Niele Ivey is getting some extra special help moving forward, and it's from a Notre Dame living legend — Skylar Diggins.
SOUTH BEND, Ind.– Former Notre Dame women's basketball All-American Skylar Diggins has been hired as an outside consultant serving as the Special Advisor to Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Women's Basketball Coach Niele Ivey, the program announced Monday.
Diggins will advise Ivey and her coaching staff and serve as an off-the-floor mentor to student-athletes focusing on leadership, personal development and brand building. She will depart to join her team when the 2027 Unrivaled season begins.
A South Bend native, Diggins returns to Notre Dame following her 12th WNBA season, where she averaged 16.3 points and 5.3 assists throughout her career. A seven-time WNBA All-Star and five-time USA Basketball gold medalist, she most recently captured Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"We are honored to welcome Skylar Diggins as our Special Advisor to the Head Coach!" Ivey said. "This is truly a legendary addition. In this new role, Skylar will help elevate our program through her leadership, expertise and unique perspective as both a former student-athlete and accomplished professional.
"Skylar's loyalty and commitment to the University have been unmatched. Her ability to motivate, elevate, and inspire our student-athletes will strengthen our culture, enhance our team, and create meaningful opportunities for growth and development.
"Her impact will extend far beyond the game, helping shape the next generation of student-athletes and continuing to build a legacy of excellence within our program. Welcome home, Skylar!"
One of the greatest players in Notre Dame women's basketball history, Diggins led the Fighting Irish to three consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances from 2011-13, including back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2011 and 2012. During her four-year career from 2009-13, she helped Notre Dame compile 130 victories. Diggins earned consensus first-team All-America honors in both her junior and senior seasons, was named BIG EAST Player of the Year twice (2012, 2013) and captured the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top point guard in consecutive seasons. She also received the inaugural Dawn Staley Award in 2013.
Diggins finished her Notre Dame career with 2,357 points, 745 assists, 557 rebounds and 381 steals. She graduated as the program's all-time leader in points and steals while setting or sharing 32 school records. Her 144 career starts and 121 double-figure scoring performances were both program records at the time of her graduation.
A three-time NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player, Diggins helped the Irish capture consecutive BIG EAST regular-season championships in 2012 and 2013, along with the program's first BIG EAST Tournament title in 2013. She was selected third overall by the Tulsa Shock in the 2013 WNBA Draft, matching the highest draft selection in program history at the time.
