Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com AUGUST 2020 45 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Coquese Washington Returns To Notre Dame The basketball circle of life continues for Coquese Washington, who was hired in May to round out first-year head coach Niele Ivey's staff. The former Fighting Irish point guard Washington helped lead Notre Dame to its first NCAA Tournament in 1992, was an assistant to former head coach Muffet McGraw for the 2001 national champs — and shortly before that season played for WNBA champ Houston. Washington had coached Ivey — along with All-Americans Alicia Ratay and Megan Duffy, now the head coach at Marquette — before Ivey was hired by McGraw in 2007 to succeed Washington when she was named head coach at Penn State. Washington peaked with the Nittany Lions from 2012-14 with three straight Big Ten titles and two Sweet 16 appearances. Prior to her arrival, the program had signed only one McDonald's All-American, but she and her staff inked six. However, much like Notre Dame this past year, the program had a sud- den thud in 2015, dropping to 6-24, and never quite recovered. Penn State was 67-89 from 2015-19 to drop her career mark to 209-169 and result in a change of direction at the school. Washington served as the associate head coach at Oklahoma this past season before coming full circle with Ivey. "It's an absolute blessing to welcome Coquese back home to Notre Dame," Ivey said. "Her experience as a former player and alum, WNBA champion and former head coach, plus her national championship coaching pedigree, provides me with incredible knowledge and wisdom." Washington finished her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame one year ahead of schedule, and then earned her Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame in 1997. She joins assistant holdovers Carol Owens and Michaela Mabrey. Owens also will continue to hold the associate head coach title, as she has had two 10-year stints with the Fighting Irish (1995-2005 and 2010-present) with a role of mentoring the post players. Coaching transitions often have uncomfortable moments, and this one in- cluded not retaining Beth Cunningham, a well-respected and beloved figure in the program's annals, plus within the community. She had been an as- sociate head coach since 2012 and joins Ivey in the school's Ring of Honor. — Lou Somogyi The addition of 5-7 Virginia Tech transfer guard Dara Mabrey means the Fighting Irish will have 14 players on scholarship (the NCAA permits 15). The breakdown is as follows by class: Sixth-year senior (1): Destinee Walker The graduate transfer from North Carolina has a second year with the Irish after leading them in scoring last season with a 14.5 average. Seniors (2): Mikki Vaughn and Nicole Benz The 6-3 Vaughn, who has two years of eligibil- ity remaining, is Notre Dame's prime low-post threat. A knee injury in last year's opener side- lined her 11 games and hampered her all season. She still averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds while playing 26.6 minutes per game. The former walk-on Benz was rewarded with a scholarship her senior year. Juniors (4): Katlyn Gilbert, Danielle Cosgrove, Abby Prohaska and Mabrey Gilbert was third in scoring last season (13.6 per game), but might need to play point guard this year if Mabrey does not get a transfer waiver from the NCAA to be immediately eligible. Guard Prohaska was medically redshirted last season because of pulmonary embolism, but began practicing late in the year. The 6-4 Cosgrove contributed 2.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game last season. Sophomores (2): Sam Brunelle and Anaya Peoples Both joined Gilbert (medically redshirted in 2018-19) on the ACC All-Rookie team. The 6-2 Brunelle (13.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game), a former top-five recruit, is likely to be the face of the program the next three years, while Peoples might be the team's best all-around player. Prior to shoulder surgery that sidelined her the final 14 games, the 5-10 Peoples led the team in rebounding (8.1) and was fourth in scoring (12.6). Freshmen (5): Amirah Abdur-Rahim, Allison Campbell, Alasia Hayes, Natalija Marshall and Madeline Westbeld Top-20 recruit Westbeld, listed at 6-2, has the best chance to provide early impact along with Hayes, who might be the most natural point guard on the roster. Marshall is rehabbing from December ACL sur- gery, which could possibly result in a medical redshirt. Joining the roster in 2021-22 will be Olivia Miles, the nation's No. 1 point guard and No. 2 overall player nationally per ESPN HoopGurlz, and 6-1 wing Sonia Citron, the No. 16 overall prospect. Height and length will be a priority in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Ivey and Co., are in pursuit of Colo- rado's 6-7 Lauren Betts — the nation's No. 1 pros- pect — and nearby Fort Wayne, Ind., star Ayanna Patterson, who is ranked No. 3 by ESPN HoopGurlz. — Lou Somogyi 2020-21 Roster Washington was the point guard for Notre Dame's first NCAA Tournament in 1992 and was an assistant for the Irish from 1999-2007, before serving as the head coach at Penn State from 2007-19 and producing a 209-169 record. PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS