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Newcomers Vie for Minutes as UConn Women's Basketball Prepares for Exhibition

Summary

  • UConn has 5 newcomers, including 2 transfers, on a full 15-player roster
  • Frontcourt battle between transfers Serah Williams and Ice Brady for center minutes
  • Freshmen Kelis Fisher and Blanca Quinonez look to earn significant roles
Newcomers Vie for Minutes as UConn Women's Basketball Prepares for Exhibition

As the UConn women's basketball team prepares for their 2025-26 season, they face a unique challenge: managing a roster with more depth than they've had in years. With 5 newcomers, including 2 transfers, the Huskies will have to determine how to distribute minutes in their first exhibition game against Boston College on Monday.

Head coach Geno Auriemma knows what he can expect from star guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore phenom Sarah Strong, but the rest of the team will have to prove themselves in the exhibition. The battle for the starting center role between redshirt junior transfer Serah Williams and redshirt junior Ice Brady will be a key focus, as Auriemma has consistently wanted more from the position.

Additionally, the Huskies' highly-touted freshman class, featuring No. 25 prospect Kelis Fisher and international standout Blanca Quinonez, will get their first taste of college basketball. Auriemma believes the pair have the potential to take on significant roles as the season progresses, though he cautions it may take time for them to fully adjust.

After missing most of the last two seasons due to injuries, redshirt seniors Caroline Ducharme and Ayanna Patterson will also be available to play on Monday. Ducharme is still working her way back, but Auriemma is counting on having her available this year, while Patterson's return from a long layoff could provide a boost for the Huskies.

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Ducharme and Patterson, both redshirt seniors, will be available to play in UConn's exhibition game on Monday. Ducharme has missed nearly all of the last two seasons due to head and neck injuries, while Patterson hasn't appeared in a game since March 2023, but Auriemma is excited to have them back on the court.
Auriemma believes Fisher and Quinonez have the potential to take on significant roles for the Huskies as the season progresses, though he cautions it may take time for them to fully adjust to the college game. The exhibition will give them a chance to establish a baseline for their potential.
The battle for the starting center role between Williams and Brady will be a key focus in the exhibition game. Williams has elite upside after a standout junior season at Wisconsin, while Brady has shown a high ceiling but struggled with inconsistency in her first two seasons with the Huskies.

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