Heather Buck is in her freshman year as a Center/Forward for the UConn Huskies. She started playing basketball when she was in third grade for a recreation team but admits she wasn’t very good. “I started to watch UConn games, and kind of learned by watching their games. I really started enjoying it, and soon I was playing basketball on as many teams as I could become a member of.”

Heather was not able to play as a freshman. She had been sick, missing enough time to be granted a medical red shirt so she wouldn’t loose a year of eligibility. “I wasn’t able to play in games but I did practice with the team, saw everything that happened each practice and game, and really felt like I was a part of it so I’ve learned a lot, and can’t wait to get out on the court.”

Although she wasn’t able to play last year Heather has many good memories of the year from picking Michael Jackson theme songs as categories for practice, to going to the Arch in St. Louis during Final Four week.

Heather’s most memorable basketball experience prior to UConn, was winning her high school State Championship as a sophomore. “We had lost my freshman year in overtime so to have the feeling of disappointment losing one year, and the elation of winning the next was great.”

Looking back on her decision to come to UConn, although she didn’t realize it then, Heather believes that she knew UConn was the place for her, but was a little reluctant until she felt she would be comfortable at UConn.

The transition from high school to college has not been that difficult for Heather. “It’s nice to be close to home (Stonington, CT). My family is able to bring things to me that I might have forgotten, and I’ve been able to go home a few times.”

Final Four Bound: “I think that we’ve got to come together and really solidify the chemistry during these first couple of weeks of practice. We’ll see who steps up and fills those roles that our seniors had last year. It should be really exciting.”