UConn Students Glum Over Calhoun Retirement
The sentiment around the UConn campus is uniform; many students are sad to learn that legendary basketball coach Jim Calhoun is retiring.
“I wish I could say that it's all a hoax, and he's not retiring,” said Matt Stypulkoski.
“I think it's really sad,” said Ava Del Mastro.
Despite a long, successful tenure leading the Huskies basketball team, Jim Calhoun’s retirement is too soon for UConn students. To many, Calhoun is more than just the head coach.
“He’s always been a hero of mine,” said Tim Fontenaunt.
Fontenaunt is a junior at UConn, but has fond memories of Calhoun leading the men’s basketball team to their first national championship in 1999.
“I’ll never forget when I was six years old; a UConn student put me on his shoulders…as Calhoun was giving an address after the first national title.”
Under Calhoun, Huskies fans watched the team bring home title after title.
“You don't have all those banners up there without him,” said Fontenaunt.
Now that he’s stepping down, many wonder if UConn basketball will ever be the same.
“It's the end of a legacy here. He was coach here for a long time,” said Del Mastro.
Calhoun has been head basketball coach at UConn for 26 years. More details surrounding his departure will be announced Thursday afternoon.
Extreme Weather
