"Aaliyah, Nika and Paige the Big 3": College hoops world reacts to UConn photo dump of student athletes graduating in 2024

By Ruth John S

Modified May 05, 2024 05:49 GMT

Nika Mühl, Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, Aubrey Griffin and Azzi Fudd, coach Geno Auriemma.

The 2020 class of UConn Huskies graduated college this year, and the team's Instagram handle shared the snapshots of the graduates Nika Mühl, Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, Aubrey Griffin and Azzi Fudd alongside their coach Geno Auriemma.

"GraduATE so proud of our Huskies earning degrees this weekend!," read the caption.

Fans took to the comments to share their love as one wrote:

"Aaliyah, Nika and Paige the Big 3"

Meanwhile, some eagle-eyed fans noticed that the players were all wearing grey sweatpants in the photos.

Griffen and Fudd sustained injuries early in the season and missed a huge chunk of it. They will be back for the 2024-25 season.

Meanwhile, Nika Mühl and Aaliyah Edwards have transitioned to the WNBA, with Mühl joining the Seattle Storm and Edwards playing for the Washington Mystics. The guard was set to make her debut on Saturday in the preseason game against LA Spark in Edmonton but stayed back in America due to visa issues.

Edwards made her debut on Friday against the Atlanta Dream and scored 6 points with four rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

UConn Huskies and Paige Bueckers prepare for a healthier 2024-25 season

The Huskies' 2023-24 season was marred with injuries, with senior players sidelined and freshmen stepping up to carry the team to the Final Four in March Madness. Paige Bueckers played a crucial role, finally returning after missing the previous season with an ACL tear.

The guard averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 53.0% shooting. Bueckers' partnership with Nika Mühl and Aaliyah Edwards formed the base for the Huskies' deep postseason run.

For the next season, either Azzi Fudd or Princeton transfer signee Kaitlyn Chen is expected to take on the role of Mühl, while incoming freshman Sarah Strong could be Edward's replacement.

Strong committed to UConn just a day after its Final Four loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The nation's No.1 recruit averaged 21.0 points, 16.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in her senior year at Grace Christian School.

Coach Auriemma still has a few roster spots to fill before the team is fully prepared for the next season.

What are your predictions for Paige and the Huskies for 2024-25? Let us know in the comment section below.

Also Read: "Your kid is probably never as good as you think they are": UConn HC Geno Auriemma once delivered an eye-opening message for ambitious parents