STORRS — The UConn women’s basketball team may be without forward Ayanna Patterson to start the 2024-25 season after she suffered a shoulder injury in practice.
Coach Geno Auriemma said ahead of the Huskies’ annual First Night event on Friday that Patterson “whacked” her shoulder and is still in a sling. Patterson assisted at a Revolution Basketball Training youth clinic at Gampel Pavilion on Monday, and the organization posted a video that showed the redshirt junior wearing a hefty sling across her left arm and shoulder. Auriemma was uncertain whether Patterson will be back to full mobility for the Huskies’ first game Nov. 7 against Boston University.
Patterson missed the entire 2023-24 season to have surgery for patellar tendonitis in December and was already in the midst of that recovery process entering this year.
“It’s the dumbest things,” Auriemma said. ” … I don’t know about Yanna, because she’s still in that sling, so they’ve got her restricted with her range of motion.”
UConn has been plagued with injuries over the last three years and played much of the 2023-24 season with just six healthy players in consistent rotation. Though the Huskies are expected to return four players from long-term injuries, only center Jana El Alfy is likely to be at full strength when this season begins.
“She’s had a couple of really good days,” Auriemma said. “Jana’s like a bull in a china shop. She’s hard to guard — our practice players have a hard time guarding her. She’s so physical … but she wants to make up for a year and a half of not playing on every possession, so we’re trying to work on that.”
Auriemma said he is also very happy with the progression of star guard Azzi Fudd, who tore her medial meniscus and ACL two games into last season. Fudd, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2021, is unlikely to play early in the season, but Auriemma said she is on pace to return during non-conference play.
Freshman Morgan Cheli has also grappled with a hamstring injury since the end of her senior year of high school that has kept her limited in workouts with the Huskies. Auriemma said Cheli has also progressed well in the weeks since official practice began, and he expects she will be be able to compete when UConn hosts Boston University for its first game.
Forward Aubrey Griffin, who tore her ACL on Jan. 2 against Creighton, is still a ways away from returning, but Auriemma said the sixth-year senior told him she plans to return before the start of 2025.
“Azzi looks to be pretty far along,” Auriemma said. “She’s rusty I think, but she seems to be pretty far along … Morgan’s been practicing, and Aubrey said she’ll be back by Jan. 1st, which was a surprise to me. So yeah, I think everybody’s moving in the right direction.”
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