Oct. 19, 2016
By Tristan Vitale ’19
Erin Boley is a freshman forward on the Notre Dame women’s basketball team this year. After completing her incredible career at Elizabethtown High School in Hodgenville, KY last year, Boley was named the No. 5 overall recruit in the nation by espnW HoopGurlz. To add to her list of accolades, Boley was also named the Kentucky Gatorade Player-of-the-Year three times (2014-16), a McDonald’s All-American (2016), and Miss Kentucky Basketball (2016). Following her senior season, she was also honored as the Gatorade National Player-of-the-Year, a feat accomplished by current teammate Brianna Turner in 2014 and Irish legend Skylar Diggins in 2009. Boley looks to continue her success on the court at the collegiate level this year for the Irish.
Q: How did you start playing basketball?
A: I started playing basketball when I was really young, probably around kindergarten I would say. My mom played in high school and my dad played in college, so they both got me into it.
Q: Do you think you got your talent from your mom or your dad?
A: Both probably, I got my height from my dad and probably a little bit of my toughness from my mom I would say.
Q: What was your reaction to being named Gatorade Player-of-the-Year?
A: I actually wasn’t expecting it at all. It was a huge surprise and I honestly had no idea it was coming. Our 2016 class was a great class and there were players that were ranked really high who were all really good, so it was a really competitive class and I wasn’t expecting the award, but it was definitely one of the greatest honors I’ve ever received. It was amazing.
Q: If you could play a sport other than basketball, what would it be?
A: Probably softball. I played softball all while I was growing up, until about 8th grade. I usually played either first or third base.
Q: Who is your favorite professional athlete?
A: My favorites are probably Elena Delle Donne and Maya Moore.
Q: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
A: I can juggle pretty much anything.
Q: Do you have any other special talents or hobbies?
A: Not really, I guess I can draw which is something less people know about me.
Q: What is your favorite memory from your basketball career?
A: Playing in the state tournament with my high school team. My junior year we made it to the final four and that was probably one of my best memories.
Q: What has been the toughest adjustment to make coming from high school to college?
A: Basketball-wise it’s been adjusting to the pace picking up because it’s a lot faster here. Living-wise, being independent and not relying on anyone for anything has been an adjustment as well.
Q: What is your go-to guilty pleasure?
A: Anything chocolate. Chocolate chip cookies, brownies, anything really.
Q: What is your favorite professional basketball team?
A: I’m an OKC fan. I’m not mad at Kevin Durant, but I am a fan of Russell Westbrook.
Q: If you could trade places with any of your teammates for a day, who would it be?
A: Probably Lindsay [Allen]. She’s our leader, so it would be cool to trade places with her and see what that’s like.
Q: If you could trade places with any person in the world for a day, who would it be?
A: I think Skylar Diggins.