Nika Muhl drops 1-word reaction to Paige Bueckers’ touching moment with late UConn fan

Nika Muhl may have departed from the UConn Huskies program in April 2024, but her four-year journey with the university remains close to her heart. Muhl’s connection to her alma mater was evident in a recent social media activity, where she reacted to Paige Bueckers' tribute to a late fan.

@ESPNW posted a series of quotes and photos to showcase the relationship between the Uconn Huskies and Abby Zittoun. The first slide of the Instagram post consisted of Buecker’s quote, talking about the love that every member of her team had for Abby.

“Everybody was like ‘How do we get Abby’s number? We want to talk to her, we want to FaceTime her, we want to text her’,” Bueckers said.

Nika showcased her love for Abby by sharing this specific graphic on her Instagram Story and captioned it:

“Abbygirl *multiple heart emojis*”

Credits: Instagram (@nika.muhl)

Abby first connected with the UConn women’s basketball team in 2022 through a workshop organized by the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The players quickly formed a special bond with Abigail, who was courageously battling two rare forms of cancer.

Over the years, Abby developed a deep connection with Paige Bueckers and the team, with some players even attending her bat mitzvah. Sadly, after a seven-year fight, Abby passed away in October 2024. Despite her passing, the Huskies continue to honor their beloved superfan in various heartfelt ways.

Paige Bueckers and the Huskies paid tribute to Abby

The UConn Huskies have repeatedly expressed their admiration for Abigail Zittoun, but their most heartfelt tribute came earlier on Feb. 3. In a touching gesture, each player wore jumpers with “Love, Abby” written on them.

The special occasion was made even more memorable as the Huskies blew out Butler with a commanding 101-59 victory. Bueckers led the charge with 18 points, while Azzi Fudd and Ashlynn Shade made significant contributions, each adding 13 points to the scoreboard.

After securing the dominant victory, Paige warmly reflected on Abby’s lasting impact.

“She lit up a room every single time she walked in it. She just had this charisma about her, personality about her that it was impossible not to connect with her. The strength that she showed every single day was something to admire and we all inspire to do.

"We use the term 'Abby strength.' But, 'Abby joy' is one that I want to take with me. Just this sense of no matter what was going on in life, good day or bad, nobody will steal her joy and her happiness to be there in the present moment. That's something that she lived with every day, it never wavered,” Paige Bueckers said.

Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will look to keep their momentum going, aiming to break their nine-year title drought and win the national championship – a potential tribute to Abby.