He might not even be close to retiring, but coach Geno Auriemma is living the legacy of one of the best basketball coaches of all time. Throughout his time as the coach of the Women’s Basketball team at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Auriemma has coached stars like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and his current big three: Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Sarah Strong.
Paige Bueckers came into the 24-25 season wanting revenge. Coming into her last year at UConn, she was determined to make this season count and win a National Championship. In her freshman season at UConn, Bueckers became the first freshman to win the AP Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, and the Wooden award. In her sophomore and junior seasons, Bueckers had injuries that caused her to miss most or all of the season, only really being able to play the Big East and NCAA tournament her sophomore year. In her return to the court in the 23-24 season, Bueckers announced she was returning for her fifth year at senior night, and was yet again named the Big East Player of the Year, but the Huskies lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four. This season, her last college season, Paige Bueckers won Big East Player of the Year for the third time, broke multiple UConn records, and won the Nancy Lieberman Award and the Wade Trophy, all on top of the National Championship.
Azzi Fudd came into the 24-25 season after missing just about all of the 23-24 season from a torn ACL, the second time that happened to her. Fudd’s seasons had been cut short many times due to injury, but she wasn’t going to let it hold her back this year. Fudd was named to the All-Big East First Team, and after the first game in the NCAA Tournament, she announced that she would be returning to the Huskies for the 25-26 season. In the National Championship, Azzi scored 24 points and 5 rebounds, winning the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
Despite only being a freshman, Sarah Strong dominated on the court in her first year for the Huskies. She was named the Big East Freshman of the Year, part of the All Big East First Team, and won the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Freshman of the Year. Strong still has three more years for the Huskies, and the College Basketball World knows she is going to make it worthwhile.
Kaitlyn Chen, a graduate student from Princeton, was a large contributor to the Huskies this year, and they wouldn’t be where they are this year without her. KK Arnold, only a sophomore, is a large part of the team on and off the court.
This season, fans saw Arnold, Bueckers, Fudd on may TikTok lives and TikTok videos, although in their Final Four starting five announcements by Paige Bueckers, she claimed herself as the “nonchalant final boss,” but that girl hasn’t taken the net from around her neck since she cut it down sunday night.
This was one of the most complete NCAA tournament’s we’ve seen played by a team in a long time, indicated by the fact that UConn won every game by at least 14 points, their closest game being a 14 point win and won the first round game by 60 points.
