The 5’10 star point guard Olivia Miles and now a former Notre Dame player, announced that she would stay in college for one more year before going professional. Miles was projected to be the number two pick overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft and expected to be selected by the Seattle Storm. However, she chose otherwise and will remain in college, and moreover, she is looking to enter the transfer portal.
Olivia committed to Notre Dame from Blair Academy in 2021 and has since represented the Irish for the last four years. She has been successful since her freshman year, and this year Notre Dame reached the Sweet 16 after TCU defeated the team 71-62. Last year, the team also finished at the Sweet 16 stage, losing to Oregon State. Olivia has been a key player for the Irish, and the team’s success can be attributed to her remarkable performances, which have been vital to the team’s success.
Honors
Olivia has a lengthy list of honors recognizing her performance, to name just a few. Starting in her freshman year, she was named to the First Team All-ACC, ranked number two by the ESPN Freshman Ranking, and made the Second Team All-ACC Tournament. During her sophomore year, she won the Dawn Staley Finalist Award, was ranked as the fourth player in the country by ESPN, and was named to several watch lists. And led the Irish to the 2023 ACC regular season championship. In her junior year, she once again led the Irish to victory in the 2024 ACC Tournament Championship and was named to the preseason All-ACC.
For the 2024-2025 season, she collected additional awards, including being named to the top five for the Nancy Lieberman Award and the AP All-American Second Team.
Performance This Season
For the 2024-2025 season, she averaged 15.4 points per game, and over the years, her scoring percentage has improved, with her 3-point shooting rising from 22.8% to 40.6%. Overall, her field goal percentage has increased from 46.0% to 48.3%.
Olivia’s Statement
After the loss to TCU, during the press briefing as reported by ESPN, she said, “It just changes every day. I love college. I think I’ve outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to say. It’s comfortable, a place where you have security.”
Her remarks hinted at WNBA’s volatility, with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association opting out of the existing CBA. The players in the association are seeking to negotiate a better CBA, which is expected to lead to significant changes in the structure of payments and contracts. This could be one reason Olivia may be looking to remain in college as the new CBA takes effect.
At the moment, she will search for her new home for the 2025-2026 season.
