After Paige Bueckers’ departure to the WNBA, much of the spotlight from the UConn Huskies surrounds star guard Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. However, one analyst believes another name is about to steal some attention, and that is Blanca Quiñonez.
Tee Baker, a respected voice in women’s basketball scouting, shared his thoughts on the 6-foot-2 international wing. He called Quiñonez “a surprise waiting to happen” for Geno Auriemma’s squad, who will be defending the national title next season.
“Absolutely. I mean, she’s going to surprise folks mostly just because we haven’t seen her play domestically a whole lot,” Baker said (6:25) on The Hoop Caps Pod. “I think whenever you bring in international talent, there’s just less exposure. So, I think that what we’ve seen from her—if you do watch her videos, if you do follow her—is just a player that adds a different kind of rhythm to UConn.
“She’s not just plugging into a system; she’s enhancing it. She’s making it faster. She’s good at reading the offense in transition. She’s good at just so many things. And she completely, I think, can change.”
Blanca Quiñonez To Make History When She Joins Geno Auriemma’s UConn
Blance Quinonez, born on August 3, 2006, hails from Milagro, Ecuador. When she joins the Huskies for the 2025-26 season, she’ll make history by becoming the first South American player to join the program.
Quinonez began playing basketball professionally at just 14 in Italy’s Serie A1 with Magnolia Basket Campobasso in 2020. She committed to UConn in October 2023 and completed her signing in February 2025.
Last season, playing at a club level for Italy’s Serie A1, she averaged 10.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 29 games. This year, she’s averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 steals in Serie A1; 15.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG in EuroCup through two games.
On the international stage, she won a silver medal in the 2018 South American U15. She averaged 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game there. Her senior debut was at the South American Women’s Championship and she was able to average 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game there.
Geno Auriemma spoke highly of Quinonez after he added her to his squad in Storrs.
“Blanca is mature, and her game has matured because she’s playing against high-level competition over in Europe that you wouldn’t get at a normal high school,” Auriemma said. “She’s a physical player and she’s skilled in knowing how to play because you have to be older than your years to play in a pro league. I’m excited to see what she brings because it’s different.”
As Tee Baker predicts, fans must watch out for this international wing, who can have a breakout year in the 2025-26 season.
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