Azzi Fudd is about to put on that UConn No. 35 jersey for the final time.

That could come Friday if the No. 1 overall Huskies lose to South Carolina in the first semifinal of the Women’s NCAA Tournament (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). If UConn (38-0) beats the Gamecocks (35-3), she’ll slip that jersey on for the 110th and final time in the national title game.

It’s a fact she wants to push aside.

“I feel like I've been kind of in denial thinking about how this is my last weekend,” Fudd said Thursday in Phoenix, site of the Final Four. “I know, but I haven't really accepted that yet. I'm really just trying to enjoy every single moment. … The last time being roommates, last trip, all that kind of stuff.

“I'm trying not to think about that. I mean, I feel like this program has left such an impact on me, I can't even begin. I don't know. I don't know. I have no idea.”

Fudd, 23, was the No. 1-ranked high school recruit in the Class of 2021. She was a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year for Washington, D.C., and the 2019 Gatorade National Player of the Year – the first sophomore ever to win the award. Being named a McDonald’s All-American followed in 2021.

The daughter of two former college basketball players, she was destined to play for UConn since she was named in honor of former Huskies great Jennifer Azzi.

She had a rocky start to her UConn career, though.

Fudd missed 11 games in her first season because of a foot injury. In her sophomore season, she lost 22 games to a knee injury. As a junior in 2022-23, she tore her right ACL and medial meniscus in practice, two games into the season.

The following season was glorious, capped with a national championship.

This season, as a grad student, she has been honored with one award after another, including 2026 WBCA All-America, 2026 AP First Team All-America and 2026 USBWA First Team All-America.

She has had a career year, averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 45.5% from 3-point range and 48.9% overall.

Ending her UConn career with another title would make for a storybook ending, especially with a team that has developed such a strong sisterhood.

“Everything has been bittersweet, the last of everything," Fudd said. “But it has been so incredible, this year and this team. Every team I've been on has meant the world to me, but this team, being my last one I'm on, has meant everything.

“Just how close we've been, how this year has gone, going through the ups and downs, everything with this team. I mean, these are my sisters forever. I know even when I leave, I'm going to be rooting for them, coming back, visiting them. Even though this is my last weekend with them, last time playing with them, I know this isn't the end of our relationship.”

Her collection of All-America awards makes her eligible for the Huskies Wall of Honor, immortalizing her time with the program.

Sarah Strong, the consensus National Player of the Year, won’t forget playing with Fudd.

“Playing with Azzi has been great. Just very different than last year,” she said. “I think this year we've gotten a lot closer on and off the court. I've just learned a lot from her, from taking care of your body, nutrition. She eats all that healthy stuff.

“I don't know. I'm really going to miss playing with her. No one's going to be able to come up, hand it off and shoot it like she will.”

Head coach Geno Auriemma has sent a gym-full of seniors off after their final game.

“So many of our players have ended their careers cutting down nets in the national championship game. You desperately want to be one of those people, you know? If we win (Friday) and if we win Sunday, Azzi will be crowned one of the greatest of all time. If we don't win tomorrow and we don't even get a chance to play on Sunday, she's going to feel like this was a disappointing year for her.”

But she accomplished just what Auriemma needed her to do.

“Once we won, once we beat Notre Dame to get here, to me Azzi's job was done. What happens here the next game, that's all just bonus. 'Cause getting here is the hard part, you know?”

Remember to join our UCONN on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Huskies fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!