Hannah Hidalgo might be the headline-grabber at Notre Dame, but there have been several other shining lights in South Bend this season, although one of them has now decided to head to the WNBA
Tom Malley U.S. Sports Reporter
06:36 ET, 07 Apr 2026
Notre Dame women’s basketball senior Cassandre Prosper has declared for the 2026 WNBA Draft
Notre Dame guard Cassandre Prosper has announced her intention to declare for the 2026 WNBA Draft, bringing to an end her four-season spell with the Fighting Irish.
Prosper, 20, will forgo her fifth and final year of college eligibility in order to pursue a professional career, meaning that for the first season since 2021-22, she will not suit up for Notre Dame women’s basketball in 2026-27.
The Canadian’s announcement comes just eight days after Notre Dame’s 2025-26 campaign ended at the hands of No. 1 seed UConn in the Elite Eight of March Madness, where Niele Ivey’s side fell 52-70 to the Huskies.
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Arguably, Prosper’s biggest moment in a Fighting Irish shirt came just two days before that loss, when she scored the final three points in a 67-64 win vs. Vanderbilt in the Sweet Sixteen to send Notre Dame through to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.
Now, however, the Canadian international has decided to take the next steps in her career by declaring for this year’s WNBA Draft, revealing her decision in a lengthy, heartfelt Instagram post on Monday.
“What a beautiful journey it has been,” part of Prosper’s statement read. “Watching myself grow these past years has been the most rewarding process. This has been an incredible experience in my life, and it is such a blessing to have the awareness to know when I am ready for a new chapter. I couldn’t be more proud of the woman I’ve become.
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“With that, I am super excited to announce that I am declaring for the 2026 WNBA Draft.”
The silver lining for Notre Dame and its fans is that Prosper is not choosing to use her fifth year as a transfer, unlike Olivia Miles, who did so 12 months ago after forgoing the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Along with scoring the crucial three points that ultimately sent Notre Dame through to the Elite Eight of March Madness at the end of last month, Prosper also rounded out her season with the ACC’s Most Improved Player award.
Prosper started all 36 games of her senior year, averaging 13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.2 minutes per game on 49.2 percent shooting from the field in the ACC as Notre Dame went 25-11 (12-6 ACC). She also dropped six double-doubles throughout the season.
Prosper scored the final three points in a 67-64 win vs. Vanderbilt in the Sweet Sixteen on Mar. 27 to send Notre Dame through to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019
Prosper, who was one of just three scholarship players to return to South Bend after the 2024-25 season, finishes her collegiate career having played 97 games exclusively for Notre Dame.
At 6-feet, 3-inches tall, Prosper’s length and athleticism could well be the key to any success she has in the WNBA. Combine that with her improved confidence and skill set, and she could be a real asset to any franchise.
Elsewhere, Coach Ivey’s son, Jaden, has been spotted preaching on a street corner just days after being waived by the NBA’s Chicago Bulls for “conduct detrimental to the team”.