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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.
For a program that just a few years removed from a final four push, this year signifies a big opportunity for Notre Dame to re-establish themselves as one of the best programs in the country. If Hidalgo can continue to play at the high level she has shown all season long, Notre Dame can not only potentially be a second-weekend team but also a team no top-seed will want to face down the road.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Sunny on X:@thesunnyv
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame women's basketball hopes ACC grind leads to March success
Continue reading...
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.
For a program that just a few years removed from a final four push, this year signifies a big opportunity for Notre Dame to re-establish themselves as one of the best programs in the country. If Hidalgo can continue to play at the high level she has shown all season long, Notre Dame can not only potentially be a second-weekend team but also a team no top-seed will want to face down the road.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Sunny on X:@thesunnyv
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame women's basketball hopes ACC grind leads to March success
Continue reading...
