Three weeks after verbally committing to the UConn women’s basketball team, five-star prospect Olivia Vukosa officially put pen to paper on the first day of the early signing period Wednesday.
Vukosa, the No. 3 recruit in the country, is currently the Huskies’ only commitment to the Class of 2026. The 6-foot-4 forward chose UConn over a top five of South Carolina, Texas, LSU and Ohio State. She is the seventh top-five prospect to sign with the program in the last six classes.
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“We think Olivia is one of those players that we’ve had so much success with,” coach Geno Auriemma said in a release. “She’s a big kid who can move, she has skills, she’s smart. She works really hard at both ends of the floor. She comes from a great program. I think she’s the kind of basketball big kid that the game demands today. She’s a terrific kid and comes from a great family. We’re really lucky, and we’re excited to have her here.”
UConn has deep ties to Vukosa’s high school Christ the King, the alma mater of Huskies legends Tina Charles and Sue Bird. Vukosa got to spend time with Charles and former UConn center Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who both now play for the Connecticut Sun, while on her official visit to Storrs in October. Vukosa also represents Croatia in FIBA competition and has a relationship with fellow Croatian and former Huskies standout Nika Muhl.
Five-star Olivia Vukosa aims to join high school’s rich legacy of UConn women’s basketball greats
The Queens, N.Y., native averaged 19.2 points and 17.9 rebounds plus 5.5 blocks and 3.8 assists per game in her junior high school season, earning New York’s Gatorade Player of the Year Award.
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The Huskies are still in the mix for several top prospects in the 2026, including No. 5 recruit Jerzy Robinson and No. 10 Addison Bjorn — the only two five-stars in the class who are still uncommitted. Robinson, a 6-foot guard from Phoenix, has also taken visits to South Carolina and LSU. Bjorn, a 6-foot-1 guard from Riverside, Missouri, is deciding from a top 7 that includes Duke, Iowa, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Texas and Kansas. UConn is also reportedly a top contender to land international standout Sara Okeke, a 6-foot-4 forward from Spain who currently plays at DME Academy in Florida.
The early signing period for Division I basketball closes on Nov. 19, and the regular signing period begins after the 2026 NCAA Tournament on April 15.
