Connecticut Huskies
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The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the
University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...
, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's football team plays at
Rentschler Field Rentschler Field was an airport in East Hartford, Connecticut in use from 1933 to 1999. Originally a military facility, later a private corporate airport, it was decommissioned in 1999, after which the football stadium of the same name was bui ...
, and the men's and women's basketball teams play on-campus at
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States, on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn). The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on-campus arena in New England. ...
and off-campus at the
XL Center The XL Center (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the quasi-public Capital Region Development ...
.


History


Nickname

The university's teams are nicknamed "
Huskies Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that mai ...
", a name adopted following a student poll in '' The Connecticut Campus'' in 1934 after the school's name changed from Connecticut Agricultural College to Connecticut State College in 1933; before then, the teams were referred to as the Aggies. Although there is a homophonic relationship between "UConn" and the
Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
, where Huskies are native, the "Huskies" nickname predates the school's 1939 name change to the University of Connecticut; the first recorded use of "UConn" (as "U-Conn", both separately and with "Huskies") was later in 1939. The university and its athletics officially rebranded to UConn in the spring of 2013. UConn's women's teams are not known as the "Lady Huskies", but simply as "UConn Huskies", the same as the men's teams.


Conference history

UConn's teams participate in the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
's Division I and in the Big East Conference for all sports except football and men's and women's
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
. UConn's football team participates in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Huskies were founding members of the original Big East Conference in 1979, which became the American Athletic Conference in 2013. In 2020, UConn joined the new Big East Conference, reuniting it with many of the schools against which it played for over three decades in the original Big East. The football team will compete as an FBS independent team. The club
alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
team competes in the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association because of a stricter limit on NCAA skiing programs.


Sports teams


Baseball

The UConn baseball team is coached by
Jim Penders James F. Penders is the coach of the UConn Huskies baseball team. Penders began his time with the Huskies in 1991 as a player on the varsity team. In his senior year, he was named a co-captain and helped to lead the Huskies to victory in the 1994 ...
and plays home games at
Elliot Ballpark Elliot Ballpark is a baseball stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It is the home field of the UConn Huskies baseball team of NCAA Division I's Big East Conference. The stadium is ...
. In 2010, the UConn baseball team set a program record for wins in a season with 48. This eclipsed the previous mark of 39. The team played as the No. 2 seed alongside No. 1
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
(
ACC ACC most often refers to: * Atlantic Coast Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference located in the US *American College of Cardiology, A US-based nonprofit medical association that bestows credentials upon cardiovascular spec ...
), No. 3
Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
(
Pac-10 The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its College football, football teams compete in the NCAA D ...
), and No. 4
Central Connecticut State Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticut ...
(
NEC is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational information technology and electronics corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as NEC. It prov ...
). The Huskies placed third in the regional with a 1–2 and played in front of 5,684 fans in their Friday opener against Oregon. The team finished the season ranked 22nd in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, 23rd in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll and 28th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. In the summer of 2010, Huskies
George Springer George Chelston Springer III (born September 19, 1989) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Houston Astros from 2014 to 2020. The Astros selected Springer i ...
and Matt Barnes were named to the Collegiate USA National Team. Also, four players were named to their respective collegiate summer league All-Star teams- John Sulzicki of the
Butler BlueSox The Butler BlueSox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Butler, Pennsylvania, in the United States. They are a member of the Tri-State Collegiate League and were formerly a member of the East Division of the summer collegiate Prospect ...
(
Prospect League The Prospect League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of college players from North America and beyond. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. So as to maintain their colleg ...
), Greg Nappo of the Haymarket Senators ( Valley Baseball League), Billy Ferriter of the North Fork Ospreys (
Hamptons Collegiate Baseball The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL) is a summer baseball organization located in The Hamptons in the U.S. state of New York. It is a seven-team league consisting of the Sag Harbor Whalers, Southampton Breakers, Westhampton Aviators ...
), and Michael Zaccardo of the Riverhead Tomcats (
Hamptons Collegiate Baseball The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL) is a summer baseball organization located in The Hamptons in the U.S. state of New York. It is a seven-team league consisting of the Sag Harbor Whalers, Southampton Breakers, Westhampton Aviators ...
). In
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, UConn baseball was ranked 1st in the Big East Conference preseason poll.
George Springer George Chelston Springer III (born September 19, 1989) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Houston Astros from 2014 to 2020. The Astros selected Springer i ...
and
Matt Barnes Matt Barnes (born March 9, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Barnes was drafted in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He ...
were named preseason Big East Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. The team advanced to the first Super Regional in program history, spoiling a potential Super Regional derby by defeating ACC powerhouse Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in winning the Clemson regional. In the Super Regional, the chances of a Palmetto Double Sweep were ended by eventual champion
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. In 2013, UConn baseball became the first 8 seed to win the Big East Tournament. UConn knocked off the 1 seed Louisville 3–2 in ten innings in the opening game, came back from a 7–0 deficit to beat South Florida 8–7, beat Rutgers 2–1 in the semifinals, and beat Notre Dame 8–1 for the championship.


Men's basketball

UConn men's basketball was once a regional power, winning 18 Yankee Conference championships between 1947 and 1975, including 12 by
Hugh Greer Hugh Greer (1902 – January 14, 1963) was the Connecticut Huskies men's basketball coach from 1946 to 1963. Biography Early life and education Born in Suffield, Connecticut, Hugh Greer went to school at Connecticut Agricultural College (CAC, now ...
. In 1979, UConn was one of the seven founding schools of the American Athletic Conference (then known as the Big East Conference), which was originally created to focus on basketball, and the last remaining school that signed the charter to remain following the 2013 split. In the early days of the Big East, UConn struggled behind national powers Georgetown and
Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...
. Prior to the 1986–87 season UConn hired Jim Calhoun to be the program's new head coach, but the Huskies difficulties continued and they finished the season with a record of 9–19, their fifth straight losing season. But in 1988, the team showed significant improvement and gained a berth in the NIT. UConn went on a run in the tournament and defeated
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
, 72–67, 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,
Nadav Henefeld Nadav Henefeld (Hebrew: נדב הנפלד; born June 19, 1968) is an Israeli former professional basketball player. During his playing career, he was a 2.00 m (6'6 ") tall Power forward (basketball), power forward. Early career Henefeld was born ...
and
Tate George Tate Claude George (born May 29, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the New Jersey Nets with the 22nd overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft from the University of Connecticut. A and guard, he played a t ...
, 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. In the NCAA Tournament the Huskies garnered a No. 1 seed in the East Region, but trailed Clemson, 70–69, with 1 second remaining in the Sweet 16.
Scott Burrell Scott David Burrell (born January 12, 1971) is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the men's basketball head coach at Southern Connecticut State University. He has played internationally and was also a professional bas ...
'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 Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
, losing in overtime, 79–78. UConn rose as a national program throughout the 1990s, winning five more Big East Regular Season and three more Big East Tournament Championships, but the Final Four still eluded Calhoun and the program until the 1999 NCAA Tournament. The Huskies were the top seed in the West region and a win over Gonzaga in the regional finals sent UConn to
Tropicana Field Tropicana Field (commonly known as the Trop) is a Multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose domed stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The stadium has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) since the ...
in Tampa Bay for the Final Four. They defeated Ohio State, 64–58, in the semi-final to face off against Duke in the final. Despite having been ranked No. 1 for half of the year, the Huskies entered the national championship game as 9-point underdogs. The game was tight throughout, and when the final buzzer sounded, UConn had defeated
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
, 77–74. The 1999 national championship would not be the last. In 2004, the Huskies returned to the Final Four in
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
. 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 Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi "Emeka" Okafor (born September 28, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Okafor attended Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas and the University of Connecticut, where in 2004 he won a national champ ...
, UConn beat Georgia Tech, 82–73, to win the championship. In 2006, UConn became the third school ever to have four players drafted in Round One of the NBA Draft, and the first school ever to have five players selected in the two-round draft. In the first round, Rudy Gay, Hilton Armstrong, Marcus Williams and Josh Boone were selected. In the second round,
Denham Brown Denham Washington Brown (born January 6, 1983) is a Canadian former professional basketball player. High school Brown attended Bathurst Heights Secondary School in Toronto, and led the school's AAA basketball team to the Ontario provincial champ ...
was selected.
Rashad Anderson Rashad Shaheed Anderson (born November 9, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Connecticut. Early life Rashad's first interest was baseball. His cousin introduced him ...
also entered the NBA draft and has played for several European, Middle Eastern and NBA-D League teams since then. In the
2009 NCAA Tournament The 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament in which 65 schools competed to determine the national champion of the men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2008–09 basketball ...
, UConn was awarded the No. 1 seed in the West. Led by
AJ Price Anthony Jordan Price (born October 7, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. He was born in Orange, New Jersey and raised in East Massapequa, New York. He is the son of former NBA player Tony Price. High school career Price a ...
, Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien, the Huskies reached the Final Four by defeating No. 16 seed
Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
in the 1st round, No. 9 seed Texas A&M in the 2nd round, No. 5 seed
Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
in the Sweet 16 and No. 3 seed
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
in the Elite Eight. This marked the third time in the program's history to reach the Final Four. In the two other occurrences, UConn also came out of the West region and won the national championship on both occasions. Connecticut returned to the NCAA tournament in 2011 after an off year. Under the leadership of
Kemba Walker Kemba Hudley Walker (born May 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Walker was picked ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 NBA draft. After gra ...
Uconn won five consecutive games in five nights to earn the Big East Tournament championship in New York City. They headed to the NCAA as a No. 3 seed, and completed one of the most improbable runs to the Championship game defeating Butler to earn their third National championship in a 53–41 defensive affair in
Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. In 2014 led by American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Shabazz Napier, UConn become the first #7 seed to win the NCAA Championship, getting past No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seed Villanova, No. 3 seed Iowa State, and No. 4 seed Michigan State, before defeating the Kentucky Wildcats, 60–54, in the championship game in
Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
.


Women's basketball

Strong alumni, student, and fan support for UConn's men's basketball teams helped the Huskies' women's basketball program attract Geno Auriemma as head coach. Under the tutelage of Auriemma, UConn has become one of the few schools that consistently competes for the national title in women's basketball. The Huskies were also part of one of the fiercest rivalries in all of women's college sports. In the rivalry between UConn and the University of Tennessee, there was no love lost between Auriemma and deceased
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
coach
Pat Summitt Patricia Susan Summitt (; June 14, 1952 – June 28, 2016) was an American women's college basketball head coach who accrued 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball history at the time of her retirement. She served as the head coac ...
. The two schools have faced each other seven times in the NCAA Tournament, and four times in the NCAA Championship Game. UConn leads 5–2 in those games including a 4–0 record in the finals. UConn leads the all-time series 13–8. Summitt ended the regular season series in the summer of 2007. It is unknown why the series was ended, but media outlets reported that Tennessee reported to the NCAA that UConn committed minor recruiting infractions with the recruitment of Maya Moore which included a tour of ESPN while Moore was a junior in high school.
Rebecca Lobo Rebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin (born October 6, 1973) is an American television basketball analyst and former women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2003. Lobo, at 6'4", played the center position f ...
, Jennifer Rizzotti,
Svetlana Abrosimova Svetlana Olegovna Abrosimova (russian: Светлана Олеговна Абросимова, born 9 July 1980) is a Russian basketball player who has played in college, the Olympics, and in professional leagues. She most recently played for th ...
,
Shea Ralph Shea Sydney Ralph (born March 12, 1978) is a former collegiate basketball player and current head coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball team. She was previously an assistant coach at UConn from 2008 to 2021. Ralph was proficien ...
, Nykesha Sales, Kelly Schumacher, Swin Cash, Kara Wolters,
Tamika Williams Tamika Williams-Jeter (born Tamika Maria Williams; April 12, 1980) is the head women's basketball coach at the University of Dayton. She was a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. High schoo ...
,
Diana Taurasi Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has w ...
, Asjha Jones,
Sue Bird Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA) Bird was drafted by the Storm first over ...
,
Ann Strother Ann Elise Strother (born December 11, 1983) is an American basketball coach, and former professional player, most recently for the Indiana Fever. Strother played at the collegiate level for the Connecticut Huskies, helping the team to two nati ...
, Barbara Turner, Jessica Moore,
Ashley Battle Ashley Battle (born May 31, 1982), is a professional basketball player. Drafted by the Seattle Storm in 2005, she played 2 games for them before being waived. She was with the New York Liberty for the 2006 through 2009 seasons. Battle played coll ...
, Ketia Swanier,
Charde Houston Charde Lakishia Houston (born April 10, 1986) is a professional basketball player in the WNBA, last played for the New York Liberty. Born in Oceanside, California, Houston played high school basketball at San Diego High from 2000 to 2004, where ...
, Tina Charles,
Kalana Greene Kalana Lanette Greene (born July 13, 1987), is an American professional women's basketball guard, who last played for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and CCC Polkowice in Poland. She played her college ...
,
Renee Montgomery Renee Danielle Montgomery (born December 2, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player, sports broadcaster and activist who is currently vice president, part-owner, and investor of the Atlanta Dream, and one of three owners of th ...
,
Maya Moore Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, who is currently on sabbatical. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the greates ...
,
Bria Hartley Bria Nicole Hartley (born September 30, 1992) is a French-American professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted seventh overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2014 WNB ...
,
Stefanie Dolson Stefanie Dolson (born January 8, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted sixth overall in the 2014 WNBA draft. Dolson played center for th ...
, Napheesa Collier, and Katie Lou Samuelson are among the women's professional basketball players or WNBA draftees who attended UConn. In 2002, UConn became the only school ever to have four women drafted among the top 10 of the first round of the
2002 WNBA Draft The 2002 WNBA draft was the first to implement a lottery that arranges the order of the first four overall picks. The lottery gave four teams with the identically worst record of 10–22 from the 2001 season an equal chance to own the first o ...
, with National Player of the Year Sue Bird drafted 1st, Swin Cash drafted 2nd, Asjha Jones drafted 4th, and Tamika Williams Raymond drafted 6th. The 5th starter on the UConn 2002 NCAA championship team was future No. 1 WNBA draft choice and future two-time National Player of the Year Diana Taurasi. A total of 11 UConn alumnae play in the WNBA in the 2010 season. In 2004, UConn became the second school ever, and the first in Division I, to win the men's NCAA National Championship and the women's basketball title in the same season and did it again in 2014. It was also the first school to ever have both teams ranked number 1 in the nation at the same time (during the 1994–95 season), and has also spent the most weeks by far with both teams holding the number one spot, with Duke being the only other team ever to achieve the feat, for a short period during the 2003–04 season. In 2008, freshman
Maya Moore Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, who is currently on sabbatical. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the greates ...
made history by being named Big East Player of the Year, the first time a freshman was so honored in either men's or women's basketball. She was named Big East Player of the Year again in 2009. UConn women entered the 2008–09 season ranked No. 1 in all national polls. They finished the season ranked as No. 1 as well, winning the national championship, finishing the season with a perfect 39–0 record, while winning every game by 10 points or more. At the end of the year, Maya Moore swept the National Player of the Year honors, receiving the Wooden, Wade and Naismith Awards, and she,
Renee Montgomery Renee Danielle Montgomery (born December 2, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player, sports broadcaster and activist who is currently vice president, part-owner, and investor of the Atlanta Dream, and one of three owners of th ...
and Tina Charles were named to various All-America teams. Coach Geno Auriemma received his record sixth recognition as the National Coach of the Year. UConn women entered the 2009–10 season ranked No. 1 in all the national polls, and remained ranked No. 1 every week for the entire season. They finished the season as the first back-to-back undefeated National Champions, beating No. 2 Stanford at the San Antonio Alamodome. UConn also set the national consecutive victory record at 78 when it won its seventh National Championship at the Alamodome. UConn women entered the 2010–11 season ranked No. 1 in all the national polls. On December 19, 2010, the UConn Huskies beat No. 10 ranked
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
at Madison Square Garden's annual
Maggie Dixon Classic The Maggie Dixon Classic is an annual early season women's college basketball tournament that was first played in 2006. The classic is played in honor of Maggie Dixon who in April 2006, just after leading the Army women's basketball team to t ...
to tie the NCAA consecutive win streak to 88 games, and on December 21, 2010 they beat No. 20 ranked
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
at the XL Center in Hartford to set a new NCAA consecutive win record at 89 games, the streak ended at 90 on December 30, 2010 with a 71–59 loss at
Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...
. UConn is not only a pipeline to both the NBA and the WNBA, but to coaching ranks throughout the sport of basketball. UConn alumnae in the coaching ranks include head coaches Jennifer Rizzotti at the
University of Hartford The University of Hartford (UHart) is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut. Its main campus extends into neighboring Hartford and Bloomfield. The university attracts students from 48 states and 43 countries. The university and it ...
,
Jamelle Elliott Jamelle Renee Elliott (born May 18, 1974) is an American women's basketball coach, formerly at the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team. Early life and high school Elliott was introduced to basketball by her cousin Adrien Elliott, who ...
at the
University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...
,
Tonya Cardoza Tonya Maria Cardoza (born April 2, 1968) is an NCAA women's basketball coach and the former head coach of the Temple University women's basketball team. She previously played basketball for the University of Virginia 1988–1991, and worked as an a ...
at
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...
,
Carla Berube Carla Berube (born September 2, 1975) is an American college basketball coach and former basketball player. She is the head coach of the Princeton Tigers women's basketball team, a position she has held since 2019. She previously spent seventeen ...
at
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...
, and
Shea Ralph Shea Sydney Ralph (born March 12, 1978) is a former collegiate basketball player and current head coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball team. She was previously an assistant coach at UConn from 2008 to 2021. Ralph was proficien ...
at
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
, and assistant coaches
Stacy Hansmeyer Stacy Camille Hansmeyer (born May 6, 1978) is a former NCAA Basketball player and a part of Connecticut's 2000 NCAA title as a senior and Oklahoma's 2002 and 2009 NCAA Final Four appearances as a coach. She was also an assistant coach for the Okl ...
at the
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, Morgan Valley at the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
and Willnett Crockett at Temple.
Mel Thomas Melanie Eileen Thomas (born August 26, 1985 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American basketball player who played for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2004–2008. High school Thomas won many awards during her high school basketball ...
is the Director of Basketball Operations at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Tamika Williams Tamika Williams-Jeter (born Tamika Maria Williams; April 12, 1980) is the head women's basketball coach at the University of Dayton. She was a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. High schoo ...
is head coach of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
's national women's team, and a former assistant coach at
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
and the
University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
. Six American female basketball players have attained the Triple Crown "plus one" — an NCAA national title, a WNBA title, a World Cup gold medal, and an Olympic gold medal. Of those six, four are UConn alumnae:
Sue Bird Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA) Bird was drafted by the Storm first over ...
, Swin Cash, Kara Wolters and
Diana Taurasi Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has w ...
.


Football

UConn football started in 1896. The program's progression lead to an undefeated season in 1924. Four players who attended UConn that year went on to play in the NFL, with one winning a world title with the
Providence Steamrollers The Providence Steamrollers were a Basketball Association of America team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of 2022, the Steamrollers were the last professional sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island. ...
in
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
. Two played for the
Hartford Blues The Hartford Blues of the National Football League played only in the 1926 NFL season, with a record of 3–7. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut but played at the East Hartford Velodrome. Hall of Famers Season-by-season Reference ...
alongside the Four Horsemen, former members of 1924 national champions, the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
. UConn football reached Division I-A status in 2000, was included in official Division I-A statistics for the first time in 2002, and became a full Big East member in 2004. UConn has been recognized as having the fastest progression out of I-AA in NCAA history, as it was invited into a BCS conference only two years after becoming a full I-A member, was bowl-eligible in its first season in I-A, and was invited to a bowl game in its first season as a conference member. The Huskies defeated the
University of Toledo The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of T ...
in the
2004 Motor City Bowl The 2004 Motor City Bowl, part of the 2004–05 NCAA football bowl games season, occurred on December 27, 2004 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Team selection The Toledo Rockets entered the game as the champions of the Mid-American Conferenc ...
by a score of 39–10, with quarterback
Dan Orlovsky Daniel John Orlovsky (born August 18, 1983) is an American football analyst for ESPN and former American football quarterback who was active for twelve seasons in the NFL. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL ...
being named Most Valuable Player. In 2003, the team was also honored for being one of only 7 schools in the U.S. to graduate 80% or better of its members; it was the only public school on the list. In 2007, the Huskies had their best year as they went 9–3, finished 7–0 at home and earned a berth in the
2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl The 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl, one of 27 non- BCS bowl games played after the 2007 NCAA football regular season, took place on Saturday, December 29, 2007, with a 1:00PM EST kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wake F ...
, where they were defeated by Wake Forest, 24–10. In 2008, the Huskies finished 7–5 and defeated Buffalo in the
2009 International Bowl The 2009 International Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Connecticut Huskies (UConn) and the Buffalo Bulls at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on January 3, 2009. The game was the final contest of the 2008 NCAA Divi ...
in Toronto. During the 2009–2010 football season,
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Jasper Howard Jasper Tyrone "Jazz" Howard (January 28, 1989 – October 18, 2009) was an American football cornerback for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2007 to 2009. He was fatally stabbed on October 18, 2009, hours after UConn's win over the Lo ...
was stabbed to death on campus after celebrating the win early that day against the
Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...
. UConn honored Jasper for the remainder of 2009 and 2010, which would have been his senior year. The Huskies would defeat SEC opponent South Carolina in the
2010 PapaJohns.com Bowl The 2010 PapaJohns.com Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Connecticut Huskies (UConn) of the Big East Conference, on January 2, 2010, at Legion ...
. The next year, Connecticut made its first major bowl by winning the Big East Conference and going to the
2011 Fiesta Bowl The 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Connecticut Huskies (UConn), co-champions of the Big East Conference, and the Oklahoma Sooners, champions of the Big 12 Conference, at University of Phoenix Stad ...
, though it struggled after the move to the AAC and became an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
school in the sport in 2019 as the school transitioned to the current Big East (which does not sponsor football) in most sports.


Men's cross country/track and field

:Head Coach: Beth Alford-Sullivan :American Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships: (1) 2014 :American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships: (1) 2015 :Penn Relays Championship of America Titles: (1) 2000 :Big East Indoor Track and Field Championships: (9) 1987, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 :Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships: (4) 1982, 2002, 2011, 2013 :Big East Relay Championships: 2 :All-Americans: 32


Women's cross country/track and field

:Head Coach: JJ Clark :Olympians: 1 (in women's bobsled) :Big East Indoor Track and Field Championships: (2) 2008, 2009 :Big East Outdoor Track and Field Championships: (1) 1995 :NCAA All-Americans: 9


Field hockey

:Playing facility: George J. Sherman Sports Complex :Head Coach: Paul Caddy :Most victories: 23 in 1999, 23 in 2017. :NCAA Tournament appearances: 26 :NCAA National Championships: (5) 1981, 1985, 2013, 2014, 2017 :NCAA Runner-Up: (2) 1982, 1983 :Final Fours: (15) 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 :Big East Regular Season Championships: (15) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 :Big East Tournament Championships: (15) 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 :All-Americans: 46 :Olympians: 2


Men's golf

:Head Coach: Dave Pezzino :NCAA appearances: (1) 1980 :Big East Championships: (1) 1994


Men's ice hockey

On June 21, 2012 Connecticut announced the program would join
Hockey East The Hockey East Association, also known as Hockey East, is a college ice hockey conference which operates entirely in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. Hockey East came into existence in 1984 for ...
as the conference's 12th member beginning in the 2014-15 season. As part of the move from Atlantic Hockey to Hockey East, the university added 18 scholarships for the men's ice hockey team and additional scholarships to existing women's sports programs to meet Title IX gender equity requirements. The university was also investigating options to build a new, larger ice arena on-campus as its then-current venue, the Freitas Ice Forum, has a seating capacity of only 2,000 and was too small for the jump up to Hockey East. Since then, UConn has used the
XL Center The XL Center (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the quasi-public Capital Region Development ...
, a former NHL venue in downtown Hartford, as its primary men's home. While the arena has a hockey capacity of 15,635, UConn has capped ticket sales at 8,089. Select home games have also been played at the
Total Mortgage Arena Total Mortgage Arena (formerly The Arena at Harbor Yard and Webster Bank Arena) is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States. It is the home venue of the New York Islanders' AHL farm team, the Bridgepor ...
in Bridgeport. The Freitas Ice Forum now hosts games only for the women's hockey team. UConn will open a new on-campus arena for the 2023–24 season. The new facility, tentatively known as the UConn Hockey Arena, is adjacent to Freitas Forum. Both the men's and women's teams will move to the new arena, which seats 2,600 and meets all NCAA Division I requirements.


Women's ice hockey

:Playing facility: Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum (through 2022–23); UConn Hockey Arena (from 2023–24) :Head Coach: Christopher MacKenzie :Most wins: 22 in 2007–08


Women's lacrosse

:Playing facility: Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at the Rizza Performance Center :Head Coach: Katie Woods :Most wins: 13 in 2013 :NCAA Tournament appearances: (2) 2013, 2021 :ECAC Championships: (1) 2006 :All-Americans: 9


Women's rowing

:Home surface: Coventry Lake :Head Coach: Jennifer Sanford


Men's soccer

In addition to its basketball success, UConn is known for its championship soccer teams. The men's team has won two NCAA national championships, in 1981 and 2000, and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America named the undefeated 1948 team the national champion. The 2000 team was known for its stellar depth on the bench including the likes of Garrett Grinsfelder, Michael Rueda, and Ryan Brown, who exuded the team's "never say die" attitude. The men's team won back to back Big East championships in (2004 and 2005). As of 2011 UConn led the nation in total attendance in eight of the preceding 12 seasons. No program can match it for having drawn better on-campus support for more than 30 years. In the early 1980s, before the NCAA kept soccer attendance records and before Morrone Stadium was downsized, the Huskies drew huge crowds. Total attendance in 1983 was 64,535—a record that held until 2010.
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
players Maurizio Rocha, Chris Gbandi,
Damani Ralph Damani Ralph (born 6 November 1980) is a Jamaican retired footballer who played as a forward. His professional career spanned five years, two with Chicago Fire S.C. (2003–2004) and three with FC Rubin Kazan (2005–2007). He also ear ...
,
Bobby Rhine Bobby Rhine (April 18, 1976 – September 5, 2011) was an American soccer player who last played for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. Rhine played college soccer at the University of Connecticut from 1994 to 1998. In 1997, he redshirted his ...
,
Julius James Julius James (born 9 July 1984) is a Trinidadian footballer. Career College James played college soccer for the University of Connecticut, and was a 2007 Hermann Trophy candidate and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalist. Professional James dra ...
,
Shavar Thomas Shavar Thomas (born 29 January 1981 in Hannah Town) is a retired Jamaican footballer and current assistant coach of FC Cincinnati 2 of MLS Next Pro. Career Amateur and college Thomas played as a youth for Hazard United in Jamaica and at The ...
, O'Brian White,
Kwame Watson-Siriboe Kwame Watson-Siriboe (born November 13, 1986), is an American retired soccer player. Career College and Amateur Watson-Siriboe attended Canyon High School and played club soccer with the Pateadores Soccer Club before playing college soccer at ...
,
Toni Ståhl Toni Ståhl (born 11 May 1985) is a Finnish footballer who last played for Carolina RailHawks in the North American Soccer League. Career Early career in Finland Ståhl attended high school at Pohjois-Haagan Yhteiskoulu, and was part of the you ...
, Cyle Larin, and
Chukwudi Chijindu Chukwudi Ibegbunaneke 'Chuck' Chijindu (born February 20, 1986) is an American professional soccer player. Career Youth A native of Fontana, California, Chijindu attended Damien High School in La Verne, California, He was a 4-year Varsity lette ...
each attended UConn.


Women's soccer

:Playing facility: Morrone Stadium :Head Coach: Len Tsantiris :Most victories: 23 in 1997 :NCAA Tournament appearances: 28 :Last NCAA appearance: 2010 :NCAA Championship Game appearances: (4) 1984, 1990, 1997, 2003 :College Cups: (7) 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2003 :All-Americans: 26 Players Awarded 44 Times :Big East Regular Season Championships: (8) 1995,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 :Big East Tournament Championships: (2) 2002, 2004 :All-Big East Selections: 81


Softball

:Playing facility: Connecticut Softball Stadium :Head Coach:
Laura Valentino Laura Valentino (born September 29, 1989) is an American softball coach, currently serving as head coach of the UConn Huskies softball team. Coaching career Duke (asst.) On June 27, 2017, Valentino was announced as assistant coach of the Duke so ...
: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: 47


Men's and women's swimming & diving

:Playing facility: Wolf-Zackin Natatorium :Head Coaches: Swimming – Chris Maiello , Diving – John Bransfield :Big East Champions: 5 :Olympians: 1


Men's tennis

:Playing facility: UConn Tennis Courts :Head Coach: Glenn Marshall :Most victories: 20 in 2000


Women's tennis

:Playing facility: UConn Tennis Courts :Head Coach: Glenn Marshall :Most victories: 14 in 2002


Women's volleyball

:Playing facility: Gampel Pavilion :Head Coach: Ellen Herman-Kimba

:Most victories: 35 in 1979 :Big East Regular Season Championships: 2 1994 & 1998


Championships


NCAA team championships

Connecticut has won 22 NCAA team national championships. *Men's (6) ** NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship#Team titles, Basketball (4): 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014 **
Soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
(2): 1981, 2000 *Women's (16) **
Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
(11): 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 **
Field Hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...
(5): 1981, 1985, 2013, 2014, 2017 *see also: ** Big East NCAA team championships ** List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships


Other national team championships

Below is one national team title that was not bestowed by the NCAA: *Men's **Soccer (1948)


Facilities

The most notable athletic facilities are: *
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Harry A. Gampel Pavilion is a 10,167-seat multi-purpose arena in Storrs, Connecticut, United States, on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn). The arena opened on January 21, 1990, and is the largest on-campus arena in New England. ...
on the Storrs campus, the regular home for both men's and women's basketball *
XL Center The XL Center (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the quasi-public Capital Region Development ...
in Hartford, the second home for both basketball teams and the primary venue of the men's hockey team until the on-campus UConn Hockey Arena opens in 2023. * Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in
East Hartford East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,045 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, directly across from Hartford, Connecticut. It is home to aerospac ...
, home to the
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team *
Joseph J. Morrone Stadium Morrone Stadium, officially known as Ray Reid Field at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium is the on-campus soccer stadium at University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. The 5,100-seat stadium was built in 1969. and has undergone many renovations si ...
on the Storrs campus, the regular home for both men's and women's soccer and lacrosse. *
Elliot Ballpark Elliot Ballpark is a baseball stadium on the campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It is the home field of the UConn Huskies baseball team of NCAA Division I's Big East Conference. The stadium is ...
on the Storrs campus, home for baseball. * Burton Family Football Complex on the Storrs campus, serves as the on-campus home of UConn football and complements Rentschler Field in East Hartford; opened in 2006 * Mark R. Shenkman Training Center on the Storrs campus, adjacent to the Burton Family Football Complex, "an training complex, featuring a 120-yard long state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface, an strength and conditioning area, and state-of-the-art video capabilities, the indoor training center provides UConn's football team with the most technologically advanced training equipment"; also serves as a home to UConn club and intramural sports


Pageantry

:Mascot: Jonathan the Husky :Outfitter: Nike :Marching band: University of Connecticut Marching Band, known as "The Pride of Connecticut" :Fight songs: "UConn Husky" and "Fight On Connecticut"


References


External links

* {{Connecticut Sports