Azzi Fudd Announces Return to UConn

Azzi Fudd will return to the Connecticut Huskies' women's basketball program for a fifth season.

Mar 22, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) drives the ball against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

There's more Storrs in store for University of Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd.

Fudd announced on Tuesday that she would put off her professional entry for a year and return to UConn's storied women's basketball team for a fifth season. Her announcement comes after the Huskies (33-3) defeated South Dakota State to earn its 31st consecutive appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament's Sweet 16 round.

"Hey Gampel, thanks for last night," Fudd wrote in the caption of an Instagram post depicting highlights from this season. "See you next year."

Many viewed Fudd, 22, as a first-round pick in next month's WNBA Draft but she'll stick around to finish what's been a rollercoaster career in Storrs and Hartford. She has, of course, lived up to the hype that followed her from Arlington, VA as a National Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American when she's on the floor but injuries have frequently interrupted her Connecticut career.

This time around, Fudd averaged 13.4 points and 1.2 steals while shooting a Big East-best 45.3 percent from three-point range while appearing in a career-best 30 games. Her success rate from the outside was best among qualified Connecticut shooters since Katie Lou Samuelsson in 2017-18.

It was a triumphant return for Fudd, who was limited to two games last season due to a torn ACL. For her efforts, Fudd was named to the premier All-Big East team. She had a game-best 27 points along with six steals and a career-best seven assists in Connecticut's NCAA Tournament-opening win over Arkansas State on Saturday in Storrs.

"Azzi's waited a long time," Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said of Fudd after the season-opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson in November, per Michael Voepel of ESPN. "Since her junior year in high school, she's missed more basketball than she's actually played. I know how hard she's worked and I know what it's meant to her ... She changes our team. She makes us better."

Fudd and the Huskies will continue their championship chase on Saturday when they face Oklahoma in the Spokane 4 regional semifinal (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags