High School

Wisconsin high school girls basketball products shine in national spotlight as UConn Huskies win NCAA Championship

Former Wisconsin Ms. Basketball recipients KK Arnold, Allie Ziebell play supporting roles in team's first national title since 2016 and 12th in storied program's history

Jeff Hagenau

Allie Ziebell (front row second from left) and KK Arnold (front row third from left) pose with teammates on the UConn women's basketball team after winning the NCAA Championship on Sunday. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images April 6, 2025; Tampa FL, USA
Allie Ziebell (front row second from left) and KK Arnold (front row third from left) pose with teammates on the UConn women's basketball team after winning the NCAA Championship on Sunday. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images April 6, 2025; Tampa FL, USA / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As the last few seconds vanished from the clock, the final buzzer sounded, and confetti began to fall on the court, the University of Connecticut (UConn) women's basketball team realized its season-long dream of winning a national championship.

Azzi Fudd, a graduate student guard, and Sarah Strong, a freshman forward, each contributed a team-high 24 points as the second-seeded and third-ranked Huskies upset top-seeded and second-ranked defending champion South Carolina 82-59 in the NCAA Division 1 Women's Championship game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday.

Former Wisconsin high school girls basketball stars KK Arnold and Allie Ziebell played supporting roles in helping the deep, talent-rich squad capture its record-setting 12th national title (the most by any men's or women's team in NCAA basketball history).

Arnold, a high-energy 5-foot-9 sophomore point guard from Germantown High School, contributed nine points and three assists in playing a fast, efficient 15 minutes for the Huskies. Ziebell, a 6-foot freshman guard from Neenah High School, played a limited two minutes in the high-profile dominant effort to help seal the emotional, long-awaited victory for the Huskies.

UConn, which had advanced to the Big Dance 36 consecutive times dating back to 1989, finished 37-3 overall and claimed its first national title since 2016 under the guidance of legendary head coach Geno Auriemma.

"It's super special considering the adversity we battled, and the different things we went through over the course of the season," said Arnold, in a post-game interview with Storrs Central. "Nobody could ever come back like we did. I just feel like kudos to us for coming together and taking it one game at a time. To see our leaders go out with a bang (referring to Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen) was emotional and meant a lot."

Arnold, a top-six national recruit and Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association's 2023 Ms. Basketball, had a prolific high school career at Germantown, scoring 2,458 career points with 765 rebounds, 695 assists, 415 steals, and registering eight triple-doubles. She was a three-time Associated Press Player of the Year, two-time Wisconsin Girls Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year, McDonald's and Jordan Brand Classic All-American, and guided the Warhawks to a state championship in 2021.

She averaged 5.5 points per game with 2.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds while appearing in all 40 games for UConn this season, achieving her two most productive games of the season offensively during back-to-back January conference road victories over Villanova (15 points) and Marquette (13 points).

Wisconsin high school girls basketball: UConn freshman guard Allie Ziebell attempts a shot in a non-conference game 2024
UConn Huskies freshman guard Allie Ziebell (11) attempts a shot in a non-conference game Dec. 17, 2024. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Ziebell, a top-seven national recruit and 2024 WBCA Ms. Basketball, had a history-making high school career at Neenah. She finished as the program's all-time scoring leader with 2,819 points, averaging 27.5 ppg. and 8.7 rebounds while leading the Rockets to a runner-up finish in the WIAA Division 1 state tournament her senior year. She was a two-time Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year, Associated Press Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American, and Naismith All-America honorable mention.

Ziebell averaged 2.9 ppg. while appearing in 33 games this season, scoring an individual season-high (17 points) in an 81-27 Big East victory over Xavier on Jan. 8.

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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Jeff Hagenau
JEFF HAGENAU

Jeff Hagenau has been a sports writer in southeast Wisconsin for the past 28 years, covering at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He graduated from Carroll University with a degree in journalism and has showcased his versatility by reporting on a wide array of sports over the course of his memorable career.

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