Net gain: Kaitlyn Chen is all smiles when she reduces a piece of the net after helping the Women’s Basketball team at the University of Connecticut to defeat South Carolina 82-59 in the former NCAA championship on April 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The CHEN playmaker collected an average of 7.1 points and 3.2 assists per game this winter while the Huskies did 37-3 en route to the 12th national championship of the program. (Photo supplied graciously of Uconn Athletics)
By Justin Feil
Kaitlyn Chen celebrated the victory of the national female championship in NCAA division I with two basketball families.
First of all, there was the team at the University of Connecticut that she helped win a 12th national title in the history of the program with a southern Carolina 82-59 dismantling during the NCAA championship match on April 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Then there was the family of Princeton University – basketball players and coaches and friends who were at school with them the previous four years before using her graduate transfer year in Uconn. They were also in Tampa, there to encourage Chen.
“It meant so much for me, and it made it save and this moment just 10 times more special because it was the people who have been somehow on my trip with me for four years,” said Chen, a native of 5’9 from San Marino, California, who accumulated 1,276 points, 313 rebounds and 359 assists in Princeton and was appointed player of the Ivy 2023 league. “These are the people I trust and that I love the most, and to have them with me to experiment, it was incredible.”
Chen started the match for the title and played 17 minutes, raised four assists – one from the team summit – to go with two points, a rebound and no reversals while Uconn finished season 37-3 and obtained his record for the 12th national crown. It is a sustainable memory of her last university season that will remain with her.
“How incredible it was to do with my teammates and the group we have,” said Chen. “And just because of the proximity that we are all, and also to see my friends and coaches and my princeton teammates there. It was one of the best parts of this day.”
The championship occurred 30 years after Princeton’s head coach Carla Berube played in the first Uconn team to win a national title in 1995 under the legendary coach of the Huskies Geno Auriemma. Berube was invested in this year UCONN title because of its link with the program and with Chen.
“It was great,” said Berube. “I was able to watch some of his matches throughout the year. And we were in contact with it. And then watch them on the way to their 12th national championship and be in Tampa, watching her live and be among my teammates, the former Uconn, who is just a huge family very KNI, also among some of the Kaitlyn teammates, some of my graduates, it was incredible.”
Berube remained in touch with Chen throughout this season. They often spoke before and after the Uconn games, and there was also a chain of active text between them and Princeton’s deputy coach Lauren Dillon.
“They have been such a large part of my life in the past four years that I don’t think it disappears like that,” said Chen. “I think I’m really lucky to have them as a princeton trainers just because of the proximity of our relationship and, as expected, nothing has changed when I moved a few hours.”
Berube had given Chen on the game for Auriemma and Uconn as she narrowed her choices. Chen has been sought by many best programs in the country, according to Berube, but it has reduced its choices to Uconn and UCLA, another Final Four program that UCONN eliminated in the national semi-final. The UCLA was only about 30 miles from its hometown.
“I chose Uconn because I thought it would be the best salid for me and the school that would give me the best chance of winning a national championship,” said Chen, who ends his mastery in sports management in Uconn.
She was right.
The only real experience that Chen had with Uconn was against the Huskies. Chen scored 18 points and collected seven assists as a junior when Princeton lost 69-64 against Auriemma and the Huskies in Uconn in December 2022. There was mutual admiration.
“He has not forgotten this,” said Berube.
Chen, too, has not forgotten what it was to play in Storrs, in Connecticut, she had looked at their success from afar, and now has an even greater appreciation after joining the program.
“Just to be able to be part of everything, how the program is historic,” said Chen. “I remember coming to Gampel (pavilion) when we played for the first time. I look at all the championship banners and I think it’s quite surprising that we can even play here. Also be able to play in front of our fans and actually encourage them to be other. “
The trip to the national title was not easy.
“There was a moment at first when she said,” I didn’t know it was going to be so difficult, “said Berube. “And I said,” Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you. “It’s just the level of perfection they ask for.
Chen could see subtle signs that Berube came from the Auriemma basketball tree. The two coaches say some of the same things and some of the exercises were the same.
“Play hard, play intelligently, have fun” is the big one I know that the Berube coach has taken from here, “said Chen.” I think they are both very great coaches, and I am lucky to have been able to play for both. “
Chen had to make several adjustments to Uconn. It started early. She was in Storrs two days after her princeton diploma to start working with the team.
“It was really weird at first, but my teammates are great, super welcoming,” said Chen. “And they did their jobs and everything they could to help me integrate and make me feel at home. So I really enjoyed this. “
Chen needed this insurance of his new teammates after being so comfortable with Princeton staff and players. She couldn’t be sure of what she entered again with a new team.
“Obviously, you have concerns,” said Chen. “There are always thoughts in your head that you try not to affect yourself, I suppose that as you fall, and I understood that it would be difficult to get closer as my Princeton teammates, just because it’s like four years of your life. It’s a long time, you don’t like to understand that it’s the same thing.
Chen confidence that she was able to contribute, but also worried about the quantity of contributing to what it would be able to contribute and the type of role it would be. She ended up starting the 36 games in which she played, with an average of 7.1 points per match, 3.2 assists per game and pulling 50% of the soil and 83% of the line of fault. She came to adapt to the first score option for Tigers to a new role for the Huskies who trotted a starting alignment which also included stars such as Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong.
“It certainly took a while to be able to understand how I would integrate myself into our system simply because it is a brand new team and play with people against whom you have never played or played,” said Chen. “I certainly took a little time to get used to our style of play and just to understand what exactly my role is and how can I play my role as well as or how can I play my role at the best of my abilities.”
She still had big games and many great moments. She scored 15 points in the victory of Uconn Elite Eight on the USC to go to the Final Four. Throughout the season, she continued her growth as a player in the new setting.
“His role was to play the games, that this methodier facilitates offensive and to put his teammates in the best positions to mark basketball,” said Berube. “In addition, I thought she was really defending, very well. She was this first point of defense. She had sometimes picked up the full court. So I don’t think she was something other than what she was here; she just didn’t have to score as much. Kaitlyn went when they needed her.”
Playing Uconn was another step towards the game at the next level. Chen hopes to have the chance to continue his career in the WNBA. Last Monday, this desire became a reality because Chen was selected by the Golden State Valkyries as fifth choice in the third round and 30th choice in total of the WNBA draft.
“She can do a lot of everything,” said Berube. “I hope that GM and European scouts will also see that she is a three -level marker. She can defend. She is intelligent. She really plays, really hard, has a really intense work ethics. And I think that is translated well on a professional level. And she can certainly play on the big stage and has never been shaking either. She is really composed and confident and really a great chef and teammate. ” ».
Chen had a lot of these qualities that came out of high school. But they were not yet to the point that they are now, and she was not the player’s caliber who could contribute and start for a national championship team in Uconn. She has developed her princeton career in the player who could help take the Huskies to the top of university basketball due to opportunities, training and teammates she had in the previous four seasons. This is why it was perfect that she could celebrate the Crown of the NCAA not only with her current Uconn basketball family but also her tigers.
“I don’t think I would be where I am now if it was not for my stay in Princeton,” said Chen. “I needed my time in Princeton to grow and develop as a player, physically and also mentally and in an aspect of maturity. I would not be there if it was not for my time in Princeton. ”
