Sun Finalize 2017 Roster

By Bob Phillips



The Connecticut Sun will open their 2017 season vs. the Atlanta Dream.

UNCASVILLE– The Connecticut Sun finalized their roster on Friday as it prepares to embark on their 15th season in the Nutmeg State.

Eight members from last year’s team will return to tip-off the 2017 campaign: Former UConn star and last year’s first-round pick Morgan Tuck, Rachel Banham, Alex Bentley, Jonquel Jones, Shekinna Stricklen, Alyssa Thomas, Jasmine Thomas and Courtney Williams. Bentley led the Sun in scoring with a 12.9 points per game average, while Jasmine Thomas led the Sun in assists (172) and was third in scoring (11.7 ppg).

“It was better because our core group was back and they know our terminology and the expectations,” said head coach and general manager Curt Miller. “We could add more things quickly. We had a very competitive training camp.”

Perhaps the most prominent final cut—certainly among UConn fans—was former Husky Kelly Faris. Selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, Faris played in 112 games in her four seasons with the Sun, averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per contest.

“We appreciate all that Kelly Faris has done for the Connecticut Sun and the entire state,” continued Miller. “I truly appreciate her professionalism and approach to this great game. We wish her nothing but success in the future.”

Jessica January also failed to survive the gallows. Selected No.28 overall in the 2017 WNBA Draft, January totaled 13 points and grabbed eight boards in three preseason games for the Sun. One of the new players Sun fans will be welcoming this season is Jordan Hooper, who was signed by Connecticut off the waiver wire on Wednesday.

Originally drafted out of Nebraska with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Tulsa Shock (now the Dallas Wings), Hooper, a 6-2 forward appeared, has appeared in 100 games with seven career starts. The 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year, Hooper has averaged 4.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game over the course of her three-year WNBA career.

Newcomers in 2017 include forward Brionna Jones—this season’s first-round pick—along with veterans Lynetta Kizer, Danielle Adams and Jordan Hooper.

“I’m definitely a little nervous,’ said Jones, a 6-3 center who played collegiately at Maryland, “but the fans here are great. I’m really looking forward to this season.”

The Sun will open their 15th season in Connecticut tomorrow night when they entertain the Atlanta Dream. Tip-off at the Mohegan Sun Arena is at 7 p.m. Ticket information is available by calling 877-SUN-TIXX, by email at tickets@connecticutsun.com, by visiting www.connecticutsun.com, or by clicking HERE.

—with staff reports

                                  2017 CONNECTICUT SUN ROSTER

No.          Player                      Pos.          Ht.            DOB                         College             WNBA Exp.
11            Danielle Adams      F/C           6-1           2/19/89                   Texas A&M             5
1              Rachel Banham       G             5-9           7/15/93                   Minnesota               1
20            Alex Bentley            G             5-7           10/27/90                 Penn State               4
15            Jordan Hooper         F              6-2           2/20/92                   Nebraska                 3
35            Jonquel Jones          F/C           6-6           1/5/94                     GW                          1
42            Brionna Jones          F              6-3           12/18/95                 Maryland                 R
12            Lynetta Kizer           F              6-4           4/4/90                     Maryland                 5
40            Shekinna Stricklen   G/F          6-2           7/30/90                   Tennessee               5
25            Alyssa Thomas        F              6-2           4/12/92                   Maryland                 3
5              Jasmine Thomas     G             5-9           9/30/89                   Duke                        6
33            Morgan Tuck           F              6-2           4/30/94                   UConn                     1
10            Courtney Williams  G             5-8           5/11/94                   South Florida           1

AHL Announces 2017-18 Division Alignment

Connecticut will once again be represented by two teams in
the American Hockey League: The Hartford Wolf Pack and
the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced on Thursday that the league’s Board of Governors, convening for its Spring Meeting earlier this week in Chicago, has approved the following division alignment for the 2017-18 AHL season:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Charlotte Checkers
Hartford Wolf Pack
Hershey Bears
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Providence Bruins
Springfield Thunderbirds
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

North Division
Belleville Senators
Binghamton Devils
Laval Rocket
Rochester Americans
Syracuse Crunch
Toronto Marlies
Utica Comets

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division
Chicago Wolves
Cleveland Monsters
Grand Rapids Griffins
Iowa Wild
Manitoba Moose
Milwaukee Admirals
Rockford IceHogs

Pacific Division
Bakersfield Condors
Ontario Reign
San Antonio Rampage
San Diego Gulls
San Jose Barracuda
Stockton Heat
Texas Stars
Tucson Roadrunners

The format for the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 2-6, and the complete playing schedule for the 2017-18 regular season, which begins Oct. 6, will be announced this summer.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 16th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2016-17.

www.theahl.com

Wife of ESPN's Chris Berman Dies in Tragic Car Crash

By Bob Phillips

Kathy Berman (left), wife of beloved ESPN personality Chris Berman
(second from left), was killed in a tragic automobile accident in
Woodbury on Tuesday. Also pictured are the Berman’s two
children, Doug and Meredith.

WOODBURY– The Connecticut sports family lost one of its own on Tuesday afternoon when the wife of beloved ESPN personality Chris Berman was killed in a fatal car accident. The mishap occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Route 64—also known as Sherman Hill Road—in Woodbury, about two miles from Quassy Park. Also killed in the accident was Edward Burtulis, an 87-year-old Waterbury resident.

According to state police sources, Katherine Ann Berman was traveling eastbound on Sherman Hill Road in a Lexus registered in her husband’s name when she struck Bertulis’s vehicle from behind. Bertulis’s car then collided with a utility pole, spun around, and landed on its roof. Burtulis was rushed to the hospital where he later passed away.

Kathy Berman was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 67.

Chris Berman grew up in Greenwich, and graduated from Brown University, where he became sports director at the school’s campus radio station, WBRU. After graduating, he landed the job of his dreams—with ESPN, soon after its inception. Berman, who first came into prominence as a SportsCenter anchor, has had a life-long love affair with the game of football, which made him a perfect fit at the helm of ESPN’s Sunday NFLCountdown and Monday Night Countdown. In addition, he has been involved with U.S. Open golf coverage, NHL Stanley Cup telecasts, and many other events—far too many to list—throughout his illustrious career. He was recently succeeded by Sam Ponder on Sunday NFL Countdown, ESPN's lead-in to Sunday NFL football games. Berman was on assignment at Citi Field prior to the Mets-Giants game at the time of the tragedy.

The Bermans had been married for over 33 years, and have two children. The fatal accident occurred one day before Chris Berman’s 62nd birthday.

“This is a devastating tragedy and difficult to comprehend,” said ESPN President John Skipper in a statement. “Chris is beloved by all his ESPN colleagues and for good reason: he has a huge heart and has given so much to so many over the years. We know how much his family means to him and all we can do at a moment like this is give him the love and support he will surely need at this hour. Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris, Meredith, Doug and the entire family.”

The accident remains under police investigation.

—With Staff Reports