When it comes to the best of the best in women's college basketball, there's no debate whatsoever that Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Caitlin Clark, Lisa Leslie and Cheryl Miller are in that conversation. But could Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo join that list? Maybe.
But a couple of things need to go her way. And you know what? It very well could happen.
Does Hannah Hidalgo need to win a National Title to be considered one of the best women's college basketball players ever?
Absolutely not. But it sure would help. Clark never won a national title at Iowa and is arguably considered the most influential player in women's basketball. Some consider her the Michael Jordan of women's basketball. And you know what? They're probably right.
Hidalgo will never be as good as Clark, but she's a Final Four appearance away from being considered one of the best women's college basketball players of all time.
Hidalgo led ND to the Sweet 16 last year, but in order to be considered one of the best ever, she needs to get the Irish to the Final Four. Some might even argue ND needs to make the National Title Game to be considered one of the best, but considering all of her individual accolades, the Final Four is good enough.
And don't forget she helped Team USA win the FIBA AmeriCup back in 2025, so it's not like she's never won any sort of title before.
But speaking of individual accolades, what other awards does Hidalgo need to win to further boost her resume?
What would National Player of the Year honors mean for Hidalgo's legacy?
From an individual standpoint, Hidalgo has already accomplished so much in just three years. She' s the NCAA single-season steals leader, a two-time All-American, a two-time ACC Player of the Year winner and the reigning NCAA Defensive Player of the Year.
And don't forget she set the NCAA record for most steals in a game last season and nearly recorded a quadruple-double on multiple occasions.
— Hannah Hidalgo Muse (@HidalgoMuse) October 21, 2026Hannah Hidalgo playmaking & passing compilation (throwback as an 18 year-old freshman). ☘️
Three things jump off the film:
1. She bends defenses (drawing 2,3,4 defenders to open up teammates; you can't be a playmaker without being able to 'start the blender')
2. High-level eye… pic.twitter.com/KBUcJTeWp1
But winning National Player of the Year honors would put her in a whole different bracket. And she's more than capable of winning it but she definitely has an uphill battle to surpass players like Sarah Strong (UConn), Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt) and Audi Crooks (Oklahoma State)
Does Hidalgo need to set the NCAA career steals record to go down as one of the best ever?
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 13, 2025🔥 The most points in a game in @ndwbb history
🔥 The most steals in a game in D-I historyA statline for the ages from Hannah Hidalgo 😤 pic.twitter.com/FNzQNZBFir
This is simply a must for Hidalgo. Hidalgo set the NCAA single-season steals record last season, but now she needs to break Chastadie Barrs' career record of 649 steals to be considered one of the best women's college basketball players of all time.
And as long as Hidalgo stays healthy, she should have no problem breaking Barrs's record. Hidalgo is 169 steals away from breaking Barrs' record, and considering the fact that Hidalgo recorded 202 steals last year, she should have no problem passing her career record.
— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2026
But Hidalgo needs one more thing to happen to be considered one of the best ever. She needs to be a top three pick in this year's WNBA Draft.
Of all the things that Hidalgo needs to have go her way, this one is simply the hardest. And the reason why is quite simple: it's really out of her hands.
You can certainly make the argument that Hidalgo needs to be the top overall pick to further cement herself among the best ever. After all, Clark, Parker, and Taurasi are all former No. 1 overall draft choices, but yet again, there's only so much Hidalgo can do to convince WNBA franchises she's worthy of that honor.
Obviously, the WNBA Draft is way down the road, but if Hidalgo performs at an elite level this year and the Irish get to the Final Four, there's no reason why she shouldn't be considered one of the best women's college basketball players ever.
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