Forward Maddy Westbeld discusses how it feels to become a Notre Dame graduate, the new transfer portal additions of forwards Liatu King and Liza Karlen for Notre Dame women's basketball, how she can help them get acclimated, the culture of ND's program, playing during an era of growth in the sport, how the team evolved last season, finding a new identity for next season, where she's improved the most, her upcoming basketball clinic and more.

Then @Eric Hansen and I answer questions from Twitter and The Insider Lounge (22:53).

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Release from Notre Dame:

South Bend, Indiana — Kevin Hardy, a two-time football All-American and three-sport monogram winner at the University of Notre Dame, passed away on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Northern California.

A defensive tackle with the Fighting Irish football team, Hardy was a key member of the 1966 National Championship team while also becoming the first student-athlete in 19 years to earn a monogram in three different sports. In 1964-65, Hardy was the first-team defensive tackle, played a key role as a reserve for the basketball team that advanced to the NCAA tournament and was the regular right fielder for the baseball team. Hardy led the 1967 Notre Dame baseball team with a .398 batting average.

Hardy did not play football varsity football in his first year at Notre Dame, as freshmen were ineligible to play until 1972. As a sophomore in 1964, Hardy posted 38 tackles and blocked two kicks. A back injury limited him in his junior season, but he was awarded an extra year of eligibility and piled up 79 tackles and broke up four passes for the 1966 national championship team to earn first-team All-America honors. He finished up in 1967 with 33 more tackles in a move to defensive end and was a first-round draft choice (seventh overall) by the New Orleans Saints in the 1968 NFL Draft.

Hardy did not play for the Saints, however, as he was moved to the San Francisco 49ers for compensation for a free agent signing. Hardy appeared for the 49ers, Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers during his professional career.

Hardy is survived by his son, Danny (daughter-in-law Julie Hardy), daughter Shannon Kuhl (son-in-law Chris Kuhl and grandson Kevin) and sisters Mary and Barbara.

@Adam Gorney's Recruiting Rumor Mill today has an item on 2026 QB target Brady Hart. The competition for Hart seems to be widening.


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I'm expecting Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington to see the following 2025 defensive line prospects on Wednesday: three-star DE Caleb Williams, three-star DT Delano Brown and unrated DE Aubrey Melvin.

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I don't get the sense that Notre Dame's ready to offer any of these guys, but the Irish are evaluating options on the defensive line.

Williams is committed to South Carolina. The Irish have been in contact with him previously, but it hasn't been consistent, from what I've been told.

Brown said he hasn't heard from Notre Dame previously, but he's at a school that Notre Dame's familiar with in Olney (Md.) Good Counsel.

Melvin visited Notre Dame for the Blue-Gold Game.

The NCAA Round-of-16 game at Arlotta Stadium starts at 5 p.m. Sunday between the top-seeded Irish (12-1) and Albany (10-7).

ALBANY 13, SACRED HEART 7

@Eric Hansen and I plan to record our next Inside ND Sports podcast on Thursday. Send us some questions you'd like us to discuss. We like to give priority to questions submitted on The Insider Lounge.

If you have multiple questions, try to be succinct and ask them separately. Thanks!

Notre Dame's national recruiting footprint is really on display today.

In @Adam Gorney's Recruiting Rumor Mill, he suggests that 2025 CB target Trystan Haynes may be swinging toward Oklahoma.


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I'll see what I can dig up as well. With Dallas Golden in the class, Irish would be fine with adding Haynes or Mark Zackery.

Rivals basketball recruiting director Rob Cassidy named six prospects who whave boosted their stock this spring. Two of them are Notre Dame targets: PG Kayden Mingo and SG Braylon Mullins.


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Notre Dame will spend most of its time recruiting in the DMV and Florida today.

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From Matt Norlander and Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports:

A one-of-a-kind revolutionary regular-season men's basketball event to be staged later this year in Las Vegas is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, CBS Sports has learned. Its selling point is based on the major factor that has drastically altered college sports over the past three years: name, image and likeness compensation for players.

Games will be played in November under the umbrella of an event dubbed the "Players Era Festival," which will also include live music and other attractions for fans amid the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip during Thanksgiving week. In a college sports first, the event will also include $1 million NIL payouts for eight participating schools. What's more, players involved will have future earnings opportunities through long-term NIL contracts, sources told CBS Sports.

Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State and Texas A&M are all on board, sources said. The eighth and final school for the 2024 event will emerge from a small group that is still being deliberated. The Players Era Festival is not being pitched as a one-year happening, either. Plans are to double the size of the field, sources told CBS Sports, with 16 teams as the target for 2025 and beyond. Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan, Syracuse and Virginia have all engaged in discussions about potentially playing in 2025. If they opt in, they'd be joined by most (if not eventually all) of the schools playing in 2024, many of which have already signed up for a three-year agreement, according to sources.

Full story:

May 17: Season ticket member renewal deadline

Early June: Public new season tickets on sale

Fall: Single game tickets on sale

Oklahoma landed TCU DT transfer Damonic Williams yesterday in a big recruiting battle that included Texas, Missouri and LSU.

Apparently this was part of Williams' LSU visit ...

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How'd he choose anywhere other than LSU after that? 🤣

Matt Allocco, a two-year starting guard at Princeton, had committed to a graduate transfer to Notre Dame. The 6-foot-4 Ohio native averaged 12.7 points per game last season while shooting 50.8% from the field, 42.7% from 3 and 90.9% from the free-throw line.

Story coming.

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Deuce Knight on Saturday won his second straight Mississippi Class 6A State long jump title with a leap of 23 feet, 2 1/4 inches. He also won the high jump at 6-8.

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We reported this morning that Mike Mickens would stop by Cornelius (N.C.) Hough to see 2026 cornerback prospect Samari Matthews. Now Matthews has a Notre Dame offer.

Rivals ranks Matthews as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 17 overall in the 2026 class. The Irish joined an offer list that already includes Alabama, USC, Oregon, North Carolina and Colorado.

Matthews tallied 25 tackles, one interception and one tackle for loss in his sophomore season at Hough.

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Notre Dame QB commit Deuce Knight is playing for Coastline Stars in the OT7 Orlando tournament.

He just threw a touchdown pass on the first play of the game. He's playing against Ohio State QB commit Tavien St. Clair.

You can watch the live stream below if you'd like. If you've never watched big-time 7-on-7, be warned: there will be plenty of antics and dancing.

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And he gets an endorsement from his former special teams coach, Brian Polian.

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Notre Dame's defensive staff will focused on North Carolina today, including a visit with one of its top remaining 2025 targets.

Trail Tracks from @Eric Hansen:

A look at Benjamin Morrison and many others:

The question queue is already open, so you can submit your question(s) now. Just please remember to include your name and hometown. Here's a shortcut to the queue ...

Notre Dame women's basketball is on fire with forward recruiting in the transfer portal and in high school recruiting.

Five-star forward Leah Macy becomes Notre Dame's first 2025 class recruit.

Story from @Eric Hansen.