While many would have quit after the first one or two concussions, Caroline Ducharme pushed through and kept chasing her dream.
She found the right treatment and not only returned to the court to finish her UConn women’s basketball career healthy, but can now say she’s a professional women’s basketball player.
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Ducharme made her official professional debut this weekend for Explosivas de Moca in Puerto Rico. The former Husky showcased the skill set that not only got her to Storrs, but also helped the Huskies win clutch games, including the 2025 national championship.
“Bringing a player with the winning mentality and caliber of Caroline Ducharme is a luxury for our organization,” Jaime Babilonia, the representative of the Explosivas, said in a release.. “She comes from the cradle of women’s basketball with UConn. She knows what the pressure of playing to win championships requires and is ready to demonstrate her talent in her professional debut with the Explosivas.”
The Milton, Mass. native was the No. 5-ranked recruit in the Class of 2021 and a two-time Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year when she joined the Huskies. She had the length and elite shooting ability to provide a boost on the wing while also the stability to hang in the frontcourt when needed. Her last-second driving layup secured UConn’s win at DePaul on Jan. 26, 2022, as she earned All-Big East Second Team and All-Big East Freshman Team honors during her debut year.
However, concussions and severe concussion symptoms limited her next three years in college. Ducharme missed four games during freshman year with a concussion and even more during her sophomore year due to ongoing symptoms. Hits to the head during UConn’s 2023 summer European exhibition games, along with a bad case of turbulence on the team’s flight to the Cayman Islands that November, delayed her recovery even more. Ducharme sat out all but four games during her true junior year in 2023-24 to focus on recovering.
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She returned to the court at the end of February in 2025 after undergoing intense treatment in Florida. Ducharme played nine games throughout the Huskies’ 2025 championship run, including appearing in both the Final Four and National Championship games. Last year, during her fifth and final season in Storrs, Ducharme was briefly sidelined with a shoulder injury but played the majority of the season healthy. She averaged 1.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 7.2 minutes across 25 games.
Ducharme went undrafted during the 2026 WNBA Draft, but later signed a training camp contract with the Golden State Valkyries. The guard spent nine days in camp with Golden State, including recording three points, one assist and one rebound in seven minutes against Seattle in the team’s lone preseason game, before getting waived.
Since getting cut, Ducharme has been seen spending time in local gyms and working out to keep in shape.
According to a release, the guard signed with Explosivas de Moca on Sept. 8 and arrived in Puerto Rico on Sept. 10. The Explosivas, the reigning champs of the Women’s National Superior Basketball League (BSNF), lost their season-opener, 70-45, to Ganaderas on Saturday, Sept. 12. Ducharme started the game and finished with four points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals in 28 minutes.
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The BSNF season runs through September, with playoffs following the conclusion of the regular season. Explosivas de Moca’s next game is Sept. 18 against Monarchs of Juana Diaz
This article originally published at Former UConn women’s basketball guard Caroline Ducharme makes pro debut in Puerto Rico.
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