The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team will honor its celebrated graduating class as they mark the 10th anniversary of their 2015 and 2016 NCAA championship victories. The squad that secured the program’s legendary fourth straight national championship will be inducted into the Huskies of Honor during the game against Villanova on January 15 at Gampel Pavilion. Earlier in January 2024, the 2013 and 2014 championship teams were also recognized. UConn remains unmatched in women’s college basketball history, being the last team to win consecutive titles four times in a row.
The festivity will highlight two-time WNBA MVP Brianna Stewart, who announced that nine former players will participate in the celebration. Stewart, the most outstanding player of all four title-winning teams from 2013 to 2016, graduated as one of the most decorated athletes in college basketball. She earned the Naismith Trophy three times and was unanimously named Varsity Player of the Year during her junior and senior years.
Selected first overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, Stewart led the franchise to championships in 2018 and 2020, later joining the New York Liberty in 2023 and helping them win their first title in 2024. Her career includes two Finals MVP awards, seven All-Star appearances, and six All-WNBA First Team selections.
Also returning are Stewart’s former teammates Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. Jefferson and Tuck were picked second and third in the 2016 WNBA Draft, becoming the first teammates ever chosen in the top three picks. Jefferson is a two-time All-American and a two-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner for the best point guard nationally, while Tuck earned All-American honors in her senior year of 2016. Tuck retired from pro basketball in 2020 and now serves as the general manager for the Connecticut Sun. Jefferson faced injuries during her career but made a brief comeback with the Chicago Sky in 2025.
Four other current WNBA players will join the event, including Minnesota Lynx star Nafeesa Collier, who was MVP runner-up in 2024 and 2025 and a freshman in the 2016 championship team alongside Katie Lou Samuelson, who missed the 2025 season due to an ACL injury. Both had limited roles in 2016 but later enjoyed historic UConn careers, ranking in the top 10 for all-time scoring. Others attending include Chicago Sky guard Kia Nurse, who played on both championship teams, and three-time WNBA champion Kia Stokes from the 2015 team.
Confirmed players returning for the celebration are:
– Nafeesa Collier (2016)
– Moriah Jefferson (2015, 2016)
– Tierney Lawler (2015)
– Kia Nurse (2015, 2016)
– Briana Pulido (2015, 2016)
– Katie Lou Samuelson (2016)
– Brianna Stewart (2015, 2016)
– Kia Stokes (2015)
– Morgan Tuck (2015, 2016)
Fan Take: This milestone celebration not only honors UConn’s unmatched dominance in women’s college basketball but also highlights the incredible talent pipeline fueling the WNBA today. For fans of the league, it’s a testament to how collegiate success can translate into professional greatness, inspiring the next generation of players and fans alike.
