Haitian Canadian Olympian Cassandre Prosper helps lead Notre Dame women’s basketball to No. 1

After a standout college football season including a national championship appearance, the University of Notre Dame is once again showcasing its athletic talent, this time on the courts. At the center is the Haitian Canadian No. 8 Cassandre “Cass” Prosper and her teammates on the Fighting Irish women’s basketball team who climbed from the No. 3 to No. 1 spot in the Associated Press’s top 25 rankings by week 16. The team is having a solid season in NCAA women’s Basketball led by head coach Niele Ivey. 

Cass’s basketball family with Haitian roots

Cass, a 19-year-old sophomore at Notre Dame University, was born in Montreal, Canada to Guylaine Prosper who is of Haitian descent and Geatan Prosper, who was born in Haiti and then later migrated to Canada. 

Both Cass’s parents, who met in college and Jay Prosper, Cass’s uncle played basketball for Concordia University in Canada. 

“Just being around teammates and having a common goal that we all had to sacrifice to achieve was huge,” Gaetan, Cass’s father, told Concordia Magazine in 2024 as he looked back at his, his wife, and his brother’s experience playing college basketball. 

“That experience really helped us to become better people and parents in the real world.” 

Both Geatan and Guylaine’s children played basketball growing up and Cass’s brother Olivier-Maxence Prosper now plays basketball for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA.

Road to the Olympics and to Notre Dame

Cass played volleyball, soccer, and tennis and ran track growing up. At just ten years old, she was recognized as one of the fastest sprinters in the Northeast. 

“Track is an individual sport, but I liked basketball a lot because you are part of a team,” Cass told Hoops HD in 2024 on why she ultimately decided to go all in on Basketball. 

Cass attended Capital Courts Academy, a top North American prep school and a major recruiting ground for NCAA programs.

There, she committed to basketball, earning the 2022 Biosteel Player of the Year award as Canada’s top high school player. That same year, she dominated the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA), being named season MVP, First-Team All-Star, and Final 8 High School Championships MVP.

“It was a big deal! We won the league and I was named MVP, so it was great to be recognized like that after all those accomplishments/goals,” Cass told HoopsHD. Enrolling early at Notre Dame, she became just the second player in program history to do so.

She made her collegiate debut on December 22, 2022, against the University of Miami and went on to play in 22 games that season.

Cass’s sophomore season saw limited playing time after being sidelined for a lower leg injury and on Nov. 29, 2023, she would be unable to play in any games for the rest of the season.

“It was bad enough to keep me out for the season, and it got worse over time because I did not know how bad it was at the beginning,” Cass told HoopsHD, 

Cass has since healed from the injury, returned to play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and went on to represent Canada in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in Women’s basketball. Cass is also a part of the Canadian women’s national basketball team. 

“I am doing great now: it is fun to be back on campus and getting into the routine of the season,” Cass told HoopsHD,

Eyes on the prize this NCAA season at Notre Dame

Cassandre “Cass” Prosper continues to be a standout athlete at Notre Dame as part of the number-one-ranked team in the country. Coming from a family of basketball players, she continues to perform well at a national and international level.  

Cass and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are eyeing a deep run in March Madness, but first, they’ll need to take care of business in the ACC Tournament. A conference title would punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and put them one step closer to a national championship.

The Fighting Irish sit atop the ACC with a 14-0 record and hold the No. 1 national ranking in the AP Top 25 poll at 22-2.

Next up, they face the Miami Hurricanes in an ACC matchup on the road. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Watco Center in South Florida on Thursday, Feb. 20. Fans can stream the game on ACCNX or tune in to SiriusXM ch. 965 for live play-by-play coverage.

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