Hannah Hidalgo just put the college basketball world on notice: Notre Dame is young, dominant, and dangerous. The proof came in two blowouts and one historic individual performance. After a dominant 24-point win over Villanova, Notre Dame followed up with an 83-point win over Stonehill, followed by Hidalgo’s big message.

“We’re young. We’re dominant, and we’re going to be fun to watch,” she told ESPN’s Jess Sims on Saturday in a video posted by College GameDay.

Hidalgo’s comments came after she put on a historic performance at Purcell Pavilion in front of the Notre Dame fans. She recorded 27 points and 10 steals. It was her seventh game in her college career with 20 or more points and 10 or more steals; most by a player in this century. 

But Hidalgo is no stranger to history. The Notre Dame senior has one record after another in her name, and she is now simply extending her historic performances.

Her career is filled with such awe-inspiring performances. A year ago, in November 2025, she put on a show on both ends against Akron, recording 44 points and 16 steals. The 44 points are the most by any player in Notre Dame history, and the 16 steals are the most by a player in NCAA Division I history. 

A month later, she recorded another unbelievable stat. She recorded a triple-double with steals. She had 30 points, 10 assists and 13 steals in a win over Bellarmine. Once again, it was the first time a Notre Dame player had posted a 30-point triple-double. In the Sweet 16 round game against Vanderbilt, she extended her record with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals.

But this year, Hidalgo seems pretty confident about her team. She seems confident, and the team chemistry is off the charts. It should bother top contenders.

“We love each other, and you can tell on the court. Just playing with each other, we’re so connected, and that just shows how much more we can give ’cause it’s our first game, completely different team. We were able to come out and do what we did today. And so that just goes to show our connection, and we have so much more to give,” Hidalgo said.

The Fighting Irish have gotten a lot younger this season, with seven freshmen joining the roster. Hidalgo is one of the three seniors on the roster, which makes her the obvious leader and winning even more important. The program is looking for its first title since Arike Ogunbowale’s magic-filled 2017-18 season.  

“We got a taste of what it means to get over that Sweet 16 hump, but I feel like there’s definitely a sense of urgency with me being a senior,” Hidalgo said, per ESPN. “We have the pieces to do it right now, and not even just to make it to a Final Four, but to go to the national championship and win it all. That’s the goal.”

In Hidalgo’s freshman and sophomore years, the Fighting Irish reached the Sweet 16. Last season, Hidalgo and Co. lost to UConn in the Elite 8. This season, they certainly look more hopeful about their chances. Why wouldn’t they? After all, they started their season with blessings from the Pope in Rome.

“I mean, to just start off in Rome, basketball has taken us all over the world. It’s just got off the way we did. We won by 24 points, and we also got to meet the Pope, so that was just such a great moment for us. It was surreal,” Hidalgo said. 

On October 31, Hannah Hidalgo and her teammates had a chance to meet Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the St. Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome. Both the men’s and the women’s teams of Notre Dame and Villanova met with the Pope. Hidalgo stood just a few feet away from the Pope, wearing a brown suit. 

This season, she is averaging a career-high 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and another career-high 6.5 steals per game. Hidalgo is shooting 59.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc; both are career highs. Notre Dame will face Detroit Mercy in its next game.