Hannah Hidalgo Named to AP Preseason All-America Team

The Notre Dame standout joins four other players on the annual list selected by a national media panel.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Basketball

Hannah Hidalgo Named to AP Preseason All-America Team

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Hannah Hidalgo, a senior guard at Notre Dame, was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America women's college basketball team. She is joined on the list by Sarah Strong, JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker, and Mikayla Blakes.

Why it matters

The preseason All-America team serves as a high-profile recognition of the top players expected to dominate the upcoming collegiate basketball season. Selection by the national media panel highlights the rising stars who have shown significant statistical production and impact on their respective programs.

Hannah Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points and 5.6 steals per game last season for a Notre Dame team that finished with a 25-11 record. Other top selections include Sarah Strong, who shot 58.2% from the field, and Mikayla Blakes, who averaged 27 points per game.

The players

Hannah Hidalgo

She is a senior guard at Notre Dame who averaged 25.3 points and 5.6 steals per game last season.

Sarah Strong

She is a top-ranked player representing UConn who received 30 votes from the media panel.

JuJu Watkins

She is a star athlete at USC who is currently working toward a recovery following an ACL tear.

Madison Booker

She is a key player at the University of Texas who was recognized for her performance with 28 media votes.

Mikayla Blakes

She is an standout student-athlete representing Vanderbilt who averaged 27 points per game last season.

The details

The team was chosen by a 31-member national media panel that began evaluating candidates before the start of the 1994-95 season. Players earn their spots on the list based on the total number of votes received from this panel.

The AP began releasing preseason All-America teams before the 1994-95 season.
JuJu Watkins suffered an ACL tear during the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The preseason AP All-America team was released on October 22, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The selection of these five players sets the baseline for the competitive narrative and top-tier talent outlook for the 2026-27 college basketball season. This roster influences the preseason ranking discourse and signals which programs are most likely to contend for a postseason championship.

The acknowledgment of these players provides a clear guide for those tracking early-season individual player performance and betting favorites for end-of-year honors. The inclusion of JuJu Watkins signals high expectations for her contribution once she returns from her ACL injury.

The takeaway

The AP preseason team recognizes the individual excellence of top collegiate athletes before the season begins. These selections provide a key metric for fans to follow as these players compete for national prominence throughout the coming months.