High School

Record-Setting Night For Former New Jersey Standout

Hannah Hidalgo sets new NCAA single-game steals record, school scoring mark

Dana Becker

Notre Dame junior Hannah Hidalgo (3) goes to steal the ball from Akron's Keiryn McGuff during an NCAA women's college basketball game between Notre Dame and Akron Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana.
Notre Dame junior Hannah Hidalgo (3) goes to steal the ball from Akron's Keiryn McGuff during an NCAA women's college basketball game between Notre Dame and Akron Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. / Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A former New Jersey girls high school basketball standout has placed her name in the NCAA Division I women’s basketball history books.

Hannah Hidalgo, a Paul VI High School graduate and current Notre Dame guard, recorded 16 steals in an 85-58 victory over Akron. She also scored 44 points, adding nine rebounds and four assists to her night.

The 44 points scored in a single-game also broke the Notre Dame school record, which was previously held by Jewell Loyd and Ruth Riley at 41 points. Lloyd is a standout in the WNBA while Riley helped lead the Fighting Irish to the 2001 NCAA national championship.

“I mean, it’s really special, but I got to give all glory to God that put the power in me to be able to do what I do,” Hidalgo said (thanks to CBS Sports for the quotes). “And especially thanks to my teammates. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

No NBA, WNBA Player Has Ever Recorded 40 Points, 10 Steals

There had never been a 40-point, 10-steal performance by a player in the NBA or WNBA. The last college player to accomplish the feat was Amy Patton for Northern Arizona in 2012.

Hidalgo, a junior, was tabbed the ACC preseason player of the year after earning AP, USBWA and WBCA All-America honors last year. She was also the ACC player of the year last season, earning ACC defensive player of the year honors as well.

Coming into the night, Hidalgo was averaging 29.5 points with seven rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game, shooting 51 percent from the field. She also scored 32 points vs. Chicago State and had 27 on the season opener vs. Fairleigh Dickinson.

As a freshman, Hidalgo was an AP All-America first team selection, ACC tournament champion and ACC tournament MVP.

Hannah Hidalgo was Top Recruit Out of New Jersey for Notre Dame

At Paul VI in New Jersey, she scored 2,135 points despite missing several games due to COVID-19. She was a gold medalist on the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup team, the 2023 Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year and scored a record-breaking 26 points at the McDonald’s All-America Games, tying that game record with eight steals.

Notre Dame, 3-0 on the year, takes on Michigan in a Top 20 matchup this Saturday before hosting eighth-ranked USC next Friday, November 21. 

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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