Notre Dame’s 2025-26 season was synonymous with one player: Hannah Hidalgo. Few point guards had such a profound impact as her, and it certainly caught the eye of WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie, who had a bold take about Hanah, who was the recipient of a special award.
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Lisa Leslie, a two-time WNBA champion, commented after Hidalgo won the Nancy Lieberman Award as the best point guard in collegiate basketball that season. Subsequently, during a conversation, Leslie noted that, with Hidalgo’s performance this season, she could even be the best center or power forward, claiming she hasn’t seen such an adaptable player before. “I think you (Lieberman) got it 100% right because Hannah could have been the best center, for a minute she could’ve been the best power forward,” Leslie said.
“I mean, she affected every single position in a way that I don’t know we can name another player, like Tamika Catchings was a player who could guard the one, she could guard the post. But I mean, they’re really getting steals, and there aren’t many women, and we really took a moment to list that could impact every single position. And I’m talking about every single possession,” she added further.
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lisa leslie thinks nancy lieberman made the correct choice choosing hannah hidalgo as the top point guard in the country.
“hannah could’ve been the best center, power forward. i mean she affected every single position in a way that we haven’t seen.” pic.twitter.com/3m3NkcghRa
— ☘︎ (@hidalgohub) April 10, 2026
Hidalgo has never been your regular point guard. Ever since she tipped off her career at Notre Dame, she has given her team an extra edge on both sides of the court.
That impact was even more pronounced this season, when she was burdened with guiding her team in Olivia Miles’s absence, who transferred to TCU ahead of the season. As reality set in, Hidalgo capitalized on this opportunity perfectly, recording a career-high 25.3 points.
But along with her scoring came a stark improvement in her defensive output, as she led the team with 5.6 steals per game. This two-way prowess gives Hidalgo an immediate edge over other standout guards in the nation.
Of course, people would debate the cases of Miles and Rori Harmon, who have been quite formidable in their own right. But there lies a difference between volume scoring and nailing every aspect of the game on the court. And this is where Hannah Hidalgo edges out those players.
Hidalgo also registered her name in Notre Dame history with this award, becoming only the second player to win it after a certain Notre Dame legend, Skylar Diggins, who won it in 2012 and 2013.
Imago
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo lays the ball up during an NCAA women’s basketball game between Notre Dame and SMU at Purcell Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in South Bend.
Indeed, Hidalgo’s efforts didn’t culminate in Notre Dame winning any major titles this season. But the fight she showed at the March Madness for her team was much beyond just hardware. In the entire tournament, Hidalgo scored over 20 points in all four games she played, including 26 points against the Ohio State Buckeyes and 31 points against the star-studded Vanderbilt Commodores. Even in the Elite Eight defeat against UConn, Hidalgo gave it her all, scoring a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
And of course, Hidalgo wasn’t bogged down with the defeat. She clearly pinpointed that despite her staggering performance, she has great room for improvement in her leadership in the coming seasons.
“This year, I wasn’t the type of leader I always was before,” Hidalgo said. “Going back to when I was in high school, I was just trash-talking. That’s how I tried to bring out the best in my teammates.
“Now, I know I have to figure out each and every one of my teammates individually and be very intentional in connecting with them. I need to keep doing that.”
But Hidalgo’s chapter doesn’t end here, as she has absolutely clarified her feelings on returning to Notre Dame next season.
Hannah Hidalgo has her priorities clear with Notre Dame for next season
“Run it back,” were the exact three words of Hannah Hidalgo a few days back that the Notre Dame fans wanted to hear ever since the season came to a close.
It means that their star will return for the upcoming season, which immediately raises their ceiling yet again. The best point guard in the nation has already pinpointed that she wants to win the National Championship with the team.
“I’m excited to come back and lead this team for one more year. We have unfinished business, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help us win a championship.”
Hidalgo’s dream will be facilitated further by the return of players like Kelly Ratigan, Luci Jensen, and Leah Macy. Besides that, a few top freshman players are also expected to join the team for the season. Kacy Abii, Janica Lewis, Amari Byles, and Bella Ragone are among SportsCenter’s top 100 freshman prospects for the season and will be leading the Notre Dame roster.
This suggests that the Fighting Irish have better stability, as compared to last season, where they went through a complete roster revamp. And subsequently, this will help Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame chase her dreams efficiently without any baggage.
Written by
Edited by
Pranav Venkatesh