CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Vanderbilt and Notre Dame won’t have to wait long for a rematch of an exciting 2026 Sweet 16 matchup, as the teams are set to face off on December 3 in Nashville as part of the 2026 SEC/ACC Challenge.
On March 27, the Irish downed the Commodores, 67-64, to reach the program’s first Elite Eight since 2019. The group will be led once again this season by All-American and last year’s NCAA-leading scorer Mikayla Blakes. She is joined in the backcourt by sophomore Aubrey Galvan, who was the 2026 SEC Freshman of the Year.
Vanderbilt finished No. 10 in the final AP Poll from last season and is No. 11 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25. Notre Dame is 5-1 all-time against the Commodores.
In 2026-27, the Irish will once again be led by three-time All-American Hannah Hidalgo. Now a senior, the guard is coming off another historic season during which she set NCAA records in single-season steals (202) and single-game steals (16). The New Jersey product also broke the ACC single-season scoring record (909) and now ranks second in program history in total scoring, among other records.
Hidalgo will be flanked by high-profile newcomers, including five top-100 recruits and a pair of transfers — Anaya Hardy (Louisville) and Madison St. Rose (Princeton). The latter is coming off a season during which she earned a spot on the All-Ivy League First Team after averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor.
The time and television designation for the game will be announced at a later date.