UConn WBB is Set to do Something Amazing This Season!

[Ozimoto]

Saw this being worn at a number of college football spring practice games.

Guardian Caps | Guardian Sports

Guardian Caps are the leading soft shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. Worn by the NFL, 500+ colleges and 5000+ high schools.

guardiansports.com

 

[Ozimoto]

Here is something similar worn by soccer and rugby players, among other sports. There are options out there if the player chooses to use them. They have to get past the aesthetic and potential comfort issues to wear them, though. Not sure how well they would "breathe" and indoors they might create too much body heat for full out play.

Gamebreaker Multi-Sport Soft Shell Protective Headgear

Uniquely designed and made from a combination of foams, the Gamebreaker Multi-Sport Soft Shell Protective Headgear offers great head protection for many sports.

www.sportsunlimitedinc.com

 

[oldude]

Saw this being worn at a number of college football spring practice games.

Guardian Caps | Guardian Sports

Guardian Caps are the leading soft shell helmet cover engineered for impact reduction. Worn by the NFL, 500+ colleges and 5000+ high schools.

guardiansports.com

Yes, these soft helmet covers have been around for several years at both the professional and college levels. To date they are only used in practice.

I first saw a similar head cover many years ago being worn by rugby players in actual games.

 

[Surly1]

I mentioned Lou & Dorka in my OP, and I am sure that UConn has a coach assigned to monitor the transfer portal. But as far as this coming season is concerned, I am not aware of another D1 program that, like UConn, will have every eligible undergraduate returning and will have its complete 14 player roster made up entirely of players recruited to UConn from HS.

I would mention that Stanford's roster is filled only with HS recruited players, but as you alluded to, the Cardinal fell victim to the portal transfer, losing 3 players, including their big prize, Lauren Betts.

As long as Geno and Tara remain at the helm, they should be able to recruit from the cream of the high school crop. In Stanford's case, the ongoing uncertainty regarding the Pac-12 (or should I restate as Pac-10) could have a negative long-term impact moving forward. This past off-season might have seen the beginning of this trend as UCLA and USC appeared to be part of the new "destination" schools. Their move to the Big Ten combined with a lucrative television contract, increased visibility and influx of NIL money may forever alter the WCBB landscape as we know it.

A Stanford degree will always have appeal, but playing for Geno and UConn will retain its cachet for those players that demand to be challenged and intent on improving/developing/preparing their game for the next level.

The immediate future for UConn looks promising and while I'd gladly accept for a 12th NC, I am content to watch a full season of what Paige, Azzi and a stellar cast can accomplish.

 

[veryolddog]

I think that it would be a remarkable season if every UConn player could play the entire season including the NCAA Tournament without a single injury and not missing one day from practice or official games.

 

[Carnac]

Yes, these soft helmet covers have been around for several years at both the professional and college levels. To date they are only used in practice.

I first saw a similar head cover many years ago being worn by rugby players in actual games.

I'm serious!! Something like this would be beneficial. I understand she can't wear it in a game (although it would be nice if she could), But she stands a greater chance of getting hurt in practice than in a game. They practice 5 days a week. They only play 2-3 times a week. She spends more time on the floor and engaged in close physical contact in practice than she would in 30-35 minutes 2-3 games.

The next concussion she gets will undoubtedly put her on the shelf for 2 weeks to a month. How much can the team count on Caroline to be available this coming season? I like Caroline, but this is a real and serious dilemma. I guess all Geno can do is play her, and hope for the best. She nor he has any control over if or when she sustains another concussion.

To me, THIS is the biggest question mark about the team going into the coming season. A healthy and available Caroline would have a HUGE impact on the team's fortunes/success this coming season.

 

[warbler1055]

This is a most interesting thread. Thank you oldude for starting this thread. As a UConn fan I hope that this season will be injuries free and the most exciting yet. I felt cheated as others did for not being able to watch PB play last season in addition to Azzi missing many games. So with great anticipation looking for a great season. But something is nagging me about Kim Mulkey and the LSU team. Not only Kim won the 2023 natty but she is getting top players from the portal. Is this the result of NIL or Mulkey charisma or what? So we have a new era of super team vs the traditional great teams i.e. UConn and Stanford...

 

[oldude]

I'm serious!! Something like this would be beneficial. I understand she can't wear it in a game (although it would be nice if she could), But she stands a greater chance of getting hurt in practice than in a game. They practice 5 days a week. They only play 2-3 times a week. She spends more time on the floor and engaged in close physical contact in practice than she would in 30-35 minutes 2-3 games.

The next concussion she gets will undoubtedly put her on the shelf for 2 weeks to a month. How much can the team count on Caroline to be available this coming season? I like Caroline, but this is a real and serious dilemma. I guess all Geno can do is play her, and hope for the best. She nor he has any control over if or when she sustains another concussion.

To me, THIS is the biggest question mark about the team going into the coming season. A healthy and available Caroline would have a HUGE impact on the team's fortunes/success this coming season.

Back in the 2012-13 season, three Louisville MBB players, who had all suffered various head injuries, began wearing MMA headgear during practices. This generated a lot of interest in using similar headgear in games. Unfortunately, after looking into the possibility, the NCAA determined that such headgear was not particularly effective and they declined to authorize its use during games.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I need something amazing this coming season. Let's start with the freshmen being happy in their roles and those roles being more "in game" than Geno is wont to do, and Geno being pleased with what he sees.

 

[Alydar]

I'm serious!! Something like this would be beneficial. I understand she can't wear it in a game (although it would be nice if she could), But she stands a greater chance of getting hurt in practice than in a game. They practice 5 days a week. They only play 2-3 times a week. She spends more time on the floor and engaged in close physical contact in practice than she would in 30-35 minutes 2-3 games.

The next concussion she gets will undoubtedly put her on the shelf for 2 weeks to a month. How much can the team count on Caroline to be available this coming season? I like Caroline, but this is a real and serious dilemma. I guess all Geno can do is play her, and hope for the best. She nor he has any control over if or when she sustains another concussion.

To me, THIS is the biggest question mark about the team going into the coming season. A healthy and available Caroline would have a HUGE impact on the team's fortunes/success this coming season.

I don't remember concussion being actually diagnosed. It was "neck" "head injury" and at the time Geno said she passed the concussion tests and the fact she was not better was the issue. She took a couple of shots to her head, that's all we knew for sure.
But I agree that her potential value is huge. She is just one of many UConn players next year with AA or higher ceilings. Ducharme is money.

 

[hoophuskee]

This is a most interesting thread. Thank you oldude for starting this thread. As a UConn fan I hope that this season will be injuries free and the most exciting yet. I felt cheated as others did for not being able to watch PB play last season in addition to Azzi missing many games. So with great anticipation looking for a great season. But something is nagging me about Kim Mulkey and the LSU team. Not only Kim won the 2023 natty but she is getting top players from the portal. Is this the result of NIL or Mulkey charisma or what? So we have a new era of super team vs the traditional great teams i.e. UConn and Stanford...

If healthy, UCONN is a clear Super Team.

 

[Ron and Vida]

Just to emphasize how unique UConn’s situation is. I did a quick review of every P5 WBB program in the country. As far as next season is concerned, every single P5 program in the country has either been the victim of outgoing transfers, the beneficiary of incoming transfers, either next season or already on the roster, or both. As for non P5 programs, I didn’t do a deep dive, but it is undoubtedly the case that most of the 200+ non-P5 are under much greater transfer portal pressure than P5 schools.

Should UConn and LSU meet for the national championship it will be a momentous battle between a school that has thrived as a result of the transfer portal and one that is uniquely tied to the traditional process of bringing in HS recruits and developing their talent.

It would be an epic battle of the ages. My money would be on the little Italian guy

 

[Ron and Vida]

Just to emphasize how unique UConn’s situation is. I did a quick review of every P5 WBB program in the country. As far as next season is concerned, every single P5 program in the country has either been the victim of outgoing transfers, the beneficiary of incoming transfers, either next season or already on the roster, or both. As for non P5 programs, I didn’t do a deep dive, but it is undoubtedly the case that most of the 200+ non-P5 are under much greater transfer portal pressure than P5 schools.

Should UConn and LSU meet for the national championship it will be a momentous battle between a school that has thrived as a result of the transfer portal and one that is uniquely tied to the traditional process of bringing in HS recruits and developing their talent.

It would be an epic battle of the ages. My money would be on the little Italian guy.

I’m not sure where I’m going with this but I agree that a national championship match up will be a momentous battle for the difference between two transfer and traditional programs but I think that there may be more involved and that it may be a classic similar to the mens game of the century between Houston and UCLA because of the clash between two different cultures
Im aware that this is hyperbole from a homer for WBB but it has the potential for being good for WBB and I’m sure this is not lost on the ESPN talking heads even if for the wrong reasons…………

 

[Carnac]

Back in the 2012-13 season, three Louisville MBB players, who had all suffered various head injuries, began wearing MMA headgear during practices. This generated a lot of interest in using similar headgear in games. Unfortunately, after looking into the possibility, the NCAA determined that such headgear was not particularly effective and they declined to authorize its use during games.

Being a person that is supremely interested and concerned about the safety of ALL student-athletes, I see this from the opposite end of the spectrum. To me, If the headgear those players were wearing in practice gave them even a modicum of protection, I would have authorized them to be worn in games. The headgear in question would not affect any opposing player whatsoever, nor would it give the wearer any unfair advantage.

IBA Sting

There's an old saying in football......any play good enough to run once, is good enough to run twice...meaning if the head ear was deemed to provide protection in practice, it would also do so in games. Interesting that the people that made the final decision never suffered a concussion or any type of head trauma, similar to face masks worn by players (Aaliyah) who sustained a broken nose. The mask has no impact on opposing players. Just one fan's opinion.