Husky Freshman Mandaquit Devastated by Season-Ending Injury

UW coach says the point guard is struggling with the reality of missing the rest of the season.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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University of Washington freshman point guard JJ Mandaquit is devastated after learning he will miss the rest of the season due to a foot injury. Mandaquit, a highly regarded recruit from Hilo, Hawaii, had started the first six games for the Huskies and was just starting to find his comfort zone in college basketball when the injury occurred. UW coach Danny Sprinkle says Mandaquit is heartbroken over the news and is struggling to come to terms with having to undergo surgery and miss the most important part of the season.

Why it matters

Mandaquit was expected to be a key contributor for the Huskies this season as their floor leader. His absence is a significant blow to the team, which is already struggling at 12-12 overall and 4-9 in Big Ten play. The injury is especially difficult for Mandaquit, who is described as being extremely passionate about basketball and having put in a lot of work to prepare for his freshman season.

The details

Mandaquit first injured his foot in the preseason and then had a recent recurrence of the issue. He will now undergo surgery to address the injury and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Prior to the injury, Mandaquit had been averaging 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and had shown promise as a facilitator with just 27 turnovers in 22 games.

  • Mandaquit was injured during the preseason.
  • The injury recurred recently, ending his season.
  • Mandaquit will likely have surgery in the coming days.

The players

JJ Mandaquit

A freshman point guard from Hilo, Hawaii who was expected to be a key contributor for the University of Washington Huskies this season.

Danny Sprinkle

The head coach of the University of Washington men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“He's struggling because it's so important to him. Basketball is the most important thing to him. He puts a lot of work into it.”

— Danny Sprinkle, Head Coach, University of Washington (si.com)

“It's not only devastating for him, it's devastating to our team.”

— Danny Sprinkle, Head Coach, University of Washington (si.com)

“He put a lot of time into this season. I'm heartbroken for him because he'd turned that freshman corner.”

— Danny Sprinkle, Head Coach, University of Washington (si.com)

What’s next

Mandaquit will undergo surgery in the coming days to address his foot injury. He is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season as he recovers.

The takeaway

Mandaquit's season-ending injury is a major setback for both the player and the Huskies team. As a highly touted freshman point guard, Mandaquit had shown promise and was just starting to find his footing in college basketball when the injury occurred. His passion for the game and the work he had put in make this an especially difficult situation, both physically and emotionally.