THE HUSKIES ARE CELEBRATING THEIR SIXTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE WITH A BOLD, TWO-TONE RING AND BACK-TO-BACK TITLES WITH A STONE-COVERED FLIP-TOP RING.

University of Connecticut’s 2024 Men’s Basketball National Championship Ring

University of Connecticut’s 2024 Men’s Basketball Back-to-Back Championship Ring

Minneapolis, MN, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jostens, the nation’s leading provider of custom-crafted championship jewelry, has designed both the National Championship Ring and Back-to-Back Championship Ring for the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team. These unforgettable rings were presented to players, coaches and staff members during a private on-campus ceremony on Thursday, October 17.

“Jostens is honored to partner with UConn once again to commemorate their historic back-to-back national championships with two exceptional championship rings,” said Chris Poitras, SVP and GM of Jostens Professional and College Sports Division. “These rings not only celebrate their dominance on the court, but also embody the legacy of excellence, resilience and teamwork that UConn Basketball is known for. Each ring is crafted with the utmost attention to detail, representing the pride of a program that has set a new standard for college basketball.”

A custom Back-to-Back Championship Ring was created for those who were part of both the 2023 and 2024 teams. This highly exclusive piece of jewelry acknowledges two monumental achievements: the Huskies winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history and being the first men’s college basketball team to have won back-to-back titles in nearly 20 years. The top of the ring opens and is among the first of its kind in the college championship ring market. On the inside, the team’s 2023 and 2024 mottos — “WE SEASON” and “EVERYTHING,” respectively — are highlighted. Sparkling white stones decorate every open surface of this luxe championship ring, so that it captivates from every angle.

“It’s always an honor to work with a brand as respected and elite as Jostens,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said. “We’re fortunate enough to go through this experience in back-to-back years, and Jostens raised the level of excellence with this year’s rings. They are truly special tokens to commemorate a truly special season. We can’t wait to work with them again next year!”

The Huskies’ 2024 National Championship Ring celebrates their historic season with stunning hand-set stones and highly detailed storytelling. It reflects the team’s dominance and preserves their legacy.

The ring top features the university’s iconic husky logo, a sparkling silver-tone basketball (with rows of strategically placed stones that emulate seams) and a striking gold-tone NCAA trophy. A large sparkling stone near the top of the trophy represents the team’s latest championship win, while the six smaller stones at the base symbolize their six total championship titles throughout program history.

The left side of the ring highlights the three U.S. cities the Huskies had to run through to claim the national title (Brooklyn, N.Y., Boston, Mass. and Phoenix, Ariz.), along with team’s impressive 37-3 season record and 2024 national championship logo. Additionally, each recipient’s jersey number or title is thoughtfully displayed near the bottom.

The right side of the ring honors the team’s 2024 Big East conference sweep. Two Big East trophies sit in the center, representing the team’s regular season championship and conference tournament championship titles, and their record 21 Big East wins are celebrated near the bottom. The recipient’s name reaches across the top edge, and New York City’s iconic skyline (where the annual tournament is held) flanks the featured trophies. Both the left and right side of this ring feature a textured background that resembles a wooden basketball court.

The number “140” is imprinted on the inside of the ring, to celebrate the team’s total margin of victory during the tournament. Furthermore, the scores of their six tournament games are listed — alongside the teams they played — to preserve their historic championship run. The team’s 2024 motto — “EVERYTHING” — appears on the outside of the band, completing this showstopping commemorative.

In addition to the National Championship Ring and Back-to-Back Championship Ring, players and staff members received the Official National Championship Ring from the NCAA. All three of these intricate designs were designed and crafted by Jostens experts.

ABOUT JOSTENS

Jostens leads the student commemoration market and has been serving local communities for over 125 years. The company works with thousands of K-12 schools, colleges and universities each year, and has the honor of partnering with beloved sports teams and esteemed organizations across the country. Its iconic products — like yearbooks, letter jackets, class jewelry and championship rings — keep meaningful traditions alive and inspire millions of people to celebrate their unique stories, milestone moments and biggest accomplishments every year. Jostens has 13 first-class facilities across the globe, and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Visit jostens.com for more information.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

The University of Connecticut is a national leader among public research universities, with more than 32,000 students seeking answers to critical questions in classrooms, labs, and the community.  A culture of innovation drives this pursuit of knowledge throughout the University’s network of campuses.  Connecticut’s commitment to higher education helps UConn attract students who thrive in the most competitive environments, as well as globally renowned faculty members.  Our school pride is fueled by a history of success that has made us a standout in Division I athletics.  UConn fosters a diverse and vibrant culture that meets the needs and seizes the opportunities of a dynamic global society.

Attachments

CONTACT: Peter Lai Jostens 952-830-3230 Peter.Lai@jostens.com

The University of Connecticut is reviewing enrollment numbers for 70 programs, causing concern for the professors who teach them.

UConn says they are not directing programs to end or end majors, but they are asking educators for ideas on how to address programs with low enrollment.

“The majority of classes I’ve taken at UConn have been 20 people or less,” UConn senior Victoria Clingan said. She’s majoring in both French and philosophy.

Clingan says she’s benefitted from the tight-knit community from the programs, both in her relationships with professors and her ability to learn the material.

“There’s a lot of marketability towards very specific majors — in particular the language majors,” said Clingan.

Both of her majors, and 68 others, are being reviewed because they have graduated 100 or fewer students in a five-year period.

The university is asking educators to provide ideas to improve those numbers.

Low enrollment isn’t just found in humanities majors. Other programs being reviewed include some math and sciences, like structural biology and environmental studies. Social work, languages, and other majors are also being reviewed.

“We just have a sense that something very bad is coming down when you have 70 programs suddenly have to justify their existence or be terminated. We’ve never seen that before,” said Christopher Vials, the president of the UConn chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

Vials says the concern is that the potential of cuts would be a permanent solution to what he says is a temporary budget shortfall at the university.

“A lot of these programs, not only are their classes filled with students, but a lot of them are recruiting tools for faculty who do research and cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields,” said Vials.

Data NBC Connecticut obtained shows the program with the highest number of graduates in a five-year period on average is Health Care Management, with 19 students.

Other programs on the list, like Turfgrass and Soil Science, have had no graduates on average in a five-year period.

UConn says reviewing enrollment is not targeting a particular field, and the programs were selected for review based on numbers.

“These reviews provide an opportunity to demonstrate how the various programs can use their strengths and creativity to evolve and draw more enrollment, producing graduates with a range of interesting and satisfying career paths. They also ensure we are responsible stewards of our resources,” said UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz in a statement to NBC Connecticut.

“Like every university, UConn has a process for evaluating programs with low enrollment and completion. This is essential to ensure that we maintain the right balance of programs to support our institutional mission, meet the needs of our students, and make the best use of resources,” Reitz said.

The review of these courses is due on November 1. Documents from UConn’s Administration obtained by NBC Connecticut indicate that more decisions will be reported at UConn’s Board of Trustees meeting in December.

Vials says the Association of American University Professors will be pushing back until then.

Here is the list of majors under examination for low enrollment:

• Animal Science
• Ornamental Horticulture & Turfgrass Management
• Urban Forestry Arboriculture
• Agriculture & Natural Resources
• Environmental Sciences
• Environmental Studies
• Individualized Major – Agriculture
• Diagnostic Genetic Sciences
• Dietetics
• Medical Laboratory Sciences
• Athletic Training
• Horticulture
• Landscape Architecture
• Ornamental Horticulture
• Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems
• Turfgrass and Soil Science
• Health Care Management
• Real Estate/Urban Economics
• Agricultural Education
• Biology Education
• Chemistry Education
• Earth Science Education
• English Education
• French Education
• General Science Education
• German Language Education
• History Education
• Mandarin Chinese Language Education
• Mathematics Education
• Music Education
• Physics Education
• Spanish Language Education
• Special Education
• Computer Engineering
• Engineering Physics
• Art
• Art History
• Acting
• Design/Technical Theater
• Puppetry
• Theater Studies
• Music
• Music Education in Fine Arts
• African/Africana Studies
• American Studies
• Geoscience
• Engineering Physics
• Environmental Sciences
• Environmental Studies
• Geographic Information Science
• Geography
• Latino and Latin American Studies
• Linguistics/Psychology
• Linguistics/Philosophy
• American Sign Language Studies
• Arabic and Islamic Civ
• Chinese
• Classics/Ancient Medieval Studies
• French
• German
• Italian Literary & Cultural Studies
• Judaic Studies
• Marine Sciences
• Maritime Studies
• Math/Actuarial Science/Finance
• Mathematics/Physics
• Structural Biology/Biophysics
• Philosophy
• Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies
• Social Work

A Massachusetts man is facing charges after police say he approached a girl at a school bus stop in Connecticut and made lewd comments, officials said.

Joseph A. Mille, 35, of Medway, was arrested on an active warrant on Oct. 13 on charges of risk of injury to a child and second-degree breach of peace, according to the South Windsor Police Department.

Police said Mille’s arrest stems from an investigation into an incident on Aug. 30 in which he allegedly walked up to a 12-year-old girl as she got off a school bus and asked her if she wanted to see his private parts.

Mille had fled the scene before police arrival but officers later identified his vehicle and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Mille surrendered to police and was released on a $25,000 surety bond.

He is due to appear in Manchester Superior Court on Oct. 30.

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