“His toughness and game experience will fit in well”: UConn’s Dan Hurley optimistic after Alec Millender’s acquisition

After two seasons in which they won the national championship, coach Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies took a step back this past year. They qualified for March Madness but were eliminated in the second round, ending an impressive run over the previous two seasons.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Dan Hurley and his Huskies will try to improve after their down year. To support that effort, Hurley added a trio of new players: Jacob Ross, Dwayne Koroma and Alec Millender. Hurley was quoted by Storrs Central, speaking about his optimism for Millender next season.

"Alec is a guard that has played in a ton of games and has consistently leveled up," Hurley said. "He can score, distribute and has turned into an excellent outside shooter. His toughness and game experience will fit in well with our program and we're excited about what he can bring."

Alec Millender has a great story of perseverance and dedication. He started his career as a Division II player and did not reach Division I until his fifth college season last year. Despite the long journey, he performed well after transferring to the IU Indianapolis Jaguars. Last year, he averaged 8.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Now, Millender is getting the opportunity to play for a team likely to compete in March Madness next season.

Alec Millender will try to help Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies, along with their impressive recruiting class

It will be interesting to see how Alec Millender will be used next season by coach Dan Hurley. While he performed well in Indianapolis last season, playing at UConn will be a step up in competition. Additionally, the competition for playing time will be stiff. Part of the reason is UConn’s impressive 2025 recruiting class.

ESPN posted its final rankings for the 2025 recruiting class on Monday and had the Huskies ranked fifth. Their group is led by five-star Braylon Mullins, who is the No. 17-ranked player in his class, according to ESPN. Additionally, they have three four-star recruits: Eric Reibe, Jacob Ross and Jacob Furphy.

Their class could have been even better, but Darius Adams recommitted after the Huskies added Silas Demary Jr. and Malachi Smith through the transfer portal. Regardless, it is still an impressive class and should create strong competition for playing time in the fall.