Steal Maestro Hidalgo Keeps the Spotlight
Notre Dame’s season ended in the Sweet 16, but junior point guard Hannah Hidalgo kept collecting hardware. She was named College Basketball’s Defensive Player of the Year and earned the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation’s best point guard. Hidalgo set records for steals in a season and tournament (200+ steals overall, 29 in four NCAA games), and ranked third nationally in scoring (25.3 ppg) while averaging 6.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Despite this, she was snubbed for overall Player of the Year in favor of UConn’s Sarah Strong.
Who knew that swiping basketballs and hauling in rebounds could turn you into both a defensive demon and a statistical unicorn? Voters apparently thought “undefeated Huskies” sounded sexier than “Hidalgo’s Heist Squad.” Sure, Sarah Strong had a fine year, but come on—Hidalgo robbed more than just ankles, she hijacked the entire narrative. Next time, the selection committee might want to check the stat sheet before booking a title parade for the Huskies. Or maybe they’ll just hand out trophies based on jersey color. Here’s hoping Hidalgo’s senior season involves more slam dunks and fewer awkward award ceremonies.
Prosper Trades Irish Green for Pro Dream
Veteran guard Cassandre Prosper is foregoing her final year at Notre Dame to enter the WNBA Draft. Over three seasons, she evolved from bench player to starter, averaging near 50% shooting from the field and 30.5% from three. She earned ACC Most Improved Player honors and was second on the team behind Hannah Hidalgo in points and rebounds. While she may not go in the first round, she could still make a roster via training camp and preseason opportunities.
In the grand theater of college hoops, Prosper just pressed “next episode” instead of bingeing the portal drama. Why stick around for another season of “Will She Transfer?” when you can dive headfirst into rookie minimum salaries and dog-eat-dog training camps? Sure, she’s only the second fiddle behind Hidalgo’s solo act, but nothing says “underdog” like a 6’3” guard who shoots nearly 50% and still leaves campus. Watch as Cassandre trades Fighting Irish for fighting cutsheets, and may her WNBA debut come with fewer hitches than her college timeline.
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