Gabriel to Transfer from UConn

STORRS—Sophomore forward Piath Gabriel will transfer from the UConn women’s basketball program it was announced on Thursday.

A native of Manchester, NH, Gabriel appeared in 35 games at UConn where she scored a total of 54 points and grabbed 37 rebounds, averaging 4.9 minutes played in 13 games this past season. Her best game came against Xavier on Feb. 18 when she scored 11 points and grabbed four boards in eight minutes on the court. Gabriel sat out a handful of tames this season, including UConn’s appearances in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Tournament due to academic obligations.

She is the first player to enter the transfer portal since the Huskies lost to South Carolina in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Game last week in Minneapolis. Gabriel is the third player to leave to program within the past year, following Saylor Poffenbarger and Mir McLean.

“Thank you to my coaches and support staff for the last two years at UConn,” Gabriel said. “I’m grateful for my time in Storrs but after talking it over with my family, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to enter the transfer portal. I will forever cherish the relationships I've built with my teammates and I'm glad to say they are my sisters for life.”

The Manchester, N.H. native played in 13 games this season, averaging 4.9 minutes per game. Gabriel’s best performances came at Xavier on Feb. 18 (11 points, four rebounds in eight minutes) and against Xavier at home on Jan. 15 (nine points, five rebounds in 10 minutes). She sat out a small handful of games this year, including most recently the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Tournament, due to academic obligations.

“We appreciate Piath’s time at UConn,” head coach Geno Auriemma said. “She was a great teammate and has a lot of potential. We wish her and her family the best with her collegiate career.”