University of Massachusets Athletics
Breen Named 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player Of The Year
March 29, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Breen becomes the fourth recipient of the prestigious national award.
HOPEWELL, N.J. – Graduate student forward Sam Breen of the University of Massachusetts women's basketball team has been named the 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year, presented by Her Hoop Stats, the organization announced on Wednesday morning.
"I am super blessed and grateful to have received this award," said Breen. "It had honestly not been on my mind too much since the season ended but being able to be with all my teammates and coaches when I found out meant the world to me. They have helped me become both the player and person I am so being able to receive this news with them was incredible."
"I am so excited and proud of Sam," said head coach Tory Verdi. "She is the first A-10 player to receive this prestigious award. This just completes one of the best careers in the history of our program."
Breen becomes the fourth recipient of the honor, with the Becky Hammon Award first given out in 2020 when South Dakota's Ciara Duffy was selected as the inaugural winner. Florida Gulf Coast's Kierstan Bell took home the accolade in 2021 and 2022. The back-to-back Atlantic 10 Player of the Year (2021-22; 2022-23), Breen becomes the first Atlantic 10 player to earn the award.
Breen averaged 17.3 points per game (589 total points) in 2022-23, while averaging 10.1 rebounds per game (345 total). The graduate student finished third in the A-10 in scoring and first in rebounding while also sitting 20th in the nation. Breen recorded 20 double-doubles on the season, a career-high in a single season, placing ninth in the country and moving her career total to 60. She also registered her first career triple-double against St. Bonaventure (12/31), becoming only the second Minutewomen to post a triple double. In defensive rebounds per game, Breen ranked 20th in the nation (7.4; 250 total) and 10th in total rebounds (345).
Breen's 17.3 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals per game marked her fourth consecutive season averaging 15-plus points, nine or more rebounds and 1.5 swipes per game. She was also the only Division I player to average at least 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists this past season.
The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania native racked up 589 points on the year to break the single-season record for the most points in program history, surpassing Sue Peters' 1978-79 season record of 587. Breen also grabbed 345 total rebounds, placing third in the category in a single season.
Breen registered 1,974 total points, including 1,930 at UMass, to complete her career as the all-time leading scorer in program history. She also came down with a total of 1,154 rebounds during her collegiate career, including 1,101 as a Minutewomen, placing second all-time in total rebounds.
Selected as a 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Finalist for the first time in her career, Breen was also named a two-time Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist in both 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, Breen was tabbed Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I Women's Basketball Player of the Year and earned A-10 All-Conference First Team honors. She also landed on both the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List and the 2022-23 Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List, while being named to the FIU Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team.
To be eligible for the honor, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major".
Becky Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, marking the only appearance in the program's history to date. In 1999, Hammon was signed to the New York Liberty and was traded to the San Antonio Start in 2007, where she played for the remainder of her career. She retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree, and in 2016 was named one of the top-20 players in WNBA history.
In 2014, Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs, while being the only woman head coach in the NBA Summer League, as well as the only woman to be a member of the NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is currently the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.
"I am super blessed and grateful to have received this award," said Breen. "It had honestly not been on my mind too much since the season ended but being able to be with all my teammates and coaches when I found out meant the world to me. They have helped me become both the player and person I am so being able to receive this news with them was incredible."
"I am so excited and proud of Sam," said head coach Tory Verdi. "She is the first A-10 player to receive this prestigious award. This just completes one of the best careers in the history of our program."
Breen becomes the fourth recipient of the honor, with the Becky Hammon Award first given out in 2020 when South Dakota's Ciara Duffy was selected as the inaugural winner. Florida Gulf Coast's Kierstan Bell took home the accolade in 2021 and 2022. The back-to-back Atlantic 10 Player of the Year (2021-22; 2022-23), Breen becomes the first Atlantic 10 player to earn the award.
Breen averaged 17.3 points per game (589 total points) in 2022-23, while averaging 10.1 rebounds per game (345 total). The graduate student finished third in the A-10 in scoring and first in rebounding while also sitting 20th in the nation. Breen recorded 20 double-doubles on the season, a career-high in a single season, placing ninth in the country and moving her career total to 60. She also registered her first career triple-double against St. Bonaventure (12/31), becoming only the second Minutewomen to post a triple double. In defensive rebounds per game, Breen ranked 20th in the nation (7.4; 250 total) and 10th in total rebounds (345).
Breen's 17.3 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals per game marked her fourth consecutive season averaging 15-plus points, nine or more rebounds and 1.5 swipes per game. She was also the only Division I player to average at least 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists this past season.
The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania native racked up 589 points on the year to break the single-season record for the most points in program history, surpassing Sue Peters' 1978-79 season record of 587. Breen also grabbed 345 total rebounds, placing third in the category in a single season.
Breen registered 1,974 total points, including 1,930 at UMass, to complete her career as the all-time leading scorer in program history. She also came down with a total of 1,154 rebounds during her collegiate career, including 1,101 as a Minutewomen, placing second all-time in total rebounds.
Selected as a 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Finalist for the first time in her career, Breen was also named a two-time Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist in both 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, Breen was tabbed Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I Women's Basketball Player of the Year and earned A-10 All-Conference First Team honors. She also landed on both the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List and the 2022-23 Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List, while being named to the FIU Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team.
To be eligible for the honor, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major".
Becky Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, marking the only appearance in the program's history to date. In 1999, Hammon was signed to the New York Liberty and was traded to the San Antonio Start in 2007, where she played for the remainder of her career. She retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree, and in 2016 was named one of the top-20 players in WNBA history.
In 2014, Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs, while being the only woman head coach in the NBA Summer League, as well as the only woman to be a member of the NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is currently the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.
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