It's been years since Skylar Diggins suited up for Notre Dame, but the Dallas Wings star is still helping the Irish win -- on the recruiting trail.
Anaya Peoples, a 5-foot-10 point guard at Schlarman Academy (Danville, Illinois) and the No. 7 prospect in the 2019 class, on Thursday gave a verbal commitment to Notre Dame.
"I've always loved Notre Dame ever since I was in the third grade," said Peoples, the top-ranked point guard in the class. "I would watch Skylar Diggins play and dreamed of the opportunity. When [head coach] Muffet McGraw offered me, I just -- wow --all my work is paying off. This is it."
Peoples chose Notre Dame over Tennessee, South Carolina, Purdue and Connecticut, visiting each of them at least once.
Peoples has also been visiting a personal trainer to improve her speed and agility. With superior size in the backcourt, she combines athleticism with basketball know-how. She has range to the arc, is a great one-on-one creator and has a knack for reading defenses.
And did we mention her versatility?
"I'll play any position Coach McGraw wants me to," Peoples said. "I'm a basketball player and I will make it work for her."
Dad Keith Peoples, also her coach at Schlarman, applauded his daughter's decision.
"Notre Dame does a great job of developing their players not only into better collegiate players but into young women," he said. "I'm excited for her."
The Irish have been busy stocking up their backcourt for the future. McGraw already has commitments from two of the top point guard prospects in the 2018 class in Jenna Brown and Katlyn Gilbert. Guard Abby Prohaska and post player Danielle Cosgrove round out (for now) the Irish's 2018 class.
Peoples is the first Notre Dame commit in the 2019 class.
The Irish's incoming freshman class features forwards Danielle Patterson and Mikayla Vaughn.