SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Earlier this week, the Lost Angeles Athletic Club announced that Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles are on the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, which is selected by a poll of national college basketball experts and made up of 25 student-athletes who are frontrunners for Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player.

"Hidalgo was a finalist for the Wooden Award last season and has picked up right where she left off," the Notre Dame Athletic Department said. "The sophomore guard ranks second nationally in both points per game (25.9) and steals per game (4.0). She is shooting 49.4 percent from the floor (11th in the ACC) and 45.7 percent from downtown (leads the ACC). She has made 37 treys this year."

The Irish have gone bucket-for-bucket against the nation's best teams early in the season, defeating three AP top-five teams. It is in those games that Hidalgo and Miles have been the most impactful.  

"After missing last season rehabbing a torn ACL, Miles is back and better than ever," the NDAD stated. "A graduate student with junior eligibility, Miles is the only player in the nation averaging at least 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game (16.9/6.8/7.1)."

Those close to the team say Miles' biggest improvement since her return has come from beyond the three-point arc.

"Entering this year, she shot 24.6 percent from deep in her career. She is shooting 47.8 from deep this year, which leads the ACC and ranks seventh nationally," the NDAD stated. "Miles entered the season with one game with four triples under her belt. She has already done it four times this year, including sinking five triples at UNC on Sunday."

Miles was on the Wooden Award National Ballot for the 2022-23 season. The next phase of this year's honor will be that National Ballot, which features 15 top players who have met or exceeded the qualifications for the award.

The winners and the All-Americans of the 2025 John R. Wooden Award will be honored at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 11.