It was a night to remember for Hannah Hidalgo. She delivered one of the best single-game performances not just in Notre Dame history, but in all of women’s college basketball. The 5-foot-6 junior was unstoppable, shooting 16-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line in just 28 minutes. She finished the night with a jaw-dropping 44 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Coach Niele Ivey, who has been part of Notre Dame women’s basketball for 23 seasons, knew exactly how special Hidalgo’s performance was. “She played with such aggression the entire time she was on the floor,” Ivey said. “It’s pretty amazing what I just witnessed.”

And with that, Hidalgo set a new Notre Dame program record for the most points in a single game, breaking the mark previously shared by WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd and Coach Ivey’s former teammate Ruth Riley. But she didn’t stop there. Hidalgo also shattered her own single-game steals record, finishing with 16 (the most ever recorded in NCAA history).

Also, that aggression? Seems like it was a promise she made to her teammates.

“Well, first and foremost, I got to give all glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who gives me the ability to play the way I do. But secondly, just my teammates. I know that’s what they need from me, and I want to be able to be consistent in doing that. So I know I got to bring it defensively, and I told my teammates that I would be aggressive on the defensive end. I made sure that I was intentional with doing that from the jump,” Hidalgo said after helping the Fighting Irish breeze past the Akron Zips, 85–58.

After the game, chaos and joy filled the Notre Dame locker room as Hannah Hidalgo’s teammates celebrated her historic night. Senior Cassandre Prosper kicked things off by spraying her with a water bottle, and soon the whole team joined in. Hidalgo tried to duck behind Coach Niele Ivey, but there was no hiding. Later, when asked in the postgame press conference what that moment and her team’s support meant to her, she replied:

“Yeah, it means a lot, you know, because I’m playing with a lot of great people, and to hear their praises, you know, I really don’t do it for anybody else. There’s always going to be a lot of hate, but we have our inner circle, and to know that they’re impressed really means a lot to me, because that’s what matters.”

This offseason has been anything but easy for Coach Niele Ivey. The Fighting Irish have seen a major roster shake-up, losing several key players from last year’s team that once looked built for a deep run before their late-season collapse. Olivia Miles transferred to TCU, Kate Koval took her talents to LSU, and stars Sonia Citron, Maddy Westbeld, and Liatu King all declared for the pros. That left Hannah Hidalgo as the lone returning cornerstone from last year’s core

Olivia Miles leaving Notre Dame wasn’t exactly a shock, but where she ended up certainly was. Heading into the 2025 WNBA Draft, Miles was widely projected as a top-five pick, with many experts even slotting her at No. 2 overall. So when she decided to delay her pro debut and stay in college for another season, fans were stunned. Choosing to transfer to TCU instead of running it back with the Irish made the move even more unexpected, and it left many wondering what really went on behind the scenes.

Coach Ivey responded to the roster shake-up by bringing in key reinforcements like Gisela Sanchez and Malaya Cowles, along with guard Vanessa de Jesus, to strengthen the lineup. Whether these moves will truly pay off will only become clear once ACC play begins. As for Hidalgo’s comments, it’s hard to say if they had anything to do with Olivia Miles…. and it’s best not to speculate. What’s certain, though, is that Hidalgo’s focus is firmly on the team she has now, and that commitment shows every time she steps on the court.

But despite an impressive start to the season, the latest Coaches poll saw the Fighting Irish slip down a few spots.

Hannah Hidalgo’s side drops down four places in the latest Poll

The Fighting Irish opened their season in dominant fashion, cruising past Fairleigh Dickinson 98–52 before dismantling Chicago State 116–58. An average win margin of 52 points would normally turn heads, but not this time. Despite their explosive start, Notre Dame somehow dropped four spots in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll.

After being ranked No. 13 last week, the Fighting Irish slipped to No. 17 in the updated standings. The drop likely has less to do with Notre Dame’s play and more with other teams around them putting together flashier starts. Interestingly, a few programs ranked ahead of them, like Duke, Oklahoma, and NC State, have already suffered losses. But it’s still early in the season, so there’s no real reason for concern just yet.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding Notre Dame this season. This is clearly a team built around Hannah Hidalgo, but what happens when she has an off night? Who will step up as the Robin to her Batman? Who will take on the tough work in the paint that Liatu King used to handle? And who will fill the big void left by Sonia Citron? Only time will tell.