Author Archives: ianbethune

UConn’s Breanna Stewart Named USBWA National Player of the Year

From UConn:

TAMPA, Fla. — University of Connecticut women’s basketball junior standout Breanna Stewart, winner of the 2015 Associated Press Player of the Year and 2015 Wade Trophy, added another honor to her rapidly-growing awards list when she was selected as the winner of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, as announced by the United States Basketball Writers Association on Sunday.

UConn's Breanna Stewart (30) during the UConn Huskies open practice at the 2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

Breanna Stewart wins the USBWA National Player of the Year for the second straight year.

Stewart, who took home the award in the 2013-14 campaign, became the sixth NCAA Division I player to earn the accolade in multiple seasons. In total, Stewart’s selection marks the program’s eighth USBWA National Player of the Year award.

Deb Corum, senior associate director of athletics for the Huskies, accepted the award for Stewart in the Amalie Arena as UConn, the two-time defending NCAA champion, prepared to meet Maryland in one of the national semifinals games on Sunday a 9 p.m. ET

The award, first handed out in 1987-88 by the USBWA, began being named for former UCLA four-time All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale in 2012.

The other two-time winners were former Virginia star Dawn Staley (’91, ’92), who returned to the Women’s Final Four Sunday for the first time since her playing days as the coach of South Carolina, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw (’98, ’99) and Candace Parker (’07, ’08), UConn’s Maya Moore (’09, ’10), and Baylor’s Brittney Griner (’12, ’13).

In 2014-15, Stewart has averaged 17.6 points per game and was joined by teammates Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Moriah Jefferson joined as USBWA All-Americans.

Top seeds UConn and Maryland are set to tip off in the second of two NCAA National Semifinal contests on Sunday night at Amalie Arena at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

Video: UConn Women Preview Tonight’s Final Four Game Against Maryland

In just four and half hours or so, the UConn women’s basketball team will take on the Maryland Terrapins in the second game at the Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. The UConn women’s basketball team last faced the Terps in the Sweet 16 in 2013 and are 3-0 overall against them.

For the UConn women’s basketball team, they’ll be looking to go for a third straight title on Tuesday night. The Terps will look to prevent that and go for a national title of their own against the winner of the first game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Watch and/or listen below as the UConn women’s basketball team previews their game against Maryland:

Video: Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams Experience First Final Four

Two of the three freshman on the UConn women’s basketball team, Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams, play significant roles on the team.

The other, Courtney Ekmark, hasn’t really found her stride this season after being injured early in the season. For all three, it is obviously their first time going to the Final Four as a member of the UConn women’s basketball team.

In Nurse and Williams, their UConn women’s basketball teammates expect them to continue to do what they’ve in the NCAA Tournament as well as the whole season. And that’s play like you have been.

Watch and/or listen below as Nurse and Williams talk about their first experience with the UConn women’s basketball program at the Final Four.

Video: Moriah Jefferson’s UConn Teammates React To Her All-American Status

When UConn Huskies point guard Moriah Jefferson is honored on Senior Night in 2016, she’s going to get more than just a framed jersey.

Because she was named a WBCA All-American on Saturday, Jefferson will forever have her name on “Husky of Honor” wall at Gampel Pavilion. That is the criteria of head coach Geno Auriemma for having a player’s name up there.

Jefferson’s All-American status is no surprise to her teammates. Jefferson has taken her game to a higher level this year and is one of the main reasons why the Huskies are in the Final Four yet again.

Watch and/or listen below as Moriah Jefferson’s UConn teammates react to her being named an All-American:

Video: UConn’s Breanna Stewart Has Price of Right Moment

While it’s not as extreme as the “Price is Right” model giving away a car earlier this week or the Boston Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk announcing Boston Bruins’ Dougie Hamilton’s injury, UConn women’s basketball player Breanna Stewart did have a similar moment after accepting the AP Player of the Year award.

During her acceptance speech where she was thanking her family, teammates and the AP, Stewart accidentally announced that Florida State Seminoles head coach Sue Semrau was the AP Coach of the Year.

You really can’t blame Stewart as she hadn’t been told that Semrau hadn’t been announced as the winner.

Photos – NCAA WBB: UConn Huskies NCAA Final Four Open Practice

Here is a photo gallery from the UConn Huskies women’s basketball open practice at the 2015 Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

To see full size picture or slide show, please click on image
(mobile/tablet users: to scroll through photos, you can swipe left or right; to remove caption, tap photo.)

UConn’s Breanna Stewart Named AP Player of the Year

From UConn:

TAMPA, Fla. – Hours after being tabbed as the 2015 Wade Trophy winner, University of Connecticut junior forward Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.) was selected as the 2015 Associated Press National Player of the Year for the second-straight season, as announced on Saturday.

UConn’s Breanna Stewart has now won two straight AP Player of the Year awards.

Stewart joins former Husky great Maya Moore as the only players to win the award on multiple occasions. In total, the UConn program boasts 10 AP Player of the Year awards by eight different players.

A WBCA, USWBA and AP All-American, Stewart stands at No. 11 on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,927 points in her first 113 games in a Husky uniform. Additionally, she ranks fifth in school history with 280 career blocks. Since Stewart joined the program in the 2012-13 campaign, Connecticut owns a 111-5 (.957) record and has won two-straight national championships.

The Husky forward was named as the Albany Regional’s Most Outstanding Player after averaging 27.0 points and 14.0 rebounds in a pair of UConn victories over Texas and Dayton. On Tuesday, she was one of three Huskies to earn an All-America nod from the USWBA. The 2014-15 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year has reached double-figure points in 15 of her 16 career NCAA Tournament games, all of which have been Husky victories.

Earlier on Saturday, she became the sixth different Husky player to win the Wade Trophy.

The Huskies are set to make their eighth-straight appearance in the NCAA Final Four when they take on Maryland on Sunday, April 5 at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

WBCA Announces 2015 Division I Coaches’ All-America Team

The ten member 2015 WBCA Division All-American Team.

From the WBCA:

TAMPA BAY (April 4, 2015) – Five players competing in the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four are represented on the 2015 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team, which the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today in a ceremony held at Amalie Arena during the 2015 NCAA® Women’s Final Four® Super Saturday festivities.

The 10-member team was decided from a group of 52 finalists by the selection committee at an in-person meeting held during the 2015 WBCA National Convention.

Here are the members of the 2015 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team:

Name	Institution	Year	Position	Height
Brittany Boyd	University of California	Senior	Guard	5’9”
Nina Davis	Baylor University	Sophomore	Forward	5’11”
Moriah Jefferson	University of Connecticut	Junior	Guard	5’7”
Samantha Logic	University of Iowa	Senior	Guard	5’9”
Jewell Loyd	University of Notre Dame	Junior	Guard	5’10”
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis	University of Connecticut	Senior	Forward	5’11”
Tiffany Mitchell	South Carolina University	Junior	Guard	5’9”
Breanna Stewart	University of Connecticut	Junior	Forward	6’4”
Elizabeth Williams	Duke University	Senior	Center	6’3”
Amanda Zahui B.	University of Minnesota	Sophomore	Center	6’5”

“The 10 members of the 2015 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team are well deserving of this recognition, and the WBCA congratulates them for their achievements this season,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “These young women have separated themselves and through their efforts, have become ambassadors for our game. Through their exceptional talents on the basketball court, they have elevated the women’s game to an exciting new level.”

This is the 41st year of the WBCA Coaches’ All-America program, which began in 1975. Once again all 10 members of the team were present to be honored in person during the ceremony. Remarkably, in the 41-year history of the program, none of the 410 Coaches’ All-Americans thus far honored have failed to appear for the announcement.

Brittany Boyd. Boyd earned WBCA All-America honors after a stellar senior campaign in which she helped lead the California Golden Bears to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and a 25-10 record overall. Throughout her senior season, Boyd’s versatility was on full display as she averaged 13.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.9 steals per game. The Berkeley, Calif. native also led the nation with two triple-doubles this season. The senior guard is the NCAA’s active career steals leader with 353. Boyd is the only current player, and the first player in Pac-12 history, to register at least 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 600 assists and 300 steals in a career.

Nina Davis. Davis is one of two sophomores named to the 2015 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team. The Big 12 Conference Player of the Year led the league in points per game (20.9), field-goal shooting (58.6 percent), double-doubles (11) and offensive rebounds (3.6 per game). In her first two seasons as a Lady Bear she has collected 1,288 points and grabbed 617 rebounds. Davis is averaging 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Davis has assisted Baylor in a second place national ranking in assists per game (20.9), fourth in assist turnover ratio (2.3) and fourth in rebound margin (11.6).

Moriah Jefferson. Jefferson was a source of efficiency for Connecticut while running the point for the nation’s top scoring team. The junior guard was fourth on the team with 12.3 points per game on 59.5 percent shooting, while leading the team with 4.9 assists per game. Jefferson, a native of Glenn Heights,
Texas, was particularly effective taking care of the ball, averaging just 1.6 turnovers per game. Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.12 is the fifth-best mark in the nation. Defensively, Jefferson helped anchor the nation’s top defense with a team-best 2.5 steals per game.

Samantha Logic. Logic earned her spot on the WBCA All-America team after guiding one of the nation’s top offenses in Iowa. The senior point guard scored a career-best 13.4 points per game while also pulling down 6.9 rebounds per game and 8.1 assists per game. Logic’s 8.1 assists per game is third best in the nation. The Racine, Wis. native also led the nation with two triple-doubles on the year. With Logic at the point guard position, Iowa’s offense ranked sixth in scoring offense at 79.5 points per game, eighth in field goal percentage at 45.6 percent and third in three-point field goal percentage at 39.4 percent. Defensively, Logic led the team with 1.9 steals per game.

Jewell Loyd. The two-time WBCA All-American led the Atlantic Coast Conference in 20-point games this season with 19, which is second most in school history. Loyd also recorded a school-record four 30-point games this year. She is second on Notre Dame’s single-season scoring list with 738 points and is second in the ACC in scoring on the season with 20 points per game. The ACC Player of the Year is averaging 20 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Notre Dame is second in the nation in field-goal percentage (49.8), fourth in scoring margin (21.4) and fifth in scoring offense (80.9), as well as three-point field-goal percentage (38.5).

Tiffany Mitchell. Mitchell made the WBCA All-America team for the second consecutive year after averaging 14.5 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from the three-point line. Mitchell, the SEC Player of the Year, is the first South Carolina player to be named a two-time WBCA All-America team member. The junior guard helped lead South Carolina to its first-ever NCAA Final Four while playing particularly well against the nation’s best teams. In games against nationally ranked opponents, Mitchell averaged 15.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The Charlotte, N.C. native also helped lead South Carolina’s highly-ranked defense with 1.8 steals per game.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. After posting 15.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, Mosqueda-Lewis made her second career WBCA All-America team, previously making the team in her sophomore season in 2012-13. The senior out of Anaheim Hills, Calif. has made a career out of terrorizing her opponents from beyond the arc, making 45 percent of her three point attempts for her career. Mosqueda-Lewis is also the NCAA’s all-time career leader in three-pointers made, with 393 currently to her name. During this season, Mosqueda-Lewis has been especially impressive from deep, making a career-best 118 three-pointers on 50 percent shooting.

Breanna Stewart. Stewart the Albany Regional’s Most Outstanding Player and American Athletic Conference Player of the Year is 11th on Connecticut’s all-time scoring list with 1,927 career points. The North Syracuse, N.Y. native is fifth in Husky history with 280 career blocks. Stewart is averaging 17.6 points per game, shooting 54 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. She is also averaging 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The two-time WBCA All-American has helped guide the Huskies to the nation’s top ranking in several categories including scoring offense (90.2), scoring defense (48.2), field-goal percentage (54.3), three-point field goal percentage (40.9), assists per game (21.6) and blocked shots per game (8.0).

Elizabeth Williams. Williams earned WBCA All-America distinctions after averaging 14.5 points per game and a career-best 9.0 rebounds per game. For the year, Duke’s defense smothered opponents, holding its competition to just 30.6 percent shooting, which ranked fourth in the nation. Williams was a key cog for Duke’s defense, ranking 12th nationally with 3.0 blocks per game. Williams also is the first player in ACC history to be named to the AP All-America team all four years. For her career, Williams racked up 1,955 points, 1,078 rebounds and 426 blocks.

Amanda Zahui B. Zahui B. was a consistent force while leading Minnesota to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009. The sophomore center was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Naismith Award and Wade Trophy after averaging 18.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game this season. The Stockholm, Sweden native ranked fourth in the nation in both rebounds per game and blocks per game, while also ranking in the top 15 nationally in field goal percentage at 55.5 percent. Additionally, Zahui B. finished the year with 24 double-doubles, the third most in the nation, while also leading the nation with two triple-doubles. Zahui B.’s 135 blocked shots are a single-season school record, surpassing the previous best mark of 105 blocks by Zahui B. in 2013-14.

2015 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team Honorable Mentions:

Name	Institution	Year	Pos.	Height
Danielle Ballard	Louisiana State University	Junior	Guard	5’9”
Stacey Barr	University of Idaho	Senior	Guard	5’8”
Crystal Bradford	Central Michigan University	Senior	Guard	6’0”
Lexie Brown	University of Maryland	Sophomore	Guard	5’9”
Adut Bulgak	Florida State University	Junior	Center	6’4”
Marquelle Dent	University of Wyoming	Junior	Guard	5’7”
Blake Dietrick	Princeton University	Senior	Guard	5’10”
Aundrea Gamble	Arkansas State University	Junior	Guard	5’9”
Chelsea Gardner	University of Kansas	Senior	Forward	6’3”
Chastity Gooch	Western Kentucky University	Senior	Forward	6’0”
Alexis Govan	Western Kentucky University	Senior	Guard	5’10”
Allisha Gray	University of North Carolina	Sophomore	Guard	6’0”
Reshanda Gray	University of California	Senior	Forward	6’3”
Ruth Hamblin	Oregon State University	Junior	Center	6’6”
Dearica Hamby	Wake Forest University	Senior	Forward	6’4”
Aliyyah Handford	St. John’s University	Junior	Guard	5’9”
Isabelle Harrison	University of Tennessee	Senior	Center	6’3”
Andrea Hoover	University of Dayton	Senior	Guard	5’9”
Bria Holmes	West Virginia University	Junior	Guard	6’1”
Brittany Hrynko	DePaul University	Senior	Guard	5’8”
Niya Johnson	Baylor University	Junior	Guard	5’8”
Ashia Jones	University of Tennessee at Martin	Sophomore	Forward	6’1”
Jonquel Jones	George Washington University	Junior	Forward	6’5”
Brianna Kiesel	University of Pittsburgh	Senior	Guard	5’7”
Sina King	University of Akron	Senior	Forward	6’0”
Brittney Martin	Oklahoma State University	Junior	Guard	6’0”
Kelsey Minato	United States Military Academy	Junior	Guard	5’8”
Kelsey Mitchell	Ohio State University	Freshman	Guard	5’8”
Nikki Moody	Iowa State University	Senior	Guard	5’8”
Mimi Mungedi	University of Nevada	Senior	Center	6’8”
Amber Orrange	Stanford University	Senior	Guard	5’8”
Tyonna Outland	California State University, Bakersfield	Senior	Guard	5’9”
Kelsey Plum	University of Washington	Sophomore	Guard	5’8”
Aerial Powers	Michigan State University	Sophomore	Forward	6’0”
Daisha Simmons	Seton Hall University	Senior	Guard	5’10”
Ka-Deidre Simmons	Seton Hall University	Senior	Guard	5’8”
Brianna Turner	University of Notre Dame	Freshman	Forward	6’3”
Courtney Walker	Texas A&M University	Junior	Guard	5’8”
Deanna Weaver	Boise State University	Senior	Guard	5’11”
Aleighsa Welch	University of South Carolina	Senior	Forward	6’0”
Courtney Williams	University of South Florida	Junior	Guard	5’8”
A’ja Wilson	University of South Carolina	Freshman	Forward	6’5”

About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.

UConn’s Breanna Stewart Wins Wade Trophy

From the WBCA:

TAMPA BAY (April 6, 2015) – Breanna Stewart of the University of Connecticut is the winner of the 2015 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced today during Super Saturday events. The prestigious award, regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball,” is presented annually to the NCAA Division I Player of the Year by the WBCA and SHAPE America – the Society of Health and Physical Educators.

UConn’s Breanna Stewart is honored as the Wade Trophy Winner by the WBCA at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

“On behalf of the WBCA and SHAPE America, I am honored to present women’s basketball’s highest honor, the Wade Trophy, to Breanna,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Breanna had a remarkable season and with her efforts, the game of women’s basketball was elevated to an exciting new level. Each contest showcased her talent to better her teammates, represent the University of Connecticut with class, captivate fans, and inspire the next generation of student-athletes.”

Stewart the Albany Regional’s Most Outstanding Player and American Athletic Conference Player of the Year is 11th on Connecticut’s all-time scoring list with 1,927 career points. The North Syracuse, N.Y. native is fifth in Husky history with 280 career blocks. Stewart is averaging 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 54 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. The junior forward is also leading the way defensively for the Huskies with 2.6 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. The two-time WBCA All-American has helped guide the Huskies to the nation’s top ranking in several categories including scoring offense (90.2), scoring defense (48.2), field-goal percentage (54.3), three-point field goal percentage (40.9), assists per game (21.6) and blocked shots per game (8.0).

The Wade Trophy, now in its 38th year, is named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. The award debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women’s national player of the year award in college basketball.

The first recipient of the Wade Trophy was Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State in 1978. Other Wade Trophy/NCAA Division I Player of the Year recipients include many standouts such as Nancy Lieberman (1979 & 1980), Teresa Weatherspoon (1988), DeLisha Milton-Jones (1997), Candace Parker (2007), Ticha Penicheiro (1998), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003), Seimone Augustus (2005 & 2006), Maya Moore (2009-2011) and Brittney Griner (2012 & 2013).

The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June 2000 when the WBCA partnered with The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS), now known as the Society of Health and Physical Educators, doing business as SHAPE America. For the past 11 years the two have worked together to present The Wade Trophy player of the year award. A committee composed of coaches, administrators and media from across the United States selects the winner.

Three Huskies Honored As WBCA All-Americans

UConn’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (23) and Breanna Stewart (30) are honored as WBCA All-Americans before the UConn Huskies open practice at the 2015 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

From the WBCA and UConn:

TAMPA, Fla. — After earning a spot on both the Associated Press and USWBA All-America teams earlier this week, University of Connecticut junior forward Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.) has been selected as the 2015 Wade Trophy Award winner, as announced by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on Saturday. Additionally, the WBCA announced the Stewart, senior forward Kaleena Mosuqeda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Moriah Jefferson (Glenn Heights, Texas) earned spots on the 2015 Division I Coaches’ All-America team.

Moriah Jefferson will join her two teammates on the “Husky of Honor” wall at the end of her career after earning WBCA All-American status.

Stewart becomes the sixth-ever Husky player to earn the honor and first since Maya Moore in 2010-11. In total, the Connecticut program boasts eight total Wade Trophy selections.

At 1,927 career points, Stewart stands at No. 11 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Additionally, she ranks fifth in Husky history with 280 career blocks. Since Stewart joined the program in the 2012-13 campaign, Connecticut owns a 111-5 (.957) record and has won two-straight national championships.

Jefferson, who was tabbed as an All-American by the USWBA on Tuesday, became the first Husky since Kelly Faris in 2012-13 to earn the conference’s Most Improved Player accolade when she earned the distinction on March 6 . The guard has enjoyed a stellar junior campaign, averaging 12.3 points in 28.2 minutes per game. In total, she ranks first on the team in assists (181) and steals (91) and is one of six Huskies shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor (59.5). She provided a spark in UConn’s 87-62 victory over then-ranked No. 1 South Carolina on Feb. 9, notching 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with a game-high six assists.

Mosqueda-Lewis, who last earned WBCA All-America honors in the 2012-13 campaign, became the NCAA’s all-time leader in made three point field goals (395) after connecting on seven against the Flyers. The Husky senior was one of three UConn players named to the All-Regional squad. She became the eighth member of UConn’s 2,000-point club when she notched 21 points against Memphis on Senior Day (Feb. 28).

UConn now boasts a total of 34 WBCA All-America selections.