Happy 30th Birthday to ME!!!

What a great present it was to me to find out today that former UConn All-American and NPOTY and current Connecticut Sun All-Star Tina Charles was named the 2012 WNBA MVP. Charles, who has led the Sun to the best record in the Eastern Conference at 25-9, led the league at 10.5 rebounds per game and was fifth at 18.0 points per contest. Her and her #1 seeded Sun will take on the New York Liberty tonight in the first round of the 2012 WNBA Playoffs at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Earlier this summer, Charles helped lead the USA Basketball National Team to the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. That team was led by five other former Huskies and head coach Geno Auriemma. Charles becomes the second UConn alum to be named WNBA MVP. Diana Taurasi earned the honor in 2009. Charles finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2011 and earned mention as an All-WNBA First Team selection in 2011 as well. Congrats Tina, on an honor that is hard-earned and well deserved!!!

Today the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the 2012-13 preseason Wade Watch list of candidates for the prestigious award. Connecticut leads all schools with three players on the 25-member preseason list. The Huskies trio includes 2012 State Farm All-American Jr. G Bria Hartley, Jr. C Stefanie Dolson, and So. W Kaleena M. Lewis. Five schools - defending national champion Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Nebraska and Penn State - are represented by two players each including Baylor Sr. C Brittney Griner, the 2012 State Farm® Wade Trophy winner. The preseason list is composed of top NCAA Division I women's basketball players who best embody Wade's spirit from 18 institutions and eight conferences. A committee of coaches, administrators, and media from across the United States compiled the list using the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

The University of Connecticut women's basketball team has finalized its 2012-13 schedule as announced by the team today. The 30-game slate includes 15 games against teams that qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament, and eight games against opponents that finished in the top-10 of the RPI (ratings percentage index). In addition to the 30-game schedule, the Huskies will also play a pair of exhibition contests. Highlights include matchups against all 3 fellow 2012 Final Four participants including a much anticipated showdown at the XL Center on Monday, February 18 against the defending national champions, Baylor, who went undefeated and won all 40 of its games last year en route to its second national championship. UConn will play conference rival Notre Dame twice (home and away) as part of its Big East schedule. Non-conference opponents include home games against Duke, Maryland, and Penn State and away games against Stanford, Texas A&M, Orgeon, and Hartford. The Huskies will also compete in the 2012 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands against Wake Forest, Marist, and Purdue from November 22-24, 2012. Nine UConn games will appear on National TV (CBS & ESPN Networks) and all the remaining games are scheduled to appear on SNY (the Huskies' new broadcast partner).

Season tickets are on sale now. For more information, call 1-877-AT-UCONN or visit UConnHuskies.com.