Notre Dame Lands No. 5 Women's Hoops Recruit Eve Long
· news
Notre Dame Lands Top Recruit Eve Long: What This Means for College Basketball
The University of Notre Dame has secured the commitment of Eve Long, a highly touted forward ranked No. 5 in the 2027 class. Long chose the Fighting Irish over several other top programs, including UCLA, Duke, UConn, and Kansas.
This signing comes on the heels of two other highly-ranked recruits pledging to schools in the Southeastern Conference: LSU’s Caroline Bradley (No. 3) and Baylor’s Ogechi Okeke (No. 13). Notre Dame’s ability to attract top talent is a testament to coach Niele Ivey’s recruitment efforts.
Long’s decision to choose Notre Dame was influenced by her positive experience on campus, as she mentioned in comments to ESPN feeling at home with the Irish. This suggests that Notre Dame has successfully marketed itself as more than just a basketball program, highlighting its attractive environment for recruits beyond basketball facilities and coaching staff.
With an impressive resume that includes being a gold medalist with USA Basketball, Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, and success on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Long is one of the most complete players in her class. Her ability to attack off the dribble and score from beyond the arc makes her a valuable asset for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s recruitment of Long is a significant coup, particularly given its recent history with recruiting. The Irish ended last season’s cycle with the fifth-ranked class featuring five top-100 recruits, and this commitment keeps them on an upward trajectory in terms of recruiting momentum. With its current roster led by star guard Hannah Hidalgo and boasting a No. 16 ranking in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early top 25, Notre Dame is poised to make another deep run into the NCAA tournament.
The recruitment of Long also suggests that programs are adapting their strategies to prioritize creating an attractive environment beyond just basketball excellence. This raises questions about how other programs will respond to Notre Dame’s momentum in recruiting. Will UCLA or Duke be able to bounce back and secure top talent, or will they struggle to keep up with the Irish?
The 2027 class is shaping up to be one of the most talented in recent memory, with several highly-ranked recruits still on the board. The competition for top players will only intensify as we approach March Madness.
Notre Dame fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their program has secured one of the top recruits in the class. However, this commitment also sets the stage for what promises to be an intense and competitive season in college basketball.
Reader Views
- ADAnalyst D. Park · policy analyst
Notre Dame's recruitment of Eve Long is a masterclass in selling a program beyond just its basketball pedigree. While the article highlights Ivey's successful outreach, it neglects to mention how Notre Dame's academic offerings and campus culture may have factored into Long's decision. As we know, many top recruits choose programs that offer more than just athletic development – they seek environments that foster personal growth, networking opportunities, and a supportive community. Long's "feeling at home" with the Irish may be more than just a feel-good quote; it might indicate that Notre Dame has genuinely invested in creating an ecosystem where its student-athletes can thrive off the court as well.
- EKEditor K. Wells · editor
While Notre Dame's recruitment of Eve Long is certainly a significant coup, it's worth noting that this commitment also raises questions about the team's roster composition going forward. With two highly-ranked guards already on the roster in Hannah Hidalgo and Sam Brunelle, coach Niele Ivey will need to strategically balance playing time among her returning veterans and newly-minted freshmen if she wants to make a deep NCAA tournament run. The arrival of Long, who profiles as a primary scoring threat, could exacerbate an existing issue: Notre Dame's lack of interior presence and rebounding depth may be masked by its explosive perimeter offense, but it still poses concerns about the team's overall defensive stoutness.
- RJReporter J. Avery · staff reporter
While Notre Dame's recruitment of Eve Long is undoubtedly a significant win for coach Niele Ivey and the program, it's worth noting that the Irish still have work to do in terms of building depth at the post position. With Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles leading the way, Notre Dame has proven itself capable of producing elite guards, but its ability to develop talented bigs remains a question mark. Long's arrival will certainly help shore up some of those concerns, but the Fighting Irish still need to prove they can consistently produce top-tier frontcourt talent.