Predicting UConn Women’s Hoops’ lineup for the 2025-26 season
Preseason exhibitions provide the perfect opportunity for experimenting. Coaches can apply the lineup and play drafts they created in practice against other teams. With each completed scrimmage comes the chance to adjust before the games actually count.
The defending national champion UConn women’s basketball team was no stranger to this process. Paige Bueckers’s and Kaitlyn Chen’s departures alone warrant the need for lineup modifications. That does not even highlight the two transfers, two ESPN top 75 prospects, and an Ecuadorian superstar head coach Geno Auriemma recruited. UConn has established its depth chart, even with the rotations the coaching staff toyed with. Inspired by a 94 Feet WBB tweet, let us predict what the Huskies’ preliminary lineup looks like.
Starters
- KK Arnold – PG
- Azzi Fudd – SG
- Ashlynn Shade – Wing
- Sarah Strong – PF
- Serah Williams – C
Auriemma ran with the same lineup to begin both exhibitions. There may be some tinkering on the wings, but college basketball’s winningest coach has his starters for the first few weeks.
Compared to last November, this year’s group has more veteran experience. It once again features two former No. 1 recruits, but Fudd replaces Bueckers while Strong stays put. Losing one piece of last year’s big three should not faze either player.
The 2025 NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player turns into a superior scorer when her three-ball gets going. Just take the third quarter against the Boston College Eagles on October 13 as an example of that. A stellar sophomore season from the reigning National Freshman of the Year, meanwhile, could put her in Wooden Award conversations.
But defense might take center stage with this lineup. Arnold’s off-ball peskiness opens eyes more than her numbers do. Having the 2024 Big East All-Freshman Team selection command the floor sets UConn up to swiftly silence its opponents. Shade, who sports a dangerous three-point shot, adds to that constant defensive pressure.
While Fudd is taller, the Big East Sixth Woman of the Year mans the three because of her ability to crash the glass. She might not have to do so as often if Strong and Williams become unstoppable rebounders in the frontcourt. With her presence down low, the former Wisconsin Badger could contend for Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Each starter sports a unique skillset. Their differing styles might give the Huskies their strongest top lineup in a decade.
Second line/Key reserves
Bueckers constantly referred to Shade and Arnold as game-changers when they entered last season. That might be how people view Connecticut’s entire second line.
Ziebell and Quiñonez are the standout names on this list, and their exhibition performances back that up. The former had 13 points against the Southern Connecticut State Owls; the latter played 20+ minutes in each contest. I highlighted both of their impacts off the bench in Monday’s takeaways article.
Quiñonez is more likely to be a key rotational piece between the two. If the former Campobasso forward cleans up some rookie mistakes, she could vie for a starting spot toward the end of the year. That does not mean Ziebell will not be a major contributor as a sophomore. The 2024 Wisconsin Miss Basketball winner’s name could be called when the Huskies need a spark from long range.
So could Heckel, the USC transfer. The Port Chester native might not be as aggressive defensively as her new teammate, but she is not afraid to attack the basket. Add in her unselfishness with the ball, and Heckel becomes a multifaceted floor general with starter’s minutes.
Brady will be just as critical in her redshirt junior season, especially if both starting forwards encounter foul trouble. The San Diego native has the experience, specifically from the 2024 Big East Tournament, to step up in dire situations.
All five players listed here are the backbones of the team’s depth. Their health is just as paramount as that of the starters.
Reserves
One might assume this group features the people who will only appear in garbage time. I do not see this particular unit that way. Two of the three players mentioned here could have pivotal roles this season.
Ducharme battled head and neck injuries for the past three years. Even with these setbacks, the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List selection has become a vocal leader. With her 6-foot-2 frame and vast experience, Ducharme might not stay in this specific category for long.
Neither should Fisher, the Preseason Big East Freshman of the Year. The No. 17-ranked recruit’s speed and energy could come in handy against teams that rely on their backcourts (i.e., Michigan). With those traits and her potential, Fisher could provide critical minutes in the middle of some competitive contests.
Malou-Mamel did not play against Southern Connecticut State on Sunday but should be available for next week’s season opener. With the frontcourt depth ahead of her, the Irish native could be in for a learning year similar to Ziebell’s. If the training pays off, Malou-Mamel will become a key role player as a sophomore.
Role to be determined
Cheli was the only player who did not appear in either of the Huskies’ exhibitions. The 2024 No. 11 recruit is almost nine months removed from a surgery to fix her ankle injury that ended her first collegiate campaign. The earlier that Cheli comes back, if she returns, the more likely she might see significant minutes in the postseason.
Patterson, meanwhile, is the biggest wildcard among this group. The 2022 Preseason Big East Freshman of the Year has not appeared in an official game since the 2022-23 season. If she plays at least 10 minutes, Patterson could become a key depth piece. Otherwise, ESPN’s fourth-ranked recruit in the 2022 class could have the same path that Ducharme did off the bench last season.
I created these lineup projections under the impression that the Huskies will go 10-deep. That number could rise to 12 as the season progresses.
Connecticut has the depth to withstand the adversities it has had in the past. The roles could change throughout the year, but the Huskies head into the season looking like the nation’s top team.
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