Who Is Notre Dame Star Olivia Miles? What Injury Kept the 21 YO Star Out of 2023/24 Season?

Described as “articulate” and “intelligent” by her coach, Olivia Miles was the star many expected to change Notre Dame’s fate. However, those dreams soon shattered. During the 2023 regular season semifinal against Louisville, the Fighting Irish not only lost their decent run but also their best scorer. While the team still appeared as the third seed in the March Madness then, second seed Maryland forced them to pack their bags in the Sweet Sixteen. Something similar happened this year, forcing people to know just why one of the double-digit scorers of the team is not making an entry on the floor.

It is old news that Miles had injured her right knee during the late minutes of the second quarter. The game against Louisville turned out to be a trouble. The immaculate star has not returned since then for five crucial events for the Fighting Irish, including this year’s post-season tournament. However, she usually shows her face during the pre-game warmups.

Consequently, many fans hoped she would return. However, Notre Dame had to go the entire season without her. Nevertheless, Hannah Hidalgo did pull a lot of weight on her shoulders to help the team. They did win the ACC conference this year but faced a 65-70 upset loss to Oregon State. While the team now boasts double-digit scorers like Hidalgo, Sonia Citron, and Maddy Westbeld on their roster, seems like Miles’ career average of 13.6 points, 6.2 boards, and 6.8 assists could have pushed the Fighting Irish a little farther.

When will Olivia Miles make a comeback?

Being a junior with an additional COVID-19 year, Miles has stolen some more time with the team. According to her, she does not want to rush her recovery and will return when she believes she is ready. Although she is not present on the floor with her teammates to tackle the opponents, Miles ensures that she stays active with the roster. In fact, she is a great motivation to everyone.

Hence, despite not suiting up in the blue and gold jersey, she continues to enhance the competition on the floor during practices. When talking about her recovery from the injury, USA Today reports that her head coach Niele Ivey is all praises. She says, “She’s playing at a high level, she’s in a great shape, she’s really strong, really confident in her game. She just brings a level of competitiveness and experience that really helps our team just preparing for other matchups.”

Before her fall due to the injury, Olivia Miles was averaging 14.3 points, 7,3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. While we do not have a definitive answer, the Irish fans can expect her to return next season as she is already coming back in her form. What are your thoughts on this?