Connecticut
Connecticut Sun open WNBA season Sunday by hosting Washington Mystics – The Boston Globe
The new-look Connecticut Sun open the WNBA season on Sunday when they host the Washington Mystics at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., at 1 p.m. (NBCSB).
Six players, including the entire starting five, are gone from last year’s squad that went 28-12 and lost to the Minnesota Lynx in five games in the WNBA semifinals. DeWanna Bonner. DiJonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris, Brionna Jones, Tiffany Mitchell, and Alyssa Thomas combined for more than 80 percent of the team’s scoring.
Thomas, Carrington, and Harris were moved as part of a four-team trade, with Thomas headed to Phoenix, and Carrington and Harris to Dallas. Bonner signed a one-year deal with Indiana, and Jones a one-year deal with Atlanta.
Among the new faces hoping to lead the Sun back to the postseason for the ninth straight season are veterans Tina Charles, Lindsay Allen, and Jacy Sheldon, as well as 2025 first-round picks Aneesah Morrow (LSU) and Saniya Rivers (NC State). Leïla Lacan, the 2024 first-round pick from France, is also joining the team this year.
It’s a homecoming for Charles, 36, who spent the first four years of her career with the Sun after they drafted her No. 1 overall out of UConn in 2010. The eight-time All-Star was named Rookie of the Year, then went on to win MVP honors in 2012.
“I’m really excited to be here,” said Charles. “I have a lot of history here from my collegiate time to my first four years professionally.
“I’m very thankful toward the end of my career to be here, to be playing for this franchise as they’re entering a new chapter.”
Among the holdovers are Marina Mabrey and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Mabrey, who averaged 14.9 points last season, had requested a trade in the offseason, but the Sun are hoping the acquisitions will keep the seventh-year guard out of Notre Dame content. She had nothing but praise for the rookies.
“They’ve been like sponges,” said Mabrey. “They’ve brought energy that is irreplaceable. They come in, they’re smiling, they’re working hard. They want to learn. They bring exactly what they do best to the table also, so it’s hard to not want that around you, it’s hard to not want that on the court, just because they’re new.
“It’s refreshing, and although they’re going to make mistakes, it’s easy to work through that when you have the mentality that they have.”
Coach Stephanie White, who went 55-25 and led the team to the semifinals in her two seasons, also departed for Indiana to coach the Fever, where she wlll be reunited with Bonner.
The Sun hired Rachid Meziane to take over for White. He led Belgium to a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Olympics, and also served as the coach of the French women’s club Villeneuve D’Asco since 2019. He led the team to a Ligue Feminine de Basketball championship and a EuroLeague runner-up finish during the 2023-24 season.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
Connecticut
5 Connecticut towns to receive $2M each for infrastructure upgrades
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.
The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.
The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.
Cost Breakdown
Coventry: $2 million
Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guilford: $2 million
The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.
Ledyard: $2 million
The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.
Mansfield: $2.2 million
Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.
Thomaston: $2.5 million
Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.
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Connecticut
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Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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