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.
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).
UConn alumni seen on the jumbotron at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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UConn alumni seen on the jumbotron at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Mascots Jonathan the Husky, left, and Mr. Met outside Citi Field in Queens New York before a New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Mascots Jonathan the Husky, left, and Mr. Met outside Citi Field in Queens New York before a New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
UConn alumni and Jonathan the Husky attend a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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UConn alumni and Jonathan the Husky attend a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
UConn alumni and Jonathan the Husky attend a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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UConn alumni and Jonathan the Husky attend a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Jonathan the Husky attends a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Jonathan the Husky attends a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Jonathan the Husky, center, with Mrs. Met, left, and Mr. Met before a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Jonathan the Husky, center, with Mrs. Met, left, and Mr. Met before a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
President Susan Herbst and her husband Doug Hughes pose for a photo with Mrs. Met, Jonathan the Husky, and Mr. Met before the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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President Susan Herbst and her husband Doug Hughes pose for a photo with Mrs. Met, Jonathan the Husky, and Mr. Met before the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Dan Hurley, right, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, poses for a photo with Jonathan the Husky before the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Dan Hurley, right, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, poses for a photo with Jonathan the Husky before the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Dan Hurley, right, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, throws out the ceremonial first pitch to be caught by Rob Stone, '09 (CLAS), left, vice president for business development at SS&C Technologies at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Dan Hurley, right, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, throws out the ceremonial first pitch to be caught by Rob Stone, '09 (CLAS), left, vice president for business development at SS&C Technologies at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Dan Hurley, left, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, and Rob Stone, '09 (CLAS), vice president for business development at SS&C Technologies, at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York after the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Dan Hurley, left, head coach of UConn Men's Basketball, and Rob Stone, '09 (CLAS), vice president for business development at SS&C Technologies, at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York after the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Richard Soares '97 (CLAS), '04 MBA, right, of Norwalk, with Jonathan the Husky at the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Richard Soares '97 (CLAS), '04 MBA, right, of Norwalk, with Jonathan the Husky at the New York Mets baseball game on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Sandra Francese, right, of Stamford, and Brian Francese '06 (BUS) 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)
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Sandra Francese, right, of Stamford, and Brian Francese '06 (BUS) 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 at a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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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)
Jonathan the Husky watches a New York Mets baseball game from the stands at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Jonathan the Husky watches a New York Mets baseball game from the stands at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Jonathan the Husky, right, gives high fives to children during the Mr. Met Dash following a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Jonathan the Husky, right, gives high fives to children during the Mr. Met Dash following a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Jonathan the Husky runs with children during the Mr. Met Dash following a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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Jonathan the Husky runs with children during the Mr. Met Dash following a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field in Queens New York on June 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
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.