STORRS, Conn. — Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies are setting their sights on history once again. After capturing their 12th national championship last season, the top-ranked Huskies will try to become the first team to win back-to-back women’s basketball titles since their own four-year run from 2013–16.
The road won’t be easy. Fellow Final Four contenders South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA all return deep, veteran rosters capable of making another championship push.
UConn will have to adjust without star guard Paige Bueckers, who graduated after anchoring last year’s title team. Still, Auriemma’s squad remains stacked, led by All-America forward Sarah Strong and sharpshooting guard Azzi Fudd.
Auriemma said he’s been here before, losing transcendent players but finding new ways to keep UConn on top. “It’s like when Stewie left, or when Diana, Maya, or Tina moved on,” he said. “Anytime you lose someone so dominant, it takes some getting used to. But we’ve done it before.”
The new season will also miss USC star JuJu Watkins, the reigning AP Player of the Year, who announced she will sit out to recover from an ACL injury suffered in last spring’s NCAA Tournament.
Even so, women’s basketball remains loaded with star power. UCLA returns 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, South Carolina boasts rising forward Joyce Edwards, and Notre Dame will rely on dynamic guard Hannah Hidalgo. The 2024–25 season tips off Nov. 3, with the national championship set for April 5 in Phoenix.
Player Movement and New Faces
Several standout players changed schools this offseason. National scoring leader and preseason All-American Ta’Niya Latson left Florida State for South Carolina, replacing MiLaysia Fulwiley, who transferred to LSU. Other notable moves include Olivia Miles leaving Notre Dame for TCU, Yarden Garzon transferring from Indiana to Maryland, and Kiyomi McMiller joining Penn State from Rutgers after a midseason suspension.
In the frontcourt, Ole Miss added eight new players, led by former Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon. UConn also bolstered its depth with Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams, a 6-foot-2 presence inside.
Impact Freshmen
A strong freshman class is headlined by Oklahoma’s Aaliyah Chavez, UCLA’s Sienna Betts, and USC’s Jazzy Davidson. Chavez, the nation’s top recruit, joins a deep Sooners lineup; Betts will team up with her sister Lauren to form one of college basketball’s best frontcourts; and Davidson will help fill the void left by Watkins’ injury at USC.
Coaching Changes
The sidelines will look different, too. Jill Pizzotti takes over at DePaul after longtime coach Doug Bruno retired due to health issues, ending a remarkable 39-year run that included 786 wins. Other notable changes include Adia Barnes moving from Arizona to SMU, Matthew Mitchell returning to coaching at Houston, Kellie Harper taking the reins at Missouri, and Michele Woods-Baxter stepping in at USF following Jose Fernandez’s departure for a WNBA position in Dallas.
With powerhouse programs reloading and new faces emerging, women’s college basketball enters the new season brimming with intrigue — and UConn once again at the center of it all.
