Paige Bueckers Named 2025 Honda Sport Award Winner
STORRS, Conn. – Former UConn women’s basketball standout Paige Bueckers has been honored with the 2025 Honda Sport Award for women’s basketball, as announced by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) on Monday.
The Significance of the Honda Sport Award
For nearly five decades, the Honda Sport Award has recognized exceptional female athletes across 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, celebrating “the best of the best” in collegiate athletics. As this year’s recipient, Bueckers becomes a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2025 Honda Cup, which will be awarded during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 30 at 7 PM ET in New York City.
Bueckers’ Stellar Collegiate Career
In her final season, Bueckers played a pivotal role in leading the UConn Huskies to the 2025 NCAA Championship. Over her four years at the university, she steered the team to four Final Four appearances, two national championship games, and secured eight BIG EAST titles.
Career Achievements
- Career scoring average: 19.8 points per game—UConn’s highest
- Ranked third in career points at UConn with 2,439 points
- Led team with 19.9 points per game in her final season, alongside a shooting split of .534/.419/.889
- Recorded 4.6 assists per game and a remarkable 3.52 assist-turnover ratio, the best in a single season at UConn
Record-Setting Player
Bueckers made history upon her arrival at UConn in 2020, becoming the first freshman to win the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP National Player of the Year, and USBWA National Player of the Year in 2021. In her shining final season, she was also recognized with the Honda Award and the Wade Trophy, asserting her dominance as a collegiate athlete.
Honors and Recognition
Her accolades include:
- Three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year
- The first three-time BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player
- Three-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection
Graduation and Future Prospects
Bueckers completed her undergraduate studies in human development and family sciences in May 2024. Following her collegiate success, she was selected first overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, marking the beginning of her professional career.
A Legacy at UConn
With Bueckers winning the Honda Sport Award, she joins a distinguished group of UConn athletes who have received this honor. Previous winners include basketball legends such as Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, and Breanna Stewart, underscoring the program’s legacy of excellence.
