The UConn women’s basketball team’s star trio of redshirt senior guard Azzi Fudd, sophomore forward Sarah Strong and senior forward Serah Williams were all named to the watchlist for the Wade Trophy, the national player of the year award given by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
The Wade Trophy watchlist features 15 players, and UConn is the only program with three players recognized. All three Huskies also made the preseason Naismith Trophy Player of the Year watchlist.
Strong is considered an early favorite to bring home national player of the year awards in 2025-26. She 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.
Strong averaged 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, a USBWA third-team All-American and the WBCA Freshman of the Year in 2024-25.
Fudd is also expected to be one of the best players in the country entering her final college season the healthiest she’s been in her career. The Huskies’ sharpshooter appeared in 34 games last season after returning from a 2023 ACL tear and averaged 13.6 points shooting a career-best 47.4% from the field and leading the team hitting 43.6% from beyond the arc. She 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 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award given to the nation’s top shooting guard. She was also a preseason All-Big East selection.
Williams was a two-time All-Big Ten first team selection and the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year during her three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring to UConn for her senior year. She averaged a near double-double in 2024-25 with 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game plus 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks. Williams was a preseason All-Big East selection and was named to the watchlist for the Lisa Leslie Award given to the best center in the country.
Former UConn superstar Paige Bueckers won the Wade Trophy in 2025. Six other Huskies have won the award since it was established in 1983: Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Due Bird, Jennifer Rizzotti and Rebecca Lobo. Moore remains the only player ever to win the Wade Trophy as a sophomore in 2008, and she went on to bring home the award in 2009 and 2010 as well.
