SOUTH BEND – Two of the nation’s top high school student-athletes in women’s basketball have chosen to continue their academic and athletic careers with the University of Notre Dame, each signing a National Letter of Intent to attend Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2016, it was announced today by Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame’s Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Women’s Basketball Coach.

Erin Boley  a 6-2 forward from Hodgenville, Kentucky (Elizabethtown High School) and Jackie Young, a 6-0 guard from Princeton, Indiana (Princeton Community High School) both made their official commitments to the Fighting Irish during the early signing period that began Nov. 11 and continues through Wednesday.

Both incoming Notre Dame women’s basketball student-athletes are rated among the top 10 players in the country by multiple recruiting services, while the Notre Dame incoming class has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation (Prospects Nation), as well as No. 4 by espnW Hoopgurlz/Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and No. 6 by All-Star Girls Report (which factors in college transfers as part of its incoming class rankings). It’s the fifth consecutive top-five class for Notre Dame (final class rankings will come out following the early signing period), all but assuring the Fighting Irish will have a Top 25 recruiting class for the 20th consecutive year, a streak only two other schools in the country (Connecticut and Tennessee) can match.

“I couldn’t be happier with the two we got,” McGraw said. “They are exactly what we needed. We were looking for some good guards. Obviously, losing some great shooters in Michaela Mabrey and Madison Cable, so we’ve got the best shooter in the country (coming) in Erin Boley. Meanwhile, Jackie Young set the (Indiana) single-season scoring record and led the state in scoring last year. The girl can put the ball in the basket, and we certainly need that.

“When it comes to recruiting, for us, it’s all about the fit,” McGraw added. “It’s not always about the best player in the country, but it’s about who’s the best fit with the team. I’ve also got to credit my incredible staff — (associate coach/recruiting coordinator) Niele Ivey, (associate head coach) Carol Owens and (associate coach) Beth Cunningham.   They have once again gone out and helped us bring in an outstanding top-five class. They are as good as it gets when it comes to identifying the kinds of players that we know will be an ideal fit for our program, and then taking those players and developing them into amazing, strong, confident and mature women who are ready for just about everything they will face after they leave Notre Dame, whether that be in the pros or the working world.”

“Notre Dame again holds claim to one of the best recruiting classes in the country,” said Chris Hansen, managing editor for Prospects Nation. “With the current freshman class being guard-centric it was anticipated the focus would be on the front court and the two signees fit that versatile player that has excelled there in the past. There are bigger classes across the country but few with the quality and program fit of the Irish.”

Ranked No. 3 in the preseason Associated Press and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/USA Today polls, Notre Dame (1-0) continues the opening week of play in the 2015-16 season at 7 p.m. (ET) Wednesday when it welcomes Toledo to Purcell Pavilion (live television on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app; live radio on South Bend’s Pulse FM 96.9/92.1 and WatchND).

Single-game tickets for the 2015-16 Notre Dame women’s basketball campaign, as well as membership passes for Purcell Pavilion’s Club Naimoli (a package that includes numerous benefits such as reserved parking, early arena entry and complimentary premium menu items), are on sale through Notre Dame’s Murnane Family Ticket Office at (574) 631-7356 or visiting the ticket windows inside Gate 9 (Rosenthal Atrium) at Purcell Pavilion. Tickets also can be ordered on-line 24 hours a day with a major credit card at UND.com/buytickets.

Here’s a capsule look at the newest additions to the Fighting Irish women’s basketball program:

ERIN BOLEY, 6-2, Forward (Hodgenville, Ky./Elizabethtown High School)

Statistics/Records: Entering her final year at Elizabethtown High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky (combined record of 113-22, .837, since she became a starter in eighth grade), where she is coached by Tim Mudd … career per-game statistical averages of 19.4 points and 9.0 rebounds with .546 field-goal percentage, .427 three-point percentage and .829 free-throw percentage… as a junior in 2014-15, averaged 20.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while leading her team to a 32-3 record, district and regional titles and berth in state quarterfinals (Kentucky holds a single-class state tournament) … also shot 54.9 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from the three-point line and 82.5 percent from the free-throw line … as a sophomore in 2013-14, paced Elizabethtown to a 32-5 record and a berth in Kentucky state championship game as well as district and regional titles … averaged 20.3 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 54.5 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from the three-point line and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line … as a freshman in 2012-13, helped her school to a 23-8 record and a district championship while collecting 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds and shooting 54.3 percent from the field as well as 45.5 percent from the three-point line and 81.6 percent from the free-throw line … already holds Elizabethtown school records for career points (2,472) and rebounds (1,070) with one season remaining … also has been standout on AAU circuit for Kentucky Premier club and head coach David Tapley … averaged 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last summer for Kentucky Premier, ranking among the top three scorers in the nation on the 32-team Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) summer series, helping team to 8-2 record.

USA Basketball: Earned a silver medal as a member of the 2015 USA Basketball Under-18 3×3 National Team at the FIBA U18 3×3 World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary — helped Team USA to 8-1 record … teammate on that squad of current Notre Dame freshman guard Arike Ogunbowale … will be one of seven players on 2016-17 Notre Dame roster who have earned USA Basketball medals during their careers (along with Lindsay Allen, Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale, Ali Patberg, Taya Reimer and Brianna Turner).

Awards/Honors: Two-time MaxPreps All-America selection (fourth team in 2015; honorable mention in 2014) … 2015 Naismith Trophy All-America pick (honorable mention) … two-time Gatorade Kentucky High School Player of the Year (2014, 2015 – first sophomore in state ever to win the award) … two-time Associated Press Kentucky Player of the Year (2014, 2015 – first sophomore in state ever to win the award) … four-time all-region and all-district selection (2012-15) … two-time all-state tournament team pick (2014, 2015) … two-time Naples Holiday Classic all-tournament team choice … two-time Most Valuable Player of Republic Bank Holiday Classic … on AAU level, was Most Valuable Player of 2015 Nike Midwest Showdown in Cincinnati  … ranked No. 5 (five-star player) in Class of 2016 by espnW Hoopgurlz/Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report … ranked No. 5 by All-Star Girls Report … ranked No. 6 by Prospects Nation … ranked No. 8 by Blue Star Basketball.

Personal Data: Daughter of Mary Beth and Scott Boley … oldest of three children … father, Scott, played at Western Kentucky University from 1989-92 … will be the second Kentucky native to play for the Fighting Irish, following in the footsteps of Lexington native and two-time All-America guard Natalie Novosel who attended Notre Dame from 2008-12 … ranked No. 1 academically in her high school class with 4.0 cumulative grade-point average (100.8 numerical GPA) entering 2015-16 academic year … has a passion for art and during the offseason, she teaches a weekly art class to underprivileged children at a local after-school care program … enjoys reading, writing and travel (among her vacation highlights are trips to Italy and Lake Tahoe) … has expressed interest in studying international business or law at Notre Dame.

Coach McGraw on Boley…

“Erin is hands-down the best perimeter player out there. She can shoot the ball from three, she can rebound and she can do so many other things as well. She’s going to fit in perfectly with our offense, so we’re really thrilled with her.”

JACKIE YOUNG, 6-0, Guard (Princeton, Ind./Princeton Community High School)

Statistics/Records: Entering her final year at Princeton Community High School in Princeton, Indiana (combined record of 70-8, .897) where she is coached by Charlie Mair … career per-game statistical averages of 29.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.4 steals with .574 field-goal percentage, .357 three-point percentage and .857 free-throw percentage … enters her final prep season with 2,290 career points, needing 796 points to pass Shanna Zolman (3,085 at Wawasee High School from 1998-2002) as the all-time scoring leader in Indiana girls basketball history (records date back to 1977-78) … as a junior in 2014-15, led state and finished ninth in nation in scoring at 32.4 points per game, while collecting 10.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.1 steals per game and shooting 63.8 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from the three-point line and 85.9 percent from the free-throw line … led Princeton to a 30-1 record and the Indiana Class 3A state championship … set Indiana girls’ basketball single-season scoring record with 1,003 points, the fifth player of either gender (first female) in state history to score 1,000 points in a season, scoring the most points in one season by an Indiana basketball player since 1982-83 (Indiana University and NBA sharpshooter Steve Alford tallied 1,078 points that season at New Castle High School) … scored 36 points (15-of-22 shooting) and grabbed 12 rebounds in Class 3A state championship game win over Tippecanoe Valley, setting record for most points and most field-goals made in a Class 3A final, as well as scoring the most points by one player in any Indiana girls’ basketball state title game since 1980 (42 by Columbus East’s Maria Stack in an overtime loss – well prior to the advent of Indiana’s multiple-class system in 1997-98) … also scored school-record 57 points against Mount Carmel (Illinois) High School on Dec. 8, 2014, tying for fourth-most points in one game in state history (most since Stephanie White scored 66 points for Seeger against Attica in 1995) … as a sophomore in 2013-14, paced Princeton to a 21-1 record and a spot in Class 3A sectional semifinals … averaged 28.8 points (second in state and 24^th in nation), 11.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 3.2 steals while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from the three-point line and 83.7 percent from the free-throw line … as a freshman in 2012-13, helped Princeton to a 19-6 record and trip to Class 3A sectional final while registering 26.1 points (third in state and 49^th in nation), 9.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.1 steals and shooting 49.0 percent from the field as well as 32.2 percent from the three-point line and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line … holds Gibson County records for most points in a game (57) and career (2,290) by a player of either gender … most recently played AAU basketball in summer of 2015 for Indy Lady Gym Rats Silver club and head coach Danny Riego, averaging 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from the three-point line, helping squad to runner-up finish at Nike Nationals (title game for Nike Elite Youth Basketball League summer series) … previously played on AAU circuit for Indiana Elite Swish and head coach Phil Kessler.

Awards/Honors: 2015 MaxPreps All-America selection (honorable mention) … 2015 Naismith Trophy All-America pick (honorable mention) … three-time first-team all-state choice  (2013-15)… three-time all-area, all-county and all-conference selection (2013-15) … two-time Gibson County Athlete of the Year (2014, 2015) … ranked No. 5 in Class of 2016 by Prospects Nation … ranked No. 6 by Blue Star Basketball … ranked No. 8 by All-Star Girls Report … ranked No. 11 (five-star player) by espnW Hoopgurlz/Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.

Personal Data: Daughter of Linda Young … middle of three children … older brother, Terrence, led Princeton Community High School to 2009 Indiana Class 3A state championship … cousin, Travis Trice, played on men’s basketball team at Michigan State University from 2011-15 and currently plays in the NBA Development League (D-League) for the Westchester Knicks … will be the 22nd Indiana resident (most from any state) to suit up for Notre Dame women’s basketball program, and the third on the 2016-17 Fighting Irish roster, joining current sophomore forward/Fishers resident Taya Reimer, and current freshman guard/Columbus native Ali Patberg … will be the second player in as many seasons (after Patberg) to come to Notre Dame from the southern half of Indiana, but the first in program history to come from the far southwestern corner of the state (her hometown of Princeton is 30 miles north of Evansville) … enjoys working out and spending time in the gym, as well as family gatherings and local sporting events … has not yet decided on a course of study at Notre Dame.

Coach McGraw on Young…

“Jackie reminds me a little of K-Mac (Notre Dame’s former two-time All-America guard and 2015 WNBA All-Star Kayla McBride), so I think the fans are really going to love watching her. She is somebody who can pull up and shoot the mid-range jumper, she’s got a three, she can rebound and do a lot of things in transition. She’s a very versatile guard — she’s played the one, the two, the three and the four, so I think she can help us in a lot of different ways.”