ND Sports Stories
Updated February 5, 2012
Dear Classmates,
For the latest happenings in ND sports, click on the link of your choice (or one at a time, each of them). You will be amazed at "everything you ever wanted to know" -- right before your eyes... enjoy.
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John Manion
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Men finish season with 29-6 record, while women end 25-6
  Grace Hartman posted 12 total victories at the Northwestern Duals to lead the way for the women's foil squad.
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The University of Notre Dame fencing team concluded the regular season with a total of 12 bout victories Saturday at the Northwestern Duals at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion.
After earning five match victories in their six bouts on the day, the Irish men's squad, ranked fourth nationally, finished the regular season with a record of 29-6, while the women, ranked third, used victories in seven of their eight bouts to conclude with a 25-6 mark.
The men recorded three wins with relative ease on the day, defeating UC San Diego 18-9 and North Carolina 21-6 before shutting out Cal Tech later in the day 27-0. The remaining three matchups came down to the final bouts with the Irish prevailing in two of those contests. The squad pulled out victories in their matchups against Duke (16-11) and Stanford (15-12), while falling in heartbreaking fashion to Princeton, 14-13. In their matchup with the Tigers, the outcome came down to an epee bout between James Kaull (Washington, D.C.) of the Irish and Jonathan Yergler of Princeton with Yergler emerging with a 5-3 victory to clinch the win.
Kaull, while losing a tough match to Yergler, still led the way for the epee unit on the day, finishing with an 8-3 record and going a perfect 3-0 against North Carolina. Reggie Bentley (Little Rock, Ark.) posted nine wins on the day to lead the men's foilists, while an 11-2 performance by Kevin Hassett (Beaverton, Ore.) paced the sabre.
On the women's side, five of the eight victories saw the Irish defeat their opponent while holding them to 10 points or less in the match with those wins coming against North Carolina (17-10), Stanford (21-6), UC San Diego (20-7), Cal Tech (26-1) and Stevens Tech (17-10). The remaining three contests saw a pair of 14-13 decisions and a 15-12 margin with the Irish emerging victorious in two of the three bouts.
Trailing 13-10 against Temple, the Irish used a ferocious comeback that saw the squad claim each of the final four foil bouts, including three in overtime, to secure the narrow 14-13 win. Luck was not so kind in the other 14-13 decision however, as Duke used three overtime victories to pull out the one-point win. The final close call of the day came against Princeton but aided by a 7-2 showing by the foil squad the Irish emerged with a 15-12 victor in the match.
Diane Zielinski (Bernardsville, N.J.) finished as the front-runner for the women's epee squad after posting a total of nine wins. Grace Hartman (St. Paul, Minn.) led the charge for foil after concluding with a 12-2 mark, while Marta Stepien's (South Amboy, N.J.) 10-1 ledger paced the sabre.
The Irish now welcome a near-month long break from NCAA competition as they gear up for the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships, which will take place on the campus of the University of Notre Dame on March 3-4.
Northwestern Duals Results - Henry Crown Sports Pavilion:Men - 5-1: Notre Dame def. Duke 16-11 (E: 5-4, F: 5-4, S: 6-3) Notre Dame def. UC San Diego 18-9 (E: 3-6, F: 7-2, S: 8-1) Notre Dame def. North Carolina 21-6 (E: 7-2, F: 7-2, S: 7-2) Princeton def. Notre Dame 14-13 (E: 4-5, F: 5-4, S: 4-5) Notre Dame def. Cal Tech 27-0 (E: 9-0, F: 9-0, S: 9-0) Notre Dame def. Stanford 15-12 (E: 3-6, F: 4-5, S: 8-1)
Women - 7-1: Notre Dame def. North Carolina 17-10 (E: 4-5, F: 8-1, S: 5-4) Duke def. Notre Dame 14-13 (E: 2-7, F: 7-2, S: 4-5) Notre Dame def. Stanford 21-6 (E: 6-3, F: 9-0, S: 6-3) Notre Dame def. UC San Diego 20-7 (E: 5-4, F: 8-1, S: 7-2) Notre Dame def. Temple 14-13 (E: 2-7, F: 6-3, S: 6-3) Notre Dame def. Cal Tech 26-1 (E: 8-1, F: 9-0, S: 9-0) Notre Dame def. Princeton 15-12 (E: 5-4, F: 7-2, S: 3-6) Notre Dame def. Stevens Tech 17-10 (E: 2-7, F: 8-1, S: 7-2)
Falcons get two third-period goals for come-from-behind win.
 Freshman Robbie Russo scored his fourth goal of the season in the 3-2 loss to Bowling Green.
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Notre Dame, Ind. - Freshmen center Ryan Carpenter scored twice in the third period to wipe out a 2-1 Notre Dame lead and give Bowling Green to a 3-2 win over the Irish on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 5,022 at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
The Irish built their 2-1 lead on power play goals by defensemen Robbie Russo and Stephen Johns. Camden Wojtala had Bowling Green's third goal of the night.
The loss hurt Notre Dame's bid to move up in the CCHA standings as the Irish fell to 16-11-3 on the season and 11-8-3-0 in the CCHA, good for 36 points. With six games left in the regular season, Notre Dame is tied for fourth place in the conference with Miami and Ohio State and trail third-place Michigan (38) by two points in the standings. The Irish are now five points behind first-place Ferris State.
The win improves Bowling Green to 9-16-5 on the year and 4-14-4-3 in the CCHA.
"It was very frustrating, but we had plenty of chances to score goals and we didn't," said Irish coach Jeff Jackson following the game.
"We lacked the ability to finish tonight. It's happened to us a lot this year. We have the guys who have the ability to finish but we just aren't putting the puck in."
The Irish dominated play early in the opening period and had out shot the Falcons, 7-1, when they finally broke through on goaltender Andrew Hammond with a power play goal at 10:28 from Russo off a face off in the Bowling Green zone.
Center T.J. Tynan won the draw in the right circle back to Anders Lee at the top of the circle. Lee quickly moved it to the left point to Russo who drilled a shot that beat Hammond over his glove and into the upper right corner for the fourth goal of his rookie season. With assists on the play, Tynan and Lee extended their point streaks to four and five games respectively.
Bowling Green tied the game at 17:07 on Wojtala's seventh goal of the season. Left wing Adam Berkle, who had two assists in the game, took a hit at center ice but made the lead pass to Bryce Williamson for a two-on-one chance with Wojtala. The sophomore center snapped a shot from the slot that beat Irish goaltender Steven Summerhays through the five hole to even the score at 1-1.
The Irish finished the first period with a 13-8 shot advantage.
"I thought we were playing really well early in the game and then the whole game changed when we made a bad decision on a step up in the neutral zone and they tied the game and then we took a bad penalty on the same shift and that's when the whole game changed," said Jackson.
Notre Dame would take a 2-1 lead in the second period on a power-play goal by Johns. Aside from that goal, neither team mustered much offense as the Irish had a 5-4 advantage on the shot clock.
With Marc Rodriguez off for holding, right wing David Gerths chipped the puck up the left boards to defenseman Shayne Taker who moved it across to Johns on the right point. The sophomore defenseman fired a shot on goal that beat Hammond through his pads for his fourth goal of the season. The Irish were two-for-eight on the power play in the game.
"It was a great pass from Shayne Taker," said Johns.
"The goalie came out and his feet where open and I shot it through his legs. I think he got a little of the puck and I got a fortunate bounce and it found the back of the net."
The Irish took the 2-1 lead into the third period and were 12-1-1 this season when leading after two periods. The Falcons would change that.
Carpenter got his first of goal of the third period at 5:17 when he combined with defenseman Jake Sloat on a two-on-one. Sloat went wide down the right side and found Carpenter alone in front and the freshman fired it into a wide open net for his seventh goal of the season to tie things at 2-2.
Bowling Green dominated the attack in the third as the Falcons would out shoot the Irish, 12-4, in the final period.
With time running down in the third, the Falcons took the lead at 18:22 when Carpenter scored off a scramble in the slot, wristing a shot past Summerhays to give Bowling Green the 3-2 advantage. The goal was his eighth of the season.
Notre Dame was not done though as the Irish pulled Summerhays for a sixth attacker but couldn't get the attack organized until the final seconds when a pass from behind the net found Riley Sheahan in front. The junior let go a shot with 0.2 seconds left that appeared labeled for the upper corner but Hammond came up with the glove save to seal the win for Bowling Green.
The Falcons out shot the Irish, 24-22, in the game. Hammond finished with 20 saves while Summerhays made 21.
Notre Dame returns to action on Feb. 10-11 with a home-and-home series versus first-place Ferris State. Friday's game is at the Compton Family Ice Arena while Saturday's contest will be played in Big Rapids, Mich.
GAME SUMMARY 1 2 3 - F Bowling Green (9-16-5/4-14-4-3) 1 0 2 - 3 #6/#8 Notre Dame (16-11-3/11-8-3-0) 1 1 0 - 2Scoring First Period: ND: Robbie Russo 4 (Anders Lee, T.J. Tynan), PPG, 10:28; BGSU: Camden Wojtala 7 (Bryce Williamson, Adam Berkle), 17:07.
Penalties: BGSU: 5 for 10 minutes; ND: 4 for 8 minutes.
Second Period: ND: Stephen Johns 4 (Shayne Taker, David Gerths), PPG, 2:50.
Penalties: BGSU: 5 for 18 minutes; ND: 1 for 2 minutes.
Third Period: BGSU: Ryan Carpenter 7 (Jake Sloat, Connor Kucera), 5:17; BGSU: Carpenter 8 (Berkle, Dan DeSalvo), 18:22.
Penalties: BGSU: 0 for 0 minutes; ND: 0 for 0 minutes.
Shots On Goal: Bowling Green 8 - 4 - 12 - 24 Notre Dame 13 - 5 - 4 - 22Goaltender Saves: BGSU: Andrew Hammond (60:00) 12 - 4 - 4 - 20 ND: Steven Summerhays (58:54) 7 - 4 - 10 - 21
Power Plays: BGSU: 0 for 4 ND: 2 for 8
Attendance: 5,022 (sellout)
Notre Dame defeats five ranked opponents this season
 Notre Dame forward Jack Cooley, right, hip bumps with red shirt center Garrick Sherman.
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Photo Gallery 2
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Notre Dame coach Mike Brey thought his team took big strides in its development Saturday.
Freshman Pat Connaughton had 23 points and 11 rebounds as Notre Dame made 11 3-pointers and beat No. 15 Marquette 76-59.
"I told them in one of the last media timeouts, `I feel like I'm coaching men today,"' Brey said. "I thought today we took another step and kind of played like men."
Connaughton shot 5 for 8 on 3s to lead the Irish (15-8, 7-3 Big East) to their fourth straight win. Notre Dame has defeated five ranked opponents this season.
Eric Atkins chipped in 18 points and Jerian Grant had 12 in a strong performance by the Irish backcourt.
We're very cool competitors when we had a chance to put it away. I'm thrilled to see that from this group," Brey said. "We played a heck of a basketball team today."
The loss snapped a seven-game conference winning streak for Marquette (19-5, 8-3). Darius Johnson-Odom scored 10 points for the Golden Eagles in the first half, but was held to just two points the rest of the game.
Vander Blue chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds for Marquette. The Eagles shot just 2 of 13 from 3-point range.
Notre Dame made its move after falling behind 16-12 to the fast-paced Marquette team. The Irish used a 9-0 run with five points coming from Pat Connaughton to lead 21-16 with 6:48 left in the first half. Eric Atkins capped the three-minute run in a blur, flying past the Marquette defense for a fast-break layup.
Johnson-Odom helped the Golden Eagles keep pace with Notre Dame while the offense shot just 36.7 percent in the first half. Johnson-Odom scored 10 points and Blue added eight points and four rebounds.
Marquette coach Buzz Williams pointed to poor perimeter defense as the difference in the game.
Davante Gardner, who normally starts for the Golden Eagles, was sidelined for the second-straight game with a knee injury.
"We couldn't guard them off the bounce," Williams said. "They repeatedly put us in rotation which is why they shot as many threes as they did."
Connaughton led a balanced Irish attack in the first half with eight points as Notre Dame went into the break with a 30-26 lead. The traditionally slow-paced Irish scored four fast-break points in the first half while holding Marquette to zero.
Notre Dame's first four baskets in the second half came from 3-point range.
"When 3-pointers are falling in this building, it's really hard to beat us," Atkins said. "It was the same way against Syracuse."
Connaughton added: "I hit one 3 that rolled around the rim about six times. Usually when you hit one of those, you know it's going to be a good day."
Connaughton started his fourth-straight game and has started feeling comfortable play increased minutes.
"I'm still a freshman on the stat sheet, but yeah, I think I'm feeling better about it," Connaughton said.
The loss snapped a seven-game, winning streak in the Big East for Marquette. Notre Dame's has won four straight in the conference. Notre Dame has beaten five opponents who were ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game.
"I think our guys are very focused on showing up on selection Sunday," Brey said. "God bless them. They should be because they've put us in this position with their focus and business-like approach to go get it."
Notre Dame won nine of the 13 events on the day.
 Junior Jaime Malandra won the 500 free and finished second in the 1,000 free on Saturday.
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MUNCIE, Ind. - In its final tune-up for the BIG EAST Diving Championships next weekend and the BIG EAST Swimming Championships in two weeks, the Notre Dame women's swimming and diving team won nine events to help the Irish knock off Ball State, 143-100, at Lewellen Aquatic Center in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday.
A balanced attack followed the Irish to Muncie, as only senior Amy Prestinario (50 and 100 free) won multiple individual events. Also picking up wins on the day were Erin Foley (1,000 free), Bridget Casey (200 free), Emma Reaney (200 IM), Jenny Chiang (1-meter dive), Kelly Ryan (100 back) Jaime Malandra (500 free) and the 200 free relay squad composed of Ryan, Prestinario, Courtney Whyte and Kim Holden.
The Irish (6-6) now turn their attention to the BIG EAST Championships, with the divers heading to Pittsburgh, Pa., from Feb. 10-12, and the swimmers following them from Feb. 15-18.
EVENT-BY-EVENT RESULTS
200 Medley Relay: Ball State touched the pad first in the 200 medley relay (1:46.27), before the Irish claimed second and third. Notre Dame's "A" team of Sarah Dotzel, Emma Reaney, Lauren Scott and Suzanne Bessire finished second in 1:47.05, while the "B" team of Courtney Whyte, Lauren Stauder, Kim Holden and Mikelle Masciantonio took third in 1:48.33.
1,000 Free: Freshman Erin Foley won the first race of her Irish career in taking home the 1,000 free title. The Foxboro, Mass., native pulled away from the field to win in 10:32.73. Junior Jaime Malandra took second in 10:39.11.
200 Free: Freshman Bridget Casey continued her winning ways, taking the 200 free in 1:54.87. Junior Gracie Fredlake finished third in 1:56.45.
50 Free: Senior Amy Prestinario won the 50 free in 24.46, while fellow co-captain Lauren Scott took third in 24.66.
200 IM: Freshman Emma Reaney won the 200 IM for the fifth time on the year on Saturday, as she dominated the field, winning by over four seconds in 2:04.67.
1-Meter Dive: Junior Jenny Chiang won the 1-meter dive in comfortable fashion, scoring 299.77 points to outdistance teammate Jordan Russell (261.97) by almost 38 points.
100 Fly: Ball State picked up its second win on the day in the 100 fly as Haley Richter touched the pad in 55.88. Junior Kim Holden was the first Irish swimmer to finish (56.03), with Melissa Scott (58.22) following right behind.
100 Free: Prestinario picked up her second win of the day, taking the 100 free title in 52.33.
100 Back: Sophomore Kelly Ryan continued her strong performance in the 100 back, winning in 57.56. Reaney was hot on her heals, finishing second in 58.48.
500 Free: Malandra won the 500 free after placing second in the 1,000 free. The Allentown, Pa., product touched the wall in 5:07.90. Teammates Fredlake (5:10.14) and Foley (5:10.78) followed closely behind in second and third, respectively.
3-Meter Dive: After winning the 1-meter dive earlier in the meet, Chiang finished as the runner-up in the 3-meter dive (295.12) by just 1.55 points.
100 Breast: Sophomore Christen McDonough (1:05.66) just missed out on first in the 100 breast, falling to Bridgette Ruehl (1:05.26) by just .40 seconds.
200 Free Relay: The Irish closed out the meet in style, winning the 200 free relay by just over a second. The Notre Dame team of Ryan, Prestinario, Whyte and Holden touched the pad in 1:37.08.
The junior highlighted a day that saw one meet record, one Notre Dame record and one Loftus record fall.
 Sophomore Aijah Urssery won the 60m dash on Saturday.
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. - On a day where student-athletes were putting up blistering times and marks, Notre Dame junior Jeremy Rae shined bright as he went under four minutes in the elite Meyo Mile for the second year in a row as the 25th annual Meyo Invitational came to an end on Saturday at the Loftus Sports Center.
Rae, who went 3:59.62 last season to take the crown, did himself one better on Saturday, as he roared back from a last-lap deficit to cross the line at 3:59.31 as 2,316 fans cheered him on.
The Fort Erie, Ontario native wasn't the only Irish performer to stand out as three others and a relay team picked up victories.
Reigning BIG EAST indoor and outdoor 400m champion Patrick Feeney broke the Notre Dame school record in the event , crossing the finish line in 46.73, just beating out freshman teammate Chris Giesting (46.80) by .07. The old record of 47.01 was set by Eric Postel in 2004.
On the women's side, freshman hurdler Kaila Barber won the 60m hurdles and sophomore sprinter Aijah Urssery claimed the 60m dash title.
Closing out the meet with a victory was the men's 4x400m relay team composed of Brendan Dougherty, Feeney, Jarrod Buchanon and Giesting. The quartet trailed entering the final leg, but Giesting surged past conference foe Rutgers in the final 100 meters to take the victory in 3:10.41.
The only meet record of the day also turned out to be a Meyo track record as unattached runner Melissa Bishop went 2:03.72 in the 800m run.
Notre Dame competes in its final meet before the BIG EAST Indoor Championships next weekend as the squad makes its third appearance at Grand Valley State, this time for the Grand Valley Big Meet.
MEET / NOTRE DAME / LOFTUS SPORTS CENTER RECORDS / NCAA AUTO TIMES
Patrick Feeney (400m) - Notre Dame Record
Melissa Bishop (800m) - Meet / Track Record - NCAA Auto Time - 2:03.72
Paul Chelimo (3,000m) - NCAA Auto Time - 7:49.87
Andrew Bayer (3,000m) - NCAA Auto Time - 7:50.23
IRISH VICTORIES
Jeremy Rae (Meyo Mile)
Kaila Barber (60m Hurdles)
Aijah Urssery (60m)
Patrick Feeney (400m)
Men's 4x400m Relay Team
EVENT-BY-EVENT RESULTS (TOP EIGHT FINISHERS ONLY)
MEN
Meyo Mile
Rae secured his second Meyo Mile title as he came from behind on the final lap to break the elusive four minute mark for the second year in a row. His time of 3:59.31 was a BIG EAST qualifying mark and was the 11th sub-4:00 time in the last five years in the Meyo Mile at the Meyo Invitational. Teammate J.P. Malette finished third (4:00.93) in a BIG EAST qualifying time, as did Jordan Carlson (4:04.05), who finished seventh.
400m
Reigning BIG EAST indoor and outdoor 400m champion Patrick Feeney established a new Irish record in the 400m dash, going 46.73. The mark broke the former record of Ryan Postel (47.01) from 2004 and gave him the close victory over teammate Chris Giesting. The freshman went 46.80 to also break the school record. Junior Brendan Dougherty placed fifth in 48.48. All three times were BIG EAST qualifying marks.
4x400m Relay
The 4x400m relay team came from behind to take the title in 3:10.41. The quartet was made up of Dougherty, Feeney, Buchanon and Giesting.
60m
Irish football players and brothers George (III) (6.86) and Josh (6.87) Atkinson placed sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 60m dash, each turning in BIG EAST qualifying marks.
Shot Put
Teammates Andrew Brock (16.80m) and Andrew Hills (16:01m) finished fourth and eighth, respectively, in the shot put, as they each hurled BIG EAST qualifying marks.
800m
Senior Randall Babb placed seventh in the 800m with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 1:50.17.
Triple Jump
Sophomore Logan Renwick turned in a sixth-place finish in the triple jump with a BIG EAST qualifying jump of 14.83m.
200m
J. Atkinson took sixth in the 200m dash in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 21.90.
WOMEN
Meyo Mile
Irish miler Alexa Aragon placed fifth in the Meyo Mile with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 4:43.88.
60m Hurdles
The Irish went one-two in the 60m hurdles, as freshman Kayla Barber won the event in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 8.44. Teammate Nevada Sorenson finished second in 8.59, which was also a BIG EAST qualifying mark.
60m
Sophomore Aijah Urssery won the 60m dash with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 7.48.
3,000m Unseeded
Senior Molly Hirt finished sixth in the unseeded 3,000m run in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 9:58.08.
Mile
Just a day after winning the 1,000m run, freshman Emily Frydrych continued her impressive weekend with a second place finish in the unseeded mile with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 4:53.95.
4x400m Relay
The Irish placed third in the 4x400m relay as the team of Natalie Geiger, Michelle Brown, Jade Barber and K. Barber went 3:43.97.
BIG EAST QUALIFIERS
MEN
Mile
DJ Thornton
60m Hurdles
Bennett Jackson
Shot Put
Andrew Brock
Andrew Hills
400m
Patrick Feeney
Chris Giesting
Brendan Dougherty
200m
Josh Atkinson
Keith Mesidor
800m
Randall Babb
Mitchell Lorenz
Steve Blazer
Mile
Jeremy Rae
J.P. Malette
Jordan Carlson
60m Hurdles
Bennett Jackson
60m
George Atkinson III
Josh Atkinson
High Jump
Peter Sullivan
Doug Onuscheck
Triple Jump
Logan Renwick
WOMEN
3,000m
Molly Hirt
Mile
Emily Frydrych
Meg Ryan
Triple Jump
Kelly Burke
Mary Esther Gourdin
Jessie Christian
Shot Put
Emily Morris
Madeline Casanova
60m Hurdles
Kaila Barber
Nevada Sorenson
400m
Michelle Brown
Jade Barber
Natalie Geiger
Megan Yanik
800m
Allison Schroeder
McKinzie Schulz
200m
Aijah Urssery
Natalie Geiger
Mile
Alexa Aragon
Kelly Curran
60m
Aijah Urssery
Fighting Irish draw talented eight-player class that includes seven of top 60 players in country.
 Two-time national Coach of the Year (and current United States Under-23 Women's National Team Head Coach) Randy Waldrum announced Friday that Notre Dame has received commitments from eight talented student-athletes for the 2012 season, with the Fighting Irish incoming class ranked No. 1 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
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Class of 2012 Photo Gallery (check back for further updates as new photos become available)
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - University of Notre Dame head women's soccer coach Randy Waldrum announced Friday that eight student-athletes have chosen to continue their academic and athletic careers with the Fighting Irish, declaring their commitment to enroll at Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2012. Collectively, Top Drawer Soccer has ranked the Fighting Irish Class of 2012 as the No. 1 incoming freshman class in the nation.
Anna Maria Gilbertson, a 5-8 forward (Davis, Calif./Davis HS/Davis Legacy), Katie Naughton, a 5-10 defender (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove HS/Sockers FC Chicago), Cari Roccaro, a 5-7 forward/midfielder (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip HS/Albertson Fury), Mary Schwappach, a 5-10 midfielder/forward (Denver, Colo./Mullen HS/Colorado Rush), Crystal Thomas, a 5-3 forward (Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy/Sockers FC Chicago), Brittany Von Rueden, a 5-11 defender (Mequon, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels HS/FC Milwaukee) and Glory Williams, a 5-8 midfielder (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS/Sting Dallas), each made their official commitments to Notre Dame by submitting National Letters of Intent during the current signing period that began Feb. 1.
In addition, Stephanie Campo, a 5-7 defender (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge HS/PDA) already has accepted an offer of early admission to Notre Dame and will be joining the Fighting Irish Class of 2012. There also are likely to be additions to the full class once similar offers of admission have been accepted and received by the University.
Seven of the eight incoming Fighting Irish freshmen are ranked among the top 60 in the latest ESPNHS Top 150, including five in the top 32, paced by Roccaro (No. 4), Naughton (No. 9) and Von Rueden (No. 15), and followed closely by Gilbertson (No. 30), Williams (No. 32), Campo (No. 42) and Thomas (No. 58).
A look at the latest Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings reveals similar high marks for the newest additions to the Notre Dame women's soccer program. Five-star selections Roccaro (No. 5 in nation), Naughton (No. 10) and Williams (No. 15) lead the way, followed by four-star choices Campo (No. 39), Thomas (No. 55) and Von Rueden (No. 59), while both Gilbertson and Schwappach are Top Drawer Soccer three-star picks.
"This could be one of our best signing classes ever, certainly comparable to the incoming groups in 2005 (that included Kerri Hanks, Brittany Bock and Carrie Dew) and 2008 (highlighted by Melissa Henderson, Jessica Schuveiller and Courtney Barg)," Waldrum said. "Included in this year's class are three U.S. National Team age-group players (Roccaro, Naughton and Von Rueden), as well as three more (Williams, Gilbertson and Schwappach) that are `blue chip' players who could find themselves on a national team before their careers are over. It's loaded with talent, and talent that is versatile, which we love here in our program due to the way we play.
"There are two more players -- both goalkeepers -- to be added to this class whom we can't talk about until they accept their admittance," Waldrum added. "We will release those names at a later date. Overall, this is a large class, which is unusual for us, but it's a class that will come in and impact our program right away. I believe the fans are going to love watching this group play!"
Three-time national champion Notre Dame returns eight starters and 12 monogram winners from last year's squad that posted a 10-8-3 record and advanced to the NCAA Championship for the 19th consecutive season. Led by Waldrum (who also recently assumed the reins of the U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team program), 2011 all-BIG EAST Conference midfielder Mandy Laddish (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit), 2010 all-conference midfielder Elizabeth Tucker (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) and 2011 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team forward Lauren Bohaboy (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita), the Fighting Irish will open their abbreviated spring schedule next month before turning their attention to summer workouts and preparation for next season, with the full schedule for the 2012 campaign expected to be announced late this spring.
For more information on the Notre Dame women's soccer program, join the Fighting Irish women's soccer news Twitter page (@NDsoccernews) or sign up for the Irish ALERT text-messaging system through the "Fan Center" pulldown menu on the main page at UND.com.
A capsule look at the newest additions to the Notre Dame women's soccer program follows:
STEPHANIE CAMPO, 5-7, Defender (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge High School/PDA)
Individual Rankings: Ranked 39th in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (four-star ranking; No. 3 in New Jersey region) ... ranked 42nd in the 2012 ESPNHS 150.
National/Olympic Development Program (ODP)/Club Team: Member of 2009 United States Under-15 Girls' National Team player pool with fellow incoming freshmen Katie Naughton and Cari Roccaro ... was part of player pool with ODP Region I Team from 2007-09, making final squad in 2009 ... competed in 2008 and 2009 ODP Thanksgiving Interregionals ... also spent time with New Jersey ODP squad from 2006-10 ... spent nine seasons with PDA (Player Development Academy) club program in Zarepath, N.J., led by director of coaching Mike O'Neill ... PDA has consistently been ranked among the nation's top clubs for many years, including a No. 1 ranking in December 2011 by Soccer America ... helped PDA to Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) national championship round in 2010 and 2011 ... also earned berth in 2011 U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) Region I finals after winning 2010 USYS Region I Premier League title, making finals in 2009 and winning USYS Region I crown in 2006 ... won New Jersey state championships in 2010 and 2011 ... team also claimed 2009 Disney Showcase title ... 2011 NSCAA All-Region II selection.
High School: On track to graduate from Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, N.J., this spring ... played for head coach Katie Donahue ... served as team captain during senior season (2011), and was everyday starter on varsity team since her freshman year ... had team-high six goals, eight assists in 2011 ... led team to pair of New Jersey North Jersey Section II titles (2008, 2011), and subsequent berths in New Jersey Group IV finals ... team also won 2008 Skyland Conference crown ... two-time all-state selection (2010, 2011) ... earned all-Somerset County, Courier News all-area, and all-Skyland Conference honors in 2011.
Personal Data: Born Feb. 6, 1994, in Morristown, N.J. ... full name is Stephanie Lynn Campo ... daughter of Lynn and Bob Campo ... has younger sister, Lauren ... will be the seventh New Jersey native to play for the Fighting Irish and first since Micaela Alvarez (Cranbury/Peddie School) completed her career in 2009 ... program pioneer and 1989 Fighting Irish co-captain Joy Sisolak also came to Notre Dame from Basking Ridge, N.J., matriculating from Immaculata High School before playing in the midfield for the Fighting Irish from 1988-89 (13 goals, three assists in 40 career matches).
Did You Know?: Played one season of varsity basketball at Ridge High School before electing to focus full-time on soccer ... has served regularly at Ridge Oak Senior Housing in Basking Ridge, N.J., helping senior residents plant vegetable gardens during the summer, and even helping serve food and coffee to residents last August following Hurricane Irene ... has participated in Berkeley Heights 5K Charity Road Race/Fitness Walk three times (2008, 2009, 2011), winning the women's 19-and-under category this past year ... is a published poet ... is obsessed with Harry Potter novels ... took a guided tour into the Grand Canyon when she was 13 ... vacations regularly with her family in Cape May, N.J. (considered her second home).
Waldrum on Campo...
"Stephanie is a big, strong left back who plays for PDA, one of the premier clubs in the country. She has great attacking ability coming out of the back which is the way we play here at Notre Dame. She is technical, serves a great cross, yet also has the physical strength to be a great ball-winning player in the defense. She will immediately influence our back line, has the `heart of a champion' and very competitive!"
ANNA MARIA GILBERTSON, 5-8, Forward (Davis, Calif./Davis High School/Davis Legacy)
Individual Rankings: Ranked 30th in the 2012 ESPNHS 150 ... earned three-star rating in 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings.
National/ODP/Club Team: Called in to March 2011 training camp with United States Under-18 Women's National Team, joining a roster that also included fellow incoming freshmen Katie Naughton and Cari Roccaro ... has been member of ODP Region IV Team for past two years (2010, 2011) ... part of ODP Thanksgiving Interregional in 2011 ... competed in ECNL/id2 National Camp in February 2011 ... played for Davis Legacy club program under head coach Jason Hotaling ... teams won four tournaments in 2010-11, as well as 2009 Disney Soccer Showcase.
High School: Poised to graduate from Davis High School in Davis, Calif., this spring ... plays for head coach Sara Stone, who took over last month for the retiring Allen Carlson ... piled up 72 goals in past two seasons on DHS varsity (2009-10 and 2010-11), including a personal-best 43 goals and 11 assists as a senior in 2010-11 ... helped Blue Devils to combined 50-4-4 record in those two seasons ... team was California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion in 2011 after falling in 2010 title match on penalties ... DHS was a consensus top-12 team in all the final major national rankings for 2011 (fifth by NSCAA, seventh by ESPN RISE, 12th by MaxPreps) ... twice won Delta Valley Conference championship (2010 and 2011) ... also part of undefeated DHS junior varsity side in 2008-09 ... 2011 ESPN RISE All-American (second team) ... two-time all-state selection (2010, 2011) ...2011 Sacramento Bee Player of the Year ... two-time Delta Valley Conference Player of the Year (2010, 2011) ... two-time Sacramento all-city selection (2010, 2011).
Personal Data: Born Aug. 9, 1994, in Woodland, Calif. ... daughter of Dr. Maria and Robert Gilbertson ... will be one of three Californians on the 2012 Notre Dame roster, along with rising senior goalkeeper Maddie Fox (San Jose) and rising sophomore forward Lauren Bohaboy (Mission Viejo) ... set to be second Davis, Calif., resident to play for Fighting Irish, following in footsteps of goalkeeper Sani Post, who was primary reserve between the pipes on Notre Dame's 1999 NCAA national runner-up and 2000 NCAA national semifinalist teams.
Did You Know?: Is one-half Costa Rican with portion of her mother's side of family still living in Costa Rica ... fluent in Spanish ... a talented musician and animal lover.
Waldrum on Gilbertson...
"Anna Maria is a very technical player and a slashing-type forward who is creative and very dangerous. She is great running at people and can also solve problems in tight spaces. She has good size and is athletic as well. She'll be a great addition to our attack and a player that will contribute for us right away."
KATIE NAUGHTON, 5-10, Defender (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove High School/Sockers FC Chicago)
Individual Rankings: Ranked ninth in the 2012 ESPNHS 150 ... ranked 10th in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (five-star ranking; No. 1 in Midwest region).
National/ODP/Club Team: Has been a mainstay in the U.S. National Team age-group system since 2009 (currently with U-18s) ... joined rising sophomore midfielder/forward Karin Simonian, rising sophomore defender/midfielder Taylor Schneider and fellow incoming freshman forward/midfielder Cari Roccaro and defender Brittany Von Rueden in the 2011 U-18 and 2010 U-17 National Team player pools ... also was part of 2009 U-15 National Team player pool with Roccaro, Von Rueden and fellow incoming freshman forward Stephanie Campo ... started all four matches for U-17 National Team at 2010 U-16 Nordic Cup in Denmark (USA won title, outscoring its four opponents by a combined 13-1 margin) ... also has played extensively with ODP Region II Team since 2009 and Illinois State ODP Team from 2007-10 ... competed in ODP Thanksgiving Interregional from 2008-11 ... participated in February 2011 ECNL/id2 National Camp ... has been part of Sockers FC Chicago club program for many years, currently playing for head coach Oleg Vatchev ... played for same club with fellow incoming freshman forward Crystal Thomas ... three members of the 2004 Notre Dame national championship -- Jen Buczkowski, Jill Krivacek and Kim Lorenzen -- also came out of the Sockers FC Chicago club program ... two-time NSCAA Youth All-American (2010, 2011).
High School: On track to graduate from Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove Village, Ill., this spring ... plays for head coach Daniel Klaus ... has started all three prep seasons to date (soccer is spring sport in Illinois), registering career totals of eight goals and 21 assists despite playing almost exclusively in defensive third ... has been team captain all four seasons of high school ... had career-high three goals as freshman (2008-09) and junior (2010-11) ... delivered career-high nine assists as junior (2010-11) ... led defense to 15 shutouts in past two seasons, despite playing in Mid-Suburban League (widely considered strongest conference in the state) ... runner-up for Illinois Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2010 ... two-time Chicago Tribune all-state choice (second team in 2010; first team in 2011) ... three-time Northwest All-Area Team selection (2009, 2010, 2011) ... three-time all-conference pick (2009, 2010, 2011).
Personal Data: Born Feb. 15, 1994, in Vail, Colo. ... full name is Kathleen Naughton ... daughter of Claire and Tom Naughton ... latest in strong pipeline of talent to come to Notre Dame from the Chicagoland area (and the state of Illinois), including a pair of Elk Grove natives in standout defenders Jen Buczkowski (2003-06) and Elise Weber (2007-08) ... interested in pursuing a major in archaeology or psychology at Notre Dame, with a minor in Spanish.
Did You Know?: Also ran track in junior high school and still holds that school's record for the mile run ... has ridden in a hot-air balloon in New Mexico (home of world-famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta) ... has visited three different continents ... has walked up a waterfall during a family vacation to Jamaica ... while she is an only child, her mother is the oldest of 11 children.
Waldrum on Naughton...
"Katie is a Chicago-area player that we've had our eye on for some time now. She is a central defender who continues to just get better and better. She is currently on our U.S. Under-18 National Team where she is a consistent player for that squad. She has great size and will be a great addition to our defense as a prototype center back. She will add some much needed `bite' to our back line, and some leadership to our team as well."
CARI ROCCARO, 5-7, Forward/Midfielder (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip High School/Albertson Fury)
Individual Rankings: Ranked fourth in the 2012 ESPNHS 150 ... ranked fifth in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (five-star ranking; No. 1 in New York region).
National/ODP/Club Team: Has been fixture within United States National Team age-group system since 2008, working her way up from the Under-14 squad to her current spot as a teammate with Notre Dame rising junior midfielder/forward Mandy Laddish in 2012 U-20 National Team pool (will be participating in CONCACAF U-20 Women's World Cup Qualifier in Panama next month, and currently is in La Manga, Spain, for Four Nations Tournament) ... joined rising sophomore midfielder/forward Karin Simonian, rising sophomore defender/midfielder Taylor Schneider and fellow incoming freshman defenders Katie Naughton and Brittany Von Rueden in the 2011 U-18 and 2010 U-17 National Team player pools ... was member of USA side that was a finalist at 2010 CONCACAF U-17 Women's World Cup Qualifier in Costa Rica (did not allow a goal in five matches with 38-0 aggregate, but missed World Cup berth after falling to Canada on penalties in semifinals following scoreless draw) ... started three times and came off bench in a fourth during the 2010 U-17 WWC Qualifier, scoring goal against Haiti in first match ... started and played every minute in all four matches for U-17 National Team at 2010 U-16 Nordic Cup in Denmark (USA won title, outscoring its four opponents by a combined 13-1 margin) ... wore United States captain's armband for 2010 Nordic Cup title match win over Germany ... also was part of 2009 U-15 Girls' National Team player pool with Naughton, Von Rueden and fellow incoming freshman forward Stephanie Campo ... member of ODP Region I Team from 2007-10 and Eastern New York state ODP squad from 2005-10 ... played for same Albertson Fury club program as Simonian, learning under the direction of head coach Paul Riley ... helped club to pair of Eastern New York state cup titles (2009, 2011), as well as Region I championship (2009) and Region I Premier League first-place finish (2011) ... club also earned three National Elite Women's Soccer Showcase (NEWSS) crowns in 2008, 2009 and 2011, along with the 2009 Jefferson Cup ... spent time with Long Island Fury in Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), pairing with Simonian to help that squad win 2009 WPSL National Championship ... two-time NSCAA Youth All-American (2010, 2011) ... named to ECNL All-Event Team in Sanford (2011).
High School: Set to graduate from East Islip High School in Islip Terrace, N.Y., this spring ... played for head coach Julie Susskind ... started all five seasons on varsity (beginning in eighth grade), while serving as team captain the past three years (2009-11) ... amassed 39 goals and 19 assists during her prep career ... led East Islip to New York state semifinals in 2008, following Long Island and Suffolk County Class AA titles ... team also won three Suffolk County League III championships (2008, 2009, 2011) ... two-time NSCAA High School All-American (2010, 2011) ... Parade Magazine All-American (2010) ... ESPNHS first-team All-American (2010) ... NSCAA New York State Player of the Year (2011) ... three-time all-state selection (2008, 2010, 2011) ... Long Island Player of the Year (2011) ... three-time all-Long Island choice (2008, 2010, 2011) ... two-time Suffolk County High School Player of the Year (2010, 2011) ... three-time all-Suffolk County pick (2008, 2010, 2011) ... three-time Newsday Player To Watch (2009, 2010, 2011) ...three-time all-conference selection (2008, 2010, 2011) ... Suffolk County Class AA Finals MVP (2008) ... Suffolk County All-League Academic Team (2011) ... National Honor Society.
Personal Data: Born July 18, 1994, in East Islip, N.Y. ... daughter of Mary and Tom Roccaro ... has older sister, Kristyn, who is a sophomore at Binghamton University.
Did You Know?: Ran track for two seasons (2008, 2009) in high school, earning two all-conference citations ... holds school record in 400-meter dash ... won 2009 Suffolk County Division II title in 400 meters ... member of Girls Leaders Club ... volunteers with "Just For Kicks," a program that works with young autistic soccer players ... has a reputation as a practical joker.
Waldrum on Roccaro...
"Cari is one of the best players coming out this year and has been a member of our United States Under-17 and Under-18 national teams, as well as our current U-20 National Team that will travel to Panama for qualifications for the U-20 World Cup this summer in Japan. She possesses great size and strength, much like a Melissa Tancredi, and is a very good athlete. She is extremely versatile playing in the defense for the U.S. U-17 World Cup team, and playing in midfield and up front with her Albertson Fury team. She will be one that will come in and impact our program right away."
MARY SCHWAPPACH, 5-10, Midfielder/Forward (Denver, Colo./Mullen High School/Colorado Rush)
Individual Rankings: Earned three-star ranking in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings.
ODP/Club Team: Played for Colorado ODP team that won three consecutive state cups (2008-10) ... team also finished third in nation at 2010 USYS Nationals after winning Region IV championship (Schwappach scored winning goal in title match) ... also won 2010 ODP Region IV crown ... played extensively for Colorado Rush club program for head coach Tim Schulz ... club program was ranked No. 5 nationally in December 2011 article by Soccer America ... saw most experience in ECNL play, registering 47 goals and 57 assists from 2007-08 through 2010-11, with double-digit goals and assists all four seasons ... had career-high 13 goals in 2010-11, and career-best 16 assists in 2009-10 ... also played for Colorado Rush in the United Soccer League (USL) W-League during summer 2011, appearing in 12 matches as a defender and tallying one assist.
High School: On target to graduate from Mullen High School in Denver, Colo., this spring ... played for head coach Tony Schenbeck (did not play for high school team as senior) ... posted 28 goals and 28 assists during her prep career ... had personal-best 12 goals as a junior (2010-11) and career-high 13 assists as a freshman (2008-09) ... earned honorable mention all-state accolades in 2010 ... garnered academic all-state citations for soccer, basketball and track during 2010-11 school year.
Personal Data: Born Sept. 7, 1993, in Kansas City, Kan. ... full name is Mary Frances Schwappach ... daughter of Kathleen and John Schwappach ... has older brother, Joseph, who is a junior at Dartmouth College, and younger sister, Julia ... just the third Coloradoan to join Fighting Irish program and the first since 1989, when fellow Denver residents Kelly Hanratty and Kristin Kirwan were reserve defenders during the program's second season of existence ... interested in a finance major at Notre Dame.
Did You Know?: Standout track athlete in high school, earning state titles with Mullen's 4x100 and 4x200 relay squads in 2011 (the 4x100 quartet also set a school record in that event) ... has delivered soccer balls to the underprivileged in the African nations of Tanzania and Kenya ... has visited all seven continents ... has swum in the Antarctic Ocean ... worked in a cancer research lab ... enjoys skiing and climbing `14ers' in Colorado (known in mountaineering circles as the 53 peaks in the state that are 14,000 feet or higher).
Waldrum on Schwappach...
"Mary is a midfielder/forward from Colorado who will add some valuable experience to our offense, which is an area we really need. She can play out wide or in central attacking areas, and she is very attack-minded as a player. She brings some pace to our attack, which is also needed, and she will be very successful in our program with the players we have around her."
CRYSTAL THOMAS, 5-3, Forward (Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy/Sockers FC Chicago)
Individual Rankings: Ranked 55th in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (four-star ranking; No. 4 in Midwest region) ... ranked 58th in the 2012 ESPNHS 150.
National/ODP/Club Team: Selected for 2008 United States Under-14 Girls' National Team player pool ... spent time with ODP Region II Team, earning roster spot for trips to Costa Rica, Holland, Florida and California during her career from 2007-11 ... also was captain of ODP squad, both at region and state level ... participated in ODP Thanksgiving Interregional from 2008-11 ... collected Illinois Youth Soccer Outstanding Achievement Award for ODP competition ...has been part of Sockers FC Chicago club program for many years, currently playing for head coach Oleg Vatchev ... played for same club with fellow incoming freshman forward Katie Naughton ... helped Sockers FC to pair of Illinois state cup titles (2010, 2011), as well as 2010 Disney Soccer Showcase and 2011 U18 regionals ... named to 2011 USYS National Championship Best 11 Team (U-17s) ... three members of the 2004 Notre Dame national championship -- Jen Buczkowski, Jill Krivacek and Kim Lorenzen -- also came out of the Sockers FC Chicago club program.
High School: Poised to graduate from Wheaton Academy in West Chicago, Ill., this spring ... plays for newly-appointed head coach David Underwood after spending her first three seasons playing for head coach Scott Marksberry (soccer is spring sport in Illinois) ... has helped Wheaton to three consecutive berths in Illinois Class 2A semifinals, including state title in 2009, third-place finish in 2010 and fourth-place showing in 2011 ... team also has won Class 2A super-sectional, sectional and regional titles all three seasons, in addition to claiming three consecutive Suburban Christian Conference championships ... tallied career-high 18 goals and 22 assists during 2009 state title season ... all-state selection (2011) ... two-time all-sectional team pick (2010, 2011) ... two-time all-area choice (2009, 2011) ... two-time Suburban Christian Conference Player of the Year (2010, 2011) ... three-time all-conference honoree (2009, 2010, 2011) ... 2010 Illinois High School Athletic Association Scholastic Achievement Award.
Personal Data: Born Jan. 18, 1994, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. ... daughter of Gladys and Mike Thomas ... middle of three children, bookended by older brother Collin and younger brother Kendall ... latest in strong pipeline of talent to come to Notre Dame from the Chicagoland area (and the state of Illinois) ... has shown interest in a business major at Notre Dame.
Did You Know?: Has participated in the percussion ensemble at her high school ... used to play the drums.
Waldrum on Thomas...
"Crystal is a goalscoring personality and a very creative-type forward. She sees the game in a way that others can't see, she has a tremendous work ethic, and she is highly competitive. She is very technical and has a great sense of the goal, in and around the penalty area. What's more, she brings a `soccer junkie' mentality to our team, and has a the ability to both score and create for others."
BRITTANY VON RUEDEN, 5-11, Defender (Mequon, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels High School/FC Milwaukee)
Individual Rankings: Ranked 15th in the 2012 ESPNHS 150 ... ranked 59th in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (four-star ranking; No. 6 in Midwest region).
National/ODP/Club Team: Has been a regular within United States National Team age-group system since 2007, starting with appearances in Under-14 player pool and continuing through her present role as member of 2012 U-18 National Team ... joined rising sophomore midfielder/forward Karin Simonian, rising sophomore defender/midfielder Taylor Schneider, and fellow incoming freshman defender Katie Naughton and forward/midfielder Cari Roccaro in the 2011 U-18 and 2010 U-17 National Team player pools ... also was part of 2009 U-15 Girls' National Team player pool with Naughton, Roccaro and fellow incoming freshman forward Stephanie Campo ... has been mainstay with ODP Region II Team since 2008, including trips to Costa Rica, Holland and Portugal ... played in ODP Thanksgiving Interregionals in 2007, 2008 and 2010 ... participated in adidas ESP Camps in 2008 and 2009 (camp all-star the latter year) ... played her entire club career with FC Milwaukee (serving as captain) for head coach Christian Lavers ...club program was ranked No. 19 in nation in December 2011 article by Soccer America ... led FC Milwaukee to 2011 USYS Under-18 National Championship ... also competed regularly in ECNL, earning all-event honors at 2009 Final 4 Showcase and 2011 San Antonio tournament ... 2011 NSCAA Youth All-American ... 2010 NSCAA Youth All-Region pick ... also played for FC Milwaukee Nationals team in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) in summer of 2011 ... earned WPSL All-Midwest Conference honors, joining a squad that included such notables as former Notre Dame standouts Amanda Cinalli ('08) and Michelle Weissenhofer ('10).
High School: On pace to graduate from Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee, Wis., this spring ... did not play soccer in high school in favor of competing at club level year-round.
Personal Data: Born Dec. 20, 1993, in Mequon, Wis. ... full name is Brittany Elizabeth Von Rueden ... daughter of Lynn and Anthony Von Rueden ... has one brother, William ... interested in studying mathematics or education at Notre Dame.
Did You Know?: Ranks No. 1 in her high school class with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average ... is candidate to be class valedictorian ... also an AP Scholar.
Waldrum on Von Rueden...
"Brittany also is a member of our U.S. Under-18 National Team and a consistent selection for that squad, as well. She is a versatile player who can play out wide in the back, centrally in the back, or even centrally in midfield for us. She has a great shot and strikes the ball so well over distance. She too possesses great size, which is a huge plus defensively for our team. I think along with Katie (Naughton), Cari (Roccaro), and Glory (Williams), these freshmen are going to bring great passion and leadership to our team."
GLORY WILLIAMS, 5-8, Midfielder (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands High School/Sting Dallas)
Individual Rankings: Ranked 15th in the 2012 Top Drawer Soccer club soccer player ratings (five-star ranking; No. 3 in Texas region) ... ranked 32nd in the 2012 ESPNHS 150.
ODP/Club Team: Has been one of top players for Sting Dallas club program under the direction of head coach Kenny Medina ... program was ranked No. 3 in nation in December 2011 article by Soccer America, and has produced several recent Notre Dame standouts, including 2010 Honda Sports Award recipient/two-time All-America forward Melissa Henderson, All-American midfielder Courtney Barg and two-time all-region defender Jessica Schuveiller ... led Sting Dallas to consecutive USYS National Championships at U-15 and U-16 levels (2010 and 2011) ... named to 2011 USYS National Championship Best 11 Team ... guided squad to 2010 ECNL U-15 National Championship ... club also has won numerous tournaments during her tenure, including four North Texas State Cups (2008-11), two Surf Cups (2006, 2008), the 2009 Disney Soccer Showcase and the 2008 Celtic Cup and Real Colorado Showcase ... participated in February 2011 ECNL/id2 National Camp ... named to all-event team at 2009 and 2010 Disney Showcase ... chosen as tournament MVP for 2008 Celtic Cup.
High School: Set to graduate from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas, this spring ... plays for head coach Misty Benson ... earned all-district honors in 2009 and 2010 ...named district's Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.
Personal Data: Born Aug. 4, 1994, in Dallas, Texas ... full name is Gloria Kristin Williams ... daughter of LaDonna and C.L. Williams ... middle of five children ... sister, Hayley, recently completed sophomore season as defender/midfielder at Rice (earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2010).
Did You Know?: Her family has cared for approximately 25 foster children during the past decade ... the technical director for her club program (Sting Dallas) is the legendary Tatu, the longtime Brazilian soccer standout who had his greatest success indoors with the Dallas Sidekicks from 1984-2003 (he also coached the franchise from 1998-2004), ranking second all-time in numerous categories, including goals scored (857).
Waldrum on Williams...
"Glory is one of the best midfield players we saw over the past two years. Her field vision and her distribution is top class, much like Jill Krivacek who played on our 2004 national championship team. She has great size and has great range on her passing, and her technical abilities are just what are needed to play in our Notre Dame 4-3-3 system."
2012 NOTRE DAME WOMEN'S SOCCER LETTER OF INTENT SIGNEES NAME POS. HT. HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB *Stephanie Campo D 5-7 Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge HS/PDA Anna Maria Gilbertson F 5-8 Davis, Calif./Davis HS/Davis Legacy Katie Naughton D 5-10 Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove HS/Sockers FC Chicago Cari Roccaro F/M 5-7 East Islip, N.Y./East Islip HS/Albertson Fury Mary Schwappach M/F 5-10 Denver, Colo./Mullen HS/Colorado Rush Crystal Thomas F 5-3 Elgin, Ill./Wheaton Academy/Sockers FC Chicago Brittany Von Rueden D 5-11 Mequon, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels HS/FC Milwaukee Glory Williams M 5-8 Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS/Sting Dallas * - accepted offer of early admission to Notre Dame, rather than signing National Letter of Intent
Irish pick up the doubles point to catapult them to victory.
 Junior Blas Moros cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles on Friday night.
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Winston-Salem, N.C. -
The No. 30 Notre Dame men's tennis team picked up the doubles point on Friday night and didn't look back as it rolled past No. 39 Wake Forest, 6-1, at the Indoor Tennis Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
For the first time in three matches, the Irish opened a match with a 1-0 lead. Looking to switch things up in doubles, head coach Bobby Bayliss switched up the teams at one and two doubles. Senior's Casey Watt and Niall Fitzgerald paired together at No. 1 doubles, where they edged David Hopkins and Amogh Prabhakar, 8-6. Watt's normal partner Greg Andrews teamed with junior Spencer Talmadge to blow past Adam Lee and Alex Tsai, 8-3. The usual No. 3 doubles tandem of Sam Keeton and Billy Pecor breezed past Danny Kreyman and Conner Sherwood, 8-4, to give Notre Dame the 3-0 doubles sweep.
The Irish are now 4-0 when they win the doubles point, while they are only 1-2 when they lose it.
In singles action, the Irish demolished the Demon Deacons at five and six to take a 3-0 lead. At No. 5 singles, junior Blas Moros blew past Sherwood, 6-1, 6-2, while Fitzgerald cruised past Tsai, 6-1, 6-1, at the No. 6 slot.
Watt closed out the match for the Irish at No. 1 singles, as he got back to his winning ways with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Hopkins.
Also earning victories for the Irish was Andrews at No. 2 singles and Pecor at No. 4 singles. Andrews moved to 7-0 on the year with a three-set victory over #115 Kreyman, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Kreyman proved to be the second ranked opponent to fall to Andrews this season.
Pecor also picked up a three-set win. After taking the first set, 6-4, Adam Lee claimed the second set, 6-3. With the match decided, Pecor took the super set, 10-6, to earn the victory.
The Demon Deacons' lone win came at No. 3 singles as Amogh Prabhakar topped No. 74 Sam Keeton, 6-4, 6-4.
Notre Dame (5-2) meets No. 10 Duke on Sunday at noon. The match can be followed by live stats or paying for live video on GoDuke.com.
RESULTS
SINGLES
No. 1 Singles
Casey Watt (ND) d. David Hopkins (WF), 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Singles
Greg Andrews (ND) d. #115 Danny Kreyman (WF), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
No. 3 Singles
Amogh Prabhakar (WF) d. #74 Sam Keeton (ND), 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 Singles
Billy Pecor (ND) d. Adam Lee (WF), 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
No. 5 Singles
Blas Moros (ND) d. Conner Sherwood (WF), 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 Singles
Niall Fitzgerald (ND) d. Alex Tsai (WF), 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 1, 3, 2, 4
DOUBLES
No. 1 Doubles
Niall Fitzgerald / Casey Watt (ND) d. David Hopkins / Amogh Prabhakar (WF), 8-6
No. 2 Doubles
Greg Andrews / Spencer Talmadge (ND) d. Adam Lee / Alex Tsai (WF), 8-3
No. 3 Doubles
Sam Keeton / Billy Pecor (ND) d. Danny Kreyman / Conner Sherwood (WF), 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Mathews captures lone point for Notre Dame at No. 1 singles
 Shannon Mathews provided the lone bright spot of an otherwise tough match against Tennessee, recording her second win at No. 1 singles in as many matches.
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The 24th-ranked University of Notre Dame women's tennis team (4-2) struggled to find its rhythm Friday, dropping a 6-1 decision to 17th-ranked Tennessee at the Goodfriend Tennis Center. Senior Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.) notched the lone point of the contest for the Irish, earning her second consecutive win at No. 1 singles.
The Irish co-captain recorded the victory over 24th-ranked Natalie Pluskota, who was forced to retire early in the second set. Mathews fell in the first set in tiebreaker fashion (7-6 (7-4)) before taking a 2-1 lead in the second before Pluskota was forced to retire.
Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio), in her second consecutive match at the No. 2 singles court, fell to 27th-ranked Brynn Boren in straight sets 6-2, 6-0. The remaining four matches also saw the Irish fail to claim a set. Sophomore Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) fell to 59th-ranked Kata Szekeley at No. 3 singles (6-3, 6-1), while Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) dropped a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Caitlyn Williams. The losses for Kellner and Sanders marked the first defeats on the dual season for the either of the two Irish players.
In the remaining two singles contests, Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) lost to Sarah Toti 6-3, 6-2 at No. 5 singles, while Katherine White (Columbus, Ga.) suffered defeat to Joanna Henderson, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 6. Doubles proved to be much the same for the Irish, as Tennessee claimed each of the three matches to secure the point.
At No. 1 doubles, Frilling and Mathews, ranked fifth nationally, fell to Pluskota and Williams, 8-4. Sanders and White, ranked 25th, lost to 18th-ranked Boren and Toti, 8-2 at No. 2 doubles, while McGaffigan and Kellner dropped their match at No. 3 doubles, 8-1. It is the first time on the season that the Irish have been swept in doubles action.
Next on the docket for Notre Dame is a trip to Nashville, Tenn., as the team faces Vanderbilt at the Dills Indoor Tennis Courts on Sunday at noon (ET). The Commodores, ranked 18th, enter the contest with a record of 6-3 after suffering a 4-3 defeat to 10th-ranked Michigan on Friday. Be sure to check back with UND.com for a complete recap of match action.
Notre Dame vs. Tennessee Feb 03, 2012 at Knoxville, Tenn. #17 Tennessee 6, #24 Notre Dame 1Singles competition 1. Shannon Mathews (ND) def. #24 Natalie Pluskota (TENN) 6-7 (4-7), 2-1, retired 2. #27 Brynn Boren (TENN) def. Kristy Frilling (ND) 6-2, 6-0 3. #59 Kata Szekely (TENN) def. Jennifer Kellner (ND) 6-3, 6-1 4. Caitlyn Williams (TENN) def. Britney Sanders (ND) 6-2, 6-2 5. Sarah Toti (TENN) def. Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) 6-3, 6-2 6. Joanna Henderson (TENN) def. Katherine White (ND) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition 1. Natalie Pluskota/Caitlyn Williams (TENN) def. #5 Kristy Frilling/Shannon Mathews (ND) 8-4 2. #18 Brynn Boren/Sarah Toti (TENN) def. #25 Britney Sanders/Katherine White (ND) 8-2 3. Joanna Henderson/Kata Szekely (TENN) def. Chrissie McGaffigan/Jennifer Kellner (ND) 8-1
Match Notes: Notre Dame 4-2; National ranking #24 Tennessee 3-2; National ranking #17 Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,4,5,3,6,1) T-2:50
Freshman Emily Frydrych won the 1,000m.
 Freshman Emily Frydrych won the 1,000m run on Friday night.
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Six meet and two track records fell on day one of the Meyo Invitational at Loftus Sports Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
Meet records that fell were the women's long jump, women's distance medley relay, men's 1,000m, women's weight throw, men's 500m and the men's long jump.
For Notre Dame, freshman Emily Frydrych won the 1,000m run in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 2:48.94. Fellow freshman Kaila Barber qualified first for the finals of the 60m hurdles, while teammate Nevada Sorenson qualified second.
Saturday is a busy day at Loftus. The elite Meyo Mile gets underway at 3 p.m., with the Ryan Shay men's 3,000m run slated for 4:25 p.m.
MEET / LOFTUS SPORTS CENTER RECORDS
Purdue's Leah Eber set a new Meyo Invitational record and tied the Loftus record in the long jump with a leap of 6.47m.
The Michigan women's distance medley relay team (11:04.30) composed of Shannon Osika, Brittani Williams, Jillian Smith and Rebecca Addison broke the Meyo Invitational record of 11:04.38, which was set by the Wolverines in 2007.
In the 1,000m, Tulsa's Chris O'Hare broke a meet and track record with a time of 2:20.99. The previous meet record was 2:22.44 by Windor's Ryan McKenzie from 2003. The track record was set in 2010 by Wisconsin's Zach Beth (2:22.39).
Indiana State's Felisha Johnson set a new meet record in the weight throw with a toss of 20.69m. The old meet record was set by Maryland's Ruth Kura (19.70m) in 2002.
Ohio State's Shaniqua McGinnis broke a meet record in the 500m, topping Notre Dame's Nadia Schmiedt from 1998 (1:12.68).
Unattached long jumper Taylor Stewart broke a meet record with a leap of 7.76m. The previous record was set by Arizona's Percy Knox (7.76m) in 1988.
EVENT-BY-EVENT RESULTS (Top Eight And Finals Qualifiers Only)
MEN
60m Hurdles
Sophomore Bennett Jackson qualified 11th for tomorrow's 60m hurdles finals (8.17). Jackson's time was a BIG EAST qualifying mark.
60m
Brothers Josh (6.86) and George (III) Atkinson (6.87) qualified fourth and fifth, respectively, for tomorrow's 60m dash finals. Both times were BIG EAST qualifying marks.
5,000m
Junior Jeff MacMillan led the way for the Irish in the 5,000m run, placing seventh in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 14:34.22.
1,000m
Senior Zac Suriano placed sixth in the 1,000m with a BIG EAST qualifying time of 2:25.08.
Pole Vault
Senior Kevin Schipper finished third in the pole vault with a vault of 5.26m.
Weight Throw
Anthony Thomas placed seventh in the weight throw with a BIG EAST qualifying toss of 17.57m.
WOMEN
60m Hurdles
Freshman Kaila Barber (8.51) and junior Nevada Sorenson (8.54) qualified first and second for tomorrow's 60m hurdles finals. Both marks were BIG EAST qualifying times.
60m
Sophomore Aijah Urssery qualified third for the 60m dash finals (7.59), finishing in a BIG EAST qualifying time.
Long Jump
K. Barber finished fifth in the long jump with a BIG EAST qualifying leap of 6.06m. Elsewhere in the long jump, Purdue's Leah Eber set a new Meyo Invitational record and tied the fieldhouse record with a leap of 6.47m. It broke the old mark of 6.40m by Tameisha King in the 2004 version of the Meyo Invitational and tied the Loftus Sports Center mark of Tabia Charles from 2011.
1,000m
Freshman Emily Frydrych came from behind to win the 1,000m in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 2:48.94. Teammates Allison Schroeder (2:51.57) and McKinzie Schulz (2:52.15) placed sixth and seventh, respectively, and also earned BIG EAST qualifying marks.
500m
Sophomore Megan Yanik placed eighth in the 500m in a BIG EAST qualifying time of 1:15.36.
High Jump
Junior Kendra Jennings tied for seventh in the high jump with a BIG EAST qualifying leap of 1.70m.
BIG EAST QUALIFIERS
Men
60m Hurdles
Bennett Jackson
60m
Josh Atkinson
George Atkinson III
5,000m
Jeff MacMillan
Long Jump
Keith Mesidor
Patrick Glass
Logan Renwick
Pole Vault
Kevin Schipper
Weight Throw
Anthony Thomas
Andrew Hills
Jordan Stumph
Mike Smigelski
Women
60m Hurdles
Kaila Barber
Nevada Sorenson
60m
Aijah Urssery
5,000m
Jessica Rydberg
Rachel Velarde
Susanna Sullivan
Long Jump
Kaila Barber
Lauren Leniart
1,000m
Emily Frydrych
Allison Schroeder
McKinzie Schulz
Weight Throw
Vivien Devaney
Mason Bashaw
500m
Megan Yanik
Amber Lalla
High Jump
Kendra Jennings
One transfer student and 16 high school seniors will have their names added to Notre Dame's roster
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The 16 student-athletes who signed National Letters of Intent represent 13 states - three from Indiana, two from North Carolina, plus one each from California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
As listed by group, Notre Dame adds 10 skill players, four power players, one big skill player and one specialist. As listed by position, Notre Dame adds five defensive backs, two wide receivers, two defensive linemen, two offensive linemen, two running backs, one linebacker, one long snapper and one quarterback.
Four of the 17 players - transfer running back Amir Carlisle and early-enrollee freshmen defensive lineman Sheldon Day, quarterback Gunner Kiel and defensive back Tee Shepard - enrolled at the University in January and are taking classes. They will participate in Notre Dame's spring football practices that begin March 21. The other 13 players have signed national letters of intent and will arrive on campus by June 18 for the start of summer school.
Among the 16 players that will be freshmen for the Irish this fall are:
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (Previous School) | Time Signed | Highlights | MaxPreps Bio |
| Nick Baratti | DB | 6-2 | 200 | Tomball, TX (Klein Oak) | 9:13 am |
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| Chris Brown | WR | 6-2 | 175 | Hanahan, SC (Hanahan) | 7:55 am |
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| Scott Daly | LS | 6-3 | 245 | Downers Grove, IL (South) | 8:14 am |
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| Sheldon Day | DL | 6-2 | 275 | Indianapolis, IN (Warren Central) | enrolled | Watch
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| Justin Ferguson | WR | 6-2 | 205 | Pembroke Pines, FL (Flanagan) | 7:28 am |
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| Mark Harrell | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Charlotte, NC (Catholic) | 7:20 am |
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| Jarron Jones | DL | 6-6 | 298 | Rochester, NY (Aquinas Institute) | 8:31 am |
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| Gunner Kiel | QB | 6-4 | 220 | Columbus, IN (East) | enrolled |
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| Will Mahone | RB | 6-0 | 210 | Austintown, OH (Fitch) | 8:05 am |
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| Romeo Okwara | LB | 6-4 | 240 | Charlotte, NC (Ardrey Kell) | 7:15 am |
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| C.J. Prosise | DB | 6-0 | 205 | Petersburg, VA (Woodberry Forest) | 7:45 am |
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| KeiVarae Russell | RB | 6-0 | 177 | Everett, WA (Mariner) | 11:21 am |
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| View |
| Tee Shepard | DB | 6-1 | 175 | Fresno, CA (Washington Union) | enrolled |
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| View |
| Elijah Shumate | DB | 6-1 | 205 | East Orange, NJ (Don Bosco Prep) | 9:23 am |
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| View |
| Ronnie Stanley | OL | 6-6 | 285 | Las Vegas, NV (Bishop Gorman) | 11:46 am |
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| John Turner | DB | 6-0 | 206 | Indianapolis, IN (Cathedral) | 7:10 am |
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| View |
By CURT RALLO South Bend Tribune Staff Writer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Just how balanced is the No. 2-ranked Notre Dame women’s basketball team?
Devereaux Peters and Natalie Novosel, who average a combined 27 points a game, only combined for two points in the first half, and the Fighting Irish were still ahead by as many as 21 points before the break.
Coach Muffet McGraw’s team went on to hand host Rutgers the worst loss in series history, blistering No. 13-ranked Rutgers, 71-41, Tuesday night. The previous largest margin of victory by Notre Dame against the Scarlet Knights was 28 points, 86-58, set in 1997.
Rutgers, playing without injured star guard Khadijah Rushdan, still leads the series 16-12, but has lost its last three meetings against the Irish. The Scarlet Knights (17-5, 6-3) play at No. 3 Connecticut on Saturday.
Notre Dame (22-1 overall, 9-0 Big East) extended its winning streak to 19 games. The Irish hit the court next on Sunday, when Notre Dame hosts DePaul. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m., and ESPNU has the telecast.
Skylar Diggins led the Irish with 18 points against Rutgers.
Devereaux Peters finished strong in the second half and turned in her third consecutive double-double. Peters scored 10 points and hauled in a career-high 17 rebounds, topping the previous career-best 16 rebounds she had last week against Tennessee.
Kayla McBride also had a double-double for the Irish, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Natalie Achonwa scored 15 points for Notre Dame.
Rutgers started four freshmen against the Irish. The lone upperclassman in the Scarlet Knights’ starting five, Monique Oliver, helped Rutgers enjoy an inspired start.
Oliver, a physical 6-foot-2 post player, scored nine of Rutgers’ first 11 points. But when Oliver left after picking up her second foul, Notre Dame sprinted to a 27-6 run, going from an 11-11 tie to a 38-17 lead. During Notre Dame’s run, the Irish enjoyed a stretch of hitting four consecutive 3-pointers.
Dyer wins two races as Irish end home season.
 Notre Dame dropped a spirited dual meet with Iowa at the Shamrock Invitational.
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Freshman Zachary Stephens reset a Rolfs Aquatic Center record by going 2:00.59 in the 200 breast Saturday during the final session of the Shamrock Invitational. Stephens' performance bettered that of Notre Dame's Dan Szilier, whose 2:01.01 in the event stood as the benchmark since 1998.
Frank Dyer continued his string of success with wins in the 200 and 100 free while Christopher Johnson (100 breast) and Wesley Mullins (200 fly) each added individual victories.
Iowa claimed the better end of the dual meet held under a championship format, 216-154.
"The Shamrock Invitational has been a great stepping stone for our program heading into the next few weeks," Irish head coach Tim Welsh said. "Our goal was to get better each session, and judging by tonight's results, we proved that we did just that.
"I'm very proud of all of our seniors and their efforts not only throughout this meet but the entire regular season."
With the regular season in the books, the Irish (6-4) now prepare for the BIG EAST Conference Diving Championships (Feb. 10-12) held at Pittsburgh's Trees Pool with the swimming portion spanning from Feb. 15-18.
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200 Medley Relay: The day started with a third-place finish in 1:33.40 by the tandem of Petar Petrovic, Cameron Miller, Bill Bass and Kevin Overholt.
400 Individual Medley: Mullins breezed through in 4:00.96 for second-place honors ... behind him was Patrick Olson (4:01.89) in third.
100 Fly: Conor Evans (49.88) pounded into the wall and placed second in front of Jack Donovan (50.84) and Bill Bass (50.91).
200 Free: An NCAA B-cut was recorded by Frank Dyer in 1:37.50 to win the race.
100 Breast: The event was dominated by Irish swimmers as Johnson (56.20) took first among the 12-person field ... Miller (56.67) was second, Stephens (57.07) was third and Colin Babcock (57.49) was fourth ... Patrick Sullivan (58.37) shelved a sixth-place result.
100 Back: Jonathan Whitcomb brought the heat in 50.32 for fourth as Marshall Sherman tapped fifth at 50.53.
800 Free Relay: Dyer, Bass, Overholt and John McGinley teamed for an NCAA B-cut in 6:40.76 to finish second overall.
3-meter Diving: Nick Nemetz (332.63) did enough for second place and Michael Kreft (320.03) was third off the high board ... Ryan Koter (312.83) was fourth and Sean Rademaker (298.13) tallied a fifth-place showing.
1,650 Free: Manuel Belzer (15:28.85) broke the Rolfs Aquatic Center record which was set by Kansas' Erik Jorgensen (15:32.37) in 1995 ... Jimmy McEldrew (15:49.30) was the top finisher for Notre Dame, taking second ahead of Kevin Hughes (15:55.55).
200 Back: Bertie Nel (1:50.78) claimed fourth, just ahead of Whitcomb (1:50.87) and Sherman (1:51.34).
100 Free: Dyer racked his second win on the day in 44.47.
200 Breast: Stephens had the crowd on its feet and reset the pool record with a 2:00.59 ... it was all Irish behind him as Miller (2:02.20) was second and Joshua Choi (2:04.79) was third.
200 Fly: Mullins led the pack in 1:50.56 and Evans drew one of the day's loudest ovations by delivering a second-place effort in 1:50.68 ... John Williamson (1:51.93) was fourth.
400 Free Relay: Stephens, Johnson, Williamson and Babcock surged to a 3:03.62 for third in the final race of the two-day event.
Smith led the Notre Dame hockey program from 1968-87 and served as facilities manager at the University's Loftus Sports Center from 1987-2011.
NOTRE DAME,
Charles W. “Lefty” Smith Jr., the patriarch of University of Notre Dame ice hockey after bringing the Irish program into the modern era beginning in 1968-69 and spending 19 seasons as Irish head coach, died yesterday of natural causes in his South Bend, Ind., home. He was 81.
After his final season as Notre Dame head coach in 1986-87, Smith became facilities manager at the University’s Loftus Sports Center (now part of the Guglielmino Athletics Complex) until retiring from that role last month (he had been the athletics department’s longest-tenured employee at the time of his retirement). He took part in the ceremonial opening faceoff in October at the first game in the new Compton Family Ice Arena—and dedication festivities are scheduled for Feb. 3-4 to honor Smith and the Compton Family Ice Arena rink that bears his name.
“It is difficult to imagine Notre Dame without Charles ‘Lefty’ Smith,” said Notre Dame vice president and athletics director Jack Swarbrick. “From the time I attended my first hockey game as a freshman to the time I spent with him at his retirement party a few weeks ago, Lefty had been a prominent, colorful and impactful fixture at our University. Lefty’s legacy will be measured not so much in the program he built or the games he won, but rather the thousands of lives he touched as a coach, teacher, administrator, father and husband--a legacy that we had the privilege of honoring with him in naming the Lefty Smith Rink at the Compton Family Ice Arena. We will miss him greatly, but we will never forget him."
Smith came to Notre Dame in 1968 to help start the varsity hockey program and remained the head coach of the Irish for 19 seasons before retiring from coaching in 1987 with 307 career victories. Under his tutelage, Notre Dame produced six All-Americans--Eddie Bumbacco (1973), Bill Nyrop (1973), Jack Brownschidle (1976, 1977), Brian Walsh (1977), Greg Meredith (1980) and Kirt Bjork (1983)--and finished second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) twice (1972-73, 1976-77). He was named WCHA coach of the year following the 1972-73 season.
In 1981-82, the Irish moved to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) where Smith guided the Irish to the Great Lakes Invitational Championship and the CCHA championship game that season. Among players on that team was former Irish head coach Dave Poulin (current vice president of hockey operations for the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs).
Smith remained the head coach through the 1986-87 season and retired with a career record of 307-320-30. In his 19 seasons, all 126 players who played for him completed their collegiate eligibility and earned college degrees.
Smith served two years as president of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) and also coached the Central team at the 1978 National Sports Festival. Eight members of that team would go on to be members of the gold-medal winning 1980 United States Olympic team. In 1992 he was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2003 was named a "Legend of Hockey" by the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation.
He also played an integral role in bringing the International Special Olympics to Notre Dame in 1987 and oversaw 22,000 volunteers and 6,000 Special Olympic athletes from 72 nations during the 12-day event.
Smith and longtime Irish assistant Tim McNeill combined to start the Irish Youth Hockey League that first brought youth hockey to the South Bend area.
Born Jan. 5, 1930, Smith got his start in coaching in South St. Paul, Minn., where he was instrumental in developing that fabled high school program before moving to South Bend. A 1951 graduate of St. Thomas University, where he was a standout hockey and baseball player, Smith became an assistant coach at South St. Paul in 1953 and took over as head coach in 1958. He remained there until 1968, turning in a record of 201-69-11 before leaving to start the hockey program at Notre Dame.
He was named the Irish hockey coach by longtime Notre Dame athletics director Edward “Moose” Krause on Feb. 9, 1968—taking over a program that had been competing on the club level for the previous five seasons. His appointment coincided with the opening of the Athletic and Convocation Center (later renamed the Joyce Center) that would be the home of Notre Dame hockey until the Compton Family Ice Arena opened in October 2011.
Smith had been an original member of the eclectic Algonquin Table that for years enjoyed lunch together virtually every weekday at the former University Club on campus before transferring that gathering to Legends.
Smith and his late wife Mickey (Mary McNally of New Richmond, Wis.) are parents of seven living children (the Smiths were preceded in death by a son Greg), 16 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. EST Friday at the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 North Bendix Drive in South Bend (574-277-4444). A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. EST Saturday at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the University of Notre Dame campus.
Former Irish All-American will be honored on March 2, 2012 during halftime of Notre Dame-Providence basketball game.
 One of the greatest players to don an Irish uniform, Adrian Dantley was the national player of the year in 1976.
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Former Irish basketball great and U.S. Olympian Adrian Dantley, the 1976 national college basketball player of the year and a member of the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame, will become the fourth inductee into the Notre Dame Basketball Ring of Honor on Friday, March 2, 2012. The ceremony will take place during halftime of the Irish's final regular-season home game against Providence at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
Dantley, who enjoyed a stellar three-year career in an Irish uniform from 1973-76, will join Austin Carr, Luke Harangody and Ruth Riley as a member of Notre Dame's Ring of Honor. Harangody, who played for the Irish from 2006-10, was the school's first inductee in February 2010. Riley (1997-2001), who helped lead the Irish women's basketball program to the national championship in '01, became the second member the Ring of Honor in November 2010, while Austin Carr (1968-71), who still remains the program's career scoring leader with 2,560 points, became the third honoree when he was inducted in February 2011.
Named the national player of the year as a junior in 1975-76 by the United States Basketball Writers Association, Dantley was a two-time first-team All-American in 1974-75 and 1975-76. He also was a member of the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in Montreal in 1976.
Dantley was named to Notre Dame's All-Century Team in conjunction with the school's yearlong celebration of the 100th season of the program during the 2004-05 campaign. He averaged 18.3 points per game as a starting forward as a freshman for the Irish in 1973-74. Dantley finished second nationally in scoring as a sophomore with a 30.4 average, ranked fourth nationally in scoring as a junior in '75-'76 with a 28.6 average and served as captain of Digger Phelps' Irish team as a junior. He played on teams that finished 26-3, 19-10 and 23-6, earning mention on NCAA all-regional teams as a sophomore and junior.
Dantley ranks third on the Irish career scoring list (behind Austin Carr and Luke Harangody) with 2,223 points. He posted a 25.8 career scoring average and a 9.8 career rebound average and made more free throws (615) than any player in Irish history.
After passing up his senior season to make himself available for the NBA draft, Dantley returned to finish his degree requirements at Notre Dame by 1978.
The sixth overall pick in the '76 NBA draft by Buffalo Braves, he was named the NBA rookie of the year in '77 with a 20.3 scoring average and a 7.6 rebound mark. Dantley played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 24.3 points per game. He led the league five times in free throws made in a season and led the NBA in scoring in '81 at 30.7 and '84 at 30.6. He twice was a second-team all-NBA pick.
His 23,177 career points ranks 21st all-time in the NBA. In all but four seasons as a professional, Dantley averaged 20 points or better, including topping the 30-point mark four straight years (1981-84). The six-time NBA All-Star (1980-82, 1984-86) was named NBA Comeback Player of the Year in 1984, the year he led the league in scoring (30.6).
Dantley played with Buffalo in '76-'77, with Los Angeles and Indiana in '77-'78, with the Lakers in '78-'79, then seven years with Utah ('79-'80 through '85-'86), and Detroit in '86-'87 and '87-'88. He was traded from Detroit to Dallas midway through the '88-'89 season, played all of '89-'90 in Dallas and later played with Milwaukee Bucks at the end of the '90-'91 season.
He was an assistant coach at Towson State for two seasons from 1993-95 and was an assistant for eight seasons with the Denver Nuggets. He briefly served as the Nuggets' head coach during the 2009-10 season.
A scholastic All-America player at DeMatha Catholic High School (Md.), he was born Feb. 28, 1956, in Washington, D.C. Dantley became the sixth individual with Notre Dame connections to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in '08. He joined George E. Keogan (enshrined in 1961), Elmer H. Ripley (1973), Edward "Moose" Krause (1976), Raymond J. Meyer (1979) and J. Walter Kennedy (1981).
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Ask Before You Act
Protecting and preserving the eligibility of our student-athletes at Notre Dame is a shared responsibility. Compliance with NCAA rules is essential as we strive to maintain and enhance our national athletic prominence, while protecting the University's tradition of integrity and values.
Please be reminded of the following rules in regards to interaction with current student-athletes:
You may:
a.. contact a current student-athlete regarding employment opportunities, however, no contact may be made without approval from the Compliance Office.
b.. provide a student-athlete, not their family and friends, an occasional (once a semester) meal at your home.
You may not:
a.. provide a currently enrolled student-athlete, their parents of friends any benefit or special arrangement without prior approval from the Compliance Office.
b.. pay for or arrange for payment of room, board or any type of transportation for a student-athlete or their family and friends.
c.. entertain student-athletes or their family and friends. (Exception: NCAA rules do permit institutional staff members and athletics representatives to provide student-athletes (not including their family and friends) with an occasional meal (defined as once a semester) provided the meal is at the staff member's or athletic representative's home and not at a restaurant.)
d.. use the name, picture or appearance of an enrolled student-athlete to advertise, recommend or promote sales or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. Any use of a student-athlete's name, picture or appearance must receive authorization from the Compliance Office.
e.. provide any payment of expense or loan of an automobile for a student-athlete to return home or to any other location.
f.. provide awards or gifts to a student-athlete for any reason. All awards provided to student-athletes must first be approved by the Compliance Office and meet all NCAA regulations.
g.. provide an honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement. All speaking engagements must be approved in advance by the Compliance Office. h.. allow a student-athlete, his/her relatives or friends to use your telephone to make free calls.
i.. provide free or reduced cost lodging in your home to a student-athlete or a student-athlete's family and friends.
In regards to a prospective student-athlete: (The following lists of examples are not all-inclusive. As always, ask before you act!)
Do's - You may:
a.. forward information about prospective student-athletes to the appropriate coaching staff.
b.. have telephone contact with a prospect regarding permissible pre-enrollment activities such as summer employment, provided the prospect has graduated from high school and signed a National Letter of Intent. Also, you must contact the Compliance Office to make them aware that you are making these employment arrangements.
c.. have a telephone conversation with a prospect only if the prospect initiates the call. Such a call may not be prearranged by an institutional staff member and you are not permitted to have a recruiting conversation, but may exhibit normal civility. You must refer any questions about our athletics programs to an athletics department staff member/coach.
d.. view a prospect's athletic contest at your own initiative provided you do not contact the prospect or his/her parents. In addition, you may not contact a prospect's coach, principal, or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.
e.. continue established family relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with sons and daughters of these families are permitted so long as they are not made for recruiting purposes or encouraged by Notre Dame coaches.
Don'ts - You may not:
a.. write, e-mail or telephone a prospective student-athlete or his/her parents in an effort to recruit them to Notre Dame.
b.. become involved in making arrangements to provide money, financial aid or a benefit of any kind to a prospect or the prospect's family and friends.
c.. make contact with a prospective student-athlete and his/her parents when the prospect is on-campus for an official or unofficial recruiting visit.
d.. contact a prospect to congratulate him/her on signing a National Letter of Intent to attend the University.
e.. transport, pay or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect, and his/her relatives or friends to visit campus (or elsewhere).
f.. pay or arrange for payment of summer camp registration fees for a prospect.
g.. provide ANYTHING to a prospect, the prospect's family or friends without prior approval from the Compliance Office.
Please note that the NCAA is comprised of amateur athletes in their respective sports.
The following are ways in which an athlete could lose his or her amateur status:
a.. taking pay (or promise of pay) for playing
b.. entering into any agreement (verbal or written) with an agent or a representative of an agent
c.. using athletic skill for pay in any form
d.. promoting a commercial product (or by allowing their name or picture to be used regardless of pay)
e.. accepting payment for work not performed or receiving pay at a higher rate
f.. playing on any professional athletics team as defined by the NCAA in the athlete's sport
g.. playing on any team in which members of that team are being paid as professionals
Did you know'
a.. a prospective student-athlete who has begun classes for the 12th grade may make at total of five official visits to five different institution's campuses. (An official visit is when an institution pays for any part of the visit such as travel, meals or lodging.)
b.. only institutional employees may have contact with the prospect and their families on the official visit.
c.. a prospective student-athlete may receive one phone call in the month of March of their junior year and one phone call per week from coaches as of July 1 after their junior year in high school. (Please note that men's and women's basketball, football and hockey have different rules.)
d.. a prospective student-athlete may receive recruiting materials and general correspondence from an institution no earlier than September 1 of their junior year in high school.
Again, thank you for your interest and commitment to rules compliance. If you have any questions, please call the Athletics Compliance Office at 631-8090. For more information, visit http://und.collegesports.com/genrel/compliance.html.