Hannah Hidalgo

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Hannah Hidalgo is an American college basketball star who plays guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Born on February 22, 2005, in Merchantville, New Jersey, Hidalgo grew up in a sports-loving family and played at Paul VI High School, where she was a McDonald’s All-American and widely regarded as one of the top players in her class.

Freshman season (2023–24)
Hidalgo burst onto the national stage as a freshman. She earned first‑team All‑American honors from the Associated Press and was named Dawn Staley Award winner as the nation’s top guard. She also led NCAA Division I in steals and helped Notre Dame win the ACC tournament, earning MVP honors there. Her all‑around production included the fastest college debut scoring 31 points for Notre Dame and a stretch of record-breaking performances, including a 26-point, 12-steal game against NJIT and a triple-double against Western Michigan. She set Notre Dame freshman records for scoring and steals in a season and was named to the USBWA second team and WBCA Coaches’ All‑American in addition to AP first team recognition.

Sophomore season (2024–25)
In her second year, Hidalgo continued to star. She was a preseason AP All-American and became a national standout again by earning AP first‑team All-American honors. She joined a select group by earning both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year—an achievement only the third in ACC history to win both in the same season. She also topped Notre Dame’s single-season scoring record with about 23.8 points per game and continued to lead in steals, while her backcourt integration with Olivia Miles helped form one of the nation’s best guard tandems. Hidalgo reached 1,000 career points faster than any Notre Dame player in program history and delivered multiple 30+ point games, including a season-high 34 against Louisville. She helped Notre Dame reach the NCAA Sweet 16 again and, for the season, earned AP All-American first team honors, along with further nods from USBWA and WBCA.

International play and awards
Hidalgo has represented the United States with great success. She won gold at the 2022 FIBA U-17 World Cup and was part of the 2023 U-19 World Cup team, earning all-tournament honors. She was named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year in 2023. In 2025, she was named to the USA roster for the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup and earned All-Star Five honors at the tournament.

Playing style and recognition
Hidalgo is known as a high-energy, two-way guard who can score from all three levels and defend fiercely. She primarily plays point guard but has seen time at shooting guard, forming a dynamic backcourt with Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles. Legends of the game praise her vision, defense, and leadership, and analysts call her one of the most competitive players in women’s college basketball. By her own account, she continues to work on improving shooting consistency, range, and strength.

Off the court and background
Hidalgo is of mixed Puerto Rican and Black heritage and is openly Christian. She has spoken about her faith strengthening during the pandemic and has emphasized learning about her Puerto Rican roots. She started Hannah’s Helping Hands Foundation in 2024 to support sports, health, education, financial literacy, and family services in South Bend and the Philadelphia area. In 2025, she signed an NIL deal with Unrivaled as part of their Future is Unrivaled class.

Controversy and growth
In 2024, Hidalgo faced criticism for reposting a Candace Owens clip on social media. She later removed the post and, in a 2025 Players’ Tribune essay, apologized, saying the post was a mistake and that she loves all people and believes everyone deserves to exist authentically. She described the moment as a learning experience about the impact of social media.

Media projects
In 2025, ESPN+ announced a second season of the docuseries Full Court Press, which will follow Hidalgo along with other top players during the 2024–25 season and postseason.