First team all-American 2016-2017

[dualskeptic]

Who has the best chance at 1st team all-American 2016-2017?

 

[easttexastrash]

KLS. She has the most upside due to her ability to shoot the three and her length. If she plays aggressively she is going to look somewhat like Stewart, IMO.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lou, Stewie's protege. She'll be scoring from everywhere. Kia will be the leader and get recognition. Gabby will get some as well. Crystal Dangerfield will be a surprise performer.

 

[MarlboroughMike]

I voted for Lou, but if Napheesa plays aggressively and develops a strong mid-range game a la Bria Hartley, she will be in the mix.

 

[JordyG]

Lou. But don't sleep on Gabby.

 

[Sonny44]

Best chance KLS, but I doubt we we will have one.

 

[cbraarj]

After the Olympics we will see a different Kia Nurse. With the big 3 gone she will step up her game and lead this Uconn team. Her experience this summer will be huge for next year.

 

[bags27]

None will be FIRST team AA next year, I suspect; but that isn't a team weakness: on the contrary, we're likely to see a very balanced group, with a couple of 2nd and 3rd team AAs. I'm predicting (FWIW, which is nothing) Kia as a 2nd team and Lou as a 3rd team, with Gabby either honorable mention or 3rd team. It is a gathering storm for an astonishing 2017-18.

 

[HuskiesU]

I dont think people know how Special KLS is abd will be next year but i expect nothing but greatness.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I don't think we'll have any AA's this year. It's going to be a struggle. The following year, we're loaded. But I can't see AA happening this year.

 

[uconnfan68]

I don't think we'll have any AA's this year. It's going to be a struggle. The following year, we're loaded. But I can't see AA happening this year.

Maybe not pre-season, but a much better chance post-season. We'll be better than people think.

 

[HGN]

Though I voted for Katie Lou , I did so because she has had the most visibility of the returning group of reigning Champions.
But health will play a big part in it. And if UConn can get to the FF again.

All of the nominees are capable. But only one was the No. 1 recruit and have that distinction. So many eyes will be on her
and she will get the pub for AA by the coaches and writers.......... But she will have to earn it.

 

[TFintheMix]

KLS due to her length & skill set plus she will be given the 1st chance to succeed or fail.

 

[chrissaran]

Katie Lou but the sledding will be tougher without Breanna, Mo and Morgan. Other teams will look to stop her first and let another player try and beat them.

 

[BroadwayVa]

KLS. She has the most upside due to her ability to shoot the three and her length. If she plays aggressively she is going to look somewhat like Stewart, IMO.

Katie Lou Samuelson is much more than a 3 shooter, even Geno said that, the kid proved in the final stages of this past year that she can:
Drive, Foul line jumper, wing shots, and played pretty fair defense and she was a Frosh.
Kia--shall have to show signs of being something like she was in Last Years Pan Am Final. Maybe she was basking in the light of Moriah, Tuck, Stewie-and hid her tremendous talent. She is tough, give her that. She is determined that too. But taking over a game and carrying the team to victory--we have yet to see that, since the Pan Am.
Napheesa is a ball magnet, so say her teammates, she was pretty good under the basket and played some defense. Her 3 ball and foul line jumper shall have to improve but I believe she has all it takes (with some Geno learning) to become another UConn All American.

Gabby can with some will power become an AA. The Freshmen this year--only Dangerfield comes close--but even she won't be an AA. Now next year and the transfers--is it possible to have 7 AA's on a team (no I know that).

 

[Carnac]

Being voted (or recognized) as an "All-American" is no small feat. To do so means you have to play big every game all year long, and be one of the best players not only on your team, but in all of Division 1 WCBB. Of the projected starting 5, who do you think can/will rise to, and stay at that level all season? Given her play last season, I agree that Lou has the "potential" to do so. During Geno's golf tournamnet recently, she said that she has matured, the game has slowed down for her, and she's ready to take on a team leadership role, as well as take her game to a higher level.

Can she? Time will tell. Buy the time they finish their senior year, ALL of the starting five (I believe) have the potential of being recogized as an AA. The poll question was who has the best chance of earning AA status this coming season. I'm one of the 8 voters that picked GABBY, here's why: While Lou was able to earn a starting position that allowed her to showcase her talents, and have plays run for her, Gabby was religated to coming off the bench. Lou got more playing time to perfect her game and timing with the other starters during meaniful minutes once she became a full time starter in January. Each of them can do things the other can not.

Gabby will be a starter this year and next, that is a given. As a starter, she will have more minutes on the floor to showcase and display her talents and wares. Many coaches and analysts agree that she is the most atheltic player on the team. I believe 2016-2017 will be her breakout year. Baring injury, I think Gabby (like Stewie last season) will be the huskie's most dominant player, the player most talked about and most sought after for interviews.

Gabby needs to become a constant threat beyond the arc to compliment her game and the team's offense. Hopefully this was/is being addressed over the summer. I had to pull the turban and cape out of the closet, put them on to try and get some additional "vibe" before commeting on this poll. Up to now, we've only seen brief flashes of what Gabby can do.

Given some additional leash, I think Gabby can become a human highlight reel, and raise a lot of eyebrows. This year's UConn team will be one of the most anticipated teams in some time. Because of the loss of its 3 best players on last year's team, the 2016-2017 team is wrapped in a cloke of uncertainty. At this point, no one knows exactly what kind of team they are going to be come November 14 when they travel to Tallahassee Florida to break the seal on the 2016-2017 season against (#15 preseason ranked) Florida State Seminols. We all know where we hope they end up.

Are they going to surprise everyone and hit the ground running and blister the competition with little or no drop off from last year, or are they going to slip, slide and sputter coming out of the gate, and start 1-4 or 1-5 against a vary strong and competitive OCC? How fast will the starting five gel? How far will Geno dip into his bench at the begining of the season, and how effective will his bench be? How quickly will the freshmen be able to make a significant contribution (if any) to the team in the first 3 quarters of a game before the Christmas break?

How much of a contribution will Saniya Chong make this year? Except for the first two games of the 2014-2015 season, she has been coming off the bench, and most of that was in garbage time. That does not suggest that the coaches had an over whelming amount of confidence in her. Last year she was seated behind Williams and Collier, and in front of Butler, Ekmark, Pulido and Lawlor. It is assumed that ALL of the incoming freshmen will be seated behind her on the bench to start the season. Question: will the coach's perception/confidence of/in her change going into next season? Today (August 3, 2016), there are still a lot of "unknowns" and questions that need to be answered, before we as fans can realistically realize an intelligent and informed decision of exactly what kind of team we have this year.

I think most of those questions will be ansered after the 5th game (Chattanooga) this coming season (Florida St, Baylor, LSU, Dayton & Chattanooga). Five games into the season should prove to be a fair berometer of the varacity of this team at that point. I don't think that one or two games is enough time/game minutes to do a fair and accurate assessment at the begining of the season. The huskies will be a completely different team come tournament time, as are most teams.

By the end of the regular season (7 months from now, I'm counting all of August), we'll know which UConn player is most worthy of AA consideraration. But at THIS point, it's anybody's guess. My unique mystical gifts and talents allow me to see into the near future, but not that far.

 

[victor64]

Being voted (or recognized) as an "All-American" is no small feat. To do so means you have to play big every game all year long, and be one of the best players not only on your team, but in all of Division 1 WCBB. Of the projected starting 5, who do you think can/will rise to, and stay at that level all season? Given her play last season, I agree that Lou has the "potential" to do so. During Geno's golf tournamnet recently, she said that she has matured, the game has slowed down for her, and she's ready to take on a team leadership role, as well as take her game to a higher level.

Can she? Time will tell. Buy the time they finish their senior year, ALL of the starting five (I believe) have the potential of being recogized as an AA. The poll question was who has the best chance of earning AA status this coming season. I'm one of the 8 voters that picked GABBY, here's why: While Lou was able to earn a starting position that allowed her to showcase her talents, and have plays run for her, Gabby was religated to coming off the bench. Lou got more playing time to perfect her game and timing with the other starters during meaniful minutes once she became a full time starter in January. Each of them can do things the other can not.

Gabby will be a starter this year and next, that is a given. As a starter, she will have more minutes on the floor to showcase and display her talents and wares. Many coaches and analysts agree that she is the most atheltic player on the team. I believe 2016-2017 will be her breakout year. Baring injury, I think Gabby (like Stewie last season) will be the huskie's most dominant player, the player most talked about and most sought after for interviews.

Gabby needs to become a constant threat beyond the arc to compliment her game and the team's offense. Hopefully this was/is being addressed over the summer. I had to pull the turban and cape out of the closet, put them on to try and get some additional "vibe" before commeting on this poll. Up to now, we've only seen brief flashes of what Gabby can do.

Given some additional leash, I think Gabby can become a human highlight reel, and raise a lot of eyebrows. This year's UConn team will be one of the most anticipated teams in some time. Because of the loss of its 3 best players on last year's team, the 2016-2017 team is wrapped in a cloke of uncertainty. At this point, no one knows exactly what kind of team they are going to be come November 14 when they travel to Tallahassee Florida to break the seal on the 2016-2017 season against (#15 preseason ranked) Florida State Seminols. We all know where we hope they end up.

Are they going to surprise everyone and hit the ground running and blister the competition with little or no drop off from last year, or are they going to slip, slide and sputter coming out of the gate, and start 1-4 or 1-5 against a vary strong and competitive OCC? How fast will the starting five gel? How far will Geno dip into his bench at the begining of the season, and how effective will his bench be? How quickly will the freshmen be able to make a significant contribution (if any) to the team in the first 3 quarters of a game before the Christmas break?

How much of a contribution will Saniya Chong make this year? Except for the first two games of the 2014-2015 season, she has been coming off the bench, and most of that was in garbage time. That does not suggest that the coaches had an over whelming amount of confidence in her. Last year she was seated behind Williams and Collier, and in front of Butler, Ekmark, Pulido and Lawlor. It is assumed that ALL of the incoming freshmen will be seated behind her on the bench to start the season. Question: will the coach's perception/confidence of/in her change going into next season? Today (August 3, 2016), there are still a lot of "unknowns" and questions that need to be answered, before we as fans can realistically realize an intelligent and informed decision of exactly what kind of team we have this year.

I think most of those questions will be ansered after the 5th game (Chattanooga) this coming season (Florida St, Baylor, LSU, Dayton & Chattanooga). Five games into the season should prove to be a fair berometer of the varacity of this team at that point. I don't think that one or two games is enough time/game minutes to do a fair and accurate assessment at the begining of the season. The huskies will be a completely different team come tournament time, as are most teams.

By the end of the regular season (7 months from now, I'm counting all of August), we'll know which UConn player is most worthy of AA consideraration. But at THIS point, it's anybody's guess. My unique mystical gifts and talents allow me to see into the near future, but not that far.

I know it has been discussed to death in other threads but any analysis as in depth as this has to include a discussion of Butler. You can't discuss Chong without Butler. Other than that...good stuff.

 

[Carnac]

I know it has been discussed to death in other threads but any analysis as in depth as this has to include a discussion of Butler. You can't discuss Chong without Butler. Other than that...good stuff.

victor64, you're right. I've got to be honest here. While I was arranging my thoughts and composing my comments, Natalie Butler never entered my mind. Because..............I'm pretty sure that she will get an appriciable amount of playing time this upcoming season. She didn't get on the floor much last season because they didn't need her. Geno usually went only 2 deep (Williams/Collier) on his bench before the 4th quarter.

Geno's got 3 starting spots to fill. You've got to figure that Williams and Collier will fill two of them. Who fills the last one we don't know. Butler just might earn that third starting spot. I can't say the same for Chong. Chong may also get a lot of PT. She too may start, or she may come off the bench.

As I said, at THIS point (7 months out), no one really knows. Thanks for the positive acknowledgement. it's appriciated.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I agree with what's been written above but IMO both Saniya & Natalie are going to make positive contributions to the Huskies this season! Both were disappointed in last season mostly caused by injuries, Saniya with the L Band/knee and Natalie with the thumb. So they'll be working their butts off this off-season to get back to where they were previously!
Both had great preseasons heading into November then their seasons were basically derailed by the lack of practice time/game time experience and never recovered!
They both know they'll be important cogs in the rotation with the loss of the Big 3!

 

[Carnac]

I agree with what's been written above but IMO both Saniya & Natalie are going to make positive contributions to the Huskies this season! Both were disappointed in last season mostly caused by injuries, Saniya with the L Band/knee and Natalie with the thumb. So they'll be working their butts off this off-season to get back to where they were previously!
Both had great preseasons heading into November then their seasons were basically derailed by the lack of practice time/game time experience and never recovered!
They both know they'll be important cogs in the rotation with the loss of the Big 3!

I'm not a Chong hater. I hope no one read my comments that way. I just called it like I see it. My reasoning for thinking that way is: there will be 5 other guards (Lawlor, Nurse, Williams, Bent & Dangerfield) besides Chong on the roster this upcoming season. There are no other (active) 6'5" post players on the roster besides Butler.

There are going to be lots of times Geno is going to need Butler's presence on the court while the outcome of the game is still undecided. So, In my mind, Butler gettting lots of PT, maybe even starting, was a foregone conclusion, not worth mentioning. Everybody in the yard has already anticipated that. Incoming freshman Kyla Irwin is listed as a forward, so that makes Butler the only true post player on the roster.
Note: Lou IS NOT a post player.

If this is Chong's year, I'm OK with it. She's paid her dues. She hung in there. I hope she finishes her UConn career with a bang. As I stated in a prior post, I don't have a preference about who starts, or who plays. I'm a UConn fan, period!! I'm going to root and cheer for whoever Geno puts out there. I enjoy wathing our team play. I especially enjoy watching them frustrate a top ramked team that wants more than anything to beat us, but can't (you know who I mean). I join you in wishing and hoping that they BOTH contribute heavily this year to the team's success, and raise a few eyebrows along the way.

 

[Kibitzer]

Who has the best chance at 1st team all-American 2016-2017?

Lou, that's who.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I think UCONN can possibly have 2 players that could earn AA honors this season. I think either Katie Lou Samuelson and/or Gabby Williams play the type of game that gets noticed and that could get them votes if they have outstanding seasons!
KLS has shown she can bring an outstanding defensive game to the table to go along with her many offensive skills! And Gabby Williams plays a lot like another 5'11" F in Baylor's Nina Davis, who's been an AA the last 2 seasons! Gabby brings the superior athletic ability that makes her almost undefensible and has planned to add a 18' to 3 point shot to her arsenal on offense this off-season and also use her unbelievable quickness to cover PG's & SG's as well as SF's on defense!
If both can remain healthy, they could garner votes toward the WBCA 12 member AA team!
Kia Nurse has the ability to get to AA status but must remain fresh coming off the Canadian Olympic team games and not wear out over the long NCAA season!