Notre Dame makes a massive statement, as Marcus Freeman and his staff have hired Ja'Juan Seider to replace Deland McCullough as Notre Dame's Running Backs Coach. Photo by The Irish Tribune It's no secret that the departure of Deland McCullough to the Las Vegas Raiders was a massive blow to Notre Dame, which came as the latest departure in a string of moves that included the losses of Defensive Coordinator Al Golden, and General Manager Chad Bowden. To put it quite honestly, Notre Dame had lost two integral pieces of their success over the past few seasons. Compounding this with the departure of McCullough must have felt like being kicked while they were down. While Notre Dame moved quickly to secure the services of Chris Ash as the new Defensive Coordinator, while simultaneously retaining Mike Mickens, they still found themselves in a tough spot after missing on their perceived top GM target in James Blanchard. It seems, however, that the Irish were not willing to sit idly by and wait for the right candidate to emerge to replace McCullough's services. Marcus Freeman wanted to go big game hunting - and quickly. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Ja'Juan Seider, without hyperbole, might be the best at coaching running backs in the country. The Florida native played college football from 1995-1998 at West Virginia as a quarterback, before playing a final season for his home state in 1999 as a member of the HBCU Florida A&M Rattlers. Despite only seeing action in seven games throughout his college career, his love for the game was never in question, as his transition to coaching occurred shortly after in 2001 as the Running Backs coach for Glades Central High School; his alma mater. After two seasons, he would move on to become the Offensive Coordinator of another in-state high school, Palm Beach Lakes, before one more stint at Lake Worth High School as a Quarterback Coach. Seider would cut his teeth as a graduate assistant in his return to West Virginia in 2008, before earning his first role as a collegiate positional coach at Marshall (Running Backs) in 2010. He would hone his skills at the G5 level for three seasons, before his final return to Morgantown, where he would once again earn a promotion as the Running Backs Coach. He left for Florida for the same position in 2017, before landing at Penn State in 2018, where he's been ever since. During his time with the Nittany Lions, he was promoted from Running Backs Coach to Run Game Coordinator in 2020, and then to Assistant Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator in 2021. Seider coached his first player to 1,000 rushing yards in 2013 at West Virginia despite their 4-8 record in Charles Sims. In 2015, he would coach Wendell Smallwood and the Mountaineers to an 8-5 record, with Smallwood recording a team-high 1,519 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. As a whole, the 2015 Mountaineers squad would finish the season with nearly 3,000 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. After another 3,000-yard rushing performance from the offense in 2016, things didn't go as well at Florida. The 2017 Gators would finish 4-7, and the running backs would fail to eclipse 2,000 yards rushing before Seider would leave for Penn State. The script would completely flip for Seider in Happy Valley, however. In his first season, he coached well-known NFL RB Miles Sanders to a nearly 1,300-yard season and enjoyed a 9-4 record alongside James Franklin. After another successful season in 2019, the Nittany Lions hit a snag during the shortened 2020 season, before Seider's promotion in 2021. Seider played an integral role in the recruitment of both Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who would burst onto the scene for Penn State in 2022. In 2022, Singleton would total 1,061 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman, en route to another 11-2 season for Penn State. In 2023, Singleton and Allen would total 752 and 902 yards respectively during another 10-win season. Finally, in 2024, Seider's most successful season would come to fruition. Singleton and Allen would each eclipse the 1,000-yard mark during Penn State's magical 13-win season, ending in a loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. With both Singleton and Allen returning in 2025, it likely wasn't easy to pull Seider away from Penn State. This is a true testament to both Freeman and Bevacqua's commitment to excellence, as there likely aren't many coaches that can rival the success enjoyed by Seider throughout his career. This was one hell of a hire for Notre Dame. I would expect nothing short of a dominant season on the ground in 2025 for the Fighting Irish given Seider's coaching acumen. What a statement from Notre Dame. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The freshly-appointed number one team in the country, Notre Dame Women’s Basketball, defended their home court and their new ranking on Monday evening when they defeated the 11th-ranked Blue Devils 64-49. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Duke opened the game by bringing the pressure to the Irish early and often, allowing the Blue Devils to take a 19-16 lead following the first quarter. Duke’s Taina Mair led all scorers with nine points on 4-4 shooting including a three. Notre Dame’s offense was led by Hannah Hidalgo with six points and Maddy Westbeld with five on 2-3 shooting including a three. Irish leading rebounder, Liatu King, exited with around 3:00 minutes remaining in the quarter after taking a hard fall and the Irish struggled to get things going offensively in her absence. She would return in the second quarter. The back-and-forth contest continued into a low-scoring second quarter. Both offenses went ice-cold in the first 4:59 of the frame as Notre Dame outscored the Blue Devils just 1-0 in that span. The offenses did pick it up in the final five minutes of the half but it was the Irish’s 5-0 run in the final 2:17 of the quarter that put the home squad up 29-27 heading into the break. Sonia Citron led all second-quarter scorers with five points including a three.  While Duke held Notre Dame to their lowest first-half total of the season, their offense struggled too as they shot just 1-7 from three to open the game. However, the Blue Devils entered halftime outscoring the Irish 9-0 in points off turnovers and 7-2 in bench points. It was their 2:48 scoring drought to end the second quarter that allowed the Irish to hold a halftime advantage. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off An explosive Notre Dame third quarter ultimately gave the Irish the winning edge as they outscored Duke 21-8 in the frame. Four different Irish scorers scored four or more points in the quarter as Citron led the way with six points and two rebounds in eight minutes played. The Blue Devils offense struggled tremendously in the quarter, shooting just 2-11 from the field as Notre Dame opened the first 5:01 on a 17-2 run to extend their lead to 18. Duke ended the quarter on a 7-4 run as the Irish entered the final quarter leading 50-35. The fourth quarter was hard-fought from both sides, as they each added 14 points apiece in an effort that was too late from the Blue Devils. Duke cut the Irish lead to 12 midway through the quarter but Hidalgo’s six points were too much for the visitors to handle.  Notre Dame completely flipped the script in the second half to extend their winning streak to 18 games. Duke shot just 0-2 from three in the half and the Irish’s 11 forced turnovers handed Notre Dame the 64-49 victory. Irish Stars: Hannah Hidalgo: 19 points (6-6 FTs), 4 assists, 3 steals, +15 Sonia Citron: 15 points (4-4 FTs), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, +14 Maddy Westbeld: 11 points (4-5 FGs, 2-3 3FGs), 2 steals, 2 blocks, +18 Liatu King: 11 rebounds, 2 steals, +13 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (40%) - Duke (38%) Three Point Percentage: ND (33%) - Duke (11%) Total Rebounds: ND (41) - Duke (28) Fastbreak Points: ND (14) - Duke (6) Steals: ND (11) - Duke (8) Coming this week, the Irish hit the road for a Thursday matchup in Miami with the ‘Canes before a Sunday battle with the 13th-ranked NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following a thumping of Cleveland State earlier in the week, the No. 1 ranked Notre Dame men's lacrosse team welcomed Marquette to South Bend on Saturday. The showdown with the visiting Golden Eagles was the final tune-up before the two-time defending national champions begin a run that will see them play eight teams currently ranked inside the Top 20 across their next nine games. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Coming off a dominant 24-6 win over Cleveland State to kickstart their run to a three-peat, the Irish (1-0) played host to a familiar non-conference opponent in the Marquette Golden Eagles (1-1) on Saturday inside the Arlotta Family Lacrosse Stadium in South Bend. To say this matchup has been one-sided would be an understatement. Entering the contest, Notre Dame was a perfect 12-0 against their Big East foes, with seven of those victories coming comfortably on their home turf. And, with the offense firing on all cylinders early in the season - thanks primarily to a seven-goal performance by Jake Taylor in the aforementioned opener earlier in the week - the Irish were oozing with confidence.   Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. Notre Dame would once again hit the ground running, with Fisher Finley registering the first goal of the contest at 12:40 in the first. Marquette, however, would respond in kind with two quick goals of their own to take a 2-1 advantage in just thirty seconds over Notre Dame. Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, this would be their only lead throughout the rest of the contest. Notre Dame would notch five straight goals after falling behind in the first, courtesy of Jake Taylor, Chris Kavanagh, Will Angrick, and Max Busenkell. In total, six different players would register a goal for Notre Dame in the first, as they carried an 8-3 advantage into the second. The Irish would make the most of their chances in the first, converting on 8 of their 13 shots on goal. The Irish would streak on to begin the second, scoring seven straight goals and carrying over momentum from the first. Angrick registered his third goal of the contest at the end of the first, followed by Devon McLane's first of the season. The Irish would waste little time, with Jeffery Ricciardelli scoring at 12:53 in the second. The Fighting Irish would add goals from Finley, Busenkell, Pokorny, and Seymour on the 7-0 run. With the game comfortably in hand at the half, the Irish would command a 13-5 lead, where their overwhelming talent would carry them to a controlling 22-9 victory. Nine players would register a multi-goal performance, with Angrick and Taylor each scoring a hat trick in the outing. The No. 1 ranked Fighting Irish have now won 16 straight games dating back to last season - the longest winning streak in program history.   What’s Next for the Irish? Notre Dame heads to the nation's capital for a date with No. 15 Georgetown on Saturday, Feb. 22. From there, a massive early-season showdown will take place in Atlanta. Traveling to Bobby Dodd Stadium - home of the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets football team - the top-ranked Irish will battle No. 6 Maryland as part of the Atlanta Lacrosse Invitation on Saturday, March 1. The game between the Irish and Terrapins will be a rematch of last season's national championship, which Notre Dame won, 15-5. The invitational, which will benefit Shootout for Soldiers, will also feature a matchup between Mercer and Drexel. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame Men's Basketball HC Micah Shrewsberry went off in his post-game interview after a loss to Louisville, storming out of the room after hitting a microphone. Photo by The Irish Tribune Here's the video below, the interview will play once you click on the video: Video courtesy of Len Clark It was arguably the most fiery interview given by a Notre Dame coach in a long time, possibly ever. Notre Dame fell against Louisville at home last night 75-60. In the interview, Micah Shrewsberry wasted no time letting his thoughts be heard. Coach Shrewsberry talked about several things. From how Louisville fans outnumbered Notre Dame fans in Notre Dame's arena, to how the issues with the team's performance fall on him, not the players. Shrewsberry also noted the work and effort the team has put in, referencing their previous game against Boston College, arriving home at five in the morning, then proceeding to go to class just hours later. Fans and media have mixed opinions about not only the team's overall performance but Micah Shrewsberry himself. One thing the former Penn State coach has been known for is his passion for winning and his fiery attitude, as shown this past Sunday. We'll be putting out more content regarding this, but I believe this is a flip-switch moment for this team if that video gives any indication. I believe one thing for certain, a ticked-off Micah Shrewsberry is a lot scarier to play against than a happy Micah Shrewsberry. Let us know your thoughts. Notre Dame hosts SMU this Wednesday Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo has helped Notre Dame become the second-ranked team in college basketball and elevated herself into the national spotlight. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The No. 2 Notre Dame women's basketball team is must-see TV. The talented guard trio of Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and Sonia Citron have been the backbone to the Irish's 17-game winning streak that has vaulted Notre Dame up the polls to No. 2. While the wizardry of Miles and the defensive prowess of Citron have elevated their draft stock, the true star of the team lives within the fiery nature of the 5'6" guard from Merchantville, N.J.: Hannah Hidalgo. Last year, Hidalgo burst on the scene in her freshman campaign, scoring 31 points in her debut against the eventual national champion South Carolina Gamecocks, before establishing herself as a household name within the women's college basketball realm. Hidalgo cemented herself as one of the sport's best players in Notre Dame's 82-67 win against No. 8 UConn in Storrs, Conn. as Hidalgo's 34-point effort established Notre Dame's legitimacy in the 2023-24 season. With Olivia Miles being sidelined the entirety of last year, Hidalgo matured quickly as she led Notre Dame to a Sweet Sixteen run before losing to Oregon State. She was also awarded the 2024 Dawn Staley Award, which highlights the best guard in college basketball, over first-overall pick, Caitlin Clark. With the re-emergence of Miles, Maddy Westbeld, and the transfer portal acquisition of Liatu King, Niele Ivey's team is at full strength and destined for a deep run in this year's installment of March Madness. Yet, even with such a tremendous amount of talent, Hannah Hidalgo still finds a way to be a star on both ends of the court. This season, Hidalgo is currently averaging 25.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.1 steals per game. Her 25.2 points per game ranks second in the country, while she is currently tied for first in steals per game as well. While the stats clearly demonstrate how effective she is both offensively and defensively, it is the heart and passion that Hidalgo plays with that is so captivating to watch. Her fiery personality and emotion-filled performances bring out the best in her game, as she has averaged 27.7 points in games against AP Top 10 teams this season (USC, Texas, UConn). She has also outshined the game's brightest stars through these performances. She outplayed USC's star JuJu Watkins in the Irish's early season victory against USC in Los Angeles. She outlasted Madison Booker and the Texas Longhorns in the Irish's overtime victory in South Bend. Then, Hidalgo put together her best performance of the season against Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies as Hannah accounted for 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in a win over the No. 2 team. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. Much of the Fighting Irish's success this season is a testament to the team and the depth that Ivey has fostered at Notre Dame. If not for Hidalgo's excellence, Miles, Citron, Westbeld, and King would all be superstars, and headliner players at most Top 25 programs. Ivey's team is so well-coached and developed that the Irish should be locked into a first seed when Selection Sunday comes around next month. However, Notre Dame has not had a Naismith Women's College Player of the Year in 24 years, since Ruth Riley won the award in 2001. While Bueckers is shoed-in as the first overall pick in next year's draft and Watkins receives all of the national attention on the West Coast, it is hard to argue that there is a more impactful player on both ends of the court than the superstar Sophomore guard for the Irish. As Notre Dame gets ready to take on No. 13 Duke tomorrow at Purcell Pavilion before playing in front of ESPN College Gameday in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday, Feb. 23 against No. 10 NC State, Hannah Hidalgo will be center-stage to showcase herself as the frontrunner for the Naismith award. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Irish Hockey came up just short in both meetings at Penn State this past weekend, extending their losing streak to four. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Friday: 3-5 Loss The story of the first period was six penalties called, including four on the Irish in what was a testy twenty minutes. Despite struggling to generate any offense, Notre Dame played well until the last four minutes of the frame. With 3:59 remaining, the Nittany Lions scored two goals in 41 seconds. They then added a power play goal with 10 seconds left in the period following a roughing penalty on Brennan Ali to extend their lead to three. While being on the penalty kill for nearly half the period, the Irish offense notched just four shots on goal in the frame. Notre Dame found their offense in the second period when Carter Slaggert found the back of the net just over five minutes into the frame. Hunter Strand and Grant Silianoff, who was playing in his 150th game with the Irish, were credited with assists.  Under four minutes later, Ali beat the Nittany Lions’ goalie to cut the Irish deficit to 2-3. Jimmy Jurcev and Ian Murphy earned assists on the confidence-boosting goal nearly midway through the period. With just three seconds remaining in the second period, the Irish gave up a shorthanded goal to Penn State’s Dane Dowiak, his second score of the game, to extend the Nittany Lions lead to 4-2 entering the final frame. The Irish answered right away in the third period when Blake Biondi netted a power play goal under a minute into the frame. Biondi’s 11th goal of the season made it a 3-4 game, and Justin Janicke and Paul Fischer were credited with assists. Unfortunately, Penn State owned the remainder of the period as they outshot the Irish 10-9 and added an empty-netter with 1:08 left to secure the Nittany Lions 5-3 victory.  Irish Star(s): Owen Say: 4 goals against, 32 saves Key Stats: Shots: PSU (37) - ND (27) Power Play Success: ND (1-4) - PSU (1-5) Penalty Minutes: ND (10) - PSU (8) Faceoffs Won: PSU (33) - ND (26) Blocked Shots: PSU (12) - ND (9) Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Saturday: 2-3 Loss Notre Dame failed to take advantage of a mistake-driven Nittany Lions squad in the first period. Penn State tallied just five shots in the frame; however, with 2:23 to play, Danny Dzhaniyev put the home squad on top 1-0 as he got one past Say. The Irish managed just seven shots in the period and failed to capitalize on two power play opportunities (the latter penalty continued into the second period).  The Irish flipped the script in the second period as Biondi added his second power play goal of the weekend following a game misconduct called against Penn St. This game-tying goal was assisted by Cole Knuble and Danny Nelson. Penn State responded with 4:55 remaining in the period as they claimed a 2-1 advantage following Nicholas DeGraves’ goal.  In the final period, Nelson matched Penn State’s game misconduct about six minutes into the frame when he was tossed for an illegal cross check. The Nittany Lions made the Irish pay for this as they netted one past Say less than 30 seconds after the penalty to extend their lead to 3-1.  With the Irish still shorthanded following Nelson’s major penalty, Janicke gave the visitors some life when he finished a nice pass from Knuble to cut their deficit to one with about ten minutes left in the contest. Along with Knuble, Michael Mastrodomenico was awarded an assist on Janicke’s second score of the year. Notre Dame failed to find another game-tying goal in the last ten minutes despite outshooting the Nittany Lions 16-8 in the period.  Irish Star(s): Cole Knuble: 2 assists, 3 shots, +1 Key Stats: Shots: ND (38) - PSU (28) Power Play Success: PSU (1-3) - ND (1-4) Penalty Minutes: PSU (21) - ND (19) Faceoffs Won: PSU (38) - ND (22) Blocked Shots: PSU (14) - ND (9) The Irish travel to Madison next weekend for a series with the Wisconsin Badgers. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish Men’s Basketball team ended their three-game skid with a 97-94 road victory in Chestnut Hill on Wednesday that required two extra periods. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics In the first half, Boston College shot the lights out, knocking down 7-12 three-point attempts from five different players. The Eagles’ well-rounded effort gave them a 41-35 advantage heading into the half. For Notre Dame, Markus Burton led the charge on offense with 10 points including a three in his 16 minutes played. Perhaps one reason for the Irish’s eventual win was their ability to stay away from fouling, as the Eagles missed their lone free throw attempt of the half. On the counter, Notre Dame shot 4-6 from the stripe, marking four huge points in a game that ended with the Irish winning by just three. The Irish finished the first half shooting 48.3% from the field and 37.5% from three. In addition to these subpar shooting splits, they were also outscored 16-8 in bench points; Boston College’s Fred Payne outscored the Irish bench himself as he poured in nine points on 3-4 shooting from deep in just nine minutes played off the bench. Boston College came out hot after the break, tying their largest lead of 14 points with 14:10 remaining in the game. The Irish comeback was led by Burton’s 14 second-half points on 6-8 shooting from the field. He scored the last four Irish points including two clutch free throws with 26 seconds to play to tie the game at 80 and ultimately force overtime. Behind Burton, Tae Davis contributed 12 points (4-7 FGs) and Braeden Shrewsberry added 11 including two threes in the second half. The Eagles’ offense was led by Chad Venning who scored 13 points on 6-9 shooting from the field. Notably, it was his foul on Burton that allowed the game to go to overtime. Burton and Venning traded buckets to open the first overtime to tie the game up at 82 with 3:33 remaining. Burton knocked down two free throws and then Kebba Njie went 1-2 from the stripe to give the Irish a three-point lead with 1:26 to play. Unfortunately, the Eagles’ Donald Hand Jr. buried a three on the next possession to bring the score to 85 apiece. Burton and Venning then exchanged missed jumpers to force a second overtime. Get the scoop before your friends with Tribune+ Both offenses came back to life in the second overtime as the sides began trading baskets to open the frame. It was Davis who added four points on back-to-back possessions and extended the Irish lead to five with 2:38 to play. The Eagles stormed back with a 6-0 run to put the home squad up 94-93 with 1:20 left. Following careless Boston College offensive possessions and missed Burton free throws, Njie put back a Burton missed layup to give the Irish a 95-94 lead with 16 seconds remaining. Burton made up for his prior missed free throws with two makes to ice the game with one second left in the contest, finally ending the Irish’s three-game skid. The Irish star finished with a new career-high 32 points as this win marked the largest comeback in Notre Dame’s Coach Shrewsberry era. Key Player Stats: Markus Burton: 32 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, +8, 46 minutes played Tae Davis: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, +3, 48 minutes played Kebba Njie: 7 points (3-4 FGs), 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, +6, 30 minutes played Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: BC (54%) - ND (47%) Three Point Percentage: BC (48%) - ND (30%) Turnovers: BC (13) - ND (9)Total Rebounds: ND (40) - BC (34) Second Chance Points: ND (20) - BC (6) This Sunday, the Irish are set to host the Louisville Cardinals, one of the best teams in the ACC this year. We will see if Notre Dame can carry this double-overtime victory momentum into a date against a talented opponent this weekend. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

As Notre Dame continues its search for their next GM, the recruiting and evaluation side of things has not slowed down in the interim. I recently did a scouting report on WR Brayden Robinson, who was a Junior Day visitor. Now, we will look to the other side of the ball at a prospect who was also in attendance for that all-important recruiting event - Simeon Caldwell. Photograph by Christian Schultz (@schultz.media) Simeon Caldwell is a four-star LB/S out of Jacksonville, Florida who in addition to Notre Dame, has received major interest from some of the big names in college football such as Ohio State and Georgia. The 2026 standout visited South Bend on multiple occasions last season, and Junior Day was the latest attempt for the Fighting Irish to get him more comfortable with the coaching staff, especially amid some ongoing changes on the defensive side of the ball. He is a very versatile player, and the film matches the hype. I want to go through some of the critical factors and position-specific traits that make him special, and as always they will be graded on a scale of 1 (Poor) to 7 (Elite). Let's get into it! Athletic Ability: Very Good (6) Caldwell possesses very good acceleration and closing speed. He is a sideline to sideline player and can cover ground in a hurry from the backside of plays, which allows him to always be around the ball. He displays the type of movement skills and open-field awareness that make him a threat to take turnovers to the house. His athletic ability has also been on display on special teams. His ability to bend and flatten has led to him blocking multiple kicks, and he also returned a blocked kick for a touchdown. Although not generally lined up as a deep kick returner, Caldwell has been the recipient of some squib kicks as an up-man and has turned them into chunk plays. He also fits well on coverage units due to his speed and big-hit ability. Run Support: Elite (7) Caldwell is very comfortable playing up near the line of scrimmage. His mental processing is very good and he's able to key run plays quickly post snap. Caldwell does an excellent job of maintaining his leverage vs outside runs like jet sweeps and tosses, forcing the play back inside when he isn't making the tackle himself. He has good play strength and can stack and shed WRs and TEs at the point of attack when fitting the run. He consistently shows good pursuit, chasing down plays going away from him. My favorite thing about this part of his game is his ability to break down in space and be a sure tackler. Caldwell keeps his eyes up and runs through ball carriers. Whether Notre Dame plans on using him as a linebacker or a safety, he will be an asset when it comes to stopping the run. Coverage Ability: Good (5) This trait can easily be higher come the end of his senior year, but as of now, I just didn't see enough reps of him playing from a deep zone to be able to grade it as elite. What I did see was someone who possesses some good route recognition, and knows when to attach to a WR crossing his face. Caldwell shows enough coverage ability to be lined up in man in condensed areas like the red zone and has the ball skills to disrupt catches. He reads the QBs eyes in zone coverage and is never out of position. He is fluid in his drop and knows when to flip his hips and go. Caldwell also possesses the ability to turn overthrows into interceptions. This will be an area to watch, because if he can put more positive coverage reps on film, it will boost his stock greatly. Pass Rush/ Blitz: Good (5) Whether coming down into the box as a blitzing safety, or lining up as an outside linebacker, Caldwell's ability to rush the QB is an area of strength. He shows very good timing off the snap, which allows him to utilize his speed and blow by offensive tackles. He avoids chip blocks and takes a good angle to the QB consistently. Once he gets home, he wraps up and knows how to finish. Another day, another big time defensive recruit squarely on Notre Dame's radar. They continue to do an excellent job reloading, and not allowing positions of strength to take a step back talent-wise. Simeon Caldwell would be an excellent addition to help keep that element going and will be a big catch for whatever program lands him. Already a Top-5 2026 LB, I look forward to revisiting his senior film next season and seeing what areas of his game have improved even more. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

It's no secret that the road to a national title goes through South Bend. And while the Fighting Irish lost a handful of key players from last season's title-winning squad -- the second in as many tries -- Kevin Corrigan's group reloaded in a big way. That talent was on display Wednesday in South Bend, as the Irish began their quest for a third-straight championship. Photo by University of Notre Dame Athletics Spearheaded by the play of Tewaaraton Award candidate Jake Taylor and last season’s leading goal scorer Chris Kavanagh, the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team picked up an emphatic victory over Cleveland State on Wednesday night in South Bend.   The 24-6 triumph for the top-ranked Irish -- who return seven of their top 10 scorers from last season’s title-winning team, including Taylor, Kavanagh, Devon McLane, and Jordan Faison – was the first on a 2025 schedule that includes top 20 showdowns against No. 2 Syracuse, Maryland (No. 6), Virginia (7), North Carolina (11), Georgetown (15), Pennsylvania (13), and Michigan (19).   Despite the departures of Pat Kavanagh -- who became the first Irish player to win the Tewaaraton last season -- and two-time NCAA First Team All-American netminder Liam Entenmann, the blue and gold picked up where they left off following 2024’s 16-win campaign.   Early goals from Kavanagh (4G, 5A) and Taylor -- the latter of who finished the night with seven markers -- set the tone for head coach Kevin Corrigan’s squad. And once the Irish found their groove, there was no looking back. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. Leading 3-0 less than five minutes into the game, Notre Dame increased that advantage to 7-2 by quarters end, with Taylor finding the back of the net twice more, while Kavanagh and graduate faceoff Colin Hagstrom aided in the barrage.   That five-goal deficit was as close as the Vikings would get the rest of the way, as the Irish grabbed a 15-2 lead heading into halftime, and maintained that cushion at the end of the third frame (19-6).   Supporting the victory was the play of the faceoff unit, where Notre Dame won 20 of 33 battles at midfield. Will Lynch, who collected over 61-percent of his faceoffs a season ago, picked up seven faceoffs in nine tries on the night, with Hagstrom winning seven of his 12 opportunities.   Junior Thomas Ricciardelli (five saves and three goals allowed in 38 minutes of action) and senior Alex Zepf (four saves and three goals allowed in 18 minutes) shared time between the pipes, aiding Notre Dame’s strong effort on the defensive end.   With the win, Notre Dame improved to 5-0 all-time against Cleveland State. Even more impressive, however, is the fact that the victory was the program’s 23rd-straight on opening day.   What’s Next for the Irish?   Notre Dame hosts Marquette on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Noon ET in South Bend. Following a week off, the blue and gold will then travel to Washington, D.C., for a date with No. 15-ranked Georgetown. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team is fighting for history this season, starting ACC play at 12-0, its best start in nine years. On the other hand, the men’s team is fighting to stay out of the cellar, as they enter the week losers of three straight, most recently at home against Virginia Tech. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Since returning to 10-10 on Jan. 28, the Fighting Irish have not been able to find an answer when it comes to finishing games. From taking an 11-point lead into the half against Miami and losing to being outscored by nine on your home court against Virginia Tech, it’s time to ask questions. Those questions will only get louder if they don’t go on the road and take care of business against Boston College, who is also 10-13 on the season. The Eagles, who have won just one of their last nine games, are led by redshirt sophomore guard Donald Hand Jr. who is not afraid to let the ball fly. In this past Saturday’s triple-overtime loss to Syracuse, Hand attempted 14 threes in 51 minutes of action and knocked down five of them, finishing with 28 points and seven rebounds.   Hand, a 6’5” guard, is averaging 16.2 points per game while shooting at a 40.1% clip from the field, while also grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game. It’s going to be crucial not to lose Hand Jr. on the floor, because if he gets any space he is going to shoot the ball, averaging 11.7 field goal attempts per game. The Irish have done a good job this season of stopping opponents on the three-point line, holding the second-best opponent percentage from deep at 31.1%. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. With two top-five shooting teams from deep facing off, senior forward Chad Venning could sneak through the cracks and perform at a high level down low. He’s averaging 12.7 PPG this season on 55.1% shooting and uses his 6’9” frame to block 1.4 shots per game.   They will have a chance to win a big game at home against Louisville on Sunday and try to salvage what remains of this season. The Cardinals, who enter at 18-6 and third in the ACC, have won 11 of their last 12 games.   Led by Wisconsin transfer Chucky Hepburn, the Cardinals are just one game back of first place, trailing Duke and Clemson. Hepburn, a senior guard from Omaha, Nebraska, is averaging 15 PPG while shooting 42.3% from the field while collecting 6.2 assists which is tied for 14th most in the country. He’s averaging 7.7 assists over his last seven games, including a 16-assist performance against SMU on Jan. 21.   Senior guard Terrance Edwards Jr. has been the main piece for the Cardinals over the last month however, averaging 17.6 PPG since Jan. 11, including two 20-point outings in eight games. The James Madison transfer has scored 20 or more points seven times this season, including Louisville’s last game against Miami where he finished with 27 points and 10 assists. Stopping this tandem is what the game will come down to for the Irish, especially from beyond the arc.   While it is a must-win game for the men’s team, the Notre Dame women’s squad has won 15 straight games over the last two months and is now ranked second in the country. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   They have six games remaining on the schedule, with half of those against ranked opponents. That’s nothing new for the Irish who have won six top-25 matchups this season, including three in the top four. Notre Dame will take on Pittsburgh and number 13 Duke in their next two matchups, with one on the road and the other in Purcell Pavilion.   First on Thursday, the Irish must take care of business on the road against a struggling Pittsburgh Panther team. Despite being ranked 14th in the ACC, they have won their last two games over Boston College and SMU.   The Panthers are led by fifth-year senior forward Khadija Faye, who is in her first season with the team after spending her last four years with Texas Tech and Texas. Faye, who is from Dakar, Senegal, is having a career year, averaging 17.9 PPG in 29.2 minutes per game. Shooting 49.3% from the field, Faye could become a problem for the Irish early, as she’s scored in double figures in each of her last four games, with three double-doubles in that span. She also ranked seventh in the country with 2.7 blocks per game, completing six games with five or more.   Get the scoop before your friends with Tribune+ Outside of Faye, no one jumps off the stat sheet entering their matchup with the Irish. Sophomore guard Mikayla Johnson hasn’t put up the shooting numbers to be looked at as a threat, with just 29.9% of her shots falling. The Panthers have dealt with too many injuries this season to be able to give the Irish their best game. However, it will still be important to stay focused and keep Faye at bay.   The big matchup for Notre Dame comes on Monday as they welcome the number 13 team in the country to Purcell Pavilion in the Duke Blue Devils. They enter South Bend with a 19-5 record while going 10-2 in the ACC, keeping them in third place. Unlike Pittsburgh, the Blue Devils are a healthy team with four players averaging nine or more points per game.                   Their leading scorer, Toby Fournier, is averaging 13.4 PPG on 54.7% shooting and has scored 20 and 24 points in her last two games respectively. The freshman forward from Toronto has been pivotal for the Blue Devils all season long but has seen a dip in numbers when she plays against ranked opponents. In eight games against top 25 teams this season, Fournier is averaging just 8.6 PPG, and that number drops to 5.3 PPG in true road games. Her teammate, junior guard Ashlon Jackson, has been a riser in games against ranked opponents this season. In her eight games against ranked opponents, Jackson is averaging 15 points per game, including a 30-point performance against Kansas State back on Nov. 25. Against North Carolina State on Feb. 3, who is ranked second in the ACC and 10th in the country, Jackson finished with 23 points on 8-25 shooting and knocked down six threes.    Despite going 4-4 in ranked matchups this season, with just one win on the road against Georgia Tech on Jan. 26, the Blue Devils have yet to see the Fournier-Jackson duo thrive in these meetings. Which means they’re due for a big performance. While one of the two is certain to perform well, it’ll be crucial for the Irish to ensure that it isn’t both. Teams have proven this season that they can handle one or the other playing well, but usually not both Fournier and Jackson.   It’ll be a matter of taking care of business for both squads the rest of the week. For the men’s team, they will need to light a spark on the road against Boston College. Follow that up with a big win against Louisville, and you have a chance to make a run and make the season look respectable as they are prepared to welcome the best recruiting class in program history.   For the women’s team, go on the road and beat a team you’re supposed to beat, and then take care of business on Monday against the 13th team in the country. A loss to either one of those teams changes everything with how the standings will shape up for the ACC Tournament and opens the window for another team to sneak in.   It’s all about finding a way to pick up wins this weekend, and it starts tonight for the men’s team as they travel to Boston College at 9 p.m. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Irish Hockey suffered a pair of 5-1 losses at home this weekend to a ranked Buckeyes squad, completing a season sweep of Notre Dame for Ohio State.  Photo by The Irish Tribune Friday Notre Dame got on the board first thanks to a power play goal from Blake Biondi. The forward’s tenth score of the season came 17:31 into the first period following a tripping call on the Buckeyes. Cole Knuble and Paul Fischer were credited with assists on the PPG.  Ohio State tied the game up less than a minute later after Davis Burnside beat Irish Goalie Owen Say to make it a 1-1 contest.  The Buckeyes added two goals in the second in a 2:02 span with under five minutes remaining in the period to give themselves a 3-1 lead. Ryan Gordon’s first of his two goals on the night when he got one past Say 16:42 into the period would end up being the game-winner.  In the final period, despite four power play opportunities for the Irish, they could not find the back of the net as they managed just four shots in the 6:13 with a man advantage. The Buckeyes added two goals in the final minute including an empty-netter and Gordon scored his second of the night with 26 seconds to play in the contest to secure their 5-1 win. Key Player Stats: Blake Biondi (ND): 1 goal on 3 shots, 1 blocked shot Ryan Gordon (OSU): 2 goals, 1 blocked shot, +2 Key Team Stats: Shots: OSU (32) - ND (28) Power Play Success: ND (1-5) - OSU (0-3) Penalty Minutes: OSU (10) - ND (6) Faceoffs Won: ND (36) - OSU (27) Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Saturday If you just looked at the box scores from this weekend’s series you might experience deja vu considering they show the exact same results. Notre Dame scores first but Ohio State ties it up before the end of the first period, then the Buckeyes add two goals in the second, and finally two more goals in the third to put the icing on the cake for the visitors.  Danny Nelson put the Irish up 1-0 9:50 into the game when he beat the Buckeye goalie for his 11th goal of the season. Brennan Ali and Fischer earned assists on the game-opening score.  A testy first period featuring six penalties (three on each team) ended with a game-tying power play goal from the Buckeyes’ Gunnarwolfe Fontaine with under two minutes to play. The Irish were a man down following a kneeing call on Zach Plucinski.  9:37 into the second period, Ohio State’s Sam Deckhut was awarded a goal after barrelling into Irish goaltender Nicholas Kempf. After review, the officials allowed the goal and gave Deckhut a penalty for charging the goaltender. As unfair as this appeared, it was far from the only reason Notre Dame lost on Saturday.  Burnside gave the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead with 2:30 left in the second period.  In the third, Ohio State added two goals about midway through the period in a 1:58 span. A large credit for Saturday’s win should be given to OSU goalie Logan Terness who finished with 41 saves in the 5-1 victory. Key Player Stats: Danny Nelson (ND): 1 goal on 9 shots Davis Burnside (OSU): 1 goal on 3 shots, 2 assists, +2 Gunnarwolf Fontaine (OSU): 1 goal on 4 shots, 1 assist, +1 Logan Terness (OSU): 41 saves, 1 goal against Key Team Stats: Shots: ND (42) - OSU (30) Power Play Success: OSU (1-2) - ND (0-3) Penalty Minutes: OSU (12) - ND (10) Blocked Shots: ND (13) - OSU (10) Faceoffs Won: ND (32) - OSU (23) Notre Dame hits the road next weekend for a series with Penn State, whom the Irish split with in early January as a part of The Frozen Confines. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

On Sunday, the Irish Women’s Basketball team faced their biggest test since mid-January and passed with flying colors as they buried the top-25 ranked California Golden Bears 91-52 in South Bend.  Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The first quarter was a true team effort as eight different Irish scorers got on the board, led by four points from both Sonia Citron and Kate Koval. Cal’s Lulu Twidale led all scorers with six points on two three-pointers, however, the Irish managed a 22-15 lead heading into the second quarter.  Notre Dame put together a fairly dominant second quarter performance as they outscored the Golden Bears 22-8 in the frame. The Irish forced six turnovers and Cal could not buy a bucket as they shot 0-6 from three and 26.7% from the field during the quarter. Maddy Westbeld paced the Irish offense with six points on 3-3 shooting from the field as the home team brought a 44-23 lead into the half.  Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off In the first half, Notre Dame outscored Cal in second-chance points 15-0 and bench points 10-0 as the Golden Bears struggled offensively in these first 20 minutes. The Irish stayed hot in the third quarter as they outscored Cal 28-12 in the ten minutes. Notre Dame’s talented trio of Citron, Olivia Miles, and Hannah Hidalgo lit it up as they combined for 24 of the team’s 28 points. Miles led the way with 10 including two threes. She also added three assists and two rebounds in the quarter. The Irish closed the period on an 18-2 run to take a 72-35 lead into the final frame.   Hidalgo heated up in the final quarter as she led all scorers with nine points including a three on 4-7 shooting from the field. Cal found a little rhythm late as they shot 3-6 from three, but the Irish still managed to outscore the Golden Bears 19-17 in the final quarter to secure the 39-point victory.  Key Player Stats: Hannah Hidalgo: 24 points (10-20 FGs, 4-5 3FGs), 5 assists, 3 steals, +28 Olivia Miles: 16 points (7-12 FGs), 7 rebounds, 6 assists, +26 Sonia Citron: 16 points (7-9 FGs), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, +32 Liatu King: 8 points (3-6 FGs), 13 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, +35 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (56%) - Cal (32%) Three Point Percentage: ND (50%) - Cal (29%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (100%) - Cal (60%) Turnovers: Cal (21) - ND (15) Points Off Turnovers: ND (25) - Cal (12) Total Rebounds: ND (43) - Cal (30) Second Chance Points: ND (21) - Cal (4) Bench Points: ND (18) - Cal (5) This ranked domination helped the Irish move up one spot to number two nationally in the AP Women’s Basketball Poll, which is released every Monday.  Up next, the Irish travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers on Thursday. Following, Notre Dame is set for a primetime home matchup on Presidents Day with the 13th-ranked Duke Blue Devils. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun