No letdown for Geno Auriemma as he continues to reel in more elite players

Geno Auriemma has never been known to be a fisherman, but he sure does know how to reel them in.

After last year’s inexperienced team began slow and finished fast as the coronavirus pandemic scratched the college women’s basketball season as it did to other sports around the globe. Now, with the Huskies season to begin at the 40-team Hall of Fame Challenge at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Nov. 28, UCONN returns to the Big East where it won 18 previous titles, and leaves the dominated AAC where it went 131-0.

And Geno remains the genius.

After seeing what was out there when the campaign came to an abrupt half, he reeled in 5-foot-11 National High School Player of the Year Paige Bueckers along with four other talented freshman. Now, with an 11-player roster with not a single senior, he tossed in the bait for his record 11 national championship program by reeling in his fourth No. 1 national player in the last five years, and that is 5-11 shooting guard Azzi Fudd.

Fudd has a remarkable background, first offered a scholarship by the University of Maryland at the age of 12, then, as a sophomore at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., was named high school Player of the Year. and as a junior, her campaign was cut short by ACL and MCL surgery. Now she’s back on the court after finally making her college commitment on Wednesday, her 18th birthday.

“Now, it’s official,” she said as she choose the Huskies over UCLA, Baylor and Louisville, “and I’m overjoyed about it. It’s been a while since I first took a liking to UCONN, maybe while in middle school, and now I can hardly wait to play for Geno and with my buddy Paige.”

Through the years, Fudd and Bueckers have played on national teams together, as well as on All-Star teams, and have former a friendship. Now the back-to-back Players of the Years are a season away from joining up as teammates. Presently, the Huskies are ranked No. 3 in the country, and as the top team in their first year back in the Big East. Before that, they dominated the American Athletic Conference by winning the title there every year, and putting together a lengthy undefeated surge.

Auriemma does admit that Bueckers and Fudd have yet to play college ball, but once they combine their stellar talents, they could become quite a dynamic duo, Buecker arguably shining as the distributer and Fudd as the shooter with a knockout mid-range jumper.

Said Golden State Warrior sharpshooter Steph Curry: “She has a textbook jumper.”

Since the age of 14, there have been Fudd comparisons to former Husky great Maya Moore.

Said her high school at St. John’s, Jonathan Schribner, where she has led the way to a pair of city championships to add to a state title her sophomore season, and to the Geico National tournament::”She’s just an amazing player, has all the skills, has been coming to my gym since her middle school days, and then I learn she’s often special off the court. For instance, her popularity stretches to bringing in cupcakes when it’s a teammates birthday, bringing back college T-shirts for coaches after making visits, and just a fine student, great to coach, and great with her teammates.”

Fudd was happy to make the awaited announcement on the first National Signing Day, the official signing for letters-of-intent.

“I’ve always had a fond liking, admiration for UCONN,” she said, “and it was extra special when Coach Auriemma showed up late in my freshmen season to watch me play. That was enough of an honor. And since I began following and playing the game, I recall about every NCAA championship that he has won, and now I can hardly wait to play there for him, his assistant coaches, and the many supporters both home and away.”

Along with Schribner, St. John’s assistant coaches have plenty to say in regard to their superstar.

“Just her completely polished skills,” said long-time assistant Judy Jackson. “Her understanding of game angles, situations, her marvelous shooting, her versatility on both ends of the court, her consistency, and she’s just a wonderful person on and off the court.”

Auriemma didn’t stop there. He has also reeled in three other excellent prospects in 5th-raided nationally 6-2 junior guard Caroline Ducharme from Milton, Mass. She has been compared to former UCONN great Katie Lou Samuelson, she can penetrate, can handle the ball, hit from outside, play tough defense, and has been All-State the last two years as a guard/forward.

Then there’s 15th-rated nationally Amari DeBerry, a 6-5 post player out of Wiltanville, N.Y.. With two 6-5 players on the current Husky roster, one a starting junior, the other a freshman, she will add size to the lineup next season.

A 30th-raided nationally 6-2 guard Sayler Poffenballer rounds out the trio. From Middletown, Md., she actually committed to UCONN as a sophomore. She has size, shooting range, and versatility on the court. She is also close friends with Bueckers, who has been named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List of point guards.

Fudd has been All-Metropolitan Player of the Year twice, was a two-time All-State player, and was Gatorade National Player of the Year her sophomore season with the Cadets. Even in middle school, Gatorade was buzzing about her.

“I know,” she said, “that the staff at UCONN will be able to help me reach my fullest potential as a player. They can get me ready for the next level.”

Right now, they are just happy to land her, just another reel-in for Auriemma, and who knows, maybe he is a fisherman.

Regardless, he will bring his team to its Big East return opener at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., on Dec. 6.

2020 UCONN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER:

Christyn Williams 5-11 guard junior

Anna Makurat 6-1 guard sophomore

Aubrey Griffin 6-1 guard sophomore

Evina Westbrook 6-0 guard redshirt junior

Olivia Nelson-Ododa 6-5 forward junior

Paige Buckers 5-11 guard freshman

Aaliyah Edwards 6-2 guard freshman

Piath Gabriel 6-5 post freshman

Mir McLean 5-11 forward freshman

Nika Muhl 5-10 guard freshman

HUSKY BLASTS FROM THE PAST:

Jenn Rizzotti

Shea Ralph

Rebecca Lobo

Nykesha Sales

Swin Cash

Diana Taurasi

Sue Bird

Maya Moore

Napheesa Collier

Gabby Williams

Morgan Tuck

Kaleema Moseqeda-Lewis

Stephanie Dotson

Bria Hartley

Moriah Jefferson

Brianna Stewart

Kia Stokes

Tina Charles

Kia Nurse

Katie Lou Samuelson

Megan Walker

Christy Dangerfield

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016