Notre Dame’s Brunelle enters transfer portal

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Former William Monroe High School All-American Samantha Brunelle announced Wednesday that she has entered the transfer portal.

Brunelle, a junior at Notre Dame, was hampered with injuries throughout her career with the Irish, but didn’t miss any games this past season, coming off the bench. For her career with the Irish, she averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds per game and shot 42.6 percent from the field.

She started all 31 games as a freshman and made the All-ACC freshman team, averaging 13.9 points per game. 

“The past three years have been the most amazing years of my life,” the 6-foot-2 Brunelle wrote on her Twitter account. “Coming to Notre Dame was a dream come true and I am thankful for all the memories, friends and connections I have made while being here. I’ve had time to reflect on my next steps, which includes graduating this coming summer with a degree in film television, and theatre and starting a new master’s program this coming fall.

“I want to thank Coach McGraw for giving me the opportunity to become Fighting Irish and also to Coach Ivey for continuing to help me grow on and off the court. I am also grateful to have had such an amazing support staff behind me over the past few years. WIth that said, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal with two years of eligibility left. I am forever Irish and forever grateful to call this place home.”

It isn’t known if Virginia and new coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton has reached out to Brunelle, who starred for William Monroe, less than 20 minutes away from UVA’s campus.