Notre Dame forward Madeline Westbeld announces WNBA Draft decision, pens heartfelt note to Fighting Irish faithful

Madeline Westbeld bid farewell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Wednesday after announcing her decision to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft. The senior forward posted an image of her message to the Notre Dame faithful on X (formerly Twitter).

Westbeld leaves Notre Dame as one of the program's most decorated players, amassing 1,710 points, 940 rebounds and 145 blocks in her storied career. She made 138 starts for the Fighting Irish, the third-highest in program history. She also played 4,100 minutes during her five-season stint with Notre Dame, the sixth-highest in the history of the Irish's women's basketball program.

"I tried telling God my plans and He looked at me and laughed," Westbeld began her statement. "I Thank You and Praise You for Everything, even if I don’t know exactly why yet."

"From top to bottom, left to right, this is my family for life. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Thank you Notre Dame, and thank you to every person who has impacted me, along with those who allowed me to impact them."

Madeline Westbeld then thanked herself for various reasons, including "having a dream from day one," "doing the truly faithful work," "staying kind and curious" and "saying yes to opportunities."

She concluded the statement by reminding herself that this is only the beginning of a new chapter in her life before announcing her WNBA Draft decision.

How Madeline Westbeld fared in her final season with Notre Dame

Madeline Westbeld helped Notre Dame become one of the top teams in women's basketball this 2024-25 season despite missing the Fighting Irish's first 13 games because of a foot injury.

Notre Dame forward Madeline Westbeld (21) drives to the basket during the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament against Michigan at Purcell Pavilion on March 23, 2025. Photo: Imagn

She averaged 7.6 points, 2.8 boards, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks through 21 games this season. She helped Notre Dame grab a share of the ACC regular-season title after the Fighting Irish posted a 16-2 record in the conference.

Westbeld struggled in the ACC Tournament semifinals, finishing without a point in Notre Dame's 61-56 loss to Duke. She bounced back in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 12 points in the Fighting Irish's 106-54 victory over Stephen F. Austin.

Westbeld recorded four points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in the second round against Michigan before ending her college basketball career with a seven-point performance against TCU in the Sweet 16.