After spending 22 seasons at UConn as both a player and assistant coach, Jamelle Elliott will leave the program to “pursue opportunities outside coaching,” according to the school. Specifically, she’ll be “a leadership performance teammate,” as she described it when speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

“I'm going to be doing some coaching and advising and impacting in a different way,” she explained. “I'm hoping to carry the same lessons and values and characteristics that I've learned as a player, as a person, and impact in a different space — but hopefully doing the same thing. Doing it genuinely and authentically, and doing it with the things I've learned about winning seven national championships here, but also the lessons I've learned in my time at the University of Cincinnati, and the time that I served as an administrator.”

Elliott said her decision had nothing to do with Geno Auriemma’s outburst following UConn’s loss to South Carolina in the Final Four, as some speculated online. Instead, she revealed that she nearly stepped away after the Huskies won the national championship in 2025 but ultimately chose to return for one final year.

“It's not like I've decided to walk away now,” Elliott said. “It was just something that was pulling me somewhere else right now.”

“It was time.”

With Elliott gone, UConn will begin the search for a new assistant coach. On Tuesday, the school officially posted the opening, which requires five years of Division I coaching experience. The “preferred qualifications” include a decade of coaching at the Division I level, a Final Four appearance as a player and experience playing professionally.

Geno Auriemma provided his own list of must-haves.

“I think more importantly is the ability to connect with kids, being a good teacher, having a network recruiting-wise — all those things. If they do have some ties to the program, I think that's a benefit, but it's not a requirement.”

Two notable former Huskies match that criteria: Willnett Crockett, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at USC, and Nykesha Sales, who was most recently at Georgia but is currently out of a job.

On Wednesday, UConn revealed which jersey numbers its three newcomers will wear this season.

Marine Dursus — No. 5

Total players to wear it: 6
Most recent and most notable: Paige Bueckers (2020-25)

No. 5 only sat unused for one season after Paige Bueckers’ departure thanks to Marine Dursus. Of the three jersey numbers picked by the newcomers, this is the most likely to one day be retired. Even still, that’s a long way off, so the French shooting guard can claim it.

Every other number Dursus had previously worn is currently taken. She rocked No. 8 (currently owned by Jana El Alfy) at the club level with Angers as well as No. 2 (KK Arnold’s for one more season) and No. 7 (secured by Kelis Fisher last summer) with the French national team.

Jovana Popovic — No. 13

Total players to wear it: 5
Most recent and most notable: Christyn Williams (2018-22)

Popovic nabs the jersey number that she wears for the Serbian national team. Before Christyn Williams, No. 13 hadn’t seen all that much success at UConn. The first four to wear it were Marci Czel, Rashidat Sadiq, Jacquie Fernandes and Brianna Banks.

Olivia Vukosa — No. 25

Total players to wear it: 10
Most recent: Ice Brady (2022-26)
Most notable: Svetlana Abrosimova (1997-2001)

Vukosa rocked No. 25 in high school. Luckily for her, it just opened up this offseason with Ice Brady transferring to Florida State. While some notable guards donned the digits back in the day — Svetlana Abrosimova followed by Mel Thomas — it’s been a popular number for bigs recently. Vukosa will follow in the footsteps of Kyla Irwin and Brady.

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Husky x husky collab: