Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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in 2014 to 63-53 in 2015. Possibly the gap could be closed even more next season because whereas UConn would lose all-time NCAA three-point leader Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and powerful de- fensive presence Kiah Stokes, Notre Dame returned its top nine. That is, until … LOYD TURNS PRO A positive in women's basketball is unlike in the men's game, the elite players are not "one and done." This year, Loyd and Minnesota sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. became pioneer figures in early en- try to the pros for the women while becoming the top two picks in the WNBA Draft. The requirement in the WNBA is one must still turn 22 years of age in the calendar year of the draft to be eligible, and Loyd turns 22 on Oct. 5 — whereas Connecticut's Na- tional Player of the Year Breanna Stew- art turns only 21 in August. Loyd's decision, which was an- nounced shortly after the loss to UConn, was not received well by McGraw. In an interview with local television stations WNDU and WSBT on April 14, amidst the team's bas- ketball banquet (when Loyd was at a WNBA Rookie Orientation), McGraw revealed that Loyd had told her about a month prior that she would return for her senior year. McGraw admitted she didn't think much of it at the time because women basketball players don't turn pro early anyway. "I was shocked when Jewell told me she that was leaving," McGraw said. "… We're incredibly disappointed, in so many ways. "I think it's a really bad decision for women … They're going to make less than $50,000 in the league. It's just mind-boggling that anybody would choose to leave early … I am definitely trying to get over this shock, but I think it's going to take a while." In the final five NCAA Tournament games, Loyd shot 28-of-96 from the floor (29.2 percent), evoking thoughts of having too much on her mind. BUSINESS AS USUAL The loss of Loyd doesn't end Notre Dame's hopes of returning to a sixth straight Final Four in 2016; it just will make it more difficult, similar to this past season after the graduation of three starters. "They're all in a situation where the last group to graduate knows, 'Hey, we've been there, four years in a row. Now it's your turn. Who's going to stop the streak?'" McGraw said. "No- body wants to be the one to end it. "My biggest worry is always that at the beginning of the year the team is going to look and say, 'Well, it's ex- pected. We're going to do it. We're go- ing to get back to the Final Four again.' You cannot take any game for granted. It's so difficult to get there." Even with Loyd's departure, the program still has eight McDonald's All-Americans, including three incom- ing guards and state players of the year on state champions: • MaxPreps National High School Player of the Year and Indiana Miss Basketball Ali Patberg. • New Jersey's Marina Mabrey — who shared Most Valuable Player hon-