STORRS – Paige Bueckers added another level excellence to her UConn legacy Wednesday when the redshirt junior was named the Big East Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Bueckers, who on Tuesday was named one of five finalists for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award given annually by the Naismith Hall of Fame to the best shooting guard in women’s basketball, has proven herself time and time again as more than just a talented player.
She becomes only the sixth UConn player to win the Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining Leigh Curl (1985), Wendy Davis (1992), Rebecca Lobo (1994 and 1995), Jennifer Rizzotti (1996) and Maya Moore (2010 and 2011).
“I think it is just the culture we have here at UConn,” Bueckers said. “We demand excellence in everything that we do. They prepare us in that way, to be professionals in the classroom, on the court and off the court. It is kind of just what is expected of us, and we all take pride in school. So it is easy for us to demand that of ourselves.”
Bueckers is majoring in human development and family studies. A three-time Big East All-Academic Team member, she has a 3.497 cumulative grade point average and earned a 3.93 GPA in the fall 2023 semester.
“I think it is just extreme focus on time management,” Bueckers said. “We are maximizing our free time on off days and getting work done on those days. Practice days and full class schedule days aren’t as loaded.”
Bueckers has also remained active off the court by lending support and funding for various causes close to her heart.
She provided funding to Hopkins West Junior High School grocery store which will provide groceries for 50 families in need. She also donated to the UConn Foundation, earmarking her contribution toward food insecurity, including providing food and supplies to the Husky Harvest Food Pantry. She tapped into her NIL partnerships to work with Gatorade to provide equipment and uniforms to the Hartford Hurricanes, a youth sports program which includes a newly founded girls basketball team.
Bueckers is a Mamba and Mambacita Foundation youth coach and has participated in numerous volunteer events, such as classroom reading, turkey drives and Connecticut Children’s Hospital visits.
Of course, on the court she became the only freshman in the history of Division I women’s basketball to win national player of the year honors.
Although she missed 19 games during her sophomore season to a knee injury and missed all of last season with a separate knee injury, she has responded incredibly well this season.
She is averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game this season and has scored 20 points or more 20 times. She has also been one of the most efficient players in the country as she is shooting 54.0% from the field, including 41.2% from 3-point range, and is shooting 86.0% from the free throw line.
Against ranked opponents this season, she is 22.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 blocks and 2.7 steals while shooting 51.3% from the field and 51.9% from three-point range.
