STORRS, Conn. – UConn Huskies added another goalkeeper to their roster on Friday after losing the star Big Bakers For the upcoming season for a knee injury earlier this month.
The school has announced that Ines Bettencourt, a 5-foot-9 goalkeeper from the Azores in Portugal, will join the team as a new student.
“Ines is a real starting goalkeeper,” said coach Gino Orima. “She loves distributing the ball and can shoot the ball.” “She used to play European style ball movement, ball screens, a lot of 2-player games, 3-man game. I think she’s a strong kid and a great competition. I’m glad we were able to find her.”
Bettencourt joins forward Issone Brady 6-3 and forward Ayana Patterson 6-2 in the junior category.
It will provide depth to the burly behind the beginners Nika Mallwhich is expected to begin at the point while Beckers rehabilitates a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
UConn announced on August 3 that Bueckers had sustained the injury in a minor basketball game, and an MRI confirmed his ACL rupture. It was the same knee she injured last year, causing her to miss a long time.
Bettencourt played for Clube União Sportiva in the Azores and recently led Portugal to the championship match in the FIBA European Women’s Under-18 Championship, Division B, averaging 14.4 points.
She became the fifth international player on the Husky, joining MOL, Alia Edwards (Canada), López Senchal (France) and Dorca Johas (Hungary).
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