Niele Ivey is married to Javin Hunter, a former Notre Dame wide receiver who was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. The two met on the same South Bend campus in the late 1990s — she was rewriting the record books for Fighting Irish women’s basketball, and he was hauling in passes on the football field.

Their shared Notre Dame roots run absurdly deep. Ivey won a national championship as a player in 2001, returned as an assistant coach, and now runs the entire program as head coach. Hunter played in the NFL before injuries forced him out. Together, they raised Jaden Ivey, the former Purdue standout drafted fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2022.

That family resume is hard to match anywhere in college athletics. For fans tracking Ivey Niele or searching for Niele Ivey stats, the full picture of this family goes far beyond the court.

Who Is Javin Hunter? Niele Ivey’s Husband and Former NFL Receiver

Javin Hunter is a former wide receiver who played football at the University of Notre Dame before the Baltimore Ravens drafted him with the 206th pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. His professional career was brief — injuries cut it short — but his athletic pedigree runs deep enough that it shaped the family he and Niele Ivey built together.

College Football at Notre Dame

Hunter played wide receiver for the Fighting Irish during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He came out of Detroit Country Day School as a three-time all-state selection and arrived in South Bend with legitimate speed and reliable hands. At Notre Dame, he developed into a consistent target in the passing game and caught enough attention from NFL scouts to hear his name called on draft day.

According to Sports Reference college football records, Hunter contributed across multiple seasons as a key piece of the Notre Dame offense. Born May 9, 1980, in Detroit, Michigan, he was part of a Fighting Irish era that produced several NFL-caliber players.

NFL Career with the Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens selected Hunter in Round 6 (Pick 206) of the 2002 NFL Draft. According to Pro Football Reference, Hunter appeared in 12 games with 3 starts during his time with Baltimore, recording 5 receptions for 35 yards along with 4 kickoff returns for 105 yards — including a long return of 63 yards.

Injuries derailed what could have been a longer career. The transition out of professional football hit abruptly, as it does for hundreds of NFL players every year. Hunter redirected his energy toward family life, eventually becoming a core support system behind Niele Ivey’s rise as one of the most prominent coaches in women’s college basketball.

How Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter Met at Notre Dame

Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter first crossed paths as student-athletes at the University of Notre Dame in the late 1990s — she was a point guard on the women’s basketball team, he was catching passes for the football squad. Two elite competitors sharing the same campus, the same grueling athletic schedules, and eventually the same life.

College Sweethearts on the Same Campus

The symmetry is striking. While Ivey was earning Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors and steering Notre Dame toward a 2001 national championship, Hunter was building a college football career strong enough to get drafted. Notre Dame’s athletic community is famously tight — athletes across sports train in the same facilities, eat in the same dining halls, and show up at each other’s games. That proximity gave two driven people plenty of chances to connect.

What separates their story from typical campus romances: both understood, at a bone-deep level, what elite competition demands. The early mornings, the physical toll, the pressure of performing for a program with national expectations. Neither had to explain that part of their life to the other.

From Campus Romance to Building a Family

Their relationship survived the chaos that follows graduation for Division I athletes. Hunter entered the 2002 NFL Draft process. Ivey launched a WNBA career after the Indiana Fever selected her in the 2001 draft. Multiple sources, including Sportskeeda, describe Javin Hunter as Niele Ivey’s husband, though the couple has kept the details of their private life — wedding date, ceremony specifics — out of the public eye.

What is publicly known: they stayed together through every career transition, built a family, and kept South Bend as their anchor. Their most famous child, Jaden Ivey, grew up watching both parents navigate life at the highest levels of professional sports.

Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter’s Children — Including NBA Star Jaden Ivey

The couple’s most publicly known child is Jaden Ivey, a professional basketball player who was drafted fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2022 NBA Draft. A second child, Jordan Hunter, has also been referenced in biographical profiles. The family’s athletic DNA produced at least one generational talent — and Jaden’s path to the NBA is inseparable from his parents’ story.

Jaden Ivey: From Purdue to the NBA

Jaden Edward Dhananjay Ivey was born February 13, 2002, in South Bend, Indiana. He attended La Lumiere Prep before committing to Purdue University, where he became a consensus All-American during his sophomore season in 2021-22, averaging 17.3 points per game. According to Basketball Reference, the Detroit Pistons selected him fifth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft on a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $32.95 million.

Jaden earned NBA All-Rookie honors in 2022-23 and has averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds across his NBA career through early 2026. He also represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Cup, winning a gold medal. Growing up the son of a WNBA-drafted guard and an NFL-drafted receiver gave Jaden an unusual head start — basketball was simply the family language.

Balancing Coaching and Parenthood

Running a Power Five women’s basketball program is not a nine-to-five job. Recruiting alone demands weeks on the road each year, and game-day preparation during the season consumes almost everything else. Niele has publicly credited her family as the grounding force that makes the intensity sustainable.

Javin’s own experience as a former professional athlete means he understands the mental and physical toll in a way most partners simply cannot. He has reportedly served as the steady presence at home during the relentless coaching calendar — a role that matters enormously even if it never makes a box score.

Coach Niele Ivey — Career Stats, Achievements, and Salary

Niele Ivey has been head coach of Notre Dame women’s basketball since April 2020, succeeding Hall of Fame coach Muffet McGraw. Her path from decorated player to program leader is one of the most complete coaching arcs in the sport — and one of the biggest reasons the Ivey-Hunter name carries so much weight in South Bend.

Niele Ivey Playing Career Stats

Ivey played point guard for Notre Dame from 1996 to 2001, and the numbers hold up. According to Sports Reference, she appeared in 165 games across five seasons and finished with career totals of 1,430 points (8.7 PPG), 727 assists (4.4 APG), and 482 rebounds (2.9 RPG). She shot 46.0% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range — efficient numbers for a floor general who prioritized distribution over volume scoring.

The accolades stacked up: 2001 NCAA National Champion, 2001 AP Third-Team All-American, Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner (best player under 5-foot-8), and three-time All-Big East selection. After graduating, the Indiana Fever selected her in the second round of the 2001 WNBA Draft (19th overall). Ivey played 131 WNBA games across stints with the Fever, Detroit Shock, and Phoenix Mercury before retiring to pursue coaching.

Coaching Career and How Much Does Niele Ivey Make

Ivey spent nearly a decade as an assistant under McGraw at Notre Dame before taking a groundbreaking detour in 2019: she joined the Memphis Grizzlies as a full-time assistant coach, becoming one of the few women ever to hold that position in the NBA. When McGraw retired in April 2020, Notre Dame brought Ivey back immediately to lead the program — a decision that signaled enormous institutional confidence.

Since taking over, Ivey has guided Notre Dame to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four run in 2023. She became the first Black head coach in the history of Notre Dame women’s basketball.

As for Niele Ivey’s salary — Notre Dame is a private university, so exact compensation figures are not publicly filed the way public university salaries are. No independently verified salary number has been published. For context, head coaches at Power Five women’s basketball programs with comparable success typically earn between $750,000 and $1.5 million annually, according to data tracked by USA Today’s NCAA salary database. Top-tier coaches like Geno Auriemma at UConn and Dawn Staley at South Carolina earn upward of $3 million per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Niele Ivey’s husband?

Niele Ivey’s husband is Javin Hunter, a former Notre Dame wide receiver who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Hunter and Ivey met as student-athletes at Notre Dame in the late 1990s. He currently maintains a private life away from the spotlight while supporting the family’s athletic legacy.

Is Niele Ivey married?

Multiple sports media outlets, including Sportskeeda and EssentiallySports, identify Javin Hunter as Niele Ivey’s husband. Whether listed as Niele Ivey spouse or Niele Ivey partner in search results, the answer is the same: Javin Hunter. The couple has kept specific details about their marriage — including the wedding date — private, though their relationship spans more than two decades since their Notre Dame days.

How much does Niele Ivey make as Notre Dame head coach?

Niele Ivey’s exact salary has not been publicly disclosed because Notre Dame is a private institution. Power Five women’s basketball head coaches with comparable tournament success typically earn between $750,000 and $1.5 million annually. Given Ivey’s Final Four appearance in 2023 and Notre Dame’s national recruiting profile, her compensation likely falls within or above that range.

What are Niele Ivey’s career stats?

At Notre Dame (1996-2001), Ivey averaged 8.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game across 165 games, shooting 46.0% from the field. She won the 2001 NCAA Championship and earned AP All-American honors. In the WNBA, she played 131 games with the Indiana Fever, Detroit Shock, and Phoenix Mercury, averaging 3.1 points and 1.7 assists per game.

Who are Jaden Ivey’s parents?

Jaden Ivey is the son of Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter. His mother is the head coach of Notre Dame women’s basketball and a former WNBA player. His father is a former Notre Dame wide receiver who played in the NFL. Jaden was drafted fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2022 and earned NBA All-Rookie honors in his first season.

Are Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter still together?

Based on all available public reporting, Niele Ivey and Javin Hunter remain together. No credible source has reported a separation. Hunter has been described in media coverage as recently as 2025 as Niele Ivey’s spouse and partner, and the couple continues to share a family life centered around South Bend, Indiana. For anyone searching whether Niele Ivey is she married or wondering who is Niele Ivey husband — the answer has been consistent across all reporting for over two decades.

What has Niele Ivey achieved as a coach?

Ivey was named head coach of Notre Dame women’s basketball in April 2020, succeeding Muffet McGraw. She became the first Black head coach in program history. Under her leadership, Notre Dame has reached multiple NCAA Tournaments, including a 2023 Final Four appearance. Before Notre Dame, she served as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA during the 2019-20 season.

Conclusion

Javin Hunter and Niele Ivey met on the same campus, played different sports at the highest collegiate level, and stayed together through NFL injuries, WNBA careers, and the pressure of coaching one of the most visible women’s basketball programs in the country. Their son plays in the NBA. Their story is rooted in Notre Dame in a way that no other athletic family can quite replicate.

Hunter stepped away from the public spotlight after football. Ivey stepped directly into it as a head coach. That asymmetry works for them — and the results, both on the court and in their family, speak for themselves.