Teammate Azzi Fudd, head coach Geno Auriemma also were named finalists for a season-ending award on Wednesday.
Sarah Strong might need to hire someone to build a really big trophy case after the season ends.
The UConn star sophomore won another award Wednesday, named the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Already this year, Strong has been honored as Player of the Year by The Athletic and ESPN, a first-team All-American by both the Associated Press and USBWA, as well as a unanimous Big East Player of the Year and all-conference first-team selection. She earned Big East tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, too.
Strong was the only unanimous selection on the AP All-America Team, on which she was joined by UConn’s Azzi Fudd.
Strong's name also appears on the Wooden Award national ballot, and she is a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award.
UConn forward Sarah Strong (21) defends against Villanova guard Kelsey Joens (23) in the first half of a game March 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Credit: David Butler II-Imagn ImagesAlso Wednesday, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Strong and Fudd were named finalists for the 2026 Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year. Strong also is a finalist for the Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year, and head coach Geno Auriemma was tabbed as a finalist for the group’s Coach of the Year award.
In her debut season at UConn in 2024-25, which culminated with a national title, Strong also earned a bevy of awards:
- From the Big East: all-conference first team, all-tournament team and Freshman of the Year.
- From the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association: Freshman of the Year, All-American.
- From the NCAA: Spokane Region 4 all-tournament team, Final Four all-tournament team.
- From the AP: second-team All-American.
- From the USBWA: third-team All-American.
Sarah Strong is awarded Big East Player of the Year before a conference tournament game against Georgetown on March 7 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Credit: David Butler II-Imagn ImagesGoing for No. 13
Strong and the undefeated Huskies (36-0) are the top seed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, and they continue on the quest for a 13th national championship on Friday. They will meet North Carolina, the No. 4 seed in the Fort Worth 1 Region, in Fort Worth, Texas.
In their first-round victory against No. 16 seed UTSA and their second-round win vs. No. 9 Syracuse, Strong averaged 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals in 26.0 minutes per game.
On the season, she leads the Huskies in points (18.4), rebounds (7.5), blocks (1.6) and steals (3.3) per game. And she’s done that in just 26.4 minutes per contest, typically not playing much or any of fourth quarters because of her team’s enormous point margin per game.
The Huskies are averaging 89.1 points scored and 50.3 points given up per game, for a margin of plus-38.8.
Strong is first in the nation in win shares (11.06), defensive win shares (4.8), defensive rating (65.3) and player efficiency (46.4). She has scored in double figures in the past 49 consecutive games and is shooting 60.0% from the field.
UConn forward Sarah Strong shoots the ball against Providence in the first half of a game on Feb. 22 at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. Credit: David Butler II-Imagn ImagesSeven other UConn players won the USBWA National Player of the Year: Rebecca Lobo (1995), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003), Maya Moore (2009, '11), Tina Charles (2010), Breanna Stewart (2014, '15, '16) and Paige Bueckers (2021).
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