Hidalgo earns second-straight ACC Player of the Week honors to open season

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Monday that sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo was named the conference's player of the week for second time in two weeks after the No. 3 Fighting Irish (5-0) took down the then No. 3 Trojans of USC (4-1) on Saturday.

"Big time player, big time stage," head coach Niele Ivey said of Hidalgo after Saturday's win. "I'm not at all shocked by what she did today. From the beginning, she guarded everyone on the court. She's so feisty and energetic. It's contagious for our group."

Hidalgo had 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and five steals in the 74-61 win. 

According to Notre Dame, she has put up 20+ points in 30 of her 40 collegiate games and now has 10 career games with at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals, which is more than any other Division I player in the last 25 years.

So far in the very young Irish season, Hidalgo leads the nation with 5.2 steals per game and ranks third with 24.8 points per game. She is shooting 48.9 percent from the floor and has made 43 field goals (24th in the country) and 28 free throws (35th in the country).

She and her teammates will be back on the court against No. 17 TCU (6-0) as part of the Cayman Islands Classic taking place this weekend.  After facing TCU on Friday, they will tipoff against Utah (5-1) on Saturday.

This is the fifth time in her career Hidalgo has earned the ACC Player of the Week honor.