UConn's Sarah Strong: From Shy to Naismith Winner

0:00Yukon sophomore Sarah Strong is lighting up the court and coming out of her shell in a big way. She's got this fun pre-game ritual with junior point guard KK Arnold where they sync up back to back three pointers from the wing, tapping balls, together before firing away until both swish. It might take six or seven tries, sometimes more, but when they hit, they celebrate with high fives and goofy kicks. Strong just snagged the naysmith trophy as the eighth husky to win it since 1983 and she's the seventh underclassman ever. Arnold played a huge role in pulling strong out of her freshman shyness, drawing on their history from teen USA's 2022 under 18, three by three World Cup. They roamed together last year and Arnold's non-stop energy jumping on her bed, dragging her out, broke the ice. Strong admits KK's the main reason she adjusted to college ball. Even if it's overwhelming at times, teammates are loving the change. sophomore guard Ali Zbel says everyone now sees Strong's playful side, calling it a whole new hers in summer workouts.

1:05As he FUD helped too, especially on road trips like their Bahamas showcase last November, turning awkward silences into close friendship. The teams hyped as they head into the final four against undefeated South Carolina. At the naysmith ceremony this week in Phoenix, Strong faced her fears with a speech in front of a packed room, despite skipping lunch from nerves. No one else spoke, but her teammates chanted her on and she nailed it for nearly a minute to roaring cheers. There's a bra more hardware, the AP player of the year and way trophy. But she kept his shorts saying she'd said enough. Strong still growing, balancing that outgoing vibe with her natural reserve, but it's fueling Yukon's deep run. As the Huskies chase another title, watch her keep evolving on and off the court. Local news, powered by AI, this is Hartford News Today. I'm Corey with The Story.