Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/102697
Under the Dome Former Golf Coach George Thomas Dies at 87 George L. Thomas, who coached the Notre Dame men's golf team from 1988‑2001, died Dec. 1 at age 87. The World War II veteran was a PGA Golf Professional for 47 years and was inducted as a PGA Master Professional. Thomas coached Notre Dame to three Midwestern Collegiate Conference championships and three Big East titles while earning conference Coach of the Year honors in three separate seasons. Thomas was named Indiana PGA Player of the Year three times and served as the president of the Indiana PGA for two years. He also received honorary membership into the Notre Dame National Monogram Club. Tennis Coach To Step Down At End Of 2013 Season Notre Dame men's tennis coach Bob Bayliss — the winningest active NCAA Division I coach — is retiring after the 2012-13 season following 26 years with the Irish and a 44-year college coaching career. Current Irish associate head coach Ryan Sachire, a former Notre Dame All-American who played in 1997-2000 before playing professionally five years, will be his successor following seven years on his staff. "I don't think there's another men's tennis coach in the country who is more respected by his peers than Bobby is, not just for his accomplishments on the court but for how he has represented the game," Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick said. Bayliss' overall 746-331-1 (.692) record includes a 455-228 (.666) mark at Notre Dame since becoming the Irish head coach on March 16, 1987. "I have been truly blessed to have coached these last 26 years at the greatest university in the world," Bayliss said. "Knowing that I am turning the reins over to Ryan makes it easier to leave, as I consider him to be the best tennis coach in the country right out of the chute." Bayliss' tenure at Notre Dame has featured 21 NCAA Championships appearances in the last 22 seasons, most notably an NCAA runner-up finish in 1992 and seven trips to the NCAA round of 16. Ten of his Irish teams have finished in the top 20 nationally while claiming seven Big East Conference titles since joining the league in 1995. Notre Dame-Navy To Be Played At FedEx Field In 2014 The 2014 Notre Dame-Navy game will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Md, not too far from the Midshipmen's home base in Annapolis, Md. The two programs have met every season since 1927, most recently in Dublin, Ireland, to open the 2012 football campaign. They played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., in 2010, and at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, in 2008 and 2006. The most recent meeting between Notre Dame and Navy at FedEx Field was in 1998, a 30-0 Fighting Irish victory. Notre Dame also played at FedEx Field in 2012 for its Shamrock Series, a 45-21 victory against Maryland. In 2014, Navy and Notre Dame — which squared off at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, this past season — will meet at Landover, Md., for the first time since 1998. photo by mike bennett/lighthouse imaging