Baranek: Mother McAuley graduate Nancy Kane goes through baptism of fire at Notre Dame with ‘a gratitude you don’t see with most people.’

When Nancy Kane says that Notre Dame has been her dream college since she was a baby, she can prove it.

“There is a log chapel on campus back by the grotto,” Kane said. “My parents loved this place. My dad proposed to my mom on campus.

“They got one of their good friends to come and baptize me, so we drove up here to the log chapel.”

The Mother McAuley graduate is certainly living the dream in South Bend during her sophomore season as a regular contributor for the women’s volleyball team.

The Irish have won their first three matches. Kane, a 5-foot-11 setter, has chipped in with 17 digs and one ace.

I saw her land that ace in a televised match against Syracuse. She looked so excited on the TV screen, and she laughed when I told her so.

“Haha … it was awesome,” Kane said. “I mean, it’s such a cool feeling. It’s something you dream about your entire life, and when it happens, you can’t even believe it.

“Having everything on TV is so nice, especially this year when we can’t have fans. My brothers and stuff are still able to watch me. It’s just really cool to be out there.”

Kane’s story is about as neat as they come.

As a high school sophomore, Kane was the starting setter for the Mighty Macs. Led by junior standout Charley Niego, they not only were the 2016 Class 4A state champions, they also ended up ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation.

The following season, Kane and Niego helped lead McAuley to the supersectional. As a senior, Kane started over with a very young team and kept the Mighty Macs competitive.

Mother McAuley’s Nancy Kane is ready to play during a match against against St. Ignatius on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. (Gary Middendorf / Daily Southtown)

During her senior year, Kane had her share of scholarship offers, but when she received a preferred walk-on offer from Notre Dame, she didn’t hesitate.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Kane said. “I wasn’t expecting it. But I knew that once it came this is where I needed to be.

“During the whole process, I always wanted to go to Notre Dame. So it was always in the back of my head. For it to come up at the last minute, I was so excited for the opportunity and so ready to begin.”

She wasn’t the only one who was excited.

As an assistant coach at Notre Dame since 2015 and as the head coach since 2018, Mike Johnson saw the program strike gold twice at Mother McAuley — first with Ryann DeJarld and then with Niego.

One conversation in particular with Mighty Macs coach Jen DeJarld sold him.

“Jen said, ‘Nancy Kane is the perfect person to have in the gym,’” Johnson related. “She said I would never regret it if I brought her in.

“I’ll be honest. I hear that from coaches across America. Sometimes you go, ‘OK, sure.’ But when Jen DeJarld tells me that, I believe her. So I trusted her and brought Nancy in based on what I saw from her as a player but also what I learned from Jen about her.”

He has not been disappointed.

“Everything Jen said about Nancy was true,” Johnson said. “Nancy comes into the gym every day with a smile. She approaches life with a level of gratitude you don’t see from most people.

“I guarantee she’s learned that from her parents. And Nancy has always been willing to step in and fill whatever role we might need on a particular day. The fact that she’s done that and continued to improve says so much about her.”

Kane has been primarily a server and defender in the back row for the Irish, but she’s working hard in practice as the backup setter.

In the meantime, she has been the sturdy, steady, supportive teammate who is a total blessing to be around, according to Niego.

“Nancy has a positive attitude about everything she does,” Niego said. “I have never heard her once complaining. She is always positive, and has such a contagious presence on the court. It makes everyone around her better.”

Mark it down. Her turn will come running the Notre Dame offense.