The rafters at Gampel Pavilion just got a little more crowded on Sunday afternoon. Before a sold-out crowd, the UConn women’s basketball team unveiled its 2025 national championship banner. It marked UConn’s first title since 2016, ending the longest championship drought in the program’s storied history. As the banner rose to the rafters, pride filled the arena, from lifelong fans to former legends who helped build the dynasty, and of course, the current Huskies who brought the glory back to Storrs. Two players(Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen) who made that moment possible, and have since graduated, couldn’t help but share their emotions.

Chen, who is currently thousands of miles away playing for USK Praha in the Euroleague Women and couldn’t attend the ceremony, reflected on a “super special” experience of playing at UConn last season. In an X post shared by the university’s official page, Chen looked back fondly on her journey after transferring from Princeton for her senior year.

“Hey guys, this is Kaitlyn. Wish I could be there to celebrate with you right now,” Chen said. “You guys are the best fans out there, and you showed up for every single game. It was amazing playing in front of you, whether it was a home or away game. Thank you for making my first and last year at UConn super special.”

She was joined by none other than Paige Bueckers, who recorded her message straight from Coach Geno Auriemma’s office, sitting in his chair with the Big Dance trophy proudly displayed on the table in front of her.

“What’s up, UConn Nation? It’s Paige here. I’m here in Coach’s chair in his office. I wanted to say I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to banner unveiling night. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you all, but I’m very grateful for every single one of you in the stands and every single person who supports us. You’re a huge reason why we do what we do and why we got to win this national championship. So it’s been a celebration for me for about a year now, just celebrating that. I love you guys, I miss you guys, and let’s get ready to run it back. Go Huskies!”

It was truly a season to remember for Paige Bueckers, who averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game as she led the UConn Huskies to a dominant finish, crushing the South Carolina Gamecocks by 23 points to capture the program’s 12th national championship. The first and last of the Paige Bueckers era.

Her incredible 40-point performance against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 and 31 points against USC in the Elite Eight were moments that defined her legacy. Riding those performances in the big dance, Paige graduated as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft and has since continued to spread her wings with Dallas, where she won the Rookie of the Year.

While Paige couldn’t make it to the ceremony, one graduate Lady Husky did, Aubrey Griffin. The former forward, who was a key double-digit scorer before injuries slowed her down, was the only graduated member of last season’s championship team able to attend.

Griffin joined her returning teammates on the Gampel Pavilion floor during Sunday’s pregame introductions and was met with a roaring ovation from the UConn faithful. In one of the sweetest moments of the day, Aubrey Griffin was able to blend right in with her teammates, rocking the same custom white-and-gold championship warmup outfit. According to the News-Times, freshman Gandy Malou-Mamel was gracious enough to lend her own tracksuit to Griffin for the occasion.

And once the celebration wrapped up, UConn went straight back to business.

UConn Kicks Off Post-Bueckers Era in Dominant Fashion

The Lady Huskies opened their season with an impressive 79–66 win over No. 20 Louisville, sending a strong message that the defending champs aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Sarah Strong led the way with 21 points, while team captain and Paige Bueckers’ girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, backed her up with 20 points in a commanding performance to start the new campaign.

The Huskies wasted no time getting back to work after unveiling their 2025 NCAA championship banner at Gampel Pavilion. UConn absolutely dominated Florida State, cruising to a 99–67 victory. Their defense was relentless, forcing 23 turnovers that turned into 42 points, while also outrebounding the Seminoles 39–27. Azzi Fudd led the charge with 23 points, shooting a scorching 60% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc, while Sarah Strong continued her stellar start to her sophomore season with 21 points and nine rebounds.

The post Paige Bueckers era already looks to be in safe hands with Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd leading the way. If Geno Auriemma can keep his squad healthy, there’s no reason to believe the Huskies can’t run it back and chase another championship this season.

What do you think? Are the Huskies built to run it back and defend their crown this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!