BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Former Indiana women’s basketball guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary has signed a professional contract with IDK Euskotren in Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain, her home country, the league announced Tuesday.
In her 2021-22 senior season at Indiana, Cardaño-Hillary averaged 11.6 points per game and shot the most three pointers on last year’s team with 129 making 35.7 percent of those shots.
Known by opponents as the gnat that was always around, Cardaño-Hillary totaled a team high 72 steals, which ranks ninth all-time for Indiana and second in the Big Ten conference.
She helped lead the Hoosiers to two NCAA Tournament appearances and was part of the All-American Big Ten second team, All-Big Ten defensive team and was awarded Big Ten All-Tournament honors in her final season.
Before her career at Indiana, the Madrid, Spain native moved from her home country to Georgetown, Texas where she played basketball in high school and went on to play at George Mason for three seasons.
She became the Patriot’s all-time leading scorer finishing her George Mason career with 1,766 career points.
While at Indiana, Cardaño-Hillary started in 49 out of 56 games and scored 577 points for the Hoosiers in just two seasons.
She totaled 103 scrappy steals and 147 assists proving to be a force on defense but also an offensive playmaker.
Cardaño-Hillary joins fellow Hoosier Aleksa Gulbe as the second alumna to sign a professional contract this offseason. Gulbe will play for Perfumerías Avendia in Salamanca, Spain, about a five-hour drive from Cardaño-Hillary’s new team.
Nicole Cardaño-Hillary
Mar 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Kai Crutchfield (3) dribbles against Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2021 Women’s NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Grace Berger (34) celebrates with guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) after a play during the second quarter against the NC State Wolfpack in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2021 Women’s NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) celebrates against the NC State Wolfpack in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2021 Women’s NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (middle) is doused by her teammates as they celebrate defeating the NC State Wolfpack in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2021 Women’s NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4), Friday, March 4, 2022, during the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament action from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana won 62-51. © Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Mar 5, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) makes a three-pointer during the Big Ten conference tournament semifinal game between Ohio State and Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana’s Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) drives on Priceton’s Kaitlyn Chen (20) during the first half of the Indiana versus Princeton women’s NCAA second round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, March 21, 2022.
Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes (54) and Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) defend Charlotte’s Octavia Jett-Wilson (13) during the second half of the Indiana versus Charlotte women’s NCAA First Round game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, March 19, 2022. © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Mar 26, 2022; Bridgeport, CT, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) work for the ball during the first half in the Bridgeport regional semifinals of the women’s college basketball NCAA Tournament at Webster Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Hoosiers guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary (4) points to a teammate on Thursday, March. 3, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Hoosiers lead at the half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 32-26. © Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
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- MEET THE PLAYERS – LEXUS BARGESSER: Meet Indiana women’s basketball freshman guard Lexus Bargesser. The 5’9″ Grass Lake, Mich. native not only led her high school basketball team to a state championship in 2021, but also her track team in the same school year. CLICK HERE.
- ALEKSA GULBE GOES PRO: Indiana women’s basketball alumna forward and Riga, Latvia native Aleksa Gulbe signed a professional contract with Perfumerías Avendia Salamanca in Spain for the upcoming season. CLICK HERE.
