Sitting down with my family, waiting out the seconds until the clock turned 3:00 p.m., we waited in avid anticipation. The TV flashed with images of crowds, jerseys, huskies and gamecocks. To some, it was just a normal weekend, but, to (approximately) 9 million viewers around the world, this was the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, a day where two teams faced off for basketball glory. For me and my family, we were hoping to see the UCONN Huskies win their 12th national championship, something they hadn’t been able to do since 2016.
The UCONN basketball program has been a staple in my household since birth. My mother grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, so the University of Connecticut sports teams were a big deal. Basketball for UCONN specifically has been their shining star. Both the men’s and the women’s teams are some of the most prominent in the country. But the women’s program specifically has been groundbreaking. Led by coach Geno Auriemma, UCONN has won (now) 12 National Championships – the most of any men’s or women’s college basketball program. They have appeared in the final four 24 times (the most of any men or women’s program), and they have been in the tournament 35 times. So winning is not unfamiliar to UCONN, but this year was different. This was the year that a very special player, a “people’s princess,” a role model to all of the UCONN nation, would be putting on her huskies jersey for the very last time.
Redshirt senior Paige Bueckers will be leaving UCONN to go to the WNBA next year, and this last championship was something that her team had made very clear they wanted to win, not just for the team but for her. Paige is a UCONN legend, predicted to go number one in the WNBA draft; she has been a star on the UCONN stage since she joined the team. She has played with USA basketball, even winning 2019 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. Along with her success outside the NCAA, she also has her arms full with accolades from UCONN and the NCAA alike. But Paige’s career at UCONN came with its fair share of hardships. Paige’s freshman year she played the whole season, even winning national player of the year, but the season was scrambled by the COVID19 pandemic that shut everything around the world down. Her sophomore year, she played 17 games before missing 19 games with a knee injury. Her junior year she missed the entire season because of an ACL injury and recovery from the surgery because of it. Sitting on the bench watching from the sidelines wasn’t an easy time for Paige, especially since it was unclear if she would ever be the same player again. After that, she still had two seasons of eligibility left because of her injury and COVID19. She returned to the court her junior year, helping lead her team to the final four, but the team’s journey stopped there for the season after a devastating loss to Caitlyn Clark and Iowa by only 2 points. Paige was playing some great basketball but her humor and joy on the court seemed to be missing. The pressure of recovery and coming back to the court after so long wasn’t easy, and returning after a long time on the sidelines, the mental aspect of getting back into the game. But this year, Paige really found her groove again. She was able to lead a team that had finally come together and seemed ready to make it all the way.
This year, the UCONN team really came together. While they did lose a few great players last year, the Huskies entered the season with a strong team of girls that gelled well together and had the elements needed for a successful season. Specifically, two girls (who, along with Paige, were nicknamed the Big 3) were able to bring UCONN the points they needed in important games. Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong led UCONN through March Madness with strength, passion and lots and lots of baskets. According to ESPN: “they are the first trio of teammates to each score 100 points in an NCAA tournament since the 2009 UCONN group Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles”. All three of them shined throughout the entire season, and, once march madness hit, it almost seemed as if some sort of switch had gone off and these girls started lighting up the court in ways that left their opponents blinded. In the championship, it was Fudd and Strong that led with points – both scoring a whopping 24 and meeting that offensive strength with strong defense on the other end of the court. It was vital that all three girls played well because the South Carolina defense would be doubling down on whomever had the ball in their hand. But that wasn’t a problem for UCONN because each girl on that court knew that there was always a girl who had the ability and accuracy to make the shots, and, if they were in doubt, they could always turn to their guiding star standing right on the sidelines.
Coach Geno Auriemma has been leading UCONN women for 40 seasons, his entire career as a head coach. He has numerous wins as an NCAA coach, and has been able to create powerhouse teams throughout the years, training some of the best female players in the NCAA and WNBA. His coaching prowess is undeniable, but it’s also his heart that draws players and fans alike towards the program. His connection with his players is special; he creates bonds with each and every girl learning how to best work with them. Geno also just gets to know them as people, and his players love him for it. Beuckers commented: “I love that man like more than words can describe, and there’s a lot of stuff about him that I don’t, but it’s because he’s challenging me and making us all better in ways we never even knew we could.” He brings out the best in each girl and teaches them to reach their full potential. He is hard on them but he also knows how to let them have fun. And it seems he is not done yet! Even at 71 years old, he does not have any immediate plans to retire! His contract runs through the 2028-29 season and it seems that he is content in following through! It will be exciting to see what Geno does with the program next!
As for what is next for UCONN, the program definitely will be changing, but they still have a strong foundation. Both Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong are still on the roster and it’s rumored UCONN has their eye on a few players in the portal. Even at the end of a beautiful era for UCONN, a new one is already starting to blossom. So don’t worry, UCONN basketball is certainly not done yet!
By Emma Botelho ‘28, News Editor
28ebotelho@montroseschool.org
