From the Litchfield Hills to Long Island Sound, from Fairfield County to Eastern Connecticut’s quiet corner, the entire state of Connecticut, and the Husky faithful across the nation, were gripped by Huskymania when the UConn men’s basketball team brought home the championship trophy. As their team made its way to a rapturous “welcome home” ceremony at Gampel Pavilion, Husky fans lined roads and highways, hung out banners, cheered for their conquering heroes, embraced each other, and cheered some more.

On its way to its first-ever NCAA title, the UConn men’s basketball team set a single-season school record with 34 wins. The Huskies, our Huskies, also won the Big East regular season title for an unprecedented fifth time in the past six seasons.

Yet for all the pride this remarkable record of athletic achievement brings to the University, it is but half of the story of UConn athletics. Our excitement for the athletic accomplishments of all of our 550 scholar-athletes is matched by our pride for their achievements in the classroom. UConn athletes have an academic retention rate of 99 percent and nearly 40 percent of our student-athletes have a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

Through intercollegiate athletics, recreational and intramural activities, public service and outreach efforts, UConn athletics enhance the student experience for thousands of young people, engender pride across the state, and earn national and international attention for the University of Connecticut.