April 7, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Ruth Riley (Macy, Ind.), a third-team Associated Press All-America pick and a unanimous first-team all-BIG EAST selection, became the first Notre Dame women’s basketball player to finish first in an NCAA statistical category. In the final NCAA statistics released on April 6, Riley’s new single-season field goal percentage mark of 68.3 percent topped the nation in that category.

Riley, who also finished third nationally in blocked shots (3.3 per game), hit 198 of her 290 field goal attempts during the season. Her 68.3 percent eclipsed the mark of 63.9 percent set by Sandy Botham during the 1985-86 campaign.

Two other Irish player were among the national leaders as Sheila McMillen (Rochester, Ind.) finished fourth in three-point field goals made (3.2 per game) and eighth in three throw percentage (87.1 percent), while junior Niele Ivey (St. Louis, Mo.) finished in the top 15 in three statistical categories. She finished eighth in three-point field goal percentage (44.8 percent), tied for ninth in free throw percentage (87.0 percent) and was 13th in assists (6.5 per game).

As a team, the Irish finished in the top 20 nationally in eight categories (the most by any Notre Dame team) as they were fourth in rounding margin (+9.8 per game) ninth in scoring offense (81.0 ppg.), scoring margin (+15.5 ppg.), 10th in won-lost percentage (83.9 percent), 13th in three point field goal percentage (37.2 percent), 17th in free throw percentage (73.7 percent), 18th in field goal percentage (46.6 percent), and 20th in field goal percentage defense (37.7 percent).