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After signing a national letter of intent with the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, then-Colony High School standout Jessica Moore had nothing but a promising future ahead. Now, four years later, Moore's tenure with the Huskies has already exceeded all expectations.

Now in her fourth year at the university -- she redshirted her first year -- Moore has not only been part of a national championship team once, but three times over. The Palmer native helped lead the Huskies to the national title after her freshman and sophomore campaigns and had the chance to hoist the NCAA championship trophy again at the end of her junior season -- earlier this month.

"I really didn't think it could ever happen, just because it is so hard to do," Moore said. "Everyone does such a great job of coming after us."

Although two weeks have passed since the 70-61 win over rival Tennessee in the championship game, the Huskies are still celebrating and savoring the title, the sweetest of the three according to Moore.

Prior to this year, UConn skated through two seasons, virtually untouched. The Huskies finished the 2001-02 season undefeated, and lost just one game last year on the road to the championship game.

This season was a different story. UConn lost four times.

"One loss in two years," Moore said of her first two years on the court at UConn. "We didn't understand why people didn't come after us."

Teams began to come after UConn this year. Duke, Notre Dame and Villanova each beat the Huskies in the regular season and Boston College knocked UConn out of the postseason Big East tourney. While each was not the end of the world itself, everything else in the world of women's basketball was brought to a halt as everyone focused on the UConn loss.

"There was a big red target on us," Moore said. "We took it for granted."

UConn persevered and won the championship, making the team's accomplishment the sweetest in three years. During the 2003-04 season, Moore's role with the team was much larger, her play became more crucial and the Colony graduate became much more of an impact on the court-- making this season's championship win much more sweet for Moore personally.

"(My role) gets bigger every single year," Moore said. "I'm the most mature post player-- I have to be a leader. I put a lot of pressure on myself to let the coach know that he can count on me."

Moore has evolved from a role player into the go-to Husky in the paint. She averaged 9.5 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game and shot more than 61 percent from the floor this season. Her 175 defensive rebounds were more than the total of any other Husky and she also led the squad with 27 blocks. Moore had a team-high five double-doubles during the season, including two during the NCAA tournament. Her 14 points and nine boards against Tennessee helped Moore garner All-Final Four honors.

"My whole thing is I go out and do what I do best," Moore said. "Play good (defense), get all the rebounds I can."

Moore's defense was integral in UConn's national semifinal game as she helped shut down Minnesota All-American Janele McCarville In the NCAA semifinals.

"The biggest difference is my confidence," Moore added.

She has always been a force on the glass, but confidence has helped Moore become a consistent scoring presence inside.

"I was hesitant," Moore said of her play on offense early in her career. "Why should I take a shot when Sue Bird can get a three-pointer?"

Part of Moore's evolution as a player, has been taking her shot, even if UConn is loaded with other legitimate scorers.

"One big thing I have had to learn is to not always pass the ball," Moore said.

UConn has had the knack of producing talent like Southcentral Alaska fisheries produce king salmon. They are big time and impressive. And when one graduates, another appears. Bird dropped in three-pointers faster than the eye can see and now Dianna Taurasi could be women's basketball's answer to Kobe Bryant-- minus the courtroom drama.

Taurasi's historic career at UConn is over and Moore is one of a four-player senior class that will strive for the four-peat. Moore said the squad, most specifically the senior class, is already eager to defend the three-peat without Taurasi.

In the last four years Moore has joined an elite group of Alaska athletes. Only professional basketball players Trajan Lagndon and Carlos Boozer and pro puckster Scott Gomez have spent more time in the spotlight after leaving Alaska.

"It's unbelievable," Moore said. "You only dream about it when you are little, but don't think it's actually going to happen-- being from Alaska. In means so much to me and my family."

Moore has been seen regularly on ESPN and nationwide in publications such as Sports Illustrated-- and her career is not complete.