Decimated by injuries year after year, the UConn women’s basketball team has become acquainted with starting an amalgamation of different players — the only ones healthy enough to put on a uniform — each night.
But last year was different. Last year, UConn was, for the most part, healthy. Healthy enough to play through the nagging aliments and rehab them in the off season, that is.
Connecticut started just four different lineup combinations in 39 games last season and got 36 games out of its primary lineup of KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong and Serah Williams.
Fudd and Williams are gone, selected in the WNBA Draft, but the other three return and welcome seasoned veteran Jana El Alfy back at center and sophomore Blanca Quiñonez into the starting lineup.
G — KK Arnold, Sr. (McCreven)
Given head coach Geno Auriemma’s tendency to lean on returning, experienced talent, expect Arnold to reassume her position as UConn’s starting point guard as a senior.
Arnold, an All-Big East selection last season, averaged only 6.9 points per game on 54.4% shooting in a tertiary scoring role as a junior but handed out a Big East-best 174 assists and swiped 102 steals as the tip of the spear for UConn defensively.
The four-year program veteran boasts 71 starts and 117 career appearances and has been a stalwart for the Huskies since she arrived on campus in 2023. Expect her shot diet to evolve as a senior, particularly from 3.
Arnold should again rival Strong for Big East Defensive Player of the Year and offers the steady hand offensively UConn needs with Fudd’s 17.3 points per game now gone.
G — Ashlynn Shade, Sr. (McCreven)
Auriemma humorously characterized Shade’s game ahead of UConn’s preseason opener against Syracuse with a grin and a laugh.
“She plays with a passion and she plays exceptionally hard,” Auriemma said of Shade, who’s started 83 games since 2023. “She competes on every possession. She’ll go a month where she won’t make a shot, and then she’ll go a month where she’ll make every shot.”
Shade won’t lead the team in scoring. She won’t pace the team in rebounds, and she won’t hit 15 field goals a night. She’ll dive for every single loose ball. She’ll miraculously pull down an offensive rebound over three defenders to extend a possession. She’ll hit a timely 3-pointer after stonewalling an opponent on defense.
Shade is the ultimate hustle player, and a defensive pest UConn desperately needs with Fudd gone.
F — Blanca Quiñonez, So. (Becker)
While Quiñonez is still rehabbing a shoulder injury, it is probable that she will return to the starting lineup once she is fully healthy. As a freshman, she stood out for the Huskies during March Madness, especially in crucial games down the stretch, like the Sweet 16 against North Carolina and the Elite 8 against Notre Dame.
Last season, Quiñonez averaged 10.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Last year, she also brought home the Big East Freshman and Sixth Woman of the Year Award.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Quiñonez brings size to the court, as well as versatility. As the program calls it, Quiñonez is a “hybrid” player. The Ecuador native can protect the rim, but, more importantly, she can change the tempo of any game once she checks in.
F — Sarah Strong, Jr. (Becker)
The reigning National Player of the Year is back in action, as Strong is set to begin her journey as an upperclassman. Strong had a dominant sophomore campaign, taking home every single Player of the Year award.
On the hardwood, she averaged 18.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, leading her team in almost every single category besides assists. In her 59th career game, she became the third player in program history to reach 1,000 points.
Often compared to Maya Moore, Strong has made waves in just two years as a Husky. With her stacked trophy case, it’s a no-brainer she’ll be on the starting lineup this year, although Head Coach Geno Auriemma said there’s even more she can bring. He emphasized she’s transitioning into a facilitator on the court, using her voice more and evolving into a leader.
F — Jana El Alfy, Redshirt Jr. (Becker)
When the UConn women’s basketball program was plagued with injuries in the 2024-25 season, El Alfy answered the call. During her redshirt freshman campaign, she started in 27 of the Huskies’ 40 games, including the National Championship.
Last season, she played in every single game but only started one. She averaged 4.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Now, as she begins her redshirt junior season, El Alfy is the longest tenured player on the squad.
With her size and veteran presence, she makes a great replacement for Serah Williams down low, alongside small forward Blanca Quiñonez.