Breaking news: UConn Huskies announced a departure of three talented players

UConn Women’s Basketball Receives Another Serious Blow to Injury-Riddled Roster
Fifth-year forward Aubrey Griffin is the latest member of the Huskies’ roster to suffer a season-ending injury, leaving Geno Auriemma with only nine healthy players and little room for mistake.
Almost two months ago, UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma found himself so frustrated by injuries that he couldn’t express his feelings.

“I’m at a loss for words.” Every year, it sucks to glance down and not see who is playing. It’s become overpowering. “I mean, I can’t even explain it,” Auriemma told reporters during a tournament in November. “Some of these kids, man, that is all they know. They don’t have any experience playing with a whole team.”

It was hard to argue with him. The program has suffered significantly during the previous two seasons. Last year’s UConn squad was plagued by illnesses and illness, forcing it to postpone a game because it lacked the needed seven players. That team eventually lost in the Sweet 16—UConn’s earliest tournament loss since 2005. However, this season was supposed to be a reset. The Huskies’ core was supposed to be healthy. Finally, this was supposed to be an opportunity for this exceptional group to gel and realize their full potential together.

However, when Auriemma made similar remarks in November, that summery optimism seemed remote. And it seems even more so now.

This season, the No. 13 Huskies have lost four players due to season-ending injuries. Jana El Alfy, a freshman, broke her Achilles tendon at the FIBA U-19 World Cup. Electric junior guard and former No. 1 recruit Azzi Fudd tore her ACL and meniscus during practice in November, which was devastating news for a player who had recovered from a ruptured ACL and MCL in high school and had been sidelined by various knee problems throughout her tenure at Storrs. Ayanna Patterson, a sophomore forward, spent the first half of the season recovering from surgery before learning in December that she would be sidelined for the year. And just last week, UConn reported that fifth-year player Aubrey Griffin tore her ACL, thereby ending the season for an important veteran presence.

Even this list does not convey the entire extent of the team’s ailments. Caroline Ducharme, a junior guard, has been out since November due to neck spasms, and her comeback date has yet to be determined. This means that only one of UConn’s six leading scorers from last season is still available for the squad, with three of the other five injured and two graduating. It’s remarkable that the Huskies have been so competitive this season.

But the news of Griffin’s torn ACL this week stands out even in this crowded field of injury announcements. It’s another serious blow to a program that could ill afford one more. And it feels like a potential breaking point.