Connecticut Huskies
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| University of Connecticut
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| Institution | University of Connecticut |
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| Colors | National Flag Blue and White |
| Mascot | Husky |
| Fight Song | "UConn Husky" |
| Athletic Director | Jeff Hathaway |
| Football Stadium | Rentschler Field |
| Basketball Arenas | Gampel Pavilion & Hartford Civic Center |
| Soccer Field | Morrone Stadium |
| Hockey Arena | Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum |
| Baseball Field | J.O. Christian Field |
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey (Atlantic Hockey) and Women's Ice Hockey (Hockey East). The major sports at the university are football (played at Rentschler Field) and men's and women's basketball (played on-campus at Gampel Pavilion and off-campus at the Hartford Civic Center), although many of the other sports have large followings and a tradition of success.
[edit] Baseball
- Playing Facility: J.O. Christian Field
- Head Coach: Jim Penders
- Most Victories: 39 in 2006
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 15
- College World Series Appearances: 5 1957, 1959, 1965, 1972, 1979
- Last NCAA Appearance: 1994
- Big East Tournament Championships: 2 1990 & 1994
- All-Americans: 14
- Olympians: 2
- Players Drafted Or Signed: 119
[edit] Notable players
- Charles Nagy
- Walt Dropo
- Pete Walker
- Jason Grabowski
- Bob Schaefer
- Dan Iassogna
- Jim Reynolds
[edit] Men's Basketball
- Playing Facilities: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion & Hartford Civic Center
- Head Coach: Jim Calhoun
- Most Victories: 34 in 1999
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 27
- Last NCAA Appearance: 2006
- National Championships: 2 1999 & 2004
- Final Fours: 2 1999 & 2004
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 10 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Big East Tournament Championships: 6 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004
- NIT Appearances: 11
- NIT Championships: 1 1988
- All-Americans: 13
- Drafted Players: 33
- Players Currently In The NBA: 14
- Basketball Hall Of Famers: 1
[edit] History and Coaches
UConn Men's Basketball was once just a regional power, winning 18 Yankee Conference championships, struggled in the early days of the Big East, behind traditional powers Georgetown and Syracuse. Jim Calhoun was hired prior to the 1986-87 season, and the Huskies had a losing record. But in 1988, the team showed significant improvement, and made the NIT. UConn went on a run in the tournament, and defeated Ohio State at Madison Square Garden to win the NIT, the school's first national basketball title.
The 1990 "Dream Season" would bring UConn basketball to the national stage. Led by Chris Smith and Tate George, UConn went from unranked in the preseason to winning the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championships, both for the first time. 1990 also marked the opening of Gampel Pavilion, the program's new on-campus home. The Huskies garnered a #2 seed in the East Reigon, but trailed Clemson 70-69 with 1 second remaining in the Sweet 16. Scott Burrell's full-court pass found Tate George on the far baseline. George spun, fired, and hit a buzzer-beater that is known in Connecticut simply as "The Shot". They would be eliminated on a buzzer-beater 2 days later by Duke, losing in overtime 79-78.
UConn rose as a national program throughout the 1990s, but the Final Four still eluded Calhoun and the program until 1999. A win over Gonzaga sent UConn to Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay for the Final Four. They defeated Ohio State to face off against Duke in the final, where they were 9-point underdogs, despite having been ranked #1 for half of the year. The game was tight throughout, and when the final buzzer sounded, UConn had defeated Duke 77-74.
The 1999 National Championship would not be the last. In 2004, the Huskies returned to the Final Four. Once again, they faced Duke, this time in the National Semifinal, and used a late run to beat the Blue Devils 79-78. Two nights later, led by Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor, UConn beat Georgia Tech 82-73 to win the championship.
[edit] Notable players
- Emeka Okafor
- Ben Gordon
- Richard Hamilton
- Rudy Gay
- Ray Allen
- Clifford Robinson
- Donyell Marshall
- Caron Butler
- Marcus Williams
- Tate George
- Chris Smith
- Travis Knight
- Khalid El-Amin
- Josh Boone
- Wes Bialosuknia
- Kevin Ollie
- Doron Sheffer
- Charlie Villanueva
- Jake Voskuhl
- Hilton Armstrong
- Donny Marshall
- Scott Burrell
- Tony Hanson
- Joey Weldon
- Albert E. Weston
- Dom Perno
[edit] Notable Games
- February 27, 1954 - Worthy Patterson's buzzer-beater at Holy Cross gave UConn an upset of the then-powerhouse Crusaders, 78-77.
- March 14, 1964 - UConn upsets Princeton and star forward Bill Bradley 52-50 in the Sweet 16 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The victory was sealed when Dom Perno stole the ball from Bradley with 19 seconds to play. Perno would later become UConn's coach.
- February 28, 1970 - With 4 players unavailable, and a share of the Yankee Conference Regular-Season Championship on the line, UConn beats Rhode Island 35-32 at the UConn Field House, in what became known as "The Slowdown Game". Played before the shot clock-era, UConn dribbles endlessly for 38 minutes to make up for the limited roster and save energy.
- March 30, 1988 - UConn defeats Ohio State 72-67 at Madison Square Garden to win the NIT.
- January 27, 1990 - UConn beats #15 St. John's 72-58 in the first game at Gampel Pavilion.
- March 11, 1990 - UConn beats Syracuse 78-75 at Madison Square Garden to win its first Big East Tournament Championship.
- March 22, 1990 - Tate George hits "The Shot" to beat Clemson 71-70 in the 1990 Sweet 16 at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
- March 9, 1996 - With UConn trailing Georgetown, led by Allen Iverson, 74-63 with 4 minutes remaining, the Huskies close the game with 12-0 run and win the Big East Championship 75-74 on an off-balance floater from All-American Ray Allen at Madison Square Garden.
- March 29, 1999 - UConn wins its first National Championship, beating Duke 77-74 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
- April 5, 2004 - UConn wins its second National Championship, beating Georgia Tech 82-73.
[edit] Women's Basketball
- Playing Facility: Gampel Pavilion & Hartford Civic Center
- Head Coach: Geno Auriemma
- Most Victories: 39 in 2002
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 19
- Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2007
- National Championships: 5 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004
- Final Fours: 8 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 14 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007
- Big East Tournament Championships: 13 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006
- All-Americans: 10 (18 appearances)
- National Players Of The Year: 6
- Drafted Players: 17
- Players In The WNBA: 10
- Basketball Hall Of Famers: 1
- Only Woman's basketball program to have had every game in a season televised
[edit] Notable Players
- Sue Bird
- Diana Taurasi
- Svetlana Abrosimova
- Ann Strother
- Nykesha Sales
- Rebecca Lobo
- Kara Wolters
- Jennifer Rizzotti
- Shea Ralph
- Swin Cash
- Barbara Turner
- Asjha Jones
- Tamika Williams
- Kerry Bascom
- Meg Pattison
- Tina Charles
- Mel Thomas
[edit] Men's Cross Country/Track and Field
- Head Coach: Greg Roy
- Big East Indoor Track and Field Championships: 5 1987, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006
- Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships: 2 1982, 2002
- Big East Relay Championships: 2
- All-Americans: 32
[edit] Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
- Head Coach: Bill Morgan
- Olympians: 1 (In Women's Bobsled)
- Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships: 1 1995
- NCAA All-Americans: 9
[edit] Field Hockey
- Playing Facility: George J. Sherman Sports Complex
- Head Coach: Nancy Stevens
- Most Victories: 23 in 1999
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 18
- National Championships: 2 1981 & 1985
- Final Fours: 8 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1998, 1999, 2006
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 9 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Big East Tournament Championships: 9 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
- All-Americans: 46
- Olympians: 2
[edit] Football
- Playing Facility: Rentschler Field
- Head Coach: Randy Edsall
- Most Victories: 10 in 1998
- NCAA Appearances (I-AA): 1 1998
- Bowl Game Appearances: 1
- Last Bowl Game Appearance: 2004 Motor City Bowl
- First Team All-Americans: 9
- Drafted Players: 14
- Players Currently In The NFL: 3
- All-Time NFL Players: 72
[edit] History and Coaches
In the late 1990s, UConn decided to go from I-AA, where it had sporadic success, including making the 1998 I-AA playoffs, to I-A. UConn played as a I-A Independent from 1999 to 2003. During this time, the Huskies went from 2-9 to 9-3, and moved from Memorial Stadium to Rentschler Field.
In 2004, the Huskies were admitted as full football members of the Big East, and went 3-3 in conference play, en route to a 7-4 regular-season record. The school made its first-ever appearance in a bowl game, winning the 2004 Motor City Bowl over Toledo by a score of 39-10.
[edit] Notable Players
- Dan Orlovsky - currently on the Detroit Lions
- Alfred Fincher - currently on the New Orleans Saints
- Brian Kozlowski
- Nick Didio
- Nick Giaquinto - only former Husky to win a Super Bowl, as a member of the Washington Redskins team that won Super Bowl XVII
[edit] Notable Former Coaches/Assistant Coaches
- Lou Holtz
- Skip Holtz
- Kirk Ferentz - also played as a linebacker at UConn
- Norries Wilson
[edit] Men's Golf
- Head Coach: Ron Dubois
- NCAA Appearances: 1 1980
- Big East Championships: 1 1994
[edit] Men's Ice Hockey
- Playing Facility: Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum
- Head Coach: Bruce Marshall
- Most Wins at D-I: 20 in 1998-99
- Most Wins Overall: 22 in 1991-92 (UConn played in Division III for men's ice hockey only until 1998-99)
- MAAC Hockey League Championships: 1 2000 (League is now known as Atlantic Hockey)
- All-Americans: 9
[edit] Notable Players
- Beau Erickson
- Todd Krygier
[edit] Women's Ice Hockey
- Playing Facility: Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum
- Head Coach: Heather Linstad
- Most Wins: 16 in 2004-05
[edit] Women's Lacrosse
- Playing Facility: Morrone Stadium/Sherman Sports Complex
- Head Coach: Megan Cersosimo
- Most Wins: 12 in 2005
- ECAC Championships: 1 2006
- All-Americans: 2
[edit] Women's Rowing
- Home Surface: Coventry Lake
- Head Coach: Jennifer Sanford
[edit] Men's Soccer
- Playing Facility: Joseph J. Morrone Stadium
- Head Coach: Ray Ried
- Most Victories: 21 in 1980
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 26
- Last NCAA Appearance: 2006
- National Championships: 3 1948, 1981, 2000
- College Cups: 5 1981, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000
- All-Americans: 33
- National Players of the Year: 3
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 9 1985, 1987, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005
- Big East Tournament Championships: 6 1983, 1984, 1989, 1999, 2004, 2005
- MLS Draft Picks: 14
[edit] Notable Men's Soccer Players
- Damani Ralph
- Joe Morrone, Jr.
- Chris Gbandi
- Dan Donigan
- Julius James
- Bryheem Hancock
- Mpho Moloi
- Len Tsantaris
- Patrick Kania
- Max Baber
- John O'Connor
[edit] Women's Soccer
- Playing Facility: Morrone Stadium
- Head Coach: Len Tsantaris
- Most Victories: 23 in 1997
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 24
- Last NCAA Appearance: 2005
- NCAA Championship Game Appearances: 4 1984, 1990, 1997, 2003
- College Cups: 8 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2003
- All-Americans: 24
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 8 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
- Big East Tournament Championships: 2 2002, 2004
- All-Big East Selections: 59
[edit] Notable Women's Soccer Players
- Sara Whalen
- Kristen Graczyk
- Moira and Tara Buckley
- Susan Lauer
[edit] Softball
- Playing Facility: Connecticut Softball Stadium
- Head Coach: Karen Mullins
- Most Victories: 45 in 1993
- Women's College World Series Appearances: 1 1993
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 6 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
- Big East Tournament Championships: 7 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2001
- All-Americans: 7
[edit] Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving
- Playing Facility: Wolff-Zackin Natatorium
- Head Coach: Patrick Kania
- Big East Champions: 5
- Olympians: 1
[edit] Men's Tennis
- Playing Facility: UConn Tennis Courts
- Head Coach: Glenn Marshall
- Most Victories: 20 in 2000
[edit] Women's Tennis
- Playing Facility: UConn Tennis Courts
- Head Coach: Glenn Marshall
- Most Victories: 14 in 2002
[edit] Women's Volleyball
- Playing Facility: Gampel Pavilion
- Head Coach: Holly Strauss
- Most Victories: 35 in 1979
- Big East Regular Season Championships: 2 1994 & 1998
[edit] Pageantry
- Mascot: Jonathan the Husky Dog
- Marching Band: UConn Marching Band, known as "The Pride of Connecticut."
[edit] References
Categories: Cleanup from September 2006 | All pages needing cleanup | Big East Conference | College athletic programs | Sports in Connecticut | UConn Huskies men's basketball players | UConn Huskies women's basketball players | UConn Huskies football players | University of Connecticut | University and college sports clubs
