Last season, KK Bransford had to sit out and redshirt because of a lower leg injury. But judging by the photos from campus this week, she’s healthy and fully ready to be back. She even teared up during her first full practice. Looking back, Bransford recently said the time off changed her perspective. “I feel like I have a passion now for having that compassion for someone that has been injured,” Bransford said. “You don’t know what it’s like until you’ve experienced it … You rehab back physically, but the mental side is hard.”

Bransford is returning to a totally different team. Hannah Hidalgo is the only returning starter as the squad lost All-American guard Olivia Miles, but they also lost a promising forward in Kate Koval and a steady presence in Kylee Watson. Those exits, coupled with Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld’s departures for the WNBA, leave an echoing question mark in South Bend. However, Bransford is aiming high regardless. 

“For me personally, just being able to make an impact on my team, especially in the ACC,” Bransford said on Yahoo Sports Hoops 360, “So honestly, I just want to have my name be heard and just kind of show people what I’ve been really working on in this off-season,” She said. Bransford played in 33 games (7 starts) as a sophomore while averaging 6.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 25.7 minutes per game, shooting 39 % from the floor and 78.4% from the free throw line. 

As a team, Bransford still wants to follow high standards.“I think collectively as a team, we want to win the ACC. That is something that I did done my sophomore year. So getting back to that, and last year we won the regular season. So just continuing that in the ACC is such a tough lead that we have,” She said. 

None of ESPN’s experts predict Notre Dame to win the ACC and the preseason poll has them at fifth in the preseason poll. Mitchell Northam of SB Nation has the Fighting Irish missing out on the Sweet 16 in the NCAA after making it there for the past 4 seasons.  “Hannah Hidalgo might average a triple-double, and that still might not be good enough to put Notre Dame in contention for an ACC title or a top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament,” he wrote. Safe to say, they are the underdogs in this race. Hidalgo herself insists that the outside opinions do not reflect the quality of the team.

“I think we have a lot of sleepers. I think a lot of people are sleeping on our team, just because we had so much talent last year that we lost, we definitely had to rebuild. But the girls that we have now work so hard. They give it their all every day in practice, every drill,” She said.

Bransford is expected to take that step up and partner with Hidalgo. 

KK Bransford Takes the Initiative for Revamped Irish

KK Bransford and Co. have a few difficult teams early in the schedule. They face the likes of Michigan on the road in the Shamrock Classic, and then they will face Ole Miss in the ACC/SEC challenge. These early tests could shape how fans weigh the expectations for this Notre Dame side. For Bransford, she will wield her experience to keep the squad in check regardless of the early results. 

“Yes, I feel like the season is so long and me being a senior, I understand how long it is. But I think it starts in the offseason, it started in the summer, that work and preparation that we’ve been doing. And because we have kind of quite a new team, just getting that chemistry early is going to be really important. And I think just buying into everybody like your roles,” She said. 

At least, the squad has ended the preseason on a high note. In their final preseason game against Purdue Northwest, the team dominated, finishing with a 119-54 scoreline. Hannah Hidalgo put on a show with her 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, and 2 assists. Cassandre Prosper went 12-of-13 from the field for 27 points while KK Branford finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. They will begin the season against FDU at home on November 5.