With Azzi Fudd and Sarah Robust returning to the courtroom and Geno Auriemma coming again to the sidelines, UConn is extensively anticipated to as soon as once more contend for the nationwide championship in girls’s school basketball subsequent yr.
Even with Paige Bueckers off to the WNBA, the Huskies are nonetheless armed with the winningest coach within the sport, maybe one of the best shooter within the sport in Fudd, and a flexible do-it-all ahead in Robust who appears to have a vast quantity of potential. A wholesome Caroline Ducharme shall be again for UConn too, as will different key contributors like KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, Ice Brady and Jana El Alfy.
On Wednesday although, that roster simply acquired a complete lot higher.
UConn obtained a dedication from among the best gamers within the portal in Wisconsin ahead Serah Williams. The 6-foot-4 native of Brooklyn, New York, made the announcement on her X account.
Williams, sources confirmed to SB Nation, had additionally critically been contemplating LSU and North Carolina. She visited UConn’s campus earlier this week together with USC guard Kayleigh Heckel.
At Wisconsin, Williams was a double-double machine and made the All-Large Ten First Crew this season, a yr after she received the convention’s Defensive Participant of the Yr award as a sophomore. In three seasons, she began in 89 of the 91 video games she performed in and averaged 16.4 factors and eight.6 rebounds per sport whereas capturing 51.5 p.c from the ground. This previous season, she was one in every of simply 4 gamers nationally to common a minimum of 19 factors, 9 rebounds and two blocks per sport.
Williams entered the switch portal on March 12, simply days after Wisconsin and former coach Marisa Moseley went their separate methods after 4 years. The parting was framed as mutual, however Moseley — a former UConn assistant — by no means had a successful season with the Badgers and was accused by a former participant earlier this yr of mistreatment and emotional abuse. Wisconsin then employed former Missouri coach Robin Pingeton.
Whereas she’s by no means performed in an NCAA Event sport, Williams does have some expertise beating up on UConn’s Large East foes. She scored a career-best 36 factors, and likewise had 14 rebounds, in a double-overtime win at Butler final season.
She instantly turns into UConn’s most skilled ahead, as no different submit participant on the Huskies’ roster has greater than two years of expertise. Her addition will even give UConn some lineup flexibility. The Huskies can play huge with Williams at energy ahead, El Alfy at middle and Robust at small ahead, or they will play smaller with Williams on the 5 and Robust on the 4.
Both manner, Williams is a serious addition for Auriemma’s facet and solely will increase his possibilities of capturing his thirteenth ring subsequent season.
