The UConn Huskies, as always, are having a dream run as Paige Bueckers and co. eye the championship this April! Geno Auriemma’s side has already booked their place in the Sweet 16, but there’s more to the celebration. Senior guard Azzi Fudd, who has seen her WNBA stock rise this season (averaging 13.4 points this season), has decided to return to Storrs for another year. The mantra remains the same. With hard work comes the result, but this time, for the Huskies, it feels like a bonanza! Ready for the unleash?

According to Sabreena Merchant, Azzi Fudd was a potential target for the Los Angeles Sparks in this year’s WNBA Draft. With the 9th pick, the Sparks could have selected Fudd, as the LA-based team needs some shooting on the team, and Fudd would’ve fit in perfectly. She would have also complemented star guard Kelsey Plum, but then there’s a swing in the mood. It’s not happening, at least not now. According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, the star guard has decided to return to the University of Connecticut for her final season of eligibility. The reason? She feels one more year in Storrs will take her game to a whole new level.

In her interview with ESPN, Fudd also revealed that she intends to replace Paige Bueckers as the leader of the squad, “Paige is going to be gone, so I can’t rely on her to speak and do all that [leadership] stuff, on and off the court,” Fudd said. “I will have to be in that position.” Paige Bueckers’ time at UConn is coming to an end, and the Huskies will miss her a lot. From her clutch shots to electric playmaking, she’s been the heart of the Huskies. And now with the WNBA calling, there’s a gap and who better than Fudd to fill it?

This is it. The final year for Paige Bueckers and Aubrey Griffin. The clock is ticking. Azzi Fudd knows she can’t afford to be passive anymore. Her goals—both personal and team—are still within reach, but only if she steps up. The 22-year-old has had a conversation with coach Auriemma, asking him to push her harder. She wants to be the new leader of the Huskies and is doing everything possible to become that! And she wants to be successful as a leader. But will she be able to do that? Only time will tell.

Azzi Fudd wants to be held accountable from next season

For the first time in years, the Huskies are fully healthy. Azzi Fudd knows that feeling all too well. She missed the playoffs last year. Now, she’s back—playing in her first big dance since 2023. UConn would want nothing more than to give farewell to their seniors with a championship. But for Fudd? She wants to continue winning!

“There’s no more, Oh, next year,” Fudd said. “Next year is the year, well this year first, but next year, I want to get all these things done, and I want to make sure that him and all the other coaches, even my teammates, are on my back, making sure that I’m being held accountable for everything.”

Azzi Fudd has big goals for next season—an All-American nod and a national title. But right now? There’s still work to be done! UConn faces No. 3 seed Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 at Spokane Arena. The odds are also in their favor! ESPN gives them an 87.8% chance to win. The Huskies would want nothing more than to continue dancing forward and get their hands on another championship, but March Madness is known for its upsets. So can they hold on to their nerves? Stay tuned as we decode more!