Melissa Lechlitner Class: Junior Hometown: Mishawaka, IN High School: South Bend St. Joseph's Height: 5-7 Position: Guard Birthdate: 01/24/1988

OVERVIEW:
Team tri-captain for 2008-09 ... takes over as starting point guard after serving as reliable understudy to Tulyah Gaines the past two seasons ... insatiable work ethic set tone for team during summer workouts ... wasted little time in joining Ashley Barlow and Lindsay Schrader to grab mantle of leadership, while offering even greater focus and discipline for this year's team ... rapidly-maturing floor general, as well-schooled in fundamentals as any point guard in the country ... offers unique blend of creativity and high basketball IQ, along with solid ballhandling and decision-making (1.32 career assist/turnover ratio), that brings confidence and stability to Irish offensive flow ... dangerous perimeter scorer who also can free up teammates with probing drives to basket ... mid-range pull-up jumper on par with the best in the BIG EAST ... not afraid of contact in lane and makes opposition pay at free throw line.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2007-08):
Played in all 34 games (including first career start), averaging 5.5 points and 2.6 assists per game with 1.28 assist/turnover ratio ... registered 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3FG) and game-high six assists in season opener against Miami (Ohio) ... chalked up 12 points (4-7 FG, 4-5 FT) and career-high-tying four steals in victory over Western Kentucky ... reached double figures for third time with 12 points (4-8 FG, 3-3 FT) and game-high three assists at Central Michigan ... collected seven points (3-6 FG) and two assists against Canisius ... had four assists with only one turnover in 21 minutes vs. Michigan ... played major role off bench in overtime win at Bowling Green, scoring nine points and dishing out four assists (one turnover) in season-high 30 minutes; also converted 3-of-4 free throws in extra period to help Irish earn victory ... had four points and two steals in program's first-ever win at Purdue ... delivered season-high seven assists (one turnover) along with six points in win over Valparaiso ... picked up six points, four assists and three rebounds vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) ... had four points and two assists (no turnovers) in win at Richmond ... tallied six points and three assists against No. 3 Tennessee ... scored five points and handed out three assists at Louisville ... contributed four points and two rebounds against Villanova ... rang up season-high 13 points (5-6 FG) and six assists (one turnover) at Georgetown ... collected 10 points and four assists in win over Providence ... notched two points, four rebounds and four assists in victory at Cincinnati ... had 12 points (5-7 FG), four rebounds and three assists in win over No. 15 Pittsburgh ... picked up eight points (3-5 FG), five rebounds and career-high two blocks in victory over Marquette ... scored all six of her points at No. 21/23 Syracuse in final three minutes, including back-to-back jumpers 35 seconds apart to spark game-winning 15-3 run for Irish ... made first career start in victory at DePaul, sinking team's first two baskets ... returned to reserve role vs. South Florida, collecting 12 points and four assists ... turned in one of strongest all-around efforts of career on Senior Day vs. Seton Hall, notching 11 points, game-high six assists and five rebounds; also came up with key three-pointer and layup to ignite 15-5 second-half run that iced win.

SUMMER 2007:
Earned gold medal as member of USA Basketball U19 World Championship Team ... squad went 9-0 at FIBA U19 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, as well as 3-0 during Pre-U19 World Championship Tournament in Canary Islands ... averaged 4.6 points and 1.4 assists while appearing all nine games at U19 Worlds ... also ranked third on team with 13 steals and shared team lead with .808 free throw percentage (good for third among all players at tournament) ... scored 14 points in second-round win over South Korea, converting 10-of-10 free throws; set USA Basketball U19 World Championship single-game records for free throw percentage and foul shots made ... averaged 8.7 ppg. in three-game exhibition tournament, connecting at .455 clip from field (10-of-22) ... first South Bend-area female ever to win gold medal in international competition, and fourth Notre Dame women's basketball player to strike gold (third since 2004).

FRESHMAN SEASON (2006-07):
Saw significant playing time as reserve point guard in 31 games ... averaged 6.3 points per game, placing among top 10 rookie scorers in BIG EAST ... and 2.7 assists per game with 1.36 assist/turnover ratio ... ranked seventh in BIG EAST with 1.55 assist/turnover ratio during conference play ... tallied seven points and game-high five assists in college debut vs. Central Michigan ... cracked double figures for first time with 11 points (3-4 3FG) in 31 minutes at Penn State ... registered six points (6-6 FT) and five assists vs. Western Michigan ... rolled up 10 points and three steals in victory over Richmond ... recorded six assists and four steals against Prairie View A&M ... did not play at Seton Hall after suffering sprained right ankle at No. 4 Tennessee ...pressed into extended service during overtime loss at South Florida and responded well, scoring 11 points in career-best 36 minutes; also forced OT session on three-pointer with 11 seconds left in regulation ... dished out career-high nine assists (with no turnovers) and added three steals in win over St. John's; most assists for ND freshman since Feb. 16, 1995 (Mollie Peirick at Cleveland State) ... set new career highs with 18 points and six rebounds vs. Syracuse, while tacking on five assists without a turnover ... scored 13 points (5-7 FG) in win over DePaul ... ... tallied 16 points at Providence, including career-high 8-of-9 free throws, and added team-best four assists ... registered third double-digit scoring night in four games with 11 points in win vs. Georgetown ... carded seven points in regular-season finale at DePaul ... collected six points in BIG EAST Tournament debut vs. DePaul ... scored 12 points in NCAA Tournament opener vs. California, including two clinching free throws with :00.5 left.

HIGH SCHOOL:
Averaged 16.4 ppg., 6.0 apg. and 3.4 spg. with .343 three-point percentage in prep career at St. Joseph's High School in South Bend ... ranked 27th in nation (eighth among point guards) by All-Star Girls Report ... Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American (2006) ... two-time adidas Top Ten Camp All-Star (Upperclass - 2005; Underclass - 2004) ... four-time all-state selection (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) ... four-time South Bend Tribune all-metro pick (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) ... two-time all-Northern Indiana Conference choice (2005, 2006 - school's first two years in league) ... 2006 NIC Player of the Year ... 2006 WSBT-TV Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year ... runner-up in 2006 Indiana Miss Basketball voting ... 2006 Indiana All-Star selection (teammate of fellow Notre Dame guard Ashley Barlow), helping pilot team to two-game sweep of Kentucky All-Stars in annual border series; averaged 9.5 points and 3.0 assists per game with .563 field goal percentage in two victories ... Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 40 selection ... Regional Roundball Review Super Senior 25 Team (2006) ... as senior in 2005-06, ranked among Indiana Class 3A leaders in scoring (21.2 ppg.; school-record 529 points) and assists (6.7 apg.) while adding 3.6 steals per game in leading St. Joseph's to a 22-3 record ... guided Indians to 88-16 (.846) record during her four-year tenure, including four regional titles, four berths in state semifinals, two trips to state title game and 2005 3A state championship with 25-1 record (first girls' basketball crown in South Bend history) ... tallied career-high 35 points vs. South Bend Washington (alma mater of former Irish All-American Jacqueline Batteast) in 2005 ... scored 28 points (second-most in 3A state finals history), including three critical three-pointers (tying finals record) in '05 title game vs. Corydon Central ... graduated as holder of numerous school records, including standards for career points (1,701), assists (626) and steals (354), and ranks second with 107 career three-pointers ... also owned 20 of the top 25 single-game assist marks and 13 of top 20 steal totals in school history ... registered 11 career double-digit assist games, including career-best and school-record 14 handouts vs. Mishawaka early in 2005-06 season ... collected six or more steals on 14 occasions, topped by school- and career-best nine thefts against Culver Academy in 2003-04 ... played two seasons on Indiana Elite AAU team (through Midwest Basketball Academy in Mishawaka, Ind.) and was teammate of current Irish sophomore Becca Bruszewski ... member of National Honor Society.

PERSONAL DATA:
Born Jan. 24, 1988 in South Bend, Ind. ... youngest of three children ... last name pronounced LECK-light-ner ... daughter of Lori and Craig Lechlitner ... sister, Amanda, played basketball at Southern Indiana (2002-04) ... brother, Kyle, is entering senior year at Indiana, where he competes in pole vault ... fifth player from South Bend high school to join Irish and second to come out of St. Joseph's High School (Molly Mahoney, 1986-87) ... former teammates at St. Joseph's included Aimee Litka (senior at Valparaiso), Sydney Smallbone (sophomore at Tennessee) and Kristen Dockery (sophomore at Minnesota) ... enrolled in College of Arts and Letters as psychology major with 3.413 cumulative grade-point average ... dean's list honoree in spring 2007 with 3.75 semester GPA ... some former Irish players who wore No. 23 include Comalita Haysbert, Stacy Fields and Monique Hernandez.

CAREER HONORS
2008: BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team. 2007: BIG EAST All-Freshman Team ... BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team.