Overview

• Kayleigh Heckel, a 5-foot-9 guard from Port Chester, New York, joins UConn after one season at USC, where she averaged 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
• Heckel fills UConn’s final scholarship spot for the 2025-26 season, marking the first time coach Geno Auriemma has signed multiple transfers in one offseason since 2019.
• The addition of Heckel strengthens UConn's guard rotation following the graduation of star player Paige Bueckers, with KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade expected to take on larger roles.
• Heckel visited Notre Dame and Vanderbilt before committing to UConn, having toured the Storrs campus alongside fellow transfer Serah Williams in late April.
• UConn has a proven track record with transfer players, including Dorka Juhász, Lou Lopez Sénéchal, and Kaitlyn Chen, all of whom made significant contributions to the team.