2026 Notre Dame postseason | The Boneyard

2026 Notre Dame postseason

Just a comment on watching the tournament.

The 3 point shooting has been horrendous overall, and I think there's a correlation between how physical the game is now, particularly defensive body checking, compared to the past.

I liken it to what happens to option QB's who get hit all the time and thus don't pass as accurately. All that hitting takes a toll.

If the woman's game is going to be refereed like the men's, and this kind of terrible outside shooting continues, teams that don't rely as much on 3 point shooting and have big, athletic players who get offensive rebounds for 2 point putbacks, are at an advantage.

I don't know if Geno's comments about the poor outside shooting was rim or site related, but to me watching lousy shooting games is hard to watch. I don't think it's going to make the game grow. That Texas/UCLA game was so ugly that I turned it off.
 
I don’t know if anyone else has posted this information, but Cassandre Prosper has decided to forego her 5th year of eligibility to declare for the WNBA draft.
 
oldude said:
I don’t know if anyone else has posted this information, but Cassandre Prosper has decided to forego her 5th year of eligibility to declare for the WNBA draft.
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I don't get it. She has great physical tools, and is a good college player, but I don't think she has played at a level that even vaguely suggests a long WNBA career.
 
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oldhusky said:
I don't get it. She has great physical tools, and is a good college player, but I don't think she has played at a level that even vaguely suggests a long WNBA career.
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If she makes a team, the new CBA will pay her some decent money. Beyond that, 4 years of college really should be enough for anyone.
 
oldhusky said:
I don't get it. She has great physical tools, and is a good college player, but I don't think she has played at a level that even vaguely suggests a long WNBA career.
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With the new WNBA CBA I think we'll see more players entering when they're eligible rather than coming back. Had JuJu gotten injured her junior year and redshirted, I would bet she would be declaring now. Chloe Kitts and Ashlynn Watkins are eligible to declare though I CDS said both were coming back.
 
DRR25 said:
With the new WNBA CBA I think we'll see more players entering when they're eligible rather than coming back. Had JuJu gotten injured her junior year and redshirted, I would bet she would be declaring now. Chloe Kitts and Ashlynn Watkins are eligible to declare though I CDS said both were coming back.
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If she wasn't prohibited from doing so, Juju should have declared after her freshman year. She's that good. Honestly so much would be fixed if courts voided any age-related prohibitions on going pro and then let the NCAA do what it wants with the college game. Don't like your college selection and think you're able to command a professional market rate? Go pro! We're really in the worst timeline for college sports right now.
 
TheFarmFan said:
If she wasn't prohibited from doing so, Juju should have declared after her freshman year. She's that good. Honestly so much would be fixed if courts voided any age-related prohibitions on going pro and then let the NCAA do what it wants with the college game. Don't like your college selection and think you're able to command a professional market rate? Go pro! We're really in the worst timeline for college sports right now.
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While I understand what you're saying, if this happened I think the NCAA women's tv ratings would tank. This is probably the single biggest advantage for the NCAA women's game over the men's because it allows for multi-year narratives with players that keep people invested. Unlike the men's game, it isn't a revolving door of new players each season.
 
TheFarmFan said:
If she wasn't prohibited from doing so, Juju should have declared after her freshman year. She's that good. Honestly so much would be fixed if courts voided any age-related prohibitions on going pro and then let the NCAA do what it wants with the college game. Don't like your college selection and think you're able to command a professional market rate? Go pro! We're really in the worst timeline for college sports right now.
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GamecockFam said:
While I understand what you're saying, if this happened I think the NCAA women's tv ratings would tank. This is probably the single biggest advantage for the NCAA women's game over the men's because it allows for multi-year narratives with players that keep people invested. Unlike the men's game, it isn't a revolving door of new players each season.
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It will be interesting to see not if, but when this happens. Although the WNBA salaries have increased significantly with the new CBA, there are still a lot of unknowns, and there is a massive difference between a first round contract in each league. With 30 NBA teams vs 15 WNBA teams, there still isn't enough "room" for a flood of underclassmen to declare for the latter. IMO, there is a difference (trying to find the right words here) between M&W CBB, and perhaps that's why there's not been a legal challenge as of yet. For most WBB players right now, an athletic scholarship is a path to future employment, whatever that may be.
 
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oldude said:
If she makes a team, the new CBA will pay her some decent money. Beyond that, 4 years of college really should be enough for anyone.
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Here's the odd/interesting thing: Cass really only played a full 2 1/2 years for the Irish. She graduated early and played half a season her HS senior year which was 2023. She was hurt five games into her sophomore year and didn't play. She played all 34 games (mostly off the bench) in 2024-25 and, of course, was a full-time starter this season.

Many on The Bench thought she needed one more year, primarily to be more consistent in her shooting and to let the game "slow down." (She has tendency of going too fast at times and blowing a chippie off a good move.)

That said, she's also played a lot of international ball at higher and highest levels. And she's done pretty well there. So, while many point to the collegiate level, Prosper and her family may think this is the time (her brother is a professional).

Lastly, this has been her plan all along, since the day she signed with Coach Ivey and ND, so this is not a surprise that will freak out anyone, from the coaching staff to Hannah Hidalgo.

For ND, I wonder what it means in terms of the portal. If Cass had stayed, it was thought that Ivey would go after a big to take Cowles' place and a combo guard to be a Vanessa de Jesus2 (gee, she did a great job for the Irish). But now, it may be asking too much for the young wings to do what Prosper did. There are a couple of players that could fit the bill to my eye. Stat tuned.

And good luck, Cass. Go get it.
 
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FWIW, there was really never any worry about this...Having said that, we're very pleased that HH will be back for '26-'27.

 
Dillon77 said:
FWIW, there was really never any worry about this...Having said that, we're very pleased that HH will be back for '26-'27.

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Yeah, I really don't understand the purpose of declaring on social media, or "publicly", that a player intends to return to the team. If you are leaving, then that is news and a change and deserves being posted.
And I am not posting just because it is Hannah. However I did see the story on the ESPN app, so to some it must be a big deal.
 
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Centerstream said:
Yeah, I really don't understand the purpose of declaring on social media, or "publicaly", that a player intends to return to the team. If you are leaving, then that is news and a change and deserves being posted.
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It just puts an end to rumors....

...and if ESPN finds it newsworthy, further builds the athlete's brand with free advertising. 🤑

Stewie&Sebrina just did the same thing at WNBA level.
 
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ND is hosting Addy Brown Friday, April 10 and may have other prospects coming in for visits. Maybe they coaches/staff wanted to put any rumors to rest and also answer a Capt. Obvious question: Will I play with Hannah Hidalgo?
 
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packwrap said:
It just puts an end to rumors....

...and if ESPN finds it newsworthy, further builds the athlete's brand with free advertising. 🤑

Stewie&Sebrina just did the same thing at WNBA level.
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I was gonna say that W free agency is a lot different than the college transfer portal but it’s all looking the same nowadays.
 
BRS24 said:
Crossposting on draft thread

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All power and the best to VdJ!
Coach Ivey had to do some serious scrambling after the 2025 season and the grad transfers she brought in
initially didn't wow many of the Irish faithful. Obviously pushed and pulled by Hannah Hidlago, the group kept plugging and eventually gelled, making it to the Elite 8.

Perhaps the transfer that impressed me the most was VdJ. She only played against ND in fits and spurts while she was at Duke, but she always impressed me with her calm, yet directed, energy on defense and aiming up a killer 3-pointer.
Given a chance for time, she matched up with HH as a starter and was the ice to Hidalgo's fire. Her calm demeanor rubbed off and she took on a lot of Hannah's aggressive nature on ball hawking. And she hit timely three pointers, time and again. Importantly, she could also take over the point, getting it up against P4 pressure.

Really good year for her individually and collectively. With the expanded rosters, you never know, but I'll bet whatever opportunity arises -- whether in the W or elsewhere -- she'll work it. Good luck, VdJ!
 
BRS24 said:
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Me thinks "experienced" is code for grad student, which would follow Coach Ivey and ND's preference.
Madison St. Rose is supposed to visit next week who, just coincidentally, is also from New Jersey (the shore) and played against one Hannah Hidalgo.
 
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Centerstream said:
Yeah, I really don't understand the purpose of declaring on social media, or "publicaly", that a player intends to return to the team. If you are leaving, then that is news and a change and deserves being posted.
And I am not posting just because it is Hannah. However I did see the story on the ESPN app, so to some it must be a big deal.
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I would think another reason in addition to what's been mentioned is that if any top transfers were interested in ND partly because they wanted to play with HH, her announcing it publicly would be a benefit.
 
ND fans are just waiting for the pic with Hannah and the Pope.

 
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BRS24 said:
@Dillon77 - surprised at KK's transfer announcement?
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Hi. I wrote this in the very long transfer portal thread, but rather have you find entry #1,000 plus, here's a cut and paste job.

"Actually, this isn't as much of a surprise as one might think.
  • KK put into the portal two years ago and pulled her name out, came back and rehabbed a lower leg injury all year, then played last year. Once she was back on all cylinders, she was a great help in the late-season run.
  • She's going to be an ND graduate so that's good news for all concerned.
  • A few weeks back it was her intention to come back but the between the lines stuff was....if I get a settlement that I like.
"Apparently, that didn't happen.
- It would've been great to have her leadership skills back and tough-nosed playing style, but ND does have three 6'2" highly-rated wings and a 5'10" sharpshooter.

"The player Hannah Hidalgo was closest to was Cass Prosper, so when Hannah said she'd stay after Cass went pro, that was the key commitment. She's still got her buddies Leah Macey and Kelly Ratigan. I have a feeling she and Jacy Abii will hit it off just fine."

Hopefully, there's also a portal candidate or two coming in the door....pls? 😏
 
As the great Robert Earl Keen once wrote (and sang): "The Road goes on forever and the party never ends."
ND and WCBB coaches off to first big round of AAU festivities. Portal here, HS recruiting there....geesh!

 
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