One defensive award has quietly avoided UConn for nearly a decade. For a program built on stops, rotations and discipline, that gap stands out more than any scoring record. Now the opportunity to erase it belongs to a sophomore.

Sarah Strong was named to the 15-player late-season watchlist for the Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year award on February 26. No Husky has won the honor since it began in the 2017-18 season, making this the eighth year the program has gone without the trophy. Because of that history, her candidacy represents more than an individual race. It challenges one of the few empty spaces left in Geno Auriemma’s résumé.

“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.”

“Good luck scoring on this group. Introducing the 2026 Naismith Women’s College Defensive Player of the Year Presented by @moleculesleep Late-Season Team!”

Numbers drive the argument. Strong averages 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game while shooting 60.0 percent this season. Her defensive impact also appears in defining moments, including a 21-point, 12-rebound, five-steal and three-block performance during UConn’s 83-69 comeback win over Villanova that clinched the Big East regular-season title.

Meanwhile, efficiency shows up even in limited minutes. She scored 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting in just 13 minutes during an 81-38 victory over Providence. That production places her alongside a national group featuring Lauren Betts, Hannah Hidalgo, Rori Harmon, Joyce Edwards, Raven Johnson and Jazzy Davidson. As a result, the race shifts from program recognition to national comparison.

UConn and Sarah Strong one win away from a program milestone

UConn enters the postseason undefeated after securing its sixth straight Big East regular-season title since returning to the conference in 2020.

Because of that record, Strong’s defensive candidacy now ties directly to team identity. Dominant teams often produce award winners, and UConn’s results provide the environment voters traditionally reward.

At the same time, the roster’s experience reinforces the moment. Azzi Fudd, Caroline Ducharme, Ice Brady, Ayanna Patterson and Serah Williams were honored on senior day after battling injuries, while Fudd also became a finalist for the 2026 AAU Sullivan Award.

The combination creates layered pressure. Individual honors now sit inside a season already defined by perfection.

The next checkpoint arrives Thursday against Georgetown at PeoplesBank Arena at 7 p.m. ET. Georgetown enters after a 66-58 loss to Butler and still has not beaten UConn since 2022. Junior guard Khia Miller leads the Hoyas with 9.9 points per game, placing the matchup firmly in UConn’s control on paper.

For Strong, however, the opponent matters less than the timing. Each remaining game strengthens or weakens a defensive résumé voters will evaluate soon after the regular season.

If the Huskies maintain their form, the award chase shifts from possibility to expectation. And for the first time in eight years, that expectation could end with a UConn defender holding the trophy.