"The New Caitlin Clark" - Fans in Disbelief After Hannah Hidalgo Drops Wild Stat Line With 16 Steals

Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo dropped an insane stat line in their 85-58 win over Akron on Wednesday at the Joyce Center. Hidalgo's performance was so good that some fans began comparing her to Caitlin Clark, who was also a record breaker during her time at Iowa.

The Fighting Irish were dominant from start to finish, led by Hidalgo's historic performance. The third-year guard finished with 44 points, nine rebounds, four assists and 16 steals on 16-for-25 shooting in 28 minutes. She also made three 3-point shots and went 9-for-11 from the charity stripe.

According to USA Today, Hidalgo set the record for most steals in an NCAA game for both men's and women's basketball. She also broke the program record set by Jewell Loyd and Ruth Riley for most points scored in a single game in Notre Dame history.

Hannah Hidalgo's performance didn't go unnoticed on social media, particularly on X, formerly known as Twitter. Fans cannot believe the number of steals Hidalgo recorded, with some even beginning to compare her to Caitlin Clark as the next big thing in women's basketball.

Here are some of the comments.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Hannah Hidalgo wasn't too thrilled with her performance on Wednesday. Hidalgo called it a normal game for herself, which was really out of the ordinary since it's the first time in NCAA history a player recorded 16 steals in a game.

"I think it was just a regular game today,” Hidalgo said, according to the South Bend Tribune. "I got up, went to class and got in the gym."

Hidalgo is already the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year, so it wouldn't be surprising if she wins it again as a junior. If she continues to play like this, she could be one of the favorites to win the National Player of the Year award.

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Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey calls Hannah Hidalgo's performance the best ever

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey calls Hannah Hidalgo's performance the best ever. (Photo: IMAGN)

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey knew that Hannah Hidalgo's performance was historic. Ivey took a second during the postgame press conference before calling it the best performance she has ever seen, as reported by USA Today.

The coach has witnessed some pretty incredible games during her time in charge of the Fighting Irish. She was an assistant coach when Jewell Loyd tied the school record for most points in a game in 2014. She was also a teammate of Ruth Riley when she scored 41 points in 1999.

Edited by Juan Paolo David