Notre Dame's Connections to the Field of 68

Brenden Duffy
48 minutes ago
3 min read

Notre Dame Men’s Basketball will be witnessing the ‘madness’ from their homes for the eighth time in nine seasons and for the third consecutive year since Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry took the job. However, the Irish connections still run deep this March with former assistants, a transfer, and a former Athletic Director’s son hoping to become National Champions.

Photo via Rod Balanis/X (@RodBalanis)

Howard Associate HC Rod Balanis

Balanis, perhaps the most notable to Irish fans, worked at Notre Dame from 2000 to 2021 as one of Mike Brey’s first hires. He served various roles in South Bend, including Coordinator of Basketball Operations, Assistant Coach, and eventually Associate HC. After 21 years with the Irish, Balanis moved closer to home and accepted the same role at Howard. Since arriving in Washington DC, Balanis and the Bison have won three of the past five conference tournaments after not appearing in an NCAA Tournament since 1992. This season, the Bison open March Madness with a First Four matchup with UMBC on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. The winner will go on to face one-seed Michigan.

Penn HC Fran McCaffery

One of the more recognizable names in college basketball, first-year Penn HC Fran McCaffery has led the Quakers to the dance for the first time since 2018. The former longtime Iowa HC spent 11 years in South Bend as an assistant under Digger Phelps and John MacLeod from 1988 to 1999. McCaffery ultimately left for the HC role at UNC-Greensboro and kick-started his current 26-year HC stretch that has seen plenty of successes. 14-seed Penn looks to begin a Cinderella run with a First Round matchup against three-seed Illinois.

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Georgia HC Mike White

A connection that Notre Dame and its fans may not be too fond of is the father of Georgia HC, Kevin White. Kevin, Mike’s father, served as Notre Dame’s Athletic Director from 2000 to 2008. Additionally, Mike’s brother, Danny, was a reserve on the Irish’s 2001-02 basketball team. While White’s tenure as an AD in South Bend is one most would like to forget, his son has been on quite the run as a basketball coach. After departing Florida for rival Georgia, White has led the Bulldogs to three-straight 20-plus win seasons, the first time they have done that since 2014-16. Georgia’s hopes of a deep run as an eight-seed begin with a matchup against nine-seed St. Louis in the First Round.

Michigan State Associate HC Doug Wojcik

The Spartans’ legendary HC’s right-hand man served a brief one-season stint in South Bend in Matt Doherty’s lone year as the Irish’s HC in 1999-2000. Wojcik followed Doherty to North Carolina the next season. Since departing Notre Dame, Wojcik has had AC stints at UNC, Gonzaga, and East Carolina. In his eighth season at Michigan State, he has helped the Spartans to a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they face 14-seed North Dakota State in a First Round tilt.

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North Carolina State F Ven-Allen Lubin

The sole former Notre Dame player whose team earned a spot in this year’s field of 68 is the well-traveled forward putting together a career-best season. As one of Brey’s last recruits, Lubin posted 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and nearly a block per game as a freshman in 2022-23. After flashing his promise as a former four-star and Brey’s resignation, Lubin entered the portal and committed to Vanderbilt, where he continued to improve. After one season in Nashville, Lubin came back to the ACC, this time at UNC. Despite having a solid ACC Tournament showing for the Tar Heels, it was an overall disappointing junior year for Lubin. This past offseason, Lubin entered the portal once again before deciding to spend his senior year at in-state rival NC State. This season, he is averaging 13.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, and 0.5 steals per game, starting all 33 appearances. Lubin’s Wolfpack are tasked with the Texas Longhorns on Tuesday evening in Dayton for a First Four contest.

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