2 months ago
Sarah Strong of UConn was named nan Associated Press women’s hoops Player of nan Year aft starring nan Huskies to an undefeated season, mounting nan shape for a tally to nan Final Four.
Strong became conscionable nan 5th subordinate to triumph nan grant successful her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014) and USC’s JuJu Watkins, who won it past year. The AP started giving retired nan grant successful 1995.
It’s nan 13th clip that a Huskies subordinate has won nan grant pinch Paige Bueckers being nan past to do it earlier Strong successful 2021.
Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph, who was a erstwhile UConn subordinate and adjunct coach, won nan AP Coach of nan Year award. They some accepted nan awards connected Thursday successful beforehand of a afloat room that included nan full UConn team, which gave a opinionated ovation erstwhile some winners were announced.
“I’m truthful blessed because I wholly sewage to this constituent successful my life because of my teammates,” Strong said.
Strong received 25 votes from a nationalist media sheet that votes for nan Top 25 each week. Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes garnered 4 votes and UCLA’s Lauren Betts sewage nan different two. Voting was completed earlier nan NCAA Tournament began.
“Anybody that has watched america play would astir apt show you that she’s nan bosom and psyche of our team,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She elevates nan play of everyone connected our team.”
He called Strong “the astir low-key superstar you ever saw”.
“You don’t spot that look successful her eyes, you know, like, oh, my God, there’s ever just, a calmness,” he said. “That’s nan champion measurement I tin picture it. That allows her to conscionable beryllium free and fluid and play without worry. ”
Auriemma has coached immoderate of nan top successful nan crippled including Stewart, Moore, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Strong fits successful pinch them.
“The awesome ones, nan awesome ones each had it. I ne'er saw [Taurasi] nervous,” he said. ‘You cognize that they came successful arsenic freshmen and you tin show by nan look successful their eyes, ’I tin grip this. This is what I think. This is why I came here.’ You cognize immoderate whitethorn pretend, but you cognize heavy down you’re not fresh for that moment. She’s fresh for that one.”
Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks while helping UConn spell 38-0. She’s shooting 59.4% from nan field, 40.4% from 3 and 84.8% from nan foul statement while playing conscionable 27 minutes per game.
The sensational sophomore raised her crippled erstwhile nan Huskies faced Top 25 opponents, averaging complete 20 points and 10 rebounds. She reached 1,000 profession points successful her 59th profession game, nan third-fastest subordinate successful schoolhouse history to scope nan milestone.
Strong was nan Big East Player of nan Year arsenic good arsenic nan Most Outstanding Player of nan Fort Worth Regional.
