Nika Muhl drops a two-word reaction to UConn guard Caroline Ducharme's return after long injury layoff

Caroline Ducharme's return to action on Saturday brought an emotional reaction from fans, teammates and the UConn coaching staff. Former Husky Nika Muhl, now in the WNBA, jumped on Instagram to express her excitement over seeing her ex-teammate back on the court.

The Seattle Storm point guard posted a two-word message on her Instagram story alongside a video of Ducharme's return — a post by @UConnWBB.

"My heart," Muhl wrote.

Screenshot via Instagram (@nika.muhl/IG)

The post showed highlights of Ducharme checking into the matchup against Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, receiving a warm welcome from the UConn players as she stepped onto the hardwood for the first time since Nov. 19, 2023.

The clip featured a voiceover of Paige Bueckers' comments on Caroline Ducharme's return, which she made in an interview with SNY after the game.

"It brings you to tears because of everything she's been through and everything she's overcome and how much work she's put into it," Bueckers said. "She's dedicated her entire life to getting back to doing what she loves … She's a great person, a great teammate, so you just get really excited for her in those moments."

Here's the video:

The 6-foot-2 guard entered the game with 2:21 remaining and UConn leading Butler 84-47 on its way to a blowout 86-47 victory. Ducharme was able to grab one rebound in the final action of the evening after Butler's Riley Makalusky missed a jumper.

Ducharme played four games at the start of last season before her season came to a premature end due to the continued impact of injuries and the need to redshirt.

Paige Bueckers shares 5-word reaction to Caroline Ducharme's comeback on Instagram

The No. 5 UConn Huskies grabbed their 16th consecutive Big East win on Saturday, defeating the Butler Bulldogs. But the major storyline was the long-awaited return of Milton, Massachusetts, native Caroline Ducharme.

UConn senior guard Paige Bueckers, while speaking with SNY, reacted to her teammate's comeback after being sidelined for 461 days and also sent a touching five-word message to Ducharme via her Instagram story.

Bueckers reshared the same video posted by @UConnWBB that Nika Muhl had added to her story, along with the caption:

"LETS GOOOOO🥹 Most deserving bestie 👌🏼," she wrote.

Bueckers' Instagram story (@paigebueckers/IG)

Despite being in Storrs for so long, Caroline Ducharme and Bueckers have only shared the court for a short period of time due to their various injury issues. Bueckers was out for half of the 2021-22 season and the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury.