Paige Bueckers’ rookie year was nothing short of a spectacle. She made records, earned the Kia Rookie of the Year award, became an All-Star starter, and was named to the WNBA Second Team. That really is a lot. But that’s not all. While the basketball world’s eyes remained on the W, she quietly earned another honor that celebrates something far bigger than stats and trophies.

Ever since her UConn days, Paige Bueckers has stood out. Not just for her stats, but for her kind heart and natural leadership traits you can’t teach. Remember when she flew all the way to Florida to support her teammate Caroline Ducharme during injury treatment? That says a lot. And the best part? This caring side of the 24-year-old isn’t limited to basketball. And that’s exactly how she earned being named to the Top 30 honorees for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Well, it’s a process that came after a record-breaking 631 nominees were submitted by member schools, later narrowed to 167 at the conference level. From there, Bueckers became one of just 10 honorees representing each of the three NCAA divisions. So yes, it ain’t a small feat, especially since each nominee must excel in academics, athletics, leadership, and community service. And PB checked every box!

On the court, she was unstoppable. Off the court, she was just as remarkable. She earned a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with a 3.49 GPA. Beyond the classroom, she volunteered at Connecticut Children’s Hospital, spending time with young patients and helping raise funds through online campaigns.

Her community work didn’t stop there. From 2022 to 2025, Paige helped fund and maintain free grocery stores at Hopkins West Junior High and UConn’s Storrs campus. She even organized a pop-up grocery event in downtown Minneapolis during the 2022 NCAA Final Four weekend. And when it came to UConn’s own initiatives, she joined head coach Geno Auriemma in events like Geno’s for the Kids Charity Dinner and his annual Golf Tournament. Simply put, Paige never missed a chance to give back. Academically, she stood tall, too.

The Dallas Wings standout was named the 2024 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a CSC First-Team Academic All-American. That’s another check. And then comes her dominance on the court. She led UConn to its first national championship since 2016, earning multiple honors along the way, like the Wade Trophy, Honda Sports Award, and Nancy Lieberman National Point Guard of the Year. And this was all in 2025!

Additionally, she became the first-ever three-time BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player and just the fourth player to win BIG EAST Player of the Year three times. So, it made perfect sense when the Dallas Wings selected her No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and she went on to win Rookie of the Year.

So yes, her NCAA Woman of the Year selection was well-deserved. Though she hasn’t won yet, the committee will soon pick three finalists from each division before naming the 2025 winner at the NCAA Convention in January. Still, Paige’s selection is already historic. She’s the first Husky since Kia Nurse in 2018 to make the Top 30. Not just that, so far only Husky legend Rebecca Lobo had ever won the award, back in 1995, and became the second basketball player to win. But it looks like PB would be next, considering her impressive resume. Although for her, it was never about getting recognition.

What does Paige Bueckers dream of as a person?

NIL has been one of the best things to happen to collegiate sports, but PB wasn’t just capitalizing on it. “When she first started here, we didn’t have NIL and a way to make money through sponsorships,” Amy Fuller said in March during an interview with CT Insider. “The minute that came into play, the focus for her was always giving back and having some charity component-a way to support her community here and her community in the state of Minnesota.”

So, a way to give back for Paige Bueckers became the Paige Bueckers Foundation, an innovative partnership between the Greater Minneapolis Foundation and the St. Paul Foundation established back in 2022. The organization focuses on promoting four primary areas: sports, creative, economic, and food & wellness.

Ever since, she’s made it a major requirement that her brand partnerships include “a charity or community engagement opportunity.” “That has been a part of every single deal she has done. The fact that she incorporates that into anything she does and supports her teammates is so meaningful because it shows what a good kid she is,” added her mother. So, for her, the dream and aim are pretty simple-to give back to the community that paved the path for the successful career she has today. So, does that mean we’ll see her charity work even in the W? Of course, as she’s not stopping anytime soon!