June 10, 2014 | Stephen Slade '89 (SFA)

UConn Basketball Bandwagon Travels to White House

President Obama honored the UConn men's and women's basketball teams for their twin NCAA National Championships at the White House on June 9.

President Obama addresses the UConn men's and women's basketball teams and guests in the White House East Room on June 9, 2014.(Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

President Obama addresses the UConn men's and women's basketball teams and guests in the White House East Room on June 9, 2014. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

President Obama honors the UConn men's and women's basketball teams for their twin NCAA National Championships during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House on June 9. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
President Obama honors the UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams for their twin NCAA National Championships during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House on June 9. (Stephen Slade ’89 (SFA) for UConn)

President Obama applauded the UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams at the White House on Monday for accomplishing what no other school has done – winning both NCAA Championships in the same year, for the second time.

He also noted the teams’ academic accomplishments, and their work in the community.

Watch the President’s address here.

The event allowed Stefanie Dolson to fulfill the promise she made last year that she would return, and the President to keep a promise he made to her by dancing a few steps. During his address, the President noted that while he did pick the UConn women for his bracket, he did not pick the men’s team. A tweet from the UConn Huskies’ official twitter account referring to this and inviting the President to join the team’s ‘bandwagon’ –


– went viral at the time.

The UConn men's and women's basketball teams, with University President Susan Herbst, Board of Trustees Chairman Larry McHugh, and Athletics Director Warde Manuel, pose for a photo with President Obama at the White House. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
The UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams, with University President Susan Herbst, Board of Trustees Chairman Larry McHugh, and Athletics Director Warde Manuel, pose for a photo with President Obama at the White House. (Stephen Slade ’89 (SFA) for UConn)
Stefanie Dolson '14 (CLAS) and Bria Hartley '14 (CLAS) for the women's team and Ryan Boatright '15 (CLAS) and Shabazz Napier '14 (CLAS) for the men's team. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
President Obama displays the two UConn #1 jerseys presented to him by Stefanie Dolson ’14 (CLAS) and Bria Hartley ’14 (CLAS) for the women’s team and Ryan Boatright ’15 (CLAS) and Shabazz Napier ’14 (CLAS) for the men’s team. (Stephen Slade ’89 (SFA) for UConn)
UConn basketball head coaches Kevin Ollie, left, and Geno Auriemma at the White House. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
UConn basketball head coaches Kevin Ollie, left, and Geno Auriemma at the White House. (Stephen Slade ’89 (SFA) for UConn)

For a photo gallery of UConn’s White House visits through the years, go to the Hartford Courant website.