2008-09 Spring Schedule

Check out our '09 Spring Schedule online at www.und.com and maybe we can see you somewhere on the road or here on campus for a game!!

Here are our Away Trips:

2/12 - 2/15 - Alabama Tournament (Tuscaloosa, AL)

2/20 - 2/22 - Stanford Nike Invitational (Palo Alto, CA)

2/28 - 3/1 - NC State Tournament (Raleigh, NC)

3/7 - 3/8 - Las Vegas Tournament

3/10 at UCLA

3/12 - 3/15 - Judi Garman Tournament (Fullerton, CA)

3/28 at Georgetown

3/29 at South Florida

4/11 at UConn

4/14 at Wisconsin

4/18 at Villanova

4/19 at Rutgers

4/30 at Providence

Irish Softball - This is Why We are Family!

Congratulations to Meagan Ruthrauff ('06) and Nate DeVreese who were married this past weekend on campus. The festivities kicked off Friday night when the Rehursal dinner was hosted at Melissa Cook Stadium. Bridesmaids included Gessica Hufnagle (06), Sara Schoonaert ('06) and Heather Booth ('06). Also a part of the wedding party were Brady Gumpf (ring barrer) and Deven Ganeff (flower girl). Meagan and Nate we are so happy you allowed us to be a part of your marriage! Congratulations to you both!!

Irish Softball on Football Weekends

Hey Irish Softball Alumni, Family and Friends!

Feel free to stop by the Joyce Center (in front of the Varsity Shop Entrance) on the SDSU, Michigan and Purdue Weekends for the Irish Softball Tailgate! You are always welcome to attend and we would love to see all of our supporters there! We are there usually a couple hours before kickoff. Please note, no alcohol will be served and we encourage you to keep our tailgates alcohol-free as prospects and student-athletes will be present!

Go Irish!

Irish Softball Alumni Weekend - Who Needs Tickets?

We have been allotted a block of 60 Tickets for the Stanford Football Weekend and will be offering them to our Softball Alumni. Please email Lizzy Lemire at elemire@nd.edu if you are interested in securing tickets. We have had such a large demand in past years so we will begin by offering everyone only 2 tickets each. I will keep a waiting list going for anybody who is requesting more than 2 tickets. Just know the extras are not guaranteed.

Irish Softball Alumni Weekend

Stanford Football Game

October 3 - 5, 2008

$65 per ticket

RSVP for Tickets to elemire@nd.edu

Ivy Field Flag Pole Rebirth!!!

Joe and Kathy Speybroeck took possession of the old Ivy Field Flag Pole and resurrected it outside their home this past weekend. The flag in the second picture is especially fitting! We figure that the flag pole belongs to nobody else other than Joe and Kathy!

Softball Alumni Weekend - Fall 08

Save the Date

ND Softball Alumni Weekend

Stanford Football Weekend

October 3 - 5, 2008

*A block of about 60 tickets will be available to alumni for purchase (limit 2 per person).

More Details to Follow!!!

Ivy Field - Rest In Peace

This sight literally brings a tear to the eye. Ivy Field is stripped bare! We know our lady will always look over this hallowed ground, as it was a place we once all called home. 

REMBERING IVY FIELD

BY KAS HOAG

CLASS OF 2002

The Traditional Green, Blue and Gold of Fightin' Irish, regally and elegantly, adorned the Irish Softball hearts that wore the colors with integrity on the field once know as Ivy. 

As the dirt and the grass that once were Ivy are turned over to new vistas of service to Notre Dame, we must continue to honor this cherished ground where glory first came to Irish Softball and sparkled clear with memories dear, and victory lest not be forgotten. 

Hayden McCleary Ganeff

Irish Softball Welcomes Hayden McCleary Ganeff born Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 10:06pm. Hayden weighs 11 lbs. 10 oz. and is 23 3/4 inches long! Congratulations to Kris, John and Deven Ganeff!

Melissa Cook Stadium Dedicated!!

Thanks to All Who Attended...More Pictures to Come Soon!!!!

More Stadium Pictures

Stadium Dedication Reminders!!

Just a few Reminders for the Stadium Dedication...

1.) RSVP!!!! - If you have not already sent in your RSVP, please do so ASAP! We really need to know an accurate count of numbers for each event. You can also email Marry Rattenbury at mrattenb@nd.edu and let her know if you will be attending. Mary is handling the entire RSVP list!

2.) Irish Softball Book Club - Just a reminder to send in books for our Team Locker Room Library. We have gotten a great response on this project and just want everyone's representation! Make sure you write a message on the inside cover of your book! Books can be mailed to me at:

Lizzy Lemire
Softball Office
209 Joyce Center
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Stadium Photos - 2 Weeks Until Completion!

Batting Cage Nets are Up!


Playing Field is All Ready to Go!


Hallway from the Dugout to the Team & Locker Room


Chairback Seats Will be Installed Behind Home Plate


Overview of the Playing Field

More Melissa Cook Stadium Pics!

The Traffic Coating up in the Stands has finished! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!!!

Irish Softball Book Club

Move over Oprah and make room for the Irish Softball Book Club! Alumni we need your help with this!!!

With the opening of Melissa Cook Stadium, we hope to have a "Book Library" in our new team Lounge. Our intent is to have each member of the graduating senior class leave a book behind in our Library for future Irish Softball players to check out and read. Inside each book there will be a message written from that particular player to the ND Softball Players.

We ask that all Alumni help fill our library shelves so a piece of you will always remain within the walls of Irish Softball. The book can new or old, and be any genre of your choice (i.e. - Motivational, Autobiography, Business, Children's, Cookbook or even Trashy Romance...ha ha). Please be sure to write a message to the Irish Softball players on the inside cover. Your message can include why you donated this book and what you hope Irish Softballers can get from it.

You'll never know it, but your contributions may influence the lives of these college kids! I hope you all can particiapte. Currently our library consists of ZERO books, so the sky is the limit...Donate Away! Thanks in advance for your support and Go Irish!!

Books Can be Mailed to:

Lizzy Lemire
Notre Dame Softball
209 Joyce Center
Notre Dame, IN 46556

OR you can just deliver your book if you are coming to Dedication Weekend!

Stadium Pics - March 1st

As we head off to Spring Break today (California for 10 days), I thought I would leave you all with some updated stadium pictures. The weather is still making it too cold and wet to work, so you can see how the construction team has been moving along. They tent off sections of the stadium and run heat under the plastic. It keeps everything dry and warm and allows them to make progress! Very Interesting!!

Press Box and Main Entrance from Outside the Stadium

View of Inside the Mezzanine Level Conference Area

The Stands behind home plate and along 1st and 3rd base are Tented

Inside the Tent in the Stands. It is probably 80 degrees in here and 15 outside!

View of the Tent From the Press Box

Batting Cage Nets are Up!
Head Coach Deanna Gumpf in the Future Training Room

Chairback Bleacher Seats Are Set Behind Home Plate

Good Times in AZ!

A special thanks to Greg and Barb Laing for hosting our team last weekend while we played at the Kajikawa Classic at Arizona State. The hospitality was overwhelming and we were pretty much spoiled rotten! 

Also thanks to all of the other parents, alumni and friends of Notre Dame Softball who came out to watch us play. We by far had the most fans!!! GO IRISH! 

Dedication Weekend Hotel Information

If you will be attending the Melissa Cook Stadium Dedication Weekend and need a hotel room, there is availability at the Waterford Inn in South Bend! Call now before the hotel is booked!!

Waterford Inn
$81/night (includes breakfast)
574-272-5220
Contact: Maura Frailey

February 1 Stadium Pics

Warm Weather Please Come Soon! 

It is now February and the progress of the Stadium is moving along. Despite a terrible weather spell in January, we are still on track to open up March 26th and Dedicate the Stadium the weekend of April 11th - 13th. Most recent progress includes near completion of the Scoreboard, Stands and Press Box. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer to Mother Nature for us! 

Alumni - Check out the Poll posted on the side bar to the right. Let us know if you plan on attending the Stadium Dedication Weekend. This will give us a good indication of numbers to expect. We hope you can all attend, it really will be a fantastic weekend packed with lots of softball events! 

Irish Travel Schedule - Spring 2008

It's that time of year again...Softball Season is right around the corner! Just wanted to let everyone know of our travel schedule this spring in case we will be visitng your town! We always love to see alumni at the games and introduce the players to you if possible. It is always good to know your roots! Check out the schedule and let us know if we will be visiting your town or somewhere near you!!

Arizona State Tournament
Tempe, AZ
February 13th - 17th

University of Florida Tournament
Gainesville, FL
February 21st - 24th

Spring Break
Southern California (Tournaments at Fullerton and LB State)
Orange County, CA (Staying in Brea)
February 29th - March 9th

Charleston Southern Tournament
Charleston, SC
March 13th - 15th

at Wesern Michigan
Kalamazoo, MI
March 18th

at Illinois-Chicago
Chicago, IL
March 27th

at DePaul
Chicago, IL
March 30th

St. John's/Seton Hall
New York/New Jersey Area
April 5th - 6th

at Northwestern
Chicago, IL
April 15th

Louisville/South Florida
Louisville, KY & Tampa, FL
April 19th - 20th

at Purdue
West Lafayette, IN
April 22nd

Pittsburgh/Syracuse
Pittsburgh, PA & Syracuse, NY
May 3rd - 4th

Big East Tournament
Louisville, KY
May 5th - 10th

Save the Date - Stadium Dedication!

We hope everyone can join us to formally dedicate our new home, Melissa Cook Stadium, and also pay tribute to all those supporters who made this dream become a reality for us!

University of Notre Dame
Melissa Cook Stadium
Weekend Dedication

April 11th - 13th, 2008

SAVE THE DATE!

Additional Information will be mailed in early 2008

If you did not receive a formal Save-the-Date invitation in the mail (should have come within the last week or two), let me know and I will update your address to make sure you get an invitation for the entire weekend when they go out. Just email me your correct address at elemire@nd.edu