Azzi Fudd Joins Exclusive UConn Record Club
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Defensive excellence has quietly shaped some of the most dominant championship runs in women’s college basketball over the past twenty-five years.
While scoring totals often headline March storylines, steals have consistently revealed which teams imposed their will on the biggest stage. Since 2000, only a handful of players have reached the upper tier of steals recorded during a national title run, a list that now includes UConn Huskies senior Azzi Fudd.
Fudd scored 18 steals, placing her third on the all-time list this century. Only Alexis Hornbuckle, who collected 21 steals, and Niele Ivey, who recorded 20 for Notre Dame, sit above her.
Others to reach the 16-steal mark during title runs include Candace Parker, Angel Reese, Marina Mabrey, and Sydney Colson, underscoring how rare sustained defensive disruption is across a full tournament.
What separates Fudd’s entry from many others on the list is positional context. Unlike Hornbuckle or Ivey, both primary ball handlers, Fudd operates primarily as a wing scorer. Her ability to generate turnovers while shouldering offensive responsibility reflects a two-way profile more commonly associated with elite guards.
How Fudd’s Elite Efficiency Elevated UConn
Fudd’s rise into this exclusive category was fueled by a dramatic postseason surge. During the regular season, she averaged 1.3 steals per game. In tournament play, that number climbed to 2.5 per contest.
Her opening-round performance against Arkansas State set the tone: six steals, 27 points and seven assists, accounting for one third of her total tournament takeaways in a single game.
That defensive intensity carried through every round. In the national championship against South Carolina, Fudd added three steals to go along with 24 points and five rebounds, contributing on both ends as UConn secured its twelfth national title.
While teammates such as Paige Bueckers delivered leadership and clutch scoring, and Sarah Strong controlled the paint, Fudd’s anticipation and perimeter pressure helped dictate tempo.
UConn’s tournament dominance provided fewer possessions and minutes than some historical runs, with every victory coming by double digits, including a 34-point Final Four win over UCLA. Even so, Fudd remained defensively engaged regardless of margin, a hallmark shared by the elite names on the steals list.
Her presence among this group also completes a longer personal arc. After scoring just three points in the 2022 championship game following a bout of food poisoning and missing the entire 2023–24 season with a torn ACL, Fudd returned with a more complete game.
No longer required to carry the offense alone, she expanded her impact as a defender and playmaker within the structure emphasized by coach Geno Auriemma.
Historically, the pattern is clear. Tennessee under Pat Summitt, Notre Dame under Muffet McGraw and UConn under Auriemma all built championships on defensive pressure and discipline. Fudd’s 18 steals fit squarely within that lineage.
As she approaches the 2026 WNBA Draft, widely projected as a top-two selection, her place on this list reframes her identity. The shooting remains elite, but her postseason defense now stands among the defining traits of her legacy.
Aman Sharma is a sports writer who covers college, professional football, and basketball with an eye for detail and storytelling. With over two years of experience writing for outlets like The Sporting News, Pro Football & Sports Network, Sportskeeda, and College Football Network, he’s covered from the NFL and NBA to the NCAA and breakout athletes with a fan’s instinct and depth. Off the field, Aman is a gym and badminton enthusiast.