Caroline Ducharme’s professional career is entering its first chapter this month in Puerto Rico’s Women’s Superior Basketball League (BSNF), and so far, it has been a success.
The import player leads the offense of the defending champion Explosivas de Moca. On Tuesday, the guard scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Moca team’s third consecutive victory, an 80-65 win that ended the undefeated start of the Criollas de Caguas.
Through four games, Ducharme is averaging 18 points, leading the team in that category, along with eight rebounds per game.
The current performance of the American, a native of Milton, Massachusetts, in the local league seemed unthinkable three years ago, after a series of concussions caused by multiple blows to the head during her first two years with the University of Connecticut Huskies in NCAA Division I put her athletic career at risk.
The promising start to a career that saw her ranked No. 11 in ESPN’s recruiting class rankings, selected as a 2021 McDonald’s All-American and named to the Big East All-Freshman Team in 2022 with UConn was suddenly thrown into limbo.
Nausea, migraines, jaw pain, mood swings, slower reaction time and sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds forced her completely off the court. Even traveling by plane with the team became a nightmare because of her symptoms.
“It was one of the most difficult moments of my career,” the 23-year-old Ducharme told El Nuevo Día before the game at the Roger Mendoza Coliseum.
“I definitely didn’t know if I would return to this sport, much less in the way I’m playing right now. I think staying strong in my faith during that time and trusting that God had a plan for me, that everything was going to work out. I’m happy to be here,” she added.
Desperate to find a solution, Ducharme found an answer at Aviv Clinic in The Villages, Florida, a facility specializing in improving cognitive and physical performance through advanced hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Ducharme temporarily moved to the area with her parents and underwent intensive treatment for three months.
She spent hours inside a chamber located in a pressurized room, breathing pure oxygen through a mask in 20-minute intervals, with five-minute breaks, for two hours a day, five days a week. She also received physical therapy, cognitive therapy and psychiatric care.
She endured tedious moments during a process that required patience as she worked to regain a sense of normalcy.
“It was difficult. I was used to a lot of physical training, but not the mental exhaustion. It was a different kind of rehabilitation. It was exhausting, away from my team and friends. It was a challenge,” she shared.
“My parents have been there through everything. Even for my first game here in Moca. I wouldn’t be in this position without them,” she added.
Some 461 days later, Ducharme returned to the court with the Huskies and eventually became part of the team that won the national championship during the 2024-25 season, her final year, alongside WNBA star Paige Bueckers.
Today, she is eternally grateful for the treatment she received at Aviv Clinic.
“Going there gave me my life back. You can ask anyone close to me: I was a different person when I went in there and another person when I came out. I owe them a lot,” said Ducharme, who speaks openly about one of the most difficult episodes of her young life.
“It’s part of my story. I think I’m stronger because of it. I learned a lot about myself, basketball and life in general. It’s something I have no problem talking about and sharing,” she said.
Bueckers, a recently crowned world champion with the United States in Berlin, Germany, was one of the teammates who visited her during treatment.
“She’s always checking in on me. We talk often. I’m very grateful for her support. Everyone knows how talented she is on the court, but her greatest attribute is her friendship and support as a teammate. She visited me in Florida. She would stay with me on trips I couldn’t make. She was there for me throughout the entire process,” Ducharme said of the Dallas Wings player.
A New Home in Moca
Ducharme joined the Explosivas as a replacement import for Leigha Brown, the Most Valuable Player of last season’s championship series, who is recovering from an injury.
Given Ducharme’s strong start with the team, head coach Leonel Avilés acknowledges that, at this point, it would be difficult to part ways with the 6-foot-2 shooter.
“Right now, we have an issue with Shannon Coffee. She has been dealing with an ailment that she carried into the start of the season. We decided to deactivate her and add Caroline to our roster. She’s a player who has a lot of basketball ahead of her. She has been followed closely since she was young, with many eyes on her,” Avilés said.
“She helps us a lot in preparing the group, and we help her keep her career active. If the future means she stays with us, we’re here to support her. The plan is to retain her. It’s a good problem to have,” he added.
Regarding the Explosivas, a franchise from a small market that has enjoyed success in the BSNF with two championships over the last four seasons, Ducharme compared the community’s passion for women’s basketball to what she experienced at UConn.
“Definitely, it’s a small town, but I love all the support. The community shows up and they’re very loud, with fans asking about the games. It’s a great environment to play in. Coming from UConn, where they love women’s basketball just as much, I’m happy to go somewhere similar,” she said.
And Ducharme has faced the local competition without fear of taking hits in a league known for its physical style of play.
“It will always be in the back of my mind, but I don’t think about it much. I think I’ve done everything in my power to stay healthy. I’ve been cleared by every medical professional you can think of. I’ll always think about it, but I just let the game happen and whatever happens, happens,” she concluded.
