Huskies Report

UConn HC Praises Sophomore Forward's Surprising Leadership

This UConn Huskies forward emerges as the team’s voice in the post- Paige Bueckers era,.
Shivani Menon|
Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) dribbles the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half of the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) dribbles the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half of the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The UConn Huskies are stepping into their post-Paige Bueckers era. When Bueckers left for the WNBA, the Huskies lost their voice in the huddle and a leader who brought the team together for four years. However, there was hope when news broke that Azzi Fudd, one of the projected top WNBA picks last year, was returning to Storrs.

With Fudd’s return, she was expected to take over as the team’s vocal leader. However, it looks like that dream might be fading quickly. After the team's recent exhibition match against Boston, which saw UConn win 84-67, Geno Auriemma has a different story to tell, one where Sarah Strong emerges as a true leader.

“You know, every huddle that she’s in, she’s the one doing the talking," Auriemma said, talking to the press. “That would have never happened last season. It happened again today. During one break in the action, I looked out there, and there was a huddle, and she was the only one speaking. That’s what we needed to see.”

One of the major criticisms that Strong faced last season was that she was not aggressive enough. However, this season, she looks different. In fact, before the Boston match, Auriemma himself said, “She’s on another level.”

The proof was on full display against Boston College. Fudd led UConn with 20 points, but Strong, on the other hand, scored 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting while adding five rebounds and five assists. In just 22 minutes, she had impacted the game. And every time there was a huddle, her voice came through.

Strong isn’t loud, and she doesn’t have to be. Her voice carries authority, calm but compelling. “It’s who’s saying it,” Geno added. “Even if she’s pissed at somebody, she’s not going to say it in a way that causes friction.” That combination of confidence and diplomacy is priceless for a team in transition.

In fact, her teammates like Caroline Ducharme have praised Strong’s growth. “She’s making a concerted effort to use her voice,” Ducharme said. “It doesn’t matter what she says because she has that voice, she has that presence.” In an era where UConn is searching for its next iconic leader, Strong’s ability to command attention without dominating attention is a game-changer.

If Strong can stay calm and continue making points, she could very well be the voice leading UConn to another NCAA title win. And if history is testimony, Strong can keep it up. Her freshman season, after all, was simply iconic.

In her freshman year, Strong started all 40 games, racked up 657 points, and set an NCAA record for most points by a freshman in the tournament. Considering Auriemma’s glowing recommendation, Strong’s game trajectory is only going up from there.

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Shivani Menon
SHIVANI MENON

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.

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