Irish add guard Kelly Ratigan from the transfer portal

Coming home

Niele Ivey adds a hometown baller from the transfer portal to the Notre Dame women’s basketball team.

From the ND press release:

Women’s Basketball Adds South Bend Native Kelly Ratigan

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Kelly Ratigan will spend the next phase of her collegiate career in her hometown, as the former Loyola Maryland guard has transferred to play for Notre Dame ahead of the 2025-26 season. She will be a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.

Ratigan, who attended Saint Joseph High School just over a mile from Notre Dame’s campus, started 46 career games for the Greyhounds. She was hampered by injury last season, but she averaged 8.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 2023-24 while averaging 31.4 minutes per game.

“We are so excited to welcome Kelly back home to South Bend and Notre Dame!” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said. “She had an outstanding career at St. Joseph High School, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of her journey moving forward.

“Kelly has an incredible motor and is a crafty scorer and 3-point shooter. She brings quality intangibles, including her leadership and work ethic.”

The South Bend native has major ties to Irish athletics, as well. Her father, Brian, is a former Notre Dame football player and currently serves as a surgeon for the athletic department. She has four siblings, and her brother Conor played football for the Irish from 2019-22.

Ratigan is the fifth transfer Notre Dame has added this offseason, joining Malaya Cowles (Wake Forest), Gisela Sanchez (Kansas State), Vanessa de Jesus (Duke) and Iyana Moore (Vanderbilt). Along with Ratigan, de Jesus and Moore are guards.