Early Report on the Team from Coach G

[BlueSkyGLW]

UConn women’s notes: Geno Auriemma says Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong got ‘even better’

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma is already excited by the growth he’s seen from his stars since winning the NCAA Championship.

www.courant.com

• Azzi and Sarah better than ever.
• Practices more intense - everyone wants to earn playing time.
• Caroline and Ayanna participating fully in practices; Morgan still in slow process to health.
• Caroline looking as comfortable on court as she was during her freshman year. Being vocal, she will help a lot.
• Fortunate to secure the right transfers.....

And more.....(e.g. freshmen will have something to contribute, at the very least, their personalities - you have to read to get the full flavor of what he says...)

In contrast to prior years when he limited the roster to no more than 13 scholarship players (and for some years after the 4-peat was down to 9 or 10, the epidemic of injuries that had been visited upon the team since 2020 must have persuaded him to load up. Even during the last two years of Gabby and Kia, they were not injury free - just not the out-for-the-year variety - likely due to very short rotation forced upon the team during the regular season - overworked them, exhaustion and then ran out of steam in the FF (my view).

The number of players available and the intensity of the practices means individual progress is likely to be faster, making the team even deeper in capable players who continue to improve as the year progresses.

Only Ms. Quinonez is absent because of school in Italy.

It sounds like they are well equipped to continue to improve, rise and defend the NC. The loaded meaning of chemistry: seamlessly execute read-and-react flow in play at high speed that needs to be developed and refined for both sides of the ball.....harder to do with 15 players but the level of concentration the players are investing will help.....

Feeling good, fans?.....you should!