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Personal Briefing

🌅Personal Briefing - Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Good morning. Notre Dame men's lacrosse is officially No. 1 in the country, Hannah Hidalgo is running it back for her senior year, and the Ohio State Spring Game is Saturday. Here's what's new.

🏃Training

🏃Today's Plan

🏃 Today (Wednesday): 10-min easy run · 10-min abs · 5-min stretch 2 hard efforts in the last 3 days - keep it easy today to protect recovery.

Best window: Lunch - 53°F, patchy rain nearby, wind 13 mph - rain likely, consider treadmill

📊This Week

Thu: 10-min easy run · 10-min abs · 5-min stretch - keep the easy base going Fri: rest · rest · stretch if you feel like it - full rest - recharge before Saturday's long run

This week: 2 runs · 2.1 mi · 16 min Zone check: 43% easy - ⚠️ below target. Your easy days are still too fast, RT. Slow down to 9:30+/mi on easy days.

Recent runs:

  • Wed 04-08 · 1.1 mi · 9 min · 8:17/mi (Z3)
  • Thu 04-09 · 1.1 mi · 9 min · 8:16/mi (Z3)
  • Sat 04-11 · 2.3 mi · 21 min · 9:06/mi (easy)
  • Mon 04-13 · 1.1 mi · 9 min · 8:09/mi (Z3)
  • Tue 04-14 · 1 mi · 7 min · 6:59/mi (Z5)

✓ 7 family walk(s) this week - keep it up, those matter too.

☘️Notre Dame Sports

🥍Lacrosse

The men are No. 1 in the country. The USA Lacrosse Division I poll released Monday put Notre Dame on top after the 10-5 demolition of then-No. 1 UNC. Full top 5: Notre Dame, Princeton, North Carolina, Richmond, Syracuse. Thomas Ricciardelli's 15-save performance and the defense holding UNC's top scorers to two combined goals on 15 shots were the story. UNC is now 0-for-its-last-10 trips to Notre Dame since 2004. Nate Schwitzenberg earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week.

The women (10-5, 5-4 ACC) host Louisville tomorrow at 5:00 PM ET in the regular-season finale. They need a strong close after the gut-punch 4OT loss at Syracuse.

Upcoming:

  • Women's: vs. Louisville - Thu, April 16, 5:00 PM ET (home, regular season finale)
  • Men's: at Duke - Sat, April 18, 12:00 PM ET (ESPNU)
  • Men's: vs. Syracuse - Sat, April 25, 12:00 PM ET (home, ACCNX)

Last Results:

  • M: W 10-5 vs. #1 North Carolina (April 11) - now ranked No. 1
  • W: L 9-10 (4OT) at #3 Syracuse (April 11)

🏀Women's Basketball

Two big developments. Hannah Hidalgo is coming back. She posted "Run It Back" and sources confirmed to ESPN she'll return for her senior season. As a reminder of what she did this year: 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 steals, 5.2 assists per game - the only Division I player this century to average 25/5/5/5. She won the Nancy Lieberman Award (best point guard), Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, and broke the NCAA single-season steals record.

On draft night, Cassandre Prosper went 19th overall to the Washington Mystics - the 24th player in program history to be drafted. She averaged 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds as a senior and won ACC Most Improved Player. Vanessa de Jesus went undrafted.

The Audi Crooks countdown is on. Five days until the portal closes (April 20). The 6-3 Iowa State center (25.8 PPG, ESPN's top-rated portal player) still hasn't committed, but the social media breadcrumbs - following ND WBB, Niele Ivey, Hidalgo, and KK Bransford - keep the speculation alive. Multiple outlets frame Notre Dame as the favored landing spot. Candace Parker discussed the potential Crooks-Hidalgo pairing on her podcast. No visit has been publicly reported.

Last Result: Elite Eight - UConn 70, Notre Dame 52 (March 29)

🏈Football

Notre Dame released the full 2026 schedule, and it's a gauntlet. The Irish open at Wisconsin (Shamrock Series at Lambeau, Sept. 6 on NBC), then bring in Rice, Michigan State, and go to Purdue and North Carolina in a brutal October stretch. Late-season highlights include Miami and SMU at home before closing at Syracuse on Nov. 28. It's the sixth straight year opening on the road - the longest such streak in program history.

Leonard Moore told ESPN the team is "on a revenge tour" after being snubbed from the CFP last year despite winning their final 10 games. A new rule gives Notre Dame an automatic berth if ranked in the top 12, which would have solved the controversy.

Spring practice continues with CJ Carr firmly at QB1 and a Heisman frontrunner. Former Ohio State 5-star WR Mylan Graham has been "twitchy, athletic, explosive, competitive" per OC Mike Denbrock. LB Drayk Bowen (offseason hip surgery) is back on the field in pads with a red jersey - expected fully ready for fall camp.

Upcoming: Blue-Gold Game - Sat, April 25, 2:00 PM ET (Peacock) Season Opener: Sept. 6 at Wisconsin (Shamrock Series, Lambeau Field, NBC)

📋Around the Program

  • Baseball (17-15): Beat Valparaiso 6-1 on April 14 to snap a losing streak. The ACC schedule only gets harder - at No. 10 Florida State this weekend (April 17-19).
  • Men's Tennis: Earned the No. 3 seed at the ACC Tournament with a 20-6 record (9-4 ACC) - first 20-win season since 2014. They receive a double-bye to the quarterfinals on Friday, April 17 at Cary Tennis Park.

🔴Utah Utes

🏈Football

Spring practice is in week four and the storylines are sharpening. WR Creed Whittemore is the leading candidate for the starting slot role - Scalley: "That's a guy that has made a ton of progress. He's leading by example." Former QB Nate Johnson has fully committed to receiver and is "making play after play." The O-line has no depth chart separation yet; competition stays open until game week.

The cornerback room got a full overhaul under Sharrieff Shah. Only Scooby Davis returns as a starter. The portal class emphasizes length - Elijah Reed (6-3, Akron, 2 INTs) and James Chenault (6-0, USF, 2 INTs) are the headliners, plus Rock Caldwell converting from safety with an 82.7 PFF grade. Shah: "If I have a corner that's 6-2, that ball has to be perfect."

Scalley flagged two-minute drill execution as a concern and noted the team is running "the highest percentage of live reps in program history" under new strength coach Greg Argust.

Upcoming: 22 For U Fan Day - Sat, April 18, 4:30-6:00 PM, Spence Eccles Field House (free admission, full team autographs, kids zone, Scalley interview, coat drive) Season Opener: Sept. 3 vs. Idaho (home)

🤸Gymnastics

NCAA Championship individual competition is tomorrow in Fort Worth. Three Red Rocks are competing in Session II (7:00 PM MT on ESPN2):

  • Avery Neff (all-around) - Ranked No. 3 nationally, WCGA Region 2 Gymnast of the Year, 8x All-American. Rotates with UCLA.
  • Ana Padurariu (beam) - Big 12 Specialist of the Year, 25-of-27 hit routines this season. First All-America selection.
  • Ella Zirbes (floor) - Career-high 9.95, 6x All-American. Rotates with Minnesota.

If they advance, finals are Saturday, April 18 at 4:00 PM ET on ABC.

📋Around the Program

  • Lacrosse (8-3, 3-0 ASUN): Beat Jacksonville 9-8 on April 11 in another fourth-quarter comeback. Ryan Stines extended his point streak to 45 consecutive games (229 career points). Luke McNamara leads the nation in goals per game (4.40). Next: vs. Queens at home, Sat April 18 at noon.
  • Softball (27-15-1): Notably shut out No. 1 Texas Tech 4-0 in Game 2 of last weekend's series. Doubleheader vs. Montana today (3 PM and 5 PM). At Baylor this weekend.
  • Men's Basketball: Near-complete roster reset - 10 players in the portal. Coach Alex Jensen prioritizing point guards, interior defense, and perimeter shooting. Notable incoming: Zati Loubaki (top JUCO transfer).

🌰Ohio State Buckeyes

🏈Football

The Spring Game is Saturday - noon ET, Ohio Stadium, BTN. Tickets: $13 GA, parking free.

Players to watch Saturday, per Yahoo Sports and Eleven Warriors:

  • Chris Henry Jr. (FR WR) - Five-star, 6-5. Day: "Everything we thought he would be." Pairing him with Jeremiah Smith creates a terrifying tandem.
  • Earl Little Jr. (S, FSU transfer) - No. 3 safety in the portal. Had 76 tackles, 4 INTs in 2025.
  • Mason Williams & Hunter Welcing (TEs) - Both in the 6-3 to 6-5, 250-lb range. Key for Arthur Smith's tight-end-heavy scheme.
  • Zion Grady & Qua Russaw (Edge) - Competing for the starting spot after major NFL departures. Russaw is a former five-star from Alabama.
  • Leroy Roker III (S) - Third-year player surging in the competition with Terry Moore for the starting spot alongside Jaylen McClain. Guerrieri: "He has all the skills to be a very good safety."

Injury watch: RB Legend Bey is out with a hamstring issue. RB Bo Jackson (torn labrum) won't participate but has gained 10-12 lbs and is expected back in July. OL Austin Siereveld and LB Riley Pettijohn are also out. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith expected to play.

The running back room finished 72nd nationally in rushing last year (154 ypg, 4.5 ypc) - a step back from the prior season. Jackson's absence this spring makes it tough to evaluate, but RB coach Carlos Locklyn says he has "no concerns."

NFL Draft (April 23-25, Pittsburgh): Ohio State could make history with four top-10 picks, matching or breaking Alabama's record. Arvell Reese (Edge, ADP 2.7) is a consensus top-5 pick. Caleb Downs (S) is being called "the single best prospect in the draft." Carnell Tate (WR, ADP 7.1) is regarded as the best receiver in the class. Sonny Styles (LB, ADP 8.1) is a first-team All-American. The Buckeyes could become the first school to have two LBs drafted in the top 10 of the same draft (Reese and Styles).

Upcoming: Spring Game - Sat, April 18, 12:00 PM ET, Ohio Stadium (BTN) Season Opener: Sept. 5 vs. Ball State (home)

📋Around the Program

  • Men's Basketball: Among three finalists (with Tennessee and North Carolina) for Notre Dame transfer Jalen Haralson (6-7 wing, 16.2 PPG as a freshman). Added Justin Pippen (Cal/Michigan, 14.2 PPG) and Andrija Jelavic (Kentucky) from the portal.
  • Women's Lacrosse (No. 25): Host Kent State today, then face No. 1 Maryland on Saturday to close the regular season. Big Ten Tournament begins April 22.
  • Men's Lacrosse (9-3): Host Michigan on Friday to close the regular season. Beat Johns Hopkins 7-6 in a thriller on April 11.
  • Ted Ginn Jr. DWI: Former Buckeye WR and current Columbus Aviators (UFL) head coach was arrested for DWI in Texas on April 12. He issued a statement taking "full responsibility."

🏔️Treasure Valley

🍽️Food & Drink

  • Cadence Kitchen (5169 N. Glenwood St.) opened April 8 - fine dining chef Julian Ramirez and wife Hallie went back to roots with a neighborhood sandwich shop. BoiseDev calls it a "hidden gem."
  • Paddles Up Poke opened a sixth location on April 10 at Ten Mile and Franklin in Meridian.
  • Yardarm (314 E. 35th St., Garden City) is open for the season - the shipping-container beer and wine bar on the river runs April through early October.
  • Coming soon: Ghost Sando Shop (LA-based, Dutch crunch sandwiches) is planned for The Bridges at Lakemoor on Eagle Rd. Loving Lefse (the Norwegian potato-crepe food truck) is getting a permanent home at 110 N. 11th St. downtown, targeting summer.
  • Boise Farmers Market started its final season at Shoreline Drive - it moves permanently to the Idaho Botanical Garden starting with the winter market in November. Open Saturdays 9am-1pm.

🎉Events & Things to Do

  • Tonight (Wed 4/15): GWAR with Soulfly & King Parrot - Treefort Music Hall, doors 6:30pm. Boise French Film Festival: "When Fall is Coming" - FREE, 6pm, BSU Special Events Center.
  • Thu 4/16: Idaho Outdoor Recreation Show opens at Expo Idaho (runs through Sat). Zoo Boise Paint & Pinot, 6pm.
  • Fri 4/17: Behemoth at Knitting Factory, 7pm. Grease opens at Morrison Center (runs through Sun). Oldspeak anniversary celebration begins (through Sun, free, 21+).
  • Sat 4/18: Race to Robie Creek half-marathon - noon, Boise Foothills. Athletic Club Boise vs. Westchester SC - 7pm, Expo Idaho Soccer Stadium (KTVB/ESPN+). Taste of Caldwell Wine Festival - 5-8pm, Indian Creek Plaza. Women's Adventure Film Tour - 5pm, Egyptian Theatre. Farmers Market - 9am-1pm, Shoreline Dr.
  • Sun 4/19: Grease matinee (final). Movement is Medicine - Albertsons Stadium (free, RSVP recommended).
  • Tue-Sun 4/21-4/26: Les Misérables - Morrison Center, Broadway in Boise.

📰Local Headlines

  • Boise State interim president Jeremiah Shinn is leaving - unanimously approved as University of Montana's 20th president, effective July 1. BSU needs presidential leadership again.
  • Idaho Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan retiring October 30 after 40+ years in law. Gov. Little will appoint a successor from a Judicial Council list.
  • Two ballot initiatives closing in on signatures - both the abortion-rights initiative (~100K signatures) and medical cannabis initiative (102K+) are approaching the April 30 deadline to qualify for November. Each needs ~70,725 valid signatures across 18 of 35 districts.
  • Foothills trails warning: Ridge to Rivers closed Old Pen Trail and lower Ridge Crest Trail due to mud damage from heavy rain. Lower foothills trails have standing water - use the Greenbelt instead.

🔗Worth Reading

Generated on Wednesday, April 15, 2026

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