Five-star G Emma Risch officially signs with Notre Dame women’s basketball
Notre Dame has officially inked another five-star guard that could play her way into McDonald’s All-American status during her senior season, just as current true freshman KK Bransford did last year. Five-star guard Emma Risch signed with the Fighting Irish Wednesday, the university announced in a press release.
The Melbourne (Fla.) Palm Bay High School product committed to Notre Dame on Nov. 14, 2021. Nearly two years to the day, she took the biggest step toward getting on campus. Head coach Niele Ivey is thrilled to have the 6-2 sharpshooting Risch on the 2023-24 roster.
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“Emma is one of the best shooters I’ve seen in a very long time,” Ivey said in a statement. “She has an incredible IQ, deep shooting range and elite vision. Her size and ability to score in all three levels separates her and will translate to college basketball immediately. I’m looking forward to the positive impact she will make on our team on and off the court.”
Risch recently rose from No. 64 to No. 20 in the class of 2023 ESPN HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She was the top ascender of any player who appeared in the previous top 100. The eighth-ranked guard in the country, Risch averaged 20.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.2 steals in 26 games as a junior. She’s a 45% shooter from three-point range.
Risch’s game caught the eye of ESPN analyst Shane Laflin.
“The Notre Dame commit had a fantastic summer shooting the basketball,” Laflin said in a statement. “With improved strength and overall fitness, Risch elevated her ability to create space, relocate and make shots. Risch has a court awareness that makes teammates around her better; in turn, it aids her ability to hunt long-range shot-making opportunities. She has potential to be an All-American.”
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Notre Dame is set to lose graduate student shooting guard Dara Mabrey at the end of this season. Mabrey made a team-best 73 triples last season. The next closest player on the Notre Dame roster was point guard Olivia Miles with 33. Risch will instantly make up for what Notre Dame will lose in Mabrey, and she’ll had more length n the backcourt.
Risch was Notre Dame’s only signee on the opening day of the early signing period. The Irish are still waiting out the decisions of five-star point guard Hannah Hidalgo of Haddonfield (N.J.) Paul VI High School and five-star forward Cassandre Prosper of Cairine Wilson Secondary School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Hidalgo’s signing date is unclear. She’s down to Notre Dame, Michigan, Stanford, Duke, Ohio State and UCF. Prosper will decide between Notre Dame, Duke, South Carolina, Arizona and North Carolina on Saturday at 8 p.m. according to her Instagram.
