UConn picked to win AAC; Stewart POY; Nurse FOY

For the second consecutive season, UConn was picked to win the American Athletic Conference Regular Season Title, garnering 100 points in a vote of the league’s coaches and UConn All-American F Breanna Stewart was honored as the unanimous choice for AAC Preseason Player of the Year, as announced by the conference on Thursday morning.  In addition, UConn Fr. G Kia Nurse was selected as the league’s Preseason Freshman of the Year, while UConn All-American Sr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Jr. G Moriah Jefferson were placed on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. Sr. C Kiah Stokes earned a spot on the Preseason All-Conference Second Team. Stewart, who was joined by USF’s Courtney Williams as the only unanimous All-Conference picks, becomes the seventh Husky player, and first since Maya Moore, to be selected as the conference Preseason Player of the Year on multiple occasions. Overall, Connecticut boasts 18 Preseason conference Player of the Year accolades.

Preseason Player of the Year:
Jr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut* 

Preseason Freshman of the Year:
Fr. G Kia Nurse, Connecticut

Preseason All-Conference First Team:
Jr. G Ariel Hearn, Memphis
Jr. G Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut
Sr. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Jr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut*
Jr. G Courtney Williams, South Florida*

Preseason All-Conference Second Team
So, G Feyonda Fitzgerald, Temple
Jr. F Alisia Jenkins, South Florida
Sr. G Alyesha Lovett, Cincinnati
RJr. G Jada Payne, East Carolina
Sr. C Kiah Stokes, Connecticut

* - unanimous pick

USA World Gold

The 2014 USA Basketball Women’s World Championship Team (6-0) rolled through the 2014 FIBA World Championship undefeated and claimed a second-straight gold medal at the event with a 77-64 win over Spain (5-1) on Sunday night at Fenerbahce Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. The championship, which was the ninth World Championship gold, earned the USA its place in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, and the USA is now 103-21 all-time in FIBA World Championship play. Former UConn Stars Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) led five U.S. players in double-digit scoring with game-high 18 points on her way to earning MVP honors, Tina Charles (New York Liberty) had 10 points and team-high 8 rebounds, and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) had a team-high 8 assists. Additionally, Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) is now FIBA’s only four-time women’s World Championship medalist. Current UConn Star Breanna Stewart was also a member of the team as the only college player on the USA roster. Incoming UConn Freshman Kia Nurse helped lead the Canadian National Team to a 5th place finish as the starting PG in all their games including their final win against China with 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.