A couple years ago, when Geno Auriemma said “we’re in a league of our own, goddammit,” he may have meant that literally.
At least that’s how the American Athletic Conference postseason awards list makes it look.
The league handed out 30 honors on Thursday, including Defensive Player of the Year (Kiah Stokes), Most Improved Player (Moriah Jefferson), Sixth Player of the Year (Gabby Williams and a random Tulsa player) and the first, second and third all-conference teams.
Out of 30 total awards, 11 went to Huskies.
The all-AAC First Team features six players, four from UConn (Breanna Stewart, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Jefferson and Morgan Tuck). Stokes was also named to the second team and Kia Nurse to the third team.
Nurse and Williams both made the all-freshman team as well.
So that’s seven Huskies who were all-something in the AAC. Seven. The entire starting five plus two reserves.
In an 11-team league, about nine percent of its players are from UConn. The Huskies made up 37 percent of award winners on Thursday.
The Huskies open the AAC Tournament on Saturday against the winner of UCF and Cincinnati in a 2:30 p.m. tip at Mohegan Sun Arena. Conference Player of the Year (Stewart), Freshman of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year will be announced on Friday.
The complete list of awards handed out Thursday:
American Defensive Player of the Year
Kiah Stokes, C, Sr., UConn
American Most Improved Player of the Year
Moriah Jefferson, G, Jr., UConn
American Sportsmanship Award
Tyonna Williams, G, Sr., Temple
American Sixth Player of the Year
Gabby Williams, G, Fr., UConn
Ashley Clark, G, Jr., Tulsa
American Newcomer of the Year
I’Tiana Taylor, F, Jr., East Carolina
All-Conference First Team
*Breanna Stewart, F, Jr., UConn
*Courtney Williams, G, Jr., USF
*Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, F, Sr., UConn
*Moriah Jefferson, Jr., G, UConn
Jada Payne, F, R-Jr., East Carolina
Morgan Tuck, F, R-So., UConn
All-Conference Second Team
Alisia Jenkins, F, Jr., USF
Ariel Hearn, G, Jr., Memphis
Ashley Clark, G, Jr., Tulsa
Zykira Lewis, G, So., UCF
I’Tiana Taylor, Jr., F, East Carolina
Kiah Stokes, Sr., C, UConn
All-Conference Third Team
Erica Covile, G, Jr., Temple
Alliya Butts, G, Fr., Temple
Danielle Blagg, G, Sr., Tulane
Kolby Morgan, G, Fr., Tulane
Kia Nurse, G, Fr., UConn
All-Freshman Team
*Kia Nurse, G, Fr., UConn
*Alliya Butts, G, Fr., Temple
Kolby Morgan, G, Fr., Tulane
Ana Owens, G, Fr., Cincinnati
Alicia Froling, F, Fr., SMU
Laura Ferreira, F, Fr., USF
Gabby Williams, G, Fr., UConn
