Niele Ivey claims Hannah Hidalgo will be the best player in college basketball next season

Hannah Hidalgo was a star in women’s college basketball last season. This year, Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey expects Hidalgo to be the star.

“She’s going to be the best player in the game,” Ivey said during an appearance on SportsCenter. “She’s ready for it. Rising junior, somebody that has exploded on the stage since her freshman year, coming up, an incredible sophomore year. She’s just ready for it. I’m excited that she’s going to be the face of women’s basketball, but she’s earned it and deserves it.”

From the moment she stepped on the court at Notre Dame, Hidalgo has been one of the best players in the country. After a jaw-dropping freshman campaign, Hidalgo only stepped up her game last season, averaging 23.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc.

For her efforts, she was named the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an AP First-Team All-American. Ivey expects Hidalgo to not only improve her game this offseason but her leadership too.

“She’s gonna be phenomenal. She wants it. She’s hungry for that role,” Ivey said. “She has that energy. She has the excitement. She’s a leader, regardless, because of the way that she plays.”

“Now, she gets a chance to be an upperclassman, somebody that has the experience now, and know she’s going to be a little bit more vocal. All eyes are on her, and she’s excited for that position. She’s excited to lead this team because she wants to win ultimately.”

Hidalgo has helped the Fighting Irish find team success during her two years with the program but she hasn’t reached the top echelon of winning yet. Notre Dame has been eliminated from the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons.

With the help of Hannah Hidalgo, Niele Ivey hopes to take her team to new heights in the upcoming season. Alas, she knows it won’t be easy, especially for Hidalgo who is constantly in the spotlight.

“I was a point guard, and I know what she’s going through,” Ivey said. “I know the demands of being a point guard, but also being a student athlete at Notre Dame. There’s a lot of challenges that she has on and off the court.

“I love being a mentor for her, not just being her coach. I try to wear multiple hats for her, and she receives it really well. She wants to be pushed, she wants to be coached and I love that about her and I’m fortunate.”