Maybe Paige Wasn't #1 Influencer

[RockyMTblue2]

This morning before my coffee I read an article which stated there were two people who influenced Azzi to pick UConn, a graduate of her HS who is UConn's student manager and her good friend Caroline Ducharme! For now I can't give you the article; its lost in my caffeinless haze. I guess the short answer is Paige's influence is taken as a given. After all Azzi and her parents were a few miles from Storrs, brringing birthday cheer to Paige, when Azzi announced her decision from the back seat. Still, student manager, now there is a source for you.

If you know the article please drop it in here.

 

[Dove]

This morning before my coffee I read an article which stated there were two people who influenced Azzi to pick UConn, a graduate of her HS who is UConn's student manager and her good friend Caroline Ducharme! For now I can't give you the article; its lost in my caffeinless haze. I guess the short answer is Paige's influence is taken as a given. After all Azzi and her parents were a few miles from Storrs, brringing birthday cheer to Paige, when Azzi announced her decision from the back seat. Still, student manager, now there is a source for you.

If you know the article please drop it in here.

I thought she announced from a gymnasium.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ah @Dove, announced to her parents (about a month ago).

Found the article:

"Azzi’s had two strong friendships that also influenced her choice: One with UConn commit Caroline Ducharme from Massachusetts and the current manager for the UConn women’s team, Colleen Koch, who also attended St. John’s. "

No. 1 Recruit Azzi Fudd Chooses UConn

Final choice came down to UCLA or the perennial powerhouse

herhoopstats.substack.com

 

[warbler1055]

You my friend had too much coffee and not enough sleep. Paige is the one recruiter who was very influential but not the only one obviously. Azzi parents like to see her play close to home. Her grandmother had some influence. But it seemed Azzi came to her decision on her own. Forgive me, I too had too much coffee this morning.

 

[Millenial23]

I thought she announced from a gymnasium.

She announced publicly from a gymnasium but made the decision in her parents car on her way to UConn for Paige's birthday.

 

[Waquoit]

I caught a bit of her podcast on another thread. Ducharme has a ton of poise already, I can see how her words might carry some weight.

 

[eebmg]

It is nice to have a close friend in her class but I think the biggest influence has to be Paige and more to the point, her positive reports of UConn and her relationship with Geno. I really think some may view him in such awe that players may be scared off a bit but clearly, Paige has demonstrated that Geno has a warm, funny human and approachable side while still pushing her super hard.

 

[jabstep]

This is great for UCONN. We will now have 4 to 5 great shooters next year. We will have great passing guards and some great size in the middle finally. We will have great athletic talent. Look out WCBB Geno and the Huskies are back!!!!!!

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm simply not accepting the thought that Paige is not #1 at anything, and I don't expect that she would either.

 

[Carnac]

"Azzi’s had two strong friendships that also influenced her choice: One with UConn commit Caroline Ducharme from Massachusetts and the current manager for the UConn women’s team, Colleen Koch, who also attended St. John’s. UConn, though, was not an automatic choice. Azzi considered not only UCLA, but also Louisville and Maryland. “It was definitely not UConn all the way,” said Katie Fudd, Azzi’s mom. “It was back and forth.”"

Yesterday, I extended kudos to Paige for her relentless pursuit of Azzi over the last 18 months. Today I extend those same kudos to Caroline Ducharme and Colleen Koch. Thank you Colleen and Caroline for whatever you did or said to Azzi to tip the scales in our favor, and help her realize that UConn is the best place for her to be at this point in her athletic and academic pursuits. UConn Nation will be forever grateful.

 

[Watchdog]

I thought she announced from a gymnasium.

They have a really big mini-van....................

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tim said that Paige backed off pushing Azzi and gave her space to make up her own mind. Of course, Azzi knew she could bounce thoughts off of Paige anytime she wanted.

In terms of student managers, they are getting a lot of press:

--Colleen Koch helped make Azzi comfortable with UConn.

--The new OKC Thunder Head Coach is Mark Daigneault, who was a student manager at UConn under Jim Calhoun.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It would be very interesting to have Azzi describe the "back and forth" of her decision making process. As UConn devotees and Geno accolytes we struggle to figure out the pluses of other schools. This is particularly so as the UConn WNBA pipeline becomes clearer and clearer.

 

[hoopsfan22]

I think Paige played a big role in getting Azzi here. You heard her the other day say how much she had done to get Azzi here or something to that effect.

 

[eebmg]

My conjecture about UCLA is that Azzi probably found it appealing to follow in Ionescu's footsteps of taking a program (in the Best Conference) from good to great and do it in the current Basketball capital of the world (Sparks not withstanding). Add in Kobe and the West Coast connections to Curry etc. And UCLA does have some reasonable success getting players to the next level

I am more curious why MD and Louisville seemed to fallout of the competition and whether Azzi has to return all her MD gear ??

 

[hoophuskee]

I read that it was all 3. Not one above another. A comment I read that she said was the chance to go to a school with all 3 - that was something she could not pass up.

My take was that one person might not influence- but THREE is too much to pass up, and her friendship with Paige is well known - so there was also a special shoutout made to her two other great friends.

 

[hoophuskee]

I am more curious why MD and Louisville seemed to fallout of the competition and whether Azzi has to return all her MD gear ??

I doubt you are ever going to hear that. Instead you will hear the positives of why she chose UCONN - not snipe at anything negative.

 

[eebmg]

I doubt you are ever going to hear that. Instead you will hear the positives of why she chose UCONN - not snipe at anything negative.

That's ok. My theories are probably more entertaining.