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.
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| University | University of Notre Dame | |||
| First season | 1977–78 | |||
| Athletic director | Pete Bevacqua | |||
| Head coach | Niele Ivey (4th season) | |||
| Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference | |||
| Location | Notre Dame, Indiana | |||
| Arena | Purcell Pavilion at the Edmund P. Joyce Center (Capacity: 9,149) | |||
| Nickname | Fighting Irish | |||
| Colors | Blue and gold[1] | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
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| 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) | ||||
History edit
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 edit
National awards edit
Players edit
Naismith College Player of the Year
- Ruth Riley – 2001[3]
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
- Ruth Riley – 2001[3]
- Arike Ogunbowale – 2018
- Skylar Diggins – 2012, 2013[3]
- Nicole Benz – 2019
Coaches edit
Naismith College Coach of the Year
- Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014[3]
- Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018[3]
- Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014[3]
- Muffet McGraw – 2001, 2013, 2014[3]
Conference awards edit
Players edit
ACC Athlete of the Year
- Arike Ogunbowale – 2018[3]
ACC Player of the Year
- Kayla McBride – 2014[3]
- Jewell Loyd – 2015[3]
- Brianna Turner – 2016[3]
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
ACC Rookie of the Year
- Ruth Riley – 2001[3]
- Jacqueline Batteast – 2005[3]
- Skylar Diggins – 2012, 2013[3]
Big East Freshman of the Year
Big East Defensive Player of the Year
- Ruth Riley – 1999, 2000, 2001[3]
- Devereaux Peters – 2011, 2012[3]
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 edit
ACC Coach of the Year
- Muffet McGraw – 2014, 2016
- Niele Ivey – 2023
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
Season-by-season results edit
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Petro () (1977–1980) | |||||||||
| 1977–78 | Sharon Petro | 13–4 | — | — | |||||
| 1978–79 | Sharon Petro | 16–6 | — | — | |||||
| 1979–80 | Sharon Petro | 20–10 | — | — | |||||
| Petro: | 49–20 (.710) | ||||||||
| Mary DiStanislao () (1980–1983) | |||||||||
| 1980–81 | Mary DiStanislao | 10–18 | – | — | — | ||||
| 1981–82 | Mary DiStanislao | 16–9 | – | — | — | ||||
| 1982–83 | Mary DiStanislao | 20–7 | – | — | — | ||||
| Mary DiStanislao (North Star Conference) (1983–1987) | |||||||||
| 1983–84 | Mary DiStanislao | 14–14 | 6–4 | — | — | ||||
| 1984–85 | Mary DiStanislao | 20–8 | 13–1 | 1st | — | ||||
| 1985–86 | Mary DiStanislao | 23–8 | 13–1 | 1st | — | ||||
| 1986–87 | Mary DiStanislao | 12–15 | 4–2 | — | — | ||||
| DiStanislao: | 115–79 (.593) | ||||||||
| Muffet McGraw (North Star Conference) (1987–1988) | |||||||||
| 1987–88 | Muffet McGraw | 20–8 | 7–3 | 2nd | — | ||||
| Muffet McGraw (Midwestern Collegiate Conference) (1987–1994) | |||||||||
| 1988–89 | Muffet McGraw | 21–11 | 12–2 | T-1st | 7th in NWIT | ||||
| 1989–90 | Muffet McGraw | 23–6 | 16–0 | 1st | — | ||||
| 1990–91 | Muffet McGraw | 23–9 | 15–1 | 1st | 8th in NWIT | ||||
| 1991–92 | Muffet McGraw | 14–17 | 8–4 | 2nd | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
| 1992–93 | Muffet McGraw | 15–12 | 11–5 | T-2nd | — | ||||
| 1993–94 | Muffet McGraw | 22–7 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
| 1994–95 | Muffet McGraw | 21–10 | 15–1 | 1st | 3rd in NWIT | ||||
| Muffet McGraw (Big East) (1995–2013) | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | Muffet McGraw | 23–8 | 15–3 | 2nd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
| 1996–97 | Muffet McGraw | 31–7 | 17–1 | 2nd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1997–98 | Muffet McGraw | 22–10 | 12–6 | T-4th | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 1998–99 | Muffet McGraw | 26–5 | 15–3 | 3rd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
| 1999–00 | Muffet McGraw | 27–5 | 15–1 | 2nd | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2000–01 | Muffet McGraw | 34–2 | 15–1 | T-1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2001–02 | Muffet McGraw | 20–10 | 13–3 | 2nd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
| 2002–03 | Muffet McGraw | 21–11 | 10–6 | 5th | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2003–04 | Muffet McGraw | 21–11 | 12–4 | T-2nd | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2004–05 | Muffet McGraw | 27–6 | 13–3 | T-2nd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
| 2005–06 | Muffet McGraw | 18–12 | 8–8 | 10th | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
| 2006–07 | Muffet McGraw | 20–12 | 10–6 | 5th | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
| 2007–08 | Muffet McGraw | 25–9 | 11–5 | 4th | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2008–09 | Muffet McGraw | 22–9 | 10–6 | T-4th | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
| 2009–10 | Muffet McGraw | 29–6 | 12–4 | T-4th | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Muffet McGraw | 31–8 | 13–3 | T-2nd | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2011–12 | Muffet McGraw | 35–4 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2012–13 | Muffet McGraw | 35–2 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| Muffet McGraw (ACC) (2013–2020) | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | Muffet McGraw | 37–1 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2014–15 | Muffet McGraw | 36–3 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2015–16 | Muffet McGraw | 33–2 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Muffet McGraw | 33–4 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 2017–18 | Muffet McGraw | 35–3 | 15–1 | T-1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2018–19 | Muffet McGraw | 35–4 | 14–2 | T-1st | NCAA Runner-Up | ||||
| 2019–20 | Muffet McGraw | 13–18 | 8–10 | T-9th | |||||
| Muffet McGraw: | 848–248 (.774) | 245–89 (.734) | |||||||
| Niele Ivey (ACC) (2020–present) | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | Niele Ivey | 10–10 | 8–7 | 6th | |||||
| 2021–22 | Niele Ivey | 24–10 | 13–5 | T-3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2022–23 | Niele Ivey | 27–6 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2023–24 | Niele Ivey | 28–7 | 13–5 | T-2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| Niele Ivey: | 89–32 (.736) | 49–20 (.710) | |||||||
| Total: | 1,098–378 (.744) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
NCAA Tournament history edit
Notre Dame has played in 27 NCAA Tournaments with a record of 69–25.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | #12 | Round of 64 | #5 UCLA | L 72–93 |
| 1994 | #7 | Round of 64 | #10 Minnesota | L 76–81 |
| 1996 | #12 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #5 Purdue #4 Texas Tech | W 73–60 L 67–82 |
| 1997 | #6 | Round 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 | #9 | Round 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 | #5 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #12 Saint Mary's (Calif) #4 LSU | W 61–57 L 64–74 |
| 2000 | #2 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #7 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #10 New Mexico #2 Tennessee | W 58–44 L 50–89 |
| 2003 | #11 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #6 Arizona #3 Kansas State #2 Purdue | W 59–47 W 59–53 L 47–66 |
| 2004 | #5 | Round 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 | #4 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #13 Santa Barbara #5 Arizona State | W 61–51 L 61–70 |
| 2006 | #9 | Round of 64 | #8 Boston College | L 61–78 |
| 2007 | #9 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | #8 California #1 North Carolina | W 62–59 L 51–60 |
| 2008 | #5 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #12 SMU #4 Oklahoma #1 Tennessee | W 75–62 W 79–75OT L 64–74 |
| 2009 | #7 | Round of 64 | #10 Minnesota | L 71–79 |
| 2010 | #2 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #15 Cleveland State #10 Vermont #3 Oklahoma | W 86–58 W 84–66 L 72–77OT |
| 2011 | #2 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #1 | Round 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 | #5 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #12 UMass #4 Oklahoma #1 NC State | W 89–78 W 108–64 L 63–66 |
| 2023 | #3 | Round 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 | #2 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | #14Kent State #7 Ole Miss #3 Oregon State | W 81–67 W 71–56 L 65–70 |
