UConn's Sarah Strong Named AP Women's Basketball Player of the Week

The sophomore forward led the top-ranked Huskies to a 3-0 record last week.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 12:23pm

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The Associated Press has named UConn sophomore forward Sarah Strong as the national player of the week in women's basketball for Week 12 of the season. Strong helped the top-ranked Huskies go 3-0 last week, averaging 20 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.3 steals per game.

Why it matters

Strong's standout performance is a testament to UConn's continued dominance in women's college basketball. As the Huskies look to maintain their No. 1 ranking and make a deep NCAA tournament run, Strong's contributions will be crucial to their success.

The details

In UConn's three wins last week, Strong had 18 points in a rout of Notre Dame and followed that up with 25 points, hitting 10 of 17 shots, against Georgetown.

  • For Week 12 of the 2026-27 women's basketball season.

The players

Sarah Strong

A sophomore forward for the top-ranked UConn Huskies women's basketball team.

Ava Heiden

A sophomore center for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, named as the runner-up for the AP national player of the week award.

Riley Weiss

A junior guard for the Columbia women's basketball team, who averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and shot 63% from 3-point range in wins over Brown and Dartmouth.

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The takeaway

Sarah Strong's dominant performance for the top-ranked UConn Huskies solidifies her status as one of the top players in women's college basketball. Her all-around contributions on both ends of the floor will be crucial as the Huskies look to maintain their position atop the rankings and make a deep NCAA tournament run.