Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Adm. Grady to speak at commencement
Observer Staff Report
Notre Dame announced yesterday that Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman and acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will deliver the commencement address for the class of 2025’s graduation. The commencement ceremony will be held May 18.
A 1984 Notre Dame graduate, Grady is currently the nation’s highest-ranking military officer. He has also been recognized by the U.S. Navy as the longest-serving surface warfare officer on active duty. Grady was nominated by President Joe Biden
ND Law Clinic to Argue for Supreme Court
By MEGAN CORNELL Staff Writer
Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic has been working to support the establishment of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic School, a state-funded Catholic virtual charter school in Oklahoma. After being shut down at the local and state courts, the clinic filed a certiorari (cert) petition asking the United States Supreme Court to hear the case.
The United States Supreme Court has accepted the case, meaning the Religious Liberty Clinic will take its arguments in front of the court later this term.
The litigation for the Supreme Court Case will be done by both the clinic and a defense firm they’ve partnered with, Decert LLP. Notre Dame alumnus and Dechert partner Michael McGinley will be presenting arguments.
Law School Professor John Meiser is the director of the Religious Liberty Clinic and
has been heavily involved with the litigation. “The clinic will be involved every step of the way, just like at the Oklahoma Supreme Court. I was at the council table with McGinley and will be again,” Meiser said.
The Religious Liberty Clinic offers Notre Dame Law Students an opportunity to work on real world legal cases to supplement their classroom experience.
The clinic has filed amicus petitions for the Supreme Court before, but this is the first time one of their cases will be argued before the Court.
“It’s a great opportunity for everyone to be there in the Supreme Court on behalf of our clients, and it’s very exciting for our students. I don’t know that when you come to law school you expect to get to work on a case that ends up being heard by the Supreme Court” Meiser said.
Before their arguments can be heard, both the clinic and the Oklahoma
Attorney general will file briefs to the court. The case will be heard April 30, and the Supreme Court will decide the case by the end of June.
The Supreme Court will be tasked with deciding whether or not a charter school like St. Isidore functions more as a public or private school. In Carson v. Makin, the Supreme Court ruled that state governments granting private school vouchers have to include religious schools. This case is integral to the clinic’s argument; they argue that charter schools are similar to private schools receiving government funding through vouchers because they are both privately operated.
“The question remains at the end of the day, what kind of school is a charter school? Is it a school that is run by the government like a district public school? Or is it a
Federal Govt. investigates ND
Observer Staff Report
Notre Dame has been included on a list of 45 universities that are under investigation for allegedly engaging in race-based discrimination in their graduate programs by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR).
In a press release, the Department of Education cited “allegations that these institutions have violated
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) by partnering with ‘The Ph.D. Project’” as the basis of the investigation for 45 of the colleges, including Notre Dame.
Additionally, six universities will be investigated for “awarding impermissible race-based scholarships” and one for “administering a program that segregates students on the basis of race.”
ND enacts staff hiring freeze
Observer Staff Report
Notre Dame will halt all new staff hiring in response to federal policy changes, according to an email sent to faculty and staff by University president Fr. Robert Dowd, provost John McGreevy and executive vice president Shannon Cullinan. Faculty positions, student workers and temporary workers are not affected by the “proactive” freeze. This email was first reported by WNDU 16 News Now.
“We must acknowledge the financial implications of a number of recent developments,”
the letter read, citing the cancellation of federal grants and reduction of funding from the National Institutes of Health alongside proposals in Congress to increase the endowment tax on Notre Dame and other universities.
Registrar changes schedule
By DAVID MURPHY Staff Writer
The Office of the Registrar has announced a calendar change for Notre Dame’s fall semester. In an email to students, the University shared that the reform will move the start of the semester to a Monday (Aug. 25 for next year) rather than the traditional Tuesday start date.
According to the email, the adjustment will not alter the total number of class days, which will remain at 70. Instead, to compensate, the last class day for the upcoming fall semester will be moved one day earlier to Wednesday, December 10th.
Under this new schedule, Friday will no longer be a reading day.
The University also announced it would work to limit spending on travel, entertainment and events and will order each division, college and school to model what a five percent budget reduction might look like if they were forced to see COURT PAGE 3
Photo Courtesy of Matt Cashore
Admiral Christopher Grady spoke wiht Ambassador Joe Donnelly, the former US ambassador to the Vatican, at the 2024 ND forum.
Notre Dame Women’s lacrosse team points while singing the Alma Mater after their 15-9 loss against long time rival, Boston College on March 8. The rivalry game took place at Arlotta Stadium and left Notre Dame with a ranking of No.22 and Boston College No.1.
Today’s Staff
News
Sophie Hanawalt
Megan Cornell
Maria Clara Corona
Graphics
Isabelle Rutland
Photo
Mariella Taddonio
Corrections
Sports
Henry Lytle
Ben Hicks Scene
Ayden Kowalski Viewpoint
Kate Lariccia
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.
Wednesday
Fireside book talk
McCartan Courtroom
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Book talk with Ben Spencer and Barbara Bradley Hagerty.
“Wellness Gulps!”
Duncan Student Center room W134
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Focused on alcohol awarness and choice.
Thursday
Knit and Stitch
Mcdonald Center living room
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Drop by to crochet, knit or embroider.
Film: “I’m Still Here” Browning Cinema
9:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Oscar nominated movie on Brazil’s hidden history.
Friday
Lecture: Innovation in Community Health Mendoza room 112
10:40 a.m. - noon
Staring Phil Newbold, of Beacon Health.
Glee Club concert
Leighton Concert Hall
8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
75-voice, all male Notre Dame choral esemble performance.
Saturday
“Hesburgh” DPAC
noon - 1 p.m.
Viewing of the 2018 documentary on Rev. Theodore Hesburgh.
Notre Dame Softball
Melissa Cook Stadium
4:30 p.m.
Watch as the Fighting Irish take on Stanford in softball.
Sunday
“High School
Musical” sing-along
Browning Cinema
1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Sing-along to the fanfavorite movie.
Performance by Natalie Joachim DPAC
4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Grammy-nominated vocalist performs.
JONATHAN KARR | The Observer
Campus Dining introduces mushroom meat
By MEGAN CORNELL Staff Writer
At the beginning of the semester, Notre Dame’s campus dining debuted a new dish: meatloaf that is made of 30% mushroom and 70% beef. The “mushroom meat” can also be found in the dining hall’s “Texas Chili.”
Representatives from Campus Dining shared that they attended a conference called Menus of Change, where a group of universities met to collectively reduce their environmental impact.
“We understand that in order for things to change, they have to taste good, and they have to have the right nutritional impact. We can’t bring them in just because,” sustainable kitchen manager Karim Tinoco said.
At the conference, Tinoco and a campus dining chef were impressed by the idea of using mushrooms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use. Campus Dining partnered with 50Cut, a company based in New York working to
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implement it.
The University shared that it will distribute more information soon and is currently working with graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and employees affected by decreases in federal funding.
The letter maintained that the University’s decisions are driven by its mission as a Catholic research university and a force for good, citing commitments to teaching and research alongside
promote mushroom based meat products.
“Beef is one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases when it comes to food,” Tinoco said. “The more we can reduce the intake of beef, the better. Beef is also very important because it has a lot of iron and benefits. It’s not about taking away beef, it’s just about making it different … mushrooms use 96% percent less land than beef and 96% less soy.”
After the conference, Tinoco and his team worked to get the product approved.
“We go through a vetting process, we let everybody within our department try the product, and we bring specialists in form all over.
We talked about our nutritions and we talked to our chefs to see how they can use it. The decision is made collectively in the end,” he said.
The Campus Dining team wanted to incorporate mushrooms into meats because of their unique taste.
“Mushrooms are considered one of the sensory tests that we can perceive,
efforts to ensure a Notre Dame education remains accessible to students across socioeconomic backgrounds.
“Let us approach the challenges of these times with the same courage, determination, and care for one another Notre Dame has demonstrated throughout its history, walking together as a community of faith, hope, and love,” the letter read.
Other universities, including Cornell, Emory and the University of Vermont have implemented similar hiring freezes.
called umami, and it adds an extra layer of a glutamate that makes everything you’re eating with it taste that much richer,” director of supply chain and sustainability Cheryl Bauer said.
Tinoco shared that when dining hall staff asked students if they could tell the difference between traditional meatloaf and the mushroom mix, most were unable to.
“The feedback we’ve gotten has been mostly positive … as far as tasting, most couldn’t tell which was which. It was really funny watching them debate about it and seeing them. The majority of people just couldn’t tell,” she said.
Campus Dining nutritionist Alexandra Krager shared that mushrooms are excellent sources of fiber and make the meat more nutritious.
Krager shared that while some students worry that adding mushrooms will reduce the protein content of the meat, this is not the case.
“[Mushrooms are]
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school that is run by private individuals but cooperates with the government. Our view is that it’s the latter,” Meiser said.
Although the court’s decision may provide guidance to lower courts, it will only technically decide the case for Oklahoma specifically. “Even if the
considered a complete protein because [they] contain all nine essential amino acids, so the protein intake does not suffer,” Krager said. “Adding mushrooms into the product also helps to reduce different things like saturated fat cholesterol that comes with eating meat products … [which] helps to cut back on things like cardiovascular disease risk.”
Campus Dining hopes that students will try the mushroom meat before forming opinions about it. “I just want to encourage the students to try the recipes the chefs work really hard on and keep an open mind,” Tinoco said.
Contact Megan Cornell at mcornell@nd.edu
Court were to say religious charter schools have to be permitted, it would only be for Oklahoma because the law is really limited to the facts and the way that charter schools are set up in Oklahoma. It also definitely doesn’t answer the question whether any application is going to be granted or not,” Professor and former member of the clinic Nicole Garnett said.
Phil Newbold former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Beacon Health
Lectures are free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Ten Years Hence is sponsored by the Eugene Clark Distinguished Lecture Series endowment.
St. Isidore is operated by a board of directors connected to the Oklahoma bishops. Brett Farley is the executive director for the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma and member of the school board which will work to operate St. Isidore if the Supreme Court rules in its favor. “My participation in this effort has been in terms of interfacing with the state as we’ve piloted this process…if they decide in our favor we’ll be able to open the school up as planned. Obviously that would be a huge influence” Farley said. If opened, Farley hopes that St. Isidore will provide wider opportunities to receive a Catholic education for students in Oklahoma. “The virtual schools help children who cannot access school or children with learning disabilities. This is the church’s mission, to find people in need and help those needs,” he said.
Contact Megan Cornell at mcornell@nd.edu
MEGAN CORNELL | The Observer Campus Dining incorporated its meat-based mushroom alternative into its meatloaf and Texas Chili beginning earlier this semester.
“These OCR investigations are being conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding. Institutions’ violation of Title VI can result in loss of federal funds,” the press release said.
These investigations follow a letter sent by the department’s Office for Civil Rights on Feb. 14, which instructed institutions receiving federal funding that they must cease any racial discrimination within 14 days of the letter’s release.
“The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination
that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent,” wrote Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, in the letter.
The press release states that The PhD Project “purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants.”
The PhD Project’s website asserts they “leverage our expansive network of partners, professionals, and universities so they can
Siegfried freshman Alex Rweyemamu shared his dissatisfaction with the final exam schedule changes.
Instead, Thursday will become a reading day alongside Saturday and Sunday. Final exams under this new system will begin on Friday and additionally take place the following Monday through Thursday.
The adjustment was approved by the executive committee of the Academic Council and will come into effect at the start of the 2025 fall semester, the email shared.
In an email to The Observer, Chuck Hurley, assistant Vice President and University Registrar, explained the intent behind the decision.
“The topic has been in discussion for a while,” Hurley wrote. “Following a student government proposal, MLK day was approved as a holiday in 2022. After that, most spring semesters began on a Monday. Having the fall semester begin on a Monday makes the semesters more symmetrical.”
According to Hurley, an important factor in making the switch was giving the Notre Dame community enough time to adapt to the change. To address such concerns, the administration sought to make the adjustment in a timely manner.
“One concern was making the adjustment prior to registration in April, so that students and faculty had plenty of time to know,” Hurley wrote.
Hurley also explained that, in making their decision, the administration took recommendations from several different groups, including “faculty, advisors, students, and staff.” According to Hurley, their input was much the same.
“Feedback about the fall 2024 schedule adjustments from faculty, advisors, students, and staff was quite similar,” Hurley wrote. “Two items were noted. One, keep final exams on weekdays. Two, make sure there are three reading days.”
The subsequent changes reflect these goals, as Saturday will no longer be an exam day like it was last semester.
continue to help individuals earn their PhDs to teach and inspire the next generation of business leaders.”
A January version of The PhD Project’s website says the organization “has helped change the future workforce by providing historically underrepresented students a model of achievement and businesses a powerful way to enrich the talent pipeline. We support the creation of business PhDs from historically underrepresented groups – transforming business education and business.”
Mentions of historically underrepresented groups and diversity have since been removed from the organization’s homepage.
The January version of The PhD Project’s website also included a webpage with a dropdown list of university
Speaker
“I don’t mind the changes made to what day of the week we start the semester. However, I don’t like that we have our last class on a Wednesday, and two days later, you could have a final based on what you just learned days ago,” Rweyemamu said. “I think they should make Friday a reading day.”
Felix Ruda, another Siegfried freshman, was in support of the changes.
“The change allows students to get more time for winter break and [be] settled in for Christmas,” Ruda said. “I don’t think it really matters at all, and I don’t have any concerns either.” He also noted that the change might make Welcome Weekend feel more rushed.p an open mind,”
Contact David Murphy at dmurph23@nd.edu
in 2021 to became vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He became acting chairman on Feb. 21 after President Trump fired then chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. Grady’s selection is not without precedent. Notre Dame’s 2016 commencement speaker was Gen. Martin Dempsey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In a press release, University President Fr. Bob Dowd said, “A true American hero, Admiral Grady has demonstrated tremendous courage, visionary leadership and outstanding dedication to public service over his distinguished career, which spans more than 40 years. It is a privilege to have him address our graduates who will, no doubt, be inspired both by his words
partners which has since been removed. On the previous version, when a user selected “University of Notre Dame” on the dropdown menu, they were directed to the Mendoza College of Business “Graduate Programs” page.
Notre Dame does not appear to offer information about its partnership with The PhD Project on their website. However, the 2023 University Strategic Framework does list a bulletin to “increase diversity in our graduate student and postdoctoral scholar populations” as a strategy for deepening and enriching the post-graduate experience at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s website does list other graduate programs designed to promote diversity.
and by his example.”
The commencement address will be Grady’s second speech on campus this academic year. In September, he spoke on peacebuilding and diplomacy in conversation with former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See and former U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly as part of the 2024-2025 Notre Dame Forum, “What do we owe each other?”
According to the press release, Grady “continues to give back to his alma mater, supporting Notre Dame’s fencing team … mentoring the University’s Naval ROTC unit, and serving as a guest speaker for Notre Dame’s International Security Center.”
The announcement was made over two months later than last year. In 2024, Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees selected outgoing University President Fr. John Jenkins to
The Notre Dame Graduate School’s Notre Dame PostBaccalaureate Research Education Program (NDPREP), which is a federally-funded fellowship offering research programs in biomedical science and related fields, requires applicants to come from a historically underrepresen ted group in health-related fields. “We especially encourage applications from individuals who belong to racial and/or ethnic groups, including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and/or other Pacific Islanders,” the page states.
A series of admissions partnerships with the Mendoza MBA program aimed at increasing diversity can also be found on its website.
deliver the commencement address, a decision that drew criticism from some students.
This year, students and members of the Notre Dame community argued for and against inviting President Donald Trump to speak at commencement.
A number of former presidents have spoken at Notre Dame graduation ceremonies, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
In 2017, then University President Fr. John Jenkins did not invite the newly elected Trump to speak, opting instead to invite Vice President Mike Pence, who delivered the address.
In 2021, Jenkins invited Biden to speak at commencement, but he declined.
ANTÓN BARBA-KAY Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 12:30pm–1:45pm Eck Hall of Law 1130
Antón Barba-Kay is Distinguished Fellow at the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law, as well as Senior Fellow at the Institute for Practical Ethics at UC San Diego.
ND Dining weaponizes Lent with fake meat
emissions.
The Thursday before break, Notre Dame showcased its new steak-free culinary option at South Dining Hall. The food-like substance was advertised as “Cow-Free Steak,” a 100% plant-based meat option with only six ingredients and 28 grams of protein per serving. It was then later disclosed that this vegan meat option would be regularly distributed for lunch and dinner upon our return from Spring Break.
Land Lovers’ “Cow-Free Steak” is arriving at Notre Dame at a turning point for both American health standards and climate change concerns. The Trump administration’s position on American health and dieting has clearly shifted to a more naturally oriented position, as highlighted by the appointment of Health and Human Services director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his opposition to highly processed foods and seed oils. Meanwhile, many climate activists and leading scientists argue that the mass production of bovine products and the excess methane produced by cows have led to substantial carbon emissions in the United States and abroad.
Notre Dame’s decision to showcase both its mushroom meat and its cow-free steak sides with environmental concerns, which have become increasingly more potent as carbon emissions continue to rise in the United States. Vegan meat brands have also advertised their products as a healthier alternative to beef or poultry due to lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fats. Notre Dame’s decision to help popularize vegan meat options for the youth reveals its commitment to sustainability and its enforcement of popular health standards.
As you can see, I have articulated this recent development as transparently as I could. I tried to make sure that there was no bias in my analysis. Unfortunately, this is Viewpoint, so I’m required to give my opinion on any issue I discuss. But now that the readers have a comprehensive understanding of what’s going on, I can rip into the fact that eating vegan meat is tantamount to consuming straight estrogen and that preventing climate change is not accomplished by simply not eating cows.
I’ll begin with a quick tangent. I asked one of the dining employees what exactly the six ingredients were. She quickly replied that the first two were wheat and soy. “Great,” I said. “So what are the other four?”
After a long pause, she said she had no idea. So, I googled it. The ingredients are water, soy protein isolate, Soy Flour, Wheat Gluten, Canola Oil and Rice Starch (contains 2% or less of salt, corn starch, maltodextrin, yeast extract, dehydrated garlic, sugar, onion powder, potassium sorbate, red sorghum bran extract, natural flavor). First, I count more than six ingredients. Second, it’s fake meat filled with soy, which is estrogenic, food dyes and additives like maltodextrin, which are terrible for you in large quantities and most namely, seed oils, which cause serious bodily inflammation and chronic illness. Sounds really healthy to me!
But the best way to approach my hatred and vehement opposition to vegan meat is through incorporating its implementation into Notre Dame’s ineffective approach to achieving net-zero
Notre Dame has promoted its goal to be net zero by 2050 in response to climate change. My investigation of the construction of new buildings on campus revealed an apparent misalignment between its stated goal and building practices.
My repeated inquiries to key leaders on campus concerning their sustainable construction methods were left unanswered. Most started with that pesky little word: how?
For example, how are the buildings being constructed to achieve net zero? If they are not built to be net zero, how much carbon will the new buildings emit?
It seems logical that if the carbon goal is numeric, then somebody should be counting. Yet, when asked how much carbon the new buildings will release, nobody in sustainability or construction leadership could produce a quantifiable answer. When pressed on carbon, key employees refused to do in-person interviews or answer questions directly. Instead, all subsequent inquiries were directed to the Notre Dame public relations (PR) department.
Before describing the challenges with the PR department, here is why an emphasis on buildings is needed. Buildings account for over 40% of climate change pollution. The EPA indicates that 43% of all energy is spent on buildings. This information spits in the face of the commonly held notion that “every little bit” counts in the fight against climate change. For example, what’s the use in serving fake, malnourished and unhealthy vegan meat to save carbon if South Dining Hall emits more carbon in a week than can be saved with 100 years of composting and cow-free production?
Currently, 20% of the current energy demands are satisfied by renewable sources. But with such a high energy demand, Notre Dame will struggle to acquire all the renewable resources needed to hit 100%. Their current approach is to purchase renewable offsets to cancel out their excessive carbon output. This approach is costly and misguided when the University also has the ability to reduce the energy needs of the buildings. If the buildings need less energy, then the small amount of renewable sources we have could satisfy them, and we could all eat real steak and be happy and jacked again.
With the University’s current heat load and energy demands, renewable sources will never be enough. The solution to climate change at Notre Dame, therefore, lies in building construction practices. It’s difficult, it’s demanding of expert planning, and it’s lacking at Notre Dame.
The University has publicized its construction of LEED buildings in an effort to also publicize its commitment to sustainability. LEED represents a rating system that measures how sustainable and environmentally friendly a building is. While buildings with a LEED certification may appear to be impressive at first glance, the way in which this ranking is achieved corrodes its legitimacy. Buildings are given points for including more sustainability efforts. For example, according to the national LEED Standards, buildings are given more points if they also include bike racks and rain gardens. While both of those measures are nice, they create perverse incentives. Buildings with a LEED certification, then, can get away with emitting more carbon, as long as they have a bike rack or a pretty garden to cancel it
out.
I have reached out to many officials in both the sustainability and the energy departments at Notre Dame concerning their commitment to sustainability and their approach to efficient building practices. My conclusion is that the University of Notre Dame has a phenomenal public relations department. They gently evaded all specific questions that would have either revealed effective building details or exposed an abject failure in building practices to achieve carbon neutrality. When presented with a list of specific questions about the carbon output from buildings on campus, the public relations department spun it back without any answers yet made the inquirer feel silly for asking. The public relations department also protected University building professionals from participating in follow-up questions or permitting me on the job site. That’s poor PR if something needs to be celebrated, and that’s effective PR when something needs to be hidden.
In the end, the refusal to release and defend building practice details was a victory for the school and its image. It just seems contradictory for an academic institution to redirect those in search of the truth, regardless of how inconvenient it may be.
So why does this matter, and how does it relate to the repulsive soy-boy-tofu-beyond meat that’s all of a sudden cemented itself in our dining halls?
My conclusion is that Notre Dame doesn’t know how to reduce their carbon emissions in a way that actually brings them to net zero without the purchase of renewable offsets. And as a result, you’re stuck eating unhealthy fake meat because the University can’t solve harder problems. You are suffering the consequences of unkept promises and the idolization of public relations. They make little effort to ensure the maximum efficiency of their buildings through effective insulation practices, but boy, do they make sure to showcase their fake meat and force-feed it to a malnourished student body and show off their ‘green’ commitment! Is that all fighting climate change is? Just a show of support? Is Notre Dame only going to do the little things right but ignore the major concerns just so they can look good?
Notre Dame wants their visible commitments to be louder than the necessary actions which are required to achieve net-zero. Planting a solar field which will supply less than 1% of the University’s energy needs right next to the highway where all Notre Dame parents drop off their kids every year is certainly good marketing. But it’s misleading.
Notre Dame wants you to know that when it comes to climate change, they do the little things well. They have tiny solar panel projects, they serve fake meat to reduce methane emissions, they even recycle! But when it comes to the larger issues that are seldom noticed by the public, like efficient building practices, Notre Dame remains clueless. Their desire for attention and favorable public relations suffocates their progress in achieving a net-zero campus by 2050. Focusing on the “little things” isn’t going to save an entire planet. Give us back our grass-fed steak.
To file a complaint, reach out at jrudolp3@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Joe Rudolph, Esquire
Written & Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Bring back desperation
Kate Casper Outsider Instincts
Two days straight of “Short Skirt Weather™” plus a post-spring break glow has led me to the following three goals for my next (last) nine weeks of college: 1) Go on a small but meaningful apology tour, 2) Cancel all resentment for fellow flawed human beings and 3) Bring back desperate energy.
The first two are pretty self-explanatory: The apology tour will either come in the form of a text or a letter (or a big, drunk hug this weekend at the annual Legacy St. Paddy’s Day Darty); on the other hand, my mission to cancel all my resentment will hopefully entail me attempting to lead with a spirit of openness towards people I have written off for the past couple of weeks, months or years.
The last one is a new addition: Bring back desperation. No, really.
I started thinking about desperation at the beginning of this year, as I began mentoring the first floor freshman of the esteemed Breen-Phillips Hall community.
I swear I saw something in these girls that I realize now I truly missed in myself—I think it was eagerness or fascination or excitement. They all seemed absolutely stoked to be here, while I felt just a little bit over it.
Every year, I admit it’s fun to see the freshmen wandering campus, full of wonder, confusion, overdressing for class (well, me too), overpacking, overly-friendly, fascinated by everyone and everything. I
wonder if there’s a way you can bottle that energy— because I swear there’s nothing like it. It’s terrifying and electric and unbelievable. It’s something you’ll never feel again.
I admit, there is almost nothing I miss about freshman year (see: crippling imposter’s syndrome, getting banned from Morrissey for a week and barely scraping through Beginning Logic class)-- but one thing I do miss is the desperation.
Not the “desolate,” “downcast,” “distraught” flavor of desperation, but the “do-or-die,” “last-chance,” “wild,” “frantic” and “fun” flavor. Being hungry but not starving. Eager but not too eager. And open to almost everything and everyone.
On one hand, when you start a new experience, you don’t know anyone and no one knows you, and that can feel isolating and unfun. On the other hand, you don’t know anyone and no one knows you, and that can feel totally liberating. It’s a double-edged sword, but boy do I miss that second edge.
Because being unknown and eager meant sitting on park benches with a guy you just met after a party, and you’re talking about your hopes and dreams and swapping Spotify’s. It meant making a best friend in the hallway of DeBart or the bleachers of a Notre Dame Football game. It meant b-lining across the bar for a guy in an Abercrombie & Fitch polo by the pool table at Newf’s just to say, “my God, I just love Abercrombie & Fitch!”
Now that I’m older and more comfortable and know who I love and trust, I often find myself with less urgency, less energy and less incentive to encounter and develop new relationships. But it doesn’t have
On going home
This week marks our return from spring break and the beginning of the end of the year. With only two months left in the year, my first year of college is coming to an end. Welcome Weekend feels like a lifetime ago, though I remember almost every moment in visceral detail. I took time at home to live an eremitic life for a week, turning back the clock and focusing on what made up a significant portion of my life only a year ago. Nostalgia is potent, and it was valuable to unwind. In honor of the DOGE chief, I will describe my week using Elon Musk’s five-point formula.
1. Exercise: I went on an eight-mile bike ride on an old trail. There were no clouds. I also completed three runs at my local community college. The mountains are an enhancer, giving me strength I would otherwise not have in the flat Midwest. I also looked at the sunsets when I ran, reminding me of the difference between my two worlds.
2. Faith: I returned to my local parish, Our Lady of the Mountains, for Mass. It was nice to be with people I had not seen in several months. I heard the familiar voice of my local priest within the Church I attended for over a decade.
3. Entertainment: I watched the latest episode of Survivor with my Dad. I’m thankful to have watched it at home because I could barely sleep from the adrenaline of the utter insanity that was Season 48’s third tribal council. It’s been almost a week, but I implore you to go watch it for yourselves. You will not be disappointed. I also returned to the world of Skyrim during the break, beginning a new play
through as an Imperial in the land of the Nords. Booming orchestral music blared while I slayed dragons. I experienced all the classic quotes and bits, ranging from: “I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow in the knee...” to Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak’s “Legends don’t burn down villages.” I played a few of my favorite quests, including “Rise in the East” and “Blood on Ice.”
4. Family: I got lunch with my grandparents at Applebees (the same ones from “On Grandparents”) last Tuesday. We talked about the latest happenings in my family, ranging from my cousin’s wedding to my grandmother’s thoughts about my previous column. I apparently made the rounds in the Lancaster sibling text chain, so I consider that a win. My parents and sister also stepped up this week to make family time, leading to some enjoyable bonding that I’ve missed out on during the last eight weeks.
5. Friends: Finally, I played poker with my friends from back home. We recounted stories of our spring semesters thus far, discussing the latest highs and lows. We were all similar to how we had been only a year ago, but changes ranging from new vocabulary to different facial hair have become more noticeable. Still, we remain strong friends, especially during a late-night drive to Taco Bell. I also reunited with some younger friends from my mock trial days, congratulating them on their advancement to the semifinals of the state tournament.
Every homecoming has been eventful for me. I’ve spent time with the people I care about, took a break from life and retreated to the comfort of my queensized bed. This time felt different. I have built a separate life, and it moves at warp speed compared to the small-town life I had known. There are small changes around town, like a new sign or a new store.
to be this way.
It’s easy to take all the same paths to class, eat all the same meals and talk to all the same people. And that’s not always a bad thing.
We do these things over and over again because they’re good. We order the Buddha Bowl because it’s yummy, and we hang out with our friends because they’re incredible and beautiful and mean everything to us.
But there’s no need to shut off because we feel satisfied with our social lives. There’s no need to walk away from great people and great opportunities because we know we already have something good going.
I decided on the Monday we returned from break that I would say hi to people I know and have a positive feeling about. I would stop and chat at length in the ACE building with the girlfriend from freshman year who I hardly ever see. I would hang out with a new friend and talk about life till the wee hours of night sprawled on her carpet. I would be open to second chances, not resent people or wonder why, just leave the bitterness at the door.
I’m not saying I’m any good at this. I’m not even saying I’m decent at this. I’m just saying I’m trying.
Kate Casper is a senior at Notre Dame studying English with minors in digital marketing and Italian. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
My once freshman and sophomore mock trial teammates are beginning to drive or think about applying to college. The times are changing with haste, and they don’t plan on slowing down.
Regardless, my two worlds of college and home remain relatively separate. Occasional crossovers breed core memories, though those are rare. Instead, I keep a home life and a school life that don’t interact all that often. It has its benefits, such as the ability to compartmentalize work during breaks or to focus on one thing at a time. There are also drawbacks. I’m far away. It’s become more manageable as the year continues, but it’s still a hefty distance. I’m isolated from many of my friends who stayed local or in-state to go to college.
This is not to say that I dislike my separate worlds, but breaks present an opportunity to move between them. It is something I am still thinking about because of how unique it feels compared to other people I know. I continue looking at the positive aspects of my new life, the one that I have spent a semester and a half crafting for myself. I look forward to the last part of this semester before I begin my first summer as a college student. The times are changing, but I would rather look at their beauty than long for a life that is not mine to live.
Duncan Stangel is a first year global affairs major at Notre Dame. Currently residing in Alumni Hall (the center of the universe), he hails from the small town of Cumberland, Maryland nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. When he’s not saving kittens from trees, you can find him stumbling to Debart with a caffeine source in hand. Contact at dstangel@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Duncan Stangel The Center of the Universe
By CAROLINE COLLINS
Assistant Managing Editor Emerita
I was six when Lady Gaga’s debut studio album “The Fame” was released. With its sleazy, dance club take on pop music, Gaga quickly rose to superstardom. Gaga’s music is unapologetically hers, and she is uniquely herself. Whether dripping in fake blood at the VMAs, experimenting with new hairstyles (soda can rollers and bows made of her own hair) or wearing the infamous meat dress, Gaga rewrote the script of the female pop star, reimagining something weirder and freakier for herself and (as she calls her fans) her “Little Monsters.”
My earliest memory of music is listening to “The Fame,” the only album downloaded on my mom’s iPod, in the living room on Saturday mornings. My little sister and I were fervent Little Monsters, jumping around the house scream-singing “Poker Face.” When I first listened to “Mayhem,” I found myself transported back to 2009 and the early days of Gaga where the magic of her music was the power to be yourself.
“Mayhem” is a shiny pop-rock album chiefly produced by Gaga, Andrew Watt and Cirkut. From the Super Bowl teaser of the “Abracadabra” music video to the award-winning duet with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile,” the buildup to Gaga’s seventh studio album stoked anticipation — would this be the long-awaited
return of Gaga?
Unlike some of her previous ventures into musicals, some of them good (“A Star Is Born”), some that were maybe missteps (“Harlequin” and “Joker”), “Mayhem” returns to what Gaga does best: an album in big, bold capital letters. While newer pop music has embraced lowercase pop stars with breathy lyrics like Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams, the 14 tracks on “Mayhem” ring loud and true. These aren’t just love songs; they’re grand, theatrical anthems of all things wonderfully strange.
In “Abracadabra,” Gaga is a witch casting a spell, crafting a song out of the syllables of the words she sings. “Abracadabra, amor-oo-na-na / Abracadabra, morta-oo-gaga / Abracadabra, abra-oo-na-na,” she chants. “Abracadabra” is, of course, a sequel to the 2009 hit “Bad Romance,” where she makes a song by saying the syllables, “Rah, rah, ah-ah-ah / Roma, roma-ma / Gaga, ooh-la-la.”
The synth-pop pulse of “How Bad Do U Want Me” crackles with passion while “Killah” channels retrofunk with a silky groove, a nod to Prince, who inspired the song. “Perfect Celebrity” satirizes the plastic, manufactured nature of fame as Gaga writes, “I’m made of plastic like a human doll,” a nod to her “Chromatica” track “Plastic Doll.” “Garden of Eden” drips with temptation and the anticipation of what could happen. The lyric “I’m falling over in my nine-inch heels,” is classic
Gaga — high fashion and self-destruction all at once. In Gaga’s world, she even falls from grace in stilettos.
“Zombieboy” is Gaga at her most hypnotic, blending horror and romance into a seductive anthem. With its pulsing beat and lovesick lyric, “Oh, I can’t see straight / And my hands are tied / I could be your type / From your zombie bite,” the track feels like a successor to “Monster” from “The Fame Monster.”
Gaga’s return to the theatrical, avant-garde pop she championed with “Artpop” — her 2013 album that was largely overlooked and often deemed ahead of its time — feels fully realized with “Mayhem.” However, while “Mayhem” starts strong, the second half loses momentum. Tracks like “LoveDrug” feel repetitive and filled with cliches, while slower songs like “Blade of Grass” and “The Beast” sound more like the soundtrack to a slow-motion movie montage compared to the upbeat spectacle that is the rest of the album.
Even though the album has a few skip-worthy songs, “Mayhem” brings Gaga back to what made her debut so enthralling — maximalist pop and bold self-expression. Maybe she is using the same formula that worked in 2009, but her Little Monsters love it anyway. My sister and I will most definitely be dancing our hearts out to this album for years to come.
Contact Caroline Collins at ccolli23@nd.edu
By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer
What do a homeless corpse, James Bond and the island of Sicily all have in common? As bizarre of a combination as it may sound, they’re all memorable plot points in one of Broadway’s newest musical-comedies. And that’s just scratching the surface of “Operation Mincemeat.”
“Mincemeat” is new to the States but is not a new story. First starting performances in 2019, the British musical roots itself in the operations of MI-5 during World War II. Operation Mincemeat was an undertaking that led to the British invasion of Sicily, reclaiming it from Axis control. How did they do this? Quite simply: they threw a corpse onto the coast of Spain, made the body look like a British pilot with secret files, and let German spies in the nation report the information to their authorities. However, to quote the show, “This is war; things never go quite to plan.”
The titular maneuver is such a comedic premise that one almost doubts the veracity of its “based on a true story” plot, but make no mistake: despite some humorous portrayals of figures and the war, the musical’s writing team made sure to stick as closely to the truth of this ridiculous situation as possible. The creative team is another
element of what makes the production so astounding: of the four writers David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts, all but Hagan perform in the show. Rounding out the five-person cast is Claire-Marie Hall and Jak Malone.
It’s nearly impossible to single out a particular cast member’s performance, as they’re all stellar. Luckily for me, there’s only five people to talk about. No single performer plays only one role, with all five actors taking on a variety of characters throughout the show, using lightning-quick costume changes to great effect. Yet every character is distinct and obvious. In productions with this much actor doubling, sometimes the waters get murky; however, through excellent vocal work and simple, yet striking costume choices, “Mincemeat” never runs into that problem. Cumming, Hall and Hodgson give the most central performances and in turn play the least amount of characters. This is not to say, however, that they are not putting in the legwork their co-stars are. I want to give a particular focus to the remaining stars of the show, Malone and Roberts. Malone won the Olivier (the highest British theatre award) for his supporting part in the show, and the reasoning is obvious once you see him perform live. His solo-number “Dear Bill” is not only heartbreaking, but an endurance marathon of a
song that is nearly five and a half uninterrupted minutes of emotional balladry. This is contrasted with Malone’s hilarious turn as both the lavish coroner Pillsbury and the American pilot Willie Watkins in act two. Similarly, Roberts becomes a scene stealer herself, operating half the time as stoic leader Johnny Bevan, a small amount as former British intelligence officer and real-life author of the James Bond books Ian Fleming and the British expat Haselden. Haselden is perhaps the play’s most charming character, with Roberts getting some of the funniest scenes and moments in the second act and musical overall.
“Operation Mincemeat” is a phenomenal comedy and wildly fun musical. Technically impressive because of its costuming, set design and lights, these elements allow the show’s brilliant performances, writing and music to shine. The aforementioned “Dear Bill” is definitely one of the best moments of the show, but my favorite numbers of the production include “Making a Man,” “Born to Lead” and “The Ballad of Willie Watkins.”
The show claims, “What this country needs is a genius plan.” I recommend to anyone who can: you should plan to see “Operation Mincemeat.”
Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu
Notre Dame’s senior Hannah Hidalgo scores a layup against Duke’s Jadyn Donovan in the ACC Tournament Semifainal Game on March 8 , 2025. The ACC No. 3 Fighting Irish lose 61-56 to Duke to bring their record to 26-5 overall and 16-3 against conference oppoenents. Notre Dame has now lost 3 out of its last 5 games.
ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Notre Dame earns No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament
By BEN HICKS Associate Sports Editor
After an impressive 26-5 season, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team was named the No. 3 seed in the Birmingham Regional of the upcoming NCAA Tournament. This is the fourth consecutive March Madness appearance for the Fighting Irish, who will welcome the No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin (SFA) Ladyjacks to South Bend for Friday’s First Round contest.
Following three straight Sweet Sixteen berths, head coach Niele Ivey’s team soared to new heights during the 2024-25 season, achieving the No. 1 ranking prior to a lateseason slide. Led by a standout backcourt of graduate Olivia Miles, senior Sonia Citron and sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, the Irish collected three wins over top-10 opponents, including the Texas Longhorns who were slated as the No. 1 seed in the Irish’s region.
Champions of the Southland Conference, the Ladyjacks returned to the field for the first time since 2022. Since
a 75-71 defeat at Nicholls on Jan. 18, SFA has reeled off 15 consecutive victories, including Thursday’s triumph over top-seeded Southeastern Louisiana to clinch an automatic bid. The Ladyjacks sport a high-powered offense, with all five starters averaging in double figures. Second-year head coach Leonard Bishop’s side is led by graduate guard Faith Blackstone, who averages nearly 15 points per game.
As a top-four seed in the tournament, Notre Dame earned the honor of hosting multiple on-campus games for the third straight season. In addition to their showdown with Stephen F. Austin, Purcell Pavilion will host No. 6 seed Michigan and the winner of the First Four game between Iowa State and Princeton.
With the Cyclones and Tigers being two of the final four atlarge selections, the March Madness festivities will kick off in South Bend Wednesday evening as the two battle for the right to face Michigan in the First Round.
After missing last season’s NCAA Tournament, the
Wolverines turned in a strong 22-10 season behind the performance of freshman guard Olivia Olson. The Minnesota native is averaging over 16 points per game with some of the most efficient true shooting numbers in the nation. Much like the Irish, the Wolverines have played numerous close games against top-end competition, setting up an interesting potential Second Round rivalry affair.
Alongside conference champions Harvard and fellow First Four competitor Columbia, the Tigers were included in the bracket in a banner year for the Ivy League. Despite dropping Friday’s tournament semifinal to the Crimson, Princeton still earned their fourth consecutive March Madness appearance. Led by sophomore guard Skye Belker, the Tigers used a strong non-conference showing to achieve a record of 21-7 heading into the Big Dance. Led by 30-year head coach
Bill Fennelly, Iowa State used a late-season surge in which they won seven of their last nine games to qualify for the tournament for a second straight season. Star sophomore center Audi Crooks garnered national attention in last year’s tournament, as her play helped the team take a talented Stanford side to overtime in the Second Round. The Iowa native has upped her performance this year, tallying over 23 points and seven rebounds a night.
Speaking with the media after the brackets were announced, Ivey stressed the importance of her team controlling what’s in front of them without focusing on the setbacks of the last two weeks.
“Our group needed to reset physically and mentally, but then it was right back to work,” Ivey said. “We’ve tried to learn from some of the lessons from dropping three of our last five, and we’ve just tried to get back to the basics.”
She continued to emphasize the focus on defensive principles for the tournament, especially against the powerful Ladyjacks offense.
“When we aren’t getting stops that hurts our ability to get out and run, and controlling pace has been important for us in our non-conference games,” Ivey said.
Hidalgo agreed with her coach, adding that “We learned a lot about ourselves recently. We are extremely hungry after how we ended the season, and it’s important that we stay locked in for every game.”
Official tip-off times for the NCAA Tournament have yet to be released, but both First Round games will take place on Friday. The Second Round showdown will then occur on Sunday, with coverage for all games being broadcasted on the ESPN family of networks.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
KEIRA JONES | The Observer
Happy Birthday: Take more interest in responsibilities and health, maintain a routine conducive to
to your
and
and spend less time letting temptation
plan will
into
confidence and a stable foundation for your
A progressive and
this year. Question anyone trying to convince you to participate in something that redirects you from fulfilling your objective. Your numbers are 3, 14, 22, 28, 32, 39, 47.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): An open, blunt, get-things-done attitude is necessary. Refuse to let anyone step in and take your post because you are neglectful or letting your mind wander off your responsibilities and toward temptation and spontaneous choices that are costly and draining. Focus and diligence are your best route forward.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Serious people, plans, and possibilities will draw you. Before you begin, check out what regulations, paperwork, and preparations are mandatory. Putting everything in place will lower your anxiety and help you function efficiently when an unexpected situation arises. Stick to basics and trust your instincts.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stop short of too much. Promising more than you can rightfully deliver will put you in an awkward position with someone you want to impress if you don’t represent who you are and what you can do honestly. The past will haunt you if you exaggerate or take undue privileges.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are best to stay under the radar to achieve your goals. Networking functions will offer insight into what others want, and if you are observant, you will pinpoint what’s required of you to get others on board with your plans. Change is brewing, and you can be at the forefront.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be careful what you wish for. Jumping too quickly will put you in a weak spot. Bide your time, listen, and you’ll figure out what to offer that will undeniably outmaneuver anyone trying to get the better of you. Play to win; use your experience, knowledge, and connections to parlay your way forward.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Steady is the key to success. You can hold your own in any situation today if you are straightforward and willing to compromise. The incentives you offer, how you interpret what’s said, and direct energy and your words will positively impact those you want on your team. Positive change is within reach.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Home and family need a facelift. Live and learn what’s important and how to maintain a healthy domestic setting that allows you to nurture and improve meaningful relationships. Express your feelings, and you’ll gain insight into how and what you can do to appease others without abusing yourself or losing respect.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Live, love, learn, and be happy. Take the time to indulge in something that brings you joy and introduces you to something or someone that excites you. Travel, educational pursuits, or doing something creative will change your perspective on lifestyle and prospects. Self-improvement and personal growth are favored.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Someone will misinterpret what you convey, causing havoc within your inner circle. A secretive, charming approach will help you ferret out whoever is being two-sided before trouble can brew. Use your observation time to make home improvements that add to everyone’s comfort and convenience, and you’ll undermine anyone plotting against you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Say less and do more. Put your emphasis on money, professional or investment gains, and a lifestyle you can afford. The goal is to ease stress and enjoy what you’ve worked so hard to build. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that can jeopardize your comfort and joy.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ll require being a powerhouse to make positive changes that improve your living arrangements and overall lifestyle. Physical action and bold talk will help you win over those skeptical of the changes you want to enforce. Offer innovative ideas and suggestions regarding what others can contribute, and you’ll seal the deal.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplify your plans to make your life easier today. Cap what you want to spend and refuse to head outside your comfort zone regarding money, emotions, or physical risks. Call the shots instead of taking orders, and you’ll feel good about yourself and the outcome.
Birthday Baby: You are intuitive, organized, and determined. You are forceful and reliable.
Irish look to Harvard
By NOAH CAHILL Sports Editor
Head Coach Christine Halfpenny’s Irish women’s lacrosse team went 2-1 over the break. They fell short 15-9 in a clash with No. 1 Boston College two Saturdays ago but bounced back with a pair of wins in California last weekend. On Thursday, they picked up a 15-8 ACC win over Cal before crushing UC Davis 18-6 two days later. They will look to build on their recent momentum entering a midweek matchup with No. 22 Harvard.
The young stars for the Irish shined over spring break. Freshman sensation Madison Rassas logged her fourth and fifth hat trick on the weekend trip to California, scoring a combined seven goals across the two games, while also leading the team with seven draw controls against Cal. She now leads the team in goals and points with 24 and 28, respectively. Sophomores Kate Timarky and Kathryn Morrissey continued their stellar form in their second-year seasons. Timarky scored a secondhalf hat trick against Boston College before tallying three more goals on the California trip. Morrissey had pairs of goals and assists against the Eagles and had a career day in Berkeley, setting careerbests with four goals scored and six points totaled in the game. The past two wins for the Irish have coalesced with improvement defensively as well. Senior netminder Isabel Pithie picked up her fourth and fifth wins of the season against
Cal and UC Davis, allowing only 14 goals and making 12 saves across the two games. No. 22-ranked Harvard has started 5-2 on the season and 1-1 in Ivy League play. Like the Irish, they will be looking to build on recent momentum, winning their previous two games against Holy Cross and Dartmouth.
Caroline Mullahy is the catalyst in attack, notching a team-high 22 assists and 30 points on the year. She sets up several goal-scorers for a Crimson attack that has spread the love so far this season. Five players have already hit double-digit goals in 2025, with Callie Batchelder and Charlotte Hodgson adding seven and eight assists, respectively. The two join Mullahy as the only players to have eclipsed the 20-point mark thus far. Despite a consistent attack that has managed double-digit goal outputs in all but one game, the Crimson defense hasn’t had the same consistency. They have proven to be vulnerable at times throughout the year, allowing 12 against UConn, 14 against Drexel and a whopping 20 in a 14goal loss to Princeton. They have tightened up in recent games, however, allowing only 15 goals in their past two victories. Senior netminder Lizzie Francioli had an impressive 12-save performance against Holy Cross to bounce back from the Princeton game.
The top-25 matchup is set for Arlotta Stadium on Wednesday, Mar. 19 at 2:30 p.m.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
Irish crush Butler 18-4 in home
By BEN HICKS Associate Sports Editor
After a rainout two weeks ago postponed the planned 2025 Notre Dame baseball home opener, the Irish finally made their return to Frank Eck Stadium on Wednesday as they welcomed the Butler Bulldogs to South Bend.
Ranked No. 9 in the national RPI, Notre Dame picked up a crucial road win over consensus top-10 Clemson on Sunday. The 7-3 triumph gave the Irish their first ACC victory of the season, after dropping their first five contests at Wake Forest and Clemson.
In-state rival Butler has struggled as of late, dropping six straight games prior to Wednesday afternoon’s affair. The Bulldogs do have a pair of offensive stars in Jack Moroknek and Jack Bello batting over .450 on the year, but the pitching staff has struggled, with a collective ERA of nearly 11.
With both sides utilizing openers, opting to turn to their bullpens for much of the day, the game remained tight at 3-3 midway through the fourth inning. The Irish bats would then reignite from their hot weekend in South Carolina, batting around the order en route to an eightspot to push the lead to 11-3.
The frame began with a pair of walks and a hit batsman to load the bases, before freshman infielder Bino Watters struck a single through the left side to plate a pair. Junior infielder Estevan Moreno then sent a gap shot for a double which scored one more. After that, sophomore catcher Davis Johnson belted his second homer of
the season, which moved the lead to 9-3. Graduate infielder Connor Hincks nearly made it back-to-back blasts, but his deep fly ball to right field careened off the top of the wall as he scurried to the third for a triple.
The offensive explosion would continue in the fifth, as freshman southpaw Brady Koester sent the Bulldogs down in order. Afterwards, the Irish would score six to move the lead to 17-3. Watters started off the inning with his second home run of the afternoon, bringing his season total to four. The youngster from Rochester Hills, Mich. has had an impressive start to his collegiate career, hitting over .300 with eight
extra-base hits. Notre Dame would find their back-to-back bombs, as Moreno followed up Watters with a moonshot off the scoreboard.
Butler got one back in the top of the sixth with a homer of their own, but Moreno capped off his career day in the bottom half of the frame as his triple to the right-center field alley completed the illustrious cycle. It was the first cycle for an Irish player since March 11, 2016, as well as the first four-hit day of the Illinois native’s three-year career.
Graduate left-hander Jack Walker struck out three of the final four Bulldog batters to close matters in the 18-4 Irish win. Koester picked up his first win of the season after going 1.2 innings without conceding a hit.
With their losing streak now at seven games, and a 6-14 overall mark, the Bulldogs will look to get back on the right side of the ledger with a slew of midweek games upcoming. Butler will have four more road games, at Ball State, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, and Miami (Ohio), before hosting their home opener next Friday against Northern Illinois.
Now sitting at 12-6 overall, the Irish will continue their 14game homestand this weekend. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets come to town for a Friday through Sunday series to bring ACC baseball back to Frank Eck Stadium. The series opener is set for 4:30 p.m. on Mar. 21, with streaming available on ACCNX.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
ROMINA LLANOS | The Observer
Current senior outfielder Brady Gumph cracks a double in a matchup against Purdue University on March 5, 2024 at Frank Eck Stadium.
Notre Dame will finally return to Melissa Cook Stadium on Tuesday, March 18, to face Indiana. The game begins a nine-game homestand for Ganeff’s team, which includes another midweek matchup against Western Michigan on Wednesday and a three-game ACC series against Stanford over the weekend.
Baseball Head coach Shawn Stiffler’s squad went 3-5 overall and 1-5 in ACC play over the past two weeks. The Irish played their series opener in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, against now No. 11-ranked Wake Forest on Friday, March 7, where they suffered a 19-5 loss that was cut short in the seventh inning. Senior infielder Nick DeMarco, freshman infielder Bino Watters and junior infielder Estevan Moreno all homered in the loss. The Irish put up more of a fight on Saturday but saw their comeback cut short in a 6-5 loss. With two outs and the bases loaded, Moreno scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to one in the final frame. Wake Forest, however, would force a groundout to end the game. Notre Dame surrendered double-digit runs to the Demon Deacons once again in game three of the series on Sunday, losing 11-1 to start ACC play 0-3. They would bounce back with a pair of midweek wins over Winthrop in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The Irish defeated the Eagles 6-3 on Tuesday, March 11, and 12-3 a day later. Seven different players tallied a hit in game one, and graduate outfielder Brady Gumpf hammered his second long ball of the season. In game two, freshman outfielder Jayce Lee filled up the stat sheet, going 2 for 4 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored. DeMarco notched his third bomb of the season in a 2-for-4 effort of his own.
Last weekend, Notre Dame traveled to Clemson, South Carolina, for its second ACC series of the season against now No. 7-ranked Clemson. On Friday, March 14, it lost a low-scoring 2-1 battle despite the pitching staff holding the Tigers six runs below their average of 8.61 per game. Sophomore righty Jack Radel allowed only four hits and one earned run in his fiveinning start. Senior righty Ricky Reeth pitched two complete and struck out two, and freshman righty Oisin Lee struck out all three batters he faced. Moreno’s RBI drove in Notre Dame’s only run of the game. Clemson took game two on Saturday in a higher-scoring affair, winning 11-7.
After setting the tone early with a 3-0 first-inning lead, the Irish grabbed game three by a score of 7-3 to close out the weekend on Sunday. Graduate outfielder Jared Zimbardo’s leadoff homer, his 200th career hit, got Notre Dame going early. Moreno added a tworun blast to tie DeMarco with a team-high three.
Notre Dame now returns to South Bend to face Butler on Tuesday, March 18, before its first ACC series in Frank Eck Stadium against Georgia Tech on March 21-23.
Women’s tennis
Head coach Alison Silverio’s Irish women’s tennis team split a pair of ACC matchups in Florida over the weekend. On Friday, March 14, the Irish were swept by Miami, who secured the doubles point with two 6-4 nail-biters on courts one and two followed by impressive straight-set singles wins on courts one, two and five. Notre Dame would bounce back against Florida State in Tallahassee on Sunday, coming back from a 3-2 deficit to earn a 4-3 comeback victory. After surrendering the doubles point, freshman Bianca Molnar got the Irish on the board with a win at No. 2 singles. The teams would go back and forth on singles courts five and six, with junior Rylie Hanford
winning the latter match to tie the score at 2-2. The Seminoles would be one away after Eva Shaw ground out a straight-set win on court one against junior Akari Matsuno, winning the first set in an 8-6 tiebreaker. Senior Nibi Ghosh kept the team alive on court four with her straightset victory over Millie Bissett, a match that also required an 8-6 tiebreaker in the first set. The match fell on the racket of Bojana Pozder on court three. After dropping the first set 6-4, she would deliver for the Irish, clawing back to win sets two and three 6-1 and 6-3 respectively.
Notre Dame will return to home courts on Sunday, March 23 to host the Louisville Cardinals in the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Men’s tennis
In the midst of a six-game losing skid, head coach Ryan Sachire’s Irish men’s tennis team went 0-4 over the past two weeks against four tough ACC opponents. Two Fridays ago, it suffered a 4-1 loss at home to No. 11 Duke. Junior Sebastian Dominko continued his dominance at No. 1 singles, however, securing the only point in the match with a win over No. 66-ranked Cooper Williams. The Irish played again in Eck Tennis Pavilion Sunday, losing 4-3 to No. 68 North Carolina. After taking three of the first four points of the match, Notre Dame surrendered a 3-1 lead to the Tar Heels. The Irish traveled to California to take on No. 9 Stanford last Friday and No. 15 California on Sunday. In the first of their two-match trip, they lost 4-1 to the Cardinal, with their only point coming from the doubles courts. Senior pairing Jameson Corsillo and Yu Zhang won on court two before Dominko and sophomore Chase Thompson earned the point on court one. The Sunday match against Cal was much closer, but the Irish ultimately fell 4-3. The freshman pairing of Luis Llorens Saracho and Peter Nad took the first doubles match on court three before Dominko/Thompson took
the point on court one.
Doubles continues to be a strong point for Notre Dame, where they have won 14 of 18 points on the season. Thompson improved to 10-2 on the season, bouncing back from his loss at Stanford with a straight-set victory in Berkeley. Dominko continued his brilliance at the top of the singles lineup, battling back from a 6-3 loss in the first set to win the second 7-5. The match ended at 4-4 in the third when his opponent retired down a break point in the game. The junior lefty moves to 13-2 in singles for the spring and is undefeated in his last eight matches, including six in ACC play. He also boasts a 14-2 record in doubles having secured wins with six different Irish teammates.
Notre Dame will return home to Eck Tennis Pavilion for a trio of weekend matches, including ACC contests with Wake Forest on Friday, March 21 and NC State on Sunday, March 23. After the morning match against the Wolfpack, they will face St. Bonaventure later in the evening.
Rowing
The Notre Dame rowing team competed in the Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, this past weekend, its first event of the 2025 season. The Irish entered the season ranked 18th in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association top 25 and finished second behind ACC foes No. 16 Duke in all five Saturday races. Races with North Carolina and Wisconsin set for that day were canceled due to weather. Day two at Melton Lake saw the Irish compete against Navy, Wisconsin and North Carolina, earning racing wins in the 1V4, 2V4, 2V8, 3V8 and 4V8.
Notre Dame’s next competition, the San Diego Crew Classic, will take place in California two weeks from now on March 29-30.
Swinging back into conference play, the Irish defeated No.
38 Florida State 4-3 on Friday. However, Notre Dame couldn’t find the same close-match success in Sunday’s 4-3 loss to No. 20 Miami (Fla.).
The Irish will hit the road and face Georgia Tech and Clemson next weekend.
Men’s Tennis
The Irish went 1-2 during Spring Break, opening with a 4-0 home sweep of No. 50 Northwestern on March 8. A week later, Notre Dame struggled in its return to ACC play, losing 4-3 at Virginia Tech and 6-1 at No. 3 Virginia.
The Virginia Tech match in particular could have gone either way, with five singles matches requiring a third set. Sophomore Sebastian Dominko took part in two ranked wins for Notre Dame, downing the Hokies’ 80th-ranked doubles team with senior JeanMarc Malkowski and defeating 60th-ranked Ryan Fishback in singles. At Virginia, freshman Chase Thompson earned Notre Dame’s lone point in No. 4 singles.
He and the Irish will return home this weekend to face NC State, Wake Forest and Xavier.
Men’s Golf
Notre Dame competed in the Johnnie-O at Sea Island from March 11-12 and the Schenkel Invitational from March 15-17. The Irish won the former event at Sea Island Plantation Golf Course, shooting a 32-under score of 832. Freshman Jacob Modleski emerged with his first individual victory, shooting 12 under with a score of 204. Trying to catch up to Modleski’s final-round 65, graduate student Palmer Jackson finished two strokes behind in third place.
Following the win, Notre Dame took second place in the Schenkel, producing a 23-under score of 841. Jackson (T5) and Modleski (T11) once again produced top-15 finishes, combining to go 14 under par.
The Irish will tee off next at the Hoosier Collegiate on April 6.
Women’s Golf
Irish women’s golf headed down to Louisiana for the Tulane Classic from March 10-12. There, the team played to a fourth-place finish with an overall score of 896. Graduate student Lauren Beaudreau paced Notre Dame individually, taking outright second place with a 1-under par 215.
The Irish will finish the month of March and the regular season next weekend at The Bruzzy.
Rowing
Over the weekend, Notre Dame rowing took part in its first competition of the season, the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational. The Irish produced wins in the Third Varsity Eight (6:45.454) and the Varsity Four (7:18.621), besting the likes of Indiana, Wisconsin, Navy, Alabama and Louisville on Saturday morning.
Notre Dame will compete next at the Lubbers Cup Regatta on April 6.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
ND SPRING SPORTS
Spring break sports recap: Notre Dame
BY NOAH CAHILL Sports Editor
During the University’s spring break, Notre Dame athletics compiled a record of 14-21, with several teams also competing in NCAA Championships. Here’s a look at how each team fared over the past week.
Women’s Basketball
After taking over the No. 1 ranking in late February, head coach Niele Ivey’s group had a challenging finish to the season. Consecutive losses to NC State and Florida State heading into March cost the Irish an outright claim to the ACC regular season title, which they had to split with the Wolfpack. Without the tiebreaker, they entered the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the No. 2 seed, where they topped No. 7 seed California 73-64 in the quarterfinal two Fridays ago before losing 61-56 to No. 3 seed Duke in the semifinal a day later.
The Irish enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in Region 3 and will host the No. 14 seed Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin Ladyhawks in the First Round on Friday, March 21. Should they take care of business, they set up a potential matchup with rival Michigan in Round Two at Purcell Pavilion.
Men’s basketball
Head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s team finished the regular season with a thrilling 112-110 victory over California two Saturdays ago in a game that required four overtimes to be decided. The drama continued in the first round of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, last Tuesday, as the Irish narrowly outlasted Pittsburgh on a last-second free throw to keep their season alive. However, they ran into a surging North Carolina in the second round a day later, suffering a 76-56 loss that ultimately ended their season.
Star sophomore guard Markus Burton finished the year averaging 21.3 points per game, becoming the first Irish player since Luke Harangody in 2009-10 to average 20-plus points in a season. His efforts earned him a Second-Team All-ACC selection and First-Team selection by the Associated Press.
Track and field
The Notre Dame track and field team sent four athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia, last weekend, with graduates Jadin O’Brien and Alaina Brady representing the Irish in the
pentathlon, graduate Madison Schmidt in the high jump and senior Siona Chisholm in the 5000m race.
On day one, O’Brien broke her own school record along with the ACC and facility records en route to her third consecutive NCAA pentathlon championship. She boasted the fastest time in the 60m hurdles with a personal-best of 8.16 seconds, cleared 1.69m on the high jump, posted a secondbest 14.5m shot put effort, had a 6.19m long jump and ran 2:12.65 thanks to a strong final turn in the 800m. Brady finished 15th in the field with sixth-best performances in the 60m hurdles and shot put, posting an 8.48 seconds and 13.18m throw, respectively. Chisholm fought hard for over 2000m of her race but was unable to finish.
Schmidt was the lone Irish competitor on day two. In her second consecutive Indoor Championships appearance, she cleared 1.80m on her first attempt and 1.75m on her second. The 1.80m mark granted her a share of 12th place in the field.
Swimming and diving
Notre Dame divers junior Grace Courtney, junior Ben Nguyen and sophomore Katie Raby competed in the Zone C Championships at Ohio State’s McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on March 10-12. Courtney and Nguyen both qualified for NCAA Championships for the second straight year after standout performances. Courtney earned a spot in the women’s 3-meter event after posting a 638.45 and placing sixth overall in Columbus, improving on her 21st-place finish in 2024. After placing fourth in the platform event at ACC Championships, Nguyen performed in his best event yet again, managing a 753.25 en route to a sixth-place finish in the event, improving on his 37th-place finish last year.
The women’s meet will take place March 19-22, while the men will follow on March 26-29.
The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington, will host both events.
Fencing
The Notre Dame fencing team placed 12 fencers on the podium and claimed all six gold medal sports at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Granville, Ohio, two Saturdays ago. The women swept gold in all three weapons, as senior Kaylin Hsieh took epee, junior Ariadna Tucker finished first in foil and freshman Siobhan Sullivan finished first in saber. Several other women
cracked the top five, with junior Eszter Muhari taking silver at epee and freshman teammate Felicity Sebastian taking fourth. Junior Josephina Conway was second in foil while senior teammate Rebeca Candescu placed fourth. Freshman Magda Skarbonkiewicz made the podium with a third-place finish in saber, and senior teammate Jadeyn Williams came in fifth.
For the men, junior Maruan Osman-Touson (epee), sophomore Radu Nitu (saber) and freshman Liam Bas (foil) secured gold for Notre Dame. In epee junior Jonathan Hamilton-Meikle took silver while freshman James Sennewald placed seventh. The Irish managed a second on the podium for foil, as sophomore Chase Emmer took home silver. Junior Ziyuan Chen and sophomore Dominic Joseph took fourth and sixth respectively as well. Freshman Ahmed Hesham came narrowly behind Nitu for silver in saber and senior Alexander Lacaze managed a fifth-place finish.
Notre Dame now sets its sights on the NCAA National Championship in University Park, Pennsylvania, looking to avenge its second-place finish last year. The four-day event begins Thursday, March 20, and runs through Sunday, March 23.
Hockey
Two Fridays ago, head coach Jeff Jackson got his 600th career win against the odds in game one of the best-of-3 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal series, defeating No. 3 Minnesota 3-2 in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers would even the series with a 4-2 victory a day later before the Irish won the decisive game three 4-1 on Sunday. The Irish moved on to face No. 2 Michigan State in the semifinal last Saturday, where they suffered a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Jackson’s alma mater.
In 20 years as bench boss, Jackson’s career record of 419291-74 makes him the winningest coach in program history. His hall-of-fame career also includes 601 career Division I victories, which ranks ninth all-time and was the most among active coaches in the 2024-25 season. Junior netminder Owen Say was heroic for the Irish, stopping 38 shots in the closeout game against Minnesota and 45 against the Spartans, tied for his career high in a Notre Dame uniform.
As of Monday morning, Notre Dame announced the hiring of Brock Sheahan as the new head coach to replace Jackson for the upcoming season. A defenseman on the first Frozen Four team in Irish history back in 2008,
Sheahan becomes the program’s fifth head coach in modern Notre Dame hockey history.
Men’s lacrosse Head coach Kevin Corrigan’s Irish men’s lacrosse team suffered a heartbreaking 10-9 loss in South Bend two Saturdays ago against now No. 9-ranked Ohio State. After 4:24 scoreless minutes at 9-9, a goal from the Buckeyes with seven seconds remaining broke the deadlock. Notre Dame would face its third straight Big Ten opponent exactly a week later, this time putting on a dominant performance in a 19-7 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Senior attacker Chris Kavanagh paced the Irish attack once again, totaling 7 points against the Wolverines and scoring his fourth hat trick of the season. His 131 career goals rank third all-time in program history. Now at 206 for his career, Kavanagh joins brothers Pat (301) and Matt (225) along with Irish great Randy Colley (273) as the only players to eclipse the 200-point mark.
After going 1-1 over the break, the Irish now sit at 4-2 for the season and No. 7 in the most recent national poll. They will take the upcoming weekend off before preparing to face No. 8 Duke at Arlotta Stadium on Saturday, March 29.
Women’s lacrosse
Head coach Christine Halfpenny’s Irish women’s lacrosse team played three games over the break, going 2-1. Two Saturdays ago, they fought hard in a 15-9 loss at home against No. 1-ranked juggernaut Boston College, who currently sit undefeated at 10-0 on the season. Despite tying or winning three of the four quarters, a 5-0 second-quarter blitz from the Eagles would be too much for Notre Dame to overcome in the end. Sophomore attacker Kate Timarky continued her stellar season, recording her third hat trick of the season with all three goals coming in the second half.
The Irish returned to the field in Berkeley, California, to face ACC opponent California. In Halfpenny’s 200th career win, Notre Dame grabbed its first conference win of the season in a 15-8 victory over the Golden Bears. Sophomore midfielder Kathryn Morrissey put on a show, posting career-best goal and assist totals of four and two respectively. Freshman sensation Madison Rassas recorded her fourth hat trick of the season to go with a team-high seven draw controls in the win. The Irish would travel about 70 miles north for a two-day turnaround against
UC Davis. They dominated the Aggies in an 18-6 win to leave California 2-0. Rassas continued her brilliant performance, notching her fifth hat trick of the season in a four-goal outing.
Notre Dame now sits at 5-4 on the season with a 1-3 conference record. The Irish return to South Bend for a midweek clash with No. 23 Harvard on Wednesday, March 19, before a Sunday showdown against No. 8 Syracuse in New York on March 23.
Softball
Head coach Kris Ganeff’s Irish softball team went 2-6 overall and 2-4 in ACC play over the past two weeks. Two Fridays ago, it kicked off a three-game road series with conference opponent Louisville in Kentucky, dropping the first game 9-2. The Irish battled to a 3-2 victory on Saturday, battling back from a two-run deficit in the fourth inning behind a gametying homer from senior infielder Anna Holloway in the sixth followed by the would-be gamewinning RBI single from senior catcher Rachel Allen in the top of the seventh. Sophomore righty Kami Kamzik’s complete game and career-high nine strikeouts powered the Irish to victory. The rubber match on Sunday took 14 innings to be decided, with Notre Dame ultimately falling short in a 4-3 heartbreaker. Freshman southpaw Brianne Weiss was fantastic on the mound after coming in to relieve senior right-hander Shannon Becker in the sixth, pitching 8.1 innings, striking out nine and only allowing two earned runs.
The Irish turned around two days later for a midweek clash with Ohio State on Tuesday, March 11, in Columbus. In another competitive battle, Notre Dame fell 3-2 to the Buckeyes. Over the past weekend, Notre Dame opened up another ACC series with a 3-0 win over NC State on Friday, March 14, in Raleigh. Weiss starred yet again in the circle, the freshman allowing only three hits in a complete game shutout. Junior Paige Cowley’s third homer of the season opened the scoring in the second inning and marked the seventh straight game with a home run for the Irish. Notre Dame would drop the next two in a doubleheader against the Wolfpack on Saturday. It was shut out in a 6-0 loss in game one before suffering an extra-inning heartbreaker in game two, losing 5-3 on a walk-off two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth.
After playing its first 27 games on the road to begin the season,
