Former Notre Dame lacrosse player and ‘Jeopardy!’ champ returns

A familiar face is back on America’s favorite quiz show (and no, it’s not James Holzhauer).

So far, this season of “Jeopardy!” exclusively has had Second Chance and Champions Wildcard tournaments. The purpose is to determine which players will qualify for the annual Tournament of Champions. For Notre Dame men’s lacrosse fans, one name might sound familiar.

Late last season, former Irish lacrosse player [autotag]Taylor Clagett[/autotag] went on “Jeopardy!” and won two games. That allowed him to compete in the final Champions Wildcard tournament before the Tournament of Champions is held. His quarterfinal match, which aired Wednesday, pitted him against fellow former champions Lisa Sriken and Justin White.

The game turned into a two-player competition between Clagett and Sriken. Nearly halfway through Double Jeopardy!, Clagett trailed by $7,800. But Sriken then gave an incorrect response and didn’t ring in the rest of the round, allowing Clagett to make his move, which including hitting on a Daily Double.

Clagett went into Final Jeopardy! in the driver’s seat with a $4,600 lead over Sriken. The clue, under the category “Wonders of the Ancient World”, was as follows:

“Achilles Tatius wrote that it “was like a mountain… at the top of this mountain rose a second sun”

Nobody came up with the correct response of “What is the Lighthouse at Alexandria?” Still, Clagett had wagered enough that he wouldn’t lose in that scenario. That means he advances to the tournament’s semifinals, and his game for that round will air over the next couple of weeks.

Also of note is a positive development stemming from Clagett’s initial “Jeopardy!” appearances. He mentioned during his in-game interview that donations to the Taylor Anne Foundation, established in memory of his late niece, went up. He thanked everyone for their generosity as a result of his being on the show.

We will continue to track Clagett’s progress in the Champions Wildcard tournament. Until then, you can see how smart you are in comparison by quizzing yourself with this episode’s clues.

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