THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2026 | VOL. LX, NO. 55
Protest gathers community against Iran war
By Matthew Morin and David Murphy Associate News Editors
Student Voices for Palestine hosted a ‘No to War’ demonstration on Monday to protest U.S. and Israeli-backed military interventions abroad, including in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. In a statement to The Observer, the group shared their intent for the protests, citing the University’s cooperation with prominent defense manufacturers.
“As a community grounded in Notre Dame’s core values of human dignity, solidarity, and a steadfast commitment to the common good, we are called not only to reflect on injustice, but to respond to it with courage and clarity,” SVP wrote. “These principles demand more than words. They demand accountability. They compel us to ask whether our institution’s actions truly reflect the values it professes to uphold.”
They added that their organization is called to urge the
University to stop supporting major defense manufacturing corporations. We therefore renew, with urgency and resolve, our call for the
ND expands taxidermy exhibits
By Gray Nocjar Editor-in-Chief
A polar bear, a 500 pound walrus and avian species from around the globe all went on display last month along the galleria of the Jordan Hall of Science.
The Museum of Biodiversity, led by curator Joanna Larson, is in charge of the animals — their care and upkeep, protection from vandalism and their location within the science hall or elsewhere.
“We trust that Notre Dame students are not going to try to ride the polar bear,” Larson said of the exhibit’s open placement in Jordan Hall.
The current collection of taxidermy was taken in two major acquisitions. Giraphael — the 15-foot Masai giraffe that has overlooked gallery visitors since January 2024, as well as a cheetah, hyena and a mountain goat, among others, originated from the Greensboro Science Center’s own biodiversity museum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
NEWS | PAGE 3
Immigration Week
SCIA depicts recent immigration enforcement through lectures, festivals and markets.
The Delbridge Museum of Natural History in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which closed in 2024, gifted the walrus, polar bear and a zebra last year. The animals were acquired for free, though Notre Dame was asked to charter transportation on its own according to Larson.
Three lions, three tigers, three black bears, a snow leopard, a spirit bear — so-called for its white fur by First Nations peoples in the northwest United States and Canada — crocodiles and “a whole pack of wolves,” Larson said, also feature in the museum’s collection.
The biological collection of the University stretches back to its formative years, and when some specimens were added isn’t always clear.
In 1845, University founder and President Fr. Edward Sorin traded land he owned in Detroit for a collection of animals, birds, fish and other antiquities.
see “Taxidermy” on page 3
OPINION | PAGE 5
Uninformed
Opinion editor emeritus, Redmond Bernhold, discusses the decline of political activism.
university to divest from weapons manufacturers, including Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, and others whose operations are tied to the perpetuation of war
and militarization,” SVP stated. Students began gathering for the demonstration at 6:15 p.m. outside the Main Building, with 30 protesters in attendance. A
statement from the University confirmed that the protest was “properly registered with the Student Activities Office in accordance with existing policy.”
Beginning with chants, Saint Mary’s College graduate student Allyson Krause initiated the chant, “The students, united, will never be divided.”
“No more innocent blood for oil, US off Iranian soil. Palestine, Palestine, don’t you cry, Palestine will never die,” Krause continued.
Several protestors carried signs reading various slogans, such as “HANDS OFF IRAN” and “We’re a Catholic University funded by blood money.” With several onlookers watching, Krause chanted catchphrases on a megaphone urging the University to cut ties with defense contractors. The crowd responded with further chanting.
“Notre Dame, you can’t hide, you are funding genocide,” they shouted. “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA,” they continued. see “Protest” on page 3
SMC student reports ‘unwanted physical contact’
By The Observer News Staff
Phil Bambenek, director of Campus Safety at Saint Mary’s, alerted students Friday morning via email of a “concerning” incident report involving a Saint Mary’s student at the Marathon gas station located on S Dixie Way, half a mile off campus.
The incident, which occurred
on March 20 at approximately 9:30 p.m., involved an unidentified Saint Mary’s student asking for assistance from one of two supposed employees inside the station with pumping air into the tires of her vehicle.
According to the email, “One individual offered assistance and accompanied her to her vehicle. After assisting, and while the student’s back was turned, the individual engaged in unwanted physical
contact. The student was able to leave safely.”
While completing a follow-up report, Campus Safety identified a prior complaint “involving comparable behavior at the same location.”
According to Bambenek in a separate email, the prior complaint was filed with Title IX and reported on Nov. 11, 2024. The email stated
see “Report” on page 4
Incoming hall presidents discuss upcoming term
By Matthew Morin Associate News Editor
On March 3, the 33 residence halls at the University of Notre Dame elected their hall presidents for the 2026-27 academic year. Following several weeks of campaigning, Judicial Council
SCENE | PAGE 8
Kanye returns
The musical pariah’s album is shockingly good, defying expectations at every turn.
announced the election results for the 32 dormitories who opted in to the council’s voting system, with Duncan Hall being the sole exception to opt out. Throughout their campaigns, candidates addressed issues within the residential halls, the Notre Dame community and suggested
SPORTS | PAGE 9
Men’s lacrosse
The top-ranked Irish were picked off by Virginia in Charlottesville on Saturday.
changes that they hoped to implement for the betterment of their dorms in the future.
Several incoming dorm presidents spoke with The Observer following their election about their platforms and hopes for the
see “Dorms” on page 4
SPORTS | PAGE 11
Women’s basketball
Sports editor Ben Hicks explains why Hannah Hidalgo can lead ND to a national title next year.
MATTHEW MORIN | The Observer
About 30 students and community members participated in an authorized protest Monday evening organized by Student Voices for Palestine. The event took place on Notre Dame’s Main Quad against the Iran war.
If you could make any club on campus, what would it be?
Gabriel Velasquez Freshman Dunne Hall
“Global Food Tasting Club.”
Sarah Sabin Sophomore Pasquerilla East Hall
“Starbucks Club.”
Nico Paiz-Ferruzo Sophomore Baumer Hall
“Ireland Appreciation Club.”
Reid Moshier Sophomore Sigfried Hall “Morning Coffee Walk Club.”
Liam Gannon Sophomore Sigfried Hall “Bird Watching Club.”
Tuesday
Interfaith dinner
Celebrate the many faiths of Notre Dame with a meal. Jenkins Nanovic Halls 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Lecture: “The Legacy of Colin Rowe”
Recognize the expansive work of a notable architectural figure. Manfredi Family Auditorium, Room 109 5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Thursday
Jesus Christ Superstar Sing-along (1973) The Holy Thursday tradition returns to the big screen. Browning Cinema 7 p.m.
Friday
Good Friday Mass
Join in celebration of the Lord’s Passion. Church of Our Lady of Loretto 3 p.m.
Saturday
Easter Vigil in the Holy Night Observe Easter Vigil for the 2026 Holy Week. Basilica of the Sacred Heart 9 p.m.
PHOTO OF THE DAY | MARIELLA TADDIANO
SCIA’s immigration week cultivates dialogue
By Mara Hall Associate News Editor
The Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy of Notre Dame (SCIA) hosted Immigration Week from March 23 to March 28 featuring daily events centered on the role of immigrants in communities and recent immigration enforcement.
On Tuesday, SCIA, along with UndocuALLY and Institute for Latino Studies, hosted a workshop titled “Immigration 101” and featured presentations from Fr. Matt Kuczora and third year law student Davis Lovvorn followed by a student-led UndocuALLY training.
Kuczora’s presentation focused on what Catholic Social Teaching has published on immigration. Pulling from the pastoral letter and book, “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,” Kuczora pointed out the Catholic Church has a five point framework for understanding immigration.
His presentation described the five principles from this book as, “People have the right to find opportunities in their homeland,” “People have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families,” “Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders,” “Refugees and asylum seekers
Taxidermy
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Most of the collection went up in flames when the Main Building burned down in 1879.
The origins of the taxidermy themselves — when they were made and where — also isn’t always apparent. Larson said only pieces legally collected or vetted are accepted into the museum.
“Most of the bird taxidermy pieces that you see are 100, 150 years old, dating to the 1800s,” she said.
While Larson is the only fulltime employee, student volunteers and research assistants carry out many of the museum’s operations. Part of this work involves developing methods for cleaning and restoring the animals without damaging them.
“The restoration process
Protest
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Other slogans chanted by the crowd condemned Notre Dame’s partnership with defense company RTX last April and called on the University to “disclose and divest.” Protesters also urged President Donald Trump’s administration to end the war in Iran, along with opposing broader issues such as American intervention in Venezuela and the continuation of Trump’s border wall.
Following the initial chants,
should be afforded protection,” and “The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected.”
In response to the second and third of these five principles, Kuczora noted that, “A lot of politicians, on either side of the aisle, will say this is irreconcilable. The truth says no, that is not true. If people of good will will come together, we can find a way to balance these rights.”
He explained that these principles are rooted in the biblical texts and tradition from the people’s wandering in the Book of Exodus to Pope Pius XII’s call that the Holy family is the archetype and model of all refugees today.
Emphasizing why people should care about the issue of immigration, Kuczora stated Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend Kevin Rhoades sits on President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. Rhodes had wrote, “In turning them away, we are turning away Jesus and are, in the end, condemned.”
Lovvorn’s lecture focused on the legal avenues for people to gain paperwork, and why the idea of “just be here legally” fails because the process is broken.
Lovvorn critiqued the current questions being asked around the “subject to the jurisdiction
involves creativity and doing a deep dive into background research,” junior Madeline Galvin said. “It gives you a deeper appreciation of their biology.”
Galvin explained the full process of restoration for a bird can take anywhere from a few hours to multiple weeks. This involves detailed documentation prior to the restoration beginning, then cleaning, steaming and light painting, all while trying not to diminish the “scientific value,” Galvin said, of the specimen.
“If damage is more severe, I use a sealant to help reinforce the fragile areas, or if pieces are coming apart, additional wires or adhesive may be used,” she said.
Over 100 birds are housed in the University collection. Four cabinets display 24 of them on the south end of the galleria.
senior James Thompson, president of SVP, spoke to the crowd.
“I want to thank everyone for coming. We’re here to inform all in divesting from war at Our Lady’s University, and [in] the wake of almost three years of genocide against the Palestinian People, in the wake of endless wars proliferated by the United States in Israel, among others,” said Thompson.
Thompson called on the University to end their “shameful alliances with companies that not only profited but proliferated the war.”
thereof” section of the 14th amendment legislation.
“I cannot ever see that being overturned by any Supreme Court justice with common sense — I use those last three words very carefully,” he stated.
While he tried to highlight some of the wins happening, including bond being back, at least for now, losses remain.
“Obviously, the big loss in terms of the Supreme Court was the profiling decision down in California that allows ICE officers to effectively racially profile, which I think is the worst Supreme Court decision since Plessy versus Ferguson,” Lovvorn said.
He finished his speech out on a note of hope sharing, “We will one day be back to respecting all of the people who come to this country, and I just hope that this is sooner rather than later, obviously. The pain that we are all feeling right now is very real. That does not change that. But I think once this is all over, we are going to see some serious reckoning.”
Throughout the week, events were held such as bake sale with proceeds going towards the Midwest Immigration Bond Fund and a prayer service in the Log Chapel with Fr. Joseph Corpora.
A demonstration was held on Wednesday in the area between
Senior Sebastian Benedetto was tasked with conceptualizing how the avian display should be organized.
“Our goal was to get our viewers to infer more basic ecological principles or evolutionary principles from observing these specimens,” he said.
Benedetto organizes the species into cabinets based on shared geographic location. Then, they were roughly divided by which “layer of the forest” each specimen would inhabit.
“On the forest floor, there’s a lot more camouflage. Then, as you get up higher into the levels, the bright plumage becomes more of a seen trait,” he mentioned, highlighting the unique characteristics inherent in birds who live in different regions of the forest ecosystem.
The rightmost cabinet
Mentions of research projects with the University and companies such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon were met with screams of the word, “shame” and boos by the crowd.
Thompson concluded his remarks, calling it the obligation of the people to stand against the war and stand in solidarity as members of the Christian community, with those, “whose lives have been damaged by the technology developed at this University and others.”
Chanting, calling for to, “Stop the U.S. War Machine,” among
DeBartolo Hall, O’Shaughnessy Hall, Duncan Student Center, Fitzpatrick Hall of Engineering and Cushing Hall in order to show how immigration enforcement has impacted vulnerable communities.
SCIA crafted temporary monuments for construction workers, street vendors and students along with capturing the stories that have received more mainstream attention including victims of recent ICE killings, such as Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Sophomore Brandon Na, a SCIA representative, shared they made the monument “to present a very objective, just factual information about what has happened so far.”
Friday brought a flea market of immigrant-owned businesses to Fieldhouse Mall featuring El Llanito, Mi Herencia, among others.
Maria Gomez, owner of Mi Herencia, mentioned details about her small candle business.
“Everything is brought from Mexico and handmade and handpainted by different artists in different states of Mexico.”
Gomez shared her inspiration for her storefront came after wanting to bring the scents from her hometown, Michoacán, Mexico, with her.
Saturday’s Immigration Festival saw tabling from a variety of on-campus
includes specimens from the Americas. The top piece, a yellow-rumped cacique, includes a fact that the species builds colonies of nests in the forest canopy. A blue and white mockingbird, which lives in forest shrubbery accord to the Red List of Threatened Species, sits at the bottom of the cabinet.
A long term plan for the collection is still up in the air, but Larson says she is pushing for an expansion of the collection to include multiple locations around Notre Dame’s campus.
One near-certainty is the addition of a taxidermy tiger to the first floor of Hesburgh Library.
The placement would call back to a tiger that existed in the University’s original collection.
The expansion carries logistical concerns as well, with the protection of the animals being
other chants, continued until Spencer French, a doctoral student, began speaking with a mention of the students arrested at a pro-Palestine Protest in 2024. French recited Aracelis Girmay’s poem “Arroz Poetica,” as well as Langston Hughes’ famous poem, “Tired.” Further chants continued until the demonstration wrapped up around 7:25 p.m., with protestors gathering for pictures in front of The Golden Dome.
Senior Linnea Barron, who serves as director of demonstrations for SVP and helped organize
organizations including: Ballet Folklorico Azul Y Oro, Asian American Association, Shades of Ebony, Latinx Student Alliance ND, Multiracial/ Multiethnic Students Association at ND, Nepalese Student Association, Cooking Club of Notre Dame, Diversity Council of Notre Dame and the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists.
Na explained the Immigration Festival was to bring everyone together for the final conclusion of the week.
“We wanted to plan every event throughout the week to culminate in a more of the happier celebration, where we are able to focus more on the community aspects,” he said.
Junior Natalie AstoquilcaMay, president of the Diversity Council of Notre Dame, said not only does the board serve as a liaison between student and administrative bodies, but also are a part of the immigrant diaspora.
“We are here today because we primarily, even the board is, descendants of immigrants. But also immigrant rights are human rights and now especially is a time when we need to really show out to that,” Astoquilca-May said.
Contact Mara Hall at mhall27@nd.edu
paramount. Larson said custom glass cases will be built to protect the specimens outside of Jordan Hall of Science.
Most of the specimens are light, Larson explaining that she could pick the cheetah up herself to move it. The quarter-tonne walrus is an exception. Its skin is extremely heavy to protect the species from the blistering cold of the arctic.
Larson said the animals will be introduced to as many buildings as possible.
“If we can find a place to put them, we want them to be seen and interacted with,” she said, adding that an effort is being made for the taxidermy to be available to the Notre Dame and South Bend communities.
Contact Gray Nocjar at gnocjar@nd.edu
the protests, urged demonstrators “to leave with a buddy” and stay aware of those around them as they dispersed.
“As students, we just want to come together and say we don’t approve of this,” Barron told The Observer regarding the protest. “We believe this goes against the Catholic teaching and the teaching of Notre Dame that we should be a force for good in this world.”
Contact Matthew Morin at mmorin2@nd.edu and David Murphy at dmurph23@nd.edu
Back the Bend connects causes with students
By Annelise Demers Notre Dame News Editor
Students gathered at Stepan Center on Saturday to participate in Back the Bend, an annual day of service organized by Notre Dame Student Government aimed at connecting students with volunteering opportunities across South Bend.
While this event has roots dating back to 1989, this was the 15th year in its current format. Students from the University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College and Saint Mary’s College participated in the event, with just under 500 people signed up and more than 20 volunteer sites, including Dismas House, Cultivate Food Rescue and Habitat for Humanity.
Dorms
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upcoming year before they officially begin their terms this week.
Freshman Connor Pane was elected president of Siegfried Hall, alongside incoming vice president freshman Quinn Duhon. Pane described his main goals for Siegfried as improving the in-dorm experience, with hopes of creating a travel network where students within the dorm can coordinate rides with each other. He looks to improve the existing ‘Conley Cup,’ a section tournament within the dorm, by creating individual incentives and rewards to participate, with the hopes of increasing participation in the overall event. He would also like for parents’ weekend to be improved with the creation of a father’s weekend in the fall and a mother’s weekend in the spring.
Pane wants to both continue Siegfried’s Day of Man while also reviving their fall signature event, known as Oktoberfest.
Freshman Dalton Vaughn was elected president of Lyons Hall with freshman Guadalupe Perera Rondon and sophomore Mary Bridget Molony as her vice presidents. Molony currently serves as Lyons Hall president.
Vaughn noted that one of her main goals was to “keep the same spirit of Lyons, while we’re living in Zahm, because that’s going to be a very big transition for our dorm.” While noting that she is excited for the move and growth of the Lyons community, she hopes to maintain the community that Lyons has already built.
Regarding Molony’s previous experience, Vaughn said, “We’re very grateful to have her perspective, her knowledge to have someone on our team who’s done it before.” Vaughn hopes to create greater
Report
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Doors opened at 8 a.m. for breakfast and check-in.
Volunteers arrived to receive T-shirts and find their assigned service sites. Sophomore Owen McDonald, director of community service for Notre Dame student government, delivered opening remarks reflecting on the purpose of the event and this year’s theme, “Share Your Light.”
“There’s a lot of darkness and division in our world,” McDonald said. “Each of you has light inside of you. We are trying to go out into the community, share that light together, and bring a little bit of light into the darkness.”
He added the event is not only about giving back but also about recognizing the work already being done by local organizations.
community input on events, keeping events such as the Volley for Vets fundraiser, while also creating an in-dorm “Lyons Cafe,” which she believes can be very successful given Zahm’s proximity to North Quad and will hopefully be transferred back to Lyons when they return.
Being in Zahm for the upcoming year, Vaughn hopes to create greater outreach between dorms on North Quad due to their new proximity to each other.
Freshman Grace Rochelle, who was elected as president of Welsh Family Hall, said that the goals that she and her vice presidents, freshmen Natalia Ciura and Maggie Olah, plan to accomplish are related to increasing programming and growing dorm spirit.
Some of Rochelle’s policies include increasing transparency and communication between hall government and those who live in the dorm.
Rochelle hopes to reintroduce Whirl-Wars as an inter-section competition as well as increase feedback from the members of the dorm while continuing signature events such as Hoedown Throwdown and Audrey’s Art in order to instill greater community.
In regard to what Rochelle said she was most looking forward to, she said, “Just seeing the girls at our events and seeing them laugh and smile.”
Freshmen Kate Youngsman and Reese Hillman were elected as Johnson Family Hall’s president and vice president, respectively.
Youngsman hopes to establish various low-commitment events where residents can get to know each other. Within the hall, Youngsman hopes to continue JFAM family feud and the JFAM turkey trot.
“I’m so excited to collaborate with all the whole staff and our rector and the other students in leadership,” Youngsman said. “I just can’t wait to
the Marathon Gas was contacted regarding these reports but has not responded. The Observer also contacted the business, and they denied a request for comment.
Bambenek informed members of the Saint Mary’s community that they can reach out to Campus Safety regarding vehicle-related issues such as lockouts, tire inflation and jump-starts. In terms of incident-related
“All the organizations you’ll be working with today are really shining lights in our community,” McDonald said.
Following McDonald’s remarks, University President Fr. Robert Dowd offered a blessing and emphasized the importance of building relationships between Notre Dame and the surrounding community.
“I like to talk about Notre Dame as a bridge and the importance of all of us being bridge builders,” Dowd said. “This is a great example of what it means to build bridges into South Bend.”
For many students, the event provides an accessible way to engage with the South Bend community, especially for those who may not have transportation.
be able to use my skills and work to make our community better.”
Sophomore Kyle Ma was elected to serve as Carroll Hall’s president alongside vice presidents sophomore Trey Naese and freshman Jack Cipperman.
Ma’s biggest goal is to “continue cultivating a strong Carroll community,” especially as the hall nears its 50th anniversary this year. For this, Ma hopes to create a ‘Vermin’ fall event incorporating both current students and alumni.
Ma intends to also establish a spring signature event around Easter to match their annual Carroll Christmas in December. With the help of his vice presidents, he hopes to restart ‘rat packs’, Carroll’s big-little group, as well as putting a campfire out on far quad open to the greater Notre Dame community.
“I’m really looking forward to just working with the people at Carroll. It’s a great group of guys,
I think we have some great ideas and I’m really looking forward to see how they turn out. I’m really, really excited for the 50th anniversary. We’ve already started talking to alumni a little bit, it’s promising and I’m really excited for that,” Ma said.
Sophomore Austin Marchand, the newly elected president of Dunne Hall, plans to work with his vice presidents, sophomores Braiden Tedesco and Will Higgins, “to make sure that everybody in Dunne feels like they belong and feel like they’re in love and accepted.”
Marchand aims to expanding the commissioner roles for greater involvement in hall government, introducing the role of inter-hall commissioner for interconnected programming in order to help freshman get involved early in hall programming.
Another important goal of Marchand is to give residents a greater ability to practice and engage
support, he shared a list of resources including the Belles Against Violence Office, Campus Safety and the Office for Harassment Education & Response. Bambenek also encouraged individuals to make incident reports to law enforcement.
“Back the Bend provides transportation so that we are able to volunteer,” sophomore Ella Caplea said. “That is why a lot of people join.”
Others said the event offers an opportunity to step beyond campus life and connect more directly with the local community.
“It is a great opportunity to give back to the Notre Dame community beyond campus,” sophomore Ana Gaztañaga said.
Junior Kate Rector, a site leader at Fernwood Botanical Gardens and a member of the Department of Community Outreach, said the event reflects a broader relationship between students and the South Bend community.
“South Bend really welcomes us and supports us,” Rector said.
with faith life, which he intends to accomplish through greater service programs as well as the option for a fall break backpacking trip.
Sophomore Mira Zamarro, along with freshmen Sissy Page and Alyssa Bascuas, was elected to serve as Breen-Phillips Hall’s government. Zamarro hopes to foster the community within Breen-Phillips, sharing, “We really want to create a community that the girls here want to be a part of.”
She hopes to continue BreenPhillips’ previous signature events, including the BP Barn Party in the fall and their annual meal auction in the spring. She plans to maintain the pattern set by the previous administration, with one difference being the addition of more commissioner roles.
Sophomore Haley Nieman was elected president of Walsh Hall, along with vice presidents sophomores Hannia Macias and Grace Loonan.
Nieman is hoping to maintain consistency throughout her term as the previous administration had done while also continuing to create collaborative relationships among residents.
“We have a really unique opportunity to foster collaboration within the dorm, so one way we plan to do that is through our houses in the house
“While I feel like I’m giving back, they’re welcoming me. It’s a giveand-take relationship.”
Some students also highlighted how Back the Bend serves as a starting point for continued service.
Sophomore Denise-Cailyn Santiago said she regularly volunteers through other programs but was motivated to participate in the event because of friends involved in organizing it.
After completing their service, volunteers returned to the Robinson Community Learning Center, where food trucks provided lunch and an opportunity for participants to reflect on the day.
Contact Annelise Demers at ademers@nd.edu
initiative that is a Harry Potter-style competition that will reward Green Dot training, participating in service through our service committee and helping at various events throughout campus and within the dorm,” Nieman said.
Nieman mentioned hopes to hold “exec hangouts” where she or her vice presidents will hold meetings to talk with residents for an hour each week. One additional platform that Nieman hopes to implement is a bi-weekly rector roll call for residents to bring concerns to the hall’s new rector when they arrive in the fall.
Sophomore Brady Eisenhart will be the new president for Keough Hall, along with sophomores Jack Rankin and Sean Utrie as vice presidents.
One of Eisenhart’s main objectives is to create a less section-oriented culture within the dorm. Eisenhart hoped to begin this by running with vice presidents who were in different sections in order to show unity among the hall government.
Eisenhart also intends to celebrate Keough’s 30th anniversary as a dorm this upcoming year, as well as implementing a parents’ weekend alongside a mom’s weekend.
Contact Matthew Morin at mmorin2@nd.edu
ND students are political — but still uninformed
By Redmond Bernhold Columnist, “Born Reddy”
In September 2024, I wrote a column titled “Notre Dame had political angst. Do we now?” I argued no, that there was little angst in the form of activism. During the 2024 presidential campaign races, we were tuned in, but it felt weird that few demonstrations transpired — especially when our history is steeped with rallies on regional and national issues. Though we weren’t rallying, we were informed.
Now, it seems that campus is more political — that is, more angsty — on what shapes what’s in our immediate proximity: our education, our days, our lived experience. Beyond that? Attention pales.
The most recent outbreak of widespread activism and discussion followed Susan Ostermann’s appointment and later withdrawal. Students buzzed when updates emerged. A prayer service at the Grotto was organized to protest her appointment. Columns and letters to the editor published in this paper spearheaded other angles of debate. This engagement showed that we are familiar with issues close to our lives, and some are willing to spur with the other in public forums.
In the fall, Charlie Kirk’s assassination also catalyzed a mass of viewpoints published in The Observer’s opinion section. For how political our generation made his death, that news didn’t garner any large organized efforts
By Michael Doyle Columnist,
My dad recently sent me this Wall Street Journal Op-Ed by Emil Barr, founder of Flashpass and Step-Up Social, two multi-million-dollar social media marketing firms. In Barr’s provocatively titled piece, “So You Want to Be a Millionaire? Don’t Wait Until You’re 20,” he flips the common advice so many of us hear in high school and even college: “You have plenty of time to figure it out, don’t rush and don’t worry.” The truth is, the best time to figure it out was yesterday, and the second-best time is today.
Barr presents this perspective specifically through the lens of entrepreneurship. If you are to have any pronounced success or longevity enjoyed by those prolific Silicon Valley visionaries, you need to start when you’re a teenager. Barr cites many examples of the benefits of youth, but, most notably, he highlights the ability and tolerance to fail at a young age. As we age, our remaining time decreases, and, consequently, a major loss (financial or otherwise) becomes harder to recover from in proportion to the time we have left on Earth. It’s the same concept
on campus. Instead, the pulse was felt by individual visits to the Grotto, administration emails and dialogue. There wasn’t a demo on political violence on Kirk’s platform, either for or against, despite Instagram flooding with unserious memes and more factual infographics condemning and endorsing his platform.
In my opinion, we seem to only consume news that directly affects our generation and ZIP code, even during a war with Iran, ICE raids, “No Kings” rallies, the capture of Nicolás Maduro and other conflicts.
Not only have I noticed it, but my friends have felt the same.
One friend recently grabbed dinner with an acquaintance. Somehow the topic of their parents’ jobs was mentioned. The acquaintance nonchalantly said his mom helps develop bombs.
My friend said, “Pause.” She wasn’t judging him, but rather his tone. Why would he say without hesitation, so nonchalant? She told him that maybe he should dodge the question next time someone asks, perhaps telling them a PR answer. Maybe “she works in defense,” not something as sharp as making bomb technology.
The acquaintance looked back at her with a stare of confusion.
“Why does it matter?”
She had to explain the war in Iran. The ongoing fatalities in Gaza and Israel. The lingering taste left in people’s mouths.
“Oh.”
I am disappointed in the acquaintance’s lack of knowledge,
Graduate student Ally Krause, alongside other tri-campus students, engaged in a protest against Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s lecture, among several other prevalent political issues on Sept. 12, 2025.
not because I’m a news junkie, but because students once knew (and seemed to care) a lot more. It’s a bit odd for a campus that used to act on national and global issues — the Vietnam War, Iraq War and anti-apartheid in the 1980s among many others — to now refrain from consuming news.
I’m a part of this. I don’t know every nuance or what causes global conflicts. (Oil, probably.) But I do think not knowing — and not caring enough to change it — is an indicator that we are losing interest and energy in a world
that Notre Dame students once grasped. That education and visibility have been lost on campus over decades. It’s not clear when that started. Maybe sometime in the early 2010s, when the largest political news was when insert politician would speak at commencement. When global conflicts seemed to ease. Then the social media era emerged. Blinders engaged. Ignorance stemmed from nothing-out-of-the-ordinary politics.
Although activism has moved to
Do you really have enough time?
that many financial advisors recommend: a riskier portfolio strategy for teenagers and young adults than for those in retirement. If you are 18 years old with ten thousand dollars total, incurring a thousand-dollar loss on a risky investment is much more recoverable than for a pensioner with no substantial work opportunities in front of him or her. Ultimately, it’s a matter of scale and perspective.
To any dismayed 20+-year-olds reading this article, this is not to say that your life is over as soon as it starts, but rather to remember the value of starting early and often. Your failures, at any stage, are still a more definitive mark of progress than your opponent who never started. Whether you do find value in the cutthroat path of entrepreneurship, or you simply want to secure your next upward rung on the corporate ladder, your progression to that goal needs to begin now.
It’s tempting to think about those you may know who encountered major (and successful) career and life pivots far into their future and thus extrapolate that to your own life, but these cases only further prove my point. These people with extraordinary and fruitful life shifts were determined
Instagram stories, other universities, like Harvard and Berkeley, have remained steadfast in their political angst. We haven’t. And it seems there isn’t anything fighting this festering issue. Perhaps we are a little too comfortable in the 46556 bubble.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Redmond Bernhold at rbernho2@nd.edu
to make a change and often began working toward their new goal as soon as they could. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter so much where or to what you’re aiming, but rather how and when you’re working toward it.
Author Neale Walsch popularized the phrase “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,” an especially pertinent mantra to retain as we continue to think about and visualize what we want our life to look like. Truthfully, everything that you want to be or do is just past that border of comfort
and normality, and it takes a concerted effort to break past what is familiar to you. This effort doesn’t necessarily require a different way of thinking; it just requires you to take one step after another. Only when you look back after weeks, months and years of progress will you realize how far you’ve come and subsequently how much further you can go. Certainly, it’s not easy; in fact, that’s why it’s called “breaking out of your comfort zone.” It’s tempting to stick to what’s known and proven, but if anything of substance in this life
came easy, I wouldn’t have written this article. Whether you have it all figured out or are just starting, the most important thing is that it’s a continual and concerted effort because, ultimately, it’s in reaching the end that we can finally begin.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Michael Doyle at mdoyle25@nd.edu
“Our Thread”
LIAM FLYNN| The Observer
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
You need to grow up, not in the way you think
By Sienna Stephens Columnist, “Not Your Average Post”
At some point in everyone’s life, they’ve heard the phrase, “you need to grow up.” Usually, this phrase is not meant to be said as words of encouragement, rather, criticism for your behavior or your choices. It can often mean you are being too immature, too unrealistic, too imaginative, too emotional, too irresponsible or too sensitive.
Over time, as we grow from being little kids running around the playground, which was your school’s parking lot, we begin to associate growing up with becoming more serious and less like the younger versions of ourselves. When we were younger, the idea of growing up seemed so desirable: more independence, could make your own money, do stuff on your own and be more open to the world around you. But now it starts to sound less like becoming a better and independent person and more like becoming harder in our hearts and minds.
But what if the aspect of growing up was never supposed to mean losing that child inside of us but to still be the child that God sees us all as?
From a Catholic perspective, the idea of growing up looks very different from what the world often tells us. In Matthew 18:3, Christ says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”
What does this mean, though, in terms of growing up? Jesus did not say to become childish, to be irresponsible or to be selfish but to become like children. Children are trusting, humble, curious, forgiving and full of that childlike wonder, and I believe many wish they could have that again.
There is an important difference between being childish and being childlike. Being childish means refusing to take responsibility, avoiding the hard things in life and putting yourself and your understanding first. Being childlike means trusting others, believing in something greater than ourselves, finding joy in the simplest things and having the purity of heart. Somewhere along the course of our existence, people confuse the two and assume that to grow up, we must eliminate both sides.
The truth is that growing up is not just about taking responsibility and gaining independence. Growing up means realizing that the world is not perfect, and neither are we. As we get older, we begin
to see more clearly that the people in this world and the world itself struggle. Not just with school, work or money, but deeper things. Things like loneliness, anxiety, anger, pride, addictions, jealousy and endless mistakes that follow people for years, wondering if they will ever find a way out.
In a Catholic sense, you could say that evil, sin and demons have a way of bleeding into our lives, our hearts and our souls. Dimming the once pure lights inside, to gradually become darker, less bright, less alive and less childlike. No one gets through life completely untouched from suffering or by their own mistakes; evil and sin always lurk in the most unknown places waiting to strike and continue to dim the light of our souls.
Growing up is often the moment when we realize that life is not a fairytale or a simple story of good and bad people. It is a story of people who are trying, failing, learning, making mistakes and constantly getting up to try again.
This realization can make people cynical to shake us into hardening our hearts because that’s what the world has taught us to be. It can make people stop believing in goodness, in the existence of good people and in the idea that people can change. This is the exact moment that being childlike matters the most.
A child believes that people can be forgiven, that tomorrow is a new day and believes that even if something is broken, it can still be put back together.
Maybe growing up is not about losing our childlike sense of the world, but about holding onto it after we have seen how broken the world can be.
Many Catholic saints understood this better than most adults. Saints like
Therese of Lisieux believed in approaching God with the trust of a child, even while living through suffering and eventually passing at such a young age. Francis of Assisi lived simply and found joy in the world and the nature around him, giving up wealth and comfort to follow Christ. None of them believed that growing up meant becoming colder, bitter or joyless.
They believed that growing up meant becoming stronger, more loving, more trusting in God, more disciplined, more
responsible while still keeping that joy and wonder of a child.
Maybe growing up is not straying away from that child in us but about protecting that child.
When we are young, we see good and evil, heroes and villains, right and wrong. We believe people can be good, that we have endless opportunities in the world and that life is an adventure. As we get older, the world tries to distort that narrative that those beliefs keep us naive. That
the world is about earning money, gaining success and mostly survival.
Perhaps having true maturity means choosing to keep those childlike beliefs even after we see how badly the world wants us to harden our hearts.
A child sees the world with wonder. An adult sees the world with responsibility. A mature person should be able to do both.
Growing up should not mean becoming less human. It should mean becoming more fully human. Embracing that humanity we were given, which is God’s greatest creation.
The goal shouldn’t be to grow up and leave that child behind on your adventure through life, but to take that child along with us as we face both the good and evil of the world. To learn to become strong and wise enough to protect the wonder, hope and faith we once had.
And to remember to never let go of it, no matter what the world tells us.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Write to Sienna Stephens at sstephens01@saintmarys.edu
LIAM FLYNN| The Observer
Sound of SUB concert
Dylan Gossett performs at the annual concert in the Stepan Center.
Photography by Gabriella Martin
Kanye proves you can never count him out with ‘Bully’
By Luke Foley Scene Editor
The self-destructive death spiral of Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, this past decade has been a horrifying spectacle. To see a man who once had the entire culture in a chokehold throw it all away for obsessive antisemitism has been like watching a Shakespearean tragedy. While Ye ostensibly cleaned up his act and mounted a comeback with 2024’s “Vultures 1” (a project I still quite enjoy, even though it pales in comparison to his best works), things quickly regressed thereafter. “Vultures 2” was a half-baked mess, and beginning in early 2025, Ye entered probably the worst manic episode of his career. Not only did he relapse into Nazism and all sorts of bigotry, but he also relentlessly insulted all of his family, friends and industry peers on Twitter. This second aspect made it much more difficult to watch than his late 2022 antisemitic stint: it felt like he was irrevocably destroying both his public and personal life. His subsequent 2025 musical output truly left me speechless: An anthem praising Adolf Hitler, a startlingly vulnerable song detailing a past incestuous relationship
with his cousin, an unreleased album titled “Cuck” and Dave Blunts of all artists becoming his musical muse. A celebrity of his stature, tearing himself down and sinking to the absolute abyss, almost felt like performance art, but the pain and hate on display was uncomfortably real. Ye then went quiet for a few months, but has now reemerged for the release of a new album, “Bully,” which had been teased on and off since late 2024. In January, he took out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal containing an open letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” in which he apologized for his past antisemitic rhetoric and attributed it to neurological damage caused by his infamous 2002 car accident. Accompanying this apology was his signing to Gamma, a new music label founded by Larry Jackson that would handle the release of “Bully” in March. I find it fascinating how eager people are to rehabilitate Ye after his public meltdowns time and time again; it’s a testament to an artistry that is irresistible beneath all the noise.
After a few delays and last-minute additions in classic Kanye fashion, “Bully” was released to streaming services Saturday. Now, my expectations for this
album were very, very low. Ye had developed a nitrous gas addiction in 2025, so I was genuinely unsure if his cognitive abilities were still intact. Furthermore, all the snippets I heard sounded like most music he had released since “Vultures 1”: unfinished and riddled with artificial intelligence. But as I listened to the album opener “King,” my skepticism faded away. Ye returning to industrial hip hop again? Hard-hitting production with a fuzzy bassline and clanging drums? Are we back?
“Bully” exhibits Ye’s peerless intuition for melody and production. The beats are richly textured and well crafted, reminding you why he’s such a singular talent behind the boards. Industrial influence is heavy throughout “Bully”: the vicious drums of “Father” and the buzzy 808s of “This a Must” lend the album an aggressive quality. Yet, we also see Ye skillfully return to his chipmunk soul roots with songs like “Punch Drunk” and “Whatever Works.” Ye also developed a deep love for vocoders when making this album, employing them on the plaintive “White Lines” and “Mama’s Favorite,”, as well as “All the Love,”, the shining jewel of the album. The song’s propulsive kick drums and glistening melody
make it soar.
While “All the Love” is a euphoric anthem, the album’s mood is otherwise gloomy. Haunted synths creep up on “Sisters and Brothers;” “Damn” has Ye reflecting on self-destructive behavior over a minimal bass line; the title track’s patchwork sampling gives way to a menacing chorus from CeeLo Green. The album teeters between somber introspection and braggadocio looking to reclaim dignity lost. This ties together the disparate industrial, soul samples and synth sounds into a cohesive statement of a man trying to build back his world.
In fact, this might be the Ye album that demands to be listened to as a cohesive unit front to back more than any other, and that’s because the songs are short — very short. Many songs on this album don’t even pass the two-minute mark. While I would have liked to see these songs have more musical progression, their leanness grew on me the more I listened. The songs never overstay their welcome, and they flow between one another very smoothly, making the album addictingly easy to listen to.
The big problem holding this album back from being really great is Ye’s rapping and lyricism. He
often sounds devoid of passion; the contrast is especially obvious on “Father” when Travis Scott comes swinging in after Ye’s lethargic delivery. Moreover, most of Ye’s lyrics are generic and nondescript. I understand if he’s not super eager to talk about the past year, but I would have liked a little more specificity. He comes off as a cypher on the album; beneath the forgettable one-liners, it’s hard to gauge where the man’s head is currently at. The soundscapes reveal much more than his actual words — a retreat into the past haunted by the baggage of the present.
“Bully” reminds us why it’s so difficult to fully quit Ye. His inventive production and melodic sensibilities are always a treat to listen to, and the album is consistently engaging, even in the more sparse back half, which has proved divisive. But I’m not sure if he was quite ready to return to the world. He says very little of substance over the 42-minute runtime, lacking the verve and wit of his best work. So while “Bully” is a good album, it’s still a far cry from his earlier albums that had boundless ambition and real vulnerability.
Contact Luke Foley at lfoley2@nd.edu
Redeeming ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
By Harry Penne Scene Copy Editor
Holy Week, the pinnacle of the Catholic calendar, is here, and with Easter nearing comes an increased engagement with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar,” a rock opera loosely based on Jesus’ life told from Judas’ perspective. Admittedly, while loving its music and vibe, I take issue with its presentation of Christian doctrine. “Superstar” is secular media and not a Christian work; yet, for many, it was their introduction to Christianity and led to conversion. It’s not meant to be taken seriously theologically, but with the Triduum providing opportunities for reflection on Christ’s Paschal Mystery, I want to examine how to “redeem” “Superstar” in a way that aligns with legitimate Catholic teaching while still maintaining its rocking identity. This article will primarily critique the show’s theology as presented in the music, and my solutions will mostly be musical changes and minimal blocking notes. Many know “Superstar” through the 1973 film, but I won’t consider it in this analysis. The film is pure camp and not serious at all, though it’s still a fun watch.
The show’s theological questionability makes sense when examining the religious beliefs of its writers. Tim Rice, lyricist, is a self-proclaimed agnostic, claiming he was raised in the Church
of England but doesn’t identify as Christian. Similar sentiments apply to Lloyd Webber. The duo approached the musical not from a religious stance but from a non-dogmatic one.
My greatest issue with “Superstar” is the ambiguity of Christ’s divinity. He is portrayed as a misunderstood human — not God — unclear of His role. Christianity understands that Jesus knew He was the Son of God. Jesus has a true human will, but it’s perfectly aligned with the divine will. He was aware of the events to come and the Father’s master plan. The title track addresses this uncertainty of Christ, stating: “Jesus Christ / Superstar / Do you think you’re what they say you are?” Jesus, in reality, never once doubted His divinity, and the opinions of others wouldn’t have swayed Him. The Catechism states “that Jesus Christ is Son of God by nature and not by adoption,” (CCC 465), but His portrayal in “Superstar” suggests otherwise. Adoptionism, a heresy, posits that Jesus wasn’t inherently the Son of God at birth but was “adopted” into the role. Catholicism teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully human, perfectly having both natures. The lyrics in “Gethsemane” mostly propose an adoptionist view. For example, “Why then am I scared to finish what I started / What you started, I didn’t start it.” These lyrics do not reflect Jesus’ fully divine nature, instead making it
appear as if God selected Him for the role of redeemer without providing adequate background. As established, Jesus was completely aware of what He had to do. I don’t have many re-write suggestions for “Gethsemane” rather than a complete lyric overhaul. Instead, I warn listeners to be wary of the song’s heresies and challenge them to discern these moments with a critical ear. Most mainstream musicals include a romantic subplot; they sell and please audiences. In “Superstar,” it’s heavily implied that Mary Magdalene and Christ are involved romantically. There is nowhere in the canonical Gospels that suggests a marital relationship between them. In fact, this is a relatively modern interpretation. It would be easiest to just remove all indications of this relationship and rewrite Magdalene’s lines, making it explicit that the relationship between her and Christ is purely friendly.
In “The Crucifixion,” Jesus asks for His mother. While this is not inherently wrong, it could’ve been a great moment to add an extra set of lyrics highlighting the institution of Mary as Mother of all believers. In my re-write, I would add Jesus singing: “Mother, behold your Son! / Son, behold your Mother!” (adapted from Jn 19:26-27). In the stage direction, John escorts Mary off-stage, indicating that he takes her into his home. Not all changes have to be dramatic;
these simple words add weight and theological substance. Another noticeable omitted interaction is with the penitent thief. As wonderful as it would be to give the thief his own song, to keep the pacing and intensity of the show, I would add his encounter with Jesus into “The Crucifixion.” The lyrics would be pulled from Luke’s Gospel, in which the thief, from his cross, says: “This man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replies: “Amen! Amen! I say to you: Today, you will be with me in paradise!” Notably, “Superstar” omits the most important part of the Paschal Mystery, Christ’s Resurrection, instead ending with the instrumental “John Nineteen Forty-One” where Jesus is removed from the cross and carried off-stage. There is no indication that this isn’t the end of Jesus’ story, which makes His death appear definitive. My fix for including the Resurrection is fairly simple. One could include it without an additional scene or explicitly going “He is Risen!” At the end of “John Nineteen Forty-One,” add the “Superstar” main motif right before bows with a slightly triumphant touch. For this to truly read as a Resurrection moment, I would accompany it with bright lights or a sunrise. Another fix could be to have a tomb prop on stage. When the show ends, the door is closed, but it’s open during bows,
implying the Resurrection. This would be most potent if paired with the aforementioned “Superstar” as a Resurrection musical motif.
Some argue “Superstar” is a modern interpretation of the ancient practice of passion plays and point out that the Stations of the Cross end with Christ’s burial (Station 14), not the Resurrection. “Superstar” aims to paint a broad picture of Christ’s life, not focusing solely on the Passion. The scope and aim of the musical is not to be a meditation on Christ’s death, but rather to examine his final days on a larger scale. Stations are a meditation solely on Christ’s suffering; they don’t claim to be a full portrayal of the Gospel and assume a belief in the Resurrection. Even so, in 1991, Pope John Paul II released the “Scriptural Stations of the Cross,” which includes a Resurrection reflection. So, “Superstar’s” lack of the Resurrection is an intentional omission to keep Christ’s identity as the Son of God vague; it does not make a claim about His divinity.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” is a fun musical, but it has terrible theology; however, it’s not too far gone to be corrected to be both rocking and doctrinally accurate. I would advise not taking it seriously; accept it for the rock album it is and don’t accept any of its faulty teachings.
Contact Harry Penne at hpenne@nd.edu
Irish suffer first defeat in road clash at Virginia
By Jack Muething Sports Writer
Heading into its ACC opener, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s lacrosse team was 6-0 and ranked as the top team in the country. However, both titles were taken away by the Virginia Cavaliers after the Irish fell 11-9 on March 28. The win propelled Virginia to No. 14 in the country after being previously unranked, and Notre Dame dropped to No. 4 in the country.
The scouting report suggested it was going to be a battle of offenses with Virginia coming into the game ranked seventh in the nation in goals per game and Notre Dame coming into the game fifth in the nation. The beginning of the game followed that script, as it was 3-3 after the first eight minutes. Virginia scored the first two within the first two minutes, but the Irish got three straight before Virginia tied the game up again. Notre Dame found the first two goals of the second quarter,
which included sophomore midfielder Matt Jeffery’s second goal of the game. Virginia only scored two in the quarter, and the Irish got one more goal as SSDM Chris Reinhardt started a fast break and went coast-tocoast for his first goal of the year. The Irish entered the halftime locker room up 6-5. By this point though, four of the six Notre Dame goals had been unassisted, and that was foreshadowing for the cause of the Irish’s ultimate demise.
Coming out of the break, senior attacker Will Maheras got things started right away with a goal off an assist from graduate attacker Josh Yago, but Virginia answered with two straight to tie the game up at 7. The score eventually became 9-9, Yago and Maheras each scoring their second goals of the game for the Irish. Virginia’s final goal of the quarter was the real cause of their momentum, and likely led to their win, as they took advantage of a Notre Dame defensive
breakdown and scored with only one second left on the clock. It was an unacceptable defense by the Irish to give up a goal at that moment. However, it wasn’t really the defense’s fault in the end, as the Irish failed to score a goal for the rest of the game. Virginia scored with three minutes left, and then delivered the final blow by scoring on an empty net with seven seconds left to seal the game.
Virginia’s starting attackers were very solid in this contest, each of them picking up four points. Senior Truitt Sunderland and freshman Brendan Millon each picked up two goals and two assists, and junior McCabe Millon picked up a goal and three assists. Freshman Robby Hopper was effective for the Cavaliers defensively as he picked up three ground balls and caused two turnovers.
Graduate goalkeeper Jake Marek also had a very solid game between the pipes as he picked up 11 saves while allowing nine goals, good for a
55% save percentage.
For the Irish, Maheras and Yago each picked up 2 goals and one assist. The only other assist for the Irish came from senior goalkeeper Thomas Ricciardelli on Reinhardt’s coast-tocoast goal. Defensively for the Irish, senior LSM Will Donovan picked up five ground balls, and freshman LSM Christopher Iuliano caused three turnovers. The Irish were without freshman FOGO Aidan Diaz-Matos in this one, and they missed him as the team went 10 out of 23 from the dot, and picking up a few more possessions could have made a difference.
This last game was played relatively evenly by both teams. Each team had high turnovers numbers, the Irish turning it over 16 times and Cavaliers turning it over 17 times. The Irish took 41 shots with 20 on goal, and the Cavaliers took 38 shots with 22 on goal. The key difference was that even with similar turnover numbers, the
Cavaliers moved the ball better as they picked up eight assists compared to the Irish’s three. The game shows some attacking woes for the Irish, as they haven’t eclipsed double-digit goals in three games now, with two of those games being against teams unranked at the time the Irish played them.
After this past weekend, Notre Dame and Duke are each 0-1 in the ACC, and Virginia and Syracuse are 1-0. North Carolina will play their first ACC contest this week against Syracuse, and Duke will play Virginia. The Irish will need to fix their attacking issues before their next contest against No. 1 Richmond, which jumped into the top spot after the Irish’s loss on Saturday. That game is set for Saturday, April 4 at noon, taking place at Chicago’s Martin Stadium on the campus of Northwestern University.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
DECLAN LEE | The Observer
Sophomore midfielder Chris Reinhardt fights a Knight for a ground ball in Notre Dame’s 29-10 win over Bellarmine on Feb. 17 at Arlotta Stadium. Reinhardt scored his first goal of the season in Saturday’s loss at Virginia, but the remainder of the attack went quiet for the final 20 minutes of the match as the top-ranked Irish suffered their first loss of the season.
Irish lacrosse takes a swift win on senior day
By Payton Dymek Associate Sports Editor
Notre Dame women’s lacrosse hosted Cal Saturday afternoon, with Notre Dame winning 17-4 while celebrating senior day.
The two teams have faced off 12 times. Notre Dame has emerged victorious every time, Saturday afternoon being no exception. The Irish were led by sophomore midfielder Madison Rassas, who scored four goals, notched one assist, collected five points and earned her sixth hat trick this season. Rassas paved the way for junior attacker Kate Timarky, freshman midfielder Charley Bacigalupo and freshman attacker Grace Maroney to all score hat tricks; thus, the Irish had four players each score a minimum of three goals in a singular match.
Maroney, a two-time U.S. Lacrosse All-American (2024, 2025) and 2025 U.S. Lacrosse Jackie Pitts Award winner, tied her career high of four points while also causing two turnovers. Timarky, who finished last season with 15 goals and four hat tricks, sits at No. 2 in the ACC with 40 goals this season after completing her ninth hat trick of the season Saturday. Aside from the usual heroes of the Notre Dame team, senior attacker Emma Murphy scored two goals while dishing out an assist; senior midfielder Franny O’Brien scored a goal while causing a massive turnover, and junior midfielder Angie Conley recorded a goal and assist. Additionally, freshman midfielder Uma Kowalski won the draw control 16-6 and won 10 of the 16 team draws.
The Irish goalies, freshman Ceci Patterson and graduate Isabel Pithie, received
massive amounts of play in the goal, each recording three saves, while senior Avery Gawronski, who has been unable to play every season due to injury, recorded her first career save.
Notre Dame was coming off a 20-2 home win against Robert Morris, and had a strong start over the Bears with Rassas immediately scoring two goals, both of which came from spinning around senior California defender Clara Page and beating senior goalkeeper Chloe Rand once low and to the left, then again high and in the corner.
Although the Bears responded quickly with a free-possession goal, Timarky and Maroney found their rhythm shortly after and scored a goal each to end the period. The Irish stood out in their goals as they were consistently passing the ball to one another and allowed other attackers to get the goal when the strongest couldn’t get the clearest shot. A new level of teamwork from Notre Dame was discovered during this period and remained throughout the entire match.
The second quarter was all green for the Irish as they held the Bears to a no-score period, something that the Bears have had to overcome a few times this season already. the Irish defense stayed strong through the last half of the matchup, only allowing three more goals, all while constantly switching goalies and keeping the ball focused on the opposing side of the field, barely allowing a Bear to cross the center line.
Notre Dame honored its team’s eight seniors in a special pregame ceremony where the families of defender Abigail Lyons, attacker Fran Frieri, attacker and draw specialist Maeve Dwyer,
defender Ellie Noto, attacker Anna Kenney, Murphy, O’Brien and Gawronski came out to midfield to celebrate their daughters.
Notre Dame will be on the road for three games against Virginia Tech, Liberty and Syracuse before returning home for its final game of
the regular season against Louisville on April 16.
Contact Payton Dymek at pdymek@nd.edu
Belles softball sweeps Goshen in home series
By Claire Watson Associate Sports Editor
This Sunday, the Saint Mary’s softball team hosted Goshen for a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m., games which had been rescheduled from earlier this month. The Belles swept the Goshen Maple Leafs, winning the first game 13-5 and the second game 6-2. With these two wins, the Belles improved their season record to 9-11. In game one, sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Yeo took the win as she pitched all five innings while allowing only three earned runs. She
recorded one strikeout. This win moves Yeo to 3-4 on the season in the circle. In game two, senior captain and pitcher Sam Mikitka took her third win of the season on the mound. Mikitka threw all seven innings, allowing two unearned runs while striking out two batters. The Belles offense showed up in the first game, crushing the Goshen pitching. Despite Goshen putting up an early run, Saint Mary’s responded by putting up three in the bottom half of the first inning. Going into the second inning, Goshen added on four more runs
to take the 5-3 lead, but the Belles put up seven runs to retake the 10-5 lead. Neither team scored in the third or fourth inning, but in the fifth, the Belles added on the final three runs to collect the run-rule victory. Offensively, the Belles were led by junior outfielder Allie Moss, who had two hits and three runs; sophomore outfielder Gia Schiavone, who totaled two hits, two runs and three RBIs; and sophomore second baseman Talia Jorgensen, who had two runs, two hits and one RBI. Additionally, freshman outfielder Isabelle Hochmuth
sent a ball over the fence for her 2nd home run of the season. Game two was more of a pitcher’s duel. Saint Mary’s still kicked off the game in the bottom of the first with two runs on the board. Neither team could scratch a run across in the second inning, but the Belles came through in the third inning adding two more to take the 4-0 lead. Another quiet fourth inning for both teams brought up the fifth, and the Belles added two more runs. Goshen, who had struggled to keep up with this strong Saint Mary’s attack,
finally got onto the board in the top of the sixth with two runs.
Schiavone led the Belles offense with two runs, three hits and one RBI. Alongside her, Moss, Jorgensen and freshman infielder Molly Ryan all contributed a hit to the Belles’ win.
Next up for the Belles is a doubleheader against Kalamazoo over Easter weekend. The home series is set for April 4, with the first game set to start at 1 p.m. and the second at 3 p.m.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
SMC SOFTBALL
KEVIN SANCHEZ | The Observer
Freshman attacker Mackenzie Conley and junior midfielder Angie Conley celebrate a goal in Notre Dame’s 17-4 Senior Day win over Cal on March 28 at Arlotta Stadium. The Irish have now won three straight games.
Hicks: Irish outclassed, but next year is different
By Ben Hicks Sports Editor
Notre Dame’s magical run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament ended Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena. The Irish were thoroughly beaten in every aspect of the game by a dominant UConn squad that hasn’t lost in its last 54 outings. But if you were told back on Feb. 1, following a rough month of January that saw the Irish win just three of nine games, that Notre Dame’s season would end in the Elite Eight after a competitive game with the almighty Huskies, you would have been
pleasantly surprised.
Sixth-year head coach Niele
Ivey and junior guard Hannah Hidalgo faced immense criticism after last year’s late-season collapse, which was followed by a mass exodus of stardom from the program. Hidalgo’s broken relationship with backcourt mate and All-American Olivia Miles brought questions about her leadership ability. Ivey drew criticism for her seeming inability to escape the Sweet 16, despite boasting the nation’s most talented roster a year ago.
All those concerns were put to rest with Ivey’s tactical work and Hidalgo’s
other-worldly performance over the final two months of the season. Coinciding with senior guard KK Bransford’s return from injury on the first day of February, the Irish reeled off 12 wins over their final 15 games, propelling the program into the elusive Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.
Sure, they were outclassed by Geno Auriemma’s Huskies on Sunday. But who hasn’t been this year? This very same Notre Dame team was embarrassed by 38 against UConn in Storrs, Conn., back in that fateful January. Nationwide pundits have already consecrated this UConn
team as a step ahead of its counterparts from a year ago, which comfortably won the national championship. Despite deploying a rotation of just seven healthy scholarship players, Notre Dame challenged the Huskies for 40 minutes, something no other team besides Michigan has done this season.
Ivey and Hidalgo, as well as Bransford and senior guard Cassandre Prosper, all of whom are expected to return to next year’s team, certainly aren’t content with 70-52 loss in the Elite Eight. This is Notre Dame. Final Fours and National Championships remain the standard, one that Ivey vowed to uphold when she took over for the legendary Muffet McGraw in 2020. After all, Ivey was a star player on the 2001 team that captured the program’s first national championship.
Although the magic of March for this edition of Notre Dame women’s basketball was a fun ride, No. 6 seed making a run to the Elite Eight won’t immortalize Ivey, Hidalgo or the supporting cast. That reverence will come in 2027. Ivey has learned that talent can be sacrificed for the betterment of the collective. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts; that wasn’t true in 2025. More importantly, Hidalgo has learned how to lead. She knows when to take over games and when to defer, something we didn’t see in 2025. The only problem with 2026 was the lack of depth. There will be no such issue in 2027.
“I’ve watched Hannah become one of the best leaders
Notre Dame baseball falls to No. 13
By Nikki Stachurski Associate Sports Editor
The No. 13 Tar Heels traveled to South Bend to face the Irish in a vicious conference series, with the Tar Heels emerging victorious in all three games.
After the first game was postponed to Saturday due to inclement weather, the Irish barely lost by a score of 5-6. In the second round of the doubleheader, the Tar Heels emerged with a 13-7 victory to end competition for the day. In the final game Sunday, the Tar Heels earned their third and final win of the series with a final score of 15-10. The unranked Irish have been a force to be reckoned with after their sweep over No. 19 Clemson, March 2022, during which they toppled
the Tigers. The shocking win placed Notre Dame at No. 23.
The Tuesday following the Clemson sweep, Notre Dame swarmed Western Michigan to earn a victory in a mercy rule win, with a final score of 14-3 after the seventh inning.
This weekend, though, Notre Dame was unable to keep up the pace of its recent dominance.
In the first game, North Carolina barely crept by with the win. Although emerging victorious, Tar Heel pitcher Matthew Matthijs gave up two of the five runs that put the Irish on the board.
Caden Glauber was the relief for Matthijs, playing the final two innings and keeping the lead for North Carolina.
For the Irish, sophomore infielder Noah Coy recorded two runs, keeping the team
within reach.
In the second game for the Irish, senior Xavier Hirsch was the primary pitcher for the latter half of Saturday’s play. Despite Notre Dame alternating between five pitchers in the narrow loss, Hirsch was credited with the loss, facing 14 batters through the two innings he pitched. He threw an impressive 56 pitches in the game and gave up five of the 13 runs that gave North Carolina the win. Tar Heel Camron Seagraves entered to pitch the final inning and didn’t allow any offensive progression for the home team, adding a 13-7 win to UNC’s win column.
The beginning of the final game looked promising for the Irish, who led 7-4 by the end of the fourth inning. However, the Tar Heels had
I’ve ever had,” Ivey said at the press conference following the UConn loss. Hidalgo credited her personal growth to her teammates, saying, “They’ve helped me grow my patience and just my understanding, just the way I think. I think they’ve helped me in so many different levels. All credit to my teammates. I’m so grateful for each and every single one of them.”
Hidalgo, whose incredible March run was highlighted by a triple-double of 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists in the Sweet 16 win over Vanderbilt, will assuredly return along with Bransford and Prosper. The core has already reached three Sweet 16s together and guided Notre Dame to its best basketball when on the court simultaneously late in the season. It will be joined by a loaded recruiting class, consisting of four top 30 prospects. Forwards Jacy Abii, Bella Ragone and Amari Byles are complemented by guard Jenica Lewis. Add in 5-star Leah Macy, who had to miss all of her freshman campaign with injuries, and Notre Dame has an explosive and experienced core entering Ivey’s seventh season. If all goes to plan, we won’t see Hidalgo sprinting to embrace Ivey at midcourt following a close Sweet 16 victory. We will instead see it after Hidalgo’s final collegiate game, next April in Columbus, when Notre Dame cuts down the nets for its third national championship.
Contact Ben Hicks at bhicks2@nd.edu
UNC
an electric fifth inning that yielded eight runs, and despite their best efforts, the Irish could not regain their advantage. Seagraves’ performance earned him the win for Sunday’s game, although five other pitchers rotated in. Graduate outfielder Drew Berkland, freshman infielder Dylan Passo and Coy each recorded two runs for the Irish. They were joined by four teammates who tallied singles, allowing Notre Dame to score 10 runs. However, the Tar Heel dugout only grew stronger as each game dragged on, with Carter French and Cooper Nicholson each scoring three runs.
Notre Dame played well all weekend, especially considering the caliber of its opponent. Despite the Irish
consistently scoring more and more as each game progressed, they could not limit the Tar Heels when they came up to bat. With the season nearing its halfway mark, Notre Dame must shake off the losses and look ahead to its upcoming games against conference competitor No. 14 NC State.
The Irish will travel to Raleigh at the beginning of April to face the ranked Wolfpack for their threegame series. Their first game is Friday, April 2, with the first pitch thrown at 6 p.m. The following day, the game will begin at 6 p.m. and the final game Sunday at 2 p.m. All games will be streamed live on ACCNX.
Contact Nikki Stachurski at mstachu2@nd.edu
BASEBALL
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Junior guard Hannah Hidalgo jumps through the lane during Notre Dame’s 70-52 loss to UConn during Saturday’s Elite Eight in Fort Worth. Hidalgo tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals in the losing effort.
Democracy and Bridging the RuralUrban Divide
Wednesday, April 1
Polarization isn’t just ideological. It’s geographic. Urban and rural communities are deeply divided on a host of policy issues and partisanship, both in the US and globally. The Notre Dame Democracy Initiative will host a series of talks on how we can strengthen democracy by bridging this rural-urban divide.
Learn more and register
Rural Versus Urban: The Growing Divide That Threatens Democracy
Noon | Smith Ballroom
Suzanne Mettler, Cornell University
Governing Across the Rural-Urban Divide
2:00 p.m. | McKenna Hall 215/216
Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Former Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH)
Former Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
The Politics of the Rural-Urban Divide
5:00 p.m. | McKenna Hall 215/216
Jane Kleeb (Chair, Nebraska Democratic Party)
Mayor Mattie Parker (R-Fort Worth, TX)
