Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 23, 2024 49 BY TODD D. BURLAGE F or Irish senior Justin Janicke, any future hockey plans at Notre Dame for him and his brother, Trevor, were already mapped out all the way back to their high school years, and probably even before that. Wanting to follow in their father's footsteps — Curtis Janicke played at Notre Dame from 1989-93 — Justin and Trevor planned on playing together at Notre Dame from about the time they started skating. The ties to campus for the Janickes were so ingrained, Justin recalls singing the Notre Dame Victory March with his brother in the backseat of their car on the way to school. Don't you love it when a plan comes together? For three seasons from 2021-24, Trevor and Justin — both talented forwards — played together, often in front of their fa- ther, who was able to make the 500-mile trip from Maple Grove, Minn., to watch his boys play next to each other. Notre Dame marked the first time the Janicke brothers were ever teammates. "Growing up, that was always our dream, playing together at Notre Dame. And that dream was probably equally important to us as playing in the NHL," said Justin, who was two grades behind his brother. "So, when my time came on where to play, this was literally the easi- est choice I ever made. And it's a time that I will cherish forever." Trevor, who played five seasons at Notre Dame from 2019-24, now plays professionally with the Rapid City Rush (S.D.) in the East Coast Hockey League. Justin, a 2021 seventh-round NHL Draft pick of the Seattle Kraken, is playing in his fourth and final season with the Irish, and is expected to begin his pro- fessional pursuits this time next year, perhaps in the NHL, or maybe in the AHL. "It's strange having some uncertainty with future plans," Justin shared. "Because this is the first time that I haven't had my future planned out at least a couple of years in advance." Keeping his future plans in the future, Justin said that his immediate focus remains to keep Notre Dame in the hunt for a Big Ten title and to return the Irish to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. "I'm trying not to think about or focus on what's ahead after this year, but it's easy to have it creep into the back of your mind," said Justin, who ranked second on the Irish with 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) through 10 games this season. "But those things will take care of themselves. If the team is playing well, we're playing well as in- dividuals." Justin also explained that playing outside of big brother's shadow this season has helped him become a better version of himself. "I've been able to kind of be my own person a little bit more, growing as a leader," Justin said. "Before, I always looked to [Trevor] as a leader, I'm the lit- tle brother. And now, it's my turn to step up and take more control in that aspect." Whether it's a long career in pro- fessional hockey or an occupation in business or investment, Justin is well equipped to succeed wherever his future path takes him. He is already a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, study- ing business analytics with a real estate minor. "Notre Dame has provided me with so many opportunities," Justin said. "You meet so many amazing people here, and you're surrounded by such a great en- vironment, it pushes you to be a better person." ✦ Notre Dame And The Janickes Are A Family Tradition N O T R E D A M E S P O R T S Justin Janicke — who followed in the footsteps of his father, Curtis, and brother, Trevor, to South Bend — ranked second on the Irish with 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) through 10 games this season. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS Irish Roundup HOCKEY (5-5 OVERALL, 1-3 BIG TEN) Dropped a pair of contests at Michigan Nov. 8-9, falling to the Wolverines 2-1 in overtime and then 4-2 in the weekend finale. MEN'S SOCCER (7-5-5 OVERALL, 3-3-2 ACC) After being ousted from the ACC Tournament on a stunning, last-second goal by Stanford Nov. 6, the Irish have to wait until the Nov. 18 selection show to learn whether or not they have earned a spot in the 48-team field for the NCAA Championship. WOMEN'S SOCCER (11-3-4 OVERALL, 5-1-4 ACC) Earned a No. 4 seed in the 64-team NCAA Championship, qualifying for that event for the 30th time in the last 32 years … Hosted Horizon League champion Milwaukee (12-6-2) in a first-round match Nov. 15 at Alumni Stadium. WOMEN'S SWIMMING (1-4 OVERALL, 0-1 ACC) Fell 220-78 to Louisville Nov. 8 in South Bend. VOLLEYBALL (9-14 OVERALL, 2-12 ACC) Saw its losing streak extended to 10 matches, with a 3-0 loss at Boston College Nov. 8 and 3-2 setback at Syracuse Nov. 10.