Needed next year: one transfer guard

[Stymie]

UConn doesn't need any transfers. They got plenty of players who made a commitment to play. Time for UConn to return that commitment. If some player wants to come let them apply, UConn doesn't need to recruit a transfer. I would like to see 10 to 12 players on the roster. If UConn falls below that number then I could see a transfer or two.

Roster now 12.
Minus 3 Seniors.
Minus Dorka ( strong feeling)
That leaves 8.
Aubrey?
Back injury-huge question mark.
No go?-down to 7
Two incoming highly touted rookies.
Back up to 9.
That is not enough players.
Piath and Deberry ready to meaningfully contribute next year?
No injuries next year?
Without addition(s) we come out with a short roster from day 1.

 

[EdSaid]

I think the "Silent Assassin" works for me, and fits her personality. I forget who came up with that but should give that person kudos.

Paige gave her that nickname

 

[TCC Kid]

I think that Caroline Ducharme is perfectly unambiguous, and is concise as well.

With regard to the transfer portal, I agree that we should be interested in a guard with general guard skills who can play at a UConn level, if such a player is available via transfer. However, don't forget that next year we should have Aubrey back, and if she has developed a reasonable jump shot, she should be ideal for a 2/3 position as a backup to Caroline. She will certainly provide the kind of speed and defense that we don't really have on this year's roster, apart from Christyn.

@jonack: I don't think Dorka will leave, and don't forget that we have two fairly big players coming in, including one who can jump through the ceiling, by all accounts. And we should not rule out further development by Piath and Amari. I think the front court is a low priority for transfers-in.

After this year, it began with 15, ending with 10 or 9. I'm for getting 15 with 3 for every position. Injuries for these past year (s) and transfers quickly dropped 15 to 10. Get all you can legally get.

As a not highly touted no fanfare at all. Caroline is the exception that proves the rules. An intelligent talented almost stoic kid she just goes about business and does what she does best. I'd take another 10 like her.

 

[DEpup]

After this year and all the injuries, we need a transfer guard to replace CW.

 

[CajunHusky]

I don't think Dorka is ready for the WNBA yet, she needs another year. So if that's what she wants, as opposed to playing professionally in Europe, she (and we) would benefit from her sticking around. JMHO.

Does Dorka want to play in the WNBA?

Reportedly Breanna Stewart only signed for one year because partly she is "concerned" that the new CBA requires players to priortize the WNBA over Europe. That is in order to play WNBA and Europe they would not only report late to Europe as they do now, but in future be rquired to leave Europe before the championships to report to WNBA training camps.

Realistically I don't see Dorka playing in the WNBA under the new CBA, not if it means giving up playing in Europe.

 

[Ralph]

We just need a few wealthy fans to pony up big dollars for NIL contracts for all players thinking of leaving. A few car dealers pay Dorka to be at their showrooms as long as she shows up for practice in the fall. In a few they years they offer Paige the big bucks for her to stay. What ever happened the QB supposedly going to a lower ranked school after a wealthy alum offered some big bucks. I think we have too many people on the BY who can only come up with $20 but lots of passion.

 

[Cuango]

Why do so many refer to Nika as a back-up? She is a starter. Even if she doesn’t start, do you see Geno not giving her significant play time? Barring injury, UConn is loaded at guard for years to come.

Your answer is in your last sentence. The I word! As for Nika, she is a starter because of injury and inexperience. She is not imo likely to start next year except if/when Geno goes with a four guard lineup. The starters are likely to be PB, Azzi, and Caroline at the guard positions. Nika will back up PB and Azzi.

 

[Ralph]

P.S. If a wealthy fan offers me $1,000,000 of NIL dollars I am definitely there next fall for practice. Can a 74 year old play if I never used up even one year of eligibility?

 

[Cuango]

5' 6" - 5' 8" with lightning speed and a motor will do.

Or, even better, 5’ 9”- 5’ 10” with lightning speed and a motor!

 

[oldhusky]

UConn doesn't need any transfers. They got plenty of players who made a commitment to play. Time for UConn to return that commitment. If some player wants to come let them apply, UConn doesn't need to recruit a transfer. I would like to see 10 to 12 players on the roster. If UConn falls below that number then I could see a transfer or two.

I get a preference for 4 year recruits in an ideal world. But if this season teaches us anything, it is that s*** happens. Recruiting doesn't always work out according to plan, and you wind up with a hole or relatively weak area. You can potentially fix it with the next year's recruits, but still have a problem for one year.

That is where a one year transfer or grad transfer can be a perfect fit. It doesn't have to get in the way of future recruits, and fills a temporary need. If Kiki Rice had committed here, there would be little talk of the transfer portal for a guard, but she didn't and there were no other guards of value we were still in the running for.

This year we had 6 guards which for part of the season was not enough. Next year we have 4. With one injury we would have no guard backups. If we had 5 we could still have a 4 guard rotation with one injury but would be in bad shape with two of them out.

2023 brings us Arnold and Shade, so we are covered then but a one year fill for next year is badly needed. That is where the transfer portal can be a perfect fit. In addition we should assume we will lose valuable players to transfer as well. We don't always know who or when, so having an occasional need for a stopgap solution is more the norm than the exception. Transfers may be plan B instead of plan A, but they will remain an important part of the mix for most teams IMO.

 

[slepers]

After this year, it began with 15, ending with 10 or 9. I'm for getting 15 with 3 for every position. Injuries for these past year (s) and transfers quickly dropped 15 to 10. Get all you can legally get.

As a not highly touted no fanfare at all. Caroline is the exception that proves the rules. An intelligent talented almost stoic kid she just goes about business and does what she does best. I'd take another 10 like her.

I believe Caroline was rated #5 in the class

 

[Vowelguy]

As a not highly touted no fanfare at all. Caroline is the exception that proves the rules.

Where do people get this from? She was very highly touted and huge fanfare.

#5 at ESPN, #11 ProspectsNation

She might have been under the radar for some UConn fans only because there was so much buzz about Azzi.

But make no mistake, she was a sought after highly valued recruit.

 

[CajunHusky]

My feeling has been UConn historically only goes with 10 to 12. IVO all the comments I went back and checked and over the last ten years the roster has been 10 to 12 and only one of those years was it 12. And that was including walk-ons and seldom used players (Autumn, Polly, Tierny, Ekmark, Banks, Molly etc)

I will stay with my original thought - I think 10 to 12 is a good number, below that a transfer or two maybe.

 

[CocoHusky]

Abby Meyers will play somewhere next year. As folks have noted, she's from the D.C. suburbs. If Geno doesn't pick her up, Brenda will. She will help the team GPA as well as it's on-court performance.

Brenda has already picked up a very similar (maybe better) player in Lavander Briggs from Florida.

 

[CocoHusky]

My feeling has been UConn historically only goes with 10 to 12. IVO all the comments I went back and checked and over the last ten years the roster has been 10 to 12 and only one of those years was it 12. And that was including walk-ons and seldom used players (Autumn, Polly, Tierny, Ekmark, Banks, Molly etc)
I will stay with my original thought - I think 10 to 12 is a good number, below that a transfer or two maybe.

Uhm... I'm pretty sure UCONN started this season with 14 players on the roster but I maybe mistaken.

 

[ShmiCO]

But... Caroline Ducharme is her name!! ... surely not " impersonal". I usually
use "Caroline" when I refer to her in writing, and I like the sound of
a verbal "Du.. charme". I amjust happy that UCONN and the Boneyard
have her on "our" team. IMO Z

LOL old post. Since then, there's something automatigc on the BY that replaces the serial number "nickname" for Caroline with her name. Even in my post complaining about the serial number.

 

[Stinger92860]

We need a guard but it will be our 4th guard, 2nd off the bench.

EDIT: CD can also play the 2 in short stretches.

 

[CajunHusky]

Uhm... I'm pretty sure UCONN started this season with 14 players on the roster but I maybe mistaken.

I looked at the 10 previous seasons .....

and there is an argument to be made that we lost two players this year due to there being so many players on the roster.

 

[Next 12]

I think the "Silent Assassin" works for me, and fits her personality. I forget who came up with that but should give that person kudos.

I agree. I love this as a nick name for her. She made no noise and silently sneaked in and did her best and helped save our season.

 

[CocoHusky]

I looked at the 10 previous seasons .....

and there is an argument to be made that we lost two players this year due to there being so many players on the roster.

You didn't say 10 previous season in your original post you said past 10 years. This season started in 2021. That would be a very strange argument to make because UCONN has also lost players when the roster size was smaller as well.

 

[SJF]

Rickea Jackson!

 

[CocoHusky]

Rickea Jackson!

 

[mudcat]

HATE Caroline Ducharme

Have you told her that?

 

[Scud49]

But... Caroline Ducharme is her name!! ... surely not " impersonal". I usually
use "Caroline" when I refer to her in writing, and I like the sound of
a verbal "Du.. charme". I amjust happy that UCONN and the Boneyard
have her on "our" team. IMO Z

I love hearing the name "Caroline" - I know instantly who we are talking about. I hate hearing "CD17" or whatever, I have to stop and try and figure it all out. Guess I'm just a simple guy

 

[Jingo]

Even a lorin Dixon would be nice. No not as a starter but as a backup

Lorin Dixon - another Husky from Christ the King [Queens], eh?