The whispers from inside the Notre Dame women’s basketball program when McDonald’s All-American Emma Risch signed in November of 2022 was that she had a chance to be the best 3-point shooter to don an Irish uniform since Alicia Ratay in the early 2000s.
The expectations were even higher and louder for McDonald’s All-American Kate Koval the following signing day in 2023. Irish coach Niele Ivey came right out and said she thought the 6-foot-5 Ukraine native could have the same kind of impact as another of Ivey’s ND teammates from its 2001 national championship team — All-American center Ruth Riley.