Big East awards for Paige and Geno and Edwards and Nika
Mar 7, 2024 16:49:12 GMT
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Post by Marco on Mar 7, 2024 16:49:12 GMT
Maggie Vanoni
To no surprise, UConn women's basketball nearly swept the Big East end of season awards.
Redshirt junior Paige Bueckers was named the conference’s Player of the Year. Ashlynn Shade was named the Big East Freshman of the Year and Geno Auriemma was named the Big East Coach of the Year.
Bueckers and senior forward Aaliyah Edwards were unanimous selections to the All-Big East First Team. Senior guard Nika Mühl was named to the All-Big East Second Team. Both Shade and KK Arnold were both unanimous selections to the Big East Freshman Team, while Shade was also named an All-Big East Honorable Mention selection.
This is Bueckers’ second Big East Player of the Year award after winning it as a freshman in 2021. She becomes the eighth Husky all-time to win conference Player of the Year more than once following Kerry Bascom, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier.
She’s come back better than ever as she's averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game on top of averaging a .540/.412/.860 shooting split. In Big East mes, she is second in the conference in points per game (22.0), third in field goal percentage (57.4%), fifth in assists per game (4.3), first if free throw percentage (90.4%), sixth in steals per game (2.0) and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0). This is the 10th time the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year has also been the Big East Player of the Year.
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Shade became one of UConn’s biggest bright spots this season amid its third-season decimated by injuries. She moved up into the starting lineup in late November and provided a much-needed scoring threat. Not only can Shade score consistently from deep, but her jumpers always seem to find their way into the hoop too. The guard has proven she can handle the pressure of playing 35 to 40 minutes a game as Auriemma often refers to her as his most conditioned player.
The Indiana native earned five Big East Freshman of the Week nods. She finished the regular season for UConn averaging the second-most minutes (30.3), the third-best field goal percentage (49.3), the second best 3-point field goal percentage (100 attempts minimum, 34.1%) and the third-most points per game (11.2). Shade is UConn's 14th player to win Big East Freshman of the Year and first since Bueckers did so in 2021.
This is Auriemma's 12th Big East Coach of the Year award after last winning it in 2020-21.
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UConn won its 23rd Big East regular season title and finished with its 11th undefeated Big East regular season this year.
More Information
BIG EAST AWARDS
Player of the Year
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Jr., G
Freshman of the Year
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G
Coach of the Year
Geno Auriemma, UConn
Co-Defensive Players of the Year
Christina Dalce, Villanova, Jr., F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Sr., G
Most Improved Player
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, Jr., G
Sixth-Woman Award
Brianna Scott, Georgetown, Jr., F
BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Grad., F
All-BIG EAST First Team
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Jr., G*
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn, Sr., F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G*
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Sr., F*
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Sr., G
Liza Karlen, Marquette, Sr., F*
Unique Drake, St. John’s, R-Sr., G*
Azana Baines, Seton Hall, Grad., G/F
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, Jr., G*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Caroline Strande, Butler, Sr., G
Nika Mühl, UConn, Sr., G
Anaya Peoples, DePaul, Grad., G
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Jr., F
All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, So., G
Jillian Archer, St. John’s, Grad., F
Christina Dalce, Villanova, Jr., F
BIG EAST All-Freshman Team^
Riley Makalusky, Butler, Fr., G/F
KK Arnold, UConn, Fr., G*
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G*
Savannah Catalon, Seton Hall, Fr., G*
Maddie Webber, Villanova, Fr., G*
Aizhanique Mayo, Xavier, R-Fr., G
*unanimous selection
^extra player added due to a tie in voting
To no surprise, UConn women's basketball nearly swept the Big East end of season awards.
Redshirt junior Paige Bueckers was named the conference’s Player of the Year. Ashlynn Shade was named the Big East Freshman of the Year and Geno Auriemma was named the Big East Coach of the Year.
Bueckers and senior forward Aaliyah Edwards were unanimous selections to the All-Big East First Team. Senior guard Nika Mühl was named to the All-Big East Second Team. Both Shade and KK Arnold were both unanimous selections to the Big East Freshman Team, while Shade was also named an All-Big East Honorable Mention selection.
This is Bueckers’ second Big East Player of the Year award after winning it as a freshman in 2021. She becomes the eighth Husky all-time to win conference Player of the Year more than once following Kerry Bascom, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier.
She’s come back better than ever as she's averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game on top of averaging a .540/.412/.860 shooting split. In Big East mes, she is second in the conference in points per game (22.0), third in field goal percentage (57.4%), fifth in assists per game (4.3), first if free throw percentage (90.4%), sixth in steals per game (2.0) and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.0). This is the 10th time the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year has also been the Big East Player of the Year.
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Shade became one of UConn’s biggest bright spots this season amid its third-season decimated by injuries. She moved up into the starting lineup in late November and provided a much-needed scoring threat. Not only can Shade score consistently from deep, but her jumpers always seem to find their way into the hoop too. The guard has proven she can handle the pressure of playing 35 to 40 minutes a game as Auriemma often refers to her as his most conditioned player.
The Indiana native earned five Big East Freshman of the Week nods. She finished the regular season for UConn averaging the second-most minutes (30.3), the third-best field goal percentage (49.3), the second best 3-point field goal percentage (100 attempts minimum, 34.1%) and the third-most points per game (11.2). Shade is UConn's 14th player to win Big East Freshman of the Year and first since Bueckers did so in 2021.
This is Auriemma's 12th Big East Coach of the Year award after last winning it in 2020-21.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
UConn won its 23rd Big East regular season title and finished with its 11th undefeated Big East regular season this year.
More Information
BIG EAST AWARDS
Player of the Year
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Jr., G
Freshman of the Year
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G
Coach of the Year
Geno Auriemma, UConn
Co-Defensive Players of the Year
Christina Dalce, Villanova, Jr., F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Sr., G
Most Improved Player
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, Jr., G
Sixth-Woman Award
Brianna Scott, Georgetown, Jr., F
BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Grad., F
All-BIG EAST First Team
Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Jr., G*
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn, Sr., F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G*
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Sr., F*
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Sr., G
Liza Karlen, Marquette, Sr., F*
Unique Drake, St. John’s, R-Sr., G*
Azana Baines, Seton Hall, Grad., G/F
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, Jr., G*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Caroline Strande, Butler, Sr., G
Nika Mühl, UConn, Sr., G
Anaya Peoples, DePaul, Grad., G
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Jr., F
All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, So., G
Jillian Archer, St. John’s, Grad., F
Christina Dalce, Villanova, Jr., F
BIG EAST All-Freshman Team^
Riley Makalusky, Butler, Fr., G/F
KK Arnold, UConn, Fr., G*
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, Fr., G*
Savannah Catalon, Seton Hall, Fr., G*
Maddie Webber, Villanova, Fr., G*
Aizhanique Mayo, Xavier, R-Fr., G
*unanimous selection
^extra player added due to a tie in voting
