I spoke to some sources today regarding everything going on with Notre Dame women’s hoops. Building on Maddy Westbeld’s formal announcement on Monday that she is returning for 2024-25, here’s the latest:
On the injury front, Kylee Watson had her ACL surgery last week after suffering an ACL tear on March 9. The very general timeline for full recovery is projected as nine months. Even the most optimistic, ahead-of schedule window wouldn’t have her ready for the start of the season in November. So, it could be midseason. It could be longer.
Guards Emma Risch (hip surgery) and Cass Prosper (leg) are shooting around these days but haven’t been medically cleared to do everything from a basketball standpoint. The hope and projection is that they both will be able to go full speed when summer school starts in June.
So where does that put Notre Dame from an incoming transfer portal standpoint? Let’s start with Marquette forward Liza Karlen, who was rumored to be visiting the Notre Dame campus this weekend. That was fiction, not that there isn’t some interest in the 6-2 All-Big East forward. But head coach Niele Ivey, Cass Prosper, Hannah Hidalgo and assistant coach Carol Owens were all out of town, so a visit this past weekend didn’t make a lot of sense.
I’m anticipating the Irish will have two or three transfer prospects in for visits this weekend. That’s their plan, I’m told. But which prospects seem to change on a daily basis, as new names cause both individuals and teams to reprioritize. Ideally, with the right fit, Notre Dame will take two bigs via the portal. A guard is more of a luxury and would again have to be an ideal fit and someone willing to play a reserve role. But for now that’s in play too.
Grad transfers are the easiest to take from an admissions standpoint, but the Irish would look at a young post player/forward as well.
As far as the 2025 cycle, official visits could start on April 9, and Notre Dame could host some this month, next month or in June. No official visits at this time have been scheduled. A lot of players are playing club ball after their high school seasons have ended, so summer visits might make more sense.
ND’s top three targets in 2025 are all five-star prospects and all ranked in the top 15 of the latest ESPNw rankings.
They are:
6-1 guard Aaliyah Crump, from Minnetonka, Minn. She’s ranked No. 5 overall in the 2025 class, the same spot Irish future center Kate Koval was ranked in 2024 and where All-America point guard Hannah Hidalgo was ranked in 2023. Crump has been to ND on three or four unofficial visits, including this past January.
6-0 guard ZaKiyah Johnson from Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, Ky. She hasn’t been to ND yet, but she hasn’t really done much campus visiting yet of any kind. There is strong mutual interest here. She’s No. 7 overall in the ESPNw rankings.
6-2 forward Leah Macy of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, Ky. Macy is the No. 14 player overall in the 2025 class, and has visited Notre Dame three times already.
I don’t anticipate any more roster surprises. I am hearing Becky Obinma is petitioning the NCAA for a seventh year, having to do with her time at her first school, TCU. Even if that’s granted, I don’t expect her to be at Notre Dame in the coming season.
One note on the Hannah Hidalgo nose ring fiasco. The call to have her remove it did not come from the game officials on site, but from an NCAA official who called in after seeing it on TV. Hidalgo had worn it all season with a Band-Aid over it. It is a permanent ring, so it’s not something she ever had removed before. When it was removed, it caused significant pain and bleeding.
On the injury front, Kylee Watson had her ACL surgery last week after suffering an ACL tear on March 9. The very general timeline for full recovery is projected as nine months. Even the most optimistic, ahead-of schedule window wouldn’t have her ready for the start of the season in November. So, it could be midseason. It could be longer.
Guards Emma Risch (hip surgery) and Cass Prosper (leg) are shooting around these days but haven’t been medically cleared to do everything from a basketball standpoint. The hope and projection is that they both will be able to go full speed when summer school starts in June.
So where does that put Notre Dame from an incoming transfer portal standpoint? Let’s start with Marquette forward Liza Karlen, who was rumored to be visiting the Notre Dame campus this weekend. That was fiction, not that there isn’t some interest in the 6-2 All-Big East forward. But head coach Niele Ivey, Cass Prosper, Hannah Hidalgo and assistant coach Carol Owens were all out of town, so a visit this past weekend didn’t make a lot of sense.
I’m anticipating the Irish will have two or three transfer prospects in for visits this weekend. That’s their plan, I’m told. But which prospects seem to change on a daily basis, as new names cause both individuals and teams to reprioritize. Ideally, with the right fit, Notre Dame will take two bigs via the portal. A guard is more of a luxury and would again have to be an ideal fit and someone willing to play a reserve role. But for now that’s in play too.
Grad transfers are the easiest to take from an admissions standpoint, but the Irish would look at a young post player/forward as well.
As far as the 2025 cycle, official visits could start on April 9, and Notre Dame could host some this month, next month or in June. No official visits at this time have been scheduled. A lot of players are playing club ball after their high school seasons have ended, so summer visits might make more sense.
ND’s top three targets in 2025 are all five-star prospects and all ranked in the top 15 of the latest ESPNw rankings.
They are:
6-1 guard Aaliyah Crump, from Minnetonka, Minn. She’s ranked No. 5 overall in the 2025 class, the same spot Irish future center Kate Koval was ranked in 2024 and where All-America point guard Hannah Hidalgo was ranked in 2023. Crump has been to ND on three or four unofficial visits, including this past January.
6-0 guard ZaKiyah Johnson from Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, Ky. She hasn’t been to ND yet, but she hasn’t really done much campus visiting yet of any kind. There is strong mutual interest here. She’s No. 7 overall in the ESPNw rankings.
6-2 forward Leah Macy of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, Ky. Macy is the No. 14 player overall in the 2025 class, and has visited Notre Dame three times already.
I don’t anticipate any more roster surprises. I am hearing Becky Obinma is petitioning the NCAA for a seventh year, having to do with her time at her first school, TCU. Even if that’s granted, I don’t expect her to be at Notre Dame in the coming season.
One note on the Hannah Hidalgo nose ring fiasco. The call to have her remove it did not come from the game officials on site, but from an NCAA official who called in after seeing it on TV. Hidalgo had worn it all season with a Band-Aid over it. It is a permanent ring, so it’s not something she ever had removed before. When it was removed, it caused significant pain and bleeding.
