Nov. 21, 2002
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Former University of Notre Dame wide receiver Bobby Brown and former Irish women’s basketball center Ruth Riley will sign autographs Saturday from 11 a.m.-noon (EST) in the Joyce Center Fieldhouse. Both players will be available to sign autographs for visiting fans as part of the “Notre Dame Experience,” an interactive fan festival for each of the 2002 home football games. The “Notre Dame Experience” combines the Notre Dame Alumni Association Hospitality Center with interactive inflatables, photo booths, autograph sessions, Notre Dame football trivia and stage activities.
Brown was a three-year starter for the Irish from 1997-99, collecting a career-best 45 receptions for 543 yards in 1997. His 45 catches tied him with Tim Brown for the ninth-highest single-season total in school history. Brown also boasts one of the top single-game receiving efforts in Notre Dame annals, catching 12 passes for 208 yards at Pittsburgh in 1999. Those 12 receptions remain tied for the second-highest total ever by an Irish wide receiver.
Riley, a 2001 graduate, is one of the most decorated women’s basketball players in Notre Dame history. The Macy, Ind., product was a two-time Associated Press All-American (2000, 2001) and the 2001 consensus National Player of the Year, leading the Irish to a 34-2 record and their first NCAA championship in ’01. The 6-5 Riley finished her storied career as Notre Dame’s all-time leader in eight different categories, including rebounds (1,007), blocked shots (370) and field goal percentage (.632), ranking among the top 15 in NCAA history in the latter category. She also is the only player in school history to register 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career. Riley recently completed her second season with the Miami Sol of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Gates to the Joyce Center Fieldhouse will open three hours prior to kickoff and will remain open until one hour after the game ends. Admission is free for all “Notre Dame Experience” events.
Notre Dame (9-1), which is ranked eighth in the latest AP and ESPN/USA Today polls, and sixth in the most recent Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings, returns to the gridiron at 1 p.m. (EST) Saturday against Rutgers at Notre Dame Stadium. That game will be televised nationally by NBC.
— ND —