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Paige Bueckers has already cemented her place in women's college basketball history. There's no doubting that.
The UConn star was awarded the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Wade Trophy, which is presented to the best upperclass women's basketball player in Division I. It's an important note, because any player of any class in Division I can win the AP Player of the Year, for example.
The Wade Trophy has been awarded since 1978, when Montclair State's Carol Blazejowski won the award.
Bueckers is looking to win her first national championship with UConn, and the Huskies are looking for their 12th title in program history. Their last win came in 2016.
WHAT TO WATCH: What channel is NCAA women's basketball final on today? Time, TV schedule for UConn vs South Carolina
UConn has had seven players win the Wade Trophy. Maya Moore won it three times (2009-11). Other winners included Rebecca Lobo (1995), Jennifer Rizzotti (1996), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003), and Breanna Stewart (2015-16).
The only player from UConn, so far, to win the Wade Trophy without a national championship in the same season has been Rizzotti. But it's not necessarily a national crown that defines a legacy.
'I don't think that's up to me. I think that's up to the people who, I guess, get to decide if people's legacies are cemented or whatever. But I'm not worried about that at all," Bueckers said Saturday when asked if she felt she needed a national championship to "validate (her) legacy." "So really the journey is the reward for me. And I nevertake it for granted being able to play here and put on this uniform. ... Whatever talks of legacy and whatever, I guess that's not up to me. All I can worry about and control is who I am every single day and who we are as a team. That's all I'm worried about.
Here's how the Wade Trophy winners from the last 25 years have done in the national championship game, if they made it that far.
When immediately thinking about Bueckers and the national championship, thoughts immediately go to Caitlin Clark. Clark made it to the National Championship in 2024 with Iowa. The Hawkeyes fell to South Carolina, 87-75. Clark scored 30 points, and added eight rebounds and five assists in the game.
It was more or less the same the year before in 2023, when Clark won the award the first time as a junior at Iowa. Making it to the final game of the year, Iowa lost to LSU, 102-85, with Clark, again, putting up a 30-piece with two rebounds and eight assists.
CITY FOR CHAMPIONS: Women's March Madness is in Tampa. What other championships have been decided in the city?
South Carolina isn't too far removed from having one of its own win the Wade Trophy with a national title. Aliyah Boston led the Gamecocks to the championship with a 64-49 win over UConn in Minnesota. Boston, who was also the game's MVP, put up 11 points, 16 rebounds and three assists.
Another two-time winner of the award, Breanna Stewart won four national championships in her career at UConn, including 2015 and 2016 when she won the Wade Trophy. The 2016 national championship, which included a dominant, 82-51, win over Syracuse, saw Stewart named the game's MVP after dropping 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Stewart was equally as dominant in 2015, the last time UConn won the national championship in Amalie Arena, with a 63-52 win over Notre Dame. She was, again, the game's MVP with 15 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.
Brittney Griner won the Wade Trophy twice in 2012 and 2013, but was only in the national championship game in 2012 with Baylor, which beat Notre Dame, 80-61, in Colorado. Griner put up an impressive 26-point, 13-rebound game with five blocks as well as the Bears won their second crown.
The Wade Trophy's only three-time winner – Maya Moore won the award when she was a sophomore as well, the only player to do so – Moore won national championships at UConn (and won the Wade in the same year) in 2009 and in 2010. UConn beat Stanford in 2010 at the Alamodome, 53-47, with Moore pacing the Huskies. She dropped 23 points and added 11 rebounds.
Moore was equally as dominant in 2009 when UConn beat Louisville, 76-54, in St. Louis. Moore scored 18 points with nine rebounds and five assists in the contest.
Before Caitlin Clark, the most recent player to win the Wade Trophy but not win the national championship game (but made an appearance) was Stanford's Candice Wiggins, who fell with the Cardinal to Tennessee, 64-48. Wiggins scored 14 points in the game
Candace Parker aided Tennessee to its seventh national title in 2007 while also winning the Wade Trophy. Parker and the Volunteers beat Rutgers, 59-46, in Ohio. Parker was also the tournament's most outstanding player. Parker scored 17 points with seven rebounds and three assists.
It's another UConn player on this list with Diana Taurasi winning the award in 2003 as the Huskies won their fourth national title in program history, defeating Tennessee. UConn won with a final score of 73-68, and she was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Taurasi put up an impressive 28 points, four rebounds and a block in the game.
Yes, that Sue Bird, who pushed UConn to its third championship in 2002 with head coach Geno Auriemma. The Huskies beat Oklahoma in San Antonio to claim the title with a 82-70 win over the Sooners. In the title game, Bird put up 14 points, three rebounds and four assists.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Paige Bueckers in women's March Madness: Previous Wade Trophy winners
Continue reading...
The UConn star was awarded the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Wade Trophy, which is presented to the best upperclass women's basketball player in Division I. It's an important note, because any player of any class in Division I can win the AP Player of the Year, for example.
The Wade Trophy has been awarded since 1978, when Montclair State's Carol Blazejowski won the award.
Bueckers is looking to win her first national championship with UConn, and the Huskies are looking for their 12th title in program history. Their last win came in 2016.
WHAT TO WATCH: What channel is NCAA women's basketball final on today? Time, TV schedule for UConn vs South Carolina
UConn has had seven players win the Wade Trophy. Maya Moore won it three times (2009-11). Other winners included Rebecca Lobo (1995), Jennifer Rizzotti (1996), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003), and Breanna Stewart (2015-16).
The only player from UConn, so far, to win the Wade Trophy without a national championship in the same season has been Rizzotti. But it's not necessarily a national crown that defines a legacy.
'I don't think that's up to me. I think that's up to the people who, I guess, get to decide if people's legacies are cemented or whatever. But I'm not worried about that at all," Bueckers said Saturday when asked if she felt she needed a national championship to "validate (her) legacy." "So really the journey is the reward for me. And I nevertake it for granted being able to play here and put on this uniform. ... Whatever talks of legacy and whatever, I guess that's not up to me. All I can worry about and control is who I am every single day and who we are as a team. That's all I'm worried about.
Here's how the Wade Trophy winners from the last 25 years have done in the national championship game, if they made it that far.
2023-24: Caitlin Clark, Iowa
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When immediately thinking about Bueckers and the national championship, thoughts immediately go to Caitlin Clark. Clark made it to the National Championship in 2024 with Iowa. The Hawkeyes fell to South Carolina, 87-75. Clark scored 30 points, and added eight rebounds and five assists in the game.
It was more or less the same the year before in 2023, when Clark won the award the first time as a junior at Iowa. Making it to the final game of the year, Iowa lost to LSU, 102-85, with Clark, again, putting up a 30-piece with two rebounds and eight assists.
CITY FOR CHAMPIONS: Women's March Madness is in Tampa. What other championships have been decided in the city?
2022: Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
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South Carolina isn't too far removed from having one of its own win the Wade Trophy with a national title. Aliyah Boston led the Gamecocks to the championship with a 64-49 win over UConn in Minnesota. Boston, who was also the game's MVP, put up 11 points, 16 rebounds and three assists.
2015-16: Breanna Stewart, UConn
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Another two-time winner of the award, Breanna Stewart won four national championships in her career at UConn, including 2015 and 2016 when she won the Wade Trophy. The 2016 national championship, which included a dominant, 82-51, win over Syracuse, saw Stewart named the game's MVP after dropping 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Stewart was equally as dominant in 2015, the last time UConn won the national championship in Amalie Arena, with a 63-52 win over Notre Dame. She was, again, the game's MVP with 15 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.
2012: Brittney Griner, Baylor
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Brittney Griner won the Wade Trophy twice in 2012 and 2013, but was only in the national championship game in 2012 with Baylor, which beat Notre Dame, 80-61, in Colorado. Griner put up an impressive 26-point, 13-rebound game with five blocks as well as the Bears won their second crown.
2009-10: Maya Moore, UConn
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The Wade Trophy's only three-time winner – Maya Moore won the award when she was a sophomore as well, the only player to do so – Moore won national championships at UConn (and won the Wade in the same year) in 2009 and in 2010. UConn beat Stanford in 2010 at the Alamodome, 53-47, with Moore pacing the Huskies. She dropped 23 points and added 11 rebounds.
Moore was equally as dominant in 2009 when UConn beat Louisville, 76-54, in St. Louis. Moore scored 18 points with nine rebounds and five assists in the contest.
2008: Candice Wiggins, Stanford
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Before Caitlin Clark, the most recent player to win the Wade Trophy but not win the national championship game (but made an appearance) was Stanford's Candice Wiggins, who fell with the Cardinal to Tennessee, 64-48. Wiggins scored 14 points in the game
2007: Candace Parker, Tennessee
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Candace Parker aided Tennessee to its seventh national title in 2007 while also winning the Wade Trophy. Parker and the Volunteers beat Rutgers, 59-46, in Ohio. Parker was also the tournament's most outstanding player. Parker scored 17 points with seven rebounds and three assists.
2003: Diana Taurasi, UConn
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It's another UConn player on this list with Diana Taurasi winning the award in 2003 as the Huskies won their fourth national title in program history, defeating Tennessee. UConn won with a final score of 73-68, and she was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Taurasi put up an impressive 28 points, four rebounds and a block in the game.
2002: Sue Bird, UConn
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Yes, that Sue Bird, who pushed UConn to its third championship in 2002 with head coach Geno Auriemma. The Huskies beat Oklahoma in San Antonio to claim the title with a 82-70 win over the Sooners. In the title game, Bird put up 14 points, three rebounds and four assists.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Paige Bueckers in women's March Madness: Previous Wade Trophy winners
Continue reading...
