Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547434
56 NOV. 7, 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED "Being young, ready to learn, we're all excited," Ragone said. "I think that's definitely going to help us. We're pretty scrappy. We're tough. I think a lot of that's going to help smooth out the edges that we have to figure out." LEARNING TO GO, GO, GO And Hidalgo will help fill in the gaps. "It's just her energy that she gives us throughout practice," Ragone said. "There are some times that I'll mess up, but she's like, 'Come on, Bella. You've got to go back out there. In the game you don't have time to just sit there and think about what just happened.' "You've got to go, go, go. And I think that's my biggest learning curve in col- lege. It's like the mental part pushing through. "I know when I go on the court, I'm going to push myself as hard as I can and farther, because I know what hard looks like." ✦ Freshmen Make Instant Impact In Exhibition Win Against Truman State Sometimes, it's just your night. When Jenica Lewis' first three-point attempt banked in from the left wing, that was a strong indicator it was her night. Lewis and fellow freshman starter Jacy Abii made it very clear during Notre Dame's 125-59 exhibition victory over Truman State Oct. 26 that they plan to make immediate impacts. They combined for 41 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 5 steals during their final tune-up before the season begins for real. "I thought they both came out very confident," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said. "I love seeing that with freshmen who are basically in the fire right now." Lewis finished with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting from downtown, and she looks like a weapon from beyond the arc. Her release is quick, and she has the athleticism to get herself open consistently. Aside from Hidalgo, Lewis looks like the fastest player on the Irish and that's an issue for teams who have to guard both of them. "Having her on the team, it just makes the game so much easier because she opens up the floor," Hidalgo said. "She's able to pull defenders out. I'm able to either drive, or if they collapse on me, I'm able to hit her." Hidalgo also lauded Lewis' ability to handle the ball, which, combined with fifth-year combo guard Madison St. Rose (14 points), will take some of the point guard responsibili- ties off Hidalgo's shoulders. "She's got great vision. I feel like a lot of people were seeing some things as far as her ability to be versatile," Ivey said. "She can play the point or she can play off. And then her three-point shooting is just fantastic. She has deep range. She's exactly what I thought she was going to be for us." Abii, meanwhile, is as smooth a mover as you'll see at 6-foot-2. One of several "big guards" who occupy spots on the Notre Dame roster, she scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shoot- ing from the field and added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals. She is a force when she gets inside the paint. "Jacy, with her size and athleticism," Ivey said. "She's got a college body already. We knew that coming in. I thought she did a great job of running the break, and I thought she was really physical." — Jack Soble 2026-27 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Nov. 1 vs. Villanova! (FS1) 12 p.m. Nov. 6 Stonehill (ACCNX) 7 p.m. Nov. 10 Detroit Mercy (ACCNX) 7 p.m. Nov. 14 vs. DePaul+ (NBC) 1 p.m. Nov. 18 Southern (ACCNX) 7 p.m. Nov. 24 vs. Davidson^ (ESPN+) 1 p.m. Nov. 26 vs. West Virginia^ (ESPN2) 11:30 a.m. Dec. 3 at Vanderbilt# (ESPN) 9 p.m. Dec. 6 Florida State* (ACCN) 12 p.m. Dec. 9 Connecticut (ESPN) 7 p.m. Dec. 13 Bowling Green (ACCN) 12 p.m. Dec. 19 vs. Southern Cal% (ESPN) 11 p.m. Dec. 20 vs. South Carolina% (ESPN) 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at Pittsburgh* (ACCNX) 7 p.m. Dec. 31 California* (ACCNX) 5 p.m. Jan. 3 at Miami* (ACCN) 6 p.m. Jan. 7 at Virginia Tech* (ACCNX) 6 p.m. Jan. 10 Duke* (ABC) 12 p.m. Jan. 14 Georgia Tech* (ACCNX) 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Syracuse* (ESPN/2) 3 p.m. Jan. 21 at Louisville* (ESPN) 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at North Carolina* (ESPN) 6 p.m. Jan. 31 Stanford* (The CW) 1 p.m. Feb. 4 SMU* (ACCN) 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at Clemson* (ESPN/2) 12 p.m. Feb. 11 Virginia* (ESPN2) 6 p.m. Feb. 14 Wake Forest* (ACCNX) 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at NC State* (ESPN) 8 p.m. Feb. 21 at Boston College* (ACCNX) 2 p.m. Feb. 28 Louisville* (ESPN) 12 p.m. ! at Rome, Italy; + SoFi Shamrock Classic at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.; # ACC/SEC Challenge; ^ Paradise Island at Bahamas; % Players Era Wom- en's Showcase at Las Vegas; * ACC game Freshman guard Jenica Lewis knocked down 6 of 10 three-point attempts and finished with 21 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in Notre Dame's 125-59 exhibition victory over Truman State Oct. 26. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS