UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers announced on Friday night that she's returning for the 2024-25 season, news that will send shockwaves through both the Huskies and the WNBA, where she was projected to be a 2024 lottery pick.

    Bueckers made the announcement in front of a packed crowd at Gampel Pavilion during a Senior Night ceremony following the Huskies' 85-44 victory over Georgetown.

    Bueckers led UConn to the Final Four and was named national player of the year as a freshman and also led the Huskies to the national title game as a sophomore. The guard has two years of eligibility remaining after this season, as she has both an extra year of eligibility from COVID-19 as well as one from last year's redshirt season, when she was sidelined with an ACL tear.

    Bueckers was projected to be the No. 3 pick in this year's WNBA Draft by ESPN's Michael Voepel.

    Also during the ceremony, senior Aubrey Griffin announced she would return for a fifth year. Griffin tore her ACL in January and has another year of eligibility left.