“I’m Not Done Yet”: Niele Ivey stuns college basketball world, rejects jaw-dropping $8.5 million offer to remain with Notre Dame
In a bold and personal statement that sent shockwaves across the NCAA basketball world, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Basketball Head Coach Niele Ivey reiterated her everlasting dedication to the renowned South Bend program. Ivey, who has become a symbol of leadership and performance in women’s collegiate basketball, surprised fans and pundits by apparently declining a whopping $8.5 million offer from the Georgia Bulldogs’ Women’s Basketball Program.
The highly lucrative Outside Conference Contract (OCC) proposition, which sources claim would have made Ivey one of the highest-paid coaches in women’s collegiate basketball, elicited a simple but forceful response: “I’m not done yet.”
In a formal statement issued by the institution and reported by ABC News, Ivey addressed the swirling speculations about her future. “Notre Dame is home. It is where I developed into the lady, coach, and leader that I am today. The decision was never based on money; it was about legacy, passion, and the goal we’ve created here. I have no plans beyond being the Fighting Irish’s Head Coach. “This is my calling.”
Niele Ivey’s coaching career is strongly interwoven with Notre Dame. Ivey, a former outstanding point guard for Hall of Famer Muffet McGraw, helped the Irish win their first national championship as a player in 2001. Years later, she returned as an assistant coach until taking over as head coach in 2020, after McGraw retired. Since then, Ivey has led the program back to national prominence via poise, grit, and a strong passion for the game.
Her choice to stay comes at a time when high-paying contracts and aggressive poaching are becoming more frequent in college sports. However, Ivey’s remark serves as a reminder that some values, such as loyalty, vision, and purpose, are more important than money.
The response from the Notre Dame community has been amazing. Alumni, athletes, and fans flooded social media with words of encouragement and celebration. “Coach Ivey staying is the best news we could ask for,” one fan wrote. “She is Notre Dame.”
Georgia’s offer, which was part of a larger effort to raise the reputation of women’s basketball, was apparently supported
by high-level boosters and corporate partners. Even so, nothing could persuade Ivey to leave her current residence.
Under Ivey’s direction, Notre Dame remains a powerful force in the ACC and on the national stage. Her recruiting abilities, dedication to player development on and off the court, and compelling personality have cemented her spot as one of the sport’s finest coaches.
In a day where coaching changes are common and loyalty is frequently tested by financial temptation, Niele Ivey’s vow is more than a headline; it’s a statement of character. It’s a statement to her players, prospects, and the entire college basketball world: Notre Dame is more than simply a place she coaches; it’s also where her heart resides.