NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - UMASS VS NOTRE DAME

March 18, 2022

Niele Ivey

Maya Dodson

Olivia Miles

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Media Conference

Q. Maya, you're one of the older and most experienced players on this team with experience in big games. How do you use that position as a leader before a game like this?

MAYA DODSON: Just lead and just show my teammates how it's done. I've been to March Madness two times before, so it's just about knowing that I have experience and then just kind of helping my younger teammates along the way.

Q. What has this week been like? You figure out who your opponent is; has it been mostly trying to fix and work on internal team stuff or is it scouting ahead towards UMass?

MAYA DODSON: I think it's a mix of both. I think definitely we learned from the ACC Tournament what we can get better at, so that was definitely part of our focus, and then once we figured out we're playing UMass, just like a regular game, just trying to figure out what we need to do to win.

Q. Looking ahead to UMass, what are the specific issues or areas of focus that you guys were identifying before this game?

OLIVIA MILES: Yeah, so like Maya said, we've been preparing for a couple days now, but just mainly getting stops on the defensive end is super important for us because we're a team that works best when we're out and we're running. Getting those stops, those rebounds and just containing them is our best bet.

Q. It'll be about two weeks when you take the floor tomorrow since your last game. What have you been working on mentally and physically to make sure you're ready to be in game mode as soon as that ball is thrown up?

MAYA DODSON: I think it just starts with practice, just getting used to playing and scrimmaging. We had our practice guys when we were back at Notre Dame, so just working on that, making sure we get shots up. Even though it's been two weeks, I think it's the same kind of routine as if we played two games in two days. Same thing.

OLIVIA MILES: I would agree. I feel like we are even more eager to play since it's been that long. Our focus has always been there, and practice yesterday has been really good and the days before, so we're just really locked in.

Q. Maya, what years were you living in the Huntington area before you ended up in Georgia, and how well are you and Sydney Taylor acquainted?

MAYA DODSON: I moved from Huntington in eighth grade -- actually earlier. I moved from New York in eighth grade, but I lived in Huntington and moved to a different place. So it's been a minute since I've been in New York. I don't really know her, but I'm looking forward to playing against her today -- well, tomorrow.

Q. Olivia, what has it meant to have someone like Abby Prohaska on the team. Obviously she's battled so much not just this season, her entire career, but she has that NCAA Tournament experience, went to a National Championship game. What has been her message to you guys and what has she meant to the team?

OLIVIA MILES: Yeah, it's actually funny because in the ACC Tournament we were playing Miami and I literally went up to the coach and I asked, Is Abby ready? Can she go in? Is she going to play? Because that's how much she means to the team. Unfortunately she couldn't step in the game but her health is of utmost priority.

She's just meant so much to our team as a leader and her experience is valuable beyond words. I can't describe it. She gives us messages and confidence all the time when we're on the floor and just reassures us, the young ones, especially like me who have never been in this position, just gives us really good advice.

Q. Sam Brunelle is someone who's battled a lot, as well, playing with a shoulder injury. She injured her ankle a little bit earlier. Maya, you've been through some injuries yourself. What has it been like to watch her battle through those? And especially with y'all's low scholarship numbers available, what she's meant and being able to come off the bench and give you guys a little bit of a spark.

MAYA DODSON: It means a lot. I understand how hard it is to go through injuries, so just seeing her be able to do that during the season, it's meant a lot.

She's one of my post players, so it makes a difference having her out there on the floor being able to stretch the floor.

I'm happy she's playing, and she gives us a spark off the bench.

NIELE IVEY: Well, extremely excited for my program to be in our first NCAA Tournament. Just been an incredible year, incredible year, too, for me. Super proud of our group, super proud of this program. I'm excited to be in such a competitive region and looking forward to tomorrow, amazing basketball. And again, so grateful to be in this moment and to have this opportunity.

Q. Obviously this is a little bit different where you have a lot more time to prepare for an opponent. For your team and for your coaching staff, how much has it been looking back on your own team and trying to work on your own things versus scouting ahead and looking at UMass?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, well, the first week after the ACC Tournament, we had a lot of time to rest. Had a shorter roster so -- had some nagging injuries, so we rested that week and then we got a chance to get back to working on our fundamentals, working on our defense, offense, everything. It was a great week of really fixing us.

Then after the selection show on Sunday, we had an opportunity to work on UMass, work on things we need to prepare for them and also continue to work on ourselves. But having that much time was really beneficial with such a grind of a season this year.

Q. Two teams that were picked to finish sixth that both overachieved. When you're looking at the paths of these two teams, I know the program histories are different, but what are you anticipating out of UMass this Saturday?

NIELE IVEY: First of all, a super well-coached team. Watching them, very disciplined, hard nosed, led the A-10 in scoring, many multiple offensive weapons on that team.

I'm expecting a battle. I have a lot of respect for UMass and their program, and again, where they're trending, A-10 champions. They just have had an incredible year. We had an opportunity to play Fordham so we know how tough the A-10 is. So look being forward to the matchup and so grateful to have this opportunity to play them.

Q. What strategies have you taken the past couple of weeks to make sure that there's no rust, physical or mentally, come Saturday's game?

NIELE IVEY: Well, we have an incredible practice squad, and so this past week we had an opportunity to really work on transition, working on getting up and down. The first week after the ACC Tournament they were on spring break, so we really had to just work on our game and everything just amongst each other. So then we got our practice guys back, so we had a chance to really get up and down.

We're doing the same things, navigating the same ways that we've navigated all season. You can never really prepare for the atmosphere of the NCAA Tournament, but we tried to prepare them the best we could.

Q. Wanted to get your insight a year later after the Sedona Prince video that went viral, obviously exposed some inequities that were going on at the time. I wanted to know your thoughts on the attempts to address them and your thoughts on this tournament?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, well, very grateful for Sedona to expose the inequities. I think it's something that's been a problem for a long time, not just last year. She shed light on what needs to be fixed.

I think with the Kaplan report, with the media attention to it, I think that this year they're being very intentional about changing, about enhancing the tournament for the women, and I think that's a step in the right direction. It's something that we talked about on the call -- the NCAA call that the president and Liz Holzman spoke to us about their improvements.

But again, them being intentional about change, I think is a step in the right direction. Again, we didn't get a chance to experience that last year, so we're walking into this with gratitude for everything we see, every sign, every moment, the travel, everything.

I'm hoping that we can continue to get better. I know that it's definitely, like I said, a step in the right direction, but I feel like there's always an opportunity to continue to improve.

I know they've communicated that it's not just -- they want to continue to improve, and I think that's where they need to trend.

Q. Is it emblematic of a bigger picture than just what was going on in the tournament last year, do you think?

NIELE IVEY: I definitely think so. I definitely think when you see the men's side and the women's side, it's different, and probably with all aspects. I've had a chance to see it as a mother, to be honest, so I have a different perspective.

But I think it's just the respect factor. We're still, I feel like, as women trying to gain the respect that we deserve, and again, shedding light on it I think is positive.

Q. Folks on your coaches staff obviously coached Sam Breen for a long time at Penn State. I was curious on your thoughts on her as a player and how that maybe gave a little bit of extra insight into this matchup?

NIELE IVEY: Yes, Coquese at Penn State, she spoke super highly of Breen. She talked about it right from the beginning. From what I've seen, she is extremely versatile, she's tough, leading them in scoring. She can score at will, score at all three levels. You can tell that she's a leader. She plays with fire and passion, and she really gets their team going.

Again, Coquese has had nothing but positive things to say about her. We understand that she is the glue. She gets them going but she also has an incredible supporting cast.

We have a job ahead of us trying to contain her and try to limit them from scoring.

Q. You talked obviously all year about wanting to get back to this point, and now that you're finally here, I'm curious what it's kind of been like. And not just being here in the moment but kind of restoring Notre Dame to what it was and what it has been the last 20 or 30 years. What's it been like to kind of feel that again, and then maybe see some of the national perception of you guys being in the tournament and maybe some people thinking you might be able to make a run?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, well, first of all, like you said, that was the goal. Last year was really hard. I think it was hard for every coach going through COVID, and for me being the first-time head coach in a pandemic and kind of a rebuild year, it was definitely difficult. It was very challenging, but I embraced it, being uncomfortable last year, because I knew it was part of my journey, I knew it was part of the process.

After last year my goal, my motivation was to get this program back to the tournament, number one, but just to improve.

I'm just grateful that I have a team that has bought in. They're committed. I added three amazing players in Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron, and Maya Dodson and they have been the difference. My returners have come back stronger.

Again, when you have a team that's bought in, they were hungry the entire season, we really gelled, really grew as a unit. I'm so proud of them.

And then just for Notre Dame, I'm just, again, grateful to be -- to lead this group but also to have such transformation after just one year, and I credit my staff. They've done a phenomenal job of helping build this program so quickly, but I think it's just our passion, my love for this university.

I bleed blue and gold, so every moment, every second I'm just trying to work in order to help this group, to lead this group and help this group get better. And it's just, again, walking, getting off that plane, feeling the feels of being in the tournament, it's just so exciting for me. It feels like I'm a rookie, but again, it's just being a part of the top 68 is just an incredible feeling.

No matter what, even that I've been there as a player and a coach, assistant coach, being here for the first time as a head coach, it feels really special.

Q. You mentioned that you have three freshmen that have been the difference for you. I wondered if you could break down what it is that they do that really make them special for your team.

NIELE IVEY: Well, I'll start with Olivia Miles, our point guard. She's led us in almost all categories offensively. She's led the country in assists for a majority of the season. She's just a phenomenal point guard. She's young, but she's also really confident.

She's basically learned on the fly. She's learned -- I put her in the fire. She came in early last year, so I think that really helped her.

But she just wanted to do whatever she can to help this team, and I think she's been a phenomenal addition.

Last year Dara Mabrey had to run the point, she was out of position. So this year having a true point guard has helped.

Sonia Citron, again, is a versatile, high level player, very confident. Both of them understood the assignment really, they understood they had to come in and make an immediate impact on our program, and I'm just really proud of their growth. She's growing up in front of our eyes, as well. So I'm just grateful, and I'm very proud of them and the way they've blossomed this season.

Q. I was curious if you've had any conversations with either Coach McGraw or anyone who you've interacted with in the past about preparing for a moment like this?

NIELE IVEY: Yes, well, definitely Coach McGraw, she's my mentor, not only my old boss and coach, she's really a true friend. She's reached out. She's been really supportive the entire season, especially obviously last year coming back here.

I've had the opportunity to learn from her. I've soaked up a lot of knowledge just watching her work in the past 15 years, and again, she's been my guiding light. She's been somebody that I can lean on, whatever I need.

I'm very grateful that she's still somebody that I can pick up the phone and call.