UConn teammates Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd headline AP All-America 1st team

Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd helped lead UConn to an undefeated season heading into March Madness. The duo became the first teammates in six years to make the Associated Press All-America team. This is the teammates’ 10th time making the first team, seven of them involving UConn players. The last pair to achieve this feat was Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard in 2020. Strong and Fudd were joined by Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, UCLA’s Lauren Betts and Texas’ Madison Booker. Strong was a unanimous choice among the 31 members of the national media panel that chooses the AP Top 25 each week. Blakes and Betts received all but two first-place votes. Strong, who set numerous records as a freshman for the Huskies, improved his game in his sophomore season, helping the No. 1 Huskies set a perfect record heading into the NCAA tournament. She averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and shot 60.1 percent from the field. Fudd was right behind her, with 17.7 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 43.6 percent from the 3-point line. [WOMEN’S TOURNEY: 1 Thing to Know About Every Women’s Team] “I’m excited for Azzi and Sarah. They’ve worked really hard this season and they’re great teammates,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “It’s taken a while for Azzi. She’s been through so much during her time at UConn, and it’s great to see all of her perseverance pay off. “Sarah has picked up where she left off last season and has been consistently good and reliable for us. I’m happy for them individually, but I know it means a lot to them to achieve this accomplishment as well. Blakes had a sensational sophomore season, leading the nation with 27 points per game. She also averaged 4.4 assists and shot 45.8% from the field. “Mikayla has established herself as one of the best players in the country as she continues to take our team and program to new heights while remaining focused on winning,” Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph said. “She continues to do everything our team needs to put us in a position to succeed and has elevated her game throughout the season against the toughest competition in the country.” Vanderbilt had one of the best seasons in school history behind Blakes, who became only the second team All-American in Commodores history, joining Chantelle Anderson in 2002. [UConn Women: The 5 Longest Winning Streaks in Women’s College Basketball] “Mikayla changed the trajectory of our program by improving everyone around her and betting on herself to create a legacy here at Vanderbilt,” Ralph said. “She is both deserving and deserving of being named a first-team All-American, and we are so proud to be on this journey with her and so happy for her recognition!” Betts averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds and shot 60.1% from the field for UCLA. This is the second straight season the senior has earned first-team All-America honors. Last year, she became the first Bruins player to receive the honor. “Lauren Betts is a generational player; she has had an incredible impact on the game. I’m not surprised by this honor, but I’m also thrilled for her and very excited for what she’s won,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “She has made an impact not only on an individual level and on the field, but also on a team and program level. This is well deserved for Lauren.” Booker earned first-team All-America honors for the second straight season. She averaged 18.9 points and 6.5 rebounds and shot 51.6% from the field. The junior wing helped the Longhorns win the SEC tournament with a victory over South Carolina in the title game. “She has the vision and passing skills of a point guard. She values ​​passing and assists as much as the bucket,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “She can score at all three levels, but her ability to rise above the defense, create space and hit her shot is what sets her apart from the rest. Her work ethic and investment in her game is elite. She sees the game and understands it like a professional for 15 years.” Strong, Betts, Booker, Hannah Hidalgo and Ta’Niya Latson were all on the preseason All-America team. Second Team The AP second team was led by Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, a member of the first team her first two seasons. She was joined by South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, TCU’s Olivia Miles, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks and Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge. Third Team The AP third team was Flau’Jae Johnson of LSU, Olivia Olson of Michigan, Kiki Rice of UCLA, Toby Fournier of Duke and Raven Johnson of South Carolina. Honorable mention Clara Strack of Kentucky, Rori Harmon of Texas and Cotie McMahon of Mississippi were the top vote-getters among players who did not make the three All-America teams. Players got an honorable mention if they appeared on one of the ballots. Here are the full Associated Press teams with regular-season and conference tournament statistics, plus the full list of honorable mentions: First team Sarah Strong, UConn, Sophomore; Durham, North Carolina: 18.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 60.1 field goal percentage (31 first-place votes, 155 pointsMikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt, sophomore; Somerset, New Jersey: 27 points, 4.4 assists, 45.8 field goal percentage (29, 151) Lauren Betts, UCLA, senior; Centennial, Colorado: 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 56.2 field goal percentage (29, 151) Madison Booker, Texas, Junior; Ridgeland, Mississippi: 18.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 51.6 field goal percentage (17, 127) Azzi Fudd, UConn, Senior, Arlington, Virginia: 17.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 48.9 field goal percentage; (14, 121) *denotes unanimous second-team selection Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame, Junior; Merchantville, New Jersey: 25.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists 48.1 field goal percentage (15, 116) Joyce Edwards, South Carolina, Sophomore, South Carolina: 19.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 58.7 field goal percentage (7, 103) Olivia Miles, TCU, Senior; Phillipsburg, New Jersey: 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists (7, 99) Audi Crooks, Iowa State, Junior; Algona, Iowa: 25.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 64.7 field goal percentage (2, 63) Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State, Sophomore; 4.6 assists, 49 field goal percentage (2, 61) Third team Olivia Olson, Michigan, Sophomore, Minnesota: 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists (0, 44) Kiki Rice, UCLA, Senior; Bethesda, Maryland: 15.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 50.4 field goal percentage (1, 34) Flau’jae Johnson, LSU, Senior; Savannah, Georgia: 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 45.8 field goal percentage (0, 24) Toby Fournier, Duke, Sophomore; Toronto, Ontario: 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 53.2 field goal percentage (0, 23) Raven Johnson, South Carolina, senior Atlanta, Georgia: 10.3 points, 5.4 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 50.6 field goal percentage (1, 18) Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Raegan Beers, Oklahoma; Jazzy Davidson, USC; Maggie Doogan, LSU; Ava Heiden, Iowa; Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina; Liv McGill, Ole Miss; Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State; Khamil Pierre, North Carolina State;