James Rendell’s arrival in June 2024 at Notre Dame certainly would have come as a surprise to many. And why not? He does check many boxes of unfavorability. For instance, his age (24). Him technically not being a freshman, and only 1 year of eligibility. On top of that, his being an outsider from almost 10,000 miles away (Australia). And, having been termed as a ‘Graduate Freshman’ due to his prior graduate degree certainly didn’t help his case. But you know Marcus Freeman! The Fighting Irish head coach doesn’t always follow the conventions.

And, all the supposed negatives aside, the Aussie Punter has prolifically proven the critics wrong. He did come at a time when the Irish were in dire need of a punter after Bryce McFerson left abruptly for Maryland after the 2023 season. Furthermore, the responsibilities on his shoulders were vast, considering him being the sole starting punter on scholarship. Moreover, he also quickly started gaining yards per game on punts. For instance, his 58-yard punt on Senior Day against the Virginia Cavaliers‘ became his record best at that time. And, with a modest start of 41.5 yards gained per punt with 48 punts in total, he still has a lot to offer.

Naturally, Freeman loves the guy. “James is a guy that has so much talent,” Freeman said in mid-September. “He can do so many things with the football. I know he can punt across the field, he can do spiral punts, he can do end-over-end punts. We have to call the things he could do in the game.”

Impressed yet? Well, let’s introduce you to the key components of Rendell’s life.

Who is James Rendell’s Mom?

The Notre Dame Punter is reportedly close to his mother Leonie, who also attends his games regularly. Rendell, of course, is elated that his favorite person in the world is on the sidelines to watch him perform and show support in a foreign land.

He said in an interview before the Sugar Bowl game, “I was very grateful that Mum was able to come over and watch a few games….but you know she was happy to be in New York…I’m very grateful that she’s been able to you know, to, to come on this journey along with me“.

Who is James Rendell’s Dad?

For many Australian Rules Football enthusiasts reading this article, Mathew Rendell needs no introduction. However, anyone who doesn’t follow Aussie football may not be familiar with Rendell’s father. But he was a legend in his own right. A career that spanned from playing as a Ruckman (mildly similar to Running Back) to stints in coaching and media broadcasting. The man had done it all and was always exploring new avenues, like his recruitment stint with Collingwood Club.

James’ father’s football history certainly helped him in his development. Which also led to his training with ProKick Australia, a leading football agency in Australia. His father sadly passed away in 2023 due to a cardiac arrest, which was also part of the reason why his move got delayed.

Where is James Rendell from?

James Rendell hails from Melbourne, Australia, and had traveled for almost 30 hours to join the Irish. Back home, he regularly enjoyed watching college games. He has fond memories of watching the 2017 College Championship game played between Alabama and Clemson at his home.

However, prior to joining the Irish, he played in Hawaii, and in his words, it was an easy decision to commit to Notre Dame. And we have great news for the Notre Dame faithful. James recently won additional eligibility from the NCAA, and he can be with the Fighting Irish for another year. If you add a win in the natty final against the Buckeyes, that’d be quite a cherry on top!