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+---- Thread: What's in Storr? (/thread-57639.html)
- dawgs gone wild - 04-07-2004 02:29 PM
First, hearty congrats for achieving a first by sweeping both mens and womens titles in same season - WOW!
I'm very interested to learn how UConn emerged in past decade from just one of many quality programs to becoming the best.
How much has the role of more money and better facilities in the past ten years played in this story? Does the state gov. financially support athletics at Uconn with tax dollars? How generous are alums? Many other universities have needed to eliminate programs especially "minor" sports or cut corners to pay bills.
Storr is a small town distant from many metro areas. What entertains students there on a daily basis beyond academics-of course? Is the Greek system about the only way to survive socially?
Aren't many bball and football games played at sites remote from campus? How long a ride is it to these sites or the nearest airport for arriving teams competing vrs U CONN.?
- RUmojo - 04-08-2004 10:39 PM
Whats in Storrs? Besides UConn not much. Their stadium is in Hartford, a little over an hour away from campus. The bball teams play alot of games in Hartford also. UConn has been serious about building a solid athletic program for a long time. It has definetly paid off.
- BugsyCT - 04-10-2004 11:54 AM
dgw - I can try to answer some of that.
Jim Calhoun has been the architect of UConn's success in recent years. Was hired in 1986 when UConn was a Big East bottom-feeder. In 1988 we won the NIT after several years of no post-season appearances at all. In 1990 UConn emerged as Big East Champs & BE tourney champs for the first time. This success, along with a brand-new basketball arena (Gampel Pavilion opened in Jan '90) mushroomed into the annual basketball power that UConn has become today. It it a great place for athletes to go to school.
The state of Connecticut does play a role in funding UConn through tax dollars, as well as donations from alumni. The "UConn 2000" project began in 1995 - it's a $1 billion dollar, 10 year development program that has enhanced & rebuilt UConn's main & regional campuses. The new football stadium (Rentschler Field) opened last year - a 40,000 seat stadium in East Hartford (about a 20-25 minute ride from campus) - it was a $93 million dollar project funded through state tax dollars.
As for the town of Storrs, the campus basically is the town itself. It's pretty isolated in the northeastern part of the state - very rural area. There are nearby bars & restaurants that students go to for socializing.
UConn plays some of its basketball games at the Hartford Civic Center - it's about a 30 minute ride from campus into downtown Hartford. The airport (Bradley Field) is in Windsor Locks - 15 miles north of Hartford and about a 25 minute ride from campus. (fortunately CT is a small state so it doesn't take long to get from place-to-place, barring traffic tie-ups)
Having lived in this state all my life (over 30 years) I can tell you that CT is rabid about UConn basketball (men & women's teams), and UConn football is rapidly gaining in popularity with their recent Division 1-A upgrade. More media follows UConn basketball than any university in the country.
With no major league sports teams in CT (Whalers flew the coop) plus no other major conference universities within state, UConn rules the roost in Connecticut.
Hope that answered most of your questions - peace!
