UConn Fans Erupt as Azzi Fudd Wins Rare Honor

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The UConn Huskies have closed their regular season undefeated. Their last match against St. John’s ended in an 85–49 win for UConn, pushing their winning streak to 47 games and finishing the season 31–0. Now, with the regular season behind them, the Huskies soon head to the Big East Tournament.
However, before they do, the Huskies’ star guard Azzi Fudd has earned a rare Big East recognition. Not so long ago, Fudd was named the 2025–26 Big East Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, an award that honors excellence both on the court and in the classroom.
Naturally, the Fudd fandom had a lot to say. “That’s my gurllll. She puts the students in student athletes 😍💕”, wrote a fan.
Fudd just might be doing that because winning this honor is no easy task.
That’s my gurllll
— lalalandokokokokok (@wedonotcare1808) March 4, 2026
She puts the students in student athletes 😍💕🎈
The winner is selected by the conference’s Academic Awards Selection Committee, and the honor includes a $2,000 postgraduate scholarship. Fudd, who’s pursuing a master’s degree in business administration after earning her bachelor’s in communication in 2024, holds a 3.570 GPA.
The UConn guard has also been a four-time Big East All-Academic Team selection and an eight-time member of the Huskies’ Director of Athletics’ Honor Roll. Fans couldn’t help but admire that balance either, with another adding, “Speak to her nice. She has an MBA!!”
Of course, the admiration doesn’t stop with her achievements in the classroom. On the court, Fudd has been just as consistent. This season, she has been averaging a career-high 17.9 points per game while posting shooting splits of .490 from the field, .451 from three-point range, and .950 from the free-throw line.
One longtime fan even reflected on that connection,writing,“I remember very well your Mom playing for Georgetown (I was a season ticket UConn holder then), and she was a very formidable opponent. Big East was TOUGH! You are a chip off the ‘ol block, lol!”
And no doubt, she has been "formidable". Fudd ranks second nationally with 96 made three-pointers and sits ninth in three-point percentage at 45.1%. She has also won four Big East Player of the Week honors this season and remains a finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award while appearing on multiple national player-of-the-year watch lists.
always a good time for an Azzi Fudd three pic.twitter.com/2UAo40mzOc
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) March 2, 2026
Balancing that production on the court with consistency in the classroom is no easy feat, especially at a program like UConn, where expectations never dip. Yet some fans see her success as something that might run in the family.
The admiration didn’t stop there either. One fan wrote, “a student-athlete. The princess does it all. 👏👑,” while another simply called her “The People’s Princess.” That nickname traces back to 2024 when former teammate Paige Bueckers revealed that head coach Geno Auriemma jokingly calls Fudd “the princess” because of how consistently polished her all-around game is.
Now, that very same game puts her among legends. Fudd is the ninth player in UConn history to win this honor. She joins legends like Rebecca Lobo, Maya Moore, and Paige Bueckers. Soon, much like these legends, Fudd will likely be off to start a new journey.
What’s Next in the Books for Azzi Fudd?
When Fudd returned to Storrs earlier this season, she did so, putting aside the WNBA draft. And one of the many reasons for doing the same was her health. Now, after her first fully healthy season, Fudd is likely off to the WNBA courts soon. Draft projections across the basketball world see Fudd as one of the top prospects in the class.
ESPN currently projects her as the No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Wings, noting that “Fudd's ability to stretch defenses will be of great value in the WNBA.” Other predictions follow a similar trajectory, although many don’t see her at No.1.
Bleacher Report places her No. 3 overall to the Seattle Storm, describing her as “the best off-ball shooting prospect in women’s basketball history. Meanwhile, CBS Sports also puts her at No.3, calling her “one of the best pure shooting prospects ever.”
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Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.