The UConn Huskies are on a roll. The defending NCAA champions are 16-0, but injuries are starting to pile up.
The UConn Huskies are on a roll. The defending NCAA champions are 16-0, but injuries are starting to pile up. Ahead of the road trip to face the Creighton Bluejays, Geno Auriemma has provided updates on the injury status of rotation stars like Ice Brady, Morgan Cheli, Jana El Alfy, and Ayanna Patterson.
The Huskies coach revealed that Brady and El Alfy won’t be joining the team. Cheli will travel, but she won’t be available to play. That leaves Patterson as the only fit player who is “good to go,” likely to start from the bench and get some minutes against the Bluejays.
The Huskies have lost a lot of bench strength due to these injuries, which only puts more pressure on their starting five. While their starters have yet to show any worrying signs, fans will be hoping their key stars can get some rest, especially as the Huskies head down the stretch.
“They do their rehab every day, and neither of them have been cleared, and we have no timetable when they will be,” Auriemma said of the recovery status of Cheli and Brady.
Cheli’s case is particularly interesting. The sophomore guard averaged over 13 minutes in the Huskies’ 2024-25 title-winning campaign. But the 20-year-old has yet to feature this season, having been sidelined with an ankle injury that ended her 2024-25 season prematurely. She underwent a successful surgery in February but has yet to return to full fitness.
Brady, on the other hand, has been plagued with injuries throughout her college career. The junior forward has featured in only two games this season off the bench.
The Huskies have a flurry of conference matchups ahead, and this could be the right time to play some of the returning players into full fitness ahead of March.
Geno Auriemma can continue to rely on the Huskies’ roster depth
One of the biggest advantages of being a reputable, highly successful college program is that it can attract top talent who are ready to join the rotation and start from the bench. This season is no different. The Huskies lost Paige Bueckers to the WNBA and are seeing their bench plagued by injuries.
But the UConn Huskies have recruited well, bringing in internationally experienced Blanca Quinonez as a freshman. The Huskies also brought in Gandy Malou-Mamel and Kelis Fisher, adding further depth to what was already a strong roster.
USC Trojans transfer Kayleigh Heckel has been a steady presence off the bench for the Huskies. She was brought in as a backup point guard behind KK Arnold and is averaging 18.4 minutes per game. Her defensive pressure is a key factor in the Huskies’ unbeaten run.
Quinonez also immediately became a key player, averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. While Fisher has already become a part of the rotation, Malou-Mamel is expected to be given more chances as the season progresses. This allows Auriemma to continue executing his plans despite injuries to El Alfy and Patterson.
Additionally, there is a sense that even if Cheli and Brady manage to return to full fitness, they may struggle to regain the same level of game time, given the rise of other teammates around them. Roster depth will come in handy when the NCAA tournament begins, and Auriemma will hope they can defend their title while going unbeaten.
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Category: General Sports
