January 12, 2012 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

2002 NCAA Champions Enter Huskies of Honor

The 2001-02 women's basketball team is the third team to be recognized in the Huskies of Honor. Svetlana Abrosimova, graduate assistant coach for the 2002 NCAA Champions, was also honored as an individual student-athlete.

Geno Auriemma and Svetlana Abrosimova '01 (ED) during ceremonies for the 2002 NCAA Champions induction into the Huskies of Honor. Abrosimova was also honored for her individual Huskies of Honor recognition, which she was unable to attend in 2006 (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

Geno Auriemma and Svetlana Abrosimova '01 (ED) during ceremonies for the 2002 NCAA Champions induction into the Huskies of Honor. Abrosimova was also honored for her individual Huskies of Honor recognition, which she was unable to attend in 2006 (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

The 2001-02 University of Connecticut women's basketball team, which won the 2002 NCAA National Championship and posted the Huskies' second perfect season, was recognized as UConn Huskies of Honor at halftime of the UConn-Fairfield game on Dec. 29 at Gampel Pavilion. From left, Bruce Cohen, director of the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes; Rosemary Ragle, assistant athletic trainer for women’s basketball; Jack Eisenmann, director of basketball operations; Paul Pendergast, interim athletics director; Tom Trojian, team physician; Pat Babcock, senior women’s athletic administrator; Svetlana Abrosimova ’01 (ED); Geno Auriemma, head coach; Stacey Marron ’05 (ED); Ashley Battle ’05 (BUS); Maria Conlon ’05 (CLAS); Sue Bird ’02 (CLAS); Chris Dailey ’99 MA, associate head coach; Tom Tedesco ’00 (BUS), ’02 MA, former student manager. (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
The 2001-02 University of Connecticut women's basketball team, which won the 2002 NCAA National Championship and posted the Huskies' second perfect season, was recognized as UConn Huskies of Honor at halftime of the UConn-Fairfield game on Dec. 29 at Gampel Pavilion. From left, Bruce Cohen, director of the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes; Rosemary Ragle, assistant athletic trainer for women’s basketball; Jack Eisenmann, director of basketball operations; Paul Pendergast, interim athletics director; Tom Trojian, team physician; Pat Babcock, senior women’s athletic administrator; Svetlana Abrosimova ’01 (ED); Geno Auriemma, head coach; Stacey Marron ’05 (ED); Ashley Battle ’05 (BUS); Maria Conlon ’05 (CLAS); Sue Bird ’02 (CLAS); Chris Dailey ’99 MA, associate head coach; Tom Tedesco ’00 (BUS), ’02 MA, former student manager. (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
Coach Geno Auriemma and Svetlana Abrosimova '01 (ED) during ceremonies for the 2002 NCAA Champions' induction into the Huskies of Honor. Abrosimova was also honored for her individual Huskies of Honor recognition, as she was unable to attend the ceremony held in 2006. (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
Coach Geno Auriemma and Svetlana Abrosimova '01 (ED) during ceremonies for the 2002 NCAA Champions' induction into the Huskies of Honor. Abrosimova was also honored for her individual Huskies of Honor recognition, as she was unable to attend the ceremony held in 2006. (Steve Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

When the Huskies of Honor program was launched in 2006, Svetlana Abrosimova ’01 (ED) was unable to attend the ceremony, which honors top individual and team achievements in men’s and women’s basketball at UConn. Since completing her degree, her busy professional career in the WNBA and Europe did not allow her to return to Storrs.

But when the 2002 NCAA Women’s Basketball Champions were inducted into the Huskies of Honor on Dec. 29 during the UConn-Fairfield game, Abrosimova was invited to the ceremonies because, although she graduated the previous year, she was a graduate assistant coach for that squad. She flew in from Russia to participate, and there was also a special ceremony unveiling her individual banner recognizing her accomplishments as a three-time Kodak First Team All-American for UConn.

“When I came in, I didn’t see my name up on the wall. It was covered in black. I thought, oh my God, they think I died,” she told reporters, drawing laughs. “I came here early to see the campus, which is changing, but Gampel Pavilion is like home.”

Abrosimova joined her former teammates who were able to attend the ceremony: Stacey Marron ’05 (ED), Ashley Battle ’05 (BUS), Maria Conlon ’05 (CLAS), Sue Bird ’02 (CLAS). Other team members Swin Cash ’02 (CLAS), Asjha Jones ’02 (BUS), Diana Taurasi ’05 (CLAS), and Tamika Williams ’02 (CLAS) were unable to attend the ceremony, with most still playing in Europe this season.

The 2001-02 team, the third entire team to be inducted into the Huskies of Honor, rolled to the NCAA National Championship with a spotless 39-0 overall record. The Huskies completed the regular season 30-0, with a nine-point win at Virginia Tech marking the smallest margin of victory of the year. Auriemma was honored as Naismith and WBCA national coach of the year and five Huskies – Bird, Cash, Jones, Taurasi, and Williams – earned All-America status from the Associated Press. Bird was the consensus pick for National Player of the Year; and Bird, Cash, Jones, and Williams were all taken with the first six picks of the 2002 WNBA Draft.