Micah Shrewsberry and Niele Ivey Notebook | Pat Garrity Hire
Notre Dame basketball coaches Micah Shrewsberry and Niele Ivey spoke on Thursday afternoon following Pat Garrity’s introductory press conference.
On the first impressions of Garrity:
Shrewsberry: I was in the office when he got here last night and we already started talking strategy - what our team looks like and who we’re recruiting. I wanted to give him a chance to sit down and take his coat off, but there’s a lot of things we’re going to start to get to work on - short-term and long-term goals.”
On if having Garrity part of the program feels like having another coach on the staff:
Ivey: I feel like his expertise in so many different levels and his success at Notre Dame and understanding the Notre Dame landscape is going to be huge. To have that experience and understanding of what we’re doing, I’m super excited to have him part of our family.”
On Ivey, Shrewsberry and Garrity having NBA experience:
Shrewsberry: I think you take different parts from the NBA side. How does it fit into what we do here? With the roster construction, the salary cap and all those things, you’re trying to build your program in the best way possible. I think all of our expertise is good, but ours is on the coaching side. His is on the front office side. So, now being able to combine those two things, I think will be great for all of us.”
On how Garrity’s NBA experience can help:
Shrewsberry: For us, it’s somebody you can bring in that your players can look at and see. ‘Wow, look at what he has done during his career at Notre Dame. ’ From him as a student, two-time academic all-American to being a first-round draft pick to being the player of the year in the Big East - all those things are stuff you can point to and say you can do all those things here. You can accomplish all those things here at Notre Dame. Niele has a bunch of those examples on her team.”
Ivey: Just having that access for our student-athletes and in recruiting parents and prospective student-athletes on campus, knowing we have somebody with his level of expertise and experience on both sides. Having access to someone like that is going to be huge for recruiting and our current student-athletes.”
On they had input with the process of hiring Garrity:
Shrewsberry: We kind of found out at the same time. We were both really excited and happy about it. I remember talking to her on the phone and both of us being kind of giddy about the opportunity. Like Pete said when he introduced him, he is a great model for what we’re looking for. Great Notre Dame student-athlete who is going to be able to help us with his expertise. I was excited. I was fired up.”
Ivey: I got off a flight and we were on a thread with Pete. Credit to Pete just having the vision for both programs and doing something only one other program has done - having a dual GM for men’s and women’s basketball. It’s innovative. Credit to Pete, knowing this is an investment he’s making for us, wanting us to be successful.”
On embracing Garrity stating Notre Dame wants to develop players:
”Him being a representative for us - someone who has had success here and a two-time academic All-American, he’s utilized his talents here at Notre Dame so well. He’s a prime example for our current student-athletes and recruits. Culture is huge. We’re both always trying to bring back our all-time greats and he is an all-time great working here, so that’s a prime example of when you stay here, when you're developed and with both programs, the vision we have for these student-athletes, you can be successful here. The development piece is going to be a big part of what we’re both preaching for our student-athletes.”
On expectations for how much their programs will get from the new revenue sharing model:
Shrewsberry: Figuring out that part out has been something ongoing for a full year. I trust in Pete and our group and what our administration is doing to put us in the best position possible to have success. We’re really showing that outside the box thinking to add someone like Pat to add to help really manage a lot of that. He can help guide us into the future of what we need to be successful. Getting up to speed knowing what we’re doing but what others are doing so we stay in line with the teams in our league and across the country.”
On if the House Settlement will bring some stability:
Ivey: ”We’re hoping it brings stability. This past offseason has been kind of the wild west and having that structure with Pat here, it’s a new normal for us. It’s a new landscape. We’re hoping it provides that structure that we need. All coaches are in a space we’ve never been before.”
On where a GM helps the most:
Ivey: It allows us to coach. It allows us to be out of those conversations and allowing us to do what we were brought here to do. That’s part of coaching that no coaches have experience with. It allows him to run those conversations, help with agents and recruiting. It allows us to do what we do and that’s continue to coach.”
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Cutter & Buck Notre Dame Fighting Irish Prospect Eco Textured Stretch Recycled Polo
