Hannah Hidalgo returning to Notre Dame for senior season

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, who was the Naismith and WBCA Defensive Player of the Year this season in women’s basketball, will return to the Fighting Irish for her senior season.

Hidalgo posted a photo of herself on social media Thursday wearing her Notre Dame uniform with the message “Run It Back.”

Sources confirmed to ESPN that Hidalgo has no plans to transfer and will finish her college career with the Irish.

She is not eligible for the WNBA draft this season, but is expected to be a lottery pick in 2027. Hidalgo was the ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year this season.

Hidalgo set an NCAA record for interceptions in a single season as a junior with 202. She led Division I in steals per game (5.6) and was third in scoring average (25.2). She has scored 30 or more points 10 times this season, including a career-high 44 on Nov. 12 in an 85-58 win over Akron. She also had a career-high 16 steals in that game.

Hidalgo had a triple-double – 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals – plus seven assists in No. 6 seed Notre Dame’s 67-64 victory over No. 2 Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 of the Fort Worth Regional on March 27. Notre Dame also beat No. 3 seed Ohio State 83-73 in the second round, behind 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals from Hidalgo.

The Irish saw their season end with a 70-52 loss in the Elite Eight to No. 1 UConn. Hidalgo had 22 points and 11 rebounds. After that game, UConn coach Geno Auriemma called Hidalgo the best point guard in women’s college basketball.

“And I have so many areas of growth left on the court,” Hidalgo told ESPN after the loss to UConn, speaking about his plans for his senior year of college. “Just working on creating space, being able to finish on bigger players. And then in the WNBA, they’re all bigger, they’re stronger, they’re more athletic, they’re more talented. So it’s about improving my game, just trying to prepare as much as I can. Build muscle, get stronger.”