KK Bransford Officially Becomes Irish

NOTRE DAME, Ind.  — Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Notre Dame head women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey was pleased to announce on Wednesday that 2021 Ms. Ohio Basketball KK Bransford had signed her National Letter of Intent to play for the Fighting Irish next fall.  

“I am thrilled to welcome KK Bransford to our ND family! She is an athletic combo guard that can take over and dominate a game. She will be an incredible addition to our backcourt and to the makeup of my team,” Coach Ivey said. “With her ability to use her quickness, athleticism, passing and scoring skillset, I expect her to make an easy transition to the collegiate level and make an immediate impact on our team. Culture is a big part of what I’m building and KK fits our culture perfectly.” 

A 5-11 guard hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, KK Bransford is ranked as the seventh best guard in her class and 27th overall. She attends Mount Notre Dame, where all she has done is win. 

She’s a two-time Ohio state champion, and could have been a third as Covid stopped her 28-0 squad in 2020. Mount Notre Dame is also a three-time Greater Girls Catholic League champion during Bransford’s tenure.

Speaking of records, Bransford has led the Cougars to a combined 85-2 mark, and will be riding a 72-game win streak heading into the 2021-22 season. 

Last year, Bransford averaged an impressive 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals, which led her to be named not only the MaxPreps Ohio Player of the year, but also the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year as well. Therefore, for those counting, that would make back-to-back Ohio Gatorade Player of the Years for the Irish, with current sophomore Maddy Westbeld earning the honor in 2020. 

“I chose Notre Dame because I believe in Coach Ivey’s vision, and I want to be a part of it,” explained Bransford. “The education and degree from Notre Dame speaks for itself. One of the most important things was the family atmosphere that I felt when I was with the girls. It was amazing.”

Bransford would also join the long list of Irish guards who have contributed and experienced success with USA basketball. In 2019, Bransford won the gold medal with the U16 squad at the 2019 FIBA Americas, averaging 5.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a perfect 6-0 tournament. 

All-in-all, the two-time GGCL Player of the Year will head into her final high school season with over 1,600 career points, eying that 2,000-point milestone marker. 

Lastly, when Bransford chose the Fighting Irish, the Cincinnati native drove to South Bend to surprise the players and coaches. The reaction can be seen below.

“They were going crazy!” Bransford said. “Some of them even teared up. Even through the little bit of time they’ve been recruiting me, we’ve gotten really close.”