Sarah Strong Leads This Year's Naismith Winners

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The Naismith Awards were handed out Wednesday in Atlanta, with UConn’s Sarah Strong named Player of the Year, Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph earning Coach of the Year, and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo taking Defensive Player of the Year. (Naismith Trophy)

🎥 Watch Sarah Strong speak after receiving the award

WHY IT MATTERS: Along with the Wooden Award, the Naismith is one of the most respected honors in the sport. It puts players and coaches in the same conversation as names like Cheryl Miller, Dawn Staley, and Maya Moore.

Strong is now the eighth UConn player to win a Naismith Trophy, and it’s hard to argue with her season. She has led the Huskies to a 38-0 record heading into the Final Four while leading the team in scoring, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

Ralph led Vanderbilt to a 29-5 record and a No. 2 seed, while Hidalgo set the NCAA single-season steals record with 202. All three had seasons that made these choices pretty clear.

Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu both made it clear this week that they plan to re-sign with the New York Liberty once free agency opens. Stewart shared the news on her podcast, and Ionescu confirmed it with reporters during USA Basketball training camp. (ESPN)

WHY IT MATTERS: Stewart and Ionescu are two of the biggest names heading into free agency, especially with the new CBA set to bring major salary increases. Free agency is expected to open around April 12–18, but these comments tell you a lot about where things stand in New York. Both players seem aligned with the Liberty as a core part of the team’s future after helping deliver the franchise’s first championship in 2024.

Columbia rolled past BYU 81-64 on Wednesday to win the WBIT Championship, leading from start to finish. Riley Weiss was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player as the Lions closed the season at 25-8. (Columbia)

🎥 Watch Riley Weiss talk about the win

WHY IT MATTERS: This is Columbia’s first national postseason title, and it’s a big moment for a program that doesn’t offer athletic scholarships or the same level of NIL opportunities as larger schools. They went through a 32-team field that included major conference programs and never looked out of place. It’s a reminder of how strong this group was and what’s possible even without the typical resources.

🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: With Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne headed to the Hall of Fame, 80% of you said Candace Parker’s career stood out more.