TAMPA, Fla. – On Thursday night in Amalie Arena, when the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association was announcing the winner of the Wade Trophy for the most outstanding women’s basketball player, Oregon’s triple-double star Sabrina Ionescu was turned talking to Connecticut’s Napheesa Collier in the front row, not thinking she would receive the award.
Just moments before having her name called for the Wade Trophy, Ionescu also won the Nancy Lieberman point-guard-of-the-year award for the second-straight year, making her one of just five women to receive the award multiple years.
“It was really cool to watch you play this season and see the amazing amount of talent that you have,” Lieberman told Ionescu on stage. “I’m really proud of you and what you’ve done for the game of basketball.”
Ionescu joins current WNBA stars Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Skylar Diggins and Moriah Jefferson, who have all won the Nancy Lieberman award multiple times. 
“Those names are all-time greats. It’s a blessing to be among them,” Ionescu said. “I’m going to continue to work hard and enjoy.”
That award was just the second of three awards the standout guard won in the ceremony. Ionescu was also named to the WBCA Coaches’ All-American team with ten other women.
Although she didn’t win, she received seven votes for AP player of the year award behind the winner of Iowa’s Megan Gustafson who received 15 votes.
The NCAA women’s and men’s triple-double leader boasts a career 18 triple-doubles, with eight this year alone, and leads the nation in assists. This season, she averaged 19.9 points, 7.5 assists and 8 rebounds. 
Sophomore Satou Sabally and junior Ruthy Hebard were also finalists for the small forward and power forward of-the-year awards, respectively, but did not win. Although, Hebard won last year.
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Sabrina Ionescu stands with the other WBCA Coaches' All-American winners at the Final Four in Tampa, Florida, April 4, 2019. (Maggie Vanoni/Emerald)