UConn Daily Digest: Candle Lighting a Fire

Basketball and hockey continue to ride high while football is heating up in the portal.

Author

Aman Kidwai
January 21, 2026

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Headlines  

Football Recruiting on Fire

UConn is adding a QB from Tennessee, an OT from Virginia Tech, and a DL from Ohio State, among dozens of new transfer commitments over the last week. The number of commits is over 50, according to UConn’s latest staff update.

The new QB, Jake Merklinger, redshirted his freshman season with the Vols and made four appearances in 2025. Edge rusher Joshua Mickens was a top-120 recruit in the Class of 2023 before starting his career at Ohio State. He appeared in 14 games over three seasons for the Buckeyes and has two years of eligibility remaining. Offensive tackle Hannes Hammer comes to UConn after making six appearances in two seasons for Virginia Tech.

Elsewhere around the roster, the RB room is rebuilt, special teamers are coming in, and a bunch of big fellas are in the mix. We’ll have a more comprehensive overview of the new additions after the dust settles.

Photo: X/Twitter - @UConnFootball

MBB Ranked No. 2

UConn men’s hoops is surviving despite taking every opponent’s best shot. They held on in another close one at Georgetown on Saturday after the wins over Seton Hall and Providence. All three of these games were too close for comfort, but the Huskies came out on top, on the road, in all three.

Should fans be nitpicking? Dan Hurley has thoughts.

The Huskies are 8-0 in league play, better than any Big East start since 1995-96 (14-0) and 1998-99 (11-0), and winners of their last 14 games. They aren’t perfect, but they’re still in really good shape and figuring out their upside. On Monday, UConn jumped to No. 2 in the latest AP poll, behind only Arizona.

UConn won’t play again until Saturday, when they host Villanova. Kevin Willard has the Wildcats off to a solid start, at 14-4, with a meeting against the Hoyas tonight.

Read: Notes and Quotes: Another close call in DC ($)

Tip-off is on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. from People’s Bank Arena in Hartford as the Huskies kick off a challenging week. After Villanova, a rematch with Providence looms on Tuesday, followed by a visit to Creighton on Saturday.

Photo: Ian Bethune

No stopping WBB

UConn women’s basketball hosted Notre Dame on Monday. The Irish never had a chance as the Huskies cruised to an 85-47 win. 

Powered by a second-half shift that transformed the offense, all five starters finished in double figures. KK Arnold scored 12 and dealt a team-high five dimes, continuing her ascent in another showing that proves why she’s the Huskies’ most improved player. 

Sarah Strong led the team with 18 points, eclipsing the 1,000 mark in her career. She is the third-fastest player to do so in UConn women’s history, having reached the milestone in 59 games. Only Paige Bueckers and Maya Moore were quicker. 

Now 19-0 this year and undefeated in its past 35 games, UConn has just one final non-conference test ahead. No. 17 Tennessee will come to town on Feb. 1.

UConn hits the floor next in the nation’s capital, heading to the CareFirst Arena to take on Georgetown. Tip is set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m., available to watch on TNT.

Photo: Ian Bethune

Hockey rolls on

UConn men’s hockey split its weekend series with Vermont, winning 4-1 before dropping Saturday’s contest, 4-2.

The top-line combination of Joey Muldowney, Ryan Tattle, and Jake Richard supplied the offense on Friday, racking up six points in total. Muldowney scored twice to extend his team lead in goals to 11, while Tattle and Richard each nabbed two assists. Vermont set the tone Saturday in an off-game for UConn, who fell to 13-7-3 on the year and 9-5-1 in Hockey East. 

The Huskies’ descent in the national rankings continued, down two more spots to No. 13 in Monday’s USCHO poll. UConn was notably leapfrogged by Providence, up from No. 14 to No. 11, after the Friars completed their second sweep of a ranked opponent in as many weeks, toppling Maine last week and Boston College this past weekend.  

Some personnel updates: Mike Cavanaugh made a move to add another recent commit, Carter Sproule, to the active roster after Huston Karpman’s season-ending torn ACL left the team’s forward depth depleted. It is a rare in-season addition, though one Cavanuagh said was much-needed. 

“It's really dangerous just to play with 13 forwards the whole year,” Cavanaugh told Daniel Connolly of the UConn Hockey Hub.

On the women’s side, the Huskies made a midseason hire for an assistant coach in Ainsley Svetek. Svetek replaces Elizabeth Wulf, who departed the team to become the first-ever head coach at Division III St. Joseph’s. 

With a new face behind the bench, UConn continued to roll on Friday, drubbing Merrimack 8-1. Nine different Huskies recorded multi-point efforts, led by Livvy Dewar’s goal and two assists. However, UConn’s 11-game unbeaten streak came to an end Saturday in a 2-1 loss in overtime, the team’s first loss since Nov. 7. 

Both teams need to regroup quickly, with marquee matchups coming this weekend. The women’s team will go toe-to-toe with No. 8 Northeastern, the leaders of the conference by a wide margin after a 13-1-0 Hockey East start.

The men’s team looks to defend its bragging rights as the best Connecticut program when this year’s CT Ice heads to New Haven for a battle between the state’s four Division I programs. They play Yale (7-11-0, 6-6-0 ECAC) on Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by either No. 6 Quinnipiac or Sacred Heart on Saturday.

Victories by the Huskies and the Bobcats would set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal, in which Ryan Tattle scored the game-winning goal with seconds to spare as UConn claimed its first CT Ice with a win over Sacred Heart the next day.

UConn-Northeastern will drop the puck first at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Storrs before both teams head to Waltham, MA for the return game of the home-and-home at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Weekly Rewind

Men’s Basketball

UConn men’s basketball jumps to No. 2 in AP poll – Iowa State falls from No. 2 to No. 9 as UConn takes its spot.

No. 3 UConn men’s basketball barely holds off Georgetown, 64-62 – The Huskies survive poor shooting nights from Solo Ball and Alex Karaban to remain undefeated in Big East play.

Clingan records double-double vs LeBron and Lakers, McNeeley wins it for the Swarm – Recapping former Huskies’ NBA action from Saturday night. 

No. 3 UConn men’s basketball survives last scare to beat No. 25 Seton Hall, 69-64 – Braylon Mullins’ clutch block and Silas Demary Jr.’s free throws saved UConn late. 

Notes and Quotes: Survival in Newark ($) – Breaking down UConn’s tight finish at the Prudential Center. 

Women’s Basketball

Chasing Perfection: UConn destroys Notre Dame as KK Arnold’s ascent continues – Daniel Connolly breaks down why the UConn point guard is at the top of her game in his most recent podcast.

UConn to play LSU in Nashville next season – UConn will play Kim Mulkey for the first time since 2021. 

UConn women’s basketball announces home-and-home with Vanderbilt – The Huskies have not seen the Commodores since 2019. 

In front of her idol, KK Arnold showed why she’s UConn’s most improved player – With Moriah Jefferson in the house, Arnold had a chance to impress her idol. 

Geno not confident Morgan Cheli, Ice Brady will return this season – “If they are (back), I’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Auriemma said. 

Football

Busy Recruiting Weekend Brings in Haul for Football Huskies – See who was on campus, and decided to stick around, this weekend.

Hockey

UConn powers past Vermont, 4-1 – Joey Muldowney nets two goals in the Huskies’ win. 

UConn’s top line leads the way to 4-1 win over Vermont ($) – Six points between the three forwards powered plenty of offensive action. 

UConn has bad night against Vermont: ‘We were off’ ($) – The Huskies let a potential sweep fall through their fingers thanks to poor performance. 

UConn makes rare in-season addition after Karpman injury – Huston Karpman’s torn ACL prompted Mike Cavanaugh to add a commit early for extra depth. 

UConn picks up commitment from ‘07 defenseman Charlie Morrison – Morrison currently plays for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts and projects as a high draft pick in 2026.

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