SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – UConn men's basketball junior Aidan Mahaney has been named to the Naismith Starting 5 - Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List. The West Award goes to the nation's top shooting guard at the conclusion of the regular season. The Basketball Hall of Fame is announcing Preseason Watch Lists for the Starting 5 awards throughout the week.

Mahaney joins UConn this season after two All-Conference seasons at Saint Mary's College, where he lead the Gaels to three total WCC titles and back-to-back 5-seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Mahaney scored 13.9 points per game in each of his two seasons in Moraga and enters his junior campaign with 951 career points.

The 6-3 native of Campolindo, Calif. made a strong early impression to the Husky faithful, pumping in 17 points in an efficient 23 minutes off the bench in UConn's exhibition contest against Rhode Island on Oct. 14.

Mahaney will seek to join the three Huskies to previously take home a Naismith Starting 5 Award – Kemba Walker (2011), Shabazz Napier (2014) and Tristen Newton (2024) were all named winners of the Bob Cousy Award. He is one of three BIG EAST players named to the West Award list, joining Marquette's Kam Jones and St. John's' Kadary Richmond.