Kettering’s Maddy Westbeld Awaits WNBA Draft Decision Tonight

KETTERING, Ohio — Maddy Westbeld, a native of Kettering and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, will discover her professional basketball fate tonight as the WNBA Draft takes place at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Westbeld, the 2020 Fairmont High School graduate and former Gatorade Ohio Girls Basketball Player of the Year, made her intentions clear in a social media post last week, stating, “Thank you for everything thus far, but babygirl, this is only the beginning and you have so many gifts yet to realize. I am blessed to announce I am declaring for the 2025 WNBA Draft. Thank you God.”

The 6-foot-3 forward had an impressive five-year career with the Fighting Irish, where she earned numerous accolades. In her freshman year, Westbeld was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and earned honors as a First Team All-ACC player while also being selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team.

She continued to shine during her junior and senior seasons, securing spots on the Second Team All-ACC and earning First Team accolades during the ACC Tournament in her final year. Westbeld concluded her collegiate career with 940 rebounds, ranking seventh in program history, alongside 1,710 career points, placing her 13th in Notre Dame’s record books.

She follows in the footsteps of her sister, Kathryn Westbeld, who played for Notre Dame from 2015 to 2018 and scored 1,076 points. The two sisters are notable for being the only sibling duo in the university’s history to each surpass the 1,000-point threshold in their basketball careers.

As fans await the 2025 WNBA Draft, anticipation builds for Westbeld’s next chapter in professional basketball.