Huskies Report

UConn Still Standing as Race for Top 2027 Recruit Tightens

With the UConn Huskies going undefeated, a top 2027 forward’s shortlist hints at how the program is shaping its next era.
Shivani Menon|
Nov 9, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma watches from the sideline as they take on the Florida State Seminoles at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma watches from the sideline as they take on the Florida State Seminoles at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

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UConn Huskies

The UConn Huskies are coming off its 12th national championship, and the Huskies have opened the year 10–0. Their last match was in Los Angeles, where the Huskies defeated 16th-ranked Southern California 79–51. In the process, the Huskies broke the Trojans.’ 20-game home winning streak.

That backdrop matters now more than ever, because it’s exactly the environment still pulling in elite futures. One of the top prospects in the 2027 class has officially cut down her list to five schools, and UConn is still in the picture as the race tightens.

The prospect is none other than Eve Long, a 6-foot-3 forward out of Olathe South and the No. 8 overall player nationally in her class. MaxPreps also ranks her as the top player in the state of Kansas. As a sophomore, he has averaged 22.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Long also led the Falcons to a 17–4 record and a Class 6A quarterfinal appearance while earning first-team All-State honors. Additionally, Long was part of the USA Basketball U16 National Team that won gold at the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, averaging 11.8 points across six starts and earning a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Five.

And now, she has narrowed her long list of schools down to just five. Long has UConn, UCLA, Kansas, Duke and Notre Dame in her final five. Of the five, UCLA has had a good start this season, sitting at a 9-1 record.

Meanwhile, Kansas is building momentum at 9–2, and Duke is searching for traction through early inconsistency. And the Fighting Irish are sitting at an 8-2 record.

As Long prepares for official visits in 2026, she’s been clear about staying focused on her high school season, yet the timing of this cut speaks loudly. And UConn is still standing right where it expects to be.

While the Huskies remain active in the 2027 recruiting race, Geno Auriemma and his team have already begun working on their 2026 class.

UConn Already Building Momentum in 2026 Class

UConn has already signed the cornerstone for its 2026 class. The Huskies have signed Olivia Vukosa, a 6-foot-4 center from Christ the King in New York. Vukosa arrives as the No. 3 player nationally and a fixture on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List.

As a junior, she averaged 19.4 points, 17.9 rebounds, 5.5 blocks, and 3.8 assists, powering Christ the King to a city championship. She controls the paint, passes out of traffic and anchors defenses.

Internationally, Vukosa has earned All-Star honors at multiple FIBA events while representing Croatia, including a Best Defensive Player nod at the U17 World Cup.

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Shivani Menon
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.

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