Collier and Samuelson win AAC Co-POY award

[oldude]

The happiest people when Napheesa graduates in 2019 - Napheesa`s parents, Napheesa, and Henshaw.

Yes, but there will be a brand new Collier at UConn that Henshaw will still have to deal with. There's no escape.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Video: AAC Awards. Ceremony starts at the 15 minute mark.

Don't know why AA didn't upload an edited video that deleted the first 15 minutes

 

[Millenial23]

And of course, did you see who shared coach of the year with Geno? None other than Tonya Cardoza!

Edit: just realized this is in the OP. Still though, congrats Tonya!

 

[Scud49]

Hey, I love Katie Lou to death and she is a wonderful player, but to me the co players of the year should have been Napheesa and Gabby.

Gabby's ability to take on the other teams bigs game after game, and outplay them, was invaluable to this team. Add in her assists, steals, and blocks, to go along with her rebounding against those bigger players, her contribution was huge.

DPOY was nice, but IMO, she deserves more.

 

[rugbymate]

Co-players of the year and they are roommates? Gotta be a first...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Co-players of the year and they are roommates? Gotta be a first...

Maya and Tina split national POY awards when they were roomies. I think having them room together was a stroke of genius from CD. Maya would be a good influence on anyone.

 

[Woof 101]

Plebe I am 100% in agreement with you. Katie Abrahamson has done a phenomenal job there and suspect she will be considered for this award a few more times before her career is through.
As has been noted by some fellow BYers here, I think this is a case where the "old boy network" worked in favor of UConn visa vi Tanya being named. She's done a nice job with Temple but her jump from last year to this year wasn't as impressive as UCF. Overall, I am supportive of Tanya getting credit. I hope she sustains it.

DefenseBB, no argument with you or Plebe, I simply disagree with the assumption these were handed out by "the good ole boy network".
Yes KA did a nice job and should get kudos for that but by no means COTY. Temple was far beyond and above UCF in every statistical category. As for Geno he got it for
not loosing the handful of games that EVERY prognosticator said he would this year. This including us fans!

Not a fan of just numbers but some times they are a fact and in this case they are way too far apart to ignore. While Temple is 17th in RPI, UCF is at 110. Non conference schedule was 59 & 231...Again no argument with a fellow fan but this was an easy decision by the powers that be.
2016-2017 Women's College Basketball Strength of Schedule (SOS) - WarrenNolan.com

 

[Oldbones]

I do feel a little bad for Gabbs ... like Kia she is so integral to the success of this group. If 2, why not 3. In voting in the poll I suggested 4 Cos, pig that I am. Oink, oink

Hartford Courant suggested that the vote for POY was 5-5. Maybe it was 3.5-3.5 with the other three for Gabby.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I believe that Collier should have been AAC POY --I cannot disagree with KLS/Collier co-POY!! Edge to Napheseea

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Hartford Courant suggested that the vote for POY was 5-5. Maybe it was 3.5-3.5 with the other three for Gabby.

Let's not forget, uconn got Co-Players of the Year AND Defensive Player of the Year for Gabby... so, she is well recognized along with 1st team all conf..

 

[Carnac]

Congratulations to the "Wonder Twins" the first of many awards they'll share over the course of their respective careers. Next up Co-MOP's of the FF?

The BEST thing about these two are they're going to be here for two more years. You know they will both improve every year. Just for a brief moment, think how scary good these two are going to be as seniors. Tamara Henshaw (6'1" F - USF) was selected the AAC freshman of the year today. The same Player that Collier continuously beat for a new career high of 39 points before fouling her out.
I'm SMH. Because next year, Geno's got some exceptional 5 star freshmen coming in along with the two transfers, that are going to make next year's team look like last year's team...........almost invincible.

No team came within 10 points of beating last year's team. To date, only 3 teams (Florida State, Maryland & Tulane) out of 29, lost by less than 10 points. Invincible is a word I don't use flippantly.
If no one can beat THIS team, and next year's team is supposed to be so much better talent wise and depth wise, defeat would seem highly improbable, wouldn't you say?

 

[NoelAustin]

Don't feel bad for Gabby. Gabby was the conference DPOY. I'll bet that means more to her, and to Geno, than the conference POY, and she didn't have to share it.

Just like last year - Nice that the 3rd best player on UConn is one of the best in the country.

 

[geneticrex]

I haven't been so energized by a UConn team in quite a while. Can't put my finger on it. Labeling them overachievers isn't it. It my be that because of their relatively "diminutive" size the way they play offense really does generate more wow plays a game than the mighty 3 led team. But I'm still figuring it out.

I coud not agree more.

There really is something about this team.

 

[Scud49]

I coud not agree more.
There really is something about this team.

Can't agree more - from where they started last fall to today, tremendous achievers, and now my favorite UCONN team of all time....!

 

[Carnac]

Can't agree more - from where they started last fall to today, tremendous achievers, and now my favorite UCONN team of all time....!

Until you see next year's team. You're gonna love em'!!

 

[Carnac]

Scud49 said: "Can't agree more - from where they started last fall to today, tremendous achievers, and now my favorite UCONN team of all time".

PRESEASON RANKINGS - Something that still sticks in my craw from back in September, is the preseason rankings that had UConn at #6, despite the fact that they were the defending national champions. Obviously that meant nothing to whoever rated/ranked the teams i.e, Charlie Creme, et al, because they completely missed the boat. The team (whoever it is) that wins the national championship, should be ranked #1 at the beginning of the next season regardless of who graduates, or who returns. They deserve that much respect. If finish on top, you begin the next season on top. Since it's just a ranking "on paper", there should not be a problem. I understand the dynamics behind ranking teams in September, but that still doesn't make it OK. Many posters chimed in last year when I raised this question then.

If after a few games, they falter and prove they don't deserve a #1 ranking, then drop them down accordingly. This undefeated #1 ranked UConn team is the same one that began the season in November. The only difference between then and now is perception. Notre Dame didn't even make it to the final four, yet they were ranked #1? What did they do to deserve that ranking? They also disrespected the returning UConn players that grabbed the baton, didn't miss a beat, and kept the winning streak going.

The raters can see NOW that this is a team worthy of the #1 ranking. And the teams that were ranked above them weren't. They couldn't see it back in September. This is why I don't give any credence to preseason rankings. They misjudged the top 6 teams. I wonder if they learned anything from their miscalculations. I hope they remember the phenomena that took place this year in Storrs, and conduct themselves accordingly next year,when contemplating the order of the top 25 teams. It's real simple, put whoever wins the NC at #1 of any/all preseason polls, then make adjustments as the season progresses. I'll step down off of my soapbox now, I feel a lot better. Go UConn.

 

[Carnac]

I would think that this award enhances their chances of being selected as 1st team All-Americans.

 

[geneticrex]

Until you see next year's team. You're gonna love em'!!

I already do.

 

[mudcat]

I hate to take away anything from Tonya and Geno, but I'm mildly surprised that Coach Abe at UCF didn't get a share of COY.
Last year: UCF was 7-23 overall, tied for 9th in the AAC at 4-14, finished the season #272 in the RPI.
This year: UCF is 19-10 overall, 4th in the AAC at 9-7, currently #111 in the RPI.

She was great at her previous school (was it Albany?) and I expect UCF will improve pretty quickly. Don't know how she's done in recruiting this year, do you?

 

[Plebe]

She was great at her previous school (was it Albany?) and I expect UCF will improve pretty quickly. Don't know how she's done in recruiting this year, do you?

I don't know about recruiting, but I know that Zakiya Saunders, her point guard from Albany, followed her to UCF and will be eligible to play next year. Last year Saunders was 6th in assists among DI players at 6.9 per game.

UCF will only graduate 2 seniors this year, although those two seniors are their second-leading scorer and their leading rebounder.

 

[Los24]

Jus

Hey, I love Katie Lou to death and she is a wonderful player, but to me the co players of the year should have been Napheesa and Gabby.

Gabby's ability to take on the other teams bigs game after game, and outplay them, was invaluable to this team. Add in her assists, steals, and blocks, to go along with her rebounding against those bigger players, her contribution was huge.

DPOY was nice, but IMO, she deserves more.

There are a lot of factors and I think because Lou struggled a bit last few games people discount her game. Don't forget first two wins against top teams Gabby was on bench a bunch. Also, Lou opens things up for offense. If they gave assists like hockey Lou would have a bunch more assists because she is a great passer but often is not the last person to touch ball while it's flowing to eventual scorer. There are a few games where Gabby scored single digits. Gabby also leads in turnovers. Gabby is great and deserves all her accolades but Lou has had many special games and is an extremely diverse scorer (score on break, post, mid-range, foul line and from deeeep!). Gabby is still suspect from mid_range and foul line at times, plus no 3. Lastly, everyone acts like Gabby shuts down other top bigs, she does not. It's a team effort and most of the top bigs at least reached their averages. Gabby played well against them and many times took advantage of her quickness but it was not a lockdown like Mo used to put on players she guarded. Her great instincts, athleticism, quickness and overall defensive play has her on top defensively which is why she deservedly won DPOY for conference (and should nationally.)

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Jus


There are a lot of factors and I think because Lou struggled a bit last few games people discount her game. Don't forget first two wins against top teams Gabby was on bench a bunch. Also, Lou opens things up for offense. If they gave assists like hockey Lou would have a bunch more assists because she is a great passer but often is not the last person to touch ball while it's flowing to eventual scorer. There are a few games where Gabby scored single digits. Gabby also leads in turnovers. Gabby is great and deserves all her accolades but Lou has had many special games and is an extremely diverse scorer (score on break, post, mid-range, foul line and from deeeep!). Gabby is still suspect from mid_range and foul line at times, plus no 3. Lastly, everyone acts like Gabby shuts down other top bigs, she does not. It's a team effort and most of the top bigs at least reached their averages. Gabby played well against them and many times took advantage of her quickness but it was not a lockdown like Mo used to put on players she guarded. Her great instincts, athleticism, quickness and overall defensive play has her on top defensively which is why she deservedly won DPOY for conference (and should nationally.)

This has been my first year following the BY, but one of the things I've noticed is the "recentcy" factor. I posted something like this on a thread when there was a poll running about who people thought would win... and the majority of the votes went to Pheessa...at the end of the season when she was at her hottest. But through the season there has been a different player who was the IT girl... the Player of the Year Voters (as Geno said during a presser) is based on the entire season. That was why he thought it would be so tough to select One. Obviously the Voters had the same kind of concerns. Like it or not, POY is often based largely on Offensive Stats... Gabby was recognized for her defense with DPOY, but the offensive numbers went to Lou and Phe.
Personally I think the result was pretty sweet... all 3 of our Naismith finalists were awarded with a Major award in Conference!