Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame's football program is on NCAA probation until next January. The school admitted to recruiting violations in 2019 in which a now-former assistant had an impermissible in-person meeting with one prospect and sent impermissible text messages to another. The NCAA  announced the negotiated resolution after it was reviewed by the Division I Committee on Infractions. Official recruiting visits will be reduced from 56 to 55 to this year and there will be cuts in number of days prospects can make unofficial campus visits.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Notre Dame has lost another playoff semifinal in Texas, falling 31-14 to No. 1 Alabama in the relocated Rose Bowl. It was a better showing for the Irish than their blowout loss to Clemson in the semifinals two years ago. But the fourth-ranked Irish still lost in a playoff or New Year's Six bowl for the seventh straight time since 2000. Notre Dame was a three-touchdown underdog and fell behind quickly 14-0. But the defense improved, and Ian Book had the Irish moving with a chance to get within a touchdown in the second half before throwing an interception.

WVPE's latest Photo of the Week is entitled "Fresh Snow." The image was taken on December 29th outside Dillon Hall on the campus of Notre Dame by Sam Lima of South Bend. Sam has contributed several great photos here at WVPE since we started our Photo of the Week feature. 

We'd love to see what you are taking photos of.

Email Photo of the Week submissions to us at wvpe@wvpe.org.

Make sure to include your name, where you live, names of people in the photo, date the photo was taken and the location where the photo was taken.

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The College Football Playoff semifinal in Texas will be allowed to call itself the Rose Bowl Game, but Pasadena officials don’t want the New Year’s game relocated in the future. Pasadena officials agreed to allow the Tournament of Roses to move the game to Arlington, Texas, on New Year’s Day. No. 1 Alabama will play fourth-ranked Notre Dame in the first CFP semifinal at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas. The Tournament of Rose will pay the city $2 million to help Pasadena with its expenses and lost revenue as a result of the game being relocated.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Ian Book threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores in his final home game at Notre Dame, leading the second-ranked Fighting Irish to a 45-21 victory against Syracuse. The fifth-year senior led the Irish to a victory as a starter for the 30th time, the most ever for a Notre Dame quarterback. The Irish ran their winning streak to 16 games, best in the country, and their home winning streak to 24. Next up is the Dec. 19 ACC championship game against Clemson in Charlotte, North Carolina.

With Thanksgiving behind us and the December holidays in the offing during the pandemic, it's a time for reflection. WVPE's Photo of the Week offers a scene of tranquil reflection captured on Thanksgiving Day by Katie Gotfried on the Notre Dame campus. If Katie's name sounds familiar, you may recognize it from some of the previous Michiana Chronicles she has contributed here at WVPE. 

We'd love to see what you are taking photos of.

Email Photo of the Week submissions to us at wvpe@wvpe.org.

President Donald Trump calls Lou Holtz “one of the greatest coaches in American history” and has honored the college football Hall of Famer and political ally with the nation’s highest civilian honor. Holtz had a 34-year coaching career that included the 1988 national title at the University of Notre Dame. Holtz received the Presidential Medal of Freedom during an Oval Office ceremony. Holtz led six different programs to bowl games and is an outspoken Trump backer. The 83-year-old Holtz says being honored by Trump makes the award particularly meaningful.

Today Notre Dame announced it is implementing a reservation system for people interested in attending Christmas Mass at the Basilica.

No. 2 Notre Dame wrapped up a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by virtue of the league shuffling its schedule Tuesday to create an open date for the Fighting Irish and No. 4 Clemson before their likely rematch on Dec. 19. The ACC announced Notre Dame's game against Wake Forest, which was rescheduled for Dec. 12 after being postponed in late September, will not be played. The first-place Irish host Syracuse on Saturday to complete their regular season. Clemson's postponed game at Florida State will also not be made up.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Destinee Walker scored 24 points, Maddy Westbeld added 19 plus nine rebounds and Notre Dame gave new head coach Niele Ivey her first victory, 88-68 over Miami of Ohio. Ivey took over for Hall of Famer Muffet McGraw, who retired with 939 career wins. Ivey's Fighting Irish gave her the lead for good just over three minutes into the game, extended it to 15 points at halftime and kept it in double figures the rest of the way. Peyton Scott scored 18 points and Katie Davidson had 16 along with 10 rebounds for the Redhawks in their opener.

COLUMBIA. S.C. (AP) — Lou Holtz has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 83-year-old former college football coach confirmed the test Thursday to Columbia TV station WOLO. Holtz led Notre Dame to the 1988 national title in a Hall of Fame career. He has worked for ESPN and campaigned for President Donald Trump. Holtz is set to receiver the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump.

BOSTON (AP) — Ian Book passed for three touchdowns and ran for another and No. 2 Notre Dame overcame an early deficit to roll to a 45-31 victory over Boston College. The Fighting Irish's eighth straight win in the series between the FBS's only Catholic institutions gave coach Brian Kelly his 100th career victory at the school, tying him with Lou Holtz for second all-time. He is now just five behind coach Knute Rockne. A week after upsetting Clemson, Notre Dame racked up a season high 561 total yards led by Book, who finished 20 of 27 for 283 yards.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Paul Hornung, the dazzling "Golden Boy" of the Green Bay Packers whose singular ability as a runner, receiver, quarterback and kicker helped turn the team into an NFL dynasty, has died. He was 84. Hornung won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame, then headed to the Packers. He was the NFL MVP in 1961 and played on four championship teams. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

BOSTON (AP) — Second-ranked Notre Dame is looking to avoid another historic loss to Boston College as it tries to continue its journey to the College Football Playoff. The two schools will square off Saturday in the 26th edition of college football's Holy War. Boston College has some history of spoiling good seasons for the Irish, who come into the game with a 7-0 mark. The Irish beat Clemson at home in double overtime in their last game. The Eagles are 5-3 and nearly knocked off Clemson two weeks ago.

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyren Williams ran for two touchdowns, Ian Book passed for another score and No. 4 Notre Dame stifled Georgia Tech 31-13. Book completed 18-of-26 for 199 yards in another efficient performance for the 6-0 Fighting Irish. Williams shook off a fumble that Georgia Tech returned 93 yards for a touchdown to score on two short runs. Georgia has lost three in a row to drop to 2-5. Next up for Notre Dame: a showdown against No. 1 Clemson. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett won crucial backing  when one of the last Republican holdouts against filling the seat so close to Election Day announced support ahead of a confirmation vote expected Monday. Sen. Lisa Murkowski declared her support Saturday as the Senate worked through a rare weekend session that's set to continue Sunday. President Donald Trump’s nominee already appeared to have enough Republican support to push past Democratic opposition. But the nod from Murkowski gives Barrett a boost.

The Notre Dame campus is in mourning after three students were hit by a minivan as they walked along Ironwood Road near Bulla in St. Joseph County shortly after 4am Saturday. Two of the students were killed and one is in critical condition.

The students who died have been identified as first year students. 19-year-old Olivia Lara Rojas of Bolivia and 19-year-old Valeria Espinel of Ecuador.  The lone student who survived is 19-year-old  sophomore Eduardo Jose Elias Calderon of the Dominican Republic.

NEW (Oct. 25 at 6:50pm): 

Autopsies are scheduled for Tuesday for the two Notre Dame students who died this weekend after being hit by a minivan. A spokesperson for the St. Joseph County Fatal Accident Crash Team was unable to provide any update on the condition of the third student who was hit but who survived. As of Saturday evening, that student was in critical condition.  

As part of its Bridging the Divide series, the University of Notre Dame hosted a Q&A session Wednesday night between Notre Dame alum and senior NBC News correspondent Anne Thompson and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg was a Democratic presidential candidate until he withdrew from the race on March 1, 2020, following some of the early caucuses and primaries.

A spokesman for the University of Notre Dame issued a statement regarding a plan to limit student gatherings in response to increasing cases of coronavirus. 

UPDATE (Oct. 12):

Notre Dame has announced that the university's president is now out of isolation and quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. 

88.1 WVPE is pleased to be hosting an intern in our newsroom this semester, Notre Dame Senior Claire King. She is lending her voice to our Fall Membership Campaign to encourage you to make a contribution at 888 889 9269 or at wvpe.org. Claire feels that "everyone deserves to have a voice." That is part of why she is passionate about public radio.