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Paige Bueckers voted only unanimous AP preseason All-American

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Paige Bueckers continues to rake in the preseason honors, being named a preseason Associated Press All-American on Tuesday.

Bueckers was the one unanimous selection from the 29-member national media panel that selects the AP Top 25 each week.

Joining Bueckers on the five-player team are Caitlin Clark of Iowa, Aliyah Boston of South Carolina, NaLyssa Smith of Baylor and Rhyne Howard of Kentucky. Both Boston and Howard were on the preseason team last year.

After helping UConn reach the Final Four, Bueckers was the first freshman to be named AP Player of the Year. In her first season at UConn she averaged 20 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds.

“Paige is Paige,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “Paige is better than she was last year. Paige is a little more comfortable than she was last year. She’s not as hesitant to take shots as she was last year.”

Clark, meanwhile, becomes the first preseason All-American in Iowa’s history. Last season, she averaged an NCAA-best 26.6 points alongside seven assists and six rebounds per game.

All five players were featured last spring on the AP All-America teams. Buecker, Boston, Howard and Smith all made first team while Clark was featured on the second team.