Notre Dame teams are known as the Fighting Irish . They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I , primarily competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) for all sports except football since the 2013 – 14 school year . The Fighting Irish previously competed in the Horizon League from 1982 to 1983 to 1985 – 86 , and again from 1987 to 1988 to 1994 – 95 , and then in the Big East Conference through 2012 – 13 . Men 's sports include baseball , basketball , cross country , fencing , football ( independent ) , golf , ice hockey , lacrosse , soccer , swimming and diving , tennis and track & field ; women 's sports include basketball , cross country , fencing , golf , lacrosse , rowing , soccer , softball , swimming and diving , tennis , track and field , and volleyball . The football team competes as a Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) Independent since its inception in 1887 . Both fencing teams compete in the Midwest Fencing Conference , and the men 's ice hockey team competes in the Big Ten Conference
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
University of Notre Dame