Notre Dame’s All-America point guard, Hannah Hidalgo, was forced to sit out for over four minutes in the second quarter of a recent game after officials told her she had to remove her nose ring. NCAA rules prohibit the wearing of jewelry during games, and while Hidalgo had been wearing a diamond stud in her nose all season, it became an issue during the Sweet 16 game against Oregon State.
Hidalgo expressed frustration over the situation, calling it “BS” and noting that it disrupted her game. She had initially tried to cover the nose ring but was later told it had to be removed. Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey was not given an explanation but believes it was a point of emphasis in the Sweet 16 regarding jewelry.
As a result of the delay in removing the nose ring, Hidalgo spent the first part of the second quarter on the bench, only returning to the game with less than six minutes left in the quarter. This impacted her performance as she struggled to find her rhythm and ended up with one of her lowest-scoring games of the season.
Both Hidalgo and Ivey expressed disappointment over the situation, with Hidalgo highlighting the challenge of being taken out of the game during a crucial stretch while she was feeling confident. Ivey, drawing on her own experience as a former player, emphasized the importance of continuity and flow during games, which was disrupted by
