Sue Bird has jersey retired at UConn ahead of top-ranked Huskies' game against DePaul

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Sue Bird walked onto the court at Gampel Pavilion on Sunday to a rousing ovation just as she did in her four seasons as one of the best players in UConn women’s history.

The members of the top-ranked 2025-26 team stood on either side of the UConn legend as Bird came onto the court before a game against DePaul, this time without her famous UConn No. 10 jersey. A few minutes later, Bird joined classmate Swin Cash and Rebecca Lobo as the only UConn women’s basketball players to have their numbers retired.

“This is home, this is where it started,” said Bird, a member of the Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Fames. ‘It’s an incredible honor.”

Bird was a part of two national championship teams at UConn. Despite being limited to eight games as a freshman due to a knee injury, Bird finished her career with 1,378 points, 585 assists and 240 steals. UConn was 114-4 with Bird in the lineup. She was the first pick in the 2002 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm and helped Seattle win four WNBA titles. Bird was also part of five Olympic gold-medal winning teams and four FIBA World Cup championship squads.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma called Bird the greatest point guard ever in women’s college basketball.

Bird came to UConn after playing for New York girls’ high school powerhouse Christ the King with a class that included Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams and Keirsten Walters. Auriemma has said it is a class that changed the way the Huskies played.

UConn had won one national championship at the time. What followed was UConn’s ascension to winning a record 12 titles.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Sue Bird watches with her family and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, left, as her number is retired before an NCAA college basketball game between UConn and DePaul, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sue Bird reacts as UConn head coach Geno Auriemma speaks during a ceremony retiring her number before an NCAA college basketball game between UConn and DePaul, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sue Bird's number is retired in a ceremony before an NCAA college basketball game between UConn and DePaul, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sue Bird embraces UConn head coach Geno Auriemma during a ceremony retiring her number before an NCAA college basketball game between UConn and DePaul, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Sue Bird smiles during a ceremony retiring her number before an NCAA college basketball game between UConn and DePaul, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Indiana is the No. 1 team in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time after going through the regular season and Big Ten championship game 13-0, ending Ohio State’s 14-week run atop the rankings.

The Hoosiers’ 13-10 win over the Buckeyes in Indianapolis on Saturday night made them the unanimous pick for No. 1 and they locked up the top seed for their second straight appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Georgia, which beat Alabama by three touchdowns in the Southeastern Conference title game, moved up one spot to No. 2 for its highest ranking of the season. Ohio State, the defending national champion, slipped two spots to No. 3.

Texas Tech, a 27-point winner over BYU in the Big 12 championship game, also has its highest ranking of the season after rising one rung to No. 4.

Oregon was No. 5 and followed by Mississippi, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Miami. Miami moved up two spots and returned to the top 10 for the first time since mid-October. Alabama and BYU each dropped one spot, to Nos. 11 and 12.

Among Group of Five teams, American Conference champion Tulane jumped four spots to No. 17 for its highest ranking in two years. Sun Belt Conference champion James Madison remained No. 19.

The final AP Top 25 will be released Jan. 20, the day after the national championship game.

— Indiana, which had the most losses in major college football history prior to Curt Cignetti’s arrival two years ago, had never been ranked higher than No. 2 before Sunday. That was the position the Hoosiers held for seven straight weeks before they rose to the top. They were 100 ballot points ahead of Georgia. The Bulldogs were just 12 points ahead of Ohio State.

— With the limited schedule of games, all teams that were in the Top 25 remained in the poll.

— Virginia took the biggest fall after losing in overtime to Duke in the ACC championship game, going from No. 16 to No. 20.

SEC (8 ranked teams): Nos. 2 Georgia, 6 Mississippi, 7 Texas A&M, 8 Oklahoma, 11 Alabama, 13 Vanderbilt, 14 Texas, 25 Missouri.

Big Ten (5): Nos. 1 Indiana, 3 Ohio State, 5 Oregon, 16 Southern California, 18 Michigan.

Big 12 (4): Nos. 4 Texas Tech, 12 BYU, 15 Utah, 20 Arizona.

ACC (3): Nos. 10 Miami, 21 Virginia, 24 Georgia Tech.

American (3): Nos. 17 Tulane, 22 Navy, 23 North Texas.

Independent (1): No. 9 Notre Dame.

Sun Belt (1): No. 19 James Madison.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) celebrates his touchdown against Alabama during the second half of a Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)