Bueckers adds to list of accolates, is 1st freshman to win Naismith Trophy

SAN ANTONIO — Her freshman season may be over after Friday’s heartbreaking loss to Arizona in the national semifinal, but UConn star freshman Paige Bueckers wasn’t done taking home individual accolades.

Bueckers became the first freshman to win the Naismith Trophy, awarded to the nation’s most outstanding player, on Saturday afternoon.

She also was one of 10 players named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division I All-America team earlier in the day, making her eligible, should she complete her degree, for the Huskies of Honor wall. Christyn Williams and Olivia Nelson-Ododa were deemed honorable mention All Americans.

The Naismith Trophy is Bueckers’ second player of the year honor after she won Associated Press National Player of the Year last week. Bueckers is also a finalist for the Wooden Award, which will be announced Monday.

Six other Huskies have won the Naismith Trophy: Rebecca Lobo (1995), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003-04), Maya Moore (2009, ’11), Tina Charles (2010) and Breanna Stewart (2014-16).

Bueckers completed her freshman season averaging 20 points per game — the best freshman scoring average in program history — on 52.4% shooting, including and 46.4% on 3s. She also averaged 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.

The 5-foot-11 Hopkins, Minnesota, product averaged 21.6 points per game in the Huskies’ run to the Final Four, the program’s 13th straight. UConn fell to the No. 3 seed Wildcats 69-59 in the national semi final Friday, ending the season 28-2.

Bueckers had previously been named Big East Player and Freshman of the Year, Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player, co-Freshman of the Year by the WBCA and USBWA, Associated Press, Wooden and USBWA first-team All-American; and NCAA Tournament River Walk Region Most Outstanding Player.

Baylor’s NaLyssa Smith was also named the Wade Trophy winner on Saturday, for which freshmen are not eligible.