After going 8-12 in conference play this past season, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have slotted themselves in the 12 seed and will take on the 13 seed Pittsburgh Panthers on Tuesday. Photo by The Irish Tribune   Coming off one of the most exciting games of the college basketball season, a game that took four overtimes and 43 points from sophomore guard Markus Burton for the Irish to win over California on Mar. 8, Notre Dame is entering the conference tournament similar to a season ago. The Irish have won two straight as well as three of their last five including a victory over Pittsburgh in Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 22.   Notre Dame’s victory over the Panthers was a positive sign for the Irish with junior forward Tae Davis leading the way with 21 points on 8-11 shooting. Davis, who fouled out in Notre Dame’s most recent matchup against California after scoring 12 points, is going to be a pivotal part for the Irish if they want to make a run in the conference tournament.   Burton, who is coming off a career game, tallied 20 points on 8-17 shooting against the Panthers along with six rebounds and three assists. The ACC’s leading scorer and top three in scoring in the entire country, is going to look to disrupt the passing lanes more than he did in the first matchup with Pittsburgh after finishing with zero steals. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off For Pittsburgh, their priority is to lean on the guard play of sophomore Jaland Lowe and senior Ish Leggett. The two combined for 34 of the Panthers’ 72 points on 13-28 shooting. The two struggled from deep going just 3-11 with Leggett knocking down all three.   On the year, the two lead the Panthers in scoring with Lowe at the top averaging 16.8 points per game on an underwhelming 37.7% shooting. Lowe also leads the team in both assists at 5.5 per game and steals with 1.8. The Panthers lost eight of their last 10 games to close the season out, with Lowe scoring more than his season average just three times in that span. During that rough stretch, Pittsburgh leaned more on Leggett who scored in double figures in nine straight games averaging 14.1 PPG over that same span. That is a dip from his season average of 16.1 PPG on 45.5% shooting. Against the Irish, however, Leggett scored his second-most points of the season finishing with 21 points, a total he’s achieved seven times.   Pittsburgh lost its best shooter in senior guard Damian Dunn after fracturing his elbow against North Carolina on Feb. 8. Dunn was shooting 41.2% from outside and averaging 9.9 PPG. Since then, the Panthers have turned to senior forward Zack Austin from outside. Austin, who is averaging 9.3 PPG on the year, has scored in double figures in just three of the Panthers’ last seven games, going 10-28 from deep.   The Notre Dame defense must show up to win at least the next two games. The Irish will take on Pittsburgh, which ranks sixth in the ACC with 76.6 PPG, followed by the North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday who rank second with 81.7 PPG. Two of the top six offenses in the conference in as many days is a tough task, however, if they make it through those two, Notre Dame has a chance to get back to .500 against Wake Forest, which eliminated the Irish a season ago, on Thursday.   If the Irish want to win it, they must win five games in five days, which last year’s winning North Carolina State did.   It all starts Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the first game of the 2025 T. Rowe Price ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After finishing at the bottom of the regular season standings, the Fighting Irish defied the odds this weekend and officially eliminated the Golden Gophers from the Big Ten Tournament with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Prior to Sunday’s game three, the Irish won game one 3-2 and Minnesota won game two 4-2. We recap the decisive game three below: The first period was fairly quiet with Irish goaltender Owen Say standing on his head, totaling 15 saves in the frame. Notre Dame successfully killed a Brennan Ali slashing penalty nearly four minutes into the game. The quietness was broken with 2:35 on the clock when Jayden Davis finished off a rebound opportunity to put the Irish up 1-0. Davis rebounded Jack Larrigan’s shot; giving Larrigan an assist, as well as Zach Plucinski.  Notre Dame added their second goal of the night nearly four minutes into the second period when Grant Silianoff put in a rebound off of a Blake Biondi wrap-around. Biondi and Axel Kumlin were credited with assists on the score that extended the Irish lead to 2-0 early in the second. The rest of the period was back-and-forth as each side tallied ten shots in the frame. The Irish killed another penalty about halfway through the period following a cross-checking call against Kumlin. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off The beginning of the third period was more of the same with both squads continuing to go back-and-forth. This was until the Irish were called for their third penalty of the game 12:01 into the frame after Ryan Helliwell was assessed a holding minor. It took all of eight seconds for Minnesota to respond as Matthew Wood broke Say’s clean sheet and cut the Gophers deficit to 2-1 with 11:53 to play. Notre Dame found the answer they needed with 7:51 to play when Cole Knuble’s backhander put the Irish up 3-1. A Minnesota turnover in their zone created a 2-on-1 opportunity with Knuble and Justin Janicke and the duo did not leave any doubt. Janicke and Michael Mastrodomenico were credited with assists on the dagger. With four minutes remaining and desperation setting in, Minnesota pulled their netminder for the extra attacker. The Irish locked in defensively and with 2:20 remaining, Hunter Strand, playing in his 150th career game, put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter from the opposite blue-line to put the visitors up 4-1. Carter Slaggert received an assist on the goal. The Golden Gophers continued with their empty net to no avail as the Irish secured their date with Michigan State for Saturday’s Big Ten Semifinal.  Irish Stars: Owen Say: 39 saves, 1 goal against Grant Silianoff: 1 goal on 2 shots, +2 Cole Knuble: 1 goal, +2 Key Team Stats: Shots: Minn (39) - ND (21) Penalty Minutes: ND (6) - Minn (0) Faceoffs: ND (36) - Minn (27) Blocked Shots: ND (23) - Minn (9) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame’s hopes of repeating as ACC Tournament Champions came to a halt on Saturday as Duke upset the Irish 61-56, marking the lowest points scored from the ACC Regular-Season Co-Champions all year. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The first quarter was a tense one for both sides as Notre Dame held the 17-16 lead after ten minutes. The Irish took their largest lead of the quarter with 5:42 on the clock when an Olivia Miles three extended Notre Dame’s lead to 9-4. Following the Miles three, Duke countered with a 7-0 run led by Ashlon Jackson to take a 11-9 lead with 3:46 remaining. The Irish responded with a 6-0 run that put the Irish in front 15-11 with 1:53 to play. A three-pointer from Duke with 34 seconds remaining trimmed their deficit to one, 16-17, heading into the second quarter. Hannah Hidalgo led all first-quarter scorers with eight points on 4-6 shooting from the field and added two assists in her first ten minutes played. The second quarter began with Irish starter Maddy Westbeld exiting 1:35 into the frame after sustaining her second bloody nose in as many days. She would not return until the second half. With 7:39 on the clock, Duke tied the game up at 20-20 and this kickstarted a 6-0 run for the Blue Devils that put them up top by four. Back-to-back buckets from the Irish bench tied the game at 24 with 5:09 remaining. Following a couple of free throws from Duke, Notre Dame responded with a 7-0 run led by Hidalgo and Cassandre Prosper that put the Irish ahead 31-26 with 1:13 to play. A Duke three with 47 seconds left in the half cut the Irish lead to 31-29 entering the break. Hidalgo led second-quarter scorers with six points in eight minutes played. With both sides struggling to knock down the deep ball in the first half (combined 3-17), it was the Irish’s stronger defensive presence that allowed them the halftime lead. Notre Dame created 17 points off of 11 Duke turnovers in the first twenty minutes, as they gathered eight steals in the half. While Duke played strong defensively as well, it was not as productive as they scored seven points off of seven Irish turnovers to begin the contest. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off A sloppy third quarter from the Irish featuring six turnovers led to Duke outscoring Notre Dame 18-11 in the frame to take a five-point advantage into the final ten minutes. The Blue Devils took their first lead of the half following a Taina Mair layup that put Duke up 36-35 with 6:15 on the clock. Jackson knocked down a three with 4:18 remaining to extend their lead to 41-37. Notre Dame responded and a three from Miles with 3:17 remaining put the Irish back in front, 42-41. This was the last basket of the quarter for Notre Dame as Duke locked in defensively and closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to give the Blue Devils a 47-42 lead heading into the fourth. Seven different Blue Devils got on the board in this frame, but Jackson’s five points tied Notre Dame’s Miles for the most in the quarter from either team.  Duke opened the final quarter with a three to extend their lead to eight with 8:46 to play. Notre Dame finally found some offense with a 5-0 run led by Hidalgo to make it a one-score game, 50-47, with 7:41 remaining. Duke then added four more unanswered points to extend their lead to seven, 54-47, with 6:32 on the clock. Sonia Citron ended more than three scoreless minutes for the Irish with a three-pointer to cut their deficit to four with 4:10 to play. Both teams then went quiet offensively for nearly three minutes until a Duke layup extended their lead to 56-50 with 1:14 to play. Hidalgo answered with a layup of her own as she cut the Irish deficit to 56-52 with 54 seconds on the clock. The remainder of this game was a free throw contest, except for a Miles layup with one second left, and Duke did not falter at the line, securing their spot in the ACC Championship with a 61-56 upset victory over the Irish. Duke’s Oluchi Okananwa and Notre Dame’s Hidalgo led fourth-quarter scorers with seven points apiece. In the second half, Notre Dame’s defense did not falter, but they could not find a basket, shooting 32% from the field, including 25% from three in the twenty minutes. An Olivia Miles tweaked ankle mixed with a lack of bench production were also contributors to this second-half collapse. Irish Stars: Hannah Hidalgo: 23 points (5-5 FTs), 6 steals, +2 Olivia Miles: 10 points (2-5 3FGs, 2-2 FTs), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 26 minutes played (hampered by an apparent ankle injury in the second half) Sonia Citron: 9 points (2-2 FTs), 4 steals, 2 blocks, +2 Liza Karlen: 4 points (2-2 FGs), 5 rebounds, 21 minutes played Maddy Westbeld: 4 steals, +2, 27 minutes played (missed most of the second quarter with an apparent nose injury) Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: Duke (40%) - ND (38%) Three Point Percentage: Duke (20%) - ND (20%) Free Throw Percentage: Duke (88%) - ND (79%) Rebounds: Duke (38) - ND (26) Turnovers: Duke (21) - ND (16) Points off Turnovers: ND (27) - Duke (18) Steals: ND (16) - Duke (8) Notre Dame now awaits their position in this year's NCAA Tournament as Selection Sunday is next week, March 16. Expect to see a fiery Irish squad coming off this ACC Tournament exit as they are slated to be a top-four seed in March Madness. 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Coming off an 11-10 loss to then No. 2-ranked Maryland last weekend in Atlanta, the two-time defending champion Irish were hoping to get back into the win column Saturday in South Bend. But despite a hot start, Notre Dame suffered its second consecutive crushing defeat. Photo by University of Notre Dame Athletics The Irish (3-2), entered Saturday's affair no strangers to success in the longstanding rivalry with the Buckeyes. In 48 previous meetings, the white and gold owned a dominant mark of 36-12, including last season's 13-10 triumph in Columbus. And while Notre Dame -- who lost its number one ranking following last weekend's loss to the Terrapins -- jumped on the Buckeyes early, the visitors were able to rebound in a big way en route to pulling off the upset. Despite being outshot 15-7 in the opening frame, the Irish -- thanks to consecutive goals by Will Maheras (third of the season), Jordan Faison (4th), and Devon McLane (4th) -- jumped out to an early 3-1 lead. And while the shot opportunities would increase heading into the second quarter, Notre Dame simply could not find the back of the net. McLane's tally would come with 4:12 remaining in the first period, and it would be more than 15 minutes before the Irish recorded another score. During the drought -- which was largely caused by the strong play of OSU keeper Caleb Fyock and the Buckeyes defense as a whole -- the ND defensive unit would surrender three goals of its own, as the Irish found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-3 contest. Though they would grab the lead back before halftime and take a 5-4 advantage into the break, three consecutive strikes by the visiting Buckeyes midway through the third put the Irish in a hole, as this time they trailed 7-5. But, as they've done time after time, including last weekend against Maryland, the Irish fought back to reclaim the lead just inside the halfway point of the final quarter. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. Trailing 8-6 entering the final period, Notre Dame received a much-needed goal from Chris Kavanagh (15th) to bring the home squad back to within one. And when Will Angrick buried his second straight goal in less than one minute and second of the game with 7:55 left to go, the Irish were once again leading the contest. Despite yet another rally, however, the Irish were unable to maintain that lead. Liam White would pull the Buckeyes even at 9-9 with 4:31 remaining, but it was OSU's Shane O'Leary who picked up the biggest play of the game. With seven seconds left in regulation time, O'Leary -- who scored the first of three straight for OSU to start the third period -- buried the game-winner off a feed from teammate Garrett Haas, giving Ohio State the signature victory, while sending Notre Dame to its second straight one-goal defeat. In the loss, Irish netminder Thomas Ricciardelli collected 20 saves on 30 shots, with Kavanagh and Angrick finding the back of the net twice each. What’s Next for the Irish?   Notre Dame travels to Ann Arbor for a date with Michigan on March 15. The Irish hold a 6-1 mark all-time against the Wolverines. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish opened up Big Ten Playoffs on Friday following a disappointing regular season with a marquee 3-2 upset victory in the first of a best-of-three series with the Golden Gophers. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame got on the board early when Axel Kumlin’s attempted dump-in from center ice ended up in Minnesota’s net just 1:30 into the contest. Cole Knuble received an assist on the goal that required some good luck. The Irish extended their lead to 2-0 with 4:53 remaining in the first period when Michael Mastrodomenico wristed one past the Minnesota goalie. Carter Slaggert and Ian Murphy were credited with assists. With 1:33 to play in the period, the Irish were assessed a penalty for too many players on the ice. The Golden Gophers did not let this power play opportunity go to waste as Matthew Wood got one past the Irish goalie, Owen Say, to cut Notre Dame’s lead to 2-1 with just six seconds remaining in the frame. Say had a strong first period, finishing with 12 saves on 13 shots as the Irish offense tallied nine shots on goal.  Early in the second period, Notre Dame pounced on a mistake by the Minnesota goalie as he passed the puck from behind the net right to the Irish’s Brennan Ali, leaving him with one of the easiest shots in his hockey career. Ali’s unassisted goal came 1:18 into the period and gave the Irish a 3-1 advantage. Minnesota would change goalies following this score. The rest of the second period was quiet offensively as no one could find a follow-up to Ali’s score. Both teams served and killed two penalties apiece as the defense locked in during the frame. Say added 11 saves to his total in a clean period for the netminder as the Irish offense managed another nine shots on goal in the period.  Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off In the third period, Minnesota’s Sam Rinzel made it a 3-2 contest with 11:44 to play as he netted one past Say.  Besides the goal, the third period was a struggle for both sides offensively. The Irish defense played great down the stretch, not breaking down once Minnesota pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. The Golden Gophers outshot the Irish 8-6 in the frame but this was not enough as Notre Dame escaped game one with the victory.  Notably, this win marked the 600th of Head Coach Jeff Jackson’s career, making him the ninth coach to hit that number in NCAA Hockey history.  Irish Stars: Owen Say: 30 saves, 2 goals allowed Axel Kumlin: 1 goal on 2 shots, 1 blocked shot, +2 Michael Mastrodomenico: 1 goal on 4 shots, 1 blocked shot, +1 Key Team Stats: Shots: Minn (32) - ND (24) Power Play Success: Minn (1-3) - ND (0-2) Faceoffs: ND (30) - Minn (29) Blocked Shots: ND (15) - Minn (4) Game two of this best-of-three is Saturday at 8:00 eastern, with a chance to upset the number-two seeded Golden Gophers on their home ice. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame women’s basketball’s (26-4) quest for its seventh ACC Tournament championship turns to the next chapter as the Irish knocked off California 73-64. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   Despite playing just one game, the Irish arguably won twice on Friday as the Florida State Seminoles, who had the best offense in the ACC, fell to North Carolina 60-56. The Seminoles ranked fourth in the conference and own a victory over the Irish in South Bend back on Feb. 27.   While North Carolina State remains alive, the number one overall seed in the ACC tournament and Notre Dame’s other conference loss, the Irish have a date with the Duke Blue Devils (24-7) with the chance to play in the championship game on Sunday. The two teams met just once this past season in Purcell Pavilion, on Feb. 17, when the then-number one-ranked Fighting Irish picked up a 15-point victory behind 19 points from sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo. It was one of six times that Hidalgo scored less than 20 points in a game, with four coming in February. Against California, however, Hidalgo finished with 25 points on 9-15 shooting.   The Irish defense was the focal point of the 64-49 win over the Blue Devils, as they shot just 38.5% from the field, 1-11 from three along with 19 total turnovers.   Although she was a nonfactor in the first meeting between these two teams, freshman forward Toby Fournier is the leader of the Blue Devil offense, averaging 14 points per game on 54% shooting. She scored 20 or more points on nine separate occasions this past season, including 28 points against Florida State on Mar. 2 in a 14-point win over Florida State. Her three steals against Louisville in the quarterfinals were a pivotal part in the Duke win.   Taina Mair, a junior guard from Boston, is the fifth leading scorer for Duke, however, she had her second highest scoring performance of the season against Notre Dame. She finished with 15 points in 34 minutes of action while shooting 6-11 from the field. Against the Cardinals, Mair finished with six points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Despite seeing a career low in turnovers per game at 2.1 this season, Mair is averaging three per game over her last seven games, including five against Louisville on Friday.   This is one of the better matchups you can draw up for the Irish, who are going to once again limit the Blue Devils from beyond the arc. During the regular season, Duke ranked 14th in the ACC in three pointers made per game with just 5.9, while Notre Dame ranks first in the conference in opponent three-point percentage with opponents knocking down just 26.9% of threes.   To keep the Blue Devils at bay, however, Notre Dame will need to turn its attention to junior guard Ashlon Jackson. While averaging 12.1 PPG on the season, Jackson is attempting a career high 5.9 threes per game on a 39.6% clip. When these two teams first met, the Irish game planned well for her as she was only able to get three shots up from range and was unable to knock down any of them, finishing with four points, her second lowest of the season. Still, Jackson has knocked down two or more threes over her last four games, including a 3-7 showing against Louisville in the quarterfinals.   For Notre Dame, the key to victory is taking care of the basketball. The Blue Devils led the conference during the regular season, forcing 649 total turnovers with a league leading 6.13 turnover margin. While the Irish handled the Blue Devils in the first meeting by double-digits, they still turned the ball over 18 times, with seven of eight players that saw action finishing with multiple turnovers. Against California, the Irish finished with 13 compared to the Golden Bears 28.   The game will tip-off at 2:30 p.m. from First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina and will be broadcast on ESPN 2. The winner will take on either North Carolina or North Carolina State in the championship game tomorrow at 1 p.m. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame Women’s Basketball opened ACC Tournament play on Friday with a 73-64 victory against the California Golden Bears thanks to another signature Hannah Hidalgo performance and an overall great defensive display from the Irish squad. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The first quarter began with both teams trading pairs of buckets. With 5:04 remaining in the frame, Cal held a 10-8 lead. Notre Dame flipped the script after this, finishing the quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 16-10 advantage into the second. The Golden Bears only received points from two scorers; Lulu Twidale with six and Marta Suarez with four. For the Irish, they received offensive production from six different scorers, led by Hannah Hidalgo and Liatu King who each contributed four points apiece. On defense, the Irish forced ten turnovers to help jump out to the first quarter lead. Following a King layup to open the second quarter, Cal stormed back with a 7-0 run to trim their deficit to one, 17-18, with 7:48 to play in the half. Hidalgo gave Notre Dame the response they needed with a 6-0 run by herself to extend the Irish lead to seven, 24-17, with 6:35 on the clock. The two sides then went back-and-forth until Cal went on a 5-0 run with under two minutes to play to tie the game at 28. With 35 seconds to play, a Maddy Westbeld layup and Liza Karlen free throw gave Notre Dame a 31-28 advantage heading into the half. The Golden Bears’ Kayla Williams led all second-quarter scorers with 11 points in a perfect-shooting frame including three three-pointers. Hidalgo led the way for the Irish with eight points including five free throws.  Despite the poor shooting performance in the first half, Notre Dame’s defense allowed them to hold the lead at the break. The Irish turned 19 Cal turnovers into 14 points, while on the other side, seven Irish turnovers led to just three Cal points. Notre Dame gathered eight first-half steals while Cal finished with zero steals or blocks in the first twenty minutes. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off The beginning of the third quarter was a sketchy one for the Irish. After an Olivia Miles free throw that extended Notre Dame’s lead to 36-31, Cal’s Twidale caught fire and went on an 8-0 run by herself, including two threes to put the Golden Bears on top 39-36 with 7:05 remaining in the quarter. Sonia Citron responded with a three to tie the game up but Cal’s run was not finished as they added six more unanswered points to push their lead to six, 45-39, with 5:08 on the clock. With 4:38 to play, Cal held a 47-41 lead. In this game of runs, Notre Dame saved their best one for a good time as they crawled back with a 12-0 run led by Miles and Hidalgo to put the Irish in front by six, 53-47, with 1:19 left in the quarter. With Cal adding a last-second score, the Irish headed into the final frame up 55-50. Twidale and Miles led third-quarter scorers with ten points apiece in the frame. Hidalgo contributed nine as the Irish shot 3-3 from deep in the ten-minute frame.  In the fourth quarter, following a layup by Cal that brought the contest to a one-score game, Notre Dame put their foot on the gas pedal and never let the opposition back into the game. A 6-0 run pushed the Irish lead to nine with 4:30 to play. Following a pair of Cal baskets, the Irish went on another 6-0 run to extend their lead to 12 with 2:39 remaining. The Golden Bears could not find a bucket in the final minutes until they hit a three with 16 seconds left. That would be the final basket of this ACC Quarterfinal as Notre Dame walked out with a 73-64 win. Seven different Irish players got on the board in the final frame as Hidalgo and Citron led the team with four points apiece. The second half was an impressive showing for the Irish. On offense, they shot 55% from the field, 60% from three, and 100% from the free-throw line. Their defense also did not waiver as they forced nine Cal turnovers including five steals and two blocks in the half. Irish Stars: Hannah Hidalgo: 25 points (9-15 FGs, 2-2 3FGs), 4 rebounds, 2 steals, +8 Olivia Miles: 14 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, +16 Liatu King: 10 points (5-9 FGs), 5 rebounds, 3 steals Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: Cal (46%) - ND (45%) Three Point Percentage: Cal (36%) - ND (29%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (73%) - Cal (71%) Bench Points: ND (9) - Cal (0) Points in Paint: ND (46) - Cal (26) Fastbreak Points: ND (18) - Cal (0) Turnovers: Cal (28) - ND (13) Points Off Turnovers: ND (28) - Cal (8) Steals: ND (13) - Cal (1) Notre Dame is set to face the winner of Duke/Louisville tomorrow at 2:30 eastern in an ACC Semifinal matchup. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame is set to host many of the top recruits in the class of 2026 this coming spring/summer, and two very talented class of 2027 QB recruits who have been picking up a lot of steam (and D-1 offers) lately. Photo by The Irish Tribune The Irish checked off many boxes this past season, while riding a roller coaster of emotions along the way. From the NIU letdown game, to the first-ever 12-team playoff. Notre Dame came away with an impressive and emotional string of victories, which stopped the drought of zero New Year's Six Bowl Game wins since 1994. They would beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, followed by Penn State in the Orange Bowl off the leg of Mitch Jeter, who hit a 41-yard field goal with only 12 seconds left to secure the victory. Notre Dame's epic run fell short in the National Championship game, where they ran into an extremely talented Ohio State team, and although Notre Dame never gave up and sparked a late comeback, it just wasn't quite enough to get the job done. Notre Dame went on to suffer the dreaded post-championship game poaching of coaches by other teams and the NFL. It's the unfortunate reality successful teams face. They would lose DC Al Golden to the Cincinnati Bengals, GM Chad Bowden to USC, Director of Player Personnel Zaire Turner to USC, and RB Coach Deland McCullough to the Las Vegas Raiders. Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Administration went to work quickly to fill these holes in the coaching staff by luring RB Coach Ja'Juan Seider from Penn State to fill the same role for the Irish, while also hiring Chris Ash as DC, and convincing Detroit Lions Director of Scouting Mike Martin to replace Chad Bowden in the General Manager role. Notre Dame is currently in the process of finding a replacement for Zaire Turner in the Director of Player Personnel role, the final coaching vacancy remaining on their staff. As the saying goes "There is no such thing as a quiet off-season at Notre Dame." None of the coaching turnover has stopped Marcus Freeman or the recruiting staff from continuing to catch the eyes of many of the top recruits in the class of 2026, and even some highly touted prospects in the class of 2027. Notre Dame is building something special, and people around the country have taken notice. Marcus Freeman has established himself as the type of leader that young men want to play for, and parents want as a mentor to their sons, taking the next step in their athletic and academic careers. Here are some of the recruits set to take visits to Notre Dame this offseason: March 21st C/O 2027 Trae Taylor - 6'3" 186lbs QB out of Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, IL. He currently holds 35 D1 offers from such notable schools as LSU, Michigan, Texas A&M, Colorado, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, among many others. C/O 2027 4-star Peter Bourque - 6'4" 190lbs QB out of Tabor Academy in Marion, Ma. He is currently ranked by 247Sports as the 1st overall player in the state of Massachusetts and the 7th overall QB in the country. April 10th 5-star Felix Ojo - 6'7" 283lbs OT out of Lake Ridge High School in Mansfield, TX. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd overall player in the state of Texas and the 6th overall OT in the nation. April 11th 4-star Zavion Griffin-Haynes - 6-6" 235lbs Edge out of Rolesville High School in Rolesville, NC. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 15th overall player in the state of North Carolina and 24th overall player in the nation. April 18th 4-star Jonaz Walton - 5'10" 210lbs RB out of Central High School in Carrollton, GA. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 9th overall RB in the nation. June 10th 4-star Talanoa LLi - 6'3" 215lbs LB out of Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, CA. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 3rd overall LB in the state of California. June 12th-15th 4-star Gregory Patrick - 6'5" 275lbs OL out of Portage Northern High School in Portage, MI. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 2nd overall player in the state of Michigan. 4-star Khary Adams - 6'2" 175lbs CB out of Loyola Blakefield in Towson, MD. He is ranked by 247Sports as 4th overall player in the state of Maryland. 4-star DeZephen Walker - 5'11" 190lbs RB out of Raymore-Peculiar High School in Peculiar, MO. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 2nd overall player in the state of MO. 4-star Evan Goodwin - 6'7" 325lbs OT out of Bauxite High School in Bauxite, AR. He is ranked by 247Sports at the 4th overall player in the state of Arkansas. 4-star Notre Dame Commit Sullivan Garvin - 6'5" 300lbs IOL out of Allegan High School in Allegan, MI. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 8th overall player in the state of Michigan. 4-star Notre Dame Commit Tyler Merrill - 6'6" 325lbs OT out of Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, PA. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd overall player in the state of Pennsylvania. 3-star Ksani Jiles - 5'11" 175lbs CB out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 31st overall CB in the nation. 3-star Nick Reddish - 5'11" S out of Independence High School in Charlotte, NC. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 26th overall player in the state of North Carolina. June 19th-22nd 4-star TE JC Anderson - 6'6" 230lbs TE out of Mt Zion High School in Mt Zion, IL. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 3rd overall player in the state of Illinois. 4-star Tank King - 6'2" 220lbs LB out of Memorial High School in Port Arthur, TX. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 33rd overall player in the state of Texas. 4-star Messiah Mickens - 5'10" 200lbs RB out of Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, PA. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 4th overall player in the state of Pennsylvania. 4-star Brayden Robinson - 5'8" 160lbs WR out of Red Oak High School in Red Oak, TX. He is ranked 247Sports as the 35th overall WR in the nation. 4-star Legend Bey - 6'0" 185lbs ATH out of North Forney High School in Forney, TX. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 43rd overall ATH in the nation. 4-star Ekene Ogboko - 6'6" 280 IOL out of South Garner High School in Durham, NC. He is ranked by 247Sports as the 2nd overall IOL in the nation. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Now that the NFL Draft Combine has wrapped up, and teams are starting to narrow in on their targets, let's look at where former Irish athletes will be best suited in the NFL. Photo by The Irish Tribune Benjamin Morrison (CB) Morrison was once considered one of, if not the best cornerbacks coming into the draft this year. Unfortunately for Morrison, a mid-season hip surgery has dampened that hype, but it should not impact the value he can bring to a team. Before the injury, Morrison was slotted to be a mid-first round pick but things have changed since then. It appears that Morrison could be picked somewhere in the late first or early second, which would bring excellent value. On the earlier side of things, the Philadelphia Eagles, with the last pick in the first round, would be a potential landing spot for Morrison. The Eagles recently let their starting cornerback, Darius Slay Jr., walk, so Morrison could serve as a solid addition to a revamped CB room. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio loves to blitz and leaves his corners on islands, similar to Morrison's experience with Al Golden. Coincidentally, the New York Giants, another NFC East team, could definitely use Morrison's talent. They own the second pick in the second round, right around where Morrison is projected to go. The Giants have had troubles at CB for years now, and still don't have a clear lockdown CB. They did draft a CB a couple of years ago when they selected Deonte Banks out of Maryland. He has shown promise, but this is still a weak position for the Giants. Morrison would be a huge get for the Giants, pairing two young corners together to start building for the future. Xavier Watts (Safety) Watts became a fan favorite throughout his career, known for his incredible ability to cause turnovers and be a playmaker all over the field. His ball-hawking ability sets him apart from most players. He reads the play using a combination of IQ and instincts, and his solid athleticism compliments those abilities. Instinct is something coaches can't always teach, making him a valuable prospect for any team. This is what makes projecting his landing spot tricky - lots of teams could use a player like Watts. Watts is most likely a second round pick, but it doesn't seem like he will last long in the second round. One team that could potentially be in play for Watts is the Chicago Bears. The Bears own two picks early in the second round, the perfect time to take a player that can immediately help your team win. One downside for Watts in the draft process is his age, but this also gives him a better chance to make an instant impact. The Bears are in a position to start winning now, and the Watts pick would make a lot of sense. He also offers the ability to replace aging veteran, Kevin Byard. Byard is in the late stages of his career, but Watts could give the Bears an answer to his replacement. Riley Leonard (QB) Leonard had a bit of a rollercoaster senior year at Notre Dame. It started with the high of beating Texas A&M, but was immediately met with criticism due to poor play in a loss to NIU. Leonard displayed his tough mindset and bounced back to lead Notre Dame to the National Championship. While his impressive athleticism makes him an attractive prospect, his limited arm talent points to a late round pick or UDFA who will most likely be aiming for a backup position. A team that will be in the market for a backup QB is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence is the starter in Jacksonville, but they are losing both their backups in free agency. This makes them a prime candidate to use one of their late round draft picks to help fill their QB room. Another team that Leonard could find himself on is the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are also losing their backup QB, Jimmy Garoppolo, to free agency. Leonard's athleticism might make him an intriguing prospect for Head Coach, Sean McVay. McVay is well known for his creative play-calling and Leonard might be a QB he believes can operate his offense well due to his mobility. Mitchell Evans (TE) Evans is another player that could be a great value pick late in the 2025 draft. Evans made a name for himself during his junior year when he became the number one target for Sam Hartman. It appeared he was making a breakthrough as one of the top tight ends in the country before he tore his ACL. This injury set him back quite a bit, and seemed to limit his production in the 2024 season. It did appear that he started to get back into form late in the season, where he made a larger impact. Although Evans has shown some impressive capabilities as a TE, he will likely end up being another late round pick. One team that could be interested in Evans as a backup TE is the Washington Commanders with their fifth round pick at 146. The Commanders currently have veteran TE, Zach Ertz, locked up for the future but that future may not be long. Ertz is in the final years of his career, but that hasn't stopped him from being impactful. This past season he became Jayden Daniels' favorite target. With Ertz's retirement in the near future, Evans may be a candidate for his eventual replacement, or at the very least, a player that can help supplement his production. Jack Kiser (LB) Kiser was the heart and soul of the Notre Dame defense for the last couple of years. He is a tremendous leader and plays incredibly hard. Kiser has also played a ton of football at the college level, which has helped him build a high football IQ. He is a sure tackler, but his age might be a concern for many teams. Kiser will soon be a 25-year-old, making him amongst the oldest in the class. Kiser projects to a special teams player/depth linebacker. The Green Bay Packers are a team that could use some more depth at LB. The Packers are losing two veteran LBs this offseason, so they'll be in the market for more LBs. The question will be how much they want to invest in the position. They may look to free agency, but that will cost more than a late round pick. If they decide to use one of their late round picks, Kiser could be a potential prospect to fill that role for a team that is looking to compete now. Rylie Mills (DT) Mills became a consistent force for the Notre Dame defense during his time in South Bend. At Notre Dame, Mills showed off his talent as both a pass rusher and run stopper, making him one of the most productive players Notre Dame had. Mills was contemplating entering the draft before last season but turned that opportunity to return to Notre Dame. Sadly for Mills, his season was ended abruptly in the first round of the playoffs due to a significant knee injury. Due to his injury, Mills will likely fall into the later rounds of this draft. One team that may be interested in his services is the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are well known for their tough, physical, and rugged defensive fronts that a player like Mills will fit right in with. Along with that, Steelers All-Pro veteran Cameron Heyward is likely to retire soon, so Mills may be able to offer depth to a position that they will soon have to replace. There are a lot of teams that may be looking into Mills, however. The defensive tackle position is usually a spot that teams like to save money on, likely with a late round pick. Howard Cross III (DT) Along with Mills, Cross was the other half of a dominant Notre Dame interior line that wreaked havoc on opposing teams for years. Cross used his athleticism and wrestling background to become a force in the interior, even though he is undersized for the position. His size is a concern for many NFL teams, and will likely be reflected in his draft position. With Cross' lack of size, his role will likely change in the NFL. Instead of being a three-down lineman, Cross will most likely be used as a third-down pass rusher or an edge rusher in a 4-3 defense. Because of this, Cross will be limited to the number of teams that will look to draft him. One team that could be interested is the New York Giants. Not only may the Giants be a good fit for Cross, it will also make for a great story as the Giants are the team Cross' dad won a Super Bowl with. Cross will be able to add some variety to a defensive line that is already well established. The Giants have two talented edge rushers along with one of the best tackles in the league, Dexter Lawrence. Lawrence is a huge body in the middle for teams to deal with, and their lightning quick edge rushers cause teams a lot of problems. Cross could act as a sort of in-between lineman that is bigger than the Giants' current edge rushers, but smaller than Lawrence, giving them some options at the position. Beaux Collins (WR) Collins' time at Notre Dame was marked with highs and lows all season. The highs featured him catching big-time touchdown catches like the one in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. The lows saw him consistently dropping balls and disappearing at times. All of this has caused him to be a bit of an unknown as a prospect, but there are still things to like with him. Collins is a long, rangy wide receiver that can be a solid target on the outside. As mentioned before, his hands are a concern, which NFL teams are surely aware of. With this, and a lack of elite athleticism, it would not be a surprise to see him go as an undrafted free agent. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team that could be in the market to see what Collins has to offer at camp. Although he is unlikely to fill the starting role that the Raiders need, he is a prospect that could get a look at supplying depth to a room that needs talent. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Although not the end-all be-all for player evaluation, the NFL Combine provides teams with the opportunity for a closer assessment of the incoming draft class through testing, on-field drills, and team interviews. Over the weekend, 8 players represented the Fighting Irish in Indianapolis. Photo by The Irish Tribune QB Riley Leonard, WR Beaux Collins, TE Mitchell Evans, DT Howard Cross III, DT Rylie Mills, LB Jack Kiser, CB Benjamin Morrison, and S Xavier Watts made the trip to Lucas Oil Stadium, roughly 2.5 hours from where they spent their college careers. Riley Leonard, Mitchell Evans and Jack Kiser are the only players that took part in the on-field drills, with Evans being the only one to also participate in testing. The rest of the group was limited to team interviews for various reasons, but most of them will be gearing up to show NFL coaches and GM's some of what they can do at their pro days. I wanted to look at the performances of the players that took the field in some capacity at the combine, and how they may have helped their stock. Best Combine: Mitchell Evans It would be hard to not pick Evans by default simply because he partook in the most drills, but even so, there were some things that he did on the field that would garner this ranking regardless. Evans' 10-yard split time was tied for first with Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson. For reference, Ferguson had the fastest 40 yard dash time among the position group, which tells you the type of athlete Evans kept pace with. The 10-yard split is so critical because it measures a player's ability to be explosive and accelerate off the line of scrimmage. In Evan's case, it was a great sign to teams that may have been concerned about how his late season ACL tear in 2023 would affect his athletic ability. Evans also had a 4.40 20-yard shuttle, which is designed to test lateral agility and change of direction. None of his other testing numbers were eye-popping, but his on-field work also earned him some praise. Evans effortlessly tracked the ball over his shoulder during the first catch drill. On the sled block drill, he showed good leg drive and effort. He probably should have gotten a tad lower to simulate playing with a good pad level, but his ability to block should not be a question mark for teams. During the gauntlet, Evans showed natural catch ability and good eye discipline, looking each pass into his hands while working down the line. On the in-cut drill, Evans did a good job getting out of his break, getting eyes back to the QB quickly and making a clean hands catch. All in all, Evans had a solid performance and should cement himself even more as a prospect on Notre Dame's pro day. Jack Kiser Kiser skipped out on testing at the Combine, but did participate in the on-field linebacker drills. Kiser's biggest question mark was always going to be whether or not he can provide 3-down versatility or if he is more of a 2-down thumper in the run game. That question can not be answered at the combine, but I thought he did a very nice job in the drills designed to test lateral quickness and change of direction, which are important when being asked to drop into coverage. He executed the back pedal and react drill to perfection, which earned an audible buzz from the other participants. Kiser had a nice day overall, and I think when teams combine his extensive playing experience, with what he showed on the field, he will end up on a lot of front offices' draft boards. Riley Leonard Similar to Jack Kiser, Leonard chose to not do any on-field testing, but he did take part in the quarterback drills. It was a bit of a mixed bag for Leonard on the day. Leonard showed solid ball placement on in breaking routes and threw with some anticipation on corners and out routes, which is important at the next level. Leonard did not have a whole lot of zip on the ball, missing some lower body torque when delivering passes. His accuracy was not as sharp on the second level throws but during the "go ball" portion of the drills, I thought he showed some good arm strength on two of the three passes and working on his lower half mechanics will continue to help him in this area. Leonard is not a perfectly polished passer, but the intangibles he possesses such as leadership, competitive toughness, and work ethic will make teams more willing to help him develop as a thrower knowing all the mental stuff is there. Overall, I think all three of these players are likely to come off the board some time on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7). It has not been announced if any of them will be testing at their pro days or simply doing on-field work for NFL coaches and GM's, but I don't get the sense that their likely draft positions would skyrocket either way. I look forward to seeing where all of Notre Dame's players land and the roles they can carve out at the next level. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Spartans played spoiler this weekend, defeating the Irish 5-2 on Friday and Saturday, while Notre Dame honored their seniors and Head Coach Jeff Jackson as he coached his final game at Compton Family Ice Arena. Photo by The Irish Tribune Friday: On Notre Dame’s Senior Night, Michigan State opened up the scoring 11:55 into the first period. Following coincidental roughing after the whistle penalties, the Spartans snuck one past Irish Goaltender Owen Say to make it a 1-0 game during the four on four opportunity.  MSU added another goal 14:12 into the period to extend their lead to 2-0. The Irish struck back in the second period when senior captain Justin Janicke finished off a rebound on the power play. The PPG, which occurred 5:01 into the frame, was assisted by Danny Nelson and Cole Knuble. Janicke cut the Irish deficit to 1-2 just nine seconds after MSU was assessed a hooking penalty. Michigan State responded with under two minutes remaining in the period to extend their lead to 3-1. The visitors added another goal 8:37 into the third period to take a late 4-1 lead. However, less than a minute later, Notre Dame found a response when Axel Kumlin’s wrist shot off a Spartan defender cut the Irish deficit to two. Knuble and Nelson, again, were credited with assists on the score. MSU put the finishing touch on this contest when they added an empty net goal to give the visitors a 5-2 win.  Say did all he could between the pipes as the Irish struggled to generate any offense, especially in the second and third periods when they were outshot 28-15 in those forty minutes. Irish Stars: Owen Say: 33 saves, 4 goals against Danny Nelson: 2 assists, 2 shots Cole Knuble: 2 assists, 3 shots Key Team Stats: Shots: MSU (38) - ND (24) Power Play Success: ND (1-3) - MSU (0-2) Blocked Shots: ND (17) - MSU (11) Faceoffs: ND (35) - MSU (28) Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Saturday The Spartans turned the pressure up early into Coach Jackson’s final game behind the Irish bench at Compton Ice Arena. With Nicholas Kempf in net for the home squad, MSU’s Shane Vansaghi got one past the young goalie just 2:25 into the game to give the Spartans an early 1-0 advantage.  Despite allowing the early goal, Kempf played great the rest of the period as he tallied 19 saves. Notre Dame’s offense mustered nine shots on goal in a fairly quiet first twenty minutes. Three of these shots came on an unsuccessful power play opportunity. It was Notre Dame who struck early in the second period. Grad transfer Grant Silianoff snuck one past the Spartan goalie to tie the game up at 1-1 just 32 seconds into the frame. Hunter Strand and Carter Slaggert assisted on Silianoff’s fourth goal of the season. MSU responded under four minutes later with a pair of goals in about a two-minute span. Tiernan Shoudy put the visitors up 2-1 4:23 into the period. Then, Vansaghi added his second goal of the contest 6:15 into the frame to extend the Spartans' lead to 3-1. Following a tripping call against Vansaghi, Notre Dame’s Janicke converted his second PPG of the weekend 9:11 into the third period. Blake Biondi and Knuble assisted the senior’s fifth goal in five games. The Spartans got their payback with a PPG of their own about three minutes later. This goal that extended the visitor’s lead to 4-2 followed a slashing penalty against the Irish’s Silianoff. Like Friday, MSU put the final touch on their victory with an empty-netter to secure their 5-2 win. Kempf finished the night with a career-high 45 saves as the Irish offense lacked production, being outshot 50-31.  Irish Stars: Nicholas Kempf: 45 saves (career-high), 4 goals against Grant Silianoff: 1 goal on 4 shots Justin Janicke: 1 goal on 3 shots Key Team Stats: Shots: MSU (50) - ND (31) Power Play Success: ND (1-2) - MSU (1-2) Faceoffs: ND (30) - MSU (30) Blocked Shots: ND (10) - MSU (8) Notre Dame will face Minnesota this upcoming weekend in the Big Ten Quarterfinals. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball team has now clinched a share of the ACC Regular Season Championship following Sunday’s 72-59 victory against the 25th-ranked Louisville Cardinals. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as the teams changed leads five times in the frame. Louisville’s Jayda Curry buried a three with 2:49 left in the quarter to put the visitors on top 15-14. This was the final basket of the frame as neither team could find the bottom of the hoop to end the quarter. Curry and Tajianna Roberts led all first-quarter scorers with five points apiece for the visitors. Notre Dame was led by Liatu King who had a monster quarter with four points on 2-3 shooting from the field and six rebounds in eight minutes played. Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles contributed three-pointers to keep the Irish deficit at one. The Irish showed up in the second quarter, outscoring the Cardinals 22-13 in the frame. A 6-0 run from a trio of Notre Dame players put the home squad up 26-20 with 5:43 remaining in the quarter. Louisville would respond with a 5-0 run to cut their deficit down to one with 4:45 to play. Notre Dame then made their response, ending the quarter on a 10-3 run to give them a 36-28 lead at the half. Hidalgo and Sonia Citron led second-quarter scorers with eight points apiece; Citron shot 3-3 from the field in the frame. Louisville’s offense struggled as they received points from just three different scorers in the second. Notre Dame entered the half dominating the boards, led by King with nine rebounds, as they outrebounded the Cardinals 24-18, which led to 12 second chance points for the Irish. Defensively, the Irish were locked in as they totaled four steals and two blocks in the first half while Louisville only garnered one steal and one block. The Irish put together another great quarter coming out of the half as they outscored the Cardinals 22-12 in the third, extending their lead to 18. The home squad went on multiple runs in this quarter, starting with a 6-0 run from 4:15-3:37 that put the Irish up 45-35. They followed this up with a 10-0 run from 3:01-1:07 that put Notre Dame up 55-37. The period ended with a three-point buzzer beater from Olivia Miles to give the Irish a 58-40 lead. Miles led all third-quarter scorers with nine points including six free throws and the signature buzzer beater. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Louisville fought hard in the final quarter but it was too little too late as they managed to outscore the Irish 19-14 in the frame. Notre Dame’s lead never dipped below 14 points until a Louisville three-pointer in the final seconds cut the score to 72-59. The Irish had just three different scorers in the quarter, however, Hidalgo led all scorers with six points on 2-3 shooting from the field including a three.  Despite some sloppy turnovers from the Irish in the second half, their great shooting gave them the ultimate edge in this contest. Miles’s 12 second-half points helped secure a share of the ACC regular-season title for the eighth time in 12 years. Coming off of two straight losses, the Irish needed this win and they got the job done. Notre Dame is slated to be the number-two seed in the ACC Tournament, which allows the Irish a much-needed break before Friday’s quarterfinal contest. NC State will be the number-one seed after defeating the Irish last week. Irish Stars: Hannah Hidalgo: 20 points (2-2 3FGs), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, +6 Olivia Miles: 15 points (3-6 3FGs, 6-6 FTs), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, +17 Liatu King: 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, +8 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (44%) - UL (30%) Three Point Percentage: ND (40%) - UL (35%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (78%) - UL (58%) Rebounds: ND (48) - UL (40) Blocks: ND (6) - UL (2) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun