The Dance Begins @ 5 PM Today for Lady Irish

Muffet McGraw's Fightin' Irish tip off their annual run for a National Championship today in Iowa City at 5:05 PM ET against the University of Tennessee Martin.  UTM has two 20+ point scorers in their starting line-up who are in the TOP TEN in the country in scoring.  No other team in the country can make this claim...

Should be an interesting match-up.  The game will be televised LIVE on ESPN2.

LINK:  NOTRE DAME vs. UTM

Homecoming: Zbikowski is a Chicago Bear!!!

Former Notre Dame football star Tommy Zbikowski -- signed a one-year contract today to play safety for the Chicago Bears.  Zibby grew up in the Chicago suburbs -- so it's pretty cool!

LINK:  ZIBBY IS A BEAR

First Day of Full Contact -- Notre Dame Football

Coach Kelly met with the media today after this morning's first Spring Practice with full pads on.  Here's what he had to say:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH MEDIA

Notre Dame Beats Ohio State to Advance!

The Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame did two things today -- they beat Ohio State 3 - 1 earning a trip to tomorrow afternoon's CCHA Final against the winner of the Miami of Ohio vs. Michigan game this evening.  And, they definitely clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament...

Here's a link to the highlights, post game press conference and post game coverage:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME BEAT OHIO STATE

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE 

LINK:  POST GAME

A First in the History of the Catholic Church

Two Popes in one photo!

LINK:  NEWS STORY

Notre Dame's NCAA Tournament Run Over...

The IRISH led 18 - 14 -- ten minutes into the game with Iowa State last night...

Then, it was over.


LINK:  MIKE BREY POST GAME PRESSER

Notre Dame Plays Ohio State Today in Motown

The last CCHA FINAL FOUR will be played today and tomorrow in Hockeytown -- as the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame play Ohio State at 1:05 PM ET and Miami of Ohio and Michigan play at 4:35 PM ET.  The winners play tomorrow at 2:05 PM ET.

LINK:  CCHA PREVIEW

The Dance Starts Tonight For Our IRISH!

Tip-off is scheduled for 9:45 PM ET tonight on CBS -- as the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish begin NCAA Tournament play against Iowa State at the University of Dayton Arena.  Here's a link to the pre-game coverage:

LINK:  PRACTICE REPORT

LINK:  COACH BREY WITH MEDIA

LINK:  GAME PREVIEW -- THE MATCH-UP

LINK:  PLAYER INTERVIEWS

Mike Brey Sends IRISH Jersey to the President

The President of the United States took a verbal jab at the University of Notre Dame's basketball jersey on ESPN this week -- so, Mike Brey is sending that jersey to the White House.

The New Morris Inn -- Virtual Tour -- Must See!

The University of Notre Dame's Morris Inn is undergoing a significant renovation/expansion project that is going to produce a world-class hotel for on-campus guests.  You'll enjoy this "fly through" virtual tour of what the Morris Inn will look like this September when it re-opens its doors -- along with a second link to the LIVE WEBCAM following the construction project:

LINK:  VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE MORRIS INN

LINK:  LIVE WEBCAM

Notre Dame Football Practice Video: Must See

The gang at Fighting Irish Digital Media just pushed out their first video from yesterday's first Spring Practice -- for Notre Dame football...

LINK:  FIRST SPRING PRACTICE

Domer Chris Quinn Back in the NBA Today

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced today that they've signed former Notre Dame basketball star Chris Quinn to a contract.  Quinn has been playing in the NBA's Development League for the Tulsa 66ers.  Here's the story:

LINK:  CHRIS QUINN BACK IN THE NBA

Photo of the Day ---- Spring Is Here at ND!

It may not look like it outside -- but Spring has returned to Notre Dame -- as the Fighting Irish football team hit the practice field for the first day of Spring Practice.   

Looks like Stephon Tuitt (#7) has hit the weight room!  


LINK:  PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S FIRST PRACTICE

ND's Newest Building -- Open for Business!

The Stayer Center for Executive Education opened its doors this past week -- and let me tell you -- this building is spectacular!  Here's a link to a short little slide show of Notre Dame's newest campus facility.   

The photo above is of a stained glass window in the St. Matthew Chapel inside the Stayer Center.

LINK:  THE STAYER CENTER -- SLIDE SHOW

#1 AGAIN! -- Can You Say "FOUR-PEAT!!!!"

Bloomberg Businessweek just released their rankings of the top undergraduate Business Schools in the country and for the FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR -- the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business is ranked #1!

I believe this is the first time a university has been ranked #1 -- four consecutive years!


LINK:  OFFICIAL RELEASE

LINK:  BUSINESS SCHOOL RANKINGS

Spring Practice #1 -- Coach Kelly With Media

The first practice of the Spring Season, here at the University of Notre Dame, took place at 8 AM ET "inside" at Meyo Field inside the Loftus Sports Center.  After practice, Brian Kelly met with the media to talk about his Fighting Irish football team:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH THE MEDIA

Notre Dame Football's Spring Roster Released

The University of Notre Dame begins their Spring Practice season tomorrow -- as they prepare for the upcoming Blue Gold Game on Saturday, April 20th.

Some of the highlights:

• Louis Nix weighs 357 lbs.
• Stephon Tuitt 6'-6" and 322 lbs.
• Eleven players tip the scales at 300 +

LINK:  OFFICIAL SPRING FOOTBALL ROSTER

Coach Brian Kelly Met With the Media Today

The University of Notre Dame football team begins Spring Practice this week -- leading up to the 83rd Annual Blue Gold Game on April 20th.  To kick things off, Coach Kelly met with the media at NOON ET today -- here's the follow-up media coverage:


LINK:  REPLAY OF PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  AN INTERVIEW WITH COACH KELLY

LINK:  ESPN NOTRE DAME BLOG

LINK:  NBC NOTRE DAME CENTRAL

Media Reaction to Notre Dame's Chances...

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame begin their quest for a third straight trip to the Final Four via Iowa City, IA  "When" they make it -- they will probably be the only team not to play a game on their home court in the NCAA tournament.

Game I'm most concerned about -- the potential to have to play Iowa on their home court in a Second Round game -- the #2 team in the tournament did not deserve that...

It didn't take long for the media to weigh-in on what lies ahead for the IRISH:

LINK:  ESPN EXPERT PICKS

LINK:  GRAHAM HAYS

LINK:  MECHELLE VOEPEL

LINK:  CHARLIE CREME

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

Coach Kelly Makes Visit to Breezy Point, NY

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly made the trip to Breezy Point, Queens this past week to visit the ravages of Hurricane Sandy.  Coach Kelly and his Kelly Cares Foundation has pledged financial help to the Catholic Club -- a popular community center that was destroyed in the storm.

Nice story...

LINK:  COACH KELLY GIVING BACK...