For UConn women’s basketball, the 2025 recruiting class began taking shape way back in January 2023. It was when Kelis Fisher made her commitment to the Huskies. But fast forward to October 2025-the team’s next cycle hadn’t fully taken form, leaving fans wondering when the next wave of talent would arrive. But the foundation for the 2026 class is finally set. Sure, it’s later than expected, but for UConn fans, it’s more than worth the wait!

Well, that’s because UConn has managed to get a verbal commitment from four-star power forward Olivia Vukosa. She’s the No. 1 post player in ESPN’s high school rankings. Her opting for the Huskies is a big achievement considering she chose the defending champion Huskies over LSU, Ohio State, Texas, and South Carolina.

But of course, UConn had no shortage of ways to potentially sell Vukosa on the program. They’ve had 12 national championships, the top coaching staff in the nation, and a long list of WNBA stars-including Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart-they’ve sent to the W. So, Vukosa made the right decision indeed. The 2025 New York Gatorade Player of the Year took her official visit to Storrs earlier this month.

Being from Christ the King High School in New York, which is also the alma mater of legends like Sue Bird and Tina Charles, Vukosa had a soft spot for the school. What added to her decision was that during her visit, she met with Charles and Olivia Nelson-Ododa.

“Many of these girls have followed the path of Christ the King and UConn, and now I want to follow that legacy,” Vukosa told ESPN’s Shane Laflin shortly after committing. “During my visit, the players welcomed me like I was already part of the family, and that sense of belonging made UConn truly feel like home.” But it wasn’t just the hospitality that attracted the No. 3 recruit-it was UConn’s location too. Since the Huskies’ campus is quite close to where Vukosa lives, it allows her family to come and support her easily. So yeah, it’s a win, and fans are now here to celebrate!

What do fans have to say?

As soon as fans found out about Vukosa’s decision, they couldn’t help but celebrate. They dived right into the comment section and started praising the bond in the making. “Her teammates, OMG, they are so proud,” penned one spectator. No doubt, the UConn locker room certainly is-and that’s why when Vukosa and her family, dressed in UConn jerseys, revealed the decision, her teammates cheered so loud.

“UConn just snagged another future star, hope they can handle the pressure!” wrote another user. No doubt, it’s a big achievement. With Croatian heritage, the 6-foot-4 power forward has played for the Croatian national team. Last summer, she even averaged 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds at the FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket Championships. Not just that, she’s also represented Croatia in the U16 Championships in 2023 and the 2024 U17 Women’s World Cup. So, considering her talent, it really is essential for the team to handle the pressure.

Especially since her contributions will give UConn a significant size advantage over most of their foes in the 2026–27 season, adding “Big O” could propel Connecticut to their second consecutive preseason No. 1 ranking. “Curious to see if she has the foot speed to stick at tackle. All-American potential at guard, though,” penned another user. Of course, there’s a lot of talent in Vukosa. The 2024 U17 World Cup Best Defensive Player averaged 19.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 5.5 blocks, and 3.8 assists as a junior. But while she’s a big deal, considering Geno’s experience, you can expect much more to unfold. But will he be continuing?

“Good job, he is the best coach. Nobody has the right to tell Geno when to retire. He should retire when he gets ready. He has earned that, and he deserves it,” wrote another spectator. It’s been multiple times that Geno Auriemma has considered retirement. But the problem is, every time he thinks about it, his team goes on a run, reminding him that players still hear him. After all, he’s been crucial in taking UConn to the Final Four sixteen out of the last seventeen years. But while Geno’s a passionate head coach, there’s no update about his retirement plan-and that’s why some fans feel Vukosa could have chosen another talented coach.

As one user put it best, “Why not South Carolina Gamecocks?” For Vukosa, her final options were between UConn, Ohio State, Texas, LSU, and South Carolina. To decide among the finalists, Vukosa visited every school. But the process ended at UConn since she loved the team dynamics and everything around it. Unfortunately, the only school left on the list was South Carolina, guided by Dawn Staley. And that’s how she never made it to USC. Though it was a good option too, all’s well that ends well-and who knows, Vukosa might just be the next legend in the making!