PDF for Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Mendoza director

dies Friday

Mary Hamann, director of communications for the Mendoza College of Business, died suddenly Friday, April 22, while in Paraguay, according to a University press release Tuesday. Hamann, 50, was in Paraguay for her daughter’s wedding, the press release stated.

Dean Carolyn Woo said Hamann will be missed after her 10 years in the Mendoza College.

The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s

ND energy centers merge

“The death of Mary Hamann is a tremendously sad event for Notre Dame, the entire Mendoza College and for myself personally,” Woo said. “She was a faithful colleague and a very good friend whose judgment was always balanced and considerate of all parties involved. Through her writing and editorial judgement, she was the voice for our College in so many ways.”

Hamann started working at Notre Dame in June 2000 as the manager of administration and operations for Mendoza, according to the press release. She then served as the director of Web content and publications beginning in 2003 before she assumed her position as director of communications in 2004.

Hamann also served as the editor for Notre Dame Business, the Mendoza College alumni magazine, and produced a number of online and print articles and publications, the release stated. Under her leadership, the magazine was recognized for excellence by the League of American Communications Professionals, the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals and the Council for Support and Advancement of Education.

Hamann is survived by her husband and their four children.

Mike Hamann, Mary Hamann’s husband, is a candidate for the Democratic nomination in South Bend’s mayoral election. The South Bend Tribune reported Tuesday that he decided to remain in the race despite the death of his wife.

“Her love for her family and

By CHRISTIAN MYERS News Writer

With the announcement of the creation of the Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (cSEND) earlier this month, the University will create an umbrella for its various sustainable energy projects, research and initiatives.

The new center will incorpo-

rate two existing Notre Dame institutions, the Notre Dame Energy Center (NDEC) and the Sustainable Energy Initiative (SEI). The transition to incorporate the two under cSEND will be completed by the fall semester of 2011.

“The Center for Sustainable Energy will become the one place on campus for all students interested in energy research and policy,” junior

Douglas Pernik said.

Pernik serves on the SEI student advisory board. He said the newly-created cSEND will unify the University’s efforts to promote sustainable energy.

“I think it will be beneficial to have the Center for Sustainable Energy to encompass the missions of the NDEC and SEI,” Pernik said.

see ENERGY/page 5

2011 AnTostal springs to life

By SAM STRYKER News Editor

The 44th AnTostal began Tuesday without the wild entertainment of the past, but students can still celebrate the Celtic festival of spring with free food, giveaways and merriment this week.

See Also “SMC-Tostal to feature outdoor carnival, concert page 3

Sophomore Sadaf Meghani served as the co-programmer for AnTostal 2011, which runs April 26 to May 1, along with sophomore Ashley Markowski.

This year’s AnTostal theme, “TV Guide,” was a natural choice, Meghani said.

“It really just fell into our lap. As we sat in the SUB office the first or second week of the semester, the

Observer Stock Photo

Students attend last years AnTostal. Festivities this year will be shorter due to the late Easter break.

posters of past events plastered all over the wall just inspired us to go with ‘TV Guide,’” she said. “It’s a broad enough theme so a variety of ideas can fall under its umbrella.”

Of all the events planned for this AnTostal, Meghani said there are a few she is especially anticipating.

“I’m really looking for-

ward to Speed Dating and the Carnival,” she said. “However, more than anything else, I’m so pumped about the Augustana concert this Saturday. I’m really looking forward to hearing their songs ‘Boston’ and ‘Sweet and Low’ live.” The tone of AnTostal has

see ANTOSTAL/page 4

see HAMANN/page 5 New umbrella organization to consolidate research, initiatives

Saint Mary’s celebrates volunteers

By JULIA HARRIS Sports Writer

Six Saint Mary’s students were honored for their service to the local community Tuesday in the Stapleton Lounge of Le Mans Hall in lieu of last week’s National Volunteer Week.

The Office for Civic and Social Engagement sponsored an award ceremony for the women to receive the six different service awards.

“They inspire me,” said Carrie Call, director of the Office for Civic and Social Engagement. “They’re an incredibly inspiring group of women.”

Five of the women were presented with Sisters of the Holy Cross awards for women who embody the order’s mission statement to help where help is needed.

The five recipients were seniors Anne Maguire, Christina Losasso, Claire Yancy, Karen Borja and junior Aileen Hurd.

The sixth award, named after alumna Patricia Arch Green, honored sophomore Carla Lead as an active member of the College Academy of Tutoring Program.

“We don’t go into volunteering hoping to get an award,” Lead said. “I’m extremely honored.”

The winners of the six awards served the community by volunteering at homeless shelters, local schools, devoting time to Campus Ministry, participating on service trips and taking active leadership roles within various clubs and organizations on campus.

”The amount of service each of these ladies has done at Saint Mary’s is amazing,” Olivia Critchlow, assistant director for the Office of Civic and Social Engagement, said. “Each one of them is an inspiration for other students.”

Faculty and staff, some of whom nominated the winners for their awards, attended the banquet to recognize the women.

“They are an incredible inspiration,” said Call.

Contact Julia Harris at jharri01@saintmarys.edu

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POLICIES

The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac and Saint Mary’s College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor in Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information.

Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Douglas Farmer.

POST OFFICE INFORMATION

Question: If you had to stay in South Bend over the summer and couldn’t work at Notre Dame, where would you get a job?

Liz: Jamba Juice

Q: What’s the last movie that made you cry?

Liz: A Walk to Remember

Q: What’s your opinion on the Hesburgh Challenge?

Liz: It’s an experience everyone should have before they graduate.

Q: If Notre Dame were to build a new dining hall, would East or West be better?

Liz: West

Q: What new class would you institute in Contemporary Topics for next year’s freshmen?

Liz: Lacrosse or roller blading.

Q: What is your favorite Facebook time-staller?

Liz: Tagging people in photos.

TODAY’S STAFF

OFFBEAT

Alligator finds its way into Fla. woman’s bathroom PALMETTO, Fla. – A Tampa-area woman found an unwelcome weekend guest in her bathroom — a 7-foot alligator.

Alexis Dunbar says she screamed and the alligator hissed when she found it inside the bathroom of her home Saturday afternoon. Her boyfriend propped a small table by the bathroom to keep the gator inside until an officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission showed up to take him away.

Dunbar believes the

alligator used a doggie door on the back porch to get inside the house. Dunbar lives in Palmetto, which is south of St. Petersburg. Spring is mating season for alligators and wildlife officials urge people to be extremely cautious, especially around water.

Nesting mallard rules roost at Ohio supermarket MEDINA, Ohio – The eggs may not be fresh, but they are drawing attention at an Ohio supermarket. A female mallard duck is nesting atop bags of mulch just outside the main entrance

CORRECTIONS

of a Giant Eagle store in Medina in northeast Ohio. A small sign advises shoppers to beware of the bird and to grab their mulch from another pile.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports the duck is sitting on at least 10 eggs in a nest assembled on top of an 8-foot stack of bags. Store officials think she laid the eggs a couple of weeks ago. A store spokeswoman told the newspaper two male mallards were seen in the parking lot earlier this spring.

Information compiled from the Associated Press.

IN BRIEF

Join the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics for their seminar, “Optimality in Cellular Hydrodynamics,” by Eric Lauga from the University of California, San Diego, from 4 to 5 p.m. tonight at 129 Hayes-Healy Center.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. Paul Farmer and Ophelia Dahl, cofounders of Partners in Health, and Loune Viaud of Partners in Health, Haiti, will give a public address titled “Solidarity in Action: A Preferential Option for the Poor” in Washington Hall. This event is free, but ticketed. Tickets are available at the LaFortune Student Center Ticket Office.

South Asia Studies and Asian Indian Classical Music Society is sponsoring a Concert of Indian Classical Music — Carnatic Style, featuring Ganesh and Kumaresh with Tanjavur Govindarajan and Pathri Satish Kumar. The concert will be held in the Carey Auditorium of Hesburgh Library at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Antostal Speed Dating will be tonight at the LaFortune Student Center in the ballroom from 9 to 11 p.m.

Brought to you by SUB, the Quarter Dog Eating Contest will be held tonight at 11:55 p.m. at the LaFortune Student Center.

To submit information to be included in this section of The Observer, email detailed information about an event to obsnews.nd@gmail.com

SMC-Tostal to feature outdoor carnival, concert

By OLIVIA BRACH News Writer

As Saint Mary’s students celebrate the end of the spring semester, SMC-Tostal will feature an outdoor carnival and a concert from performer Sean Kingston Thursday.

Student Activites Board (SAB) president Allie Courtney said the board worked hard to plan the festivities for SMCTostal.

to end the year with all your friends and really enjoy being a SMC chick,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I think it will be a great way to end the year with all your friends and really enjoy being a SMC chick.”

“We hope to really unite the campus and get everyone out to celebrate the end of the semester,” she said.

The outdoor carnival will be held Thursday afternoon beginning at noon on the Library Green. The carnival will include activities for students such as a flipbook generator, an obstacle course, a Laser Tag arena, bouncy boxing and free give-aways. Free treats, including chocolate-covered waffles, pretzels and smoothies, will be available for students as well.

Jessica Fitzpatrick SAB traditions chair

SAB traditions chair Jessica Fitzpatrick said she hopes SMCTostal will remind participants of their pride in their identity as Saint Mary’s students.

“I think it will be a great way

After the carnival ends at 6 p.m., the annual SMC-Tostal concert at the Moreau Center for the Arts will begin at 8 p.m. The opening act will be The Showoff Show, an interactive comedy show, followed by a concert with Sean Kingston.

Tickets for the concert are $7 and can be purchased through the Moreau Box Office.

Courtney said over 800 tickets have already been sold.

SAB vice president Caitlyn Wonski said she hopes students will be involved in all the events

planned during Tostal.

“My hopes are that the Saint Mary’s students really take pride in this large event by showing their enthusiasm and

love for the campus,”

said.

Contact Olivia Brach at obrach01@saintmarys.edu

COR members discuss future ‘green’ initiatives

By JOHN CAMERON News Writer

Student members focused on “going green” at Notre Dame during the Council of Representatives’ (COR) Tuesday meeting.

Student body president Pat McCormick sought feedback from council members following last week’s Student Senate meeting when Heather Christopherson spoke on the issue.

“[Christopherson] gave a presentation about the University’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, which includes a carbon footprint reduction,” McCormick

said. “They haven’t specifically decided on what that reduction would look like yet, but our hope, and what we advocated for in the resolution that passed unanimously, is to get on a trajectory to reduce our carbon footprint by 70 percent of the 2005 levels by 2050.”

McCormick said the goal level was based upon a review of the campus energy usage by a thirdparty consultant.

Students, he said, would be central to achieving the reduction goal.

“There is something historic about this because Notre Dame hasn’t publicly committed yet, and we’re right on the verge with

student support of really making this happen,” he said.

Sophomore class council president Kevin Doherty said water waste on campus is especially common.

“I hear a lot of people complaining, myself included, about how our sprinkler system spends just as much time watering our sidewalks as our grass,” Doherty said.

McCormick agreed water waste should be addressed, but said it was not likely to be the immediate focus of the strategy.

“That’s a perennial problem ... Our hope is the sustainability strategy, when it’s implemented, will also include ways of trying to

AnTostal

continued from page 1

changed over the years, as University regulations reshape what is allowed.

“AnTostal was much more lax back in the day. When Ashley and I were looking at the old AnTostal booklets from the [1980s], there were events such as Beer Gardens or Jell-O Wrestling,” Meghani said said. “Nowadays, rule and regulations and a risen standard of conduct have made it difficult for us to relive those days.”

A number of University organizations make decisions about the final AnTostal schedule and regulate the events.

“All events, from the Carnival on Tuesday to what quotes we cut up and put in the eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt, are checked and rechecked by SAO or by Amy [Geist, the assistant director of Student Activities,]” she said. “It’s all a matter of keeping the reputation and standards of the University as a priority.”

Meghani said AnTostal began in 1967 as a way to celebrate the upcoming summer break and the return of warm weather to South Bend.

bring down water waste,”

McCormick said. “Water as a whole will require a separate strategy by the University. The sustainability strategy now only focuses on diversifying our energy portfolio and things like realtime metering in the halls, HVAC, LED lighting — those sorts of things.”

McCormick praised the University for setting realistic goals for energy reduction on campus.

“The University has been working extremely hard to ensure that the reduction [it is] calling for is something we can actually achieve,” he said.

“[Notre Dame] has been really

While University regulations are stringent, she said this year’s event would still provide the traditional entertainment.

“Although AnTostal changes from year to year depending on the programmers and the dynamic of the committee, the foundation of celebrating a welldeserved summer break has always been at the core,” Meghani said.

“In years past, rules and such were not so strict, and as generations pass, we are held at a higher and higher standard.”

good about making sure we have the means to get that reduction.”

As student government tries to contribute to these energy goals, McCormick said he wanted to increase collaboration with student clubs, especially GreeND and other environmental clubs.

“One of the things we wanted to do this year is to really involve club leaders as well in the advocacy that student government does,” he said. “That way it’s not just student government saying we speak for all students, but that student government is serving as a catalyst.”

Contact John Cameron at jcamero2@nd.edu

immense amount of time, dedication and passion. You really have got to love to get people involved, to foster community, to be proactive and, most important, to have a good time,” Meghani said.

“Although AnTostal changes from year to year depending on the programmers and the dynamic of the committee, the foundation of celebrating a well-deserved summer break has always been at the core.”

Sadaf Meghani AnTostal co-programmer

Meghani said this year’s AnTostal is one day shorter than in the past because the last full week of classes, when the event is traditionally held, fell on a shortened week after Easter break.

Meghani said she and Markowski began planning the event before winter break.

“It definitely takes an

“You’ve got to juggle a million things at once and still keep your head on the right way.”

The festival features events hosted by a wide variety of campus organizations, clubs and residence halls, and Meghani said planning AnTostal involves a lot of communication.

“The key to AnTostal is delegation. The clubs and dorms on campus have been incredibly helpful and enthusiastic about getting involved,” she said. “It really makes it easier on us, but moreover, it’s a healthy boost of encouragement knowing others have your back.”

Contact Sam Stryker at sstryke1@nd.edu

CCAC makes plans for safety, taxi ordinance

By MEGAN DOYLE News Editor

Student government is developing plans to begin the fall semester safely with an increased number of community events and a standardized taxi service among other things, student body vice president Brett Rocheleau said Tuesday at the Campus/Community Advisory Committee (CCAC) meeting.

The committee meets each month with student government leaders, representatives from the local government and members of the local community to discuss ways students can better interact with the city of South Bend.

Student government is forming plans for neighborhood events, such as a Chipotle night for local citizens and students, to help students interact with their neighbors, Rocheleau said.

“When students go get their

keys [from their landlord], they will get a Good Neighbor Guide,” Rocheleau said. “Also, we are going to have safety magnets with important telephone numbers, utility trash pickup, some safety tips, and we are going to be running those through all the different law enforcement agencies.”

Student ambassadors to the OffCampus Council will serve an important role in community relations, Rocheleau said. These ambassadors will be a face for student government students and South Bend citizens living in local neighborhoods.

“We are going to expand the offcampus ambassador program,” Rocheleau said. “That program is really helpful because those people are the voice who will tell the people living around them how to be a good neighbor and make sure they clean up the yard.”

The committee strongly supported the off-campus ambassador program, which will be offi-

cially instituted in the fall.

“The ambassador idea … is a great idea in trying to communicate,” said Michael Carrington, representative for the Local Alcohol Beverage Board. “It makes a tremendous amount of sense. You can try to deal with that smaller number [of ambassadors] and then go back into their area and really communicate.”

CCAC members also discussed the future of a taxi ordinance in South Bend. Assistant City Attorney for South Bend AnnCarol Nash said the city is reviewing drafts of an ordinance to standardize taxi service.

“Our main concerns are safety, safety, safety, safety,” Nash said. “We want to make sure people can get into cabs driven by people who have licenses, which means they have background checks, which means they have certain standards.”

Nash said the council would like to approve the ordinance before fall football season begins. She encouraged McCormick and Rocheleau to pass student complaints about taxi drivers to her office and other local officials.

“If students have any problems related to taxi cabs, if they could report those immediately to the police, but if they also want to send me any information on their experiences, I would be glad to follow up,” she said. “But if I don’t have evidence of the situation I can’t take action.”

Student body president Pat McCormick said service in the local community would be a major tool for the campus to reach out to South Bend.

The ordinance will also regulate fairness as taxis operate in the city. “Sometimes taxi drivers make up the fees as they go along. We don’t want that,” she said. “We are looking at some changes that will make it harder for that the happen.”

Notre Dame students, for example, began the West Side Food Security Council in South Bend to address areas of food scarcity in the area.

Energy

continued from page 1

According to cSEND director Joan Brennecke, the goals of the new research center will involve both research and education in in the area of sustainable energy.

“The goals of the center are to increase and support research [into] energy-related to sustainable energy,” Brennecke said.

While NDEC was formerly the center for all energy research by engineers at gNotre Dame, Brennecke said it will be replaced because it was only a program within the College of Engineering.

“What has been really exciting is that students have had the opportunity to not only learn from community leaders but also offer their help in terms of just on the ground assistance and providing support for what we hope will be a community-wide effort to address food insecurity,” he said.

University Associate Vice President for Public Affairs Tim Sexton said students who volunteer in the local community are taking the best steps forward to improve the relationship between their campus and South Bend.

“I think the students get such a bad rep all the time,” Sexton said. “And they are doing such wonderful things in this community on a daily basis.”

Since its beginning several years ago, CCAC dramatically improved community relations, Director of South Bend Code Enforcement Catherine Toppel said.

“People don’t call you when things are going great,” she said. “I look back to when this started, and we have come a long way.”

Contact Megan Doyle at mdoyle11@nd.edu

research on energy systems and processes, Brennecke said

“There will be other research [under cSEND], including work for the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense,” she said.

Graduate student Ben Meekins is researching solar energy technology and the production of hydrogen gas from water using sunlight. Meekins works with Professors Prashant Kamat and Paul McGinn, and his work will be incorporated into cSEND.

“The goals of the center are to increase and support research [into] energy-related to sustainable energy.”

Joan Brennecke cSEND director

cSEND is a University-wide hub to encompass all efforts for sustainable energy.

“Previously, we had the Notre Dame Energy Center, which was just part of the Engineering Department,” she said. “Now we have cSEND, which is interdepartmental.”

SEI is a University initiative that began July 2010 to promote overall clean energy. The initiative has three years of funding to support sustainable energy research, and its office established the newly-approved Energy Studies minor that will now be a part of cSEND. The minor will become officially available next semester for students in any college or major.

The new center will support the current and future research of undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty, including the Slatt Fellowship that funds undergraduate student

Hamann

continued from page 1

Notre Dame, her strong faith and her kind-hearted generosity were

“We’re currently working on actual hydrogen generation using a homemade ‘reverse fuel cell’ that flows water and allows the capture of hydrogen and oxygen,” Meekins said.

Pernik also researches solar energy with Kamat through cSEND. He said his work focuses on developing more efficient quantum dot solar cells.

Educating students and the local South Bend community about sustainable energy is the other main goal for cSEND, Brennecke said.

In order to accomplish this goal, Brennecke said cSEND will sponsor the fifth annual Energy Week in September. The center will also continue the NDEC Distinguished Lecture series.

“I’ve gotten to see a lot of the interesting work that’s being done by other members of the NDEC, as well as see some great talks from other members of the scientific community doing energy work,” Meekins said.

Contact Christian Myers at cmyers8@nd.edu

evident in all that she did,” Woo said. “She was the calm shelter in every storm. We grieve her as a friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Mike, her children and her extended family.”

Viewpoint

INSIDE COLUMN

For the love of the game (and the Mets ... )

During the spring of 2006, something happened that forever changed my life: I sat down on a couch next to my uncle one Sunday afternoon and fell hopelessly in love with the New York Mets.

Laura Coletti Sports Production Editor

Every student here knows what it’s like to have your heart broken by a favorite team. The Notre Dame football team has broken all of our hearts. USC 2005? All of the 2007 season? Michigan State 2010? Each was utterly heartwrenching.

Try getting your heart broken every year.

2006, my first year as a true fan, was an anomaly for my beloved blue and orange. They made it to the playoffs and fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the NLCS. I remember exactly where I was: with my brother and mom in my parent’s room. I watched Endy Chavez (Mets left fielder) make an impossible catch. I watched Aaron Heilmann give up the game-winning homerun, causing Shea Stadium to fall silent. I looked on as Carlos Beltran, the Mets’ last hope, watched the final strike find its way into the catcher’s mitt.

Strike three. You’re out.

The proceeding years have not been kind to the Kings of Queens. I was at the last game of the season in 2007 when they completed a historic 11-game collapse and allowed the dreaded Phillies to claim the NL East title.

In 2008, they suffered another mini-collapse, and in 2009 they were one of the worst teams in the MLB.

It’s not easy being a Mets fan at Notre Dame, where so many people are fans of successful teams, and because it is universally known that the Mets are only good at being bad. It is particularly difficult to root for them when people you are close to are fans of the rival Phillies.

Here’s a note to all baseball fans across campus: Next time you get into some banter with a Mets fan, lay off.

All of us here know what it’s like to have our hearts broken by a favorite sports teams. Mets fans just know it a little better. Sports are great. They’re real and they’re happy and they’re sad and they’re part of all of our lives.

I don’t love the Mets because it’s easy. I love them because they try and they’re constantly the underdog, and if they do surprise me one day and win the club’s third World Series title, it will be one of my happiest days ever.

I love the Mets because loving the Mets is like a metaphor for life. Love is sometimes hard. Life is sometimes hard. But if you work hard and you believe in what you want to see happen, you’ll get there. It might take a while (the Mets’ last World Series Title came in 1986 and their last appearance was in 2001), but once you achieve that success, it will be so, so sweet.

The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Contact Laura Coletti at lcoletti@nd.edu

Violence across the world: Something is wrong when being raped is a crime ...

I believe that many would agree that violence against women (VAW) is wrong. Many would be outraged to see their sister, mother, friend or daughter suffer the trauma of rape. The big question at Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s isn’t whether or not violence against women is wrong, but what is the appropriate way to deal with and prevent it. I would dare to say that women who have been raped on either campus are not penalized for it; rather we question whether the rapists are penalized sufficiently for their crime.

Katherine Kohler Guest Columnist

Violence against women is a huge issue on college campuses and it seems that it too frequently appears in the news surrounding Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s. But across the globe woman face a bigger fear than even being raped: Women fear being raped and being punished for it. This form of oppression cannot be tolerated and should most definitely not be tolerated by college students who understand the fear of (sexual) violence but rely (and can count) on a supportive campus community instead of further penalization for being assaulted.

Just recently Nicholas Kristof covered a piece about a Bangladeshi girl who was murdered for being raped. An older relative was raping the girl in her town when the rapist’s wife discovered them. The wife reported Hena (the 14 year old Bangladeshi girl) to her local mosque and the local imam found Hena guilty of adultery. A makeshift religious court in the small town sentenced Hena to 100 lashings for “adultery.” Hena collapsed after 70 lashings and was taken to the hospital. She died a week later. According to some it was due to her excessive blood loss. The doctors recorded her death as a suicide. Kristof notes in his article that many Bangladeshi woman and girls are expected to commit suicide after being raped.

Clearly rape is not just. College students, the Bangladeshi government and the United Nations (UN) can all agree on this fact. The UN in Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi government agree that equality should be maintained for men and women. Unfortunately, the official stance of the national government is not upheld in the communities. The local (religious) governments tend to ignore violence against women by justifying the cause or by reframing the situation. For example, domestic violence is called domestic dispute and is not recognized as a crime in Bangladesh. The UN has found that Bangladesh is currently one of the most violent coun-

QUOTEOFTHE DAY

“In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”

Bertrand Russel British author & philosopher

tries and cites domestic violence as one of the leading causes of violence in the country.

That being said, the local Bangladeshi government has put Hena’s family under police protection (from members of the community who are angry with the family for reporting Hena’s death to the government) and has ordered an autopsy of Hena’s body. In addition, the Bangladesh press has reported on the issue, the Bangladesh civil society has shown extreme outrage about this case, lawsuits are underway against the doctors who proclaimed her death a suicide and according to Kristof, the alleged rapist and others involved in the case of Hena’s death are not being ignored.

It is important to understand when considering the implications of Hena’s death that although the government officials have taken action against her murder, the overall religious and cultural tone of Bangladesh allows for similar occurrences. As I have already mentioned, the Bangladesh government does maintain that men and women are equal, but it would seem (in these smaller communities at least) that the government’s policy on VAW issues is not the first code of conduct for many Bangladeshis. Kirk and Okazawa-Rey (2010 p. 266) have found that the cultural legitimization of male violence is not only influenced by law but by religion, education, popular culture, media, aggressive sports toys and games.

Changing public policy may not be enough to stop violence against women in Bangladesh. Activists may need to address other important aspects of male violence such as religion, education and media. It is apparent that for those involved in Hena’s death that public policy was not their first concern. Rather, the opinion of the imam was considered, respected and fulfilled. A girl died because religion mandated her death even though the mandate was contrary to public policy.

The harsh reality and complexity of this case paints a portrait of what violence against women (VAW) looks like on a global scale. It is true that even though the religious and cultural atmosphere of smaller towns in Bangladesh allow for women to be punished for being raped, there are many Bangladeshi activists who do not support punishing women for a rapist’s crime. The global portrait of VAW has rich tones of oppression, pain and opposition, but mostly silence. Women are not given a voice. Women are not given the right to testify or seek legal aid within (Islamic) Shari’a law.

Muslim law is called Shari’a and

translates to “the path leading to water,” meaning the way to live. Shari’a law has its own legal system in which women are not required to have legal representation. Shari’a is interpreted differently across the globe and tends to be viewed negatively in the West. I do not believe that Shari’a is inherently wrong, but it should not be ignored that women are underrepresented in Shari’a law and have been stoned for simply being in the company of a man that is not part of the immediate family.

In 1996 a woman was sentenced to death for being alone with a man. Because women are not guaranteed representation in Shari’a law, she had little opportunity to defend herself against the court. Hena’s case is disconcerting but it is not the first case of rape in which the victim has been put to death. Because Shari’a does not tolerate adultery, many times the woman is put to death for being alone with a man or for having any sexual activity with a man — even if it was rape. The problem of Hena’s rape is more complicated than poor public policy — it is a problem of strict religious policy that overrides good public policy. Hena died because religious policy is respected more than the good public Bangladeshi policy that respects the equality of men and women and does not tolerate rape.

It is important for students on this campus to understand the implications of Hena’s death in order to understand, sympathize with and stand against the global oppression of women. Here at Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame we understand that rape is never the victim’s fault, but women in other parts of the world do not have that luxury. Women fear penalization for victimization. Hena’s rape and subsequent death are unjust and do not follow her country’s constitution. It is good, as Kristof pointed out, that her death has aroused a public opposed to her punishment for being raped, but it is important that this case is not repeated in Bangladesh or any country where Shari’a is respected more than public policy.

What we can hope for is that Bangladesh will improve their public policy so that religious policy that allows for the killing of innocent victims will become illegal. Let us stand in solidarity with the women across the globe that fear more than rape: rape and a subsequent death sentence.

Katherine Kohler is a senior at Saint Mary’s College. She can be reached at ksaenz01@saintmarys.edu

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

“It is bitter to lose a friend to evil, before one loses him to death.”

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Viewpoint

Too many couples are locked into unhappy marriages these days. The divorce rate is higher than ever. The institution of marriage is foundering. What are we going to do?

Many reasons have been given for the unhappiness of modern marriages. Some people blame the sexualization of the media. Other people think that the stresses of modern life and the economy are what keep people from being happy together. But no matter what the reason is, one thing is certain: The marriages of today are far too unhappy. Something must be done.

We must promote happier marriages. We need a greater level of gaiety in our daily lives and our relationships with our spouses. What happened to the gay marriages of our parents and our parents’ parents?

The question of gay marriage is a contentious one in today’s society. Too many people believe that marriage does not need to be gay to be good. But the only good marriage is a gay marriage.

My own mother found unhappiness in her first marriage before gaily remarrying. Her current marriage is as gay as can be.

I have noticed that many of the relationships at Notre Dame are decidedly not gay. People stay together out of fear, or loneliness, or a need for regular physical contact. But being gay in one’s daily life

Happy marriages

is seen as a sign of stupidity or of immorality. If one is gay, the reasoning goes, one must be shirking one’s scholastic duties.

In fact, while I was writing my thesis, I had issues with my thesis advisor. He noticed how gay I was, and it made him suspicious that I was not working hard enough on my thesis. I told him I couldn’t help it — I was born this way. Unfortunately, he thought I was too gay to function.

Let me also deprecate the queer institution I call “straight” marriage. Too many people leap into a relationship and get married “straight” away, far too soon. They need to wait to discover if they can make each other gay and have a gay marriage. Straight marriages are practically immoral. I think that the blame for much of the high divorce rate can be blamed on straight marriages of the type I have described. Especially at Notre Dame, with its “Ring by Spring” tradition of students becoming engaged or married by senior year, straight marriages are more common than the national average.

With this in mind the continuing lack of gay student organizations on campus begins to look even more disgraceful. We need to teach people to be happy, or else how can they be happy in a marriage? Gaiety is one of the most overlooked emotions in life. Statistics show that despite the general level of prosperity and well-being in America, fewer than five percent of Americans are gay. This is utterly shameful.

Generation Me

Dear Generation Me,

My name is Ally Kwun. I’m 5 feet 2 inches, I hail from New York City and I currently reside in Pasquerilla East Hall. But why should you care? You’re Generation Me — you only care about yourself.

Generation Me is not a very well-known moniker. We all know we belong to either Generation X or Generation Y. However, there has been another label recently proposed by San Diego State University psychology professor Dr. Jean M. Twenge — Generation Me — to describe our increasingly self-focused generation.

In her two books, “The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement” and “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled — and More Miserable Than Ever Before,” Dr. Twenge argues that our generation is headed for disaster. I, as a very typical GeMe-er, would have to disagree.

Dr. Twenge seems to believe that we have

instilled in ourselves an incredible sense of self-importance that has led us to become rude individuals who do not care for others’ opinions, have lofty, impossible dreams and are more high-maintenance than ever before. But in fact, Generation Me is confident, motivated and high-performing. It is our strong sense of individuality that allows us to be successful and lead the world to improve our current society.

From the moment we were born, we were given a bad name, but the time for change has come. As we grow up and enter the real world, we will astound everybody by defeating all the stereotypes we were assigned. Generation Me is not doomed, so please leave us alone.

Thank you.

Hye Zo Kwun freshman Pasquerilla

East April 21

A different way to be Latino

The article in The Observer (“Latino students maintain culture on campus,” April 20) portrayed Latinos as a victimized group and implied that MEChA is the way Latino students maintain culture on campus. I share a background with the students in this article — I was an immigrant, am a native Spanish speaker, a first generation college student, etc. etc. — but I want to emphasize that I do not share the same view.

MEChA isn’t the only way Latino culture is promoted on campus.

MEChA is a national Chicano movement whose motto is, “For the race, everything; outside the race, nothing.” First, not all Latinos on campus identify themselves as Chicanos because it is not an ethnicity but rather a culture. Second, the identity that MEChA dismantles on my culture is one of victimization and oppression. Last, I don’t agree that I have to fight to preserve my culture, but rather, I need to make those around me fall in love with it.

According to the article, as a Latina I should be fighting. Who am I fighting against? The growth of Latino representation in the school and the Catholic Church, as was mentioned by Aller Brown-Gort, is proof that Latinos are

being recognized as capable and active participants in the academic world and in American society as a whole (Spanish Mass is filled by Caucasian students, even more so than by Hispanics). For the most part, educated academics and politicians recognize how beautiful, exotic and rich our culture is.

We promote our culture through language, art, folklore, compassion and not only MEChA. Our identity is marred by placing ourselves in an exclusive, single-minded group. We should have a more utilitarian and progressive approach to being Latino that does not create barriers with those around us or view them as hostile buffoons we need to fight.

Ignorance is a problem, but we need to be teaching correctly, not generalizing based on the opinions of a few. I want to thank Notre Dame for the opportunity to be here. I have always felt at home and never isolated, encouraged to share my perspective and culture as a Latina.

N. Jessica Lujan senior

One solution I propose is listening to music that inspires gaiety in its listeners. The disco stylings of the Bee Gees and Donna Summer, as well as the friendly pop music of Elton John, the Scissor Sisters and Liberace all have the potential to induce this mental state in listeners. Perhaps foremost I would cite the Village People, whose unabashed embrace of “Macho Men” and staying at the “Y.M.C.A.” exude pure joy. They may be the gayest pop group out there.

What makes you gay? Perhaps a shopping trip to add a new article of clothing to your wardrobe, or a workout that gets you nice and sweaty. Whatever it may be, find out and do it — with your partner if at all possible. If you’re feeling gay, don’t hide it — share it with other people. Being gay is infectious, after all.

The final important advantage of gay marriages is that they are civil unions — that is, there is not much nagging and backtalk in these relationships. Both partners are polite, friendly and loving towards one another.

It’s queer that happiness in marriage is so rare. Help solve this problem. Promote gay marriage.

Brooks Smith is a senior honors mathematics major and can be reached at bsmith26@nd.edu

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Empowered individuals

Mr. Martin (“University response to Declan Sullivan tragedy,” April 20) is rightly outraged at the negligence that led to the deaths of two students in 1991 and the death of Declan Sullivan in 2010. I am of the opinion, however, that Mr. Martin’s suggestions for increased oversight miss the point, failing to address a key issue present in both incidents.

Concerning the 1991 bus crash that killed two students, Mr. Martin says that a call was made to the University on behalf of the women’s swim team requesting advisement on whether they should spend the night in Chicago rather than drive back to campus through a snowstorm. The team was advised to come home. News articles published after Declan Sullivan’s death mention tweets from the afternoon of the October 2010 accident in which Declan repeatedly expressed concern about wind conditions.

In both incidents people directly involved sensed obvious danger, but for whatever reason, they did not feel that they had the authority to remove themselves from the dangerous situation. Most likely, they simply trusted the judgment of their superiors above their own judgment. It seems that both of these tragedies could have been prevented if Notre Dame had fostered an environment in which people felt they could make their own decisions to preserve their personal safety.

Regulations and oversight from senior authority will inevitably break down at some point. We can develop a superb system, and Mr. Martin has some very good suggestions, but no human effort can yield a perfect system. The only way to fill the gaps in the system is to build an environment in which people know that they can remove themselves from what they perceive to be a dangerous situation without consulting a higher authority.

senior Duncan Hall April 20

By COURTNEY ECKERLE Scene Writer

“You kind of imagine that after playing to 85,000 people, God, what do we do now? We’ll make a huge rock record in a garage,” Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl said in “Foo Fighters: Back and Forth,” the recent documentary on the band’s history and current album, “Wasting Light.”

The Foo Fighters seventh album was created like most bands’ first — in a garage. Their first album in four years since “Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace,” “Wasting Light” was made using only back-to-basics analog equipment, so the album was crafted old-school style. The album-making experience was captured in “Back and Forth,” which had a limited release in theaters and was featured on VH1 commercial-free a few days

after its premiere at SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas. The band also performed the entire album live from Grohl’s Studio 606 and uploaded it to YouTube in its entirety. The songs come to life in the 50-minute performance, and while some bands would see this video as a freebie to discourage people from buying the album, the Foo Fighters used it as a promotional tool. It was effective, considering the album was the first Foo Fighters’ venture to debut at number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

“Walk” has the signature Foo Fighters guitar that goes back to their ‘90s hit “Learn to Fly,” but it shows Grohl’s growth as a singer and songwriter, especially since his days as a drummer for Nirvana. His simple lyrics make for a certain kind of rock ’n’ roll charm that makes the band so accessible. “Back and Forth” is a song that exemplifies the band’s return to

its roots, especially since they are a three-piece guitar set again. “White Limo” is pretty much a metal track, with a thrashing sound that borders on frenetic.

However, not all of the songs benefit from that simplicity. The ballad-y “I Should Have Known” is a nice reprieve from the overall upbeat tone of the album, but the lyrics are only so-so. The back-and-forth sound is enough to keep the song solid, while light guitar riffs make for a melancholy and introspective feel.

“Rope,” the first single, is the album’s clear standout. It is a different sound, a definite step forward, but maintains the the Foo Fighters’ distinct sound, courtesy of the synchronized guitar fireworks at the end of the song.

The Foos prove that even after a 15-year career they are not a, but the rock force to be reckoned with, and their post-grunge sound still com-

mands respect. By stripping themselves to the bare bones they have shown that they have the stuff to be included with the rare “forever” bands such as Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Contact Courtney Eckerle at cecker01@saintmarys.edu

‘Wasting Light’ Foo Fighters

Label: RCA

Best Tracks: “Arlandria,” “Rope,” “Walk,” “Back and Forth”

By

True love only happens once in a lifetime. While many of us desire to be on par with our idol Elizabeth Taylor, the truth of the matter is that great women like are the exception, not the rule. Nevertheless, when love strikes it does so with speed and intensity. One look and you can kiss your previous existence goodbye. You are forever changed. Of course, the best of us know that this type of all-consuming amore always hits hardest when one is abroad. Out of our day-to-day rituals, we are more vulnerable and open to new experiences. Suddenly, we try that restaurant that we otherwise would have shunned, we interact with people we would have avoided, finding long-lost kindred spirits in the process. Some of us even become totally different people — you know who you are —

letting our inner wild child loose in unspeakable ways. On the other hand, some find a previously dormant sense of responsibility. All this, of course, leads to the culmination of the ideal study abroad experience — the one moment when you look across la strada and see the one with whom you vow never to live without. I myself have had this life changing experience while on vacation in Southern Italy. While walking across a cobbled street one hot summer afternoon, I spotted my true love(s) through a window. They immediately promised comfort, chic-ness and to never leaved me unloved. I promptly took them home with me, introduced them to all my friends and when spring and summer are on the horizon, I take them out on the town. Indeed, the espadrille and I have been a happy couple ever since our fateful meeting many years ago.

The espadrille is a staple of any Mediterranean spring/summer wardrobe and has been the fateful fashion lover of many a great artist, actress and even politico — think Picasso, Grace Kelly and even JFK. First worn by Catelan foot soldiers in the 14th century, this footwear has been appropriated over the centuries by many European vacationers. Characterized by its jute sole and a raffia-like material, it is eco-friendly and sends an aesthetic vibe of savage, untamed luxury. Historically flat, Yves Saint Laurent elevated it with a platform sole, causing women everywhere to invite it onto their summer party circuit. With a cloth toe and an open back, the best part of espadrilles is their long laces, which can be tied with abandon along the entire calf, emphasizing those hard won results of your latest work-

out. The neutral-colored sole allows designers to go wild with color on the upper part of the shoe. Usually paired with articles of clothing that show off the laces, such as skirts or shorts, you can also make your espadrilles work with your favorite pants by tying the laces low by your ankle. Best of all, espadrilles are still manufactured in the classic flat form, making them a perfect unisex fashion item which you can encourage your significant other to wear instead of sneakers, following in the great style-footsteps of Cary Grant. Like any great love, the best part of espadrilles is the feeling of support and stability they give you during those long days of work and study, while still making you weak at the knees with their beauty. DSW currently has a high- heeled pair for $44.95, and a flat variety for $29.95. Happily ever after, I’m on my way.

Contact Felicia Caponigri at fcaponig@nd.edu

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Well, my dear and fluffy readers (imagine yourselves in Easter Bunny outfits), we are nearing the end. This will be the last installment of “Culture Tantrum.” What, you say? No more weekly rants from a manic, obsessive music/film amalgamation of pop culture critique and devotion? Alas, mais oui, as with all good things, it shall end, so that new life might begin (namely mine, in somewhere more like Los Angeles than Indiana).

With these last inches, I would like to say thanks, point out some memorable moments and, of course, throw a few tantrums.

First off, I want to extend the heartiest of thanks to every student participating in a ROTC program. Whenever I see you wearing your issued gear or in formal suits, I am filled with pride. You make me more proud of Notre Dame and of our generation. My father is a graduate of Stanford’s Navy ROTC pro-

gram, and he has requested that we attend your Commissioning Ceremony over commencement weekend. The long hours you put into training while here, and the time you have committed to serving after graduation are strong examples of the strength and honor that should be asked of every Domer. For four years you have inspired me.

Second, I would like to thank the guy that sat on the opposite end of the dining hall table from me about a month ago. We were both eating alone, and after you put your tray down, you made the sign of the cross, were silent for a moment and then made the sign of the cross again before eating. Your moment of completely personal prayer showed me that there’s always some good in the world, even on one of the worst days of my semester.

Next, I want to say that the black posts are ugly and useless and I have spent the year going out of my way to walk on the grass because I am incensed that anyone would think it worthwhile to put up physical barriers where there has been a communal decision to create a footpath.

I want to thank the Waddicks community for hosting me and my wily band of academic misfits every Monday,

Wednesday and Friday for the past year and a half. What we cleverly titled “Waddicks Class” began as a haphazard meeting between classes and turned into a formal morning discussion that has been the highlight of my day every time. I know I’ve inadvertently forced some of you to sit through a dramatic reading of this column. May you be blessed with free coffee card stamps.

Special thanks to all the Joss Whedon fans on campus, as well as those who have unintentionally gained a hearty pile of Whedon trivia simply by existing in my realm. Fellow Whedonites, you’ve kept me going and reminded me that maybe one day I’ll be able to speak to Nathan Fillion again, but without making an idiot of myself.

I want to extend a thanks to everyone who walked between Crowley and LaFortune during any of my voice lessons. My teacher’s studio is on the corner of that bitsy quad, and if you’ve ever had the (mis)fortune of traveling past it while I’m squawking Schubert, I appreciate the aural tolerance.

For that matter, I want to thank anyone who has experienced my infamous “turkey call,” a cross between a whoop and yodel which I use to get the attention of anyone I recognize across the

quad. It is an extremely effective and distinctive way of getting someone’s attention.

Finally, I would like to thank the staff of The Observer, especially the Scene department. My four editors over these past years have all been phenomenal. Freshman year I wandered over to The Observer’s booth at activities night because I wanted to write about movies, and I’m drawing to the close of a weekly column which has been one of the best challenges of my senior year. Thanks to everyone who pitched me an idea, and even more importantly, thanks to those who read them here in the center spread. I want you all to look at that lovely picture that accompanies this text and imagine my overly blonde, glasses-rocking (why did I ever wear glasses?) sophomore self looking at you and saying, “Thank you” (or, “You rock,” or, “I like pie”).

Remember, there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer. Stephanie DePrez can be contacted at sdeprez@nd.edu.

By

Antostal is back again this year. Cue free t-shirts, sunglasses and the 2011 Battle of the Bands at Legends. This year features an impressive ten-band lineup of 8-Bit, Cookies n’Cream, Identity Crisis, M.O.B.B., Manse Burlingame Experiment, Project 214, Scootie Jones & the Sexy Train, The Johnny Drennan Trio and Toes on the Nose.

The tenth band rounding out this lineup is In Euphoric Company, an alloriginal group based out of Notre Dame. Over the past year, this talented band has garnered a decent following locally and on music blogs. The members said they can’t wait to perform in their first Notre Dame Battle of the Bands.

Tyler Eto and Gerek Edrosolan started the band, under a different name,

in their Sacramento, Calif., high school before they parted ways to attend college. Eto headed to Notre Dame while Edrosolan went to Creighton in Omaha, Neb., but the distance didn’t stop the duo from composing songs and emailing lyrics back and forth.

According to Duncan Smith, drummer of In Euphoric Company, the founding members returned from their freshman year of college ready for something new.

“The summer after freshman year of college, [Eto and Edrosolan ] came back with entirely new experiences, friendships and emotions leading to a decided change in musical style,” Smith said. “In the fall of 2010, they were looking to expand the members in the band in order to perform.”

This past fall, Eto began to expand the band at Notre Dame, adding Lacey Cochran on glockenspiel, Arnav Dutt on violin, Kino Lee on bass guitar and

Smith on drums. The new members each brought fresh experience and unique backgrounds and ability to the band.

At heart, though, the band is a group of friends that enjoy being and playing together, and this idea is reflected in their name. Smith acknowledged that their name came from those events in life that everyone has experienced, when they feel distant from the people they are with.

“We’ve all realized these times in our lives,” Smith continued. “We are looking for a group of people where you don’t feel distant. You want to be with them. There’s nothing fake. Everyone is real and you don’t want to be anywhere else. These are the friends that we hope to be with. We want to be in euphoric company.”

Currently, the members are enjoying their time together, especially their late-night Taco Bell trips after shows. Smith says the greatest moment in the

success of their band comes anytime someone expresses a connection with their music, no matter the venue, whether a street corner or a bar.

The band performs during the year in cities around the Midwest, from Chicago to South Bend, Kalamazoo to Cleveland. However, Eto, Edrosolan and Smith will spend this summer in Sacramento working on their first official release, which they hope will end up on iTunes.

This weekend, though, In Euphoric Company is looking forward to its performance in the Battle of the Bands and the opportunity to see friends in other bands play. It is hard to deny the camaraderie found in this up-andcoming band, camaraderie that can only be reflected in its music, so come check out In Euphoric Company Friday night at Legends.

Contact Mary Claire O’Donnell at modonne5@nd.edu

No. 28 Irish fall to Cardinals

By MATT UNGER Sports Writer

In a potential Big East championships preview, the No. 28 Irish proved they still have work to do to dethrone reigning tournament champion and No. 1 conference tournament seed Louisville.

The No. 29 Cardinals (14-11, 2-0 Big East) dispatched the Irish 4-3, splitting six singles matches and sweeping all three doubles matches Saturday at an indoor match in Louisville.

The match provided a sour conclusion to a strong regular season for the Irish, who nevertheless hold the No. 2 seed in the upcoming nine-team Big East conference tournament, hosted by Notre Dame (15-9, 2-1).

In No. 1 singles, last year’s NCAA runner-up and Cardinal senior Austen Childs defeated Irish junior Casey Watt in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

“[Childs] is one of the better college tennis players in the country,” Irish coach Bob Bayliss said. “He has outstanding groundstrokes and counters very well off the baseline with no real weaknesses to exploit.”

Irish seniors Stephen Havens and Daniel Stahl also fell in straight sets in No. 2 and No. 3 singles to Cardinal seniors Viktor Maksimcuk and Simon Childs, respectively.

While Notre Dame’s top three singles players have each lost to

SMC TENNIS

Louisville foes three times, Bayliss believes they can fare better if the teams meet on the Irish home court in the conference tournament.

“The indoor courts at Louisville are very fast and [ours] are slower, giving us a chance to counter some of their big shots,” Bayliss said. “We can win at least one of those spots because our guys are playing with more confidence.”

In the bottom half of singles play, the Irish proved as dominant as the Cardinals were in the top half of singles, winning three matches in straight sets. Especially impressive was Notre Dame freshman Greg Andrews’ dominating victory over his junior opponent Robert Hall 62, 6-1, in No. 4 singles.

However, the Irish’s struggles in doubles play ultimately cost them

the match against the Cardinals. Despite being competitive in every match, the Irish fell short in No. 1 and No. 3 doubles by the score of 8-6 and fell in No. 2 doubles 8-4.

“We learned that we need to start out winning the doubles point,” Bayliss said. “We were up a break at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, only to lose [each match].”

No. 2 seed Notre Dame, with the advantage of hosting the Big East Tournament from April 28 to May 1, will face No. 7 seed Georgetown in the quarterfinal round Friday at 9 a.m. at the Courtney Tennis Courts.

The winner of the tournament earns the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA championships.

Contact Matt Unger at munger3@nd.edu

Belles drop regular season finale

By MATTHEW DEFRANKS Sports Writer

Saint Mary’s hoped to end the season on fire, but Kalamazoo extinguished the Belles’ flames, tripping up Saint Mary’s 8-1 yesterday in both teams’ final regular season match.

The loss ended Saint Mary’s three-game win streak.

Belles coach Dale Campbell knew this would be a tough match for his squad.

“We’ve made some adjustments to our play, but we still have a big conference match against Kalamazoo,” Campbell said after a win against Calvin April 18.

The Belles (12-7, 5-3 MIAA) struggled mightily against the Hornets (811, 5-3), winning just two of the possible 15 sets overall. Senior Franca Peluso won both of those sets during her 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Kalamazoo senior Kate Farwell.

Saint Mary’s dropped all three

CLASSIFIEDS

doubles matches despite hanging tough in each one. Peluso and senior Mary Therese Lee narrowly lost their No. 3 double match-up 8-6. Senior Jillian Hurley and freshman Margaret Boden lost their No. 1 doubles match 8-3 while the team of freshman Mary Catherine Faller and senior Jessica Kosinski dropped an 8-4 decision. This marks the first time since an April 9 7-2 loss against Hope that the Belles have not won a doubles match.

“We’ve made some adjustments to our play, but we still have a big conference match against Kalamazoo.”

year. Meanwhile, senior Kate Grabarek lost at No. 5 singles for only the fourth time this year. The Hornets, ranked No. 19 in the Central region, dominated the singles category, clinching the victory with freshman Jenna Riehl’s win over Grabarek.

Dale Campbell Belles Coach

The Belles did not fare much better in their singles games, winning just one of the six match-ups. Lee lost just her fourth match of the year 6-3, 6-4 to Kalamazoo junior Paula Silverman. The loss dropped Lee’s overall record to 14-4 on the

“We still have things we’re trying to do in doubles games,” Campbell said after defeating Alma April 12.

The loss puts the Belles in fourth place in the MIAA standings heading into the conference tournament this weekend in Kalamazoo.

Saint Mary’s will begin its quest for a conference championship Friday.

Contact Matthew DeFranks at mdefrank@nd.edu

Aquamarine Anniversary Ring Lost in ladies room of North Dining Hall. $100.00 reward for return, no questions asked. Lori (the line lady) 574226-3876. When I got married we could not afford an engagement ring. I was given this ring for my 25th anniversary. Email haselrick.1@nd.edu

SMC SOFTBALL

Belles ready for Albion

By KATIE HEIT Sports Writer

The Belles were hit with another bout of bad weather that cancelled their games against Hope for the third time. Saint Mary’s will play a doubleheader today against Albion at home.

“Albion has proven to play well against some of the best teams in our conference,” Belles coach Erin Sullivan said. “They have been in most of their games and they don't go down without a fight.”

The Belles have only played one opponent in the last two weeks, which has give them time to perfect the weaker points of their game.

“Stringing hits together is always key for us,” junior infielder Kate Mitchell said. “We need to stick to the fundamentals and not go up to the plate looking to hit homeruns. Getting runners on base and putting the ball in play will be key.”

Saint Mary’s is eager to settle back into game play.

“[The bad weather has] actually been more of a motivator,” Mitchell said.

“We've never been more ready to get out there on that field.”

With all of the delays Saint Mary’s has suffered this season, it will now play a doubleheader on each of the next four days.

“It's not easy to play so many games in a row without a practice to tune things up, but luckily we have done this earlier this season, during spring break,” Sullivan said. “We can look back at our success and mental toughness during those ten games in five days as motivation.”

Saint Mary’s is attempting over the next four days to gain a place in the MIAA postseason tournament.

“We control our own destiny right now, when it comes to winning a spot in the conference tournament,” Sullivan said. “Our plan is, when we get to play, we are going to play to win rather than being afraid to lose.”

The Belles will play Albion today at 3:30 on Saint Mary’s home field.

Contact Katie Heit at kheit@nd.edu

MLB Hernandez beats Tigers

Associated Press

DETROIT — Miguel Olivo hit a blooper-reel home run and Felix Hernandez extended his dominance of the Detroit Tigers in the Seattle Mariners’ 7-3 win Tuesday night. Hernandez (3-2) beat the Tigers for the seventh straight time, allowing three runs — two earned — on four hits in six innings.

Phil Coke was routed by Seattle for the second time in a week, giving up seven runs in 4 1-3 innings. In his two starts against the Mariners, Coke is 0-2 with 13 runs allowed in eight innings.

After Detroit went up on an unearned run in the first, the Mariners tied it on a secondinning play that will be on all the blooper reels.

Olivo hit a routine-looking fly to deep left but Ryan Raburn struggled to find it in

the sun. While still short of the warning track, Raburn lunged back, only to deflect the ball high into the air and into the Tigers’ bullpen for Olivo’s first homer of the season.

Two innings later, Justin Smoak hit Seattle’s second homer to left — this one clearing Raburn and the fence — for a 3-1 lead. Detroit, though, tied it in the bottom of the fourth on Brandon Inge’s tworun double.

As an ominous thunderhead passed south of the stadium, the Mariners went up 7-3 with four runs in the fifth.

Ichiro Suzuki started the scoring with an RBI single, and Chone Figgins followed with a two-run double. Coke left the game after hitting Milton Bradley, but reliever Brayan Villarreal threw away a pickoff attempt to allow Figgins to score Seattle’s seventh run.

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Irish upset Georgetown

By MATTHEW DEFRANKS Sports Writer

The Irish upperclassmen stood out on Senior Day Saturday in Arlotta Stadium, but it was a freshman that stole the show. In Notre Dame’s 13-10 win over No. 16 Georgetown, midfielder Kaitlyn Brosco scored four goals to spur the Irish onto victory.

After Georgetown’s Dina Jackson scored to put the Hoyas (8-6, 6-1 Big East) up 2-1 early in the first half, it was Brosco who responded with a free-position goal 57 seconds later to tie the game. Brosco’s goal triggered a 6-0 Notre Dame run that lasted nearly 10 minutes. The freshman capped this run with an unassisted goal to put the Irish (7-8, 4-2) up comfortably 7-2.

“[Brosco] has been amazing the last two games,” Irish coach Tracy Coyne said. “She was doing a great job reading the Georgetown defense.”

Junior attack Maggie Tamasitis helped the Irish by chipping in three goals and an assist of her own, extending her point streak to 33 games. Senior midfielder Kaitlin Keena also turned in a solid effort, scoring two goals and assisting on two others while scooping up four ground balls.

Hoya sophomore midfielder Sophia Thomas led Georgetown in team highs with three goals and three draw controls. While Georgetown came into the

game with an opportunistic defense that caused nearly 11 turnovers per game, the Hoyas could only cause three turnovers from the Irish.

“We played an awesome first half,” Coyne said. “We had built such a big lead, [the second half turnovers] didn’t cost us.”

Brosco continued her sizzling two-game stretch, which began when Notre Dame played No. 20 Vanderbilt April 20. In Notre Dame’s 1210 overtime loss to Vanderbilt, Brosco tallied four goals and an assist for a career-high five-point game.

In the loss to the Commodores (8-7), senior midfielder Shaylyn Blaney had another complete game with two goals, two ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers.

After falling behind 6-3 in the first half to Vanderbilt, the Irish responded in a big way – driven by Brosco, who scored four consecutive goals

in less than four minutes to give Notre Dame the lead.

“Brosco was on fire. She was just in the zone,” Coyne said.

Blaney’s second goal of the day with just 10:02 left in the second half tied the game at 10, where it would stay until overtime. In overtime, Vanderbilt senior attack Katherine Denkler struck first with a free-position goal less than two minutes into the period. Notre Dame only managed one shot in overtime.

“We started pressuring a little more [in the second half]. We were conservative in the first,” Coyne said. “It was a pretty bitter loss — there was no talking on the bus.”

With the win over Georgetown, the Irish now have sole possession of fourth place in the Big East, ahead of their Friday opponent Louisville (10-6, 3-4).

Contact Matthew DeFranks at mdefrank@nd.edu

Sherman

continued from page 16

rules but will have two years of eligibility remaining when he first suits up for the Irish in the 2012-13 campaign.

Sherman averaged 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in only 12.1 minutes per game in the past year at Michigan State. He saw significant action at times, but spent long stretches of time on the bench at others.

Katenda, a French native attending high school in Bel Aire, Kan., decided between Wake Forest and Notre Dame. Ranked a three-star recruit by major recruiting services, he chose between a struggling Demon Deacon program, where he would get significant playing time as a freshman, and an Irish program loaded with veterans who had a track

record of winning.

A versatile player who excels at the small forward position, Katenda averaged 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 60 percent from the field in his senior season at Sunrise Christian Academy. He faced a number of health issues last summer, including knee tendinitis and appendicitis. These health issues turned a number of programs away, leaving the Irish as one of only three schools competing heavily for Katenda’s play.

Katenda will join 6-foot-5 wing and fellow recruit Patrick Connaughton on campus in the fall. Connaughton was the Massachusetts player of the year and signed with Notre Dame in November. Notre Dame already has two commitments for its 2012 signing class and has one scholarship remaining to offer a member of that class.

continued from page 13

back titles as they face the freshmen squad If Basketball Hoops Were Elementary Schools…

For Alexander’s Grill, the road has not been as smooth as anticipated. Senior captain Dan Crisman said the team, consisting of himself, seniors Sean Reed, Tyrell “Lil Gyro” Atkins, Buchi Offodile and Matt Romine have encountered some struggles in the past couple of rounds.

“We’re definitely excited to get back on the court for the round of 16. Our last two games didn’t go as smoothly as we would have liked,” Crisman said. “We ran into some pretty good teams that were on the ball when we definitely weren’t, but we were still able to find a way pull it out. After our last two games we’ve realized that no matter what seed a team might be, you shouldn’t underestimate them by any means, especially from this point going forward.”

Basketball Hoops was unranked going into the tournament, but has proven itself as the rounds progressed.

Freshman captain Jack Gardner said that his team has enjoyed the progression through the tournament.

“We’ve had a blast getting to the Sweet Sixteen. We put the team together because we’re a group of guys who just love to play basketball,” Gardner said. “It’s especially great when we get to play some competitive ball against other solid players.”

Basketball Hoops members Gardner, Tim Fulnecky, Kevin Timperman, Pat Crowley and Dominic Romeo know they will get the competition they crave against Alexander’s Grill.

“We’re expecting a tough game,” Gardner said. “We’ve seen several of the players on Alexander’s Grill play before and they are all very talented. We’re excited to get the chance to play the defending champs in our first year in the tournament.”

They face an obstacle, however. Basketball Hoops will be without Romeo, the team’s primary post player, for the remainder of the tournament. Meanwhile, “Alexander’s Grill” remains confident.

“Despite the rough patches so far, though, and although our team has a couple of new faces this year, we’re still definitely looking to defend our title from last year,” Crisman said. “And it starts with our opponent tomorrow night in the Sweet 16.”

The defending champions continue their search for a second straight title tonight at 9 p.m. on Court 4.

No. 4 Pizzeria Siegfried – The Delivery Boys vs. No. 13 Psycho B’s Lady Hips

After escaping from the round of 32 with a hard-fought 27-25 victory, Psycho B’s Lady Hips will enter its matchup with Pizzeria Siegfried – The Delivery Boys as the underdog.

Lady Hips senior captain Mathew Spencer leads seniors Andy Clark, Jeremy Riche, Patrick Dollard and MBA student Philip Schneider into the round of 16. For Spencer, his team’s arrival into the Sweet 16 signals the accomplishment of a long-standing goal.

“There are two things I wanted to do at the University of Notre Dame: graduate and make it to the Sweet 16 in Bookstore Basketball,” Spencer said.

In less than a month Spencer

will have accomplished both, but despite the team’s excitement over earning a berth in the tournament’s seventh round, the No. 13 seed has already shifted its focus to advancing to the Elite Eight. To do so, the boys from Keenan Hall will continue to rely on their tenacious style of play.

“Our strength is that we play with a lot of passion and will,” Spencer said. “We don’t give up or get flustered. Our strategy is to do whatever is necessary in order to make it to the Elite Eight.”

If Psycho B’s Lady Hips is to capture the victory tonight, the team will have to take down The Delivery Boys, who cruised through the round of 32 with a 21-5 victory. Captain David Rudy is joined by Andrew Nelligan, Mike Garcia, Dennis Sobolewski and Kevin Kelly, a team composed entirely of seniors.

The No. 4 seed has relied heavily on its active, swarming defense thus far in the tournament and promises to do the same in the round of 16.

“The Delivery Boys thrive on tough, in-your-face defense that leads to easy buckets in a strong transition game,” Rudy said.

The Delivery Boys have the added benefit of experience, having progressed as far as the Final Four in previous tournaments.

“Our team has been playing together for four years and has enjoyed some success in the past, so we are comfortable playing with each other and knowing where everyone is on the floor,” Rudy said. “Team basketball is our strength, especially against opponents with more size and athleticism.”

Despite being the higher seeded team and having experience in late tournament games, The Delivery Boys realize they have plenty to play for and that they will have their hands full with Psycho B’s Lady Hips.

“This round of the tournament is always fun with so many great teams still playing,” Rudy said. “Our team is definitely motivated to win for such a great cause like the Jumpball Program, which helps to fund a basketball camp in Jamaica. Earning a few delicious pizzas from our sponsor Pizzeria Siegfried doesn’t hurt our appetite to win, either.”

The game’s tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on Court 2.

No. 5 Texas Roadhouse vs. No. 12 Old School

When Texas Roadhouse takes on Old School in the round of 16, the age-old themes of new vs. old and potential vs. experience will be on full display.

As evidenced by its name, Old School readily embraces the fact that it is composed of players older than those on the average Bookstore team, ranging from their mid-twenties to their early-forties.

Captain Todd Hill, a 1991 Notre Dame graduate, said that his team understands both the problems and benefits that come with his team’s collective age.

“At our more mature age, we typically won’t be out-athleting any teams,” Hill said. “[However,] maturity does have its strengths and we play to them. We have a high basketball IQ, and we know who we are and who we aren’t. We have played the burn offense for years, long before Coach Brey picked it up and made it part of the identity of the Irish men’s program.

Hill is joined on the court by HR employees Matt McCubbins and Matthew Blazejewski, OIT

employees Joel Dosmann and Mark Bennitt and graduate student Luke Chicoine.

Despite being matched up against younger teams in every game, Old School has yet to be seriously tested. Still, the age difference between Hill and many of his opponents is quite significant.

“When I told one of the guys I graduated [and] about us making it to the Sweet Sixteen, [he said], ‘Do you realize that most of the students you are playing against were not even born when you played your first Bookstore game as an ND freshman 23 years ago?’” Hill said.

That will be the case once again tonight when Old School meets Texas Roadhouse in the Sweet 16. Senior captain Adam Dobrzykowski leads juniors Zachary Cook, JT Brevard and Taylor Williams and freshmen Pat Derksen and Dane Okuda.

The young guns have not been tested in their games to this point either, having advanced by relying largely on their speed.

“We score fast and play clamps ‘D,’” Cook said.

However, Cook also said that his team has the versatility needed to match up against the advanced talent level in the later rounds.

“We feel privileged to play in such a prestigious tournament and showcase our talents,” he said. “We feel that our team has achieved success because we have the necessary size, speed and basketball IQ. We look forward to competing against some very talented teams in the later rounds.”

Old School and Texas Roadhouse will battle for supremacy and the right to keep playing at 6 p.m. on Court 4.

Contact Joseph Monardo at jmonardo@nd.edu, Jack Yusko at jyusko@nd.edu, Andrew Gastelum at agastel1@nd.edu and Kelsey Manning at kmannin@nd.edu

Hansen

continued from page 16

of coaching and playing, but certainly that was really, really good. I don’t think that we did a very good job of adjusting to what he was doing and I don’t think that we handled things very well.”

Hansen, then younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Craig Hansen, improved to 6-3 on the year. Aoki said the sophomore hurler featured an excellent fastball, but dominated the Irish with the use of his slider, a devastating pitch on the right-handed heavy Irish lineup. Nevertheless, the Irish skipper said Notre Dame (14-20-1, 5-9 Big East) helped Hansen by producing noncompetitive at-bats. Notre Dame’s .235 team batting average is the lowest in the conference, as a number of senior hitters have struggled to find their rhythm.

the bases with two outs, freshman pinch hitter Chris Reinhart struck out looking to end the game.

Senior right-hander Cole Johnson picked up the loss after tossing five innings and allowing four earned runs on eight hits. Notre Dame has averaged just two runs of offense per game in Johnson’s last nine starts.

“[Greg] was hitting some balls hard and they were just right at people.”

Mik Aoki Irish coach

Aoki remains confident hitters such as senior infielders Greg Sherry and Mick Doyle will find their stride before the season ends.

“With regard to Greg, I think he went through a stretch where I thought he was swinging the bat really well, and just wasn’t getting rewarded with hits,” Aoki said. “He was hitting some balls hard and they were just right at people. [Mick] has swung the bat a little bit better recently.”

St. John’s (21-13, 10-4) picked up a 4-1 victory in the nightcap of the doubleheader, despite an Irish rally in the top of the ninth inning. After the Irish loaded

“Cole has done a really good job and I thought he did an excellent job on Thursday,” Aoki said. “We cost [him] probably, a conservative estimate, 25 pitches by not being able to do a good job of communicating and going after fly jobs. We handled it really, really poorly. I thought he did an exceptional job of pitching through that.” Due to Saturday’s rainout, senior right-hander Todd Miller will take the hill Wednesday as the Irish take on Butler (15-19, 4-8 Horizon) in a midweek nonconference matchup. Aoki said Miller will be on a strict pitch count and expects several pitchers to throw, including sophomore Adam Norton and freshman Anthony McIver.

“It’s one of those things, certainly with the way our offense has struggled this year, it doesn’t matter who it is [we play],” Aoki said. “It’s going to be something where we have to come out and pitch it really well, defend it really well and play really well.”

Notre Dame takes the field Wednesday at 5:35 p.m. at Frank Eck Stadium.

Contact Chris Masoud at cmasoud@nd.edu

Finally

continued from page 16

translate into a title.

The No. 8 seed, The Firm, has cruised to the Round of 16 even through rainy conditions. Its team members are known for their tuxedo t-shirts that the business majors sport in homage to their college. The squad is anchored by sophomore Matt Huber, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder who also guards the opposing team’s biggest offensive threat.

Along with Huber, The Firm is composed of sophomores Gary Hunt III, Will Reising and Steve Conway and junior Mike Renner,

all of whom played together in last year’s tournament when they lost 22-20 to the No. 2 seed in the Round of 16.

But the Mendoza majors hope to build off last year’s success and break into the quarterfinals this time around.

“Our greatest strength is our chemistry,” team captain Conway said. “We are a bit undersized, so we have to execute and communicate effectively.”

The Firm will face a stiff test from No. 9 seed Charlie Keller, which is captained by Fr. Pete McCormick, rector of Keough Hall. He is joined by Director of Notre Dame Vision Leonard DeLorenzo, Rec Sports Special Events Coordinator Tim Novak,

second-year law student Ryan Raybould and senior Jim Maslar.

Charlie Keller has an average margin of victory of over six points in the tournament, including a 21-13 victory over the No. 24 seed in the round of 32. The squad also boasts over 15 combined years of tournament experience, something that the team wants to use as an advantage over its opponents in the late rounds.

berth in the Elite Eight tonight at 9 p.m.

No. 7 Team Nice vs. No. 10

Pittsburgh Hoops

Despite the innocuous names, the matchup between Team Nice and Pittsburgh Hoops should be a nasty fight to the last seconds.

“Our greatest strength is our chemistry. We are a bit undersized, so we have to execute and communicate effectively.”

Steve Conway The Firm

“We are going to keep doing what got us to this point,” McCormick said. “Bookstore Basketball is different from indoor hoops and we have a good understanding of that.”

The Firm will take on veteran Charlie Keller at 7 p.m. on Court 2 with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

No. 6 Steel City Ballers vs. No. 11 Not Four but Five Players

While great individual skill can be found on both teams, the exceptional team chemistry of each built by years of playing together is sure to create an intriguing storyline when these seeded teams face off in the Sweet 16.

Steel City Ballers, consisting of Mark Wilkins, E.J. Jones, Sean Dillon, A.J. Graft and Conner Wright, is a group of Holy Cross basketball players. The two guards, captain Wilkins and Jones, have been playing together since high school.

“It’s like we know each other’s every move,” Wilkins said. “Our game is a lot alike so it’s difficult for teams to adjust to our style of play.”

The remaining three members of the team bring a raw, aggressive aspect that complements the skilled tandem of Jones and Wilkins.

“Sean and Conner bring a rough edge and toughness — Graft is a monster,” Wilkins said. “I actually hate playing against these guys. You’re bound to lose a few teeth.”

Not Four but Five Players is made of four players who have played together since their freshman year, Garrett Quinn, Bobby Huffman, Joe Mezyk and JP McCabe, and a new addition who fits in as though he’s always been on the team, Will Gesicki.

“We know each other’s strengths and play to them,” captain Garrett Quinn said. “Our biggest strength is the way we play together as a team.”

Quinn believes each player brings a different asset, with each positive quality complementing that of the other players and contributing to great team play.

The teams know each other and both give credit to the other’s winning potential. Quinn and Wilkins both said they expected a close, physical game.

“Either team could win,” Quinn said. “It should be a fun one.”

The two teams will battle for a

Team Nice is comprised of four law students, captain Mitch Ramirez, Allan Macquarrie, Mauri Miller and Rob Theofanis, in addition to freshman Scott Kennedy. They put pressure on the ball on defense and love fast-paced, transition offense.

Each team member is an impressive athlete as well as an impressive basketball player, and two even have college athletics experience — Macquarrie played basketball at Columbia and Theofanis played football at Occidental College.

Miller is a well-known player around South Bend for his impressive high school performances. Kennedy, the freshman, was recruited to the team based on skill alone.

“Scott [Kennedy] was our random Rolf’s pickup,” Mitch Ramirez said.

“He’s strong, very skilled, especially dangerous on the fast break and is also a superb defender.”

Ramirez was humble about his own talents, despite competing in an important role for the team.

“Brian’s team will be a challenge,” Ramirez said, “but we’re confident we can come out with a [win].”

The teams will compete to advance to the elite eight tonight at 8 p.m.

No. 2 Runnin’ Rebels vs. No. 15 Unfathomable Toughness

The enthusiastic freshman squad Unfathomable Toughness will face off against an experienced team of graduate students in the Runnin’ Rebels.

The Toughness came together as a result of Late Night Olympics and the Playing for Peace tournament competition, where captain Brandon “B-Mac” Nwannunu said he started gaining chemistry with fellow freshmen Tom Hickey and Tyler Sonsalla. After adding Matt Brittan, Conor Healy and Michael Morsches to the roster, the “Toughness” acquired a No. 16 ranking going into the tournament and blazed through the first couple rounds, facing a challenge only in the round of 32.

“The opposing team was lucky enough for one of our players to be sick and sidelined for the game.”

Brandon Nwannunu

Unfathomable Toughness

“I’m our glue guy,” Ramirez said. “My biggest strength is that I know the other four guys are better than I am, so I make good passes, defend and knock down a few shots when I’m left open.”

Pittsburgh Hoops is made up of captain Brian Castello, Pablo Martinez, Chris Guirres, Frank Karl and Tommy Mumford.

Pittsburgh Hoops prefers a starkly different play style to that of Team Nice, slowing the ball down on offense and playing fundamental defense.

“We like a half-court game,” captain Brian Castello said. “If it becomes a run-and-gun style game, it should get really interesting.”

The team consists of several talented athletes, but in the end the squad relies on outside shooting to advance.

“Our shooting makes or breaks us,” captain Brian Castello said. “If we aren’t making shots, it’ll be a tough game.”

“The opposing team was lucky enough for one of our players, Matt Brittan, to be sick and sidelined for the game,” Nwannunu said. “It was the first time our team had ever trailed at half time, but once again we proved to be the better team.”

Nwanniunu has some trash talking of his own for the men of the Runnin’ Rebels.

“I was certain that our paths would cross, as I told one of [the Rebels’] players, Omar Jenkins ... Thus, we have only one rule to play by: ‘These bookstore teams are like dominoes, line them up and we knock them down,’” he said.

As the Runnin’ Rebels are made up of four first-year MBA students, John Baumann, Alex Grace, Mike Grodecki and Omar Jenkins, and first-year law student Brian Salvi, it is the first time the five have come together as a team or even competed in Bookstore. Though the previously unranked Rebels have proved stiff competition for unexpecting opponents, Baumann said the focus has been on enjoying the experience.

“The greatest thing is the conditions of the tournament in that you’re playing games outside,” Baumann said. “Depending on the weather each game is a different type of matchup, so it’s been an exciting tournament so far.”

Contrasting with the belligerent Toughness, Bauman and his “Rebels” have a more composed and confident approach.

They use their athleticism and discipline on the other side of the ball to frustrate their opponents, not pressuring the ball especially hard, but stopping points by playing breakdown defense. These two teams, as equally different as they are skilled, recognize the challenges in facing a style so completely contrary to their own, yet remain confident in their skills.

“We’re going to go out, continue to play like we’ve been playing, and we look forward to having a nice game.”

The Toughness face the Rebels at 8 p.m. on Court 2.

No. 3 Alexander’s Grill vs. No. 14 If Basketball Hoops Were Elementary Schools…

Last year’s defending champions Alexander’s Grill will try to continue on its path of back-toback titles as they face the freshmen squad If Basketball Hoops Were Elementary

see HOOPS/page 12

continued from page 16

first goal 32 seconds into the second quarter, junior midfielder Max Pfeifer and senior attack Edison Parzanese scored two more quick ones to give the Irish three goals in the first two minutes of the quarter.

Notre Dame’s rapid scoring pace barely slowed, as the Irish poured in seven straight goals in all before allowing the second Providence goal with eight seconds left in the half.

“It’s definitely a change from what usually happens,” Pfeifer said. “The way we play, where we heavily focus on defense … the game slows down a little bit, so whenever you can find yourself in a scoring streak and [get] a lot of people get involved and score a lot of goals — it’s definitely a great feeling.”

The Irish dominance suffered the briefest of reprieves when an early Providence goal brought the score to 7-3 before the Friars were held scoreless for the final 28:06 of the game, during which the Irish added seven more scores to their already substantial lead.

Pfeifer claimed a hat trick on the day, and eight players in total scored for the Irish, highlighting their incredible depth on the offensive end.

“That’s one of the biggest strengths of our offense — that there’s such a large array of people that can score goals and a lot of different players that play a different style, and as a result the defense, in preparation of playing us, has to take into account each different person and learn his individual style and how he likes to attack,” Pfeifer said.

Sophomore goalie John Kemp was only called upon to make eight saves

on the day before being replaced by senior Brendan Moore, who recorded one save in just over five minutes of play. Kemp said that the big victory was a welcome opportunity for some bench players to see the field.

“It’s good to be able to get everybody into the game,” Kemp said.

“We have guys that come to practice every day and work their hardest just to get the starters better every day.”

Equally as impressive as Notre Dame’s stellar offense was its stalwart defense, which now ranks first in the country with only 5.9 goals surrendered per game, a distinction owed largely to its ability to communicate effectively, Kemp said.

“With the defense, communication is definitely the most important thing, just knowing whose role is what in certain times because it’s always changing in accordance with how the offense is playing,” Kemp said. “With how experienced we are on the defensive end, it really helps with being able to do that and having senior leadership being able to point things out.”

With the team seemingly clicking on all cylinders after the game against Providence, Notre Dame appears primed to finish the regular season with a flourish.

“I would say that this was a very good game for us,” Corrigan said.

“We were really happy with the way our guys played, with the way we handled the conditions, which were miserable, and with everything else, [including] the fact that we seem to be really making progress as we are going along now and getting better each week.”

The Irish travel to No. 4 Syracuse Saturday before closing out the regular season at No. 9 North Carolina.

Contact Joseph Monardo at jmonardo@nd.edu

Winter

continued from page 16

Although senior infielder

Heather Johnson’s 21-game hitting streak came to a halt in the first outing, she emerged from the second matchup with her second five-RBI effort of the season. Johnson’s streak was the nation’s second longest and improved her batting average from .204 to .385 over the course of the 21 games.

If game one was a pitching clinic, game two was an offensive showcase, as the Irish combined with the Wildcats for 18 runs off on 25 hits. Johnson led the offensive charge for Notre Dame as it edged out Villanova (1518, 2-14 Big East) 10-8. Johnson opened the game with a home run, which she followed up a couple of innings later with a three-RBI double that extended the Irish lead. Maldonado contributed a home run of her own along with three runs batted in, while senior Lex Clay led the team with three hits.

“I’d say that the biggest thing we showcased this past weekend was getting the job done,” Maldonado said. “They weren’t pretty wins, but a win is a win. We hit the ball hard all weekend and [we] will continue to strive to do this in our upcoming games.”

The Irish head back on the road tomorrow as they travel to Tampa to take on No. 27 South Florida (32-16, 12-1 Big East), before they return

home to kick off a six game homestand.

“We are very excited to play in USF’s new stadium,” Maldonado said. ”We look forward to taking two wins on their new home turf. As long as we play our game, we should win. We will need solid defense and great hitting to keep them out of the ball games and give us our best chance to win.”

The Bulls’ strong conference record puts them tied with DePaul at the top of the Big East standings, and the doubleheader will be Notre

Dame’s chance to steal that title. The Irish face a top-tier pitcher in freshman Sara Nevins, who did not give up a single run in 11.1 innings of work in last week’s threegame series against Connecticut. She also leads the nation with eight saves this season.

The showdown between two of the top freshman pitchers in the conference takes place today in Tampa, Fla., at noon and 2 p.m.

Contact Kelsey Manning at kmannin3@nd.edu

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Notre Dame takes down Providence

By JOSEPH MONARDO Sports Writer

Through the pouring rain, the Irish successfully defended their No. 1 ranking Saturday with a blowout 14-3 win over Providence. The away game saw the Irish (10-0, 5-0 Big East) embark on two separate streaks of seven straight goals as they won the 14-3 decision over Providence (3-10, 0-4).

As sterling as their play was for most of the game, the Irish started slowly and trailed 1-0 after the first quarter.

“We didn’t do a great job in the first quarter of finishing opportunities,” Irish coach Kevin Corrigan said. “[Providence] held the ball a little bit. We didn’t do a great job kind of all-around with our decision making on the offensive end and clearing. After that, though, we played three very good quarters.”

After senior midfielder Zach Brenneman notched Notre Dame’s

see SENIOR/page 14

A perfect 10

Brey adds talented recruits

Notre Dame picked up two major commitments Monday and Tuesday, announcing the transfer of 6-foot-10 sophomore center Garrick Sherman from Michigan State and the signing of 6-foot-8 forward Eric Katenda to letter of intent.

Sherman picked Michigan State over Notre Dame when he graduated from high school, but two struggle-filled years as a Spartan gave the Ohio native second thoughts about his choice. Encouraged by the recent success Irish coach Mike Brey has had with transfers, such as 2011 Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough, Sherman decided to be the sixth such transfer under Brey. Sherman will have to sit out the 2011-12 season as required by NCAA transfer

see SHERMAN/page 11

No. 1 seed Saturdays in America headlines Sweet Sixteen

By JOSEPH MONARDO, JACK YUSKO, ANDREW GASTELUM AND KELSEY MANNING Sports Writers

The contest between No. 1 overall seed Saturdays in America and previously unranked The Mock Turtle Necks extends far beyond the David vs. Goliath matchup that it appears to be. It is a game with graduate school bragging rights on the line.

The law-school representatives Saturdays in America are led by third-year law student and 2010 Tournament MVP Chuck Flynn, as well as 2008 Tournament MVP point guard Alex Klupchak.

The duo have taken their team through a grueling stretch of close games to get to the Round of 16 with the help of third-year law student Brendan Bush, second-year law student and captain John Rompf and senior Aaron Nichols, who have a combined six championship appear-

ances.

“While everyone else is playing checkers, we play chess,” Flynn said, describing his team’s success. “Chess wins championships.”

Meanwhile, The Mock Turtle Necks, consisting of first-year MBA students Mark Felder, Andre Moskowitz, Russ Cramer, Cameron Cook, Dan Marques and captain Patrick McNamara, will play for the upset. They are led by their big man, Cook, who serves as the team’s intimidating shot blocker and offensive focal

Irish offense struggles again

By CHRIS MASOUD Sports Writer

After showing signs of life earlier this month in a pair of onerun losses to Pittsburgh and a 14-4 win over Connecticut, Notre Dame’s offense appeared to be headed in the right direction. A 15-strikeout performance against St. John’s last Thursday brought the offense back to square one.

Red Storm right-hander Kyle Hansen tossed a complete game shutout in a 6-0 victory in the first game of the doubleheader, retiring 16 of the last 17 Notre Dame hitters.

“He certainly dominated us,” Irish coach Mik Aoki said. “I’ve seen some good pitching performances throughout my years

see HANSEN/page 12

point.

Inspired by Irish coach Mike Brey’s iconic gameday attire, The Mock Turtle Necks have made a surprise run to the Round of 16, beating the No. 10, 23 and 42 seeds by an average of five points, and look to turn even more heads along the way.

“Our team is built for the street game with scrappy defense and a big man to feed the ball down low,” McNamara said. “We might seem like the Cinderella as the No. 624 seed, but we have [gotten here by]

playing smart basketball and running the court.”

Saturdays in America will try to hold off upstart The Mock Turtle Necks tonight at 7 p.m. on Court 4 in a matchup of competing graduate schools.

No. 8 The Firm vs. No. 9 Charlie Keller

This matchup features two teams with plenty of tournament experience and success that both teams hope will finally

see FINALLY/page 13

By KELSEY MANNING Sports Writer

Facing their second of four straight Big East opponents, the No. 21 Irish came through in the clutch to pull out two close victories Thursday at Villanova.

The low scoring game one, a 2-1 Notre Dame victory, reflected the stellar pitching of freshman Laura Winter, who rebounded from last week’s snap of her ninegame winning streak with nine strikeouts. In the final frame Winter permitted just two singles and one earned run as Notre Dame (33-8, 91 Big East) held on for the

win.

“Compared to other teams we have faced this year, Villanova shouldn’t have even been on the field with us,” junior outfielder Alexa Maldonado said. ”They are a very mediocre team. However, they are the kind of team that if you let them stay in the game long enough, they can make things happen.”

This is exactly what the Irish defense, led by Winter, avoided in game one, and the freshman pitcher continued that trend in game two with her fourth save of the season.

see WINTER/page 14