Caroline Doty is just more than a year removed from undergoing surgery on a torn ACL in her left knee for the second time. She is still being held out of portions of practice at times as a precaution. And she has been experienced some swelling in her knee of late.
But following practice today at Gampel Pavilion, Doty took a few minutes to set the record straight concerning her problematic knee.
“It feels great,’’ Doty said. “I realize I have a new body with the whole recovery thing so it’s going to swell and act up here and there. It’s nothing serious. The screws are definitely irritating it a little bit and the swelling that comes along with it. People hear swelling and they think, `She’s definitely going to be out.’ But the swelling is just a natural thing. Such a bad trauma happened to it last year that it’s natural it’s going to swell and act up. As long as I ice it and take care of it, it feels fine. Playing on it, I don’t even feel it or think about it at all. It’s just the aftereffects.’’
Doty played at least 30 minutes in three straight games – at Marquette Jan. 13, vs. Notre Dame 16 and at Duke Jan. 18 – for the first time this season before playing 28 minutes at Villanova last Saturday and just 15 against Rutgers Tuesday. Bothered by the screws in her knee, she contemplated having surgery during the semester break before changing her mind because she did not want to miss any practice time.
At this point further surgery is not an option Doty is entertaining.
“Right now it’s not even in my mind,’’ Doty said. “I’m not even thinking about it because it feels fine. If it’s an option in the future and it’s irritating me then maybe.’’
There has been some question whether or not All-American Maya Moore will be eligible to play for Team USA when it squares off against team of WNBA All-Stars at the Mohegan Sun Casino July 10. UConn coach/Team USA coach Geno Auriemma put those questions to rest by saying that he could select her to compete.
“She’s part of the National Team, and we’re a separate entity,’’ Auriemma said. “She’s not representing the WNBA. She’s representing the USA National Team.’’
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