NOTRE DAME, Ind. — St. Louis native Niele Ivey is the new Notre Dame women’s basketball coach.
Ivey is taking over as Muffet McGraw announced her retirement on Wednesday.
“I am thrilled Niele will be the next leader of the Notre Dame basketball program,” Muffet McGraw said. “She’s one of the best young coaches in the game today and her success with the Grizzlies has helped make her even more prepared for her new role.
“What sets Niele apart is her ability to connect with all generations — alums, her current team and future student-athletes. She will be a fantastic role model and a leader in the women’s empowerment movement, and she will represent Notre Dame in a way that will make our fans proud.”
The St. Louis native spent the past season as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.
A press release from the Iris said that over the past year, Ivey helped develop a young team, with a new coaching staff, into a playoff contender. The Grizzlies currently sit as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference during the league’s COVID-19 suspension. Ivey worked with several different position groups with the Grizzlies, but primarily with standout point guard Ja Morant.
“I want to express gratitude for the Memphis Grizzlies organization, especially Zach Kleiman and Taylor Jenkins,” Ivey added. “I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be on their staff and to be a part of such an amazing organization. I have had the opportunity to learn and develop from Taylor and I’m so grateful for his amazing leadership and expertise. I developed a family in Memphis and I am so blessed.”
In a press release from Notre Dame it said that Ivey was the common link to all nine of the program’s Final Four appearances – two as a player and seven as an assistant coach.
The Irish went 386-55 (.875) during Ivey’s time on the sidelines as an assistant. Notre Dame’s recent decade of dominance (2010-19) had Ivey’s handprints all over it – no other program had produced more trips to the national title game (six), and the Irish posted the third-most wins in that span, as well (339).
“I am so honored to be able to follow in the legacy that Coach McGraw built here at Notre Dame,” Ivey stated. “My love and appreciation for Coach McGraw is beyond anything I can express. She’s more than a mentor, more than a friend, she’s one of the most influential people in my life. I am full of gratitude for Coach McGraw and what she has done for me. She was the first to give me an opportunity to play for Notre Dame and coach here as well. I will forever be grateful for her love and support. I would also like to thank Jack Swarbrick and Father Jenkins for having the faith to move this program forward with me. I can never thank you enough for this incredible opportunity.”
Ivey attended Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis.
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