The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just bolstered their case as one of the best women's college basketball teams in the country heading into the 2024-25 campaign, as the program announced on Monday the signings of former all-conference selections Liza Karlen and Liatu King out of the transfer portal.
Karlen, a 6-foot-2 forward who spent four years at Marquette, averaged 17.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season on her way to being unanimously selected to the All-Big East first team.
"I would like to welcome Liza to our Notre Dame family!" Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said in a statement. "She brings a wealth of experience and the depth to the forward position and has tremendous versatility offensively having shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep last season. Liza also has an incredible motor and is a relentless rebounder. I am so grateful and excited for what she will add to our team next season."
Liatu, meanwhile, was a 2024 first-team All-ACC selection last season at Pitt, as well as the conference's Most Improved Player. The 6-foot forward was one of three ACC players who averaged a double-double last season (18.8 points and 10.4 rebounds).
"Please welcome Liatu to our Notre Dame family!" Ivey said. "One of the most improved players in the country, Liatu brings athleticism and efficiency to our front court. She is versatile and dynamic with an innate ability to score on multiple levels. With her smooth jumper, she can also dominate on the block. Liatu had 18 double-doubles last year and shot 52 percent from the floor. She will make an immediate impact on our team next season."
Both newcomers have one season of eligibility remaining thanks to the freebie year the NCAA granted to athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ivey has led the Irish -- winners of the 2001 and 2018 national championships under Muffet McGraw, as well as runners-up in 2019 -- to the Sweet 16 each of the previous three seasons. But this roster is shaping up to be arguably her best since she took the reins in South Bend ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
In addition to picking up Karlen and King in the portal, the Irish return guard power duo Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, plus Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld, while also bringing in Kate Koval, the No. 5-ranked prospect in the class of 2024 per espnW.