Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Niele Ivey has begun reshaping her roster for the upcoming season, with the first major addition arriving Friday: Wake Forest graduate transfer Malaya Cowles has committed to the Irish, according to a source.
The 6-foot-3 forward from Wilkesboro, N.C., is coming off a career-best season, averaging 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds over 28 games for a struggling Demon Deacons squad (9-20 overall, 2-16 ACC). One of her top performances came in a January 9 matchup against Notre Dame, where she posted 15 points and 10 boards despite the lopsided 100-64 loss.
Cowles shot a career-high 55.8% from the field in 2025 among the best in Wake Forest program history while attempting just eight three-pointers and shooting 56.4% from the foul line. She initially joined Wake Forest in January 2021 as a midseason enrollee from Winston-Salem Christian School, receiving an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-era rules. After missing the 2023 season with an injury, she now has one year left to compete with the Irish (28-6, 16-2).
Her arrival is expected to be the first of several transfer additions, as Notre Dame looks to reload following a Sweet 16 exit and the departure of nine players — four through the portal, including one starter, and five via graduation, three of whom were starters.
With Cowles, the Irish now have five scholarship players for the 2025-26 season. However, the status of incoming freshman forward Leah Macy remains uncertain after a knee injury during her senior year.
Returning for Notre Dame are standout two-time first-team All-American Hannah Hidalgo, Canadian Olympian Cass Prosper, and redshirt guard KK Bransford.
The transfer portal closes for entries on April 23, although players can still choose new programs after that deadline. Two of Notre Dame’s outgoing transfers have already committed elsewhere: second-team All-American guard Olivia Miles is headed to TCU, and freshman center Kate Koval is bound for LSU. Still undecided are grad forward Kylee Watson and sophomore guard Emma Risch, who’s recovering from hip surgery.
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