There’s no single way to determine the impact of a coach. Some coaches help their programs exceed expectations and others rebuild rosters after extreme turnover. Some get the most out of talented rosters.
The public doesn’t see the thousands of hours coaches (and their staff) put in behind closed doors to maximize the potential of their players. The criteria for a coach of the year varies. And this season, in which parity has been at the forefront of women’s college basketball, it’s especially hard to parse through the candidates and determine who should be honored.
Notre Dame’s Niele Ivey is The Athletic’s Coach of the Year for deftly determining how to manage her talented roster and position the Irish as one of the nation’s top teams all season. With a top-15 offense and defense, they shared the ACC regular season title with NC State. They won 25 games for the third consecutive season and ascended to the No. 1 spot in the AP poll for the first time since 2018-19. An ACC tournament championship could see Notre Dame earn a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2019.
Ivey has been Notre Dame’s head coach since 2020, following her career as an Irish point guard from 1996-2001 and an assistant from 2007-2019. This season, she has helped develop a skilled three-pronged…
