SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The whispers coming from the Notre Dame women’s basketball program once sophomore guard KK Bransford entered the transfer portal on April 7 was that coach Niele Ivey would consider browsing the portal for another guard.
If they were the right fit.
On Tuesday night Ivey confirmed she had found her match — and a familiar one, as Bransford has made a U-turn and is back on the Irish roster for 2024-25. The 5-foot-11 former McDonald’s All-American will have two years of remaining eligibility.
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Bransford attended the ND women’s basketball awards banquet Tuesday evening at Purcell Pavilion, though she entered on crutches with her left foot in a protective boot.
“She’s just recovering [from an injury],” Ivey said after the ceremony, “and KK will be back. Great news.”
The key reserve on an injury-diluted team that still reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and won the ACC Tourney played the fifth-most minutes for the Irish last season, with seven starts in 33 games played.
She finished the season sixth in scoring average, at 6.8 points per game, while shooting 39.0% from the field. Bransford averaged 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game and was particularly valuable on defense in being able to guard every position but center.
The Irish lose two players to expired eligibility, starting guard Anna DeWolfe and reserve guard Jenna Brown, the latter of whom did not play in a single game this past season due to a knee injury.
Also departing is reserve post Nat Marshall as a grad transfer and seldom-used reserve forward Becky Obinma, who reportedly has petitioned the NCAA for a seventh year of eligibility and will spend it somewhere other than ND if she is granted that year.
The Irish return four starters from their 28-7 team — All-America point guard Hannah Hidalgo, All-ACC guard Sonia Citron, All-ACC forward Maddy Westbeld and center Kylee Watson. Watson suffered a torn ACL on March 9 in the ACC Tourney semis and had knee surgery earlier this month. She also attended Tuesday’s festivities on crutches.
Also returning after a season’s absence is 2023 All-America guard Olivia Miles along with two other guards who were able to take medical redshirt seasons after suffering early-season injuries — Emma Risch and Cass Prosper.
Notre Dame adds 6-5 freshman center Kate Koval in June. Koval, from Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran High via Ukraine, was ranked as the nation’s top post player and No. 5 prospect overall in the 2024 class by ESPNw.
The Irish reportedly are still looking for a frontcourt player or two in the transfer portal for next season.
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