The story of this season’s WNBA Finals isn’t about Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream’s shortcomings. The Dream fought hard to push the series to a Game 7 after falling behind 3-2. The popular narrative was Reese emerging as one of the undeniable faces of the WNBA and cementing herself as a champion before Caitlin Clark is able to do so.
When the Game 7 buzzer sounded and the confetti started falling, it was the Golden State Valkyries who prevailed as WNBA Finals champions, with four players from Geno Auriemma’s legendary UConn program leading the way.
UConn Women’s Basketball Wins 2026 WNBA Title
That’s right. Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen are all UConn alumni, and they carried the second-year expansion team to a WNBA title in its second year of existence. And that’s no fluke. It’s just the way they were raised.
Tell the real story @UConnWBB produces the BEST pros and has carried the WNBA forever…People forgot these women never lost in college and played the best and ran the best off the court — they are great players also team players who won multiple championships in college and… pic.twitter.com/21te9fOVK1
The Valkyries were led by former UConn star Gabby Williams, who dropped a 30-piece in Game 7, including 28 in the second half to remind the entire league that she is definitely like that. Williams also won two NCAA titles at UConn. Having to compete against a player who was cultivated in a program that continuously breeds team-oriented champions who know how to sacrifice and win when necessary is a tough task.
After scoring just two points in the first half, Williams took over the game and exposed the Dream for being more talk than tough. Williams, who led France to the FIBA Cup Finals against a star-studded Team USA, scorched Reese, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and whoever else Dream coach Karl Smesko tried to put in front of her.
Williams wasn’t alone, Three other UConn players contributed to this historic championship. Valkyries center Kia Stokes had a record 19 blocks in the series and after Angel Reese’s 30-point, 16-rebound Game 3, Stokes totally shut down Dream Barbie and made her look very ordinary over the last four games of the series.
Fans might not be familiar with Stokes because all the WNBA ever talks about is Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark Sophie Cunningham and a few others. But Stokes is a three-time NCAA champion and already had three WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces (2022, 2023, 2025). You can’t buy that kind of championship experience and grit. She shut Reese down completely, holding the double-double machine to single digit scoring in two of the last three crucial series games.
Tiffany Hayes
Then there’s high-energy Tiffany Hayes who won two titles in college with UConn and was the heart and soul of this Valkyries team. A 14-year veteran, who had last been to the finals in 2013 with Atlanta and lost, finally got her pro title. Hayes was an assassin when needed, fighting injuries and an aging body all season to help secure history.
“Let me tell you something,” Hayes told reporters after the Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday at Chase Center for the WNBA title. “It hurts. I’m 37. My body hurts right now. I ain’t even get to celebrate how I wanted to. I had to go sit down, because my legs are burning. My body hurts.”
“My heart feels good,” she continued, “but my body hurts.” Hayes has been groomed to be a champion since college and her clutch fourth quarter buckets in Game 7 helped coach Natalie Nakase seal the win.
“Never bet against Geno’s UConn girls in the clutch situations,” one social media user warned.
Golden State Valkyries prevailed as WNBA Finals champions with a 68-63 win over Atlanta Dream, with four players from Geno Auriemma’s legendary UConn program leading the way. Gabby Williams dropped 30 points, while Kiah Stokes, Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen made huge contributions to the second-year expansion team’s historic title run. (Getty Images)
Kaitlyn Chen
Golden State reserve guard Kaitlyn Chen is another piece to the championship puzzle whose worth and clutch gene can’t be expressed by numbers.
Chen won 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year, was twice First‑Team All‑Ivy (2023, 2024), and three‑time Ivy League Tournament MVP before transferring to UConn for the 2024-25 season.
She’s continued to be the same defensive-minded, intelligent player who can hit big shots after being surprisingly drafted by Golden State with the 30th pick of the 2025 draft. Chen was a key contributor alongside teammates Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers in lifting UConn to its 12th NCAA women’s basketball national title (82–59) over South Carolina.
Chen’s work ethic and journey to WNBA champion was celebrated across social media and well captured in one X post:
“Kaitlyn Chen graduated from UConn in 2025 & didn’t expect to get drafted. She showed up to WNBA draft night to support her close friend & teammate Paige Bueckers. Chen was pulled from the crowd stunned when her name was called 30th overall. Still, 3rd round picks rarely make it to the opening day roster in the W. Sure enough, she was waived by the Valkyries after preseason. Chen went straight to work to make sure she was ready if she got a call. That call came a month later and she rejoined the Valkyries. In the offseason, she worked her butt off playing overseas and for Athletes Unlimited, but the Valks only signed her to a 2026 training camp contract, essentially a try out. She continued to put her head down and work. The team announced she earned a spot, and soon a key bench role. Now she’s a champion. Inspiration. #valkyries“
UConn Fans Feeling The Pride Of Golden State Valkyries WNBA Title
The UConn faithful jumped into the comments, gushing with pride.
“UConn players with four WNBA titles: Sue Bird, Maya Moore…and Kiah Stokes,” one fan commented.
“When Kiah Stokes was a freshman, Tiffany Hayes was a senior. When Gabby Williams was a freshman, Kiah Stokes was a senior,” another fan commented, noting the championship lineage and passing of the baton that keeps UConn among the nation’s elite even in a changing NIL and social media click-based culture.
“UCONN just won their 13th Championship! Thanks Geno,” a third netizen quipped.
With all the talk about Angel Reese and the Dream’s “Big Three” superstars, it was defense, passion and knowledge of self that won the Valkyries their first championship. The nurturing, high expectations and selfless culture-building of Geno Smith at UConn makes his players desirable because teams already know they are coming into the league with a team-oriented championship mentality. They might not have the most popular players. Their pre-game tunnel walk might not be as highly-anticipated. But at the end of the day there was too much UConn even for the Atlanta Dream.
UConn Valkyries has a nice ring to it 💍🏆
From winning championships with UConn to winning a WNBA title, Tiffany Hayes, Kiah Stokes, Gabby Williams and Kaitlyn Chen know what it takes 🐺 pic.twitter.com/EpBcenK0jV
