Head coach Niele Ivey has rallied her support behind a Notre Dame family after devastating news. Notre Dame alumna and ESPN veteran reporter Hannah Storm announced the passing of her husband, Dan Hicks, to an acute illness Thursday, and Ivey was one of the first few people to send her support to Storm and her family.
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“We want to offer our thoughts and prayers to Hannah [Storm] and her family,” Ivey said, per Kyle Smedley on X. “They were extremely amazing representatives of Notre Dame, so our thoughts and prayers are with her.”
Hicks was a longtime broadcaster with NBC and also served as the play-by-play announcer for the Fighting Irish football for the network. Storm also anchored NBC’s coverage of Notre Dame football. Storm and Hicks had become an integral part of the Notre Dame family over the years. The couple had been married since January 1994 and have three daughters.
Hicks was scheduled to call Saturday’s contest of the Notre Dame-Boston College football game for NBC and Peacock in South Bend, Indiana. While the network has not officially made the announcement, the details appeared in Notre Dame’s game notes. Hicks was also the scheduled announcer for Notre Dame’s Nov. 21 contest against SMU. It is NBC’s final telecast of Notre Dame for this season.
On Thursday, Storm posted a family statement on her husband’s passing, calling him a “devoted husband” and a “loving father.” She didn’t provide any further details about Hicks’ death.
“Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness. He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many,” Storm wrote in a post on Instagram. “His loss is immeasurable.
“Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around. When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered. Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We are grateful for the love and support surrounding our family during this incredibly difficult time. There are simply no words to express how much he will be missed.”
Niele Ivey has been coaching since 2005 after ending her WNBA career. She has been at Notre Dame since 2007, serving as an assistant coach for the program until 2015. She served as the program’s associate head coach from 2015 to 2019. She was part of the Notre Dame championship squad in 2018.
Ivey left for the Memphis Grizzlies’ assistant coach position. Ivey returned to Notre Dame in 2020 and has since served as the program’s head coach.
NBC and legendary swimmer Michael Phelps pay tribute to the legendary Dan Hicks
Support for the Hicks family poured in from across the sports world, with the media and players paying tribute to the legendary broadcaster. NBC also released a long statement about one of its legendary members who “beyond his on-air excellence…was a better person.”
“Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person. In his 34 years at NBC Sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history,” NBC said in its official statement.
“Our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.”
Hicks was one of the longest-tenured on-air members of NBC Sports, joining the channel in 1992. From covering swimming and skiing at the 16 Summer and Winter Olympics to Notre Dame football, he was associated with the network for over 30 years.
Hicks covered legendary swimmer Michael Phelps’ entire Olympic career. The 23-time Olympic gold medalist posted an emotional tribute to his “friend” on Instagram.
“There are certain voices in sports that you hear and instantly know who it is … Dan had one of those voices,” Phelps wrote. “A voice that so many of us grew up listening to, a voice that brought some of the biggest moments in sports to life…. And for me, a voice that will forever be part of my story.”
Dan Hicks captured one of the most dramatic moments in golf history, and his words capturing the moment are still legendary. In 2008, during the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods forced a playoff with a 72nd-hole birdie.
“Expect anything different?” Hicks’ words remain memorable in all of broadcasting.
Hicks first started calling Notre Dame football in 2013. He continued in his role for four years before Mike Tirico replaced him in 2017. Seven years later, Hicks returned in 2024, resuming his old role. He last called the Fighting Irish vs. Stanford game on Oct. 10.
But Hicks’ biggest contribution came in golf. For almost three decades, he was the most renowned broadcaster for the channel. Before his association with NBC, Hicks worked at CNN as a sports anchor. In 2024, the legendary broadcaster won a Sports Emmy for coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Previously, Storm herself successfully battled breast cancer in 2024. In October, Storm also missed time after undergoing a hysterectomy.