Heckel to UConn (merged threads)

[ConnMotors]

So thrilled, with the wait I thought that it was going to be different. Quick question. Is this the first time that UConn has had a full complement of 15 scholarship players?

 

[Centerstream]

It's really weird but my only impression of Kayleigh from the Elite Eight game is when she fouled Paige and Paige looked at her and "flexed".
Hopefully this impression will be overriden this November.
I'm guessing that she will also be able to continue wearing #9.

 

[JellyBean]

Welcome to the family, Kayleigh!!

 

[CL82]

It looks like we're going to get to Heckel opposing teams next year!

 

[JellyBean]

Kayleigh Heckel just made a really good UConn backcourt that much better.......this team is going to be running circles around the competition!

Can we pin this for future reference? You know, for Chat room conversation.

 

[Hayven]

I knew it. LFGo!!!

 

[Lurker]

Just announced: May 20, 2025

The Huskies add a much-needed ball-handler in the backcourt.

Daniel Connolly UConn WBB Weekly <uconnwbbweekly@mail.beehiiv.com>

Plus SI:

UConn Lands Former USC Trojans Player Out of NCAA Transfer Portal​

UConn Lands Former USC Trojans Player Out of NCAA Transfer Portal

While the UConn Huskies women's basketball team is still fresh off of its 2025 NCAA national championship, that doesn't mean the program's staff isn't already h

www.si.com

SI has her Instagram post "that showed a graphic of her wearing UConn gear with the caption, "k9 by name, husky by nature. see you in storrs! go huskiesss#committed #backhome #blessed""

Finally, the wait and debate end. Now on to does she start...

 

[uconnever]

Awesome, loved her game coming out of high school.

 

[freekimchee]

It's seven o'clock in the morning here in Pattaya, woke up to such wonderful news. Welcome Home, K9.

​

 

[Happydad745]

Great news for UConn and Heckel....

 

[Husky fanatic]

An interesting season coming up.

 

[oldude]

Welcome to the Basketball Capital of the World Kayleigh Heckel. You chose wisely.
A couple thoughts on the newest Husky:

• We can surmise many reasons for Kayleigh's choice. Her family in Port Chester is less than 2 hrs from Storrs and even closer to their alma mater at St Johns or across the river at Seton Hall. She'll be contending for a national championship the day she arrives and will develop under the best coaching staff in WBB. I also tend to believe that playing on a team that cares for each other like UConn does, probably means as much to Kayleigh as anything.
• We can also surmise that Kayleigh's decision to transfer to UConn had nothing to do with starting, PT or NIL. While I have no doubt that Kayleigh expects to compete for PT and a starting spot, you know she received no guarantees from Geno.
• Finally, this is the first time ever that UConn WBB will have 15 scholarship players on the roster. UConn can go small, BIG and everything in between. For you math majors, using a binomial equation, with 15 players on the roster Geno can roll out 3,003 different 5 player combinations.

Next season can't get here soon enough......

 

[Forego]

So thrilled, with the wait I thought that it was going to be different. Quick question. Is this the first time that UConn has had a full complement of 15 scholarship players?

I haven’t checked the rosters but I remember that the 1995-96 team had 15 players

 

[ochoopsfan]

Fight On..........................at UConn

 

[Centerstream]

My prediction was that she would decide this past Sunday...close, but no cigar.

 

[ABCDFE]

Welcome to the Basketball Capital of the World Kayleigh Heckel. You chose wisely.
A couple thoughts on the newest Husky:

• We can surmise many reasons for Kayleigh's choice. Her family in Port Chester is less than 2 hrs from Storrs and even closer to their alma mater at St Johns or across the river at Seton Hall. She'll be contending for a national championship the day she arrives and will develop under the best coaching staff in WBB. I also tend to believe that playing on a team that cares for each other like UConn does, probably means as much to Kayleigh as anything.
• We can also surmise that Kayleigh's decision to transfer to UConn had nothing to do with starting, PT or NIL. While I have no doubt that Kayleigh expects to compete for PT and a starting spot, you know she received no guarantees from Geno.
• Finally, this is the first time ever that UConn WBB will have 15 scholarship players on the roster. UConn can go small, BIG and everything in between. For you math majors, using a binomial equation, with 15 players on the roster Geno can roll out 3,003 different 5 player combinations.

Next season can't get here soon enough......

Dang near bulletproof

 

[oldude]

I haven’t checked the rosters but I remember that the 1995-96 team had 15 players

You are correct. But all 15 were not scholarship players.

 

[Bone Dog]

It's really weird but my only impression of Kayleigh from the Elite Eight game is when she fouled Paige and Paige looked at her and "flexed".
Hopefully this impression will be overriden this November.
I'm guessing that she will also be able to continue wearing #9.

Looking back at that moment, Paige's flex may have been a tip of the hat to a fellow dog. She didn't commit to UConn in spite of that flex, but because of it.

K9 did Kelsey Plum's guard camp with KK and they bonded. And she knows exactly what the backcourt depth chart is. I think this means she's coming to UConn, not because she wants an easy path to more minutes, but because she wants to have better competition for playing time. That's a true Husky!

Welcome home, Kayleigh!


edit: I wonder what sort of conversations Geno had with Lindsay Gottleib about this transfer.

 

[oldude]

Also, congratulations to Kayleigh for passing her finals. I’m sure that was the last requirement in getting the official word on her transfer to UConn.

 

[Centerstream]

Didn't the change in the number of scholarships happen recently?

 

[Vancat]

We been heckled!

 

[Centerstream]

edit: I wonder what sort of conversations Geno had with Lindsay Gottleib about this transfer.

I have no idea how the behind the scenes stuff works for transfers but maybe Geno might have contacted Gottlieb when he an offer to Kayleigh. Just an "FWIW" conversation.
Just because this is how I think the coaching staff works.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Awesome!

This team is going to be something else

Welcome Kayleigh!!

I like your enthusiasm, but no matter what the talking heads said in the final four we have some open questions. Biggest, can Azzi deliver consistently and be a leader. Will a third scorer show up? Is it our senior transfer? Okay, this killjoy is delighted with Kayleigh's aka K9 commit.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Welcome to STORRS, Kayleigh!
Also, let me apologize to you, because I’d written that I didn’t think you were joining the Huskies. Your announcement took a very long time, and we BYers are extremely impatient, especially with news such as this. So, I stand corrected!
But welcome to the Basketball Capitol of the World. You will be adoringly loved, talked about, and defended by your adopted moms, dads, grandparents, cousins, aunties, and uncles! Welcome again!!

 

[Vowelguy]

Nice that she’ll be so close to home after a year of being pretty much as far away as possible (in WCBB terms).