Geno Auriemma gets candid on UConn player entering transfer portal shortly after national championship win: "Good move for her"

Following UConn's victory parade on Sunday, Geno Auriemma shared his thoughts on the transfer portal and players that they can get ahead of the next season. The Hall of Fame coach, who won his 12th title with the Huskies, has a keen eye for new talent.

Apart from the senior class, most of the players of this championship-winning team are returning. The only player to enter the transfer portal was sophomore guard Qadence Samuels.

Geno Auriemma was asked about the move and he said he was happy for the young guard as he understood Samuels' desire to get more game time.

"We got a lot of people back, lot of pieces back," Auriemma said (Timestamps: 8:46-9:10). "So there's no decision being made about anybody definitely coming. Q (Qadence Samuels) is in the portal, which was a good move for her. I think she loves to play. I think she will get good opportunity some place to play."

When asked about the players that UConn can get from the transfer portal, Geno Auriemma gave nothing away as he highlighted the importance of players being available that fit his system perfectly.

"It depends on what spots are most crucial, is anybody out there that fits," he said. "We have been so lucky with Dorka (Juhasz), Lou (Lopez Senechal), Kaitlyn (Chen), like it's been so perfect. Is it realistic to think that there are people out there that are perfect fit for us? I don't know."

---

Qadence Samuels dropped down the pecking order for Geno Auriemma at UConn

Qadence Samuels had a much-reduced bench role this season due to UConn's talented roster.

In her freshman year, Qadence averaged 5.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes. She shot 40.2% from the field, including 35.4% from the 3-point line.

NCAA Women's Basketball: Fairleigh Dickinson at Connecticut - Source: Imagn

Those numbers dropped significantly, as she managed just 5.5 minutes per game, scoring 1.3 ppg and 0.8 RPG this season.

The sophomore guard hardly featured in the NCAA Tournament for the Huskies, registering only 14 minutes on the court throughout the competition without scoring a single point.

While Qadence has not explained the reason behind her move, she will be hoping for a better season next year.