The all-UConn Second Team

[alexrgct]

OK, it's pretty well established that the current all-UConn First Team (AKA, the starting five) is:

PG- Sue Bird
SG- Diana Taurasi
SF- Maya Moore
PF- Rebecca Lobo
C- Tina Charles

There's not much controversy that Tina and Sue deserve the spot as "starters". There was a poll for PG and Center on the BY, and those two won handily. There's no controversy at all for Maya and Diana. Meanwhile, Rebecca got the nod in yet another BY poll, winning handily because of everything she did and everything she meant to UConn.

So, if you can think why there's so little controversy with respect to what those five have meant to UConn WBB, who should comprise the Second Team?

I actually found my list to be a significant challenge, and I bet there will be some disagreement. In any event, here are my second five:

PG-Jennifer Rizotti
SG- Kerry Bascom
F- Breanna Stewart
F- Svetlana Abrosimova
C- Kara Wolters

My rationale:

PG- I'm torn between Jen and Renee, but Jen was NPOY in 1996, as well as instrumental in and the emotional leader of UConn's first national champion.

SG- The girl from Epping, NH with the ailing mother was UConn's first significant recruit, and she led UConn to a number of other firsts: first NCAA tourney appearance, first league regular season and tourney championships, and first trip to the Final Four. You simply cannot overstate how important Bascom was to the University of Connecticut.

SF- Stewie can play either the 3 or the 4 because she's that versatile. After the NPOY award and two Final Four MOPs, she's pretty much a lock to break into the starting five by the time she finishes her college career. As such, she's pretty much a no-brainer on the Second Team for now.

PF-Svet is another no-brainer as far as I'm concerned, a versatile super-talent who vied for NPOY in 2000 and was a matchup nightmare. I can only imagine the havoc she and Breanna would wreak on the same court!

C- I have to admit I really wanted to put Stef on this team, but Kara Wolters is yet another one of the great forbears of the program. And she does have that NPOY award from 1997, so she deserves the nod.

I'd like to read other folks' Second Teams, and maybe even some Third Teams. Lord knows Third Team has an impressive pool left to choose from!

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Once again I feel Kaleena is slighted. She is amazing.
I would go with Renee over Jenn. And to be honest I would go with an Ashja Jones or Swin Cash over Rebecca... but that is just me

 

[jcoton56]

OK, it's pretty well established that the current all-UConn First Team (AKA, the starting five) is:

PG- Sue Bird
SG- Diana Taurasi
SF- Maya Moore
PF- Rebecca Lobo
C- Tina Charles

There's not much controversy that Tina and Sue deserve the spot as "starters". There was a poll for PG and Center on the BY, and those two won handily. There's no controversy at all for Maya and Diana. Meanwhile, Rebecca got the nod in yet another BY poll, winning handily because of everything she did and everything she meant to UConn.

So, if you can think why there's so little controversy with respect to what those five have meant to UConn WBB, who should comprise the Second Team?

I actually found my list to be a significant challenge, and I bet there will be some disagreement. In any event, here are my second five:

PG-Jennifer Rizotti
SG- Kerry Bascom
F- Breanna Stewart
F- Svetlana Abrosimova
C- Kara Wolters

My rationale:

PG- I'm torn between Jen and Renee, but Jen was NPOY in 1996, as well as instrumental in and the emotional leader of UConn's first national champion.

SG- The girl from Epping, NH with the ailing mother was UConn's first significant recruit, and she led UConn to a number of other firsts: first NCAA tourney appearance, first league regular season and tourney championships, and first trip to the Final Four. You simply cannot overstate how important Bascom was to the University of Connecticut.

SF- Stewie can play either the 3 or the 4 because she's that versatile. After the NPOY award and two Final Four MOPs, she's pretty much a lock to break into the starting five by the time she finishes her college career. As such, she's pretty much a no-brainer on the Second Team for now.

PF-Svet is another no-brainer as far as I'm concerned, a versatile super-talent who vied for NPOY in 2000 and was a matchup nightmare. I can only imagine the havoc she and Breanna would wreak on the same court!

C- I have to admit I really wanted to put Stef on this team, but Kara Wolters is yet another one of the great forbears of the program. And she does have that NPOY award from 1997, so she deserves the nod.

I'd like to read other folks' Second Teams, and maybe even some Third Teams. Lord knows Third Team has an impressive pool left to choose from!

Where do you put Sales?

 

[EasyEd]

I think you have to treat UConn like a league of their own. You need 10 each for first and second team selections. Then you would need about 40 honorable mentions. Even then you could make a case to have even more. There have been so many great players and all of those committed to the team that have made UConn great, that I would hate to slight any player.

 

[Suebird10fan]

I wd go with Sales immediately after these 10. After that Cash, Dolson and Ralph come to mind.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Btw I thought from title this might be the all time team of UConn players that never started.

That might be fun.

 

[Kibitzer]

You know you are in trouble when you don't find room for Sales, Mosqueda-Lewis, or Hartley.

Or Swin Cash or Asjha Jones, both of whom were repeat Olympians.

 

[jcoton56]

You know you are in trouble when you don't find room for Sales, Mosqueda-Lewis, or Hartley.

Or Swin Cash or Asjha Jones, both of whom were repeat Olympians.

Or Shea Ralph or Jamelle Elliot

 

[chrissaran]

Is this about the best players or firsts or emotions because of what they meant to the program? Players can't help when they came to UConn. If Kerry Bascom deserves to be on the team then it should be because of her ability. The fact that she was the first significant recruit shouldn't enter into it. I never saw Kerry play, so it would be ignorant of me to vote yes or no. From what I've heard she was a special player.

 

[ndmb]

I actually disagree on the starting five. I'd give it to Stewart, even as a sophomore, because of her versatility. My first several teams:

One:
Bird
Taurasi
Moore
Stewart
Charles

Two:
Rizotti
Abrosimova
Sales
Cash
Lobo

Three:
Montgomery
Ralph
Mosqueda-Lewis
Bascom
Dolson

Four:
Jefferson
Hartley
Faris
Jones
Wolters

How do you have Wolters, who won a NPOY award not in the top three teams? I dunno, but I felt like I had to give the nod to Doslon because she's the more complete offensive player, which was especially relevant in my third team, which is a little lacking in traditional guards. I felt that having a point-center would open up the offense.

I also struggled not having Bascom in the top two teams and between Montgomery and Rizotti.

 

[alexrgct]

Is this about the best players or firsts or emotions because of what they meant to the program? Players can't help when they came to UConn. If Kerry Bascom deserves to be on the team then it should be because of her ability. The fact that she was the first significant recruit shouldn't enter into it. I never saw Kerry play, so it would be ignorant of me to vote yes or no. From what I've heard she was a special player.

Bascom deserves to be in the second five at worst because of her statistics and because of everything UConn accomplished while she was there. The simple fact of her being the first significant recruit was no explicit or implicit factor in my including her.

 

[alexrgct]

I actually disagree on the starting five. I'd give it to Stewart, even as a sophomore, because of her versatility. My first several teams:

One:
Bird
Taurasi
Moore
Stewart
Charles

Well, that would probably put you in the minority, but you're certainly allowed.

For the record, I agree with you insomuch as I think Stewie WILL supplant Rebecca on the UConn all-time starting five. I went on record to predict that a couple of months ago, so we're both on the hook!

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/how-good-is-breanna.59414/#post-946489

 

[MilfordHusky]

A few points:

We are so fortunate. We have multiple NPOYs on the SECOND team. Insane! But accurate.

This is an ongoing question, because of current and future players. If MoJett leaves with 4 NCAA titles, 2 Liebermans, and 120+ straight wins, she jumps to at least 2nd team. Similarly, after 4 years, Stewie moves to 1st team.

Our best shooter and 2nd or 3rd career scorer probably should be no worse than 2nd team. Remember the kid that Geno called Baby Jesus? Well, now she's working miracles.

 

[Kibitzer]

It would take someone with the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, the genius of Einstein, and the marketing talent of P.T. Barnum to put together a team (1st and 2nd) that would achieve consensus.

That person ain't me so I won't touch this one.

 

[asuwish]

I actually disagree on the starting five. I'd give it to Stewart, even as a sophomore, because of her versatility. My first several teams:

One:
Bird
Taurasi
Moore
Stewart
Charles

Two:
Rizotti
Abrosimova
Sales
Cash
Lobo

Three:
Montgomery
Ralph
Mosqueda-Lewis
Bascom
Dolson

Four:
Jefferson
Hartley
Faris
Jones
Wolters

How do you have Wolters, who won a NPOY award not in the top three teams? I dunno, but I felt like I had to give the nod to Doslon because she's the more complete offensive player, which was especially relevant in my third team, which is a little lacking in traditional guards. I felt that having a point-center would open up the offense.

I also struggled not having Bascom in the top two teams and between Montgomery and Rizotti.

I think they are BOTH great, but in my view Rizotti would be ahead of Montgomery. Jen was NPOY and Renee did not make first team AA. Renee played 150 game to Jens 135, but had less assist 637 / 632, and less steals 350 / 266 important stats for point guards. Kara Wolters was also NPOY and didn't really need to be a great passer because once she got the ball in the block you couldn't stop her. I think to many people vote newer players because they either never saw the other player or we forget just how dominant they were (both won NPOY) Players like Laura Lishness, Jamelle Elliott and even Tamika Williams do not generally get mentioned anymore yet probably have greater numbers than Kelly Farris who I understand was considered the heart, soul, and glue of her teams, but so were these guys. If this was an actual game I would use Lobo over Charles, but that's just me.

 

[Vowelguy]

Excluding players who have not finished their UConn careers.

1st: Bird 02, Taurasi 04, Maya 11, Lobo 95, Tina 10
2nd: Rizz 96, Sales 98, Svet 01, Bascom 91, KaraW 97
3rd: Renee 09, Shea 01, Swin 02, Asjha 02, Dolson 14
4th: Hartley 14, Strother 06, Faris 13, Berube 97, Tamika 02
5th: Conlon 04, Tiff 12, BT 06, Jamelle 96, JMo 05
6th: Rita 98, Lishness 91, MelT 08, Greene 10, Charde 08
7th: Doty 13, Duran 99, WendyDavis 92, Battle 05, Schuie 01
8th: Swanier 08, McLaren 11, Crockett 06, Pattyson 92, Najarian 88
9th: Dixon 11, Lamb 90, Gardler 10, Bambam 00, Sauer 00

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think they are BOTH great, but in my view Rizotti would be ahead of Montgomery. Jen was NPOY and Renee did not make first team AA. Renee played 150 game to Jens 135, but had less assist 637 / 632, and less steals 350 / 266 important stats for point guards. Kara Wolters was also NPOY and didn't really need to be a great passer because once she got the ball in the block you couldn't stop her. I think to many people vote newer players because they either never saw the other player or we forget just how dominant they were (both won NPOY) Players like Laura Lishness, Jamelle Elliott and even Tamika Williams do not generally get mentioned anymore yet probably have greater numbers than Kelly Farris who I understand was considered the heart, soul, and glue of her teams, but so were these guys. If this was an actual game I would use Lobo over Charles, but that's just me.

Renee was 1st Team AP All-American her senior year:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=4030503

 

[Wally East]

As far as the original 2nd team, I'd switch Bascom to the front court and put Sales in at SG, bumping Svet to 3rd team. Svet never dropped 40+ on Stanford

 

[Buzzyboy]

OK, it's pretty well established that the current all-UConn First Team (AKA, the starting five) is:

PG- Sue Bird
SG- Diana Taurasi
SF- Maya Moore
PF- Rebecca Lobo
C- Tina Charles

There's not much controversy that Tina and Sue deserve the spot as "starters". There was a poll for PG and Center on the BY, and those two won handily. There's no controversy at all for Maya and Diana. Meanwhile, Rebecca got the nod in yet another BY poll, winning handily because of everything she did and everything she meant to UConn.

So, if you can think why there's so little controversy with respect to what those five have meant to UConn WBB, who should comprise the Second Team?

I actually found my list to be a significant challenge, and I bet there will be some disagreement. In any event, here are my second five:

PG-Jennifer Rizotti
SG- Kerry Bascom
F- Breanna Stewart
F- Svetlana Abrosimova
C- Kara Wolters

My rationale:

PG- I'm torn between Jen and Renee, but Jen was NPOY in 1996, as well as instrumental in and the emotional leader of UConn's first national champion.

SG- The girl from Epping, NH with the ailing mother was UConn's first significant recruit, and she led UConn to a number of other firsts: first NCAA tourney appearance, first league regular season and tourney championships, and first trip to the Final Four. You simply cannot overstate how important Bascom was to the University of Connecticut.

SF- Stewie can play either the 3 or the 4 because she's that versatile. After the NPOY award and two Final Four MOPs, she's pretty much a lock to break into the starting five by the time she finishes her college career. As such, she's pretty much a no-brainer on the Second Team for now.

PF-Svet is another no-brainer as far as I'm concerned, a versatile super-talent who vied for NPOY in 2000 and was a matchup nightmare. I can only imagine the havoc she and Breanna would wreak on the same court!

C- I have to admit I really wanted to put Stef on this team, but Kara Wolters is yet another one of the great forbears of the program. And she does have that NPOY award from 1997, so she deserves the nod.

I'd like to read other folks' Second Teams, and maybe even some Third Teams. Lord knows Third Team has an impressive pool left to choose from!

I don't think there's any question that I would pick Jen over Renee Montgomery. I personally wasn't ever a super duper fan of Renee and think that though she is talented, she is nowhere near the player that others seem to feel she is. I thought she often forced shots and was too much of a gunner for me, even when other players had a "hotter" hand or where in better scoring position. Jen was tough and scrappy and it was always team first with her! I'm also not so sure about Rebecca as an automatic on my first team. JMHO!

 

[RadyLady]

I think you have to treat UConn like a league of their own. You need 10 each for first and second team selections. Then you would need about 40 honorable mentions. Even then you could make a case to have even more. There have been so many great players and all of those committed to the team that have made UConn great, that I would hate to slight any player.

This is a fun thread to read, but I have a hard time making these choices

 

[VAUConnFan]

OK, it's pretty well established that the current all-UConn First Team (AKA, the starting five) is:

PG- Sue Bird
SG- Diana Taurasi
SF- Maya Moore
PF- Rebecca Lobo
C- Tina Charles

There's not much controversy that Tina and Sue deserve the spot as "starters". There was a poll for PG and Center on the BY, and those two won handily. There's no controversy at all for Maya and Diana. Meanwhile, Rebecca got the nod in yet another BY poll, winning handily because of everything she did and everything she meant to UConn.

So, if you can think why there's so little controversy with respect to what those five have meant to UConn WBB, who should comprise the Second Team?

I actually found my list to be a significant challenge, and I bet there will be some disagreement. In any event, here are my second five:

PG-Jennifer Rizotti
SG- Kerry Bascom
F- Breanna Stewart
F- Svetlana Abrosimova
C- Kara Wolters

My rationale:

PG- I'm torn between Jen and Renee, but Jen was NPOY in 1996, as well as instrumental in and the emotional leader of UConn's first national champion.

SG- The girl from Epping, NH with the ailing mother was UConn's first significant recruit, and she led UConn to a number of other firsts: first NCAA tourney appearance, first league regular season and tourney championships, and first trip to the Final Four. You simply cannot overstate how important Bascom was to the University of Connecticut.

SF- Stewie can play either the 3 or the 4 because she's that versatile. After the NPOY award and two Final Four MOPs, she's pretty much a lock to break into the starting five by the time she finishes her college career. As such, she's pretty much a no-brainer on the Second Team for now.

PF-Svet is another no-brainer as far as I'm concerned, a versatile super-talent who vied for NPOY in 2000 and was a matchup nightmare. I can only imagine the havoc she and Breanna would wreak on the same court!

C- I have to admit I really wanted to put Stef on this team, but Kara Wolters is yet another one of the great forbears of the program. And she does have that NPOY award from 1997, so she deserves the nod.

I'd like to read other folks' Second Teams, and maybe even some Third Teams. Lord knows Third Team has an impressive pool left to choose from!

WOW! You do not have Nykesha Sales on your first or your second team.

 

[meyers7]

As far as the original 2nd team, I'd switch Bascom to the front court and put Sales in at SG, bumping Svet to 3rd team. Svet never dropped 40+ on Stanford

True, but Sales wasn't a 3 time AA.

 

[cohenzone]

What's interesting to me is the number of quality players not even mentioned in passing in this discussion for even team 2 (properly so, I think )who would be pretty high up on lists at most other schools. Ann Strother Barbara Turner, Charde Houston, Jess Moore, Kelly Schumacher and I'm probably forgetting some. We are darn lucky fans.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

With the plethora of talent that has gone through the campus at Storrs the only fair way to show the success of UCONN WBB is to break it down by the amount of "elite levels" players attain! There is so much talent to just NAME 1st team/2nd team, etc.
There are 3 "elite levels" possible, UCONN/WNBA/OLYMPICS so if you use this as a guide it breaks down to:

3 Levels:
Sue Bird UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Diana Taurasi UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Maya Moore UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Tina Charles UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Rebecca Lobo UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Kara Wolters UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Asjha Jones UCONN/ WNBA / Olympics
Swin Cash UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Renee Montgomery UCONN / WNBA / Olympics
Svet Abrosinova UCONN / WNBA / Olympics (Russia)

2 Levels:
Nykesha Sales UCONN / WNBA
Jen Rizzotti UCONN / WNBA
Steph Dolson UCONN / WNBA
Bria Hartley UCONN / WNBA
Kelly Faris UCONN/ WNBA
Jessica Moore UCONN / WNBA
Charde Houston UCONN / WNBA
Ketia Swanier UCONN / WNBA
Barb Turner UCONN / WNBA
Kelly Schumacher UCONN / WNBA
Tiff Hayes UCONN / WNBA
Kalana Greene UCONN / WNBA
Ashley Battle UCONN / WNBA
Tamika Williams UCONN / WNBA
Ann Strother UCONN / WNBA

1 Level:
Breanna Stewart UCONN All-American
K M-Lewis UCONN All-American
Kerry Bascom UCONN All-American
Shea Ralph UCONN All-American

Obviously Stewie, KML, Mo Jeff, and others coming aboard, as they get older and progress across the different levels will move up the ladder! There is no doubt that Stewie and KML and quite possibly MoJeff will advance all the way to the WNBA & Olympics!
There was no WNBA for Kerry Bascom and Shea Ralph's knees kept her from the WNBA and the Olympics!

 

[Vowelguy]

With the plethora of talent that has gone through the campus at Storrs the only fair way to show the success of UCONN WBB is to break it down by the amount of "elite levels" players attain!

> "The only fair way"
Uh, in your opinion.

For this discussion, I prefer to consider UConn players solely based on their career at UConn.

Lobo had a mediocre pro career. But there's no doubt that she was one of the best at UConn. Conversely, Charde & Schuie have had decent, long WNBA careers. Without hesitation, neither are in my top 25 UConn players based on their college play.