This duo would be a splash land for a 2026 contender
One star entering the portal is news — two is a program-altering opportunity. Grace and Hope Jenkins, standout twins who each played key roles for their UConn this past season, have officially entered the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining. Between the two, you’re getting elite production, leadership, and winning experience.
Grace Jenkins: Record-Breaking Power Bat
The reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year is now on the market, and her resume speaks for itself. Grace Jenkins started all 54 games in 2025 and went on to put together one of the most prolific offensive seasons in program history. She hit .424 — the second-highest single-season average in school history — and broke six different single-season program records: doubles (19), home runs (21), RBIs (68), runs scored (65), walks (39), and total bases (154).
She added 72 hits, 18 multi-hit games, and a team-leading 19 multi-RBI performances, while also slugging .906 and getting on base at a .535 clip. Jenkins hit multiple home runs in three different games, posted a 12-game hitting streak, and closed the year on a 32-game on-base streak. Defensively, she was sharp, finishing with a .990 fielding percentage across 193 putouts and 13 assists.
Grace also broke the program’s all-time career records for doubles (51) and RBIs (138), earning First Team All-BIG EAST and First Team NFCA All-Region honors. She was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team, earned BIG EAST Player of the Week once, and landed on the Honor Roll four different times.
Hope Jenkins: Reliable Two-Way Threat
Hope Jenkins brings valuable versatility as a true two-way contributor. Offensively, she slashed .269/.299/.471 with 32 hits, five home runs, nine doubles, and 22 RBIs across 36 games (33 starts). She added 16 runs scored and tallied seven multi-hit games, along with a seven-game hitting streak during the heart of the season.
In the circle, she appeared in 33 games with 11 starts, going 11-3 with a 4.00 ERA across 110.1 innings. Hope struck out 76 and delivered some big-time performances: a one-hit shutout against Bowling Green (March 1), a complete game vs. Georgetown (April 25), and an eight-strikeout outing against Ohio (Feb. 7). She also passed two major milestones this season — reaching 200 career strikeouts at DePaul (April 18) and logging her 100th career hit vs. Boston College (April 30). Her efforts earned her a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll once.
What’s Next?
With both sisters now in the portal, any program looking to add proven winners, high-level production, and veteran leadership should be on alert. Grace brings an elite power bat and decorated resume, while Hope offers two-way depth and the kind of experience that wins in the postseason.
The question now becomes — will they stick together and play for the same team again? We will see.
STATS COURTESY OF UCONN SOFTBALL
