Olivia Vukosa, the No. 3 recruit in the girls' SC Next 100 Class of 2026, has committed to UConn, she announced on Tuesday.
Vukosa is the first 2026 commit for the reigning national champions. She chose the Huskies over LSU, Ohio State, Texas and South Carolina.
The Whitestone, New York, native is a current senior at Christ the King in Queens, which has sent a number of players to Storrs, including Hall of Famer Sue Bird and Tina Charles. She cites that pipeline as a key factor in choosing Geno Auriemma's program.
"I have seen coach Mackey and Deluca prepare girls for college and seen coach Geno prepare those girls for the next level," Vukosa told ESPN. "And many of these girls have followed the path of Christ the King and UConn and now I want to follow that legacy.
"Another big factor was UConn's location; it allows my family to come support me easily, no matter the game or time. Ultimately, what sealed my decision was how I felt around the team. During my visit, the players welcomed me like I was already part of the family, and that sense of belonging made UConn truly feel like home."
The 6-foot-4 post will bring years of international playing experience with Croatia in FIBA competitions to UConn: She was part of the 2023 U16 Women's European Championship, 2024 Women's World Cup and most recently the 2025 U20 EuroBasket B Division, in which she averaged 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Vukosa's game brings to mind Stefanie Dolson, a two-time national champion with UConn and 11-year WNBA veteran. Both are gifted passers and confident ball-handlers. Vukosa has proven herself effective from beyond the arc, but still maintains the ability to post hard and punish opponents on the block. Her rebounding efforts in the past calendar year have improved tremendously, as she found the value of attacking the offensive glass. Defensively, her mobility will allow her to play in multiple schemes and strategies while maintaining the physical presence demanded of post players.
Currently at No. 3 in the rankings, she could challenge Saniyah Hall for the No. 1 spot by the end of the high school season. Her commitment now takes the top four recruits in the 2026 class off the board.
The Huskies remain in the mix for No. 5 Jerzy Robinson and No. 10 Addison Bjorn. The AP preseason Top 25 No. 1 team, they open their title defense against No. 4 Louisville on Nov. 4.
