Sarah Strong, a three-time state champion for Sanford’s Grace Christian School and the No. 1 women’s high school recruit in the nation, announced today that she has committed to the University of Connecticut to continue her basketball career.

Strong’s announcement was broadcast live on ESPN during halftime of the Montverde Academy, IMG Academy Florida high school championship game.

Sarah Strong was featured by The Rant back in October.

Strong, who was featured by The Rant back in October before her senior year, led Grace Christian to its third straight state title in February when the Lady Crusaders beat High Point Christian, 82-33, in the NCISAA 3A title game. The win marked Grace’s 40th in a row dating back to last season. Strong scored 30 in the win, and she finished her Grace career with a 91-4 mark.

UConn, coached by the legendary Geno Auriemma for the last 38 years, is considered the most successful women’s basketball program in the nation, having won 11 NCAA National Championships and four in a row from 2013 to 2016. The program also owns the two longest winning streaks (men’s or women’s) in the nation with 111 straight wins from 2014 to 2017 and 90 from 2008 to 2010.

The Huskies’ 2024 season ended on Friday in the Final Four with a two-point loss to and the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Caitlin Clark.

In her announcement on Saturday, Strong unzipped a jacket to reveal a Huskies shirt.

“I want to definitely get better and just grow as a person off the court, and I really want to be coached by [Auriemma],” Strong said.

Reports prior to the decision had her going to either UConn, UNC or Duke. Strong had received visits from some of the best coaches in the nation over the last few months, including Auriemma, LSU’s Kim Mulkey and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley.

The announcement drew a lot of social media buzz Saturday: