Notre Dame women's basketball losing versatile sophomore to transfer portal

SOUTH BEND — KK Bransford, a versatile sophomore who served a variety of roles on a depth-depleted Notre Dame women’s basketball team this season, announced Sunday on Instagram that she has entered the transfer portal.

Bransford helped the Irish to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, an Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title this past winter and an ACC regular-season crown as a freshman over her two years aboard.

“Dear Irish Nation, I want to begin by expressing how grateful I am for my time wearing the Blue and Gold,” Bransford said in her post, altered here from all capital letters.

“The last two years have changed me for the better and I’m so lucky to have had these experiences,” Bransford wrote. “I want to thank Notre Dame, my coaches, my teammates and the staff for always having my back. I’m especially thankful for Coach (Niele) Ivey, who believed in me and gave me a chance at the highest level. I also want to give a shoutout to all of our fans, who show up and cheer us on through all of the ups and downs. It has truly been a blessing, and I will never forget my time in South Bend.”

“With that being said,” Bransford continued, “after consulting my family and leaning on prayer, I’ve decided it is in my best interest to explore my options and enter the transfer portal. Notre Dame will forever hold a special place in my heart.”

Bransford appeared in all of ND’s final 33 games this past season after missing the first two due to a lower body injury.

Typically the first player off the bench and garnering time both in the backcourt and up front, the 5-foot-10 Bransford averaged 25.7 minutes, 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds to rank sixth on the club in each.

She was also fourth in both assists (2.0) and steals (1.2), but had a net effective field goal percentage of just 40.5 to rate 10th of the 11 players who saw action to go with 78.4% at the line.

Some of Bransford’s numbers were better as a freshman, when she appeared in all 33 games, averaged 8.2 points and finished at a net EFG of 48%. She averaged 24.3 minutes in that 2022-23 season to go with 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 steals on her way to ACC all-freshman honors.

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Bransford arrived at ND as a two-time Ohio Ms. Basketball at Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati and a McDonald’s All-American.

Despite her apparent departure, the Irish, who finished 28-7 with a No. 9 national ranking, could be loaded again next winter, particularly with a healthy Olivia Miles, a second-team All-American point guard in ’22-23, back in the mix after missing all of this past season due to injury.

Hannah Hidalgo, a record-shattering first-team All-American as a freshman, leads the group of potential returnees, possibly joined by fellow All-ACC players Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld. They were ND’s top three scorers this past season.

Westbeld acknowledged late in the season that she was considering foregoing her final year of eligibility in order to turn pro, but she did not meet this past week’s deadline to file for the WNBA draft.

Starting post Kylee Watson and backup post Nat Marshall also each have a year of eligibility remaining if they choose to use it, though the timeline for Watson’s possible return remains to be determined after she suffered a late-season knee injury.

ND’s lone announced incoming recruit is Katie Koval, ranked as the No. 1 post and No. 5 player overall in the high school class of 2024 by ESPN.

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Starting guard Anna DeWolfe has exhausted her eligibility, as have rarely utilized Becky Obinma and Jenna Brown, while the promising pair of Cass Prosper and Emma Risch are expected back from injuries. Former walk-on Sarah Cernugel has eligibility as well.

Overall, the Irish own plenty of room to dip into the transfer portal themselves, as NCAA rules allow for up to 15 scholarship players. Just 10 spots are occupied if Koval and all the possible returnees other than Bransford remain aboard.