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Do you want the chance to ask Geno anything you want? Well, Wednesday night’s the night. Geno will hold a live call-in show on CPTV, beginning at 8. The phone number to call will be announced on-screen during the program. Go ahead, pick up the phone and ask away. Rest assured, the answer to your questions will be worth your time and effort.

FYI: The Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the Athlon and Women’s Basketball Magazine preseason national polls and No. 2 behind defending national champion Tennessee in The Sporting News and Lindy’s polls.

Rutgers is ranked third by Lindy’s, fourth by Athlon and The Sporting News and fifth by Women’s Basketball Magazine.

Have a great day.

Rich

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The first day of practice is never fun, except if you’re a highly touted recruit sitting in the seats at Gampel Pavilion sharing some laughs while the Huskies run, run and run some more. The recruits shared a few laughs together during the three-hour session. Why not? Geno Auriemma wasn’t barking orders at them. Not yet, anyway.

The session lasted approximately three hours, ending at 11:54 a.m. Geno had to be off the court at noon because the men’s team was coming over from Guyer Gymnasium. From there, the Huskies hit the weight room before hitting the lunch spread. As first days go, it was good enough for Geno, especially when he saw how well the new and improved Kaili McLaren was moving up and down the floor.

“There were some moments that you saw that were significantly better than last year,’’ he said. “There’s always going to be areas you’re going to want her to make quicker progress in. But I think, all in all, the fact that she feels more confident, the fact that she feels better that makes her that much more important to us.’’

Kaili was admittedly out of shape last season, which left her out of the rotation too many times when UConn could have used her inside presence and her passing. So rather than accept her diminished role she went out and did something about it.

But as everyone knows talk is cheap (How many people have bought a treadmill and never used it longer then two weeks?) Kaili’s talk turned into action this off-season. She dedicated herself. She ran. She lifted weights. She altered her diet. Everything that was said about Kaili’s transformation is true. It’s remarkable.

I’m told that she has lost 60 pounds since last season. The coaching staff can’t say enough about her. She has become a feel-good story that people will want to cheer and urge her on in her quest to continue to shrink.

“I’m always working to get in better shape,’’ she said. “I’m definitely not the most fit person on the team, or anywhere for that fact. I definitely need to get in better shape, lose a couple more pounds. Just getting down to a certain weight where I know I feel good and I can do everything.’’

There are plenty of players to keep an eye on this season. Make sure you keep an eye on Kaili. She is off to a great start. The finish is looking like it will be even better.

Rich

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The players called it their last night of fun until the games count. If so, they had plenty of it during First Night Friday. In fact, everybody at Gampel Pavilion did. The Blue & White Kid was back. So was the fan with the blue and white spiked wig and the fan wearing the wig full of basketballs. These guys are mainstays at the games and part of why the fanbase is so rabid. Heck, Geno Auriemma even gave a shout-out to the Blue and White kid when he addressed the crowd.

The six-pack of recruits – Heather Buck, Caroline Doty, Elena Delle Donne, Tiffany Hayes, Chelsey Lee and Kerri Shields – were a high-profile group. They sported blue and white balloon hats before the event. They also looked fondly upon the signs that were being paraded about the arena by the fans. First Night is the calm before the proverbial storm, which hits this morning when the Huskies practice fort the first time this season.

Auriemma made a grand entrance after the final player – Mel Thomas – had been announced. Geno did not show off any dance moves, but he was able to escape a team huddle without a hair out of place. The players did their best to mess up the seemingly immovable crop of hair by rubbing their hands on his head.

The team of Cassie Kerns, Maya Moore, Kalana Greene and students Elana Garcia and Kristen Kottum won the relay race. Thomas and student Mike Amaranti won the 2-ball contest. Thomas then dropped three 3-pointers to lead the Blue to an 18-15 win over the White. Mel, Kaili, Brittany, Renee, Maya, Jacquie and Cassie were on the Blue. Kalana, Charde, Tina, Tahirah, Ketia, Lorin and Meghan wore white.

Day 1 of the season is today. Geno said that since the team is offensively sound, he will spend more time working on defense during the first couple of weeks.

The fun might have been placed on hold for the players at the end of First Night. But for the fans and those associated with team, the fun has only just begun. Enjoy.

Rich

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Vacation’s over. It’s time to get back on that proverbial horse again and ride it to what the Huskies hope will be to the Final Four in Tampa. While the players were enduring rigorous conditioning workouts over the last couple of weeks, this beat writer was trying to see how well he could operate on the least amount of sleep possible. My wife and I welcomed our second son – in the last 14 months – Sept. 26. I never knew it was that easy to bounce out of bed at 1 a.m., 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. before finally starting your day at 5 a.m. The boys are a handful, but it has been worth seeing my share of sunrises in the Northwest corner of the state.

The Huskies are certain to be handful for the opposition this season too. Practice officially beings Saturday morning, only hours after they take part in First Night festivities Friday night at Gampel. The season kicked off Wednesday at media day with approximately 40 members of the media on-hand. The players posed for pictures. They conducted interviews for both TV and print reporters. Star freshman Maya Moore said it was the largest media contingent she has seen in one spot since she received the Gatorade national Player of the Year award in L.A. a few months ago.

Sophomore Kaili McLaren looks every bit as slim as her off-season workouts suggest. Coach Geno Auriemma raved about her dedication. He also raved about the physical conditioning of freshman speedster Lorin Dixon, who broke Svetlana Abrosimova’s team record in the one-mile run Wednesday with a time she said was 5.39 seconds. Auriemma said it was two seconds better than Svet.

Here are a couple of more tidbits regarding the Class of 2009: Taber Spani’s father, Gary, was a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1978-1986. Auriemma coached Kerri Shields’ mother, Renie, at St. Joseph’s.

As far as any further talk about not having Tennessee on the schedule this season, Auriemma didn’t even take the time deliver a sarcastic remark. “Those are questions for another time,’’ he said. “Right now, it’s about Connecticut basketball.’’

The season opener is Nov. 11.

Thanks for reading,

Rich

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It hasn’t taken long for members of the national media to secure a seat on the UConn bandwagon. The folks at Athlon magazine have ranked the Huskies No. 1, ahead of LSU, Tennessee, Rutgers and Maryland among the Top 5. Big East rivals West Virginia (14), DePaul (17), Pittsburgh (21) and Louisville (25) were also ranked. Huskies’ budding freshman star Maya Moore is pictured wearing her McDonald’s All-American uniform, while sophomore center Tina Charles is listed as a preseason second-team All-American.

With everyone back from last season’s 32-4 team that reached the Elite Eight and the addition of Moore and fleet-footed point guard Lorin Dixon, expect the Huskies to be showered with praise from all over the country. They will be a bonafide national championship contender this season.

Here are a few of the goings-on from Wednesday’s pick-up session at Gampel Pavilion: Kalana Greene showed off her range by making a 3-pointer and also her hops by effortlessly leaping to grab the rim with one hand … Moore’s highlight play can in transition as she took off up the far side, crossed over to the middle where she caught a long pass from Renee Montgomery and drained a spot-up 3-pointer. She makes you shake your head every time you see her play. No wonder Pat Summitt was a bit peeved when she signed with the Huskies. … Charde Houston is looking as trim as she has during her entire career. She moved freely in the lane both on post moves and on the drive, rebounded the ball and she too knocked in a 3-pointer. … The new and improved Kaili McLaren was one of the players who played three straight games without a rest. Her level of conditioning is going to surprise a lot of people. … Brittany Hunter must have been having one of those sore days because she did not compete.

Thanks for reading.

Rich

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Sophomore center Tina Charles has experienced no further problems with her surgically repaired right shoulder since preseason workouts began last week. She banged inside during a fullcourt pickup game Wednesday and showed off a drive down the lane.
She said she wasn’t at all timid when she returned to the court, only anxious to again start competing at full-speed.
“It’s real good,’’ Charles said. “I’m real happy. There’s not any more problems. Nobody has to hold off on playing defense on me like trying to block the shot or anything. So it’s really coming along real good.’’

Senior Brittany Hunter relived last season’s infamous Hippity Hoppity incident at First Night when she aggravated her problematic right knee during a leg of a relay race. She won’t be taking part in any such activity during the event at Gampel Pavilion Oct. 12. In fact, she said she might be held out of the event.
“I’m all set,’’ Hunter said while leaning back in her seat and laughing. “I might be banned from Supershow. I might just be like a coordinator and may not be allowed to actually participate. We’re still debating.’’
The Huskies are toying with the idea of not holding an exhibition game at First Night. Instead, they will fill an hour with various contests.

Geno Auriemma has brought a taste of Italy to Connecticut with the launching of Geno’s Tomato Basil pasta sauce. It will be distributed locally and on-line at www.GenosFastbreak.com.

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The sarcasm and wit of Geno Auriemma was no where to be found Tuesday at Gampel Pavilion. Assistant coach Jamelle Elliott represented the coaching staff as the Huskies opened the first day of preseason workouts with an assortment of full court sprints and playing catch with a medicine ball while sitting down and laying on their back.
UConn associate head coach for strength and conditioning Chris West barked orders for more than a hour as the players ran from corner to corner, slid across the baseline and then ran from corner to corner again. The most diffcult drill appeared to be a three0man fullcourt weave while passing the medicine ball five times.

Brittany Hunter rode a stationary bike on the side as the Huskies were running. It seems as if she will find herself in the same situation this season as the previous two. Some days she will feel good and others she will not. It’s that simple.
Hunter did take part in the spirited halfcourt pickup games without limitation or the use of a brace. Tina Charles did not wear a brace on her surgically repaired right shoulder.

The best player on the floor was freshman sensation Maya Moore. She is worth every bit of the hype that accompanies her to UConn. She scored on 3-pointer, off the dribble and on a reverse put back at various points. And during one stoppage in play, Moore jumped and touched the rim several trimes.
She is going to be fun to watch over the next four years. And she has the engaging personality to match her tremendous skills.

The Huskies will work out twice a week until practice officially starts next month. The first exhibition game is in less than two months (Nov. 2 vs. the U.S. Senior National team) and the season opener is Nov. 11 against Stony Brook. This team has the makings to assemble another special season.