One of the best freshmen in women’s college basketball is Notre Dame star — and All-American — Hannah Hidalgo, and despite her impressive standing, she was asked to take off a piece of jewelry during her March Madness matchup Friday.
Hidalgo, during an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game between the No. 2 Fighting Irish and No. 3 Oregon State, was forced to remove her nose ring mid-game, something she said she’s played with all season.
The Beavers beat Hidalgo and the Irish, 70-65, during the contest in which the officials enforced a rule prohibiting athletes from wearing jewelry during action.
Hidalgo not only played with the ring all season, she also played with it during the first two games of Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament run.
After the loss, the star guard said she was told she could wear the ring as long as it was covered up.
But at the end of the first quarter, Hidalgo was informed that the nose ring had to be removed — or she would be unable to play.
“I thought it was BS, because I’m on a run, I’m on a roll,” said Hidalgo, who had to get the ring removed during the second quarter as trainers struggled to detach the accessory, according to ESPN. “I scored two baskets and then having to sit out for all that time, I was starting to get cold. I think [the officials] were worried about the wrong things. They should have reffed the game.”
Hidalgo also noted that the trainers were unclear on how to take the ring from her nose, and she bled a bit during the clunky process.
“No, clearly I didn’t know the jewelry rule,” Hidalgo said, per the Associate Press. “But, she had told me that I could cover it up. Then, she said you can’t cover it up after we were already in the second quarter.”
She also added that the officials provided no explanation for deciding to remove the ring mid-game.
“I guess it was a point of emphasis in the Sweet 16 with jewelry,” Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the game. “Just wish we would have known beforehand. Can’t control it, so we had to move on.”
Hidalgo finished with 10 points and shot 4-for-17 from the field in the loss.
Hidalgo, in her first collegiate season, averaged about 22.9 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per contest, 5.6 assists per game and led the country in steals at 4.6 per game.
