Notre Dame has been dominant this season, Topping the ACC ranks with a 24-3 record. A key reason for their success? Sonia Citron. The 6’1″ guard has been the difference on both ends of the court, delivering in clutch moments and even contributing in defense cementing herself as an integral part of the Fighting Irish’s roster.

While in an upset loss to NC State yesterday, The Fighting Irish, snapped their 19-game winning streak in a double-overtime loss (104-95). Sonia Citron stepped up in a big way contributing with 23 points and 7 rebounds and she was one of the reasons the game went so deep NC State had a three-point lead with only four seconds left, and in came Sonia in the final seconds of the match and at around 0.6 seconds she nailed a three-pointer in. Her presence on the court has been surreal not just this season but from an early age, here’s everything you need to know about the 6’1 Guard.

The Making of a Champion: Sonia Citron’s Rise

Born on October 22, 2003, Sonia grew up in the White Plains, New York, and basketball was something she had inherited in herself by birth, as her father William Citron played college basketball at Bradley. Even her brother Will, has had roots in the sports world, although it wasn’t basketball he played soccer on the contrary for Cornell and Virginia.

Sonia finally kickstarted her career in basketball for the first time in basketball during eighth grade, as she decided to follow in the footsteps of the No.1 WNBA draft in 2020, Sabrina Ionescu. She started playing college basketball for the Ursuline school based in New Rochelle.

As a junior the guard averaged,  23.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 steals, and 3.1 assists per game, and due to her extraordinary performances on the court she was named the Gatorade Player Of The Year, New York, embarking as a player to watch out early on.

Her senior season saw an even greater rise in her game as Sonia averaged, 26.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, five assists, and three steals per game, leading the Ursuline to the Southern Westchester Group 1 championship with a perfect 14–0 record. Her heroics made her a standout as she was named Miss New York, as the top player in the state.

Rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN, her game didn’t just stop at the national level as she went further and broke through at the International stage, winning a gold medal for Team USA in the FIBA under-16 Women’s Americas Championship in 2019. The guard was named to the all-tournament team, as she averaged 13.3 points per game being second on her time.

Sonia helped the USA bagg another Gold Medal at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup, earning all-tournament team honors averaging 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.

Continuing her journey in the national circuit, her big step was into the wide world of college basketball, she committed to play for two-time NCAA Champions, Notre Dame declining offers from Oregon and Standford.

Sonia’s Journey with the 2-Time National Champions

Her freshman season was a total success, as she was named ACC Freshman of the Year and was named the ACC Freshman of the Week a total of six times, tying with Brianna Turner for the program record in the ACC.

As a freshman, she averaged 11.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game but her best was yet to come, the guard saved her skills for the best as she went all-out in the second round of the NCAA tournament pouring her second-highest scoring of the season, against Oklahoma, gathering a total of 25 points.

Citron converted on a career-best 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. It marked the best Irish free-throw performance since Arike Ogunbowale who went for 12-12 vs Louisville during the 2019 season.

Her career-high performance came during the match against Michigan State, where she scored a total of 29 points in just 28 minutes of play, where she scored 21 points in the second half itself this too coming off from the bench was unbelievable as it made the program record for most off the bench.

Now as a senior, Notre Dame is looking to win the NCAA tournament this year and Sonia Citron has been a clutch player for the team, her most noticeable game came against Syracuse, as they won over the orange and Sonia was the leading scorer, recording a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Due to her significant contribution in crucial road wins against big opponents, Citron was named one of five USBWA National Players of the Week.

Sonia Citron’s journey has been remarkable, from a young basketball prodigy to a key player for Notre Dame has been nothing short of remarkable. With her clutch performances, leadership, and ability to shine on the biggest stages, she continues to be a driving force for the Fighting Irish. As Notre Dame eyes another NCAA championship, Citron’s impact will be crucial in their pursuit of glory.