UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma rarely takes players out of the transfer portal, but Princeton guard Kaitlyn Chen made perfect sense for his team after she spent the last three seasons led by former Husky and Tigers coach Carla Berube.

Chen was one of the top guards in the transfer portal after backtoback firstteam AllIvy League selections and three consecutive Most Outstanding Player awards at the conference tournament. She was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2023 and earned the first major national recognition of her career in 2024 receiving an honorable mention AllAmerican nod from the WBCA.

The 59 guard from San Mario, California averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and a careerhigh 4.9 assists per game in 202324, also shooting a careerbest 48.8% from the field and 32.8% from 3point range. She led the Tigers to an upset of Columbia in the Ivy League tournament to earn the team its third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. Princeton ended its season with a 6353 loss to 8seed West Virginia in the first round.

Chen is UConn’s first commitment out of the transfer portal since adding Lou LopezSenechal from Fairfield in 2022. LopezSenechal went on to earn firstteam AllBig East honors in 202223, and she was the No. 5 overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the 2023 WNBA Draft. The Huskies also lost junior forward Amari DeBerry and sophomore guard Ines Bettencourt to the portal, though neither averaged more than six minutes per game in 202324.

UConn’s backcourt will be crowded in 202425, but the Huskies need all the depth they can get after six seasonending injuries nearly derailed their season. The group is led by superstar Paige Bueckers, who had a remarkable comeback season in 202324 earning unanimous firstteam AllAmerican honors and making the finalist list for Naismith Player of the Year. Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2021, will return after suffering an ACL tear two games into 2023, and the Huskies also bring back freshman starters KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade.