Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1017623
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2018 75 ND SPORTS they've got four years of eligibility left. [Sophomore midfielder] Aiden McFadden and [sophomore forward/ midfielder] Paul Rothrock have both done a good job on the attacking side. "You've got to figure out the guys that are going to get you goals, and I think we have a chance to have a lot of guys scoring." DON'T MISS: Notre Dame will host preseason No. 2 Indiana Sept. 11. WOMEN'S SOCCER FIRST EVENT: Aug. 16 vs. Central Michigan (3-1 win) ACC PREDICTED FINISH: 5th PRESEASON NATIONAL RANKING: No. 14 NCAA BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Sweet 16 COACH'S EXPECTATIONS: Like the men, Notre Dame's women's soccer team will also be under new leadership in 2018, with former Irish men's player and women's assistant coach Nate Norman taking over. Norman said even though there's a new coach at the helm, the standard remains understood after winning national titles in 1995, 2004 and 2010. "Every year we have the same goal, and that's to win a national champi- onship," Norman said. "That's what we've talked about. We look at it like a process. What are we doing on a daily basis? Those are tangible things you can point to, and if you accom- plish those things, you put yourself in the best chance to win a national championship. "It's a talented team with a lot of good players. We're really excited to continue on this journey." TOP PLAYERS: According to Norman, Sabrina Flores, a fifth-year senior, has emerged to take on the leadership responsibilities on the team. "She definitely leads by example," the coach said. "She inspires people with her work ethic, her willingness to go do extra and her ability to get people to do extra with her." ATHLETE TO WATCH: Brianna Martinez, a freshman who was a member of the United States Under-18 Women's National Team in high school, has a chance to make a major impact early in her Irish career. "She's a very, very talented player," Norman said. "She plays outside back. We've been so happy with the freshman." DON'T MISS: Notre Dame will travel to preseason No. 1 Stanford Sept. 7. VOLLEYBALL FIRST EVENT: Aug. 24 vs. Weber State ACC PREDICTED FINISH: 5th NCAA BEST-CASE SCENARIO: First round COACH'S EXPECTATIONS: Volleyball is yet another Irish sport that will feature a new head coach in 2018. After head coach Jim McLaughlin resigned due to health reasons, Notre Dame pro- moted associate head coach Mike Johnson. "What I am going to say is that we're going to be better tomorrow than we were today," Johnson said. "If we add that up over time, the result can be special. "The promise I made to our team at that the start of the year was I would give them everything I have, and I wouldn't be satisfied with anything short of their very best. "Sometimes that's hard because human nature wants to cruise, but human nature doesn't win champi- onships." TOP PLAYERS: "We had a lot of play- ers who did a good job last year and came back," Johnson noted. "I'm thankful for that. When you look at who is our top player, you're answer- ing it every day. "If you were to ask who is going to start in a week, I would say I'm not sure yet. You get the role you earn." ATHLETES TO WATCH: "I won't name anyone, but I really like our fresh- men," Johnson said. "We could have no freshmen on the floor or we could have a lot of freshmen on the floor. "What I appreciate most about this group of freshmen is they care deeply. They've embraced it and want to get better." DON'T MISS: Notre Dame will open the season by hosting the Golden Dome Invitational Aug. 24-25. ✦ Destined For Autumn Success Here are five Irish athletes to keep an eye on this fall: Emma Cottrill — Volleyball She did not see action in her first season in South Bend, but was a three-time all-state selection in Pennsylvania and a member of the 2015 USA Volleyball High Performance Team. Dylan Jacobs — Cross Country The incoming freshman won the 2017 Foot Locker High School Cross Country Champion- ships national meet in San Diego and was listed as the No. 5 distance running recruit in the country in the class of 2018 by FloTrack. Jacqueline Gaughan — Cross Country She starts her career at Notre Dame this fall following a fifth-place finish at the 2017 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships national meet last December in San Diego. FloTrack ranked her as the No. 4 distance recruit in the class of 2018. Brianna Martinez — Soccer The incoming freshman was a member of the United States Under-18 Women's National Team and recorded 92 total points in her high school career. Aiden McFadden — Soccer Before redshirting at Notre Dame in 2017, she participated in the 2016 TopDrawerSoccer TeamSnap High School All-America Game and was named the contest's MVP. — David McKinney Senior Ryann Dejarld has emerged as a leader on this year's Notre Dame volleyball team. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH DIGITAL MEDIA