The women’s basketball programme at the University of Connecticut announced tragic news on Wednesday that will undoubtedly alter the course of the 2022-2023 season.
Paige Bueckers suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in her left knee while playing in a pick-up basketball game on Monday. According to a squad press release, she will not be participating in the upcoming season.
On Monday evening, an MRI was performed on Bueckers, who graduated from Hopkins High School and was a standout athlete there, to confirm the injuries. She is scheduled to have surgery at the UConn Health Center on Friday. Following the procedure, we will go over the most recent information on her recovery schedule.
“We’re all heartbroken for Paige,” UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said. She worked hard during the offseason to get stronger and healthier for the upcoming season, and this is a disappointing setback. It’s incredibly unfortunate that this has happened to Paige because she’s not only a fantastic basketball player, but also a wonderful person and teammate, and it’s a shame that this has happened to her.
We’ll miss having her on the court, but we know she’ll do everything she can to guide and support her teammates for the rest of the season. Paige will receive assistance from our programme throughout her recovery, allowing her to recover more quickly and completely.
Last season, the Washington Huskies were beset by injuries and COVID-19 concerns that affected nearly the entire roster. The team has been dealt a devastating blow as a result of this revelation. This includes Bueckers, who missed 19 games due to an anterior tibial plateau fracture and a lateral meniscus rupture in the same left knee. She had surgery on December 13, but she was back in action by February 25, leading the Huskies to the Final Four in Minneapolis, where they were defeated in the championship game by South Carolina.
Despite scoring 14.6 points, grabbing 4.0 rebounds, dishing out 3.9 assists, and stealing 1.5 steals per game, she continued to lead the team.
Bueckers had previously committed to staying in Storrs over the summer in order to avoid injury and improve his strength.
“It’s so crazy because you work so hard to get back healthy, you feel stronger than ever, and you’re playing your best basketball, and then everything shifts with one sudden movement,” Bueckers wrote on Instagram. “It’s crazy because you worked so hard to get healthy again, you feel stronger than ever, and you’re playing your best basketball.” “It’s difficult to make sense of everything that has happened recently, but I can’t help but believe that God is using me as a testament to show how much you can overcome when He is by your side. It’s possible that a small child who recently tore their ACL or had major surgery would benefit from hearing this story P, because this is going to be an incredible comeback.
“There will be good days and bad days, but my unwavering love for the game and the power that God gives me will get me back to where I need to be. I’ve put in too much effort for the small child portrayed in these photographs to give up on the dreams I’ve had for myself, so there’s no reason for me to give up now.
After reaching the national championship game last year despite injuries to players such as Bueckers, Azzi Fudd (foot), Dorka Juhász (wrist), and Caroline Ducharme (hip), the players for the University of Connecticut were optimistic about their chances of winning it all this year despite having a healthy roster. At this point, the emphasis has shifted completely.
Bueckers made history as the first freshman in women’s college basketball history to win the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year award, and the USBWA Player of the Year award during the 2020-21 season. During that season, she averaged 20 points per game, 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 steals.