UConn women's basketball star Sarah Strong has earned yet another accolade to add to her career achievements. The young phenom was named USA Basketball's 2025 3×3 Female Athlete of the Year on Wednesday, thanks to her standout performances with Team USA at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 World Cup last summer.
Despite still being a teenager, Strong has four years of playing experience with USA Basketball as a former member of its junior squad. The sophomore forward was chosen for the senior team last year and immediately made an impact, helping lead Team USA to a 4-1 record in both the Marseille, France, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, events alongside Mikaylah Williams, Sahara Williams, and Morgan Maly.
⭐️ Sarah Strong has been named the 2025 USA Basketball 3×3 Female Athlete of the Year!
🇺🇸 #USABAwards x @thesarahstrong pic.twitter.com/bk5aKTcRSj
— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) January 7, 2026
Strong averaged 7.6 points during the tournament, ranking fourth among all players, while leading the field with 7.8 rebounds per game. She already owns gold medals from her time on the junior team, winning the 2022 and 2023 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cups and the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup for USA Basketball.
The 19-year-old already has numerous honors to her name, including being named to the AP All-America Second team and Big East Freshman of the Year in 2025. Strong claimed those titles due to her impressive performance in last year's NCAA Tournament, helping UConn end its title drought with a win over South Carolina.
Strong's versatility and ability to dominate were on display in the championship game, where she became the first-ever player to put up at least 20 points, 15 boards, and five assists in the title-winning contest. She hasn't slowed down in 2025-26 either, as she's helped keep UConn in the consensus No. 1 spot so far this season.




















