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.

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

It's game day and Senior Night for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team as they'll host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Gampel Pavilion. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. You can also watch the game online at WatchESPN. If you live locally and can't catch the television broadcast, you have the option of listening to Joe D. and Wayne Norman on the UConn IMG Sports Radio Network.

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UConn Men's Basketball links

Video: Shabazz Napier – All-American Candidate [sox & dawgs]

Shabazz Napier: ‘If You’ve Got The Chance To Be A Hero, Why Not?’ [dom amore – hartford courant]

Tyler Olander: ‘It’s Been An Unbelievable Ride’ [dom amore – hartford courant]

Niels Giffey: ‘It’s About More Than Basketball’ [dom amore – hartford courant]

Kevin Ollie On The Class of 2014: ‘We Needed Those Guys To Stay’ [dom amore – hartford courant]

UConn a 50-to-1 Bet to Win National Title [david borges – new haven register]

Kevin Ollie on UConn's Seniors: "That Loyalty They Showed … Really Means A Lot to Me" [david borges – new haven register]

Tyler Olander, Niels Giffey Wax Nostalgic Day Before Their Final UConn Home Game [david borges – new haven register]

UConn men: Seniors get their due [lee lewis – waterbury republican-american]

Time to….say good-bye [neill ostrout – journal inquirer]

Napier, Giffey, Olander prepare for final home game [william paxton – ct post]

Napier the program’s pillar [john silver – snyuconn.com]

No. 19 UConn Hosts Rutgers In Regular Season Home Finale [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn seniors want to leave on a high [ct post]

Special Night At Gampel For Napier, Giffey, Olander, Kromah [hartford courant]

UConn's Tyler Olander has seen the good times and bad times [new haven register]

UConn men honoring three who have endured [the day]

Huskies' seniors wouldn't have changed a thing [waterbury republican-american]

Nation's best point guards under pressure [espn.com]

UConn Women's Basketball links

UConn Women's Breanna Stewart Named AAC Player of the Week [sox & dawgs]

Mosqueda-Lewis lends experienced hand [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Notebook: Jefferson becoming a big shot [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

Huskies Shut Down Cardinals To Cap Perfect Regular Season [rich elliott – ct post]

Auriemma Thinks Louisville Deserves A No. 1 Seed [rich elliott – ct post]

Mosqueda-Lewis comes through again for UConn [jim fuller – new haven register]

Another title for former UConn star [jim fuller – new haven register]

Geno, UConn Women Say It's Time To Relax And Take It All In [hartford courant]

One and only Stewie [journal inquirer]

UConn guard Moriah Jefferson gives and takes [new haven register]

UConn Football links

Tribe Football's David Corley Resigns for Assistant Position at UConn [williamsburg yorktown daily]

Other UConn related links

W. Lacrosse. UConn Set To Play New Hampshire On Wednesday [uconnhuskies.com]

National Champions UConn Field Hockey Visits State Capitol [uconn huskies youtube]

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 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.

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 Women's Basketball links

Video: UConn Women Take Outright AAC Title in 68-48 Win Over Cards [sox & dawgs]

Stewart, UConn wrap up AAC regular season title [carl adamec -snyuconn.com]

Louisville’s Schimmel: We’re going to get them [carl adamec – snyuconn.com]

UConn’s Postseason Road Begins Saturday [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Geno Asks His Team To Enjoy Its AAC Moment [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Cardinals Had Plenty To Say After Latest Loss To UConn [rich elliott – ct post]

Quite a night at KFC Yum! Center [jim fuller – new haven register]

Defense never rests at UConn [jim fuller – new haven register]

Pairings Announced for 2014 American Women’s Basketball Championship [the american]

No. 1 UConn, Stewart roll No. 3 Louisville [ct post]

Huskies take time to savor regular-season title [ct post]

UConn Women Beat Louisville 68-48 [hartford courant]

With Top Seed, UConn Awaits Winner Of 8-9 Game [hartford courant]

Louisville's Bark Exceeds Its Bite [hartford courant]

Huskies cap unbeaten regular season with win over No. 3 Louisville [new haven register]

Cardinals, community embrace Shoni [espnW]

UConn Men's Basketball links

Shabazz Napier Named American Athletic Conference Player Of The Week [sox & dawgs]

Huskies Ranked Again, at No. 19. … Rise in RPI [dom amore – hartford courant]

A fight to the finish [gavin keefe – the day]

UConn Football links

UConn Football Names David Corley Director of Player Engagement/RB Coach [sox & dawgs]

Diaco On Energizing The Rent On Game Day [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. Six Former Huskies Receive MLB Spring Training Invites [sox & dawgs]

W. Tennis. Huskies Drop Matches to Cincinnati and James Madison [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Golf. Huskies Finish Fifth At Colleton River [uconnhuskies.com]

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

STORRS, Conn. – With the 2014 Major League Baseball season set to kick off on March 31, six former University of Connecticut baseball players have received invitations to 2014 Spring Training.

In the 118 years of the program, 12 former UConn players have reached the big leagues, including a streak of 23 of out of the last 24 seasons with a former Connecticut player in MLB. Below is a look at the current Spring Training invitees:

OF George Springer (2009-11): The 2013 MiLBY Award for Offensive Player of the Year, Springer  batted .303 with 37 home runs, 108 RBIs and 45 stolen bases across the highest two minor league levels of the Houston Astros organization last season. The former UConn center fielder is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Astros organization and appeared in 62 games for the Oklahoma RedHawks (Triple A) last season, boasting a .425 OBP and .626 slugging percentage. In two Spring Training games in 2014, Springer has notched one hit in three at-bats, driving in a run and scoring twice.

While at UConn from 2009-11, Springer hit .346 with 46 home runs, 196 RBIs and 76 steals in 186 games. He was a 2009 Baseball America Freshman All-America First Team member, and became the first Husky to take home BIG EAST Rookie of the Year honors. In 2011, Springer was the league's Player of the Year, garnering First Team All-America nods from Perfect Game USA, Louisville Slugger and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

RHP Matt Barnes (2009-11): Ranked as the 86^th best prospect on the Major League Baseball's top-100 prospect list, Barnes figures to be a major piece of the Boston Red Sox organization in 2014. Barnes spent the majority of 2013 with AA-Portland of the Eastern League, making 24 starts and posting a 4.33 ERA along with 135 strikeouts against 46 walks in 108 innings. Barnes was called up to AAA-Pawtucket for one start at the end of the year, in which he went 5.1 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, allowing just three hits to pick up a win. In an exhibition game against Boston College on Feb. 27, Barnes tossed a scoreless inning of relief, recording one strikeout and allowing no baserunners.

During his career in Connecticut from 2009-11, Barnes went 24-11 with a 3.30 ERA in 45 career appearances, 37 starts. In 256.2 career innings, he struck out a program-record 247 batters against 81 walks and allowed just 212 hits. His 2011 year was one for the record books, as Barnes went 11-5 with a 1.93 ERA and a 117:33 strikeout to walk ratio in a program-record 121 innings. He was named a First Team All-American by the NCBWA and Louisville Slugger, also taking home Second Team honors from Perfect Game USA and Baseball America. Barnes was the 2011 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection. 

LHP Greg Nappo (2007-11): An 18^th round pick by the Florida Marlins, now known as the Miami Marlins, in 2011, Nappo spent the majority of the 2013 season in advanced A ball with the Jupiter Hammerheads before being called up to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs near the end of the season. In high A ball, Nappo appeared in 36 games, boasting a stellar 1.15 ERA in 55.0 innings. The 6'0 lefty held a .927 WHIP and recorded 56 strikeouts while issuing just nine walks. In two appearances with New Orleans, Nappo worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Nappo has appeared out of the pen once for the Marlins in Spring Training, tossing a 1-2-3 frame with one strikeout.

After four seasons at UConn, Nappo holds the program record for innings pitched at 311.1 and ranks fourth with 215 career strikeouts. In 2011, Nappo became the fourth player in UConn history to win 10 or more games in a season with a 10-3 record in his senior campaign and became just the second player in Connecticut history to record 25 career wins. He was an integral part of the 2011 squad that reached the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in school history and was named the 2011 Clemson Regional Most Valuable Player.

3B Mike Olt (2008-10): The last former UConn player to make his major league debut, which occurred for the Texas Rangers in August 2012, Olt aims for a return trip to the big leagues with the Chicago Cubs in 2014. The former Husky INF/OF spent the first half of the 2013 season in Triple-A, playing for the Round Rock Express. In 230 at-bats, the right-handed batter smashed 11 home runs and drove in 32 RBI. After being sent to the Cubs organization as part of the Matt Garza deal, Olt saw time with the Iowa Cubs, compiling a .168 batting average with three homers and eight RBI in 39 games. In limited Spring Training action, Olt is 0-for-2 at the dish.

Olt was selected as the 49^th player in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, which at the time was the highest pick under current head coach Jim Penders. Olt finished the 2010 season hitting .318 with 23 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .659 slugging percentage and a .401 on-base percentage in 64 games. The 6'2 INF/OF currently ranks second in UConn history with 44 homeruns, fourth in total bases (378), and holds the single-season program record with 23 homeruns in 2010.

RHP Scott Oberg (2009-12): Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round with the 468th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Oberg has enjoyed success at the minor league level in his first two years of professional baseball. In 2013, the righty spent the year in Advanced-A ball, appearing in 56 games for the Modesto Nuts. In 52.1 IP, Oberg held opponents to just 34 hits, struck out 61 batters and boasted a 1.86 ERA en route to a team-high 33 saves. He has appeared out of the pen in one game in Spring Training, surrendering one run and one hit in 1.0 innings of work.

At Connecticut, Oberg ranks fifth in program history with 11 saves, including nine in the 2012 season. The righty made 30 appearances, which at the time was single-season record, in 2010, allowing just 10 earned runs in 26.1 innings of work. After returning from Tommy John Surgery in 2012, he was honored as an All-BIG EAST First Team selection and named to the ABCA Regional Second Team.

SS Nick Ahmed (2009-11): Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the Second Round as the 85th overall pick of the 2011 MLB Draft, Ahmed spent the 2013 season in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization after being traded as part of the Justin Upton deal. In 136 games for the Mobile BayBears, Ahmed notched 115 hits, including 21 doubles and four home runs to go along with a .236 batting average. The SS was honored with a 2013 Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove accolade, finishing first among all full-season minor league shortstops with 441 assists, second in chances (650) and fourth in fielding percentage (.980), all while turning 88 double plays. Ahmed is 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in limited Spring Training action this spring.

Ahmed, who finished fourth on the team with a .333 batting percentage in 2011, was named to the Clemson Region All-Tournament Team as a unanimous selection. During his final season in Storrs, he recorded 61 hits, 51 runs, 35 RBI, 11 doubles and two home runs while posting a .965 fielding percentage. Ahmed was one of 11 Huskies to earn post season accolades from the conference, as he was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team.

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With the departure of Ernest Jones as Director of Player Engagement/Running Backs Coach a few weeks ago, UConn Huskies football coach Bob Diaco has found his replacement in David Corley.

Here's the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – David Corley, who has spent the past six seasons on the staff at William & Mary, has been named as an assistant football coach at the University of Connecticut and will serve as the Director of Player Engagement and have position responsibility with the running backs.

Corley joined the William & Mary staff in 2008 and spent the first two seasons as the running backs coach and the next three working with the quarterbacks. He spent 2013 as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator.

A 2002 graduate of William & Mary, Corley played professionally in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger Cats (2003) and Calgary Stampeders (2006). He also was a member of the Arena Football League's New York Dragons (2005).

In his two seasons working with the running backs at William & Mary, he groomed tailback Jonathan Grimes into one of the nation's top players at the FCS level. Grimes set the Tribe's freshman records for both rushing and all-purpose yards and was named as a honorable mention All-American as a return specialist. Grimes follow-up sophomore campaign moved him into the program's career top-10 lists in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in just his second season. He eventually graduated as the most decorated player in Colonial Athletic Association history with 11 all-conference honors.

Corley returned to William & Mary, where he excelled as a four-year starter and multiple-time all-conference quarterback from 1999 through 2002. He wrote his name in nearly every significant passing record for the school, including graduating as the Tribe's all-time leader in passing yards (9,805), total offense (10,948) and touchdown passes (73).

Corley began his playing career by earning the league's Rookie of the Year honors after the 1999 season, where he started the final eight games of the Tribe's schedule. He twice led the league in passing efficiency (1999 and 2002) and earned postseason honors in each of his final four years. Corley played an important role in helping lead the team to a conference title in 2001 and was selected as the squad's captain for the 2002 season. The native of Columbia, S.C., was named as the College's Outstanding Senior Athlete for the 2002-03 school year and was a two-time runner up for the prestigious Dudley Award, presented annually to the outstanding collegiate player in the state of Virginia.

Corley and his wife Brianne have a three-year-old daughter, Charlie, and son, Bishop, who was born in March 2013.

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