UConn women’s basketball unveils newcomers’ jersey numbers

In a few days, UConn women’s basketball will return to campus for summer workouts and officially welcome four new team members: Ohio State grad transfer Dorka Juhász and freshmen Amari DeBerry, Caroline Ducharme, and Azzi Fudd.

On Tuesday, the Huskies announced the jersey numbers that each player will wear for the team this upcoming season. We also included Saylor Poffenbarger in this list, who joined UConn as an early enrollee in January.

As a reminder, the NCAA only allows numbers to contain 0-5, so the pool of available numbers is limited.

Saylor Poffenbarger — No. 4

Total players to wear it: 4
Most recent: Mikayla Coombs (2017-19)
Most notable: Moriah Jefferson (2012-2016)

Poffenbarger wears No. 4 to honor her late younger brother, who died in an ATV accident at the age of four. She wore it during high school as well as with USA Basketball.

Historically for UConn, No. 4 has been a guard-heavy number, with Amy Hughes taking it first from 1994-96 before Croatia native Tihana Abrlic claimed it from 1997-99. Moriah Jefferson won four national championships in four years while wearing No. 4 while reserve guard Mikayla Coombs had it last.

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Dorka Juhász — No. 14

Total players to wear it: 7
Most recent: Evelyn Adebayo (2019-20)
Most notable: Bria Hartley (2010-14)

Somehow, the two grad transfers UConn women’s basketball has ever brought in managed to pick the same jersey number with Evelyn Adebayo holding No. 14 for the 2019-20 campaign and Juhász set to have it this year. Juhász has previously worn No. 14 for Ohio State as well as with the Hungarian national team.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Caroline Ducharme — No. 33

Total players to wear it: 8
Most recent: Katie Lou Samuelson (2015-29)
Other notable: Meghan Pattyson (1988-92), Jamelle Elliot (1992-96), Shea Ralph (1996-2001), Barbara Turner (2002-06)

Ducharme’s game has already drawn comparisons to Katie Lou Samuelson. Now, the parallels will continue with the freshmen picking Samuelson’s old No. 33. Ducharme wore No. 13 at Nobles Academy and No. 5 with her AAU team, which are currently taken by Christyn Williams and Paige Bueckers, respectively.

Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Azzi Fudd — No. 35

Total players to wear it: 3
Most recent: De’Janae Boykin (2015)
Others: Marci Czel (1997-01), Kathy Ferrier (1989-93)

Fudd sticks with her high school digits, which haven’t been worn much at UConn. It’s the only number lower than 40 — one of just eight total — that has been worn by three players or fewer.

Amari DeBerry — No. 42

Total players to wear it: 3
Most recent and most notable: Nykesha Sales (1994-98)
Others: Peggy Walsh (1982-86), Jennifer Riley (1987-88)

Speaking of numbers that haven’t been worn often, No. 42 is one of just three that haven’t been used in the 21st century. DeBerry will be the first to wear it since Nykesha Sales set to the school’s all-time scoring mark (at the time) with the digits. DeBerry also wore No. 42 in high school.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images