University of Connecticut Athletics
Tristen Newton Named AP First Team All-America
3/19/2024 12:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
STORRS – UConn men's basketball graduate guard Tristen Newton has been named Associated Press First Team All-America, the AP announced on Tuesday (March 19). Newton becomes the 12th All-American in Connecticut history and the first to be named to the First Team since 2014.
The honor for the El Paso, Texas native comes as Newton has led UConn across the board this season, leading the Huskies to a 31-3 record, a BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament title and the No. 1 Overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Newton is first on the Huskies with 15.2 points per game, second on the squad with 7.0 rebounds per contest and first on the team with 6.0 assists per game.
His all-around brilliance has seen Newton record a pair of triple-doubles and 10 double-doubles this season, often alternating between turning the feat between points-rebounds and points-assists. In the BIG EAST title game on Saturday he became the first player in UConn men's basketball history to record at least 500 points, 200 assists and 200 rebounds in the same season.
Newton has boosted his numbers across the board this season after returning as one of two starters from last year's national title team. Newton jumped his scored average by over 5.0 points per game, increased his rebounding by more than 2.0 per game and his assists by over 1.5 per game. He was named AP BIG EAST Player of the Year, First Team All-BIG EAST and has been named a First Team All-American by several other outlets.
Newton and the Huskies open NCAA Tournament play on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET against 16-seed Stetson in Brooklyn.
