:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51785309/2016_2_27TulaneUConnWBB780.0.JPG)
The rich got richer and on Thursday as Geno Auriemma and his staff received a National Letter of Intent from four players in the class of 2017. Mikayla Coombs, Alexis Gordon, Andra Espinoza-Hunter and Megan Walker will join an experienced UConn team that will only be losing one player to graduation. The class is ranked third overall on espnW’s HoopGurlz rankings.
The class of 2017 began to take shape very early on, as Andra Espinoza-Walker committed to the Huskies as a high school sophomore back in 2014. The 5-foot-10 shooting guards hails from Ossining, New York, where she played with current UConn guard Saniya Chong. Espinoza-Walker provides height in the backcourt, allowing her to be an all-around player at the two guard.
Alexis Gordon was the next to commit, announcing her decision back in February. The small forward from Fort Worth, Texas is listed at 5-foot-11 and rated the no. 29 overall recruit, the fifth-best forward. Gordon joins Moriah Jefferson as the only other Husky recruit to come from the state of Texas. With her size, Gordon is able to create mismatches on offense with the ability to play down low while also stretching the defense with her skills on the perimeter.
Much like Gordon, Mikayla Coombs comes from the same home state as a former UConn great. A native of Norcross, Georgia, Coombs is the first player to commit to the Huskies from the Peach State since Maya Moore did so. While it is unfair to compare any player to Moore, Coombs comes in as the no. 2 guard in the class and is ranked 14th overall. At 5-foot-10, Coombs is at her best playing off-ball, where she can attack the rim but also pull up from mid-range to keep defenders honest.
As the last player to commit, Megan Walker, is the crown jewel of the Huskies’ recruiting class. The no. 1 overall recruit in the nation, Walker committed to UConn on ESPNU over Texas and Notre Dame.
Overall, this is a very strong group for the Huskies. They will augment a UConn team that is losing Saniya Chong to graduation but will add newly eligible transfers Batouly Camara and Azura Stevens. Even if the Huskies do have a down year (by their extremely high standards) in 2016, they look like they will be absolutely loaded come next season.