By John Brice
Special Contributor
This time, the scene is the Trophy Room inside of the trendy Graduate Hotel on the campus of the University of Connecticut, mere blocks from storied Gampel Pavilion and unbeknownst precursor to one of those games that instantly carves its place in the lore of women’s basketball.
The order is a microcosm of a season; Maddy Westbeld’s getting coffee, preparing to meditate and, maybe a dozen hours later, initiating a game in which she dominates.
Westbeld is Notre Dame’s senior Swiss Army knife; she averages more than 14 points, 9 rebounds per game and can break opponents down from distance, a 37-percent shooter from 3-point range, if foolish enough to leave her open.
She is hours from a career-defining seminal performance, 23 points and 5 boards, to say nothing of a maxed-out 40-minute effort, in what becomes Niele Ivey’s signature win – thus far – as Notre Dame’s head coach, an 82-67 dismantling of Geno Auriemma’s then-No. 8 UConn Huskies.
“On away trips, I go and find a coffee shop somewhere around the city,” said Westbeld, the 6-foot-3 senior from Kettering, Ohio, who only needs to amble to her hotel lobby for this precursor to transcendence. “No matter how early we have shoot-around, I get up and go find a spot and find my grounding. No matter where we are physically, this is something that’s important to me.
“I feel like in every sense, it’s everywhere off the court that’s translated to on the court. I’ve seen it in the consistency of my play, seen it in my leadership and confidence and not just stat sheet. But with my team. My confidence in myself, I feel like I can just be free now. I can play the game I love and play with the people I love.”
Admiration for Westbeld’s game is approaching an all-time high.
Forget, for a moment, her joining with freshman phenom Hannah Hidalgo to score 57 of the Irish’s 82 points in this Google-maps stamp of Notre Dame’s ongoing ascendance under Ivey in the win at Gampel.
Just seven players log minutes for the Irish in this win, 48 hours on the heels of a disappointing home loss to Syracuse, and Westbeld is one of three with every second on the court.
She is ready for this moment because she is unwavering in every other moment of her days, her weeks, her time on Notre Dame’s campus and in Notre Dame’s remarkably storied program.
“I get up and I meditate every morning; it doesn’t have to be that long, but what I really just try to do is calm my mind,” said Westbeld, her meditative approach also carrying over into her dietary discipline, the daughter of a father with an expansive garden continually honing her approach with clean eating. “I let everything be brought to the surface and let it guide my day. It’s really just about bringing everything back to joy, something I try to really focus on and center myself on.
“I enjoy this time and moment, especially here in my senior year. There are big decisions ahead and big things ahead; I’m trying to stay present and enjoy every second I have without being overwhelmed. In this stage, where we have so many blessings, gifts and such a large platform, athletes like myself can get overwhelmed and feel pressure. This is a way for me to release that pressure and anything else that’s heavy on my mind. I just want to let it guide my life, along with prayer, in trying to stay closer to God.”
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Pressure is nonexistent for this late-December afternoon on Notre Dame’s idyllic campus, where hundreds of South Bend-area youth congregate for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
There is a free basketball clinic; the response – more than 225 area kids arrive for the free event – is such that there’s an impromptu need to utilize Purcell Pavilion.
Westbeld is torchbearer in the free clinic, but, in testament to her impact beyond her own locker room, others show up to help tutor hundreds of kids living mere miles from campus but making their first-ever visits to Notre Dame.
“I’ve always had a thing for coaching little kids, helping out little kids; that’s always been a soft spot for me,” said J.R. Konieczny, a starter on Micah Shrewsberry’s inaugural Irish squad and local product from St. Joseph. “When (Maddy asked me), I was excited to do it, I looked forward to doing it.
“I love doing that stuff, it was a lot of fun. And I think those little kids, they made my day more than I made their day.”
More than a month later, with pressing questions of her future at the forefront, Westbeld continues to relish the event.
“One of the most amazing and rewarding pieces of work I’ve ever done was that clinic,” said Westbeld, a double-digit scorer in 16 of 18 games this season and owner of seven double-double performances. “We were able to allow them to see, it’s within your reach. Even some friends who grew up in South Bend, they really hadn’t heard of Notre Dame until middle school or high school. We wanted to open doors up that they don’t usually walk into.
“I wish we hadn’t waited until my senior year, but I’m glad we did it at all. I hope it continues for as long as it can.”
Unsurprisingly, it is a moment of zen from Westbeld. These days, she’s serving up coffee and dreams.