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UConn-Stamford Students Celebrate Double Hoops Win

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The University of Connecticut's double basketball triumph can mean only good things for the university and for its Stamford campus, said a couple of students Wednesday.

Abbas Jafri, 18, from Darien hopes UConn's double national basketball championships helps boost the school's prominence nationwide.

Abbas Jafri, 18, from Darien hopes UConn's double national basketball championships helps boost the school's prominence nationwide.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

The comments came the morning after the women's team won the national NCAA title, which came a day after the men's team had done the same thing.

Abbas Jafri, 18, from Darien, said he didn't watch either championship game - he is a student, after all, with work to do. But he said he was happy to see his school again conquer all.

"I didn't get to see the game, but I am glad they won," he said. "I was kind of sad I didn't see but in the end we won so I was happy." 

He believes UConn's basketball dominance puts it on the center stage nationally.

"It makes us a more well-known school and maybe more people will come here," he said.

That's a change from not that long ago, when he said the university wasn't as well known. 

"I remember my dad telling me that before we ever won our first championship, no one knew what UConn was so it put us on the map," Jafri said. 

As she prepared for another day of school, fourth year political science student Cassie Volcy, 21, said UConn's victories will help raise the university's profile overall. But she wasn't sure whether a regional campus such as the campus in Stamford would see a higher profile.

"I think both the men and women winning is a really good accomplishment. But for UConn-Stamford, I am not so sure. I think it brings a lot more attention to Storrs," said the Stratford resident who lived in Stamford until she was about 10 years old.

"Sometimes regional campuses don't get a lot of attention. But I am hoping as a whole that UConn will be recognized for the wins. It's a great accomplishment."

Volcy, who said she is more of NBA fan with the Boston Celtics as her favorite team, said she caught as much as possible of the men's final while she studied. But she said schoolwork forced her to miss the women's final.

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