Saturday was an emotional day for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey to say the least.
After his team outlasted Butler in overtime to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, Brey opened his postgame press conference by revealing that his mother, Betty Brey, died earlier that same day. Brey announced she died of a heart attack at the age of 84.
“It was kind of a tribute to her, really a special night,” Brey said. “An unbelievable woman, a woman ahead of her time and probably the real driving force behind everything I’ve done. It was an interesting day to say the least, and I felt I should at least address that. And I think she was definitely with us down the stretch.”
According to ESPN.com’s Dana O’Neil, the coach opted to keep the information to himself. O’Neil reports the team wasn’t made aware of the situation until athletic director Jack Swarbrick addressed them in the locker room after the thrilling win.
“The strength he has to go through something like that without mentioning it or acting like it, he hasn’t skipped a beat,” senior Pat Connaughton said per ESPN.com. “He’s been here for us countless times, and I hope he knows that this team is with him.”
In addition to instilling a competitive spirit in her son, Betty was an accomplished swimmer who competed in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and also is a member of the Indiana Swimming Hall of Fame.
Brey told reporters he plans to join his family down in Florida on Sunday before he heads back to prepare for his team’s next game Thursday. Notre Dame will face the winner of Kansas-Wichita State.
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
