Notre Dame women’s basketball has been navigating a period of transition following the unexpected departure of star guard Olivia Miles. Miles, who was a cornerstone of the Fighting Irish program, opted to bypass the WNBA Draft and instead transferred to TCU, leaving Notre Dame with a significant gap to fill. However, the Irish have received a much-needed boost with the addition of Kansas State transfer **Gisela Sanchez**, a versatile forward who brings experience and depth to the roster [A](https://athlonsports.com/college/notre-dame-fighting-irish/notre-dame-receives-transfer-portal-news-olivia-miles-exit-gisela-sanchez?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJaSE1HYjk3clJHR21zTGRMRXhwMjMiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiTHVIeDdZWDhRbVhoQ3hTNFJ4WnZmIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvYXRobG9uc3BvcnRzLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1maWdodGluZy1pcmlzaFwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1yZWNlaXZlcy10cmFuc2Zlci1wb3J0YWwtbmV3cy1vbGl2aWEtbWlsZXMtZXhpdC1naXNlbGEtc2FuY2hleiJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
### The Impact of Olivia Miles’ Departure
Miles’ exit was a major shake-up for Notre Dame. She had been instrumental in the team’s success, helping them secure a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Her decision to transfer came as a surprise, especially after Notre Dame’s Sweet 16 loss to TCU, the very team she is now joining [B](https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-basketball/news-olivia-miles-bids-emotional-farewell-notre-dame-hours-tcu-transfer-portal-decision?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJaSE1HYjk3clJHR21zTGRMRXhwMjMiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiTHVIeDdZWDhRbVhoQ3hTNFJ4WnZmIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd3d3LnNwb3J0c2tlZWRhLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZS1iYXNrZXRiYWxsXC9uZXdzLW9saXZpYS1taWxlcy1iaWRzLWVtb3Rpb25hbC1mYXJld2VsbC1ub3RyZS1kYW1lLWhvdXJzLXRjdS10cmFuc2Zlci1wb3J0YWwtZGVjaXNpb24ifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). With her departure, Notre Dame saw four of its five starters leave the program, leaving only Hannah Hidalgo as the remaining key player [A](https://athlonsports.com/college/notre-dame-fighting-irish/notre-dame-receives-transfer-portal-news-olivia-miles-exit-gisela-sanchez?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJaSE1HYjk3clJHR21zTGRMRXhwMjMiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiTHVIeDdZWDhRbVhoQ3hTNFJ4WnZmIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvYXRobG9uc3BvcnRzLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1maWdodGluZy1pcmlzaFwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1yZWNlaXZlcy10cmFuc2Zlci1wb3J0YWwtbmV3cy1vbGl2aWEtbWlsZXMtZXhpdC1naXNlbGEtc2FuY2hleiJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
### Notre Dame’s Response in the Transfer Portal
Recognizing the need to rebuild, Notre Dame quickly turned to the transfer portal to strengthen its roster. The commitment of **Gisela Sanchez** marks a significant step in that process. Sanchez, originally from Barcelona, played at Arizona before transferring to Kansas State, where she contributed as a reserve player. In the 2023-24 season, she averaged **4.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists** per game [A](https://athlonsports.com/college/notre-dame-fighting-irish/notre-dame-receives-transfer-portal-news-olivia-miles-exit-gisela-sanchez?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiJaSE1HYjk3clJHR21zTGRMRXhwMjMiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiTHVIeDdZWDhRbVhoQ3hTNFJ4WnZmIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvYXRobG9uc3BvcnRzLmNvbVwvY29sbGVnZVwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1maWdodGluZy1pcmlzaFwvbm90cmUtZGFtZS1yZWNlaXZlcy10cmFuc2Zlci1wb3J0YWwtbmV3cy1vbGl2aWEtbWlsZXMtZXhpdC1naXNlbGEtc2FuY2hleiJ9&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1). While her numbers may not be eye-catching, her experience and ability to adapt to different playing styles make her a valuable addition.
### What Sanchez Brings to Notre Dame
Sanchez’s arrival provides Notre Dame with much-needed depth in the frontcourt. With multiple starters leaving, she has an opportunity to carve out a more significant role than she had at Kansas State. Her international experience
