SBNation.com User Blog: fishoutofwater

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Wrapping Up

fishoutofwater — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:15:58 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 2 men's team (11-5) fell this past Sunday to no. 7 Duke, 12-11, in the NCAA quarterfinals, bowing out of the tournament and drawing a strong season to a close. The heartbreaker saw the opponents tie 9 times, including at halftime and at the close of the third quarter. The Irish led with just over 3 minutes remaining, but Duke scored 2 late, unanswered goals to claim the victory. It was a tough loss, but a very good season for the Irish.

NDFIDM took a look behind the scenes at the Irish on the road for the tournament.

As is tradition, the senior lacrosse players were honored in an on-the-road commencement ceremony. Congratulations to all the new alumni.

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Baseball: The no. 7-seed Irish (31-23, 10-14) went 1-2 in their 3-game series at Cincinnati this past weekend, falling 9-5 in the first match, routing the Bearcats 9-1 in the second, then dropping the last regular season game, 11-5.

The Irish next play Seton Hall this afternoon (Wednesday) to kick off Big East tournament play. If they win, they'll play again on Thursday, then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when the Big East Championship is played in Clearwater, FL.

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Softball: The Irish (43-15, 20-4) finished their season with two hard-fought losses at the Lexington Regional of the NCAA championship. Last Friday, the Irish fell 4-3 to Virginia Tech in a heartbreaker. Saturday, they were eliminated from the tournament with a loss to Marshall, 3-1. Early in the game, pitcher Laura Winter did become just the third Irish player to earn over 300 strikeouts in a season, notching 306 total. We're sorry to see their season draw to a close, but congratulations to the Irish - Big East conference and tournament champions - for an excellent year.

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Rowing: The no. 11 Irish won their tenth consecutive Big East conference championship this past weekend and their coaching staff earned top conference honors to cap a great season. They earned second in the only race they didn't win outright, coming in just over 2 seconds behind Louisville in a nearly 8 minute race. Notre Dame won five our of six final contests in the championship, finishing 22 points ahead of runner-up no. 19 Louisville, 151-129.

The Irish next head to the NCAA championships on May 31^st-June 2^nd in Indianapolis.

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Track & Field: The Irish next compete in the NCAA east regional preliminary round of the NCAA tournament this Friday through Sunday, then, depending on their results, in the tournament itself on June 5-8.

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Tennis: Members of both the men's and women's Irish teams compete in the NCAA singles championship beginning today (Wednesday) in Champaign, IL, through the weekend. Best of luck to all.

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We'll leave you with NDFIDM's look at Notre Dame's newly graduated student athletes. Congratulations to all.

We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Down to the Wire

fishoutofwater — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:09:01 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 2 seed men's team (11-4) clawed their way back from a 7-3 4^th-quater deficit in their first-round NCAA tournament game against Detroit on Saturday to claim a hard-fought 9-7 win. Strong Irish defense kept Detroit from scoring for nearly the last 20 minutes of the game and freshman Matt Kavanagh scored a season-high 4 goals for ND, netting 3 of the team's final 6 goals in the crucial 4^th quarter.

The Irish face no. 7 Duke in NCAA tournament quarterfinals on Sunday in Indianapolis (2:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU).

Unfortunately, the women's team (12-5) lost 8-7 to Stanford in the first round of NCAA tournament play on Friday night. Stanford's winning goal came with just 4 seconds remaining in the contest, overshadowing an Irish comeback that saw them claim a 7-6 lead after getting down 3-6 with just 5 minutes left in the game. The Irish finish their impressive season with 5 all-Big East and all-region performers after a strong 10-0 start.

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Baseball: The Irish (30-21, 9-12) went 1-2 in their 3-game series at St. John's this past weekend, falling 4-1 in the first match and 2-1 in the second, then routing the Red Storm with a 16-7 win in the third. Tuesday, the Irish faced Western Michigan on the road and earned a 13-10 win in an unexpected thriller: the Irish led, 13-2, in the bottom of the ninth, when WMU racked up 8 runs - Notre Dame escaped with the possible tying run on deck and clinched the victory.

The Irish next play Cincinnati on Thursday and Friday evening, then Saturday afternoon on the road. Big East Tournament play begins next Wednesday, the 22^nd.

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Softball: The Irish (42-13, 20-4) dominated DePaul in the opening round of the Big East tournament, claiming a 9-1 victory this past Friday to proceed to the championship game on Saturday. Unfortunately, the hard-fought championship saw the Irish lose 1-0 in the 10^th inning. Starting pitcher and conference player of the year Laura Winter had an outstanding game, but it wasn't enough to give the Irish the win.

Though they fell in the conference championship game, the Irish hold the Big East regular season conference title and begin NCAA tournament regional play this Saturday and Sunday in Lexington (ESPN3).

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Track & Field: The Irish competed in the Second to Last Chance Meet at Grand Valley State over the weekend and claimed "5 event victories, 2 runner-up finishes, and 19 top-10 finishes." Event victories came for the Irish in the women's 100m, 400mH, pole vault (2 ND team members tied for 1^st), and men's 400m, with 2^nd-place finishes in the men's 800m and women's 1500m.

The Irish now turn their attention to the regional preliminary round of the NCAA tournament on May 23-25, then to the tournament itself on June 5-8.

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Tennis: The no. 24 women's team (18-9) began NCAA tournament play last Friday vs. North Carolina State in Ann Arbor. After winning with strong play in the first round over NC State, 4-1, the Irish fell in the second round to no. 10 Michigan, 4-0.

The no. 28 men's team (19-8) faced no. 37 Washington in the opening round of NCAA tournament play on Friday in Columbus. Unfortunately, the Irish fell 4-3 to the Huskies in a closely fought, 4-and-a-half hour match. The Irish exit the NCAA tournament but carry with them the Big East Championship, the conference's major awards, a 9-match win-streak, and wins over nine ranked teams.

Members from both teams compete in the NCAA singles championships in Champaign, IL, next Wednesday.

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Golf: The no. 26, Big East-champion women's team claimed 15^th place at the NCAA East Regional over the weekend, logging a 44-over-par, 908 stroke total. Lindsey Weaver came in at 6-over-par (222), tying for 39^th overall and leading the Irish. Talia Campbell tied for 44^th with a 7-over-par record of 223. Who won? Umm . . . Alabama. That's right. With a 20-under par 844.

The finish means the Irish will not advance in NCAA tournament play. All the same, this was a strong season for the Irish, who return all of their top five next season.

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Rowing: The no. 12 Irish compete in the Big East Championship this Sunday in Mercer County, NJ. Best of luck to all.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: All the Conference Titles

fishoutofwater — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:40:31 -0000

Softball and women's track and field won Big East conference regular season and tournament titles this past week, adding theirs to those recently claimed by men's and women's tennis and women's golf.

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 5 men's team (10-4, 4-3) lost again to no. 3 Syracuse, 9-3, in the Big East tournament semifinals last Thursday. The Irish kept the game tied up deep into the second quarter, when a 7-0 run by the Orange stretching into the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

The no. 2-seed Irish face Detroit at home in the first round of NCAA tournament play this Saturday (5:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU).

The no. 9/10 women's team begins NCAA tournament play this Friday vs. Stanford in Evanston (8:00 p.m.). Should they win, they will advance to the second round on Sunday.

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Baseball: The Irish (28-19, 8-10) went a disappointing 1-3 over the past week, dropping their game with Eastern Michigan, 12-6, then losing twice in extra innings to USF, 8-2 and 4-3, before routing the Bulls, 10-1. Though the second contest ended after ten innings, the first between the Irish and the Bulls lasted an exhausting 19 innings, equaling the longest game in ND and Big East baseball history (and recalling the epic and ultimately tragic 6-hour ND-USF football meeting of 2010). The Bulls capitalized on a pair of back-breaking Irish errors to score six unearned runs in the top of the 19^th inning. Fortunately, the Irish dominated USF in their Sunday rematch, winning 10-1.

The Irish face St. John's in a doubleheader in Queens this Saturday (12:00 and 3:00 p.m. EST), then again on Sunday (1:00 p.m. EST). Tuesday, the Irish play Western Michigan on the road.

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Softball: The Irish (41-12, 19-3) went 3-1 over the weekend to claim the Big East regular season title. After earning a 6-1 victory over Western Michigan on the road, the Irish battled no. 9 Louisville for the conference championship to a 5-4 win and a 15-1 loss. On Sunday, the Irish claimed a 3-1 victory over the Cardinals behind the impeccable pitching of Laura Winter (allowing 1 earned run in 7 innings, walking none, striking out 5).

The Irish face Seton Hall on the road Thursday to open Big East tournament play as the no. 1 overall seed, then, should they win, proceed to the Big East tournament semifinals Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The Big East championship game is on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EST (ESPN2).

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Track & Field: The Irish competed in the Big East outdoor conference championships over the weekend. Happily, the women claimed the Big East conference title in dominant fashion and the men earned a close second place behind Connecticut on the back of a very impressive final day performance. The Irish women claimed both the indoor and outdoor Big East titles this season, while the men earned second in both after sweeping last season. The women earned event victories in the 400s, 100mH, 3000m steeplechase, 4x100m, and 4x400m. The men won out in the 400m, 1500m, 400mH, and 4x800m.

The Irish compete in the Grand Valley Last Chance Invitational this weekend before heading to the regional preliminary round of the NCAA tournament on May 23-25, then to the tournament itself on June 5-8.

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Tennis: Both the no. 21 women's team and the no. 28 men's team were idle this past week after winning their Big East titles. The women's team begins NCAA tournament play this Friday vs. North Carolina in Ann Arbor. The men's team faces no. 33 Washington in the opening round of NCAA tournament play on Friday in Columbus. The second round for both teams is on Saturday, should they advance.

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Golf: The no. 26 women's team was idle this week after winning the Big East Championship a few weeks ago. The Irish begin NCAA regional tournament play this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The men's team was idle this past week after claiming third in the Big East Championship. They begin NCAA tournament play next Thursday.

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Rowing: The no. 12 Irish were idle this past week and next compete in the Big East Championship on May 19^th.

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Trick Shot Monday: On the off chance you missed it, a crowd of Notre Dame head coaches competed this past week in the grueling competition of Trick Shot Monday. Experienced CB Bennett Jackson stepped in to claim the hard-won victory and AD Jack Swarbrick demonstrated once again his immeasurable value to Irish athletics.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. We leave you with April's "Top Ten" plays in ND athletics from Fighting Irish Digital Media. Go Irish!

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Winding Up & Winding Down

fishoutofwater — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:10:35 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 5 men's team (10-3, 4-2) lost to no. 3 Syracuse, 10-4, to end the regular season this past Saturday, switching their spots in the rankings (ND entered the match ranked no. 1 and the Orange, no. 7). Although the Irish were ahead, 3-1, at the half and kept the game tied up at 4-4 until the fourth quarter, Syracuse's 6-0 run in the last 15 minutes (with 3 consecutive goals coming from one player) netted them the win.

The Irish face no. 3 Syracuse again this Thursday on the road in the Big East semifinals (4:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU and ESPN3). If they win, they'll play in the final on Saturday at noon EST (ESPNU).

The no. 9/10 women's team (12-4) won their last regular season game, claiming a 14-5 victory over Marquette on senior day.

If named to the 26-team bracket this Sunday, the Irish will next compete in the NCAA tournament beginning May 10^th.

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Baseball: The Irish (27-16, 7-8) swept their 3-game series with Connecticut over the weekend, claiming 12-2 (with a season-high 17 hits), 4-3, and 12-5 wins. After a mid-season slump, the Irish have won 7 of their last 8 games. Tuesday afternoon, the Irish beat Central Michigan on the road, 7-3.

The Irish face Eastern Michigan at home tonight (Wednesday, 5:35 p.m. EST), then USF at home on Friday (5:35 p.m. EST), Saturday (2:05 p.m. EST), and Sunday (11:30 a.m. EST).

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Softball: The Irish (37-11, 17-2) went 2-1 over the weekend, taking their first two games over DePaul, 6-3 and 5-2, but dropping the series' third, 5-2 (with all 5 runs coming in the final two innings of that contest). They're now 1^st in the Big East. Tuesday, the Irish won out over Eastern Michigan at home, 5-3.

The Irish face Western Michigan on the road tonight (Wednesday), then Louisville at home on Saturday in a doubleheader (4:00 and 7:00 p.m. EST), and Sunday (1:00 p.m. EST). Depending on their record, they will compete in the Big East Championship tournament beginning next Thursday in Tampa.

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Track & Field: The Irish competed in both the Hillsdale College Gina Relays and the Drake Relays over the weekend, claiming a full 15 top-5 finishes, including 2 victories and 5 runner-up finishes. Event victories came for Notre Dame in the men's discus and the women's 4x800m relay (the relay team claimed the best time in the Big East). Second-place finishes came in men's hammer and 1500m, and in women's javelin, 400m, and 4x400m.

The Irish compete in the Big East Championships this weekend in NJ.

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Golf: The men's team competed in the Big East Championship in Orlando over the past few days. They led after the first day of competition, then slipped to fourth on the second day before finally finishing in 3rd place (864), 6 strokes behind title-winning USF. On days 1 and 3, the Irish carded the best team scores of all 12 teams (including the best round of the tournament on day 3), but that wasn't quite enough to make up for a 6th-place round on day 2. Cory Sciupider (-5) came in 3rd overall and Niall Platt (-2) came in 5th in individual scoring in the 50-man field after 3 rounds.

The Irish now look ahead to NCAA tournament competition beginning on May 10^th.

The no. 26 women's team was idle this week after winning the Big East Championship. NCAA tournament regional play begins on May 9.

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Rowing: The no. 12 Irish claimed a strong and impressive first place finish at the Dale England Cup this past weekend, beating out Iowa, Indiana, and Alabama. Let this console you: the Irish margin of victory over the Crimson Tide was 58 points (118-60). So we did beat the Tide this year at something. By a lot.

The Irish next compete in the Big East Championship on May 19^th.

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Tennis: Both the no. 21 women's team and the no. 28 men's team, fresh off of winning the Big East title, are currently preparing for NCAA tournament play, beginning May 10^th.

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Soccer: The women's team won their spring play match with the Haiti National team last Friday, 2-1. The men's team also won their latest spring play match last Friday against the Mexico Under-20 team, 3-2.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Champions of Club & Racket

fishoutofwater — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:40:31 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 2 men's team (10-2, 4-1) slid past no. 19 Villanova with a 13-9 victory. Villanova led 6-4 midway through the third quarter, but the Irish went 7-3 in the fourth to net the win.

The Irish face no. 3 Syracuse this Saturday on the road (6:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU and watchespn.com).

The no. 9/10 women's team (11-4) dropped all three of their matches over the past week, first falling 11-8 to no. 5/5 Syracuse, then losing 10-7 to no. 19/RV Connecticut on the road as the Huskies managed to close down the usually-strong Irish offense. Wednesday, the Irish dropped a close, fierce match to a talented Northwestern squad, 10-8.

The Irish face Marquette at home on Saturday afternoon (1:00 p.m. EST).

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Baseball: The Irish (23-16, 4-8) went 4-1 over the past week after rain unfortunately put the brakes on their 12-0 lead over Bowling Green in the fourth inning last Wednesday. They swept Quinnipiac over the weekend, first to the tune of 9-6, then 6-0 in the second match, and 5-1 to complete the set of victories. Tuesday, the Irish fell to Toledo, 15-3, behind shoddy defense. Wednesday, the Irish faced the Michigan State Spartans at home and came away with a solid 7-3 victory.

The Irish face Connecticut at home on Friday (5:35 p.m. EST), Saturday (2:05 p.m. EST), and Sunday (1:05 p.m. EST). They then play Central Michigan on the road on Tuesday and Eastern Michigan at home on Wednesday (5:35 p.m. EST).

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Softball: The Irish (35-10, 15-1) went 5-0 over the past week, sweeping Pittsburgh on the road with decisive 7-1, 10-2, and 7-0 victories. They then swept Connecticut in Tuesday's doubleheader at home, 6-0 and 11-1 in five innings, earning head coach Deanna Gumpf her 500^th career win and pitcher Laura Winter Big East Pitcher of the Week and USA Softball National Player of the Week honors.

The Irish face DePaul in Chicago on Saturday in a doubleheader, then again on Sunday. They play Eastern Michigan at home on Tuesday (5:00 p.m. EST) and Western Michigan in Kalamazoo on Wednesday.

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Tennis: The no. 21 women's team claimed their 6^th consecutive Big East Championship this past week behind tournament victories over Marquette, 4-0, DePaul, 4-3, and USF, 4-1. Britney Sanders was deemed Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Congratulations to all! NCAA tournament play begins May 11^th.

The no. 28 men's team also claimed the Big East Championship this past week behind tournament victories over St. John's, 4-0, Marquette, 4-1, and archrival Louisville, 4-0. The men's team last won the conference championship in 2008. Congratulations to all! NCAA tournament play begins May 10^th.

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Track & Field: The Irish competed in several meets this past week. At the Mt. SAC Relays and the California Invitational, the Irish won a 1^st-place sectional finish, claiming the 5^th-fastest time in the country this season in the men's 1500m (Jeremy Rae) and taking first in the "A" section of the CA Invitational decathlon (Ted Glasnow).

At the Polytan Invitational in Bloomington, the Irish claimed a dominant 42 top-5 finishes and 14 event victories. Notre Dame victories came in the women's 4x100m, 200m, 400m, 4x400m, long jump, 100mH, 400mH, hammer throw, triple jump, men's 200m, 4x100m, hammer throw, and triple jump.

Some of the Irish travel to Hillsdale, MI, for the Hillsdale Gina Relays this weekend, while others head to Des Moines for the Drake Relays.

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Golf: The no. 26 women's team won their fifth Big East Championship in Florida this past weekend. After 54 holes, the Irish carded a 6-under-par total of 861, 17 strokes ahead of runner-up Louisville. The Irish were carried by the tournament-best, 6-under par totals of 210 from Lindsey Weaver and Talia Campbell - best in the history of the Big East women's championship. A hearty congratulations to the women's team! NCAA tournament regional play begins on May 9.

The men's team was idle this past week and competes the Big East Championship in Orlando this coming this Sunday through Tuesday. Best of luck to all.

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Rowing: The no. 12 Irish tied for third in the highly competitive Lake Natoma Invitational in Sacramento, CA, this past weekend, finishing just 2 points behind the winning no. 1 USC team and tying no. 9 Stanford.

The Irish compete in the Dale England Cup this weekend in Bloomington, IN.

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Soccer: The women's team continues spring play in a match with the Haiti National team this Friday evening at home.

The men's team continues spring play this Friday evening after the women's game against the Mexico Under-20 team.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Fighting On

fishoutofwater — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:41:36 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 4 men's team (9-2, 3-1) claimed a close 10-8 victory over Georgetown last weekend after falling behind 4-0 to start the match, then going 8-3 in the final three quarters.

The Irish face Syracuse this Friday in NY (7:00 p.m. EST, CBSSN), then Villanova on Saturday at home (2:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU and watchespn.com).

The no. 5/6 women's team (11-1) dropped their first game this season last Friday, losing 14-13 in double overtime to no. 17/20 Loyola. Sunday, though, the Irish rebounded with a big 13/12 win over no. 8/8 Georgetown, led by goalie Ellie Hilling's 14 saves.

The Irish face Connecticut on the road on Sunday, then Northwestern at home on Wednesday (7:00 p.m. EST).

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Baseball: The no. 16 Irish (19-15, 4-8), had a cruel weekend in Pittsburgh, getting swept by the Panthers in three games. The Irish fell 4-0 on Friday, 4-2 on Saturday, and 12-3 on Sunday. Tuesday, Denard Robinson was on the mound for Michigan briefly to throw out the first pitch as Notre Dame took on the Wolverines. Unfortunately, the Irish fell, 8-2, in the road contest.

The Irish face Bowling Green this evening (Wednesday) at home (5:35 p.m. EST), then Quinnipiac on Friday (5:35 p.m. EST), Saturday (3:30 p.m. EST), and Sunday (1:05 p.m. EST). If you're in town for the Blue Gold Game, go cheer them on. Tuesday, they face Toledo at home (5:35 p.m. EST), and Wednesday, Michigan State (5:35 p.m. EST).

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Softball: The Irish (30-10, 10-1) claimed three wins over the weekend in a series sweep over Rutgers. First came an 11-2 win on Saturday in five innings, then 5-1 and 8-6 victories in Sunday's doubleheader. The Irish climbed back from a 6-1 deficit in the last contest with an impressive 7-run bottom of the seventh.

Tuesday afternoon, the Irish took on Michigan State in East Lansing and claimed a 2-0 victory.

The Irish face Valparaiso at home this Thursday (5:00 p.m. EST) and Pittsburgh on the road on Saturday (doubleheader) and Sunday. Tuesday, they face Connecticut at home in a doubleheader (12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. EST).

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Tennis: The no. 25 women's team (14-8, 3-0) won their last two matches of the regular season this past weekend, claiming victories over Central Florida, 6-1, and USF, 5-2, in the sunshine state. Notre Dame heads to the Big East championships this weekend in Tampa. Best of luck to all competing.

The no. 32 men's team (16-7, 3-0) won out over rival no. 47 Louisville, 5-2, on the road this past weekend. The Irish begin Big East tournament play this weekend at home. Best of luck to all competing.

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Track & Field: The Irish competed in the Border Battle in Louisville over the weekend, where they represented team "Hoosierland" with Indiana against team "Commonwealth" (Kentucky and Louisville). Both men's (97-103) and women's (99-101) teams just barely lost, coming within a few points of the Commonwealth and earning 9 first-place individual finishes and 3 of 4 relay victories with Indiana. The Irish claimed first in women's triple jump (2 Irish women tied for first), 1500m, 800m, 400m, 400mH, and men's long jump, triple jump, and 400m.

Some of the Irish travel to the west coast for the Mt. Sac Relays this weekend, while others head to Bloomington for the Polytan Invitational.

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Golf: The no. 23 women's team were idle this past week and compete in the Big East Championship in Florida this coming Sunday through Tuesday. Best of luck to all.

The men's team finished 11^th at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City this past weekend. Niall Platt tied for 11^th among individuals in the tournament, finishing 4-over par in three rounds. Cory Sciupider earned the tournament-low score of 5-under on the 72-par course in his second round. The Irish now turn to preparation for the Big East Championship coming up at the end of the month.

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Rowing: The no. 13 Irish were idle this past week and next compete in the Lake Natoma Invitational in Sacramento, CA, this weekend.

Soccer: The men's team continues spring play this Saturday evening in a road match with Xavier in Cincinnati.

Leprechaun? Yes, leprechaun. Last week, a handful of candidates competed to win the leprechaun's suit for next year, and Johnny Romano claimed the victory. Look for him leading the football team out of the tunnel in the fall.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Marching Onward

fishoutofwater — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:09:36 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Lacrosse: The no. 4 men's team (8-2, 2-1) earned a 13-8 victory over Providence on the road this past Sunday behind the 4-goal, 1-assist performance of attackman Sean Rogers. After Providence tied the game at 5 in the third quarter, Notre Dame went on a decisive 7-2 run to secure the victory.

The Irish face Georgetown this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. EST at home.

The no. 6/7 women's team (10-0) earned wins over no. 20 Louisville on Friday and Cincinnati on Sunday. Against Louisville, the Irish held on for a 16-15 double overtime victory. Sunday, they claimed a strong 13-6 win over the Bearcats and tied the program record for best start to a season.

The Irish face Loyola (MD) at home on Friday evening (7:00 p.m. EST) and Georgetown on Sunday afternoon (2:00 p.m. EST) at home.

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Baseball: The no. 16 Irish (19-11), went 2-2 over the last week, claiming wins in their first two of a three-game series with Villanova, walking off with a 4-3 win in eleven innings on Friday, then earning an 11-8 victory on Saturday. Sunday, Villanova claimed a 10-6 win over the Irish. Tuesday night was another rough outing for Notre Dame, who lost in a 4-1 upset at the hands of Michigan (apparently Denard Robinson was not on the mound for the Wolverines).

The Irish travel to Pittsburgh for games on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, and mid-day Sunday. Tuesday, they face Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Wednesday, Bowling Green at home (5:35 p.m. EST).

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Softball: The Irish (26-10, 7-1) split their matches of the last week, 2-2. Notre Dame split Saturday's double-header with Villanova, earning a 4-1 victory and a 1-0 loss. Sunday, the Irish claimed a big 9-3 win behind a six-run sixth inning. Tuesday, they fell hard to Northwestern in Evanston behind a nine-run fifth inning by the Wildcats, losing 11-3.

The Irish face Toledo this Thursday at home (5:00 p.m. EST), then Rutgers in a double-header on Saturday (12:00, 2:00 p.m. EST) and again on Sunday (12:00 p.m. EST). Tuesday, they face Michigan State in East Lansing.

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Tennis: The no. 21 women's team (12-6) lost a close dual decision, 4-3, to no. 36 Memphis on the road this past weekend. Notre Dame faces Central Florida on Saturday and South Florida on Sunday on the road.

The no. 31 men's team (15-7) won out over no. 65 SMU, 6-1, USF, 6-1, and Butler, 7-0, at home over the weekend. The Irish will face no. 50 Louisville on Saturday on the road.

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Track & Field: The Irish competed at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing over the past weekend, earning five runner-up finishes and 36 top-10 finishes. The runner-up finishes came in the women's 100mH, high jump, long jump, triple jump, and javelin. In an unlikely turn of events, the men's team somehow claimed 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th place in a 56-man field in the 800m (did they run it 3-legged-race style?).

The Irish travel to Louisville this Saturday for the Louisville Border Battle.

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Rowing: The no. 13 Irish earned a pair of race wins and four runner-up finishes at the Ohio State Rowing Invitational over the weekend, upsetting no. 8 Michigan in both victories (in the first, by just .13 seconds in a nearly-seven minute race).

The Irish next compete in the Lake Natoma Invitational in Sacramento, CA, on April 20-21.

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Golf: The no. 23 women's team came in 8^th in a 15-team field over the weekend in the DAC/SMU Invitational in Dallas to finish the regular season with a 5-0 conference record (104-32-0). Freshman Talia Campbell tied for 10^th in the tournament in her hometown, coming in at 12 over par after three rounds.

Now the Irish prepare for the Big East Championship in Florida in two weeks.

The men's team earned a disappointing 15^th-place finish at the Irish Creek Collegiate in NC over the weekend. The Warren Golf Course on campus opening up just two weekends ago should be a help to the Irish as they look to improve on their season.

The Irish compete in the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City this Saturday and Sunday.

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Soccer: They're not in season, but the women's team hosted Mexico's under-20 team over the weekend and earned a 4-3 win. They continue spring play against Kentucky on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. EST at home.

The men's team began spring play this Sunday with a match against Western Michigan at home and another immediately following against Valparaiso. The Irish continue spring play this Saturday evening in a road match with Indiana University.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (35-2) ended tournament play on Sunday in their Final Four match-up with Connecticut in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies beat the Irish, 83-65, and went on to claim a championship victory over Louisville by thirty-three points on Tuesday. UConn hit its stride early behind the stupendous play of freshman Breanna Stewart and her 29 points, while the Irish struggled all night with shooting against a sturdy defense - Diggins was held to just 3 for 15 from the field, and the Irish at one point missed 14 consecutive shots. The teams were neck-and-neck until the final minutes of the first half, and in the second half, the Irish couldn't get closer than within six points of UConn. You can find Cubfansince1957's wrap-up and a bit of discussion here.

It was a difficult way to watch Skylar Diggins's career at Notre Dame conclude, but this was an unexpectedly successful season for the Irish and for the mightily successful Diggins. That the then-one-loss Irish beat the four-loss national champions in three of their four head-to-head matches this season is small consolation, but such is the mercurial consequence of determining a champion through a single elimination tournament. C'est la sports.

Skylar Diggins was named the Nancy Lieberman Award winner and chosen for the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team this past week. Coach Muffet McGraw was named to the same All-America Team, named AP Division I Women's National Coach of the Year, WBCA Division I National Coach of the Year, USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year, and the Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year, in recognition of her great success and skill in coaching this team.

This year's team set the program record for season winning percentage (.946), won the Big East regular season title and the postseason tournament crown, and went undefeated in Big East play, plus went 12-2 against ranked teams with 6 victories over top-10 teams, and with the men's team, continued to post a perfect graduation rate for its players. Congratulations, Irish.

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One annual...athletic...tradition coming up this Friday, April 12^th, are the Leprechaun Tryouts. Best of luck to all competitors. May your cheers be booming, your legs, spry, and your chinstrap beard, abundant.

We leave you with the "ND Top Ten" for March, a newish video feature from Notre Dame Athletics that gives you the top ten Fighting Irish plays each month.

We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: You Lose Some, You Win Some

fishoutofwater — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:52:01 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: After proudly claiming the final CCHA title not quite two weeks ago and putting up an impressive 9-game unbeaten streak, the post-season came to an end for the Irish (25-13-3) on Saturday with a decisive 5-1 loss to St. Cloud State at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Toledo. The lone Irish goal came from Mike Voran, short-handed in the third period.

St. Cloud State scored first mid-way through the opening period, then the Irish had what was hoped to be a tying goal reviewed and waved off - it had been kicked in by Anders Lee. Starting midway through the second period on a power play, St. Cloud State netted three unanswered goals; ND had just 3 shots on goal in the whole period. Mike Johnson replaced Steven Summerhays (14 saves) in the goal for the third period, making 4 saves on 5 shots. The Irish were plagued in the third by consecutive penalties and St. Cloud State scored their 5^th goal of the afternoon.

Penalties favored the Huskies, 7-1, as did shots on goal, 23-18.

While the loss was hard and it would have been outstanding to see the Irish advance in the tournament, this was a great, great season for ND and one that ended with a strong turnaround and exciting games. Already looking forward to next year.

We should also note here that junior captain Anders Lee, who will be greatly missed, signed a contract with the NHL's New York Islanders and played in his first game on Tuesday night (quick turnaround, right?). Anders, who tied for 13^th nationally in goals made, scored on his very first shot in his very first game in the NHL. Nice way to kick things off.

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Lacrosse: The now no. 4 men's team (7-2, 2-1) split their matches over the past week, falling to no. 19 St. John's, 12-10, in a battle that saw the Irish overpowered on both ends of the field and unable to gain the lead with a late rally. Tuesday, Notre Dame earned a win over Marquette, 17-5. Junior attackman John Scioscia scored an impressive six goals and one assist (he had just two career goals coming into the game).

The Irish face Providence this Sunday on the road.

The no. 7 women's team (8-0) was idle this week, but hits the road to face no. 20 Louisville on Friday and Cincinnati on Sunday.

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Baseball: The no. 20 Irish (17-9), went 2-3 over the last week, dropping their 3 weekend matches to no. 10 Louisville, 10-5, 2-1, and 10-5 on the road. After that rough sojourn, ND returned home to claim victories earlier this week over UIC, 6-2, and Valparaiso, 3-1.

The Irish face Villanova on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday at home. They'll face Michigan at home on Tuesday and Eastern Michigan on Wednesday.

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Softball: The Irish (24-8, 5-0) fell to Green Bay, 5-4, late last week, but earned two wins over Georgetown early this week, 8-2 and 15-3, claiming their 1000^th program win in the process.

The Irish face Villanova this Saturday in a double-header at home, at noon and again at 2:00 p.m. EST, then again on Sunday at 11:00 p.m. EST. Tuesday, they play Northwestern on the road, and Wednesday they're home against Toledo.

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Swimming and diving: Last weekend, the men's team competed in the NCAA championships in Indianapolis, finishing in a tie for 36^th place overall, the second best point total in program history.

The Irish saw strong finishes from John Williamson (13^th in the 200 butterfly) and Zach Stephens (16^th in the 200 breaststroke), who are the third and fourth student athletes to place in the top 16 of an individual event in program history; Frank Dyer came in 21^st in the 100 freestyle. The Irish team of Dyer, Kevin Hughes, John McGinley, and Bill Bass came in 16^th in the 800 freestyle relay. All-America honors went to five ND swimmers in three events. Several school records and career bests were set by the Irish at the tournament.

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Tennis: The no. 16 women's team (12-5) split their games this past week, falling to no. 29 Tulsa, 4-3, but beating Marquette convincingly, 6-1, on Tuesday.

Notre Dame faces Memphis on Sunday at home at 1:00 p.m. EST.

The no. 27 men's team (12-7) won out over Ball State, 5-2, on the road early this week.

The Irish will face South Florida and Butler on Saturday at home.

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Track & Field: The Irish continued the newly-begun outdoor season this past weekend with competition at the Stanford Invitational in California and the Oliver Nikoloff Open in Ohio. Notre Dame student athletes earned 18 top-10 finishes, with 11 in the top-five, including first in women's discus, women's heptathlon, women's 800m, and men's 4x400m.

The Irish travel to East Lansing this Friday and Saturday for the Michigan State Invitational.

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Rowing: The no. 14 Irish earned 8 victories in an impressive showing competing against Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State in East Lansing over the weekend.

The Irish next head to Columbus to face Ohio State and Michigan this weekend.

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Golf: The no. 23 women's team was idle this week, but next competes in the DAC/SMU Invitational in Dallas this Friday through Sunday before the Big East Championship near the end of the month.

The men's team was idle this week, but next competes in the Irish Creek Collegiate in NC this Saturday and Sunday.

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They're not in season, of course, but women's soccer hosted the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League yesterday (Wednesday) in Alumni Stadium for a match. They play the Mexico Under-20 team on Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST. Saturday, Notre Dame hosts practice play with Iowa, IPFW, and Grand Valley St.

The men's team also begins spring play this Sunday with a match against Western Michigan at home at 2:00 p.m. EST and another immediately following against Valparaiso.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (35-1) continued NCAA tournament play with victories in the rounds of sixteen and eight, first with a dominating 93-63 victory over Kansas. Skylar Diggins racked up 9 assists and 27 points in the game (22 in the first half), becoming Notre Dame's career scoring leader in the process. Tuesday night, the Irish conquered no. 5 Duke, 87-76, after a rhythm-less start that saw Diggins in foul trouble early and the team go into the locker room down six. The second half was a different story, and Diggins finished the night with 24 points and 9 assists, Kayla McBride put up 18 points, Jewell Loyd put up 17, and Natalie Achonwa scored 17 with 13 rebounds.

The Irish face UConn in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. EST (ESPN) in New Orleans. If they win, they'll compete in the championship game on Tuesday night (8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN). All the best of luck to the women's team as they make their way against UConn for the fourth time this year (they're 3-0 so far) and, hopefully, on to the championship.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Champions, Winners, Title-Takers

fishoutofwater — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:25:20 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: Very, very happily, the no. 9 Irish (25-12-3, 21-8-3-2) claimed the final CCHA title on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Michigan in Detroit. A 3-1 victory over Ohio State on Saturday got them there.

Against Ohio State in the semifinal game, the Irish played extremely well but were locked in a 1-1 tie until T. J. Tynan netted the winning goal on a power play in the third period. ND goals came from Tynan, Peter Schneider, and Jeff Costello in an empty net, on a barrage of 44 shots. Ohio State was held to just 17 shots. Assists came from DiPauli, Gerths, Calabrese, and Rust.

Sunday afternoon, the Irish claimed their third Mason Cup (all in victories over Michigan) and their fifth win over the Wolverines this season in a great game that saw goals from Anders Lee, Austin Wuthrich, and Jeff Costello in another just-barely empty net. You know what I'm talking about.

(Hat tip to First Down Moses for that.)

The Irish had 33 shots on goal and ND goaltender Steven Summerhays made 20 saves on 21 shots, including two great and crucial saves in the third period. After dominating the first period and putting 18 shots on goal to Michigan's 6, the Irish lost momentum late in the period, surrendering a short-handed goal. Wuthrich's goal 29 seconds into the third gave Notre Dame a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Assists came from Costello, Johns, Tynan, and Lucia.

Three Irish players were named to the CCHA All-Tournament Team: center Tynan, right wing Wuthrich, and defenseman Stephen Johns.

The Irish begin NCAA playoff competition as the top seed in a mid-west regional match against St. Cloud State in Toledo this Saturday (1:30 p.m. EST, Fox Sports North and ESPN syndication). If they win, they'll play in the regional final at 4:00 p.m. EST on Sunday (ESPNU).

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Lacrosse: Happily, despite uninspired play, the newly-no. 1 men's team (6-1, 1-0) claimed a close victory over Rutgers in the team's Big East opener on Sunday.

They face St. John's this Saturday at home and Marquette on Tuesday in Wilmette, IL.

The no. 7 women's team (8-0) earned wins this past weekend over both no. 19 Rutgers, 9-6, and Villanova, 14-2, against whom they opened Big East play.

The undefeated Irish next face no. 20 Louisville on April 5^th and Cincinnati on April 7^th.

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Baseball: The no. 15 Irish (15-6), went 3-1 over the last weekend, dropping their first match to Seton Hall, 4-3, Friday in Covelski Stadium, but besting the Pirates in Saturday's double-header, finishing both games with a 3-2 win. Tuesday night, the Irish beat Kent State, 8-1, at the U. S. Steel Yard in Gary, IN. Basketballer Pat Connaughton made his season debut, throwing 32 pitches with one strikeout in two scoreless innings.

The Irish face Louisville tonight (Thursday), Friday, and Saturday in Louisville. They then play UIC on Tuesday evening and Valparaiso on Wednesday evening, both at home.

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Softball: The Irish (22-7, 3-0) swept Seton Hall this past weekend, 3-0, with 10-2 and 10-1 wins to open Big East play on Saturday, followed by a 10-2 victory Sunday.

The Irish face Green Bay this evening (Thursday) then Georgetown in a double-header next Wednesday.

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Swimming and diving: Last weekend, the women's team competed in the NCAA championships in Indianapolis, finishing in 16^th place overall in a 43-school field, the best in program history.

Sophomore Emma Reaney claimed fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the tournament and senior diver Jenny Chiang received Honorable Mention All-America honors. Chiang finished 12^th in the 3m springboard. Reaney was just the third Irish swimmer in program history to claim a top-five NCAA event victory. Her seven All-America citations are tied for fifth most in school history. Reaney came in fifth place swimming the 200 breaststroke, impressively lowering her school record and clocking the ninth-fastest time for a female swimmer in a 25-yard pool in the event's history.

The Irish men's team heads to the NCAA championships today (Thursday) and will compete through the weekend.

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Fencing: The Irish took home second place overall with 175 points, falling just seven points behind Princeton, in the 2013 NCAA Championships in San Antonio, TX. Two ND fencers, Lee Kiefer (foil) and Courtney Hurley (epee) won women's weapon crowns and nine earned All-America honors. Foilist Gerek Meinhardt put up an impressive 22-1 bout record but fell in a thrilling but ultimately heart-breaking semifinal match with Olympic teammate Alex Massialas of Stanford.

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Golf: The no. 23 women's team claimed first at the Briar's Creek Invitational this past Monday and Tuesday in Charleston, SC, and sophomore Ashley Armstrong claimed the tournament title in a field of 96 with a one-over-par 217.

The Irish next compete in the DAC/SMU Invitational in Dallas, April 5-7, before the Big East Championship near the end of the month.

The men's team competed in the C&F Bank Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday in Williamsburg, VA, but weather shortened the tournament to 18 holes. In the 160-player field, Irish freshman Cory Sciupider was named co-champion of the event after tying an Eastern Michigan player for the overall lead, 3-under par. Junior Andrew Lane tied for third. The Irish tied for fifth overall.

The Irish next play at the Irish Creek Collegiate in NC on April 6-7.

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Tennis: The no. 16 women's team (11-5) was idle this past week until they faced no. 10 Michigan yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon in a match which the Wolverines won, 5-2.

Notre Dame faces Tulsa on Saturday and Marquette on Tuesday.

The no. 27 men's team (11-7) won out over William & Mary, 6-1, in Williamsburg, VA, this past weekend.

The Irish will face Ball State on Monday in Muncie.

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Track & Field: The Irish opened their outdoor season this past weekend in Houston, TX, at the Victor Lopez Invitational. There, they claimed six first-place finishes, five runner-up finishes, and 23 top-five finishes. Roughly 20 participants competed in each event, though some had up to 60. ND earned first in the women's 100mH, 400mH, triple jump, and 4x400m, and the men's 200m and 4x400m.

The Irish continue the newly-arrived outdoor season at the Oliver Nikilof Open and the Stanford Invitational this Friday and Saturday.

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Rowing: The no. 14 Irish were idle last week, but head to East Lansing for a four-team competition this Saturday, when they'll battle Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa.

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They're not in season, of course, but women's soccer will host the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League next Wednesday in Alumni Stadium for a match at 7:00 p.m. EST. The national teams of Mexico and Haiti will compete at Notre Dame just prior to that match at 4:30 p.m. EST.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (32-1) kicked off NCAA tournament play vs. UT Martin in Iowa City on Sunday, where they rolled to a 97-64 victory behind Jewell Loyd's 27 points. Tuesday, the Irish beat Iowa, 74-57, in Iowa City to reach the sweet sixteen; Kayla McBride led ND with 28 points.

The Irish face Kansas in the NCAA regional semifinals on Sunday at noon (12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN). If they win, they'll compete in the regional final Tuesday night (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN). Best of luck to the women's team as they make their way towards a shot at the championship.

As you surely know, the no. 24 men's team (25-10) finished the season with a first-round tournament loss to Iowa State last Friday.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Let the Tournaments Begin

fishoutofwater — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:34:56 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: Happily, the no. 9 Irish (23-12-3, 19-8-3-2) swept Bowling Green in two quarterfinal games of CCHA tournament play last weekend. Friday, Notre Dame claimed an overtime win, 1-0, behind a goal from Bryan Rust. The Irish, 5-0-2 since February 17^th and in their new gold helmets, outshot the Falcons, 36-22, and benefitted from strong play by goaltender Steven Summerhays (Bowling Green's Andrew Hammond put in an extremely impressive performance, himself).

Saturday night, Rust claimed the first Irish goal in an outstanding and very fun 4-3 victory over the Falcons. Notre Dame outshot Bowling Green, 34-32, in the physical game and had another goal from Rust on a penalty shot (a BG defenseman covered the puck in the crease), plus two others from Nick Larson and Anders Lee. The Irish dominated the first period, pulling ahead 2-0, but Bowling Green came back strong in the second, tying the game at 2-2 on a pair of power plays (on the first, two Irish defenders wound up playing without sticks). Lee scored after Rust's penalty shot goal in the third, pushing the score to 4-2, but the Falcons answered quickly and made it 4-3 off a turnover by Summerhays behind the Irish net. Notre Dame played the last minute and a half of the game shorthanded, 6-on-4, but they killed the penalty and claimed the win - this, despite some spotty officiating that provoked a good deal of booing from the CFIA crowd (especially for a fairly ridiculous "embellishment" penalty on ND and a non-goal that was ruled to have gone into the net after a whistle blew).

The Irish advance in playoff competition to a semifinals match against Ohio State this Saturday (1:05 p.m. EST, Fox Sports Detroit). If they win, they'll play in the (really final) CCHA finals on Sunday.

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Lacrosse: The no. 3 men's team (5-1) beat out no. 5 Denver, 13-12, in yet another overtime victory - their third of the season. SBN's College Crosse puts it this way: "Notre Dame's playbook is just a piece of paper with 'Exciting things will happen!' scribbled on it." They've got highlights and notes on the thrilling overtime match here.

Notre Dame played no. 8 Ohio State yesterday evening (Wednesday) and claimed a strong 9-4 win. In regulation. That makes 5 wins over top-10 teams so far this year.

They face Rutgers this Sunday in New Jersey.

The no. 6/8 women's team (6-0) claimed a close win over Vanderbilt, 12-11, last week in Nashville behind a 4-0 run after falling behind in the second half.

The undefeated Irish face Rutgers this Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST (UND.com) and Villanova on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST (UND.com).

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Baseball: The no. 15 Irish (12-5), continued their exceptional start to the season this weekend with a series of games on the central coast of California, going 2-1 against the no. 17 Cal Poly Mustangs. They dropped their Friday match against Cal Poly, 6-3, but conquered on Saturday, 1-0, and Sunday, 6-5.

The Irish face Seton Hall this Friday at Covelski Stadium ("The Cove" to you locals) in downtown South Bend (home of the Silver Hawks and of a nice piece of artificial turf) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday, they face Kent State at Eck Stadium.

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Softball: The Irish (14-6) went 4-1 this past week at the Judi Garman and Highlander Classics. They claimed a 3-0 win over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday, then fell in a close match to no. 14 Arizona, 2-0, and shut out Iona, 12-0, on Friday. Notre Dame dominated Iona, 12-4, again on Saturday and then claimed the late victory over Northern Illinois, 2-0.

The Irish face Seton Hall in three matches this weekend in New Jersey, then visit Western Michigan next Wednesday.

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Tennis: Last week, the no. 19 women's team (11-4) conquered both UAB, 7-0 (the third Irish shutout this season), and no. 25 Georgia Tech, 5-2.

Notre Dame faces Michigan next Wednesday at home.

The no. 22 men's team (9-7) went 2-1 at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic this past week in Montgomery, AL. Notre Dame swept Troy, 4-0, then fell to Boise State, 4-3, before beating no. 29 Cornell, 4-1, in the final. Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday), the Irish faced the visiting no. 3 USC Trojans, and expectedly lost out, 6-1.

The Irish will face William & Mary on Saturday in Williamsburg.

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Golf: The no. 26 women's team finished third in an 18-team field (featuring 5 top-50 teams) and sophomore Ashley Armstrong claimed the individual title at the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament in Augusta, GA, last weekend. Armstrong came in one under par (215) on 54 holes. Irish golfers Lindsey Weaver and Talia Campbell tied for sixth and ninth overall.

The Irish head to the Briar's Creek Invitational this Monday and Tuesday in Charleston, SC.

The men's team returned to competition in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational this past weekend in Statesboro, GA, and claimed 15^th place as a team. Paul McNamara III and Niall Platt tied for 22^nd place, coming in one under par on 38 holes. Who won the team title? Alabama. Darn it, Tide.

The Irish play in the C&F Bank Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday in Williamsburg, VA.

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Swimming and diving: Last weekend, the men's diving squad had a pair of 20^th-place finishes at the NCAA Zone C Diving Meet, both from Michael Kreft, in both the 1- and 3-meter. For the women's squad, Jenny Chiang placed 3^rd on the 1-meter board (she was 1^st in prelims) and 5^th on the 3-meter. The Irish women had 11 top-25 finishes in prelims and finals.

The Irish head to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships this Thursday and will compete through the weekend. A school record 9 swimmers from both men's and women's teams qualified for the event.

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Rowing: The no. 14 Irish kicked off the spring this weekend at the Oak Ridge/Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, TN, where they won 9 races, including 5 of 6 on day two (they took 2^nd in the 6^th race).

Notre Dame will head to East Lansing for a four-team competition on March 30^th, when they'll battle Michigan State, Michigan, and Iowa.

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Fencing: After qualifying the maximum number of fencers in the regional championships, the Irish head to the 2013 NCAA Championships beginning Thursday and running through this weekend in San Antonio, TX. Good luck to all.

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Track & Field: After competing in the NCAA Indoor Championships a few weeks ago, the Irish have had their eyes set on the outdoor season, which begins for them this weekend in Houston, TX, at the Victor Lopez Invitational.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (30-1, 16-0) was idle last week, but begins its first round of NCAA tournament play vs. UT Martin in Iowa City on Sunday (5:05 p.m. CST, ESPN2). If the Irish win, they'll head to the second round on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. EST).

The no. 24 men's team (25-9, 13-8) earned victories in the Big East Tournament over Rutgers (69-61) and Marquette (73-65) before falling to Louisville (69-57) in the semifinals on Friday night.

The Irish face Iowa State on Friday (9:45 p.m. EST, CBS) in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Conquering with Sticks, Bats, & Swords

fishoutofwater — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:17:15 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 11 Irish (21-12-3, 17-8-3-2) sat out this past weekend as CCHA tournament play began.

They begin playoff competition at the CFIA in a quarterfinal series against Bowling Green this Friday (7:05 p.m. EST, Comcast) and Saturday (7:05 p.m. EST, Comcast) and, should they split those matches, Sunday (7:05 p.m. EST, Comcast). The Irish are 3-1 against the Falcons this year, beating them 4-3 and 4-1 to close out the regular season.

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Lacrosse: The no. 2 men's team (3-1) fell to no. 15 Hofstra, 8-7, in a close battle at home on Saturday afternoon. They were unable to climb back from an 8-5 deficit late in the game, though Notre Dame's Conor Doyle scored a hat trick for the Irish.

They face Denver this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EST (ESPN3).

The no. 6/10 women's team (5-0) claimed another impressive victory at home this weekend, beating Boston University, 16-11, after falling behind 8-4 at the half.

The undefeated Irish face Vanderbilt this afternoon (Wednesday).

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Fencing: The Irish hosted the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships this past weekend, where they sought to qualify up to 12 fencers for the upcoming 2013 NCAA Championships.

There, the women's team claimed 4 top-three finishes, including first and second place in the foil (Lee Kiefer and Madison Zeiss had a combined score of 35-3 in their matches), as well as sixth, ninth, and tenth in a 20-foilist field. Epeeist Courtney Hunley took first in women's epee; other ND fencers claimed fourth and fifth. Sabreuse Lian Osier claimed second; ND fencers also claimed fifth and sixth.

The men's team had six top-three finishes, claiming first and second in both foil (Gerek Meinhardt and Ariel DeSmet) and sabre (John Hallsten and Jason Choy), as well as third in sabre (Kevin Hassett) and in epee (Michael Rossi). The Irish also took spots 7 and 9 in foil, 7 in sabre, and 5, 6, and 8 in epee.

The Irish now set their sights on the 2013 NCAA Championships on March 21-24 in San Antonio, TX.

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Baseball: The no. 17 Irish (10-4), now ranked among the top-25 in the five major polls, continued their outstanding start to the season this weekend out west at the Dodgertown Classic, going 2-1 against a strong slate of opponents. They dropped their first match Friday in extra innings to no. 7 UCLA, 2-1, but conquered USC, 2-1, on Saturday. Sunday, the Irish scored a huge victory over no. 10 Oklahoma with a walk-off win, 6-5, in 11 innings. Tuesday afternoon, they made their way north to face UC Santa Barbara, but lost out, 7-2.

The Irish face Cal Poly (whoop! alma mater!) further up the California coast this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, where they'll play for the first time amidst the unmatched beauty of San Luis Obispo.

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Softball: The Irish (14-6) went 2-1 this past week, splitting their first day and taking the win in their second at the Diamond Devil Invitational at Arizona State. They claimed a 2-1 win over New Mexico State, then fell in a close game to UC Davis, 5-4, on Saturday. Notre Dame shut New Mexico State out in a 5-0 match on Sunday.

The Irish face Cal State Fullerton tonight (Wednesday) and Arizona on Thursday, then play two games each against Northern Illinois and Iona over the weekend.

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Track & Field: Notre Dame sent 10 student athletes to the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend in Fayetteville, AR. The Irish placed seventh in the women's distance medley relay and claimed four additional top-eight finishes: Patrick Feeney took fourth in the 400m (.02 seconds off third place) and Chris Giesting finished eighth in the same race; Jade Barber finished seventh in the 60m hurdles; and Rebecca Tracy finished eighth in the mile (4:39.38). The women's 4x400m relay team (Jade Barber, Michelle Brown, Megan Yanik, and Margaret Bamgbose) came in eleventh overall. The Irish had ten track athletes named All-Americans, with Jade Barber (60m hurdles, 4x400m) and Michelle Brown (DMR, 4x400m) earning two citations each.

Arkansas won the men's championship, followed by runner-up Florida. SEC speed, y'all. Oregon, Kansas, and LSU claimed the top three spots among the women's teams. The outdoor season begins for the Irish on March 22-23 in Houston, TX, at the Victor Lopez Invitational.

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Tennis: The no. 18 women's team (9-4) faced no. 9 Georgia yesterday and fell to the Bulldogs, 6-1. Notre Dame faces UAB in Birmingham on Thursday and Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday.

The no. 29 men's team (7-5) was idle this past week, but will compete in the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic this weekend in Montgomery, AL.

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Golf: The no. 22 women's team finished fifth in a 16-team field at the Clover Cup in Mesa, AZ last weekend, beating two ranked opponents in the process and coming in just a single stroke behind fourth-place Tulsa. The Irish head to the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate this weekend in Augusta, GA.

The men's team returns to competition in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational this weekend in Statesboro, GA.

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Swimming and diving: The Irish have their eyes on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 21-23. A handful of swimmers from both men's and women's teams qualified for the event. The NCAA zone diving qualifier is this weekend in West Lafayette for both men's and women's divers.

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Rowing: The Irish kick-off the spring this weekend at the Oak Ridge/Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, TN.

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Basketball: the no. 2 women's team (30-1, 16-0) have now rattled off 24 consecutive wins, breaking the program record. This past weekend, Skylar Diggins was again named Player of the Year, Jewell Loyd was named Freshman of the Year, and Muffet McGraw was named Coach of the Year at the Big East Conference women's basketball awards press conference.

Sunday, the dominant Irish conquered no. 16 Louisville, 83-59, in the Big East semifinal.

For the seventh time and the third year in a row, they made it to the Big East title game on Tuesday night. There, with the score tied and 1.8 seconds to go, the Irish claimed a 61-59 victory over UConn with a layup from Natalie Achonwa. Big East tournament champions!

The no. 24 men's team (23-8, 11-7) suffered a hard loss on Saturday to no. 8 Louisville, 73-57, upsetting our hopes for at least a small handful of overtimes. Notre Dame's top scorer was Garrick Sherman with 14, but the Cardinals led by at least 5 all game long.

The Irish face Rutgers or DePaul tonight (Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2). If they win, they'll play in the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday (9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN). The Big East semifinals are on Friday (9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN) and the finals, on Saturday (8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN).

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: The Irish Own Overtime

fishoutofwater — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 01:10:34 -0000

Irish student athletes earned conference championships over the last week in men's and women's fencing, men's swimming and diving, and women's basketball. Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 11 Irish (21-12-3, 17-8-3-2) earned a second-place finish in regular-season CCHA standings and happily swept Bowling Green over the weekend, opening the series with a 4-3 win on Friday. Goaltender Steven Summerhays had 32 saves on the night and the Irish were outshot, 35-25. The Irish pulled ahead, 3-0, with goals coming from Eric Johnson, T. J. Tynan, Jeff Costello, and Mario Lucia; two came on power plays after the Irish had gone 0-for-17 scoring on power plays in the four games previous.

Saturday, the Irish claimed a thorough 4-1 senior night victory with senior Mike Johnson minding the net. The Irish had 26 saves from Johnson and goals in all periods from senior Nick Larson, Mario Lucia (1g, 1a), David Gerths, and Anders Lee; two came on power plays. ND was just barely outshot, 27-26. The Irish pulled out of their mid-season slump very well, going 5-1-3 over their last nine games.

They enter the playoffs on the weekend of March 15-17 at the CFIA.

Tomorrow night (March 7), a documentary following Notre Dame hockey through their victory at Solider Field (sound familiar?) airs on NBC Sports Network at 10:00 p.m. Check out the very intense and filmic trailer below.

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Lacrosse: The no. 2 men's team (3-0) won another thrilling three-overtime match, this time in their chilly home-opener against no. 9 North Carolina, 10-9. The overtime goal once again came from freshman attackman Matt Kavanagh, who secured the Irish victory in sudden-death overtime after doing the same against Penn State last week.

They face Hofstra at home this Saturday at noon.

The no. 7/9 women's team (4-0) claimed an impressive victory in their home opener vs. no. 13 Ohio State, 13-8, last Wednesday. Saturday, they earned a close win over Duquesne, 10-8. Tuesday night, the Irish faced Detroit and just wrecked them. A 13-0 halftime score turned into a dominant 22-1 win, tying the school record for most points scored in a home game.

The Irish face Boston University on Saturday.

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Fencing: The Irish hosted the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships this weekend and dominated the competition. Notre Dame fencers claimed four gold and three silver medals among the six individual weapon class titles in individual competition on day one. The golds came in men's foil, men's and women's epee, and women's sabre (did you know that a fencer wielding a sabre is called a "sabreuse"?). The silvers came in women's foil and men's and women's sabre. On day two, in team competition, ND fencers claimed gold in men's sabre and women's epee, and silver in men's epee and women's sabre. The Irish, both men's and women's teams, won the MFC Championships team crown, defending their 2012 title against runner-up Ohio State.

The Irish host the NCAA Regional Championships this weekend where they can qualify up to 12 fencers for the upcoming 2013 NCAA Championships.

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Swimming and diving: Both men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in the Big East Championships last week in Indianapolis.

The men's team's Big East Championship-winning performance was dominant, and men's head coach Tim Welsh was named Big East Coach of the Year. The Irish set a championship record for total points, outpacing second-place Louisville, 991-851.5. They claimed victories in seven events and broke school records eight times. According to UND.com, senior swimmer Bill Bass "finishes his Big East career in sole possession of the greatest number of individual All-Big East honors in Notre Dame history (10), and his overall count, including relays, settles in at second in program history (20), trailing only Irish legend John Lytle (22)." A full recap of the performance can be found here.

The women's team claimed second overall at the Big East Championships, coming up short behind Louisville. The Irish won 10 events; head coach Brian Barnes was named Big East Women's Swimming Coach of the Year and head diving coach Caiming Xie was deemed Big East Women's Diving Coach of the Year. ND's Jenny Chiang and Emma Reaney were named Most Outstanding Diver and Swimmer, respectively. Reaney broke two meet records, four school records, swam three NCAA A cut times, and won six events. A full recap can be found here.

The Irish now set their eyes on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 21-23.

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Baseball: The no. 22 Irish (8-2) continued their outstanding start to the season this weekend at the USA Baseball-Irish Classic. Friday, they claimed wins over Tennessee, 3-2, and Massachusetts, 9-4, giving them their best season-opening record since 1960. On Saturday, the Irish conquered no. 25 Virginia Tech, 3-0, behind strong pitching. They dropped their last match to Rhode Island, 4-3, on Sunday.

The Irish face UCLA, USC, Oklahoma, and UC Santa Barbara this weekend in Los Angeles.

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Softball: The Irish (12-5) again happily claimed victories in all 4 of their weekend games at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. Notre Dame downed Boston College, 14-3, and Georgia Tech, 6-2, on Saturday; they then conquered LIU, 5-0, and Maryland, 5-3 on Sunday. That makes it an eight-game win streak for ND.

The Irish face UC Davis, New Mexico State, and Arizona State this weekend in Phoenix.

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Tennis: The no. 18 women's team (9-4) went 2-1 over the weekend, blanking Western Michigan, 7-0, beating DePaul, 5-2, and falling to no. 2 Duke, 5-2.

Notre Dame faces Georgia in Athens next Tuesday.

The no. 29 men's team (7-5) conquered no. 59 Wisconsin, 5-2, over the weekend, overcoming a 2-0 deficit for a strong win. Tuesday night, the Irish faced no. 17 Illinois and impressively won out, 4-1.

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Track & Field: Notre Dame hosted the talent-laden Alex Wilson Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Irish claimed a women's distance medley relay school record (though it earned them second place) and three top-five finishes, all in the men's weight throw (they claimed third through sixth places!). Notre Dame claimed second in women's high jump. ND's women's distance medley relay time is good for fourth best in the nation this season.

On Saturday, ND's Rebecca Tracy broke the meet, school, and track record in the women's mile with a time of 4:33.53, putting up the sixth-best time in the country this season. Fifteen top-five finishes were claimed by the Irish, including 2 first-place finishes (women's mile, women's 60m hurdles) and 4 second-place finishes (women's shotput, women's high jump, men's 400m).

Notre Dame is headed to the NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend. Best of luck to all.

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Basketball: the no. 2 women's team (28-1, 16-0) has now rattled off 23 consecutive wins (tying the program record), played the longest game in program history (Monday night's 3OT bout against UConn), won the Big East conference title outright, gone undefeated in conference, and earned the program record for most wins in a season.

The Irish conquered Providence, 92-57, on Saturday, then downed no. 3 UConn, 96-87, in a thrilling 3OT match on Monday night in Skylar Diggins's last game in the Purcell Pavilion. Against Providence, Diggins put up 28 points and Kayla McBride, 24.

Monday, Notre Dame struggled against a talented UConn team, trailing most of the game after a cold start, but they kept fighting. Diggins earned a double-double with 29 points and 11 rebounds; McBride put up a career-high 26 points, including a crucial 3-pointer to push the game into overtime on a night when the Irish were a miserable 1-of-12 from beyond the arc. Natalie Achonwa put up 17 points and 8 rebounds in the contest. After clawing their way through the first two overtime periods, the Irish pulled away in the third and found their hard-fought victory.

The Irish face either Rutgers or USF in the Big East quarterfinals on Sunday (2:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU) in Connecticut, then, should they advance, they'll head to the Big East semifinals on Monday (6:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU). The Big East final is on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. EST (ESPN).

The no. 21/20 men's team (22-7, 10-6) suffered a hard loss to no. 22 Marquette, 72-64, on Saturday, with flu-stricken Jack Cooley watching from the bench after 15 minutes of play. Tuesday night, the Irish hosted St. Johns for senior night and went on a mad second-half run after slogging through the first half. After trailing 26-22 at the half, the Irish somehow ended the night with a 26-point victory, outscoring the Red Storm 44-14 in the second half and finishing with a 66-40 final score.

The Irish face Louisville on Saturday (4:00 p.m. EST, CBS). The Big East tournament's first round game is on Tuesday.

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The Bengal Bouts finals were last Friday night. We won't recap them for you, but you can read The Observer's coverage here and see the results here.

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Golf: The women's team is headed to Arizona for the Clover Cup this Friday and Saturday.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Swinging for the Fences

fishoutofwater — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 02:23:48 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 11 Irish (19-12-3, 15-8-3-2) tied both of their weekend games against no. 8 Western Michigan, ranked one spot ahead of ND in conference. Friday, the two teams earned a 3-3 overtime tie and WMU won the extra point in the ensuing shootout, 2-1. Notre Dame goals came from David Gerths, Bryan Rust (who scored in both regulation and the shootout), and Austin Wuthrich in a game that saw the Irish fight back from behind 3 times. Notre Dame outshot WMU, 28-25, and Summerhays made 22 saves in regulation and 2 (of 4) in the shootout.

Saturday, the Irish fought to another tie with the Broncos, 1-1. Notre Dame, earning third place in the CCHA, won the extra point in a 2-0 shootout. The Irish goal in regulation came from Bryan Rust and in the shootout, again from Rust and from captain Anders Lee. The Broncos' lone score came on a powerplay. Summerhays (getting his confidence up after mid-season struggles, according to head coach Jeff Jackson) stopped 25 of 26 in regulation and both shootout shots. Notre Dame had 38 shots on goal.

The Irish face Bowling Green this Friday (7:35 p.m. EST) and Saturday (7:05 p.m. EST) at the CFIA.

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Lacrosse: The no. 3 men's team (2-0) won a thrilling over-time match against no. 8 Penn State over the weekend, 10-9. The Irish had tied the game up in regulation with 24 seconds on the clock, scored again, then found themselves in a tie as the clock ticked down. An overtime goal from freshman attackman Matt Kavanagh secured the Irish victory between two very evenly matched teams.

The Irish face North Carolina at home this Saturday at noon. Outdoors. Which, right now, means a balmy 27-degree game-time temperature. Windy, though.

The no. 8/9 women's team (1-0) was off this last week, but they face Ohio State tomorrow at home and Duquesne in Pittsburgh on Saturday, then Detroit at home on Tuesday.

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Fencing: The no. 1 women's team (20-1) and the no. 2 men's team (12-7) swept the field in the Notre Dame Duals over the weekend (yes, it's "duals," much as you'd hope it was "duels"). The women went 6-0 on the day and held all opponents to single digits, even shutting out Detroit, 27-0. Six Irish fencers went undefeated in their 8 to 12 matches, and the women went 52-2 overall. The men went 7-0 and held 6 of 7 opponents to single digits after struggling to defeat Cleveland State (15-12). Six Irish fencers went undefeated in their 5 to 7 matches.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame's Gerek Meinhardt earned bronze at the Foil World Cup in La Coruna, Spain, over the weekend. This Saturday, the Irish will compete in the Midwest Conference Championships, hosted at Notre Dame.

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Baseball: The no. 23 Irish (5-1) are off to a great start, nationally ranked by Baseball America for the first time in 7 years. Notre Dame swept Tulane in a 3-game series over the weekend in which they never trailed. The Irish won with final scores of 2-1, 3-1, and 8-3 over the Green Wave. The Irish face Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Rhode Island this weekend in Cary, NC.

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Softball: the Irish (8-5) happily claimed victories in all 4 of their weekend games at the ECU Pirate Invitational. Notre Dame downed East Carolina, 9-1, and Liberty, 10-2, on Saturday; they then conquered Fairfield, 5-4, and East Carolina, 6-0, on Sunday.

The Irish face Boston College, Georgia Tech, LIU Brooklyn, and Maryland this weekend in Buena Vista, FL.

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Tennis: The no. 22 women's team (7-3) won out over no. 19 Baylor, 4-2, over the weekend, overcoming an early deficit and turning things around after the previous week's two losses. They also snagged an exciting 4-3 victory over no. 60 Indiana. Notre Dame faces Western Michigan at home on Thursday, then DePaul on Saturday and Duke and on Sunday.

The no. 25 men's team (6-5) were swept, 7-0, by no. 4 Ohio State over the weekend. Notre Dame faces Wisconsin on Sunday, then Illinois at home on Tuesday.

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Swimming and diving: Both men's and women's swimming and diving teams will participate in the Big East Championships starting tomorrow and running (swimming?) through the weekend in Indianapolis. Best of luck to them.

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Track & Field: Both men's and women's teams were idle this week after their success in the Big East Indoor Championship. Notre Dame hosts the Alex Wilson Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (26-1, 14-0) routed DePaul on Sunday in its 20^th straight victory, putting together an 84-56 win behind Skylar Diggins's triple-double (her second and just the fourth in school history): she had 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Jewell Loyd pitched in 19 points and Kayla McBride, 16.

Last night, the Irish faced a fiesty no. 22/18 Syracuse. After falling behind 39-25, the Irish recovered exceptionally with a 40-10 run, eventually nailing down a 79-68 win. Kayla McBride chipped in a career-high 25 points; Skylar Diggins scored 24, and Natalie Achonwa earned her league-leading 15^th double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds. Senior night brought the Irish their 21^st consecutive win.

The Irish match up with Providence on Saturday (4:00 p.m. EST, BETV) and Connecticut at home on Monday (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2).

The no. 25 men's team (22-6, 10-5) won convincingly with strong defense against Cincinnati, 62-41, over the weekend. Alstein's write-up on the victory is right here. They next face Marquette on Sunday (2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN) and St. John's at home on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2).

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The Bengal Bouts finals are this Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST and will be streamed live, for the first time, on ESPN3. The amateur annual charity boxing tournament, started by Knute Rockne in 1920, raises funds for Holy Cross missions in Bangladesh. You can read more about the tradition here.

In the finals, men's basketball's Mike Broghammer will compete in the Heavy Weight Division. Brian Salvi, law student and brother of football walk-on Will Salvi and graduated-walk-on-turned-scholarship-player/Bengal Bouts alum Chris Salvi, will compete in the 185 lb. division. Garrity McOsker, brother of freshman football walk-on Eamon McOsker, will compete in the 155 lb. division. Football walk-ons Eamon McOsker and junior Tyler Plantz both won their quarterfinal matches and competed in the 194 lb. division semifinals, but fell to their opponents, Ricky Neville and Bobby Manfreda, last night.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Fleet-Footed Irish Champions!

fishoutofwater — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:15:16 -0000

TWINDA is quickly turning into a long-form read. Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The Irish (19-12-1, 15-8-1-1), as is their wont, split their weekend matches with no. 3 Miami (OH). Friday night, they fell to the RedHawks, 3-1, after giving up two second-period goals within 30 seconds of each other and failing to score on any of six power plays. The Irish were outshot by Miami, 22-21. Steven Fogarty scored ND's lone goal in the third period.

Sunday, the Irish claimed a big 2-1 win over the RedHawks at the Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field in Chicago. In front of 52,000 fans with temperatures hovering around freezing and decked out in extra shiny gold helmets, Notre Dame's Mario Lucia and Jeff Costello put the puck in Miami's net. Goaltender Steven Summerhays played very well and stopped 22 of 23 shots for the Irish, who outshot the RedHawks, 28-23. They were 0-3 in power plays, failing to capitalize again, but Miami also made nothing of their own 3 power plays - ND killed off a five-minute major late in the first period. The win clinched a first-round bye in CCHA playoffs for the Irish.

As you can see in the highlights, the hockey team is now sporting awesome new gold helmets with the football helmets' "Gold Standard" finish from HydroGraphics. It's a beautiful thing. Which Irish headgear will be the next to make the switch? Will we see blinding batting helmets? Extra shiny swim caps? Gilded visors for tennis and golf?

The Irish face Western Michigan this Friday (7:35 p.m. EST, CBSSN) and Saturday (7:35 p.m. EST).

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Track & Field: Congratulations to the women's team, who claimed their third Big East Indoor Championship title this weekend in a dominant performance over the field. Individual championships came in the 60m hurdles, 400m, and mile, and the Irish took first in the 4x400 relay. Jade Barber, who won the 60m hurdles, ran one leg of the 4x400 relay, and came in 2^nd in the 200m earned all-Big East honors in those 3 events and tied for most outstanding track performer honors.

The men's team competed with excellence this weekend, as well, earning second in the Big East Indoor Championship, behind only Connecticut. Individual championships came for the men in the heptathlon and 400m.

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Lacrosse: The no. 3 men's team (1-0) kicked off their season with a big 13-5 win over no. 4 Duke on Saturday, impressively claiming the match's first six goals in a snowy Durham stadium.

They face Penn State this Sunday.

The no. 8/9 women's team (1-0) conquered Stanford, 12-10, in their season-opening match, climbing back from a 7-2 deficit. They face Ohio State next Wednesday at home.

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Tennis: The no. 19 women's team (5-3) struggled to two losses this weekend. In an exciting Friday-evening match lasting over four and a half hours, the Irish finally fell to Purdue, 4-3. Sunday, no. 10 Northwestern conquered the Irish, 5-2. Notre Dame faces no. 18 Baylor at home on Friday then Indiana in Bloomington on Sunday.

The no. 29 men's team (6-4) claimed the 4-3 victory over no. 21 Michigan at home on Saturday in a long and thrilling match. Always love to see the Irish take down the Wolverines. Notre Dame faces Ohio State this Saturday.

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Swimming and diving: The women's divers competed in the Michigan First Chance Meet last Saturday. There, Irish divers finished second and third on the 1-meter board and second and third on the platform.

Both men's and women's swimming and diving teams will spend the next week training for the Big East Championships next Wednesday.

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Golf: The women's team got rolling this weekend at the Mash Up Invitational in Tallahassee, where they shot 19-over par to finish in 7^th in a 12-team field. Irish stand-out freshman Lindsey Weaver finished tied for 8^th (218, +2).

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Baseball: The Irish (2-1) kicked off the season this past Saturday with an opening-day sweep (something they haven't managed since 1992). Notre Dame conquered Florida Gulf Coast, 6-5, coming from behind in ten innings, and dominated Ohio State, 13-3. They fell to Mercer, 5-4, in a close game on Sunday. The Irish face Tulane in three games this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

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Softball: the Irish (4-5) split their five weekend games in San Diego. Notre Dame earned 2 victories over Cal Poly after falling to no. 16 Washington, 5-2. After dominating Cal Poly in a 6-0 shutout on Friday, they erased a two-score deficit to win, 4-3, Saturday. Saturday night, the Irish fell to San Diego, 4-0, then took no. 1 Oklahoma to extra innings on Sunday; ND ultimately lost, 7-5, in that thrilling weekend-closing game.

The Irish face Liberty, East Carolina, Fairfield, and Lehigh this weekend in Greenville, NC.

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Basketball: the no. 2 women's team (24-1, 12-0) routed Marquette on Sunday, putting together an 87-49 victory behind the 23 points of Big East Player of the Week Skylar Diggins and Natalie Achonwa's 17-point, 10-rebound double-double (her league-leading 14^th of the season).

The Irish face DePaul on Sunday (3:30 p.m. CST, ESPNU) and Syracuse on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. EST, CBSSN).

The no. 25 men's team (21-6, 9-5) went 2-1 in the past week, claiming remarkable victories over DePaul, 82-78, and no. 20 Pittsburgh, 51-42, but falling to a superior Providence team, 71-54. Alstein excellently covers the DePaul victory here and CW reviews that unlikely Pitt victory here.

The Irish next face Cincinnati on Sunday (2:00 p.m. EST, CBS).

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Fencing: The no. 1 women's team (20-1) and the no. 2 men's team (12-7) were idle this week, though some participated in the National Junior Olympics. This Saturday, the Irish will compete in the Notre Dame Duals.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

ND's Success with the No-Back Formation

fishoutofwater — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:42:53 -0000

ND's Success with the No-Back Formation

Bill Connelly at Football Study Hall breaks down 15,504 plays out of the no-back formation in 2012, assesses their effectiveness, and how defenses best react to them. Notre Dame not only did it more frequently than most teams, they did it really, really well; they also defended it effectively.

An excerpt: "Really, the team that combined no-back frequency with effectiveness the best might have been Notre Dame. The Irish were known mostly for their defense, but even against the strong defenses listed in the above sample (Michigan State, Stanford and Alabama), they were tremendously effective from the no-back set. Quarterback Everett Golson was just 14-for-32 passing for 178 yards overall versus Michigan State, but from the no-back he was 9-for-14 for 122. (That means he was 5-for-18 for 56 otherwise.) In the first half versus USC, Golson was 7-for-13 for 115 yards from this look. Hell, even against Alabama, he was more successful in the no-back (5-for-8 for 71) than he was in other formations (16-for-28 for 199)."

Just Another Day in the Inbox of Jack Swarbrick

fishoutofwater — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:32:11 -0000

Click image or link to enlarge.

Captain Jack's email inbox comes to you thanks to the unmatched inspiration of Good Bull Hunting's mock-up of Aggie coach Kevin Sumlin's inbox, crafted by J.P. 03 and Stewade, and to Justin Halpern at Grantland, whose "hacking" of Tim Tebow's inbox is, well, pretty priceless.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Irish Hockey Sweeps Michigan

fishoutofwater — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:57:48 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The Irish (18-11-1, 14-7-1-1 and third in the CCHA) worked Michigan over last Friday and Saturday night, claiming two big wins at 7-4 and 6-4. Friday, with Mike Johnson starting at goaltender in place of Steven Summerhays, a long list of Irish players scored early and often on the hapless Wolverine goalie, including Anders Lee (2g), Bryan Rust (2g, 2a), David Gerths (2g), and Eric Johnson (1g - his first ever), plus three assists from Jeff Costello. Michigan weirdly scored twice short-handed and once on a power play. Things were tied up mid-way through the second period, but the Irish convincingly put Michigan away early in the third. Notre Dame outshot Michigan, 35-22.

Saturday, Summerhays started for the Irish at goalie in place of Johnson, and Wolverine goalie Rutledge (whose name had been derisively chanted with such frequency throughout Friday's and most of Saturday's game) was replaced in the second period by his back-up. The back-up, however, allowed goals on both of the first two shots on goal that he faced, within a minute and a half of the period's start, putting the Irish up 6-2 and putting the game away.

Goals for the Irish came from Anders Lee (1g, 2a), Jeff Costello (1g, 2a), Bryan Rust, Peter Schneider, Austin Wuthrich, and David Gerths - it felt like just about one for everybody on the team. Three of Michigan's goals came on power plays; Notre Dame struggled with their own, scoring on just one of five power plays. The Irish outshot the Wolverines, 33-25.

The Irish face Miami (Ohio) this Friday (7:35 p.m. EST, CBSSN) and Sunday (1:05 p.m. CST, Fox Sports Detroit). The Sunday game will be played outside at Soldier Field in Chicago, which should be spectacular, frigid fun for those who attend.

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Fencing: The no. 1 women's team (20-1) swept their opponents last weekend in the Duke Fencing Home Meet, earning wins over no. 5 Penn State, Duke, and North Carolina.

In the same meet, the no. 2 men's team (12-7) beat out Johns Hopkins but lost in close matches to no. 1 Penn State and no. 10 Duke.

This weekend, the Irish compete in the USFA National Junior Olympics in Baltimore.

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Track & Field: Four Irish track athletes headed to the GVSU Big Meet last weekend, where they sought to qualify for the Big East Championships; three of the four did, and Aijah Urssery qualified in both the 60m and 200m dash. The Irish compete in the Big East Championships this weekend in Ohio.

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Tennis: The no. 18 women's team (5-1) came back from a four-point deficit to claim a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Iowa last week. They face Purdue and Northwestern this weekend.

The no. 29 men's team (5-4) split their weekend matches with an impressive victory over no. 48 Michigan State, 6-1, and a close loss to no. 7 Kentucky, 4-3. This Saturday, they face no. 21 Michigan at home.

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Swimming and diving: The no. 19 women's team claimed a win over the Toledo Rockets, 176-123 in their final dual meet of the season. Irish victories came in 12 of 16 events.

Irish divers head to the Michigan First Chance Meet this Saturday. Both men's and women's swimming and diving teams will spend the next few weeks training for the Big East Championships at the end of the month.

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Softball: the Irish (2-2) split their pair of season-opening double-headers over the weekend. On Saturday, they fell to Wisconsin, 1-0, but bested Charlotte, 5-1, at the Fast Pitch Classic. Sunday, Notre Dame fell to Wisconsin in 11 innings, 6-5, then beat Presbyterian, 8-5.

The Irish face Washington, Cal Poly (whoop! alma mater!), San Diego State, and Oklahoma this weekend in beautiful San Diego.

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Basketball: the no. 2 women's team (23-1, 11-0) put down all three of their opponents last week, besting Villanova, 59-52, last Wednesday as Muffet McGraw earned her 700^th win as a head coach; 614 of her now-702 victories came as head coach for the Fighting Irish. Saturday, Notre Dame knocked out Seton Hall in a 69-49 victory, led by Ariel Braker. Then on Monday, they claimed victory over no. 10 Louisville, 93-64, behind Natalie Achonwa's 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 12 rebounds. The current senior class is the winningest in school history with 118 victories.

The Irish face Marquette on Sunday (2:30 p.m. EST, ESPN2).

The men's team (19-4, 7-3)? Well, they played Louisville, and you know what, they just about lost that game on Saturday and won it on Sunday, 104-101. It took three and a half hours and five overtimes, but they finally won it. Read CW's excellent write-up here and enjoy the real-time exasperation and thrill of Irish fans in our open thread from the game here.

If you haven't checked it out yet, take a look at this week's ICON video from FIDM capturing that classic, crazy game.

The Irish face DePaul tonight (7:00 p.m. EST, BEN), then Providence this weekend (Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EST, BEN) and Pittsburgh on Monday (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN).

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Golf gets rolling again this weekend as the women head to the Mash Up Invitational in Tallahassee.

Lacrosse will pick up this weekend as the men face Duke in North Carolina and the women hit the west coast to face Stanford.

Baseball also starts up with matches in Florida against Florida Gulf Coast, Ohio State, and Mercer this weekend.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Swashbuckling Irish?

fishoutofwater — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:31:16 -0000

For the record, swashbuckling isn't really at all related to fencing, but Irish ~~swordfighters~~ fencers are amazing and have every right to consider themselves swashbucklers. Look it up.

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 11/9 Irish (16-11-1, 12-7-1-1) fell to Ohio State, 6-3, on Friday night in a match that saw six power-play goals between the competitors. Notre Dame outshot OSU 33-32, with their three goals coming from Mario Lucia, Kevin Lind, and Bryan Rust. The Irish, who logged 25 penalty minutes, switched goaltender for the third period, when Mike Johnson replaced Steven Summerhays. Summerhays gave up five goals in the second period, but four of those came during two power plays favoring the Buckeyes (three goals came within just two minutes during a five-minute major penalty on the Irish). The game was tied at 3-3 late into the second period, but two more second-period goals, also within two minutes of each other (one on a power play), set the Irish back and they couldn't recover.

Saturday, the Irish faced OSU again and this time earned a 2-2 tie. Notre Dame won an extra point in the fourth-period shootout on a goal from Anders Lee. Irish goals came from Thomas DiPauli and Sam Calabrese on a night when they outshot the Buckeyes 47-22 in regulation, which was a season high for ND. Goalie Mike Johnson manned the net for the Irish and allowed both a 5-on-3 power play goal and a short-handed goal from OSU, but stopped all 4 shots he faced in the shootout.

The Irish face Michigan this Friday (7:35 p.m. EST, CBSSN) and Saturday at home.

_____

Track & Field: The men's and women's teams competed impressively in the Meyo Invitational at home this last weekend, earning six event victories. Those victories came for the Irish in the men's 5000m, 3000m, 400m, and 4x4m relay, and in the women's pole vault and mile. You can find the long list of highlights from the event here.

Wisconsin's Austin Mudd ran a sub-4 minute Meyo Mile at the Invy. Yep.

The Irish next compete in the Grand Valley Big Meet Invitational this weekend.

_____

Fencing: The no. 3 men's and no. 2 women's teams seriously racked up the wins at the Northwestern Duals, where the women swept all eight of their matches and the men claimed five of six dual wins. The Irish women bested no. 9 Temple, no. 4 Ohio State, and no. 1 Princeton in their matches. The men bested no. 10 Stanford and no. 4 Princeton, losing only to no. 1 Ohio State.

This weekend, the Irish compete in the Duke Duals.

_____

Tennis: The no. 18 women's team (4-1 dual match record) won out over no. 23 Tennessee, 4-3, in a very tight match on Sunday. They returned to play yesterday at Iowa (we'll have results next week).

The no. 30 men's team (4-3) split their weekend matches with a hard loss to no. 5 Duke, 4-0, and a sweeping win over IUPUI, 7-0. They'll return to action this Saturday at Michigan State, then visit Kentucky on Tuesday.

_____

Swimming: The no. 20 men's team (9-1 dual record) bested Missouri State, 210-160, and Northwestern, 191-177, in last weekend's Northwestern Invitational. The Irish finish the regular season with their best record since 2006-07. They will compete in the 2013 Big East Swimming and Diving Championships February 27^th-March 2^nd in Indianapolis.

The women's team was idle last week, but this weekend, will face the Toledo Rockets in their final dual meet of the season.

_____

Basketball: Saturday, the no. 2 women's team (20-1, 8-0) conquered Cincinnati, 64-42, on the back of an impressive performance from Kayla McBride. McBride erupted with 17 first-half points, making 7 of her first 7 shots for the Irish after hitting just 4 of 23 in the previous two games.

The Irish face Villanova tonight (Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. EST, CBSSN), then Seton Hall on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST).

The men's team (18-4, 6-3) won out over Villanova, 65-60, and DePaul, 79-71 in OT, this last week. Jack Cooley's double-double and Cameron Biedsheid's career-high 18 points led the Irish against Villanova. Against DePaul, Cooley came up big again, snagging 16 rebounds and putting up 26 points.

Last night, the Irish faced Syracuse and took a disappointing 63-47 loss; you can read about the full game in CW's write-up on the front page. The Irish will look for a big home win when they face Louisville this weekend (Saturday, 9:00 p.m. EST, ESPN).

_____

Softball starts up this weekend as the Irish take on Wisconsin, Charlotte, and Presbyterian in two double-headers. We'll have scores for you next week.

_____

We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Victories Everywhere

fishoutofwater — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:41:59 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The Irish (16-10-0, 12-6-0-0) continued a lousy stretch of play with a 3-1 loss to Ferris State on Friday, but things turned back in the right direction with a big 5-2 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday. Friday, the Irish outshot Ferris State, 33 to 25, but was slow in forward play, sloppy on defense, and did a poor job screening the goaltender. Anders Lee's lone goal wasn't enough to avert the fifth loss in a row for the beleaguered team, which fell to third place in the CCHA.

The Irish finally broke their losing streak, donning outstanding old school jerseys (auctioned for charity), on Saturday with a 5-2 win. Irish goals came from Kevin Nugent (1g, 1a), David Gerths, Thomas DiPauli, Mario Lucia (1g, 2a), and T. J. Tynan. After another sloppy start in which they fell behind, 2-1, and missed on a penalty shot, the Irish swung the momentum back in their direction mid-way through the second period. The final goal came from Tynan on a five-on-three power play, snapping a four-game 0-for-14 streak on power plays for the Irish. The Irish outshot Ferris State, 29-24.

The Irish face Ohio State this Friday and Saturday night before returning to the CFIA next weekend.

_____

Track & Field: The men's and women's teams competed impressively in the Indiana Relays over the weekend, where they claimed 6 victories and 35 top-five finishes, including one in the women's 4x800m relay that broke a 25-year old record at host IU's Gladstein Fieldhouse. The Irish next host the Meyo Invitational this weekend.

_____

Fencing: The no. 3 men's and no. 2 women's teams began competition last weekend in the St. John's Invitational, where the women swept all five of their matches and the men claimed three of five dual wins. The Irish claimed 8 of 10 head-to-head dual matches in the invitational.

At the NYU Invitational on Sunday, the Irish won 7 of 10 matches. The men's team went 3-2, and the women's, 4-1.

This weekend, the Irish compete in the Northwestern Duals.

_____

Tennis: The no. 18 women's team (3-1 dual match record) won out over no. 22 Georgia Tech, 4-3, after falling behind, 3-1, at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kick Off Weekend. Sunday, the Irish fell to no. 17 Nebraska, 4-1. They'll next face no. 23 Tennessee this Sunday at home and Iowa on Monday.

The no. 30 men's team (3-2) has been busy, losing out to Northwestern, 4-3, in a nearly three-and-a-half hour match last Tuesday night, then to no. 28 Harvard, also 4-3, on Saturday. The Irish did sweep no. 31 Memphis, 4-0, on Sunday. They'll return to action this Sunday at home against no. 5 Duke and IUPUI.

_____

Swimming: The no. 20 men's team (7-1 dual record) bested Towson, 279-69, but lost to undefeated Harvard, 264-100, in last weekend's Shamrock Invitational. The Irish return to competition and finish the regular season this weekend at the Northwestern Invitational.

The women's team claimed a dominating victory over Towson, 309-60, in last weekend's Shamrock Invitational. The Irish swept every event, breaking two pool records and falling just short of breaking the school records for points in a dual meet or invitational and margin of victory.

February 9^th, the Irish women's team faces the Toledo Rockets in their final dual meet of the season.

_____

Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (19-1, 7-0) notched 3 more victories this week, including dominant wins over Pittsburgh, 73-47, and Providence, 89-44, where Skylar Diggins scored her 2,000^th career point in a first half in which she scored 21 points and made 9 of 9 shots. Monday, the Irish beat no. 9 Tennessee, 77-67, in Knoxville. Diggins scored a career-high 33 points.

They face Cincinnati on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST), then Providence on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST, streaming on UND.com) and Tennessee on Monday (7:00 p.m., ESPN2).

The no. 24 men's team (16-4, 4-3) bested USF, 73-65, on Saturday behind the 18 points of Jerian Grant and career-best 17 points of Tom Knight. The senior, stepping in for the injured Scott Martin, hit 8 of 10 shots, with seven rebounds.

The Irish face Villanova tonight (Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2), DePaul on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2), and Syracuse on Monday (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN).

_____

Lacrosse starts up this weekend as the men's team takes on Detroit at home. Preseason rankings are out, and the Irish are ranked third nationally, as noted over at SB Nation's College Crosse.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

Like Shooting Catfish in a Barrel: The Te'o Interview and Updates

fishoutofwater — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:33:10 -0000

"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for."

- To Kill a Mockingbird

THE COURIC INTERVIEW

On Thursday, the 24^th, Katie Couric's interview with Manti Te'o and his parents aired, and Couric herself spoke with broadcasters and newsmakers about the sit-down.

When it comes down to it, nothing was added to the facts of the story in Te'o's interview with Couric. This was an opportunity taken up by Te'o and his parents, surely under the counsel of his advisors, to humanize - to put a face to - a convoluted melodrama that's been stomached with empathy and attentive skepticism by some, but torn into with mockery, cynicism, and rage in much traditional and social media. We can only assume that the continuing stream of corroborating accounts and material evidence, culminating in the Couric interview, was effected in hopes of justly casting Te'o as the victim here, rather than as some farcical villain.

If nothing more, the Couric interview, for those who watched or read the transcripts, showed the genuine pain that this strange and cruel fraud has caused.

From Blue Gold Illustrated's account of the interview:

Throughout the hour-long show, the All-American linebacker spoke about how not wanting to disappoint his parents complicated a cloudy hoax and how ultimately dragging their name into national headlines this month was what hurts him the most.

"The hardest part of this whole experience is to see my family go through it all because of something I did," he said. "The greatest joy in any child's life is to make your parents proud, and the greatest pain is to know that they're experiencing pain because of you."

. . .

Reports this fall that Te'o and Kekua had previously met in Hawaii raised doubts about his innocence in the scam. He said those stories began last winter after a failed attempt to meet Kekua in person while he was home for Christmas break. He told his father the meeting was successful because he didn't want to lose his family's approval.

"That's the thing I regret the most," Te'o said. "I knew that if he knew that I didn't meet her immediately he would say, ‘No, red flag.' A red flag that I obviously should've seen, but I didn't."

Bob Wieneke at the South Bend Tribune summarizes the Couric interview here.

Mike Stires at Irish Sports Daily summarizes both the interview and Couric's comments about the interview on the Dan Patrick Show here.

Eric Hansen at the South Bend Tribune reflects impressively on the Couric interview here, where he also ties together some loose ends in an account of where this strange tale stands.

_____

STORY UPDATES

Since our last set of updates on Tuesday, the 22^nd, we learned that there are phone records documenting the over 500 hours Te'o spent on the phone with who he thought was "Lennay" between the time of her purported car accident and her death in September.

Offering further evidence in support of his account, Te'o shared three voicemails from "Lennay" that you can listen to here and here.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's lawyer confided to the New York Daily News that Tuiasosopo himself voiced "Lennay" on the phone to Te'o, though it isn't yet clear whether Tuiasosopo altered his voice naturally (he's a trained actor and vocalist) or through voice-modulating software. Te’o himself told Couric he believes the voice he heard as “Lennay” was definitely a woman. “Well, it didn’t sound like a man. It sounded like a woman,” he said.

In the same piece, Tuiasosopo's lawyer acknowledged concern that his client's actions may in fact be in violation of a California law which makes it a crime to maliciously impersonate another online (thus his emphasis on his client's lack of malice in perpetrating the hoax). Could Tuiasosopo face criminal charges for his hoax after all? Details about the law can be found here. The actual text of the law is here.

Significantly, the New York Post ran a piece disputing Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's claim that he was the voice behind Lennay Kekua. According to family members of Tino Tuiasosopo, a cousin of Ronaiah, she was in fact the voice of Lennay, something she had confided in them. From the report:

One of Ronaiah’s relatives believes [Ronaiah's lawyer] Grimes put out the story because the admitted hoaxer “is determined to take the rap.”

“She said it was OK, because she was doing better. She said she was talking to another person [and] he plays football for Notre Dame — number 5, Manti,” a source recalled.

After hearing the voicemails, one of Tino’s cousins told The Post, “There is no doubt whatsoever that it’s Tino.”

. . .

One of the Tuiasosopo sources said, “That’s the way [Tino] cries when she’s feeling sorry for herself. Its her, that’s the voice.”

Tino, in her mid-20s, lives in Pago Pago, American Samoa. She works for her dad’s construction company and is described by relatives as vivacious and flirtatious, but very involved in the church. In a profile on the social networking site BEBO from 2008, she lists “acting” as a hobby.

Tino assumed her role in the Te’o ruse after she was dumped from a long-distance relationship with another man — and there were “extraordinary similarities” between the two situations, a source said.

The man broke off the relationship in late 2011.

In an interesting approach from a more academic angle, at The Atlantic, ethnographer and scholar Ilana Gershon thoughtfully examines the influence Te'o's Samoan background may have had on his susceptibility to the hoax (the piece originally appeared in shorter form elsewhere).

Finally, Ivan Maisel at ESPN laments the public inability to recognize the real virtue we see in Te'o in an extremely compelling, empathetic reflection on the last week's response. Where others, especially on social media, can only see "an easy target," Maisel mourns, "I see a naïf who just discovered in public that the world can be mean." Cruel, in fact.

_____

We will update this collection of stories as needed over the next few days. This story is losing steam and surely the subjects of this drama hope that it will soon fall from the front pages of sports and news sites, as do we all. Hang in there - just 55 days until spring practice.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: A South Bend Cold Snap

fishoutofwater — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:52:04 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 4/5 Irish (15-9-0, 11-5-0-0) finished a very rough January stretch of games with two more losses, these to Alaska on Friday and Saturday. Friday's 4-5 loss ended on Alaska's game-winning goal with just three seconds of play remaining in regulation. The shootout, which saw Notre Dame score first but eventually have to fight back from a 2-goal deficit, ended in heartbreak for the Irish, who had goals from Anders Lee, Austin Wuthrich, T. J. Tynan, and Mario Lucia. The Irish outshot Alaska, 28-27, but Steven Summerhays logged just 22 saves.

The 1-2 loss to Alaska that followed on Saturday night gave the Irish their first series loss of the season. Both Alaska goals came within just thirty-five seconds of each other during a 5-minute power play. Mario Lucia scored the single Irish goal mid-way through the first period. The Irish outshot Alaska, 20-17, in a match that became chippy and saw a combined seven penalties for 25 minutes.

After struggling through this exhausting stretch of six games in just eleven days, the Irish, tied for first in the CCHA, face Ferris State at the CFIA this Friday (7:35 EST, CBSSN) and Saturday (7:05 EST, streaming live on UND.com).

_____

Track & Field: The men's and women's teams had a strong showing at the Notre Dame Invitational over the weekend. The women claimed the title and the men took a very close second in the four-team meet. Thirteen of thirty-two events went to Notre Dame. The Irish next compete in the Indiana Relays this coming weekend.

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Tennis: The no. 19 women's team (2-0 dual match record) won out over both Bowling Green, 7-0, and Illinois, 4-3, in their weekend competition.

The no. 30 men's team impressively claimed a pair of 7-0 victories over Marquette and Western Illinois over the weekend in the spring season's first matches.

_____

Swimming: The no. 20 men's team (6-0 dual record) bested Cleveland State, 131-112, in a weekend dual meet. The Irish claimed first in six events.

The women's team fell to Indiana, 175-125, in their weekend dual meet. The Irish did claim victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 IM (all Emma Reaney), 100 and 200 fly, and 1- and 3-meter dives (both Jenny Chiang).

Friday, the two-day Shamrock Invitational begins, pitting Notre Dame against Towson and Harvard.

_____

Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (16-1, 5-0) earned a 74-50 win over St. John's on Sunday. Skylar Diggins led the way with 18 points, ahead of Natalie Achonwa with 16 points and a double-double.

They face Pittsburgh this Wednesday (7:00 p.m. EST), then Providence on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST, streaming on UND.com) and Tennessee on Monday (7:00 p.m., ESPN2).

The no. 20 men's team (15-4, 3-3) bested Rutgers, 69-66, but fell to Georgetown, 47-63, in a dismal Monday night showing. Jack Cooley's double-double and 19 points allowed the Irish to hang on for the win against Rutgers, but the victory came after two disappointing losses and preceded a third. The Georgetown loss was, in fact, Mike Brey's second worst on Notre Dame's home court.

The Irish hit the court again to face USF on Saturday (12:00 p.m. EST, BEN).

_____

While not yet on the field, Irish lacrosse is previewed this week over at SB Nation's College Crosse alongside their Big East opponents. Read up on the team's prospects here.

We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

Gone Catfishing: Updates on the Te’o Story

fishoutofwater — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:37:43 -0000

For your perusal, we've got links to updates in the story since Jeremy Schapp's Friday night (1/18) interview with our erstwhile linebacker.

Her Loyal Sons has compiled a full and evolving timeline of the events in the Te'o story.

According to a neighbor of the Te'os, Manti was concerned about Lennay Kekua's integrity back in 2010, but was satisfied by assurances from friends - friends the hoaxer had also unwittingly entangled in the deception - that she was real.

Tying up another loose end, Brian Te'o confirmed his earlier quotes to the South Bend Tribune about Manti and Lennay Kekua meeting, citing "Lennay's brother" as the source for his story about the Stanford game meeting.

According to another individual drawn into the web of the Te'o hoax, the perpetrators continued to harass Manti two nights before the BCS championship game when someone told Te'o they were in the lobby of his hotel. This, too, was false, but they went so far as to send him photos of the lobby. Just total madness.

The South Bend Tribune laid out details of Notre Dame's investigation into Te'o's story, shedding light on how they proceeded.

Jeremy Schapp reflected on his interview with Te'o, affirming both Te'o's believability and earnestness during the interview and the possibility that he himself may be "the most gullible" of men.

Katie Couric landed Te'o's first on-camera interview since news of the hoax was broken. Manti's parents will also participate. What else could there possibly be left to tell?

The Tuiasosopo family is planning to respond to the allegations that Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is the mastermind behind the Te'o hoax and offered their first comments on the situation Sunday.

ND alum Christina Pesoli wrote a compelling reflection for the Huffington Post on the intense public shaming of Manti Te'o, arguing that the victim of such an unimaginably cruel hoax ought to elicit public sympathy instead of wrath (obvious as that sounds).

Mitch Albom at the Detroit Free Press similarly wrote a thoughtful critique of the public reaction to Te'o's story, lamenting the anger directed at the young football star.

Bayou Irish at Her Loyal Sons took a good look at the possibility of legal outcomes for those behind the Lennay Kekua hoax. Is it possible that it is fully legal to do this to someone?

Editor Allan Joseph of The Observer, Notre Dame's student paper, very bravely and insightfully examines and apologizes for the newspaper's reporting of the Kekua story during the season, showing great and rare journalistic integrity.

Can you believe a 2014 recruit recounted his weekend visit to Notre Dame to recruiting services - a visit he did not take? "The visit went great...and we had a great time at the game," he told 247. Yep. He has since apologized for the "misunderstanding." No word yet on whether this "Notre Dame" actually exists.

And finally, why not read up on some of the other spectacular hoaxes in recent history while we're embroiled in all this? My favorites: the 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast, which convinced many good, rational people that New Jersey was actually being invaded by aliens, and the 1996 "Sokal Affair," in which a professor of physics duped the elite of postmodern cultural studies into publishing his gag article, replete with nonsense, in a fancy academic journal.

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***UPDATES, 22 January, 2013***

Further backing the details of Te'o's account, a close friend of the linebacker's at Notre Dame describes being present when he received a call from "Lennay's brothers" about her car accident.

Eric Hansen at the South Bend Tribune spoke with Manti Te'o's religious leader, who offers a very compelling corroborating account of his own interactions with "Lennay" over the phone, Te'o's confiding in him about the December 6^th phone call, and of how the relationship could have evolved from online friendship to "love of his life" in four months' time.

The woman whose photos became "Lennay Kekua," Diane O'Meara, describes how "Ronny" Tuiasosopo spent "the past five years... stalking my Facebook and stealing my photos....Ronny has called and not only confessed, but he has also apologized. I don't think there's anything he could say to me that would fix this."

The New York Times describes how ESPN let the story slip through their fingers, despite being tipped off to it a week before Deadspin broke it by Tom Condon, Manti Te'o's agent. THAT'S a source.

Tim Prister at Irish Illustrated fires shots across Deadspin's bow, critiquing the lack of journalistic integrity manifested in Burke's and Dickey's reliance on a bad source to implicate Te'o in the hoax.

Additionally, here is a promotional clip for Katie Couric's interview with Manti Te'o and his parents, airing Thursday.

Manti Te'o, a Complicated Hoax, and a Still-Unfolding Story

fishoutofwater — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:12:04 -0000

Here is a link to the Deadspin article that lays out the hoax they claim to have unravelled. The authors argue that Manti Te'o was likely complicit in the hoax. The official statement from Notre Dame acknowledges the hoax but claims that Te'o was not complicit in it.

As more information becomes available, we'll update this post.

Notre Dame Statement: Manti Te’o

On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te’o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators.

Dennis Brown
University Spokesman | Assistant Vice President

Manti Te'o released a statement which reads:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her.

"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating.

"It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life.

"I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been.

"In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was.

"Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

This is truly one of the most bizarre stories in sports history. With that realization, we would like to remind everyone to remain as level-headed as possible and discuss this issue with respect for all of the parties involved in the story.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Some Stumbling, Some Success

fishoutofwater — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 03:20:43 -0000

Swimming, fencing, tennis, and lacrosse pick up within the next few weeks, followed by softball, baseball, and golf in February.

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 1/5 Irish (15-7-0, 11-3-0-0) returned to conference play this past week as they faced Michigan State Friday and Saturday in East Lansing. Notre Dame blanked MSU on Friday, 1-0, but lost 1-4 in their second match. Goaltender Steven Summerhays, who allowed 4 opponent goals against top-ranked Minnesota earlier last week, had 30 saves in the Friday night shutout; Robbie Russo scored Notre Dame's one goal mid-second period.

Summerhays didn't have much help on Saturday with 21 saves on 25 shots. Anders Lee had the lone goal for the Irish in 34 shots in the 1-4 loss. After tying the game 1-1 in the second period, MSU claimed the lead, scoring their third goal with the Irish short-handed, 5 on 3, and their fourth with Summerhays pulled late. Eighteen third-period shots couldn't get the puck in the net for the Irish.

Last night, in a game that was tied 1-1 at the mid-point, the Irish were upset by Bowling Green, 4-2. T. J. Tynan and Bryan Rust claimed the Irish goals. Mike Johnson served as goaltender, making 27 saves on 31 shots. The Irish had just 22 shots on BGSU.

After struggling through this stretch of four road games in which ND came out just 1-3, the Irish face Alaska at the CFIA this Friday (7:35 EST, streaming on UND.com) and Saturday (7:05 EST on CBSSN).

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Track: The men's and women's teams had a strong showing at the Bob Eubanks Open this past week, claiming 11 victories in the two-day meet. The event was serendipitously held at the Kelly Family Sports Center at Grand Valley State University.

Irish wins came in the men's 60m hurdles, 4x400m relay, 300m, 400m, 600m, and heptathlon; women's 200m, 300m, 400m, triple jump, pentathlon, shot put, and second in the women's 4x400m relay (alas - Michigan beat the Irish by less than a second).

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (15-1, 4-0) claimed wins over its two opponents this past week. The Irish conquered Rutgers, 71-46, and Georgetown, 79-64.

They face St. John's this Sunday (12:00 p.m. EST, ESPNU).

The no. 20 men's team (14-3, 2-2) dropped their two matches this past week. Connecticut won out, 65-58, as did St. John's, 67-63, after a failed but furious last-minute comeback by the Irish. You can read all about the loss in alstein's account here.

The Irish face Rutgers on Saturday (8:00 p.m. EST, BEN) and Georgetown on Monday (7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN).

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While not on the field at the moment, Irish soccer claimed a few victories this past week: freshman Cari Roccaro was named 2012 Soccer America Freshman of the Year and seniors Ryan Finley and Dillon Powers were named Soccer America MVPs, while freshman Max Lachowecki was named All-Freshman Second Team. Well done by all.

We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Getting Back into It

fishoutofwater — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:32:34 -0000

Track and swimming will begin again next week as basketball and hockey play on. Fencing, tennis, and lacrosse pick up near the end of January, followed by softball, baseball, and golf in February.

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 1/2 Irish (14-5-0, 10-1-0-0) returned to the ice after a three-and-a-half week break and came up short in their contest at no. 1 Minnesota last night, losing 1-4. The teams were nearly even on shots, with Notre Dame recording 23 and Minnesota recording 26, but Minnesota got out to an early start, netting two goals against Steven Summerhays and the Irish in the first period (in the second and eighth minutes!) before Notre Dame's Jeff Costello scored for the Irish, assisted by Bryan Rust and Anders Lee. Minnesota scored again in each of the second and third periods and held the Irish without another goal.

The Irish face Michigan State in East Lansing this Friday and Saturday as they return to conference play.

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Basketball: The no. 2 women's team (13-1, 2-0) has claimed 7 wins in 7 games since we last looked at "The Week in ND Athletics." After a ten-day layoff, the Irish won victories over Alabama A&M (100-39), Kansas State (87-57), no. 22 Texas A&M (83-74, in a rematch of the 2011 national championship game), no. 11 Purdue (74-47), St. Francis (128-55), no. 1 UConn (73-72), and South Florida (75-71).

The stunning victory over rival UConn has turned decidedly toward the Irish lately, with Notre Dame claiming five of the past six meetings and both of the past two Final Fours. This time around, the Irish, down by a point as the clock wound down, won on a pair of free throws from Skylar Diggins with 49 seconds left to play. Reflecting on the end-of-game triumph, coach Muffet McGraw commented, "How many times can we put up our defense....I thought about our football team getting that goal line stand [against Stanford] three times in a row, if they can do it, we can do it."

The women's team faces Rutgers this Sunday (3:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU) and Georgetown on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. EST, CBSSN).

The no. 17 men's team (14-1, 2-0) racked up another four victories since our last "TWINDA," claimed against Kennesaw State (85-57), Niagara (89-67), Seton Hall (93-74), no. 21 Cincinnati (66-60). The streak of 12 wins is the longest for the Irish since 2006-07, and their 14-1 start is coach Mike Brey's best in 13 seasons. For more on the Irish conference-opening win over Seton Hall, see alstein's article here.

The Irish face Connecticut on Saturday (2:00 p.m. EST, BEN) and St. John's on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2).

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We'll bring you updates again next week on all our Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

BCS Title Game Matchup: The All-Important Kickers

fishoutofwater — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 05:16:31 -0000

It’s no secret that this year’s BCS Championship brings together two fierce defenses: Notre Dame’s held 6 opposing offenses, and Alabama, 4 opposing offenses without a touchdown; the Irish held another 3, and Alabama, another 4 offenses to just a single touchdown.

Witness the Alabama-LSU kicking-fest that capped the 2011 season. A scoring summary of last year's national championship game: FG, blocked FG, FG, FG, FG, missed FG, FG, rushing TD, missed XP. That's 15 of the game's 21 total points coming off the foot of one Jeremy Shelley, Alabama's place-kicker for distances of under about 40 yards. In part one of last season's two-part Alabama-LSU defensive showdown, the scoring looked very similar: missed FG, missed FG, blocked FG, FG, FG, FG, FG, missed FG, FG.

For the Irish this season, place-kicking has been crucial. Only one team in the country has attempted more field goals than Notre Dame, and only four teams have put more through the uprights. Sophomore place kicker Kyle Brindza is in just his first season kicking field goals, a role he did not claim until Nick Tausch was hobbled by injury in the season opener. Nonetheless, Brindza now holds the school record for field goals made in a single season (23) and has tied the school record for field goals made in a single game (5 vs. USC). Notre Dame's nineteen-year old kicker also hit the second longest field goal in Notre Dame history just a month ago (52 yards, also against USC).

With its red zone growing pains, Notre Dame has relied throughout the season on taking the points when its evolving offense has sputtered or been unable to get the ball into the endzone.

When it comes down to it, there's a very good chance that when Notre Dame and Alabama take the field on January 7^th, the outcome will hinge on the legs of Kyle Brindza, Jeremy Shelley, and Cade Foster. We best get ourselves ready.

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Jeremy Shelley puts one through for Alabama.

(John David Mercer/US Presswire)

THE PLAYERS

Jeremy Shelley, senior

5'10", 165

2012 stats: 11/11 FGs (100%), 63/63 XP (a missed XP v. Tennessee was recorded as a "team" miss)

2009-2011 stats: 33/44 FGs (75%), 103/106 XP

Cade Foster, junior

6'1", 218

2012 stats: 4/9 FGs (44%)

2010-2011 stats: 9/18 (50%), 7/7 XP

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Kyle Brindza, sophomore, 1^st season place-kicking

6'1", 225

2012 stats: 23/31 FGs (74%), 26/27 XP

Nick Tausch, senior

6'0", 201

2012 stats: 1/1 FGs (100%), 5/6 XP

2009-2010 stats: 15/18 FGs (83%), 27/30 XP

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BREAKDOWN

ALABAMA is 15 for 20 on field goals this season, good for 75%. Shelley has hit 63 of 63 extra points, with one "team" miss on a 64^th.

The Tide split field goal kicking duties between Jeremy Shelley, who handles FGs of about 40 yards or fewer (and extra points), and Cade Foster, who handles FGs of roughly over 40 yards (and kick-offs).

Most recently: In the month of November, Alabama's kickers hit 2 of 3 FG attempts (67%).

Close games: In games the Tide won by a touchdown or less or that they lost (LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia) - all in November - they were 2 for 3 on FG attempts (67%). The makes were both from under 30 yards; the miss, from over 40.

Crucial kicks: When trailing, tied, or ahead by a touchdown or less, Bama kickers hit 5 of 7 FG attempts (71%).

Toughest competition: Against Alabama's toughest foes (Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, and Michigan), Shelley and Foster were 4 for 6 (67%), with Foster hitting just 1 of 3 and Shelley's makes coming from fairly short 22-, 22-, and 28-yard distances.

Jeremy Shelley has made all 11 of his 11 attempted FGs for the Tide (100%) this season. All were from distances between 20 and 38 yards. His attempts came in 7 of Bama's 13 games. He only attempted more than 1 FG in 2 games in 2012. In last year's national championship game vs. LSU, Shelley hit 5 of 7 field goal attempts.

Cade Foster has made 4 of his 9 attempted FGs for the Tide (44%). All were from distances between 46 and 52 yards. His attempts came in 5 of Bama's 13 games. Foster attempted 2 FGs in 3 games and 1 in the SEC championship game. Foster has missed all 3 of his attempted FGs since September (his last was made on 9/22).

NOTRE DAME is 24 for 32 on field goals this season, good for a Tide-matching 75%. They've hit 31 of 33 extra points (one miss from Tausch, one from Brindza).

Kyle Brindza, in his first season kicking field goals, has handled them all since Nick Tausch was injured in the first week of the season. Brindza also handles extra points and kick-offs (and has thrown some big blocks this season as well, including a possibly-TD-saving solo one on USC's Marquise Lee).

Most recently: In the month of November, Brindza hit 9 of 12 FG attempts (75%), with 2 of the 3 misses coming on attempts over 40 yards.

Close games: In games the Irish won by a touchdown or less (Purdue, BYU, Pitt), Brindza was 6 for 10 on FG attempts (60%).

Crucial kicks: When trailing, tied, ahead by a touchdown or less, or in overtime, Brindza hit 20 of 26 FG attempts (77%).

Toughest competition: Against Notre Dame's toughest foes (Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, and USC - 2 away games, 3 in primetime and the 4th in heavy rain), Brindza was 12 for 14 (86%), with one miss in 6 against USC and one miss in 4 against Oklahoma after a low snap and muddled hold.

Kyle Brindza has made 23 of his 31 attempted FGs for the Irish (74%). His longest was 52 yards. Brindza's attempts came in 10 of Notre Dame's 12 games. He attempted at least 2 FGs in all 10 of those games in 2012.

Brindza hit all his attempts in 3 games, missed 1 attempt in each of 6 games, and missed 2 attempts in one game. When kicking from distances under 40 yards, Brindza is 19 of 23 (83%). At distances over 40 yards, he's just 4 of 8 (50%), though at least one of those 4 misses was on a low snap and sloppy hold.

Kyle Brindza walks off the field after gaining three for the Irish.

(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

EDGE

When it comes down to it, this is an even but complicated match-up. Alabama has the edge on field goals under 40 yards, Notre Dame, over 40 yards. Foster and Shelley have the edge in close games, Brindza, on crucial field goal tries and against his team's toughest opponents. If Shelley trots out onto the field on January 7^th to kick from under 40 yards, smart money would bet he makes it - he's made all 11 attempts this season, after all - but he has only had 11 attempts this season. Brindza has had almost 3 times as many shots in 2012, and 4 times as many attempts in the last month of the season.

That added experience, not just for Brindza, but for the whole Fighting Irish kicking unit, may give them an edge if field goals do wind up playing a key role on January 7^th, especially if they're called on repeatedly. Shelley may be 11 for 11, and he certainly did well in last year's championship game, but I'll take the kicker who hit 5 of 6 in hostile territory in Notre Dame's high-pressure, primetime, last game of the season. We're all hoping (really, really hoping) for Irish touchdowns, but if they don't come - and if our defense makes the Tide put the game on Shelley's and Foster's legs - we're in pretty fine shape to put the ball through the uprights.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Irish Hockey? Doing Great

fishoutofwater — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:46:09 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 1/3 Irish (14-4-0, 10-1-0-0) continued their impressive win-streak with a 4-1 victory on the road over Bowling Green State Saturday night. The Irish haven't played well when they don't score first this season, but they came back strong from an 0-1 deficit (earned on a power play goal) early in the game with four unanswered goals (2 on power plays).

The scores came from T. J. Tynan, Bryan Rust, Mike Voran, and Shayne Taker. Assists came from Mike Voran, Shayne Taker, Jeff Costello, Anders Lee, T. J. Tynan, and freshman Mario Lucia on two goals. Lucia (5 goals, 5 assists in his first 9 games) has played very well for the Irish after returning from a preseason broken leg. Goaltender Steven Summerhays, ranked 5^th in the country in goaltending, had 18 saves on the night. The Irish are ranked second in the country in total defense (of 59).

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Basketball: The no. 5 women's team (6-1) had a bit of time off for exams, but return to the court tonight to face the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in the World Vision Classic in Las Vegas.

The no. 22 men's team (10-1 on the season) earned an 81-68 victory over Purdue on Saturday in the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis. Jack Cooley led the way for the Irish, statistically, scoring 18 points and grabbing 9 rebounds; Eric Atkins had 17 points and 7 assists. Pat Connaughton and Garrick Sherman also scored in double digits for Notre Dame.

The Irish faced the Mastodons of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on Monday and won, 74-62. The eighth-consecutive Irish victory saw Connaughton score 18 points (he was 7 of 9 from the field), plus 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Cooley and Scott Martin followed with 14 and 13 points in the victory (Martin was 3 of 5 from the 3-point range).

The Irish face Kennesaw State at home tonight (the game can be viewed on ESPN3.com, 7:00 p.m.).

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Irish basketball will continue through the next few weeks, but all other sports are on hold until the first week of January. "The Week in Notre Dame Athletics" will be on hiatus until then, and our basketball writers will keep you up to date on what's happening on the court.

We'll be back with TWINDA on January 9^th (with a new crystal football to our names, perhaps?).

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Hockey & Basketball Play On

fishoutofwater — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 03:06:45 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week's Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 3/1 Irish (13-4-0, 9-1-0-0) - that's number 3 in the country, according to the most recent USCHO poll -earned another sweep this weekend against Michigan State, earning the 3-2 victory on Friday night and then claiming a 5-1 decision Saturday. In the first contest, the Irish outshot MSU, 39-24, and had goals from Nick Larson and, on power plays, Mario Lucia and T. J. Tynan.

The Irish skated to victory Saturday night with a dominant performance, out-scoring Michigan State, 5-1, despite being outshot, 30-23. This was Notre Dame's seventh consecutive CCHA win and their fifth straight overall. The Irish are 12-0 this season when scoring the game's first goal, and 1-4 when failing to do so.

The Irish racked up their five goals from all four lines before the Spartans scored with just two and a half minutes remaining in the third period. Anders Lee, the top goal-maker in the CCHA, unsurprisingly put the puck in the net first. Although he lost his bid for another shutout, goaltender Steven Summerhays is still no. 2 in the conference in save percentage with 100 more minutes minding the net than the no. 1.

The Irish face Bowling Green this Saturday, then break until facing Minnesota on January 8^th.

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Track and Field: The Irish kicked off their season in good form Friday night with the Blue & Gold Invitational in the Loftus Sports Center. Both men's and women's teams competed, claiming victories in 26 of 33 events (13 for both men's and women's teams). Forty-four Irish competitors, including 25 women and 19 men, qualified for the Big East Indoor Championships in the new year.

The Irish hit the track and return to the filed at the Grand Valley Invitational on January 11^th.

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Basketball: The no. 5 women's team (6-1) fell to no. 3 Baylor, 73-61, last Wednesday. Up-and-comer Jewell Loyd put up 24 points on the night and Kayle McBride had 18, but it wasn't enough to top Notre Dame's championship foe from last season. Baylor's team is unchanged from last year and the Irish retain just two starters, so coach Muffet McGraw was pleased with the performance - the Irish had the game tied up with seven minutes left.

Saturday, the Irish took out Utah State, 109-70, at home. Natalie Achonwa racked up 23 points and both Markisha Wright and Skylar Diggins had double-doubles.

The Irish next face Alabama A&M next Wednesday, the 19^th.

The no. 22 men's team (8-1 on the season) conquered Brown Saturday night, 84-57, behind freshman Cameron Biedscheid's 17 points. Five Irish players scored in double figures and Eric Atkins and Jack Cooley finished with double-doubles.

The Irish face the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday and the Mastodons of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on Monday.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on the Notre Dame Olympic sports. Go Irish.

Rolling Out that Gold Carpet: The 2012 ND Football Awards Show

fishoutofwater — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:15:14 -0000

The stage itself was lavishly decked with the many rivalry trophies the Fighting Irish won over the course of the season (love seeing that jeweled shillelagh). Ah, the spoils of victory.

The sold-out event honoring players and recognizing staff was preceded by an hors d'oeuvres-only reception (catered by Ruth's Chris, so that's okay) and silent auction (for what, we wonder?). The event itself, though sponsored by, among others, the luxuriant and exclusive South Bend Airport, generates proceeds through ticket sales for the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Scholarship Fund supporting Notre Dame students from the St. Joseph Valley area.

In attendance alongside the coaches, players (missing, most unfortunately, the well-trophied Manti Te'o), their families, staff, and fans were a number of committed recruits plus one interested recruit (RB Greg Bryant). Our own Jim Miesle laid out the list here for you last week. The young visitors from the 2013 Irish Mob included Hunter Bivin, Devin Butler, Will Fuller, Rashad Kinlaw, Jacob Matuska, Mike McGlinchey, Colin McGovern, James Onwualu, Doug Randolph, and Jaylon Smith, plus Mike Heuerman. #IrishMobWeekend, y'all.

Besides the opportunity to look back on a very good year alongside teammates, coaches, and family, one source of obvious enjoyment for the players in this event is the chance to get "swagged out." Gussied up. Fancy.

I've got to think that the coaches enjoy this just a little bit, as well, since they spend most of their time with the team demanding their respect in sweatpants and floppy hats. The one time I saw Bob Diaco in actual real life was at now-O'Rourkes (just what it sounds like) after one of these awards ceremonies: he waltzed through the door and up to the bar in his long black overcoat, gold scarf, and leather gloves and ordered something classy. That's how Diaco rolls.

On to the show. The inimitable Jack Nolan, host of UND.com's practice reports and the Brian Kelly Radio Show, was master of ceremonies. First off, the show is no longer called the Notre Dame Awards Show. No, no. It's called "The Echoes." Each award is called an "Echo" and looks like a glass cube (or in some cases, a glass hexagon). Recipients: wake them, don't break them.

After thoughtful opening remarks from university president Father John Jenkins, concluded with a convincing "beat Bama," we were treated to a video showcasing a little strength and conditioning fun and some season highlights. Intermixed with a series of awards and recognitions delivered by assistant (and head) coaches, some pretty well-done videos were shown highlighting each quarter of the season: first the Navy, Purdue, and Michigan State games, then Michigan, Miami, Stanford, then BYU, OU, and Pitt, and finally BC, Wake Forest, and USC.

One of those honored in the midst of the evening was Sam Grewe, a local teen fighting cancer whom the team adopted this season. You can read a bit more about Sam and his role with the team here.

Sam's on the left here, of course.

AD Jack "Savvy" Swarbrick also delivered thoughtful (and witty) remarks late in the evening, including reporting that the priest standing next to him as the Pitt field goal attempt in overtime sailed - just barely - wide right confided that he prayed not for another man to fail, but, well, for the goal posts to move.

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And the Echoes went to . . .

1. Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Nick Fitzpatrick

Also nominated: Bruce Heggie, William Mahone

2. Defensive Scout Player of the Year: Tyler Stockton

Also nominated: Joe Schmidt, Joe Romano

Tyler's comments: "Shoutout to WOPU Nation, offensive line, and my teammates. Thank you."

3. Newcomer of the Year on Offense: Everett Golson

Also nominated: Troy Niklas, Davaris Daniels, Christian Lombard

Chuck Martin's comments on the highlight video: "we only showed you their good clips."

4. Newcomer of the Year on Defense: Keivarae Russell

Also nominated: Sheldon Day, Matthias Farley (wearing a green bowtie), and Danny Spond

Keivarae's comments: "I'd like to thank my team and my players."

5. Irish Around the Bend Award for community service: Mike Golic, Jr.

6. A-Team Award for accountability, appreciation, and achievement: Kapron Lewis-Moore

7. Count on Me Award for excellence in unselfishness and dependability: Theo Riddick

Coach Tony Alford's comments on Theo's move to WR: "He couldn't catch . . . I'm talking awful. Awful."

8. Father Lange Iron Cross Award for excellence in strength and conditioning: Braxston Cave

9. Special Teams Player of the Year: Kyle Brindza

10. Pietrosante Award for courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication, and pride: Robby Toma and John Goodman

11. Defensive Lineman of the Year, deemed "the two most dominant linemen in college football" by Coach Bob Diaco: Louis Nix III & Stephon Tuitt

Louis's comments: "I would like to thank my mother. She had a beautiful son and he is here today."

12. Offensive Lineman of the Year: Zack Martin

13. Rockne Student Athlete Award, with his 3.3 GPA in political science and inspiration and leadership coming back from serious illness this season, according to Coach Bob Elliott: Danny Spond

14. Next Man In Award: Tommy Rees

15. Offensive Player of the Year: Tyler Eifert

16. Defensive Player of the Year: Zeke Motta

17. Notre Dame Monogram Club Most Valuable Player Award: Manti Te'o

Comments from Manti: "I'm in the middle of New York and the one place I want to be is with my brothers. I'm just trying my best to represent you guys. . . . I love each and every one of you with all my heart."

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A hearty congratulations to all the winners. This is an amazing team and an unforgettable season, and it's a joy to take a moment to celebrate that.

We're not finished yet. Now, on to the championship. Go Irish. Beat Alabama.

We leave you with the ever-poignant and excellently produced senior family video.

The Week in Notre Dame Athletics: Friday is Finally Yours, Hockey

fishoutofwater — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:00:16 -0000

Without further ado, we bring you the results of the last week’s Irish match-ups.

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Hockey: The no. 6 Irish (11-4-0, 7-1-0-0) finally swept their weekend slate against Late Superior State, earning the 3-2 victory on Friday night and then claiming a 6-1 decision Saturday. In the first contest, Anders Lee scored the first Irish goal in the opening period - his 50^th at Notre Dame - followed by power play goals in the second from young talent Mario Lucia and Mike Voran. The Irish had 35 shots on the night, outshooting Lake Superior State by 15. Inexplicable as it is, this victory was "the first for Notre Dame on a series opener at home this season." Coach Jeff Jackson had his team wear the gold jerseys usually worn in each home series' second match, rather than their first-match whites. Was that the difference-maker?

The Irish skated to victory Saturday night with a dominant performance, out-scoring Lake Superior State 6-1 - four came in the opening period. Goals came from Bryan Rust, Shayne Taker, Mario Lucia, T. J. Tynan, Stephen Johns, and Anders Lee. Goaltender Mike Johnson, making his second start, was injured just over half way into the contest after notching 13 saves; Steven Summerhays finished with another 13 saves for the Irish.

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Volleyball: After securing an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament the Irish brought their season to an end, falling 0-3 to no. 14 Ohio State on Friday in the first round of tournament play. Though Ohio States won-out offensively and dominated in the first set, the Irish fought hard to keep it close in the last two. The team played a great season, notching 20 wins against 10 losses. This was their first time to advance to the NCAA tournament and earn 20 match wins in a season since 2009.

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Swimming and Diving: The no. 19 men's team closed out their fall slate at the Hawkeye Invitational over the weekend. Notre Dame earned an impressive second-place finish behind no. 1 Michigan. The Irish return to dual-meet competition on January 18^th.

The women's team competed in the Ohio State Invitational over the weekend. Emma Reaney broke Notre Dame school records in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 100 breast, and 200 breast. Reaney won all but the 400 IM with her marks. Kim Holden also claimed the new school record in the 100 fly. With Kelly Ryan and Catherine Galletti, Holden and Reaney also claimed the 400 medley relay school record. The Irish came in fifth overall amid stiff competition - they came in on top of four ranked teams. In Iowa City at the Hawkeye Invitational, Jenny Chiang and Allison Casareto claimed 1^st and 2^nd in the 1-meter; Jenny Chiang won the 3-meter dive, as well. The women's team next hosts a tri-meet on January 11^th and 12^th.

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Basketball: The no. 5 women's team (5-0) conquered Central Michigan, 72-63, last Thursday. Skylar Diggins, who had been a bit quiet to open the season, notched 25 points in the first half and six steals. The Irish face Baylor Wednesday and Utah State Saturday, both at home.

The men's team sits at 6-1 on the season after claiming an impressive and much-celebrated home victory, 64-50, over defending national champion no. 8 Kentucky last Thursday night. The Irish outplayed the Wildcats. The court was rushed. Manti Te'o led the charge. It was a good night.

The Irish face Brown Saturday night at the Purcell Pavilion.

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We'll bring you updates again next week on the Notre Dame Olympic sports and help you to root for the Irish beyond those long-awaited and well-loved fall Saturdays. Go Irish.