Tag: UConn

Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo named preseason AP All-American

The Irish truly have one of the best players in the country.

Anyone following women’s basketball knows about Notre Dame sophomore guard [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag]. She tore up the landscape as a freshman and even was named a finalist for national player of the year. She is the primary reason the Irish are expected to contend for the Final Four this season, though a returning [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] isn’t far behind.

The Associated Press realizes how special Hidalgo is and has named her to its preseason All-American Team. She is part of the first trio of sophomores to be named to this team alongside JuJu Watkins of USC and Madison Booker of Texas. Paige Bueckers of UConn and Watkins teammate Kiki Iriafen round out the team.

Hidalgo already has been named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year for this season. She led the country with 4.6 steals a game last season and was sixth nationally with 22.6 points a game. It would be shocking for her not to build upon that this season:

Congratulations to all five players who were selected for this honor.

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Eric Reibe: ‘I’m like a Porzingis type of player’

Eric Reibe, the second-best center in his class, made headlines with his commitment to UConn, marking a major win for Dan Hurley and the Huskies as they secured their second top-25 recruit for the 2025 class. Reibe, a versatile 7-foot center, chose …

Eric Reibe, the second-best center in his class, made headlines with his commitment to UConn, marking a major win for Dan Hurley and the Huskies as they secured their second top-25 recruit for the 2025 class. Reibe, a versatile 7-foot center, chose UConn over powerhouse programs like Kansas, Creighton, Indiana, and Oregon, citing UConn’s proven track record in player development and their recent success in sending players to the NBA as key reasons for his decision.

Originally from Germany, Reibe’s journey has taken him through Switzerland and Maryland, where he focused on finding a program that prioritizes development for big men over geographical concerns. He models his game after stars such as Kristaps Porzingis, Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, Bam Adebayo, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis.

Ranked No. 23 in ESPN’s 2025 rankings, Reibe is known for his well-rounded game, with the ability to shoot, pass, and defend, making him a coveted prospect.

Speaking with HoopsHype last August, on behalf of Under Armour’s Elite 24, Reibe discussed his playstyle as a big who can pass, dribble, and shoot, his defensive improvements, his experience moving around the world, and more.

Notre Dame-UConn women’s basketball game for Dec. 12 is sold out

Did you get your tickets?

For years now, few rivalries in women’s basketball have come closer to that between Notre Dame and UConn. The programs that once occupied the Big East together clearly see the value in continuing to play one another even as they’ve ventured off into different conferences. More than anything, their games draw a lot of attention.

To that end, the Irish and Huskies will face each other Dec. 12 at Purcell Pavilion. If you haven’t gotten your tickets by now, you’re too late because the Irish have announced that the game is sold out. Everyone recognizes the significance of this game, so it will be the place to be on campus that night.

The Huskies and Irish rank second and sixth respectively in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll, so this as much as anything else is a preview of a couple of national championship contenders. Who wouldn’t want to watch a game like this?

https://twitter.com/ndwbb/status/1846625534412726408

The Irish will try to make it three straight wins in this rivalry, and the home-court advantage only can help.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

ESPN’s Charlie Creme highlights Notre Dame in big early-season games

Be sure to watch these games.

Notre Dame is expected to do well this season. Its No. 6 ranking in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll is evidence of that. Naturally, some of its early games will receive a lot of attention.

In light of the poll’s release, ESPN women’s basketball bracketologist Charlie Creme has published a story that answers the question of what the biggest early-season game is for each team ranked in that poll.

Creme has the Irish’s ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge matchup against Texas as the Irish’s biggest game and gives the following reason:

“Both the Irish and Longhorns saw freshmen become stars a season ago with their team leaders out with injury. Rori Harmon is back for Texas to team up with Madison Booker, and [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag] can now pair [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] and [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag], returning from a knee injury. This is a dream backcourt matchup that could define which duo is meshing the best. This looks to be the best Irish team under Ivey. This game and one a week later against UConn, also in South Bend, should tell us just how good.”

The Irish also will face USC early in the season, and Creme has that game as the biggest for the Trojans, who rank third in the poll. Here’s the reason for that:

“A week before the two schools square off in football in Los Angeles, they do the same in basketball. Both the Trojans and the Irish should be in the mix for a No. 1 seed come March, and the winner of this game takes a massive advantage in that quest. One month before (JuJu) Watkins gets to go head-to-head with (Paige) Bueckers, she faces Hannah Hidalgo, the second-best freshman to Watkins a year ago.”

So yeah, there are a few game on the schedule you won’t want to miss. Simply put, don’t.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Former Wisconsin wide receiver matching records in UConn win over Buffalo

Former Wisconsin wide receiver has record-breaking performance in UConn win over Buffalo

Former Wisconsin wide receiver Skyler Bell is in the midst of a career day as the UConn Huskies roll to a dominant win over Buffalo.

The Huskies lead 37-3 at the end of the third quarter. Bell’s line: six receptions, 153 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Related: How Graham Mertz, Wisconsin’s recent transfer departures fared in Week 4 of 2024 football season

The former Badger is setting career highs across the board. His performance is also climbing UConn’s single-game leaderboard. His three touchdown receptions are tied for second-most all time and his 153 receiving yards are 25 yards short of the top 10.

This dominant performance continues a fantastic start to the 2024 season for Bell. His first four games included 15 catches for 347 receiving yards and a touchdown. Those combined totals: 21 catches, 500 yards and four touchdowns.

For reference, Wisconsin’s leading receiver through three games is Will Pauling with 19 catches for 191 yards and a touchdown. Bryson Green is second with eight catches for 89 yards. Bell alone has almost as many receiving yards (500) as Wisconsin’s entire team (547) — Bell through five games and the Badgers through three.

Bell was one of several Wisconsin receivers to transfer elsewhere this offseason, joining Chimere Dike and Keontez Lewis. Lewis has already registered a record-breaking performance of his own, while Dike is still working to find a groove leading the Florida Gators passing game.

The recent departures serve as an interesting comparison as Wisconsin continues to work toward finding an offensive identity. Bell is a clear success story of a Badger from the Paul Chryst era moving to a new location.

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Dan Hurley discussed his underwear and cursed in front of President Biden during UConn’s White House visit

Never change, Dan Hurley.

UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley is unapologetically himself, no matter what. He reminded everyone while at the White House on Tuesday.

After winning his second consecutive collegiate men’s basketball national championship in 2024, the NCAA head coach was invited to celebrate his title at the White House with President Joe Biden.

Hurley had some highlights of his own during the celebration, including a moment in which he discussed his lucky dragon underwear. It wasn’t the talking point that many would have used if they had the opportunity to visit the White House, but it was what Hurley chose anyway.

Warning: The following is potentially not suitable for work.

Later in the visit, Hurley then spoke about the honor he had on that day.

According to the head coach, he thought it would get easier to speak at the White House this time around because it was no longer his first time there to celebrate a national championship.

Instead, however, he was it was “scary as [expletive]” before getting a big laugh from everyone listening to him speak.

Never change, Coach Hurley. You are perfect just the way you are.

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Former Wisconsin QB secures starting job with UConn

Former Wisconsin QB secures starting job with UConn

The 2024 college football season is officially here and the Wisconsin Badgers will begin their season at Camp Randall Stadium on Friday night against Western Michigan. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke will be the Badgers’ starting quarterback

Former Badgers quarterback Nick Evers, who was once considered a viable option for the team’s starting role in 2024, was named UConn’s starting QB for Week 1 earlier this week.

Evers transferred to Wisconsin ahead of the 2023 season after beginning his career at Oklahoma as a four-star recruit in 2022. Evers was buried on the depth chart behind Tanner Mordecai and Braedyn Locke last season, failing to appear in a game with the Badgers.

After entering spring camp as the team’s third option behind Van Dyke and Locke, Evers decided to enter the transfer portal and ultimately ended up with the Huskies.

He joined 2023 teammate wide receiver Skyler Bell in transferring to UConn. He’s also the second quarterback to depart Madison and earn starting job in 2024, as Myles Burkett did the same at Albany.

Notre Dame-UConn rematch at Purcell Pavilion scheduled for Dec. 12

Mark your calendar!

One of the highlights of a terrific 2023-24 season for Notre Dame was a road win over UConn on national TV. While it didn’t mean anything as far as conference play, the rivalry that has developed between the programs during the 21st century made it a big moment. Now, the date for the rematch between the women’s basketball blue bloods has been set.

UConn has released its nonconference schedule for the 2024-25 season. In doing so, it revealed that the Irish will welcome the Huskies to what surely will be a packed Purcell Pavilion on Dec. 12. The Huskies also will face USC, Tennessee and South Carolina, all of them women’s basketball powerhouses.

With both the Irish and Huskies expected to do big things during the upcoming season, this will be a game no one with a heavy interest in women’s basketball should miss. What’s more, the Irish have beaten the Huskies in each of the past two seasons, and they’ll do everything they can to make it three in a row.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Saints to bring in Sio Moore as training camp assistant coach

The New Orleans Saints announced they are bringing in Sio Moore, one of Dennis Allen’s former players, as an assistant coach for training camp:

The New Orleans Saints have announced in a press release that that they will be bringing in Sio Moore, a former NFL linebacker and third-round draft pick, to assist with the team’s coaching staff during training camp and preseason drills.

Moore was a phenomenal linebacker for the UConn Huskies during his collegiate playing days, having a breakout season in 2010 with 110 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries. His senior season was insanely impressive though, as he posted 72 tackles, 15.5 for a loss, 8.0 sacks, and 11 pass deflections in 12 games. He would go on to be picked by the Raiders, and played there for two seasons under now-Saints head coach Dennis Allen.

He went on to have a four-year NFL career, playing with the Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals as well as spending time with the Houston Texans in 2017 before being calling it a career.

Moore will be participating in the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which is a program that for 30 years has had the focus of giving more chances to coaching hopefuls. The goal is to have prospective coaches go into training camps, minicamps, and offseason workout events for teams and give them the chance to learn from active coaching regimes, and potentially land a job either with that team or another around the league. Presuming that he will work with his old position at linebacker, Moore will have the chance to learn under five-year veteran coach Michael Hodges.

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Five former Notre Dame players among top 20 WNBA scorers

These ladies are making Irish fans proud.

Before too long, Notre Dame coach [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag] will be sending players she’s had as head coach to the WNBA. For now though, a few of [autotag]Muffet McGraw[/autotag]’s former players are tearing the league up through their scoring. But a lot of people might not seem to realize just how much they’re lighting up the scoreboard.

While most fans are focused on the budding rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, just as much focus should be going to the professionals the Irish have developed. If you need more convincing of that, check out this tweet from @trendyhoopstars:

That’s unbelievable. It’s a testament to how great the program has been for a while now but especially during McGraw’s final decade coaching the Irish. It should come as no surprise that these players have blossomed professionally and are giving the development at some other prominent women’s basketball schools a run for their money. UConn and South Carolina aren’t the only two programs worthy of attention.

So who are the former Irish players turning heads through the first month-and-a-half of the WNBA season, and where do they rank among the league’s scoring leaders? It’s these five: