Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach dispels backcourt turmoil talk
With the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball season officially over, it’s time to start looking to the future. Unsurprisingly, any glance into the future should fill fans with excitemen, considering the 2024-2025 season will feature Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles on the same squad. That certainly sounds like a recipe for getting past the Sweet 16 doesn’t it?
It should come as no surprise in the world of rampant social media rumors that there are some rumblings that either Hidalgo or Miles could have a problem being in the same backcourt. However, you should believe those rumors at your own peril.
Tyler Holka of On3 talked to Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey about the rumors that there might be tension between the two stars. She made it clear that the rumors were “baseless banter.” It’s not hard to imagine there are more than a few enemies outside South Bend that might want to start such talk. Ivey says it’s not remotely true.
"Hannah and Liv playing together is going to be something special for college basketball," Ivey told the reporter.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish aren’t worried about new backcourt mates meshing next season
Miles and Hidalgo would have gotten to know each other plenty in the 2023-24 season, but Olivia had to sit out the entire season as she continued to rehab from a knee injury she suffered towards the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
In the meantime, Hidalgo took home all kinds of awards and accolades, including the Dawn Staley Award this past week. That award is given to what is considered the best guard in all of women’s college basketball.
However, it’s easy to forget that Miles was a record-setter before Hidalgo ever hit campus. She’s logged more triple-doubles (3) than anyone in the program that came before her.
The duo are set to be one of the most explosive combinations in the sport. As long as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish program can make sure all is copacetic, expect big things from both next season.