Are Serah Williams and Ayanna Patterson Basketball’s New It-Couple?
An Instagram story hard-launch may have confirmed a relationship between the two former UConn teammates.
There must be something in the Connecticut water because two more former UConn Huskies have hard-launched their relationship (maybe accidentally). Portland Fire forward Serah Williams and University of Kentucky Wildcats forward Ayanna Patterson seemingly hard-launched their relationship on Patterson’s instagram story with a sweet picture of the two sharing a kiss, which was deleted about an hour later.
Women’s basketball fans were quick to celebrate the newest sapphic couple in the sport and note just how queer UConn players seem to be.
Uconn storrs is turning your kids gay 😭
— #21 (@9uckles) October 4, 2026
The way I’m cheesing at my phone! I love it when two fine people date ☺️
— Iwishicared 🎀 (@blkwmnonly123) October 4, 2026
After the story post was taken down, both Patterson and Williams posted memes on their story, indicating that the picture might have been meant for close friends instead (happens to the best of us).
Life comes at you fast https://t.co/7ws7c1NzRG
— s. (@marinecwfc) October 4, 2026
Patterson spent four years at UConn but was only able to play two full seasons as a Husky due to injury. After the 2026 season ended, Patterson committed to playing for the University of Kentucky, where she will still have two seasons of playing eligibility. Williams joined UConn’s women’s basketball program as a senior in 2025, after playing for the Wisconsin Badgers. After UConn’s season ended in April, Williams was drafted 33rd overall by the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and was traded to the Portland Fire .
While the picture was the first couple-like content shared by the players, fans have noticed their interactions since April, following the end of UConn’s 2026 season. When Williams posted about getting drafted to play for the Portland Fire, Patterson commented “Proud of you my heart ❤️,” setting off some fans relationship-radar.
Shortly after that, Patterson once again commented on Williams’ instagram writing, “Congratulations baby!! ❤️❤️” Fans also noticed the pair posting stories from the same places, raising the eyebrows of intrigued fans. While, neither of them have officially confirmed their relationship, the evidence has begun to stack up.
It seems that all along, the hottest sapphic spot in the country has secretly been Storrs, Connecticut.
