The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
LOS ANGELES — UConn star Sarah Strong added the most prestigious honor in college basketball to her remarkable season Friday night, winning the John R. Wooden Award at the Los Angeles Athletic Club as the nation’s most outstanding women’s player.
Strong, a sophomore forward, became the latest in a long line of Huskies greats to claim the award, joining program legends such as Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers. The Wooden Award, presented annually by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, recognizes excellence on the court as well as character and leadership, and Strong’s season checked every box.
Her selection capped a dominant campaign in which she swept nearly every major national player of the year honor, including the Naismith Trophy, Associated Press Player of the Year and the Wade Trophy. Strong’s consistency and versatility made her the clear choice atop the sport.
Strong led UConn in virtually every statistical category, averaging 18.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting better than 58% from the field and over 40% from three-point range. Her ability to dominate on both ends of the floor separated her from a talented field of finalists.
“She affects every part of the game,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said during the season. “Scoring, defending, rebounding — she does it all.”
Strong’s impact extended well beyond the box score. She was named the unanimous Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning All-America honors across multiple organizations. Her defensive presence, highlighted by elite steal rates and rim protection, made her one of the most complete players in the country.
Her performance helped lead UConn to its 25th NCAA Final Four appearance, reinforcing the program’s status as a perennial powerhouse. Even in a season filled with high expectations, Strong elevated the Huskies with her efficiency, basketball IQ and poise in big moments.
A former No. 1 recruit and the daughter of former WNBA All-Star Allison Feaster, Strong has quickly emerged as one of the brightest stars in the sport. Her combination of size, skill and versatility has drawn comparisons to some of UConn’s all-time greats, and her trajectory points toward a future at the next level.
Friday night’s ceremony marked the culmination of a season-long process that began with preseason watch lists and narrowed to a select group of finalists before the winner was announced following the NCAA Tournament.
For Strong, the Wooden Award serves as both validation and a milestone in what is already one of the most decorated seasons in recent memory. And for UConn, it is another reminder of the program’s enduring legacy — and its ability to produce the best player in the game.
On a night celebrating college basketball’s elite, Strong stood alone at the top.