No. 3 Notre Dame announced Thursday that freshman center Mikayla Vaughn will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season after tearing her left ACL in practice on Tuesday.
The 2017 McDonald’s All-American candidate had made an immediate impact for the Irish (7-0) in the season’s opening games, averaging 13.2 minutes per game in six games. Vaughn was averaging eight points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 62.2 percent from the field. The mark currently puts her at the fourth-best shooting percentage in the ACC.
Without Vaughn, Notre Dame is down to eight healthy scholarship athletes on its roster, with senior forward Brianna Turner and senior guard Mychal Johnson both missing this season due to torn ACLs. Turner tore her ACL during Notre Dame’s second round NCAA tournament overtime win over Purdue on March 19. Johnson also tore her ACL during practice on Oct. 23.
Senior forward Kathryn Westbeld has also been playing limited minutes as she recovers from ankle surgery.
Vaughn was inactive for Wednesday’s matchup with No. 22 Michigan, which the Irish took 83-63.
The Irish will finish their seven-game road trip on Sunday as they head to Storrs, Connecticut, to take on No. 1 UConn.
