Even before the basketball season officially starts, it has been a thrilling week in Storrs, CT.
Friday, October 18 marked First Night, an annual event at Gampel Pavilion that allows students to meet both the UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Right before the event started, students and fans were able to participate in a variety of fun activities located on Jim Calhoun Way. When they entered Gampel, fans were welcomed with a variety of gifts such as Dunkin’ gift cards and UConn basketball posters that were handed out by the UConn Cheerleaders.
In the arena, fans could hear music from the UConn pep band.
“Yeah the vibes were great and super hype! I like that they informed the students about the chants and some other culture stuff,” said junior and band member Jake Lasek.
During the event, the rosters for both basketball teams were fully revealed, with both new and returning players receiving massive applause.
Headlining the women’s and men’s basketball rosters respectively were preseason All-American Paige Bueckers and two-time national champion Alex Karaban. Following the players were head coaches Geno Auriemma and Dan Hurley, who have led both basketball programs to a combined summary of 13 national championships.
The players were then split into two teams where they engaged in friendly competitions starting with a 3-point shooting contest and followed with a series of short scrimmages.
A standout player during the scrimmage was women’s basketball freshman Allie Ziebell, who knocked down 8 three-pointers in a row to help her team secure the win.
Following the scrimmage, fans left the arena with smiles on their faces and additional merchandise given to them by the cheer and dance teams, along with the UConn Top Dogs Captains.
The Top Dogs program is a newly formed group of students dedicated to enhancing and unifying the gameday experience for fans to enjoy.
The UConn men’s basketball team, seeking to win their third consecutive national title, will play their first game of the season against Sacred Heart University on November 6, at 7:00 p.m. The women’s basketball team will open up their season against Boston University the following day, November 7, at 7:00 p.m.
