Hannah Hidalgo promotes Notre Dame's heartwarming gesture in a fight against cancer

Hannah Hidalgo displayed once against why she is considered one of the top women’s basketball players, with her incredible performance against Virginia. The No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish cruised to a commanding 95-54 win, with Hidalgo delivering an impressive 28 points. Her teammate Sonia Citron added 25 points.

The game was a milestone event for Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey, who celebrated her 100th career win. Ivey now boasts an impressive 100-34 record in just five seasons.

Notre Dame’s win wasn’t only about the on-court action. The team used the game to champion an important cause, donning pink uniforms to support cancer research. In collaboration with the Harper Cancer Research Institute, the team launched a “Think Pink” auction featuring custom student-athlete shirts, with all proceeds going toward cancer research.

Hidalgo actively supported the initiative by sharing the campaign on her Instagram story, where she reposted a post from the Notre Dame Instagram account.

Hannah Hidalgo promotes Notre Dame's fight against cancer (Credit: Instagram/@hannah.hidalgo3)

On the Instagram post, the caption read:

"Our Think Pink auction is LIVE💕

"Bid on custom student-athlete shirts and support the fight against cancer. All proceeds benefit the Harper Cancer Research Institute. Let’s make an impact together!”

On the court, Notre Dame demonstrated its dominance, shooting an impressive 51% from the field and controlling the boards with a 54-31 rebounding advantage. In contrast, Virginia struggled, making only 30% of their shots and remaining winless in South Bend. Notre Dame improved to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, while Virginia fell to 8-6 and 0-2 in the conference.

Hannah Hidalgo balances athleticism and festive spirit

Ahead of Christmas, Hidalgo displayed her holiday spirit by appearing in a festive Notre Dame video. Seated next to a Christmas tree with a giant book, she delivered a humorous holiday-themed poem. Hidalgo led the nation in steals last season, averaging 4.6 per game, and she continues to dominate defensively this season with 4.2 steals per game.

Notre Dame’s backcourt, led by Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, is widely regarded as one of the best in college basketball. The duo shined once again in a recent game against Loyola Maryland, where Notre Dame secured a 97-54 victory.

Miles executed a behind-the-back and between-the-legs pass to Hidalgo, who finished with a layup. Moments later, Hidalgo intercepted a pass and delivered an over-the-shoulder assist to Liatu King for a spectacular finish.

Miles ended the game with an impressive triple-double, 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Meanwhile, Hannah Hidalgo put up 33 points and added five steals, further solidifying her case for National Player of the Year.

Notre Dame’s journey through ACC play continues with an upcoming game against North Carolina.