Women's Fastbreak On SI

Notre Dame Coach Declares Hannah Hidalgo Will Be 'Face of Women's Basketball'

Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey made a bold claim about her star player Hannah Hidalgo while on ESPN.
Grant Young|
Feb 17, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey talks to guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images
Feb 17, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Niele Ivey talks to guard Hannah Hidalgo (3) in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

In a recent episode of ESPN's 'Full Court Press' show, Notre Dame women's basketball head coach Niele Ivey sent a clear message to star guard Hannah Hidalgo about her becoming a leader on their team, especially in the wake of Olivia Miles transferring to TCU.

"I think the biggest thing next year is the intangible piece, the leadership. Just because you're an upperclassman, now you get a chance to really be that vocal person," Ivey said.

She later added to Hidalgo, "Just let me know what you need. Because next year, you're going to be the face of women's basketball."

These were extremely strong words from Ivey. And she doubled down on this sentiment when speaking with ESPN on May 13.

“She’s going to be the best player in the game," Ivey said when asked about her saying Hidalgo will be the next face of women's college basketball, per an X post from SportsCenter. "She's ready for it, rising junior, somebody that has exploded on the stage... She's ready for it. And I'm excited that she’s going to be the face of women’s basketball. But she has earned it and deserves it."

If Ivey had meant that Hidalgo is going to be the face of women's college basketball (which is what she was asked), Hidalgo certainly has a good case for this, especially because USC Trojans star guard JuJu Watkins will likely miss most of the season during her recovery from a torn ACL.

Regardless, these are lofty expectations for Hidalgo to live up to.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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