Tappen earns Irish sideline gig

NBC announced Wednesday that Kathryn Tappen will serve as the network’s sideline reporter for Notre Dame home football games. Tappen replaces veteran reporter Alex Flanagan.

Tappen has been the lead host on “NHL Tonight” on the NHL Network since 2011 and will serve a number of roles at NBC, including “NHL Live,” “Football Night in America” and studio programming.

“This opportunity represents the best of both worlds as I can continue to work on hockey, including signature events for NHL Network, while also covering sports that I’ve worked on in the past and have had a passion for since childhood, such as the Olympics, the NFL and college football,” Tappen said in a statement released by NBC Sports Group.

Tappen was a member of the track and field and cross country team at Rutgers, where she was an Academic All-American. She was a Big East Academic All-Star and former record holder in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Tappen’s first assignment with NBC comes Aug. 30 when ND opens its season against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium.

That’s the ticket

Single-game tickets for most 2014 Irish home games and the Shamrock Series contest in Indianapolis against Purdue go on sale exclusively online at und.com at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Thursday.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Friday, tickets can be purchased in person at Purcell Pavilion and by phone, as well as online.

Tickets are available for the following games: Aug. 30 vs. Rice, Sept. 13 vs. Purdue (at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis), Oct. 4 vs. Stanford, Oct. 11 vs. North Carolina, Nov. 15 vs. Northwestern and Nov. 22 vs. Louisville. There are no tickets available for the Sept. 6 home game vs. Michigan.

Molnar lands at Idaho

Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Charley Molnar, who was fired in December as the head coach at Massachusetts, has been hired as the wide receivers coach at Idaho.

Molnar compiled a 2-22 record in two seasons at UMass. He was ND’s offensive coordinator from 2010-11.