Two UConn Commits Make Statement At EuroBasket Qualifiers
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The UConn Huskies, in their last game, faced Villanova and won 90–51 to secure their 24th Big East Tournament title. The undefeated defending national champions improved to 34–0 and will likely enter the NCAA Tournament as a top seed, chasing their 13th national championship.
However, even as the Huskies prepare for postseason basketball, change is looming.
The current Huskies roster will soon likely say goodbye to seniors like Ice Brady, Caroline Ducharme, Azzi Fudd, Ayanna Patterson and Serah Williams. As one era ends in Storrs, the future Huskies stars are already making noise on international stages. And two UConn commits are nailing it at the EuroBasket qualifiers.
1. Olivia Vukosa
The next generation of Huskies includes the Croatian star Olivia Vukosa, who had a brilliant game in Croatia’s EuroBasket qualifier against Greece. Vukosa made 17 points while adding six rebounds, four steals, and two assists in just 21 minutes.
Vukosa missed only one shot all night and knocked down three shots from beyond the arc, helping Croatia win 98–73. And that kind of production is precisely why she is one of the top recruits in the Class of 2026.
Olivia Vukosa swats a pass away on one end and nets a baseline jumper on the other pic.twitter.com/H23LkPukBZ
— christan (no i), ß (@ChristanWNBA) March 11, 2026
Vukosa committed to UConn in October 2025 despite drawing offers from powerhouse programs such as South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, UCLA, Notre Dame, Maryland and Louisville. A month after her commitment, she made it official by signing her National Letter of Intent.
Vukosa is not just another recruit; she comes with big numbers. At Christ the King High School in New York, she led the Royals to a dominant season and earned the 2024-25 Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year award.
The junior averaged 19.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 5.5 blocks, and 3.8 assists per game while guiding the program to the Catholic High School Athletic Association Tier 1 New York City Tournament title.
2. Jovana Popovic
While Vukosa dominated for Croatia, another future Husky was making her mark for Serbia. Guard Jovana Popovic came off the bench during Serbia’s EuroBasket qualifier against Iceland and delivered a strong game in limited minutes.
Popovic finished with eight points in 17 minutes, shooting 2-for-3 from the field and making both of her three-point attempts. She also added two rebounds and posted a +14 plus-minus rating as Serbia won 92–66.
Popovic recently signed with UConn after a run in Serbia’s top league, where she captured the 2024-25 Serbian 1 ZLS MVP award. Playing for ZKK Art Basket, she led the league in scoring at 26.6 points per game while also ranking second in assists and fourth in steals.
Despite being only 18 years old, Popovic has already played in the 2025 Women’s EuroBasket championship tournament. She also helped Serbia capture a bronze medal at the U18 Women’s EuroBasket tournament and guided ZKK Art Basket to its first Serbian championship during the 2023-24 season.
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.