DALLAS—Two of the giants in the game—Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma and Washington guard Kelsey Plum—were honored by the Associated Press with Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors, respectively.
For Auriemma, the honor is pretty standard by now, with Auriemma taking home his ninth such trophy. Plum, however, was surprised by the size of the award—”This is huge!”, she remarked—and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be recognized once again.
“I’m just very thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given, and I’m grateful to play this game,” Plum said, as her coach, Mike Neighbors, sat in the audience.
“It’s incredibly rewarding when the people that you work with help you get something, because you know you never get it by yourself,” Auriemma said upon receiving the award.
Watch them both deliver their full remarks below.