Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1508272
52 SEPT. 30, 2023 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE BY JIM LEFEBVRE M ore than 200 people attended the 7th annual Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Awards Cele- bration Sept. 22 at the Smith Ballroom of the Morris Inn at Notre Dame. The theme of the event was "The Many Roles of Rockne" — standout student-athlete, champion coach, ver- satile athletics director, skilled com- municator, engaging entertainer and visionary businessman. And each of the 2023 Rockne Award winners has exhibited sustained excellence in one or more of these areas. The honorees are: THOM GATEWOOD College Football Hall of Famer Thom Gatewood '72 was honored with the 2023 Rockne Living Legend Award. Gatewood achieved superlative suc- cess on the football field and in the classroom at Notre Dame in 1968-72 and went on to an impactful career in communications. As a consensus All-American in 1970, he set a Notre Dame record (77 receptions) that stood for 36 years. His career totals were 157 receptions for 2,283 yards and 19 touchdowns. In addition, he was the first Black team captain in Notre Dame football history and an Academic All-Ameri- can. KEVIN CORRIGAN Coach Kevin Corrigan, who led his Notre Dame men's lacrosse team to the 2023 NCAA championship, received the 2023 Rockne Champion Award. Over his 35-year career on the Fight- ing Irish sideline, Corrigan has built one of the strongest programs in the nation and set an all-time record for victories at one school, with a 335-159 mark at Notre Dame. He has led his Irish teams to 18 conference champi- onships and 26 NCAA Tournaments, as well as numerous achievements in academics and service. MISSY CONBOY The 2023 Rockne Leadership Award was presented to Missy Conboy '82, Notre Dame's senior deputy athletics director. In her 35 years with the athletic department, she has overseen virtu- ally every area of operation, includ- ing student-athlete development and several capital projects. She currently oversees industry and campus engage- ment, policy and legal issues, and is the university's primary liaison to the ACC and the NCAA. JACK NOLAN The Rockne Communicator Award honored longtime, award-winning broadcast journalist Jack Nolan. Be- fore his retirement in 2021, Nolan was involved in broadcasting Notre Dame football and men's basketball games for close to 40 years. He's taken home many awards as both a news and sports anchor, served as master of ceremonies for countless Irish special events and established himself as one of the most recognizable faces of Notre Dame athletics. LARRY DWYER The Rockne Distinguished Service Award recognized the musical career of Larry Dwyer '66, who has served as assistant director of bands and direc- tor of jazz studies at Notre Dame since 2001. He guided countless musicians dur- ing his 50-plus years as a music educa- tor, and is a historian of Notre Dame Bands. Dwyer has been principal trom- bonist of the South Bend Symphony Pops Orchestra, a pianist with his own jazz trio, and has performed with jazz greats and had his compositions and arrangements widely performed and recorded. MICHAEL LEEP Michael Leep has gone from building a highly successful auto enterprise, the Gurley Leep family of dealerships, to becoming one of the area's foremost philanthropists and leaders. The list of organizations and causes Notre Dame men's lacrosse head coach Kevin Corrigan, who led his Irish team to the 2023 NCAA cham- pionship, received the 2023 Rockne Champion Award. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS 2023 Rockne Awards Honor Standouts In A Variety Of Roles