Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo is averaging 5.4 steals per game and contending for Player of the Year, but won’t be eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft due to age requirements
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo will wait until 2027 to enter the WNBA Draft(Image: Getty Images)
If Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo were eligible for the draft this year, she’d undoubtedly be a top contender – alongside Oliva Miles, Azzi Fudd, and Awa Fam – for the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
However, the Notre Dame standout will have to bide her time for another season: at 21 years old, she’s not yet eligible for the draft. This isn’t a reflection of her skills: Hidalgo is on the cusp of securing her third consecutive First-team All-American honor and is a strong candidate for Player of the Year.
But to qualify for the WNBA Draft, NCAA athletes must satisfy one of three criteria, none of which Hidalgo meets. They must either A) turn 22 within the draft year, B) graduate from a four-year program within three months of the draft, or C) have their original four-year class graduate within three months of the draft.
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Hidalgo, born on Feb. 22, 2005, and currently 21, is wrapping up her third year with the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame. The native of Merchantville, New Jersey, will be eligible next year, reports the Irish Star.
She’ll join one of the most gifted classes in recent history, likely featuring USC’s Juju Watkings, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, Texas’s Madison Booker, and LSU’s MiLaysia Fulwiley.
In her 32 games this season (averaging 36.2 minutes), Hidalgo is posting a career-high 25.2 points per game, shooting 48.1% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc (a drop from last year’s 40% rate).
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo will wait until 2027 to enter the WNBA Draft(Image: Getty Images)
She’s also pulling down 6.4 rebounds, dishing out 5.3 assists, and recording an impressive 5.4 steals per game. She’s already secured the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and is expected to claim the national honor too.
Hidalgo’s Notre Dame squad wrapped up the season 22-10 and landed at No. 22 in the final AP poll. This secured them a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament and a first-round clash against No. 11 on March 21.
In the second round of the Fort Worth region, Notre Dame would meet the victor of No. 3 Ohio State vs No. 14 Howard (assuming they advance).
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If they make it to the Elite Eight, they’d go head-to-head with top-seeded UConn, the overwhelming favorite across the entire field.
Coach Niele Ivey’s team is riding four straight Sweet 16 appearances.
Notre Dame fell 65-63 in their ACC semifinal battle to Duke. Hidalgo put up 24 points on 10-of-24 shooting and pulled down eight rebounds.