Husky revelry

Thousands fill Gampel Pavilion to welcome home champs

Another title in future? ATLANTA (AP) -- This was supposed to be a difficult season at Connecticut. UConn was expected to retool its lineup after losing four starters from last year's national championship team. The belief was, if ever there was a year the Huskies could be had, this was it. Wrong. Just as Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara helped bring Syracuse men's head coach Jim Boeheim his first NCAA title, UConn's freshmen came through for their team -- in a big way. Ann Strother, Barbara Turner and Willnett Crockett helped the Huskies (37-1) win their third national title in four years and fourth overall. And even more important, every UConn player is back next season. All of them -- Strother, Turner, Crockett, Diana Taurasi, Jessica Moore, the whole bunch. It almost seems unfair. FULL STORY

STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- The improbable ride ended where it began nearly six months ago as Gampel Pavilion shook with the sounds of celebration one final time this season for the Connecticut women's basketball team.

More than 3,000 fans packed the arena's lower level Wednesday afternoon to welcome home the national champion Huskies. UConn repeated as champs by beating archrival Tennessee 73-68 the night before in Atlanta. Led by Player of the Year Diana Taurasi, the Huskies delivered the program's fourth NCAA title in eight years and did it without a senior on the squad.

"That just shows you can't use that as an excuse," Taurasi said. "After the game there was a sense of relief and a sense of fulfillment."

Back-to-back titles seemed more than unlikely back in October when head coach Geno Auriemma began working with the young squad. With four incoming freshmen, the Huskies had the task of following in the footsteps of one of the most dominant teams in the sport, replacing four All-Americans.

"Last year was a terrific ride, but you all expected that last year, from the first day of practice until the end," Auriemma told the crowd.

This year he didn't know what would develop.

"It's like the little kids went downstairs and couldn't wait to see what was under the Christmas tree," he said. "And you know what. [Tuesday] night was Christmas in Atlanta. And playing the role of Santa Claus is Diana Taurasi."

The All-American junior joined her head coach for the trophy presentation. With music blaring, she and her teammates walked the floor greeting fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

Sophomore center Jessica Moore took the same victory lap last year, but this one may have been even sweeter.

"It means the world to me," she said. "This past year has been really, really hard and for us to win this way against Tennessee is amazing."

It took a while for some of the freshman to realize what they had accomplished.

"Now that I'm here seeing all the fans that supported us all year and just doing the trophy presentation one more time, it's definitely sinking in," said freshman forward Barbara Turner.

For some fans, the championship celebration was like an unofficial state holiday as many skipped school and work to attend.

"There's just no question, you have to go," said Kristin Gove, of Manchester. "We wouldn't miss it."

The homecoming ceremony was just one of many celebrations across the state for the national championship team. On Connecticut's highways, digital traffic signs glowed with congratulatory messages: "UConn Huskies: 2003 basketball champions!"

Earlier in the day, several dozen die-hard fans braved the falling snow and freezing rain to greet the team at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.

"Every year, we come, whenever we make the Final Four," said Laurie Stoddard of Torrington, dressed in a Huskies hat and standing next to a friend who braved the elements by wrapping up in a UConn blanket.

As the national champions stepped down from the plane, stopping briefly to embrace Gov. John G. Rowland, the crowd erupted into cheers. Yelling "Geno! Geno! Geno!" and "We love you, Diana!" they eagerly awaited to hear from their hometown heroes.

One sign raised above the crowd likened the day to Auriemma's name for the defeated University of Tennessee: "It's not rain, just tears from the Evil Empire!"

Standing on tiptoes, crying for umbrellas to be lowered so everyone could get a peek at the team, most of the 150 weather-drenched, shivering fans stood pressed against a chain-link fence to hear the governor sing the team's praises and to see their team come home.

"All the sports experts said ... it's probably going to be a rebuilding year," Rowland said to Auriemma. "Well, Geno, let me tell you something, this is one heck of a rebuilding year we've seen here."

"I don't think any group of kids ever deserved to be national champions more than this group did," Auriemma said, earning whistles and hoots from the crowd.

He'll have them all back next year.

Did someone say three-peat?

"Sounds good," Taurasi said. "Sounds good."

 

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Stories

UConn sweeps AP awards UConn earns third title in four years Strother, role players give Taurasi plenty of help Closer Look: Taurasi comes up big in championship game Back in Storrs, fans celebrate title defense Auriemma: Huskies did the 'improbable' Is another title in UConn's future?

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