UConn looks poised for another championship run this season with key players like Kaitlyn Chen, Ice Brady, and Azzi Fudd, all working under the leadership of Paige Bueckers. However, Caroline Ducharme’s presence could be the X-factor that makes their title hopes even more certain. Last year, Ducharme stepped up when UConn’s stars were sidelined, and she’s ready to do it again this season.

But who is Ducharme, and what has her basketball journey been like so far?

Caroline Ducharme, sibling bond and basketball

Growing up in Massachusetts, Caroline Ducharme’s journey to becoming a standout player for the UConn Huskies began not on the basketball court, but on the soccer field. “Growing up, I played soccer, lacrosse, volleyball. That was it,” she once recalled. Caroline, who had always been a standout athlete, had a special place for basketball in her heart. “I always liked basketball more, like even when I played all the other sports, I always played more basketball,” she added while talking about her passion for the game.

Born into a family of athletes, Ducharme would constantly be imbued with this passion, particularly her older sister Ashley Ducharme, who played basketball at the collegiate level for the Brown Bears. Ashley always had a subtle yet significant influence on Ducharme, and this was something that Caroline herself would later admit, stating, “I started getting into basketball more because my older sister, she’s two years older than me. When I was young, I just wanted to do whatever she did.”

In fact, this sibling bond was also what propelled Caroline into the sport. Around the third or fourth grade, when her sister Ashley started playing AAU basketball, Caroline tagged along and soon began playing herself. “I would just tag along and then I started doing it on my own,” she explained, reflecting on how her sisterly bond influenced her early motivation.

However, Caroline’s journey through youth basketball was not without its challenges. “I actually didn’t grow really until probably eighth grade, seventh grade. My sister was six-one from like really young and I wasn’t,” she shared. Despite not being the tallest on the court initially, she found her place, playing on the same AAU team since childhood, coached by her father.

The familiar environment nurtured her development, but she eventually felt ready for a new challenge. “I want to go higher and play against the best,” Caroline decided, leading her to join a more competitive EYBL team, “the Exodus” in New York City.

And this also nurtured her off-court popularity too, as Caroline Ducharme has also made her mark in the NIL space. According to on3.com, she is currently ranked #50 in College Women’s Basketball NIL and has also amassed an impressive following with 42,000 Instagram followers and 3,600 on Twitter. Ducharme has also secured several notable NIL deals, including partnerships with The Players Trunk and Great Clips, indicating her marketability as a rising star in college basketball.

By the time she stepped onto the UConn campus, Caroline Ducharme was already ranked as the No. 5 player in her class. In fact, she was a McDonald’s and WBCA All-American and the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021. These accolades of hers were impressive, but it was her ability to adapt and overcome obstacles that truly set her apart from her peers.

Ducharme’s heroics at UConn

As a freshman at UConn Ducharme would average 9.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season. However, her true moment of glory would come during her sophomore year when the team faced serious injury setbacks. With star players like Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd sidelined, Caroline stepped up to the challenge, averaging 15.8 points over 15 games.

While this was for sure the highlight of her season, Ducharme’s injuries have also played a significant role in challenging her game. In her junior year, she started the first four games before electing to red-shirt the season, averaging just four points per game as she worked through her recovery. In fact, she was so incredible that Mark Zanetto, an analyst who hosts the show Locked on UConn, would note, “Caroline’s ability to play on both ends of the court makes her an indispensable part of the team,” showcasing the high expectations set for her return.

And when she did return, she shook up the game. UConn head coach Geno Auriemma would admit, “She’s back just in time.” In fact, he would also go on to admit that, “Nobody wants to play more than Caroline,” Auriemma said. “It was killing her to have to sit out, especially watching what was going on, what was taking place. So she worked really, really hard to get back.”

While her neck injuries have often sidelined her, and have constantly been a source of worry for her and her team, they have surely made her resilient, and this showcases that Caroline Ducharme’s story is one of persistence and determination. However,  her head injury would probably prevent her from starting for UConn when the season opens on November 4 against Fort Hays State.

The players will always hold on to the hope that “clutch” Caroline will come through whenever UConn needs her the most. As she continues to grow and evolve as a player, there’s no telling what heights Caroline Ducharme will reach next.