Meet Daniela, the 12-year-old girl battling a rare disease who’s become the UConn women’s secret weapon
When the UConn women’s basketball team takes the court, they know that no matter what happens, they’ve got the support of one special Husky, 12-year-old Daniela Ciriello of Plainville.
Daniela is a member of Team IMPACT, a non-profit organization that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams. She lives with a rare life-threatening blood disorder known as thalassemia, which requires transfusions every three weeks.
Daniela was matched with the UConn women’s basketball team in 2018, when she was just six years old, and she’s become a staple in the program ever since. She’s traveled to plenty of games and two Final Fours with the Huskies, and has become friends with the players, getting to know them well.
When the team made the Final Four in 2022, they set up a Zoom call with Daniela and her mother Nicole, and invited them to Minneapolis to watch the games.
“I was really shocked when I found out, and very excited to go,” Daniela said. “I was like screaming in my house. I loved going because it was so much fun to see them play in a different atmosphere. And I got to spend time with my mom when we went.”
The family was at UConn’s Big East Tournament games earlier this month, and has spent quality time with the Huskies outside of the arena. Daniela said her favorite moment with the team was going pumpkin picking, and then heading back to some of their dorms, where they made chicken nuggets for her and did Tik Tok dances together.
“It was really fun because I got to teach them the type of dances I do, and they were all so funny. They understood it, but they were having trouble keeping up with me,” Daniela said.
She said she loves all the Huskies, but Paige Bueckers and Katie Lou Samuelson are a couple of her favorites. She likes Paige because of her competitiveness, and says it’s similar to her own.
“I feel like she’s the most competitive out of all of them like I am. Her spark is just so amazing. And whenever we hang out, she’s always so nice and sweet and funny,” Daniela said. “I love hanging out with her, she’s such a great person.”
Her mother Nicole said the time Daniela spends with the Huskies helps get her through tough weeks.
“We’re really proud of her. She goes through a lot. And what people don’t know is, looking at her you don’t know that there’s anything wrong, but we see the struggle.”
Daniela goes to Connecticut Children’s for blood transfusions every third Wednesday. Nicole said that by the end of the second week in between transfusions, it becomes harder for her to do a lot of things.
“She’s tired, she’s cranky, she’s moody, she’s pale, until she can get some blood.”
“When we’re with the team, no matter what time it is for her during those three weeks where we’re waiting for the next transfusion, it’s like being taken out of our reality for a minute,” Nicole said. “We don’t think about it, we’re just living in that moment with them, and it’s like everything is okay, almost like there’s nothing wrong.
“Seeing her with them, I’m not going to lie, I cry a lot. I cry when she’s out on the court with them, and she deserves it and the smile on her face is worth it all. It really does make her happy, and anything we can do to escape what reality is for us is always the best thing.”
Daniela’s disease makes playing contact sports like basketball too risky, so she’s thrown herself into competitive dancing. Nicole said she dances just about every night of the week, and she travels all over the state for competitions. She can relate to the Huskies’ relentlessness and will to win.
“It feels great to be on the team and I was so excited when I joined,” Daniela said. ‘Because I felt like a deep connection with them, and I felt that they understood me and I understood them. And they made me so happy when I was around them.”
-
UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma | 60 Minutes Archive
In 2004, 60 Minutes' Morley Safer interviewed University of Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma about his coaching style — and the secret to the team's success.CBS News - 2d -
Who is Arkansas State? A look at UConn women’s basketball’s first-round NCAA Tournament opponent
When the Arkansas State women’s basketball team saw its name come up on the big screen during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, players reacted just like they always do– there was some ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
UConn vs. St. John's odds, free women's college basketball picks: Huskies cover in 2025 Big East Tournament
SportsLine's Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai just revealed their picks for St. John's Red Storm vs. Connecticut Huskies in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Big East Women's Tournament on SaturdayCBS Sports - Mar. 8 -
The Freshman Sensation Who Could End UConn’s Title Drought
The Huskies haven’t won a women’s basketball championship since 2016. Sarah Strong is capable of changing that.The New York Times - 2d -
Breaking down the UConn women’s basketball team’s bracket, Final Four path in 2025 NCAA Tournament
STORRS — After cruising to a fifth consecutive Big East Tournament title, UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma would rather have turned around right away to start playing the NCAA ...Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Three questions UConn women’s basketball has to answer to reach championship goal in NCAA Tournament
The UConn women’s basketball team is riding the momentum of a 10-game win streak into March Madness, crowned by a dominant run to win a fifth consecutive Big East Tournament title last week. The ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15 -
Who is Azzi Fudd? UConn star dropped 21 points in first half vs. Arkansas State
Here is what you need to know about UConn star Azzi Fudd, who led the Huskies to a 50-point lead at halftime of their first-round NCAA tournament gameYahoo Sports - 20h -
How KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade evolved as dynamic duo off the bench for UConn women’s basketball
STORRS — The 2025 Big East Sixth Player of the Year award only has UConn guard Ashlynn Shade’s name engraved on it, but in the sophomore’s mind, her trophy belongs just as much to classmate KK ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
UConn men’s basketball puts streak on the line against No. 1 seed Florida in Round of 32; How to watch
RALEIGH, N.C. – The UConn men’s basketball team knows the quality it will go up against on Sunday against No. 1 seed Florida in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. The Huskies opened as 9.5-point ...Yahoo Sports - 17h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
James McClean incident with Stockport fan under investigation
A pitch-side confrontation in which a fan allegedly attempted to punch Wrexham captain James McClean will be scrutinised by the Football Association.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
How to watch LSU baseball vs Texas today: Time, TV channel for Sunday
LSU baseball faces the Texas Longhorns on Sunday. The Tigers will look to take the series after splitting the first two games.Yahoo Sports - 19m -
John Blackwell, Wisconsin players react to crushing season-ending loss to BYU
Wisconsin's 2024-25 season came to a heartbreaking end with a 91-89 loss to BYU on Saturday night. John Blackwell and others shared their reactions:Yahoo Sports - 19m -
Marcus Traxler: In title rematch, Brandon Valley takes glory, while Kernels are left in agony
Mar. 23—RAPID CITY — Victory and agony traded places on Saturday night. This time around, it was Brandon Valley that got to enjoy the ecstasy of a Class AA state boys basketball championship. And ...Yahoo Sports - 21m -
VIDEO: Brandon Valley triumphs for Class AA boys basketball title
Mar. 23—RAPID CITY — Brandon Valley came out on top with the Class AA state boys basketball championship on Saturday, topping Mitchell in a state tournament rematch from 2024. Landon Dierks and ...Yahoo Sports - 21m
More in Sports
-
2025 March Madness TV schedule, announcers: How to watch NCAA Tournament, tipoff times, TV channels, bracket
The complete television and streaming schedule for how to watch March Madness 2025 through the Final FourCBS Sports - 10m -
2025 NCAA Tournament bracket: College basketball scores, March Madness TV schedule, streaming, where to watch
Follow the Road to the Final Four all month long with an updating bracket and TV scheduleCBS Sports - 11m -
James McClean incident with Stockport fan under investigation
A pitch-side confrontation in which a fan allegedly attempted to punch Wrexham captain James McClean will be scrutinised by the Football Association.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
2025 NCAA Tournament scores, schedule: March Madness bracket, game dates, locations, tip times, TV channels
Check out the master schedule for the NCAA Tournament so you can watch all the March Madness 2025 actionCBS Sports - 14m -
2025 Masters picks, odds, field: Surprising predictions from advanced golf model that's hit 13 majors
SportsLine's proven model simulated the 2025 Masters 10,000 times and revealed its surprising PGA Tour golf picksCBS Sports - 18m