Best Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women's Basketball Players of All Time

Last Updated on May 30, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Notre Dame women’s basketball has one of the richest résumés in the sport. The Irish own multiple national championships, a long Final Four history, and a player lineage that runs from early program trailblazers to WNBA stars and title-game shot makers. That makes this one harder than most, because Notre Dame has enough elite names to leave out players who would make the top five at plenty of other schools. (fightingirish.com)

1. Ruth Riley

Years with Notre Dame: 1997–2001
Position: Center
Notable achievements:
- 2001 NCAA champion
- 2001 Naismith Player of the Year
- Final Four Most Outstanding Player
- Only player in program history with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds

Ruth Riley gets the top spot because she has the cleanest all-around case in program history. She led Notre Dame to its first national championship in 2001, won the Naismith Player of the Year award, and remains the only Irish player to reach both 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. When a player combines national-title centerpiece status with historic individual production, that is the strongest legend profile a program can have. (fightingirish.com)

2. Skylar Diggins-Smith

Years with Notre Dame: 2009–2013
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- Three straight Final Four appearances
- Two national championship game appearances
- Four-time All-American
- Ring of Honor inductee

Skylar Diggins-Smith belongs right near the top because she drove one of the greatest sustained runs Notre Dame has ever had. Her official Notre Dame bio says she led the Irish to 130 wins, three Final Fours, two national title game trips, and multiple conference championships, while also compiling one of the most complete guard résumés in recent college basketball. She gave the program star power, leadership and big-game presence on a national level. (fightingirish.com)

3. Arike Ogunbowale

Years with Notre Dame: 2015–2019
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- 2018 NCAA champion
- 2018 Final Four Most Outstanding Player
- Notre Dame all-time scoring leader
- Hit iconic game-winners in the 2018 national semifinals and title game weekend

Arike Ogunbowale could be placed even higher if someone values signature moments above everything else. She delivered one of the most unforgettable championship runs in women’s college basketball history, hitting the game-winning shot in the national semifinal and then doing it again to win the 2018 title. On top of that, she finished as Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer with 2,626 points. Few players in school history matched her blend of shot-making, late-game nerve and long-term production. (fightingirish.com)

4. Beth Morgan Cunningham

Years with Notre Dame: 1993–1997
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- Led Notre Dame to its first Final Four
- Former program all-time scoring leader
- Career scoring average record holder
- Ring of Honor inductee

Beth Morgan Cunningham has to be this high because she was the bridge to the modern powerhouse version of Notre Dame women’s basketball. Notre Dame credits her with leading the Irish to their first Final Four in 1997, and her career scoring average of 18.6 points per game still stands as a school record. She was the standard-setter before the Riley and Diggins eras fully took over. (fightingirish.com)

5. Jackie Young

Years with Notre Dame: 2016–2019
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- 2018 NCAA champion
- 2019 ACC Tournament MVP
- AP All-American
- No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick

Jackie Young lands in the top five because she was a major pillar on the 2018 title team and then became the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Her official bio highlights her All-America recognition and 2019 ACC Tournament MVP honors, while Notre Dame also continues to spotlight her among the program’s highest-level pros. She was not as ball-dominant or as mythic as Arike, but she was absolutely central to that championship core. (fightingirish.com)

6. Jewell Loyd

Years with Notre Dame: 2012–2015
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- Consensus first-team All-American
- National player-of-the-year winner
- No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick
- One of the best scorers in program history

Jewell Loyd ranks this high because her peak was enormous. Notre Dame notes that she became the program’s first player since Ruth Riley to win a national player-of-the-year award not tied to position or class, and she later became the first Irish player selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft. She did not win a national title at Notre Dame, which keeps her just below the very top tier, but at her best she was one of the most explosive perimeter stars the program has produced. (fightingirish.com)

7. Niele Ivey

Years with Notre Dame: 1996–2001
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- 2001 NCAA champion
- Third-team AP All-American
- Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner
- Ring of Honor inductee

Niele Ivey deserves a strong place on this list because she was the point guard on the first national title team and later became one of the most visible figures in the program’s broader history. Her official Notre Dame bio notes that she earned third-team AP All-America honors in 2001 and was the first Fighting Irish point guard to receive that recognition. She was the floor leader, tempo setter and one of the most important connectors on a championship team. (fightingirish.com)

8. Alicia Ratay

Years with Notre Dame: 1999–2003
Position: Guard
Notable achievements:
- 2001 NCAA champion
- Two-time AP honorable mention All-American
- Program career leader in made 3-pointers
- BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Alicia Ratay has a strong argument for this range because she brought elite shooting and strong two-way value to one of the best periods in school history. Notre Dame’s record book still lists her first in career made three-pointers, and the school also noted that she was a two-time AP honorable mention All-American who helped the Irish win the 2001 national title. She may not be the first player casual fans recall, but she is one of the easiest names for serious program followers to appreciate. (fightingirish.com)

9. Natalie Achonwa

Years with Notre Dame: 2010–2014
Position: Forward
Notable achievements:
- Four straight Final Fours
- Three national championship game appearances
- Two-time All-American
- Ring of Honor inductee

Natalie Achonwa earns a place in the top 10 because she was one of the most important frontcourt pieces in Notre Dame’s powerhouse early-2010s run. The school’s Ring of Honor announcement notes that she helped the Irish reach four consecutive Final Fours and three national title games while posting a 138-15 overall record during her career. That kind of team success, paired with her individual honors, gives her a substantial legend case. (fightingirish.com)

10. Jacqueline Batteast

Years with Notre Dame: 2001–2005
Position: Forward
Notable achievements:
- All-American
- WNBA champion after college
- One of the best forwards of the post-title era
- Key star during the early-2000s transition years

Jacqueline Batteast rounds out the top 10 because she carried a lot of responsibility in the years after the 2001 championship group began to turn over. Notre Dame identified her as an All-America forward during her career, and she later added a WNBA title to her résumé. She did not get the same team peak as Riley or the 2010s stars, but she was one of the standout talents who kept the program operating at a high level between major title eras. (fightingirish.com)

Honorable mentions

Karen Robinson
Devereaux Peters
Sheila McMillen
Megan Duffy

Karen Robinson was an early program star and at one point Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer. Devereaux Peters was a huge two-way force on the 2011-12 Final Four teams, including a major performance in the national semifinal win over Connecticut. Sheila McMillen and Megan Duffy also deserve real consideration because both are high on the program’s three-point leaderboards and were vital pieces on nationally relevant teams. (fightingirish.com)

Sources:

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball Legends