Dillon77
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With ND playing in a nationally broadcast game against California today (4 p.m. EST, NBC network), I thought I'd give a (relatively) brief overview on the 2022-'23 version of the Fighting Irish.
Many/most of you are familiar with 4/5 of the starting lineup, which is the same as last year:
The Irish lost four players to the portal: Sam Brunelle, Kaitlyn Gilbert and Abby Prohaska (all of whom graduated from ND) and Anaya Peoples. Peoples initially started the season but lost her starting position and minutes to Sonia Citron.
Coach Niele Ivey brought in three players via the transfer portal, two of which she had previously recruited and one who then assistant Coach Coquese Washington had recruited and coached for Penn State.
They are:
ND's sole other returning player is:
- #15 Nat Marshall, the 6'5" forward from Christ-the-King high school in Queens, NY (same as Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw, among others). Marshall has been plagued by leg injuries since her senior year at CTK, among them a meniscus issue last season. However, she played some 10 minutes in the first game, scored 9 points and ran the floor very, very well. If she can stay healthy and continue to improve, she could spell Maddy Westbeld and give ND a very uptempo and tall front court.
And the one freshman is:
- #14 KK Bransford, the well-built 5'11" guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, who scored 6 points and had three assists. Some see some Jackie Young in her, others a bit of Arike. She's a powerful athlete who will get used to the speed of the collegiate game and contribute at a number of positions. Seems to have a good feel and steady hand. Stay tuned.
The squad is rounded out by second-year walk on's Trinity Cha (#2), Sarah Cernugel (#25) and first-year walk-on Lauren Zwetzig (#20).
As for coaching, Niele Ivey begins her third year at the helm and she is assisted by long-time post coach Carole Owens, who has been coaching Irish bigs, from Ruth Riley and Dev Peters to Natalie Achonwa, Bri Turner and Jess Shepard. Last year, Owens helped Maya Dodson have a career-best year in her sole season at Notre Dame.
Michaela Mabrey (once known as Mabrey1) is beginning her fourth year as a coach (oh, how time flies). Last year was a good one for Mabrey, who tutored both Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron. She'll probably continue to work with the guards because ...
...former Irish great Charel Allen returns to Notre Dame to fill the spot left open when Coquese Washington became the head coach at Rutgers. Allen had been associate head coach at Cal State Fullerton before returning to South Bend.
Many/most of you are familiar with 4/5 of the starting lineup, which is the same as last year:
- #5 Olivia Miles. Played 33.3 minutes per game (mpg) and scored 13.7 points per game (ppg), 5.7 rebounds per game (rpg) and dished out 7.4 assists per game (apg). Had 59 steals.
- #11 Sonia Citron. Played 30.5 mpg and averaged 11.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg (most of returning players) and 2.2 apg. Had 54 steals. Led Irish in FT's taken (108) and percentage (84%).
- #21 Maddy Westbeld (changed # from #34). Played 28.9 mpg and averaged 11.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg.
- #1 Dara Mabrey. Played 32.4 mpg (high on team) and scored 10.3 ppg, while averaging 2.3 apg as Miles' back-up PG. Took 198 three-pt. attempts and hit 37%.
The Irish lost four players to the portal: Sam Brunelle, Kaitlyn Gilbert and Abby Prohaska (all of whom graduated from ND) and Anaya Peoples. Peoples initially started the season but lost her starting position and minutes to Sonia Citron.
Coach Niele Ivey brought in three players via the transfer portal, two of which she had previously recruited and one who then assistant Coach Coquese Washington had recruited and coached for Penn State.
They are:
- #22 Kylee Watson, a 6'4" center/forward who transferred from Oregon. Watson has 3 years of eligibility if she wants it. In the Irish's firt game against Northern Illinois, Watson started, played a tick under 25 minutes, scored 9 pts and dished out 4 assists.
- #33 Lauren Ebo, another 6'4" center who came from Texas (most recently) and Penn State in her graduate (and last) year. She came in as a center and played just under 21 minutes, scoring 10 pts. and grabbing 6 rebounds.
- #0 Jenna Brown, the 5'10" point guard who graduated from Stanford, came to ND, who at one point she was committed coming out of HS. She's coming off a knee surgery but played some 9 minutes. The hope is that she'll spell Olivia Miles and/or possibly -- if things go well -- have Miles move over to off-guard while Brown mans the point.
ND's sole other returning player is:
- #15 Nat Marshall, the 6'5" forward from Christ-the-King high school in Queens, NY (same as Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw, among others). Marshall has been plagued by leg injuries since her senior year at CTK, among them a meniscus issue last season. However, she played some 10 minutes in the first game, scored 9 points and ran the floor very, very well. If she can stay healthy and continue to improve, she could spell Maddy Westbeld and give ND a very uptempo and tall front court.
And the one freshman is:
- #14 KK Bransford, the well-built 5'11" guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, who scored 6 points and had three assists. Some see some Jackie Young in her, others a bit of Arike. She's a powerful athlete who will get used to the speed of the collegiate game and contribute at a number of positions. Seems to have a good feel and steady hand. Stay tuned.
The squad is rounded out by second-year walk on's Trinity Cha (#2), Sarah Cernugel (#25) and first-year walk-on Lauren Zwetzig (#20).
As for coaching, Niele Ivey begins her third year at the helm and she is assisted by long-time post coach Carole Owens, who has been coaching Irish bigs, from Ruth Riley and Dev Peters to Natalie Achonwa, Bri Turner and Jess Shepard. Last year, Owens helped Maya Dodson have a career-best year in her sole season at Notre Dame.
Michaela Mabrey (once known as Mabrey1) is beginning her fourth year as a coach (oh, how time flies). Last year was a good one for Mabrey, who tutored both Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron. She'll probably continue to work with the guards because ...
...former Irish great Charel Allen returns to Notre Dame to fill the spot left open when Coquese Washington became the head coach at Rutgers. Allen had been associate head coach at Cal State Fullerton before returning to South Bend.
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