Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 SEPT. 23, 2023 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED ND SPORTS BY TODD D. BURLAGE R o c k b o t to m a r r ive d fo r g i f te d Irish senior distance runner Erin Strzelecki in the spring of 2021, when — quite literally — she could hardly breathe and nobody could figure out why. The then-Fighting Irish sophomore battled some breathing problems dur- ing the indoor track season that previ- ous winter. But it wasn't until the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May of that year — when Strzelecki couldn't even finish her 10,000-meter race — that she realized something was very wrong. But what was it? "That race was scary for me. I couldn't breathe throughout the entire race," Strzelecki shared. "It was frus- trating for sure. Something so random that caught me off guard." The first theory, Strzelecki said, was maybe it was asthma, or some sort of lung condition, or maybe the return of an iron deficiency she had previously battled. It was none of the above. Instead, after some in-depth diag- nosis, it was discovered that Strzelecki was suffering from vocal cord dysfunc- tion (VCD), a condition that causes the unintended closure of the vocal cords (folds) that restricts a person's airway when inhaling. "I had never heard of it before, that's for sure," Strzelecki said. "It was very dif- ficult to breathe when you run. And I felt so out of shape, even though I wasn't." Fi n a l ly p ro p e rly d i a g n ose d a n d treated, Strzelecki put the VCD behind her last fall before her junior year cross country season and excelled. Strzelecki became the No. 2 runner on the Irish when she finished 54th at the 2022 NCAA Cross Country Champion- ships, posting a time of 20:17.8 in the 6K race, only about four seconds short of securing All-America honors. "That was a big breakthrough race for her," Notre Dame director of track & field and cross country Matt Sparks explained. "But with that said, she was one of the most consistent runners for us all of last year and she's one of our more consistent personalities." Strzelecki's more recent accomplish- ments include an 11th-place finish in the 10,000-meter race at the NCAA East Preliminary last May, which quali- fied her for the NCAA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June. "She's been able to take a step forward physically each subsequent season," Sparks added. "And with that increased fitness has come a newfound confidence." That added confidence has helped Strzelecki blossom into not only a ter- rific competitor but also a strong team leader. And with seven freshmen on this year's Irish cross country team — about one third of the 2023 roster — Sparks said Strzelecki's leadership qualities are invaluable. "Erin has become a bit of a team mom," Sparks affectionately said. "And she's slid into that position very comfortably." Strzelecki has come a long way since arriving to Notre Dame as a freshman in 2020 out of Bishop Dwenger High School, about 90 miles down the road in Fort Wayne, Ind. Just hoping to make the seven-per- son varsity roster upon her arrival, Strzelecki has gone from anxious fresh- man to comfortable senior. "What I've learned over the years is to lead with humility and compassion," Strzelecki explained. "Because everyone has a bad day and no one is perfect. I'm not perfect and I acknowledge that all the time. "I think maybe that is why I am found to be relatable." And with that, Strzelecki wants more this season, for both her team and herself. As a team, Notre Dame finished fifth in the 2021 NCAA Championships and followed that up with a seventh-place showing in 2022. "I'm really stoked," said Strzelecki, who opened her season Sept. 15, at the National Catholic Invite at Notre Dame. "I think we are better than we were last year, and even the year prior to that. This team can accomplish great things." ✦ Strzelecki was diagnosed with vocal cord dys- function during her sophomore campaign but has recovered and developed into a team leader. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS Irish Cross Country Standout Erin Strzelecki Overcomes Adversity Irish Roundup MEN'S GOLF Notre Dame notched an eighth-place finish at the Gopher Invitational Sept. 10-11 in Minneapolis. MEN'S SOCCER (4-1-1 OVERALL, 1-0 ACC) No. 10-ranked Notre Dame defeated Clemson 3-2 in its ACC opener Sept. 9 in South Bend and fell to Michigan State 1-0 at home Sept. 12 … Next up for the Irish was a match at North Carolina Sept. 15. WOMEN'S SOCCER (4-1-2) The No. 13-ranked Fighting Irish notched a 3-0 victory at Bowling Green Sept. 10 … Notre Dame opened ACC plays versus Wake Forest Sept. 15 in South Bend. VOLLEYBALL (4-2) Notre Dame edged Oklahoma 3-2 Sept. 9 to win the Irish Invitational … The Irish had a home-and- home series with Toledo Sept. 15 and 17.