NCAAW: Azzi Fudd is staying at UConn, but what players are on the move?

As we await to crown the 2025 national champion, changes already are sweeping across the women’s college basketball landscape.

While many players will take their talents to the WNBA, others have chosen to exercise their remaining eligibility. For an increasing number of players, that includes their eligibility to transfer, with the portal quickly piling up with names seeking new destinations. The biggest recruit from the class of 2025 also has finally settled on her collegiate home.

Keep up with some of the most consequential decisions that will shape the 2025-26 NCAAW season:

Coming back to campus

Azzi is sticking around in Storrs

One of the most anticipated decisions belonged to UConn’s Azzi Fudd, who was eligible to enter the 2025 WNBA Draft or stay in Storrs for a final college season. To the satisfaction of the Husky faithful, she chose to stick around.

While projected as the No. 9 pick by our Eric Nemchock in his latest WNBA mock draft, and likely rising after her performance through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Fudd desires to further develop her game, and believes Connecticut is the best place to do so, telling ESPN that another year at UConn will allow her to “work on everything I need to work on.”

Fudd also shared details from her conversation with head coach Geno Auriemma about her decision process with ESPN, revealing:

He said, “I would say 10 games, maybe, you’ve played to your full potential of who Azzi Fudd really is and so you wouldn’t do yourself justice leaving,. You would leave here not doing what you could in a UConn uniform.” I was like, “Yeah, he has a point.”

On Fudd’s return, Auriemma said to ESPN:

Having someone of Azzi’s ability and the way she can just control a game, she just hasn’t had an opportunity, at this point, to fully show who she is, what she can do, what impact she can have on our program and on college basketball. So hopefully being here another year, having an injury-free year, knock on wood, can remind everybody this is the Azzi Fudd that was coming out of high school, and can we get a full year out of that? I’m as excited as anybody, our fans, anybody to see what can happen.

College commitments

Chavez makes decision later or Sooner

Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1-ranked recruit in the class of 2025, had delayed making her college decision, choosing between Texas Tech, Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina and UCLA.

The 5-foot-11 point guard from Lubbock, TX finally announced that she is headed to Norman, joining an Oklahoma Sooner squad that has advanced to the Sweet 16.

Packing the portal

Super scorer leaving Seminoles?

The nation’s leading scorer is the leading name in the transfer portal. Ta’Niya Latson, who averaged a Division I-best 25.2 points per game as a junior at Florida State, is expected to take her talents elsewhere.

According to sources, Latson’s decision was not a surprise to the Seminoles, with the super scoring guard in line to command rich NIL offers from other programs. Although, Latson’s close relationship with FSU head coach Brooke Wycoff could lead to her returning to Tallahassee.

McMahon’s making a move

One of most eye-popping entries into the portal is Cotie McMahon, who has one year of eligibility remaining after three seasons at Ohio State, where she was a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection.

A physical forward who has improved an outside shooter, McMahon is likely to attract inquiries from a number of top programs.

ACC’s best bench player puts name in portal

ACC Sixth Player of the Year Dani Carnegie announced on Instagram that she is entering the portal. As a freshman, the guard averaged 12.9 points and 4.5 rebounds for Georgia Tech.

Serah Williams to Storrs?

Head coach Marisa Moseley is out at Wisconsin, and it looks like Serah Williams also will depart Madison. In three seasons at Wisconsin, the 6-foot-4 forward secured a pair of All-Big Ten First Team honors. Williams is coming off a junior season in which she averaged a near double-double with 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

According to Carl Adamec of CT Insider, UConn has expressed interest in Williams. It is worth noting that Moseley, who resigned from her post at Wisconsin, served as an assistant at UConn from 2009 to 2018.

Where might Scott rediscover her scoring groove?

Another coaching change has (possibly) sparked another player move. Auburn moved on from head coach Johnnie Harris, and guard Taliah Scott could move on from the Tigers. After spending her freshman season at Arkansas, where she averaged almost 22 points per game, Scott’s tenure at Auburn never took off due to injury, as she appeared in just three games.

The scoring talent she flashed as a freshman understandably has enticed top programs, as Scott entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag, indicating she has her preferred options outlined. She reportedly has scheduled visits to Miami and LSU, although a return to Auburn, now under the leadership of former Norfolk State head coach Larry Vickers, remains under consideration.

Wheeler headlines NSU entries

While Scott may not choose to return to Auburn, could Kierra Wheeler head to the Plains, following Vickers from Norfolk State? The 6-foot-1 forward who has one year of eligibility remaining was a three-time All-MEAC selection, including the 2023-24 MEAC Player of the Year, under Vickers, helping to lead the Spartans to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Two other Spartans, Da’Brya Clark and Anjanae Richardson, also have entered the portal. Clark earned a spot on the All-MEAC Third Team this season, while Richardson was the MEAC Sixth Player of the Year.

Silva seeks new opportunity

6-foot-7 Clara Silva, who just completed her freshman season at Kentucky, has put her name in the portal with a “do not contact” designation, which suggests, but does not confirm, that she has new destination already circled.

Behind rising junior Clara Strack in the Wildcats’ frontcourt rotation, it is understandable that Silva might be looking for a program where she would be guaranteed to start, or at least see more minutes. She averaged 12.5 minutes per game, scoring four points, grabbing 2.6 rebounds and swatting 1.1 shots.