After UConn’s emotional exit from the NCAA Tournament, Nika Muhl had a tearful thank you to coach Geno Auriemma during her postgame press conference.

“I’m just very grateful to coach for bringing me all the way from Croatia to here,” the senior guard said at the time.

“Never in my life would I have thought that I would be here sharing this court with these amazing people — great players, great coaches, great staff — and just enjoying every single moment of it.”

Now as she heads for the WNBA, the Seattle Storm’s second-round pick returned to Storrs to share a moment with Auriemma to tell him he “changed her life.”

“Do what they drafted you for,” the Huskies coach told Muhl. “Bring a different culture to them. Bring that UConn culture to them. … I don’t think anybody will ever forget you. … [I] love you so much.”


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Muhl was selected with the 14th pick in Round 2 of the WNBA Draft after a four-year career with Connecticut.

Over that time she emerged as one of the most important pieces to UConn’s success with her playmaking, defensive intensity, rebounding hustle and clutch three-point shooting.

Geno has no doubt she’ll bring the same and more to her new team in The W.