EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNotre 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 doesn't intend 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 single-season record for steals as a junior with 202. She led Division I in steals per game (5.6) and was third in scoring average (25.2). She scored 30 or more points 10 times this season, including a career-high 44 on Nov. 12 in an 85-58 victory over Akron. She also had a career-best 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 upset over No. 2 Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 of the Fort Worth Regional on March 27. Notre Dame also had upset 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 referred to Hidalgo as the best point guard in women's college basketball."And there's so many areas of growth left for me on the court," Hidalgo told ESPN after the loss to UConn, talking about her plans for her final year of college. "Just working on creating space, being able to finish over taller 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 upping my game, just trying to prepare as much as I can. Building my muscle, getting stronger."
