Gandy Malou-Mamel: UConn Women’s Hoops’ next star international forward
On3’s Joe Tipton reported Uros Paunovic and Rrezon Elezay’s commitments to the UConn men’s basketball team back on August 18th. The six-time national champions landed as many international players within one hour as the UConn women’s basketball team has in their incoming class.
In addition to two transfers and Kelis Fisher, the reigning champions welcome Blanca Quiñonez from Ecuador and Gandy Malou-Mamel from Ireland. Both first-year students join Jana El Alfy (Egypt) in the Huskies’ strengthening pipeline of international players.
I already wrote about Quiñonez, who spent last season with Italy’s Magnolia Basket Campobasso, when she announced her commitment last October. But what does Malou-Mamel, a 6-foot-5 native of Limerick, Ireland, bring to Storrs?
Simply put, imagine having a defensive clone of former No. 1 overall recruit Sarah Strong. The Gill St. Bernard’s High School alum had 285 rebounds, 62 blocks, and 40 steals as a senior in 2024-25.
Out of the 28 games she appeared in last season, Malou-Mamel recorded something in each statistical category above 20 times. Starting with the boards, just twice last year did the 2024 U20 Women’s EuroBasket Championships participant snag fewer than five. That number only doubles to four when including the 2023-24 campaign. Malou-Mamel’s odds of not contributing down low were lower than those of finding a four-leaf clover.
Connecticut could be among the nation’s leaders in swatted shots with the program’s first-ever Irish player now part of their brigade. In that same two-season stretch, Malou-Mamel recorded at least four rejections in 10 different contests. Opposing players who dare challenge the four-star prospect in the post best beware the aggression with which she protects it.
The Global Game: UConn’s international players since 2019
| Player | Country of Origin |
|---|---|
| Anna Makurat | Poland |
| Aaliyah Edwards | Canada |
| Nika Mühl | Croatia |
| Dorka Juhasz | Hungary |
| Ines Bettencourt | Portugal |
| Lou Lopez Senechal | France |
| Jana El Alfy | Egypt |
| Gandy Malou-Mamel | Ireland |
| Blanca Quiñonez | Ecuador |
Everyone but Malou-Mamel or Quiñonez, who have yet to appear in a collegiate contest, has started at least one game.
What Malou-Mamel does defensively should not detract from the offensive repertoire she provides, specifically in the interior. The 2025 Somerset County Tournament champion posted back-to-back seasons with 200+ made two-pointers in Central New Jersey. In seven appearances during the 2024 EuroBasket championships alone, Malou-Mamel shot an impressive 52.9% from inside the arc. Teams typically reap the reward when they feed the 2025 Skyland Conference Delaware division co-champion in the paint.
Malou-Mamel’s overall game best relates to 2020-21 Big East Defensive Player of the Year Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Both players stand at 6-foot-5, do not attempt many three-pointers, rebound tenaciously, score efficiently and sport a fierce shot-blocking ability. Given the frontcourt depth, I do not expect ESPNW’s No. 75 prospect to follow Nelson-Ododa’s career trajectory; not initially, that is.
Head coach Geno Auriemma commented after Malou-Mamel signed that she would be a “big post presence” and a “great compliment” to the other centers. Those words will most commonly resonate in practice and garbage time situations during the 2025-26 season. But come her junior season, 247 Sports’ No. 77-ranked player could be the program’s next tone-setting center with an intimidating defensive game.
Connecticut rediscovered and reclaimed its pot of gold nearly five months ago after an Odyssean nine-year trek. Malou-Mamel will help the Huskies protect it from the other college basketball powers that seek it.
Envisioning Malou-Mamel’s first season
UConn possesses a deep frontcourt, especially once Ayanna Patterson returns to full strength. They also boast considerable size with nine players, two of them guards, listed at 6-foot-2 or taller. Nearly half of those nine individuals have spent at least 2.5 years with the program. As a result, I expect Malou-Mamel to get most of her minutes in the final frame of long-decided blowouts.
That does not mean the Irish center will not be serviceable in some of the Huskies’ most pivotal contests. Should at least three of Connecticut’s forwards get into considerable foul trouble, Auriemma may break the emergency glass and call in Malou-Mamel.
Given the Huskies’ non-conference schedule (exhibitions excluded), the Skyland Conference Delaware Division First Team All-Star will have her career performance on November 12. The Loyola Chicago Ramblers, who went 12-17 (5-13 in the A10 Conference) last season, are undoubtedly UConn’s weakest opponent on the out-of-league slate.
A contest like this one, especially after Louisville and Florida State, should result in more opportunities for the team’s younger players. Malou-Mamel’s chances of seeing significant minutes in those other 10 regular season non-conference battles are drastically lower. As for Big East play, the 2025 Joyce Creasey Memorial Award winner should gain key experience against the programs that sport losing conference records.
Minutes played aside, the looming lack of a role ahead of her first collegiate campaign does not dampen Malou-Mamel’s spirits.
“I do not think I can get discouraged being here where there [are] so many people to look up to and so many people I can take notes from and resonate my game with,” the 2025 Central Jersey Sports Radio Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year explained during her first media availability in June. “I am just here to get better and to help contribute to the team as well.”
Malou-Mamel later mentioned that she looked up to El Alfy in practice. She strives to be the type of player that the 6-foot-5 Egyptian native is: communicative, aggressive near the rim and physical. It is a reasonable aspiration; both players thrive off of working in the interior and know how to get open under the basket.
Although her game allows her to spread out in the interior, Malou-Mamel will make the most impact down low this upcoming season. Letting the 2024 EuroBasket fifth-place finisher work the paint will help her teammates cultivate their chemistry as they feed her the ball. Over time throughout the year, Malou-Mamel could develop into a productive, layup-heavy center.
Going into the fall, most of the attention among the incoming Huskies will go toward Fisher, the No. 25 prospect in ESPNW’s top 100. Across the entire team, Strong and Azzi Fudd take center stage while others (notably Ashlynn Shade) step into new roles.
Even if she has no immediate spotlight on her, Gandy Malou-Mamel should shine in her first collegiate campaign.
