STORRS, Conn. – Sophomore forward Breanna Stewart has been named National Player of the Year by espnW while senior center Stefanie Dolson and senior guard Bria Hartley each earned espnW All-America status, as announced on Friday. Stewart was selected as a First Team All-American while Dolson and Hartley each earned Second Team honors.
View the espnW All-America release here and the Player of the Year release here.
Stewart, who was recently selected as the 2013-14 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is leading the top-ranked Huskies at 19.7 points per game and is second on the squad at 8.1 rebounds per contest. She ranks in the league’s top-10 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, blocks and free throw percentage.
The North Syracuse, N.Y. native was honored as the 2014 American Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21.7 points per game en route to leading UConn to the inaugural title. The 2013-14 American Conference Preseason Player of the Year has been selected as the USBWA National Player of the Week and is a finalist for the Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award.
Dolson, a 2013-14 All-American Athletic Conference First Team pick, is averaging 12.4 points and leads the squad at 9.2 rebounds per contest. She is seventh nationally in field goal percentage and recently became only the fifth Husky all-time, along with Tina Charles, Maya Moore, Rebecca Lobo, and Jamelle Elliott, to register at least 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. The 2013-14 American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Sportsmanship Award winner, Dolson is a finalist for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award.
Hartley, a 2013-14 All-American Conference First Team selection, is second on the team with 16.4 points per game and 150 assists. She is in the league’s top-five in scoring, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, steals and three-point field goal percentage and has scored 20 or more points 11 times this year. The USBWA National Player of the Week on January 20, Hartley is only the second Husky all-time, along with Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi, to post at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists.
UConn enters NCAA Tournament play with a 34-0 record, marking the sixth time the Huskies begin NCAA action with an unblemished record. The team recently won its 19th conference tournament title and will compete in its 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
The Huskies will play host to the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament, beginning on March 23 at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. Seedings and pairings will be announced on Monday, March 17 on ESPN.
Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.