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The Golden Pocket Picker
How Hannah Hidalgo’s Defensive Pressure Changes College Basketball
If you have not watched the game of college basketball for both the men and the women, you are definitely missing out. I have recently started tuning in hoping to scout players that could benefit both the WNBA and NBA. One of these players is from Notre Dame and I had the blessing to watch a lot of her games.
Fighting Irish guard Hannah Hidalgo has been one of the most exciting players to watch in college women’s basketball and with good reason. A junior point guard for the team, she has spent three seasons rewriting the program’s record books.
The 2025–26 Notre Dame Fighting Irish season has been a roller coaster full of ups and downs. Currently, the team has a 15–9 overall record, while having a 7–6 record in the ACC Conference.
But all the while, Hidalgo became the fastest player in ACC and Notre Dame history to reach 2,000 career points by January 2026 and did that in just 86 total games.
What makes Hidalgo stand out from other players is her defense which has been raised to a high standard. Known for stealing the…
