Oregon’s Ionesco joins an elite group, becomes three-time AP All-american
NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu has joined an elite group, becoming a three-time All-american.
The Oregon senior shattered the NCAA career tripledouble mark and became the first player in college history to have 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. She earned a spot on The Associated Press women’s basketball All-america team Thursday as a unanimous choice from the national media panel that votes on the Top 25 each week.
She was joined on the first team by Oregon teammate Ruthy Hebard, Baylor’s Lauren Cox, Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard and Uconn’s Megan Walker.
Ionescu is the eighth player in women’s basketball history to earn AP All-america honors three times. The last was South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson.
“Sabrina is a transcendent basketball player,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. “There’s really nothing that she couldn’t do on the court. She was the ultimate leader.”
Baylor’s Brittney Griner, Tennessee’s Chamique Holdsclaw, Duke’s Alana Beard, Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris and Uconn’s Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore are the only other players to earn first-team honors at least three times. Paris and Moore were All-americans all four years.
Ionescu averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds this season as well as having eight of her 26 career triple-doubles.
Hebard was on the receiving end of many of those passes and averaged 17.3 points and 9.6 rebounds to help the Ducks win the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament.
“I’m happy for Ruthy. Sometimes she gets overlooked. She’s so darn good and important to what we do,” Graves said. “Not that she played in the shadows so to speak, but she wasn’t on top of everyone’s mind.”
Oregon teammate Satou Sabally made the second team,