Blanca Quiñonez Commits to UConn

[Puppy Love]

They won't be frosh next year. But historically if I look at #1/#2 ranked recruits over the years (I'm assuming Lobo and Ralph were not) Sales, Tamika, DT, Strother, Tina, Maya, KML, Stewie, MoJeff, Katie Lou, Walker, Cwill, Paige, and Azzi - I would say 9 of 14 turned out to be dogs their 2nd year. You could argue 8 if excluding MoJeff and Azzi as dogs their soph year though Azzi was injury related. There is no way to account for that for

Shea was USA Today national player of the year coming out of high school…she was probably pretty close to the number one recruit.

 

[Alydar]

They won't be frosh next year. But historically if I look at #1/#2 ranked recruits over the years (I'm assuming Lobo and Ralph were not) Sales, Tamika, DT, Strother, Tina, Maya, KML, Stewie, MoJeff, Katie Lou, Walker, Cwill, Paige, and Azzi - I would say 9 of 14 turned out to be dogs their 2nd year. You could argue 8 if excluding MoJeff and Azzi as dogs their soph year though Azzi was injury related. There is no way to account for that for current players.

But less than 8 out of 14 / or 10 out of 14 if looking only at their frosh year. Thus imo there is a much higher chance that Sarah is a dog next year as a Soph vs Blanca as a Frosh. And based on when UCONN gets #1/#2 recruits from H/S, I think using histrorical info - there is a strong chance that Sarah will be a Dog her soph year.

Hey, I think any anointing of Blanca is wildly premature. I have high confidence about Strong and good confidence about El Alfy but it's also premature to call them the top dogs of 2026.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I've watched a few complete games with Jazzy and she is smooth. That's the thing that really strikes you. Not speed. I don't mean she's slow, but speed is not what you first notice about her. By contrast, Blanquita looks very quick. That's what the coaches who worked with her say, and I think it's why a few folks thought she was reminiscent of Maya. Also, I can picture her defending against Juju or Jazzy. She has the right sort of athleticism.

I have no idea about Agot, but she may be redundant now, if there's still a chance of landing Lara.

I agree about Jazzy. The first word to describe her is "smooth."

 

[MilfordHusky]

Blanca's situation sounds familiar. Both Lou Lopez-Senechal and Gandy Malou-Mamel loved basketball and wanted to pursue it at a higher level, so they had to move to another country to seize the opportunity. Welcome, Blanca!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[hoophuskee]

Shea was USA Today national player of the year coming out of high school…she was probably pretty close to the number one recruit.

Ithne the number goes up!

 

[hoophuskee]

Hey, I think any anointing of Blanca is wildly premature. I have high confidence about Strong and good confidence about El Alfy but it's also premature to call them the top dogs of 2026.

It's a prediction just as we try to back up or predictions who might start etc. And to start things off, I was asking why Blanca over Sarah. If Blanca has an elite 3 she appears to be extreme too. But the X Tweet didn't imply elite.

 

[Zarathustra]

For more information about Blanca and her Italian Team consider:
GOOGLE: Magnolia La Molisana Campobasso, Italy. On that
home page click - "magnoliabasket.it" then: "translate"- to English.
Next go the item A1 Women, click, and then click ROSTER.
Blanca is the ninth photo, scroll down, She is #11. The stats listed
there record her teams play since 2020- 2021 ( three years of playing for Blanca
on various "LA MOLISANA MAGNOLIA" teams eg "A1 / youth" 2020 - 2021
"A1/ European Cup" 2021 - 2022 and "A1 Italian cup". 2022 - 2023. In these
three years she played in 23 games 152 points; 30 games 222 points:,
and 25 games 232 points Respectively . I did not look at all the photos or videos but
it was obvious that she was one of the regulars on the team ( see games
played and points by other players ) She is obviously one of the youngest
if not youngest on the team. One player on her team is Que Morrison who
is listed as playing with the University of Georgia ( some time in the past ).
Enjoy. !! GO UNCONN!

 

[Dove]

 

[Boreifs]

The star of her Italian team is Sara Scalia from IU, one of the nation’s best three-point shooters.

 

[MSGRET]

I was just thinking, we’re becoming the next USF but just on a different competition level

I should have given Geno's answer to Jose's question......A CHANCE FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

 

[Tonyc]

The star of her Italian team is Sara Scalia from IU, one of the nation’s best three-point shooters.

Sara Scalia is my cousin Her dad texted me today and he is on his way to Italy to see Sara . He will send me reports on Blanca. He sent me pictures of Sara and Azzi playing together in Saras backyard. He is friends with Paiges dad too

 

[Skeets]

All I can say is, “WOW!” Blanca has some serious game. Geno has international connections that continue to amaze me.

Geno is known and recognized as the GOAT coach worldwide. Might as well use that and skim off the best from everywhere.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

Blanca's gazelle like speed reminds me a lot of Napheesa.. I'll take another Napheesa any day of the week. This is an excellent pick up for Geno and the Huskies. This is a recruit that will not be shocked by the speed of college ball nor it's physicality. If anything, euro basketball is more physical that American basketball, so she might have to work on being less physical on defense. If her one downside is being too physical, that's a downside I'll take any day too. Super happy about this

 

[oldude]

First off just want to say "In Geno I trust" and Blanca looks very good. And secondly, I'm under the belief that Azzi is coming back. I feel she would be nuts to leave whether title or not. I felt the same way with Paige. Multiple injuries like they had as long as it isn't degenerative they would be nuts to jump to WNBA without a break.

With that said, Highlights tends to show highlights. As a result, ofc I am only going to see the 3's she knocked in. But the post UConncat made from X appears to be from someone who has seen her quite a bit or heard form someone and the comment was "her 3pt shot is in progress/being worked." With Sarah, the comment was "elite. Along with Sarah her vision and passing elite.

Not meant as an argument but a question - why do you say, using Sarah as an example, that she can’t initiate the Offense? And "drop dimes?: That's part of Sarah's strengths as a gifted passer. IMO the reason why she was number 1 in h/s was the one thing among others she can do is initiate offense. And all the players you mentioned got better as sophs so why can't Sarah be the frosh / soph the others were? I guess it comes down to is that you don’t feel she can initate?

I could be wrong about Sarah being able to initiate the offense. She has a nice handle for a forward. Hopefully, we’ll all find out that I’m wrong in my assessment.

 

[Geosfun]

In signing Bianca Geno is telling us:
1. She's good enough to play at UConn; and,
2. She wants UConn (that's important to him).
As for Makeer and Somfai:
1. He prefers Bianca over at least one of them; or,
2. He thinks he's still gonna have the roster space for both; or,
3. He's not certain we'll get both of them.
Bienvenida, Bianca.
Yep, IN GENO WE TRUST.

 

[oldude]

In signing Bianca Geno is telling us:
1. She's good enough to play at UConn; and,
2. She wants UConn (that's important to him).
As for Makeer and Somfai:
1. He prefers Bianca over at least one of them; or,
2. He thinks he's still gonna have the roster space for both; or,
3. He's not certain we'll get both of them.
Bienvenida, Bianca.
Yep, IN GENO WE TRUST.

For many years Geno has offered scholarships to players that want UConn over players that are undecided or playing recruiting games with coaches. That’s not to say that the other UConn recruits are not strong UConn recruits. But obviously, Blanca was a strong “YES” so she’s got a scholarship immediately, and it certainly helps that she’s a Big Time player!!!

 

[GoUconn7961]

Wow to some of the naysayers. I've seen video and I've read online that she's actually WNBA ready, so she seems like a good get.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Am really excited about Blanca whom Geno really wanted.

• As many have opined, Blanca’s skills (other than 3 point shooting which she is working on) and attributes are remarkable;
• She’s comparable to Jana to me in immediate team impact — a big fish in a small pond (Ecuador’s national teams) who then played in a European professional league where she learned fundamental physical basketball for her base development playing with more advanced players;
• A poster remarked that Agot Makeer has poor fundamentals, which shouldn’t be the case for Blanca.

Doggedly pursuing a wing (Blanca) and a forward (Lara) this year — both of whom he seemingly really wants — is a window into his seeming preference for developing recruits rather than relying on the portal.

There are three remaining slots for all of 2025 (recruits and transfers) and 2026 recruits:

• Geno seems to really want Olivia Vukosa for 2026;
• Geno hasn’t had a 1-player class in a while;
• this seems to point to him pursuing at least a 2-player 2026 class, say with Jerzy Robinson, a versatile scoring point guard;
• one 2025 slot seems reserved for Lara Somfai (whom he visited at their school with Kellis) if she wants it;
• I doubt, given what he currently has and what he wants for 2026, that he will pursue a generic 2025 transfer;
• Geno seems to be increasingly comfortable with 13-15 player rosters. And his practice-driven development culture and usual type of recruits with goals on making it the next level, make it work.

 

[CL82]

Blanca was listed as 186 cm = 73.22 83465 inches = 6.1023622 feet =
(better understood as) 6 feet 1.2283465 inches = or just over 6'1

But how many Hartley units?

 

[Zarathustra]

But how many Hartley units?

Ouch!... I misplaced by Hartley units ruler! I need help!!.... maybe we
can get a comparison photo op on FIRST NIGHT and make that all important
determination.... Can't Wait!!!

 

[oldhusky]

Am really excited about Blanca whom Geno really wanted.

• As many have opined, Blanca’s skills (other than 3 point shooting which she is working on) and attributes are remarkable;
• She’s comparable to Jana to me in immediate team impact — a big fish in a small pond (Ecuador’s national teams) who then played in a European professional league where she learned fundamental physical basketball for her base development playing with more advanced players;
• A poster remarked that Agot Makeer has poor fundamentals, which shouldn’t be the case for Blanca.

Doggedly pursuing a wing (Blanca) and a forward (Lara) this year — both of whom he seemingly really wants — is a window into his seeming preference for developing recruits rather than relying on the portal.

There are three remaining slots for all of 2025 (recruits and transfers) and 2026 recruits:

• Geno seems to really want Olivia Vukosa for 2026;
• Geno hasn’t had a 1-player class in a while;
• this seems to point to him pursuing at least a 2-player 2026 class, say with Jerzy Robinson, a versatile scoring point guard;
• one 2025 slot seems reserved for Lara Somfai (whom he visited at their school with Kellis) if she wants it;
• I doubt, given what he currently has and what he wants for 2026, that he will pursue a generic 2025 transfer;
• Geno seems to be increasingly comfortable with 13-15 player rosters. And his practice-driven development culture and usual type of recruits with goals on making it the next level, make it work.

Many good points here. In particular pointing out the broad perspective of how 2025 recruits can obviously affect both our portal and 2026 recruit possibilities. Because of the opportunity cost of using up an option on a key portal addition or 2026 recruit, IMO there is a floor we should not go below to add a 2025 recruit, whether we have room for one or not.

Obviously Geno has much more information on who is likely to depart, or what our chances are with recruits he is pursuing, and I agree he prefers recruits to portal additions, but still having one possible portal spot available each year for an unexpected need seems like good insurance to me, particularly if the last spot is used for a similar player at the same position.

As for the optimal size of roster, I agree with 13-14, but feel 15 may impact future decisions too much, unless it means getting a big time player.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno seems to be increasingly comfortable with 13-15 player rosters.

Do you think this is a result of his recent experience with injuries, or maybe a general sense of the instability brought by the portal and NIL? I mean given his commitment to a disciplined development culture based on demanding practices — wow, that’s a lot of consonance — he may figure it’s worth accounting for a new reality in the way he recruits.

 

[Zarathustra]

The star of her Italian team is Sara Scalia from IU, one of the nation’s best three-point shooters.

Yes! Sara Scalia scored 18 points for Magnolia La Molisana, Campobasso in their 73 to 45
point victory over Sassari. Bianca had five points. On one of the Campobasso rosters Bianca was
listed as " Quinonez Mina Bianca Francheska"!! quite the mouthful. The HOME TEAM is 1-0 and
is tied with "Schio" for first place. To again emphasis the competition that Bianca will be
playing against the "SCHIO" team has a player, # 3 on their roster, by the name of Marina Mabrey!!!
and another player by the name of Rhyne Howard!!! How about that for competition??!!

 

[hoophuskee]

Wow to some of the naysayers. I've seen video and I've read online that she's actually WNBA ready, so she seems like a good get.

Where did you read she is WNBA ready? I missed that.