Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL in the order that ESPN's HoopGurlz Super 60 ranks them nationally: Sidney Cooks, 6‑4, St. Joseph's (Wis.) High No. 6 overall prospect nationally She has a long list of schools from UCLA in the West to Maryland in the East, but could have a fall trip planned to Notre Dame. What's unusual is while she is ranked this high by HoopGurlz, Pros‑ pects Nation has her at only No. 92. Danielle Patterson, 6‑3 Jamaica (N.Y.) Mary Louis Academy No. 11 overall prospect nationally Tentatively scheduled for an official visit in Sep‑ tember, she has publicly declared her top four to be Tennessee (her childhood favorite because Candace Parker was her idol), Notre Dame, Virginia and St. John's. The Irish had an in‑home visit with her last Sept. 24. Blue Star Basketball ranks her No. 10 — but Prospects Nation again has her much lower at No. 39. Jade Williams, 6‑4 Prestonwood (Texas) Christian Academy No. 15 overall prospect nationally Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw and as‑ sistant Carol Owens, who coaches the posts, were in her home last Sept. 16, and she too is projected to take an official visit in the fall. Connecticut could be the main competition. Unlike with Cooks and Patterson, Prospects Nation has her much higher at No. 7. Maya Dodson, 6‑3 Alpharetta (Ga.) St. Francis No. 20 overall prospect nationally HoopGurlz actually lists her as a wing, but either way Notre Dame would be interested. UConn, Stanford and Tennessee are, too. LaDazhia Williams, 6‑2 Bradenton (Fla.) Lakewood Ranch No. 43 overall prospect nationally McGraw and assistant Niele Ivey were in her home last Sept. 28 and reportedly extended an offer. Lauryn Miller, 6‑1, Kirkwood (Mo.) High No. 46 overall prospect nationally She is another with a huge discrepancy in rank‑ ings — Prospects Nation lists her at No. 8 in the country. Her father is former Notre Dame wide receiver Alvin Miller (1983‑86), Parade's Player of the Year as a high school senior. Mikayla Vaughn, 6‑3 Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends Central School Not rated Although not in HoopGurlz's Super 60, she did come in at No. 59 in Prospects Nation's rankings, and she too received a visit from the Irish staff last September. The overall No. 1 recruit in the country is Virginia 6-0 wing Me- gan Walker, who could take a visit to Notre Dame this September. Per usual, the team to beat is UConn. An- other 6-0 wing, Oregon native Evina Westbrook, is considered maybe sec- ond overall to Walker, and she too has been pursued by the Irish staff. IRISH TO PLAY IN PRESEASON WNIT The 2016-17 season will mark the fifth time in its history that Notre Dame will play in the 16-team Pre- season Women's National Invita-