Fourth former Notre Dame women’s basketball transfer chooses next school
The dust has settled on movement out of the Notre Dame women’s basketball program this offseason. A fourth transfer portal player decided where she’ll play next.
Senior guard Katlyn Gilbert announced on Instagram Saturday she’s transferring to Missouri. The Indianapolis native only played in five games this past season, all before Christmas, before shutting down her senior season early for personal reasons. Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey did not expound much on Gilbert’s status when she was asked a few times if Gilbert would play again for the Irish.
Gilbert only appeared in 14 games with two starts in the last two seasons. In four years at Notre Dame, she played in 53 games with 32 starts. She averaged 9.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Gilbert started 30 of 32 games played in 2019-20. She averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals in what was by far the best campaign she’s had as a collegiate player.
PROMOTION: Sign up for just $1 for your first year at Blue & Gold
More Notre Dame women’s basketball
• Notre Dame women’s basketball didn’t land coveted transfer portal target Angel Reese; now what?
Injuries certainly hurt Gilbert’s ability to help the Irish right away. A shoulder injury ended her freshman year after just seven games. She missed time as a junior for a foot injury. Those ailment-laden seasons were sandwiched around the one year Gilbert stayed healthy enough to contribute in a big way. A McDonald’s All-American in 2018, the 5-10 Gilbert has always had the talent. She scored 24 or more points three times in 2019-20.
Gilbert followed forward Sam Brunelle and guards Abby Prohaska and Anaya Peoples to the portal. Brunelle went to Virginia, Prohaska to San Diego State and Peoples to DePaul. All three of those players were instrumental off the bench for a Notre Dame team that went to the Sweet 16.
Ivey reloaded the Irish roster with the additions of Stanford guard Jenna Brown, Oregon forward Kylee Watson and Texas center Lauren Ebo. Ebo is the most accomplished player of the trio. She started 30 of 35 games for a Texas team that went to the Elite Eight. She was also a member of the 2020-21 Texas team that went to the Elite Eight as well.
Notre Dame will welcome McDonald’s All-American KK Bransford to campus this summer. She joins a core of sophomores Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron, junior Maddy Westbeld and senior Dara Mabrey. Those four were starters for Ivey in 2021-22 and will look to take Notre Dame even further in 2022-23.
