A few months ago, Hannah Hidalgo and the Notre Dame women’s basketball program were both planning for the upcoming season to be her last in South Bend. Now that the NCAA has changed the eligibility requirements and she can play two more years instead of one, questions have started to surface. The answer hasn’t come yet, but Fighting Irish fans have plenty to be excited about, considering that Hidalgo is at least considering playing all five years for Niele Ivey’s squad.
According to Blue & Gold’s Eric Hansen, Hidalgo is definitely considering taking advantage of the new 5-for-5 rules, and it’s a “legitimate option.” It’s still early. For one thing, Hidalgo still has a whole other season, even if this new 5-for-5 policy weren’t in effect. The official line, unsurprisingly, is that she’s focused on the 2026-27 season. However, it’s other people’s jobs to think about the 2027-28 season and how to get the most out of arguably the best all-around player in women’s college basketball.
The Notre Dame star has gotten better every year she’s played in South Bend. That’s more impressive than it sounds because Hannah Hidalgo was incredibly good as a true freshman. That year, she averaged 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 steals a game. Almost all of those numbers were better last season.
This past year, Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 5.6 steals per game. That last stat, nearly 6 steals per game, was more than 1.5 steals per game higher than the next highest in the sport. She averaged nearly 2 steals per game more than the next Power Conference player.
NEW: Hannah Hidalgo playing a fifth year at Notre Dame isn't just a fun what-if anymore ☘️
— Eric Hansen (@EHansenND) June 25, 2026
Sources tell Blue & Gold she's already given it serious thought since the NCAA's five-in-five rule passed Tuesday, and it's a legitimate option. 👀
DETAILS: https://t.co/uQEFK4pDd6 pic.twitter.com/E5uO7cFBb3
Notre Dame women’s basketball could get two more years from Hannah Hidalgo
The biggest factor in whether she’ll come back has been her maturity. People in the program have often talked about how she’s become more of a leader. A few years ago, the headlines around her behavior were mostly about the feuds she got into with former Notre Dame star Olivia Miles. Those feuds (and the battle for leadership of the team) eventually pushed Miles out after Hidalgo’s first season in South Bend.
The two clearly never got along, even after Miles left, arguing in the tunnel during a WNBA game they were both attending. However, when Miles did depart, it appears something clicked for Hannah Hidalgo. She understood the team was really hers, and she started playing like a grizzled vet and real leader.
Her improved play could be pointed to as a big reason why Notre Dame finally got past the Sweet 16 in a year when most didn’t think the Fighting Irish would get anywhere near the Elite Eight. This year, the team is reloading and hoping to make an even deeper run. It’s hard not to argue that if Hannah Hidalgo does stay for a fifth season, they wouldn’t be even more equipped to return to the glory the program is known for.
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