Feb 2, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; USC Trojans guard Kayleigh Heckel (9) controls the ball against the USC Trojans during the first quarter at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

UConn Lands Former USC Trojans Player Out of NCAA Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated May 20, 2025 7:30 PM ET

While the UConn Huskies women's basketball team is still fresh off its 2025 NCAA national championship, that doesn't mean the program's staff isn't already hard at work retooling the roster for next season.

Of course, with Paige Bueckers (plus Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin) now no longer with the team, there are some big shoes to fill for Geno Auriemma's squad. Especially when it comes to Bueckers, her scoring, playmaking, and leadership qualities are nearly impossible to atone for.

However, UConn made a step in the right direction on May 20, as it was announced that they landed former USC Trojans player Kayleigh Heckel out of the NCAA transfer portal.

Heckel announced this with an 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".

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Heckel was born in Port Chester, New York, which is about a two-hour drive away from Storrs, where UConn is located.

Heckel averaged 6.1 points per game in 16.9 minutes played during her freshman campaign with the Trojans last season. She is one of several freshmen from USC's 2024-25 team who have now transferred schools.

It will be interesting to see where Heckel fits in on the roster and whether she can work to earn herself a spot in the starting rotation for Geno Auriemma. What's for sure is that Heckel is a talented guard who could become an impact player next season, potentially helping the Huskies repeat as NCAA champions.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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