STORRS, Conn. – Kermit Buggs, who served as a member of the Penn State football staff from 2003-2011 and was the defensive coordinator at Lock Haven University in 2012, has been named as assistant coach at the University of Connecticut and will have position responsibility with the running backs and special teams.

Buggs was an assistant coach at Penn State from 2007-11 and worked with the safeties and then the entire secondary late in the 2011 season.

Buggs was instrumental in the development of three-year starting safeties Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay, who earned 2011 first-team All-Big Ten honors. In 2008, Buggs helped Anthony Scirrotto earn first-team All-Big Ten accolades.

Buggs became an assistant coach at Penn State in December 2007 and coached the safeties in a 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M.

He was part of two Big Ten championship teams in 2005 and ’08 and Penn State was the Legends Division Co-Champion in 2011. He has been part of seven bowl teams, including the 2006 Orange Bowl and 2009 Rose Bowl.

He served as Coordinator of Player Personnel and Development during the 2006 and '07 seasons and from 2003-05, he was a graduate assistant coach with the Nittany Lions.

Buggs previously was a successful high school coach, leading Surry County (Va.) High School to a 34-14 record from 1999-2002. His 1999 squad was 14-0 and won the Division I state championship and Buggs was named the state's Division I Coach-of-the-Year.

A product of Hampton, Va., Buggs is a 1995 graduate of Norfolk State University, where he played football. He was the University's 1992-93 recipient of the Vince Lombardi Award for Leadership and Academic Achievement.

Buggs has a master's degree in educational administration from Penn State.

Conference call quotes

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Hopefully this guy is a lot better at play calling than the former offensive coordinator was.

Here's the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – T.J. Weist, a 25-year veteran of the coaching profession who most recently served as the wide receivers coach at Cincinnati, has been named the offensive coordinator at the University of Connecticut. Weist will also position responsibility with the wide receivers.

Weist, who has mentored over 14 NFL receivers, was also the Bearcats recruiting coordinator for the past year. During his time with the Bearcats, Cincinnati won a total of two BIG EAST Championships.

"I am very excited to join the UConn family and be part of Coach (Paul) Pasqualoni's staff," said Weist. "I have always had a high respect for the UConn football program from playing them for the past three years. One thing that has always struck me about the UConn team is that they have tough players, who are well coached and disciplined. As an opposing coach, you respect that and you know its starts with the head coach and his staff.

"I have followed Coach Pasqualoni's career and have a high respect and high regard for him. He has a great knowledge of football and a high respect for the game."

Weist (pronounced WEEST), help lead the Bearcats to a 10-3 record in 2012 and a 48-34 victory over Duke in the Belk Bowl. Weist served as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator in the Belk Bowl as the Bearcats gained 554 yards of total offense on 53 plays and did not have a turnover. Cincinnati was 17 of 25 in passing for 332 yards.

Cincinnati was ranked second in the BIG EAST in total offense at 440.23 yards per game and was first in the BIG EAST in scoring offense at 32.31 points per game.

"T.J. will be a very valuable addition to what is already a very good coaching staff here at UConn," said Pasqualoni. "He has a tremendous amount of experience at major college football programs, which will be a great asset to us. T.J. has also had recruiting responsibilities in a number of areas of the country which are key areas for us."

In 2011, Cincinnati averaged 385 yards of total offense per game and scored an average of 33.3 points per game on the way to a BIG EAST Conference Championship and a win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl over Vanderbilt.

In 2010, Weist coached a pair of all-BIG EAST Conference selections in Armon Binns (first team) and D.J. Woods (second team) as the duo were the No. 1 and 2 ranked receivers in the BIG EAST in 2010.

The Bearcats were the only NCAA FBS school to have two wide receivers with 15 or more 20-yard receptions in 2010. In 2010, the Bearcats led the BIG EAST in scoring offense (27.1 ppg), total offense (417.3 ypg) and passing offense (260.7 ypg).

Weist joined the Bearcats after eight years at Western Kentucky mentoring the receivers. He also served as the team's assistant head coach (2007-09) and offensive coordinator (2003-06). As offensive coordinator in 2006, WKU ranked 23rd in the country in total offense, also finishing 17th in pass efficiency rating while posting more than 4,000 total yards for the fifth consecutive season.

Weist helped direct an offense that averaged 405.73 yards per game in 2005, while scoring more than 30 points a game. The Hilltoppers ranked in the top 30 nationally in four different categories.

Weist came to WKU from Indiana, where he served as wide receivers coach from 1997-01. While at IU, he also carried special teams responsibilities with the return units and also served as the Hoosiers' recruiting coordinator his first two years.

Weist was also was the receivers coach at Tulsa (1996), Southern Illinois (1994-95), Michigan (1990-93) and Alabama (1988-89).

The Wolverines reached four postseason bowl games during his tenure, including two Rose Bowl appearances, while the Crimson Tide appeared in a pair of postseason contests while he was on the coaching staff including the 1990 Sugar Bowl.

A native of Bay City, Mich., Weist was a wide receiver at Alabama from 1985-87, taking part in three postseason bowl games, and earned a letter as a senior. He earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1988, and then added an exercise physiology master's degree one year later.

Weist and his wife Karen have a son, James (4).

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T.J. Weist Coaching Experience

T.J. Weist Postseason Experience

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 was announced today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club President Steve Hathaway. No. 3 UConn has three Huskies on the list as junior center Stefanie Dolson, senior guard Kelly Faris and sophomore forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis all earned on spot on the list. Connecticut was the only school to have three student-athletes placed on the list as the BIG EAST had six of the 20 selections.

Mosqueda-Lewis is currently leading the Huskies with 17.3 points per game and has registered five 20-plus performances on the year, while Dolson is third on the team in scoring (13.3 ppg) and is second on the team in rebounding (6.7 rpg). Faris has had an incredible senior campaign averaging 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while leading Connecticut with 4.6 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board, the list is made up of 20 student-athletes who, based on their performances in November, December, and January, are the frontrunners for selection to the National Ballot of college basketball’s most prestigious award. The National Ballot consists of approximately 15 players who have proven to their universities that they are making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation’s top five players, will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The John R. Wooden Award Player of the Year will be announced on April 12, 2013, at The Los Angeles Athletic Club as part of the 37^th annual Wooden Award Gala. The Gala will honor the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winners, All Americans and the Legends of Coaching Award winner, Kansas Head Coach Bill Self.

To see the 2012-13 John R. Wooden Award Women's Midseason Top 20 List, please click on the continue reading button below if you're on the home page.

2012-13 John R. Wooden Award Women's Midseason Top 20 List

Players listed alphabetically

# 2012 Wooden Award winner

$ 2012 Wooden All American

% 2011 Wooden All American

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Here's a release about Boston Red Sox players touring Boston on January 23, 2013.

BOSTON, MA — Red Sox players Jonny Gomes, David Ross, Ryan Kalish, and Daniel Nava will tour Boston tomorrow, visiting sites from Bunker Hill to Beacon Hill and from Copley Square to Kenmore Square.  Traveling by truck, trolley, and train, they will meet fans, sign autographs, take photographs, and start the day by serving hot chocolate and donuts.

Accompanied by Wally the Green Monster, they will take the Green Line, the Old Town Trolley, and ride in the Dunkin’ Donuts sampling truck.

The visit to Boston is the first for Gomes since joining the Red Sox December 1, and the first for Ross since re-joining the club for whom he played briefly in 2008.

The players will distribute vouchers redeemable for tickets to games at Fenway Park this season, and there will also be ticket giveaways at various points in the day. 

The group will start in Copley Square Plaza by serving hot chocolate and donuts from the Dunkin Donuts’ truck before traveling by Old Town Trolley to Charlestown to visit the Bunker Hill Monument and the U.S.S. Constitution.  They will re-board the trolley and see the Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall before boarding the MBTA Green Line to Kenmore Square.  The players will be available to sign autographs, take photographs, and chat with fans at each site.

The schedule for the day:

7-8 am – Wally the Green Monster and Red Sox front office members serve hot chocolate and donuts from the Dunkin’ Donuts truck in Copley Square Plaza

8-9 am – Players join the Dunkin’ Donuts truck in Copley Square Plaza

9:15-11 am – Players board Old Town Trolley and travel to Charlestown to visit the Bunker Hill Monument and the U.S.S. Constitution

11 am-1 pm – Players travel to the Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall via Old Town Trolley

1 pm-2 pm – Players board the MBTA Green Line and travel to Kenmore Square

Back on December 3, 2012, the Boston Red Sox and Mike Napoli had agreed to a three-year deal worth $39 million. 45 days later it was reported that he and the Red Sox had reached a one year deal.

Five days after those reports, the deal has become official.

Here's the release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today signed first baseman Mike Napoli to a contract for 2013.  To make room for Napoli on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Chris Carpenter was designated for assignment. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

Napoli, 31, hit 24 home runs in 108 games for the Rangers in 2012, his first All-Star season.  It was his third consecutive year with at least 24 homers.  In addition, Napoli ranked sixth in home run rate (14.7 AB/HR) and eighth in walk rate (56 walks , 7.5 PA/BB) among American League players with at least 400 plate appearances this past season.  Adam Dunn was the only Major Leaguer with better rates in both categories (13.2 AB/HR, 6.2 PA/BB). 

The right-handed batter saw 4.41 pitches per plate appearance, trailing only Dunn (4.43) and A.J. Ellis (4.43) among big leaguers.  His career rate of 4.27 pitches seen per plate appearance ranks fifth among Major Leaguers active through 2012 (min. 2,500 PA).

Napoli, who will wear Number 12, split time between catcher (69 starts), first base (24 starts) and designated hitter (9 starts) last year, totaling a .227 average (80-for-352) with 56 RBI to go along with his 24 home runs.  He hit seven homers and drove in 16 runs over his final 16 regular season games following a stint on the disabled list.

Among American Leaguers with at least 700 plate appearances over the last two seasons, Napoli ranks fourth with a .931 OPS behind Miguel Cabrera (1.017), Jose Bautista (.990), and David Ortiz (.981).  He set career highs in most offensive categories in 2011, including a .320 batting average, 30 home runs, 75 RBI, and 58 walks in 113 games.

Napoli is one of six American Leaguers with at least 20 homers in each of the last five seasons.  Among all Major Leaguers, only Jose Bautista (14.0) and Albert Pujols (14.8) have averaged fewer at-bats per home run than Napoli (14.9) in those five years (min. 1,500 PA).

Since 2008, Napoli ranks fifth in the American League with a .522 slugging percentage and ninth with a .879 OPS.   He leads big league catchers in home runs (120) and slugging during that time. 

Napoli is the only catcher ever to reach double-digits in home runs in each of his first seven seasons appearing in the majors (min. 60 games caught per season).  Brian McCann is the only other catcher with at least 20 homers in each of the last five years.

A seven-year Major League veteran, he has hit .259 (587-for-2,270) with 113 doubles, six triples, 146 home runs, and 380 RBI in 727 career Major League games.  He spent the last two seasons with the Rangers (2011-12) after beginning his big league career with five seasons for the Angels (2006-10). 

Of his 146 career homers, 109 have come while catching.  His career average of 15.3 at-bats per home run as a catcher is the best among all Major League backstops over the past 35 years.  In that time, only Mike Piazza (.559) has a better slugging percentage while at the position than Napoli (.516).

The Rangers went 79-47 (.627) in his 126 starts behind the plate over the last two seasons, the best winning percentage for any Major League catcher with at least 65 starts.  His 3.80 catcher’s ERA since 2011 ranks fifth in the AL (min. 1,000 innings).

Napoli, selected by the Angels in the 17^th round of the 2000 June draft, was signed by Todd Claus, now the Red Sox’ Latin American Coordinator and International Crosschecker.

In 19 career games at Fenway Park, Napoli has hit .306 (19-for-62) with four doubles, seven home runs, and 17 RBI.  His .710 slugging percentage ranks third all-time at the ballpark (min. 70 PA) after Dave Kingman (.816) and Frank Robinson (.724).  He also leads active players with a 1.107 OPS and just 8.9 at-bats per home run in Boston.

Napoli’s clubs have reached the postseason in five of the last six seasons (except 2010).  In 32 career postseason games, he has hit .272 (25-for-92) with five home runs, 19 RBI and 13 walks for a .373 on-base percentage.  He led the Rangers with a .328 batting average (19-for-58) while starting all 17 postseason games during the club’s run to the World Series in 2011. 

Carpenter, 27, opened the 2012 season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow on March 29.  Before joining the Red Sox as a September call-up, he posted a combined 2.08 ERA in 21 appearances between the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, Greenville, Portland and Pawtucket. With Pawtucket alone, Carpenter pitched to a 1.15 ERA with four saves in four chances in 16 games.  He finished the season making eight relief appearances for Boston, and earned his lone win, the first of his major league career, on September 14 at Toronto

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you're on the home page.

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UConn Women's Basketball links

Faris gives her all in UConn win [carl adamec -snyuconn.com]

ACC out of its league against UConn [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Geno Talks To The New York Times [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Notes From UConn-Duke [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Geno Auriemma On Kelly Faris [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Duke Coach Joanne P. McCallie On The Game [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Kelly Faris For President [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Geno’s Greatest Hits: Duke Edition [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Thomas Jefferson Teaches Geno A Valuable Lesson [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Faris Had A Performance “For The Ages” Tonight Vs. Duke [rich elliott – ct post]

Stewart Stepped Up For Huskies In Second Half Vs. Duke [rich elliott – ct post]

Geno: Kelly Faris has performance for "the ages" [jim fuller – new haven register]

Ekmark delivers for St. Mary's [jim fuller – new haven register]

Limited Syracuse and Baylor Single Game Tickets on Sale Now [uconnhuskies.com]

No. 3 UConn rips No. 4 Duke [ct post]

UConn's 4 leaders step to the front [ct post]

No. 3 UConn Women Break It Open In Second Half, Rout No. 4 Duke [hartford courant]

Dolson Named Big East Player Of Week [hartford courant]

Geno Auriemma Calls Kelly Faris' Effort 'Game For The Ages' [hartford courant]

Third-ranked Huskies knock off No. 4 Duke [new haven register]

No. 3 UConn hands No. 4 Duke first loss 79-49 [the day]

No. 3 UConn storms past No. 4 Duke [the hour]

Faris delivers 'one for the ages' [graham hays – espnw]

UConn Men's Basketball links

Kentan Facey, Terrence Samuel Have Big Days in Big Apple [dom amore – hartford courant]

Huskies Hoping 3-Day Break Will Get Shabazz Napier Healthy For Rutgers [dom amore – hartford courant]

Napier Sits Out Sunday Practice, Should Be Good For Wednesday Practice, Sunday Game [david borges – new haven register]

Napier held out of practice [john silver – snyuconn.com]

Limited Syracuse and Baylor Single Game Tickets on Sale Now [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Football links

DC answered a question in his mailbag [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Report: Trevardo Williams to miss Senior Bowl practice [jim fuller – new haven register]

Huskies Play In All-Star Games [uconnhuskies.com]

Two Mid-Year Enrolless Join Football Team [uconnhuskies.com]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Mazzilli Named Perfect Game Preseason All-America [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Huskies To Face No. 2 Quinnipiac In Hamden Tuesday Night [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Huskies Host Skating Strides Clinic for Youth Hockey Players [uconnhuskies.com]

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