Off a 2025 NCAA Tournament crown, the UConn Huskies now have to adapt to life without their former star guard Paige Bueckers. Bueckers is busy tearing up the WNBA, but she left behind a deep and talented roster in Storrs. Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and an impressive group of transfers and freshmen are ready to lead the newest batch of Huskies.
UConn remains one of the top picks to claim another NCAA crown in 2026, which would be head coach Geno Auriemma’s 13th title. Here are a few deep dives on his 2025-26 squad.
5 Takeaways on UConn’s 2025-26 Women’s Hoops Squad
1. No Paige, No Problem
Yes, Bueckers is in the WNBA, but fellow UConn standout Azzi Fudd turned down the league to return for her signature team. Fudd averaged 13.6 points per game last year for the Huskies, but there was an overarching sense that she is just scratching the surface of her nearly relentless potential. Fudd has played in just 76 games over four seasons, but if she’s healthy, there’s a star here.
Fudd showed just how good she was in the Final Four, dropping 19 points in the semifinal win over UCLA and then 24 points in the title game against South Carolina. Fudd also managed three steals in each game. As long as she’s healthy, UConn is in good shape.
2. How Strong Will Sarah’s Sophomore Season Be?
Meanwhile, 6’2″ post player Sarah Strong is gearing up for another brilliant season. As a freshman, Strong averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. She even shot 39% from 3-point range. Like Fudd, Strong was brilliant when it counted last year. Strong had 22 points and eight rebounds against UCLA and added 24 points and 15 rebounds in the championship game.
Strong will struggle to be any better than she has been. But even as good as she has been would make the Huskies nearly untouchable.
3. Serah Williams’ Addition Makes Huskies Post-Heavy
The richer got richer, with UConn adding 6’4″ Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams, who averaged 19.2 points and 9.8 boards per game last year with the Badgers in her junior campaign.
Williams will free Strong to continue to develop as a face-the-basket forward as well as a post force. In case UConn needed another force, they not only added one of the best players in the portal but also allowed a current star to add another facet.
4. Can Kayleigh Heckel get it right?
USC guard Kayleigh Heckel was recruited ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. But she had a disappointing season at USC, averaging just 6.1 points per game. Heckel has transferred to UConn, where she’ll get a fresh start. Can she take advantage of the fresh start and live up to the massive potential she showed in high school? Auriemma and the Huskies are pretty clearly betting that she can.
5. Solid Pre-Conference Schedule Awaiting
The Huskies figure to stroll easily through the Big East. After all, they last lost a Big East game in 2013. But the non-conference schedule will present a few challenges, even for a program as strong as the Huskies. It’ll be worth seeing how UConn survives the strong non-conference schedule that Auriemma has set.
The Huskies will play Louisville on an Air Force base in Germany. They’ll also face Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, and USC from the Big Ten. After the New Year, games with Notre Dame and Tennessee are also slated. Auriemma is too smart a coach not to have his team ready to play come NCAA Tournament time. Unfortunately, UConn’s only real test will come from that pre-conference slate.
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