If you've watched even five minutes of a UConn Huskies game lately, you've heard the announcers raving about Ice Brady. She’s the 6'3" powerhouse who seemingly came out of nowhere to become a reliable force in the paint. But if you’re looking for "Ice" on a birth certificate, you’re going to be looking for a while.
The Ice Brady real name is actually Isuneh Brady.
Most fans just call her Ice because, honestly, it fits. It’s a cool name for a player who has to stay chill under the massive pressure of playing for Geno Auriemma at one of the most storied programs in basketball history. But there is a lot more to the Isuneh-to-Ice pipeline than just a catchy syllable.
Why Everyone Calls Her Ice
It isn’t just a random nickname someone shouted from the bleachers once. Isuneh has been "Ice" since she was a standout kid back in San Diego. Basically, it started as a shorthand for Isuneh, but as she grew into a five-star recruit, the name took on a life of its own. It’s branding. It’s an identity.
She even leaned into it hard by filing a trademark for "Ice Ice Brady."
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Think about that for a second. While most college students are worrying about midterms or where to find the best pizza on campus, Isuneh was securing her intellectual property for t-shirts and hoodies. She’s built a whole business around those three letters.
From San Diego to Storrs
Isuneh Brady didn't just wake up one day and decide to be a Husky. She was obsessed. Like, "journaling about it in middle school" obsessed. She grew up watching Breanna Stewart dominate the court, and she told herself she’d be there one day.
Coming out of Cathedral Catholic High School, she was the No. 5 recruit in the entire country. That’s huge. You don't get that ranking without being absolutely dominant. In high school, she was averaging a double-double—18.5 points and 12.4 rebounds.
But the jump to college wasn't exactly a smooth ride.
The Injury That Changed Everything
Just as she was getting ready to start her true freshman season in 2022, disaster struck. She dislocated her patella. For those who aren't medical experts, that’s a kneecap injury that is as painful as it sounds. It sidelined her for the entire year.
Imagine being the top recruit, finally getting to your dream school, and then having to sit on the bench in a brace while your teammates play. It would break a lot of people.
Honestly, that’s where the "Ice" nickname really proved its worth. She stayed cold-blooded through the rehab. When she finally got back on the court for the 2023-24 season, she had to shake off a year of rust while playing in the most intense system in the country.
Breakout Moments in the Big East
Last season, she really started to show why Geno recruited her. When star teammate Aaliyah Edwards went down with a broken nose during the Big East Tournament, Isuneh had to step up. She didn't just fill a spot; she played all 40 minutes in back-to-back high-stakes games.
She ended up on the All-Tournament Team. That was the moment people stopped asking "Who is Isuneh?" and started realizing that Ice was the real deal.
Stats and the "UConn Way"
If you look at her box scores, the numbers might look modest—around 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. But stats in Storrs are misleading. UConn doesn't need her to score 30; they need her to be a defensive wall and a mid-range threat that stretches the floor.
Geno Auriemma has been quoted saying she’s a "different person" after her recent shoulder injury recovery, noting she worked her brains out to get back. That’s the "UConn way" she always dreamed about.
Isuneh is also a big advocate for mental health. She’s talked openly about the struggles of being a high-level athlete and the importance of keeping your head right. It makes her more than just a jersey number; she's a person trying to navigate the massive expectations of a fan base that expects a national championship every single year.
What’s Next for Isuneh Brady?
As we move through the 2025-26 season, the expectation is for Ice to become a double-double machine. She has the height, she has the footwork, and now she has the experience.
She’s no longer the nervous kid who was starstruck meeting Breanna Stewart in 2019. She’s the veteran that younger players are looking up to.
Your Ice Brady Fact Sheet
- Birth Name: Isuneh Brady
- Hometown: San Diego, California
- Position: Forward
- Height: 6'3"
- High School: Cathedral Catholic
- Key Achievement: 2022 McDonald’s All-American
If you want to follow her journey more closely, keep an eye on the Huskies' rotation during conference play. Watch how she moves without the ball and how she anchors the defense when the starters need a breather. The best way to understand why she's called "Ice" is to see her hit a clutch mid-range jumper when the shot clock is winding down. That’s when you see the composure that earned her the name in the first place.