PHOENIX (USBWA) – Maggie Vanoni of Hearst Connecticut Media Group, who covers UConn women’s basketball and the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, has been named the winner of the 2025-26 Rising Star Award by the Women’s Board of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Vanoni was honored at this morning's USBWA Awards Breakfast in conunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Vanoni has covered UConn women’s basketball and the Connecticut Sun since 2021, with daily beat coverage, features and analysis on one of the most prominent programs in women’s college basketball. Her reporting has chronicled UConn’s NCAA Tournament runs, player development and the broader growth of women’s basketball at both the collegiate and professional levels.
Vanoni began her career while attending the University of Oregon, where she worked for the Daily Emerald, the university’s independent student newspaper. During her time there, she became the school’s first recipient of the Jim Murray Memorial Scholarship. She also served as president of Oregon’s AWSM chapter during her senior year.
Before moving to Connecticut, Vanoni gained experience at several major outlets. She interned at The Seattle Times and later covered UCLA athletics for The Orange County Register in Los Angeles, developing a foundation in college sports beat reporting that led to her current role covering one of the nation’s flagship women’s basketball programs.
In addition to her reporting, Vanoni remains deeply involved in mentoring aspiring sports journalists. She currently serves as Vice President of Student Programming for AWSM, where she helps organize initiatives that connect student journalists with professional opportunities and mentorship within the industry.
The USBWA Rising Star Award, established in 2010, recognizes journalistic excellence by a college basketball writer under the age of 30. The award has previously honored reporters who have gone on to become some of the most prominent voices in basketball media.
USBWA WOMEN'S RISING STAR AWARD WINNERS
2020: Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic
2021: Mirin Fader, The Ringer
2022: Alexa Philippou, ESPN
2023: Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
2024: Emily Adams, Hartford Courant
2025: Marisa Ingemi, San Francisco Chronicle
2026: Maggie Vinoni, Hearst Connecticut Media Group