In Storrs, you just know when basketball season is starting. Here, it’s more than just a sport; it’s a culture. Huskies gravitate towards greatness, perseverance, and success, and our very own basketball teams are an excellent example. With 18 national championships, the expectations for University of Connecticut basketball are anything but low.
The UConn women’s basketball team kicked off the 2026-27 season on Oct. 12 with an exhibition game win against Syracuse University at Mohegan Sun Arena. The UConn men’s basketball team also started the preseason on Oct. 13 with an exhibition win against Syracuse at Mohegan Sun. (Double win!)
Despite a devastating women’s Final Four loss against the South Carolina Gamecocks and a men’s National Championship loss against the Michigan Wolverines last season, the Huskies are back, and ready as ever to dominate once again.
Before introducing some fantastic additions to the roster, there are some notable changes that Husky fans must adjust to before the season starts.
Next Stop: Where To?
Fans will definitely feel the absence of some of last year’s players that are now pursuing their own separate paths.
From the women’s team:
Isuneh “Ice” Brady has transferred to Florida State University to continue her college basketball career. Ayanna Patterson has transferred to the University of Kentucky to continue her college basketball career.
Caroline Ducharme, 6’2 guard, is currently playing professionally for the Explosivas de Moca in Puerto Rico.
Serah Williams, 6’4 forward, was drafted to the Portland Fire in the 2026 WNBA draft and currently plays for the Fire.
Last but not least, fan favorite Azzi Fudd, 5’11 guard, was drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2026 WNBA draft and has been named to the 2026 WNBA All Rookie team. (She also won the 2026 WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest!)
From the men’s team:
UConn star and champion Alex Karaban, 6’8 forward, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, before being traded to the Sacramento Kings.
Additionally, Tarris Reed Jr., 6’11 center, was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs.
Players that are currently playing professionally overseas include: Alex Millender (Tralee Warriors in Ireland), Malachi Smith (Capitanes de Arecibo in Puerto Rico), Dwayne Koroma (Ratiopharm Ulm in Ulm, Germany), and Uros Paunovic (BC Igokea Mtel Aleksandrovac.)
Some notable transfers include Jaylin Stewart (Southern Methodist University), Eric Reibe (University of Southern California), Jacob Furphy (Boston College), and Rrezon Elezaj (Appalachian State University).
New Faces In Storrs
Now, introducing some new faces in Storrs that all Husky fans should be ecstatic to watch on the court:
Starting off strong for the women’s team: Marine Dursus is a 5’10 guard from Strasbourg, France, who played for the Angers in La Boulangère Wonderligue (the top women’s French professional basketball league) and will be a fantastic addition to the Huskies. Dursus will be an amazing shot maker to create space on the floor, and we should all be excited to see her debut this season.
Jovana Popovic, a 5’9 guard from Vrbas, Serbia, played for ZKK Art Basket in Belgrade and led the team to its first Serbian championship in 2023-24, and was named MVP in 2024-25. Popovic is an explosive player with fantastic vision and is one hell of a bucket getter!
Lastly, Olivia Vukosa, 6’5 center from Whitestone, New York, brings size and talent to the Huskies this year as ESPN’s No. 2 ranked recruit and the 2025-26 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Vukosa has been a member of Croatia Basketball since 2023 and has played with former Husky Nika Mühl for Croatia. Expectations are high for Vukosa and I personally cannot wait to see how she brings the fire to this team!
Despite losing impactful players such as Azzi Fudd and Serah Williams, Sarah Strong (2026 AP Player of the Year, Naismith Trophy winner, Wooden Award winner, and so many more…) returns for her junior year, and players such as KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade, and Jana El Alfy will provide continuity and talent for the team. With these fantastic three additions, as well as the return of previously injured player Morgan Cheli, the UConn women’s basketball team is looking strong and ready to show the basketball world why they are No. 1.
For the men’s team, bear with me, for there are a lot of amazing additions to the team.
From the portal:
Na’jai Hines from Seton Hall University: This 6’11 center from Plainfield, New Jersey, is an elite shot blocker with amazing rim protection, averaging 2.2 blocks in 18 minutes per game. Hines is a player that Husky fans are ecstatic to see on the floor this year!
Nik Khamenia from Duke University: As a 6’8 forward from Tarzana, California, Khamenia made five starts as a Blue Devil and shot 44% from the field. Khamenia is expected to fill the large shoes left behind by Alex Karaban.
Nils Machowski from Wofford College: 6’3 guard Nils Machowski from Berlin, Germany, is joining the Huskies for his senior year. As a junior, Machowski averaged 17.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, and will be a great addition to UConn, expected by many fans to be a spark off the bench.
Some other notable additions from the portal include Jaye Nash from Jacksonville State University, Oskar Giltay from Stanford University, Elmir Džafic from the University of Arkansas, and Isaiah Shaw from Northern Arizona University.
Colben Landrew from McComb, Mississippi, is a 6’6 freshman that is already gaining attention as a five-star wing, expected to play a large role on the team. Landrew was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and fans have high expectations for his place on the team to make immediate impact. Personally, I’m thrilled to watch the buzz he creates for the Huskies!
Junior County and Egor Amosov are two other notable freshmen to watch! At 6’5 and 6’8 respectively, both have been earning praise as players to watch, coming in as talented players expected to elevate the game.
Did You Say… Preseason Sweep?
Another thing Huskies excel at (besides winning championships) is sweeping awards!
The Big East conference announced preseason awards on Oct. 1, with amazing results for UConn, such as topping both the women’s and men’s preseason coaches’ poll. Additionally, Sarah Strong and Silas Demary Jr. were named the Big East Preseason Players of the year (for women’s and men’s basketball respectively), and Olivia Vukosa and Colben Landrew were named the Preseason Freshmen of the Year.
KK Arnold and Blanca Quiñonez were named to the Women’s Preseason All-Big East Team and Ashlynn Shade was an All-Big East honorable mention. Braylon Mullins and Na’jai Hines were named to the Men’s Preseason All-Big East Team as well. Talk about dominance!
Circle Those Dates!
With watch-worthy games against teams such as the Texas Longhorns, Michigan Wolverines, South Carolina Gamecocks, and the LSU Tigers, UConn WBB has an exciting schedule ahead.
The men’s team also has must-watch games in their schedule, playing against the Michigan Wolverines, Arizona Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, and the Kansas Jayhawks.
These are games that you do not want to miss, so definitely check out the schedule and mark those dates on your calendars!
With star players, winning mentality, and off-the-bench fire, I think we can expect a successful and entertaining season this year. There is a lot of experience coming back this year, but there are also new faces that will provide the depth and spark that make the UConn Huskies so dominant year after year. Regardless of a challenging non-conference schedule and various talented players around the nation, I’m excited for the UConn magic that will shine once again this year, and I hope you’ll join me in cheering on the Huskies.