UConn’s latest addition Kayleigh Heckel drops 3-word reaction for future teammate Morgan Cheli’s IG dump

The UConn Huskies won the national championship this past season off the back of their incredible star power. Paige Bueckers was the biggest standout on the team, but she has started her WNBA career and will not be back.

As a result, Geno Auriemma has been working hard this offseason to add new talent to the roster. USC transfer Kayleigh Heckel is the latest addition.

On Friday, Heckel’s future teammate, Morgan Cheli, dropped a photodump on her Instagram account. Shortly after she made the post, Heckel reposted it to her Instagram story with a three-word reaction.

"Oh she ate," Heckel posted.

Image via Kayleigh Heckel's Instagram story.

Keyleigh Heckel and Morgan Cheli are both coming off their freshman seasons and will be looking to improve as sophomores. With the Huskies last season, Cheli was a useful role player but did not get significant playing time. While playing 13.3 minutes per game, she averaged 2.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Heckel got more usage with USC but still has plenty of room to improve. While playing 16.9 minutes per game, she averaged 6.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.9 apg and 1.3 steals per contest.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma comments on the addition of Kayleigh Heckel

On Monday, the UConn Huskies posted a press release on their website announcing the signing of USC transfer Kayleigh Heckel. In the post, Geno Auriemma released a statement.

"Kayleigh has a passion for the game," Auriemma said. "She plays at a quick pace and can impact both ends of the court. She's a great teammate and someone who wants to grow on and off the court. We're excited to have her at Connecticut."

According to ESPN, Heckel was the No. 13-ranked player in the 2024 class. She was ranked even higher by 247Sports, which listed her as the No. 4 player in that class. Regardless of her recruiting rank, she will be looking to live up to the hype next season.

With Paige Bueckers leaving the team for the WNBA, there is a huge opening on UConn’s roster. The team will need more scoring from the guard position, and Heckel has been brought in as someone who can fill some of that void.

After a solid freshman year, it will be interesting to see if she can blossom into a star. Geno Auriemma has a long track record of helping players in her position.