If anyone knows what their team can do, it’s 12-time NCAA Championship-winning coach Geno Auriemma, and he just dropped high praise for the UConn Huskies’ top player which could be indicative of a title charge. As the team gears up for the 2026–27 NCAA Division I women’s basketball season beginning in November, Auriemma is confident that the Huskies, led by franchise star Sarah Strong, can make another legitimate run at the title this year. 

The UConn Women’s Basketball X handle recently posted a video of a practice session, showing Auriemma running intense plays and providing critical in-game tactical suggestions to the team. In particular, he is seen focusing on getting the best out of junior forward Sarah Strong. 

“She’s going to be three times as good as she was when she was a freshman,” said Geno Auriemma in the clip. 

Last season, the Huskies were knocked out of title contention in the Final Four round, in a 62-48 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Strong led the pack with a team-high double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. She was backed by guards Azzi Fudd and Blanca Quinonez, who scored eight and seven points each, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the consistent offensive pressure from Dawn Staley’s team. The Gamecocks simply outscored the Huskies off stellar performances by Joyce Edwards, Ta’Niya Latson, and Agot Makeer. 

Geno Auriemma is not allowing this to happen again. The legendary coach saw the level of defense Strong faced in the last season and has decided to make some changes. In the video posted by UConn, Auriemma can be seen pushing Strong to shoot more often, knowing the guards she will be facing. 

“Because the minute you caught it, you took a shot from out here; the minute you caught it. That was harder than the one you passed up. You’ve got to think, as soon as you catch it, because of the way they’re going to guard you, the minute you catch it, you’ve got to think, I’m shooting it,” he is heard telling Strong. 

Strong has already improved massively since her freshman season at UConn. Her first year saw Strong average 16.4 across 40 regular-season games. This was the same season the Huskies won the NCAA championship, with Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers at the helm. The very next year, Strong improved her scoring, averaging 18.4 PPG across 38 games, while her average assists per game moved up from 3.6 to 3.8.

While Strong is one of the primary playmakers and scorers on the team, she is not the only weapon Geno Auriemma has in his arsenal for the upcoming season. 

Geno Auriemma and The Huskies Sign Serbian Powerhouse Before Season Begins

In the 2025-26 season, Sarah Strong led the Huskies in points (18.4 PPG), rebounds (7.7 RPG), steals (3.4 SPG), and even blocks (1.6 BPG). There was a massive amount of pressure on the young forward’s shoulders. She was named the 2026 AP Player of the Year, won the Wooden Award, and was named the Naismith College Player of the Year. 

While all of this is exciting news, there was no one else to take on responsibility apart from Azzi Fudd, who was the second-highest scorer on the team that season.

But with Fudd being drafted by the Dallas Wings to join her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers in the big leagues, the Huskies needed someone to take some of the scoring pressure off of Sarah Strong. And Geno Auriemma decided to sign Jovana Popovic from Vrbas, Serbia. Auriemma is confident in Popovic’s ability to positively impact the team, as he mentioned in a November 2025 statement.

“Jovana is a high-level guard with a lot of experience. She can handle the ball, she’s a playmaker, she can score. Jovana is a really nice kid who will fit in great with our team,” said Auriemma. 

Popovic has previously played for ZKK Art Basket in Belgrade, putting up an average of 27.1 points and 4.7 assists per game in the 2024-25 season. That season also saw her earn First League MVP and Best Shooter honors for her performance. Popovic also brings international experience, having made her debut for the Serbian National Team at the 2025 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket, where she played three games, averaging 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.

In the video posted by the Huskies, Geno Auriemma can be heard praising Popovic to his fellow coach.

 “Jovana’s good. She’s good, man… And she’s smart.”

Now, with Sarah Strong and Popovic on the team, the Huskies and Geno Auriemma will hope to reach the NCAA finals this year. They are facing tough competition, with teams like the Gamecocks, the LSU Tigers, and the Texas Longhorns all coming for them. Auriemma will hope his strong scoring duo gets the job done.