ZIGGY SH'BOOM ANDERSON
(7/1/2010 — 7/22/2020)
(Adopted 2011)
Farewell sweet, stubborn, mischievous, miraculous Ziggy.
You gave us 9 years of love, joy & adventure — 5 of those coming after you were diagnosed w/ congestive heart failure & given just 1 to 2 more years by the docs.
Dedicated mom &
@ndwbb
coach Niele Ivey confirmed that after ND practice ends at 2:40 Friday in Bridgeport, CT, she'll drive to Philly to watch son Jaden's 7:09 Sweet 16 gm for
@BoilerBall
.
Then back to Bridgeport for ND's Sweet 16 11:30 am Sat gm vs NC St.
It's 3 hours each way.
At the end of the Ring of Honor ceremony saluting
@ndwbb
legend Muffet McGraw, AD Jack Swarbrick dropped a bomb on her by announcing that there will also be a statue.
McGraw said she was stunned; something she never imagined, something she figured was reserved for football.
Hannah Hidalgo, ESPN No. 5-rated prospect, has just chosen
@ndwbb
.
Irish may be building something monstrous. She joins No. 16 Cass Prosper & No. 20 Emma Rich in Irish recruiting class of 2023.
No. 9-rated ND slated to have 4 starters back next year and a couple other key pieces
No surprise, but Brianna Turner being named to Naismith HOF/WBCA watch list for her position today means
@ndwbb
has players tabbed at all 5 spots.
No other team has even 4 players (20 players per position), & UConn, Duke, Maryland, Oregon & Texas are only schools w/ 3 named.
NorthWood soars into rare air w/ the trifecta.
Only 10 Indiana schools (6 public) have ever won state in boys basketball, girls basketball and football.
Panthers join Ben Davis, Carmel, Mater Dei, Luers, Indy Cathedral, Lafayette C. Catholic, Oak Hill, Plymouth, Warren Central.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
68, Louisville 65.
Irish are ACC outright regular-season champs.
It's ND's first title since 2019, first outright since 2017.
Prosper's two FT at :06 put Irish up 5.
In her just-concluded postgame presser, Niele Ivey said that Sonia Citron's knee injury is a "sprain" and that she could be back in "a couple weeks." Expressed relief over the outlook.
Super sweet news for
@ndwbb
fans:
Maya Dodson (12.4 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.7 bpg) wants to return, per Niele Ivey, & paperwork's being done toward that end.
Though Dodson is grad student who began career in 17-18 (at Stanford; sat out 20-21), she may still gain COVID yr most have coming.
Maya Dodson's mom and an
@ndwbb
spokesperson have both confirmed that the NCAA denied Dodson's appeal for another season of eligibility.
Seems beyond inexplicable, at least given all of the known circumstances and other NCAA decisions.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
91, DePaul 86.
Dodson 28, Westbeld 22, Miles 20 as Irish improve to 11-2 while dropping Demons to 11-3 w/ 7-game win streak snapped.
Great way for ND to head into its holiday break.
Maya Dodson of
@ndwbb
goes No. 26 overall (second pick of third round) to the Phoenix Mercury.
Ex-Irish greats Skylar Diggins-Smith and Brianna Turner are both members of the Mercury.
Niele Ivey opened her
@ndwbb
press briefing this afternoon by saying she's spoken w/ Olivia Miles and Miles "will be back" next season, adding that Miles is "killing it" in workouts.
Unsubstantiated (ie. irresponsible) rumors have been circulating of Miles possibly transferring.
Overall ESPN No. 1-rated 2019 prospect Samantha Brunelle picks
@ndwbb
. The 6-2 forward joins Anaya Peoples, one of nation's top-ranked point guards, in that Irish class.
Hannah Hidalgo is the ACC's Player of the Week, and obviously the Rookie of the Week.
She joins Brianna Turner in 2014-15 as the only
@ndwbb
players, per the school, to sweep league POTW and ROTW honors in the same week.
It's her 2nd straight ROTW nod.
Next season continues to take exciting shape for
@ndwbb
.
@daramabrey
just said she plans to return.
If
@mydod_15
gets the ok she's seeking from NCAA, that means potentially all 5 starters back plus others.
Per
@ndwbb
coach Niele Ivey after tonight's team awards program, KK Bransford will be back next season after all.
Bransford had recently entered transfer portal.
She was on crutches tonight, but team official indicated it's more about soreness than injury.
Muffet McGraw on
@ndwbb
's Arike Ogunbowale not voted ACC Player of Year: "... she should've been player of the year. She has I think 30 more assists than the person that won, she's got more rebounds, less turnovers, more steals. I think she's beaten her in every category ..."
Hannah Hidalgo being promoted by
@ndwbb
as an ACC Player of the Year and national Rookie of the Year candidate, as she should be (she's easily top 2 for both awards), but not sure how these earrings are going to look on me. I think I better pass them on to the world's best wife.
Per
@ndwbb
coach Muffet McGraw, Abby Prohaska will sit out the rest of the season & be eligible for a medical redshirt.
Prohaska, recovering from a diagnosis of blood clots in her lungs shortly before season, never appeared in a game & will have 3 years of eligibility remaining.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
105, Ohio 69.
Bobcats virtually the same team in personnel that beat ND 86-85 in last season's opener.
Irish appear to have come a loooonnnngggg way.
Latest
@ndwbb
commit Madeline Westbeld is younger sister of Irish NCAA champ Kathryn Westbeld. She's also ranked No. 23 by ESPN in 2020 class, giving ND the Nos. 23, 25, 32 & 44-rated players in that group.
FINAL: No. 15
@ndwbb
82, No. 8 UConn 67.
Irish w/ a profound head-turner, making Thursday even more of a head-scratcher.
Hidalgo ND frosh record 34 points, Westbeld 23, Citron 15.
Irish (15-4) break 13-gm win streak by Huskies (17-4).
It'll be "Muffet McGraw Monday" tomorrow on ESPNU, 12 straight hours of
@ndwbb
games, including both 2018 Final Four wins and capped by what wound up her final win, the 70-67 stunner at No. 19 Florida State.
What a game for the ex
@ndwbb
star who's fought back from injury. Also yesterday, Arike & Marina both 20-plus for Dallas. Jackie Young shining for Vegas, Bri Turner for Phoenix.
Is there a better fivesome of college mates ever to enter WNBA at same time?
Last night, Jessica Shepard joined Lisa Leslie as just the second player in WNBA history to collect 22+pts/19+ reb/6+ast in a single game(the first since 2002).
Shepard joined Maya Moore as the second player in team history to pass the 15+pts/15+reb/5+ast threshold in one game.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
72, Ga Tech 66, OT.
No. 19 Irish (20-6, 11-4) dig in and gut out the road win over No. 16 Jackets after giving up a 10-point 4th-quarter lead.
Miles 18 points, 8 assists.
Dodson, Westbeld, Citron & Mabrey each 10 to 11 points.
A name you will not forget.
@HannahHidalgo
, who averaged 10.7 points & 5.4 assists to lift the 🇺🇸
#USABWU19
team to gold, is the 2023 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year!
🏆
#USABAwards
Muffet McGraw of
@ndwbb
has been chosen USA Today Coach of the Year in women's basketball. A'ja Wilson of South Carolina is Player of the Year and joined on the 5-player first team by Asia Durr among others. ND's Arike Ogunbowale is on the 5-player second team.
Again, just to clarify, if
@ndwbb
beats Clemson OR Louisville, Irish will finish at least fourth in ACC standings and receive double league tourney bye based on the tiebreakers they own over Va Tech, Ga Tech and N Carolina.
For a 4th straight week, upward movement by
@ndwbb
in the AP poll.
Irish are No. 17 — their largest uptick yet.
In last 5 polls, they've been 24, 22, 21, 20 & 17.
Coaches' poll to come. ND was 18 in that one last wk.
Also, don't be surprised if
@mydod_15
earns ACC Player of Week.
Watching Dara Mabrey need help to leave the court was about as surreal as it gets.
There's been no more durable player in college basketball, men's or women's, over the last 5 years.
Her teams (between Va. Tech & ND) have played 135 games in that time. She' started all 135.
What
@ndwbb
fans have been aching to learn.
There won't be many quartets around the nation as star-studded as Hidalgo, Miles, Citron & Westbeld.
Koval, Watson (if healthy) & probably a portal pickup or two will be among the fifth-starter options.
Hidalgo cracks double digits again -- this time in terms of how many ACC Rookie of the Week honors.
That's 10 out of 13 weeks now.
Needs 1 more to break Ta'Niya Latson's record, and there's 4 weeks left in regular season.
Kinda like her odds.
Rookie of the Week x 𝟭𝟬
congrats to
@HannahHidalgo
on being
@accwbb
Rookie of the Week for the 10th time, tying the record for the most ACC Rookie of the Week honors!!
#GoIrish
☘️
As it is,
@oliviamiles06
leads the nation in assists, and is doing things never & rarely done by a
@ndwbb
freshman, yet she's also working at being more vocal.
Here's Miles on earning respect, on ACC frosh award policy, on stress, coaches, parents & more.
Penn High School point guard deluxe
@markussburton
, a recent rapid riser in national stock, makes his choice official.
Says he's heading to next-door Notre Dame, where he becomes the first commit in the
@NDmbb
class of 2023.
@insideNDsports
How's this for a 3-pointer?
Sonia Citron of
@ndwbb
has been named ACC Frosh of the Week for third time in last four weeks.
She had 48 points over games vs Michigan St & UConn, making 14-of-24 FGs w/ five 3s & 15/16 FTs.
More quietly, but still dazzling, 1 turnover in 59 minutes.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
68, Va Tech 55.
Irish wrap first-ever 4-0 homestand in league play (hadn't had one since 93-94).
Miles & Citron w/ beautiful behind-back passes for transition hoops down stretch.
ND moves to 18-4 overall (9-2 ACC) & holds potential key tiebreak over Tech (15-6, 8-3)
That's nine ACC Rookie of the Week selections for Hannah Hidalgo, one short of the league record set one year ago by FSU's Ta'Niya Latson.
Hidalgo also picked up Naismith national Player of the Week earlier today.
There's five weeks to go in regular season.
new week, new weekly honor!!
congrats to
@HannahHidalgo
on being named
@accwbb
Rookie of the Week after posting 34 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists at No. 8 UConn, her first true road game against a top-10 opponent!!
#GoIrish
☘️
The former
@ndwbb
star & Irish assistant is back in a head coaching gig.
Cunningham, No. 3 scorer in team history, was an ND assistant for 8 seasons (2012-20). She also went 167-115 as head coach at VCU over 9 seasons (2003-12). She was an assistant at Duke the last 2 years.
Recruiting analysts oohing & aahing over the talent & promise of latest
@ndwbb
commit Kate Koval. The 6-5 native of Ukraine, playing HS ball at Long Island Lutheran, is the top-rated class of '24 post in the nation by ESPN.
Imagine her w/ all that guard talent the Irish possess.
FINAL: No. 18
@ndwbb
74, No. 20 Tennessee 69.
What a win for the Irish (6-1); they storm back from 16 down in 3Q for the W on the road.
Westbeld 15 points, 10 rebounds, including 13, 6 in second half.
Olivia Miles has just become the first
@ndwbb
player ever w/ three career triple doubles.
Has 11 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists in opening minute of 4Q as Irish lead Merrimack 83-32.
Skylar Diggins and Jackie Young each had two triple doubles during their Irish careers.
In light of wind chill advisory issued by the N. Indiana NWS, fans w/ tickets who are unable to attend Sunday's noon
@ndwbb
game vs Miami can exchange them for future game of their choice.
Further, walk-up admission for fans without tickets will be complimentary.
Nice touch by ND
Kate Koval has signed w/
@ndwbb
, following her early October commitment.
The 6-5 Koval, from Ukraine & playing HS ball in NY, is the No. 1-rated post & No. 5 player overall in class of '24, per ESPN.
Her impact at ND will be "immediate and massive," per Irish coach Niele Ivey.
FINAL:
@ndwbb
70, No. 19-ranked Florida State 67.
Irish win third straight game, all against teams ahead of them in ACC standings.
Will be No. 10 seed in ACC Tourney and face No. 15 Pitt at 3:30 pm Wed. to begin a quest to win 5 games in 5 days.
The new destination for
@Destinee24
Walker set to be
@ndwbb
.
After shining as a freshman & during an injury-shortened sophomore season at North Carolina, the grad transfer has appeared in just 4 games over the last 2 years. Gives ND 9 scholarship players.
Former
@ndwbb
walk-on
@katcole22
recalls the tearful moment Muffet McGraw put her on scholarship (even if Muffet doesn't always recall it), as well the time her coach assured her she was needed.
Plus Cole on future, & notes/quotes on Wed's visit by Toledo.
Over 32 years of covering Elkhart County sports, there was, at least for me, nothing in the fall season more chilling of the skin or warming of the heart than watching
@NWHS_Football
. Warsaw going for the W, but boom, another "sudden change" by the Panthers ...
Olivia Miles will visit with a doctor later today regarding her knee injury, per
@ndwbb
coach Niele Ivey moments ago during an ACC media zoom.
So no news yet on the Irish star as ND prepares for league tourney QF on Friday.
Miles was injured in 2Q of Sunday's win at Louisville.
FINAL: Notre Dame 94, Bryant 35.
Irish move to 5-0.
For just the second time ever (2018-19), they've beaten each of their first five opponents by at least 15.
Up next, unbeatens Georgia & No. 15 Oregon State in the Dayton Beach Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
AP poll is out — and
@ndwbb
is in.
Irish (6-1) ranked No. 24 after taking Georgia (now No. 20) to OT and nipping Oregon St (No. 23) last week.
It's the first time in a year the Irish are ranked. They were No. 22 in last season's delayed preseason poll, but fell out after week 1.
That took almost no time - Jackie Young No. 1 overall to Las Vegas Aces, drafted by fellow ex-Domer Bill Laimbeer.
Ex-Irish Kayla McBride and Lindsay Allen were with the Aces last season, too.
FINAL: Notre Dame 81, UConn 76.
Irish go for 2nd straight national title Sunday at 6 p.m. against No. 1 Baylor.
ND bone-chilling good in the crunch in this one.
ND coach Niele Ivey was approached about this late last year.
"I jumped on board right from the beginning knowing it was going to be something historical," she says.
It'll be program's 1st-ever reg.season gm outside N. America, & per Ivey "a life-changing experience" for players.
We're making history abroad! 🇫🇷
We’ll be taking on the Gamecocks in Paris, France to open the 2023-24 season. The matchup will be the first ever collegiate basketball game -- men’s or women’s -- played in the French capital.
🔗:
#GoIrish
☘️
.
@mikkivaughn30
of
@ndwbb
should be be playing back in her Philly hometown at the famed Palestra today. Instead, she's handling a devastating injury w/ amazing resolve, spirit and even humor. She talks about it here. Plus other Irish notes.
Get this,
@NWHS_Football
goes for it on 4th and 10 from its own 30 on fourth play of game and it turns into a 70-yd Kaden Lone to Kyle Sellers TD pass. That's called
#SuddenChange
Panther style.
Make it 3-for-3 in ACC Rookie of the Week honors by
@ndwbb
sensation Hannah Hidalgo.
Yeah, there's a long, long way to go, but for the record, the record for times named is 10 by Ta'Niya Latson just last season, when the Florida St guard was tabbed each of the first 8 weeks.
Thrilled for
@SoccerNorthwood
& especially Brad Duerksen on Panthers' first-ever boys regional title.
Brad's been a dedicated, humble, under-the-radar, program-driven, forward-looking coach for 23 years, & he was helpful w/out exception during my full-time years at
@ElkhartTruth
.
Hidalgo did not have a steal in 1st half (she's never had less than 3 in a college game).
Um, the Irish will take it in light of 19 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast in one half at Gampel Pavilion.
She's just one cray-cray, cray-cray, cray-cray special freshman.
Somehow overlooked for Coach of the Year in her own conference, McGraw has proceeded now to win USA Today, ESPNw and AP National Coach of the Year, and the Naismith honor may still be coming.
KK Bransford of
@ndwbb
is the ACC's Rookie of the Week.
Bransford scored 10 points in a win against Ga. Tech, then added 14 in ND's league-clinching victory at Louisville. She was 12-of-18 from the field over the two games.
ICYMI yesterday,
@ndwbb
rocketed up to No. 9 in AP poll, an extremely rare jump of 5 spots this late in a season (nobody else up more than 2).
Irish also up to No. 7 in NET. Appear entrenched as at least a 3 seed for NCAA Tourney, and a case could be made for 2, tho guessing not.