Before Sarah Strong’s first-ever NCAA tournament, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma was asked if she was nervous—because, you know, it’s March. “Absolutely not,” Auriemma replied. And that pretty much says it all. How good do you have to be at your craft that not only are you confident in every first, but you also go beyond everyone’s expectations? Well, ask Strong.

You know, UConn is a program so rich in stardom that you have to be really special to stand out amidst names like Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and more. But did that bother Strong? Not one bit. She walked into UConn and, in no time, became a fan favorite. She broke a number of records, led UConn to multiple wins, and proved exactly why she entered as the No. 1 recruit.

What are Sarah Strong’s NIL deals as of 2025?

On3 data says that Sarah Strong signed an NIL deal with Bleeding Blue for Good on April 30, 2024. This collective, founded by former UConn board members John Malfettone and Jon Greenblatt, partners with charities and arranges donor education series, helping athletes connect with brands for NIL opportunities.

In addition, Strong must be offering personalized services through the Opendorse platform—things like social media posts, appearances, autographs, and custom requests, allowing fans and brands to engage directly with her. While exact deal specifics remain under wraps, it’s reasonable to speculate that she’s secured additional partnerships. For instance, her versatility and basketball IQ could attract sports apparel brands like Nike or Under Armour, both of which have deep ties to UConn athletics.

With more than 46K followers and an impressive Instagram engagement rate, her NIL potential is only growing. But here’s the thing. During her recruitment process, NIL money wasn’t her focus. She prioritized development over dollars. That tells you all you need to know. 

However, considering her increasing popularity and the fact that she’s just getting started, expect plenty more deals to roll in.

Which high school did Sarah Strong attend?

Basketball isn’t just something Sarah Strong does. It’s in her DNA. Her father, Danny Strong, played college ball at North Carolina in the mid-90s. Her mother, Allison Feaster, a WNBA star and All-American at Harvard who later played professionally with three different teams. So, yes, she was practically built for this.

She started her basketball journey at Grace Christian School but spent her freshman year at Fuquay-Varina High School in North Carolina, where she averaged a jaw-dropping 25 points and 19 rebounds per game. She later returned to Grace Christian and won three consecutive NCISAA state titles, leading her team to an absurd 91–4 record over three years, including a 41-game win streak. 

As a senior, she averaged 21.0 points, 16.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. But it wasn’t just the stats. She racked up every award imaginable—North Carolina Miss Basketball (2023, 2024), McDonald’s All-American MVP, Naismith High School Player of the Year (first-ever from North Carolina), and Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year (twice). 

By the time she was done, she had over 2,300 points and 1,628 rebounds to her name. Naturally, schools like UConn, Duke, and UNC were all in the mix, but on April 6, 2024, she made it official—she was heading to UConn. And you know, Dawn Staley still isn’t over it. 

Speaking to the media, Staley half-joked that she had no idea how South Carolina didn’t land Strong, especially considering her ties to Strong’s family—Staley and Feaster were WNBA teammates for five seasons. “I don’t know how we don’t get Sarah Strong, right?” Staley quipped. “I haven’t even talked to Allison since!” (obviously, she was kidding)

The young star made her UConn debut on November 7, 2024, dropping a team-high 17 points with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals in an 86–32 blowout win over Boston University. And she never slowed down.  By the end of the 2025 regular season, she was named Big East Freshman of the Year, a unanimous All-Big East First Team selection (alongside Paige Bueckers), and an AP Second-Team and USBWA Third-Team All-American.

Oh, and in her first-ever NCAA tournament? She casually put up numbers that hadn’t been seen in over 25 years. Against Arkansas State, she posted a 20-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist, 5-block masterpiece in a 103–34 victory. She’s literally the only player in the last 25 years to do that in an NCAA tournament game.

And despite all the heroics, Auriemma still thinks people don’t even realize how good she is. “Obviously, no one is able to watch all of our practices, but the way she impacts games sometimes doesn’t even show up on the box score,” he said. “It doesn’t always show up just how incredibly high her basketball IQ is—she’s able to see things before they develop. She knows exactly where the ball is going all the time.”

Truly, she has a long way to go.

What is Sarah Strong’s net worth and salary?

Sarah Strong’s net worth and NIL earnings aren’t publicly available, but we just know that she’s securing the bag. And still, money has never been her priority. And it’s not just the business side of things, she’s not chasing the spotlight either. 

She’s more than happy letting Bueckers, Fudd, and her teammates shine. But we can’t deny that UConn wouldn’t be a No. 2 seed in 2025 March Madness or a legit title contender without its soft-spoken freshman. Now, going forward, we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes.