Where Notre Dame women’s basketball ranks in preseason Associated Press Poll
No Niele Ivey-coached Notre Dame team has ever started a season ranked in the top six of the preseason Associated Press Top 25 … until now. The Fighting Irish come in at No. 6 this year.
Here’s a look at the complete preseason AP Top 25.
Women’s Basketball Preseason Associated Press Top 25
1. South Carolina
2. UConn
3. USC
4. Texas
5. UCLA
6. Notre Dame
7. LSU
8. Iowa State
9. NC State
10. Oklahoma
11. Duke
12. Baylor
13. Kansas State
14. Ohio State
15. North Carolina
16. West Virginia
17. Louisville
18. Maryland
19. Florida State
20. Ole Miss
21. Creighton
22. Kentucky
23. Nebraska
24. Alabama
25. Indiana
Notre Dame will face No. 2 UConn and No. 4 Texas at home inside Purcell Pavilion one week apart. The Irish host the Longhorns on Dec. 5 and the Huskies on Dec. 12. Before then, the Irish go on the road to play No. 3 USC on Nov. 23.
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Notre Dame is also up against No. 9 NC State on Feb. 23, No. 11 Duke on Feb. 17, No. 15 North Carolina on Jan. 5, No. 17 Louisville on Feb. 2 and March 2 and No. 19 Florida State on Feb. 27. That makes nine games for head coach Niele Ivey’s team against opponents ranked in the preseason poll. If any team is up for the challenge, it’s Ivey’s.
The Irish have one of the best backcourts in the country in 2023-24 First Team All-American Hannah Hidalgo and 2021-22 Freshman All-American Olivia Miles. The latter hasn’t played since 2022-23 because of a knee injury, but she has said time and again in the offseason she’s healthy and as strong as she’s ever been.
Notre Dame also has a five-star freshman center in 6-5 Kate Koval in addition to two transfer additions in the front court in Marquette’s Liza Karlen and Pittsburgh’s Liatu King, who were both all-conference players at this previous institutions. Senior guard Sonia Citron was a Second Team All-ACC selection last season as well.
Notre Dame begins the upcoming season with an exhibition against Davenport on Oct. 30 and the regular season opener vs. Mercyhurst on Nov. 4. Both games will tip off at Purcell Pavilion, the former at 7 p.m. ET and the later at 5 p.m. ET. The first road game of the year is the Irish’s second game overall, Nov. 10 at Purdue at 7 p.m. ET.
