Bueckers Shines as UConn Star Earns AP All-American Honors

The accolades continue to pour in for the UConn women’s basketball team as they gear up for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Star point guard Paige Bueckers has been named a First Team AP All-American, adding to her growing list of honors for the 2023-24 season.

Bueckers, a senior, has been the driving force behind the Huskies’ success this year, leading the team in scoring with 21.3 points per game while shooting an impressive 53.8% from the field, ranking second among guards nationwide. Her versatility has been on full display, as she has spent significant minutes at the power forward position due to injuries on the UConn roster.

Despite the challenges, Bueckers has thrived, averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 2.2 steals per game. Her outstanding play earned her Big East Player of the Year honors and the conference tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award after guiding UConn to its fourth consecutive championship.

Bueckers’ inclusion on the AP First Team All-America squad marks her second such recognition, having previously earned the honor as a freshman in 2021 when she was also named AP Player of the Year. Her comeback from an ACL tear that sidelined her for the entire 2022-23 season and a tibial plateau fracture that limited her playing time in 2021-22 has been nothing short of remarkable.

While Bueckers basks in the spotlight, her teammates Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl have also received well-deserved recognition. Edwards, a junior forward, earned an honorable mention nod from the AP after a stellar season in which she averaged 17.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, both career-highs. Her dominance on the boards was evident, as she recorded 16 double-doubles, including seven in the Huskies’ last 10 games.

Muhl, a senior point guard, received her first All-American recognition with an honorable mention from the AP. Her contributions have been invaluable, averaging 7.1 points, 6.4 assists, and four rebounds per game while shooting career-bests from the field (47.5%) and from three-point range (40.5%). Muhl’s court vision and playmaking abilities have been instrumental, as she ranks second all-time at UConn in career assists with 651, trailing only four-time national champion Moriah Jefferson.

As the NCAA Tournament approaches, the Huskies (29-5) will open their March Madness journey against 14-seed Jackson State (26-6) in the first round at Gampel Pavilion on Saturday (1 p.m., ABC). With Bueckers leading the charge and a supporting cast that includes Edwards and Muhl, UConn is poised for another deep tournament run and a chance to add to their storied legacy.

The Huskies’ success this season has been a true team effort, with contributions from players like Bueckers, Edwards, and Muhl proving instrumental. As the madness of March unfolds, all eyes will be on this talented group as they chase the ultimate prize – another national championship.