Hannah Hidalgo’s father still coaches the girl’s varsity team at Paul VI High School.
Notre Dame used a pair of double-doubles from Hannah Hidalgo and Liatu King to down UConn 79-68 on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at Purcell Pavilion.
Highlights
- Hannah Hidalgo had an impressive showing against Paige Bueckers and UConn in Notre Dame’s 79-68 win.
- Hidalgo was born to her father, Orlando Hidalgo, and her mother, Tamara Williams-Hidalgo.
- She grew up with her three brothers, El Khana, Judah, and Zach Hidalgo.
The Fighting Irish (8-2) won their third game over a top-three team in the last 19 days, handing the Huskies (8-1) their first-season loss.
Hidalgo turned in her second straight 20-point double-double with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
She electrified the home crowd against and against with six 3-pointers, each seemingly topping the next in what turned into a personal game of horses for the sophomore guard.
UConn took a 10-9 advantage for its first lead in the first quarter, but Hidalgo answered with back-to-back 3s 25 seconds apart to make it 15-10, prompting a timeout from Hall of Fame UConn coach.
Hannah’s show-stopping moment came at the end of the 3rd quarter when she drained her sixth and final 3 of the night from the right win and brought the crowd to a fevered pitch as the quarter expired.
She celebrated near midcourt as ESPN TV analyst Rebecca Lobo watched patiently, her arms folded in her courtside seat just feet from Hidalgo.
Hannah Hidalgo’s Parents Spoke About Her Competitiveness In An Exclusive Interview With ESPN Digital
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, 19, was born on February 22, 2005, to her father, Orlando Hidalgo, and her mother, Tamara Williams-Hidalgo.
Hannah’s parents were basketball players who married in 1991 after dating for several years. They have been married for almost thirty years.
Orlando moved to Puerto Rico, where he could hone his Spanish, although he has lived in the United States, where he mainly speaks English.
He said he tried to teach Tamara Spanish early in their relationship, but she thought he would laugh at her if she made a mistake, so they gave up.
Her father, Orlando, has played a significant role in Hannah’s basketball career. He serves as the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Paul VI High School.
He also coached AAU programs like Team Finals, Philly Triple Threat, We R 1, and Boro Blitz.
In 2023, the NJSIAA suspended Orlando for two games for an alleged recruiting violation involving former Camden Catholic players who transferred to Paul VI.
During an exclusive interview with ESPN Digital, Hannah’s father, Orlando, said that Hannah hates losing more than she likes winning.
He knows his daughter’s game well on the court, having coached Hannah and other children simultaneously in their respective lives and careers.
On the other hand, Hannah’s mother, Tamara Hidalgo, has been influential throughout Hannah’s collegiate basketball journey.
Tamara also spoke in an interview with ESPN Digital. She said,
“A lot of people don’t know that Hannah is just as good at soccer. And she chose basketball. I guess because all the boys were playing. And it was with her dad coaching. And that’s what she loves to do.”
Tamara Hidalgo
Around age 10, Hannah took up track and field, running and throwing the javelin. Tamara described her daughter’s development as “overwhelming but also fascinating. ”
She was also pleased to see how her daughter represented her identities with dignity. Hannah’s parents only talk about basketball with Hannah when she wants to.
Tamara gets very excited and nervous when she watches her daughter play in big games, like the ACC Tournament Championship against NC State.
Notre Dame Guard Hannah Hidalgo Was Raised In Puerto Rican Household
Although Hannah Hidalgo lives in the United States with her parents, she was raised in a Puerto Rican household as her father is originally from Puerto Rico.
Therefore, Hannah and her family hold American nationality and Puerto Rican-American ethnicity.
Hannah grew up competing against her three brothers, Judah, El Khana, and Zach Hidalgo. Her younger brother, Judah Hidalgo, is a 6-foot-5 junior forward for Paul VI.
He played for Puerto Rico in the FIBA U-16 American Championship and won bronze in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Earlier, when Hidalgo went through drills with her team, participating in 2-on-2 and 4-on-4 drills, occasionally hopping into full scrimmages, her elder brother El Khana said,
“You’re never away from the gym in our family… That’s what she loved about it,” “Even if she didn’t get access to a gym, you can always go outside and the basket is right there.”
El Khana
Hannah and her older brothers, El Khana and Zach, used a shot machine to perfect shooting mechanics while working on in-game scenarios.
Additional Information
- On November 6, 2023, Hannah Hidalgo made her college debut, scoring 31 points in a 100-71 loss to AP No. 6 South Carolina.
- She played for the United States at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Hungary.
- Hidalgo was named to the all-tournament team at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Spain after helping the United States win the gold medal.
