Notre Dame Blowout Win Over Pittsburgh Features First Female Leprechaun In School History

The most interesting headline to come out of Notre Dame’s 58-7 blowout win over Pittsburgh didn’t come from anything that happened on the gridiron. Instead, the most intriguing news involved the Fighting Irish’s Leprechaun.

For the first time in Irish football school history, Notre Dame’s iconic mascot was a female. Kylee Kazenski, a member of the upcoming ‘24 class, roamed the sidelines as the human good-luck charm at Notre Dame Stadium.

“I want to give back to Notre Dame in a unique way while also embodying the ideals of the University,” Kazenski told student-run newspaper The Observer. “Being part of such a large family is what stands out to me … we are all coming together in that united mission.”

Kylee Kazenski Brought The Heat As The Leprechaun

Part of her duties as the Leprechaun involved doing a pushup for every Notre Dame point scored. After the Irish built a 24-0 lead in the third quarter, Kazenski promptly churned out two dozen pushups.

While this is certainly impressive, it’s also humiliating…for me. I can crank out 24 if I break it into two sets, but in a row? Gosh, I better up my creatine intake.

Being the Leprechaun was a lifelong goal for Kazenski, who grew up in Illinois. It was also a chance for her to represent a school she’s clearly quite passionate about.

“To me, portraying the Leprechaun is spreading the spirit of Notre Dame deeper than just the joy of sport, but also in community and respect,” the Illinois native Kazenski also told The Observer. “First and foremost, our duties lie in unifying the energy and spirit of the Notre Dame community, but also having that extra layer of inspiring other girls and widening the lens of the Leprechaun is just so special.”

Not a bad day to make your dream come true. Thanks to the good luck Kazenski brough, the Irish are now 7-2 and could climb up the AP Top 25 rankings.