Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 OCT. 8, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED mentioned on Jackson's players-to- watch checklist. The senior forward fin- ished second on the team with 15 goals last season and added 9 assists. Already a three-year point producer, Janicke is Notre Dame's top returning goal scorer. "We'll need good work from those two," Jackson said of Slaggert and Janicke. "Both players had good years last year. We want them to build off that. I think that we could take another step from where we were last year. "I think that we could be more pro- ductive than we were offensively." Jackson also singled out Leivermann, who has been a gifted scorer and a lead- ership rock on this team since 2018. He enters his fifth and final season at Notre Dame as a preseason All-Big Ten hon- orable mention. During his first four years here, Leivermann appeared in 118 games, tallying 17 goals, 41 assists and 58 points. "When you're an upperclassman, you kind of see things differently," Leiver- mann said. "And of course, being here for a fifth year in a row, you even have stronger relationships with everybody." Last season, he recorded a career- high 27 points, which tied for second on the team and placed him sixth among conference defenders. "You hope all of those guys are going to be ready to handle the ups and downs of the season," Jackson said of his four key returning scorers. After spending most of his Irish ca- reer as a backup, senior goaltender Ryan Bischel is expected to draw the starting job in net. He appeared in 16 games last season and recorded a 10-4 record as a starter, with a .924 save percentage and a 2.08 goals-against average. "He just has to be ready to step up and show that he's the guy," Jackson said of Bischel, who is expected to be backed up by true freshman Jack Williams. BIG GOALS, HIGH HOPES Ranked No. 9 in the preseason US- CHO.com poll and picked to finish sec- ond to Minnesota in the Big Ten, Notre Dame isn't going to sneak up on anybody. And Jackson said that his team's pre- vious success and the high expectations that followed will bring added responsi- bility. Every hockey team in the country can dream about conference titles and NCAA Championship appearances in early October. But Jackson said it's when adversity hits — perhaps, in early November when the Irish play doubleheaders on consecu- tive weekends against No. 3 Minnesota and No. 6 Michigan — he'll find out more about the mental makeup of his team. And in a sport where a bad bounce, a great save, or a puck off a post can turn a game and even a season, Jackson admitted to never really knowing what to expect. "A lot of that ties into the leadership, and I think they have a done a good job with that thus far," Jackson said. "But you never really know until you see how they handle that adversity." Notre Dame opens its season with an exhibition at home against USA Hockey National Team Development Program Oct. 2. Its regular season begins Oct. 7 at Denver, the reigning national cham- pion, the top-ranked team in the coun- try this preseason and a longtime nem- esis for Jackson and Notre Dame. "This time of the year you are always excited," Jackson said. "And everything I've seen so far points towards probably being a similar team to last year, and hopefully a little better." ✦ Head coach Jeff Jackson's team, which returns four of its top seven point getters and three of its top five goal scorers, is picked to finish sec- ond to Minnesota in the Big Ten and No. 9 in the USCHO.com preseason rankings. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS ND SPORTS Irish Roundup Through Sept. 22 CROSS COUNTRY Notre Dame's men's and women's teams both claimed first place in the 43rd annual National Catholic In- vitational in South Bend Sept. 16 … The men's team produced the top seven finishers in the event, while the women had seven of the top 11 in their race … The Irish will host the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite Sept. 30. WOMEN'S GOLF The Fighting Irish opened the season with a second-place showing at the Badger Invitational Sept. 18-20 in Verona, Wis. … Notre Dame shot a 10-over-par 874 as a team … The Irish will return to action Oct. 3-4 in the Barbara Nicklaus Cup in Dublin, Ohio. MEN'S SOCCER (3-2-1 OVERALL, 1-1-0 ACC) Notre Dame notched a 2-1 victory at Virginia Sept. 16 to even their ACC record at 1-1 … The Irish notched a 4-1 victory vs. Chicago State in South Bend Sept. 21 … The Irish will host North Carolina Sept. 24 and Boston College Sept. 30. WOMEN'S SOCCER (8-1-0 OVERALL, 1-1-0 ACC) The No. 18 Fighting Irish notched a 1-0 win over No. 2 Virginia in South Bend Sept. 22 … Notre Dame has another home tilt vs. Pittsburgh Sept. 25 followed by a road contest at Boston College Sept. 29. VOLLEYBALL (5-5 OVERALL, 0-0 ACC) Notre Dame won a pair of matches in the 2022 Bulldog Brawl Sept. 16-17 in Indianapolis, defeating Central Michigan 3-0 and Ohio 3-1 … The Irish open ACC play with a road trip to Florida State Sept. 23 and Miami Sept. 25. — Steve Downey