After leading the UConn women’s basketball team to its first victory of the 2025-26 season over No. 20 Louisville on Tuesday, redshirt senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong were named to the watchlist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the national player of the year award given by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Strong earned third-team All-America honors from the USBWA in her freshman season, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks last season to help lead the Huskies to their first NCAA championship since 2016. On the way to the title, Strong broke the NCAA Tournament record for most points scored by a freshman previously held by Tennessee legend Tamika Catchings. She was a second-team AP All-American, a WBCA All-American and the WBCA Freshman of the Year in 2024-25.
Entering her sophomore campaign, Strong was named the preseason Big East Player of the Year and was the youngest player selected to the preseason AP All-American team. She also earned preseason recognition on the Katrina McClain Award watchlist for the nation’s best power forward.
Fudd appeared in 34 games last season after returning from a 2023 ACL tear and averaged 13.6 points on a career-best 47.4% from the field. She also led the team hitting 43.6% from beyond the arc. The Huskies’ sharpshooter hit her stride during the NCAA Tournament and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
Fudd was named a second-team preseason All-American by The Athletic and USA Today, and she landed on the watchlist for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Ann Meyers Drysdale Award given to the nation’s top shooting guard. She was also a preseason All-Big East selection.
Fudd and Strong have each made all three preseason watchlists released for 2025-26 national player of the year awards. Alongside Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams, the Huskies stars also landed on the 15-player watchlist for the WBCA’s Wade Trophy and the 50-player list for the Naismith Trophy. The only player of the year award yet to put out a preseason watchlist is the Wooden Award.
UConn freshman Blanca Quinonez also earned preseason recognition from the USBWA on the watchlist for the Tamika Catchings Award given to the best freshman in the country. Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes won the award in 2024-25. Quinonez is the first player in program history from Ecuador and signed with the Huskies after competing professionally in Italy since 2020 while attending high school. She missed UConn’s season opener due to a left shoulder injury, and her status is currently day-to-day.
The last UConn player to win both the Ann Meyers Drysdale and Tamika Catchings Awards was Paige Bueckers, who was the first freshman ever to sweep both honors in 2020-21. She shared the Tamika Catchings Award with former Iowa star Caitlin Clark. Seven Huskies have earned the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award all-time, and Breanna Stewart remains the only player to ever win the honor three times. Three UConn players besides Bueckers have brought home the Tamika Catchings Award: Shea Ralph in 1997, Tina Charles in 2007 and Maya Moore in 2008.