Author Archives: ianbethune

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco On Memphis

UConn WR Geremy Davis (85) makes the leaping TD catch against Memphis on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT.

UConn WR Geremy Davis (85) makes the leaping TD catch against Memphis on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT.

The UConn Huskies football team will have their work cut out for them this afternoon when they face the first place Memphis Tigers.

Not only is Memphis playing for a share of the American Athletic Conference title, they could be/are looking to avenge last year’s shellacking by the Huskies 45-10 at Rentschler Field.

During his weekly press conference, Diaco talked about the turnaround of the Memphis program as well as their offense, defense and special teams.

photo credit: ian bethune

Video: UConn QB Tim Boyle & Head Coach Bob Diaco on Highs and Lows of Football

Tim Boyle (14) completes a passing drill during UConn's preseason practice.

Tim Boyle (14) completes a passing drill during UConn’s preseason practice.

After the embarrassing 41-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats last Saturday, UConn Huskies QB Tim Boyle talked about the highs and lows of football.

He talked about seeing how the different people responded to the adversity the team is facing. And also how they handled the hardship.

When asked about Boyle’s comments on Tuesday, it was the first time head coach Bob Diaco had heard them. But you could see that he was pleased with the answer that his now starting quarterback gave.

Watch and/or listen below as Boyle talks about the highs and lows as well as Diaco’s reaction:

photo credit: ian bethune

Wolf Pack Sign Forward Chad Nehring to PTO

HARTFORD, November 29, 2014:  Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have signed forward Chad Nehring to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement.

Nehring, a 27-year-old fourth-year pro, has skated in 17 games this year with the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors, and is second on the Greenville club in points with 5-7-12.  The 5-11, 200-pound Springside, Saskatchewan native has also registered 13 PIM.

Nehring spent last season with the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers, leading the team in goals with 22, and finishing second in points with 42, in 49 games.  A product of Lake Superior State University, Nehring has logged a total of 130 career ECHL games with Idaho, Las Vegas and Greenville, and has produced 40 goals and 37 assists for 77 points, while serving 102 minutes in penalties.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is a trip to Bridgeport tonight to battle the Sound Tigers.  Faceoff is 7:00 PM, and all of the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is next Saturday, December 6, with the Springfield Falcons visiting the XL Center for a 7:00 game.  The first 5,000 fans into that game receive a free Wolf Pack car magnet.

Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.

To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.

Paw Prints: The Daily UConn Huskies Roundup – 11/29/14

UConn Huskies Daily Roundup

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.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

It’s game day for the UConn Huskies football team as they are in Memphis, TN to take on the Memphis Tigers at Liberty Bowl Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNews. The game will also be available on WatchESPN. If you can’t watch the game, you can always listen to the UConn IMG Sports Radio Network.

It’s also game day for the UConn women’s basketball team as they are in Estero, FL for the Gulf Coast Showcase. Tonight at 8:30 p.m., they’ll take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in the semifinals. The game will be televised locally on SNY and will be available on WatchESPN outside of the SNY footprint. If you can’t watch the game you can always listen on the UConn IMG Sports Radio Network.

The UConn men’s hockey team is also in action this afternoon as they’ll take on the Brown Bears at Meehan Auditorium at 4 p.m. There is no television coverage of the game but you can listen to it on WHUS 91.7 FM or WHUS.org.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco On Greatest Disappointment of 2014 [sox & dawgs]

Video: The Blitz Episode 11 – Memphis [sox & dawgs]

UConn’s freshman class learning on the job [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Goes Into Memphis With Much To Prove [hartford courant]

Losing tough for UConn football team’s former high school stars [new haven register]

UConn looks to spoil Memphis’ party plans [the day]

Memphis Tigers playing for AAC title [jackson sun]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Video: UConn Women Tame The Cougars, 85-24 [sox & dawgs]

Butler Missing Time With Her Teammates [john altavilla – hartford courant]

UConn’s Holiday Plan Next Season Still Unclear [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Harry Perretta And The Old Big East [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Auriemma And The Frosty Conditions Inside Germain Arena [rich elliott – ct post]

Mosqueda-Lewis Returned In Style For Huskies [rich elliott – ct post]

Nurse, Tuck Thriving As Starters For Huskies [rich elliott – ct post]

UConn’s Mosqueda-Lewis returns in style [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn wins sloppy Gulf Coast Showcase opener [jim fuller – new haven register]

Women’s Basketball Advances to Play Vanderbilt on Saturday [uconn huskies]

Game report: KML, UConn bounce College of Charleston [ct post]

Mosqueda-Lewis happy to be back on court contributing [ct post]

Huskies Pound Charleston, 85-24 [hartford courant]

High Expectations For UConn Freshman Gabby Williams [hartford courant]

5 UConn Women’s Lessons Learned: Huskies Can’t Be Iced [hartford courant]

UConn women crush College of Charleston at Gulf Coast Showcase [new haven register]

Huskies show that change can be good [sny uconn]

Ex-Vanderbilt point guard Lister on UConn’s side [sny uconn]

UConn women roll, will face Vanderbilt in Gulf Coast Showcase semifinals [naples daily news]

UConn women’s basketball trounces College of Charleston [news-press]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Men Heading To Battle 4 Atlantis in 2015 [sox & dawgs]

No. 24 UConn Set For Sunday Showdown With No. 7 Texas [uconn huskies]

Texas coach Barnes welcomes playing strong programs such as UConn [ct post]

Ollie Reinstates Calhoun, Lubin; Texas Up Next [hartford courant]

Ollie, UConn reinstate Omar Calhoun, Rakim Lubin from suspension [new haven register]

Ollie is hoping to have Purvis available for Sunday’s game [the day]

Other UConn related links

M. Ice Hockey. Distant Cousins Who Are Close On The Ice [hartford courant]

W. Volleyball. UConn Volleyball Rounds Out 2014 with Sweep of Tulane [uconn huskies]

W. Ice Hockey. Chuli Stops 51 In 2-1 Overtime Setback To No. 5 Clarkson [uconn huskies]

Video: UConn Football Coach Bob Diaco On Greatest Disappointment of 2014

It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the UConn Huskies football team and head coach Bob Diaco.

There’s been lots of waves that has taken the team up and down throughout the season. They’ve never been able to quite get things straightened out, yet.

Things will get figured out though if Diaco has his way, that I am sure of. And when that happens, hopefully sooner rather than later, it’ll hopefully make this disappointment 2014 season a thing of the past, almost like it didn’t happen.

Watch and/or listen below as Diaco talks about the team’s greatest disappointment of 2014.

UConn Men Heading To Battle 4 Atlantis in 2015

From UConn:

STORRS, Conn. — In 2011, when the Battle 4 Atlantis college basketball tournament on Paradise Island in the Bahamas was born, the University of Connecticut was part of the first field of teams.

Battle 4 AtlantisThe Huskies, who emerged from that tournament with a third-place finish, will return to the Bahamas next November, for the 2015 Battle 4 Atlantis, joining an extremely strong field. Syracuse, Michigan, Texas, Gonzaga, Charlotte, Texas A&M, and Washington, plus UConn, will make up the 2015 Battle 4 Atlantis bracket. The tourney will take place on Nov. 25-27, the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of Thanksgiving week.

UConn has played a combined total of 114 games against the rest of the 2015 Battle 4 Atlantis field, including 91 against former longtime Big East Conference rival Syracuse. The Huskies and the Orange have not met since the Big East Conference broke apart at the end of the 2012-13 season. UConn has a record of 54-60 in games against the Battle 4 Atlantis field.

UConn has participated in a November tournament for 10 consecutive seasons and has a combined record of 27-5 in those tournaments, including five championships and four runner-up finishes. Last week, the Huskies finished second in the 2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Earlier this week, it was announced that UConn would also participate in the 2016 Maui Invitational in November, 2016.

Video: UConn Women Tame The Cougars, 85-24

The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team headed to what was supposed to be sunny, warm Florida to continue their growth while playing in the Gulf Coast Showcase. Instead they found themselves in a cold arena just trying to warm up from a slow start.

UConn forward Morgan Tuck goes up for a shot against Charleston.Once they got over their early turnovers, the Huskies got things going and went on to an 85-24 win over the Charleston Cougars in the Gulf Coast Classic at Germain Arena in Estero, FL on Friday night.

UConn improves to 3-1 and will face the Vanderbilt Commodores at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night. Charleston falls to 0-5.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis returned after missing their last game with flu-like symptoms to lead the team with 21 points while pulling down eight rebounds. Morgan Tuck made her second consecutive start and had 15 points while Kia Nurse had 11 points, seven rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

Kiah Stokes came off the bench to lead UConn with 13 rebounds to go along with her six points. Breanna Stewart finished with just eight points after shooting 3-of-10 from the floor.

Erin Hall led the Cougars with 11 points. Shannon Hines added four points while Jackie Luna-Castro had a team-high seven rebounds along with four points.

UConn Huskies vs College of Charleston Cougars 11/29/14 box score

photo credit: brad horrigan – hartford courant

Admirals Shutout Wolf Pack, 2-0

By Zachary Grenier

Hartford, CT, November 28, 2014 – The Hartford Wolf Pack were shut down by Yann Davis and the Norfolk Admirals Friday night at the XL Center and lost, 2-0.

Leading the way for Norfolk were Louis Leblanc and Max Friberg, who had a goal and an assist each.  William Karlsson also had an assist.  Yann Davis stopped all of the 35 Hartford shots for the Admirals.

Ryan Haggerty led Hartford with seven shots on net, but was unable to put away any of his quality chances.  Mackenzie Skapski had 25 saves in the game, including stopping an Emerson Etem penalty shot.

“We generated some shots, more than most nights,” said Hartford coach Ken Gernander.  “I don’t know how many of those translate to Grade A chances, but I think we sustained a lot of pressure when we weren’t shorthanded.”

Norfolk drew first blood when their power-play unit took to the ice for the first time.  A Leblanc shot from the left-wing boards went off of Hartford defensemen Michael Kostka’s skate, and the trickling puck got by Skapski (25 saves) at 7:11 of the first period, for Leblanc’s seventh goal of the season.

Friberg was able to give Norfolk a 2-0 lead when he scored from the left side of the goalmouth at 9:52 of the second.  The puck trickled its way to Friberg, after William Karlsson fanned on it in the slot.

“I think we did a lot of good things right but a few unlucky bounces there nipped us,” said Haggerty.

Skapski took his fourth loss of the season.

“I have no complaints with his (Skapski’s) effort,” said Gernander.  “He’s been a big part of the two wins we had prior to tonight and he gave us an opportunity tonight.”

Skapski will get the day off Saturday night, according to Gernander, as Cedrick Desjardins will get the start when the Wolf Pack travel to Bridgeport to take on the Sound Tigers.

Saturday’s game faces off at 7:00 PM, and all of the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio.  Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.

The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Saturday, December 6, with the Springfield Falcons visiting the XL Center for a 7:00 game.  The first 5,000 fans into that game receive a free Wolf Pack car magnet.

Tickets for all 2014-15 Wolf Pack home games are now on sale at the XL Center ticket office, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.  Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger.

To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451, or click here to request more info.

Norfolk Admirals 2 at Hartford Wolf Pack 0
Friday, November 28, 2014 – XL Center

Norfolk 1 1 0 – 2
Hartford 0 0 0 – 0

1st Period-1, Norfolk, Leblanc 7 (Friberg), 7:11 (PP). Penalties-Steckel Nor (hooking), 2:23; Nightingale Nor (high-sticking), 4:26; Allen Hfd (holding), 6:30; Wagner Nor (roughing), 13:46; Crabb Hfd (roughing), 13:46.

2nd Period-2, Norfolk, Friberg 1 (Karlsson, Leblanc), 9:52 (PP). Penalties-Malone Hfd (double minor – high-sticking), 6:43; Lindberg Hfd (boarding), 10:15; Jackson Hfd (interference), 13:57; Yip Nor (tripping), 17:13.

3rd Period- No Scoring. Penalties-Gagne Nor (holding), 7:24; Wagner Nor (roughing), 10:15; Bodie Hfd (roughing), 10:15; McIlrath Hfd (delay of game), 14:28.

Shots on Goal-Norfolk 5-14-8-27. Hartford 13-9-13-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Norfolk 2 / 6; Hartford 0 / 4.
Goalies-Norfolk, Danis 3-3-0 (35 shots-35 saves). Hartford, Skapski 5-4-0 (27 shots-25 saves).
A-3,769
Referees-Ben Moser (3), Jonathan Alarie (38).
Linesmen-Mike Baker (11), Brent Colby (7).

Rangers Recall J.T. Miller From Wolf Pack

NEW YORK, November 28, 2014 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the team has recalled forward J.T. Miller from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Miller, 21, has registered six goals and nine assists for 15 points, along with 12 penalty minutes in 18 games with the Wolf Pack this season. He is tied for the team lead in assists, ranks second on Hartford in points, and ranks third on the team in goals this season. Miller has tallied at least one point in 12 of 18 games with the Wolf Pack in 2014-15, including eight of the last 11 contests (four goals, six assists in the 11 games).

The 6-1, 200-pounder has skated in three games with the Rangers this season, recording seven shots on goal.