What will Notre Dame’s women’s basketball program look like after the end of next season, when All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo has exhausted her eligibility?
Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey is finding the answer to that question on the recruiting trail.
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Eve Long – ranked as the fifth-best recruit in the 2027 class by ESPN – has committed to Notre Dame, her representatives at The Team confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, May 20. A 6-foot-3 forward from Kansas, it’s Ivey’s first major signing of the 2027 class.
“The connection I felt with Coach Ivey, her staff and players was one of the main reasons why I chose Notre Dame,” Long told USA TODAY Sports. “I really believe that they will help me reach my goals, and in turn we will accomplish amazing things. I’m really excited to be a part of the Notre Dame family.”
Rankings aside, many head coaches around the country consider Long to be one of the best players in her class and describe her as a special talent, a premier rebounder and a versatile forward with a high motor whose 3-point shot is improving. A few weeks ago, she scored 52 points in a game for her AAU club, Southwest Select.
Long narrowed her final three college choices down to Notre Dame, UConn and UCLA before ultimately choosing the Irish. She also held offers from Duke, Kansas, Baylor, Tennessee, Texas, USC, TCU, Maryland, North Carolina, LSU, Iowa and South Carolina, among contending programs.
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Team USA has taken notice of Long’s talents and recently invited her to trials for its U17 camp. Last year, she played with Team USA’s U16 squad at the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, helping the Americans win gold in Mexico. Across six starts, Long averaged 11.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and was named a member of the All-Star team for the event.
Playing for Olathe South High School, Long was named Gatorade’s Player of the Year in Kansas this past season as a junior. She averaged 32.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 assists per game across 25 contests in the 2025-26 season.
Following a run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament this past season, Notre Dame is bringing in a strong recruiting class this offseason to complement Hidalgo during her senior season. Four incoming freshmen for the Irish were ranked inside ESPN’s top 40 rankings for the 2026 class, and the headliner of the group is 6-foot-2 wing Jacy Abii from Texas.
Notre Dame also brought in Princeton transfer Madison St. Rose, a two-time All-Ivy League selection. The Irish should also have 2025 recruit Leah Macy, a five-star forward, healthy this season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame women’s basketball lands top recruit Eve Long
