FORT WORTH — Olivia Miles watched the final seconds disappear from the scoreboard and felt the clock start ticking on her future.
Notre Dame’s season — and possibly her college career — ended with a 71-62 loss to TCU in the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament. Within 48 hours, Miles would have to decide whether to declare for the 2025 WNBA draft or return to school for one final season.
Projected as high as the No. 2 pick behind UConn’s Paige Bueckers, the decision looked simple from the outside.
It wasn’t.
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“I really had to sit there and [think] am I going pro? Am I going back to college?” Miles said in a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News.
She weighed her decorated career at Notre Dame and elite draft stock against late-season injuries, areas she still wanted to develop and the uncertainty surrounding ongoing WNBA CBA negotiations.
“I sat down and talked with my family, my agents and figured that it would be best to take another year just to be confident in my body and my game — grow mentally, spiritually, physically on and off the court,” she said. “Ultimately, college sports is popping right now. I’m not in a rush.”
Miles made the shocking decision to delay her professional career and return to college for a fifth and final season. She entered the portal and transferred to TCU, where she’s averaging 19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.9 steals. She has led the No. 17 Horned Frogs to a 21-4 record, poised to again compete for the Big 12 title and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Horned Frogs face No. 12 Baylor on the road Thursday evening.
The window of opportunity in professional sports — and especially, in a league with as few roster spots as the WNBA — is small. The New Jersey native already had the résumé many WNBA hopefuls dream of, as a former 5-star recruit, two-time AP All-American and three-time first-team All-ACC honoree.
But in the NIL era, the pull of college — especially at a rising program like TCU — proved strong enough to wait.
“I think it took just incredible guts to bet on yourself when you were already going to be a top-three pick,” TCU head coach Mark Campbell said. “To have the humble enough spirit to say, ‘I need to keep getting better. I need to keep growing,’ I think that says a lot that she was willing to bet on herself and do that.”
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Olivia Miles (5) splits Houston Cougars guard Kierra Merchant (2) and forward Jorynn Ross (26) as she drove to the basket during the first half at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, February 4, 2026.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Willing to wait
Campbell’s ability to attract elite talent is well-established.
While an assistant coach at Oregon, Campbell was responsible for signing three top 10 picks in the 2020 WNBA draft in Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1), former Dallas Wings player Satou Sabally (No. 2) and Ruthy Hebard (No. 8). He also assembled the No. 1 overall recruiting class in 2020, a group that included five McDonald’s All-Americans.
At TCU, he’s been just as aggressive in the portal, landing Hailey Van Lith — the No. 11 pick in last year’s WNBA draft — and center Sedona Prince in consecutive seasons.
Miles’ commitment took it a step further.
“We’ve had a good track record of taking someone for seven to nine months, implementing them and allowing them to blossom,” Campbell said. “[Our system] is simple. It’s a pro system. My goal is to attract WNBA talent and then allow them to be developed here.”
Recruiting Miles started back when she was in high school, and Campbell was at Oregon. He remembers her games being lined with college coaches, and while Oregon wasn’t the right fit for the young star at the time, he made an initial introduction that would pay off later.
A player of Miles’ caliber gets to handpick her destination when entering the portal. TCU’s rapid rise caught her attention — from two conference wins before Campbell’s arrival to an Elite Eight run last season — as did its spread pick-and-roll offense.
After watching players like Van Lith reach a new level in Campbell’s program, she felt her game could do the same.
“I knew that I’d be well taken care of here and be able to showcase my game, and it would only help me as a player,” Miles said.
That’s proven to be true. She’s improved her points average by 4.3 points from last season while adding a rebound and an assist per game. She’s recorded four triple-doubles this season, bringing her career total to 10. The only players with more in NCAA history are Sabrina Ionescu (23) and Caitlin Clark (17).
Ahead of April’s draft, she’s still a projected top-five pick.
“It’s her body of work and consistency. I just know how hard it is. It’s like being a quarterback. To deliver night after night, it’s hard, it’s challenging, it’s exhausting, and she’s done it,” Campbell said. “The fact that we get to coach her, it’s a dream come true.”
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Olivia Miles (5) drives to the lane past Houston Cougars guard TK Pitts (0) during the first half at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, February 4, 2026.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
A new appeal for college
Miles probably wouldn’t have thought twice about leaving for the WNBA five years ago, before the NCAA started allowing athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness. A decision like hers became even easier after the House settlement allowed university athletic programs to start sharing revenue with their athletes directly beginning last summer.
TCU’s roster reflects that shift. Miles is one of 10 newcomers, joined by Marta Suarez (Cal) and Carla Silva (Kentucky). All five starters began their careers elsewhere.
“I love that the players are compensated. They should be,” Campbell said. “Instead of having to go to the WNBA, if you want to stay in college you’re going to be taken care of. It’s neat that at TCU we’ve been supported at a level that allows us to attract really good players.”
For Miles, finances weren’t the sole driver — but they mattered.
“It’s become a business, and especially for women,” she said. “To get a jumpstart on earnings so you don’t have to play as long, you don’t have to go overseas and risk your body and risk your life, ultimately, as we’ve seen situations like Brittney Griner … obviously, you want to get ahead of that as much as you can.
“It wasn’t my primary objective. But it’s definitely a consideration and definitely something you want to set yourself and your family as much as possible.”
TCU’s coaches and players look to make the most of the little time they have left with Miles. While they say her game has grown regardless, the team hopes they can send her to the draft with a Big 12 title and a national title added to her already glowing résumé.
“She’s one of the most impactful players in college basketball, if not the most impactful player,” Campbell said. “It was just a perfect match. She’s continued to elevate what we’ve been building.”
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