Los Angeles (October 10, 2011) — Tiffany Hayes, Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley each earned a spot on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 as announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Monday.  The Preseason Top-30 is comprised of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national college women’s basketball media members.

UConn and Notre Dame were the only schools to place three players on the list and the Big East led all conferences with nine selections, followed by the ACC with six, the Big 12 with four, the SEC and Big 10 with three, and the Pac-12 and CAA with two, and the Atlantic 10 with one.

Hayes, an Honorable Mention All-American last season, earned a spot on the list in 2010 as well.

Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason list. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for December’s Midseason list and the official voting ballot released in March. The National Ballot consists of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also 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 10 players, will be announced the week before the Final Four.

The 36th annual Wooden Award ceremony will honor the Men’s and Women’s Wooden Award winners. It will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, and will take place the weekend of April 9-11, 2012.

To see the full list for the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top-30, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA.  Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Candace Parker (’07 and ’08) and Maya Moore of Connecticut (’09 and ‘11). UConn’s Maya Moore (’11) won the women’s Award in 2011.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name.   Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament.  The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.

Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com.  For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.

2011-12 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 List

Name	Height	Class	Position	University	Conference
LaSondra Barrett	6-2	Sr.	F	LSU	SEC
Alex Bentley	5-7	Jr.	G	Penn State	Big Ten
Cierra Bravard	6-4	Sr.	C	Florida State	ACC
Carolyn Davis	6-3	Jr.	F	Kansas	Big 12
Elena Delle Donne	6-5	Jr.	G/F	Delaware	CAA
Skylar Diggins$	5-9	Jr.	G	Notre Dame	Big East
Stefanie Dolson	6-5	So.	C	Connecticut	Big East
Chelsea Gray	5-11	So.	G	Duke	ACC
Brittney Griner*$	6-8	Jr.	C	Baylor	Big 12
Keisha Hampton	6-2	Sr.	F	DePaul	Big East
Bria Hartley	5-7	So.	G	Connecticut	Big East
Tiffany Hayes	5-10	Sr.	G	Connecticut	Big East
Courtney Hurt	6-1	Sr.	F	VCU	CAA
Glory Johnson	6-3	GS	F	Tennessee	SEC
Shenise Johnson$	5-11	Sr.	F	Miami	ACC
Lynetta Kizer	6-4	Sr.	C	Maryland	ACC
Natalie Novosel	5-11	Sr.	G	Notre Dame	Big East
Nnemkadi Ogwumike*@$	6-2	Sr.	F	Stanford	Pac-12
Chiney Ogwuumike	6-3	So.	F	Stanford	Pac-12
Devereaux Peters	6-2	Sr.	F	Notre Dame	Big East
Samantha Prahalis	5-7	Sr.	G	Ohio State	Big Ten
Jaime Printy	5-11	Jr.	G	Iowa	Big Ten
Justine Raterman	6-1	Sr.	F	Dayton	Atlantic 10
Sugar Rodgers$	5-11	Jr.	G	Georgetown	Big East
Shoni Schimmel	5-10	So.	G	Louisville	Big East
Odyssey Sims	5-8	So.	G	Baylor	Big 12
Shekinna Stricklin$	6-2	Sr.	G	Tennessee	SEC
Alyssa Thomas	6-2	So.	F	Maryland	ACC
Tyra White	6-0	Sr.	G	Texas A&M	Big 12
Riquna Williams	5-6	Sr.	G	Miami	ACC

(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)

GS = Graduate Student

*indicates player chosen to the 2011 Wooden All American Team

$indicates player chosen to the 2011 Wooden Award ballot

@ indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden All American team

Award winner honored April 6, 2012 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club

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 some of the other sports. 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.

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

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

UConn Football links

What we learned in the Big East [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Big East bowl projections [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Report Card: West Virginia [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn Coach Paul Pasqualoni: No One Likes Being 2-4 [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Feel-good homecoming is over for Pasqualoni [The Hour]

WVU defense rises to the occasion [Charleston Daily Mail]

USF Bulls shift focus of practice from loss at Pittsburgh to game against Connecticut [St. Petersburg Times]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Interviews at Championship Dinner [UConn Huskies Basketball]

Other UConn related links

Power move by the ACC [Boston Globe]

Boston College AD: No UConn In ACC; It’s A Matter Of “Turf” [Hartford Courant]

Field Hockey. No. 4 Huskies Net Game-Winner In Final Three Minutes [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Women’s Hockey Skates to 3-3 Tie With Clarkson [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Shutout By No. 9/13 Marquette, 3-0 [UConnHuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

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 some of the other sports. 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.

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

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

UConn Football links

Video: West Virginia-UConn highlight [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

West Virginia 43, UConn 16: the wrap [Ed Daigneault – The Republican-American]

Huskies missing Blidi [Joe Perez – Norwich Bulletin]

Postgame West Virginia [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

Uneven Second Half Leads to UConn Defeat at WVU [UConnHuskies.com]

McEntee’s fumble costly to UConn [CT Post]

Big Second Half Helps West Virginia Blow Out UConn, 43-16 [Hartford Courant]

For Huskies, Season On The Stink [Hartford Courant]

‘Bittersweet’ Day For UConn’s Ty-Meer Brown [Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

M. Soccer. No. 1 Men’s Soccer Sets New UConn Shutout Record [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Ice Hockey. Huskies Suffer 4-1 Setback to St. Lawrence [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Cross Country. Men’s Cross Country Takes Home First Place At New England Championships [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Cross Country. Women’s Cross Country Places 21st At New England Championships [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Harris Leads Men’s Hockey To Wild 4-4 Tie At Bowling Green [UConnHuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

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 some of the other sports. 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.

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’ll be in Morgantown, WV to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers at 12 p.m. If you missed my UConn vs West Virginia preview, be sure to check that out as well.

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

UConn Football links

Q&A: UConn LB Sio Moore [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Big East: Did you know? [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

UConn needs to click on all cyclinders to upset West Virginia [CT Post]

Huge Challenge For UConn Football In West Virginia [Hartford Courant]

Huskies play at No. 16 West Virginia [New Haven Register]

Mountaineers’ offense will present many challenges for Huskies [Norwich Bulletin]

UConn opens Big East season at West Virginia today [The Day]

Huskies travel to West Virginia to try and top Mountaineers [The Hour]

PAUL PASQUALONI SEES THROUGH REALITY LIKE A JELLYFISH [Every Day Should Be Saturday]

West Virginia Begins Conference Action [West Virginia Mountain News]

Staring Down The Musket At…The UConn Huskies [The Smoking Musket]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Dom answered a question in his mailbag [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

Videos from championship dinner [Norwich Bulletin]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Link to ESPN3 for First Night coverage [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Minnesota wins WNBA title [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Congratulations to Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx – WNBA Champs! [UConnHuskies.com]

Other UConn related links

W. Ice Hockey. Women’s Ice Hockey Sees Weekend Action in Upstate New York [UConnHuskies.com]

Field Hockey. No. 4 Field Hockey Explodes for 10 Goals in Shut Out Victory Over Georgetown [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Volleyball. Volleyball Narrowly Defeated by USF in Fifth Set [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Huskies Drop Season Opener at Bowling Green, 2-1 [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Blanks USF On Road, 1-0 [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Soccer. No. 1 UConn Soccer Team Won’t Look Too Far Ahead [Hartford Courant]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Boston Red Sox principal owner John Henry and president Larry Lucchino stopped by WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan this morning to talk about the Red Sox September swoon among many other things.

You can take a listen below here.

{mp3remote}http://audio.weei.com/hosting/media/weei/1598198/jwhlarry-10711-dc.mp3{/mp3remote}

If you don’t have time to listen, Jerry Spar of WEEI.com has the transcript of Henry and Lucchino on Dennis & Callahan.

 

This week:

After another tough home loss last weekend, the UConn Huskies open up Big East play on Saturday afternoon. They’ll be in Morgantown, WV to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium at 12 p.m.

Here are the rosters for the Huskies and the Mountaineers.

The Line/Prediction:

According to Rivals.com, West Virginia is favored by 19.5 points. The over/under is 55.5.

My prediction for the game is West Virginia 41 UConn 17.

Tickets:

According to WVUGame.com, there are tickets available for the game.

Getting To The Game:

Here is the weather forecast for Morgantown, WV. Here is everything you need to know about Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Here is their football gameday policies along with directions to the stadium. Here is the parking policies and parking map. Here is a seating chart for Milan Puskar stadium.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television:

Saturday’s game will be televised by SNY in the Connecticut and Northeast region and will be seen throughout the Northeast as the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week. Mike Gleason is on play-by-play while John Congemi is on color and Eamon McAnaney is on color. It will also be available online at ESPN3.com.

The game will be shown in West Virginia on WCHS (Charleston), WOAY (Bluefield), WVFX (Clarksburg), WTOV (Wheeling), WTAP (Parkersburg), WTAE (Pittsburgh), and in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. (MASN).

The game will also be replayed on SNY in a condensed mode on the “Husky Power Hour” on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., Monday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 a.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 12:30 p.m. The game will be replayed in its entirety on the day of the game at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Oct. 10 at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

Radio:

For the 20th consecutive season, WTIC 1080-AM in Hartford serves as the flagship station for the UConn Radio Network. WTIC is the state’s only 50,000 watt signal and can be heard in 23 states and parts of Canada.

Veteran UConn announcers Joe D’Ambrosio (play-by-play) and Wayne Norman (color commentary) return to call the action with Kevin Nathan on the sidelines.

The UConn pregame show begins 90 minutes prior to kickoff, while home games, the UConn Tailgate Show will air two and a half hours prior to the game with Arnold Dean. 

UConn football games are also broadcast over the internet at WTIC.com. Here is a  full list of stations on the WTIC/UCONN radio network.

West Virginia Radio:

The Mountaineer Sports Network has the game – (Tony Caridi – play-by-play, Dwight Wallace – analyst, Hoppy Kercheval – host, Jed Drenning – sideline) will broadcast the game live.

The West Virginia – Connecticut game can be heard live on Sirius Channel 92 with the MSN broadcast.

To continue reading the UConn Huskies @ West Virginia Mountaineers preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Last Week:

The Huskies lost 38-31 to the Western Michigan Broncos. The Mountaineers beat the Bowling Green Falcons 55-10.

History:

Saturday’s game is the eighth meeting all-time for the Huskies and Mountaineers on the gridiron with WVU leading 6-1. UConn defeated the Mountaineers last year at Rentschler Field by a score of 16-13 in overtime. Prior to the game, UConn had posted a least one win vs. every BIG EAST team except for West Virginia. The win last year propelled UConn to finish the regular season with a five-game winning streak and advance to its first-ever Bowl Championship Series game.

Connections:

There are no players from the state of West Virginia on the UConn roster and likewise there are no Connecticut players on the WVU roster.

UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni knows West Virginia quite well from his former coaching days at Syracuse. Pasqualoni was 8-6 vs. WVU as head coach from 1991-2004.

UConn graduate assistant coach Shane Forgerty is a Morgantown native and led Morgantown HS to a state championship in 2001.

Other UConn News:

Here is video from head coach Paul Pasqualoni’s press conference. If you don’t have the time to watch the video, check out the transcript of Pasqualoni’s press conference as well as quotes from some of the players.

Here is UConn’s depth chart for the game.

A number of members of the 2011 Huskies were named to preseason “Watch Lists” for 2011. They are:

• Sophomore Tight End Ryan Griffin (Londonberry, N.H.)
  
  • John Mackey Award Watch List
• Senior Kicker Dave Teggart (Northborough, Mass.)
  
  • Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award
• Senior Defensive Tackle Kendall Reyes (Nashua, N.H.)
  
  • Outland Trophy, given to the best interior lineman in the country
  • Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive player in the country;
  • Lombardi Award, given to the best offensive or defensive lineman in the country.
• Senior center Moe Petrus (St. Laurent, Que.)
  
  • Outland Trophy
  • Lombardi Award
• Senior offensive tackle Mike Ryan (Tamaqua, Pa.)
  
  • Lombardi Award

Pasqualoni is the all-time winningest coach in BIG EAST Conference league wins with 62 and overall wins with 109. He is just one of two league coaches in history to win four BIG EAST Championships.

Connecticut begins BIG EAST Conference play on Saturday vs. West Virginia and 2011 marks the eighth year of football league membership dating back to 2004.

UConn has a 3-4 record in BIG EAST openers with a 27-24 loss at Rutgers to open the slate. UConn has lost two straight BIG EAST openers as it fell 24-21 at Pittsburgh in 2009.

UConn was one of seven charter members of the BIG EAST Conference when the league was founded in 1979 and UConn is the only founding school that is currently playing football in the league and scheduled to do so in the future. The other five original members were Boston College, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Providence, Georgetown and St. John’s.

UConn has won league titles in two of the past four years.

UConn finished the non-conference portion of the regular season with a 2-3 record.

Connecticut was picked sixth in the BIG EAST preseason media poll. West Virginia was first followed by Pittsburgh, USF, Syracuse and Cincinnati and then UConn followed by Rutgers and Louisville.

Saturday’s game will mark the 18th time in school history that the Huskies face a team ranked in the Associated Press poll at the time of the game. The previous time was the January 1, 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game vs. Oklahoma. UConn’s only win in those previous 17 games came on Oct. 27, 2007 with a 22-15 win over No. 11 USF.

UConn owns an all-time mark of 22-26 in BIG EAST Conference games since joining the league for football in 2004. The Huskies posted their best conference record with a 5-2 mark in 2007 and ‘10.

UConn’s current five-game BIG EAST Conference games winning streak is the longest in school history.

UConn is just 5-18 on the road in BIG EAST conference games.

UConn is 27-16 in games following a loss since Oct. 26, 2002.

Here are the categories where UConn is ranked in the top 40 in the 2011 NCAA statistics.

• Rushing Defense – 8th at 75.20 yards (Second in BIG EAST)
• Total Defense – 30th at 315.60 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
• Scoring Defense – 24th at 18.40 (Fourth in BIG EAST)
• Sacks – t10th at 3.00 (Second in BIG EAST)
• TFL – 10th at 8.20 (Fourth in BIG EAST)

Individual leaders

• Rushing – Lyle McCombs, 31st at 100.40 (2nd in BIG EAST)
• Sacks – Kendall Reyes, t15th at 0.80 (t1st in BIG EAST)
• TFL – Kendall Reyes, T3rd at 1.90 (First in BIG EAST)

Notes from this week’s opponent West Virginia:

Here is the video of West Virginia head coach Phil Collins Dana Holgorsen’s press conference. In case you don’t have time to watch it, here’s the transcript of Holgorsen’s press conference.

• WVU is 64-18 over its last 82 games; 31-11 in the BIG EAST in that span.
• WVU has won 84 of its last 111 regular-season games/WVU has won 88-of-118 overall games.
• WVU has the 12th-best record in college football in the last five years (2006-10).
• WVU has the 10th-best record in college football in the last six years (2005-10).
• WVU has the 12th-best record in college football in the last seven years (2004-10).
• WVU is 87-49-1 all-time in BIG EAST play/47-14 since 2002.
• WVU has not finished lower than second place in the BIG EAST since 2002.
• WVU has had at least a 5-2 record every year in the BIG EAST since 2002.
• When WVU has passed for more than 200 yards in a game, its record is 27-11.
• Dating back to 2005, WVU has 199 rushing touchdowns in its last 80 games (2.5 per game).
• WVU has outrushed its opponents in 63-of-74 games; WVU’s record is 58-16 during that span.
• WVU is 60-4 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.
• Since 2001, WVU is 31-3 when rushing for 300 or more yards in a game.
• Since 2000, WVU is 71-2 when scoring 30 or more points in a contest.
• WVU is 51-4 when it has held an opponent under 100 yards rushing.
• WVU quarterback Geno Smith has thrown a touchdown pass in eight straight games.
• Smith is No. 8 on WVU’s career total offense chart (5,011) and No. 7 on passing chart (4,781).
• Smith is No. 6 on WVU’s career completion list (411) and No. 7 on the touchdown list (37).
• Dustin Garrison posted the FBS single-game rushing mark in the nation vs. Bowling Green (291).

WVU is 131-105-7 all-time against current members of the BIG EAST Conference. WVU is 27-31 against Syracuse; 31-4-2 against Rutgers; 10-2 versus Louisville; 15-3-1 versus Cincinnati; 6-1 against Connecticut; 39-61-3 against Pitt; and 3-3 against USF. Since the league started in 1991, WVU is 87-49-1 in all-time BIG EAST play and 46-21-1 in league home games, while 41-28 in league road games.

The nine straight bowl appearances by WVU ranks No. 11, along with Boise State, Southern Miss and Wisconsin. Florida State has been to 28 straight bowl games, Florida has been to 19 straight and Virginia Tech has been to 17 straight.

Friday UConn Football Links:

Predictions: Big East Week 6 [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

What to watch in the Big East: Week 6 [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

UConn D braces for another air raid [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Video: Big East game of the week [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

UConn Coach Pasqualoni On TCU; Opponent West Virginia [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Thursday update –alignment takes over! [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

Game Preview – Connecticut Huskies vs. West Virginia Mountaineers [BigEast.org]

West Virginia’s One-Two Punch Of Smith And Garrison A Concern For UConn [Hartford Courant]

West Virginia Appears To Be UConn’s Toughest Opponent [Hartford Courant]

West Virginia’s Big Threats [Hartford Courant]

Advice from the sidelines [Journal Inquirer]

Next Week:

The Huskies return to Rentschler Field next Saturday afternoon to host the South Florida Bulls at 3:30 p.m.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

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 some of the other sports. 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.

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

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

UConn Football links

The UConn football links can be found in the Friday football links section of the West Virginia vs UConn preview.

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn reloads for another national title run [Andy Katz – ESPN.com]

UConn Gets its National Championship Bling [David Borges – New Haven Register]

UConn Veterans Continue to Rave About Andre Drummond [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

Jay Bilas: Huskies Were Captivating [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

UConn celebrates national title No. 3 [CT Post]

Kemba Walker Joins UConn Champs At Celebration In Hartford [Hartford Courant]

Huskies toast title team, Jim Calhoun thinking big about this season [New Haven Register]

Champion UConn Huskies discuss road ahead at celebration dinner [Norwich Bulletin]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Remember Geno Auriemma’s Interview In Italian? [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Geno Auriemma to Attend 17th Annual Jimmy V Basketball Classic New York Dinner Auction [UConnHuskies.com]

Other UConn related links

UConn statement on TCU [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Herbst on TCU’s move: Realignment a ‘fluid situation’ [CT Post]

Big 12 Invites TCU, Yet Another Blow For Big East Football [Hartford Courant]

BCS Worthy? [Hartford Courant]

Possible TCU move could affect UConn [Norwich Bulletin]

W. Volleyball. Behind the Block – #5 [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Volleyball. Volleyball Back in Action at USF on Friday Night [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Continues Four-Game Road Stretch [UConnHuskies.com]

Case on UConn ticket holders goes to high court [Norwich Bulletin]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Are you wondering what the UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball Championship rings look like? Well take a look below.

Here’s a photo of Kemba Walker holding the ring. Alex Oriakhi also posted some pictures as well.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Photo credit: University of Connecticut Athletic Department

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 some of the other sports. 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.

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

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

UConn Football links

Top kickers struggling so far [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Big East superlative tracker [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Kickers Looking To Improve And Get Right For Saturday [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

DC also answered a bunch of questions in his mailbag [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Pasqualoni trying to feel at ease, ‘expected to have growing pains’ [CT Post]

DeLeone Vows To Get UConn Offense On Track [Hartford Courant]

Ranking The Offense [Hartford Courant]

Huskies prepare for WVU [The Daily Campus]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge Schedule Released [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Vote Tony Cascio For The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award! [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. UConn lacrosse looks for a good start [The Daily Campus]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona will find himself back in baseball, albeit temporarily for now as he’s been dubbed by FOX to broadcast the first two games of the ALCS. Tim McCarver is out with a medical issue so Tito will be filling in.

Here’s the release courtesy of Fang’s Bites:

MLB ON FOX lead analyst Tim McCarver will be unable to work ALCS Games 1 and 2 this weekend due what is expected to be a short-term medical issue. McCarver is having a minor heart-related procedure performed late this week and is expected to return to the booth in time for ALCS Game 3 next Tuesday. Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who guided that team to World Championships in 2004 and 2007, will take McCarver’s place alongside MLB ON FOX lead play-by play announcer Joe Buck.

Francona was also on The Big Show on WEEI 93.7 FM this afternoon.

He made his first public comments since his press conference on Friday night earlier on WEEI. He talked about the issues that were going on with the team, what he felt ultimately led to the decision to leave, addressed the reports of drinking in the clubhouse and more. Tito also talks about the surprise phone call he got from a former Red Sox player after the announcement on Friday.

You can listen to the entire interview below:

{mp3remote}http://audio.weei.com/hosting/media/weei/1598200/bs-francona-1005-weei.mp3{/mp3remote}

Now my question to everyone out there in Red Sox Nation is this.

Will you tune in to watch the games just to listen to Francona? Or will you skip it entirely since our boys aren’t playing?

Let us know in the comments.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

Photo credit: Reuters Pictures