Today the 2012-13 Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll was released and the UConn  Huskies are ranked #2 behind unanimous #1 choice Baylor, just like they were in the preseason AP poll. Duke, Stanford, and Maryland round out the rest of the Top 5.

Today UConn All-American Jr. G Bria Hartley and So. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were selected as 2012-13 Preseason AP All-American Honorable Mentions. Both Huskies were also named to the 2012-13 Preseason Wade Trophy Watch List along with teammate Jr. C Stefanie Dolson.

2012-13 AP Preseason All-America Team^:
Sr. F Elena Delle Donne, Delaware*
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame*
Sr. C Brittney Griner, Baylor*
Jr. F Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Jr. G Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Jr. F Alyssa Thomas, Maryland

* - unanimous selection
^ - 6 players selected due to a tie in voting

With the season less than one week away, the 2012-13 Preseason AP Poll was released today and the UConn Huskies are ranked #2. The defending champion Baylor Lady Bears were the unanimous choice as #1. Led by 6-foot-8 senior center and reigning national Player of the Year Brittney Griner and junior All-American point guard Odyssey Sims, the Lady Bears return all five starters from last season’s 40-0 team. They also return 90.4 percent of their scoring and 86.8 percent of their rebounding. UConn coach Geno Auriemma has a lot of optimism about his team this season that has lost in the Final Four the last two years. He's telling anyone who will listen that his team is "really, really, really good," and he believes they can win it all. The Huskies return four starters, including junior All-American Bria Hartley, junior Stefanie Dolson and sophomore Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, and usher in talented freshmen Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson. The Lady Bears and Huskies will play in Hartford at the XL Center on Feb. 18, 2013. The Lady Bears’ winning streak could stand at 65 at the time of the meeting. Duke, Stanford and Maryland round out the top five.

Today the Big East WBB Coaches picked the UConn Huskies as their favorite to win 2012-13 Big East Conference Regular Season Title at Big East Media Day in NYC. It was the 19th time since the 1992-93 season the Huskies were selected as the favorite in the Big East. Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins was chosen as the 2012-13 Preseason Big East POTY (2nd straight season), while Connecticut's Breanna Stewart was unanimously selected as the 2012-13 Preseason Big East FOTY. The trio of UConn's Bria Hartley, Stefanie Dolson, and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were all selected to the 2012-13 Preseason All Big East Team.

2012-13 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches’ Poll:
1. Connecticut (12) 194
2. Notre Dame (3) 182
3. Louisville 167
4. St. John’s 144
5. Rutgers 143
6. DePaul 138
7. Syracuse 105
8. Georgetown 104
9. South Florida 97
10. Villanova 78
11. Marquette 75
12. Cincinnati 61
t-13. Pittsburgh 31
t-13. Seton Hall 31
15. Providence 25

( ) - First-place votes

2012-13 Preseason Big East Player of the Year:
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame

2012-13 Preseason Big East Freshman of the Year:
Fr. F Breanna Stewart, Connecticut*

2012-13 Preseason All-Big East Team:
Jr. C Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
Jr. G Bria Hartley, Connecticut*
So. W Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Sr. G Anna Martin, DePaul*
Sr. G Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown*
Jr. G Shoni Schimmel, Louisville*
Sr. G Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame*
Sr. C Monique Oliver, Rutgers
Sr. G Nadirah McKenith, St. John's
Sr. W Shenneika Smith, St. John’s
Sr. C Kayla Alexander, Syracuse

* - unanimous selection

2012-13 Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention:
Sr. W Monique Reid, Louisville
Sr. F Laura Sweeney, Villanova

Finally!!!

Today UConn finally received its first verbal commitment from the Class of 2013. During her official visit to UConn this weekend, 5'9 G Saniya Chong (Ossining, NY) chose UConn over Louisville and Ohio State. As a H.S. prospect, she is ranked 75th overall by ESPN HoopGurlz, 72nd overall by Blue Star, and 20th overall by All Star Girls Report. Chong has been a starter since she was a freshman and topped the 2,000-point plateau this season, leading Ossining to its second straight Section 1 Class AA title. As a junior, she averaged 33.3 points, 9.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. In 70 career varsity games, Chong has led Ossining to a 61-9 record and averaged 29.4 points, 6.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.2 steals per game. Ossining reached the state semifinal, losing to eventual champ Cicero-North Syracuse and star Breanna Stewart, who's now a freshman at UConn. Welcome to Storrs, Saniya!!!

Congrats to former UConn Star, Tffany Hayes!!!

Today the 14th overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream was voted onto the 2012 WNBA All-Rookie Team (voting done by the coaches). Hayes received 9 of the 11 possible votes for the team. I'm guessing a lot of coaches especially the ones who are also GMs were pissed at themselves when writing down Tiff's name on the ballot, thinking about how they passed over her in the draft for some young, unproven "big" who might help them down the road when they have to face the new WNBA MVP Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, or incoming rookie, Brittney Griner. Oh well, Atlanta knew what they were doing and kudos to them for realizing her talent and potential. The #1 overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, Los Angeles F Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford) was named the 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year, as expected. It's the 5th consecutive year the #1 pick was named ROY (former UConn All-American's Maya Moore and Tina Charles accomplished the same feat in 2011 and 2010, respectively).

2012 WNBA All-Rookie Team:
G Samantha Prahalis, Phoenix
G Riquna Williams, Tulsa
G/F Tiffany Hayes, Atlanta
F Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Los Angeles
C/F Glory Johnson, Tulsa

SNY, the official television home of the UConn Huskies Women's basketball program, today announced its on-air talent roster and its exclusive game schedule for the 2012-13 season. The network named former UConn Women basketball greats Meghan Culmo and Kara Wolters as analysts. Meghan will serve as the network's game analyst and Kara as the studio analyst for pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. Joining the veteran UConn voices will be play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon - who recently served as a play-by-play announcer at the London Olympics for NBC - and SNY reporter/anchor Kerith Burke as the sideline reporter. Gary Apple, who hosts SNY's Big East basketball studio shows, will anchor the network's studio coverage alongside Kara Wolters. SNY also announced its UConn Women's 2012-13 game schedule - which will feature 20 live games. All Big East Conference basketball games will be wrapped with comprehensive pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. The network's game schedule will tip-off on November 11th at 1:30pm when the Huskies - eyeing their 17th straight season-opening win - host the College of Charleston Cougars. Prior to the game, SNY will air a special pre-game show featuring in-depth analysis of the upcoming season, including interviews with players and coaches, and highlight key players to watch. As previously stated, SNY will also offer an online streaming package for games airing on SNY. Details regarding the streaming service will be announced shortly.

The University of Connecticut men’s and women’s basketball programs will tip-off the 2012-13 season with 2012 UConn First Night sponsored by Webster Bank on Friday, October 12. Admission is FREE and open to the public. Gampel Pavilion doors will open at 4 p.m. as the UConn volleyball team takes on Cincinnati in a BIG EAST showdown. Meet the 2012-13 men’s and women’s basketball teams as they sign autographs for Husky fans from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. First Night will feature performances from the band, cheer and dance squads, introductions of the players and coaches, a dunk contest featuring the 2011 winner Ryan Boatright and ultimate prize giveaways (more details to come). The show will end at approximately 8 p.m.

3:00 p.m. – FanFest on Fairfield Way
4:00 p.m. – Doors Open and UConn Volleyball vs. Cincinnati
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. - Autographs
7:00 p.m. – Show Begins

For up-to-date information on First Night follow @UConnHuskies and like on Facebook.com/UConnHuskies.

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.

Today current UConn All-American Bria Hartley, former UConn standout Ann Strother and the 2012 USA Women's 3x3 World Championship Team (9-0) went undefeated in capturing the inaugural FIBA 3x3 World Championship for Women Gold Medal in Athens, Greece. Defeating Australia (8-1) 19-18 in the semifinals, the U.S. came from behind to capture gold with a 17-16 victory over France (8-1) in the gold medal game. Australia edged Ukraine (6-3) 18-17 in the bronze medal game. Teaming up with Strother and Hartley were Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins and Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike.

Today incoming UConn women’s basketball freshmen Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck each posted double-doubles to lead the USA Basketball U18 National Team to a 71-47 victory over Brazil on Sunday evening in the gold medal game of the 2012 U18 FIBA Americas Championship. Tuck netted a team-high 15 points and snared a game-high 11 rebounds while Stewart scored 13 points and corralled 10 boards to go along with four assists en route to being named Tournament MVP. Fellow incoming UConn freshman Moriah Jefferson capped a solid tournament with a four-point, four assist effort for the U.S.

Golden Girls!!!

1-seed United States of America (8-0)

Results: United States 86, France 50
Player of the Game: F Candace Parker (21p, 11r, 2a, 1b, 21m)
Def. Player of the Game: G Diana Taurasi (3dr, 29m)
Stat of the Game: A/TO Ratio: USA 22/11, France 12/21

Summary: Owning a comfortable 12-point lead at halftime over previously unbeaten France (7-1), the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team (8-0) blew the game wide open with a 19-0 run in the third quarter that propelled the USA to a 86-50 win and 5th-straight Olympic Gold Medal on Saturday evening at North Greenwich Arena in London, England. In capturing its unprecedented fifth-straight Olympic Gold (dating back to 1996), a feat never before accomplished in any women’s traditional team sport, the USA women have compiled a 41-game Olympic winning streak that began with the 1992 Bronze Medal game. Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) led the way for the US, shooting 10-of-14 from the field on her way to 21 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds, and Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) added 11 points. In the bronze medal game earlier today, Australia (6-2) beat Russia (4-4) 83-74.

All 12 U.S. players scored in a balanced attack that featured 22 assists on 34 made field goals. The gold medal is a third for Bird, Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), who added nine points and six assists, and Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), who finished with four points and five rebounds. While Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky) and Parker also earned gold in 2008, Swin Cash (Chicago Sky) picked up her first gold medal in 2004. Earning Olympic gold for their first time were: Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx). With her Olympic gold, Moore becomes the seventh U.S. woman to have earned NCAA and WNBA titles, a FIBA World Championship gold medal and an Olympic gold medal. The previous six include Bird, Cash, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Taurasi and Kara Wolters.

“You know, you go into every game thinking that there’s going to be some things that you have to do, and if you do those things you’re going to have a chance you can win it,” said Geno Auriemma, USA and University of Connecticut head coach who was assisted by DePaul University’s Doug Bruno, Jennifer Gillom of the Washington Mystics and Marynell Meadors of the Atlanta Dream. “France was probably playing as well as anytime I’ve ever seen them, since I’ve been the coach anyway. And when you’re going into it the way they’re playing, they got a lot of confidence. And we tried to really disrupt them and get them into the kind of game they weren’t comfortable playing, and I think we did that right from the beginning. When Candace Parker came in the game, the game changed completely. I thought she was the biggest difference in the game tonight. We all just kind of took that and ran with it. We beat a really good team, but we’re a great team.”

“I think our depth is by far the biggest key for us,” Bird said. “We are able to wear teams down. Not very many teams go 12 deep and with that over a two-week tournament, these teams have to play a lot of minutes ... seven, eight players play a lot of minutes, and I think none of us have to. So we are just able to wear teams down and by the end for the most part you can see teams get tired, and that’s where we really capitalize.”

Game notes (pdf) for today's Gold Medal Game vs. France (7-0).

Event: 2012 Summer Olympics
Location: North Greenwich Arena (London, England)
Time: 4:00pm (ET)
TV: NBC
Internet: NBC Live Extra
Live Stats: London 2012

Today UConn Asst. Coach Shea Ralph confirmed (via ASGR's Brett McCormick) that Jr. G Lauren Engeln will be transferring prior to the start of the Fall 2012 semester. Engeln cited a desire for more playing time, but has yet to pick the school she will be transferring to. She becomes the third player from UConn's Class of 2014 to transfer (Samarie Walker, Kentucky & Michala Johnson, Wisconsin). Best of Luck, Lauren!! We will miss you!!

Today former UConn NPOTY & All-American and current Univ. of Hartford Head Coach Jennifer Rizzotti was named as one of six members of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2013, which was announced on Monday evening on ESPN2 during the USA vs. Brazil game at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. The six members of the Class of 2013 are: Gary Blair (coach), Jim Foster (coach), Peggie Gillom-Granderson (player), Jen Rizzotti (player), Annette Smith-Knight (player), and Sue Wicks (player). The Class of 2013 will be formally introduced at the 2012 State Farm Tip-Off Classic between Baylor and Kentucky on November 13th in Waco, TX, and inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on June 8, 2013 in Knoxville, TN.

Rizzotti is the second former UConn Women's Basketball Student-Athlete to be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as she joins Rebecca Lobo who is a member of the Class of 2010. UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma was previously inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and in 2006. Rizzotti (UConn `96) led the Huskies to their first national championship in 1995 with a perfect 35-0 record. She finished her collegiate career with 1,540 points, 637 assists, and 349 steals. The New Fairfield, Conn. native was a two-time Kodak All-American and NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player (1995, 1996). Rizzotti was named the 1996 Wade Trophy winner, Associated Press Player of the Year, and BIG EAST Player of the Year. Rizzotti currently ranks second in career assists (637), second in career steals (349) and is first in steals by a senior (112) in UConn's record book.

Follow along here for all the latest news, schedules, results, and updates from the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. The Opening Ceremony is July 27th even though the games officially get under way on July 25th. Below is a quick rundown of the USA Women's Olympic Basketball Team's schedule (TV schedule released, but all games will be on one of the NBC networks). A special good luck to the entire team especially all of the former UConn athletes competing and Geno!! And good luck to ALL the USA Olympic athletes. Play hard, be safe, stay healthy, and BRING HOME GOLD!!!!

2012 Summer Olympic Games - USA Women's Basketball (London, England)
7/26 9-11 am Practice Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
7/27 TBD Practice UEL Docklands
7/28 4:45 pm USA - Croatia Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
7/29 10:30 am Practice UEL Docklands
7/30 10:15 pm USA - Angola Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
7/31 11 am Practice UEL Docklands
8/1 10:15 pm USA - Turkey Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
8/2 11 am Practice UEL Docklands
8/3 10:15 pm USA - Czech Republic Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
8/4 11 am Practice UEL Docklands
8/5 4:45 pm USA - China Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
8/6 10:30 am Practice UEL Docklands
8/7 TBD Quarterfinals* Olympic Park, Basketball Arena
8/8 TBD Practice UEL Docklands
8/9 Semifinals^ North Greenwich Arena
8/10 TBD Practice UEL Docklands
8/11 TBD Finals^ North Greenwich Arena

*team must qualify to advance to qtrs.
^team must win to advance to semis/finals

Note: All times listed are EST. Local time in England is +5 hours.

Today Fr. F Breanna Stewart was named the 2012 Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year in Los Angeles, Calif. at a dinner emceed by ESPN’s Stuart Scott. Joining Tina Charles (2005-06) and Maya Moore (2006-07), Stewart becomes the third Husky to be honored as the Gatorade High School Female Athlete of the Year. Established in 1985, the Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. In 2003, the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards were established to identify and honor the nation's top overall male and female high school athletes from among the 12 Gatorade National Players of the Year honored during the high school athletic season. All Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year nominees will walk the ESPY red carpet and be featured as special guests during The ESPY Awards Show. The show will take place Wednesday evening and air live on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Today UConn All-American Jr. G Bria Hartley was named to the 4-player team that will be representing the U.S. at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. She will be teaming up with Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins, Maryland's Alyssa Thomas, and Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike to form the quartet of All-Americans set to take on the world in the 2012 FIBA 3x3 World Cup which is scheduled for Aug. 23-26 in Athens, Greece.