On the October 27th, 2025 edition of Notre Dame Federal Credit Union’s Irish Football Fix, host Angelo Di Carlo chats with Saint Joseph High School alum and new Notre Dame women’s basketball player Kelly Ratigan in our Focus on Faith interview.

LISTEN ON APPLE

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

The name Ratigan has long been associated with Notre Dame. Brian Ratigan played for Lou Holtz and has been a surgeon for the Notre Dame athletics for nearly two decades. His sons Sean and Conor both graduated from Notre Dame with Conor playing on the football team. Daughter Kelly might be the biggest Irish fan in the family.

After an incredible basketball career at Saint Joe, Kelly Ratigan went to play at Loyola of Maryland because the call from Notre Dame didn’t come. She stayed a huge Irish fan at Loyola, to the point that neighbors had to check on her when they heard loud noises coming from her apartment when the football team lost to Northern Illinois in 2024.

After a very good two years at Loyola, Ratigan hurt her knee in her third season. The rehab process was hard but her faith ultimately got her through it. She decided to enter the transfer portal and the dream call from Notre Dame finally came. Next week, Ratigan will play her first regular season game as a Notre Dame women’s basketball player, living out her childhood dream.

This is an outstanding conversation about her love for Notre Dame, the difficulties of the last year and faith guiding her to something special.