The UConn Huskies football staff has been out on the road recruiting with the exception of Friday night’s 2014 UConn Huskies Football Awards and their efforts are being rewarded.
Nolan Ulizio, a 6’6″ 280 lb offensive lineman out of Lakota West in West Chester, OH, verbally committed to the UConn football program on Sunday morning.
Proud to announce that I have officially committed to the University of Connecticut
— Nolan Ulizio (@NolanUlizio) December 14, 2014
UConn PR Deshon Foxx (4) looks for the end zone ahead of him in the third quarter against the Stony Brook Seawolves on September 6, 2014 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. Foxx would return the kick for a 72 yard touchdown.
From UConn:
STORRS, Conn. – The 2014 Husky Football Awards Show was held on Friday night at the Rome Commons Ballroom to honor this year’s version of the UConn team. The event began with a social hour and was followed by an ESPY-style awards presentation.
Senior wide receiver Deshon Foxx (Lynchburg, Va.) was named the Offensive Player of the Year while redshirt junior Andrew Adams (Fayetteville, Ga.) was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Redshirt junior Junior Lee (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named the Special Teams Player of the Year.
Foxx started all 12 games for UConn at wide receiver and also saw time at quarterback. He had UConn’s longest rush (68 vs. UCF), reception (88 vs. East Carolina) and punt return (72 yards vs. Stony Brook) during the season – all scoring touchdowns.
Adams started all 12 games at safety, leading UConn with four interceptions and eight pass breakups and finished second on the squad with 96 tackles. He tied a program record with three interceptions in a win over UCF on Nov. 1 and returned a fumble 32 yards for a touchdown vs. SMU (Dec. 6). He recorded double-digit tackles in three games.
Other awards given out on Friday night were:
The Joseph M. Giannelli Newcomer of the Year Award to redshirt sophomore Andreas Knappe (Slkeborg, Denmark), who played in ten games this season, starting the final seven at right tackle. Other finalists for the award were redshirt sophomore punter Justin Wain (Wilmington, N.C.), freshman cornerback Jamar Summers (East Orange, N.J.) and freshman running back Ron Johnson (Naples, Fla.).
The John L. Toner Scholar-Athlete Award to redshirt sophomore safety Obi Melifonwu (South Grafton, Mass.), who was fourth on the team in tackles with 75 and had started 23 of UConn’s past 24 games since 2013. Other finalists for the award were redshirt senior cornerback Byron Jones (New Britain, Conn.), redshirt sophomore tight end Tommy Myers (Coventry, Conn.) and redshirt freshman Joshua Marriner (Chesapeake, Va.).
The Kendall Madison Award for the most outstanding power player to redshirt junior defensive tackle Julian Campenni (West Pittson, Pa.), who was the team’s starting nose guard and made 35 tackles on the season with a pair of sacks. Other finalists were Knappe, junior offensive guard Tyler Samra (Wycoff, N.J.) and redshirt defensive lineman Mikal Myers (Newburgh, N.Y.).
The Brian Kozlowski Award for the outstanding big skill player to redshirt junior linebacker Graham Stewart (Durham, Conn.), who was third on the team with 94 tackles and led the Huskies with 10.5 tackles for a loss. Other finalists were: redshirt sophomore fullback Jazzmar Clax (Freehold, N.J.), redshirt junior linebacker Marquise Vann (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt junior tight end Sean McQuillan (Glastonbury, Conn.).
The Jasper T. Howard Outstanding Skill Player Award to redshirt senior wide receiver Geremy Davis (Lawrenceville, Ga.), who ended his career as the most prolific receiver in UConn’s FBS era and among the top-six in program history in receptions and receiving yards. Other finalists were: Foxx, Jones and sophomore wide receiver Noel Thomas (Norwalk, Conn.).
The Football Alumni Bleed Blue Award that goes to the player that best embodies a great teammate to redshirt junior Dominick Manco (Lagrangeville, N.Y.), who has served as the Huskies’ deep snapper for the past two years. Other finalists were: Marriner, redshirt sophomore cornerback Nick Vitale (Madison, Conn.) and Mikal Myers.
The Look Team Player of the Year to redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Sean Marinan (Higganum, Conn.). Other finalists were: senior defensive back Chris DeBerry (Torrington, Conn.), redshirt sophomore Tony Tully (East Sandwich, Mass.) and redshirt freshman quarterback Bryant Shirreffs (Jefferson, Ga.).
*editor’s note: I was invited to attend the awards show but due to being under the weather, I decided to stay home.
photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune
Wade Miley #36 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after walking Andrew Susac (not pictured) of the San Francisco Giants with the bases loaded to allow Angel Pagan (not pictured) to score a run during the first inning at AT&T Park on September 9, 2014 in San Francisco, California.
As we learned on Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox acquired Wade Miley from the Arizona Diamondbacks for a Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster and a minor leaguer. Today, the Red Sox made it official.
Here’s the release:
BOSTON, MA – The Boston Red Sox today made two separate transactions:
Acquired All-Star left-handed pitcher Wade Miley from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-handed pitchers Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster and minor league infielder Raymel Flores.
Acquired right-handed pitcher Zeke Spruill from the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Myles Smith.
Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcements.
Miley, 28, was the Diamondbacks’ 2014 Opening Day starter in Sydney, Australia. Last year, he led the team and ranked among NL leaders with 183 strikeouts (12th) and 201.1 innings pitched (13th). He went 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA, including a 3.53 mark over his final nine starts of the season and a 3.17 ERA in 17 road starts. His 33 starts overall tied for the lead among NL left-handers, one shy of the major league lead.
In 2014, Miley ranked ninth among major league lefties with a career-best 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Among NL left-handers, only Clayton Kershaw (239), Madison Bumgarner (219), and Cole Hamels (198) totaled more strikeouts.
Miley tied for the 2014 NL lead in no-decisions (13), with 23 of his 33 starts decided by one or two runs. He placed ninth among National Leaguers in ground ball-to-fly ball ratio (1.99).
His 66 starts over the last two seasons are the most in the majors by a left-handed pitcher and trail only right-handers R.A. Dickey (68), James Shields (68), and Chris Tillman (67) overall. He is the only lefty pitcher, and one of only six major leaguers overall, to make at least 33 starts in both 2013 and 2014.
In 2012, Miley was named a National League All-Star and The Sporting News’ NL Rookie of the Year, finishing second in Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting to Washington’s Bryce Harper. That year he tied for sixth in the National League in wins (16-11), ranked 10th in ERA (with a 3.33), and posted the league’s fifth-best walk rate (1.7 walks per nine innings).
A supplemental first-round selection by Arizona in the 2008 June Draft (48th overall), the native of Hammond, Louisiana is 38-35 with a 3.79 ERA and 499 strikeouts over 102 starts and four relief appearances in his four-year major league career.
In 337.0 career innings on the road, Miley owns a 3.31 ERA and a .258 opponent batting average. He has the majors’ eighth-lowest rate of home runs allowed (0.69 home runs per nine innings) in away games since 2011 (min. 250.0 IP).
In his three full major league seasons, from 2012-14, the only NL left-handers with more wins than Miley’s 34 are Kershaw (51), Bumgarner (47), and Gio Gonzalez (42). In that time, he has produced 56 ground ball double plays, third most in the NL.
Spruill, 25, went 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA (9 ER/22.2 IP) with 14 strikeouts and four walks in six outings (1 start) over three major league stints for the Diamondbacks in 2014, his second straight season appearing in the big leagues. He had been designated for assignment on Monday.
A native of Chesapeake, VA, Spruill spent the majority of 2014 with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A Reno affiliate, going 3-7 with a 6.04 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 79.0 innings over 28 outings (11 starts). He also made three rehab appearances for the Rookie-level Arizona League Diamondbacks while on the disabled list with a strained right elbow. After returning from the DL on August 8, he posted a 2.16 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 16.2 innings over his final 10 regular season appearances for Reno, all in relief. He then pitched to a 2.70 ERA (4 ER/13.1 IP) over four major league relief appearances for the Diamondbacks during September.
In 2013, Spruill combined for a 3.49 ERA in 21 starts between Double-A Mobile and Reno, and also made his major league debut with six outings for Arizona. It was his first year with the Diamondbacks organization after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves as part of a seven-player trade in January of that year.
A second-round selection by Atlanta in the 2008 June Draft, Spruill is 47-50 with a 3.85 ERA in 156 games (126 starts) over parts of seven minor league seasons. As a Braves farmhand, he was named a mid-season minor league All-Star in the Single-A South Atlantic League in 2009 and the Double-A Southern League in 2012.
De La Rosa and Webster were both acquired by the Red Sox as part of the nine-player trade that sent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Josh Beckett, and outfielder Carl Crawford to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 25, 2012.
Over his two seasons of major league service with Boston (2013-14), De La Rosa went 4-10 with a 4.54 ERA (57 ER/113.0 IP), 37 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 30 games (18 starts). The 25-year-old Dominican native had two stints with the Red Sox last season, over which he set career highs in games (19), starts (18), and strikeouts (74). He had eight quality starts in 2014, and allowed one run or none in six of his starts which was the second-highest total on the staff behind Jon Lester (eight). De La Rosa has gone 8-15 with a 4.34 ERA (84 ER/174.1 IP), 70 walks, and 140 strikeouts in 44 career major league games (28 starts) between the Dodgers (2011-12) and Red Sox. The right-handed pitcher was originally signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2007.
This past season with Boston, Webster pitched to a 5-3 record with a 5.03 ERA (33 ER/59.0 IP), 28 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 11 games, all starts. He spent the majority of his season with Triple-A Pawtucket where he appeared in 21 games, making 20 starts, and posted a 2.90 ERA (38 ER/118.0 IP) in those outings. After the 2014 season, Baseball America rated him as the No. 8 pitching prospect in the International League. For his major league career, he has gone 6-5 with a 6.25 ERA (62 ER/89.1 IP), 46 walks, and 59 strikeouts in 19 games, all with the Red Sox. Webster was originally an 18th-round selection of the Dodgers in the 2008 June Draft.
Flores, 20, spent the 2014 season with the Short-A Lowell Spinners, batting .282 (58-for-206) with six doubles, three triples, a home run, 12 RBI, 16 walks, 31 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 61 games. The switch-hitting Dominican native appeared at second base (47 games) and shortstop (11 games) last season and ranked among club leaders in games (3rd), runs (3rd), hits (3rd), triples (T-3rd, 3), walks (3rd), stolen bases (2nd, 14), and sacrifice bunts (1st, 6). Signed by Boston as an international free agent in July 2011, he has hit .246 (118-for-479) with 14 doubles, 15 triples, one home run, 43 RBI, and 28 stolen bases in 148 career minor league games in the Red Sox farm system over the last three seasons.
Smith, 22, spent last season with Single-A Greenville, going 5-10 with one save, a 5.82 ERA (67 ER/103.2 IP), 73 strikeouts, and 62 walks allowed in 26 outings, including 12 starts. Signed by Boston as a fourth-round selection in the 2013 June Draft, he appeared in 31 minor league games in the Red Sox system over the last two seasons, with 17 starts and 14 relief outings, and went 5-10 with one save and a 5.43 ERA (69 ER/114.1 IP).
With these transactions, Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 39.
photo credit: getty images
Justin Masterson #63 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Indians on September 23, 2008 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
I know that there are two people on the Boston Red Sox NESN television broadcast crew that will be very happy the Boston Red Sox signed Justin Masterson to a one-year deal worth $9.5 million plus incentives.
They are Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo because now they will once again get to enjoy the cookies of Meryl Masterson, the wife of Justin.
Masterson returns to the club that drafted him and where he made his MLB debut. He also reunites with skipper John Farrell who was his pitching coach here.
Masterson was a piece in the deal when the Red Sox acquired Victor Martinez in 2009.
Full release from the Red Sox:
BOSTON, MA-The Boston Red Sox today agreed with All-Star right-handed pitcher Justin Masterson on a one-year contract through the 2015 season. Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.
Masterson, 29, split the 2014 season between the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Cardinals. In 25 starts and three relief appearances, he combined for a 7-9 record with a 5.88 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 128.2 innings. He spent three weeks on the disabled list last July due to a right knee inflammation and was acquired by St. Louis via trade on July 30.
He posted a 3.86 ERA in 96 starts and four relief appearances over his previous three seasons with the Indians from 2011-13, twice throwing over 200 innings. In 2013, Masterson went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 32 appearances, including 29 starts, and was named to the American League All-Star Team. That season he struck out 195 batters in 193.0 innings and led AL qualifiers in both opponent slugging percentage (.312) and ground ball-to-fly ball ratio (2.48).
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Masterson returns to the organization that signed him as a second-round selection in the 2006 June Draft. From 2008-09, he went 9-8 with a 3.76 ERA in 67 appearances, including 15 starts, over parts of two seasons with the Red Sox to begin his major league career. He was traded to Cleveland at the July 31, 2009 non-waiver trade deadline along with left-handed pitcher Nick Hagadone and right-handed pitcher Bryan Price in exchange for catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez.
Masterson has appeared in 240 major league games (175 starts) over seven big league seasons with the Red Sox (2008-09), Indians (2009-14), and Cardinals (2014), going 60-72 with a 4.24 ERA and 955 strikeouts. In 10 career postseason games between the Red Sox (2008) and Indians (2013), all out of the bullpen, he is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA.
His 59 percent ground ball rate in 2014 was the third highest among major leaguers with at least 100.0 innings last season. Beginning with his 2008 debut, the only pitcher with at least 1,000 innings and a ground ball rate higher than Masterson’s 57 percent mark is Tim Hudson at 58.
In his career, Masterson has held right-handed batters to just a .220/.306/.301 line and just a .607 OPS. Among pitchers who have faced at least 1,500 right-handed batters since 2008, none have a better opponent slugging percentage and only Clayton Kershaw has a better opponent batting average (.214).
With the signing of Masterson, Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 39.
photo credit: getty images
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.
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UConn Football links
American Athletic Conference 2014 Postseason Football Award Winners [sox & dawgs]
UConn’s Mateas moving up CFL scouting ratings [jim fuller – new haven register]
UConn Football Attendance Hits Record Low [hartford courant]
Wallingford’s Dave Peterson has been UConn football statistician for 60 seasons [new haven register]
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Three Huskies Named to Naismith Trophy Women’s 50 Watch List [sox & dawgs]
UConn products showcased on WNBA air waves [jim fuller – new haven register]
UConn Women Insider: Tamika Williams Overcomes Divorce, Dad’s Death [hartford courant]
UConn Men’s Basketball links
UConn men: Amilo out 6-8 weeks [john silver – sny uconn]
UConn Readies For Home Game Against Coppin State On Sunday [uconn huskies]
UConn professor, Yale alum used exam to gloat about Huskies’ upset [extra mustard]
Other UConn related links
M. Soccer. Three Huskies Earn NSCAA All-Region Honors [uconn huskies]
Field Hockey. Nancy Stevens Selected as 2014 NFHCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year [uconn huskies]
M. Soccer. Tony Cascio, Paul McDonough To Be Reunited At Orlando City SC [uconn huskies]
Baseball. Rossomando looking forward to joining Huskies [stratford star]
Rick Porcello #21 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates a two-run home run by Nick Castellanos #9 in the ninth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 8, 2014 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Boston Red Sox GM Ben Cherington had said throughout the early part of this offseason that OF Yoenis Cespedes fit into the teams’ plans for 2015. It’s obvious he was blowing smoke up our you know what.
With a need for starting pitching, Cherington dangled Cespedes out there and ended up finding a trade partner in the Detroit Tigers.
On Thursday, the Red Sox acquired Rick Porcello for Cespedes, RP Alex Wilson and minor leaguer Gabe Speier.
Cespedes is in the final year of his contract ($10.5 million) and Porcello is set for his final go around of salary arbitration. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Porcello is projected to get $12.2 million.
It seems like the Red Sox gave up an awful lot for Porcello. Remember, Cespedes was acquired for Jon Lester at the trade deadline in 2014.
Full release from the Red Sox:
The Boston Red Sox today acquired right-handed pitcher Rick Porcello from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, right-handed pitcher Alex Wilson, and minor league left-handed pitcher Gabe Speier. Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.
Porcello, 25, went 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 204.2 innings over 32 appearances for the Tigers last season, including 31 starts. Along with leading the American League with three shutouts, he also placed among AL leaders while setting career bests in wins (T-8th), ERA (17th), innings (13th), and road ERA (6th, 2.66). He held both right-handed and left-handed batters to a .268 batting average, ranked second in the majors with 30 opponent ground into double plays, and had the eighth-highest ground ball-to-fly ball ratio in the AL.
The native of Morristown, NJ issued a career-low 1.8 walks per nine innings in 2014, the eighth-best mark in the AL and his third season among the league’s top 10 in that category. His 2.21 career walks per nine innings ratio ranks fifth among active big leaguers with at least 1,000 innings, trailing only Dan Haren (1.86), Cliff Lee (1.94), Mark Buehrle (2.05), and Ricky Nolasco (2.10). He joins Felix Hernandez and James Shields as the only three AL qualifiers to average fewer than 3.0 walks per nine innings pitched over each of the last six seasons.
In his final 18 outings (17 starts) of 2014 beginning on July 26, he posted a 3.18 ERA, the 12th-best mark among AL pitchers with at least 100.0 innings. That stretch began with back-to-back complete game, 9.0-inning shutouts on June 26 at Texas and July 1 against Oakland, respectively.
Signed by the Tigers as the 27th selection in the first round of the 2007 June Draft, Porcello has made at least 27 starts and pitched at least 162.2 innings in all six big league seasons since his 2009 debut.
He placed third among AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2009 after going 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts for the Tigers. That year, the 20-year-old was the youngest player in the AL. His 14 wins in 2009 remain the most for any pitcher in a season before turning 21 since the Mets’ Dwight Gooden won 24 games in 1985. In the live ball era (since 1920), no other AL pitcher has won as many games in his first major league season as a 20-year-old or younger.
Porcello has reached double-digits in wins in every season of his big league career, just the third pitcher in modern major league history (since 1900) to record at least 10 wins in each of his first six seasons before turning 26 years old, along with Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley and Bert Blyleven. No other modern major league pitcher has made more than 25 starts in each of his first six big league seasons, all before turning 26.
Porcello appeared with the Tigers in the postseason in three consecutive seasons from 2011-13, going 0-2 with a 4.41 ERA in eight outings (2 starts), including four scoreless relief appearances in the 2012 and 2013 postseasons.
Cespedes, 29, combined to hit .260 (156-for-600) with 36 doubles, six triples, 22 home runs, and 100 RBI in 152 games between the Oakland Athletics and Red Sox last season. A first-time All-Star in 2014, he set career highs in several offensive categories, including games, runs (89), at-bats, RBI, triples, and total bases (270). Among all American League qualifiers last season, Cespedes finished within the top 10 in extra-base hits (8th, 64), RBI (9th), and doubles (9th). Since joining the Red Sox on August 1 of last year, he led the club with 33 RBI in 51 games. Defensively, he set a career high with a major league-leading 16 outfield assists, four of which came with the Red Sox. Following the season, he was named a finalist for the AL Gold Glove Award in left field. Boston acquired Cespedes along with a 2015 Competitive Balance draft pick in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, outfielder Jonny Gomes, and cash considerations on July 31, 2014. Cespedes, originally an international free agent from Cuba signed by Oakland on March 3, 2012, has hit .263 (425-for-1,616) with 82 doubles, 15 triples, 71 home runs, and 262 RBI in 416 major league games between the A’s (2012-14), and Red Sox (2014).
Wilson, 27, went 1-0 and posted a career-low 1.91 ERA (6 ER/28.1 IP) with five walks and 19 strikeouts in 18 relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2014. Used exclusively as a reliever over the last two full seasons, Wilson allowed only three home runs over his 56.0 innings of work in the majors in that span. When he made his major league debut with Boston in 2013, Wilson became the first Saudi Arabian-born pitcher to appear in a big league game. For his major league career, which has spanned the last two years with the Red Sox (2013-14), he has gone 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA (21 ER/56.0 IP), 19 walks, and 41 strikeouts in 44 appearances, all in relief. The Red Sox’ 2011 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Wilson was originally a second-round selection (77th overall) by Boston in the 2009 June Draft.
Speier, 19, spent this past season, his second in professional baseball, with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. In his nine games (six starts) for the Gulf Coast League champions, he went 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA (5 ER/29.0 IP), one walk, and 26 strikeouts. He held opponents to two runs or fewer in all nine of his appearances in 2014, and allowed only six extra-base hits on the season (5 doubles, 1 triple), none of which were home runs. The nephew of former major league veteran Chris Speier, Gabe was a 19th-round selection by the Red Sox in the 2013 June Draft. Over his professional career, Speier has gone 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA (6 ER/33.0 IP), two walks, and 32 strikeouts in 12 games (8 starts).
With this transaction, Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 38.
photo credit: getty images
Starting pitcher Wade Miley #36 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch against the St Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a MLB game at Chase Field on September 27, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Less than 24 hours after losing out on one lefty in Jon Lester, the Boston Red Sox have made a move to get a different one.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com, the Red Sox have agreed to trade Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster and another minor leaguer to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Wade Miley.
Miley, who enters arbitration for the first time this season, made $523,000 last year. He made his debut for the DBacks in 2011 and has been a member of their rotation for the past three seasons.
He went 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA in 2014. Miley was an All-Star in his rookie season of 2012 when he went 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting to Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals.
De La Rosa and Webster were obtained by the Red Sox in the blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford among others.
De La Rosa made 19 appearances (18 starts) for the local nine in 2014 and was 4-8 with a 4.43 ERA. In two years with the Red Sox, Webster was 6-5 with a 6.25 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts).
I’m not surprised about the Red Sox giving up on Webster as he’s struggled in the big leagues. De La Rosa has shown a lot of promise and I thought that he might be a weapon in the bullpen.
But given the current state of the Red Sox rotation, they weren’t giving up too much and you have to figure that neither one figured too predominately into the plans for 2015.
photo credit: getty images
UConn G Moriah Jefferson (4) avoids the arm of Creighton F Brianna Rollerson (50) for a layup at Gampel Pavilion on November 23, 2014.
From UConn and the Atlanta Tipoff Club:
ATLANTA – After helping the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team to six wins in its first seven games a trio of Huskies, Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.), Moriah Jefferson (Glenn Heights, Texas) and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) have been named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s 50 Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Wednesday morning.
In the history of the Naismith Trophy, six Huskies have earned the award in eight different seasons. Rebecca Lobo first took home the honors for Connecticut in the 1995 season after winning the program’s first National Championship. In 2002, the Naismith Award was bestowed on Sue Bird after UConn’s first of three consecutive National Titles. Diana Taurasi followed on Bird’s heels as a back-to-back recipient in 2003 and 2004. Tina Charles earned the honors in 2010, in between Maya Moore’s two seasons as the Naismith Award winner in 2009 and 2011. Last season, Stewart was selected as the winner of the prestigious award, becoming just the seventh player to win the Naismith Trophy in both high school and college.
Earlier this season, the trio was named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 list.
Stewart has put together a solid junior campaign, averaging 16.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The Syracuse, N.Y. native was tabbed as the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 24 after shooting an incredible 10-for-10 from the field in UConn’s win over Creighton. She is shooting 51.2 (43-of-84) percent from the floor this season and is one of three Huskies with double-digit made three-pointers.
In 2013-14, she recorded double-digit points in 38 of UConn’s 40 games on her way to being selected as the 2013-14 National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Trophy), the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Honda Sports Award.
Jefferson earns a spot on the list after earning the starting nod in each of UConn’s seven contests, averaging 9.6 points and a team-best 4.7 assists per game. She set a career-high with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting against Green Bay on Nov. 30 and has reached double-digit points in four games.
Last season, Jefferson enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, starting all 40 games and averaging 10.0 points per contest. The Texas native led The American in assists per game (4.9) and shooting percentage (57.5) en route to an all-conference First Team selection. She dished out 25 assists compared to only seven turnovers during the Huskies’ six-game run through the NCAA Tournament. Her 195 total assists marked the fifth-highest single-season total for a Husky player.
Mosqueda-Lewis rounds out the Husky portion of the list, earning a nod after leading the team with 17.0 points per game and 26 made-three point field goals. The senior deep-threat set a career-high with 10 made three-pointers en route to her second career 30-point game in the Huskies’ season-opening win over UC Davis on Nov. 14.
Despite being limited by injury in the 2013-14 campaign, the forward earned 26 starts and notched 19 double-figure scoring games. She posted the program’s third-ever triple-double in the Huskies’ NCAA Second Round victory over Saint Joseph’s on March 25. The three-point sharpshooter saved her best for the postseason, earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team after posting 14.7 points and shooting 47.4 from beyond the arc. In addition, Mosqueda-Lewis was tabbed as the Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent in the Huskies first four NCAA Tournament victories.
photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune
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.
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
UConn Football links
Former UConn star Williams added to Redskins roster [jim fuller – new haven register]
UConn progress report by the numbers [jim fuller – new haven register]
UConn Women’s Basketball links
Morgan Tuck Named Ann Meyers Drysdale Women’s National Player of the Week [sox & dawgs]
Sadie Edwards Opts To Leave UConn Women’s Basketball Team [sox & dawgs]
UConn Men’s Basketball links
UConn Men’s Insider: Basketball Life Moves Fast For Huskies Recruit Steve Enoch [hartford courant]
UConn G Sadie Edwards (14) tries to get open in an exhibition game against Post University at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 9, 2014.
From UConn:
STORRS, Conn. – Freshman guard Sadie Edwards has decided to transfer from the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program, as announced by head coach Geno Auriemma on Tuesday.
“Sadie is a great kid who will be missed by the coaching staff and her teammates,” Auriemma said. “Getting to know Sadie and her family has been a pleasure but she has voiced her desire to play more and we have come to the mutual agreement that this can best be accomplished at a different school. I wish Sadie nothing but the best in the future.”
Edwards will complete her final exams this week prior to finalizing her transfer.
The Meriden, Conn. native played in six games, averaging 4.8 minutes per contest.
photo credit: ©2014 Ian Bethune