What to know about Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame freshman who Caitlin Clark would pay to see

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Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo's stellar freshman year has come to an end.

The No. 2 seed Fighting Irish were defeated by Oregon State, 70-65, in the NCAA women's tournament Sweet 16 on Friday. Hidalgo missed a portion of the game after she was required to remove her nose ring and couldn't find her rhythm when she returned. She finished the contest with 10 points, four rebounds and three steals, shooting 4-of-17 from the field and 0-of-3 from three.

Hidalgo had 14 points and 11 assists in Notre Dame's 81-67 first-round win over Kent State and added 19 points and four steals in the Fighting Irish's 71-56 win over Mississippi State in the second round of March Madness.

Her production has earned her national recognition, even from Iowa star Caitlin Clark: "Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame. I think she's been tremendous. I think Hannah has kind of flown under the radar a little bit.”

More: Caitlin Clark would 'pay' to see Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, USC's JuJu Watkins play ball

Here's everything to know about the freshman standout:

Who is Hannah Hidalgo?

Hidalgo, 19, is a freshman guard for Notre Dame.

Where is Hannah Hidalgo from?

Hidalgo is a New Jersey native and played basketball at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, New Jersey, under her father Orlando Hidalgo, who serves as the head coach for the girls' basketball team. Hidalgo averaged 28.8 points, 7.3 steals, 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game during her senior season there and was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year. Hidalgo participated in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Game and was named co-MVP alongside JuJu Watkins (Southern Cal).

Hidalgo was a five-star recruit coming our of high school and ranked as the No. 5 player in ESPN's 2023 class. She committed to Notre Dame after receiving offers from Michigan, Stanford, Duke, Ohio State and UCF.

Hannah Hidalgo's stats

In her freshman year, Hidalgo averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.6 steals in 32 games this season, while shooting 45.3% from the field. She led the ACC in scoring (23.3 points per game) this season and topped the nation in steals (147) and steals per game (4.59).

Hannah Hidalgo's awards

Hidalgo was named the ACC defensive player of the year and ACC rookie of the year following her impressive freshman campaign. She becomes only the second player to win both honors in the same year, joining former Duke standout Elizbeth Williams, who was feted in 2012. Hidalgo was named to the All-ACC first team, All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team.

Hidalgo led the Fighting Irish to a 55-51 win over the NC State Wolfpack in the ACC championship game to secure Notre Dame an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Hidalgo, who scored 22 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals in the win, was named the 2024 ACC Tournament MVP and named to the All-Tournament First Team.

"LIKE THAT!!! You were amazing," said Notre Dame coach Niele Ivy, who last led the Fighting Irish to a national championship in 2018. "Congrats Hannah. So proud."

Does Hannah Hidalgo play on the national team?

Hidalgo's awards don't stop there. She won gold with the U.S. women's national under-17 team at the 2022 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup in Hungary, where she averaged 7.7 points, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game in the team's 7-0 run.

She won gold again at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in Spain, where she averaged 10.7 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game and was named to the all-tournament team. Hidalgo was also named the 2023 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year at age 18, becoming only the second teenager to win the honor.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo: What to know about freshman standout