We are joined by the one and only head coach of the Notre Dame women's basketball team, Neil Ivey.

Coach, how are you today?

I'm great.

How are you?

I'm doing good.

Good to see you as always.

We're going to be seeing more of each other here coming up pretty soon, of course, because the exhibition game for you is next Thursday, one week from today as we speak, October 30th against Purdue Northwest,

and then you'll fire up the regular season, November 5th, when Fairleigh Dickinson comes to town.

This is, of course, season number six for you coming up here as head coach at your alma mater.

What gets you most excited getting ready for a season?

Honestly, just again, I've had so much gratitude for being in this position,

no matter if it's my first year or six years, I just love this place and I love this group,

this program. It means so much to me. So just coming into work, you know, seeing the Golden Dome, coming into this facility,

even this arena or our practice facility, seeing all the Final Fours is so much motivation

and inspiration that comes from being a part of this program. And I just love stepping on this

campus. If you could go back to year one before you ever coached the game,

what advice would you give yourself to year one? No, you know, clean slate, Neil Ivey. I guess.

I always say give yourself grace. There's a lot of learning, especially year one. It was in the

pandemic. You know, just again, just continue with knowing who you are,

but give yourself grace as you're navigating a completely new space is what I probably

would tell that person five years ago.

Man, amazing.

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