The last time Caroline Doty stepped onto the court for an official game, she was helping UConn win the program's seventh national championship back in April of 2010.

Two knee surgeries and a sprained ankle later, Doty is set to suit up for the Huskies again. Doty will start at point guard when UConn hosts Holy Cross in Sunday's season opener.

For the redshirt junior from Doylestown, Pa., dealing with the grueling rehab sessions has not been the only painful part of the process. She has also heard plenty from naysayers that wonder aloud why she continues to put herself through all of this considering the number of physical setbacks she has had to deal with.

"People were saying why don't you give up after three ACL injuries, you killed your ankle, why don't you stop, why do you keep doing it?" Doty said. "Just to prove that no matter what happens, if you work your (butt) off and keep coming day in and day out, your dream is going to come true and you are going to do whatever you want to do with it.

"I came here to play basketball so why would I quit when I have done so much for so long. It's not just for four years but as a kid and in high school when I gave up my weekends to work hard. You just can't give up when you get hit a few times unless the doctor says that 'listen, you will not be able to play because if you do your leg will fall off and you will die. All right (quitting) would be the smart thing to do to not play so if there is not a good, solid reason to say 'you should really back up and not play, you should be smart about it."

Since that is not the case, Doty will draw the starting assignment and figures to receive a thunderous ovation from the fans at Gampel Pavilion tomorrow afternoon.

Her teammates are just as fired up to have Doty back and hoping her days of being sidelined with injuries are over.

"It's been a while," UConn junior Kelly Faris said. "It is definitely a help to have her out there. It helps to have somebody who knows the plays, they know where to direct other people.

"I honestly have said over and over, I don't know how she has done it because the second I have to sit out for a day, I am like 'oh my gosh, get me out of here.' More power to her because I don't know how she has done it but better than anybody I know could have handled it."
Speaking of fans, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said he is opposed to the proposed raising of ticket prices to UConn basketball games.

"I really believe that in this time, where we are right now, given the current circumstances (for) me personally, I would hate to see that happen, I really would," Auriemma said. "We are in the business right now of trying to actively (recruit) more fans. I don't know if that is going to lead us to that goal. If we sold out every single game, if there was a waiting list, a line from here to Willimantic then maybe you could make a case and say 'wow, we'll be able to do this' but that is not the case right now. I don't know if anybody is going to ask me my opinion but that is my opinion. You know the e-mails you guys are going to get 'it is to pay your (Auriemma's) salary, that is why the prices are so high. They should look at the coaches' salaries.' I am all for that. If somebody came back and said 'hey, look we just did a study and what you are getting paid, the university is not going to do that any more so you either accept it or go work somewhere else.' I'm OK with that."