WHO WE ARE
IMPACTING THE IRISH
Anyone who earns a Monogram is a member of the Monogram Club for life. The Monogram Club has over 9,000 living members around the world. There are members living in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and over 35 other countries. The Monogram Club connects all Monogram winners by building community through fellowship and service towards enhancing the unique legacy of Notre Dame Athletics. The Monogram Club strives to deliver on the promise that joining the Notre Dame family is more than a four-year decision.
Monogram Club member gifts to the Rockne Athletics Fund count towards their annual Monogram Club membership contribution (formerly known as dues). By contributing to the Rockne Athletics Fund, Monogram Club members make a lasting impact on the current, former and future generations of Notre Dame Athletics. These contributions also provide members with unique benefits, including the Monogram Club’s football ticket lottery application and access to events.
Monogram Club Member Benefits & Experiences
Monogram Club members who make their annual contribution to the Rockne Athletics Fund at the Young/Senior Alumni ($150) or Classic Club ($300) levels receive the Club's football ticket lottery application. The Monogram Club's football ticket lottery application provides members with an opportunity to purchase two tickets to home games. They will also be entered into a lottery to receive access to purchase tickets to away, College Football Playoff and bowl games.
Monogram Club members who make a gift at the Irish Impact level ($75) and above receive complimentary entry to Monogram Club events, including the Annual Reception inside Notre Dame Stadium and the Monogram Club Pregame Tailgate before home football games. Football Monogram winners also gain access to the Schivarelli Football Players’ Lounge Reception, which is held the Friday of home football weekends.
Additionally, member contributions allow the Monogram Club to host home football weekend festivities, Legacy Weekends, team reunions, networking events and other engagement opportunities for Monogram winners throughout the year.
Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund
A key initiative of the Monogram Club is the Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund (BBRSF). Monogram Club members with children attending the University of Notre Dame are eligible to receive assistance from the BBRSF, which is supported solely through Monogram Club member contributions.
Heaton Fund
The Heaton Fund assists Monogram Club members faced with catastrophic problems of health and/or financial hardship. In recent years, the Heaton Fund has helped Monogram Club members suffering from debilitating health issues and major home damage as a result of natural disasters. Since its inception in 2005, the Heaton Fund has issued over $250,000 to Monogram Club members and their families. The Heaton Fund is funded solely by gifts from Monogram Club members.
Spring Monogram Jacket Ceremony
The Monogram Club welcomed over 100 new members during the Spring Monogram Jacket Ceremony. The first-time Monogram winners from the fall sports received their jackets in front of family, coaches and teammates inside the Downes Ballroom at Notre Dame Stadium. Former Fighting Irish football standout, and Super Bowl champion, Ryan Harris ’07 was the featured alumni speaker, while Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman provided remarks on behalf of the athletics department. Clare Logan '27 (women's soccer) gave the student-athlete reflection.
Fourth Quarter Farewell
The Fourth Quarter Farewell, which was hosted by the Monogram Club and Student-Athlete Services office (formerly known as the GLD Center), provided an opportunity for athletics graduates, their families, coaches and athletics administrators to gather on the Saturday of Commencement Weekend. The event allowed department leadership to celebrate the graduates and reinforce that they will always have a "Home Under the Dome".
Monogram Club Golf Outing
A Lasting Legacy
The Monogram Club partnered with the Student-Athlete Services office and several Fighting Irish programs in hosting Legacy Weekends during the fall. Legacy Weekend is a rebranding, and enhancement, of team reunion efforts traditionally hosted by the Monogram Club. The mission is to deliver on the "4 for Forever" promise by creating a connection at each stage of the Notre Dame student-athlete life cycle by providing a sense of belonging, connection, purpose and prosperity.
Fall Monogram Jacket Ceremony
One hundred forty student-athletes and student support staff members from Notre Dame's winter and spring sports received their jackets at the Fall Monogram Jacket Ceremony. University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua ’93 opened the speaking program, while former Notre Dame baseball standout, and World Series champion, Trey Mancini ’14 was the featured alumni speaker. Addison Amaral '27 (softball) concluded the ceremony with a student-athlete reflection.
Football Weekend Fellowship
Schivarelli Football Players' Lounge Reception
The Monogram Club's Schivarelli Football Players' Lounge Reception continued to be an extremely popular event on home football Fridays. Fighting Irish football alumni and guests were able to enjoy a festive atmosphere inside the lounge, visit the Notre Dame locker room, take photos at the Play Like A Champion Today sign and walk down the tunnel to the field.
Pregame Tailgate
The Monogram Club hosted its traditional pregame tailgate for the first five home games of the season. The tailgates were held on the Jordan Hall of Science south lawn and inside the Jordan Hall of Science.
Shamrock Series in New York City
The Monogram Club was part of the Shamrock Series festivities in New York City. The Club hosted two events in lead up to Notre Dame’s showdown against Army.
The Notre Dame Network
The Monogram Club and Student-Athlete Services hosted networking lunches for current student-athletes and student support staff members during the Club's spring and fall board of directors meetings. The events provided an opportunity for the students to discuss their undergraduate experience, professional career path and any other topics they wanted to cover with the board members and athletics department leadership.
The Fighting Irish baseball team spent part of its fall break in Chicago competing and networking. Notre Dame played Northwestern in an exhibition game at Wrigley Field and returned to the historic ballpark the following day for a panel discussion featuring Chicago Cubs executives. The student-athletes then participated in a networking session with a group of Notre Dame baseball alumni. That evening, the team attended a networking mixer featuring Chicago-area Monogram Club members from a variety of sports and professional industries. The Monogram Club, along with the Student-Athlete Services office and the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, assisted the baseball program in organizing and executing the events.
The Cheer and Leprechaun Legacy Weekend began with a networking session featuring program alumni and members of the current team. The current students were able to meet with alumni in their fields of interest. A goal of every Legacy Weekend is to connect a program's past with the present in order to showcase the Notre Dame network.
Honors & Awards
The Monogram Club posthumously bestowed an honorary Monogram to former track & field coach Adam Beltran, who passed away in September 2022 due to cancer. Beltran was Notre Dame’s throws coach from 2007-22. A reception and ceremony were held Sept. 20 at the Harris Track & Field Stadium. Members of Beltran's family were in attendance as were many of his former throwers and other members of the Notre Dame track & field community. Two former throwers, Indi Jackson ‘17 and Denes Veres ‘11, spoke at the ceremony, and Monogram jackets were presented to Beltrans’s mother and sister.
Monogram Club Board & Staff
President - Jeff Faine '03 (football)
Vice President - Linda Wilson '09 (softball)
Past President - Kate Markgraf '98 (women's soccer)
Secretary - TJ Mathieson '04 (hockey)
Directors (2021-25 term)
Thom Gatewood ’72 (football)
Denise Karkos ’93 (women’s soccer)
Marco Magnano ’96 (men’s tennis)
Directors (2022-26 term)
Sara Allen ’06 (softball)
Jordan Cornette ’05 (men’s basketball)
Martin Vergara ’06 (baseball)
Directors (2023-27 term)
Christa Dines '14 (rowing)
Regis McDermott '09 (men's lacrosse)
Kaila Turner '13 (women's basketball)
Directors Emeritus
Marty Allen ’58 (manager)
Don Casey '82, '83 (men's swimming & diving)
Staff
Executive Director - Matt Weldy (honorary)
Associate Director - Sean Carroll
Assistant Director - Alaina Roberts '16 (women's tennis)
In Memoriam
Monogram winners who passed away in 2024:
Christopher Bona ’87 (men’s golf)
Ross Brezovsky ’08 (baseball)
Jimmie Browner ’79 (football)
North Carey ’73, ’76 (men’s fencing)
John Castin ’61 (football)
Vincent Chinn ’66 (men’s tennis)
Donald Costa '59 (baseball/football)
Drew Danik ’75 (manager)
Richard DiCamillo ’58 (men’s track & field)
Daniel Dunne ’73, '75 (men’s track & field)
Harry Durkin ’53 (baseball)
Gerry Faust (honorary)
Douglas Gimber ’60 (manager)
James Graham ’52 (men’s fencing)
Edward Gulyas ’72 (football)
James Hannan ’60 (baseball)
Kevin Hardy ’68 (football)
John Hilbrich ’50 (baseball)
Donald Lawrence '59 (football)
E.M. Lodish ’60 (football)
James Loula ’62, ’63 (football)
John Madden ’59, ’62 (honorary)
James Murphy ’49 (men’s track & field)
Dennis Nead ’59 (men’s golf)
Robert Nicolazzi ’60 (football)
Paul Nissi ’61 (football)
Norman Odyniec ’59 (football)
John Powers ’53 (men’s golf)
Dan Rahill ’79 (men’s swimming & diving)
Donald Ralph ’61 (men’s tennis)
John Rodock ’78 (manager)
Dick Rosenthal ’54 (men’s basketball)
Paul Ryczak ’75 (manager)
Katie Schwab '13 (manager)
Peter Sheptak ’59 (men’s track & field)
Arunas Vasys ’66 (football)
Donald White ’60 (football)
Donald Williams ’59 (men’s golf)
John Woods ’65 (men’s swimming & diving)
Jay Ziznewski '70 (men's basketball)