Notre Dame Campaigns for Hannah Hidalgo as National Player of the Year

Irish put up billboards in every major conference tournament city to promote Hidalgo's candidacy

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Despite falling just short against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, Notre Dame is making a strong push for junior guard Hannah Hidalgo to be named the National Player of the Year. The Irish have put up billboards in the host cities of all the major conference tournaments - ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East - featuring Hidalgo and touting her as the "complete" player. Hidalgo had an outstanding tournament, averaging 25.6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.7 steals per game, and she also passed Skylar Diggins on Notre Dame's all-time scoring list.

Why it matters

Hidalgo's dominant play in the ACC Tournament has cemented her status as one of the top players in the country. Notre Dame's aggressive marketing campaign to promote her National Player of the Year candidacy shows how much they believe she deserves the prestigious award. If Hidalgo can cap off her stellar season by winning the national honor, it would be a major accomplishment for both her and the Fighting Irish program.

The details

Notre Dame put up billboards featuring Hidalgo in the host cities of all the major conference tournaments this postseason. The billboards describe Hidalgo as the "complete" player and highlight her impressive statistical achievements. In the ACC Tournament, Hidalgo averaged 25.6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.7 steals per game, leading the Irish to the semifinals before falling just short against eventual champion Duke. Hidalgo also passed Skylar Diggins to move into second place on Notre Dame's all-time scoring list, trailing only Arike Ogunbowale.

  • The billboards were put up in the host cities of the major conference tournaments in March 2026.
  • The ACC Tournament semifinals took place on March 7, 2026 in Duluth, Georgia.

The players

Hannah Hidalgo

A junior guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team, Hidalgo is considered one of the top players in the country and a leading candidate for National Player of the Year.

Skylar Diggins

A former Notre Dame women's basketball star who held the school's all-time scoring record until Hidalgo passed her during the ACC Tournament.

Arike Ogunbowale

The current holder of Notre Dame's all-time scoring record, which Hidalgo is now chasing after surpassing Diggins.

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What they’re saying

“Hidalgo played like the POY this week.”

— Tyler Horka (Twitter)

What’s next

If Hidalgo continues her dominant play in the NCAA Tournament, she will have a strong case to be named the National Player of the Year at the end of the season.

The takeaway

Notre Dame's aggressive marketing campaign to promote Hannah Hidalgo's National Player of the Year candidacy underscores just how special of a player she is. Hidalgo's outstanding performance in the ACC Tournament has cemented her status as one of the top players in the country, and the Fighting Irish are doing everything they can to ensure she gets the recognition she deserves.