New year, new role for Nika Mühl: "As she goes, so does our team"

Last season, Nika Mühl was the point guard. With Paige Bueckers out, the Huskies relied almost exclusively on the junior to run the offense — and she excelled.

Mühl dished out 284 assists, shattering the program’s single-season record of 231, set by Sue Bird in 2001-02, set the team’s single-game mark with 15 assists against NC State, played the third-most minutes in the nation and continued to bring intangibles to the table with her defense, energy, and leadership. Geno Auriemma has made reference to Mühl being one of UConn’s most important players every year she’s been in Storrs.

Yet as Mühl begins her senior season, her role is unclear. Not only is Bueckers, the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award winner for best point guard in the nation, back from a torn ACL, the Huskies also added freshman point guard KK Arnold, who looked like a soon-to-be star during the team’s exhibition games in Europe.

Mühl makes her mark with passing and defense — but Bueckers is an elite distributor in her own right, and Arnold will create havoc against opposing offenses. Could those two squeeze Mühl out of the lineup?

Don’t count on it.

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