Looking for:
Connecticut sun arenaSchedule - Connecticut Sun.Frequently Asked Questions - Connecticut Sun
The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in , during the league's expansion from ten to twelve teams, as a sister team to the NBA 's Orlando Magic. In , as financial strains left the team on the brink of disbanding, the Mohegan Indian tribe purchased and relocated the team to Mohegan Sun , becoming the first Native American tribe to own a professional sports franchise.
The team's name comes from its affiliation with Mohegan Sun and its logo is reflective of a modern interpretation of an ancient Mohegan symbol. Capitalizing on the popularity of women's basketball in the state, as a result of the success of the UConn Huskies , the Sun held the distinction of being the only WNBA franchise not to share its market with an NBA team, [4] until the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics in left the Storm as an independent team in Seattle.
Before the franchise relocated to Connecticut in , the team operated as the Orlando Miracle. After the season , the NBA sold off all of the WNBA franchises to the operators of the respective teams, which placed the league in the middle of team contractions, relocations, and potential labor strife.
Since Magic ownership was no longer interested in retaining the rights to the Miracle and no local partnership was reached, the organization ceased operations and was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe. On January 28, , it was announced that the Miracle would immediately move to Uncasville, Connecticut and change its nickname to the Sun in reference to the Mohegan Sun casino.
With a new home in Uncasville and two former UConn Huskies on the roster, the Sun entered the season looking to build upon a campaign in which they missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with Indiana.
The Sun underwent a total overhaul during the off-season — selecting Debbie Black in the dispersal draft and acquiring former Connecticut star Rebecca Lobo to add another local attraction to join Nykesha Sales. On May 24, , the Sun hosted the first regular season game of its inaugural season, which was shown on ABC , the league's new broadcast partner.
The Sun yielded to the two-time defending champion Sparks before a sellout crowd of 9, At the conclusion of the season , the Sun finished with an 18—16 record, which clinched the first playoff berth since the franchise relocated. The Sun swept the second-seeded Sting in the first round of the playoffs, and before being swept by the Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference Finals. General manager Chris Sienko fortified that core with former UConn product Asjha Jones , who was acquired in a three-team trade, and Minnesota Golden Gophers phenom Lindsay Whalen , who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the Draft.
The Sun managed to snag a top pick in one of the deepest draft classes in league history by trading perennial all-star point guard Shannon Johnson , a move that was universally panned by Sun fans. In the first round, the Sun defeated the Washington Mystics 2—1. In the Finals, their run would end, as they lost a hard-fought three-game series, 2—1, to the Seattle Storm.
In the off season, the Sun acquired 7'2" 2. Also against the Sun's luck, Lindsay Whalen played through the series with injuries. The Sun had home-court advantage, but it was of no use; the Sun lost the Finals for the second straight year, 3 games to 1, in the first WNBA Finals played in a best-of-five format.
In , the Sun would match their record [18] and it looked like a return trip to the Finals was certain. This feat had never before been achieved in WNBA history. In the playoffs, the Sun would quickly sweep the Washington Mystics. The Sun stumbled out of the gate in , posting a dismal 5—10 record by late June.
However, the Sun stormed back into playoff contention by winning 11 of their next 13 games, to finish the regular season at 18—16, [20] good enough to win the 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the playoffs, the Sun faced the Indiana Fever in the first round. The Sun came into the series having won all four regular season contests against the Fever. In Game 1, despite holding a point lead in the third quarter, the Sun allowed the Fever to force the first triple-overtime game in WNBA playoff history, ending with a 93—88 victory for the Sun.
However, the Fever would respond by winning the next two games and therefore the series, including a playoff record point come-from-behind win in Game 3. The front office knew something had to be done to save the team from another disappointing finish.
During the —08 off-season, the Connecticut Sun made major changes to their roster in an effort to win that ever-elusive championship title. The Sun made three trades, one sending Katie Douglas , the face of the franchise, to the Indiana Fever , a deal that signaled the end of the partnership that led the Sun to consecutive WNBA Finals appearances. In return, the Sun received Tamika Whitmore who would surely create a physical presence in the paint, something that the Sun had been lacking in previous years.
Some even claimed the Sun would finish sixth, only ahead of the expansion Atlanta Dream. Contrary to these predictions, the Sun started the season with an outstanding 8—1 record. Soon, however, the team found itself in a disappointing slump. The Sun went on a five-game losing streak, the worst ever for a team under Mike Thibault. The team finished the regular season with a 21—13 record which placed them second in the Eastern Conference, only one game out of first place.
Exceeding many expectations during the rebuilding season, the Sun looked to come back even stronger in There was no reason to believe the Sun would not contend for playoff position. During the first six seasons the team has been in Connecticut, the Sun have tied the highest winning record of any team in the WNBA during that time period, posting a record of —77, translating into a winning percentage of.
That success has reflected itself in the team's attendance, which has surged from 6, in to 7, in It was the second time the Sun had hosted the game. But they later won 7 out of their next 10 games, putting them in playoff position. Halfway through the season, however, there was a three-way tie for second place which included the Sun, the Dream , and the Mystics.
The Sun, plagued by a late-season injury to all-star Asjha Jones missed the playoffs for the first time since moving from Orlando. Sun fans found an unwelcome and unfamiliar ending to the season. They finished overall with a 16—18 record and finished 6th in the East. After the team was ousted from playoff contention, Thibault said there would be changes.
After a late-season implosion in , head coach Mike Thibault had to make some crucial decisions for a team whose culture completely broke down last year. Connecticut started its rebuilding process quickly, acquiring DeMya Walker in the Monarchs' dispersal draft. The Sun then snagged the first overall pick in the collegiate draft in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx ; a trade that would have the Sun's most recognizable face in starting point guard Lindsay Whalen , along with the second overall pick, shipped to Minneapolis.
This package netted the Sun Renee Montgomery , who would prove to be luxury in the deal. Thibault continued to reshape his roster after introducing Kara Lawson at a press conference as a new member of the Sun. Lawson, along with Montgomery, formed a backcourt that would be able to dictate pace and bolster the Sun's perimeter arsenal attack. The Sun came into the WNBA Draft with two picks in the first round — the first and seventh overall picks, the latter of which was acquired one day prior to the draft from Tulsa.
With its first overall selection in franchise history, the Sun took UConn standout and Player of the Year recipient, Tina Charles , the consensus top prospect available. By playing alongside premier talent at the collegiate level, Charles had shown that she was ready to pilot an offense and lead this franchise into the post- Sales era. After the selection of Charles, Thibault had the remainder of the draft to fortify the weapons around his newly acquired center.
Prior to the draft, it was understood that McCray wouldn't be available to participate in the upcoming season due to an ACL injury she sustained in college. There was risk involved concerning her durability, but McCray's potential as a superstar was reason enough to take the leap of faith. The Sun cemented its guard corps with the selection of Allison Hightower in the second round.
Thibault wasn't finished making a mark on draft day as he maneuvered around the draft board to address the Sun's suspect defense. He nabbed former Cornhusker Kelsey Griffin , who was taken third overall, in a trade once again involving the Lynx. This trade would have the Sun relinquishing their first and second round picks in next year's draft.
The acquisition of coveted players through the draft and free agency capped an off-season of change that had transformed a franchise for the future. Although the reconstruction of the Sun remained a work in progress, this talented class of prospects would serve as the foundation for a team that jumped back into contention quicker than anyone anticipated.
The season started well for the Sun. Few changes were made in the off-season, which gave the team some consistency and a year of experience on which to build. In his decade-long pursuit of an elusive title, Mike Thibault found himself in the proverbial hot seat to engineer a deep run.
But an absence of urgency was reflected in the team's free agency approach — making small waves to pry Thompson and Cash from their respective teams — to solely ink rugged forward Mistie Mims [30] in relief of Charles. Sticking with the status quo meant the roster was set so much so that the Sun drafted an unheralded Malian prospect.
Going into the season , Thibault had assembled a deep roster that necessitated only a couple minor moves to cap the off-season process. The coach's patience paid dividends when his burgeoning core bolted to a 6—1 start highlighted by a chafed Montgomery turning the starting reins over to Hightower. Following the ill-timed Games , which saw the club's Jones-Charles tandem help capture gold for Team USA , Connecticut continued to perform superbly while short-handed. They finished the season 25—9, with a better road record 13—4 than as hosts.
In the series, the Sun took themselves to the doorstep of a Finals berth after notching a decisive Game 1 rout. But building on a stirring two-point Game 2 win and a rally cry after losing Douglas , Indiana derailed the Sun's seemingly predestined trip in a 71—87 home romp, a defeat that essentially cost longtime coach Thibault his job.
The lion's share of the season's fortunes came from the talented triumvirate of Lawson , Jones and league MVP Tina Charles flanked by Mims and sixth woman Montgomery carving a niche as an energy duo off the pines. Though failure was what came to mind in taking stock of the team's decade season; the Fever capturing the year's title being emblematic of that. On November 20, , Mike Thibault was relieved of his duties as head coach for the franchise.
However, Thibault's squads have had the notoriety for failing to flip their proverbial switch to close games; honing a burgeoning reputation for folding under pressure. Donovan hired Catherine Proto and Jennifer Gillom as her assistant coaches for her initial season. With Curt Miller at the helm of the Connecticut Sun moves had to be made in the off-season to show early signs of improvement. The Sun went on to lose their second round game and despite that loss more success was soon to come.
The Sun play in the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mohegan Sun is owned by the Mohegan tribe. Mohegan Sun Arena is smaller than most other WNBA arenas, with the maximum capacity lower and upper levels for a basketball game being 9, They were also the original home of Sun matches prior to the season.
Audio broadcasts for all home games are done by Bob Heussler , which excluding blackout games, in which case are available on ESPN3. Kim Perrot Sportsmanship []. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. WNBA franchise. This article contains weasel words : vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information.
Such statements should be clarified or removed. January Main article: Orlando Miracle. Connecticut Sun roster v t e.
Connecticut sun arena.Arena Seating Chart
The arena facility features 30, square feet 2, m 2 of configurable exhibition space and a foot m clear span. It was built by the Perini Building Company , and opened in October The largest event on record to have been held at the arena was the inaugural Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in the Northeast in , for which 90, tickets were sold to the multi-day event.
The arena originally served as home of the Mohegan Wolves arena football team until it was sold and moved to Manchester, New Hampshire in On July 19, , Uncasville was awarded an AF2 expansion team. Margenau introduced Gary Porter , as the head coach for the team that would first take the field April 5, at the Mohegan Sun Arena against the Albany Conquest.
Gary Porter, previously led the expansion Peoria Pirates to a 7—9 record in A Jewett City resident, came up with the winning name. The winner won four season tickets for the Mohegan Wolves season, dinner for four on the night of the team's first home game, and a team merchandise package. On January 28, , the arena was announced as the official home court for the Connecticut Sun.
Brown was the chairman of the Mohegan Tribe. Though sports betting was legalized in Connecticut on October 1, , the casino has suspended WNBA betting from its sportsbook operation. On September 8, , as a companion to the arena, the Mohegan Sun casino opened a Connecticut Sun merchandise store called "Winter Essentials. However, the store was closed when the casino underwent renovations in Connecticut Sun merchandise would be available in the Arena during games between and After the conclusion of the WNBA season, the arena began holding its first events since the pandemic declaration in November , when it hosted a series of college basketball games where fans were not permitted.
The team relocated in and now play as the Albany FireWolves. Frank Trigg. As of , the seating can be configured into 5 common sports configurations. Basketball, boxing, bowling, rodeo, table tennis, lacrosse. It also can be reconfigured to fit many types of concerts: regular, fullhouse, centerstage, and halfhouse. The arena has won awards for being one of America's most modern concert venues. It was also ranked the 4th best venue by Billboard Magazine.
Since , the arena has hosted one of the premier international strongman Grand Prix events. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Multi-purpose arena in Connecticut, United States. This article is about the arena inside Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. This section needs to be updated.
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. August National Lacrosse League. Retrieved March 13, Archived from the original on 2 February Retrieved 20 January Retrieved 9 September Retrieved 28 June OurSports Central.
July 19, Retrieved July 19, Associated Press. Retrieved 14 May The Seattle Times. Verizon Wireless Arena. TD Waterhouse Centre. Radio City Music Hall. Madison Square Garden. Verizon Center. Connecticut Sun. New England Black Wolves. Founded in Based in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Players Coaches Seasons. Mohegan Sun Arena. Current arenas in the Women's National Basketball Association.
Elizabeths East Arena Wintrust Arena. Live Nation Entertainment. Live Nation Ticketmaster. Music venues of Connecticut. Xfinity Theatre. Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Authority control MusicBrainz place.
Hidden categories: All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from August Webarchive template wayback links Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Coordinates on Wikidata Wikipedia articles in need of updating from August All Wikipedia articles in need of updating Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers.
Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Wikimedia Commons. Uncasville, Connecticut. Basketball : 9, Concerts : 10, Lacrosse : 7, [1]. Mariusz Pudzianowski. Jessen Paulin.
Don Pope. Jesse Marunde. Josh Thigpen. Kevin Nee. Mark Felix. Derek Poundstone. Terry Hollands. Travis Ortmayer. Brian Shaw. Stojan Todorchev. Home of the Mohegan Wolves — Succeeded by Verizon Wireless Arena. Preceded by TD Waterhouse Centre. Home of the Connecticut Sun — present. Succeeded by current.
Preceded by Radio City Music Hall. Succeeded by Madison Square Garden. Preceded by Verizon Center. Succeeded by unknown. MusicBrainz place.
Comments
Post a Comment