Women's Fastbreak On SI

Geno Auriemma Utters Encouraging Word About UConn Star Azzi Fudd's Return Date

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma only needed one word to declare when he believes Azzi Fudd will be returning from injury.

Grant Young

Mar 20, 2023; Storrs, CT, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) drives the ball against Baylor Lady Bears guard Ja'Mee Asberry (21) in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavillion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Mar 20, 2023; Storrs, CT, USA; UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) drives the ball against Baylor Lady Bears guard Ja'Mee Asberry (21) in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavillion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Geno Auriemma's UConn Huskies women's basketball squad is already looking like one of the NCAA's very best teams, which is echoed by their AP ranking.

While this shouldn't come as a surprise given the superstars that Auriemma's roster includes, it's a testament to his team's depth that they can remain so elite with some of their best players sidelined due to injury.

Perhaps the best example of this is with Azzi Fudd. Fudd joined UConn as a freshman in 2021 and immediately became an impact player, averaging 12.1 points per game (on 43% three-point shooting) in 25 games played.

She then sat out for much of her sophomore season with an injury but averaged 15 points per game in the 13 contests she competed in.

Then tragedy struck during Fudd's junior season, as she tore her ACL during a practice after just two regular season games.

Fudd — who could be a 1st round pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft — has been sidelined ever since.

However, Auriemma made it seem like the sharpshooter could be returning to the court soon when he spoke with the media on Wednesday.

"Azzi is probably the closest," Auriemma said when discussing his injured players, per Storrs Central. "I would expect we see her, at some point... soon."

Auriemma offered a wry smile after saying "soon" as if to make Fudd's seemingly imminent return even more intriguing.

"Don't get your hopes up: not this Friday," Auriemma then added.

Therefore, it sounds like next Wednesday's game against Farleigh Dickinson University could be the soonest we see Fudd back on the court.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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