CINCINNATI — Mount Notre Dame senior combo guard KK Bransford, Winton Woods senior point guard Chance Gray and Mason senior center Kyla Oldacre were selected Tuesday afternoon to the McDonald's All-American Girls Game March 29 in Chicago.

The 2022 all-star game roster was announced during ESPN's "NBA Today" show. The game is at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on March 29 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

Bransford, Oldacre and Gray are three of only 24 players selected nationally to compete in the McDonald's All-American Girls Game. This is the first time Greater Cincinnati has had three players selected for the prestigious all-star game in a single year.

Bransford, a University of Notre Dame signee, is on the MaxPreps national player of the year watch list this month.

Bransford, who won the 2021 Ohio Ms. Basketball award, has helped to lead the Cougars (17-0) to 89 consecutive wins - the second most in Ohio High School Athletic Association history.

Bransford enters Tuesday night's game at St. Ursula with 1,984 career points which is 16 points away from joining the OHSAA record book for most career points (2,000 points minimum).

Gray, who is signed with the University of Oregon, is ranked the nation's No. 7 player overall in the 2022 class by ESPN.

Gray was a Division I first-team all-state selection as a junior. Gray has led Winton Woods to a 17-1 record including 15 consecutive wins.

Gray averages 25.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.2 assists. Gray is 27 points away from reaching the 2,000 points milestone.

Oldacre, a University of Miami (Fla.) signee, averages 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 1.9 steals and 1.4 assists this season for Mason (15-2).

Oldacre averaged 14.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks as a junior at Mason and was very impressive at Nike Nationals last year. The center totaled four double-digit games, including two 20-point outings in Augusta, Ga.

This is the first time a Greater Cincinnati player has been selected for the McDonald's All American Game since former Mason star Sammie Puisis was selected for the 2019 contest.

READING, Ohio — Mount Notre Dame High School senior guard KK Bransford - the 2021 Ohio Ms. Basketball recipient - has chosen Notre Dame as the next stop on her journey for college.

Bransford's had also considered UCLA, according to a school news release.

Bransford, a four-star recruit, helped to lead the undefeated Cougars (28-0) to the Division I girls basketball state title in March 2021.

MND, which was ranked No. 1 nationally by Blue Star Media and No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps this past spring, has won 72 consecutive games entering the start of this season in November.

The win streak is third in Ohio High School Athletic Association girls basketball history. MND is two wins away from tying Pickerington (1991-94) for second place all-time.

Bransford, who was also part of the 2019 state championship team, averaged 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals for the Cougars this past season.

"KK is special," MND coach Dr. Scott Rogers said this past spring. "A great player and a great person. She is more concerned about her team getting better than anything else. She is constantly working on the little things. That separates her."

Bransford had 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in MND's 57-55 double overtime win over Newark in the Division I state final March 13.

"KK Bransford is an electric player,” Centerville coach Adam Priefer said in a media release this past spring. “She’s a long, active defender, a great rebounder, dynamic scorer, good passer. She can do it all.”

Bransford is ranked No. 29 nationally on the ESPN girls basketball player rankings for the 2022 class, including the nation's seventh-best guard in her class.

Bransford, who has 1,600 career points, was named the Gatorade Ohio player of the year, MaxPreps Ohio player of the year and a MaxPreps All-America first team selection as a junior.

MND is scheduled to open its season against Sheridan High School Nov. 20 at the Reynoldsburg Showcase at Reynoldsburg High School, according to MND assistant athletic director Keith Schenkel.

MND has won eighth state girls basketball championships overall - the most in OHSAA history.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame has found its new defensive coordinator, hiring Marcus Freeman away from Cincinnati.

Freeman, who turns 35 on Sunday, had spent the last three seasons as Cincinnati’s linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. He now will fill both those roles at Notre Dame.

He replaces Clark Lea, who left to take over Vanderbilt’s program.

“As we looked into finding someone to run our defense, it was important to find the right fit for our program and Marcus and his family are just that,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Friday in a statement. “He has had great success on the field, both running a defense and in his direct work with his linebackers. Additionally, he is considered among the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks.”

Cincinnati ranked 13th among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total defense (324.6) and eighth in scoring defense (16.8) this season as the Bearcats went 9-1, ending with a 24-21 Peach Bowl loss to Georgia.

The Bearcats were third in pass efficiency defense, 14th in run defense and tied for 10th in takeaways.

Freeman will get a chance to face his former team next season. Notre Dame is scheduled to host Cincinnati on Oct. 2.

Before coming to Cincinnati, Freeman spent three seasons at Purdue. He was Penn State’s linebackers coach from 2011-12. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2010.

He played linebacker for Ohio State from 2004-08.

“The work Marcus has done elevating the programs he has been a part of speaks for itself, but equally as important is the exceptional work he has done in building relationships with his staff and players,” Kelly said. “Marcus was our top choice to become our next defensive coordinator, and we are pleased he and his family will be joining us at Notre Dame.”