Typically Inactive Notre Dame Dips into Transfer Portal to Bolster Roster

Head coach Christine Halfpenny has watched the last few years unfold. After the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, it started a flurry of movement in the transfer portal. Though much of it has been fifth-year players, even marquee underclassmen have entered the mix. You’ve seen the headlines.

But Notre Dame hasn’t been all that active in the portal.

“We believe in the work and the process with our initial recruitment efforts with high schoolers,” Halfpenny says. “We’ve been very proud of that, which is why we’re one of the schools that haven’t been Transfer U.”

The school’s low acceptance rate and high academic standards add another challenge. And to be honest? Notre Dame has consistently had talent come back. Even entering 2024, the Irish knew it could return talent all over the field in Kasey Choma (69 G, 19 A), Madison Ahern (63 G, 21 A), Jackie Wolak (57 G, 48 A), Kelly Denes (135 DC), Mary Kelley Doherty (28 G, 111 DC), Lily Calahan (.450 SV%) … the list goes on. So, when Richmond attacker and draw control leader Arden Tierney reached out to Halfpenny in the winter of 2023, Halfpenny gave her something of a soft no.

“I said, ‘We’re going to return a lot of our offense. To be fair to you, I’m going to need time to figure things out and see if everyone gets into graduate school and comes back,’” Halfpenny said. “We’re not just jumping in the portal and collecting individuals and having huge rosters. I don’t think that’s doing right by some athletes.”

Choma, Ahern, Wolak and Emma Schettig, a defender who transferred from Maryland for the 2021 season and played in six games last year, are on their way back to South Bend next year. Still, Tierney piqued Halfpenny’s interest, as did growing evidence that graduate transfers were worth it for teams knocking on the door of titles.

“There’s some proof that, in men’s and women’s sports, that graduate transfers came in and made a big dent and helped teams get to the Final Four, not just women’s lacrosse but men’s lacrosse, basketball and other sports,” Halfpenny said. “That was an area we had to do our jobs.”

Part of that job involved talking things over with the loaded list of returners, particularly upperclassmen. Culture is important at Notre Dame — the Irish even have a club dedicated to it. 

“We have conversations,” Halfpenny said. “This isn’t like I am making decisions and not involving the team.”

Tierney, who played high school lacrosse at Sacred Heart (N.Y.) and went on to corral 405 draws at Richmond, was well known among Notre Dame’s Long Island contingency. 

“Talking about the draw, we were like, ‘You guys know Arden?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, she is good,’” Halfpenny said. “Our high contributors were like, ‘Bring it on. We are getting ready to chase that championship. It’s time.’”

Tierney was a natural fit for the Irish. Her resume from 2023 was impressive all by itself. She was the 2023 IWLCA Division I Scholar Athlete of the Year (clearly, she has the grades). On the field, she tallied 94 points, 44 assists, 189 draw controls and captained Richmond to an Atlantic 10 title and NCAA tournament first-round win. 

“Her vision, feeding, scoring, playing at a high level and being a part of firsts at her program, which is big for us,” Halfpenny said. “She’s driven to continue chasing championships.”

Notre Dame’s draw unit is already impressive on and off paper with the returns of Denes and Doherty. But the addition of Tierney frees up Denes to be more involved outside of the draw.

“[Denes] is … a complete midfielder on both ends and never gets enough credit for it,” Halfpenny said. “That said, sometimes, we can’t showcase that because she has to do so much work. There are 45 draws taken in a high-scoring game with four quarters.”

It’s why some programs have a dedicated draw specialist and why Halfpenny is creating more depth at the position.

“The draw is like a down in football,” Halfpenny said. “It’s a 10-second, everything-you-have [play], but in lacrosse, you don’t get to take a four-minute break before your special teams comes back on. We have to protect Kelly’s endurance on the draw. Kelly is excited about it. It lets us stay fast and fresh in our midfield.”

Midfielder Hannah Dorney (22 CT, 41 GB) is one of the Irish’s lone and most significant losses from the 2023 team that advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. Olivia Dooley had also expressed interest in transferring to Notre Dame for her graduate season after causing 44 turnovers at USC the year before. One look at the stat sheet and Halfpenny was intrigued. 

“Olivia played a strong role in a zone for USC,” Halfpenny said. “Forty-four caused turnovers is obviously eye-catching. The role Hannah Dorney played for us in our zone was something we knew would be a gap. That was a gap to fill. Olivia is awesome at the gaps.”

Before making anything official, Halfpenny once again got intel from her Long Island contingency (Dooley played at Manhasset, a stone’s throw and a traffic jam away from Tierney’s hometown of Port Washington.)

“She got awesome reviews from our own players who knew her from back in the day on Long Island and had mutual friends who talk about how she helps build positive team culture and is an awesome teammate,” Halfpenny said.

The transfers are slated to make an impact, including as leaders for an incoming freshman class. Notre Dame also plans to keep its reputation as a class-blind program that leans on talented recruits from high school.

Wynter Jock, a member of the Haudenosaunee Nationals roster for the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, is one rookie who could crack even the thickest depth chart.

“She’s unique, creative and will be mentored by and play with this returning group of attackers,” Halfpenny said.

Katie Timarky, another Long Islander (this one from Centereach), is what Halfpenny calls a “net finder.”

“She can find the back of the net and has unbelievable IQ,” Halfpenny said. “I love how gritty she is.”

And Meghan O’Hare of St. Mary’s (Md.) is a two-way midfielder who balances field sense with efficacy. Halfpenny thinks she’ll be crucial in transition and between the 30s.

But perhaps the biggest addition to Notre Dame entering Fall Ball isn’t any one person on the roster but a sense of confidence that comes from being the only unseeded team to make it to the quarterfinals. The Irish have long had all the talent on offense, but at times were too unselfish, with players passing in tight spots when Notre Dame needed a goal. For Wolak, Choma and Ahern, in particular, last season marked a turning point.

“We learned that you’ve got to step up — it is you,” Halfpenny said. “You don’t have to do it alone. If they mark out one of you, two of you are free. They know what they are able to do and found their scoring strength and leaned into it. They get it. They figured it out last year.”

Proof positive was a win over Florida in the NCAA tournament’s second round. The Gators rallied from a four-goal fourth-quarter deficit to even the score at 15-all with 1:22 left and won the draw. But Ahern caused a turnover, and Choma converted with 10 seconds left to send the Irish on.

“That was a signature win down in Florida,” Halfpenny said. “We weren’t leaving that state without a win. It was a realization for our team that we got this. That was a big hump to get over.”

The next hump? Playing on Memorial Day Weekend, and Halfpenny and the talented mix of returners, transfers and rookies are laser-focused on getting there.

“We’re fired up to play for that Final Four and chance to play for a national championship,” Halfpenny said. “It takes belief and confidence, an unwavering belief no matter what it is, and this past season built more confidence for this team. Confidence is going to be the key.”