Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 29, 2025 49 anomaly. The 44 points, 16 steals, 9 re- bounds and 4 assists were all more indic- ative of who she really is as a player. An outstanding and astonishing one at that. Who are her teammates, though? We're going to learn a lot about them in the coming months. Two years ago, Hidalgo had veterans and Notre Dame legends Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld to lean on. The Irish wouldn't have made it to the Sweet 16 without them. Who on this current ros- ter is capable of helping Hidalgo out to the point of enabling the Irish to be one of the 16 best teams in the country? The No. 1 answer might have to be Prosper, but she's never been in a position of so much pressure in her Notre Dame career. Neither has redshirt junior guard KK Bransford. Vanessa de Jesus was not one of head coach Kara Lawson's pre- mier players at Duke. Vanderbilt had two players score more points per game than Iyana Moore last season. Now, if it isn't Prosper, Moore might need to be Notre Dame's No. 2 scorer. That's a big step up from being Vandy's No. 3. Gisela Sanchez and Malaya Cowles were role players at their former institutions as well, and now they're all Notre Dame's got as far as a frontcourt presence is concerned. It's not just reality-check time for Notre Dame. It's gut-check time. When you lose by a tick shy of 40 this early in the year, that's who people are going to assume you are until you prove them otherwise. The 2023-24 Irish went on a nine-game winning streak that included a triumph at ranked Tennessee follow- ing the 29-point loss to South Carolina. Head coach Niele Ivey's team steadied the ship and bounced back from the dis- mantling. It gave the country reason to think differently about what it could do. It's not about proving anything to anyone else, though. It's about proving everything to themselves. Ivey assem- bled a roster, following the departure of three players to the WNBA and four to the transfer portal, including Miles, that she felt could be competitive against every team on Notre Dame's sched- ule. Swing and a miss versus Michigan. Prosper is correct, however; it is a long season, and there are bound to be mis- fires. It's about limiting them and land- ing more punches than you miss. To punch back now, though, the Irish must first get off the mat. Ivey labeled it a mandatory "response factor" she's looking for from her group. "It's fixing what we need to fix, and some of it is just confidence," Ivey said. "Just reminding them of who we are. Reminding them that wasn't a repre- sentation of what I've seen for the last couple months. … It's early. It's Novem- ber. We have time that we can get better. "That's the focus, to get better. Making sure that they still believe and they have confidence in what we're doing." ✦ Niele Ivey needed a big recruiting class of 2026, and she got it. It's not just the size of the class, either; it's the talent level, too. The Fighting Irish are bringing five signees to South Bend next year, and they all rank inside the top 100 of the Rivals women's basketball recruiting player rankings. "I am honored, blessed and grateful to welcome of the best classes in Notre Dame women's basketball history," Ivey said in a statement. "There is a unique and special energy in our program right now — a revival of faith, trust and competitive spirit." She added, "This is an army of young women — talented, unselfish, skilled and full of faith — who I am excited to lead. They represent the foundational pillars that will impact the future of our program in a positive and transfor- mative way." Here is more on each signee. JACY ABII Height: 6-2 Hometown (high school): Frisco, Texas (Legion Prep) Rivals recruiting ranking: No. 13 Sophomore stats: 20.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists Notable: Abii missed her junior season because of an injury. Ivey: "Jacy is an exceptionally skilled, perimeter-oriented forward who impacts the game as a scorer, passer and rebounder. Her versatility and relentless work ethic make her a true stat-stuffer and a program-changing player. Beyond her talent, her leadership and drive to be the best elevate everyone around her." JENICA LEWIS Height: 5-10 Hometown (high school): Johnston, Iowa (Johnston) Rivals recruiting ranking: No. 17 Junior stats: 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 steals, 3.4 assists Notable: Lewis was highly sought after by Iowa. The Hawkeyes even used Caitlin Clark as a major recruiting tool to try to get her to stay in state. Notre Dame had not officially announced Lewis' signing as of Nov. 21, so there is not a quote from Ivey on her, but she's expected to join the Irish with her fellow signees next year. AMARI BYLES Height: 6-2 Hometown (high school): DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto) Rivals recruiting ranking: No. 19 Junior stats: 16.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.1 steals, 3.1 assists, 2.8 blocks Notable: Byles had fellow Dallas area native and Notre Dame 1987 Heis- man Trophy winner Tim Brown attend her commitment ceremony. Ivey: "Amari adds tremendous depth to our frontcourt. She's an athletic, versatile forward who can stretch the floor to the three-point line, dominate the elbows, and attack the rim. Her versatility, athleticism and rebounding will make her an immediate asset to our team." BELLA RAGONE Height: 6-2 Hometown (high school): Hoschton, Ga. (Mill Creek) Rivals recruiting ranking: No. 24 Junior stats: 23.2 points, 11.1 rebounds Notable: Ragone was Notre Dame's first commit in the class on May 22. Ivey: "Our first commitment, Bella Ragone comes from a family of accom- plished athletes — her father was a standout college quarterback, and her mother an elite college basketball player. A highly skilled offensive threat, Bella can score at all three levels and brings exceptional size, versatility and basket- ball IQ to the floor. Her blend of athleticism, competitiveness and leadership will make an immediate impact and fit seamlessly into our offensive system." ISABELLA SANGHA Height: 6-3 Hometown (high school): Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Pine Crest) Rivals recruiting ranking: No. 77 Junior stats: 27.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.8 steals, 1.3 blocks Notable: Sangha is also signed on to play for the Notre Dame volleyball team. Ivey: "Isabella brings size, athleticism, and toughness to our frontcourt, with a strong focus on defense and rebounding. She's only beginning to tap into her potential, and I'm excited to help her grow and develop." — Tyler Horka Notre Dame Seals The Deal On Five Program-Changing Signees