The Most Stunning News of the Week!!

The two-time defending National Champions were picked to win the 2010-11 Big East Conference Regular Season Title in a poll voted on by the league coaches today at Big East Media Day. Connecticut was the unanimous choice by the coaches. Connecticut's Maya Moore was unanimously selected as the 2010-11 Preseason Big East POTY and Connecticut's Bria Hartley was picked as the 2010-11 Preseason Big East FOTY. Eleven players were named to the 2010-11 Preseason All Big East Team including Connecticut's Moore and Tiffany Hayes (both were unanimous selections).

2010-11 Preseason Big East Coaches’ Poll:
1. Connecticut (15) 225
2. West Virginia (1) 207
3. Georgetown 186
4. Notre Dame 177
5. St. John’s 173
6. DePaul 164
7. Rutgers 131
8. Louisville 125
9. Syracuse 120
10. Marquette 90
11. South Florida 80
12. Providence 70
13. Pittsburgh 67
14. Villanova 46
15. Cincinnati 43
16. Seton Hall 16

( ) – Indicates first place votes

2010-11 Preseason BIG EAST Honors:
Player of the Year:
Sr. F Maya Moore, Connecticut*
Preseason Freshman of the Year:
Fr. G Bria Hartley, Connecticut

2010-11 Preseason All-Big East Team:
So. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame*
Jr. F Keisha Hampton, DePaul
Jr. G Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut*
Sr. G Sarah Miles, West Virginia
Sr. F Maya Moore, Connecticut*
Jr. F Monique Reid, Louisville
Sr. G Liz Repella, West Virginia
Sr. G Angel Robinson, Marquette
So. G Sugar Rogers, Georgetown*
So. G Shenneika Smith, St. John’s
Jr. F Da’Shena Stevens, St. John’s

* - unanimous selection

2010-11 Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention:
Sr. G Erica Morrow, Syracuse
Sr. G Deirdre Naughton, DePaul
Sr. G Sam Quigley, DePaul
Jr. G Khadijah Rushdan, Rutgers

USA Red, White, & Blue as well as Husky Gold!!!

Today at the 2010 World Championships the USA Basketball Women's National Team won the gold medal with a 89-69 victory over the host Czech Republic team. The 12-member USA squad coached by UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma was led to victory by former Husky Greats Diana Taurasi (16pts., named to All-World Championship Team), Sue Bird (11pts. and 6asts.), and Tina Charles (13pts. and 10rebs.). Reigning WCBB National Player of the Year and current UConn All-American Maya Moore poured in with 9 pts. off the bench. Former UConn Stars Swin Cash and Asjha Jones chipped in 2pts. and 4pts. respectively. The gold medal finish also entered Cash and Taurasi into an exclusive list of players who have won Olympic and FIBA World Championship gold, a WNBA title and NCAA crown. They join current USA teammate Bird, as well as Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and former Husky Great Kara Wolters as the only U.S. players in history to win all four.

2010 World Championships:
Gold - United States of America (automatic bid to 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London)
Silver - Czech Republic
Bronze - Spain

2010 All-World Championship Team:
C Yelena Leuchanka, Belarus
G Hana Horakova, Czech Republic (MVP)
F Eva Viteckova, Czech Republic
F Amaya Valdemoro, Spain
G/F Diana Taurasi, United States of America

Today USA Basketball announced the 12 player roster who will represent the U.S. at the 2010 FIBA World Championship that will be held Sept. 23 - Oct. 3 in Ostrava and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The player selections, made by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee, were announced following a two and a half-week training camp that included four exhibition games. Named to the 2010 USA World Championship squad are two-time Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury); 2008 Olympic gold medalist Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky); 2004 Olympic gold medalist Swin Cash (Seattle Storm); as well as top-tier international newcomers Jayne Appel (San Antonio Silver Stars), Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (University of Connecticut), and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx). The team will be coached by University of Connecticut Head Coach Geno Auriemma. Six of his current/former players make up half the squad (Bird, Cash, Charles, Jones, Moore (currently still a Husky), and Taurasi).

Today the WNBA announced the members of the 2010 All-WNBA First and Second Teams. Former UConn National Players of the Year who made the cut were Sue Bird (2nd Team), Tina Charles ((2nd Team), and Diana Taurasi (1st Team). Taurasi and Charles were also named 2010 Peak Performers in Scoring and Rebounding, respectively.

2010 All-WNBA Teams:
First Team: 
F Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever (191)
C Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky (125)
F/C Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (195)
G Cappie Pondexter, New York Liberty (193)
G/F Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (185)

Second Team: 
G Sue Bird, Seattle Storm (123)
C Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun (86)
G Katie Douglas, Indiana Fever (30)
F/C Crystal Langhorne, Washington Mystics (111)
F Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (119)

2010 WNBA Peak Performers:
Scoring:
G/F Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Rebounding:
C Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
Assists:
G Ticha Penicheiro, Los Angeles Sparks

Congratulations Tina Charles (and Kalana Greene)!!!

Today the former UConn Great and current Connecticut Sun starting Center was named the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She becomes the second unianimous pick for the award (Candace Parker, 2008) and the second former Husky to win (Diana Taurasi, 2004). She was also unianimously voted to the 2010 WNBA All-Rookie Team by the league's head coaches along with former UConn teammate and current New York Liberty Guard Kalana Greene.

Attention ALL UConn and CT Sun fans...

Come support the Stars at the Sun on July 10th at Mohegan Sun Arena. The game will be televised LIVE on ESPN at 3:30pm (ET). The USA National Team will play an exhibition game against a team of WNBA Stars in replace of the annual WNBA All-Star game as a warm-up to the 2010 World Championships in September. The 11-member squad will only be a unite for this game and the actual 12-member USA National Team roster for Worlds will be announced at a later date. Named to the USA National Team that will be coached by UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma were 6 (yes that's right...SIX) former/current Huskies. The six Huskies are Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tina Charles, Renee Montgomery, Maya Moore, and Diana Taurasi.

Making up the rest of the USA National squad is Tamika Catchings, Candice Dupree, Sylvia Fowles, Angel McCoughtry, and Cappie Pondexter. On the WNBA Stars squad (as decided through fan voting) is Jayne Appel, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Michelle Snow, and Sophia Young. (Bird - top vote getter, Cash, and Taurasi also made up the fan voting Top 10 along with the injured Candace Parker, but were placed on the USA National side because they're members of the USA National Team pool.) In addition to the game, the USA National Team will conduct a training camp from July 7-11 with all available members from the USA National Team pool participating.

Additional USA National Team members confirmed to attend the July training camp are: Seimone Augustus, Shameka Christon, Lindsey Harding, former Husky Asjha Jones, Kara Lawson, and Lindsay Whalen as well as USA National Team hopefuls Jayne Appel, Ebony Hoffman, and Kia Vaughn. USA National Team pool members Alana Beard, Parker, and Candice Wiggins are out for the 2010 WNBA season and will not participate in the training camp or Stars at the Sun game due to injury.

Maya, Tina, Diana, Geno, and the 2010 Championship Team are up for ESPY's. Please support the Huskies (current and former) and vote for our UConn Girls at the 2010 ESPY Awards here!!! Voting ends July 10th at midnight (ET) and the 2010 ESPY's will be televised LIVE on ESPN/ESPN HD at 9:00pm (ET) on July 14th from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.

Congratulations, Maya Moore!!!

Today is was announced that the UConn Jr. All-American was named the co-winner of the very prestigous 2010 Honda-Broderick Cup which is given to the most outstanding female collegiate athlete in all sports.  Moore becomes the third Husky to win the award (Lobo - '95; Rizzotti - '96). For only the second time in the 34-year history of the Honda-Broderick Cup there was a tie in voting. The best news is that we UConn fans get to watch the best female collegiate athlete again next year!!!

The Huskies visited President Obama and the White House for the 2nd year in a row to celebrate their 2nd straight undefeated season this afternoon. President Obama gushed about how much he thinks of the Huskies saying, "I was telling them Michelle and I work out in the morning -- see, we got a little gym here in the White House -- and we just watch 'SportsCenter,' I know you'll be surprised that we don't watch the news shows. But -- this is really true. You know, during the entire season, I just kept on repeating -- and I truly believe -- this was the best team in all of sports, any sport, any gender, by far."

Today UConn All-American Maya Moore picked up another National Player of the Year award. Moore picked up the 2010 Honda Award for Women's College Basketball and is now eligible for the 2010 Honda-Broderick Cup honoring the Top Female Athlete in all of women's college sports. The 2010 Honda-Broderick Cup winner will be announced some time in June.

Today UConn All-American Tina Charles won the prestigous 2010 John R. Wooden Award edging out last year's winner and UConn teammate Moore by one point (the closest margin ever). Both Charles and Moore were named to the 2009-10 John R. Wooden All-American Team along with Nebraska's Kelsey Griffin and Stanford's Jayne Appel and Nnemkadi Ogwumike.

And with the 13th Overall Pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft the New York Liberty select....

Kalana Greene from the University of Connecticut!!!!

Congrats, KG...you deserve it!!!

And with the 1st Overall Pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft the Connecticut Sun select....

Tina Charles from the University of Connecticut!!!!

She joins former UConn teammate Renee Montgomery along with former UConn star Asjha Jones and becomes the 3rd UConn player to be selected as the #1 Overall Draft Pick (Sue Bird - '02 and Taurasi - '04). Congrats, Tina Baby...you deserve it!!!

1-seed (1/1) Connecticut Huskies (39-0, 19-0 BE)

Results: Connecticut 53, Stanford 47
Player of the Game: Jr. W Maya Moore (23p, 11r, 1a, 37m)
Defensive Player of the Game: Sr. C Tina Charles (9dr, 1s, 6b, 38m)
Freshman Player of the Game: Fr. G Kelly Faris (7r, 2s, 25m)
Stat of the Game: FT Shooting: UConn 9-22 (41%), Stanford 3-4 (75%)

2009-10 NCAA Women's Basketball National Champions!!!

2010 Final Four All-Tournament Team:
Sr. C Tina Charles, Connecticut
Jr. W Maya Moore, Connecticut (Most Outstanding Player)
So. F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
Jr. W Kayla Pedersen, Stanford
Jr. G Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA National Championship game vs. 1-seed (2/2) Stanford Cardinal (36-1).

Event: 2010 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)
Time: 8:32pm (ET)
TV: ESPN
Radio: WTIC/NewsTalk 1080
Internet: ESPN3
Live Stats: Gametracker

Still rolling in...

The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today that Connecticut's Tina Charles was named winner of the 2009-10 Naismith National Player of the Year Trophy in Women's College Basketball presented by AT&T. The 2009-10 BIG EAST Player of the Year becomes the 5th UConn player to win the Naismith Trophy (Lobo - '95; Bird - '02; Taurasi - '03,'04; Moore - '09).

1-seed (1/1) Connecticut Huskies (38-0, 19-0 BE)

Results: Connecticut 70, Baylor 50
Player of the Game: Jr. W Maya Moore (34p, 12r, 1a, 2s, 1b, 39m)
Defensive Player of the Game: Sr. C Tina Charles (8dr, 1s, 2b, 39m)
Freshman Player of the Game: Fr. G Kelly Faris (2r, 6a, 27m)
Stat of the Game: 2nd Chance Pts.: UConn 16, Baylor 0

Game notes (pdf) for today's NCAA Final 4 game vs. 4-seed (14/18) Baylor Lady Bears (27-9).

Event: 2010 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Location: Alamodome (San Antonio, TX)
Time: 9:34pm (ET)
TV: ESPN
Radio: WTIC/NewsTalk 1080
Internet: ESPN360
Live Stats: Gametracker

And they haven't stopped rolling in....

Today UConn's Sr. C Tina Charles was named the 2009-10 Associated Press Women's National Player of the Year. Charles received 33 out of the 40 possible votes and her UConn teammate Maya Moore finished 2nd in the voting with 4 votes.  Charles becomes the 7th UConn player ever to win the award after a stellar senior year and will have her name hang high above the Gampel Pavilion court in Storrs, Conn., with past winners Rebecca Lobo, Kara Wolters, Diana Taurasi, Jennifer Rizzotti, Moore, and Sue Bird. UConn Head Coach Auriemma finished 2nd in the voting with 10 out of the 40 possible votes (Nebraska Head Coach Connie Yori won the 2009-10 AP National Coach of the Year after receiving 28 votes).

The 2009-10 State Farm All-America Team was announced today as well as the recipient of the prestigious 2010 State Farm Wade Trophy. For the 2nd consecutive season, the winner of the Wade Trophy is UConn's Super Star Maya Moore. She becomes only the third player to ever win the Wade Trophy twice(Nancy Lieberman and Seimone Augustus), which is the highest player of the year honor in women's college basketball. Congratulations Maya, you deserve it!!!

2009-10 State Farm Wade Trophy Winner:
Jr. W Maya Moore, Connecticut
 

2009-10 State Farm All-America Team:
Sr. C Jayne Appel, Stanford
Sr. C Tina Charles, Connecticut
Jr. F Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky
Sr. F Kelsey Griffin, Nebraska
RJr. F Amber Harris, Xavier
Jr. C Jantel Lavender, Ohio State
Jr. W Maya Moore, Connecticut
So. F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
Jr. G Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma
Sr. G Monica Wright, Virginia