October 28, 2022
Injuries continue to disrupt Huskies’ roster heading into 2022-23 season
By Tee Baker
UConn freshman Ice Brady will miss season due to injury
Injury woes have struck again in Storrs. Freshman forward Ice Brady will miss the 2022-23 season with a dislocated patella in her right knee, UConn announced on Wednesday. According to the university’s statement, the injury occurred during practice on Oct. 21, and Brady underwent surgery on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
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“Anytime any player has an injury, it’s so heartbreaking because they put so much time and effort into being the best player they can be,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said in the statement. “When that’s taken away — regardless of how long they’re out — to not be able to play is unfortunate. Ice has made so much progress since she’s been here and I’m really confident that when she does come back, she’s going to be better and more impactful than she already has been.”
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The Next‘s Lucas Seehafer, Doctor of Physical Therapy, analyzed the potential implications of the Brady’s injury and her return-to-play timetable:
“The patella, also known as the knee cap, is held in place by a number of structures. The three most likely to be involved with a severe dislocation such as the one suffered by Brady are the quadriceps tendon, the patellar tendon, and the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL). Significant damage to any of the three would require surgery to address and result in Brady missing the entire season. Unless more information is provided, it’s impossible to know which, or any, of the three was operated on.
In general, return-to-play rates following surgery to any of the structures is high. Athletes usually return to action within 6-7 months following MPFL reconstruction, whereas patellar and quadriceps typically required 6-12 months.
It’s a disappointing situation for UConn, who is already down [Paige] Bueckers, and for Brady, but, in the long run, she should be able to return to a high level of play. Successful surgery and proper rehabilitation can also decrease the odds of the injury happening again.”
Lucas Seehafer, The Next
Brady’s injury is the second season-ending injury sustained by a member of UConn’s roster. Paige Bueckers tore her ACL during a pick-up game this summer, and will also miss the upcoming season. These injuries follow a long string of injuries dating back to last season, during which UConn’s roster was constantly in flux. Sophomore guard Azzi Fudd, who is expected to play big minutes for the Huskies, continues to manage a foot injury that will hopefully not land her on the injured list.
UConn now has 10 active players on its roster. Uncertainties remain about how impactful freshman Ayanna Patterson will be as she adjusts to the college game, what UConn’s guard rotation will look like without Bueckers and how players returning from injury like Aubrey Griffin will fit into the roster. The Connecticut coaching staff will also need to manage playing time carefully because of the limited depth of their bench.
The Huskies tip off their season against Northeastern on Nov. 10. UConn begins BIG EAST play on Dec. 2 against Providence.
Written by Tee Baker
Tee has been a contributor to The Next since March Madness 2021 and is currently a contributing editor, BIG EAST beat reporter and curator of historical deep dives.
