Huskies guard Caroline Doty missed the 2010-11 season after injuring the ACL in her left knee last August. We wrote Tuesday that she can finally play basketball beyond the 2-on-2 half-court restrictions she had faced in the months since beginning her rehab. Starting in July, she'll resume full-court workouts in preparation for another Huskies national title run.
On Thursday, Doty had a setback. According to the Hartford Courant's John Altavilla, Doty sprained her left knee during 2-on-2 workouts.
"Caroline Doty is making progress back from her third ACL injury. She had normal biomechanical testing and good strength," said Dr. Tom Trojan, UConn's team physician. "She stepped wrong playing half-court basketball and sprained her knee. An MRI showed all ligaments are intact."
Doctors had originally targeted July 1 as the day Doty could finally resume full-court training with her teammates after nearly a year of rehab. That date is now uncertain.
"We are being extra cautious and slowing her progression back," Trojan said. "We do not have a defined timetable for her return to full unsupervised activity, but our goal of having her ready to play for the start of the 2011-12 season remains unchanged."
The latest injury also puts into question Doty's availability to travel with the Huskies to Europe to take part in a series of exhibition games in Italy and Greece. The trip is scheduled for mid-August.
While Doty is familiar with playing big-time college basketball, the European exhibition games would serve as a training camp of sorts. Coach Geno Auriemma alluded to it earlier this week.
"When Sue Bird came over to Europe with us in 1999, she had missed the majority of her freshman season [with an ACL injury]," he said. "Her first time playing seriously was that summer and it took her a little bit to get herself to trust the knee. Once she did, she took off. The hope is the same thing happens with Caroline. The atmosphere is non-threatening, no pressure. You just play a little and get your timing and feel back."
Doty told the Courant last week that "I'm not even putting the thought in my mind. I'm just focusing on next week and looking forward to playing in Europe."
Although that now has to be reevaluated. As for her long-term plans, Doty says she'll return for a fifth season on medical redshirt in 2012-13. "I love the game too much to leave," she said. "If there is an opportunity to keep playing for coach, I will want to stay as long as they'll let me."
First up: getting healthy for the 2011-12.
