University of Connecticut Athletics
Auriemma, Strong, Fudd Named Naismith Finalists
3/25/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA  – UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma was named a finalist for the 2026 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year, sophomore Sarah Strong and graduate student Azzi Fudd were selected 2026 Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year finalists and Strong was named a 2026 Naismith Women's College Defensive of the Year finalist Wednesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
In his 41st season, Auriemma has coached the top-ranked Huskies to an undefeated 36-0 record leading into the program's record 32nd-straight NCAA Sweet 16. UConn won the 2025-26 BIG EAST regular season championship and the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament Championship, Auriemma's 32nd regular season and 31st tournament title.
Coming off UConn's record 12th national title in 2025, Auriemma is college basketball's all-time wins leader with a 1,286-165 career record. The Huskies are currently on a 52-game win streak – the fourth longest win streak in program history – and only one game during the streak has been by single digits. It's also the fifth longest streak in NCAA history.
Strong and Fudd were named 2026 USBWA and AP First Team All-Americans last week.
Strong was named the unanimous BIG EAST Player of the Year and the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, as well as unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team and to the All-Defensive Team. She was named the BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
She is averaging a .600/.419/.850 shooting split with 18.4 points per game and doing so in an efficient manner, averaging 26.4 minutes per game. UConn's most consistent player, Strong has scored in double digits in 49 consecutive games and leads the Huskies in points, rebounds, blocks and steals. Strong's 117 steals rank second in a single season by a UConn player.
Strong is on the Wooden Award National Ballot and is a Katrina McClain Award finalist.
Fudd was named the 2026 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection. She earned 2026 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team honors after helping the team to the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament Championship.
Fudd is averaging a career-high 17.8 points per game on personal-best shooting percentages (.495/.454/.951). Fudd has already set single-season career highs in points (642), rebounds (94), assists (108) and steals (91).
Fudd is an AAU Sullivan Award finalist and Ann Meyers Drysdale Award finalist and on the Wooden Award National Ballot.
Auriemma has been named Naismith Coach of the Year eight times in his career (1995, '97, '00, '02, '08, '09, '16, '17). Seven Huskies have won the Naismith Trophy 11 times (Rebecca Lobo (1995), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003, '04), Maya Moore (2009, '11), Tina Charles (2010), Breanna Stewart (2014, '15, '16) and Paige Bueckers (2021).
