NCAA Outraged Over Olivia Miles Replacing Hailey Van Lith as Calls Mount Against Ex-Notre Dame Star’s Bold Transfer Portal Move

This is not how we imagined Olivia Miles leaving Notre Dame. The five-foot-ten point guard has pulled off one of the most controversial transfer portal moves after spending four seasons as a Fighting Irish. There’s no doubt that she was going to leave after this year, but no one thought that it would be to another team, let alone TCU. The thing is, Miles was practically a lock for the 2nd spot in the WNBA draft this year. She didn’t manage to edge out UConn’s Paige Bueckers for the coveted #1 spot, but nearly every mock draft had her going at #2. And why wouldn’t they? Olivia Miles showed grit and resilience over the last two years as she came back from a gruesome knee injury. But even after a year away from the game, she didn’t lose a step!

But TCU eventually got the better of them, putting a dramatic end to Notre Dame’s championship dreams. It was a statement win—one that stamped the Horned Frogs’ arrival on the national stage and sent the Fighting Irish home stunned. Hailey Van Lith, now donning purple and white, looked every bit like a future pro. Her poise, shot-making, and fierce energy lit up the court, while Notre Dame’s star duo—Olivia Miles and her backcourt partner—struggled to find rhythm when it mattered most. Miles, the heartbeat of the Irish all season, finished with just 10 points and 2 rebounds on a cold 3-of-10 shooting night, a deflating close to what had been a nearly spotless campaign.

What came next was even more shocking. Miles, long expected to declare for the WNBA Draft—possibly landing with the Seattle Storm—chose to flip the script entirely. In a move no one saw coming, the former Notre Dame floor general entered the transfer portal and made the most dramatic power play of the offseason: she committed to TCU, the very squad that ended her season. It was a bold, almost cinematic twist—the kind of decision that sets social media ablaze and reshapes the college basketball landscape overnight.

With Van Lith graduating, Miles will be the Horned Frogs’ facilitator, taking up a role that Hidalgo had been occupying at ND. Fans, however, aren’t that pleased. What exactly are they saying? Let’s find out.

Fans tear down Olivia Miles for transfer portal betrayal

Amidst locker room drama and disagreement over faith, Olivia Miles’ departure from Notre Dame hasn’t been as smooth as she might’ve expected. It hits differently if a player leaves for the team that they lost to. Social media, as expected, went ballistic over Miles’ decision.

The NCAA community did not take kindly to the ex-Notre Dame star’s defection. Fans took to X to express their displeasure. “Chasing money and not chasing how to improve on her defense. Tragic.” A user said, aimed at Olivia Miles’ surprise transfer, suggesting she’s prioritizing deals over tightening up the defensive gaps that showed in March Madness—harsh, but it echoes the tension between stardom and substance. But most fans weren’t as harsh. “liv said if you can’t beat em join em.” Another lapped it with a playful nod to Olivia Miles’ move to TCU; this comment flips the script with humor, framing her transfer as a strategic power move rather than a betrayal. But is it?

Obviously, the Notre Dame backcourt wasn’t a defensive fortress. It lacked height, with Hidalgo being five-foot-six, and Olivia Miles standing at five-foot-ten, and both players are better known for their offense. It will be interesting to see how TCU deals with this issue going forward.

There was one comparison being thrown around that would’ve been a compliment in any other context. “Damn she pulled a KD.” Some NCAA fans likened this off-season transfer to what NBA star Kevin Durant did while joining the Warriors. A few were quite confused about why Olivia Miles chose to move. “So she skip out on been number 2 in the draft to go to tcu…I don’t understand what she trying do.” One supporter pointed out that turning professional would’ve been a better career choice for Miles this year. No one knows what the future has in store, and it might have been smarter for the point guard to cash in while possible.

However, there’s a flip side to this coin as well. CBA negotiations are ongoing, and a huge salary hike is expected for WNBA stars after this coming season. It might’ve been a strategic ploy by the five-foot-ten All-American to maximize her earnings.

If increasing cash flow was the reason behind this big decision, it makes sense. However, fans are pointing out that a move to a smaller school might not be wise in terms of maximizing NIL money. “so in attempt to chase coin you leave the school who is currently airing your insurance commercial and go to tcu where people don’t even think it’s a real school….. who tf is her agent?” A loyalist pointed out on X.

This was one of the most controversial transfer portal moves that we’ve ever seen! Olivia Miles was in a winning situation but decided to chase bigger opportunities elsewhere. It will be quite interesting to see how this new-look TCU pans out in the coming years. Will Miles’ decision prove to be correct? Only time will tell.