ATLANTA — On Wednesday, Notre Dame freshman Hannah Hidalgo etched her name on the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist. She is the only freshman to make the cut and one of just two underclassmen.
Hidalgo’s defensive efforts are unlike anything the country has seen from a rookie in at least a few decades. Through 21 games, Hidalgo has a nation-leading 106 steals. She has already broken the Notre Dame freshman record of 90 (held by Skylar Diggins), and she is flirting with the program single-season record of 114 (also held by Diggins). She is the fastest Division I player to reach 100 steals in the last 25 years.
Hidalgo is also leading the nation in steals per game (5.1). The New Jersey native has notched at least 5 steals in 11 games. In the second game of her career, a Nov. 12 date at NJIT, Hidalgo tied the Notre Dame single-game record of 12 steals set by Marina Mabrey.