Hannah Hidalgo has announced on social media that she will return to Notre Dame for her senior season. Hidalgo, who indicated after the Fighting Irish were eliminated by UConn in Elite Eight that she was planning on coming back, posted a photo of herself on Thursday wearing her Fighting Irish uniform with the caption “Run It Back” Hidalgo was an AP first-team All-America selection her first two years, but was a second-team pick this season despite winning ACC player of the year for the second straight season. She led Division I in steals (5.6 per game) and was third in scoring (25.2 points per game) along with averaging 6.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
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UCLA beats South Carolina 79-51 to claim its 1st women's NCAA Tournament championship.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma has apologized for his actions during a heated exchange with Dawn Staley at the end of the Huskies’ loss to South Carolina in the women’s Final Four. A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on Friday night and appeared to chastise her. Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.
UCLA beats Texas 51-44 and advances to face South Carolina in the women's NCAA Tournament championship game.
South Carolina beats two-time defending champion UConn 62-48 to advance to the women's NCAA Tournament title game.
Shea Ralph of Vanderbilt has been named The Associated Press women's basketball Coach of the Year. Ralph led the Commodores to the most successful season in school history, finishing 29-5. The team returned just one starter and tied for second in the Southeastern Conference. They earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16. Ralph received 23 votes from the 31-member national media panel. She is the first Vanderbilt coach to win the award, which started in 1994-95.
Sarah Strong of UConn is The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year. Strong is averaging 18.6 pints, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game while helping UConn go 38-0 heading into this week's Final Four. Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year. The AP started giving out the award in 1995. It’s the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award; Paige Bueckers was the last to do it before Strong in 2021.
There was a time when Immaculata, Queens College, Wayland Baptist and Delta State were among the powerhouse programs of women’s basketball, much like UConn and South Carolina are today. During the early years of the women's basketball poll those schools dominated the now dissolved Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. But after the NCAA took over the sport in 1982, the game professionalized and competitive advantages shifted to big schools with seemingly unlimited budgets. Pioneering programs stand in the shadows as money has reshaped the game. While they have been unable to sustain the dynasty-level success that shaped women’s hoops in the 1970s, the pride that fueled their championship runs remains.
Hannah Hidalgo made a little March Madness history and went deeper in the NCAA Tournament than she had in her first two years at Notre Dame. Hidalgo simply ran into a tough draw against UConn in the Elite Eight. The fiery defensive savant and high-scoring guard now looks forward to her final season and getting the Fighting Irish back to the Final Four. They haven't reached the tournament's final weekend since 2019. Hidalgo was the only double-figure scorer for the Irish in a 70-52 loss to the Huskies. Her first two seasons at Notre Dame ended in the Sweet 16.