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Former Notre Dame kicker signs undrafted free agent deal with XXXX

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Former Notre Dame kicker signs undrafted free agent deal with XXXX


Nobody in the history of Notre Dame football has made a longer field goal than Spencer Shrader. The one-year transfer portal rental out of South Florida is parlaying that into an opportunity in the NFL.

Shrader signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts.

Shrader set the record for longest made field goal in Notre Dame history with a 54-yard connection at NC State. Shrader made four kicks of 50-plus yards, which tied the all-time Fighting Irish record.

Overall, Shrader went 15-of-22 (68.2 percent) in 2023 and 43-of-63 (68.3 percent) in his five-year collegiate career. He was asked to kick seven field goals from 50-plus yards out in his one season at Notre Dame, connecting on the four aforementioned attempts. He was 3-of-6 from 40 to 49 yards and 8-of-9 inside of 40 yards.

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Shrader’s big leg is most certainly his greatest asset moving on to the next level. He trained at the same kicking academy, Kornblue Kicking, that produced NFLers Eddy Pinero and Jake Moody and former Notre Dame kicker Kyle Brindza.

“I don’t bring in just anybody,” Brandon Kornblue told Blue & Gold prior to last season. “If I’m going to spend that amount of time and be that concentrated with a kicker, I want it to be somebody who legitimately has a chance. I want to be able to give everything I have to help make that possible.”

Shrader is now getting that chance despite an admittedly shaky performance at Notre Dame’s Pro Day in late March.

“Today was obviously not the best performance that I was looking for, but I think there are growth opportunities and learning opportunities within that. You move on from it. You allow it to make you mentally stronger and you get ready for the next opportunity.”

Shrader is taking the route of former Notre Dame kicker Blake Grupe, who spent one season in South Bend after five at Arkansas State. Grupe went 14-of-19 for the Fighting Irish in 2022, signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft and worked his way into starting status for the Saints for the duration of the 2023 season. He ended up making 30 of his 37 field goal attempts and all 40 of his extra point tries.

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Grupe proved having success as a kicker at the highest level is possible after one season at Notre Dame not going exactly to plan. Now it’s Shrader’s turn to do the same.



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Indianapolis, IN

Standouts on and off field: 3 finalists for Indianapolis City Male Athlete of the Year

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Standouts on and off field: 3 finalists for Indianapolis City Male Athlete of the Year


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  • The Marion County Athletic Association will soon announce its City Male Athlete of the Year.
  • The three finalists are Phoenix Boyer of Bishop Chatard, Kyle Harden of Cathedral, and Corshawn Sartin of Crispus Attucks.
  • Finalists are recognized for their athletic achievements, academic success, and personal character.

The Marion County Athletic Association will soon name its City and County Athletes of the Year, an award that dates to 1950 and grew to include girls’ achievements in 1979.

The awards are geared toward athletic achievement, but almost every winner over the years has exhibited impressive credentials in and out of their athletic, academic and personal areas. Generally, multi-sport athletes are given consideration over single-sport athletes, though in some cases a single-sport athlete has been so outstanding that he or she has been selected as the winner.

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Here are the three finalists for City Male Athlete of the Year (Bishop Chatard’s Kalen Sargent was last year’s winner):

Phoenix Boyer, Bishop Chatard

Boyer, a track and field and cross county standout, was the state runner-up in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior and state runner-up in the 4×400-meter relay as a sophomore and junior. Boyer was an All-City in cross county as a junior, a three-time sectional champion in track and field and a six-time state finalist (with the spring still to be completed). He was part of two City championships in cross country and three City titles in track and field. Chatard finished 11th in state last year. Boyer, an honor roll student with a 4.17 GPA, is the school record holder in the 400, 300 hurdles and 4×400 relay team. He owns the fourth-fastest time in the 300 hurdles in state history. Boyer plans to run track at Indiana.

Kyle Harden, Cathedral

Harden was an eight-time letterwinner in football and wrestling for the Irish, winning four City championships during his high school career. He was the City Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and was twice named All-City. Harden won four sectional titles, three regional championships and three semistate titles in wrestling. He helped his team to four City championships and four sectional, regional and semistate titles. Harden, selected for the IFCA North-South All-Star game, was named Academic All-State and is part of Cathedral’s student athletic board. He will play football at UIndy.

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Corshawn Sartin, Crispus Attucks

Sartin earned a total of 12 letters in high school in football, baseball, basketball, boys volleyball and track and field. He was named to the All-City football team, earning Athlete of the Year designation. He was two-time all-conference, two-time All-City and an all-state defensive back. Sartin helped his Attucks’ teams to four conference football titles. He is a member of the honor roll and plans to study business and play football at Trine. Sartin volunteered with the Red Dog Youth Football organization.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.



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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis VA Medical Center receives federal funding for facility upgrades

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Indianapolis VA Medical Center receives federal funding for facility upgrades


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center announced it received new federal funding for facility upgrades aimed at improving care for veterans.

The funding is part of a nationwide $4.8 billion investment through the VA’s maintenance program.
In a release, hospital leaders say the upgrades will help ensure safer facilities and better care for local veterans.

The projects include repairing roofs on two buildings and replacing the parking garage sprinkler system.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “this investment is just one of the many ways the Trump Administration is making VA work better for veterans.” The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says 100,000 new veterans have been enrolled in VA health care this year, and since January 2025, 34 new VA health care facilities have opened.

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In addition, 51,936 homeless Veterans across the country have been permanently housed in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the release.

“Improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure mean better care for Veterans, and these funds will enable Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center to achieve that goal,” Michael Hershman, Medical Center Director said.

“Better care for Veterans is our goal, and these projects will enable us to achieve just that.”



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Indianapolis, IN

National BDPA Conference returns to Indianapolis with focus on future tech leaders 

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National BDPA Conference returns to Indianapolis with focus on future tech leaders 


The National BDPA Conference is returning to Indianapolis this summer, bringing together technology professionals, students and industry leaders from across the country for four days of networking, mentorship and innovation-focused programming.



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