Spring Break
The honors keep on coming for women's team
Moore, team receive numerous awards Saturday
Brittany Perotti
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: March Madness
ST. LOUIS - Maya Moore continued raking in accolades Saturday, adding three more to her growing list of accomplishments while at UConn.
Moore, along with Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles, was named to the State Farm Coaches' All-America Team. She also received the Wade Trophy for National Player of the Year and the AP Player of the Year award.
Add all of that to the list of growing accomplishments by the team, which is 37-0 heading into the game against Stanford tonight.
"I just look at it as when you have numerous people from one program being recognized, the program must be doing something right," Moore said. "It's just been a dominant year for our program."
Head coach Geno Auriemma said that Moore's ability to receive the Wade Trophy and the AP Player of the Year as a sophomore - something that only former Tennessee standout and current Los Angeles Sparks player Candace Parker has accomplished - demonstrated that she already had a strong sense of what it meant to work hard.
And yet, there was an added piece to her success.
"She benefits from a God-given ability and a tremendous work ethic and surrounded by great teammates," he said. "You could have all the things that she has and not have great teammates, and none of this would be possible. And all the great players, great plays follow them around wherever they go."
But the list of recognition did not stop with Moore. Auriemma was honored with the AP Coach of the Year award. It was the second consecutive year that he was awarded the honor.
"Certainly, we never get tired of these awards," Auriemma said. "We don't take it for granted."
The award was presented in front a small group of people, mostly the UConn players and supporting staff.
It was the team as a whole that both Moore and Auriemma thanked for the honors.
"I think players like Renee Montgomery who, unquestionably is the leader of our team… in order to be on a team like this, you have to give up some of yourself," he said. "And I think that some other teams where they've got team players like that, doesn't always work."
Montgomery received the Nancy Lieberman award for the nation's top point guard Friday.
Moore is now the fifth UConn player to earn the award, joining Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on the list. Of them, Taurasi is the only player to have won the award twice.
Moore, along with Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles, was named to the State Farm Coaches' All-America Team. She also received the Wade Trophy for National Player of the Year and the AP Player of the Year award.
Add all of that to the list of growing accomplishments by the team, which is 37-0 heading into the game against Stanford tonight.
"I just look at it as when you have numerous people from one program being recognized, the program must be doing something right," Moore said. "It's just been a dominant year for our program."
Head coach Geno Auriemma said that Moore's ability to receive the Wade Trophy and the AP Player of the Year as a sophomore - something that only former Tennessee standout and current Los Angeles Sparks player Candace Parker has accomplished - demonstrated that she already had a strong sense of what it meant to work hard.
And yet, there was an added piece to her success.
"She benefits from a God-given ability and a tremendous work ethic and surrounded by great teammates," he said. "You could have all the things that she has and not have great teammates, and none of this would be possible. And all the great players, great plays follow them around wherever they go."
But the list of recognition did not stop with Moore. Auriemma was honored with the AP Coach of the Year award. It was the second consecutive year that he was awarded the honor.
"Certainly, we never get tired of these awards," Auriemma said. "We don't take it for granted."
The award was presented in front a small group of people, mostly the UConn players and supporting staff.
It was the team as a whole that both Moore and Auriemma thanked for the honors.
"I think players like Renee Montgomery who, unquestionably is the leader of our team… in order to be on a team like this, you have to give up some of yourself," he said. "And I think that some other teams where they've got team players like that, doesn't always work."
Montgomery received the Nancy Lieberman award for the nation's top point guard Friday.
Moore is now the fifth UConn player to earn the award, joining Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on the list. Of them, Taurasi is the only player to have won the award twice.
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