UConn Daily Digest: Awards and Recognition Abound

An NBA champion, a Gold Glove winner, lottery picks at practice... Do you ever get tired of all the winning?

Author

Aman Kidwai
June 23, 2025

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Headlines

UConn grad Mark Daigneault wins NBA championship

Former UConn men’s basketball student manager Mark Daigneault won the NBA Championship after game 7 of the NBA Finals last night. Daigneault was in Storrs during the Jim Calhoun days, graduating from UConn in 2007.

After working as a student assistant, Daigneault took assistant coaching jobs at Holy Cross and Florida before being hired to coach the Oklahoma City Thunder… G League team. He held that post for five years before joining the Thunder staff full-time in 2019 and becoming head coach in 2020. Since then, he’s taken OKC to the top of the league standings and its first title under this franchise name.

New Haven, welcome to the show

There’s a new Division I program in town. The University of New Haven Chargers announced they would join the Northeast Conference on May 6, phasing 19 of its 20 varsity programs into the conference for the 2025-26 academic year. The school will need to first comply with the NCAA’s mandatory reclassification period — three years for Division II schools — before it reaches full Division I status and championship competition eligibility in 2028-29. 

In the meantime, the Chargers wasted no time scheduling their first matchup against now-in-state rival UConn. The Huskies will host an MTE beginning with a November 3 matchup against the Chargers. 

Slowly but surely, Dan Hurley’s nonconference slate is finalizing. New Haven joins a group of behemoths, including the defending national champion Florida Gators, in a schedule loaded with high-level opponents.

Here’s an updated list of UConn’s known non-conference opponents:

Chen returns to Golden State

The WNBA’s newly-minted Golden State Valkyries shocked everyone — including Kaitlyn Chen herself — when the team selected Chen with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. 

“Honestly, (I’m) still in a little bit of shock. It’s all a little overwhelming,” she said on draft night, Valkyries hat planted firmly next to her on the press conference podium. “I was really just here to watch Paige get drafted.”

Let’s retrace Chen’s journey in the WNBA thus far. 

April 6: Chen was selected as Golden State’s third draft pick in program history, coming off the board at 30th overall and the fifth pick in the third round. 

May 1: Donning a Golden State Valkyries’ custom baseball jersey, Chen threw out the first pitch at the San Francisco Giants game — delivering a strike on the team’s Taiwanese Heritage Night. 

May 11: Chen appears in her second and final preseason game for Golden State, recording two points and three rebounds in seven minutes plauyed. 

May 14: Just as training camp ends, Chen was waived two days before the season opener. 

June 15: The Valkyries signed Chen to a “rest-of-season” contract. She was available to play Tuesday against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, but did not see any time on the court. She notched her first WNBA points on Sunday night.

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McNeeley NBA Draft projections

Duke’s freshman phenom Cooper Flagg will almost certainly be selected with the No. 1 overall pick when the NBA Draft begins on Wednesday night. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Liam McNeeley’s projections have remained stable in the teens since the pre-draft process kicked off.

Here is where the major media outlets have the former Big East Rookie of the Year in their latest mocks:

  • ESPN.com: Miami Heat, via Golden State Warriors (No. 20 overall)

McNeeley fits a lot of teams’ needs. Portland could take an early flyer on the 6-foot-8 wing, though there is always the chance he falls into the back-third of the first round.

Castle graces San Antonio with full-sized mural 

After winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, former men’s basketball guard Steph Castle’s achievement is being memorialized in tremendous fashion.

The mural, which features Castle rising up for an explosive dunk, can be found at Amols' Party & Fiesta Favors on 227 Fredericksburg Road, just west of San Antonio College. 

Also, Castle and Jordan Hawkins were present at UConn practice this week — a massive moment for The Culture.

Weekly Rewind

Men’s Basketball

UConn NBPA Top 100 Camp Recruiting Update – Read up on the background of UConn’s targets from the camp and how they’ve been performing thus far. 

Postseason Perspective – Youssouf Singare – The center reflects on his final season in Storrs as he looks to a future with High Point. 

Women’s Basketball

Kaitlyn Chen re-signs with Golden State Valkyries – The former Husky guard is back with the team that drafted her. 

WNBA Photo Gallery: Chicago Sky @ Connecticut Sun - 6/15/25 – See photos of all the action, including the Sun’s three former Huskies. 

Video: Geno Auriemma media availability - 6/16/25 – Ahead of his annual Geno for the Kids golf outing, the Husky head coach spoke to the media about the state of the team. 

Napheesa Collier is Your WNBA Quarter-Season MVP – The UConn alumna is averaging career highs in almost every major statistical category. 

Geno Auriemma on the State of the Reigning National Champs – Read the best quotes from Auriemma’s media availability, following storylines from the team’s first few weeks of summer practice. 

The CT Sun Have a Healthy Husky Flavor – The Sun may be underperforming, but their Huskies have still been showing out. 

Notebook: Why Geno doesn’t put much stock in summer workouts; Injury updates – The team isn’t in good shape, Auriemma said, though it doesn’t matter with much time before the season begins. 

Newsletter: With full roster, UConn’s summer workouts are ‘more grueling, tougher and more competitive’ so far – There’s more playing time to go around, with an increased motivation in the gym to earn it. 

Football

Huskies Strengthen 2026 Class with Latest Commitments – Three more high school prospects announce their commitment to Jim Mora and staff. 

Hockey

UConn adds forward Alexandre Blais – The CHL commit leaves just one roster spot remaining on Mike Cavanaugh’s squad. 

Baseball

Caleb Shpur named 2025 Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Award winner – He is the first winner in program history, leading all outfielders nationwide with almost 20 defensive runs saved.

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