Huskies add walk-on guard Chassion

Autumn Chassion, a 5-foot-8 freshman guard, has joined the UConn women’s basketball team as a walk-on.

The Lafayette, Louisiana, native averaged 15 points and 10 assists as a senior at Lafayette Christian Academy. She guided the school to four straight Division III state championship games, including three titles.

Chassion is the 11th member of the Huskies’ 2020-21 roster and the sixth freshman, joining Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, Piath Gabriel, Mir McLean and Nika Muhl. She arrived on campus last week, along with the rest of the team.

Chassion will wear No. 2, a number most recently worn at UConn by Andra EspinozaHunter in 2017-18.

“I knew that when I was presented the opportunity to play at one of the most prestigious universities and play under the best coach in women’s basketball that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I knew I had to take it,” Chassion said in a release.

According to the Daily Advertiser, Chassion received a junior college offer from LSU Eunice, and also drew interest from Loyola University New Orleans at the NAIA level and two Ivy League programs.

“She is our leader on the floor,” Lafayette Christian coach Lexie Taylor told the Advertiser . “She’s a coach on the floor and leads kids in practice, she’s the one that kids look to. She’s had a great career at LCA.” Chassion is the Huskies’ first walk-on since Ansonia native Tierney Lawlor, who appeared in 29 games in 2016-17. Another was Briana Pulido, who played in 27 contests in 2015-16, including the NCAA championship game against Syracuse.

In the classroom, Chassion had a 4.0 grade-point average and was her school’s valedictorian.