SARAH STRONG, SHEA RALPH, AND HANNAH HIDALGO EARN 2026 NAISMITH HONORS
PHOENIX (April 1, 2026) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today that UConn’s Sarah Strong has won the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, honoring her as the most outstanding women’s college basketball player. She becomes the 11th woman in the history of the Naismith Trophy to win the award at both the collegiate and high school levels, as she won the prep trophy in 2024.
Vanderbilt’s Shea Ralph was named the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year, while Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo earned the 2026 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE.
“Sarah’s extraordinary skill, Shea’s steady leadership, and Hannah’s tenacious defense make each of them deserving of this year’s Naismith honors,” said Eric Oberman, President of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their exceptional performances have justly secured them the most prestigious distinctions in college basketball, and we are proud to recognize their unwavering dedication and impressive talents.”
Strong is the eighth UConn player to win a Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, which has accounted for 12 total, the most of any program since the award began in 1983. Her selection extends the legacy of past Husky winners Rebecca Lobo (1995), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003, 2004), Maya Moore (2009, 2011), Tina Charles (2010), Breanna Stewart (2014,’15, and ’16), and Paige Bueckers (2021).
The sophomore joins an exclusive list of the 10 women who have won the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy at the collegiate and prep levels. The others include UConn’s Bueckers, Moore, Taurasi and Stewart, Tamika Catchings (Tennessee), Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee), Lisa Leslie (USC), Candace Parker (Tennessee), Juju Watkins (USC), and A’ja Wilson (South Carolina).
The other finalists were UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, and her UConn teammate Azzi Fudd.
About the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Sarah Strong:
- Named the 2025-26 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, All-BIG EAST First Team, and All-Defensive Team.
- Led team to a 38-0 record heading into the Final Four and leads the team in scoring (18.6), rebounds (7.6), steals (3.4), and blocks (1.6).
- Has scored in double digits in 51 consecutive games, dating back to February of last year.
- Averaged over 20 points per game this year against Top-25 competition.
- Third-fastest UConn player to score 1,000 career points as she did so in 59 games (school record is 55 set by Naismith Trophy winners Maya Moore and Paige Bueckers).
- Ranked among the Top 40 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio.
“It’s an honor to receive the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy,” Strong said. “So many incredible players have received this award before, and I’m humbled to be included with them. I couldn’t do this without the support of my coaches, teammates, and family. Thank you to the Atlanta Tipoff Club for this recognition.”
Ralph becomes the first men’s or women’s coach or player from Vanderbilt to win a Naismith Award. This is the fifth time in the last seven seasons that the Coach of the Year has come from the SEC after South Carolina’s Dawn Staley won in 2020 and again from 2022-2024.
The other 2026 finalists were UConn’s Geno Auriemma, last year’s winner, UCLA’s Cori Close, and Texas’ Vic Schaefer.
About 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year Shea Ralph:
- Becomes the first Vanderbilt head coach to win SEC Coach of the Year after directing one of the nation’s most impressive turnarounds.
- Guided Vanderbilt to a 29-5 record and a 13-3 mark in SEC play, tying the best conference finish in program history. The 29 victories were the third-highest mark in program history.
- She led the Commodores to a school-record 27 regular-season wins and a program-best 13 SEC wins despite returning just one starter from last season.
- Secured a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Vanderbilt’s first top-two seed since 2007.
- Vanderbilt went a perfect 16-0 at Memorial Gym this season, marking the first time in program history that the Commodores went undefeated at home in a regular season.
“I am honored and grateful to be recognized as the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year,” said Ralph. “This award is so much bigger than me. Great players make great coaches, and I am incredibly blessed to get to coach great players on my team. My staff is my family, and their belief in me and in our program has helped us to one of the best seasons in school history. I am fortunate that our Chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, and our athletic director, Dr. Candice Storey Lee, share my vision for Vanderbilt women’s basketball. This award is for everyone who has helped our program set a new standard for excellence this season.”
“Werner recognizes Coach Ralph for her leadership, discipline, and the standard she set throughout the season,” said Stacy Gardella, Head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations at ProDriven Global Brands. “The Naismith Coach of the Year Award honors those who elevate their teams and their programs, and Coach Ralph has done that through her consistency, preparation, and ability to lead at the highest level. We are proud to recognize her achievement.”
Hidalgo becomes the third player or coach from Notre Dame to win a Naismith Award (Austin Carr, 1971 Men’s Trophy, and Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw in 2001, 2013, and 2014 Coach of the Year and last year was named the Women’s Naismith Outstanding Contributor to the game of college basketball).
She is the second player in the nine-year history of the award to win from an ACC school, following Cameron Brink of Stanford in 2024. The other finalists were Betts, Strong, and West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison.
About 2026 Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE Hannah Hidalgo:
- The ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2025-26.
- Second player in ACC history to win DPOY three times (Elizabeth Williams, Duke).
- Set the NCAA single-season steals record with 202.
- Averaged 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 steals, and 5.2 assists per game.
- Became the only women’s Division I player since the 1999-2000 season to average at least 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals in a season.
“It’s such an honor to receive the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE award,” said Hidalgo. “I want to thank Jesus, my coaches, and my teammates, and it’s been a great season. It’s such a blessing to be mentioned among the greats.”
“MOLECULE takes great pride in recognizing Hannah for an extraordinary season that has rightfully earned her this prestigious honor,” said Kevin Blossom, SVP and General Manager of MOLECULE. “Her standout performances and relentless pursuit of greatness on the court reflect an exceptional level of talent and drive. It is truly our pleasure to celebrate everything she has accomplished.”
JERSEY MIKE’S NAISMITH PLAYER OF THE YEAR | WERNER LADDER NAISMITH COACH OF THE YEAR
Strong and Ralph were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading media members from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners, and conference commissioners, all of whom based their selections on outstanding on-court performances during the 2025-26 college basketball season.
Additionally, fans had the opportunity to cast a ballot through naismithfanvote.com, which accounted for 5% of the overall vote. The vote was tabulated and verified by the Forensic Accounting team of iDiscovery Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm of experts.
Strong will be awarded the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, produced and provided by Herff Jones, a leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students.
NAISMITH DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY MOLECULE
The Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, selected the winner based on outstanding on-court defensive performances during the 2025-26 college basketball season. For more information about the Naismith Awards, visit www.naismithtrophy.com.
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Media Contact:
Jordan De La Cruz
Atlanta Tipoff Club
jordan.delacruz@naismithtrophy.com
(770) 617-2222
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Awards family, annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike’s, MOLECULE, and Werner Ladder. For more information, visit www.naismithtrophy.com.
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