Huskies Report

ESPN Reveals Head-Turning UConn Women’s Basketball Prediction

With 100 days until tipoff, ESPN questions if UConn can repeat or if a surprising twist could keep the champs out of the Final Four entirely.
Evan Dammarell|
Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma holds up the WBCA Coaches’ trophy after the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma holds up the WBCA Coaches’ trophy after the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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UConn Huskies

As the countdown to the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season hits the 100-day mark, ESPN is already stirring the pot. Can the UConn Huskies repeat as national champions? Or will a loaded field of contenders stop them short?

It’s been just over three months since Geno Auriemma’s team knocked off defending champ South Carolina to win it all in Tampa. Now, the storied program is back in the spotlight, aiming for its first repeat since the 2013–16 dynasty. Even without No. 1 WNBA draft pick Paige Bueckers, the Huskies are far from rebuilding. They’re reloading.

Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong headline a roster brimming with All-American potential. KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, Jana El Alfy, and Ice Brady return with valuable experience, while the addition of transfer Serah Williams adds size and skill to an already potent frontcourt. Together, they form one of the deepest and most balanced teams in the country.

Still, ESPN isn’t sold. In one bold prediction, they suggest an all-SEC Final Four. That's a scenario that would leave UConn watching the title chase from home. It's a dramatic take, considering Auriemma's unparalleled history of winning and the fact that UConn might be talented enough to go undefeated for the seventh time in program history.

Whether or not the Huskies repeat, one thing is clear: all eyes will be on Storrs this season. With Auriemma chasing a 25th Final Four and no signs of retirement in sight, UConn enters the season as the team to beat and the program everyone wants to dethrone.

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Evan Dammarell
EVAN DAMMARELL

Evan Dammarell is a credentialed, award-winning sports journalist who has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA for nearly a decade right off the shores of Lake Erie. His work has appeared on Forbes, ClutchPoints, SBNation, FanSided, Heavy, The Locked On Podcast Network, and Right Down Euclid, among others. Evan is committed to his vision to go beyond the scores and so much more so that every fan can always keep up with what’s going on with their favorite teams on and off the court.

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