How do they think ND became a 'national' school?

Do they think that ND has drawn students from all 50 states for the last 75 or so years because people had the yearning to "Wander Indiana"? There are dozens upon dozens of Catholic universities that do a fine job of educating their students. Yet only one truly became a 'national' University. And that's because guys like Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy had the audacity to field outstanding football teams and bring them to every corner of America, spreading the Notre Dame name and a reputation for excellence whereever the ventured. Without that national base of students, Notre Dame would never have grown academically to where it is today. And it was the pillar of Notre Dame football that drew students from all over the country to a small Catholic school in the middle of Indiana.