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UConn Women's Basketball: Geno Auriemma Shows Frustration on Injury Front
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- UConn Women's Basketball: Geno Auriemma Shows Frustration on Injury Front
After an 86-50 win over Army on Sunday afternoon, the UConn Huskies women's basketball program is ready for the regular season opener on Nov. 2 against Cornell.
The question is, who will be playing in that game for Geno Auriemma's team?
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After all, Blanca Quinonez and Marine Dursus haven't played one minute in the preseason. And Morgan Cheli hasn't played in either of the last two preseason games after seeing minutes in the opener against the Syracuse Orange.
While all three players are important to the Huskies in their own way, Quinonez is one of the most important players on the entire roster.
The talented sophomore from Ecuador was named as the Sixth Woman of the Year in the Big East a season ago and earned preseason recognition from the conference this year as well.
With regards to the injured players on his roster, Auriemma said the word "possibility" was a good word to describe each of them right now. He would not say whether they would play on Nov. 2 officially.
UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma motions to his players on the court during the second half of the second round game of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
In addition to that vague update, Auriemma also seemed to express frustration at the way injuries are handled in the modern landscape. He cited the "return to play" protocols, and while he said it with a wry smile, he was clearly intimating that he preferred a previous generation where a player could play when they felt ready to play.
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Also in the news for the Huskies
--UConn got a strong game from Sarah Strong, the reigning National Player of the Year, who had 19 points. She's spending more time on the perimeter in this preseason, with Auriemma says he likes. That opens the door for other post players on this roster, including Jana El Alfy and freshman Olivia Vukosa.
--As is always the case, UConn is in the mix for a top recruit, this time securing a visit from a post player out of Hungary . While being considered by top recruits is standard practice for the Huskies, the influx of foreign recruits has increased over the last few years. Auriemma spoke about international recruiting earlier this preseason.
Speaking of international: Freshman Jovana Popovic (Serbia) continues to make an impact, starting in place of Quinonez. She had double-figures in all three preseason games and she's making a strong case to start even when Quinonez is healthy. She had shoulder surgery in the offseason. Auriemma said she had two surgeries, which was previously unknown.
