Stanford Women's Basketball Standout Voted to All-ACC Team

NuNu Agara had a career year, and now she is getting the recognition that she deserves

Indiana's Yarden Garzon (12) shoots over Stanford's Nunu Agara (3) during the Indiana versus Stanford women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Entering this season, the Stanford Cardinal had no idea who would be their superstar player in their first year in the ACC, with players such as Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen departing. Add a new head coach taking over on top of that, and it seemed like the Cardinal would need time to really figure out any sort of identity.

But thanks to sophomore forward Nunu Agara's strong season, it is very possible that Stanford may have found its next star. And now, Agara is earning the highest praise a player can get in college basketball, being named to the All-ACC Second Team. Averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds, Agara is only one of five Power conference underclassmen to average at least 15 and seven.

Taking a massive leap from last season, where she averaged 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds as a freshman, Agara is in the conversation for being one of the NCAA's most improved players overall and has been a major reason why the Cardinal were able to finish the regular season with a winning record, despite struggling in some areas (most notably on the road, where they went 2-9).

feed

Currently ranked No. 12 in the ACC in scoring and eighth in rebounding, Agara joins Vanderbilt sophomore Khamil Pierre (20.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists), Oklahoma State sophomore Stailee Heard (15.8 points, 7,8 rebounds and 2.2 assists), Kentucky sophomore Clara Strack (15.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists) and UConn freshman Sarah Strong (16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists) as the five Power conference underclassmen to average 15 and seven.

One area that Agara has really been able to stand out is her ability to perform against ranked opponents. In games against teams of that caliber this season, she is averaging 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds, with her best game arguably coming against then No. 5 ranked LSU in December where she scored 29 points and had 13 rebounds.

Overall, Agara scored in double figures in 20 out of the 23 games that she appeared in, scoring at least 20 points five times and is currently on a run of having a double-double in six of her last 12 games.

In addition to Agara's recognition, junior guard Tess Heal came in third for Sixth Player of the Year in her first year at Stanford since transferring from Santa Clara, averaging 8.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists off the bench.

Despite starting in eight games this season, Heal has come off the bench in Stanford's last 16 games and is averaging 8.7 points with a 48% three-point shooting percentage since becoming a substitute.

With the regular season now over for the Cardinal, the focus now shifts to the ACC tournament. The Cardinal's tournament run begins on Wednesday, March 5 when they face No. 11 seeded Clemson in Greensboro, South Carolina. Tip-off is slated for 3:30 p.m. (PT) with the action airing on the ACC Network.

Next. How Could Ayomanor's Rookie Season in the NFL Look?. How Could Ayomanor's Rookie Season in the NFL Look?. dark