"Can the Huskies win a 13th? UConn is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll despite losing standout Paige Bueckers, the top draft pick and Rookie of the Year this past WNBA season. Many other top contending teams from last season return strong, too, though USC superstar JuJu Watkins is sitting out 2025-2026 after tearing her right ACL in the NCAA tournament in March."
"Not only can the Huskies repeat, they should be considered the favorites to deliver another championship to Storrs. That said, this isn't the 2016 Huskies of Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson coming off three consecutive titles. UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and LSU are also viable candidates, and UConn does have to replace one of the best players in the storied history of the program in Bueckers. But the Huskies are the preseason No. 1 team in the country for a reason."
UConn won its 12th national championship last season after dominating UCLA and South Carolina, and now enters 2025-26 as the preseason No. 1. The program must replace standout Paige Bueckers, last season's top draft pick and WNBA Rookie of the Year. Several national contenders return, though USC's JuJu Watkins will miss 2025-26 after tearing her right ACL. Conference realignment caused major shifts last season but the dust has settled for now. Sarah Strong emerged as a breakout star, and additions like transfer Serah Williams plus UConn's frontcourt depth bolster title aspirations.
Read at ESPN.com
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