Paw Prints

With there being no Red Sox game today, let’s turn our attention to the UCONN Huskies.

Put this one in the Geno Auriemma pissing off Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt file.

According to the Journal-Inquirer, the nation’s #1 high school women’s basketball recruit, Elena Delle Donne, has given the Huskies an oral commitment to play basketball at UCONN in 2008. She is the 4th recruit to give an oral commitment to the Huskies. And yes that is smoke coming from Knoxville this morning. This would also be the third year in a row that Geno Auriemma has landed the nation’s top recruit (Tina Charles-2006, Maya Moore-2007, Elena Delle Donne-2008).

“Looking back, as her father, as recently as Saturday night I didn’t know where she was going to school,” Ernie Delle Donne said today. “The entire process was gratifying and as much of an honor as can be bestowed on you. Elena feels grateful for the attention she’s received from living legends such as Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt as well as the other coaches.

“The ultimate decision came to the connection she felt with the UConn players, the proximity to home, the chance to play in the area in the Big East, and the UConn coaching staff with a Hall of Famer in Geno as well as Chris Dailey. Every school on her list had something outstanding unique to itself. That made it difficult. It was like choosing between a banana split and a hot fudge sundae. Any way you go you’ve made a great selection.”

Happy belated birthday wishes go out to UCONN women’s basketball player Mel Thomas who celebrated her 22nd birthday yesterday. Also early birthday wishes to Brittany Hunter who will celebrate her 22nd birthday on Thursday August 30th.

UCONN’s game this Saturday against the Duke Blue Devils is not on television. But don’t fret Husky football diehards. For the low price of $4.99, you can watch the game online via ACC Select.

UCONN’s football game with Pittsburgh at Heintz Field will kickoff at 7 PM. The time was announced by the University of Pittsburgh today.

Former UCONN Huskies men’s basketball players Ray Allen and Donny Marshall won the Ahmad Rashad Celebrity Golf Classic on Sunday afternoon. The tournament was held at the Mohegan Sun Country Club at Pautipaug in Sprague, CT. The duo won the tournament by 4 strokes over former UCONN Husky Scott Burrell and actor Alfonso Ribeiro, otherwise known as Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince from Bel Air. Michael Jordan was in attendance at the event. He had promised to sign autographs after his round of golf but got into his limo after playing and didn’t sign anything.