Hannah Hidalgo Lights Up The Court As Irish Surge To Sweet 16 Chance!

Notre Dame enters the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament as the No. 6 seed in the Fort Worth Regional and will open against MAAC champion Fairfield in the First Round. A win would likely send the Irish into a second-round matchup on Connecticut’s home side of the bracket, in a pod that also includes No.

3 seed Ohio State . Notre Dame put forward another strong season built around junior Hannah Hidalgo , finishing in the upper tier of the ACC and playing well enough to be off the "bubble" status this past weekend. Their overall positive performance against a challenging conference slate solidified their tournament profile and should have the young team ready for what it will face next weekend and beyond.

As a 6-seed, Notre Dame will not have the luxury of hosting a game at home during the tournament. Overall, the draw may be considered quite favorable for the Irish. Fairfield’s efficient, guard-driven attack will test Notre Dame’s perimeter discipline, and a potential second-round date with UConn or the Buckeyes would demand 40 minutes of poise against national-title contenders, with the regional road eventually leading to Phoenix.

Without a doubt, Hidalgo has been the heartbeat of the Irish this year and one of the best stories in all of college basketball. Her high scoring prowess combined with disruptive on-ball defense makes her noticeable on both sides of the court. we're dancing 💃 #GoIrish // @FightingIrish pic.