Caitlin Clark's reign as a three-time winner of the Dawn Staley Award ended Friday.
The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia chose to honor Notre Dame freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo with the 2024 Dawn Staley Award over the Iowa women's basketball star. Clark won the award each of the past three seasons.
Hidalgo becomes the first Notre Dame player to win the Dawn Staley Award since Skylar Diggins-Smith won the inaugural honor following the 2012-13 season. Hidalgo won the award ahead of three fellow finalists: Clark, UConn's Paige Bueckers and USC's JuJu Watkins.
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The Dawn Staley Award recognizes the nation's top guard who reflects the skills Staley showed in her playing career at Virginia, in the WNBA and internationally: ball-handling, scoring, the ability to distribute the basketball and will to win.
"Hannah Hidalgo’s court vision, passing ability, ball-handling and ability to create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates combined with her relentless defense is unmatched," said Staley, the head of coach of undefeated South Carolina ahead of the Final Four, in a release for the award. "She is the embodiment of a two-way force on the basketball court and the essence of what the award represents. In a season where there are several deserving candidates Hannah has separated herself from the group."
Hidalgo will be honored during an online ceremony April 11. She'll add it to the growing list of accolades following her freshman season, including Associated Press First Team All-America selection, ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP.
Hidalgo averaged 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.6 steals in 35 games for the Irish. She's currently ranked No. 1 in Division I in steals per game, No. 6 in points per game and No. 24 in assists per game.
Notre Dame finished the 2023-24 season with a 28-7 record, an ACC Tournament Championship and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Irish lost, 70-65, to Oregon State when Hidalgo was limited to 10 points.
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