Brianna Turner Named McDonald's Game MVP!

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!

Congratulations Brianna!

LINK:  ESPN GAME STORY

Notre Dame Football Assistant Coaches Talk

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!

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL COACHES

Positive Weather Forecast for Blue Gold Game!

This is the current weather forecast from ACCU-WEATHER (as of Wednesday, April 9th) of what we can expect here at Notre Dame for the BLUE GOLD GAME.

LINK:  WEATHER FORECAST

Watch Turner & Westbeld Tonight on ESPNU

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.

LINK:  BRIANNA TURNER

LINK:  KATHRYN WESTBELD

Notre Dame Knows Their Final Four Opponent

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
• Alyssa Thomas:  6'-2" -- scored 29 against ND
• Lexie Brown:  5'-9" -- scored 9 points against ND
• Katie Rutan:  5'-9" -- didn't score

LINK:  ESPN PREVIEW STORY

LINK:  BOX SCORE FROM FIRST GAME:  ND vs. MARYLAND

Under Armour's Marketing to Notre Dame Fans

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:

LINK:  BE IN THE KNOW

Must See: Mike Brey's "April Fool's Day" Prank

Former Notre Dame student-athlete turned broadcaster Jordan Cornette was pranked today by his former head coach Mike Brey.  This is pretty good!

LINK:  APRIL FOOL'S PRANK

Loyd & McBride -- Must Lead the Irish Now...

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:

LINK:  ESPN STORY

The Mornin' After Notre Dame's Big Win!

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.

LINK:  ESPN COVERAGE

LINK:  POST GAME CELEBRATION 

LINK:  MUFFET POST GAME 

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE