Meet the Haitian American athletes advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16

Jean and Madride Dalce, both nurses, raised their three kids in Edison, New Jersey, after migrating from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. When Madride noticed a sudden growth spurt in her youngest child, Christina, she set out to find an outlet for her daughter. The smallest of the family quickly grew to be Madride’s tallest child. After spotting a flyer for a local basketball camp, Madride contacted the director and scheduled a meeting.

“I took her to camp in fourth grade, I said to the youth director ‘She could benefit from this!’,” Madride said.

Now, years later, Christina, a 6-foot-2 forward transfer from Villanova, plays for the University of Maryland’s women’s basketball team, which is headed to the Sweet 16. This marks her second Sweet 16 appearance in her collegiate career. Dalce is also a member of the USA National Team for 3×3 basketball. She is one of many Division I athletes of Haitian descent competing in this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament. 

Watch No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 1 South Carolina on Saturday, March 28 at 5:00 PM EST on ESPN

Here’s a look at  the Haitian American athletes still in the running for a national title looking to make it to the “Final Dance.”

University of Kentucky – No. 15 Ansley Almonor – Forward

Almonor is the first in his family to play college basketball for a Division I school. Almonor credits his parents for raising his siblings in a Haitian environment. 

“My mom always talks to me in Creole so I understand Creole pretty well,” he told The Haitian Times.

Almonor was born in Spring Valley, New York, a town with a large Haitian population that gave him a strong sense of community growing up.

Now in his final year, he is studying business administration and management while competing at the highest level. Almonor hopes to make the most of his last season, aiming to finish his collegiate basketball career with a championship title.

Watch Kentucky vs. Tennessee on Friday, March 28 at 7:40 PM EST from Lucas Oil Stadium on TBS

Notre Dame – No. 8 Cassandre Prosper – Guard

Prosper,  a Junior from Montreal, Canada, overcame a possible season-career injury to make it to the Sweet 16. 

“It’s definitely a journey, I think right now I feel like I’m back to my body physically,” Prosper told the Haitian Times. “While mentally in the game, understanding that [you’re] not trying to be the same player you were before, you’ve evolved so much without the game.” 

Prosper has basketball in her bloodline and Haitian pride in her spirit 

Following the tough loss in the College Football Playoff, Prosper and the Fighting Irish have an opportunity to bring a national title to Notre Dame. Long considered an athletic powerhouse, the school’s fencing team recently won a national title. 

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team hopes to do the same. This program built its women’s basketball team under head coach Muffet McGraw, who retired on April 20, 2020. McGraw turned the program into a perennial contender with nine final fours, seven championship games, and two National Championships. Expectations remain high for the team as it advances in the tournament. 

Watch No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 TCU on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 PM EST on ABC

Louisiana State University (LSU) – No. 16 Kailyn Gilbert – Guard

Gilbert is a transfer from the University of Arizona after playing for the Wildcats her freshman and sophomore years. Gilbert was Arizona’s leading scorer and won Pac-12 Player of the Week (Dec. 18, 2023). 

The Pac-12 was a former “Power five conference” in college sports, which has now gone defunct due to schools leaving for other conferences such as the BIG 10 and the BIG 12.  Gilbert is originally from Tampa, Florida. LSU is currently ranked a three seed in the NCAA March Madness Tournament. 

Watch No. 3 LSU vs. No. 2 NC State Friday, March 28 at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN & Fubo TV

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