The first domino of UConn’s offseason has fallen. On Monday, junior forward Ayanna Patterson entered the transfer portal, according to On3’s Talia Goodman.

The writing had been on the wall with Patterson since the end of the regular season. The Fort Wayne, Indiana participated in the Huskies’ senior day festivities and indicated afterwards that while she wanted to return to Storrs, the decision may not be up to her.

“I’ve loved my team here at UConn and I’ve loved playing with this group of guys,” Patterson said when asked if she planned to be back next season. “That locker room means everything to me. That coaching staff and the players in the locker room, I mean, that’s family. Those are my sisters. I would love to be back in that locker room with them.”

Patterson arrived at UConn as the No. 4 player in the class of 2022 known for her high-end athleticism and impressive physical skillset. She made a strong first impression, pacing the team in the weight room during the summer before popping in an exhibition against Kutztown.

“Yanna did what Yanna does every day,” Geno Auriemma said at the time. “She rebounds. She plays D. She blocks shots. She gets after you. She brings a lot of energy.”

Although Patterson started the 2022-23 season as a valuable piece off the bench, her minutes declined as patellar tendinitis in her left knee worsened. She underwent a procedure on the knee in the spring of 2023 but eventually had to undergo full surgery in December of that year, ending her 2023-24 campaign before she’d appeared in a single game.

The following season, Patterson suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason then re-injured it during the Huskies’ trip to The Bahamas and again underwent season-ending surgery. She didn’t appear in a single game between Mar. 25, 2023 and Nov. 9, 2025 due to injuries.

This past year, injuries had clearly taken a toll on Patterson. Over the summer, she revealed that she could no longer dunk and once the season started, she never cracked the rotation. The redshirt sophomore appeared in 30 of 39 contests, averaging just 5.1 minutes. She’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

The Huskies now have two open scholarships for next season.

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