No. 21–UConn Huskies | |
---|---|
Position | Forward |
League | Big East Conference |
Personal information | |
Born | Spain | February 3, 2006
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Career information | |
High school |
|
College | UConn (2024–present) |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Sarah Strong (born February 3, 2006) is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference. She was the No. 1 recruit of the 2024 class.
Strong played her freshman year at Fuquay-Varina High School in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, and averaged 25 points and 19 rebounds per game. [1] After that season, she moved to Grace Christian School in Sanford, North Carolina, and won three consecutive NCISAA state titles as the team went 91–4 over three years and finished on a 41-game undefeated streak. [2] [3] As a senior, she averaged 21.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.8 steals per game in 2023–24. [4] She was named North Carolina Miss Basketball in 2023 and 2024 and was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Girls Game. [4] She was named the Naismith High School Player of the Year in 2024, becoming the first North Carolinian to be so honored. [5] Strong was ranked as the No. 1 recruit of the class of 2024 by ESPN. [6] On April 6, 2024, she committed to play college basketball at UConn. [7]
Strong debuted for the UConn Huskies on November 7, 2024, scoring a team-high 17 points with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals in a 86–32 win over Boston University. [8]
In 3x3 basketball, Strong won gold with the United States at the 2022 and 2023 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup. [9]
On May 19, 2024, Strong was named to the United States roster for the 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women's AmeriCup. [10]
Strong's parents both played basketball: her father, Danny, for NC State, and her mother, Allison Feaster, for Harvard and professionally, later joining the Boston Celtics front office. [4] [2]
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma is an American basketball coach who is the head coach of the UConn Huskies women's basketball team. He holds the record for most wins (1,217) and highest winning percentage (.883) among college coaches with a minimum of 10 seasons, any level, men's or women's. Since becoming head coach in 1985, he has led UConn to 17 undefeated conference seasons, of which six were undefeated overall seasons, with 11 NCAA Division I national championships, the most in women's college basketball history, and has won eight national Naismith College Coach of the Year awards. Auriemma was the head coach of the United States women's national basketball team from 2009 through 2016, during which time his teams won the 2010 and 2014 World Championships, and gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, going undefeated in all four tournaments. Auriemma was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ann Elise Strother is an American basketball coach, and former professional player, most recently for the Indiana Fever. Strother played at the collegiate level for the Connecticut Huskies, helping the team to two national titles.
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is the college basketball program representing the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They currently play in the Big East Conference.
Kaleena Jordan Mosqueda-Lewis is an American former professional basketball player. Prior to enrolling at the University of Connecticut she played for Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. She played on the USA Basketball U16 National Team, where she helped the team win the FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold Medal. Mosqueda-Lewis was named the 2011 State Farm/WBCA High School Player of the Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. In 2015 Mosqueda-Lewis was drafted third overall by the Seattle Storm, going on to win a WNBA championship with the franchise in 2018.
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart, nicknamed "Stewie", is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is one of the most accomplished players in basketball history. Stewart is also a founder of the Unrivaled basketball league along with Napheesa Collier.
The 2012–13 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2012–13 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, played their home games at two different venues—the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. Connecticut was a member of the Big East Conference in the league's final season before its split along football lines into the football-sponsoring American Athletic Conference and the new, non-football Big East. Connecticut, as an FBS football school, became a member of The American, which retained the charter of the original Big East.
Moriah Jefferson is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted second overall by the San Antonio Stars in the 2016 WNBA draft. Jefferson played point guard for UConn women's basketball team, where she won four consecutive national championships. She finished her UConn career ranked first in assists, second in steals, and as a two-time winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top point guard in the nation. On May 16, 2019, Jefferson was traded to the Dallas Wings.
Niels Giffey is a German professional basketball player for Bayern Munich of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) and the EuroLeague. Standing at 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), he plays the small forward and shooting guard positions. He also represents the Germany national team.
Stefanie Dolson is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted sixth overall in the 2014 WNBA draft. Dolson played center for the UConn women's basketball team and won back-to-back national championships in 2013 and 2014. She won a gold medal in 3x3 basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The 2014–15 UConn Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) in the 2014–15 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies, led by thirtieth-year head coach Geno Auriemma, played their home games at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. The Huskies defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win their third consecutive NCAA championship.
Katie Lou Samuelson is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the UConn Huskies. Samuelson is also the director of player development for the Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball program.
The 2017–18 UConn Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Huskies, led by Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma, in his 33rd season at UConn, played their home games at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the XL Center and were fifth-year members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 36–1, 16–0 in AAC play, to win the AAC regular season championship. They defeated Tulane, Cincinnati, and South Florida to win the AAC women's tournament title. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA women's tournament. As the overall No. 1 seed, they defeated Saint Francis (PA) and Quinnipiac to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. They defeated Duke in the Sweet Sixteen and South Carolina in the Elite Eight to reach their 19th Final Four. In the National Semifinal, they lost in overtime on a last-second shot for the second consecutive year, this time to Notre Dame, ending the school's 36-game winning streak.
Christyn Williams is an American women's basketball player who is a free agent. She was drafted by the Washington Mystics. She played college basketball at the University of Connecticut (UConn). She played in high school for Central Arkansas Christian School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A five-star recruit and one of the most decorated high school basketball players in history, Williams rose to national acclaim after winning the 2018 WBCA National Player of the Year award, the 2018 Naismith National Player of the Year award the 2018 Gatorade National Player of the Year award, and the 2018 USA Today Player of the Year award. Williams also was named a McDonald's All-American, where she was named the game's MVP after scoring 22 points and leading the West team to an 82-79 victory. Williams was awarded the Morgan Wootten Award, which is given each year to "the McDonald's All American who best exhibits outstanding character, leadership and the values of a student-athlete in the classroom and the community". Williams was also named to the 2018 Jordan Brand Classic team.
Paige Madison Bueckers is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference.
Azzi Fudd is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference. She attended St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C., where she was ranked as the number one recruit in her class by ESPN and won national player of the year honors. Fudd was on the UConn team that reached the national championship game as a freshman.
Aliyah Boston is an American professional basketball power forward and center for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was named 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote and the AP Rookie of the Year. She played college basketball at the University of South Carolina.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa is an American professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for the Shanxi Flame of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). She played college basketball at UConn.
The 2021–22 UConn Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut (UConn) during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Huskies, led by Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma in his 37th season at UConn, split their home games between Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the XL Center and were members of the Big East Conference, which they joined for women's basketball the previous season. UConn was a member of the original Big East Conference from 1979 through 2013, and one of the original women's basketball teams in that conference in 1982.
Kira Carroll "Kiki" Rice is an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Big Ten Conference. She played for Sidwell Friends School at the high school level, where she was one of the top recruits in her class and earned national player of the year honors as a senior.
Jana El-Alfy is an Egyptian basketball player who plays for UConn Huskies women's basketball and Egypt Women's National Team. In 2022, She became the first African woman and second-ever woman to be invited to attend the NBA Global Academy in Australia.