University of Connecticut Athletics
Azzi Fudd Named AAU Sullivan Award Finalist
3/19/2026 2:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW YORK – UConn women's basketball graduate student Azzi Fudd has been selected as one of nine finalists for the 96th AAU Sullivan Award, the Amateur Athletic Union announced Thursday.
A 2026 AP and USBWA First Team All-American, Fudd is playing her best basketball in her final season in Storrs. She is averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game on personal-best shooting percentages (.489/.446/.951). Fudd has already set single-season career highs in rebounds (87), assists (101) and steals (85).
Fudd was named the 2026 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a unanimous 2026 All-BIG EAST First Team selection and to the 2026 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.
Fudd is an Ann Meyers Drysdale Award finalist, a Naismith Trophy finalist and on the Wooden Award Ballot.
In 2025, Fudd led the Huskies to the NCAA Championship and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player
The AAU Sullivan Award honors the most outstanding collegiate, Olympic or similar-level athlete in the United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to the founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, and a pioneer in amateur sports.
The winner of the 96th AAU Sullivan Award will be announced at the award ceremony on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the historic New York Athletic Club. The ceremony will be streaming live on AAU+, available on smart TVs and AAUPlus.org.
UConn alumna Breanna Stewart won the AAU Sullivan Award in 2015.
The 2026 AAU Sullivan Award finalists include:
- Olivia Babcock, Volleyball, University of Pittsburgh
- Azzi Fudd, Basketball, University of Connecticut
- Blake Horvath, Football, Naval Academy
- Alysa Liu, Figure Skating, U.S. Figure Skating
- Tatyana McFadden, Para Track & Field, USA Track & Field
- Fernando Mendoza, Football, Indiana University
- Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
- Braden Smith, Basketball, Purdue University
- Zahid Valencia, Wrestling, USA Wrestling
