5 Best Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball Players, Ranked

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team maximized their NCAAW odds of winning it all in 2001 and 2018.

One player helped Notre Dame make good on its short championship basketball betting odds in 2018 with a game-winning buzzer beater, as she went on to win a scoring title in the WNBA.

Where does she rank among the five best Fighting Irish women’s basketball players of all time? Let’s take a look.

5 Best Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball Players, Ranked

Notre Dame Fighting Irish All-Time Greatest Women’s Basketball Players

1. Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith was a two-time All-American, two-time Nancy Lieberman award winner, and a Dawn Staley award winner during her time at Notre Dame.

She helped the Fighting Irish get to the national championship game twice.

Diggins-Smith was drafted No. 3 overall by the Tulsa Shock in 2013, as she’s gone on to make six WNBA All-Star teams and be named to four All-WNBA first teams.

Diggins-Smith has the most steals (381), second-most points (2,357), and third-most assists (745) in program history.

2. Ruth Riley

Ruth Riley helped bring Notre Dame to the national championship game twice, winning in 2001.

The two-time All-American was also named Naismith College Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year in 2001.

She finished her college career with the most rebounds (1,007) and blocks (370) in program history.

The two-time WNBA All-Star was drafted No. 5 overall by the Miami Sol in 2001, later helping the Detroit Shock win championships in 2003 and 2006, winning Finals MVP the first time.

3. Arike Ogunbowale

Arike Ogunbowale won multiple All-American awards, as she helped the Fighting Irish get to the national championship game twice.

She had a game-winning buzzer-beating shot in the 2018 national championship game, when Notre Dame defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs 61-58.

Ogunbowale has the most points (2,626) in program history, and she was drafted No. 5 overall by the Dallas Wings in 2019.

The four-time WNBA All-Star led the league in scoring in 2020.

4. Brianna Turner

Brianna Turner won multiple All-American awards and was a three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year, as she was a big part of the Fighting Irish team that won the national championship in 2018.

She has the most rebounds (1,048) and blocks (372) in Notre Dame history.

Turner was drafted No. 11 overall by the Atlanta Dream in 2019, as she’s been named to two WNBA All-Defensive first teams.

5. Jewell Loyd

Jewell Loyd won multiple All-American awards and was the ACC Player of the Year in 2015.

She spent just three seasons at Notre Dame but has the seventh-most points (1,909) in program history.

Loyd was drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm in 2015, helping them win two championships alongside Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird.

The six-time All-Star led the WNBA in scoring in 2023.