Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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we couldn't play further than the first round of the NCAA Tournament." It was Brey's ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament since taking the Notre Dame job in 2000-01, and it was the fourth time the Fighting Irish failed to advance to the round of 32. The school is just one of 18 teams to earn a bid each of the last four seasons, but Notre Dame is just 1-4 over that stretch, with a victory over No. 15 seed Akron in 2011. There are 75 programs with more NCAA Tournament victories than the Irish (two) over the last decade (200413). After 13 seasons in South Bend, where Brey feels he established an identity in the Big East Conference, he and his program begin another reinvention when the school officially joins the Atlantic Coast Conference July 1. Brey and his assistants are off to recruit for the 2014 class, with a focus on big men, and take part in ACC meetings. Each member of the Irish staff has been assigned certain ACC teams to research in anticipation of a new beginning in 2013-14. "It's like taking a new coaching job," Brey explained. "It would be a real failure on the part of our new league if we don't get seven or eight bids this first year." A group of nine returning scholarship players will combine with a quartet of incoming freshmen, highlighted by McDonald's All-American point guard Demetrius Jackson (Mishawaka, Ind.). Notre Dame loses first-team All-Big East selection Jack Cooley (forward), but heads into 2013-14 with its backcourt intact. "I love we're going to the ACC next year because I have an older team to do it with," Brey said of having four returning starters. It's a fresh and energizing start for the Fighting Irish, but saying goodbye to the Big East Conference left Brey with mixed emotions. "In a lot of ways, I feel sorry for our fan base," he said. "We should have joined [the Big East in 1990]. Just about the time our fans get in this Big East rhythm, we throw them another curve and we're doing the ACC thing. For our program, which was really respected in the Big East, who are we going to be in the ACC? "In all honesty, when you're trying to develop a little bit of a rhythm to the program, I don't know that it's great to be in three different statuses in less than 23 years. I think that's not been good for us." Eric Katenda Scheduled For Surgery Sophomore forward Eric Katenda, who redshirted this past year, was scheduled for surgery April 25 to address plantar fasciitis. He was expected to be shut down for two months. Katenda was injured in a pickup game before arriving at Notre Dame and permanently lost vision in his left eye. He has been adjusting ever since and it's still unclear if he'll ever play for the Irish. "He'll be eligible to really compete for us next year," head coach Mike Brey said. "When I see him practicing with us, he's getting more comfortable. … He really can't afford to miss stuff. But I have an open mind. I think he can help us. It's been a long, slow road, but we need frontline guys."