UConn’s Stevens earns pair of AAC postseason awards
Huskies’ Nurse named Defensive Player of Year
After a fifth straight undefeated run through the American Athletic Conference, it should come as little surprise that UConn also dominated in the first batch of postseason awards announced by the conference.
Azurá Stevens was named the conference's Sixth Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, while Kia Nurse earned the Defensive Player of the Year honor. Tanaya Atkinson, a senior at Temple, was named the Most Improved Player.
Nurse was one of four Huskies among seven players named to the All-AAC first team. Katie Lou Samuelson was the only unanimous selection, while Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams were also first-team selections along with the South Florida duo of Maria Jespersen and Kitija Laksa and Atkinson.
Stevens was named to the second team and sophomore point guard Crystal Dangerfield made the third team.
The other individual award announced on Friday went to SMU's McKenzie Adams, the winner of the Ambassador Award (formerly the sportsmanship award).
The player of the year, coach of the year, student-athlete of the year and freshman of the year awards will be announced at a 9 a.m. press conference on Saturday at Mohegan Sun, site of the 2018 tournament which begins with four first round games later in day.
UConn has a bye into Sunday's quarterfinal round (6:30 p.m.) where it will play the winner of Saturday's game between No. 8 Memphis and No. 9 Tulane.
Stevens, who was also named a second team all-conference selection, was UConn's third leading scorer averaging 14.6 points per game to go with 7.3 rebounds per contest. She led the Huskies with 74 offensive rebounds and 57 blocked shots.
Nurse, who typically draws the opponent's top perimeter scorer, held Laksa off the scoreboard in the first of the two meetings between UConn and USF, and also helped shut down Tulane's Kolby Morgan, who has scored more points in regular season AAC games than any other player.
Samuelson was UConn's top scorer at 18.3 points per game, Collier averaged 15.5 points and 7.6 rebounds with 50 steals and 54 blocks. Williams led UConn with 222 rebounds, 152 assists and 75 steals.