Bird, Auriemma Headline Husky Award Winners at BIG EAST Awards Banquet

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (Mar. 1, 2002) - Senior Sue Bird (Syosset, NY) was selected BIG EAST Player of the Year to headline a host of Husky award winners Friday night at the BIG EAST’s women’s basketball annual awards banquet. All five of UConn’s starters earned All-BIG EAST recognition, while head coach Geno Auriemma took home BIG EAST Coach of the Year.

Bird, the 2001-02 Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and a finalist for the Naismith Award, ranks second in the conference in assists (5.8 per game) and 11th in scoring (13.9 points per game). She was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the second consecutive season.

Bird was joined on the All-BIG EAST First Team by teammates senior Swin Cash (McKeesport, PA), senior Asjha Jones (Piscataway, NJ) and sophomore Diana Taurasi (Chino, CA). Cash finished the regular season ranked first in the BIG EAST in scoring (15.6 points per game), rebounding (9.1 per game) and field goal percentage (.549) while Jones ranked in the top 15 in the conference in both scoring (13.4 points per game) and rebounding (6.2).

Taurasi, a member of the 2001 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team, was the only sophomore named to the first team. She ranks ninth in the conference in scoring (14.1 points per game) and first in both three-point field goal percentage (.455) and assists-to-turnover ratio (2.69).

Senior Tamika Williams (Dayton, OH) was named to All-BIG EAST Third Team for the third consecutive season. She ranks eighth in the conference in rebounding (6.6) and averages 10.0 points per game.

Guiding UConn to its third undefeated regular season, Auriemma was selected BIG EAST Coach of the Year, the fifth time he has received the accolade. Auriemma, a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year, also garnered the BIG EAST Coach of the Year Award in 1988-89, 1994-95, 1996-97 and 1999-2000.

By virtue of its undefeated 16-0 mark in conference play, UConn also was honored as the 2001-02 BIG EAST regular season champions Friday night.

The Huskies aim for their ninth consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title when they begin play in quarterfinal action Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.

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BIG EAST Player of the Year: Sue Bird BIG EAST Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year: Meghan Saake (Miami) BIG EAST Rookie of the Year: Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame) BIG EAST Most Improved Player: Ieva Kublina (Virginia Tech) BIG EAST Sportsman of the Year: Mimi Riley (Villanova) BIG EAST/Aeropostale Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nicole Conway (Boston College)
All-BIG EAST First Team Sue Bird, Connecticut* Swin Cash, Connecticut* Asjha Jones, Connecticut Trish Juhline , Villanova Alicia Ratay, Notre Dame Diana Taurasi, Connecticut	All-BIG EAST Second Team Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame Chanivia Broussard, Miami Kate Bulger, West Virginia Ieva Kublina, Virginia Tech Brianne Stepherson, Boston College	All-BIG EAST Third Team Julie McBride, Syracuse Jaime James, Syracuse Davalyn Cunningham, Rutgers Sarah Hicks, Virginia Tech Tamika Williams, Connecticut

BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Laine Selwyn, Pittsburgh
Rebekkah Brunson, Georgetown
Meghan Saake, Miami
Nicole Conway, Boston College
Mimi Riley, Villanova

BIG EAST All-Rookie Team
Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame*
Clare Droesch, Boston College*
Mary Lisicky, Georgetown
Yolanda Paige, West Virginia
Jessica Simmonds, Providence
Sherell Sowho, West Virginia
* = unanimous selection