irish as they took it 25-12.
Set two was very much a backand-forth affair with neither team gaining a margin of more than two until 19 points in. However, another mid-set run by Notre Dame saw Colorado State head coach Emily Kohan take a timeout as the Irish led 21-14. Bjork won the set again for the Irish — this time with a kill and Notre Dame took a 2-0 set lead. The Irish maintained a balanced attack in set two with middle blocker Grace Langer, Bjork and outside hitter Gaerte all contributing four kills. The Irish have and will continue to lean on their sophomore class this season. Langer, Bjork and Gaerte headline the 2028 graduating class and all boast significant NCAA experience, despite just being sophomores. The three of them totaled a combined 28 kills on Friday night.
In set three, Colorado State’s urgency was apparent as it forced Coach Rockwell to take two timeouts midway through the set, and the Irish saw themselves dug in a hole. Colorado State found itself serving for the set at 24-22 before three straight Irish points, including an ace from freshman libero Maya Evans that put them back in contention for a sweep. Both teams went back and forth before a trademark Gaerte kill secured the sweep
for the Irish. She totaled 14 kills on the night.
Following a sweep of the Rams on Friday, the Irish took the floor on Saturday afternoon looking to do the same against East Texas A&M. Going into the matchup against the Irish, the Lions had yet to win a match this year (0-7). The first set was very tight with no team taking a convincing lead. Despite the thin margins, the Irish were able to come away with a first-set win with a very balanced attack. At least seven Irish players had at least one kill in the opening set win.
The second set was very tight, with the Irish leading by only two in the latter stages of the set. Notre Dame senior libero Maisie Alexander served out the last two points of the set, including a setsealing ace to increase the Notre Dame set lead to two. In the set, Gaerte posted six kills while Langer boasted four kills. The third set saw the Irish race out to a 9-2 lead, which led to an East Texas A&M timeout. The Irish maintained a comfortable lead for the entirety of the set and secured the sweep with a 25-19 third-set victory. The aforementioned Gaerte and Langer contributed 12 and seven kills, respectively. Senior outside hitter Avery Ross added 11 kills. Additionally, senior outside hitter Lucy Trump logged six service aces, a season high for
any player thus far. It was a successful trip for the Irish as they didn’t drop a set during their time in Fort Collins, Colorado. Salima Rockwell and the Irish return home to South Bend and will get some much-needed rest before
seeing the Michigan Wolverines twice over the weekend, with the first match occurring in South Bend on Friday night.
Contact Andy Caron at acaron2@nd.edu
Key Moments
Continued from page 10
electric energy, freshman quarterback CJ Carr utilized his offense and junior running back Jadarian Price on a 7-yard touchdown run. After a good kick by Burnette put the Irish up 14-7, the Irish prepared to defend against the Texas A&M offense, which seemed no problem for sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore.
Looking from the Aggies’ 19, Marcel Reed looked for a deep left toss to Ashton Bethel-Roman, but Moore was there to intercept and give the ball back to the Irish.
Love’s one-handed touchdown
Junior running back Jeremiyah
Love kept himself open for the new quarterback, as the pair completed a 36-yard touchdown pass on a one-handed grab, putting up the third touchdown for the Irish and giving them a 23-14 lead.
After the touchdown, Burnette was back on the field for the point after, and the kick was good to make the score 24-14.
Aggie interception turns momentum
While the Irish held the ball at the 3:30 time mark, Carr looked
to take the ball himself at the Irish 42-yard line, but to much surprise, the freshman looked to Price as the receiver. As he tossed the ball over the Aggie defender, the ball went too high for Price as it tipped off his fingers and caused an interception by Scooby Williams.
The ball was then seen at the Irish 47, and not even 10 seconds later, Reed sent it downfield to Mario Craver to complete a stellar 31-yard pass to move the Aggie offense closer to the end zone, and after a personal foul committed by the Irish defense, the Aggies marched down to the Irish 4-yard line.
The game-winning touchdown
After a field goal from Texas A&M tied up the score at 34, the ball went up and down the field, but there was no score made. The tension remained in the stadium as no one knew what was going to happen, but Love changed that.
With 2:43 to play in the game, Love found his way through the Texas A&M defense, scoring a 12-yard touchdown and bringing Notre Dame ahead 40-34. With this, the entire stadium erupted with cheers, the loudest of the night.
The Aggies drove back down the field in response, though,
closing in on the goal line in the final minute. After a series of incompletions set up a 4thand-goal situation at the Irish 11, Reed took his shot to the end zone. Tight end Nate Boerkircher pulled down a contested catch, ultimately winning the game for the Aggies 41-40.
“We need to focus on getting ready for the next game,” head coach Marcus Freeman said in the postgame press conference.
The Irish will face off against Purdue this Saturday, Sept. 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
Belles pull away from Manchester in five sets
By Payton Dymek Sports Writer
On Friday, Sept. 12, in a formidable game, the Belles took the Manchester Spartans to five sets, ultimately pulling away with a win to extend their win streak to 7-0, while Manchester dropped to 4-4. The Spartans had a quick start to the game, immediately taking the first few points of the game with big kills and great defensive plays.
Despite the first set being a back-and-forth between the two teams, Saint Mary’s was able to pull out a win, 25-20. The second and third sets mirrored the first in that the ball was constantly changing position. It felt like when the Belles had a monster kill, the Spartans followed suit, or even if Saint Mary’s missed a dig, Manchester would do the same. Although this style of play keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, it’s extremely tough for the players, especially because the backand-forth makes it impossible to go on big scoring runs and pull away from your opponent just enough to secure a win.
The Spartans slipped past with a win in the second set, 25-23, and the Belles would scrape out a win in the third, 25-22.
The fourth and fifth sets were textbook examples of a “Friday night game,” and although they were not very long, they felt as though they lasted a lifetime.
Saint Mary’s, coming off a tiring win in the third set, was ready to take the fourth and call it a night. However, Manchester had other plans and fought to take the Belles to a fifth set.
Saint Mary’s struggled to keep a swing in the court and let lots of balls drop on defense, allowing the Spartans to push a lead of 16-6 toward the middle of the set. The Belles, understanding that a fifth set was on the horizon, decided to save their energy, allowing Manchester to get massive kills and ultimately take the fourth set 25-12.
The fifth set was grueling for the athletes and stressful for the audience. The first handful of points were very long rallies, with the ball switching sides four to five times before a team scored a point. Heading into the side switch that occurs in the
middle of the fifth set, the Belles were up 7-3. Manchester did its best to fight back, continuing its consistent offense and defense it had all game, with one of its own players, freshman outside hitter Adelyn Figley, reaching 19 kills of her own. Ultimately, with a brute swing from junior middle hitter Caroline Carens, Saint Mary’s scored the final point of the match, taking the set 15-13 and the match 3-2. Carens led the night with 17 kills and five blocks, senior outside hitter Delaney Martin led the team with 16 digs, and sophomore setter Giuliana Graczyk led with two aces. Continuing to be a tough team for their opponents in the MIAA, Saint Mary’s will play Franklin College at home on Tuesday.
Franklin preview
With Saint Mary’s sitting at 7-0 after its win over Manchester, the Belles look to keep their momentum going with a match against Franklin College on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The Grizzlies are coming off a three-game losing streak, but will be hungry to snap the
HCC MEN’S SOCCER
Belles’ streak, ready to push Saint Mary’s to a five-set battle a scenario the Belles have already faced several times this season.
Offensively, Saint Mary’s will continue to be led by Carens, who may even hit a career high in kills. Carens was extremely close with 18 during their match at Benedictine, but fell two kills short. Not only could this match be the one where she breaks her record, but it will definitely be the one where she surpasses 100 season kills, an impressive statistic for her Saint Mary’s career. Aside from Carens, Martin will also be a big leader for the Belles, coming off eight kills from their game against Manchester. With these two at the net, Franklin is sure to struggle staying in-system. Defensively, Saint Mary’s is led by senior libero Karli Fegan and upcoming star freshman outside Shannon Rudge. Both players have 211 digs between them this season and have carried the Belles to a 16.04 digs per set average, whereas Franklin only has 12.4.
For Franklin College, this
game could mean snapping its losing streak, which would be key if it wants to remain a competitive team in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Belles need to watch out for offensive players such as senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Lavy, who already has 110 kills on the season and has scored 145 points for the Grizzlies, and junior opposite McKenzie Schroeder, who has 97 kills on the season and 106 points on the year. Defensively, senior defensive specialist Campbell Clark, who has 91 digs, and freshman outside Leah Middleton, who has 71 digs, will prove to be a challenge for the Belles and will force them to become more creative with their plays and spots they hit on the court.
This is going to be a very close matchup that is sure to keep the audience on edge and be one of the toughest challenges for the Belles thus far in their season. First serve is 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex.
Contact Payton Dymek at pdymek01@saintmarys.edu
Saints play with a man down in 1-0 defeat
By Harrison Brown Sports Writer
Holy Cross men’s soccer fell to 2-3 on the season as it recorded its second straight loss. The Saints were defeated 1-0 by Rochester Christian on their home field. They will have an opportunity to snap their losing streak as they host Saint Francis on Tuesday.
Rochester Christian (Mich.)
Entering Saturday’s match, the Rochester Christian Warriors were 0-4 with only one goal on the season. The team opened the season with a three-goal loss to No. 14 Spring Point and overall were defeated by an average of three goals a game.
The Saints entered the contest with an even record, sitting
at 2-2. They are looking to build momentum before conference play starts on Sept. 24. Holy Cross hopes to improve on its performance from last season, when it finished seventh in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The beginning of the match saw a drought of scoring. Isaias Rubio, the senior goalkeeper for the Saints, made multiple impressive athletic plays to keep the ball out of the goal. Having only allowed one goal so far in the season, Rubio played a crucial role in the Saints’ defensive efforts. Rochester’s own senior goalkeeper, Kris Tauzik, held his own on the other side of the field, keeping the contest even through the beginning of the match.
With just over 24 minutes left in the first half, Holy Cross
freshman left winger Daniel Alfaro and Rochester Christian freshman defender Boris Lazic jumped for a 50/50 ball. During the play, contact was made, and Alfaro fell to the ground injured. Lazic was issued a red card following the altercation, and Alfaro would miss the rest of the game. Due to the red card, the Saints would play the rest of the match a man down.
The rest of the half was highlighted by more good goalkeeping and a lack of scoring. The teams would head into the break tied at 0-0. The first period made it clear that the rain falling before the game played a major factor. The slick field led to overly strong passes and a few slips.
Entering the second half, the two keepers were still making major contributions to their
teams’ chances. Rubio would rack up four saves over the course of the match, and Tauzik would finish with five of his own. However, with 25:30 left in the game, sophomore midfielder Shadrack Onyango was able to slip past the Saints’ defense and roll in his first goal of the season.
For the rest of the match, Holy Cross kept up the offensive pressure but ultimately was not able to find the net. As the buzzer sounded, the score remained 1-0 in favor of Rochester Christian.
The Saints recorded 22 shots compared to only nine for the Warriors. Despite having over double the amount of shots, the Saints only had one more shot on goal than the Warriors. Offside penalties often killed offensive momentum for Holy Cross, which accumulated 11 fouls.
Saint Francis (Ind.)
Following the loss, Holy Cross now turns its attention to Saint Francis. The Cougars are 2-4-1 this season and 2-2 on the road. Its wins came over St. MaryWoods in a 4-2 match and over Defiance College to open the season in a 3-0 shutout. They enter Saturday’s matchup having won their last contest.
The Cougars have 63 shots on goal with 11 goals so far. Junior midfielder Ryusei Matsuhsita and sophomore winger Joshua Jelany lead the team with 5 points each. The Cougars have allowed 14 goals this season and amassed 20 saves.
The Saints will be looking to defend its home field when the match kicks off at 7 p.m. on Sept. 16.
Contact Harrison Brown at hbrown23@nd.edu
Dailey: Chris Ash must fix Notre Dame’s defense
By Chris Dailey Associate Sports Editor
Following Notre Dame’s gutwrenching 41-40 loss to No. 16 Texas A&M on Saturday night, blame on whose fault it was flew in every direction from students on campus and fans online. From senior holder Tyler Buchner to the referees and everything in between, everyone had an opinion on what moment led to the loss.
However, it’s unfair to put the blame on one player, and disingenuous to do so regarding a missed call. The truth is, when the Notre Dame offense scores 40 points in a game, it simply should not lose. The last time the Irish scored 40 or more and lost was in 2016, falling to Texas in an overtime thriller.
Just a season ago, Notre Dame had one of the most formidable defensive units in college football. Ranked fifth in total defense, the Irish allowed 307.4 yards per game. In the first two games of the 2025 season, the Irish defense resembled a shell of its former self. Notre Dame has surrendered a staggering 802 yards through two games and ranks fifth-worst in total defense
among power-conference programs. The team has fallen to 0-2 for the second time under head coach Marcus Freeman as a result.
That harrowing fact raises questions as to why the Notre Dame defense has taken a considerable step backward this season. The glaring answer is that the Irish’s fierce man-coverage from 2024 has given way to a more passive zone scheme. The result has been blown coverages, missed assignments and an inability to pressure the quarterback.
“It’s not good enough. Not good enough in the run and pass, not good enough getting pressure on the quarterback. We had some unexpected injuries, but it doesn’t matter. You’re on the field. We’ve got to put you in the position to make plays,” Marcus Freeman said in his postgame press conference.
This drastic shift in defensive identity poses the next question: What does defensive coordinator Chris Ash want his unit to be?
The former Rutgers head coach, most recently a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars, initially stated he didn’t plan to change much from his predecessor Al
Golden’s regime. At his first press conference in February, Ash stated, “I look at it as, ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’”
He later said, “There have been really good football players here on defense. There have been standards and accountability. They’ve been well-coached. We’re just looking at ways we can try to enhance it and make it better.”
Through two games, Ash has done the opposite. Notre Dame’s defense is fractured. The pass rush has only recorded one sack, despite having two weeks to prepare for Texas A&M after an unimpressive showing against Miami. They averaged 2.5 per game a year ago. Similarly, the Irish registered 2.1 turnovers a game last season. This year, that number has dropped to a measly 0.5 which would be zero had it not been saved by sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore’s impressive first-quarter interception. The Irish also grade 103rd in the country in tackling, 117th in pass rush and 129th in coverage. Those numbers are a sharp decline from 2024 when they finished ninth, 15th and third in those respective departments.
Even with all of the defensive woes, Freeman is committed to
Ash as the play-caller on defense.
“It’s not the call. It’s the execution, and I’ve always believed that. I think sometimes calling things — I’ve been a play-caller at times can be overrated as such as it’s the execution of that play call. So that’s what we’ve got to evaluate,” Freeman said. “Maybe we’ll look and say we probably shouldn’t have called this in that situation. There’s things you always look at. At the end of the day, why aren’t we able to execute in a way that we believe we need to and should? That’s the question we’ve got to get answered.”
The execution was certainly lackluster. In the first quarter, senior cornerback Jalen Stroman bit on a fake, leaving Aggies receiver Mario Craver wide open for an 86-yard touchdown. Notre Dame was unable to stop Craver all night long. The speedy receiver had a field day, racking up seven receptions for a jolting 207 yards. The Irish wanted to mix in more zone coverage to keep the opposition on its toes, but it has had the reverse effect. Now, the Irish defense is increasingly on its heels.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that Notre Dame returned six
defensive starters from 2024, as well as several key contributors and the injured Jordan Botelho. It’s not as if the Irish are lacking experience on defense, even if it appears that way through both the eye test and statistically.
The response Ash makes against Purdue will be telling. While some are calling for his job, that’s far from warranted. What matters is how Ash responds to the adversity, just as Freeman did a year ago after the Irish’s shocking loss to Northern Illinois.
If Ash is to get the defense back on track, it has to be by discovering what made the 2024 defense special and not shying away from it. He needs to do this quickly, or else Notre Dame risks squandering the final season of potential top-10 pick Jeremiyah Love. Time is of the essence for Ash and Notre Dame’s struggling defense. They must at least attempt to emulate the ways of the past in order to reach college football’s promised land once more. They have the talent. They have the backing. Now it’s time to simply get the job done.
Contact Chris Dailey at cdailey2@nd.edu
INDIA DOERR, GABRIELLA MARTIN | The Observer
Texas A&M offensive linemen collide with Notre Dame defensive players during Saturday night’s 41-40 Aggies win at Notre Dame Stadium. Aggie running back Le’Veon Moss (8) scored
a trio of rushing touchdowns on the goal line, helping Texas A&M become the first away team since Northwestern in November of 2014 to post 41 points or more at Notre Dame Stadium.