Extra kick to the roster
Niele Ivey is determined to get the Notre Dame Fighting Irish back on top of the college basketball world. ND already has an incredible roster returning next season, but Ivey went into the portal to grab two very important graduate transfers to help the Irish fight for a national championship.
From the ND press releases via Ashton Pollard:
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame has added its first student-athlete out of the transfer portal this offseason, and she’s a big get.
On Monday, 2024 First Team All-ACC forward Liatu King signed with the Irish after spending four years at Pittsburgh. She is one of just three players in the ACC who averaged a double-double last season, posting 18.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. King had 18 double-doubles during her senior year, including a pair of them against Notre Dame. She was the only player in the country who averaged at least 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.
Additionally, the Washington, D.C. native’s 52.3 field goal percentage ranked fourth in the conference and 51st in the nation. It was up 13.1 percent from her junior year (39.4). In addition to earning a spot on the All-ACC First Team, she was the conference’s Most Improved Award recipient.
King joins Maddy Westbeld in the power forward spot, creating one of the best post duos in the nation. Of note, King, Westbeld, Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles have all been named to the All-ACC First Team at some point in their careers.
welcome to The Bend @liatuking #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/XFOGVUL8Ub
— Notre Dame Women’s Basketball (@ndwbb) May 6, 2024
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Another top transfer portal target is headed to Notre Dame.
On Monday, the Irish announced forward and Marquette transfer Liza Karlen will spend her graduate season at Notre Dame.
Karlen averaged 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season and was unanimously selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team. She shot 49.7 percent from the floor, hit 60 of her 73 attempts from the charity stripe, and notched 10 double-doubles. A versatile frontcourt player, Karlen also went 25-70 from deep last year (35.7 percent).
“I would like to welcome Liza to our Notre Dame family!” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said. “She brings a wealth of experience and the depth to the forward position and has tremendous versatility offensively having shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep last season. Liza also has an incredible motor and is a relentless rebounder. I am so grateful and excited for what she will add to our team next season.”
Karlen’s numbers against ranked teams were even more impressive, as she posted 20.3 points and 8 boards per game in six ranked matchups.
The Minnesota native earned national recognition as well, as she was a Katrina McClain Award Top 10 finalist, a three-time BIG EAST Player of the Week, a two-time USBWA Player of the Week and the AP Player of the Week on Dec. 19, 2023.
Notre Dame has already added forward Liatu King to its 2024-25 roster. Karlen, King, Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles and Maddy Westbeld have all been named to first teams in their respective conferences at some point in their careers.
The additions of Liatu King and Liza Karlen boost a Notre Dame squad that is already considered one of the top teams in the nation heading into next season. https://t.co/d89QA3DF9J
— WNDU (@16NewsNow) May 6, 2024