STORRS, Conn. — It does not appear retirement is on the mind of UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma, as the Hall of Famer is bringing the No. 2 overall recruiting class to Storrs this fall, according to ESPN. With the addition of Sarah Strong to incoming freshmen Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli, Auriemma announced the completion of the prized 2024 class on Tuesday.
“I think we filled a lot of the needs with this class,” Auriemma said, in a release from UConn’s Division of Athletics. “The players we have can play multiple positions. Allie, Morgan, and Sarah are all versatile. They can all put the ball in the basket, and that’s a big priority for any program. To have three players coming in that can immediately have an impact on your team is pretty unique. I’m thrilled and I can’t wait to get started with them in June.”
Sarah Strong
The incoming recruiting class is headlined by Strong, a six-foot-two forward from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., who ESPN ranks as the No. 1 overall women’s basketball player in the high school Class of 2024.
Strong is a versatile forward with the ability to hit deep threes while passing and facilitating at an elite level. Auriemma announced on Tuesday that Strong’s signing as a member of UConn’s Class of 2028 was official, completing the 2024 signing class.
“We’ve been very close with Sarah for a long time, and we’ve seen her grow and develop into as good a player out of high school as we’ve seen in quite some time,” Auriemma said the release. “The skill set that she has is both brand new and fits today’s game perfectly, and it’s also a throwback to an age when it didn’t matter what size players were, they played the entire game. They passed, they handled the ball, they rebounded. I think we’re getting a pretty special player and a special person.”
Strong is the 2024 Naismith High School Player of the Year, recognizing her as the best female high school basketball player in the sport. She was also selected as an All-American by McDonald’s, Naismith, SLAM, and Jordan Brand.
In North Carolina, Strong was the 2023 and 2024 Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year. In the McDonald’s All-America game, she was an MVP.
In three seasons at Grace Christian School, Strong averaged 23 points, 16 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game, leading her team to three consecutive NCISSA state titles while finishing her high school career on a 41-game winning streak.
In addition to being a powerful paint scorer and reliable three-point shooter, Strong’s ability to find her open teammates is exceptional. Her precision passing and outlet passing are both strong suits.
ESPN notes that Strong has a “sixth sense” on offense and expects her production to grow when surrounded by other elite players like guards Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. Strong’s rebounding will also benefit the team immediately. When all is said and done, Strong could be among the greatest players the program has produced.
Allie Ziebell
While the addition of Strong has caught the attention of UConn fans in recent weeks, they should not overlook Ziebell, a six-foot guard/wing who is known for her poised and calm demeanor, phenomenal fundamentals, and excellent decision-making.
ESPN ranks Ziebell as the No. 6 prospect in the high school Class of 2024. The Neenah, Wis. native can put the ball in the bucket however she needs to, whether it’s off the catch or by creating space. Auriemma spoke fondly of Ziebell in an interview with UConn Wbb Weekly after she committed to UConn, talking about her ability to single-handedly take over and win games against the highest competition during summer ball.
“She’s one of those kids that knows who she is and she’s not afraid,” Auriemma said, of Ziebell. “She’s got some of that Azzi (Fudd) and Paige (Bueckers) in her that, ‘Every time the ball leaves my hand, I think it’s going in.’ So, she’s a scorer… She scores points.”
This past season, Ziebell was named Ms. Basketball by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association, as well as Wisconsin’s Gatorade Player of the Year, after averaging 26.8 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 51.2% from the floor and 44.4% from three-point range. She was also named a McDonald’s and Naismith All-American in 2024.
Morgan Cheli
Ranked by ESPN as the No. 11 prospect in the high school Class of 2024, Cheli, a six-foot-two guard, will make her way to Connecticut from San Jose, Calif. According to The UConn Blog, Cheli choose UConn over more than 40 other Division I schools, including defending champion South Carolina.
While Cheli played guard for her high school team, she can also play inside or on the perimeter as a wing when asked, as her size makes her versatile. Cheli is known for her competitiveness and for raising her teammates’ games. She has a refined ability to drive to the hoop but can also score on the pull-up jump shot, and her three-point shot has slowly improved.
Auriemma asked UConn Wbb Weekly how many 6-foot-2 guards the team has before answering his own question, “Zero.” He believes Cheli will fill an important gap for the Huskies.
“Morgan fits a tremendous need that we have. And how many great rebounding guards did you see (in the loss to NC State)? Zero. Morgan, more than anyone else, I think she’s a fearless rebounder – for whatever reason, because she (doesn’t) look like one, but she is. She doesn’t necessarily need to score any points to impact the game,” Auriemma said.
Cheli was also a McDonald’s and Naismith All-American in 2024.
Overview
Strong is the most talented recruit coming to Storrs this fall, but Ziebell and Cheli should both have major impacts on the program, potentially early on. Regarding Ziebell and Cheli, Auriemma praised what they bring off the court when speaking to UConn Wbb Weekly.
“The most rewarding thing about recruiting both Morgan and Allie was how incredible the fit is – that this is where they wanted to come, and we knew that as we were recruiting them,” Auriemma said. “There was no extraneous (nonsense) to the recruiting process. It was very straightforward, very upfront, very transparent with the parents, the kids. There was complete buy-in almost right from the beginning, so you knew you’re getting a kid – both of them – that are tremendously committed to UConn women’s basketball and what it means.”
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Looking ahead to the 2024-2025 season, both Ziebell and Cheli have a chance to earn playing time, while Strong will have an opportunity to star as a freshman.
If healthy, UConn’s backcourt should be anchored by Bueckers and Fudd, while KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade will also have a chance to start. Caroline Ducharme, Aubrey Griffin, and transfer grad student Kaitlyn Chen will also battle with Ziebell and Cheli for minutes.
Strong could start immediately, following in the footsteps of forward Aalyiah Edwards. Ice Brady will compete for minutes as well. Coming back from injury, center Jana El Alfy should get significant playing time down low as a rim protector.
For those interested, ESPN ranks Southern California as the only program with a better incoming recruiting class than UConn.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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