The women's basketball season is almost here, and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo is already racking up the honors. Hidalgo is coming off two amazing seasons at Notre Dame, where she earned All-American honors in both years, becoming just the fourth player to ever do so.
Now, heading into her third season with the Fighting Irish, Hidalgo has been named an AP Preseason All-American along with UCLA's Lauren Betts, Texas's Madison Booker, UConn's Sarah Strong, and South Carolina's Ta'Niya Latson.
Hidalgo and Betts tied for the most earned the most votes with 29 out of the 31-person panel that selected the AP Top 25 each week.
year 3, same headline ☘️@HannahHidalgo has been named an @AP Preseason All-American#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/mZGYHznvcq
— Notre Dame Women's Basketball (@ndwbb) October 21, 2025
The other three players to earn All-American honors in their first two seasons are JuJu Watkins, who is now recovering from an ACL tear, Courtney Paris, and Maya Moore. That is some pretty elite company to be in for Hidalgo.
The rising junior could be set up for yet another amazing season coming off of averaging 23.8 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Hidalgo will certainly be the center point of this Notre Dame team as her fellow four starters from last season are all gone, either to the WNBA or the transfer portal.
Hidalgo knows that it will be tough to take on the bigger role as more things will now fall onto her shoulders, but her head coach, Niele Ivey, knows she can handle it based on her performance the last two seasons.
"I know the weight of that is heavy, the crown is super heavy,” Ivey said. “I feel like she has done a great job of surrounding herself with the right network, the Notre Dame network, but also her family."
Hidalgo has also been named as a favorite to win the ACC Player of the Year award by being named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, as well as a contender for the National Player of the Year. Hidalgo and No. 15 Notre Dame will kick off their season on Wednesday, November 5, against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7:00 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion.