Three players makes it feel like a mass exodus
After the surprising news that Olivia Miles is forgoing the WNBA Draft and leaving Notre Dame for another school, the Irish lose to more players to the transfer portal.
Freshman forward Kate Koval and sophomore guard Emma Risch are on their way out of Notre Dame to play elsewhere via the transfer portal.
BREAKING: Notre Dame’s Kate Koval intends to enter the transfer portal, sources told @On3sports.
The 6-5 freshman averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg this season.
TRACKER: https://t.co/StsxDxjlYl pic.twitter.com/YhG9N9p6VQ
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 1, 2025
BREAKING: Notre Dame’s Emma Risch has entered the transfer portal, sources told @On3sports.
The 6-1 sophomore averaged 5.7 ppg this season.
TRACKER: https://t.co/StsxDxjlYl pic.twitter.com/3rXpRuAhvB
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) April 1, 2025
If Olivia Miles represented the possible present, both Kate Koval and Emma Risch represent the rich soil of tomorrow. Miles is the headliner, but many thought she would enter the draft and be gone anyways — these two players were supposed to bring about the future of Notre Dame women’s basketball.
It’s hard NOT to overreact when you see just how much talent is leaving Notre Dame for “greener pastures” elsewhere in college basketball. At the very least, it’s a terrible look for Niele Ivey as she and her staff are still bruised from another Sweet 16 exit.
Still… we don’t really know the firm circumstances involved, and the plan moving forward. Anyone that says Ivey is on the “hot seat” is absolutely wrong… but should they be? Maybe her seat should be pretty hot about right now.
The Irish are only signing about one player each recruiting class, so it’s back to the transfer portal for ND and Ivey — and we’ll see what happens there.