in any sport over the last 10 years.
Morning, just another day
Happy people pass my way
Looking in their eyes
I see a memory
I never realized
How happy you made me
Oh, Maddy
I think I got something to say to you
In late November, it's great you'll be back in school
This team will keep The Bench amused
As the ACC will be abused
Oh Maddy, just one Championship for the family more
I saw Manilow play while visiting a college as a prospective
The students booed him off the stage & I knew that was where I wanted to go
Ivey to announce any TP additions. Go Irish
Maybe they have said
“Yes, I want to play for a NC so I’ll come when MW announces her return”
It would be a huge factor for me
Since they would probably want to start and I fully expect Koval to start with Maddy.
But we may be more enticing now to players like Liza Karlen
If your goal is to start and get major minutes, I can see it maybe scaring some away. if your goal is to play for a team with major NC possibilities, then Maddy coming back just might be what makes them say yes. I mean you have HH, Olivia, Sonia, Maddy, plus other players coming from injury. A great incoming freshman. Great nucleus to be a part of.
Remember Koval will be a Freshman and letting her develop behind Kiki would be my preference. Kiki only has one year and we are primed to make a NC run with that one more piece in place
To me four years of Koval is more important than one year of Kiki.
That's how talented Koval is. We don't want to replicate what happened to Betts at Stanford. We've waited a long time for a post player of Kate's caliber. It's tempting to think we have this one shot at a title with it being Soni's and Maddy's last year but I was thinking long term.
And who is to say we can't make a run with Kate as the starter?
It doesn't have to be a great player, just solid depth. ND needs one more really tall big to match up with a few teams on the schedule and, more importantly, a team or two that could land in the same bracket as the Irish in the postseason.
An example would be 6'6" Kyla Oldacre from Miami who played 16 minutes per game and made 57% of her shots, all close to the basket. I'm not saying to get her specifically because I don't remember her from the ND-Miami game. However, her profile is a prototype of a depth addition to the roster who might want to be a rotation player on a team that will challenge for a championship.
-- Just have not been impressed with Oldacre over the years and don't think she's developed anywhere near the rate I'd expect (and Katie Meier wasn't bad with bigs).
This is who caught my eye:
Caitlin Weimar: Grad Student, 6'4" post from Boston U. who has gotten increasingly better at Boston U. Patriot League defender of the year. Scored 18.7 ppg and grabbed 10.6 rpg. Easy reference with Coach Melissa D'Amico Graves.
- Cameron Williams: Grad. Student, 6'3" Forward from Michigan & Chicago South Side. Tough player who averaged 7.5 ppg and 4.6 rpg.
- Maya Toure, grad. student, 6'2" power forward from Rhode Island who averaged 12.5 ppg and 7.7 rpg. French player who led Rams.
- Khadija Faye, grad. transfer, 6'4" post/power forward from Texas, who largely came off the bench in an abbreviated season to average 5.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg. Known as a rebounder, defender in Coach Schaefer's system. Could she offer that presence to ND? Went to Catholic high school in Florida so may be so inclined.
- DeYona Gaston, grad. transfer, 6'2" forward from Texas (as well) who averaged 8.4 ppg and 4.2 rpg for Coach Schaefer in under 20 mpg. Could she supply Lauren Ebo-type minutes? Both Longhorns might be looking for more time, but -- if not -- worth the calls.
As per Oldacre:
-- Just have not been impressed with her over the years and don't think she's developed anywhere near the rate one would expect (and Katie Meier wasn't bad with bigs).
As I said, I don't know anything about Oldacre other than her height.
One of the 6'3" forwards would be a nice addition, but the Irish still will need a taller post player primarily for defense, preferable one with some bulk. It isn't reasonable to expect Kate Koval to guard someone like Raegan Beers for 30 minutes, and the Irish are bound to encounter at least one player that tall in the tournament.
I don't especially like Maddy Westbeld against posts in the 6'5" to 6'6" range for fear of foul trouble. Weimar's 6'4" is the minimum height ND must add.
adequate 6’5 - 6’6 post players
that would have to meet other
ND specific criteria? The ones
Dillon mentioned could work and
it would help if we shot the ball
better in some of these lost
games. OSU could have been
a 12 pt win with the easy shots
going in. Look at Indiana, 6’3
Holmes and shooters, gave SC
a game. If Holmes was available,
would you take her?
We should have a really open
offense next year, a lot of
drives and kick outs, hopefully.
Why have some slow 6’5” post
clogging the middle? We”ll see
how it turns out. As an aside
some of these bigs get 2” off
the floor. How about athleticism
and blocking out?
By the way 90% of the time I agree
with you.
It makes the post readable.
maybe you should notice some of the points
made as hard as they are to read. I am
embarrassed on the paragraph but the
over emphasis on height seems too extreme.
Would you take Holmes for example?
It was unreadable.
Regarding Holmes or someone like her, this isn't a binary choice. We're seeing a lot more height in women's basketball lately, more skilled offensive players with height. There is room for both a forward and a prototypical post player who isn't giving two or three inches when defending at the blocks.
The NCAA Tournament requires six wins in a row against teams that play a variety of styles and that have a variety of strengths. The teams that are best in a single elimination tournament are the ones that have the most ways to win. They can adapt to tempo, score inside when shots aren't falling, defend guard oriented teams, defend post oriented teams, and win rebounding battles. Next year's Fighting Irish have enough talent to make a run at a championship. Having answers for a variety of other teams' strengths is the way to avoid a stumble along the way. That includes an answer for a dominant post player.
She was a pretty good defender back in the day and will give a straight shot on Weimar, who was Patriot League Defender of the Year.
However, with you on having a player who can play 15-20 minutes per game, defend and give up fouls against tough posts.
Here's the good news: A lot of them in the ACC are gone.
Reagan Beers is 6'4" and even she couldn't match up against Cardoso. There are 3 6'7" players in the portal and 8 at 6'6". One of them is bound be to good enough to earn some backup minutes. Let's stop acting like a 6'2" post is big enough and make things a little bit easier on ourselves.
25 mins., ? 25 mins. (That would have been Nat.)
So now a roster of eight: Citron, Hidalgo, Koval, Miles, Prosper, Risch, Watson and Westbeld.
(With Watson unavailable until December, at the earliest.)
We need at least two from the portal and as a number of people have pointed out the 2025 high school class has to be two or three recruits, not one.
- Remember what just transpired with Miles, Olivia. And has also happened with Bri Turner?
- I'm big on Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.
- Hence, three are needed.
Next year will be one of our best opportunities for a national championship. We need to have as much firepower available as possible.
By Feb
1. I’m optimistic
2. She has no reason to want to play for ND after this season
3. (Always the most important reason)-I want her back
2nd best would be a commitment from Karlen :)
...around for her first year. Live and learn every day, game with a Westbeld to show the way. Big thumbs up.
like Beers so Koval can back her and Maddy up all season and learn from both of them who each have entirely different games around the key. Freshman like Hannah who have amazing seasons are a rarity.
exceptional freshman years. My prediction Kate will too.
Looking back Maya Dodson was announced mid season Feb 2,2021 ;Kylee was announced May 16, 2022;Anna April 17, 2023; Becky May 4, 2023.
My unfortunate interpretation is, unless you count Maddy, we could hear something shortly (like Anna) or not until May.
So I'll keep wearing out this website for a week then give up until May based on history but we really don't have enough history so my plan is crap.