Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team
Notre Dame Fighting Irish logo.svg
University University of Notre Dame
First season1977–78
Athletic director Pete Bevacqua
Head coach Niele Ivey (5th season)
Conference Atlantic Coast Conference
Location Notre Dame, Indiana
ArenaPurcell Pavilion
at the Edmund P. Joyce Center
(capacity: 9,149)
Nickname Fighting Irish
ColorsBlue and gold [1]
   
Uniforms
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Home
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Away
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Alternate
NCAA tournament champions
2001, 2018
NCAA tournament runner-up
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019
NCAA tournament Final Four
1997, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1997, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA tournament round of 32
1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA tournament appearances
1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 (MCC)
2013 (Big East)
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2024 (ACC)
Conference regular season champions
1985, 1986 (North Star)
1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995 (MCC)
2001, 2012, 2013 (Big East)
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 (ACC)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team is the intercollegiate women's basketball program representing University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The program currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I. The Fighting Irish play their home games in the Purcell Pavilion at the Edmund P. Joyce Center, and are currently coached by Niele Ivey.

Contents

History

Former coach Muffet McGraw was the women's head coach from 1987 to 2020 [2] and led the Irish to two national championships in 2001 and 2018. [3] The Irish's first national championship team in 2001 was led by 6-foot-5 center and future WNBA star Ruth Riley, [4] who led the Irish past Purdue 68–66.

Under McGraw's stewardship, Notre Dame has reached the Final Four nine times (1997, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019), [3] [5] which currently ranks 5th all time in NCAA history. Notre Dame has made it to the Sweet Sixteen in each of the last ten seasons (2010–19), has won 20 or more games in 24 of the past 25 seasons, and has won 30 or more games in eight consecutive seasons (2011–19). [3] The Irish have made 26 NCAA tournament appearances as of the end of the 2018–19 season, including a current streak of 24 appearances. [3] In the current streak, Notre Dame has made it to the second round in all but one of the appearances. [3]

McGraw would take the Fighting Irish back to the Final Four in 2011 under the play of star point guard Skylar Diggins, beating Pat Summitt's Tennessee Lady Volunteers; the program's first win against the Lady Vols in 21 tries. That win was followed by an upset of the number one-ranked UConn Huskies (making Notre Dame the first team ever to beat both Tennessee and UConn in the same tournament) to advance the Fighting Irish to the 2011 championship game, where it lost to Texas A&M. [6] The Irish would return to the championship game in 2012, losing to unbeaten Baylor after winning the Big East regular season title and beating UConn again to reach the final.

In the 2012–2013 season, the Irish, led by Diggins and shooting guard Kayla McBride, posted their best regular season record in school history (31–1), despite losing Big East defensive player of the year Devereaux Peters and two other starters to graduation. Their only regular season loss was to Baylor, and the team posted wins over #9 Tennessee in Knoxville and a narrow 1 point at #1 Connecticut. The Irish completed an undefeated 16–0 Big East regular season championship vs #3 Connecticut in the final game of the season, winning a triple overtime thriller to close out Diggins’ career in South Bend. UConn and Notre Dame would again meet in the Big East Tournament final, with Notre Dame winning narrowly 61–59 to claim their first ever Big East tournament championship. Notre Dame had lost to UConn in the finale 6 previous times.

Notre Dame made it to the national championship game in 2014 and 2015, twice losing to Connecticut.

After an injury plagued start to the 2017–18 season, which saw four Irish players lost to injury, Notre Dame won its second national championship by beating Mississippi State 61–58. Junior guard Arike Ogunbowale scored the game winning three point shot with one-tenth of a second left, two days after scoring a similar buzzer beater to knock out Connecticut in the semifinal game. The win was coach McGraw's second national championship and 800th win at Notre Dame. [7] Four of the returning five starters, including Ogunbowale, Jackie Young, Marina Mabrey and Jessica Shepard, returned to the Final Four the following year. [5] The Irish would beat Uconn 81–76 before falling by 1 point to Baylor, 82–81.

The Irish are now coached under former player and star Niele Ivey, who in her third season has led the team to an ACC regular season conference championship and a trip to the sweet sixteen.

Awards and honors

National awards

Players

Naismith College Player of the Year

AP National Player of the Year

  • Ruth Riley – 2001 [3]

Sports Illustrated National Player of the Year

  • Ruth Riley – 2001 [3]

NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player

Nancy Lieberman Award [3]

Elite 90 Award

  • Nicole Benz – 2019

Coaches

Naismith College Coach of the Year

AP Coach of the Year

  • Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018 [3]

WBCA Coach of the Year

  • Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014 [3]

USBWA Coach of the Year

  • Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014 [3]

Conference awards

Players

ACC Athlete of the Year

ACC Player of the Year

ACC Defensive Player of the Year

  • Brianna Turner – 2016, 2017, 2019 [8] [3]
  • Hannah Hidalgo – 2024 [9]

ACC Rookie of the Year

  • Brianna Turner – 2015 [3]
  • Maddy Westbeld – 2021 [10]
  • Sonia Citron – 2022 [11]
  • Hannah Hidalgo – 2024 [12]

Big East Player of the Year

Big East Freshman of the Year

  • Alicia Ratay – 2000 [3]
  • Jacqueline Batteast – 2002 [3]
  • Jewell Loyd – 2013 [3]

Big East Defensive Player of the Year

Midwestern Collegiate Conference/Horizon League Player of the Year

  • Karen Robinson – 1990, 1991 [3]

North Star Conference Player of the Year

  • Trena Keys – 1985, 1986 [3]

Coaches

ACC Coach of the Year

[3]

Big East Coach of the Year

  • Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013 [3]

Midwestern Collegiate Conference/Horizon League Coach of the Year

  • Muffet McGraw – 1991 [3]

North Star Conference Coach of the Year

  • Mary DiStanislao – 1985, 1986 [3]
  • Muffet McGraw – 1988 [3]

Season-by-season results

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Sharon Petro ()(1977–1980)
1977–78Sharon Petro 13–4——
1978–79Sharon Petro 16–6——
1979–80Sharon Petro 20–10——
Petro:49–20 (.710)
Mary DiStanislao ()(1980–1983)
1980–81Mary DiStanislao 10–18–——
1981–82Mary DiStanislao 16–9–——
1982–83Mary DiStanislao 20–7–——
Mary DiStanislao (North Star Conference)(1983–1987)
1983–84Mary DiStanislao 14–146–4——
1984–85Mary DiStanislao 20–813–11st—
1985–86Mary DiStanislao 23–813–11st—
1986–87Mary DiStanislao 12–154–2——
DiStanislao:115–79 (.593)
Muffet McGraw (North Star Conference)(1987–1988)
1987–88Muffet McGraw 20–87–32nd—
Muffet McGraw (Midwestern Collegiate Conference)(1987–1994)
1988–89Muffet McGraw 21–1112–2T-1st7th in NWIT
1989–90Muffet McGraw 23–616–01st—
1990–91Muffet McGraw 23–915–11st8th in NWIT
1991–92Muffet McGraw 14–178–42nd NCAA 1st Round
1992–93Muffet McGraw 15–1211–5T-2nd—
1993–94Muffet McGraw 22–710–21st NCAA 1st Round
1994–95Muffet McGraw 21–1015–11st3rd in NWIT
Muffet McGraw (Big East)(1995–2013)
1995–96Muffet McGraw 23–815–32nd NCAA 2nd Round
1996–97Muffet McGraw 31–717–12nd NCAA Final Four
1997–98Muffet McGraw 22–1012–6T-4th NCAA Sweet 16
1998–99Muffet McGraw 26–515–33rd NCAA 2nd Round
1999–00Muffet McGraw 27–515–12nd NCAA Sweet 16
2000–01Muffet McGraw 34–215–1T-1st NCAA Champions
2001–02Muffet McGraw 20–1013–32nd NCAA 2nd Round
2002–03Muffet McGraw 21–1110–65th NCAA Sweet 16
2003–04Muffet McGraw 21–1112–4T-2nd NCAA Sweet 16
2004–05Muffet McGraw 27–613–3T-2nd NCAA 2nd Round
2005–06Muffet McGraw 18–128–810th NCAA 1st Round
2006–07Muffet McGraw 20–1210–65th NCAA 2nd Round
2007–08Muffet McGraw 25–911–54th NCAA Sweet 16
2008–09Muffet McGraw 22–910–6T-4th NCAA 1st Round
2009–10 Muffet McGraw 29–612–4T-4th NCAA Sweet 16
2010–11 Muffet McGraw 31–813–3T-2nd NCAA Runner-up
2011–12Muffet McGraw 35–415–11st NCAA Runner-up
2012–13Muffet McGraw 35–216–01st NCAA Final Four
Muffet McGraw (ACC)(2013–2020)
2013–14 Muffet McGraw 37–116–01st NCAA Runner-up
2014–15 Muffet McGraw 36–315–11st NCAA Runner-up
2015–16 Muffet McGraw 33–216–01st NCAA Sweet 16
2016–17 Muffet McGraw 33–415–11st NCAA Elite Eight
2017–18 Muffet McGraw 35–315–1T-1st NCAA Champions
2018–19 Muffet McGraw 35–414–2T-1st NCAA Runner-Up
2019–20 Muffet McGraw 13–188–10T-9th
Muffet McGraw:848–248 (.774)245–89 (.734)
Niele Ivey (ACC)(2020–present)
2020–21 Niele Ivey 10–108–76th
2021–22 Niele Ivey 24–1013–5T-3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2022–23 Niele Ivey 27–615–31st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2023–24 Niele Ivey 28–713–5T-2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2024–25 Niele Ivey 5–20–0
Niele Ivey:94–34 (.734)49–20 (.710)
Total:1,103–380 (.744)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA Tournament history

Notre Dame has played in 27 NCAA Tournaments with a record of 69–25.

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
1992 #12Round of 64#5 UCLAL 72–93
1994 #7Round of 64#10 MinnesotaL 76–81
1996 #12Round of 64
Round of 32		#5 Purdue
#4 Texas Tech		W 73–60
L 67–82
1997 #6Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four		#11 Memphis
#3 Texas
#2 Alabama
#5 George Washington
#3 Tennessee		W 93–62
W 86–83
W 87–81
W 62–52
L 66–80
1998 #9Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#8 Southwest Missouri State
#1 Texas Tech
#4 Purdue		W 78–64
W 62–52
L 65–70
1999 #5Round of 64
Round of 32		#12 Saint Mary's (Calif)
#4 LSU		W 61–57
L 64–74
2000 #2Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#15 San Diego
#7 George Washington
#3 Texas Tech		W 87–61
W 95–60
L 65–69
2001 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Alcorn State
#8 Michigan
#5 Utah
#3 Vanderbilt
#1 Connecticut
#3 Purdue		W 98–49
W 88–54
W 69–54
W 72–64
W 90–75
W 68–66
2002 #7Round of 64
Round of 32		#10 New Mexico
#2 Tennessee		W 58–44
L 50–89
2003 #11Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#6 Arizona
#3 Kansas State
#2 Purdue		W 59–47
W 59–53
L 47–66
2004 #5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#5 Southwest Missouri State
#13 Middle Tennessee
#1 Penn State		W 69–65OT
W 59–46
L 49–55
2005 #4Round of 64
Round of 32		#13 Santa Barbara
#5 Arizona State		W 61–51
L 61–70
2006 #9Round of 64#8 Boston College
L 61–78
2007 #9Round of 64
Round of 32		#8 California
#1 North Carolina		W 62–59
L 51–60
2008 #5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#12 SMU
#4 Oklahoma
#1 Tennessee		W 75–62
W 79–75OT
L 64–74
2009 #7Round of 64#10 Minnesota
L 71–79
2010 #2Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#15 Cleveland State
#10 Vermont
#3 Oklahoma		W 86–58
W 84–66
L 72–77OT
2011 #2Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#15 Utah
#10 Temple
#6 Oklahoma
#1 Tennessee
#1 Connecticut
#2 Texas A&M		W 67–54
W 77–64
W 78–53
W 73–59
W 72–63
L 70–76
2012 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Liberty
#8 California
#5 St. Bonaventure
#2 Maryland
#1 Connecticut
#1 Baylor		W 74–43
W 73–62
W 79–35
W 80–49
W 83–75OT
L 61–80
2013 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
#16 Tennessee-Martin
#9 Iowa
#12 Kansas
#2 Duke
#1 Connecticut		W 97–64
W 74–57
W 93–63
W 87–76
L 65–83
2014 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Robert Morris
#9 Arizona State
#5 Oklahoma State
#2 Baylor
#4 Maryland
#1 Connecticut		W 93–42
W 84–67
W 89–72
W 88–69
W 87–61
L 58–79
2015 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Montana
#9 DePaul
#4 Stanford
#2 Baylor
#1 South Carolina
#1 Connecticut		W 77–43
W 79–67
W 81–60
W 77–68
W 66–65
L 53–63
2016 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#16 North Carolina A&T
#9 Indiana
#4 Stanford		W 95–61
W 87–70
L 84–90
2017 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#16 Robert Morris
#9 Purdue
#5 Ohio State
#2 Stanford		W 79–49
W 88–82OT
W 99–76
L 75–76
2018 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Cal-State Northridge
#9 Villanova
#4 Texas A&M
#2 Oregon
#1 Connecticut
#1 Mississippi St.		W 99–81
W 98–72
W 90–84
W 84–74
W 91–89OT
W 61–58
2019 #1Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		#16 Bethune-Cookman
#9 Michigan State
#4 Texas A&M
#2 Stanford
#2 Connecticut
#1 Baylor		W 92–50
W 91–63
W 87–80
W 84–68
W 81–76
L 81–82
2022 #5Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#12 UMass
#4 Oklahoma
#1 NC State		W 89–78
W 108–64
L 63–66
2023 #3Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#14 Southern Utah
#11 Mississippi State
#2 Maryland		W 82–56
W 53–48
L 59–76
2024 #2Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen		#14Kent State
#7 Ole Miss
#3 Oregon State		W 81–67
W 71–56
L 65–70

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References

  1. ↑ "Color | Athletics Branding | On Message | University of Notre Dame" . Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Muffet McGraw Bio :: Notre Dame Women's Basketball :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics". www.und.com. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 "Notre Dame Women's Basketball ACC 2018–19 Media Guide :: Notre Dame Women's Basketball :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics" (PDF). www.und.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Irish Win National Championship!!! :: Notre Dame Women's Basketball :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics". www.und.com. April 2001. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Notre Dame beats Stanford to get back to Final Four". ESPN. April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Danielle Adams scores 22 in second half to lead Aggies to first title". ESPN. April 6, 2011. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Another Arike Ogunbowale game winner leads Irish to NCAA title". ESPN. April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  8. ↑ "LOUISVILLE'S DURR REPEATS AS ACC WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR". theACC.com. 6 March 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  9. ↑ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2023-24 Award Winners". theACC.com. 5 March 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2021 Award Winners". theACC.com. 2 March 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  11. ↑ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2021-22 Award Winners". theACC.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2023-24 Award Winners". theACC.com. 5 March 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
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