Injury updates from Geno

[CTtoSanDiego]

Not the best news, but not the worst.

Azzi Fudd (torn ACL), Aubrey Griffin (torn ACL) and Caroline Ducharme (head) will all remain sidelined through the start of the season, Geno Auriemma revealed on Thursday.​

“None of them will be ready,” he said. “If I had to guess, I think Azzi would probably be back sooner than anybody else. Carol, I don't know — that's guesswork. Aubrey for sure will be after Azzi.”​

Fudd tore her ACL on Nov. 14 last year and didn’t have surgery to repair the knee until a few weeks later. Auriemma indicated that the team is comfortable with her current timetable.​

“Azzi is on her regular schedule,” he said. “We’re not going to see her playing 5-on-5 for a little bit.”​

Still, the Huskies are hopeful she’ll be back sooner rather than later.​

“Before we get into the biggest, most important parts of our schedule, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she can be with us,” Auriemma said.​

Meanwhile, Griffin went down with a torn ACL in January, so she’s a few months behind Fudd in her recovery. It was always unlikely that she’d be back in time for the new season.​

“Aubrey hasn't hardly done anything, so she's probably the one that's (furthest off),” Auriemma said.​

As for Ducharme, she’s been plagued with head issues since her freshman year. She played in UConn’s first four games last season before bad turbulence on the team’s flight to the Cayman Islands shut her down the rest of the way. Ducharme remains out indefinitely.​

“She's trying to do as much as she can and then we try to see how it feels,” Auriemma said. “But for her, it's all kind of guesswork still. We’re see where that takes us.”​

 

[UConnCat]

None of these updates should be surprising given the timing and/or nature of the injuries.

 

[MilfordHusky]

None of these updates should be surprising given the timing and/or nature of the injuries.

Agreed. Carol's situation is an enigma. Azzi and Aubrey are on track, but they need a little more time. Maybe Azzi in December and Aubs in January. Fingers crossed for both.

Geno didn't talk about Ayanna or Morgan. I consider that good news.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno didn't talk about Ayanna or Morgan. I consider that good news.

Ayanna played today. She's ready.
Geno said he expects Morgan to be ready for the first game.
Azzi may be ready later in November "fingers crossed."

And of Kaitlyn, he said, "if she had been here from freshman year, we'd be talking about an All-American and a high draft pick."

 

[Boreifs]

Ayanna played today. She's ready.
Geno said he expects Morgan to be ready for the first game.
Azzi may be ready later in November "fingers crossed."

And of Kaitlyn, he said, "if she had been here from freshman year, we'd be talking about an All-American and a high draft pick."

By the end of the season, she could be an All-American and a high draft pick. She was honorable mention last year.

 

[uconnever]

So what I took from that was that it’s probably best not to expect anything big from those three this year. Azzi may have a huge impact but we need to be patient because she can’t do much now and hasn’t played in a year. Caroline may never play again so prepare for that as it sounds like that’s the most likely scenario and Aubrey may have an impact toward the end of the year if at all. GREAT! Not only maybe my three favorite players on the team, but three of the biggest difference makers on the team and in my opinion the difference between final four again and national title.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Ayanna played today. She's ready.
Geno said he expects Morgan to be ready for the first game.
Azzi may be ready later in November "fingers crossed."

And of Kaitlyn, he said, "if she had been here from freshman year, we'd be talking about an All-American and a high draft pick."

Yeah, Geno does discuss Morgan, but she's had nagging issues from high school, is gradually making progress, and is expected to be ready at the start of the season. Sounds encouraging.

Ayanna looks VERY fit.

Azzi looks really good. Geno says she's confident. She looks very fit, other than the knee that still needs to get stronger. Just a wild guess, but I imagine that her shot looks splendid.

 

[Dugway]

….

And of Kaitlyn, he said, "if she had been here from freshman year, we'd be talking about an All-American and a high draft pick."

Well, um, she is an All American now.

 

[MilfordHusky]

So what I took from that was that it’s probably best not to expect anything big from those three this year. Azzi may have a huge impact but we need to be patient because she can’t do much now and hasn’t played in a year. Caroline may never play again so prepare for that as it sounds like that’s the most likely scenario and Aubrey may have an impact toward the end of the year if at all. GREAT! Not only maybe my three favorite players on the team, but three of the biggest difference makers on the team and in my opinion the difference between final four again and national title.

It depends on what you mean by "this year." If you mean calendar 2024, I probably agree. If you mean this season, I expect Azzi for sure and Aubrey eventually to have large impacts on our games.

 

[uconnever]

It depends on what you mean by "this year." If you mean calendar 2024, I probably agree. If you mean this season, I expect Azzi for sure and Aubrey eventually to have large impacts on our games.

Kinda do too, but I’m also thinking there’s a chance they may not find the rhythm to be all they can be this year. I hope so because I feel like they are honestly the three players that would make us dominant when healthy. Hard to do nowadays but slight chance at being undefeated if all three started the year healthy.

 

[Bone Dog]

Well, um, she is an All American now.

Um?

That's what Geno said. Take it up with him.

 

[huskeynut]

The injury update should not he a surprise for anybody. It is what I expected.

ACL's take a year. Azzi maybe in December and Aubry maybe end of January. We just have to wait and see.

Caroline, we just have to wait and see.

 

[Dugway]

Um?

That's what Geno said. Take it up with him.

I’ll straighten him out; do you have his phone number by chance?

 

[Ozimoto]

 

[yhun89]

Gonna really need Yanna if Aubrey’s out most of the season. Need her athleticism in the forward role. Good thing is she looks muscular.

 

[veryolddog]

It seems tat injuries plague this team for years. However, on the optimistic side, the player, all of them, always step up and some of the newer players rise to the challenge and perform higher than expected to lift the team forward.

 

[Skeets]

I’ll straighten him out; do you have his phone number by chance?

I think it's 1-800-mor-vino.

 

[Conndog]

Maybe with Azzi out for a while still, and possibly Caroline too, we’ll see sharpshooter Allie Ziebell get a few minutes

 

[GoUconn7961]

Not the best news, but not the worst.

​

Azzi Fudd (torn ACL), Aubrey Griffin (torn ACL) and Caroline Ducharme (head) will all remain sidelined through the start of the season, Geno Auriemma revealed on Thursday.​

“None of them will be ready,” he said. “If I had to guess, I think Azzi would probably be back sooner than anybody else. Carol, I don't know — that's guesswork. Aubrey for sure will be after Azzi.”​

Fudd tore her ACL on Nov. 14 last year and didn’t have surgery to repair the knee until a few weeks later. Auriemma indicated that the team is comfortable with her current timetable.​

“Azzi is on her regular schedule,” he said. “We’re not going to see her playing 5-on-5 for a little bit.”​

Still, the Huskies are hopeful she’ll be back sooner rather than later.​

“Before we get into the biggest, most important parts of our schedule, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she can be with us,” Auriemma said.​

Meanwhile, Griffin went down with a torn ACL in January, so she’s a few months behind Fudd in her recovery. It was always unlikely that she’d be back in time for the new season.​

“Aubrey hasn't hardly done anything, so she's probably the one that's (furthest off),” Auriemma said.​

As for Ducharme, she’s been plagued with head issues since her freshman year. She played in UConn’s first four games last season before bad turbulence on the team’s flight to the Cayman Islands shut her down the rest of the way. Ducharme remains out indefinitely.​

“She's trying to do as much as she can and then we try to see how it feels,” Auriemma said. “But for her, it's all kind of guesswork still. We’re see where that takes us.”​

I had to talk a few people off the ledge yesterday on social media. A lot of people who only casually follow the team don't remember when Azzi and Aubrey had their surgeries, so this timeline is only natural. I think Caroline will always be the biggest question mark. Thanks for posting the update.

 

[yhun89]

Maybe with Azzi out for a while still, and possibly Caroline too, we’ll see sharpshooter Allie Ziebell get a few minutes

I hope so, it’ll better prep the bench for the hardest part of the schedule. A high volume scorer like her can do wonders for spacing. More spacing=more room for PB to do her thing.

 

[meyers7]

Anti Tony view, practice just started and we're down 4 players already. (and so it begins)