The UConn women’s basketball team announced Wednesday that rising sophomore forward Blanca Quinonez underwent successful surgery Monday to repair a torn labrum in her left shoulder.
According to a release from UConn, Quinonez’s recovery from the surgery is not expected to impact her availability for the 2026-27 season.
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Quinonez was a standout for the Huskies in her freshman campaign, averaging 10.7 points 3.1 rebounds 2.1 assists and two steals per game, shooting 53.6% from the field and 39.5% on 3-pointers. The 6-foot-2 forward was named the Big East Freshman of the Year and Sixth Woman of the Year, becoming the second player ever to earn both honors in the same season joining UConn’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis in 2011.
Quinonez dealt with a nagging left shoulder injury throughout her freshman season. She missed the first two games of the year after injuring her shoulder in practice ahead of the opener against Louisville and she missed six games in February after aggravating the injury. She wore a brace on her left shoulder for the majority of the year.
Quinonez is expected to be a key piece for UConn entering the 2026-27 season. She was a star for the Huskies during her first NCAA Tournament, averaging 17.3 points across the first two rounds and the Fort Worth regional to help lead the team to its third consecutive Final Four appearance. Though she came off the bench all season, Quinonez averaged more minutes in 2025-26 than starting center Serah Williams and will likely step into the starting lineup for her sophomore year.
