2026 LB Wassie Lugolobi Recaps 'Amazing' First Notre Dame Visit

2026 Eastside Catholic (Wash.) linebacker Wassie Lugolobi‍ didn’t quite know what to expect on Thursday as he made his way to South Bend to get a look at Notre Dame for the first time. 

Lugolobi wanted to have his eyes wide open during the trip and he did just that as he and his family left campus extremely impressed with the Fighting Irish program. 

“It was a great experience,” Lugolobi told ISD. “They definitely checked every box I was looking for and really rolled out the red carpet for all the recruits.” 

When Lugolobi and his family arrived on campus, Notre Dame general manager Chad Bowden and company greeted him with water guns and tons of energy, setting the bar for the visit. 

“It showed me it was going to be a fun visit,” stated Lugolobi. “It dissolves any tension or awkwardness when you first meet somebody. It was super cool and a way for the coaches to introduce themselves. Coach Chad was there and it was just a great experience.” 

Notre Dame linebacker coach Max Bullough flew to Washington during the spring evaluation period to see Lugolobi, and the two have kept in steady contact since. Thursday presented an opportunity for them to catch up and for Lugolobi to meet the rest of the defensive staff, including defensive coordinator Al Golden. 

“I was able to see multiple coaches,” said Lugolobi. “It was good to reconnect and talk about the upcoming season. They spoke to my family a lot, which was good.” 

Recruiting visits can be overwhelming as coaches are making pitches and selling the school, while prospects are trying to figure out what they like or don’t like about each school. 

This visit was different for Lugolobi and the other recruits on campus as Notre Dame’s staff didn’t want to sell the program or school. Instead, the day focused on ending the summer with fun more than anything else. 

“My personal favorite was basketball, but there was never a dull moment on the visit,” Lugolobi explained. “We did water balloons, a towel game and everything was filled with excitement. It was a great way for the players to connect. I had a great time. It was an amazing visit.” 

And yes, the games are a way for Notre Dame’s staff to see some competitive nature come out and there was plenty of it from Thursday’s group. 

“You go to all these camps where you compete 1-on-1 in drills,” stated Lugolobi. “It was a different spin on it. We did a game of Irish Ball at the end and that got pretty competitive. I expected a calm game and the next thing I know, I’m breaking a sweat.

“Everything was about having fun, but there was some competitiveness and getting to know about what a great college Notre Dame is.” 

While in town, Lugolobi wanted to learn about Notre Dame’s academics, and the staff provided him with the information he needed. 

“They had a presentation at the end and it was one of the best I’ve seen,” explained Lugolobi. “it showed what the university offered and it met all expectations I had. They went above and beyond with it. My family and I were impressed and it answered all my questions.” 

As for an offer, Notre Dame’s staff will be paying close attention to Lugolobi’s junior film as he’ll make the transition to inside backer this fall. 

“They told me they wanted to see some of my junior film before they pull the trigger,” Lugolobi said. “They’re excited for my junior year. Last year, I played more outside backer, so they wanted to see me as an inside backer. They’ll look at the first couple games and we’ll reconnect.” 

A trip from Washington to South Bend isn’t the easiest at this time of the year, but Lugolobi is glad he made the trip and expects to be back at Notre Dame in the future. 

“If I’m being honest, Notre Dame was one of the better visits I’ve been on,” said Lugolobi. “It felt like an official visit without it being an actual official visit. Getting to know the players, there was never a dull moment from seeing the churches, facilities and being on the field seeing the Play Like A Champion sign was an amazing experience. 

“It was cool to bring my family with me.” 

Offers: Arizona State, Colorado, Louisville, Nevada, San Diego State, Tennessee and Washington

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