When the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team takes the court in London this summer, it will feel a lot like a UConn reunion of sorts.
This year's team is led by UConn's Hall-of-Fame coach Geno Auriemma. The seven-time national champion coach will be very familiar with nearly half of the players on his squad in London. That's because five of the 11 players named to the team so far, played their college ball in Storrs.
Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are veterans of the Games, each playing in their third Olympics. Swin Cash is making her second Olympic appearance. Newcomers Tina Charles and Maya Moore will experience the excitement of the Games for the first time.
It's a who's who of some of UConn's most popular players of all time, and Huskies' fans should enjoy seeing Auriemma lead some of the greatest talent to ever come through the University of Connecticut.
Bird helped bring national championships to UConn in 2000 and 2002. She was named the 2002 Associated Press and Naismith Player of the Year. The two-time All American at UConn now plays for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA.
UConn's other three-time Olympian, Diana Taurasi, was on the floor with Bird for UConn's 2002 national championship. She added national titles in 2003 and 2004 as well, being named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in her junior and senior years. Taurasi was the first player in UConn history to reach 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in a career. After her very successful years in Storrs, Taurasi joined the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
Swin Cash made her first Olympic appearance in Athens in 2004. She was a part of UConn's national championship teams in 2000 and 2002, and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2002. Cash plays in the WNBA as a member of the Chicago Sky.
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UConn's two Olympic rookies are no strangers to big games. Tina Charles was the leader on UConn's undefeated back-to-back national championship teams in 2009 and 2010. She was the 2010 Associated Press Player of the Year. Charles didn't go far after leaving UConn, playing for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.
Maya Moore ended her college career as the all-time leading scorer in UConn history with 3,036 points. She played alongside Tina Charles on the back-to-back national championship teams in 2009 and 2010. There is not enough room on Moore's mantle for all of her awards. She is only the second player in NCAA history to be named an All-American four times, and also has two Wooden Awards and two Naismith awards to her name. With a personal collegiate record of 150-4, Moore set the all-time mark for career wins - male or female. Her stellar play didn't end with her days in Storrs. Moore joined the Minnesota Lynx in 2010, and was named the Rookie of the Year in the WNBA.
The Olympic team is rounded out by Tamika Catchings, Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, Angel McCoughtry and former Connecticut Sun star Lindsay Whelan.
Auriemma has one more spot to fill on the roster, and after the dominating performance by Baylor junior Brittney Griner in the NCAA Tournament, it seems likely that Geno would bring her onboard to solidify his front-court in London.
