Ann Strother
Encyclopedia
Ann Elise Strother is an American basketball
coach, and former professional player, most recently for the Indiana Fever
. Strother played at the collegiate level for the Connecticut Huskies
, helping the team to two national titles.
. Her family moved to Castle Rock, Colorado when she was in 8th grade. Strother was introduced to basketball by her father Kenneth, who played at the University of Northern Iowa
for a semester. She became so good at basketball that she received her first college-recruiting letter from the University of Iowa
, when she was only in eighth grade.
for two years then transferred to Highlands Ranch High School
where she helped the basketball team to win two Colorado State Championships. Strother was named a WBCA
All-American. She participated in the 2002 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored nine points. Strother was also named to play in the inaugural (2002) McDonald's All-American Game, where she was named co-MVP. During the summer after her freshman and sophomore years of high school, Strother played for a team that went to Paris for two weeks to play in a tournament. Strother played on an Athletic Amateur Union team and while traveling to tournaments, she used her time wisely visiting schools that would later help her in making her college selection decision. During the summer before her senior year of high school, Strother was selected to play on the USA Junior World Championship Team (now known as U19) in the Czech Republic. Strother was the leading scorer in the win over China, and fifth leading scorer over all, helping the USA to a 6–1 record and a bronze medal. Strother became only the second high school player in USA Basketball
history to receive the honor of playing for the Junior World Championship Team, the other being Lisa Leslie
in 1989. Geno Auriemma
coached the USA team that year. After that she decided to commit to UConn. Strother was named the Naismith High School National Player of the Year
in her senior year (2002) and was the 2001-02 girl's basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year
.
(UConn), the University of Tennessee
, the University of Georgia
, Stanford University
, Notre Dame University, and Purdue University
before ultimately committing to Connecticut. At UConn, Strother would play for future Hall of Fame inductee Geno Auriemma
and alongside two-time National Player of the Year Diana Taurasi
while helping Connecticut to its fourth and fifth national titles. Strother played in all 143 games of her collegiate career and started in 142. She averaged 12.9 points per game in her career and 14.0 in her senior season despite festering foot problems. Strother would eventually finish seventh all-time among UConn scorers with 1699 career points, and second all-time in career three-point field goals with 290. Strother joined some elite company when she became only the second player in UConn history to amass more than 1600 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists, 100 steals, and 100 blocks- the other being Diana Taurasi
. Strother also excelled in the classroom as she was a Dean’s List student all four of her years at UConn. In December 2006, Strother graduated from UConn with a degree in psychology.
While just a freshman, Strother was invited to play on the 2003 Pan American team (along with freshman classmate Barbara Turner
. The young team would earn a silver medal, going 5–2, both losses to gold medal winner Cuba. Strother started six of seven games, and averaged 7.9 points per games, fifth best on her team.
Although the UConn faithful normally embrace former players, Strother attended a UConn vs. Notre Dame
basketball game in early 2010 wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt, leading to some ridicule from current UConn students.
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, Strother was selected by the Houston Comets
with the 15th overall pick before being traded to the Phoenix Mercury
for Liz Shimek and Mistie Williams. Due to recurring foot pain and a Phoenix bench that was well-stocked with guards, Strother saw very little playing time in her rookie season. Strother played eight games with the Mercury as a rookie before joining the Indiana Fever
in an off season trade for veteran center Olympia Scott
.
On February 6, 2008 Strother was selected by the Atlanta Dream in the expansion draft. She was waived by the Dream on January 14, 2009.
During her stints with various WNBA teams, Strother has averaged just 2.0 points per game and 6.5 minutes per game in the WNBA over the course of her career through the end of 2008.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach, and former professional player, most recently for the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
. Strother played at the collegiate level for the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
, helping the team to two national titles.
Early life
Strother spent her childhood in midwestern IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Her family moved to Castle Rock, Colorado when she was in 8th grade. Strother was introduced to basketball by her father Kenneth, who played at the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
for a semester. She became so good at basketball that she received her first college-recruiting letter from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, when she was only in eighth grade.
High school
She went to Heritage High SchoolHeritage High School (Littleton, Colorado)
Heritage High School, in Littleton, Colorado was completed in 1972 as the last of three high schools in the Littleton Public Schools system. It was rated by Newsweek magazine as one of the top 200 high schools in the United States, and the Denver-based 5280 magazine acknowledged Heritage High...
for two years then transferred to Highlands Ranch High School
Highlands Ranch High School
Highlands Ranch High School is a public high school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and is part of the Douglas County School District.-History:Highlands Ranch opened in 1987 as the third high school in the district, after Douglas County High School in Castle Rock and Ponderosa High School in Parker,...
where she helped the basketball team to win two Colorado State Championships. Strother was named a WBCA
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
All-American. She participated in the 2002 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored nine points. Strother was also named to play in the inaugural (2002) McDonald's All-American Game, where she was named co-MVP. During the summer after her freshman and sophomore years of high school, Strother played for a team that went to Paris for two weeks to play in a tournament. Strother played on an Athletic Amateur Union team and while traveling to tournaments, she used her time wisely visiting schools that would later help her in making her college selection decision. During the summer before her senior year of high school, Strother was selected to play on the USA Junior World Championship Team (now known as U19) in the Czech Republic. Strother was the leading scorer in the win over China, and fifth leading scorer over all, helping the USA to a 6–1 record and a bronze medal. Strother became only the second high school player in USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
history to receive the honor of playing for the Junior World Championship Team, the other being Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
in 1989. Geno Auriemma
Geno Auriemma
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
coached the USA team that year. After that she decided to commit to UConn. Strother was named the Naismith High School National Player of the Year
Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award
The Naismith Prep Player of the Year award, named for Canadian basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to high school basketball's top male and female player...
in her senior year (2002) and was the 2001-02 girl's basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year
Gatorade Player of the Year awards
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to male and female high-school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' football, girls' softball, girls' volleyball, boys' basketball, girls' basketball, boys' cross country, girls' cross country,...
.
College
Strother was recruited by national powerhouses such as the University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(UConn), the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Notre Dame University, and Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
before ultimately committing to Connecticut. At UConn, Strother would play for future Hall of Fame inductee Geno Auriemma
Geno Auriemma
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
and alongside two-time National Player of the Year Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
while helping Connecticut to its fourth and fifth national titles. Strother played in all 143 games of her collegiate career and started in 142. She averaged 12.9 points per game in her career and 14.0 in her senior season despite festering foot problems. Strother would eventually finish seventh all-time among UConn scorers with 1699 career points, and second all-time in career three-point field goals with 290. Strother joined some elite company when she became only the second player in UConn history to amass more than 1600 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists, 100 steals, and 100 blocks- the other being Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
. Strother also excelled in the classroom as she was a Dean’s List student all four of her years at UConn. In December 2006, Strother graduated from UConn with a degree in psychology.
While just a freshman, Strother was invited to play on the 2003 Pan American team (along with freshman classmate Barbara Turner
Barbara Turner (basketball)
Barbara Renee Turner is an American professional basketball player. She plays for Tarsus in Turkey and formerly the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA. A small forward, she is 6 feet tall and 78 kg weight....
. The young team would earn a silver medal, going 5–2, both losses to gold medal winner Cuba. Strother started six of seven games, and averaged 7.9 points per games, fifth best on her team.
Although the UConn faithful normally embrace former players, Strother attended a UConn vs. Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
basketball game in early 2010 wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt, leading to some ridicule from current UConn students.
University of Connecticut statistics
| Ann Strother Statistics at University of Connecticut | |||||||||||||||||||
| Year | G | FG | FGA | PCT | 3FG | 3FGA | PCT | FT | FTA | PCT | REB | AVG | A | TO | B | S | MIN | PTS | AVG |
|||||||||||||||||||
| 2002-03 | 38 | 137 | 330 | 0.415 | 58 | 156 | 0.372 | 52 | 64 | 0.813 | 173 | 4.6 | 117 | 89 | 26 | 24 | 1196 | 384 | 10.0 |
| 2003-04 | 35 | 139 | 318 | 0.437 | 61 | 161 | 0.379 | 45 | 57 | 0.789 | 150 | 4.3 | 82 | 59 | 27 | 30 | 1019 | 384 | 11.0 |
| 2004-05 | 33 | 144 | 344 | 0.419 | 85 | 218 | 0.390 | 54 | 76 | 0.711 | 110 | 3.3 | 106 | 70 | 32 | 28 | 1030 | 427 | 12.9 |
| 2005-06 | 37 | 182 | 427 | 0.426 | 86 | 235 | 0.366 | 54 | 66 | 0.818 | 181 | 4.9 | 113 | 84 | 35 | 37 | 1205 | 504 | 13.6 |
| Totals | 143 | 602 | 1419 | 0.424 | 290 | 770 | 0.377 | 205 | 263 | 0.779 | 614 | 4.3 | 418 | 302 | 120 | 119 | 4450 | 1699 | 11.9 |
Notable performances
- March 7, 2006 - scored 20 points in UConn's 50-44 victory over West Virginia to capture the Big East Championship crown; was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player
- January 7, 2006 - scored a game-high 25 points, including 5 three-pointers, in UConn's 89-80 loss to Tennessee; fouled out for the first time in her career in the final minute, to the delight of Tennessee fans
- December 8, 2006 - had 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and three blocks in UConn's 72-56 victory over Villanova
- March 8, 2005 - scored 20 points in UConn's 67-51 victory over Rutgers to win the Big East Championship
- April 6, 2004 - scored 14 points, including 3 critical free throws, to help UConn edge Tennessee 71-60 in the National Championship game
- February 5, 2004 - recorded 17 points and 7 rebounds in UConn's 81-67 defeat of Tennessee
- January 30, 2004 - had a career high 27 points and added 10 rebounds to lead UConn to an 82-49 rout of St. John's, despite Taurasi's absence
- April 8, 2003 - scored 17 points and sank the game-clinching free throws to help UConn defeat Tennessee 73-68 in the National Championship game
- February 1, 2003 - recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds in UConn's 77-65 victory over then top-ranked Duke; this game marks the only time Strother was called for a technical foul: she inadvertently elbowed Duke guard Sheana Mosch
- November 22, 2002 - had 11 points and 11 rebounds in her first collegiate game, helping UConn defeat Wright State 85-39
WNBA
In the 2006 WNBA Draft2006 WNBA Draft
On November 16, 2005, the Women's National Basketball Association held an expansion draft for the Chicago Sky. It was the first expansion draft since the 2000 season, when the WNBA welcomed the Miami Sol, Portland Fire, Indiana Fever, and Seattle Storm into the league.On April 5, 2006, the WNBA...
, Strother was selected by the Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
with the 15th overall pick before being traded to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
for Liz Shimek and Mistie Williams. Due to recurring foot pain and a Phoenix bench that was well-stocked with guards, Strother saw very little playing time in her rookie season. Strother played eight games with the Mercury as a rookie before joining the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in an off season trade for veteran center Olympia Scott
Olympia Scott
Olympia Scott, formerly known under her married name of Olympia Scott-Richardson, is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA a former college coach and the co-founder, President & CEO of Super Parenting LLC and A Wonderful Life! Coaching....
.
On February 6, 2008 Strother was selected by the Atlanta Dream in the expansion draft. She was waived by the Dream on January 14, 2009.
During her stints with various WNBA teams, Strother has averaged just 2.0 points per game and 6.5 minutes per game in the WNBA over the course of her career through the end of 2008.
Coaching
In October 2007 Strother was hired as the director of basketball operations for the University of Colorado women's basketball team, serving under head coach Kathy McConnell–Miller.Quotes
- "I think the only way you can accomplish anything is to have a positive attitude and look at things in a positive light. There are times everyone goes through that are tough."
- "I think he's (Geno AuriemmaGeno AuriemmaLuigi "Geno" Auriemma is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team, which he has led to seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships...
) always acted like a Hall of Fame coach." - "She's (Diana TaurasiDiana TaurasiDiana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
) the most amazing leader you could ask for, and she just took control. She made me feel like I had to come out and play." - "You look at Barbara, Will, all of us, this is when Connecticut starts to play. When the tournaments come, this is when we always play our best."
- Geno Auriemma on Ann Strother: "Nerves are not an issue. To me, Ann Strother is a perfect example of someone who came in here as a freshman and was never afraid to take the big shot, to have the ball in crucial situations. Some kids are just different and they have it in them. She does."
- Geno Auriemma on Ann Strother: "[Strother is] one of those impact players that makes them when you need them. I can't think of anybody we'd rather have shooting the ball. When we get Ann off and running like that, it gives everybody else so much confidence. All of a sudden a three-point game becomes an 11-point game and everybody takes a sigh of relief. It makes everyone around her a better player. She's pretty special when it comes to big moments in games."