Education
Ivey grew up playing many sports, but especially basketball. She learned the game from her older brothers, and was shooting from three point range by the time she was in fourth grade. She attracted attention for her long-range shooting from high school coaches, including Gary Glassman of Cor Jesu Academy in Saint Louis.
Ivey had attended Catholic grade school, so it was a natural fit to attend Cor Jesu.
As a junior, Ivey scored 18 points per game to help her team to a 31–0 record and a Class 4A State Championship, the first in school history.
Ivey was a big fan of Michael Jordan, who attended college at the University of North Carolina, so she was determined to go there for college. She used her own money to attend a basketball camp on the campus of the North Carolina school, but the University of North Carolina head coach, Sylvia Hatchell, appeared only at the opening and closing of the camp, and did not get a chance to see Ivey play.
Muffet McGraw of Notre Dame became interested in Ivey, and traveled to Saint Louis a number of times to watch Ivey play pick-up game at the Young Men’s Christian Association in Saint Louis. McGraw was prohibited by National Collegiate Athletic Association rules from talking to recruits at this time, but Ivey was aware of her presence, and it convinced her that McGraw was seriously interested in her.
Ivey decided to commit to attend Notre Dame.