Maya Dodson’s college basketball career has officially come to an end.
The Notre Dame forward shared a farewell Thursday on social media after the NCAA denied her appeal for an extra year of eligibility. Dodson, a graduate transfer from Stanford, is now one of 108 players eligible to be selected in Monday’s WNBA Draft.
Because Dodson opted out of playing the 2020-21 season at Stanford, she did not automatically receive the extra year of eligibility relief the NCAA granted those who played that season. Dodson had interest in returning to Notre Dame for another season, so head coach Niele Ivey helped Dodson apply for an appeal.
Dodson only played nine games in her junior season at Stanford after missing the first 24 games with a left foot injury, but that still counted as a year of eligibility used.
Ivey should be actively pursuing transfer portal candidates to help replace Dodson and a trio of Notre Dame reserves who announced last week their intentions to transfer — junior forward Sam Brunelle, junior guard Anaya Peoples and senior guard Abby Prohaska.
The loss of Dodson is the biggest blow of those four departures. She started every game for the 24-9 Irish, whose season ended with a 66-63 loss to No. 1 seed NC State in the Sweet 16. The 6-foot-3 Dodson led Notre Dame in rebounding (7.3 per game) and blocked shots (2.8 per game). She finished second on the team in scoring (12.6 points per game).
Dodson was named to the 10-player, All-ACC First Team by the conference's coaches. She also made the ACC's All-Defensive Team.
Notre Dame only has two forwards remaining on its current roster: sophomores Maddy Westbeld and Natalija Marshall. The 6-3 Westbeld averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds as a starter in all 33 games alongside Dodson. The 6-5 Marshall played in 13 games last season before being sidelined with a meniscus tear in her knee. She averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game.
The Irish are in need of depth to support four returning starters: freshman Olivia Miles (13.7 points per game), freshman Sonia Citron (11.8), senior Dara Mabrey (10.3) and Westbeld. Notre Dame only signed one recruit in the 2022 class: McDonald’s All-America guard KK Bransford.
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