The 1996–97 Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1996–97 NCAA Division I women's basketball season.

The Fighting Irish, led by tenth-year head coach Muffet McGraw, played their home games at Edmund P. Joyce Center as members of the Big East Conference.

They defeated Rutgers and Georgetown before losing to UConn in the Big East Women's Tournament championship.

They defeated Memphis and Texas to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

There they defeated Alabama and George Washington to advance to the first Final Four in program history.