Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, April 4, 2025
Senate holds inaugural meeting for 2025-26
Senate welcomes incoming cohort of senators and votes on executive cabinet members
By MEGAN CORNELL Staff Writer
On Wednesday evening, senate held their inaugural meeting for the 2025-26 year. Student body vice president Sonia Lumley began the meeting with a prayer asking God to watch over the new class of senators and guide them through a productive year.
Former secretary Eileen Burger next took roll call by asking each of the senators to introduce themselves and share a favorite memory from their Notre Dame experience.
After introductions, judicial council president Elijah Jones swore in Jerry Vielhauer as student body president and Lumley as student body vice president. The two promised to “endeavor to ensure
Robinson will receive 2025 Laetare Medal
Observer Staff Report
At the University of Notre Dame’s 180th commencement ceremony on May 18, Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, will receive the 2025 Laetare Medal, the oldest and most prestigious award for American Catholics according to the University.
Robinson, a lifelong advocate for Catholic Social Teaching, women’s leadership and
humanitarian work, has led Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) since 2023. The organization represents 168 agencies that serve more than 15 million people annually through services including food assistance, affordable housing and disaster relief.
“Kerry Alys Robinson has dedicated her career to serving the Church, standing in solidarity with those on the margins so that they may experience the abundant love of God,” University
President Fr. Robert Dowd, said in a statement. “In awarding her the Laetare Medal, the University celebrates her boundless compassion, visionary leadership and inspiring example of faith-filled service.”
Before joining CCUSA, Robinson spent nearly two decades with Leadership Roundtable, a nonprofit that fosters leadership accountability
NDISC professors weigh in on leaked war plans
By DAVID MURPHY Staff Writer
On Monday, March 24, editor in chief of The Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that he had been mistakenly added to a private group chat that included topranking members of the Trump administration, such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, among
others. According to Goldberg, the group chat revolved around plans for an American attack on the Houthis in Yemen.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed terrorist organization that controls most of Northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, have threatened and significantly disrupted the sea routes in the Red Sea, disturbing trade throughout the region. In a public statement,
the White House announced it had conducted large-scale strikes against the Houthis to respond to these actions. Professor of military history Ian Johnson, who also serves as co-director of the Notre Dame International Security Center (NDISC), provided context regarding the importance of the Red Sea.
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the efficient and effective operation of the Student Union ... and to protect and defend the Constitution of the undergraduate student body.”
Lumley then led the new senate class through the same oath of office and the senators began voting on the week’s agenda. Student union parliamentarian Thomas Musgrave discussed the typical proceedings of senate to new members.
“I know this is your first meeting and if you have any questions, you can say point of inquiry at any time,” Musgrave said.
The agenda for the meeting included approving Ethan Chiang as student body chief of staff, Catherine Morrissey as secretary,
ND emphasizes green commitments
By EMILY BARLETT News Writer
For Earth M onth in April, there is a heightened emphasis on environmental efforts across the University of Notre Dame. This includes a variety of ongoing developments and projects to minimize energy consumption and conserve resources for sustainability.
For recycling changes, the University encourages students
and faculty to bring recyclable materials to centrally placed toters. Big blue bins have been spread out over the campus as part of their centralized toter system.
There are also efforts to use cleaner energy forms and promote composting strategies in food manufacturing.
“Twenty years ago, the University’s power plant was
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MARIELLA TADDONIO| The Observer South Dining Hall workers collects food scraps as a part of a green initiative. Food waste was collected and weighed from both the halls.
MEGAN CORNELL| The Observer
The 2025-26 student senate meets for the first time on the evening of Wednesday, April 2. The senate conducted various measures, including reviewing departments and honoring the outgoing senate leadership. see
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Gage Whitton junior Baumer Hall “Car light.”
Del Water Gap performs at Sound of SUB on March 28, 2025 in Stepan. The concert was hosted by the Student Union Board as part of their annual Sound of SUB event. Openers were Notre Dame students Libby Garnett, Ben Warren Flynn and Maura McMahon.
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Friday
Hesburgh Libraries
Hackathon 2025
Hesburgh Library
6 p.m. - 7 p.m. team coding competition.
Concert by the Notre Dame Chorale Leighton Concert Hall
8 p.m. - 9 p.m.
chora: renaissance to 20th century.
Saturday
“The Taste of Things” Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
“The Time Masters” Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
1 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. 1982 film showing.
Monday
Tragedies of War: Images of WWII in Print Visual Culture 102 Hesburgh Library 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. visual exhibit.
Annual MFA thesis exhibition 214/216 Riley Hall
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Department of Art, Art History & Design.
Tuesday
Men’s Baseball Game at home
Frank Eck Stadium
5:30 p.m. against Northwestern Wildcats baseball.
“The Fascist Liar: The Battle of Berlin” 102 Hesburgh Library 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. lecture from College of Arts and Letters.
ROMINA LLANOS | The Observer
Leak
“My understanding is that about 12 to 14 percent of global trade goes through the Suez Canal, it is the fastest shipping route from South and East Asia to Europe,” Johnson wrote in an email to The Observer. “Closure of the Canal in the past has added up to two weeks for ships heading from the Indian Ocean to European ports … It is particularly vital for Europe as it is the most significant route for energy imports from the Middle East, especially with current disruptions to oil and natural gas exports from Russia.”
The group chat, the full contents of which Goldberg published two days following his initial article, took place on the Signal messaging app. In addition to discussions on how and when to conduct the Houthi strikes, it detailed operational plans, such
Laetare
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within the Catholic Church in response to the clergy abuse crisis.
As founding executive director and later global ambassador, she helped shape efforts in more than 75 percent of U.S. dioceses and influenced Catholic leadership internationally.
A noted speaker and author of “Imagining Abundance: Fundraising, Philanthropy and A Spiritual Call to Service,” Robinson has received 10 honorary degrees and multiple national awards,
as specific targets, weaponry to be used and precise attack timelines.
Group chat members also discussed the role of American allies in Europe, displaying frustration over Europe’s perceived reliance on U.S. military support.
Johnson commented on the historical context of leaks within U.S. national security.
“Leaks within the U.S. government are common, often used by mid-level staffers to try and sway or influence policy,” he wrote. “From the Yalta Papers to the Pentagon Papers to the recent U.S. diplomatic cable leaks, this has been a frequent occurrence in modern U.S. history.”
Despite the relative historical regularity of leaks within the federal government, concerns about the exchange arose. They revolved around the use and sharing of classified information via the Signal app, which is typically not utilized to handle such information. Professor Dan
including the 2024 Spirit of Saint Francis Award.
“I have always loved the Church and held its potential in the highest esteem,” Robinson said, in a press release by the University of Notre Dame. “Promoting the role of women in meaningful leadership and advocating for young adults has been a consistent commitment of mine.”
The Laetare Medal, established at Notre Dame in 1883, is awarded annually to a Catholic who has enriched the Church and society. Previous honorees include Dorothy Day, former President
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Lindley, NDISC associate director, expanded on the matter.
“I don’t know about the general government, but I can tell you that it’s unwise to use [Signal] for classified information,” Lindley said. “It’s extremely unwise when there are so many different ways to communicate classified information with secure, compartmentalized facilities.”
Signal’s use has raised questions surrounding the security of shared intelligence with key intelligence allies such as the Five Eyes. When asked about whether these leaks could impact allied intelligence coordination, professor of political science and NDISC member Joseph Parent had one word.
“Easily,” Parent wrote. “It could compromise the safety of our soldiers and our sources and methods of intelligence.”
The leak also provided insights into the Trump administration’s broader foreign
John F. Kennedy, former President Joe Biden and actor Martin Sheen. Robinson, who holds degrees from Georgetown University and Yale Divinity School, continues her family’s multigenerational commitment to Catholic philanthropy. She began her career at Yale’s Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel & Center.
The Laetare Medal recipient is traditionally announced on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. The medal bears the Latin inscription, “Magna est veritas et praevalebit” — “Truth is mighty and it shall prevail.”
policy perspective. One theme that emerged was frustration with America’s European allies, whom several chat members felt were not pulling their weight. Vice President Vance, in particular, expressed concerns throughout the conversation, writing that just “3 percent of US trade runs through the Suez,” while “40 percent of European trade does.”
“It’s a view that we’re doing them a service,” Lindley said. “And there’s some truth to that argument, but there’s also some truth to the argument that we’re protecting the global commons to help free trade. As a general principle, the things that look like we’re sacrificing and being overly generous on, in the long term, really redound to our benefit.”
Another interesting dynamic that seemingly emerged from the conversation was differing opinions on whether to conduct or delay the strikes. Though Secretary of Defense Hegseth
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fueled almost entirely by coal, but we have gradually shifted to natural gas, which is cleaner but still a fossil fuel,” Dorini family professor of energy studies Peter C. Burns explained. Without this natural gas supply, the campus is at risk of freezing due to South Bend’s intense climate conditions.
Additionally, a hydroelectric system, ND Hydro, was established at the St. Joseph River as another sustainable power source for the University.
“Notre Dame finally installed hydroelectric generators on the dam of the river that had the capability for these implementations for years, and these generators produce roughly seven percent of electricity for the institution,” Burns said.
The Environmental Change Initiative of Notre Dame (NDECI) is conducting research to uncover solutions to modern day environmental challenges. Through partnering with corporations, nonprofits and policymakers, the initiative is actively playing a role in promoting environmental change.
Director of ND-ECI, Jennifer Tank, is part of the Sustainability Strategy Standing Committee, where students, faculty and staff develop and assess current sustainable strategies in the University.
“From food composting, to recycling [and] our energy transition, we can work on all of these things through the broad engagement of the Sustainability Strategy Standing Committee,” Tank said.
Pulte family professor of development policy Arun Agrawal shared the University has recently launched the Just Transformations to
indicated a willingness to strike immediately, the vice president displayed hesitancy, concerned they were “making a mistake” by conducting the strikes.
Parent did not find this a concerning, saying, “It’s a natural and normal part of policymaking.”
Johnson viewed it as an important distinction to draw between certain administration members.
“I think the text of the Signal exchange highlights the major division on foreign policy within the Trump Administration,” Johnson wrote. “Between those, like Vice President Vance, who think the US is doing too much in the world and should expect its partners and allies to do more and those, like Secretary Hegseth, who argue that the U.S. needs to continue to police much of the globe alone, if necessary.”
Contact David Murphy at dmurph23@nd.edu
Sustainability Initiative as their inaugural director.
“The initiative aims to enhance research and strengthen the University’s sustainability curriculum in partnership with colleagues, networks and universities outside of Notre Dame, while supporting the faculty and students within the school,” Agrawal said.
Through this initiative, faculty members submit proposals and provide resources to advance their research with current students.
“The initiative is supporting the work of the Vatican through recognizing Pope Francis’ ‘Laudato si’,’ which is ‘On Care for Our Common Home,’ that asks everybody to focus on ways they could bring about change to promote sustainability,” Agrawal said.
Additionally, the University is currently building a one-megawatt solar plant in partnership with Crossroads Solar to contribute to a more environmentally friendly campus.
“This plant is being built on the west side of campus and will be up and running in the next few months,” Burns shared.
There have also been various smaller efforts to promote a more sustainable campus. Tank stated these actions as the lights in buildings turning off when no one is in the room, the heat being set to minimize heat loss and recycling systems purposefully implemented to optimize resources.
Many of these changes are aimed to be done as seamlessly as possible behind the scenes but cannot be fully executed without the involvement of staff and students.
“A community-level partnership needs to happen that comes not just from administration, but from faculty and students, because all of us are responsible for making our campus more sustainable,” Agrawal said.
Contact Emily Barlett at ebarlett@nd.edu
Professors discuss new courses for fall
By MARIA CLARA LOPES CORONA Staff Writer
With fall registration approaching, students are sorting through hundreds of course listings in PATH. While many courses return each semester with familiar syllabuses and core requirements, a number of new or redesigned classes are also being introduced.
Literature of the Holocaust Literature of the Holocaust will be taught for the first time this fall by department chair of German, Slavic and Eurasian studies Tobias Boes, under the Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures. The course explores how trauma is processed through writing and traces the remembrance of the Holocaust across generations.
“The purpose of the class is twofold,” Boes said. “To introduce students to what the Holocaust actually was and to examine how literature can both express and carry the weight of trauma.”
The reading list includes “If This Is a Man” by Primo Levi, “Night” by Elie Wiesel, “Still Alive” by Ruth Klüger and “Maus” by Art Spiegelman.
“Many survivor accounts were written decades after the fact … So even nonfiction has a layer of narrative construction,” Boes said.
Students select archived video interviews of Auschwitz survivors, conducting research and presenting findings on testimonies that are rarely studied.
The course proposes a fall break trip to Berlin and Auschwitz.
“I’m hoping I can bring these testimonies to life in a way that otherwise wouldn’t be possible … And also help students understand how integrated Jewish life once was in Germany and Poland. This wasn’t something that happened to some distant ‘other,’” Boes said.
Adapting Oz
The course, Adapting Oz, taught by assistant dean of the Office of Undergraduate Studies, Darlene Hampton, examines American culture through the story, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. First published in 1900, the novel remains deeply tied to American identity.
“Baum’s Oz has arguably more adaptations, across more media, than any other work of American fiction … That makes it an ideal lens for exploring how American myths — about gender, race, the frontier or magic — are reinforced or challenged over time,” Hampton wrote in an email.
The course begins with Baum’s novels, then moves through adaptations from the MGM musical to “Wicked” and
reinterpretations in internet and meme culture.
“Adaptations are all about recreating a story in a new sociocultural context … That process tells us a lot about what a culture values — and what it’s trying to suppress,” Hampton wrote.
Students will examine different media through close reading, collaborative discussion and individual projects. In past semesters, students have designed their own Oz adaptations, podcasts or presentations.
“Even children’s stories are political,” Hampton wrote.
“Who tells them, who gets left out and how they change all reflect deeper tensions in American culture.”
Exploring Access to Play Through Community Coaching
Director of education, schooling and society Andrea Christensen will be teaching the course, Exploring Access to Play Through Community Coaching, that combines classroom learning with on-theground coaching work in South Bend, Indiana. The course examines youth access to play through a social justice lens.
“The course is really grounded in this idea that play isn’t optional for kids — it’s essential,”
Christensen said. “But the opportunity to play is not equally distributed.”
Each student will be placed with a local youth organization and coach weekly throughout the semester. Class sessions will cover coaching strategies, trauma-informed care, cultural competency and community engagement.
“There are real access issues in our community and across the country and we’re giving students a way to respond
to those issues in real time,” Christensen explained.
The course is open to students across disciplines, and no prior coaching experience is required.
“The goal is to prepare students not just to coach, but to lead … and to understand how leadership in sport intersects with race, gender, class and ability,” Christensen said.
Economics of the Seven Deadly Sins
Keough-Hesburgh professor William Evans, under the department of economics, will instruct the course, Economics of the Seven Deadly Sins. This aims to frame economic research methods through the classic vices and identify causal relationships behind social issues.
“We’re not just talking about vice abstractly. We’re reading studies on the opioid crisis, chronic stress, social comparison — topics that connect to everyday life,” Evans said.
The course places greater emphasis on wrath, gluttony and envy, where Evans said the literature is both compelling and accessible.
The class fulfills the University’s writing-intensive requirement and centers on a major independent research project with an original causal question.
Past projects have investigated the effects of the Affordable Care Act on suicide rates or whether alcohol sales at football games impact DUI fatalities.
“A lot of papers ask you to write about something,” Evans said. “This one asks you to come up with the question and figure out how to answer it — that’s much harder and also much more like the work economists actually do.”
Unlocking Puzzles: Sociology and Data Science
Assistant professor of sociology, Daniel Tadmon, will be instructing the course, Unlocking Puzzles, to introduce students to the world of quantitative social research using real-world data. Designed for sociology majors and data science minors, the course emphasizes practical skills in coding, data analysis and social inquiry.
“I’m a sociologist of culture and mental health,” Tadmon stated. “These are big, often abstract topics. What makes someone feel well or unwell? What does culture say about who we are? This course is about finding ways to study those questions through data.”
The course uses publicly available data, where students read current research and apply similar methods in their final projects.
One student used 60 years of Billboard Hot 100 data from the United States and Mexico to track shifting cultural values across borders. Another tested whether artificial intelligence replicates human emotional contagion by feeding a large language model emotional content.
Students are not expected to have extensive research backgrounds, with preferable small experiences in coding and statistics.
While the course has only run once before, Tadmon said student work was “grad school level” in quality.
“They’re learning not just how to consume knowledge, but how to produce it,” Tadmon said.
Contact Maria Clara Lopes Corona at mcorona@nd.edu
Kevin White as executive controller and Sam Robinson as student union parliamentarian. Additionally, sixteen departments were confirmed, with four new departments created by Vielhauer and Lumley that are up for debate next week.
In recognition of former president Dawson Kiser’s service, the senate granted him student body president emeritus status.
“Dawson Kiser has served faithfully and dutifully the office of the University’s student body president … He set an incredible example of what it means to hold this office and to truly give back to the University of Notre Dame,” Vielhauer said.
Former vice president Maeve Miller echoed Vielhauer’s statement.
“I’ve been truly inspired by Dawson’s leadership this past year … He’s an incredible person who has given so much to this role this year,” Miller said.
Miller and former chief of staff Allison O’Connor also received emeritus status.
“Maeve’s roll at the University extends far beyond student body vice president and has made an undeniable impact on Notre Dame,” Vielhauer said.
Many new senators mentioned their excitement in representing their dorms and assisting different groups of the student body population, including Welsh Family Hall senator Z Zavala.
“I am representing Welsh Family Hall and one of my goals is to get the hang of how to do the motions. The second is just to do what’s best for my dorm, as they are really into athletic groups. Not only that, but they are women, so Title IX is very important to me. I just want to make everybody in my dorm happy,” Zavala said.
Contact Megan Cornell at mcornell@nd.edu
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Hey, you! It’s okay to age
released an announcement on Instagram explicitly stating which of its products are best suited for children.
Going to Sephora is a nightmare now. Not because of shrinkflation, or overstimulating aisles, but due to the sudden surplus in Gen Alpha or “Sephora Kids” packing the store. These children are responsible for popular skincare brands flying off the shelves — products that are made for adults but appeal to younger generations. Take Drunk Elephant, for example, a “clean beauty” skincare brand founded by Tiffany Masterson in 2012. Generation Alpha takes an infatuation to their vibrant packaging and usage of young influencer marketing to sell their product.
Business is booming for these companies that target the “Sephora Kids” demographic. Unfortunately, Drunk Elephant is a privately traded company and therefore no stock price information is available. However, the brand e.l.f. Cosmetics, which also markets to kids and tweens alike, saw a stock price jump of 203% from 2023 to early 2024. Not only that, but this market is expanding; the “Baby and Child Skin Care Market” is expected to have a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 5.74% from 2025-2029; the number of users in said market are expected to reach one billion by 2029.
There is an issue with marketing a line of adult skincare products to younger individuals — these kids are using harsh chemicals that their pre-pubescent skin barrier cannot withstand. Products containing exfoliating acids and retinols are too abrasive for children, who tend to have thinner and more sensitive skin barriers. In response to widespread online concern, Drunk Elephant
In regard to anti-aging products, retinols are not the only popular method. “Frownies,” formerly known as “Wrinkle Eradicators,” are a noninvasive form of face tape and have been around since 1889. They are used on various parts of the face at night to prevent wrinkles and are made from “natural weighted unbleached Kraft paper [and] water activated starch based adhesive” according to their website. Upon application, face muscles are held flat and muscle tension is allegedly reduced to correct existing lines and prevent new ones from forming by inhibiting facial expression. Frownies have recently gone viral on TikTok, amassing over 341 million views and were named Forbes’ “Beauty and Wellness Trend That Will Dominate 2025.”
Preventative botox is another hot commodity among younger generations. Preventative botox is the injection of botulinum toxin, typically in the face in order to reduce and stop premature wrinkles and fine lines from developing further. The neurotoxin prevents muscles from contracting, thus halting the formation of wrinkles. While traditional botox is injected into the face where wrinkles are already present, preventative botox is injected into relatively smooth skin to stop the wrinkles from forming. While the age and frequency of treatments varies from person to person, preventative botox is generally meant for people who are younger and not yet eligible for traditional botox. However, doing too much too soon can actually have adverse effects. A surplus of botox on the forehead can cause the muscles to become weaker and flatter, making the skin
appear looser and thinner over time––accelerating the aging process.
Preventative botox doesn’t make sense because the use of the word “preventative” implies that you will one day no longer need regular botox, since it’s stopping you from getting future wrinkles in the first place. However, this is not the case: you must keep getting botox in order to maintain your youthful appearance — wrinkles will still form after stopping it. Similar to the Sephora Kids market, this is actually just opening the botox market to a younger demographic, allowing cosmetic doctors to profit off of young adult insecurities. Whatever happened to just plain old sunscreen? So many people do not have the privilege of living long enough to get wrinkles. How beautiful is it that we get to have visible signs of living a good life? Lines from days spent grinning from ear to ear, folds from truly feeling. So, experience. Let yourself feel the pendulum of emotions that life throws at you with full force and enjoy every minute of it. Be proud of the corrugations you have to prove it. How lucky are we to have emblems of a life well-lived? Age proudly; not everyone gets to. Boast the wisdom that is symbolic of what lives within you. We as a society should relish in the privilege of one day getting to resemble our ancestors.
Zora Rodgers is a junior studying film, television and theatre. She’s from Falls Church, Virginia and has the pajama pants to prove it. When not watching the TODAY Show or writing, she can be found wearing too much perfume and spending her NBC paychecks on SKIMS. You can reach out to her at zrodgers@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
A Catholic’s guide to a subpar Lent
In a land called Uz, there was this guy called Job, and Job dealt with a crap-ton of crap. All the living things around him (his camels, his crops, his daughters …) started to die. And all the things around him that most certainly shouldn’t have been alive started to fester and curdle (i.e. – the boils on his feet). Satan literally smote him. But somehow, after all that smiting, Job did not curse the Lord.
I hope I am not making a gross generalization when I say that most of us have never been smote before. But most of us have, however, cursed the Lord. In fact, I did just that on Sunday. My power went out, spoiling all the deli meat in my fridge, and I shook a fist in the air and stared angrily at the impending rain clouds.
I have never been dragged into the wasteland, deprived of food and tempted by the Adversary. I have, however, given in to my temptations when a friend offered me a slice of Martin’s tiramisu cake. I broke my Lenten promise just 15 days in.
The thing about the Roman Catholic Lent is that it’s relatively easy. There is (hopefully) no smiting involved. Satan does not send down evil spirits to kill our camels and crops, or whatever the modern equivalent for a Midwestern Catholic may be (Honda minivans and well-manicured lawns?). But still, we find ourselves breaking our commitments and relishing in our own self-pity. Unlike Job, we cannot resist the urge to blame God for our misfortunes. And unlike Christ, we give into our compulsions as soon as they bubble up inside of us.
Compared to Ramadan, our fasting period is a walk in the park. We carve out a measly 40 days to
promise not to eat sweets, or to pledge we’re going to pray more. The most hardcore Papists take on even more radical tests of faith — deleting Tiktok, taking up daily mass or cutting out alcohol.
But even so, when it comes to a Midwestern Catholic’s Lent, there are relatively low stakes. Even at Notre Dame — arguably the most Catholic university in the world — no one really holds you to your Lenten oath. No one really pays attention if you skip out on your morning coffee like you vowed you would.
Fridays in Lent are anybody’s game. To mark this day of atonement — when our Lord and Savior endured the most gruesome of physical tortures for our sins — we Catholics pull up to our local Culver’s and take it upon ourselves to stuff our faces full of deep-fried cod. What a sacrifice! What a display of our utter devotion to our God!
When a great wind knocked over the four corners of his son’s house, killing everyone inside, Job began to praise the Almighty One. Even when Job’s three BFFs (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar) were like — ”Dude, it’s okay. You can curse God. Your life sucks and you should probably just die or confess.”— Job refused to sin with his lips.
When a great wind knocked over the Irish Flats power lines, ruining my oven-roasted turkey in my fridge, you bet your bottom dollar I cursed the universe for being so unfair. My three BFFs didn’t even have to persuade me — I volunteered. I cried out, “Woe is me!” as I lounged on my couch and ordered Grubhub off my phone.
In an age of instant gratification, living in a firstworld country and attending a top-rate university, we Midwestern Catholics have very little to curse God about. But somehow, we find a way. For roughly 2100 lines of poetry, Job’s remaining family members pleaded with him, trying to get him to confess
or turn away from God. But Job is steadfast. And he had a crap-ton more to curse God about than we do. If we can learn anything from Job’s hounded loyalty, it’s that we have sort of a sweet setup. Out of all the times to be alive — splattered against the backdrop of millions of generations of humanity — we have won the cosmic jackpot.
Lent is a dedicated period to challenge ourselves, both physically and spiritually. Whether or not you’re Catholic, or even religious, sometimes depriving yourself of something is an essential element for growth. In our day and age, when extravagance is not only easily accessible, but expected, going a mere few hours without being pampered may feel like torture. I spent the short period without power hunkered down like a Medieval poet, furiously taking notes in the candlelight. Most days, I live better than ancient Persian kings. I have come to demand a life of lavishness. I have warm clothes to wear, hot showers to take and good food to eat. Stripping ourselves of a vice or a luxury teaches us to have discipline over our bodily desires, to control our impulses. If we had but one ounce of Job’s discipline, we’d spend a lot less time angry at the world for our minor inconveniences, and a lot more time appreciating the gifts we’ve been bestowed, up in our ivory towers. As Lent nears its end, I want to take the remainder of these days to stick to my covenant, even if I’ve done a pretty subpar job of it thus far.
Gracie Eppler is a senior business analytics and English major from St. Louis, MO. Her top three things ever to exist are ‘70s music, Nutella and Smith Studio 3, where she can be found dancing. You can reach her at geppler@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Zora Rodgers The Quiet Part Out Loud
Gracie Eppler The Soapbox
Duncan Stangel
The Center of the Universe
As was announced last week, I have been appointed to The Observer’s editorial board as the social media editor for the 2025-2026 term. This is a position I hold in high regard, as I aim to promote the other departments of this newspaper and bring multimedia into the traditional news space here on campus. I would like to thank editor-in-chief Liam Kelly for this opportunity, viewpoint editor Liam Price for inspiring my application, as well as my colleagues on the incoming editorial board, with whom I look forward to serving alongside. Finally, I’d like to thank my family, whose support over the past semester and a half has been invaluable to my growth as a journalist and writer.
I had never written for a newspaper before the start of last semester. My school did not have one, though I had been a podcaster and done some radio work for one of my teachers, Mr. Zamagias, whose broadcasts of local football games were likely hampered by statistical limitations. My experience with a physical newspaper was confined to the occasion when my first grade teacher, Mrs. Bollinger, used one to swat a bug off of my head.
The only people in my family with any journalism
On promotions
experience were my great grandparents. My great grandfather’s name was C. Arthur Lancaster, known to many as Soupy. He died almost 40 years ago. He was the editor of my local paper, the Cumberland Times-News and a capable newsman by all accounts. It is where he met my great grandmother, then a proofreader. Their marriage would produce seven children. Six girls (my grandmother, from On Grandparents, is their second child) and one boy. My Uncle Fred was number seven. According to the neighbors, Soupy danced down the street when he witnesses the birth of his first and only son.
He would die during Fred’s freshman year of college in the early eighties. My mother was in the fourth grade. He suffered a “widowmaker” heart attack that killed him before he hit the floor. This was well before they could save people from them. There are stories of him putting the paper to bed in the early afternoon and my great grandmother making sure he spelled their newest child’s name correctly when he took her to be baptized. I never understood why only he went, but this is the nature of the story as it was passed to me. They have been preserved through generations by my grandparents and great grandmother, who passed almost two years ago at the age of 98.
It is the story of my great grandfather I carry with
me, and the stories we tell ourselves that determine the makeup of our lives. It is these stories that have influenced my column thus far, and they are the impetus for my creative endeavors within the tri-campus community. As apart of a wider effort to unite the campus and The Observer, I look forward to my role as a bridge between departments and the wider student body.
The irony is that when my great grandparents were journalists, my position wasn’t even a thought in someone else’s mind. Social media has become the primary tool by which information is disseminated. I hope to bring new forms of communication to others to grow The Observer. It is an exciting time for us, just as I hope it is an exciting time for you. The reality has never been more clear: as journalism evolves, our means of communication must evolve with it.
Duncan Stangel is a freshman 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.
The light on the Hill
Atop the dome of the United States Capitol, there is a small structure called the tholos. Few know of its existence, but the little lamp it houses can be seen for miles across D.C. and, when lit, signifies that Congress is in session.
This past Monday, I watched the lantern shine throughout the night from the sidewalk in front of my hotel. Through my all-night paper-writing session, I squeezed every last drop of creativity out of my brain and routinely stepped outside to find some energy in the cool night air. As I looked down the street, the lantern was dim, and at times, with my drowsy eyes, I couldn’t be quite sure it was still lit. Yet, it shone for Sen. Corey Booker, whose speech on the Senate floor looked like it would go into the early morning hours.
Looking toward the lantern, I let out a yawn, thinking of how much more writing I had to do and how much longer Booker could speak into the night. To the shock of few, I could not finish my paper that night. However, to the surprise of a nation, Booker’s speech would go on for 25 hours, shattering segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond’s record for the longest ever Senate floor speech.
As I reflect on the light I saw on the top of Capitol Hill and the light America saw in Sen. Booker’s superhuman endurance, I thought of our party. With plummeting approval ratings and a base hungry for action, Democrats needed a break from the status quo. For 25 hours, he put his body on the line: no food, no water, no rest. Booker broke stride with congressional Democrats in a move so dramatic that it had never been done before. This is the energy Democrats across the United States need to adopt, regardless of their position. That night, Sen. Booker kept the light of the Capitol bright with his fiery speech.
I thought, too, of the famous American sermon by pilgrim John Winthrop, when he said, “We shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” Trump’s politics is one of deep darkness. America is still that shining city, but Democrats must be the shining light enduring on the top of the Hill.
This past Wednesday, Republicans celebrated Trump’s “Liberation Day”, in which he unilaterally announced the largest tariff hikes in decades. This included a 10% tariff minimum on any good entering the country. These seemingly indiscriminate tariff formulas, which were allegedly determined using AI chatbots and some of which were placed on uninhabited islands, have sent the American stock market into spiral. This includes the worst day on the market since 2020. As the cost of tariffs is passed on to the consumer, these Trump tariffs will single-handedly create the most significant tax hike on the middle class since World War Two. Amid this economic darkness and uncertainty, Democrats cannot sit idly by. Criticism of the Trump administration is not enough. Democrats in power have to be a light, fighting to make life easier for everyday Americans and reduce the cost of living.
Last week, in the group chat heard around the world, top Trump officials inadvertently leaked highly sensitive war plans to the editor in chief of The Atlantic via a private messaging software. This scandal raised concerns about the types of unfriendly actors that may have had access to this top-secret information and how the Trump team placed American soldiers at risk. Worse still, it was later revealed that national security adviser Mike Waltz had created at least 20 different nonsecure groupchats to handle classified matters.
While the Trump administration puts Americans abroad at risk and darkens the global standing of the United States, Democrats must act. In these confusing times of Trump’s national security
world, where our allies are our enemies and our enemies are now our allies, Democrats need to be a light.
On Wednesday, the Trump/Musk agenda faced a brutal challenge in the Badger State. In a special election for the state Supreme Court, liberal judge Susan Crawford whopped Musk-supported conservative Brad Schimel by 10 points. This result was significant because it went against the unprecedented sums of money ($21 million) and social media influence flexed by Musk in an effort to influence the race for his own gain.
While Trump relies on the dark money of the world’s richest man and his virtual control of the internet, Democrats succeeded in this first major referendum on Republicans. Liberals cannot just rely on the shortcomings of Musk’s schemes, like offering legally dubious cash payouts to people for voting. Rather, they need to make voters believe that going to the ballot box is worth enough to them personally that it merits getting off the sofa. As the Crawford campaign demonstrated this week in Wisconsin with effective organizing and capitalizing on America’s growing dissatisfaction, Democrats have to be a light.
If Democrats can be a light over the next four years, then when voters return to the ballot boxes, America may be free of this political darkness. In the meantime, Democrats must follow the lead of leaders like Sen. Cory Booker who are not afraid to buck the status quo to keep our city on the hill shining.
Jack is a proud Michigander, a small-towner, a man of Fisher, a senior and a licensed boat captain in that order. He enjoys gritty Midwestern football, planespotting and speechwriting. If you are in urgent need of his consultation or would like to berate him, he can be found frolicking about campus or via email at jsirian2@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Jack Sirianni Political Paraphernalia
Irish tie Northwestern, prepare to host Pitt
By CHARLIE MORRIS Sports Writer
Notre Dame softball and Northwestern played to a 10-10 tie on Tuesday afternoon, as the close contest was called after seven innings due to darkness. The Irish led 10-4 entering the sixth inning, but ceded six runs across the final two frames, including a gametying grand slam, as they watched a potentially impressive midweek win slip through their fingertips. They managed to hold on and avoid a devastating loss in their first draw of 2025, bringing their record this spring to 16-20-1.
The offense came alive for Notre Dame, who recorded ten runs, twelve hits and two home runs contributed by freshman infielder Kaia Cortes and senior infielder Anna Holloway. This was only the second time all season the Irish reached double digits on the scoreboard, with the other being in a
BASEBALL
15-4 win over Lipscomb on Feb. 23. They went 38 days and 21 days between offensive explosions.
Cortes, senior outfielder Emily Tran and sophomore infielder
Addison Amaral all recorded multiple hits and runs batted in (RBIs) in the victory from the 2-4 spots in the lineup. Holloway and freshman utility player Caroline O’Brien both reached base and each scored multiple times.
Four pitchers combined for seven innings of work, started by freshman pitcher Brianne Weiss. The staff managed an impressive eight strikeouts compared to just two walks, but surrendered 15 hits to the Wildcats. One of those hits was the tying grand slam in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of first baseman Kansas Robinson.
The junior knocked in six runs in total, scoring two herself as well in a 4/4 performance.
Had the game not been called for darkness, the Irish would’ve
played their second consecutive extra-inning affair after a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to No. 22 Virginia on Sunday, March 27. Notre Dame has not lost in seven innings (or fewer, by run rule) since March 23, winning three of five games since then.
Kris Ganeff and her team will look to keep the momentum going in their upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series this weekend at Melissa Cook Stadium. If the rain holds off, the Irish will welcome the Pittsburgh Panthers into South Bend for their third straight weekend at home. Notre Dame enters the three-game set with a 4-5 record at home and 4-8 mark overall in ACC play. The series marks the 15th annual Strikeout Cancer Weekend on campus.
The host squad recently upset No. 22 Virginia, defeating the Cavaliers 4-3 on Friday night and 7-2 on Saturday before dropping the finale on Sunday in extra
innings. This was Notre Dame’s first series win in conference play of the 2025 season, and they now have four wins over three unique ranked opponents.
Sophomore utility player Sydny Poeck enters the matchup on a 17game on-base streak. Weiss takes a 3.07 earned run average (ERA) in ACC play into the weekend in seven appearances, including a complete game shutout gem against NC State in March. Senior catcher Rachel Allen has heated up against conference foes, recording five this and four RBIs against Virginia to bring her season-long ACC on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) up to a very solid .827.
The Panthers have struggled throughout the spring, sporting a 12-21 record in 33 games played. They are 3-10 on the road and 2-10 in ACC play, although they did pick up an eight-inning, 6-2 win against Boston College to close out the set on Sunday. That win snapped a
four-game slide and was just their second win in the past 30 days. Pitt went 3-12 in March and lost their first game of April to Robert Morris 7-1.
The Panthers are led by head coach Jenny Allard in her second year at the helm and 30th as a skipper overall. She spent 28 years at Harvard before moving west to the state of Pennsylvania. Sophomore Ahmari Braden leads the Panthers in most major offensive categories, with a .352 batting average and .935 OPS. Senior righty Kyra Pittman has appeared in 23 games in the circle, including 17 starts, pitching to a 4.10 ERA with eight complete games. Weather permitting, the first game of the series this weekend is set for Friday, April 4, at 6 p.m. Saturday’s start time is 1 p.m. and the set concludes on Sunday at noon.
Contact Charlie Morris at cmorri27@nd.edu
Irish play third consecutive home ACC series
By TYLER REIDY Associate Sports Editor
After a disappointing Tuesday loss to Western Michigan and another postponement of Wednesday’s contest with Eastern Michigan, Notre Dame baseball returns to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play this weekend. At 14-12 overall and 2-10 within league action, the Irish will host Virginia Tech (20-9, 7-5 ACC) for three games at Frank Eck Stadium. Up to this point, Notre Dame has gone 0-for-4 in its attempts to win an ACC series this season. After going 1-5 in difficult road ventures to Wake Forest and Clemson in early March, the Irish have come home and posted the same record against Georgia Tech and Florida State. They showed promise to start last weekend’s set against the No. 4 Seminoles, blasting seven home runs and lighting up the conference’s best pitching staff in a 16-9 Friday win. However, they went down quietly in Sunday’s doubleheader, dropping 4-2 and 17-9 results to lose the series.
Notre Dame followed up with a third consecutive loss, perhaps its worst of the season and certainly one of the lowlights of the Shawn Stiffler era. The Irish never led against a 6-19 Western Michigan at home on Tuesday night, coming up short by a 5-4 score. Notre Dame’s offense couldn’t reward freshman right-hander Kellan Klosterman for his strong midweek start (three hitless innings with three strikeouts), mustering only six hits
and scoring one run in the game’s first eight innings.
The top of the order remained a bright spot for the Irish, as graduate outfielder Jared Zimbardo pushed his hit streak to 13 games and freshman designated hitter Bino Watters recorded two hits. Watters remains one of the most advanced firstyear hitter you’ll find, logging more hits (30), walks (28) and runs batted in (28) than strikeouts (28). On the flip side, freshman infielders Parker Brzustewicz and Noah Coy struggled, Coy lowering his batting average to .159 and the .341-hitting Brzustewicz having a rare 0-for-5 night.
Entering the Virginia Tech series, Notre Dame’s third starting pitcher remains a bit of a mystery. Sophomore right-hander Jack Radel (13, 7.36 ERA) should go again on Friday after turning in a respectable 5.2 innings with four runs allowed against the Seminoles. Junior righthander Rory Fox (0-2, 3.51 ERA) has become Notre Dame’s clear-cut best starting pitcher, dealing a quality start last weekend and pitching to a 3.00 ERA across 15 frames in his last three outings. Graduate right-hander Jackson Dennies (2-3, 6.41 ERA) did not pitch last weekend, and the man who did, graduate righty Dylan Heine (2-2, 7.66 ERA), gave up eight runs and got only five outs on Sunday.
This weekend will mark the first time Virginia Tech has visited Frank Eck Stadium since both the Hokies and Irish reached the NCAA Super Regionals in 2022. Only one
game was played in the 2022 matchup, with the Hokies defeating the Irish on Friday and the remaining two games being washed out by weather. The Hokies comfortably swept Notre Dame in Blacksburg last year to start ACC play.
Hokies coming in hot
Although they lost to Radford at home by an 8-1 score on Tuesday, the Hokies are still 8-2 in their last 10 games. That includes back-to-back series wins against ranked opponents — Louisville at home two weeks ago and a road sweep of Wake Forest this past weekend. A team projected to finish 12th out of 16 teams in the ACC preseason poll, Virginia Tech is now planting its flag within the top half of the conference and gunning for a programfirst College World Series appearance.
Last weekend, the Hokies used a combination of overwhelming starts and a gutsy finish to break out the brooms at David F. Couch Ballpark. They set the tone for the series on Friday by hanging nine runs on Wake Forest in the first inning, chasing Demon Deacon starter Logan Lunceford from the mound before he could record a second out. Saturday’s game was only slightly different, as Virginia Tech plated eight runs in the first three innings before surviving a Wake Forest rally that cut the margin to one.
On Sunday, however, the
Hokies fell behind for the first time all weekend, entering the ninth in a 3-2 hole. Having found little success all night against Wake Forest starter Blake Morningstar, who struck out 10 in seven innings, Virginia Tech went to work against the back end of the Demon Deacon bullpen. The Hokies took the lead before making an out in the ninth, ultimately scoring four runs before holding on to win 6-5.
Freshman infielder Hudson Lutterman, who delivered the double that tied the game on Sunday, added fuel to an already potent Virginia Tech offense. The Tennessee native was 6-for-13 with three extra-base hits, five RBIs and six runs scored in the Wake Forest series. He’s started eight of Virginia Tech’s last nine games at third base after starting only one of the first 20.
Redshirt senior outfielder Sam Tackett, a First Team Midseason All-American according to D1 Baseball, leads the Hokie offense. After hitting just .189 with two home runs last year, Tackett has erupted in 2025, slashing .410/.492/.770 with 10 long balls and 32 RBIs. During the season’s first series against Bucknell, he launched a home run measured at 500 feet.
The rest of Virginia Tech’s offense hinges heavily on four transfer bats. Junior second baseman Jared Davis, who came over from Florida SouthWestern State, plays
second fiddle to Tackett with a .324/.420/.550 slash line, six home runs, 28 RBIs and a team-high 13 stolen bases. Senior outfielder Treyson Hughes, an Ole Miss transfer, has missed time but still owns an .868 OPS. Graduate outfielder Jackson Cherry cut off a great career at Mercer to play in Blacksburg and owns a .319/.500/.553 slash line. Senior infielder David Lewis, a former Clemson Tiger who came over from North Greenville University, has three home runs and 16 RBIs on the year.
On the mound, eighth-year Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc has used the same weekend rotation in each of the past three ACC series. Sophomore right-hander Brett Renfrow (3-2, 2.19 ERA) is practically a lock to start on Friday and comes off consecutive quality starts against Louisville and Wake Forest. Freshman southpaw Jake Marciano (3-0, 5.34 ERA) has handled Saturday duties but struggled significantly in his last two outings. Fellow firstyear Logan Eisenreich (1-0, 2.92 ERA), a right-hander, has gotten the ball for each of the last three series finales, pitching no longer than an inning and a third.
Notre Dame and Virginia Tech will play at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, at 2 p.m. on Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
address issues based on misinformation. Emotional misunderstandings will surface if you send mixed messages or make misleading gestures. Focus more on verifying facts and paying more attention to what’s happening around you.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stick to facts, keep explanations short and to the point, and you’ll maintain a steady pace forward with little interference. Home improvements, taking care of time-sensitive issues, and lowering your overhead will put your mind at rest. Reach out to someone you love and make social plans.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Size down, take on less. Do your own thing; if you follow in someone else’s footsteps, you’ll fall short of your expectations. It’s time to create opportunities and utilize your attributes to gain recognition and rewards for your achievements.You’ll get a unique perspective when conversing with someone from a different background.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your emotions aside and your energy into something positive and constructive. How you choose to use your time and talents will determine your success. Focus on what brings the highest returns and make a point to nurture what’s meaningful to you. Self-improvement and romance are favored.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Concentrate on something you enjoy doing. Let your creative imagination take over, and see what develops.Travel, educational pursuits, and hanging out with inspiring people will turn into unique actions that lead to positive change.Touching base with past associates will help put different lifestyle changes in perspective.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change will help you understand your options and navigate your way forward. Participating in an event, meeting, or pastime that encourages positive change or enforcing the backup you require to reach your goals is in your best interest.Trust in your instincts and do what feels right.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Leave your comfort zone and venture into unknown territory.The experience will help build a foundation for new beginnings and offer insight into what you no longer need. It’s up to you to make things happen. Invest more time and money into developing what excites you most.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Diversify, try something you’ve never done before, and engage in conversations that offer a unique perspective regarding life choices, places you frequent, and documentaries that impact you personally. Question your long-term plans and the mountains you must climb to reach your destination. Make love and health a priority.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look past the roadblocks and into the possibilities. Listen carefully and devise a plan to help you take the less traveled road if it will help you reach your destination with greater insight into who you are and what you want to achieve. Become the mastermind of your success.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Separate emotional and money. Spending on things you don’t need to service an emotional need will leave you cash-poor. Put more thought into how to use your talents, experience, and connections to get ahead. Success comes to those who put in the work and effort.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Declutter your space and make room for something you want to pursue. Having a place that facilitates your dreams, hopes, and wishes will be the pick-me-up you need to get things up and running to your specifications. Set a budget, implement innovative plans, and pursue what makes you happy.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Explore activities and pastimes that interest you. Socializing, networking, and interacting with people searching for something new and exciting will not disappoint you. Engage, participate, and share your charm, enthusiasm, and plans with someone you deem special. Refuse to let emotions cloud your vision or stand between you and your desires. Birthday Baby:You are entertaining, helpful, and progressive.You are passionate and persistent.
ND WOMEN’S TENNIS
Irish return home for final stretch of the season
By NOAH CAHILL Sports Editor
The Notre Dame women’s tennis team split a pair of ACC matches on their Virginia road trip last weekend, gutting out a 4-3 contest with Virginia Tech before falling 4-1 to No. 5 Virginia. The two matches completed the road slate, leaving the Irish with four straight home matches to finish the regular season. They were 5-2 outside of the Eck Tennis Pavilion. Notre Dame now sits at 15-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play and prepares for ACC matchups with No. 35 Clemson on Friday and No. 26 Georgia Tech on Sunday.
Irish top performers
Notre Dame’s No. 1 singles junior Akari Matsuno came through with everyone watching against the Hokies, taking down No. 35-ranked Ozlem Uslu in a match-deciding third set to clinch the 4-3 victory. Matsuno now owns a 5-3 record on the
top court and a 9-4 record in dual matches overall, the win helping her vault to No. 79 in the national rankings. Notre Dame secured the doubles point in both contests over the weekend thanks to 2-0 weekends from junior Rylie Hanford and senior Nibi Ghosh at No. 2 along with freshman Bianca Molnar and junior Bojana Pozder at No. 3. The Hanford/Ghosh pairing took down the No. 37-ranked Salas/Xu partnership for the Cavaliers in dominating 6-1 fashion. Pozder and Ghosh also got it done on the singles courts against the Hokies, getting wins at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Clemson
In his first season at the helm, head coach Boomer Saia led Clemson to a 13-13 record with a 2-10 mark in ACC play. His Tigers fell short in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinal to wrap up 2024. Graduate Sophia Hatton is the lone returner from that team, as she will join three
transfers and the six freshmen in Saia’s inaugural recruiting class, which ranked No. 9 in the nation entering the fall season.
Hatton has a 13-10 record in singles play and an 11-13 mark in doubles, partnering with senior Annabelle Davis to form the most experienced duo on the roster. Their rookie additions have thrived as the toptwo pairings, with freshmen Amelie Smejkalova and Gaia Parravicini ranking No. 32 and freshman Candela Yecora joining senior Romana Cisovska to form the No. 47-ranked team. Smejkalova and Parravicini also contribute on the singles courts with another standout first-year in Artemis Aslanisvili, who has recorded an impressive 14-5 mark in 2025.
Sitting at 13-8 overall and 3-6 in ACC matches, the Tigers come off a tough pair of weekend losses against NC State and Wake Forest where they managed only a single point across both contests. Their matchup with
the Irish in South Bend comes before they head to Kentucky to face Louisville two days later.
Georgia Tech
Head coach Rodney Harmon enters his 13th season at Georgia Tech, a program he has led to 11-straight NCAA Tournament appearances during his successful tenure. Harmon’s squad finished 2024 with a 14-10 overall record before bowing out in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. He returns seven players to the team this year, as well as a pair of newcomers in Olivia Carneiro and Taly Licht.
Scarlett Nicholson and Alejandra Cruz pace the singles lineup on the top two courts for the Yellow Jackets, sharing a team-high 12 wins in dual matches and ranking No. 36 and No. 104 in the nation, respectively. Kate Sharabura and Licht, one of the two rookie additions, come in next on the singles courts, sharing nine wins apiece on the year. Cruz
and sophomore Given Roach form the No. 57-ranked doubles pairing and boast a team-high 11 wins with a 6-3 conference mark. Nicholson often features on the top court, posting a 10-7 record between her two partners Sharabura and senior Kylie Bilchev. Licht has also contributed eight wins on the doubles courts, combining with three different partners in the process.
Georgia Tech owns an 11-8 overall record going 5-4 in ACC play. They come off a 1-1 weekend trip to North Carolina, where they swept Wake Forest before losing a heartbreaker against NC State. They will face Louisville in Kentucky before seeing the Irish in South Bend on Sunday.
In the penultimate weekend of the regular season, the Irish will host Clemson on Friday at 4 p.m. and Georgia Tech on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s lacrosse falls at home to Albion
By CLAIRE WATSON
Associate Sports Editor
Coming off of a win against Wisconsin-Stevens Point on senior night, the Belles hosted Albion on Tuesday, April 1 in hopes of keeping the winning streak alive. Ultimately, they suffered a 13-4 loss to move to 3-6 overall.
Albion came out strong as Ellen Chown nailed in a free position shot, followed by an Anna Huard unassisted goal. Nearing the half-way point of the first quarter, junior midfielder Mary Grace Heekin put in the first Saint Mary’s goal with an assist from sophomore attack Kathryn Kalinowski. Albion responded with a second Huard goal, but the Belles found some momentum at the end of the first. Freshman midfielder Annabelle Spruill scored a goal with an assist from sophomore attack Cate Krema in the final 40 seconds of the quarter to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of Albion.
Going into the second quarter, Albion continued their offensive drive as Huard added on her third goal to keep Albion ahead 4-2. Almost exactly a minute later, Heekin put in a goal to close the margin to a one 4-3. Albion remained unfazed and took control to end the half with two Kyndall Lewis goals and one Lewis assist to Logan Hutchinson. This barrage brought the score to 7-3 in favor of Albion at halftime.
In an extremely low scoring third quarter, Albion notched the only two goals scored as Kellie Flynn put in a goal with an assist from Lewis and nearly eight minutes later, Huard put in the second goal of the quarter with an assist from Elissa Slane.
Not slowing down, Albion continued to control the game in the fourth quarter as Aaliyah Eudabe scored a goal and an assist from Julia Ames led to a Hutchinson goal. At the five minute mark, Chown put in another free position shot and nearly a minute
later added another goal with an assist from Huard. In the final 40 seconds Heekin managed to add a goal for the Belles but Albion came out on top with the 13-4 win.
Heekin led the Belles on the field with three goals and four shots on goal. The Belle’s now fall to 3-6 on the season and 0-1 in MIAA play as they prepare to travel to face
Alma in their second MIAA game on Saturday, April 5th at 1 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
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Sophomore attacker Rachel Speckhard sprints away from the defender in the Belles’ 13-9 loss to North Central (Ill.) on March 26, 2025.
ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Notre Dame welcomes No. 9 Stanford Saturday
By BEN HICKS Associate Sports Editor
The No. 21 Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team returns to Arlotta Stadium on Saturday afternoon for yet another top 25 clash, as the No. 9 Stanford Cardinal close out their threegame road trip in South Bend. Although the Irish are still slated to face Louisville at home in two weeks, Saturday’s contest will serve as senior day, where the Irish will honor seven key seniors.
With the toughest strength of schedule in the nation, all six Irish defeats have come against top 25 opponents. However, the NCAA Selection Committee won’t show Notre Dame much grace unless they can rattle off some wins to close out the season. The 6-6 Irish are currently outside the cutline of the ACC Tournament with a 1-5 conference record, meaning the team will have to make up some ground in their final three games if they hope to make their postseason aspirations a reality.
SMC SOFTBALL
The Cardinal enter Saturday’s affair with a 10-3 record overall and 4-2 mark in their first year as members of the ACC. They have dropped two of their last three, with losses to No. 1 Boston College and at No. 22 Army before getting back in the win column with a dominating 15-2 performance at Louisville last Saturday.
Stanford is 4-2 this season against top 25 foes, with wins at No. 19 USC and No. 10 Virginia, as well as in Palo Alto against then-ranked No. 21 Colorado and No. 13 Yale. Notre Dame’s lone victory over a ranked opponent came last month when the Irish sunck past then-ranked No. 23 Harvard 8-6 at Arlotta Stadium.
14th-year head coach
Christine Halfpenny’s squad is led by the midfield trio of freshman Madison Rassas, graduate Kristen Shanahan and sophomore Kathryn Morrissey. The nation’s No. 1 recruit in last year’s class, Rassas has lived up to expectations for the Irish as she leads the team in goals and
total points, tallying 29 and 33, respectively. Shanahan is the doit-all veteran leader, recording 22 points while dishing out 10 assists. Morrissey has had breakout year two in South Bend, adding 18 goals and 13 assists herself. Across the sideline, Danielle Spencer is in her sixth season leading Stanford. Her Cardinal group is headlined by the sophomore attack tandem of Aliya Polisky and Ava Arceri. A preseason third-team All-American, Polisky has fired in 42 goals and added seven assists to lead the team in points. Arceri picked up ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors back in early March and has added 34 goals and 12 assists of her own to distribute the scoring for Stanford.
Saturday’s rivalry game between Stanford and Notre Dame is set for a 1 p.m. face-off at Arlotta Stadium. Senior day festivities will begin roughly 20 minutes prior, and streaming is available on ACCNX.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
Saint Mary’s softball splits against Anderson
By CLAIRE WATSON
Associate Sports Editor
After two losses against Aurora, followed by a weeklong break due to weather, Saint Mary’s softball finally made their way back onto the field with an away series against Anderson. The Belles split the series with a 9-2 win in the first game but took a close 4-0 loss in the second.
Game 1
On the road, Saint Mary’s was first up the plate and the first two Belle batters grounded out. Freshman infielder and outfielder Gia Schiavone singled to left field and made it all the way around the bases due to multiple Anderson defensive errors. Freshman infielder Hunter St. Peter grounded out to the short-stop to
end the top of the first for Belles. Anderson matched the Belles’ offense in the bottom of the first by using a sacrifice fly to score a runner and tie the score at 1-1.
Both teams went scoreless in the second and third inning, but the Belles aimed to change that in the top of the fourth. Despite having one out, Schiavone doubled to center field and St. Peter followed with a home run over the left field fence to score two. Now ahead 4-1, senior infielder Alexis Rauch doubled down the third base line and with two outs off the board, two singles from freshman pitcher and infielder Faith Dean and freshman catcher Lydia Hinga allowed Rauch to score.
While neither Anderson nor Saint Mary’s scored in the fifth inning, Saint
Mary’s continued their offensive rhythm in the top of the sixth. St. Peter doubled to start the inning and advanced to third after Rauch grounded out on player’s choice. Two doubles from junior outfielder Sophie Allen and Dean put two more runs on the board and a single from freshman outfielder Katie Hans paved the way for Dean to score.
In the bottom of the sixth, Anderson attempted to close in on the Belles’ lead with a solo home run, but was unable to add any additional damage against the strong Saint Mary’s defense.
In the final inning, Saint Mary’s added on two more runs for themselves with help of four forced errors from the Anderson defense that put two players in scoring position. After a single to the right side, both
sophomore transfer and infielder Laura Heim and Schiavone made it home, helping the Belles finish with a 9-2 win.
This game would mark Dean’s fourth win in the circle for the Belles. The freshman threw a complete game only allowing two runs and struck out one batter.
Game 2
Saint Mary’s drew the away team position for the second game but was unable to score in the top of the first. Anderson went off to a quick start in the bottom of the first with two singles to put two runners on base. A third single late in the inning allowed in two runs for Anderson before the Saint Mary’s defense was able to close out the inning. The second inning resulted in a similar outcome as the
Belles were unable to get the offense rolling again. Anderson kept their found more scoring momentum and added another run to stay ahead 3-0.
No runs were scored in the third, fourth or fifth innings, but Anderson was able to score their final run of the day in the sixth inning to win 4-0 over the Belles.
Junior pitcher Sam Mikitka took charge in the circle pitching a full game allowing four runs but striking out four batters.
The Belles sit at 6-8 on the season after this series and prepare to host a double header against Alma for their first MIAA games on Saturday, April 5. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 1 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
Irish women’s tennis set for ACC foe Louisville
By CLAIRE WATSON Associate Sports Editor
The Saint Mary’s tennis team pushed their win streak to seven as they took a 4-3 victory at home over the Adrian Bulldogs on Wednesday in their third MIAA matchup.
Kicking off the day in the doubles competition, sophomore Anna Gardner and freshman
Lanie Brant took the first 6-1 win in the No. 3 match against Regan Snyder and Brooke Posey. Sophomore Sophia Pischalko and freshman Shannon Dudy added to the total with another 6-1 win. Senior Alayna Campbell and junior partner Emma Kealy held on for a 6-4 win to put the Belles ahead 1-0. The Belles quickly extended their lead to 2-0 as Dudy
finished first in the singles competition on the No. 4 court, taking a 6-0, 6-1 win against Jennifer Wojcik. The Bulldogs managed to tie the score as Campbell fell 6-2, 6-3 in the No. 1 match against Hye Jin Elliot before Kealy lost in the No. 2 match 6-0, 6-3 against her opponent Claire Earley. Gardner finished next, winning on the No. 3 court 6-1, 6-3 over Busscher.
Pischalko closely followed in the No. 6 match, winning 6-4, 6-1 over Olivia Harris to secure the match for the Belles. On the fifth court and final matchup, Brant and Snyder played a deciding 10-point tiebreak. Snyder took the first set 6-2 before Brant responded with a 6-3 win in the second. In the sudden death breaker, Brant fell just short in an 11-9 thriller.
Despite the final win in the singles competition for the Bulldogs, Saint Mary’s came out on top. The team improves to 11-3 on the season and 2-1 in MIAA play. The Belles are preparing to hit the road for another MIAA matchup against Olivet on April 5 starting at 1 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson7@nd.edu
SMC TENNIS
VICTOR LAZKANI | The Observer
Junior defender Abigail Lyons escapes the defender in Notre Dame’s 14-3 loss to North Carolina at Arlotta Stadium on March 30, 2025.
ND MEN’S LACROSSE
Irish continue ACC schedule against Syracuse
By NOAH CAHILL Sports Editor
After losing two straight onegoal heartbreakers against No. 2 Maryland and No. 3 Ohio State, the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team vaulted back into the nation’s top five after their home win over No. 12 Duke to open ACC play last Saturday. The win marked their second straight wire-to-wire display of dominance after taking down Michigan 19-7 a weekend prior. Also holding the Blue Devils to seven goals, the Irish have allowed more than 10 in only one of their seven contests, when they conceded 11 against the Terrapins. Now entering the heart of the regular season, they will continue conference play in New York as they prepare to take on No. 7 Syracuse this Saturday. The attacking duo of senior Chris Kavanagh and graduate
Jake Taylor has been running rampant in 2025. They were brilliant against Duke, combining for a whopping six goals and six assists. They were aided by several midfield scorers as well, as Notre Dame spread the love with nine different scorers in the contest. They will face a stingy Syracuse defensive unit, the fifth-best in the nation allowing 8.20 goals per game. On the other side of the ball, junior netminder Thomas Ricciardelli has anchored the ninth-best scoring defense in the country, allowing 8.34 goals per game while posting a .594 save percentage. The elite Irish defensive unit will face one of their toughest tests of the season coming up against an Orange offense scoring 15 goals per game, the sixth-best mark in the nation.
Since taking over in 2021, head coach Gary Gait has transformed the program and
returned it to the upper echelon of college lacrosse. After a 4-10 record in his first season, the Orange gradually built under Gait. Bolstered by the arrival of his top-level recruiting classes, the Orange improved to 8-7 in 2023 and 12-6 in 2024, culminating in an NCAA Quarterfinal appearance.
Key returners from that tournament team include junior attacker Joey Spallina and senior attacker Owen Hiltz, a duo that recorded a combined 75 goals and 78 assists in 2024. They were the first pairing since 2015 to register 65 points in the same season. Both have hit the ground running in this year’s campaign — Spallina leads the team in assists and points with 33 and 55, respectively, while Hiltz leads in the goal category with 25, adding 16 assists of his own for a 41-point output. John Mullen has been the X factor for the
Orange, the sophomore emerging as one of the best draw specialists in the country, winning 145-226 face-offs for a .642 percentage at the dot. His matchup with senior Will Lynch, who is also among the nation’s best, in the battle for extra possessions could prove to be a defining one. With the departure of long stick leader Saam Olexo, Gait has relied on returning junior Billy Dwan to anchor the defense, and anchor it he has. Along with the addition of Division III transfer Michael Grace leading the rope unit, Dwan and co. have shut down opposing attacks all season long. Despite his limited experience, sophomore Jimmy McCool has made a smooth transition to starter in the cage, where he’s conceded only 8.22 goals per game with a .596 save percentage in his 10 starts.
Sitting at 8-2 overall,
Syracuse’s best result came in a 13-10 victory over No. 17 Johns Hopkins on March 9, which is part of a five-game winning run they carry into Saturday’s matchup. They most recently opened up ACC play with a 1210 road win against Virginia in Charlottesville this past Saturday. Notre Dame has a slight edge in the all-time series, which currently sits at 11-10 after the Irish rattled off their sixth straight victory in South Bend last season. The Orange have their best chance in a while to break that streak, getting the game at home while playing some of the best lacrosse in a long time.
Face-off in the JMA Dome is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday with ACC Network providing the broadcast.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
ROMINA LLANOS | The Observer
Senior midfielder Fisher Finley prepares to unleash a lefty shot in Notre Dame’s 14-7 win over Duke at Arlotta Stadium on March 29, 2025. The Irish dominated from wire-to-wire against the Blue Devils in the 2023 National Championship rematch, improving their overall record to 5-2 and 1-0 in ACC play on the season and vaulting back to No. 5 nationally.
