An experienced campaigner in the WNBA, Marina Mabrey needs no introduction. For as long as anyone can remember, the 5 ft 11 has been an efficient player. This is regardless of whether she’s playing in the US or overseas. Having said that, this ability to make an impact with a basketball in hand is not just limited to the 27-year-old. As it turns out, the Mabreys have quite a legacy on the hardwood.

Being one among the five children of Patti and Roy Mabrey, Marina was used to the competitive spirit growing up. And, if your mother is a basketball coach in Belmar, New Jersey, continuous engagement with the sport in the driveway and local parks becomes somewhat of a habit. So, it won’t be surprising for anyone to find out that there is not one but three Mabrey girls who’ve made significant contributions to the sport. One of them even after hanging her boots as a player.

The oldest Mabrey sister: Michaela

The Notre Dame women’s basketball program had one of the most elite squads in history from 2012 to 2016. And, Michaela was an integral part of it. In fact, she was instrumental in the Irish making it to three Final Fours, a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2016 and also featured in the national championship games of 2014 & 2015. In addition to this, she was also a valuable representative in the Notre Dame Student-Athlete Advisory Council and Rosenthal Leadership Academy.

Captaining her squad in her junior and senior campaigns, Michaela emerged as one of the premium three-point shooters in the country. Capitalizing on her skills, she ended up with 228 three-pointers in 142 games. This stands as the 5th best in the program’s history. On top of that, she along with Marina are the only two Fighting Irish to record a minimum of 60 three-pointers in three seasons. These numbers played their part in Notre Dame clinching the regular season and conference tournament honors on all 4 occasions (one Big East + three ACC).

Following this, the thought of going pro overseas did occur to Mabrey after her NCAA days were done. Anyhow, she followed her instincts and decided to become a coach in a “kind of last minute” decision. She accepted the position of coordinator of program and player development at the University of Miami for the 2016-17 season. After a year of helping out the staff with proper scouting material through recurrent on-campus recruiting visits, Mabrey became an assistant coach for the Redhawks. Consequently, a 21-11 record became the biggest turnaround story by a first-year coaching staff that year in NCAA Division I. Moreover, Miami capped off the season and ranked first in the nation.

This tempted the Lady Tigers to bring her on board for the 2018-19 season. As a Director of Recruiting under head coach Nikki Fargas, she engaged herself in daily recruiting operational and logistical processes.

This laid the platform for Marina to follow in her sister’s footsteps. However, the youngest Mabrey sister Dara was not too far behind.

Dara Mabrey carrying the basketball legacy forward

Unlike her sisters, Dara Mabrey chose to begin her college basketball career with Virginia Tech instead of Notre Dame. Her resume included a New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017, and 2018. This, along with two New Jersey state titles, made a compelling case for her to start all 34 games for the Hokies. As a result, she not only led the program with 92 assists but also scored 80 three-pointers. This is the most by any freshman. She carried this momentum in her sophomore year and recorded a career-best 10 consecutive games in double figures. By the end of that season, Dara Mabrey managed to secure 155 three-pointers. This helped her grab the 7th position in the program’s all-time list.

Tracing her roots back to Notre Dame, Dara joined the basketball squad over there as a junior. Her .385 3PT FG% was 5th in the ACC and 61st in the country. Further, Dara’s ability to produce 2 threes in every game earned her a spot among the Top 15 ACC shooters. Earning the nickname Sharpie at Virginia Tech, Dara Mabrey entered her senior season with the reputation of being the team’s leader and biggest talker on the floor. She tied Marina’s Notre Dame record at the NCAA Tournament by connecting 7 three-pointers while facing Oklahoma. Additionally, the 13 three-pointers she made in March Madness were only second to Destanni Henderson’s tally of 14. Nonetheless, her 12 threes in the opening two rounds were the highest among all the men or women athletes in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Despite an ACL injury and tibial plateau fracture eclipsing her 2023 campaign, Dara helped Notre get their hands on the ACC regular season championships. She capped off her with 301 career treys which placed her 10th amongst active D1 players. Also, Dara is the all-time leading three-point shooter amongst her sisters. Evidently, her collegiate career saw a rate of 40.1 percent from 3-point range.

Indeed, a huge footprint left by the three Mabrey sisters. The way the trio have individually impacted the sport is truly phenomenal. Hardly anyone would argue that they have set the benchmark for the future generation of siblings to follow.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.