Category: Women’s Basketball

Notre Dame: Niele Ivey Announces Coaching Staff

Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey officially announced her 2020-21 coaching staff on Wednesday. Find out about all of them here.

Just weeks ago Muffet McGraw shocked the women’s college basketball world by stepping down.  Former national champion guard for the Irish and longtime McGraw assistant, Niele Ivey took over and quickly made a splash in recruiting.

Wednesday saw Ivey officially announce her coaching staff for the 2020-21 college basketball season.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Ivey era continued on Wednesday as Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey announced her coaching staff. Associate Head Coach Carol Owens and Assistant Coach Michaela Mabrey will be joined on the Irish sidelines by 1993 Notre Dame alumnae Coquese Washington.

Washington donned the Irish uniform from 1989-93 and helped the program reach its first NCAA Tournament in 1992. Washington was later an assistant coach under Muffet McGraw from 1999-07 and tutored Ivey on the way to the program’s first national title in 2001.

“I am thrilled to announce that Coquese Washington has accepted the position of Associate Head Coach,” Coach Ivey stated. “It’s an absolute blessing to welcome Coquese back home to Notre Dame. Her experience as a former player and alum, WNBA champion and former head coach, plus her national championship coaching pedigree, provides me with incredible knowledge and wisdom. I am so excited to have her join my staff as we build this new era of Notre Dame women’s basketball.

“I am also thrilled to retain Carol Owens and Michaela Mabrey. Carol has uniquely been a part of all nine of the program’s Final Four appearances and brings incredible leadership to the staff. Michaela’s energy, passion and winning mentality speaks volumes. I’m excited to have my staff in place and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”

Washington arrives to South Bend after a one-year stint as an associate head coach with the Oklahoma Sooners. Prior, she made a name for herself as the head coach at Penn State from 2007-19, amassing a 209-169 record and guiding the Lady Lions to four NCAA Tournament appearances and three Big Ten titles. Washington was the first female African-American head coach in Penn State history.

“Notre Dame has always held a special place in my heart,” Washington stated. “So much of who I am can be traced back to my time at Notre Dame both as a student and as a young professional. Being a part of our women’s basketball staff again is truly energizing. I would only leave a program like Oklahoma for one reason – to return home.”

From 2012-14, the Lady Lions claimed three-straight Big Ten regular-season titles (outright wins for the first two), making them one of four programs in conference history to win three or more regular-season crowns in a row.

She also guided Penn State to Sweet 16 appearances in 2012 and 2014. Furthermore, Washington guided 17 players to All-Big Ten status on 32 separate occasions.

Washington earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors three times (2012-14), while also being named a two-time WBCA Region Six Coach of the Year (2012, 2013) and two-time finalist for WBCA National Coach of the Year (2012, 2013). She was also selected as the 2011 and 2014 Black Coaches Association (BCA) Female Coach of the Year.

Washington also flashed her prowess on the recruiting trail, signing four Top-25 recruiting classes including six McDonald’s All-Americans. Prior to Washington’s arrival, Penn State had only signed one McDonald’s All-American.

“It’s exciting to imagine the levels of success our program will experience under Coach Ivey’s leadership,” Washington added. “Working with dedicated folks like Carol Owens, Michaela Mabrey and the rest of the staff, our program will continue to have a dynamic impact on our University, our student-athletes and our community in a variety of ways.”

In her original stint on the sidelines at Notre Dame, Washington helped the Fighting Irish to four Sweet 16 appearances in eight seasons, including the famous 2001 national title. Washington was instrumental in helping the Irish secure eight consecutive Top-25 recruiting classes, a feat only accomplished by two other programs in the country at the time (Connecticut and Tennessee). Additionally, Washinton coached five different Irish All-Americans, including Ivey and Megan Duffy (current Marquette Head Coach), and worked closely with Alicia Ratay (Notre Dame record holder).

During her time in an Irish uniform Washington rewrote the Irish record books. She dished out 554 career assists (ranks seventh all-time), while recording 307 career steals (ranks third). In fact, her 2.7 steals-per-game career average still holds the top spot.

Off the court, the newly-minted Irish coach was just as impressive, as Washington earned her degree in just three years. Later, she earned her Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame in 1997, earning ‘Double-Domer’ status.

Washington played six seasons in the WNBA and is one of five Irish to have won a WNBA title, achieving the feat with the Houston Comets in 2000. Washington was also a key figure in helping create the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA), serving as the founding president of the WNBPA from 1999 until 2001. She served as the executive vice president of the WNBPA from 2001 until her retirement in 2003.

In addition, Washington led negotiations for the association’s first collective bargaining agreement as the association’s president. As the executive vice president, she was a mainstay in the negotiations for the league’s second collective bargaining agreement, which brought about the first free agency system in women’s professional sports.

Washington’s service to the game has gone beyond just coaching. She served on the WBCA Board of Directors and led a committee tasked to grow the game of women’s basketball. She won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2013 World University Games and served on the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Committee from 2009-12. She was a member of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund Board of Directors from 2012-15 and also served five years on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Issues Committee.

NCAA allows resumption of voluntary team activities in Division I football and basketball

The USA TODAY is reporting that the NCAA will allow for the resumption of team activities in three sports starting June 1. Find out more —

The USA TODAY is reporting that the NCAA Division I council has voted to let football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball players to resume voluntary on-campus workouts beginning June 1.

This lifts a prohibition that has been in place since March that led to the cancellation of the several conference basketball tournaments, the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament and every other scheduled competition for the NCAA’s spring calendar.

What’s interesting about this is that not only will it vary state-to-state, but things will also vary in different parts of the same state.

First off, Notre Dame will be allowed to open up for athletes in those three sports to perform on-campus workouts.  Just an hours drive to the west though, things aren’t expected to be open in Illinois as the “Land of Lincoln” remains under much stronger regulations than their neighbors to the east.

Virginia for example has different regulations in place for counties surrounding Washington, DC while the rest of the state is given a different set of rules for the time being.

What it all means is that what NCAA President Mark Emmert shared a few weeks back in that a uniformed start to college football isn’t likely as some teams will get a start June 1 while plenty of others will not.

There is a long road to go but if you’re hoping for college football to be played mostly as scheduled this fall, this is a huge step in the right direction.

Notre Dame President Non-Committal About Football in 2020

Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins addressed the school’s plan to open up August 10 and shared his thoughts of football in 2020.

The University of Notre Dame created quite the stir nationwide on Monday when they announced that the school would welcome back students to campus in August.

It didn’t come without plenty of questions, however.  To give more clarity on Notre Dame’s plan to return students to campus, why the adjusted schedule and if there will be football this fall, Notre Dame President, Father John Jenkins appeared on NBC’s TODAY Show Tuesday to help give more clarity.

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Jenkins didn’t have all the answers, something he freely admitted and I’m sure the short “I don’t have all the details yet” won’t fly for a good amount of people but he did give a strong explanation as to why the schedule has been adjusted to have an extended break after Thanksgiving through New Years.

Jenkins non-commitment to football and sports being played in the fall is also somewhat surprising to me.  I wasn’t expecting a full “Games will be played and fans will be in the stands!” but Jenkins came off more reserved than I was thinking he would.

Hopefully it’s just Jenkins being cautious with words and trying to not have anything come back to bite him down the road.  After NCAA President Mark Emmert’s comments that sports wouldn’t be played if students weren’t on campus though, this is a good first step.

When Will NCAA Allow College Sports to Return?

Will we have college football in 2020? The NCAA released a plan for a return to the playing field for college sports in 2020.

We sit here on May 7 with plenty wondering when we will get sports back.  Sure, NASCAR hits the track in ten days in front of an empty crowd but when might we get college sports back?  The NCAA has finally given at least a hint of that.

The NCAA has released their three phases of re-socialization which we’ll examine a bit here as the organization offered a premise for resuming practice and competition.

First:  Core principles of resocialization of collegiate sport

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Notre Dame: April’s Top Ten Stories on FIW

April has come and gone. Which Notre Dame stories were the biggest the last month? Count down the top ten right here.

And just like that April has come and come.  Amazing how fast (or slow) a month goes by when you’re stuck inside the confides of your home unless you’ve got an essential job you have to punch into still.

What all happened during the month of April at Fighting Irish Wire?  Well it was an interesting month that saw the retirement of a legendary coach at Notre Dame, six players get drafted in the NFL Draft and a 2021 football recruit give a verbal to Notre Dame.

If you missed anything this month or are just curious to look back, here are your ten most popular stories from Fighting Irish Wire during the month of April.

10.  Niele Ivey wasn’t even on the job a week when she saw two prime-time recruits commit to the Notre Dame Women’s basketball program.

9.  Deion Colzie, prized wide reciever in the 2021 recruiting class de-commited from Notre Dame in March.  Could he still re-commit though?

8.  Brian Kelly gave an early-April update on the latest on Notre Dame/Navy in Ireland, something we’re still left wondering about as we say goodbye to the month.

7.  Christian McCaffrey never played for Notre Dame but the Fighting Irish coaching staff continues to promote the highest paid running back in the NFL as one of their own.

6.  We found out more information on Will Shipley’s recruitment in the early parts of the month.  We’re still without any absolutes but Notre Dame clearly has a spot at the table with Clemson and North Carolina.

5.  We don’t have an answer yet on if Notre Dame and Navy will play in Ireland but a recent mandate by Ireland’s government has me scratching my head trying to figure out how this game gets played overseas.

4.  Notre Dame quarterback commit Tyler Buchner, the prized jewel so far of the 2021 cycle, received a fifth star by 247Sports. 

3.  Brian Kelly had strong words he offered up for Kirk Herbstreit’s prediction that college football wouldn’t be played in 2020. That was this month?  Seriously it feels like eight weeks ago at least.

2.  The latest news of Notre Dame being a finalist to land former Stanford running back Trevor Speights got a lot of attention the last few days.  Stay tuned as we could get an announcement there before much longer.

April’s Most Viewed Story:  Notre Dame made a scholarship offer to one of the nation’s top defensive recruits in the 2022 class, Denver Harris as they’re trying to hit one out of the park with the prized defensive back.

Thank you everyone for making April great and can’t wait for an even better May.  Hopefully we’ll all be able to get back to a little more normalcy this month compared to in the last but I hope you’re saying safe, sane and healthy.

 

Two Massive Recruits Pick Notre Dame

Niele Ivey hasn’t been on the job for even a week but has already landed commitments from two big-time recruits in the 2021 recruiting class.

You only get one chance to make a first impression and if new Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey’s first 100 hours on the job are any indication, she’s going to be an elite head coach.

After accepting the position and officially taking over for the Hall of Famer Muffet McGraw, Ivey has already landed two elite recruits to the 2021 class.

Not even 48 hours after the announcement of Ivey taking the job Notre Dame landed the second-rated player in the entire 2021 recruiting class, Olivia Miles.

Miles is rated as the top point guard prospect in the nation but wasn’t the only huge recruit to commit to Ivey and Notre Dame.  Just a couple of days later it was fellow five-star prospect Sonia Citron, the reigning Gatorade New York Player of the Year.

The 6-1 guard Citron averaged 23.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while leading Scarsdale (Ursuline) to a 24-0 record.

Citron and Miles are both huge gets for Ivey who I’d imagine will have great success at recruiting and developing guards.

Notre Dame: Brian Kelly Gives Muffet McGraw Highest of Praise

You figure it’s just a matter of time until a Muffet McGraw statue is chilling outside Purcell Pavillion.

Shocking news came down Wednesday afternoon as the announcement of Muffet McGraw’s retirement came down.  The legendary basketball coach exits as not just the most accomplished women’s basketball coach in Notre Dame history but as accomplished as almost anyone to ever blow a whistle on campus.

Head football coach Brian Kelly had the following to say about the retirement of McGraw on Wednesday:

Pretty tough to make any argument against that.  She may not have been as instrumental in building the university or athletic program quite like Father Ted or Knute Rockne, but she exits just as accomplished, if not more-so than any of the other names Kelly lists.

You figure it’s just a matter of time until a Muffet McGraw statue is chilling outside Purcell Pavillion.

Praise for Muffet McGraw Coming from Everywhere

Legendary basketball coach Muffet McGraw retired from coaching Wednesday after a historic run heading the women’s program.  33 years, two national championships and 848 wins later she turned Notre Dame from a women’s basketball afterthought to a blue-blood of the sport.  

Upon announcing her retirement Wednesday, some of the biggest names in sports and at Notre Dame offered well wishes to the hall of fame coach.

Legendary basketball coach Muffet McGraw retired from coaching Wednesday after a historic run heading the women’s program.  33 years, two national championships and 848 wins later she turned Notre Dame from a women’s basketball afterthought to a blue-blood of the sport.

Upon announcing her retirement Wednesday, some of the biggest names in sports and at Notre Dame offered well wishes to the hall of fame coach.

Notre Dame legend and current member of the Dallas Wings, Arike Ogunbowale:

Legendary former Notre Dame basketball coach, Digger Phelps:

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to which she was elected to in 2017:

Current Notre Dame men’s basketball coach, Mike Brey:

More…

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Niele Ivey Named New Notre Dame’s Replacement for McGraw

Ivey remained an assistant on Muffet McGraw’s staff through the 2018-19 season before spending this past year as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.  Now she’s back at Notre Dame for a third time, this time to replace the legendary McGraw.

Niele Ivey played for Notre Dame in parts of five seasons between 1997 and 2001.  She left the university as a student-athlete in 2001 on the highest of notes as the All-American point guard was a huge part of the Fighting Irish’s squad that won the first national championship in program history.  She then went on to play in the WNBA until 2005 before beginning a coaching career that led her back to Notre Dame in 2007.

Ivey remained an assistant on Muffet McGraw’s staff through the 2018-19 season before spending this past year as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.  Now she’s back at Notre Dame for a third time, this time to replace the legendary McGraw.

Here is Notre Dame’s official release on Ivey’s hiring:

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – There’s no place like home under the Golden Dome. James E. Rohr Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick announced Niele Ivey (‘01) as the fourth head coach in women’s basketball history on Wednesday. 

Ivey was the common link to all nine of the program’s Final Four appearances, two as a player and seven as an assistant coach, logging a combined 17 years on Notre Dame’s campus. Ivey spent the past season honing her craft as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, before returning to follow in Muffet McGraw’s footsteps.

Ivey will address Irish fans as the new Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach for the first time on Thursday, April 23, at Noon ET as part of a virtual press conference. 

“I am so honored to be able to follow in the legacy that Coach McGraw built here at Notre Dame,” Ivey stated. “My love and appreciation for Coach McGraw is beyond anything I can express. She’s more than a mentor, more than a friend, she’s one of the most influential people in my life. I am full of gratitude for Coach McGraw and what she has done for me.  She was the first to give me an opportunity to play for Notre Dame and coach here as well. I will forever be grateful for her love and support. I would also like to thank Jack Swarbrick and Father Jenkins for having the faith to move this program forward with me. I can never thank you enough for this incredible opportunity.”

The Irish went 386-55 (.875) during Ivey’s time patrolling the sidelines as an assistant. Notre Dame’s recent decade of dominance (2010-19) had Ivey’s handprints all over it – no other program had produced more trips to the national title game (six), and the Irish posted the third-most wins in that span, as well (339). 

That decade also consisted of 14 conference championships (eight regular-season plus six tournament titles split between the BIG EAST and ACC), seven Final Fours and a 2018 national championship. 

“I am thrilled Niele will be the next leader of the Notre Dame basketball program,” Muffet McGraw said. “She’s one of the best young coaches in the game today and her success with the Grizzlies has helped make her even more prepared for her new role.

“What sets Niele apart is her ability to connect with all generations — alums, her current team and future student-athletes. She will be a fantastic role model and a leader in the women’s empowerment movement, and she will represent Notre Dame in a way that will make our fans proud.”

The inaugural recipient of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division I National Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2016, Ivey has thrived in all aspects of the game, including player development, scouting and recruiting. 

She tutored the likes of All-Americans Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jewell Loyd, Lindsay Allen and Arike Ogunbowale. Coach McGraw consistently entrusted her with the toughest scouts, earning key victories over squads from UConn, Maryland, Tennessee, Louisville, Baylor, South Carolina and Texas A&M. In addition, Ivey helped Notre Dame attract Top-12 recruiting classes in nine of her last 10 years. 

Over Ivey’s last eight years with the Irish, Notre Dame ranked in the Top 12 in field goal percentage, scoring offense and assists. In her most recent season at Notre Dame, the 2019 Irish took home the statistical championship for top scoring offense in the country, averaging a program record 88.6 points per game.

“Father Jenkins and I have every confidence that Niele Ivey is the perfect person to build upon the legacy established by Coach McGraw,” Swarbrick stated. “As a player and as a coach, Niele helped Notre Dame women’s basketball perform at a championship level. She understands Notre Dame and what it takes to help young women reach their potential here. We look forward to working closely with her in the years ahead.”

Ivey expanded her basketball prowess when she stepped away from Notre Dame to accept an assistant coaching position with the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2019-20 season. Ivey proved to be a true trailblazer, becoming the ninth active female coach in the NBA.

Over the past year, Ivey helped develop a young team, with a new coaching staff, into a playoff contender. The Grizzlies currently sit as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference during the league’s COVID-19 suspension. Ivey worked with several different position groups with the Grizzlies, but primarily with standout point guard Ja Morant, a favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

“I want to express gratitude for the Memphis Grizzlies organization, especially Zach Kleiman and Taylor Jenkins,” Ivey added. “I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be on their staff and to be a part of such an amazing organization. I have had the opportunity to learn and develop from Taylor and I’m so grateful for his amazing leadership and expertise. I developed a family in Memphis and I am so blessed.”

In her playing days, Ivey was an All-American point guard and three-time All-BIG EAST selection, going 109-22 in an Irish uniform and capping her collegiate playing career with a title run in 2001. Ivey went on to play five seasons in the WNBA after her selection by the Indiana Fever in the second round of the 2001 WNBA Draft. She spent four seasons with the Fever, helping them to their first playoff berth in franchise history in 2002.

Ivey joined McGraw’s staff in May of 2007, and the rest was history. 

It seems last fall was never a “goodbye;” it was simply a “see you later.” Welcome back, Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey. 

 

Stunner – Muffet McGraw to Retire

Legendary women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw announced her retirement on Wednesday. Find out all the news on this shocking story here.

Shocking news out of South Bend on Wednesday afternoon as legendary women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw is retiring.  McGraw has not only coached the Notre Dame women’s team since the 1987-88 season but turned them into one of the top programs in collegiate sports.

McGraw released the following statement on Wednesday:

McGraw led the Fighting Irish to 24 straight NCAA Tournament appearances beginning in 1996, a streak that would have ended this past year had the tournament been played.  In that stretch she won a pair of national championships while reaching the final five more times and the Final Four three more times.

McGraw retires with the seventh most coaching wins in the history of women’s basketball, compiling 936 wins between her five years at Lehigh before her 33 seasons at Notre Dame.  McGraw finishes with a career mark of 848-251 at Notre Dame and went 425-97 in Big East and ACC play.

McGraw was elected to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.  She was also awarded 10 different coach of the year awards in her time with the Fighting Irish.

Former Notre Dame player and McGraw assitant Niele Ivey will be the next head coach.  She takes the post after working most recently as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.

More on the story as it comes but an absolute stunner to see a legend like McGraw, who would perhaps be on the Mt. Rushmore of Women’s Basketball coaches all-time, retires.