Could Edwards, Muhl Be Back Next Season?
The Story: The No. 15 UConn women know they’ll have Paige Bueckers and Aubrey Griffin back in the fold next season, but could Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl join them for one more year in Storrs?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bueckers and Griffin said during the Huskies’ Senior Night festivities on Friday that they plan to return for their fifth and sixth seasons, respectively. Edwards and Muhl were noncommittal, however, with Muhl specifically saying she’s taking the decison day by day.
• Both players are seniors, but they have a year of eligibility left from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re the last class to have that opportunity.
IS A RETURN POSSIBLE? According to Daniel Connolly‘s scholarship grid, which is an excellent resource, UConn has just one scholarship open next season.
• That makes sense, given the Huskies are still in the hunt for Sarah Strong, the No. 1-ranked high school senior. Strong, a forward from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., has kept her recruiting relatively quiet but is choosing among South Carolina, N.C. State, LSU, UCLA, Oregon, North Carolina and Louisville.
• Strong was at UConn’s First Night celebration in October, and Geno Auriemma reportedly traveled to North Carolina on Tuesday to watch Strong’s high school team’s state playoff game last night.
• UConn has commitments from two other players as part of the Class of 2024: No. 4 prospect Allie Ziebell, a 5-foot-10 guard from Wisconsin, and No. 18 prospect Morgan Cheli, a 6-foot-2 wing from California.
ROSTER MOVEMENT? As it stands, the Huskies only have one scholarship available for next season, but that doesn’t mean Edwards and Muhl couldn’t both return if they wished to do so.
• The simplest scenario would unfold if Strong commits to another program. That leaves one scholarship open for Edwards or Muhl to take.
• Then there’s the harsh reality of college recruiting: That scholarships are technically renewed every year. To put it most delicately, Amari DeBerry, who will be a senior, and Ines Bettencourt, a junior-to-be, aren’t regular contributors even with the Huskies down to seven healthy players this season. We’ll leave the deductive reasoning up to you.
WOULD THEY RETURN? That’s the biggest question: Would Edwards or Muhl even be interested in another year in Storrs?
• Edwards is a lock to be a first-round WNBA draft pick — but then again, so was Bueckers. She will also likely be chosen to represent Canada in the Paris Olympics this summer, as she was three years ago in Tokyo.
• Muhl hasn’t been part of any WNBA draft conversations that we’ve seen, but that doesn’t mean she’s not on scouts’ radar. It’s clear, though, she’ll have plenty of opportunities playing in her native Europe.
• One other thing to consider: UConn’s interior depth for next season includes DeBerry, Ice Brady and Jana El Alfy. There’s a big gap between Edwards and her three teammates, making her potential return even more important.
— Zac Boyer
Morning Reads
• Yes, the top-ranked UConn men were crushed at Creighton on Tuesday, but does it even matter? There are arguments to be made that their loss will prepare them better for the postseason than a win would have.
Top photo: Aaliyah Edwards shoots during the Huskies’ game against Louisville. (Courtesy of UConn athletics)
