As a sophomore on the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, Sarah Strong has already reached 1,000 college career points. The 6-foot-2 forward has reached this accomplishment in 59 games, becoming the third-fastest player in program history to do so. Only Paige Bueckers and Maya Moore reached 1,000 points faster at UConn, both in 55 games.
No. 1 Recruit for a Reason
Being a part of the class of 2024 in high school, before college, Strong was already one of the most accomplished recruits. From Durham, North Carolina, she came to UConn as the No. 1-ranked recruit in the nation after a dominant high school career. She was also a 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year, earning All-American honors from McDonald’s, Naismith, SLAM, and Jordan Brand. She was also a two-time Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year and North Carolina Miss Basketball, leading Grace Christian School to three state championships while averaging 21.0 points and 16.8 rebounds per game.
Basketball also runs deep in her family. Her mother, Allison Feaster, played at Harvard and then professionally in the WNBA for a decade and overseas. She was a 2004 WNBA All-Star and is now the Vice President of Team Operations and Organizational Growth for the Boston Celtics. Her father, Danny Strong, also played collegiately at NC State. Prior to living in North Carolina, she was born in Spain and lived there for 10 years. Growing up, both of her parents were involved in coaching and developing her basketball skills.
A Freshman Year for the Books
There were high expectations for Strong entering her freshman year, and she definitely lived up to them.
In 2025, she helped lead UConn to a national championship while earning:
- WBCA National Freshman of the Year
- Big East Freshman of the Year
- WBCA All-America
- AP Second Team All-America
- All-Big East First Team
- NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
She also set program and NCAA records, including:
- UConn’s freshman record holder for rebounds (356)
- The second Husky ever, after Maya Moore, to score 600+ points as a freshman
- No. 2 among UConn freshmen in assists and steals
- The NCAA record holder for most points scored by a freshman in a single NCAA tournament (114)
The 1,000-Point Game
Sarah Strong, at 19 years old, reached the 1,000-point mark during the first half against Notre Dame, knocking down a three-pointer on Jan. 19, 2026.
She finished the night with 18 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, helping UConn extend its undefeated record to 19–0, breaking a three-game losing streak against the Fighting Irish, winning 85-57. It also marked the largest margin of victory (38 points) in the 20-year history of the rivalry between these two teams.
Sarah Strong was just doing what she’s done all season by contributing in every possible way.
A Strong Start to Year Two
Through the 19 games so far of the 2025–26 season, Strong is averaging:
- 18.6 points per game
- 8.3 rebounds
- 4.5 assists
- 3.6 steals
- 1.7 blocks
- 60.3% field goal percentage
- 41.1% from three
- 90% from the free-throw line
All while averaging just 27.3 minutes per game.
The Huskies Season So Far
When committing to UConn, Sarah Strong wasn’t just becoming a part of a team, but a part of a legacy that has shaped some of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time. As this season progresses, it is becoming clear that we aren’t just watching one great player; we are watching a historic team. The UConn women’s basketball team is currently ranked No. 1, with programs like South Carolina and UCLA unable to keep up a rare thing in women’s college basketball. UConn’s defense has been one of the season’s biggest reasons no one can keep up. They’ve had games with extraordinary turnovers and steals (e.g., 23 steals vs. DePaul) and routinely hold opponents to low scoring. UConn leads the Big East in all major areas of the game: scoring, assists, rebounds, blocks, and defensive numbers. They’re outstanding defensively, versatile, disciplined, and led by experienced winners, which all around makes them tough for any team to keep up with this season. This season is especially fun to watch so far, due to UConn defending a title and looking to repeat, and their current winning streak (over 30 games) is one of the longest in recent UConn history.
More to Come
If the games Sarah Strong has played in so far are any indication, the best is yet to come for Sarah Strong. From her early days at Grace Christian School, where she led her team to three state championships, to breaking records as a freshman at UConn, Sarah Strong’s journey has been defined by excellence throughout. Her combination of skill, versatility, and basketball IQ has allowed her to thrive in every aspect of the game: scoring, rebounding, assisting, and defending.
With over two seasons of eligibility remaining, Strong could be heading in the direction to challenge the program’s all-time scoring records, although it’s going to be interesting to see what she does and where with the rest of her basketball career. At just 19 years old, Sarah Strong has already made a significant mark on UConn and on women’s basketball. Strong is the definition of an incredible female athlete, and for fans of UConn, women’s basketball, and sports in general, she is a player many can’t wait to watch for years to come—or should start watching: 1,000 points and counting, with so much more still ahead.