I think it's pretty obvious there are three huge sports on campus that get a great deal of coverage, from The Daily Campu,s as well as other media outlets. The attention paid to football and both basketball teams is well-earned and in no way undeserved.
That being said, there are a number of other sports in Storrs that don't get nearly the amount of publicity they should. As a result, some of the best athletes at UConn go unnoticed. This is an effort, albeit a small one, to give these individuals a bit more recognition. Here's a list of some to watch out for in the fall.
Will Sanders -
Men's cross country
Sanders, a redshirt senior and Connecticut native, returns to cross country after sitting out last season to gain an extra year of eligibility. If his 2007 season is any indication, however, his 2009 fall season could be the most successful for a Husky since 2006, when Max Feldman made it all the way to the NCAA Championships. In '07, Sanders earned All-Northeast Region honors by finishing 22nd in the Northeast Regionals - navigating the 6.2 mile course in 30 minutes, 29 seconds.
Josh Ford - Men's soccer
The men's soccer team certainly gets its share of attention, but a number of players have been overshadowed recently because of O'Brian White's national prominence. Lost in the midst of White's production the past two years has been the outstanding goalkeeping of Josh Ford. Ford has been in goal since he was a redshirt freshman and has played every minute of every game since then.
Last season his goals against average was a paltry .59 - good for 12th in the nation. When the offense was in a slump last year, Ford kept them in games by registering 12 shutouts to give him 26 in his brief two year career. Although White has left for the MLS, Ford, along with much of last year's supporting cast, gives the soccer team a great chance to compete for another Big East title.
Annie Yi -
Women's Soccer
In her junior season, Yi was instrumental in the Huskies' run to the Big East championship game. Not only did she lead the team in points (13) and goals (6), but her goal in the Big East seminfinal against West Virginia sent the game to penalty kicks, a game that UConn won. This high output was nothing new as Yi lead the team in goals her sophomore year as well. Though the Huskies have started out the year 0-2, their home opener is this weekend at 5:30 at Morrone Stadium against Harvard. Check Yi and the Huskies out.
Melissa Gonzalez -
Field Hockey
Although Gonzalez has only been at UConn for two years, she is already one of the most successful and accomplished athletes at the school. As a freshman she started every game - the only freshman to do so - and was named second team All-Big East. Last season was similar as she finished third on the team in points behind Lauren Aird and Lindsey Leck - both of whom have graduated. Gonzalez finds herself the offensive leader on the team this year; I'm guessing she won't disappoint.
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