High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the varsity sports teams of the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 23 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. The Fighting Irish participate in the NCAA`s Division I in all sports, with many teams competing in the Big East Conference, although the school announced that it will be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference as early as 2014. Notre Dame is one of only 15 universities in the nation that plays Division I FBS football and Division I men`s ice hockey. The school colors are blue and gold and the mascot is the Leprechaun.