Spring Break
McCormack says farewell to Huskies, heads to New Zealand
Mike Northup
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Sports
Jessica McCormack never got a chance to step on the court for the UConn women's basketball team this season, sitting out the year after transferring from the University of Washington per NCAA rules. Now she likely never will, as coach Geno Auriemma confirmed that the 6-foot-5 center and New Zealand native will be leaving UConn, according to reports from the Hartford Courant on Tuesday.
"She called me last week and said it wasn't going to work out for her," Auriemma told reporters after the team was honored at the White House for winning the National Championship this year.
McCormack, who became the youngest player for New Zealand's national basketball team, was held from practice all season because of a lingering Achilles tendon injury sustained during the in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
McCormack told Auriemma that she wouldn't be able to play basketball for a while because of the injuries, which she received surgery on two months ago in New Zealand, according to the Courant. She plans to focus on studying communications at the Auckland University of Technology and play a game called netball, the Courant reported.
Had she returned, McCormack would have been eligible to play for the Huskies this fall, joining a frontcourt that includes returnees Heather Buck, who also redshirted in 2008-09, Tina Charles and Kaili McLaren.
"We'll be all right," Auriemma said. "I've never been one to focus on what we don't have. I don't worry about it. My focus is who is in the gym, and how can we win with who we have."
"She called me last week and said it wasn't going to work out for her," Auriemma told reporters after the team was honored at the White House for winning the National Championship this year.
McCormack, who became the youngest player for New Zealand's national basketball team, was held from practice all season because of a lingering Achilles tendon injury sustained during the in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
McCormack told Auriemma that she wouldn't be able to play basketball for a while because of the injuries, which she received surgery on two months ago in New Zealand, according to the Courant. She plans to focus on studying communications at the Auckland University of Technology and play a game called netball, the Courant reported.
Had she returned, McCormack would have been eligible to play for the Huskies this fall, joining a frontcourt that includes returnees Heather Buck, who also redshirted in 2008-09, Tina Charles and Kaili McLaren.
"We'll be all right," Auriemma said. "I've never been one to focus on what we don't have. I don't worry about it. My focus is who is in the gym, and how can we win with who we have."
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