Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo named USA Basketball Female Athlete of Year
In a pool of players that includes WNBA stars, Hannah Hidalgo still managed to be named the 2023 USA Basketball 5-on-5 Female Athlete of the Year.
The Notre Dame freshman guard won the award for her contributions before playing her first game in an Irish uniform. Hidalgo helped lead Team USA to a FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup title in Madrid. She averaged 10.7 points and 5.4 assists at the July tournament in Spain and set Team USA single-game records in steals (8) and assists (13).
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“Hannah was invaluable to the USA Women’s U19 National Team that went undefeated en route to the gold medal in Spain,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in a press release. “Her competitive drive and determination were seen on the court as she dazzled the crowds in Madrid. Hannah has a bright future ahead of her and we cannot wait to see her continued development.”
WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson was named last year's USA Basketball 5-on-5 Female Athlete of the Year. Hidalgo joined the likes of Breanna Stewart (2011) and Paige Bueckers (2019) by winning the award for their accomplishments with the U19 team.
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“Every time she came into the game, she changed the game,” said Joni Taylor, head coach of the 2023 USA U19 Women’s National Team. “She changed the pace of the game. It's fun when you can watch someone who is a two-way player and that's what Hannah is. She's a two-way player who can dominate on both sides of the basketball."
Hidalgo's impact at Notre Dame has been felt immediately. She leads the No. 14 Irish (7-1) in scoring (23.6 points per game), steals (6 per game) and assists (5.5 per game).
“Hannah Hidalgo is a name you won’t forget,” Taylor said.
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