There is only so much Hannah Hidalgo could do. She went all in with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, but it proved futile against this unbeaten UConn side as Notre Dame fell 52-72. Notre Dame’s lack of depth was evident as UConn’s nine bench players got 32 points while Notre Dame could extract just seven points from its bench. The lone warrior bows out of the 2026 NCAA tournament, but she is not done with UConn yet. 

“I just love watching her and I asked her after the game if she was old enough to go pro, and she said, ‘No, I want one more shot at you guys,'” Geno Auriemma revealed after the game. 

That is the hunger of one of the best players in the country. Unfortunately for the college basketball world, they are not getting rid of Hannah Hidalgo just yet. Hidalgo is not eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft, which means that she’ll be returning to college next season. She continues to demand further improvement next year and beyond. 

“I think it gives us motivation. It’ll be a different roster than it was this year, completely different again.” Hidalgo said. “We know that the people coming in next year, they’re going to have to raise their level because we know what it feels like to get to the Elite 8.”

Notre Dame achieved the unexpected. After draining most of their talent from last season, they went past the Sweet 16 after 4 years of losing at that stage. Now, the team will lose 8 seniors and coach Niele Ivey will be rebuilding from the portal and the upcoming freshman class around Hannah Hidalgo. Considering how the team overperformed this year, the confidence is high at the program.

“I think she’s still going to continue to grow with her leadership,” coach Niele Ivey said. “I think that was the biggest separator for her was her maturity. I think you’re going to see her being even more poised and having more composure. We’re going to work on that this summer as far as continuing to build that trust with a brand new team.” 

Her trajectory is only up. In 2025-26 she averaged a whopping 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Hidalgo did everything for this team. Next year, she might not need to. With the correct pieces, this team can stand alongside the likes of UConn and UCLA. 

They are especially eyeing the Huskies, as their rivalry runs deeper than this season. Notre Dame is one of the rare programs with double-digit wins against UConn. They won more than any UConn opponent by far since 2001-02 with 14. That includes 2 nonconference wins where Hidalgo dropped a combined 63 points. 

Notre Dame’s five wins are the most by any team against UConn in the NCAA tournament. They’ve met twice in the national championship in back-to-back seasons. But for Hidalgo, she also has some personal goals for what could be her final season in college basketball. 

Hannah Hidalgo Zeroes In on One Must-Fix Area Before the WNBA

Hannah Hidalgo is among the top prospects of the 2027 draft class and her 2026 performance only added to her mythology.  Hidalgo has proved herself as a leader. Before, she largely played under the shadow of the likes of Sonia Citron, Olivia Miles and others. The talent was evident, but now fans and coaches have understood that Hidalgo is an even bigger threat than they earlier thought to be. 

Despite getting praised by one of the best coaches in the country, Hidalgo is focused on getting even better before she eventually arrives in the WNBA. “There are so many areas of growth left for me on the court. Just working on creating space, being able to finish over taller players,” She said. “And then in the WNBA, they’re all bigger, they’re stronger, they’re more athletic, and they’re more talented. So it’s about upping my game, just trying to prepare as much as I can. Building my muscle, getting stronger.”

Size is her biggest enemy, especially in the more physical game of the WNBA. At 5-6, she will need different weapons to succeed. However, she is already the “best point guard in the country” according to Geno Auriemma. Hidalgo can find ways to become WNBA-ready. Her game awareness, passing elite perimeter defense and shifty handles are all transferable skills. If she manages to get stronger, Hidalgo may as well be in contention for being the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft.