Women’s College Basketball Champion Ups its Game

Kayleigh Heckel, likely the top talent remaining in the transfer portal, shared via her Instagram that she’s committed to UConn.

The previous USC guard, who has also been linked to schools like Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Michigan, joins a backcourt already featuring stars such as Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold. This significantly boosts UConn’s chances of repeating as national champions.

“K9 by name, naturally husky. Meet me at Storms! I’m going to Huskis,” Heckel posted on Instagram.

A five-star recruit from Port Chester, New York, Heckel was ranked 13th by ESPN in the class of 2024. After high school, she signed with USC, where she also had offers from Alabama, Stanford, Tennessee, and even places like Princeton and Columbia.

Standing at 5-foot-9, Heckel didn’t have a major role at USC during last season but showed flashes of potential off the bench. Notable moments included scoring 10 points with four assists and three rebounds in a game against Maryland. She stepped up significantly during the NCAA Tournament when a teammate, Juju Watkins, had a season-ending injury. In that game, Heckel recorded 13 points, six assists, and two steals, leading the Trojans to victory.

She concluded her freshman year averaging 6.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 45.9% from the floor in about 17 minutes per game.

“Being a freshman point guard on a championship-caliber team is tough, but I want her to embrace who she is,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after Heckel’s impressive performance against Mississippi. “We know her talent. She can create opportunities for anyone.”

Heckel is one of four players transferring this offseason, alongside Avery Howell (Washington), Dominique Darius (Syracuse), and Aalijah Gales (Utah). While USC feels the loss, UConn gains a promising player in Heckel, who will have the chance to show her former team what they’re missing in the upcoming Home and Home Series return game.