PHOENIX (AP) 鈥� Sarah Strong of UConn was named The Associated Press women鈥檚 basketball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season, setting the stage for a run to the .
Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma鈥檚 Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014), and USC’s JuJu Watkins, who won it last year. The AP started giving out the award in 1995.
It’s the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award with Paige Bueckers before Strong in 2021.
Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph, who was a former UConn player and assistant coach, won the AP award. They both accepted the awards in front of a full room that included the entire UConn team, which gave a standing ovation when both winners were announced.
鈥淚鈥檓 so blessed because I totally got to this point in my life because of my teammates,鈥� Strong said.
Strong received 25 votes from a national media panel that votes for the Top 25 each week. Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes garnered four votes and UCLA’s Lauren Betts got the other two. Voting was completed before the NCAA Tournament began.
鈥淎nybody that has watched us play would probably tell you that she’s the heart and soul of our team,鈥� UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. 鈥淪he elevates the play of everyone on our team.”
He called Strong 鈥渢he most low-key superstar you ever saw.鈥�
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see that look in her eyes, you know, like, oh, my God, there鈥檚 always just, a calmness,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the best way I can describe it. That allows her to just be free and fluid and play without worry. 鈥�
Auriemma has coached some of the greatest in the game including Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi. Strong fits in with them.
鈥淭he great ones, the great ones all had it. I never saw (Taurasi) nervous,鈥� he said. 鈥榊ou know that they came in as freshmen and you can tell by the look in their eyes, 鈥橧 can handle this. This is what I think. This is why I came here.’ You know some may pretend, but you know deep down you鈥檙e not ready for that moment. She鈥檚 ready for that one.”
Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks a game while helping UConn go 38-0. She’s shooting 59.4% from the field, 40.4% from 3 and 84.8% from the the foul line while playing just 27 minutes a game.
The sensational sophomore raised her game when the Huskies faced Top 25 opponents, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. She in her 59th career game, the third-fastest player in school history to reach the milestone.
Strong was the Big East Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the Fort Worth Regional.
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