South Jersey’s Hannah Hidalgo is off to a flying start with Notre Dame

EASTON, Pa. — After a sensational freshman season at Notre Dame, sophomore Hannah Hidalgo has picked up right where she left off.

The Merchantville native and Paul VI High product entered the weekend among the nation’s top scorers, tallying 23.7 points per game for the No. 6 ranked Fighting Irish. Hidalgo added another 29 points, as well as five steals and five assists in Sunday’s 91-55 rout of Lafayette.

“I think I played pretty well — my shot was falling, especially from three,” she said after a game that served as a homecoming for her and fellow star guard Olivia Miles, who grew up a five-minute drive over the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, N.J.

“It’s nice to be back close to Jersey,” Hidalgo said. “There were a lot of Jersey fans, a lot of Notre Dame fans, so it feels good to be back home.”

It was indeed a majority-green-clad crowd of 2,329. Even many fans in other colors rooted for the visitors, including a contingent from Paul VI that brought a big banner with the school’s logo.

There are high expectations in South Bend this fall. Notre Dame was a landslide No. 1 pick in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll, and Hidalgo was an Associated Press preseason first-team All-American — a year after becoming just the fifth freshman to make the AP’s postseason first team.

“She’s aggressive, more confident because she has that experience, and I think, honestly, having ‘Liv’ back allows her to be more settled,” Irish coach Niele Ivey said. “Because Liv does a great job of facilitating and running the team. So it takes a lot of pressure off of her. Last year, having to be in the fire was a lot for a freshman running the point.”

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Miles is another big factor. She missed last season with a torn ACL, and is now back at full strength. On Saturday, she had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, helping the Irish hit a program-record 15 three-pointers.

Now 4-0 to start the season, the Irish will be further boosted in a few weeks when veteran forward Maddy Westbeld returns from a foot injury that has sidelined her since surgery in early September. She is expected back near the start of conference play, which officially begins Dec. 8 at Syracuse, then pauses until Dec. 29 vs. Virginia.

Along the way, a trio of high-profile nonconference games awaits. On Saturday, Hidalgo will play against her fellow sophomore sensation, JuJu Watkins, when Notre Dame visits No. 3 Southern Cal in the women’s basketball version of the famed football rivalry — with the TV broadcast on a network Notre Dame knows well, NBC.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Ivey said. “I think it’s a great matchup for women’s basketball, and we’re looking forward to going out there.”

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On Dec. 5, the Irish hosts current No. 4 Texas, picked second in the Southeastern Conference behind reigning national champion South Carolina. Longhorns forward Madison Booker was another AP preseason first-teamer, and if you haven’t yet heard of her or guard Rori Harmon, file their names away for March.

A week later, Notre Dame hosts No. 2 Connecticut, which means Hidalgo vs. Paige Bueckers. The Irish won on the Huskies’ floor last season, 82-67, with Hidalgo pouring in 34 points to add another chapter to the teams’ decades-long rivalry.

There’s every reason to think this season will end with deep runs in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Will the capstone be reaching the team’s first Final Four since 2019?

“They know, because I express it to them a lot: we have such incredible potential, but you have to bring that potential every night,” Ivey said. “They’re so talented, they’re so gifted, and I’m fortunate to work with this type of a group. We have a really great chance to do something special this year.”

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