The Notre Dame Fighting Irish weren’t finished in its attempt to acquire talented players after landing the nation’s 11th-ranked recruiting class in 2015.
Former Cal safety Avery Sebastian announced on Twitter that he officially plans to transfer to Notre Dame and become a member of the Fighting Irish football team.I have officially committed to the University of Notre Dame! Extremely blessed & excited to be apart of the Notre Dame family! GO IRISH🍀🏈🙏
— Avery Sebastian (@JimThqrpe4) February 13, 2015
As a graduate transfer, Sebastian will be immediately eligible to play once he’s enrolled.
Sebastian originally announced his intention to transfer two months ago on Instagram:
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been a student-athlete at the University of California, Berkeley, and earn my undergraduate degree from the world’s top public university.
“I am extremely proud to be a Golden Bear,and strived to be a leader on and off the field. I left my blood, sweat and tears on Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium. I gave everything I had to this program and community while working hard to finish my degree in four years and will forever be thankful to all of those who helped support me during this journey.
“Now, I am ready to pursue my master’s degree. However, Cal does not currently offer a graduate program in my field of choice. In addition, I have one year of eligibility remaining and wish to play that final year while working toward my master’s degree at another university.”
The veteran safety was a three-time letter winner for the Golden Bears, but his career in Berkeley was marred by injuries.
In 2013, Sebastian tore an Achilles tendon during the season opener and lost his opportunity to start at safety. Last season, the defensive back only played in seven games due to a lingering quadriceps injury.
His experience will be a welcome addition to Notre Dame’s secondary, though:
Big move for #NotreDame to land grad transfer safety Avery Sebastian -- brings a much-needed veteran presence to a young, thin unit.
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) February 13, 2015
Best case scenario: Sebastian stays healthy and pushes for playing time. At the very least, the Fighting Irish added a major contributor on special teams.
