Alumni Athletics University News

June 4, 2018 | Combined Reports

UConn Nation in Force at Citi Field

More than 500 alumni attended the Mets game Sunday in Queens, New York, which began with Dan Hurley, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, throwing the ceremonial first pitch to an alum.

Merlon Pinnock '15 MBA, center, and Oneil McCaulsky, both of Poughkeepsie New York with Jonathan the Husky at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Merlon Pinnock '15 MBA, center, and Oneil McCaulsky, both of Poughkeepsie, New York, with Jonathan the Husky, were among more than 500 alumni attending the Mets game on Sunday, where Dan Hurley, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, threw the ceremonial first pitch.(Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

The New York Alumni Network hit Queens on Sunday to watch the New York Mets play the Chicago Cubs. It was the third annual UConn Day at Citi Field, with 500 alumni in attendance to celebrate their ties with UConn Nation and UConn’s ties with New York City.

Dan Hurley, head coach of UConn Men’s Basketball, threw the ceremonial first pitch to alumnus Rob Stone ’09 (CLAS).

The event celebrates the multiple connections between the state’s flagship university and the Major League Baseball team.

Over the past five years, the Mets have drafted three Huskies:  L.J. Mazzilli, fourth round, 2013; Vinny Siena, 14th round, 2015; and Anthony Kay, first round, 2016.

And in Men’s Basketball, Ben Gordon, Taliek Brown, Kemba Walker, and A.J. Price are just some of the players from New York who have starred at UConn over the years. On this season’s roster alone, the Huskies will have five players – Christian Vital, Mamadou Diarra, Sidney Wilson, Tarin Smith, and Kassoum Yakwe – who hail from the metro NYC area.

The UConn baseball team has also played early-season series at the Mets’ spring training home in Port St. Lucie, Florida in both 2015 and 2017.