UConn, Univ. of Nevada, Seaton Hall, and Gabby Williams

[JavaMan]

Call to Seton Hall
helped get UConn's Gabby Williams home​

By Carl Adamec

It was a delay of game that the University of Connecticut women's basketball team was happy to accept. A year ago, the Huskies were looking into scheduling a homecoming game for Sparks, Nevada, native Gabby Williams, who was on her way to an All-American junior season. The only problem was that UConn's 13-game non-league schedule -- which included the recently-added Nike PK80 Invitational in Eugene, Oregon -- was filled.

Enter Seton Hall and coach Tony Bozzella.

UConn and Seton Hall had signed a deal to start a home-and-home series during the 2017-18 season. But the Huskies reached out to Bozzella and the Pirates, who agreed to push back the series by one year giving UConn the opening to schedule Tuesday night's game against Nevada in Reno.

"I'm sure it wasn't easy for Tony to work through the scheduling hardship that this caused," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "But I am very grateful that he was so accommodating."

For Bozzella, who is in his fifth season at Seton Hall following stops at Iona and LIU-Brooklyn, it was an easy call.

"When they asked us to push it back, it was a no-brainer once I heard the reason," Bozzella said. "We also love to find ways to get our girls homecoming games and I think that is one of the best parts of a student-athlete experience."

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Well done, Tony. It will be an honor to visit and host you and Seaton Hall in 2018 and 2019.

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