Last week the WNBA trimmed its roster down to 12 players per team, despite not being able to hold training camp. That means for all but one rookie chosen past the 18th pick in this year's draft, everybody got cut. That didn't affect any UConn alumnae, however, as there are 19 former Huskies on active rosters. Some moved around this offseason, plus there are a few newcomers to the professional ranks. Nine of the 12 teams have a UConn player on their rosters - Indiana, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are the exceptions. Team-by-team, here's a look:
Atlanta Dream: Tiffany Hayes is now the leader of the team after Angel McCoughtry moved on to Las Vegas. The former All-WNBA First Team selection is joined in the backcourt by Renee Montgomery, entering her 12th season in the league and third with the Dream. The number two overall seed in the 2018 playoffs, once McCoughtry got hurt things went south, as Atlanta finished last year with a WNBA-worst 8-26 record.
Chicago Sky: Stefanie Dolson enters her fourth year with the Sky and her seventh year in the WNBA overall, starting for Chicago as the team's center. She's joined in the frontcourt by a pair of former Huskies. Gabby Williams averaged 16 minutes a game for the Sky a year ago, and she now heads into her third professional season. And new teammate Azura Stevens joins the mix, as she was traded for another former Husky (Katie Lou Samuelson) this offseason. Spending her first two years in Dallas, Stevens was limited to nine games a season ago due to foot surgery.
Connecticut Sun: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis is the only former Husky still playing in Connecticut, and she's among the Sun's newest members. Having spent her first five pro seasons with Seattle, KML was acquired by Connecticut in February for a second-round draft pick. An off-the-bench shooter for most of her career, she'll look to add depth to a Sun team that went 20-9 a season ago, but is still in search of its first championship.
Dallas Wings: Both UConn alums in Dallas are new to the Wings - sort of. Moriah Jefferson is in her second season with Dallas, but sat out all of 2019 while rehabbing from a knee injury. A promising start to her career in San Antonio has been slowed a bit by the injury, but she says she is ready to go for 2020. She's joined by newcomer Katie Lou Samuelson, who was traded from Chicago after her rookie season. It was a tough rookie season for Lou, who played just seven minutes a night, and last month documented her struggles with mental health the last few years. Still only in her second year, she'll be a key piece on a Dallas team trying to improve on a 10-win season.
Minnesota Lynx: Napheesa Collier looks to build on a magnificent rookie season in which she won Rookie of the Year and was an All-Star. She became the fourth player ever (and just the second rookie) to rack up at least 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks and 25 made threes in a single season. She'll be joined this year by Crystal Dangerfield, who made the team as a second-round pick in this year's draft.
Notably Maya Moore's rights are still owned by Minnesota, but she will not play again in 2020 as she continues her pursuit in the efforts of criminal justice reform. Her efforts have already paid off - she helped overturn a wrongful conviction for Jeremy Irons, a man who served 22 of a 50-year sentence that has since been expunged.
New York Liberty: Tina Charles and Bria Hartley both left New York in the offseason, but there are still three Huskies on the roster. Kia Nurse is the team's leading returning scorer, averaging 13.7 points a season ago and making her first All-Star Game appearance. Kiah Stokes sat out 2019 for personal reasons, but re-signed with the team in September and all signs point to a return to the WNBA in 2020. And while Sabrina Ionescu is the rookie everyone is talking about, the Liberty used their other top-10 pick in this year's draft to take Megan Walker, the American conference Player of the Year who left UConn with a year of eligibility remaining.
Also of note, there's a former Husky on the bench in New York. Kelly Raimon - formerly Schumacher - will enter her first season as an assistant under Walt Hopkins.
Phoenix Mercury: The GOAT is back for at least 2020 (and, according to her coach, 2021 as well). The three-time WNBA champion and the league's all-time leading scorer, Diana Taurasi enters her 16th season in the league, but missed most of last year battling a back injury. Playing just nine games, it still appears to be a hindrance - remember, she was a late scratch from the lineup when Team USA played UConn in February's exhibition - but if there's someone you shouldn't ever count out, it's Taurasi.
In addition, Bria Hartley made the move in free agency from New York to Phoenix this offseason. She's coming off the best season of her career in 2019, averaging 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Seattle Storm: Speaking of legends, the Storm have one of their own, and another who will likely be on that level by the time she hangs it up. Sue Bird will begin her 17th WNBA season (all with Seattle) in 2020, after sitting out the entire 2019 season with a knee injury. The last time we saw her she was helping the Storm win its third championship while making her 11th All-Star game. Seattle also gets back Breanna Stewart, who also missed all of last year recovering from a torn Achilles. In 2018 she made a sweep of regular season and Finals MVP, and is still only 25.
With both Bird and Stewie back, it's safe to say the Storm will improve upon its 18-16 record from last year. Morgan Tuck now joins the pair out west, after being dealt from the Sun in February. Tuck was a role player for Connecticut last year, playing 11 minutes per game.
Washington Mystics: Two of the best post players in program history are on the Mystics, but in different roles. On the court, Tina Charles comes to DC from New York in a three-team offseason deal. The seven-time All-Star led the Liberty in scoring and rebounding in each of her six seasons with the team, and now joins the defending champs as a veteran in search of her first championship. She's also reunited with Mike Thibault, who coached Charles during her time with the Sun.
On the bench, former Husky Ashja Jones was bumped up to an assistant coach under Thibault after spending two years as a player development assistant.