Jan. 16, 2001
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Spolight takes a look at Ruth Riley, a member of the women’s basketball team. She racked up 29 points in the program’s historic defeat of Connecticut. Today, the FANSzine looks at Riley’s future in the WNBA in the final installment of the series.
After Ruth Riley has finished her final practice, sank her last hook shot, signed her last autograph in the South Bend area, what will she do? What is in store for this dominating, hard working center from such humble beginnings like Macy?
“The WNBA is part of my immediate plans right now,” Riley said without hesitation. “The draft is at the end of April and I leave right after graduation. I’m actually missing a couple days of training camp to go to graduation…so there is no down time.”
She will be facing similar circumstances to her freshman year at Notre Dame when she enters into the professional ranks of women’s basketball. Like that first time four years ago, Ruth will have to adjust and overcome.
“I’m kind of anxious because I don’t know what to expect but I’m really excited about the opportunity and I think it will be fun,” she said.
During every home game this year, the tables alongside the court have been packed with scouts from the WNBA checking out what may be the first pick in the draft come April.
Ruth laughs when she hears that scouts actually attend.
“I didn’t even know they came to our games,” she said with a chuckle.
However, they are there and they are watching.
Assistant coach Coquese Washington, a ’93 graduate of Notre Dame, currently plays for the 2000 WNBA Champions the Houston Comets.
“Coquese has actually helped me out the most,” Ruth pointed out. “From the experience she has and knowing what is going on…it is really nice to have somebody here who can help you out.”
The WNBA season is only about two months in duration, and Ruth is not really sure where she will go.
“I like the opportunity of going to different places and seeing different things,” she said.
Even though the prospect of playing pro ball is exciting to any youngster growing up, Ruth still has perspective on what is important to her.
“I definitely want to take a season off from school and then look into graduate school,” Riley pointed out. “I would like to go into communications or something like that, or maybe I could play overseas since the seasons revolve around each other.”
With a solid head on her shoulders, and a wide-open future, there is no telling what she will be doing in five years. There is one thing, however, she will carry from the experience she has had at the University of Notre Dame.
“You can talk to any alumni from Notre Dame and they share the same thing and it is kind of an intangible, something you can’t quite put your finger on,” she said.
Maybe that something is community, or kinship. Whatever it is, Ruth just smiles and remains your typical college senior, except for the fact she is probably the most recognizable monument on campus next to the Golden Dome.