Gandy Malou-Mamel spent much of her freshman season at UConn in the background. She appeared in just two games — both in November — for a total of four minutes. Malou-Mamel watched the rest of the campaign from the bench.

That didn’t come as much of a surprise, though. Despite featuring an impressive frame at 6-5 and being ranked as the 75th-ranked 2025 recruit in ESPN’s top 100, Malou-Mamel was never expected to step in and make an impact as a freshman. Instead, the Huskies are banking on her long-term potential.

She grew up in Ireland, where basketball is a niche sport at best, and didn’t even begin playing until age 12. In 2022, Malou-Mamel moved to New Jersey and lived with a host family to pursue the sport more seriously. One year later, she committed to UConn.

As a member of the Huskies, Malou-Mamel made a strong impression during her first season in Storrs.

“She’s a beast. To see how much she’s grown and how much she’s improved is incredible. It’s been impressive,” Jana El Alfy said in March.

“She’s strong; nobody can really move her,” Sarah Strong added during the NCAA Tournament. “She sets a good screen. She does all the little things, some that people don’t do on the team and things that are very important.”

It’s not just Malou-Mamel’s teammates that sing her praises, either. Geno Auriemma also likes what he’s seen from the rising sophomore.

“Every day, she gets better. Every day, she works hard. Every day, she’s competitive,” he said in December. “I couldn’t be happier with how she’s been since she’s been on campus.”