The decision was not a difficult one for UConn freshman Heather Buck. She has missed the first 11 games this season and she continues to lag well behind her teammates from a conditioning standpoint after battling mononucleosis.
Huskies coach Geno Auriemma provided Buck, a 6-foot-3 post player from Stonington, with the option of redshirting this season. Following practice today at Gampel Pavilion, she announced that she will indeed sit out. Buck will retain four years of eligibility.
“It’s only good for me,’’ Buck said. “Yeah, you want to come in and play. But it’s not like I’m losing a year entirely. I’m still getting four years to play. And it’ll be higher quality of play hopefully. That’s the whole idea. So it’ll be a better four years.’’
Buck, who has no physical restrictions at this point, is the first UConn player to redshirt without being injured since Jessica Moore in 2000-01. Buck began suffering from a scratchy throat Nov. 3 and UConn publicly announced that she had contracted mononucleosis Nov. 14.
Buck returned to practice for the first time Dec. 2. Auriemma first talked to her about the possibility of red-shirting in the days surrounding her return to practice. He also spoke to Buck’s parents.
“The overriding issue is what’s going to be in Heather’s best interest, and I think not playing this year is going to be in her best interest,’’ Auriemma said. “She can be in the weight room more often than our guys can. She can do some workouts more often than our guys can. And I think down the road it’s going to make her a better basketball player.’’
According to the UConn compliance department, a student/athlete is eligible to red-shirt if their injury or illness occurs in the first half of the season or if they do not appear in 30 percent of the team’s regular season games. But if they appear in any of the games in the second half of the regular season their eligibility would be forfeited.
UConn will play Game 16 in its 30-game schedule Jan. 13 against DePaul.
Buck would still be available in the case of an injury to fellow post players Tina Charles and Kaili McLaren. But, in the event that something of this nature does occur, Auriemma said he would not use Buck.
Buck will use the rest of the year trying to completely grasp the system, polishing her shot, working out in the weight room and becoming the best practice she possibly can.
“Right now it’s just about picking everything up and learning and being a part of the team that everybody can count on,’’ Buck said. “I’m not there yet. I don’t think that they really expect freshmen to be counted on all the time, but I’d like to be more reliable than I am.’’
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