Huskies earn second straight berth to NCAAs

By Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor

As the No. 1 seed in the Big East tournament, the UConn baseball team did not fare well down in Clearwater, Fla. The Huskies were eliminated in the semis after going 2-2 in the tourney. UConn beat Notre Dame twice, but fell both times to Seton Hall, including a 12-2 loss in 8 innings due to the mercy rule. The Big East regular season champs were not shut out of the NCAA tournament after the .500 week in the conference tournament that did not wrap up the Big East’s automatic bid to the NCAAs.

The Huskies’ quest to reach the College World Series in Omaha begins June 3 in Columbia, S.C. where UConn will be the No. 2 seed in No. 1 seed Clemson’s regional.

Men’s basketball team visits the White House

By Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor

The national champion UConn men’s basketball team was honored by President Barack Obama yesterday at the White House. The news editor of The Daily Campus, Nicholas Rondinone was in Washington, D.C. to cover the Huskies’ day in D.C. Here is the link to his story, photo included.

http://www.dailycampus.com/news/men-s-basketball-team-visits-the-white-house-1.2228827

UConn baseball clinches Big East

By Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor

Prior to the regular season, George Springer and Matt Barnes said that winning championships were naturally  the team’s only goals in 2011. After beating Louisville 7-5 at J.O. Christian Field in Storrs Saturday, the No. 18 UConn baseball team clinched its first ever outright Big East regular season championship. The win moved the Huskies’ record to 36-14-1 overall, with a 20-4 mark in the conference.

Springer smacked his 11th home run of the season against the Cardinals. The homer gave the junior 45 career round trippers, which is tops in school history.

Last season UConn failed to win the Big East regular season title in the regular season’s final weekend. In postseason play, the Huskies lost the Big East tournament championship to St. John’s. The baseball team’s accomplishments adds to UConn’s incredible athletic year. The university now owns Big East championships in football, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, track and field and baseball, all coming this academic year.

When the Big East tournament begins May 25 in Clearwater, Fla. the Huskies will be the No. 1 seed and look to add to UConn’s conference dominance.

Dwayne Difton leaving UConn

By Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor

The most highly touted recruit in UConn football history is leaving Storrs after just two seasons.

Dwayne Difton, a receiver that came to UConn from St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, is transferring from the university, according to the Hartford Courant. Difton could not be reached for comment.

Difton came to UConn with some of the highest expectations of any player in program history, but only finished his two years as a Husky with 22 receptions for 195 yards and no touchdowns. He bounced in and out of the starting line up last season during UConn’s Big East championship run and Fiesta Bowl appearance.

We will keep you posted if Difton is available for comment.

UConn baseball on its way to Big East title

Matt McDonough, Sports Editor

Winners of their last five games, the UConn baseball has all but clinched a regular season Big East championship. Although the Big East got three NCAA bids last season, with Louisville (regular season champ), St. John’s (tournament champ) and UConn (at-large Regional host) all playing in the national tournament. Baseball America projects the Big East conference, usually a one-bid league, to have no teams safely in the tournament, but according to Aaron Fitt the Huskies are on the bubble (in).

UConn swept South Florida Mother’s Day weekend 2-1, 9-5 and 2-0, respectively. The first game of the series was at Dodd Stadium in Norwich and the Huskies and Bulls finished the three-game slate at J.O. Christian Field in Storrs. The three victories improved UConn’s conference record to 18-3, 34-13-1 overall, and the Huskies are sitting pretty in first place of the Big East, 4 1/2 games ahead of second-place St. John’s. First-round MLB Draft prospects, center fielder George Springer and right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes, are carrying the team. Springer leads in major hitting categories with 10 home runs, 64 RBIs, a .376 batting average and a .473 on-base percentage. Barnes is 9-3 with a 1.38 ERA.

The Huskies still have to win a few more games to clinch the title. They close out the home schedule this weekend against Louisville. Friday’s 6 p.m. game is in Norwich, and the final two games, on Saturday and Sunday, are on-campus with 1 p.m. and 12 p.m. first pitch times, respectively. UConn will go on the road the following week with mid-week matchups at Rhode Island and Northeastern before finishing up the regular season at Cincinnati the weekend of May 19.

As the baseball team continues to get close to one of its goals, another UConn team already accomplished theirs. The men’s track team, who surprised the field in the winter capturing the indoor Big East championship, won the outdoor conference title on Sunday, Graduation Day. Aaron King was the Big East Outstanding Field Performer. The usual suspects, King, Tyrone Faverey, Mike Rutt and Dan Holst paced the team. Kashif Moore, Darnell Cummings, Kevin Smith and Jesse Drinks won the 4 x 100-meter relay with a school record time of 40.69. For Moore, a captain of the football team, it was his third Big East title of the year. Prior to Sunday Moore won the Big East as a wide receiver on the 2010 football team and a member of the indoor team.

Summer 2011

By Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor

One of the best years in school history has come to a close at UConn as summer vacation is upon us.

The football team won the Big East and played in the Fiesta Bowl in the Huskies’ first BCS bowl game. The women’s basketball team made its fourth straight Final Four after winning 90 games in a row. And saving the best for last, the men’s basketball team won the National Championship on April 4, 53-41 over Butler. It capped off Kemba Walker’s career in Storrs and gave Jim Calhoun a third NCAA title.

Now the time of reflection has begun after a great year to be at UConn. But that doesn’t mean The Daily Campus won’t stay up to date with the Huskies. Check this blog, and http://www.dailycampus.com for stories and updates on the UConn baseball team, as they try to make a return trip to the NCAA tournament. There will also be posts on whether or not Calhoun will return at the helm for UConn in its defense of the national championship, as well as preparation for the football team’s first season with Paul Pasqualoni as head coach.