UConn signs Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams

UConn women’s basketball reeled in one of the top players available in the transfer portal, landing Serah Williams from Wisconsin. A 6-4 post player who grew up in Brooklyn but now hails from Toronto, she picked the Huskies over LSU and North Carolina. Williams has one year of eligibility remaining.

A two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and the league’s defensive player of the year in 2024, Williams should start alongside Sarah Strong in UConn’s frontcourt. This past season, she averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, reaching double-figures in all but two contests and totaling 14 double-doubles.

“I believe that Serah was one of the top players in the country, not only this past year, but in her career at Wisconsin,” Geno Auriemma said in a release. “We’re absolutely thrilled to have her coming to Connecticut. She’s a great addition to our program. Her experience, her versatility and her ability to play at a really high level on both ends of the floor are going to be a great asset for us. I think as a person, she fits in perfectly with our team.”

Like Kaitlyn Chen from Princeton last offseason, Williams comes in from a program with ties to the Huskies. Her head coach at Wisconsin, Marisa Moseley, spent nine years on staff at UConn. Williams entered the portal shortly after Moseley resigned in March.

“When I first stepped on campus at UConn and met the players and staff, it felt like the right place for me to spend my last year in college both on and off the court,” Williams said in a release. “The winning environment and atmosphere were everything I was looking for.”

The Huskies’ have a strong track record with transfers recently. Chen ran the point on last season’s national championship squad, Lou Lopez Sénéchal starred as the second-leading scorer in 2022-23 while Dorka Juhász — another post who came in as a two-time All-Big Ten First Team pick — proved to be an impact player across two campaigns.

With Williams in the mix, UConn should have one of the best frontcourts in the nation. She’ll be paired down low with Strong while Jana El Alfy, Ice Brady and Ayanna Patterson will provide depth. The Huskies could also get some help from Morgan Cheli, who played as a stretch-four as a freshman before going down with a season-ending injury.

UConn now has one scholarship open next season. The Huskies are targeting a ball-handler and reportedly hosted USC transfer Kayleigh Heckel on a visit alongside Williams this past week.