Hannah Hidalgo continues to rewrite what dominance looks like at the college level. In the No. 19-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s latest win over the Morehead State Eagles on December 11, the junior guard once again led her team, dropping a game-high 26 points, and cruised through her 9th game of the 2025-26 NCAA season. But with this win came a much bigger achievement…

Hidalgo became the only player this century, across the NBA, WNBA, and Division I men’s and women’s basketball, to record 200+ points and 50+ steals in the first nine games of a season twice. In fact, only one other player has matched that unique combination even once.

Through nine games this season, Hidalgo has totaled 233 points and 59 steals, averaging 25.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Both are career-highs for the junior. Her ability to control both ends has made her the engine of the Fighting Irish’s early-season success and one of the most disruptive guards in the country.

However, this year’s historic run is far from out of nowhere, as earlier in the season, Hidalgo turned in what many consider one of the most jaw-dropping performances in recent NCAA history.

Hidalgo dropped 44 points against the Akron Zips, in which she set the NCAA single-game steals record with 16, also shattering Notre Dame’s program mark and leaving a historic imprint in both scoring and defensive impact. Her early-season surge has not gone unnoticed. She was named to the 50-player Wooden Award preseason watch list as one of the top players in women’s college basketball.

“This is definitely a memorable (game) to do it with this group,” Hannah Hidalgo said postgame of the record for steals. “It means a lot to me. That’s the most important thing. I just love to see. So to be able to do it with the group that we have here, I mean, I wouldn’t want to do with anybody else.”

Hidalgo’s ability to take over games helps the Fighting Irish stay competitive in a loaded ACC and positions them as a team that can challenge for a deep postseason run. With balanced scoring support around her, they’ve shown flashes of being a contender, and Hidalgo is at the center of that narrative.

As the season progresses, the Fighting Irish will face tougher competition. But it’s safe to say that Hidalgo’s rare blend of scoring and defense puts her in elite conversation not just within college hoops, but across all levels of the sport.

Hannah Hidalgo couldn’t have had a better season start, what’s next for Notre Dame?

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish currently sit in the Top-20 nationally, with seven wins and two losses so far. The only two defeats the team faced were against the No. 14-ranked Michigan Wolverines and the No. 13-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. The only win they have recorded against a high-ranked opponent until last night was against the No. 11-ranked USC Trojans, where Hidalgo scored a buzzer-beater to end the game 61-59, in the presence of WNBA royalty.

Offensively, the ACC team is currently averaging 83.2 points per game, while on defense, they hold off their opponents to just 60.7 points.

However, there was a somber moment that cast a shadow over their latest win. Guard KK Bransford suffered a non-contact leg injury in the second quarter of the game and had to be helped off the floor before returning to the bench on crutches.

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Head coach Niele Ivey addressed the situation postgame, saying the program was “praying for the best” as they awaited further clarity.

Bransford’s status is currently listed as day-to-day/indefinite, with MRI results expected later in the week.

The concern is heightened because Bransford missed the entire 2024-25 season with a leg injury. But she started all nine games this season, averaging 33.9 minutes, 10.6 points, and 6.4 rebounds per game.

As the Fighting Irish continues its early-season push, the team’s momentum now comes paired with uncertainty. The team has only 11 healthy players, eight of whom average more than 10 minutes per game.

They play the James Madison Dukes away for their next game on December 14, which, as per ESPN, is 86.2% in favor of the Fighting Irish women.