Women's college basketball is officially back, and Hannah Hidalgo helped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish get off to a strong start when the team played Villanova Sunday in Rome. Hidalgo absolutely erupted for 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and three steals to push the team to a statement 99-75 win.
That was a strong showing for a team that's entering the league with a few question marks over their heads — or, at least, they were until Sunday's game.
Hidalgo's performance was powered in part by her relentless, seemingly ceaseless physicality; what she lacks in height, she more than makes up for as she bounds and leaps around the court. She also wasn't the only player who showed up for Notre Dame: sophomore Leah Macy had 27 points, a strong debut since she missed last season due to an injury. Three other members of the team scored in the double digits, a strong showing for a team that loves to impress.
That Hidalgo came at the team's first game with everything she has is of little surprise. She's staring down her senior year with Notre Dame, one that is likely to culminate with a strong March Madness tournament run and then the WNBA. Hidalgo is expected to be a top five draft pick in 2027, and early mock drafts have her behind JuJu Watkins, who is back from an injury of her own, and Madison Booker.
But in basketball time, the draft is a long way away. For now, the focus is on what Hidalgo and Notre Dame can do this year, and what's left to prove. Though the program has enjoyed strong performances each season, they've yet to go as far as Hidalgo — and likely everyone else — wants to. That the team performed this well against Villanova, who finished second in their conference behind the UConn Huskies last season and made a tournament run of their own, is a statement.
In fact, just about everything Hidalgo does is a statement. She's clearly been working on her already impressive game; her ability to fearlessly leap into the air and get the ball to a teammate before she's landed is nearly unmatched. Hidalgo's beginning the season as the leader in steals and career scoring, and there's no doubt she will continue to build on both of those stats this season. The question is, just far will she go, and where else can she improve?
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