The UConn Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, will have several new faces in their 2025-26 national title defense. After the departures of Paige Bueckers and Kaitlyn Chen, the team is bringing in Blanca Quinonez to bolster their roster next year.
In an episode of “The Hoops Cap” podcast on YouTube on Friday, July 4, college basketball analyst Mark Zanetto hosted fellow analyst Chelsea Sherrod. He made a bold prediction about how Quinonez could be utilized by coach Auriemma next season.
“I talked to a few people that do international scouting. They told me they’d be shocked if Blanca doesn’t start because Geno loves her and she’s going to come in and play the type of style that he loves from the jump,” Zanetto said. (9:05)
The analyst added that in terms of talent, Quinonez may be the third-best UConn player behind Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Zanetto praised Quinonez’s speed and defensive skills and opined that she was faster than Sarah.
Quinonez is heading into the 2025-26 campaign as the first UConn Husky hailing from South America, as she is of Ecuadorian descent. The 6-foot-2 rookie is coming off her five-year stint as a member of Magnolia Basket Campobasso, competing in Italy’s Serie A1 league.
Mark Zanetto Details Some of UConn’s Starting Lineups Geno Auriemma Could Have in the 2024-25 Season
On the same podcast, Mark Zanetto weighed in on the different kinds of starting lineups that coach Geno Auriemma could incorporate in the 2024-25 season for the UConn Huskies.
According to the analyst, some of the lineups could include stalwarts such as sophomore Jana El Alfy and transferee Serah Williams at the same time, or perhaps Blanca Quinonez at the two-guard position.
“The types of starting five combinations that Geno can put together for this team is kind of wild. He can have a really big lineup and put Sarah at the three and have Serah and Jana in at the same time, and put Sarah, Serah, Jana, and have Azzi and KK, like you could do that. Or you could put Blanca at the two and have a really big lineup, put in someone like Kayleigh Heckel at the point to give KK a break,” he said (10:15).
Auriemma and the rest of the UConn Huskies would be looking to defend their title in the 2025-26 season. They defeated the 2024 national champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks, in this year’s NCAA title game by 23 points, 82-59.
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