When UConn needed to fill a critical gap in its backcourt following the departure of star point guard Nika Mühl, the coaching staff was hoping to find a seasoned player who could immediately step into a leadership role. Head coach Geno Auriemma would even go on his radio show to express the team’s hopes, stating, “So maybe you end up with nobody out of the portal, or maybe you end up with someone to fill the Aaliyah and Nika shoes, or somewhere in between.” Thankfully for the Huskies, their prayers were answered in the form of Kaitlyn Chen, a standout guard from Princeton.

While Chen may just be a last-minute transfer to UConn, her experience, skill set, and leadership qualities make her the perfect fit for Geno Auriemma’s roster in the upcoming season.

In fact, Kaitlyn isn’t just any transfer; she is a four-year starter and one of the Ivy League’s top players. Even though her NIL valuation is not known at the moment, Coach Auriemma also didn’t hesitate to express his excitement about her addition to the roster. “If she had been here since her freshman year, we would be talking about her as an All-American and a really high draft pick,” he said, emphasizing how fortunate it was for UConn to land Chen, even if it was only on rent.

“There are so many things to like about her, then there are things she does, too, that I’m sure drove Carla nuts and I can see them already. But I don’t have her for four years. I’m renting her,” he acknowledged. So why was Chen the right fit?

While UConn wasn’t short of guards, Chen is a veteran ball-handler who seemed to perfectly fill the void left by Mühl and had everything that the Huskies needed: composure under pressure, elite passing skills, and the ability to score at will.

This was further highlighted by her track record, which speaks for itself, with a slew of accolades including being a 2024 WBCA All-American Honorable Mention, 2024 CSC Academic All-America, and the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year. Chen was also a two-time First Team All-Ivy (2023, 2024) and a three-time Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2022, 2023, 2024).

At Princeton, during her final season, she averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, leading the Tigers to another Ivy League Tournament title and into the NCAA Tournament. These numbers were the result of four years of consistent growth and leadership and represented everything that UConn fell in love with Kaitlyn for.

Chen’s journey: From high school to UConn

For Chen, the move to UConn represented a totally different stage. “It’s pretty cool being here, if I’m being honest,” Chen said during an interview at UConn’s Werth Champions Center. “When you walk in and you see all the banners, it’s definitely a new experience. I’m just hoping I’ll be able to step up and perform and help this team win another championship.” Joining a program with a long history of success like UConn’s can be a bit overwhelming, but Kaitlyn has taken to the Huskies like fish to water.

And this was all thanks to the path that her basketball journey took. Long before Princeton, when Chen was in high school, she was already a star. A star that held Flintridge Prep’s (her school’s) records in career points (2,009), rebounds (922), and assists (421). She was a three-time league MVP, All-Area Player of the Year, and a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

In fact, her leadership and charismatic qualities were such that her former high school teammate Olivia Stevens would state, “Kaitlyn can change the energy in the room as soon as she walks in. She always has a smile on her face and cracks the best jokes. On the court, she shares the ball and never plays selfishly. She truly is an amazing person.” Stevens wasn’t alone in praising Chen’s selflessness and ability to inspire her teammates.

Freshman teammate Ashley Chea also echoed these sentiments. “Kaitlyn is the type of teammate that will cheer you up and get you hyped even if you are at your least. Even if Kaitlyn is having a bad day, she always has a smile on her face and the goofiest personality. Kaitlyn is someone I can count on for absolutely anything.”

Kaitlyn, however, would further grow and in Princeton have a historic collegiate career with 1,276 points, 313 rebounds, and 359 assists, which would rank her as no 3  in Princeton’s history in career assists and 12th in career points. Her ability to score efficiently and create opportunities for her teammates made her one of the most dangerous guards in the Ivy League. In fact, these abilities of hers would warn her the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year in her junior year.

A New Chapter: Geno’s Vision

While Chen’s game speaks for itself, her personality and work ethic are just as impressive, and head coach Auriemma has already been vocal about what he likes in Chen’s style of play.“The fact that she’s played four years of basketball obviously shows,” Auriemma said. “More than anything, I like her approach, I like her attitude, I like how aggressive she wants to play basketball. She finishes around the basket. She gets the ball from one place to another, and the ball goes in a lot when she gets in the lane. We’re trying to play to her strengths more than anything.“

Her aggressive playstyle, ability to finish around the basket, and her court vision will be crucial for UConn as they chase another national title. In the end, whether she’s “rented” for just one season or not, Chen has the chance to etch her name in UConn’s rich basketball history. And Kaitlyn seems all set to do just that in UConn’s blue and white.