COVENTRY — The UConn women’s basketball team visited three different European countries on its foreign trip in August.
The Huskies toured Nika Mühl’s home country of Croatia and head coach Geno Auriemma’s home country of Italy. There was fresh, homemade pasta, pizza and sweet, mouthwatering treats every day.
Yet, Paige Bueckers’ favorite meal of the whole trip was a hamburger that she had in Slovenia.
“It was the best burger I ever had in my life,” she said smiling, knowing how silly it sounded.
The Huskies are about two weeks out from starting official practices for the 2023-24 season (UConn opens the season on Nov. 8 against Dayton) and have returned from Europe a closer-knit team.
Not only did the Huskies get to experience Mühl’s background and tour four different major European cities, but they also played four exhibition games while overseas to learn how to play with all their new pieces.
“Europe was incredible,” junior Azzi Fudd said Sunday following her kids’ basketball camp at Coventry High School. “We learned a lot about each other just quickly just from four games together. We learned what some people like to do and so I think it’s just building on that and getting used to that and building off that when we play (games).”
UConn started its 10-day tour in Mühl’s hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. They tried local Croatian food and toured where the Husky’s point guard grew up. The Huskies beat the Croatian All-Stars 113-37.
“It was amazing. Just a once-in-a-lifetime experience, being to be there (Europe) with them, seeing Nika’s hometown,” Bueckers said of the trip. “… Having (Croatian) food, trying her food, seeing the town and the streets that she grew up walking in and just her showing us around, showing us where she was when she was younger, and then obviously seeing her family was all just awesome.”
Next came a stop in Slovenia. The team toured the city of Ljubljana and zip-lined over Lake Bled. This is also where Bueckers claims she ate the burger.
“It was the ‘Jack Ryan’ burger, I’m gonna go back to Slovenia just for that burger,” Bueckers said. “It had some special sauce, I don’t know. It tasted so good. It’s a memorable burger I’ll just say that.”
The Huskies ended the tour in Italy where they spent time in both Bologna and Venice. While Auriemma was born in Montella, Italy (the Auriemma family moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania when he was 7), Bueckers said it was fun to see him relaxed in his home country.
“We said it so many times like he just looked like he was at home like he was in his element just super laid back,” Bueckers said. “I mean, obviously he was at home so he felt at home but seeing him in that culture and in that setting was really cool to see.”
Since getting back the team has started fall academic classes and gone through a couple of team workouts before starting official practice in a couple weeks.
“It’s just like a tease because the team workouts have been so much fun just with the new group, getting back from Europe and getting to see what went well, what didn’t and what we need to work on and having those practice players again to beat up on,” Fudd said. “I’m really excited to officially start things up.”
The Huskies brought in three new freshmen during the summer (KK Arnold, Ashlynn Shade and Qadence Samuels) while redshirt freshman Ice Brady (who missed her freshman season last year because of a knee injury) will be making her collegiate debut this fall.
And perhaps the biggest comeback UConn fans are excited for is the return of Bueckers, who missed all last season with an ACL injury.
“(I’m) very excited,” Bueckers said. “I’ve been practicing for a while now and to finally see games in the near future is really exciting. I’m just excited to be back on the court with my girls.”
Source : CT Insider
