NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Brady Quinn and Ruth Riley rank as the best male and female athletes to put on University of Notre Dame uniforms at some point in the last decade (between 2000 and 2009).
That’s based on the response to a recent und.com poll that offered Irish fans the chance to vote for their top three male and female athletes (three points for first place, two for second, one for third) from a lengthy list of candidates.
Here’s what the top 10 looked like for both men and women:
Notre Dame Male Athlete of the Decade Voting
1. Brady Quinn (Football, 2003-06)
2. Jeff Samardzija (Football/Baseball, 2003-06)
3. Ryan Sachire (Tennis, 1997-2000)
4. Luke Harangody (Basketball, 2006-10)
5. Jimmy Clausen (Football, 2007-09)
6. Golden Tate (Football/Baseball, 2007-09)
7. Ryan Shay (Cross Country/Track and Field, 1997-2002)
8. Joey Kemp (Lacrosse, 2005-08)
9. Jordan Pearce (Hockey, 2005-09)
10. Troy Murphy (Basketball, 1998-2001)

Notre Dame Female Athlete of the Decade Voting
1. Ruth Riley (Basketball, 1997-2001)
2. Kerri Hanks (Soccer, 2005-08)
3. Jillian Byers (Lacrosse, 2006-09)
4. Alicja Kryczalo (Fencing, 2002-05)
5. Anne Makinen (Soccer, 1997-2000)
6. Molly Huddle (Cross Country/Track and Field, 2002-07)
7. Katie Carroll (Swimming and Diving, 2003-07)
8. Michelle Dasso (Tennis, 1997-2001)
9. Jarrah Myers (Softball, 1999-2002)
10. Lauren Brewster (Volleyball, 2002-05)

In terms of those who made the top 10s, und.com voters honored four football players, plus three from basketball, two each from baseball, tennis, soccer, lacrosse and cross country/track and field – plus one each from hockey, fencing, swimming and diving, softball and volleyball.