Pitt transfer Liatu King commits to Notre Dame

Talia-HS-white-300x300by:Talia Goodman05/06/24

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Pittsburgh transfer Liatu King committed to Notre Dame on Monday.

Liatu King was one of the top remaining uncommitted players in the transfer portal, but she is now off the board and joins a Notre Dame roster that is quickly reloading.

King averaged a double-double last season with 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds at Pitt. King also shot 52% from the field.

She also averaged 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks, showcasing her defensive efforts. King was the focal point of Pittsburgh’s offense and excelled both from mid-range and in the paint.

“Liatu is a relentless rebounder and has really improved her perimeter range,” one coach in the ACC told On3.

Liatu King helps Notre Dame retool

Liatu King joins Marquette transfer Liza Karlen as a recent transfer pledge for the Fighting Irish. Karlen – who announced her commitment to Notre Dame on Sunday – 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. 

Karlen 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. 

King should also make a big impact for Notre Dame.

Liatu King appeared in all 30 games for the Panthers in the 2023-2024 season. She ranked fourth in the ACC in blocks, fifth in rebounding and 11th in field goal percentage. Plus, she was one of five players in the NCAA last season six foot tall or shorter to rank inside the top-50 in blocked shots (43)

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.