ND Women's BB '19 -'20 Season

[Irish in Ohio]

She became ND's RC in 2012. She's experienced that's the good news. The bad news is she was the recruiting coordinator during the drop off in Top 10 recruit signings and the bunch of “chemistry misfit” transfers that depleted the roster.

So the question then is what part MM had in them being misfits. Because MM being the HC didn't she sign off on those recruits ?

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Coach Ivey already getting it done!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Olivia Miles just committed to NOTRE DAME ‼️&#55357;&#56401; <a href="https://twitter.com/oliviamiles06?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@oliviamiles06</a> <a href="https://t.co/E3OjwAo14V">pic.twitter.com/E3OjwAo14V</a></p>— WSLAM (@wslam) <a href="https://twitter.com/wslam/status/1253708510552100866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2020</a></blockquote>

 

[arrowryan]

Olivia is the #2 overall recruit in the 2021 class.

Combine her with Peoples, Brunelle, and the four 5 stars coming in this year. Niele is going to have this rolling in no time.

 

[ab2cmiller]

I'm assuming that having a top PG coming in can only help with Fudd. Really haven't kept up with her recruitment after Bueckers chose UConn. I know Fudd is close to Sam, but she's really close to Bueckers.

 

[BGIF]

Notre Dame lands top recruit Olivia Miles days after naming new coach Niele Ivey
1:50 PM CT
Graham Hays ESPN

It didn't take long for Niele Ivey to get a win at Notre Dame. Named the school's new women's basketball coach on Wednesday, Ivey landed one of the nation's most prized recruits on Friday.

Olivia Miles, ranked No. 2 in the high school class of 2021 by ESPN HoopGurlz, announced on Twitter that she has committed to play for the Fighting Irish.

"This is such an amazing feeling," she wrote. "I cannot wait to work with @IrishCoachIvey and her staff!! go irish!!!"


Olivia Miles
@oliviamiles06
this is such an amazing feeling 💚 i cannot wait to work with @IrishCoachIvey and her staff!! go irish!!!
12:39 PM - Apr 24, 2020

Miles is the third top-two prospect to commit to Notre Dame in the past six years, joining Brianna Turner (No. 2, 2014) and Sam Brunelle, who finished as the sixth-ranked prospect in 2019 but was ranked No. 1 when she committed.

A 5-foot-10 point guard who attended Blair Academy in New Jersey, Miles averaged 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists as a junior this past season. She was also a starter for the United States team that won the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Chile.

Ivey already inherited a strong recruiting class for the upcoming season from Muffet McGraw, a class the new coach helped lay the groundwork for while still a Notre Dame assistant until leaving after the 2018-19 season for a coaching role with the Memphis Grizzlies. Notre Dame's incoming class includes four players ranked among the top 50 in the nation by HoopGurlz.

Current Fighting Irish freshmen Brunelle, Katlyn Gilbert and Anaya Peoples were also honored as members of the ACC's all-freshman team this past season.

Signing another high-profile point guard helped Ivey make a quick impact when she was first hired by her alma mater as an assistant in 2007. A former point guard herself, Ivey then took the lead in eventually securing a commitment from Skylar Diggins, the No. 3 recruit in her class.

 

[BGIF]

FIVE-STAR PG OLIVIA MILES COMMITS TO NOTRE DAME
APR 24

Blair Academy’s Olivia Miles has been hailed as a generational talent in women’s basketball. She’s a five-star recruit, the No. 1 point guard in the Class of 2021 and a member of Team USA.

Now she’s committed to play at Notre Dame.

Miles’ decision to join the Fighting Irish comes two days after Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw announced her retirement from coaching. Niele Ivey, a national champion point guard for Notre Dame and a former assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, kicked off his first recruiting cycle with a commitment from arguably the top player in America.

Just hours after announcing her commitment, Miles talks to JSZ’s Jay Cook about her recruitment, why Notre Dame was the place for her and personal expectations for herself and her future teammates in South Bend.


Watch Olivia Miles’ Junior Year JSZ Highlight Reel:

<iframe width="820" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/svGhnWIi3a0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[BGIF]

Niele Ivey strikes fast on recruiting trail, lands nation's No. 2 prospect Miles for Notre Dame
By Anthony Anderson | Tribune Correspondent 11 hrs ago

She’s an electric player. Calm under pressure, a poised guard who’s really cerebral in her approach.

I don’t want to undersell her ability to score, because she can really score but she’s just an unselfish player with that pass-first mentality who takes real joy in one of those pinpoint passes through traffic.

She has a very silky offensive game. Her jumper is almost effortless, and she’s got a teardrop floater that she’s pretty good at.

Dan Olson The Collegiate Girls Basketball Report

Sue Bird-like vision, Steve Nash-like smoothness and a Diana Taurasi-like ability to bully fellow guards with her size.

John Weinfuss, ESPN

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Coach Ivey keeps up the momentum on the recruiting trail with another 5 star!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So blessed and excited to announce my commitment to the University of Notre Dame. Thank you to everyone that has helped me along the way. I wouldnt be where i am today without you. GO IRISH&#55357;&#56474;☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/ndwbb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ndwbb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NDHoopsRecruits?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NDHoopsRecruits</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilaBelles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PhilaBelles</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeFlynn826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikeFlynn826</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/klhoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klhoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TUSAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TUSAthletics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/usabjnt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usabjnt</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q8hOJ5kNtU">pic.twitter.com/Q8hOJ5kNtU</a></p>— Sonia Citron (@CitronSonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitronSonia/status/1254539876420194307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[BGIF]

Another top 20 recruit, guard Sonia Citron, adds to Niele Ivey's recruiting roll at Notre Dame
By Eric Hansen South Bend Tribune Apr 26, 2020 Updated 31 min ago

...

On Sunday, her fifth day on the job in succeeding retired coaching icon Muffett McGraw, Ivey landed her second top 20 recruit.

Sonia Citron, a 6-foot-1 guard from Scarsdale, N.Y., verbally committed to the Irish on Sunday via Twitter, two days after 5-10 point guard Olivia Miles of Phillipsburg, N.J., became the first ND recruit in the 2021 class.

Citron is the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in New York, and the No. 16 player nationally regardless of position in the ESPN girls basketball prospect rankings for the 2021 class. Miles, meanwhile, is No. 2 in the ESPN Top 100.

The two were teammates on the USA Basketball U16 national team in the summer of 2019 that romped to the gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Aysen, Chile.

Oregon, Stanford, Ohio State and four Ivy League schools were among her many scholarship offers, a reflection of the five-star prospect’s prowess on the court and in the classroom.

Citron averaged 23.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 3.1 assists during her recently completed junior season at The Ursuline School, an all-girls, Catholic school located in New Rochelle, N.Y.

“This is the consummate fundamental guard/teammate who wants to win ahead of the individual-statistic type of thing,” said recruiting analyst Dan Olson, who compiles ESPN’s rankings.

“She didn’t play on a high-profile travel team. She really didn't care about the limelight, but finally she didn’t have any choice in the matter, because she went out to the USA trials and took a spot on the team and then was a contributing factor in their success.”

Citron averaged 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists for Team USA. At Ursuline, she’s also a soccer standout.

She made the high school varsity team as an eighth-grader, and averaged a double-double that season and every season since.

Her father, William, played collegiately for Bradley.

“She doesn’t put up gaudy numbers, crazy points or anything like that,” Olson said. “She just fills the stat sheet, understands how to play the game, has a silky smooth shot. Just almost unassuming, but smooth in the way she plays.

“This kid’s legit and has been a top 20 kid in the country for well over a year.”

...

 

[Old Man Mike]

Nothing but GREAT about this.

I have a hunch: This player is BETTER than #16 in the country. I have two reasons for that intuition: A. She led her team to an invincible season in New York --- pretty tough place to dominate; and B. on the USA championship U16 team she STARTED ALL THE GAMES. That coaching staff said "Who do we want on the Court" and looked at her.

... and there's basketball in the family (Dad played at Bradley.)

IF Miles is a true #2 rank and the point guard, and Citron is better than #16 at the Two-guard, that's like WOW. Give us a BIG and the trophy's ours in a few years.

 

[BGIF]

Olivia Miles
@oliviamiles06
·
2h
bout to be crazy

 

[BGIF]

Sonia Citron
As of May 29, 2019

https://www.usab.com/basketball/players/womens/c/citron-sonia.aspx

USA Basketball Notes

• Honors: 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship all-tournament team.
• Gold Medals: 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
• As a member of the 2019 USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team, started in all six games and averaged 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game to help the USA to a 6-0 record and gold medal June 16-22 in Puerto Aysen, Chile; was named to the all-tournament team.
• Named to the 2019 USA Women’s U16 National Team on May 30; selected as one of 18 finalists for the team on May 27; announced as an invitee for trials on May 13.

High School Honors
2019 New York State Sportswriters Association 2A All-State second team.
2018 NYSSA 2A All-State fourth team.
2018 all-section and all-league.
2017 all-section and all-league.

High School Notes

• Has played three varsity seasons at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, New York, including one season of varsity as an eighth grader in 20161-17; has played in 68 career games and has amassed career totals of 1,325 points, 793 rebounds, 226 steals and 264 blocked shots.
• Lists career single-game highs of 34 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, seven steals and 11 blocks.
• As a sophomore in 2018-19, averaged 21.5 ppg., 10.9 rpg., 4.6 apg., 3.5 bpg. and 3.2 spg. to help her team to a 20-4 record and the state tournament title game.
• As a freshman in 2017-18, averaged 21.0 ppg., 13.5 rpg., 6.0 apg., 3.0 spg. and 3.0 bpg. to help her team to a 19-3 record and the state tournament quarterfinals.
• As an eighth grader playing varsity in 2016-17, played in all 22 games and averaged 10.5 ppg., 10.5 rpg., 5.0 apg., 4.0 spg. and 3.8 bpg. to help her team to an 18-4 record and the state tournament quarterfinals.
• Plays in the summer for Hoopers New York Elite.
• Also plays soccer and was an all-state and all-section honoree.

Personal Notes

• Born in White Plains, New York, and now resides in Scarsdale, New York.
• Is right-handed.
• Member of the National Junior Honor Society; maintains at 95.6 GPA.
• Daughter of Yolanda and William Citron.
• Has one brother, William Citron (18).
• Father, William Citron played basketball at Bradley University; half brother Kenneth Citron played baseball at Princeton.

The Scoop

• Enjoys spending time with family and friends.
• Favorite player is Candace Parker, because she loves how she plays and leads her team.
• Favorite class is math, because she likes how if you get it you get it — there is only one answer.
• Favorite pregame snack is apples and sometimes with peanut butter.
• Inspired by her parents and her brother.
• Has traveled to France in the summer of 2018 for a wedding and to the Bahamas every summer since she was little on vacation.

USA Basketball Statistics

EVENT  G/S    MIN/G FGM-FGA PCT 3PM-3PA PCT FTM-FTA PCT REB/AVG PTS/AVG AST TO BLK STL
'19 U16	6/6 116/19.3 34-58 .586 6-18 .333  6-6 1.000     17/2.8 80/13.3 11  5  5  19

 

[BeauBenken]

Goodness gracious. Tear up this recruiting trail.

 

[aubeirish]

If you guys want to get excited a little about the prospect of having these 2 great players in an Irish uniform, go watch the USA vs Canada last year's U16 tournament. All you need to do is watch the first 2-3 minutes of the game to see what kind of players we are getting here. Olivia is something special and Sonia is a fantastic complement to her. This is going to be a lot of fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyWss39xvpE

 

[arrowryan]

Niele has been the HC for 5 days and has already landed more 5 stars than Brey has in the last 10 years.

 

[BGIF]

If you guys want to get excited a little about the prospect of having these 2 great players in an Irish uniform, go watch the USA vs Canada last year's U16 tournament. All you need to do is watch the first 2-3 minutes of the game to see what kind of players we are getting here. Olivia is something special and Sonia is a fantastic complement to her. This is going to be a lot of fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyWss39xvpE

#5 Miles

#14 Citron

 

[Old Man Mike]

Watched the first half.

A. Miles is a "Woman among Girls." No one on the court remotely close. Totally dominated the game --- even in Empress of the Ball attitude ("Give me the ball and get to your spots!") Completely messed with the opponent's lane defenses. Both hands functional at speed going to hoop. AND demon defensively. Reminded me of Lindsay Allen with more dominant attitude. ... NOT a show-off ... all killer business.

B. Citron harder to "see." She is totally "team" and played in a system (here) where the wings spread low and two posts fill the high/low middle. The wings must feed off of defensive errors and where Miles happened to be headed. In the first quarter that happened to be the other side (towards #10). So there were few chances in that arrangement.

Defensively, Citron is very aware and hard-working --- maybe even a little TOO tight to her opponent. She plays like a person who is just NOT going to go rogue (or lazy) and break the system. She fights screens effectively but could be stronger at the point of collision. She and Miles sit together on the bench with similar demeanor.

When at the start of the second quarter, the coach took Miles out, Citron took over parts of the game and you could see her released-from-the-wing-buried-in-the-deep-corners positioning. One fast break was particularly a stunner when she in very tight conditions went no dribble behind her back (circle-fake to buffoon a close defender) at full speed to the hoop --- reverse mini-hook was no good but the whole thing was razor close to great.

C. I couldn't help focusing some on her "twin wing", #10, Payton Verhulst, This is a wildly active player with big energy/enjoyment of the game. She's a Louisville verbal now with a former Duke player Mom, but one wishes .... She's not as good a defender as Citron, but she's ball lightning. And hyper-jump-up root on teammates from bench.

Still, no one even rivaled Miles.

 

[notredomer23]

Niele has been the HC for 5 days and has already landed more 5 stars than Brey has in the last 10 years.

As long as there are one and dones, ND is never getting 5 stars on a consistent basis for men regardless of who the coach is.

 

[irishandy]

When can she start to recruit for the men's team?

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Anybody think these commitments were planned? Perhaps these two were going to commit in the last month, MM told them to hold off, said why but to keep it to themselves, and to commit shortly after the new coach is announced?

Not saying it happened, but we know a lot happened behind closed doors when hiring Ivey.

 

[arrowryan]

Anybody think these commitments were planned? Perhaps these two were going to commit in the last month, MM told them to hold off, said why but to keep it to themselves, and to commit shortly after the new coach is announced?

Not saying it happened, but we know a lot happened behind closed doors when hiring Ivey.

Olivia Miles is on record saying that she's known she's wanted to go to Notre Dame since last summer. So, I'm not going to give Niele the full credit on that one.

I'm not sure about Sonia. I think we'll see Niele's true recruiting skills come out this summer or whenever the campus open back up. I read that Niele has offered 2022 Ayanna Patterson out of Fort Wayne. She is the #3 overall player.

My confidence in Niele's recruiting abilities is sky high. She's young enough that she she can still relate to the players/recruits, she's won both as a player and coach at Notre Dame, and she has NBA experience. What more could you ask for from a head coach? I wouldn't be surprised if Niele and Notre Dame women's basketball recruiting get to a similar level as Clemson football.

 

[arrowryan]

Per ESPN, some other girls considering Notre Dame:

5 star Saniya Rivers; #2 Guard, #3 overall

5 star Latisha Lattimore; #5 forward; #11 overall

5 star Teonni Key; #3 wing; #22 overall

4 star Shayeann Day-Wilson; #19 point guard; #72 overall

 

[NDdomer2]

Per ESPN, some other girls considering Notre Dame:

5 star Saniya Rivers; #2 Guard, #3 overall

5 star Latisha Lattimore; #5 forward; #11 overall

5 star Teonni Key; #3 wing; #22 overall

4 star Shayeann Day-Wilson; #19 point guard; #72 overall

gotta think they are done with guards right?

 

[ab2cmiller]

gotta think they are done with guards right?

Unless her name is Fudd

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Olivia Miles is on record saying that she's known she's wanted to go to Notre Dame since last summer. So, I'm not going to give Niele the full credit on that one.

I'm not sure about Sonia. I think we'll see Niele's true recruiting skills come out this summer or whenever the campus open back up. I read that Niele has offered 2022 Ayanna Patterson out of Fort Wayne. She is the #3 overall player.

My confidence in Niele's recruiting abilities is sky high. She's young enough that she she can still relate to the players/recruits, she's won both as a player and coach at Notre Dame, and she has NBA experience. What more could you ask for from a head coach? I wouldn't be surprised if Niele and Notre Dame women's basketball recruiting get to a similar level as Clemson football.

Except then for most of her recruitment before that point Niele was the recruiting coordinator. So that means that Niele got her to the point she wanted to commit, then Niele left and she held off only to finally commit once Niele was back.

 

[BGIF]

ND Job Opening WBB Assoc. HC

ND Job Opening WBB Assoc. HC

Don't know who left but the job opening is posted 5/12/20

https://jobs.nd.edu/postings/19395


Beth and Carol are both still listed in the current ND Staff Directory as of my post.



Job Listing Closes 5/17/20

Position Information
Job Title Associate Head Coach, Women's Basketball

Job Description
Assist the Head Coach and Associate Head Coaches with all facets of administering a Division I program. Uphold the institution’s commitment to the integrity of its athletics program, including through adherence to University, conference, and NCAA rules and expectations. Identify and evaluate prospective student-athletes. Assist in the coordination of recruiting activities for program. Work with individual student-athletes to develop and refine athletic skills, while also supporting in the development of their academic and personal growth. Assist with the planning and implementation of strategies and goals into daily practice sessions. Other duties as assigned by head coach.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required. Division I coaching (assistant or head) of 10 years is a requirement. Must possess extensive knowledge of the sport as well as its skills and strategies. Strong organization and communication skills are necessary to effectively complete job tasks. Successful candidate must have an appreciation and understanding of the academic/athletic balance required of student-athletes at a highly selective and competitive academic institution.

Preferred Qualifications
Playing experience (men’s or women’s basketball) at Division I level preferred. Division I recruiting experience is preferred.

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Don't know who left but the job opening is posted 5/12/20

https://jobs.nd.edu/postings/19395


Beth and Carol are both still listed in the current ND Staff Directory as of my post.

I don't know who left, but it looks like it will be Coquese Washington replacing her.

https://oklahoman.com/article/5662273/courtney-paris-returning-to-sooners-as-assistant-coach/amp

 

[Old Man Mike]

I hope that this is a good hire. There is an "itch" that I have about it, but don't know enough to judge if it is irrational. This coach seems to have made her reputation as a head coach at Penn State. But she had very few really successful years there, and all four of the best were (apparently) riding a superior scoring talent named Maggie Lucas.

This player came into the program as an already made basket burner as a freshman, and carried a near twenty point per game tally for three years (the senior season over 20ppg.) When Lucas was drafted into the WNBA, Penn State dramatically tanked --- OK it happens. BUT they never recovered under Coach Washington, who had several years to make that recovery.

As I said: who knows the relevance of this? It bothers me a bit though. Penn State was a consistent power back in the day; a good recruiter should have been able to pick the program back up there. Maybe being Assistant coach negates such concerns. BUT ......

 

[BGIF]

Cochese Confirms Job Offer To Be Announced Soon.

Cochese Confirms Job Offer To Be Announced Soon.

This the most definitive news I've read about Coquese Washington. No confirmation about ND hire but confirmation see left for another job. ND is a logical place.


https://www.normantranscript.com/oklahoma/ou-womens-basketball-courtney-paris-returning-as-oklahoma-assistant-coach/article_6b2b8518-9540-11ea-a0e0-4b21cba42c6f.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

By Tyler Palmateer | Transcript Sports Editor
Updated 9 hrs ago

The university announced Paris will replace one-year assistant Coquese Washington, who confirmed to The Transcript she resigned for another professional opportunity that will be announced soon.

 

[BGIF]

Beth, Carol, or ...Mabrey?

Beth, Carol, or ...Mabrey?

Most speculation has been been one of the two long time Assoiate Head Coaches would be moving on. BUT the job opening specifically mentions that the new hire would assist the Head Coach and the Associate Head Coaches .. plural.

Typing error, misdirection, or a tip off???

Does Niele want a more experienced former point guard developing the young point guards? The downside is you lose your only young coach, the one who prospects tend to relate more.

Job Title Associate Head Coach, Women's Basketball

Job Description
Assist the Head Coach and Associate Head Coaches with all facets of administering a Division I program