South Bend Tribune columnist Kyle Smedley published a retrospective on November 5, 2026, examining the home opening games during Niele Ivey's tenure as head coach of the Notre Dame women's basketball program.
The piece looks back at the atmosphere, results, and notable moments from the Fighting Irish's first home game of each season since Ivey took over the program in 2020.
Ivey, a former Notre Dame player and WNBA veteran, returned to her alma mater as head coach. The review covers home openers at Purcell Pavilion, highlighting the program's continued tradition of strong starts on its home floor.
