Geno Auriemma’s pursuit of Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka has reached a new stage. After UConn hosted the five-star forward for an official visit, the latest update has brought the Huskies into sharper focus as her list of college options takes shape.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Wilson-Manyacka is reportedly down to five schools, with UConn among them. Tipton Edits shared the update on Instagram, with the accompanying graphic identifying the five programs, putting the Huskies in a group that includes several prominent college basketball destinations.
“Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka is down to 5 schools. Her agent Nate Conley of Court XIV told @Rivals.IG. Where will she go? 👀,” the post was captioned. “The 6-foot-2 small forward is the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2027 class.”
The graphic identifies UCLA, Duke, UConn, Maryland, and LSU. It does not arrange the programs by preference or identify a frontrunner, so the image is read as a list rather than a ranking.
The Huskies recently hosted Wilson-Manyacka on campus. CT Post reporter Maggie Vanoni reported on November 11 that the forward took an official visit to Storrs during the weekend of November 8, alongside fellow 2027 recruits Kaleena Smith and Haylen Ayers. The group also attended the team’s game against Iowa at Gampel Pavilion, giving the prospect an opportunity to see the program during the season.
That campus trip followed an earlier recruiting stop at her home. In September, Auriemma visited Wilson-Manyacka in Maryland with assistant coaches Morgan Valley and Nykesha Sales. This came to light after Wilson-Manyacka shared a photo with the staff on her Instagram story and thanked them for coming. The visits were part of UConn’s wider 2027 recruiting pursuit, which has also brought other highly rated prospects into the Huskies’ plans.
The Huskies secured Sarah Strong, whom the program identified as the No. 1 recruit when announcing her signing in May 2024. In November 2025, UConn also signed Olivia Vukosa, listed third on ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT 100 in the announcement. However, the Huskies haven’t landed every elite target, as 2025’s No. 4 recruit Agot Makeer chose South Carolina over UConn. But securing Wilson-Manyacka will be one of the biggest assets they can look at.
Why Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka is One of the Top Recruits in the 2027 Class
The Rivals Industry rankings, last updated October 26, list Wilson-Manyacka at No. 2 nationally with a five-star rating and rank her first among small forwards. Gatorade’s official 2025–26 Player of the Year profile also states that ESPN and 247Sports placed her No. 2 in the 2027 class.
Wilson-Manyacka’s production at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, backs up that national reputation. According to Gatorade’s official profile, she averaged 20.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game during the 2025–26 season. She helped Bullis finish 24–6 and win the Maryland Private School State Tournament. In the 62–50 championship victory over Bishop McNamara, she recorded eight points, 14 rebounds, six steals, and four blocks. The season earned her Maryland Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive year and a place among the five national finalists for the Naismith Award.
Her résumé also includes an international honor. Wilson-Manyacka was named the TISSOT MVP of the 2026 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup after helping the United States win the title. FIBA’s tournament statistics list her averages at 12.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 1.7 assists per game. The United States defeated Spain 82–73 in the final in Brno, Czechia, giving Wilson-Manyacka her second U17 Women’s World Cup gold medal after she also won the competition in 2024.
The Huskies have already added another highly rated player to their 2027 class: Sydney Savoury, whom the program announced as a signing on November 11. UConn Athletics identifies Savoury as ESPN’s No. 9-ranked recruit in the class. Auriemma opened up about Savoury in a press release from the Huskies.
“We are super excited that Syd is coming to UConn,” Auriemma said. “She comes from a terrific family and she’s a terrific player. She’s a big guard that can score at every level. Sydney competes; that’s one thing I love about her. She’s such a competitor. She fills a need that we have for a big wing, and we think she’ll be a great addition to the team.”
Wilson-Manyacka’s recruitment, however, remains undecided in the latest reporting. With the Huskies included in the five-school graphic and two visits already documented, the program has established a presence in her recruitment, but the next decision belongs to the prospect.