"Back to Back" National Coach of the Year honors for Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw -- the third in her 27-year career leading the Fighting Irish -- and ESPN is asking the question; "Who is Muffet McGraw?"
It's less than ten hours to tip-off of Notre Dame's national semi-final game tonight against Maryland -- the game will be televised on ESPN beginning at 6:30 PM ET.
I took a lap around the worldwide-web to get you ready with all of the important "pre-tip" knowledge you'll need for tonight's game. Just click on the links below:
The ND GO IRISH BLOG was sent this photo by Notre Dame parent Patrick Paige (Ann Arbor, MI) of former Fighting Irish All-American Manti Te'o with some students in the lobby of the Morris Inn Thursday night.
(Photo l to r: Oliver Silva, Meghan Maraghy, Manti Te'o, Katie Paige, Claire O'Neill and Mari Mendoza)
Notre Dame QB Everett Golson, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and linebacker Joe Schmidt met with the media yesterday afternoon -- just click on the link below to watch:
It was a day where the Notre Dame Fighting Irish "dressed-up" and enjoyed the spoils of being one of four teams still playing college basketball this weekend in Nashville...
As always, Fighting Irish Digital Media was in attendance -- just click on the link below to enjoy!
Notre Dame alum Frank Allocco, the head basketball coach at prep powerhouse De La Salle High School in Concord, CA -- where he's won two state championships -- coached the West Team to a 105 - 102 win this week at the McDonald's All-American game at Chicago's United Center.
Notre Dame football fans may remember Frank's days as a QB for Ara Parseghian -- and a member of the 1973 national championship team. Allocco also played basketball for Digger Phelps while at ND.
Allocco, the National High School Coach of the Year (2000), California State Coach of the Year (2010 and 2011) and the National Catholic High School Coach of the Year (2012) agreed to publish a daily diary of his experience working with the best high school basketball players in America. You'll find the links to the Diary below.
Allocco is the only high school coach in California state history to win a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP at two different schools!
I want to thank one of my colleagues at Notre Dame, Craig Horvath -- for alerting me to this story!
Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business was just named the #1 undergraduate business school in America for the FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR by BloombergBusinessWeek!
Just read the headline to the article -- linked below...
Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see what's being said about our Fighting Irish as they arrived in Nashville last night for their fourth straight FINAL FOUR. Here's what I could find:
The 36 - 0 Notre Dame Fighting Irish have arrived in Nashville this evening for the NCAA Final Four -- their fourth straight year! Here's some photos "tweeted" by the Women's Final Four Twitter account along with a link to WATCHND's coverage of the Fighting Irish in Nashville:
Incoming Notre Dame women's basketball recruit Kathryn Westbeld played in yesterday's McDonald's All-American game at Chicago's United Center. Kathryn made the only shot she took and grabbed a couple of offensive rebounds in ten minutes of play.
Here's a computer simulation of the upcoming 2014 NFL Draft that has seven former Notre Dame student-athletes being drafted by teams. I won't ruin the surprise:
Notre Dame women's basketball's incoming Gatorade National Player of the Year, Brianna Turner -- played tonight in the McDonald's All-American game at Chicago's United Center with the top players in the country and she walked away with the game MVP!
Brianna is the second Notre Dame hoops recruit to receive this honor -- the first, a young lady named Skylar Diggins...
Brianna had a "double-double," scored the winning bucket for the West Team with 53 seconds left and then for good measure blocked a shot late in the game to ensure the victory!
The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media caught up with a number of the Notre Dame football assistant coaches today; Tony Alford, Kerry Cooks, Matt LaFleur and Mike Elston. Enjoy!
The McDonald's High School All-American game will be played tonight at 7:00 PM ET on ESPNU -- and Fighting Irish fans will want to keep an eye-on future Notre Dame student-athletes; Brianna Turner (on left) and Kathryn Westbeld (on right) seen in the photo above at the All-American banquet last night.
Brianna 6'-3" -- the Gatorade National Player of the Year will be playing for the West Squad and wearing uniform #11. Kathryn 6'-2" -- will be playing for the East Squad.
The team that gave Notre Dame its most difficult test of the season -- the Maryland Terrapins (pictured above) -- beat the higher seeded Louisville Cardinals (in the Cards own gym) last night to advance to Sunday's Final Four game against our Fighting Irish.
These two teams last met January 27th in College Park, MD -- with the IRISH prevailing 87 - 83. This is one of only two times this season where an opponent kept the deficit to under 10 points against the IRISH. Natalie Achonwa scored 7 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in that game (playing only 21 minutes of the game) -- see box score below.
Here's the challenge -- Maryland has a big, talented line-up led by a 6'-2" All-American Alyssa Thomas who put up 29 points in the first game against our Irish. Here's their starting line-up last night against Louisville:
Alicia DeVaughn: 6'-4" -- scored 16 against ND
Brionna Jones: 6'-3" -- didn't start against ND -- but scored 6 off bench
Folks, Under Armour will be a much different partner for the University of Notre Dame -- in a great way. Here's a perfect example -- here we are, three months out from the start of their partnership with ND and Under Armour is soliciting fans to sign-up to be "in the know" as to what they're planning for Notre Dame.
I love it.
If you want to sign-up -- click on the link below:
With the serious knee injury (a torn ACL -- just reported by Notre Dame at 2:30 PM ET) to Natalie Achonwa -- Notre Dame's "do-it-all" All-American sophomore Jewell Loyd is going to have to replicate her effort last night where she took the game into her own hands.
And, Notre Dame's other All-American Kayla McBride needs to stay on the floor...
Here is a link to ESPN's Graham Hays story about last night's effort from the IRISH:
The Fighting Irish are FINAL FOUR bound for the fourth straight year! They will play the winner of tonight's Maryland vs. Louisville game this Sunday in Nashville.
Now, we wait until we hear the results of what looked to be a very serious knee injury to Notre Dame senior Natalie Achonwa. You'll see a video linked below (ESPN COVERAGE) where Natalie was interviewed after the game.
Major League Baseball is officially back today -- and five former Notre Dame student-athletes are on major league rosters; Jeff Samardzija (Cubs), David Phelps (Yankees), John Axford (Indians), Jeff Manship (Phillies) and A.J. Pollock (Diamondbacks).
Samardzija made history this afternoon for the Cubs. He pitched seven scoreless innings against the Pirates today -- yet the Cubs lost 1 - 0 in ten innings. Samardzija is the first Chicago Cubs pitcher to throw "back to back" scoreless starts on Opening Day in 80 years!
To learn more about each of these former Irish stars -- click on their name below:
Former Notre Dame All-American Jeff Samardzija takes the mound tomorrow for his second straight Opening Day start for the Chicago Cubs -- and ironically it happens again at PNC Park in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.
First pitch is thrown at 1:05 PM ET -- here's some stories about Jeff's start tomorrow:
Bryant Gumbel's Real Sports on HBO produced a story this past week on what a number of universities have been doing to graduate their student-athletes -- namely; University of North Carolina, University of Michigan, University of Oklahoma, Baylor University, Iowa State University and the University of Memphis.
If you get the chance -- go to HBO and watch the entire show. It's an eye-opener... Plus, there is a second link here to an article I found in a North Carolina newspaper about this HBO story:
Muffet and her Fighting Irish met with the media today to talk about tomorrow night's game against Baylor for a trip to Nashville and the FINAL FOUR. Here's the replay:
She's only 42 points away from setting the all-time points record for a single season for women's college basketball...
Standing in Odyseey's Sims way is the defense of Jewell Loyd, Kayla McBride and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
Here is what the media has to say about tomorrow night's NCAA Regional Final between Notre Dame (35 - 0) and the Baylor Bears (32 - 4). The fun begins at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.
Notre Dame men's basketball coach Mike Brey is featured in a Northwestern Mutual TV commercial that's airing during the NCAA tournament. Just click on the link below to watch:
Notre Dame, with a quick 14 - 0 run, took control of the game early and they never trailed in a seventeen point win over Oklahoma State this afternoon. The win puts the Fighting Irish into the NCAA Regional Final on Monday night against Baylor -- the last team to beat Notre Dame at Purcell Pavilion.
Here are the highlights and a few early media reports on today's game:
Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today after Spring practice #8. He updated the media on Jarret Grace's surgery and the status of his team...
Here's what Notre Dame football was up to today -- inside -- the Loftus Complex. The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media was in attendance -- so we have this report!
The NCAA Hockey Tournament begins tonight for Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish and you can watch it LIVE on ESPNU beginning at 9 PM ET. Yesterday afternoon Notre Dame met with the media to talk about St. Cloud State -- click on the link below to watch a replay of the press conference:
Muffet McGraw's Fighting Irish are playing at home today in the SWEET SIXTEEN against Oklahoma State on ESPN -- the game tips off at 2:35 PM ET. Here's what the media has to say about this afternoon's game:
Louis Nix III is a good sport. Last night the former Notre Dame student-athlete participated in the Relay For Life cancer fundraising event at Compton Ice Arena. As you'll see the 340 lb. defensive lineman painted his face, grew some colorful ears and put on some ice skates!
Notre Dame plays Oklahoma State in a Sweet Sixteen basketball game Saturday on ESPN at Purcell Pavilion. Four ESPN basketball pundits picked their winners of each of the games Saturday and Sunday. Click on the link below to find out how they see the IRISH doing:
Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish are in St. Paul, MN this weekend to play their first NCAA Hockey National Championship tournament game tomorrow night against St. Cloud State. Here's a preview of tomorrow night's game:
The Fighting Irish are "HOME" this weekend to play in the NCAA's SWEET SIXTEEN. First up, a game against Oklahoma State tomorrow at 2:30 PM ET. The media met with Notre Dame this afternoon -- here's a link to the press conference:
Photo above of the new floor installed for the NCAA Tournament.
Mychal Johnson an incoming Notre Dame hoops recruit from West Virginia was interviewed yesterday by Slam Magazine. Johnson and her teammates just won their FOURTH STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP (six in a row for the school!) -- you'll enjoy this interview.
Fans of Kansas' freshman basketball sensation Andrew Wiggins might be surprised to learn that he was Mychal's date to the prom her junior year.