Print Edition for Monday, October 13, 2025

Dinner in Canada, the troops in Chicago

Last month, I found myself enjoying a pleasant meal in Stratford, Ontario — a city of approximately 30,000 residents, most famous for its annual performing arts festival (which also explained the presence of the 50 or more Notre Dame undergraduates spending the weekend in the city). After finishing dinner with a group of fellow Domers, the server — perceiving our inherent Americanism (is it that obvious?) — asked where we were from. “Kentucky,” replied two of us. “Los Angeles,” said another. The fourth answer — Chicago — aroused great excitement in our Canuck server. “Chicago!” he said. “That’s where the troops are now!”

Irish top SMU on Senior Day, stay unbeaten

The second-ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer team wrapped up the home portion of its 2025 schedule on Sunday afternoon, defeating SMU 3-0 on Senior Day at Alumni Stadium. The Irish used goals from sophomore forward Annabelle Chukwu, sophomore defender Abby Mills and junior midfielder Morgan Roy to move to 12-0-1 on the year and remain atop the ACC table.

Hookup culture destroys genuine connections

College, a place meant for growth and self-discovery, has now become a scene where genuine connections are replaced by transactional intimacy. What was once viewed as a place for building authentic relationships with different people has turned into a culture that rewards emotional detachment. Students are influenced by the mindset that casual hook-ups are normal, acknowledging the idea that it allows for opportunities of exploration, independence and empowerment. Yet this culture only can leave people lonelier and more detached from forming genuine relationships. 

Irish volleyball wins matches against Virginia and Virginia Tech

Over the weekend, Notre Dame volleyball defeated both Virginia and Virginia Tech at Purcell Pavilion.

Notre Dame earns late draw at No. 8 Virginia

On Friday, the Irish refused to give up in Charlottesville. In one of its most resilient performances of the season, the Notre Dame men’s soccer team battled back from an early deficit to draw 1-1 with No. 8 Virginia on Friday night at Klöckner Stadium. Junior forward Jack Flanagan provided the dramatic equalizer in the 86th minute, firing home his first goal of the season to secure a crucial road point in ACC play.The result moves Notre Dame to 7-2-4 overall and 2-1-2 in the ACC, extending its unbeaten run to four matches following home wins over Hope and Green Bay and a draw with Virginia Tech. The trip to Charlottesville marked the Irish’s first match away from South Bend in nearly a month, ending a seven-game homestand that began after their Sept. 12 victory at Pittsburgh.The match had all the hallmarks of an ACC heavyweight clash — physical, tactical and defined by small margins. Virginia’s pressure and possession tested Notre Dame, but the Irish defense held firm. The draw marked a steadying performance for an Irish backline that had been searching for consistency in recent weeks. After conceding nine goals across its previous five matches, Notre Dame limited the Cavaliers to just one despite Virginia’s 14 shots and 57% of possession.A steady presence all season, sophomore goalkeeper Blake Kelly anchored the Irish defense with confidence in Charlottesville. The ACC’s saves leader added three more stops to his total, allowing just one goal in another composed performance between the posts.Notre Dame’s determination finally broke through in the closing minutes. Virginia opened the match on the front foot, firing off the first four shots, including a dangerous cross that junior forward AJ Smith headed just over the bar from close range. The Cavaliers eventually broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. Graduate defenseman Jesus De Vicente delivered a lofted free kick toward freshman Nick Simmonds in the center circle, who controlled it cleanly before finding sophomore defender Alex Parvu on the right wing. Parvu slid to send a low cross toward Smith, and the junior forward smashed his finish into the roof of the net to give Virginia a 1-0 advantage.The Irish earned five corners and several free kicks but couldn’t capitalize on any set pieces or convert them into any real chances. Their best opportunity of the first half came in the 41st minute, when senior midfielder Sebastian Green whipped a dangerous ball into the box for freshman forward Ren Sylvester, whose effort slipped narrowly wide of the left post.After the break, Notre Dame began to grow into the match. The Irish doubled their shot total from two to four in the second half while limiting Virginia to just five after allowing nine before halftime. All three of Blake Kelly’s saves came in that improved second period as the Irish began to find their rhythm.The contest was physical from start to finish, with the Irish whistled for 18 fouls and shown one yellow card, while Virginia committed 12 fouls. Senior midfielder KK Baffour picked up the lone yellow card for Notre Dame in the 65th minute. But the senior would later play the hero’s role — with less than five minutes remaining, he created space on the left wing and sent a driven cross into Flanagan, who redirected the ball into the back of the net, scoring on the half-volley to rescue the draw for the Irish.Flanagan delivered the long-awaited response to AJ Smith’s early goal, scoring his first of the season at the perfect time. Fittingly, the stalemate came on a night defined by the juniors — Smith for Virginia and Flanagan for Notre Dame. Friday’s draw served as another example of Notre Dame’s growing resilience in tightly contested matches.Notre Dame head coach Chad Riley reflected on that toughness afterward, saying, “Virginia is clearly a good team, and they were better in the first half. I thought our team came out well in the second half and did a great job pushing to get the equalizer. I love that we never stopped and kept going. We have to keep being a team that goes until the final whistle.”The Irish will look to carry that momentum back home next week for their regular-season home finale at Alumni Stadium against No. 10 NC State on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The art of the GCal invite

The GCal invite is an underappreciated art form that should be recognized with sculptures, paintings, music, cinematography and Jeremiyah Love hurdling the defense into the end zone. Given Notre Dame’s Type-A student body, which somehow retains something of a drinking culture, our campus has the perfect atmosphere to serve as the modern Italy in this GCal renaissance. Just as there are various art styles, including impressionism, realism, expressionism and modern art, there are many approaches to crafting the perfect GCal. However, there are a few crucial ingredients every GCal should bake in. 

Irish hockey falls in Ice Breaker Tournament

This weekend, Notre Dame hockey traveled to Arizona State University to compete in the Ice Breaker Tournament and kickstart its season. The Irish fell short in both games of their tournament, losing 5-3 to No. 15 Arizona State on Friday and 7-2 to No. 8 Quinnipiac on Saturday. Arizona State ended up competing against the University of Alaska-Fairbanks for the championship game on Saturday, claiming the title as the hosting team.

Lytle: No. 13 Notre Dame is overrated

The AP Poll has seemingly attempted to be predictive throughout the course of the season instead of simply analyzing the resumes of teams. This system of evaluating programs not for their on-field production, but for the expectation of their future in a way to “justify” your rankings later on is disappointing to see for any college football fan. Notre Dame has been a beneficiary team of this system, but that does not make it right or accurate.

‘RED CUP’: Thinking about drinking

When deciding on a Moreau co-curricular at 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night while sipping on Shirley Temples from the comfort of my dorm room, my friend and I came across “RED CUP.” We thought it sounded interesting. As the hardcore partiers we are, we believed that “RED CUP” could help fix our bad party habits. 

Adon Shuler: Calm, cool and collected

Sophomore safety and team captain Adon Shuler had himself a day against NC State. The fast and physical safety was a thorn in the Wolfpack’s side, playing an integral role in holding the dangerous offense to a mere seven points. Shuler made three total tackles and recorded an early fourth-quarter interception that put an end to any hopes NC State had of coming back.

Cavanaugh Hall hosts new signature event: Cavchella

On Thursday evening from 7 to 11 p.m., Cavanaugh Hall hosted its first-ever Cavchella in a tent on North Quad. The event featured student musical performances and DJs who played atop a stage within the tent.

Indecent exposure incident at Saint Mary’s reported to students Friday evening

On Friday evening, Saint Mary’s students were alerted to an exposure incident that occurred on the Avenue via an email from director of campus safety Phil Bambenek.

Saint Mary's hosts fall festival to promote wellness

Saint Mary’s College students gathered Friday afternoon at Angela Athletic and Wellness Complex for the annual Fall Wellness Festival, “A Ghoul’s Guide to Good Health,” an event designed to encourage self-care, stress management and community engagement during midterm season. 

Key moments from fourth consecutive Irish victory

The Irish emerged victorious following the Boise State performance with another strong defensive showing against the NC State Wolfpack. Here's how they were able to win: 

Notre Dame wins 36-7 over NC State

Notre Dame kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive on Saturday as they beat NC State 36-7. After a slow first half marked by questionable play-calling, the Irish turned it around in the second with hard-nosed defense and an effective passing game. Freshman quarterback CJ Carr exploded for 342 yards, while the defense notched a season-high four sacks and three interceptions. With the victory, the Irish improve to 4-2. 

A look inside storied Notre Dame tailgates

On home gameday, legacy tailgates take over the Legends of Notre Dame parking lot. These tailgates consist of generations of alumni, many of whom have been tailgating here for over a decade.  

Local researchers discuss rising tick-borne illnesses in St. Joseph County

For many, when they consider Indiana pests, they first think of mosquitoes. But according to local researchers, the bigger and more persistent threat may now come from a smaller, nearly invisible creature: the tick.

Keough-Naughton Institute hosts Luke Morgan for poetry reading

On Friday, Oct. 10, the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, within the Keough School of Global Affairs, hosted Luke Morgan for a poetry reading of his new book “Blood Atlas” in Jenkins and Nanovic Halls.

Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discusses creating a culture of hope

On Friday evening, retired general Martin Dempsey, who served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the University of Notre Dame for a lecture with University President Fr. Robert Dowd titled “Hope, Global Stability and the Role of the United States.”