University of Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly will be the featured speaker at the annual kick-off celebration and unveiling ceremony for The Shirt 2010, to be held April 23 (Friday) from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore. Shirts will be available for purchase immediately after the 5:45 p.m. unveiling.
Hired last year as Notre Dame’s 29th head football coach, Kelly said in his introductory news conference, “We hear about academic standards. That is what the mission is of this University. That is the mission of Notre Dame, excellence in academics and athletics, and I wanted that challenge, and I’m excited about that challenge, that you can do it both in the classroom and be prominent in the athletic arena, as well.”
The event also will feature appearances by former Irish defensive lineman Mike Golic from ESPN Radio’s Mike&Mike in the Morning, and Notre Dame Stadium announcer and former WSBT-TV news anchor Mike Collins. Notre Dame’s Glee Club, marching band, cheerleaders, leprechaun, pom squad, bagpipe band, Irish dance team, Harmonia and The Undertones also will join the fanfare.
Notre Dame students have been wearing The Shirt to football games since 1990 to unite in support of their team. Over time, other members of the Notre Dame community, and subsequently the general public, also have adopted the tradition. More than 120,000 shirts were sold in last year’s $500,000 campaign. The project has raised more than $6 million for student organizations and to aid students facing extraordinary medical conditions.
The Shirt again will sell for $15, and a limited number will be available at the bookstore beginning April 23 in conjunction with the Blue-Gold football game, which will be played April 24.
More information is available at http://theshirt.nd.edu.
Contact: Christian Gigante, president, The Shirt 2010, 917-370-9969, theshirt@nd.edu