NOTRE DAME MONOGRAM CLUB 2023 Year in Review

WHO WE ARE

Jesse Harper and Knute Rockne

The Monogram Club was founded in 1916 by Jesse Harper and Knute Rockne. At the time, Harper was the Notre Dame athletics director and head football coach, while Rockne was an assistant football coach. Harper wanted the University’s varsity letter winners to unite in promoting spirit, unity, leadership and sportsmanship. Those who earn a Monogram from Notre Dame are members for life.

Since the Monogram Club's founding, over 12,000 individuals have earned a Monogram. Currently, there are over 9,300 living Monogram Club members hailing from all 50 states (and Washington, D.C.) along with 37 other countries and territories.

The Monogram Club strives to deliver on the "four-for-forever" promise that is made to Notre Dame student-athletes. This is accomplished through fellowship, networking and professional development opportunities.

HOW WE IMPACT THE IRISH

Since 2019, annual Monogram Club member contributions have been directed to the Rockne Athletics Fund. In addition to providing Monogram Club members with benefits and unique experiences, the contributions impact the current and future generations of Fighting Irish athletics. Thanks to the Rockne Athletics Fund, current Notre Dame student-athletes receive valuable resources that help them succeed in competition, the classroom and community.

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 two tickets to away games.

Monogram Club members who make an annual 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 Club's 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, team reunions, networking events and other engagement opportunities for Monogram winners throughout the year.

Make Your Gift

Click here to make your gift

Gifts must be made by Dec. 31, 2023, to guarantee football ticket lottery access.

ASSISTING OUR OWN

Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund

The Brennan-Boland-Riehle Scholarship Fund (BBRSF) is a Monogram Club initiative that provides financial assistance to qualified undergraduate students who are children of Monogram winners. Monogram Club members with children attending the University of Notre Dame are eligible to receive assistance from the BBRSF. The Monogram Club established the BBRSF in the early 1980s and has awarded over $7 million to 1,449 BBRSF recipients (393 unique student recipients).

Learn more about the BBRSF

Heaton Fund

The Heaton Fund (formerly known as the Catastrophic Relief 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.

Learn more about the Heaton Fund

The BBRSF and Heaton Fund are supported solely from Monogram Club member contributions that are separate from gifts made to the Rockne Athletics Fund.

FELLOWSHIP, FAMILY, FAITH & FOOTBALL

The Monogram Club welcomed nearly 6,000 guests to its 2023 home football weekend events. The festivities included Schivarelli Football Players' Lounge receptions, pregame tailgates, the annual reception and postgame Masses.
The Monogram Club held pregame tailgates on the Jordan Hall of Science south lawn, which is a short distance from Notre Dame Stadium, and inside the Monogram Room.
Former Fighting Irish football stars Zack Martin '13, Christian Lombard '14, Trevor Robinson '12, Dan Fox '13, Braxston Cave '12 and Tyler Eifert '13 at the Monogram Club's tailgate prior to the home opener versus Tennessee State.
The Schivarelli Football Players' Lounge continued to be a popular destination for football and senior football manager alumni the Friday evening of home football weekends.
Monogram Club Vice President, and former Fighting Irish center, Jeff Faine '03 (football) presented the flag for the national anthem prior to the Central Michigan game.
Football team chaplain Fr. Nate Wills, C.S.C. presided over each Monogram Club postgame Mass in 2023.

CONNECTING THE Fighting irish FAMILY

The Monogram Club partnered with several Fighting Irish programs in hosting reunions and other unique events that brought together many eras of the Notre Dame Athletics family.

Over 30 Notre Dame men’s basketball alumni returned to campus in March for Mike Brey’s final home game as head coach. The former players represented six decades of Fighting Irish basketball.
The Monogram Club and Notre Dame baseball program welcomed family, friends and former teammates of the late Ricky Palmer '13 (baseball) to campus in April. The "Rally for Ricky" reception provided an opportunity to celebrate Ricky, who passed away in October of 2020, and the impact he had on so many people.
Associate Athletic Trainer Mike Bean (honorary) addresses attendees at the student athletic trainer reunion, which was held Blue-Gold Weekend in April.
Nearly 30 Notre Dame wrestling alumni, and former coaches, returned to campus in August for a program reunion. Attendees represented over four decades of the program. During the reunion, former head coach Fran McCann received an honorary Monogram. McCann coached the Fighting Irish from 1984-92.
The Monogram Club hosted a reception in late August for Notre Dame hockey alumni and staff during the program's annual pro camp.
The women’s soccer program held its alumnae weekend in September. Over 40 program alums were part of the festivities, which included a celebration of Kate Markgraf's '98 induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Coach's Chats

The Monogram Club continued to partner with Athletics Advancement and the Rockne Athletics Fund in hosting virtual coach's chats as a way to engage program alumni. The chats are hosted by former student-athletes from the respective program. Chats in 2023 included Salima Rockwell (volleyball), Shawn Stiffler (baseball), Deanna Gumpf (softball), Mike Bean (sports medicine) and Chris Lindauer (swimming & diving).

Watch the chats

Honoring Our OWN

Notre Dame Athletics and the Monogram Club hosted on-campus celebrations for recent hall of fame inductees. The honorees included Kate Markgraf '98 (National Soccer Hall of Fame), Bryant Young '94 (Pro Football Hall of Fame) and Michael Stonebreaker '90 (College Football Hall of Fame).

WELCOMING THE NEXT GENERATION

Spring Monogram Jacket Ceremony

Over 70 first-time Monogram winners from Notre Dame’s fall sports received their Monogram jackets at the spring ceremony in April. The speaking program featured Matthias Farley ’15 (football), Claire VeNard '07 (women's soccer) and Lucy Trump '26 (volleyball).

Fall Monogram Jacket Ceremony

The Monogram Club welcomed its newest members during the Fall Monogram Jacket Ceremony in November. Over 150 student-athletes and student support staff members from the winter and spring sports were recognized at the event. The speaking program included Baumer Family Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Kevin Corrigan (honorary), Pat Garrity ‘98 (men’s basketball) and KK Bransford '26 (women's basketball).

Fourth Quarter Farewell

The Monogram Club hosted the Fourth Quarter Farewell on Saturday of Commencement Weekend for student-athletes and student support staff members from the Class of 2023. The event, which was held inside Foley’s at Notre Dame Stadium, brought together graduates, their families, coaches and athletics administrators.

Senior Deputy Athletics Director Missy Conboy ’82 (women’s basketball) gave remarks on behalf of the athletics department.
The Fourth Quarter Farewell provided an opportunity for teammates, coaches and families to come together during a busy weekend of events.
Cason Wilburn ’23 (swimming & diving), an All-American and team captain, was the featured speaker from the Class of 2023.

the Notre Dame Network

During its spring and fall meetings, the Monogram Club Board of Directors held networking luncheons with current student-athletes. The events provided a great opportunity to establish and grow relationships and bring the Notre Dame network to life.
The inaugural Notre Dame Baseball Legacy Weekend took place in October. The weekend featured a series of events that brought together current, former and future Notre Dame baseball student-athletes. Current team members had the opportunity to engage with program alumni from various industry fields to gain insight and advice, and to foster relationships.

National Letterwinners Association Conference

The Monogram Club hosted the annual National Letterwinners Association (NLWA) Conference in June. Over 70 individuals representing letterwinner organizations from 34 schools across the country attended the event. The conference featured presentations focused on member engagement and important topics within college athletics. The attendees also had the opportunity to tour various athletics facilities and hear from Notre Dame coaches.

MONOGRAM CLUB LEADERSHIP

Monogram Club Board & Staff

President - Kate Markgraf '98 (women's soccer)

Vice President - Jeff Faine '03 (football)

Past President - Don Casey '82, '83 (men's swimming)

Secretary - TJ Mathieson '04 (hockey)

Directors (2018-23 term)

Derrick Mayes ’96 (football)

Paul Rodriguez ’03, ’05 (men’s soccer)

Marcie Wolbeck ’02 (volleyball)

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 Emeritus

Marty Allen ’58 (manager)

James Murphy ’49 (men’s cross country & track)

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 2023:

Ken Adamson ’60 (football)

John Andreoli ’63 (men’s basketball)

Bill Broucek ’56 (men’s basketball)

Don Bucci ’55 (football)

Max Burnell ’62 (football)

Tom Caldwell ’67 (men’s basketball)

Leo Callaghan ’55 (football)

Donna Carini ’80 (field hockey)

Frank Criniti ’69 (football)

Larry Eaton ’53 (men’s golf)

Mike Eiben ’64 (wrestling)

Bob Gagnon ’83 (football)

Emil Garofalo ’50 (baseball)

Joe Grace ’58 (golf)

Jim Griffin ’45 (men’s tennis)

Jack Haynes ’67 (men’s fencing)

Kevin Hoene ’72 (hockey)

Jim Humphrey ’54 (men’s track & field)

Walt Huurman ’58 (manager)

Mike Kadish ’72 (football)

Kiernan Kealy ’61 (manager)

Tom Keegan ’60 (cheer)

Ed Kennedy ’60 (manager)

Mike Kiernan ’85 (football)

Jack Landry '51 (football)

Chuck Lima ’58 (football)

Chip Lonsdale ’93 (men’s lacrosse)

Johnny Lujack ’48 (football)

Tony Mandolini ’54 (men’s fencing)

Dan McGinn ’66 (baseball, football)

Tom McGraw ’72 (men’s basketball)

Andy McKenna ’51 (honorary)

John Molony ’73 (athletic trainer)

Fred Morelli ’63 (wrestling)

Jim Morris ’58 (baseball)

Jim Morse ’57 (football)

Teri Murphy-Pennington ’86 (field hockey)

Mike Naughton ’74 (football)

Robert Novak ’13 (men’s soccer)

Tom Rini ’60 (football)

Aaron Robb ’89 (football)

Rich Sapp ’60 (wrestling)

Tom Schoen ’68 (football)

Bill Sexton (honorary)

Ed Sullivan ’52 (manager)

Kate Villano ’77 (honorary)

Julio Vizcarrondo ’56 (men’s fencing)

Leon Wallace '96 (football)

James Williams ’58 (men’s basketball)