Hannah Hidalgo stands out, whether she’s setting the NCAA single-season steals record or leading Notre Dame women’s basketball to its first Elite Eight in seven years.
And during a busy college basketball offseason where many of the top women’s players transferred to new programs, Hidalgo stands out yet again for her decision to stay put.
Advertisement
Hidalgo announced in an April 9 Instagram post that she’s returning to Notre Dame for her senior season in 2026-27, posting a photo of herself overlaid with the Notre Dame logo and the words, “Run it back.” Hidalgo explained her decision in a May 19 interview with USA TODAY Sports.
“Notre Dame has just been a home for the past three years,” Hidalgo said. “The connections that I’ve built, the people that kind of surround me, I had no choice but to stay, you know? I just built a family there that I felt like I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. I’m comfortable there and Notre Dame has invested so much into me. They poured so much into not only me, but everybody that comes through the program, and it really feels like a family. So it was a no-brainer for me to stay.”
More: Hannah Hidalgo sets steals record, get triple-double as Notre Dame advances to Elite 8
Not all of her peers felt the same way. Audi Crooks transferred from Oklahoma to Oklahoma State, Talaysia Cooper left Tennessee for Ole Miss, Jordan Lee transferred from Texas to South Carolina, Carys Baker went from Virginia Tech to Louisville and Addy Brown left Oklahoma to join defending national champion UCLA.
Advertisement
Hidalgo, who is projected to be a WNBA lottery pick when she becomes draft-eligible in 2027, could have had her choice of top-tier college programs after her stellar 2025-26 season. As a junior, she won a second consecutive ACC Player of the Year award, a third consecutive ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and was named the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Hidalgo never entered her name in the NCAA transfer portal. Asked whether other programs or agents attempted to court her anyway — tampering that does happen — she remained coy.
“That’s against the rules,” Hidalgo said. “I just focus on what goes on at Notre Dame, not so much of the outside noise of what’s going on over there.”
The Fighting Irish are heading into their seventh season under head coach Niele Ivey and are rebuilding for Hidalgo’s senior year. Notre Dame lost several core players when Cassandre Prosper was drafted by the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, guard KK Bransford transferred to UCLA and seniors Malaya Cowles, Vanessa de Jesus and Iyana Moore graduated.
Advertisement
But the Fighting Irish added Princeton transfer Madison St. Rose and Louisville transfer Anaya Hardy. Notre Dame also has a strong incoming recruiting class of five freshmen, headlined by 6-foot-2 wing Jacy Abii.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame women’s basketball star Hannah Hidalgo: ‘No-brainer’ to stay
