Paige Bueckers achieved a remarkable feat by being named the Big East Player of the Year for the third time, highlighting the dominance of UConn in the conference’s major awards announced on Thursday. The Huskies, ranked third nationally, completed an impeccable 18-0 run in the Big East, with Bueckers leading the charge by averaging 18.6 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. This accolade marks Bueckers as only the third player in conference history to clinch the award three times, a distinction she shares with luminaries such as Villanova’s Shelley Pennefather and UConn’s own Maya Moore.
Sarah Strong also brought honors to the Huskies by being named the conference’s Freshman of the Year, thanks to her impressive average of 16.1 points and 7.9 rebounds. In other notable recognitions, Geno Auriemma was honored as the co-Big East Coach of the Year alongside Cara Consuegra from Marquette. This is Auriemma’s 13th time receiving the accolade, following a season where he led UConn to a 28-3 record. The Huskies are set to compete in the Big East tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, facing off against the winner of the opening-round face-off between No. 8 St. John’s and No. 9 Butler.
Consuegra’s leadership resulted in the Golden Eagles finishing fourth in the conference standings during her inaugural season at the helm. This year’s award ceremony marked the seventh occasion in which UConn secured all three major conference honors. Meanwhile, Lashae Dwyer of St. John’s was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, with DePaul’s Jorie Allen recognized as the Most Improved Player. Additionally, UConn’s Ashlynn Shade received recognition as the league’s top reserve player. Creighton’s Molly Mogensen and Georgetown’s Kelsey Ransom shared the league’s Sportsmanship Award.
