On Monday, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program released its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season.
While UConn is expected to be able to handle all challenges at all times, this is a very difficult non-conference schedule, complete with 10 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago (South Carolina, Tennessee, LSU, Maryland, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Louisville, Duke, Michigan and Iowa).
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The Huskies had to beat Notre Dame in the Elite Eight last season and then lost to South Carolina in the Final Four, ending their season at 38-1.
On the positive side of things, this schedule will fully test the Huskies as they look to make another run to the national championship game. If you want your team to have seen every situation possible before March Madness begins, this schedule is the way to do it. It’s the same tact that the UConn men are taking for their season.
However, these “tests” come at a cost for Geno Auriemma’s team – and fans.
UConn Huskies guard Blanca Quinonez (4) controls the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Malaya Cowles (5) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena. Chris Jones-Imagn Images
For UConn fans that want to see the team in person, this schedule doesn’t offer many opportunities to do that. Sure, there are two additional exhibition games at home against Texas and Army, but it’s not the same.
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UConn will play Cornell, not one of the 10 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, at home on Nov. 2 before hosting Iowa on Nov. 8. Then, they won’t be truly home again until Dec. 2 (UNLV) and Dec. 20 (Tennessee), meaning fans will go nearly a month between home games.
The game against South Carolina is at Mohegan Sun, so it’s not far, but it’s still not on campus or in Hartford, making it difficult for longtime fans to see the action. That’s a difficult reality of modern college basketball: Many programs don’t want to play UConn in Storrs, and television networks value neutral site games in flashy venues.
If you want to help earn more money to fund your program and NIL opportunities, those neutral site games are a way to do it.
Well, this is a very difficult travel/game schedule for the players as well. UConn will have three huge road games in the span of a 10-day period in November, and for a team that has Sarah Strong and Blanca Quinonez coming back from injuries, there’s not a lot of ramp up/ease-in time available to them.
