UConn women’s basketball star Caroline Ducharme recently opened up about missing her former teammate Paige Bueckers, now a rising WNBA talent. In a heartfelt social media video, Ducharme shared her pride in Bueckers’ professional journey, highlighting a friendship forged through years of shared challenges.
Their story is a reminder of how bonds formed on the court can endure off it, even as injuries tested their time together and shaped their individual paths.
The Friendship That Shaped UConn Women’s Basketball
In a UConn Women’s Basketball social media post, Ducharme became visibly emotional while discussing Bueckers’ success at the next level. “I was teammates with Paige for four years. So, my freshman year all the way up to last year, she was a sophomore. It’s really cool to see like her at this level. I mean, we’ve been friends since high school.”
“So, to be able to see like all the success she’s having, there’s nobody more deserving. So we’re just glad like we can come. We can support her. We can watch her. So we’re so proud of her, but we miss her.”
Caroline supports all her Huskies, past & present 🫶
🎬 Full episode presented by @CoxComm pic.twitter.com/J0hrKvfA5m
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) July 3, 2025
Bueckers and Ducharme’s college careers were defined by resilience. Injuries limited their time on the court together, even though they spent four seasons as teammates. Bueckers suffered an early setback with a tibial plateau fracture in December 2021, which sidelined her for 19 games. Ducharme, who averaged 9.8 points per game as a freshman, stepped up during that period.
Bueckers missed the entire 2022-23 season after tearing her ACL during a pickup game. Meanwhile, Ducharme faced her own challenges, missing 63 games over 22 months due to multiple concussions.
The 2023-24 season brought hope, but Ducharme’s head and neck injuries limited her to just four games before she was shut down in January. Bueckers returned from ACL surgery to lead UConn in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game.
UConn’s Legacy and the Power of Team Support
Ducharme and her current teammates recently attended a Dallas Wings game against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena to support Bueckers, who now stars for the Wings. Azzi Fudd and K.K. Arnold joined Ducharme courtside, with Fudd wearing a Wings No. 5 jersey in a show of solidarity for her former teammate.
This reunion symbolized a full-circle moment for a group of players who helped UConn capture the 2025 NCAA Championship. Bueckers finished her UConn career with 2,439 points, the third most in program history. Ducharme, despite her own setbacks, contributed to the title run after a remarkable recovery from injury.
The gathering at Mohegan Sun Arena highlighted how both players overcame adversity. Bueckers has thrived in her WNBA rookie season with the Dallas Wings, while Ducharme plans to return for the 2025-26 season as a redshirt senior.
Their presence together, along with teammates like Fudd and Arnold, reflects the lasting support system within the UConn program. Ducharme’s comment that “we miss her” underscores the close relationships that endure even as players move on to new challenges.
Ultimately, the stories of Ducharme and Bueckers remind fans that success in sports is about more than wins and losses. It’s about the connections made along the way, and the support that helps players overcome obstacles on and off the court.