Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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54 NOV. 8, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY ERIC HANSEN A fter battling through a lower-leg injury that KK Bransford played with and through for two seasons, hit- ting the transfer portal and making a U-turn, and eventually taking a year off to redshirt, the former McDonald's All- American has learned to believe again. In herself. So, when the No. 15-ranked Notre Dame women's basketball team rolls out a roster with more newcomers than fa- miliar faces in the season opener at home against Fairleigh Dickinson Nov. 5, it would be fair to put Bransford in the same box with the other seven curiosities. Five scholarship transfers, still-re- covering (ACL) freshman Leah Macy, and new walk-on transfer Jordyn Smith from nearby NAIA school Holy Cross. "I think the biggest thing is my con- fidence," Bransford, a 5-11 guard and two-time Ms. Ohio Basketball, said of the version of her that Irish fans will see this season versus the one who played in 66 games, with 19 starts, in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. "I feel confident in my body. I'm healthy. I'm strong. "I've had that time to work on things that I needed to work on. That confi- dence is carrying me through." Her versatility will be a plus for a team that's guard-heavy and short on size. Bransford is a strong rebounder and able to defend forwards when required. Offensively, Bransford averaged 7.5 points a game over her first two seasons, but labored with her shot. She shot 43.4 percent overall and just 19.4 percent from three-point range. The redshirt season, while the rest of the Irish went 28-6 overall and even spent some time at No. 1 in the polls, helped Bransford recalibrate and renew, even if it was painful at first to become a bystander. "I missed everything about it," Brans- ford said. "I was holding back tears after finishing our first official practice last season. I just didn't really understand the magnitude of how much I missed the game, and so just being back on the court has been great. "It was the best decision I've ever made, having that year and going into this year. It was my first year being able to have an offseason and being able to get my body right, my mind right. I've never really had time away from basketball growing up. I've never been injured. That was my first time really taking time away, and I got to re-evaluate just my game and just things on the court and off the court as well." And part of her role off the court was helping blend all the new person- alities this summer with the only other returning scholarship players beyond Bransford — junior All-America guard Hannah Hidalgo and senior guard Cass Prosper, who, at 6-foot-3, is as tall as new starting center Malaya Cowles. From Wake Forest, Cowles is one of the five scholarship incoming transfers and one of four with expiring eligibility after this season. The exception in that group is 5-8 Loyola (Md.) transfer guard Kelly Ratigan, the daughter of former Irish linebacker Brian Ratigan, currently the head of orthopedic sports medicine for the Notre Dame football team. She has two seasons left. The others are 6-4 forward Gisela Sanchez (Kansas State), 5-8 guard Van- essa de Jesus (Duke) and 5-8 guard Iyana Moore (Vanderbilt). READY TO PLAY "It was easy," Bransford said of the blending process with all the newcom- ers. "The new girls came in ready to play. They came in knowing what our goals are, and they've come from really good programs. I just encouraged them to bring that experience and bring that leadership coming from a new school." What that looked like collectively, Irish fans got a chance to see in the team's lone exhibition game against Division II school Purdue Northwest Oct. 30. The Irish cruised to a 119-54 victory, with Hi- dalgo scoring 39 points, de Jesus adding 17 and Bransford contributing 16. On the other end of the court, a swarming Irish defense racked up 22 steals en route to 53 points off turnovers. Prosper led the team with 7 steals, fol- lowed by Hidalgo (6) and Bransford (6). "This is a group that I feel we're going Healthy And Confident, KK Bransford Hits The Reset Button On Her Career WOMEN'S B A S K E T B A L L Bransford redshirted last season after playing in 66 games with 19 starts as a freshman and sophomore. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER