NEW YORK – UConn redshirt-junior guard Paige Bueckers was named the 2023-24 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Wednesday. Bueckers becomes the first Husky to earn the league’s academic merit since two-time honoree Maya Moore claimed the recognition in back-to-back years in 2009-10 and 2010-11. A UConn student-athlete has earned the honor eight times. The selection was made by the Conference’s Academic Awards Selection Committee. Bueckers will receive a $2,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies.
Bueckers is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and Family Studies. The three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team member has a 3.497 cumulative grade point average. She has been named to the UConn Dean’s list four times and is a six-time member of the Director of Athletics’ Honor Roll.
After missing all of last season due to injury, Bueckers has returned in impressive fashion in 2023-24. Over 18 BIG EAST games this season, Bueckers finished second in the conference in scoring at 22.0 points per game, while finishing fifth in assists (4.3) and sixth in steals (2.0). She led the Huskies to their 23
rd BIG EAST regular-season title and their first undefeated season in league play since 2020-21. Bueckers has twice been named National Player of the Week this season by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). She was named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team, the Ann Meyers Drysdale USBWA National Player of the Year Watchlist and the Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List. Bueckers had a clean sweep of the national awards in 2021, including the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP Player of the Year and USBWA Player and Freshman of the Year.
Off the court, Bueckers’ efforts have been just as impressive. She provided funding to Hopkins West Junior High School grocery store which will provide groceries for 50 families in need, she has donated funding to the UConn Foundation to go towards food insecurity, including providing food and supplies to the Husky Harvest Food Pantry, and she partnered 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.
The BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is one of a number of scholarships presented by the BIG EAST Conference during the 2023-24 academic year. In addition, 22 student-athletes (one male and one female from each of the BIG EAST’s 11 member institutions) will receive postgraduate scholarships as the winners of their respective institutions’ Scholar-Athlete Award. The winners of the institutional awards are then eligible for the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which provides an additional postgraduate scholarship to one male and one female student-athlete.
All-Time BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year
| 1984-85 |
Leigh Curl |
Connecticut |
| 1985-86 |
Joan Powers |
Providence |
| 1986-87 |
Kathy Sweet |
Boston College |
| 1987-88 |
Vera Jones |
Syracuse |
| 1988-89 |
Geraldine Santilius |
Seton Hall |
| 1989-90 |
Angela Alston |
Syracuse |
| 1990-91 |
Carla Wenger |
Boston College |
| 1991-92 |
Wendy Davis |
Connecticut |
| 1992-93 |
Erin Kenneally |
Syracuse |
| 1993-94 |
Rebecca Lobo |
Connecticut |
| 1994-95 |
Rebecca Lobo |
Connecticut |
| 1995-96 |
Jennifer Rizzotti |
Connecticut |
| 1996-97 |
Kristyn Cook |
Syracuse |
| 1997-98 |
Raquel Nurse |
Syracuse |
| 1998-99 |
Rebecca Burbridge |
West Virginia |
| 1999-2000 |
Cal Bouchard |
Boston College |
| 2000-01 |
Ruth Riley |
Notre Dame |
| 2001-02 |
Nicole Conway |
Boston College |
| 2002-03 |
Alicia Ratay |
Notre Dame |
| 2003-04 |
Courtney Mix |
Villanova |
| 2004-05 |
Ashley Bush |
Seton Hall |
| 2005-06 |
Megan Duffy |
Notre Dame |
| 2006-07 |
Jenna Rubino |
DePaul |
| 2007-08 |
Allie Quigley |
DePaul |
| 2008-09 |
Jill Stephens |
Cincinnati |
| 2009-10 |
Maya Moore |
Connecticut |
| 2010-11 |
Maya Moore |
Connecticut |
| 2011-12 |
Da'Shena Stevens |
St. John's |
| 2012-13 |
Anna Martin |
DePaul |
| 2013-14 |
Katherine Plouffe |
Marquette |
| 2014-15 |
Brittany Hrynko |
DePaul |
| 2015-16 |
Megan Podkowa |
DePaul |
| 2016-17 |
Brooke Schulte |
DePaul |
| 2017-18 |
Allazia Blockton |
Marquette |
| 2018-19 |
Allazia Blockton |
Marquette |
| 2019-20 |
Chante Stonewall |
DePaul |
| 2020-21 |
Lexi Held |
DePaul |
| 2021-22 |
Ayanna Townsend |
Xavier |
| 2022-23 |
Maddy Siegrist |
Villanova |
| 2023-24 |
Paige Bueckers |
Connecticut |