“More special coming off a year where I sat on my butt”: Olivia Miles reflects on historic triple-double in Notre Dame’s win over Virginia

As Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Citron combined for 53 points, Olivia Miles garnered her third triple-double of the season in third-ranked Notre Dame's 95-54 win over Virginia on Sunday. Miles' 11-point, 14-assist, 10-rebound performance tied her with Maryland's Alyssa Thomas as the all-time ACC leader in triple-doubles. She also became the NCAA leader in triple-doubles this season.

Miles highlighted the significance of her feat after the game by citing her absence from the court last season and noted the importance of the work that she put into her rehab over the last year. Miles also grabbed her 500th career rebound in the game.

"It's even more special coming off a year where I just sat on my butt," Miles said. "So, it's a testament to my rehab, the work that I put in. It's definitely not an easy thing to sit out, but I learned so much. It's enabled me to come out and do what I do."

Olivia Miles missed the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury she suffered near the end of the 2022-23 campaign. The senior is averaging 17.2 points, 6.7 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals on 56.8% field-goal efficiency, including 50.0% 3-point shooting.

Olivia Miles also joins Caitlin Clark with her incredible feat

The 5-foot-10 guard's first triple-double of the season came in the season opener against the Mercyhurst Lakers. The second one was generated right before the Christmas break, against Loyola Maryland Greyhounds.

With that, Olivia Miles' second consecutive triple-double on Sunday makes her the first major conference player with back-to-back high-production outings after Caitlin Clark did so last season.

Iowa's Caitlin Clark garnered 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Rutgers in January before posting 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in less than a week against the Purdue Boilermakers.

Olivia Miles will have more opportunities to fill up history books when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face the No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels on Jan. 5. By building on her momentum, she will have the chance to surpass Clark and also become the ACC leader in triple-doubles.