Sarah Strong is about to do something that no UConn player has done since the award was first given out. The freshman star has been put on the late-season watchlist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. If she wins, she will be the first Husky to do so in the award’s eight-year history. For Geno Auriemma, a coach known for his great defense, it would be a big deal for one of his players to finally win this trophy.

Emily Adams posted on social media that “Sarah Strong makes the 15-player late-season team for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year! No UConn player has won the award since it was established in 2017-18.” The Naismith Awards account talked about how Strong joined a very elite group: “Good luck scoring on this group. Introducing the 2026 Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year Presented by @moleculesleep Late-Season Team!”

Strong’s strong defense supports her candidacy. She has 76 steals this season, which brings her career total to 168. Her recent games show how great she is on both ends of the court. In UConn’s 83-69 comeback win over Villanova, which won them the Big East regular-season title, she had 21 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and five steals. In just 13 minutes against Providence, she scored 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting in an 81-38 blowout.

Strong’s watchlist choice puts her in the same league as the best defenders in the country. Some of the best college programs in the country are represented in the 15-player group. These include Lauren Betts from UCLA, Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame, Rori Harmon from Texas, Joyce Edwards and Raven Johnson from South Carolina, and Jazzy Davidson from USC.

The Huskies have won six straight Big East regular-season titles since coming back to the conference in 2020. Strong is averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals per game while shooting 75.0 percent. She is leading UConn’s undefeated season and trying to win the program’s first Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

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UConn and Sarah Strong one win away from a program milestone

On Thursday night, UConn will make history. One win against Georgetown at 7 p.m. at PeoplesBank Arena. ET gives the Huskies their 19th win in the conference in one season, which is a record for them. UConn has won 18 conference games ten times during Auriemma’s long reign, but they could never do it. This Thursday breaks that barrier and adds another accomplishment to the program’s history.

Legends have already been honored this season. UConn honored Azzi Fudd, Caroline Ducharme, Ice Brady, Ayanna Patterson, and Serah Williams on senior day against Providence. All five of them got through serious injuries to get to this point. Fudd is going even further. She is a finalist for the 2026 AAU Sullivan Award, which would make her the second UConn player to win it since Breanna Stewart did in 2015.

Georgetown doesn’t seem to put up much of a fight on paper. The Hoyas haven’t beaten UConn since 2022, and they just lost to Butler 66–58. Their best chance is junior guard Khia Miller, who scores 9.9 points a game. It’s not a competitive matchup; it’s just a step toward making history.

If UConn wins on Thursday, Strong’s quest for the Naismith will be part of something bigger. One of the Huskies’ best players is trying to win a national award while the team sets a conference record. That year will be remembered as one of the best.