The University of Connecticut issued a statement yesterday announcing that UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun would return for a 26th year at the helm of the defending national championship mens basketball team. The statement read…
“In a conversation this morning with UConn President Susan Herbst, the topic of conversation turned to Coach Calhoun’s return for the coming season. At that time, Coach informed the President that it was his intention to coach this coming season, as he is under contract to do. He told President Herbst that he wanted her to be the first to know, beyond his family, and that she was free to share the information with others.”
The team is expected to be one of the top ranked teams in the country again. In addition to returning Jeremy Lamb, Alex Oriakhi, Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith, the Huskies have landed three stellar recruits – Ryan Boatwright, DeAndre Daniels and Andre Drummond (a 6’11 center and the highest ranked recruit UConn has ever landed).
UConn has won three national titles under Calhoun, and his 855 career victories ranks third among active coaches, a number that trails only Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (900) and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (856).
With an explosive returning cast, and the best recruiting class in school history, expect Calhoun to add more wins to his Hall of Fame career.