Marquette transfer Liza Karlen commits to Notre Dame

One of the best portal options is off the board as Marquette transfer Liza Karlen announced her commitment to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

The 6-2 senior averaged a career-high 17.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks last season while shooting 50% from the field and 36% from deep. 

She’s collected several accolades throughout her collegiate career, including being named to the 2023-24 All-Big East first team and earning AP Player of the Week honors in December of last season. She also led Marquette with 10 double-doubles last season and had 12 20-point games. She ranks No. 21 in program history for points scored and No. 12 for rebounding. 

Karlen entered the transfer portal shortly after Marquette head coach Megan Duffy was hired as Virginia Tech’s next head coach. Three other Golden Eagles entered the portal and looked elsewhere after the coaching change, but only two decided to transfer.

Junior Nia Clark transferred to Cincinnati, while star sophomore Mackenzie Hare landed at Iowa State. Junior guard Lee Volker recently withdrew her name from the transfer portal, deciding to stay with new head coach Cara Consuegra. 

Liza Karlen will help Notre Dame

Liza Karlen was one of the top players still available in the portal due to her versatility and growing confidence on the court during her senior campaign. 

“She has a versatility about herself that she honestly doesn’t have to try and do too much,” Duffy said this past season. “She can shoot her shot, she’s a good rebounder and she continues to show her poise and confidence.” 

Karlen is Notre Dame’s first portal addition of the offseason. The Fighting Irish lost junior forward Natalija Marshall to the portal and she recently committed to the Miami Hurricanes. Forward Maddy Westbeld was a full-time starter for Notre Dame last season and the addition of Karlen will help bolster the team’s frontcourt significantly. 

With the return of star freshman Hannah Hidalgo, Westbeld, Sonia Citron and Olivia Miles, who missed the 2023-24 season due to injury, the Fighting Irish are shaping up to be one of the most talented teams in the country.