Four years ago college womens basketball National Champion Sarah Strong played for our own FVHS women’s basketball team. Strong was coached at FVHS by current assistant athletic director Gail Siemer during her freshman season. As a former Bengal, Strong has set the bar high for all of our athletes that want to pursue college and professional sports outside of high school.
Sarah Strong is an outstanding freshman forward for the University of Connecticut (UConn) womens basketball team. She was born on Feb. 3, 2006, in Madrid, Spain, and she later moved to Fuquay-Varina, where she attended high school. Strong was a highly acclaimed recruit in high school, earning the title of Naismith High School Player of the Year in 2024 and was ranked as the number one recruit in her class by ESPN.
“[Strong’s] main growth at Fuquay was becoming more of a leader, even though she was only a freshman. She had the skill set. It was just getting the intangible skills to become a leader,” said Seimer. “You never saw when she felt pressured; she was always cool, calm and collected.”
In her freshman season at UConn, Strong made an immediate impact, averaging 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Her performance earned her several awards including the WBCA NCAA division I Freshman of the Year award. She also became the second freshman in UConn history to score over 600 points in a season.
During the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Strong played a pivotal role in leading the Huskies to their 12th national championship. In the semifinal game, she scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, helping UConn to the championship against South Carolina. In the final game, Strong continued her insane scores, contributing significantly to UConn’s 82-59 victory over the Gamecocks.
“I was elated for her when watching her win. It was so exciting for her, and it was well deserved. UConn was a surprising choice but a great fit for her. Being able to play alongside other fantastic players is perfect for her,” said Seimer.
Teammates and coaches have praised Strong for her versatility and knowledge of the game. Her dynamic performance on both ends of the court has drawn admiration from others like NBA star Kevin Durant and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who emphasized how she could be UConn’s best player in the coming years.
Strong is expected to take on a more prominent leadership role in the future. Her development and performance continues to improve, and she will be a crucial player as the Huskies aim to maintain their dominance in womens college basketball.
“Sarah is that quiet presence. You don’t realize the impact Sarah has on a game because she does it quietly, until you see her stats at the end of the game. She’s an impactful player on whatever team she’s on,” said Siemer.
