ST. LOUIS – University of Connecticut senior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) has been named a First Team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association, as announced by the organization Wednesday.

Napier, who was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year earlier today, led the Huskies in points (17.8), rebounds (6.0), assists (5.2) and steals (1.8) this season, becoming the only UConn player to ever lead in each of those categories throughout a regular season. His 19.3 points per game in American Athletic Conference play were the second-highest mark among all players, and he earned Conference Player of the Week Honors five times throughout UConn's 2013-14 campaign.

His efforts propelled Connecticut to a 24-7 regular season record, which included two wins over the nationally ranked Memphis Tigers, who the Huskies face in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship Thursday night. Napier poured in a career-high 34 points on 10-of-21 shooting in UConn’s 86-81 overtime victory over Memphis on Feb. 15.

Arizona guard Nick Johnson, Duke forward Jabari Parker, Louisville guard Russ Smith and Creighton forward Doug McDermott rounded out the remaining spots on USBWA’s All-America First Team. McDermott led the nation in scoring, averaging 26.5 points a game, while Smith was named to the All-Conference First Team along with Napier.   

Napier has also been named as a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, Senior CLASS Award and the John Wooden Award. No. 21 Connecticut’s game against No. 19 Memphis is set for a 9 p.m. tipoff and it can be seen on ESPNU and heard on the UConn IMG Radio Network.

2013-14 USBWA Men's All-America Team

First Team
Nick Johnson, G, Arizona
Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
Shabazz Napier, G, UConn
Jabari Parker, F, Duke
Russ Smith, G, Louisville

Second Team
Cleanthony Early, F, Wichita State
Melvin Ejim, F, Iowa State
C.J. Fair, F, Syracuse
Sean Kilpatrick, G, Cincinnati
Andrew Wiggins, G, Kansas

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (March 12, 2014) — After an outstanding season in which he led UConn to 12 conference victories, senior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) was named Wednesday as the American Athletic Conference 2014 Player of the Year.

Napier, who was recognized Tuesday as a unanimous selection to the All-Conference first team, was given the Player of the Year award by Commissioner Mike Aresco at the American Athletic Conference awards luncheon, the kickoff to the four-day American 2014 Championship, held at the FedExForum. The awards are decided by a vote of the league's 10 head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

Napier is the first UConn player since Hasheem Thabeet in 2008-09 to be named a conference Player of the Year. It marks the eighth time UConn has had a Player of the Year, all previously in the Big East Conference — Donyell Marshall (1993-94), Ray Allen (1995-96), Richard Hamilton (1997-98), Hamilton again (1998-99), Caron Butler (2001-02),  Emeka Okafor (2003-04), Thabeet, and Napier.   

In a conference loaded with nationally-acclaimed guards, no American Athletic Conference player has been more valuable to his team this season than Napier, who leads the 24-7 Huskies in scoring (17.8), rebounding (6.0), assists (5.2), steals (1.8) and minutes played (34.8). 

In conference games, the 6-1 standout finished the regular season ranked second in the league in scoring (19.3), third in assists (4.7), second in free throw percentage (.901), fifth in steals (1.8), fifth in three-pointers made (2.3), fifth in defensive rebounds (4.8), fourth in minutes played (35.1), 14^th in three-point shooting percentage (.360), and 13^th in overall rebounding (5.7).

Napier was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week five times and to the conference's weekly Honor Roll nine times. He recorded six doubles-doubles this season, including the second triple-double of his career on Nov. 11 against Yale. He has had 10 games of 20 points or more, two of at least 30 points, and has led the Huskies in scoring 18 times.

Napier — already named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association District I Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and a USBWA first-team All-American — is on the final watch list of nearly every major national award, including the John Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Senior CLASS Award, and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.

Cincinnati, which went 15-3 in conference play to earn a share of the first American Athletic Conference regular season-season championship, won three individual awards Wednesday. Head coach Mick Cronin was named the American Coach of the Year, while forward Justin Jackson was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Guard Sean Kilpatrick, who led the conference in points per game (22.2), was awarded the Sportsmanship Award.

Memphis also won multiple awards, as forward Austin Nichols earned Rookie of the Year honors and guard Michael Dixon Jr. was named the Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 13.3 points off the bench in all 18 conference games. Louisville forward Montezl Harris was tabbed the Most Improved Player and Temple forward Jimmy McDonnell was named the Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the conference’s academics affairs committee.

Napier and the Huskies, seeded No. 4 in the tournament, will begin play in The American 2014 Championship with a quarterfinal game on Thursday night (9 p.m. EDT) against No. 5 Memphis. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

2014 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Honors

Player of the Year
Shabazz Napier, G, UConn

Coach of the Year
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati

Rookie of the Year
Austin Nichols, F, Memphis

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jimmy McDonnell, F, Temple

Defensive Player of the Year
Justin Jackson, F, Cincinnati

Sixth Man of the Year
Michael Dixon Jr., G, Memphis

Most Improved Player
Montrezl Harrell, F, Louisville

Sportsmanship Award
Sean Kilpatrick, G, Cincinnati

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STORRS, Conn. – The 2014 University of Connecticut football schedule was released on Tuesday by the American Athletic Conference and features six opponents who played in post-season bowl games in 2013. UConn will play a seven-game home schedule at Rentschler Field this season under first-year head coach Bob Diaco.

The Huskies open the season with three non-conference home games against BYU (Friday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m. on ESPN), Stony Brook (Saturday, Sept. 6) and Boise State (Saturday, Sept. 13). BYU played in the Fight Hunger Bowl and Boise State played in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. UConn's other non-conference game of the season will be against Army on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Yankee Stadium. That game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.

The American Athletic Conference schedule kicks off on Friday, Sept.16 when the Huskies travel to USF for a game that will be televised nationally by ESPN or ESPN2.

UConn plays host to Temple on Saturday, Sept. 27 and, after a bye week, the Huskies play its first-ever game against Tulane when it travels to New Orleans on Saturday, Oct. 11. After another bye is another first-time opponent for UConn with a trip to East Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 23 for an ESPNU game.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl champion UCF visits Rentschler Field on Saturday, Nov. 1, and the Huskies play the Army game the following week. UConn wraps up the regular season with conference games at home against Cincinnati on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Memphis on Saturday, Nov. 29 and home against SMU on Saturday, Dec. 6. Cincinnati played in the Belk Bowl last season.

2014 UConn Huskies Football Schedule

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STORRS, Conn. – University of Connecticut women’s basketball standout Bria Hartley has been selected as one of 19 nominees for the James E. Sullivan Award, which honors the nation’s outstanding amateur athlete, as announced by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) on Tuesday, March 11.  Cast your vote for Bria at aausports.org!

Tuesday marks the first day of voting to find the winner of the 2013 AAU Sullivan Award. Voting is open to the public and will account for one-third of the athlete’s overall score.

The nominees were nominated by someone who thought they fit the requirements of outstanding athletic ability, strong character, leadership and sportsmanship. The public can cast their vote by going to www.aausports.org.

Voting will remain open until March 23rd at 11:59 EDT.

Hartley, a 2011-12 WBCA/State Farm All-America Team selection, has been honored as a First Team All-Conference selection twice and has earned a spot on the All-Conference Tournament Team on two occasions.  The 2011 Conference Rookie of the Year, Hartley has been named to the NCAA Tournament All-Regional Team twice and was selected to the All-NCAA Tournament Team in 2013.  Earlier this season, she became only the second Husky all-time, along with Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore, to post at least 1,500-points, 500-rebounds and 500-assists.  This year has been her finest as she ranks in the league’s top-five in scoring, assists, steals, three-point field goal percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Three finalists will be named no later than March 28th and the winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday, April 11 at the AAU National Headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

The Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930, and is based on character, leadership and sportsmanship. Notable recipients of the AAU Sullivan Award include: Mark Spitz, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Joyner, Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps, J.J. Redick, Tim Tebow, Shawn Johnson and Missy Franklin.

Nominees for the 2013 James E. Sullivan Award

Ashley Bishop – Baton Twirling
Blake Bortles – University of Central Florida Football
David Boudia – USA Diving
Liz Brenner – Oregon Volleyball, Basketball, Track &Field
Rachel Fattal – USA Water Polo
Joy Woog-Garvey – Inline Hocke
Bria Hartley – University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Robert Herbst – AAU Powerlifting
Alex Johnson – University of Miami Volleyball
Katie Ledecky – Olympic Swimmer
Tre Mason – Auburn University Football
AJ McCarron – University of Alabama Football
Cory Ann McGee – University of Florida Track & Field
John Michael Nagel – Taekwondo 
Kelsey Robinson – University of Nebraska Volleyball
Jude Schimmel – University of Louisville Women’s Basketball
Shoni Schimmel – University of Louisville Women’s Basketball
John Urschel – Penn State Footbal
Alli Williams –Saint Francis University Women’s Basketball

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ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named UConn senior guard Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.) its District I Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Junior guard Ryan Boatright (Aurora, Ill.) was also honored by the USBWA as he joined Napier on the 10-player All-District I Team. The USBWA divides the country into nine districts. Each with its own Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and All-District Team. District I includes all the Division I schools in New England.

Both Napier and Boatright earned the same awards from the USBWA last season.

Napier, who was also named a unanimous American Athletic Conference All-Conference first-team pick on Tuesday, led UConn to a 24-7 season and a place in the Top 25 polls. The 6-1 guard topped the Huskies in scoring (17.8), rebounding (6.0), and assists (5.2), the only player in UConn history to lead in all three categories. He shot 42.6 percent overall and 40.4 percent from three-point range. He ranks seventh on UConn’s all-time scoring list with 1,790 points, fourth in assists with 611, and second in steals with 235. He had six double-doubles this year, including a triple-double against Yale.

Boatright was second only to Napier in minutes played this season for the Huskies. He was third on the team in scoring (12.0) and second in assists (3.5) and steals (1.57). He scored double figures in 19 games this season. He combined with Napier to give the Huskies one of the most explosive backcourts in the country. 

The remainder of the All-District I Team included Ike Azotam (Quinnipiac), Bryce Cotton (Providence), Alex Francis (Bryant), Olivier Hanlan (Boston College), Clancy Rugg (Vermont), Wesley Saunders (Harvard), Maurice Watson (Boston University), and Chaz Williams (Massachusetts). Massachusetts coach Derek Kellogg was named the District I Coach of the Year.

DISTRICT PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

I: Shabazz Napier, Connecticut

II: C.J. Fair, Syracuse

III: Jabari Parker, Duke

IV: Russ Smith, Louisville

V: Nik Stauskas, Michigan

VI: Doug McDermott, Creighton

VII: Cory Jefferson, Baylor

VIII: Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico

IX: Nick Johnson, Arizona

DISTRICT COACHES OF THE YEAR

I: Derek Kellogg, Massachusetts

II: Jay Wright, Villanova

III: Tony Bennett, Virginia

IV: Billy Donovan, Florida

V: John Beilein, Michigan

VI: Gregg Marshall, Wichita State

VII: Larry Brown, SMU

VIII: Craig Neal, New Mexico

IX: Sean Miller, Arizona

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – UConn senior Shabazz Napier (Roxbury, Mass.)  is one of  three unanimous selections to the 2014 American Athletic Conference All-Conference first team, the league announced Tuesday.

The Huskies' star guard, who was a first team All-Big East pick last season and a Big East All-Rookie Team selection in 2010-11, leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, and minutes played as UConn heads into The American 2014 Championship later this week at the FedExForum in Memphis. The Huskies stand 24-7 on the season and finished 12-6 in the league, tied for third place with SMU and Memphis.

In addition, UConn freshman center Amida Brimah (Accra, Ghana) was named to the league's All-Rookie Team.

Cincinnati's Sean Kilpatrick and Louisville's Russ Smith were also unanimous picks to the first team, which is selected by a vote of the league's 10 head coaches, none of whom are allowed to vote for their own players. Along with Napier, all three are finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, which goes to the nation's best player.

Joining the three star senior guards on the first team are Louisville sophomore forward Montrezl Harrell and SMU sophomore guard Nic Moore. One of the five will be named the league's Player of the Year on Wednesday.

In American Athletic Conference games, Napier ranked among the league leaders in numerous categories. He finished second in scoring (19.3), third in assists (4.7), second in free throw percentage (.901), fifth in steals (1.8), fifth in three-pointers made (2.3), fifth in defensive rebounds (4.8), fourth in minutes played (35.1), 14^th in three-point field goal percentage (.360), and 13^th in overall rebounding (5.7).

He was named The American Conference Player of the Week five times and was on the league's weekly Honor Roll nine times. Besides the Wooden Award, he is also on the final watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Naismith Trophy, the Senior CLASS Award, and the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award.

Named to the all-conference second team are UCF's Isaiah Sykes, Cincinnati's Justin Jackson, Houston's TaShawn Thomas, Memphis' Shaq Goodwin and  Joe Jackson, and SMU's Markus Kennedy.

Brimah has played in all 31 UConn games this season, starting 17. He is averaging 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and leads the team in blocked shots with 77. His 2.2 blocked shots averaged was second in the American Athletic Conference.

Named to the All-Rookie Team with Brimah was Memphis' Austin Nichols (unanimous), Louisville's Terry Rozier, and the USF duo of John Egbunu and Chris Perry.

The league will announce its Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man Award, and Sportsmanship Award on Wednesday afternoon at an awards luncheon in Memphis.

2014 American Athletic Conference All-Conference First Team

Sean Kilpatrick, G, Cincinnati *

Shabazz Napier, G, UConn *

Montrezl Harrell, F, Louisville

Russ Smith, G, Louisville *

Nic Moore, G, SMU

 2014 American Athletic Conference All-Conference Second Team

Isaiah Sykes, G, UCF

Justin Jackson, F, Cincinnati

TaShawn Thomas, F, Houston

Shaq Goodwin, F, Memphis

Joe Jackson, G, Memphis

Markus Kennedy, F, SMU

 2014 American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team

Amida Brimah, C, UConn

Terry Rozier, G, Louisville

Austin Nichols, F, Memphis *

John Egbunu, C, USF

Chris Perry, F, USF

 * unanimous selection

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Here's a look at the numbers posted by the NFL Draft-eligible players from the UConn Huskies football team that participated in UConn's Pro Day.

Please note that Shamar Stephen and Yawin Smallwood didn't participate in the below drills.

We'll have more from UConn's Pro Day coming up, including video and thoughts from the players. Also, the 2014 UConn Football schedule will be out later today.

And if you haven't gotten your tickets for the UConn/Army game at Yankee Stadium in November, tickets went on sale this morning. Head over to UConnTickets.com to get yours now before they are gone.

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photo credit: patrick raycraft – hartford courant

UConn Huskies AD Warde Manuel brought in Bob Diaco to turn UConn football back into a winning program after three lackluster bowl-less seasons. He also happens to be the third coach at UConn since the 2013 season.

With a change in coach, comes a change in philosophies. Not just offensively, defensively or special teams, everywhere within the program, on and off the field.

"We have our culture set. It's posted all around the building," Diaco said. "So we can hit them with quick-hitting thoughts and implant that language into their hearts and minds."

"Then, we have to create activities that reinforce that ideology. And then we have to demand that they do it. Demand it in terms of coaching them through those activities, pointing out to them they're not doing it and heaping praise on them when they are."

And with spring practice No. 1 in the books, Diaco laid down the harsh truth.

"We've got enough players to have a good team, but we're not a good team," Diaco said. "We're not a good team."

To be honest, it caught me a little off guard when he said it. I wasn't quite sure he had even said it. But then he continued on and gave his reason why. And it made sense.

"Because they persist in continuing to do things that cause losing," said Diaco. "It's still a team that needs to come a long way in caring for each other."

"It's a group that needs to come a long way in understanding effort, energy, energy expenditure and strain necessary to win their individual matchups. It's a group that is an average to below average communication group. Positive communication, encouraging communication, demonstrative communication in whether its encouraging words or bringing guys along or just communicating in a drill."

"It's an easily frustrated group. When a drill comes off track or they're surprised with something else outside the scope of what they thought (would happen). It's a group that has trouble persevering through adversity and rolling with, `Hey, whatever we've got to do, let's do it, here we go.' Whatever comes at us, let's roll. It's a group that's starting to learn finishing but has trouble finishing, finishing drills, finishing plays, finishing workouts, so there are a lot of things that are present that cause losing. It's not just about a collection of players."

And if these guys can't get it done in practice how are they going to get it done in a game. But that's why there's 15 (now 14) spring practices. That's why there's a preseason camp, to get these things all corrected.

When you think about it, every single one of these guys on the team is on their third head coach. For some of the fourth-year players, this is their fourth coach (Randy Edsall, Paul Pasqualoni, T.J. Weist, Diaco). That's four different styles of coaching, four different sets of philosophies.

But something tells me that when you listen to Diaco and what he's trying to instill in the minds of the student-athletes on his team, it won't be long before these guys get it.

The reason.

One, Diaco is a great coach, a great motivator.

Two, I'm pretty sure these guys don't want to go through what they did last year.

With Diaco and his coaching staff at the helm, something tells me the latter won't happen.

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