GREENSBORO, N.C. – The six-time ACC regular season champion, University of Notre Dame, placed all five of its starters on either the Blue Ribbon Panel’s or Coaches’ Panel First or Second Team all-conference lists. This marks the most selections the Fighting Irish have ever received for end of the year all-conference teams.
Senior guard Arike Ogunbowale and senior forward Jessica Shepard were unanimous First Team selections for the second consecutive year. Brianna Turner became the first Irish player to earn All-ACC honors all four years, earning a Second Team nod this afternoon. Furthermore, Turner was selected to the All-ACC Defensive Team.
Junior guard Jackie Young received Second Team accolades for the first time. Lastly, Marina Mabrey earned Second Team honors for the second straight year, as chosen by the ACC coaches.
How It Happened
Ogunbowale co-led the ACC in scoring with 21.4 points per game, which ranks 14th in the nation. The program’s new all-time leading scorer proved her consistency by leading the ACC in 20-point scoring performances with 20, along with five games with 30-plus points.
Ogunbowale also improved her vision this season, averaging 4.0 assists, which ranks ninth in the ACC, in addition to averaging 4.6 assists in league play. The Milwaukee native was also active on defense, leading the Irish with 1.8 steals per game with a 2.0 average in ACC play.
Shepard nearly averages a double-double with 16.1 points and 9.9 rebounds, while shooting 60.1 percent from the field, as the latter ranks 13th in the nation and second in the ACC. Shepard was the only league player to rank in the Top 15 in eight different statistical categories.
Shepard has collected five double-doubles over the last seven games, bringing her season total to 12. In addition, the Fremont, Nebraska, native has notched three double-doubles of 15-plus points and 15-plus rebounds.
Brianna Turner becomes the fifth different Irish player to receive all-conference accolades all four years, joining the likes of Jacqueline Batteast, Skylar Diggins, Beth Morgan and Sandy Botham. Turner also becomes the first Irish player to earn All-ACC Defensive Team honors all four years.
Turner led the ACC in blocks in overall games (2.7) and in league play (3.1) to go with her 13.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. In addition, Turner has become Notre Dame’s most proficient shooter from the field, knocking down 63.3 percent on the year, which ranks sixth in the nation. Turner shot a blistering 67.4 percent during league play, which led all ACC players.
After receiving Honorable Mention last year, Young moves up with her Second Team nod. The junior is averaging 14.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists, as the latter ranks second in the ACC and 38th in the country. Young has really taken care of the ball as of late, as her 2.68 assist-to-turnover ratio has jumped up to 19th in the nation.
In the regular season finale on March 3, Young became the first Irish player to record multiple triple-doubles in the same season, recording 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists versus Virginia. She also tied Skylar Diggins’ career mark with two.
Marina Mabrey is averaging 14.2 points and 4.7 assists for the Irish, as the latter ranks fourth in the ACC. In fact, Mabrey has been on fire in the assist department lately, dishing out a total of 26 over the last three games.
Mabrey is shooting 45.1 percent overall from three (ranks 2nd in the ACC), but led the ACC in league play in both three-point shooting (47.9 percent) and threes per game (2.9). As Mabrey enters the ACC Tournament this weekend, the senior guard will be closing in on Notre Dame’s all-time made threes record of 262 by Alicia Ratay. Mabrey sits just four back.
Up Next
The No. 1 seeded Fighting Irish will begin ACC Tournament play on Friday, March 8, at 2 p.m. ET on RSN. Notre Dame will challenge the winner of North Carolina vs Georgia Tech.
2018-19 All-ACC Team (as voted on by the league’s Blue Ribbon Panel)
First Team
Haley Gorecki, Jr., G, Duke
Kiah Gillespie, Jr., F, Florida State
Asia Durr, Sr., G, Louisville
Beatrice Mompremier, Jr., F, Miami (FL)
Emese Hof, Sr., F/C, Miami (FL)
Kiara Leslie, Sr., G, NC State
Paris Kea, Gr., G, North Carolina
Arike Ogunbowale, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Jessica Shepard, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Tiana Mangakahia, Jr., G, Syracuse
Second Team
Janelle Bailey, So., C, North Carolina
Brianna Turner, Gr., F, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Taylor Emery, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Regan Magarity, Sr., F, Virginia Tech
All-ACC Freshman Team
Makayla Dickens, G, Boston College
Miela Goodchild, G, Duke
Valencia Myers, F, Florida State
Elizabeth Balogun, G, Georgia Tech
Elizabeth Dixon, F, Georgia Tech
Elissa Cunane, C, NC State
Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi, F, Syracuse
Dara Mabrey, G, Virginia Tech
2018-19 All-ACC Team (as voted on by the league’s head coaches)
First Team
Kiah Gillespie, Jr., F, Florida State
Asia Durr, Sr., G, Louisville
Emese Hof, Jr., F, Miami (FL)
Beatrice Mompremier, Sr., F/C, Miami (FL)
Paris Kea, Sr., G, North Carolina
Kiara Leslie, Gr., G, NC State
Arike Ogunbowale, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Jessica Shepard, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Tiana Mangakahia, Jr., G, Syracuse
Taylor Emery, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Second Team
Kobi Thornton, Jr., G, Clemson
Haley Gorecki, Jr., G, Duke
Marina Mabrey, Sr., G, Notre Dame
Jackie Young, Jr., G, Notre Dame
Regan Magarity, Sr., F, Virginia Tech
All-ACC Freshman Team
Makayla Dickens, G, Boston College
Miela Goodchild, G, Duke
Valencia Myers, F, Florida State
Elizabeth Balogun, G, Georgia Tech
Elizabeth Dixon, F, Georgia Tech
Elissa Cunane, C, NC State
Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi, F, Syracuse
Dara Mabrey, G, Virginia Tech
All-ACC Defensive Team
Danielle Edwards, Sr., G, Clemson
Simone Westbrook, Gr., G, Clemson
Emese Hof, Sr., F/C, Miami (FL)
Kiara Leslie, Gr., G, NC State
Brianna Turner, Gr., F, Notre Dame
— ND —