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Former Notre Dame fullback Asaph “Ace” Schwapp dies of cancer at age 26

Former Notre Dame fullback Asaph Schwapp died Wednesday after a yearlong battle with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He was 26.

Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis tweeted Wednesday afternoon asking for prayers for one of the first recruits Weis brought to Notre Dame. Just a couple hours later, Schwapp had passed.

Schwapp lost his mother to cancer when he was 9.

Schwapp, who was the first Hatford, Conn., native to play for Notre Dame in 65 years, spent all four seasons (2005-08) as a blocking fullback and had a brief stint in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, but was released before the regular season. After being released, he joined the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League, but suffered a torn ACL and meniscus four games into his first season, which ended his career in 2010.

Schwapp earned a business degree from Notre Dame and was working for Merrill Lynch when he was diagnosed.

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