Former UConn greats are back in Storrs to watch Geno Auriemma potentially make history on Wednesday when the No. 2 Huskies play FDU. A win will make Auriemma the winningest basketball coach in Division I history, surpassing Tara VanDerveer.
Excitement is high, especially after Connecticut's latest update. On Wednesday, the Huskies announced that Azzi Fudd will make her season debut against the Knights.
Soon? How about now.
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) November 20, 2024
Azzi Fudd is BACK. pic.twitter.com/8g0OoLg8Fi
Fudd played two games last season before suffering a right knee injury in practice on Nov. 14, 2023. She had no choice but to watch from the sideline as UConn made a Final Four run with an injury-depleted roster. Now, Fudd hopes she'll get to help the Huskies make a deeper run that results in the program's 12th championship, the first since 2016.
Azzi Fudd set to return for Huskies after being out for over a year
Unfortunately, Fudd has dealt with serious injuries throughout her career. The most games she played in a single season were the 25 (17 starts) she played as a freshman. Fudd and Huskies fans hope luck will be in the guard's favor during what could be her last season in Storrs.
Connecticut is the No. 2 team in the nation behind reigning champions South Carolina. The Huskies are 3-0, with their most recent win coming against No. 14 North Carolina. Paige Bueckers, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is averaging 21.3 points. Freshman Sarah Strong is the real deal. If UConn can stay healthy, it's hard to see the team not being one of the last two squads standing in April.
The Huskies are taking it one game at a time, though. Their focus is on Wednesday night's matchup. It doesn't matter that FDU isn't ranked. The game is as important as the one they played against the Tar Heels last week. Of course, there's some extra motivation to pick up the fourth win of the season. The cherry on top is that Fudd will step onto the court again.
Hopefully, Fudd will take a second to let it all soak in. She battled through months of rehab to get where she is now. What a night it will be!