UConn football program benefits from grad’s gift

[Apis Bull]

UConn football program benefits from grad’s gift

UConn football program benefits from grad’s gift

By JIM FULLER , Journal Register News Service  07/23/2004

EAST HARTFORD -- Randy Edsall still recalls the phone call with equal parts of bemusement and admiration.

The University of Connecticut football coach was well aware of Mark R. Shenkman’s reputation as a "UConn sports junkie." But he never fully understood the depths of Shenkman’s passion until that recent phone call came from a man whose name will now become synonymous with the future of UConn football.

 

Shenkman, a 1965 UConn graduate and Greenwich resident, not only bestowed a $2.5 million gift for the construction of the on-campus Mark R. Shenkman Training Center, but he went to great lengths to make sure his money would allow the Huskies to pursue their championship dreams in the world of major college football.

"He is proud of his university and wants to see it do well," Edsall said at Thursday’s press conference at Rentschler Field announcing the Shenkman Training Center. "Here is a guy who goes out to Nebraska to see what is probably one of the best facilities in the country. He says if we are going to try to compete, I need to stand up and do something."

Shenkman received a tour of Nebraska’s state-of-the-art training facilities during the spring. When he came back east, he had a vision of what UConn needed to continue its ascension up the Division I-A football ladder.

"This is a recruiting tool," Shenkman said. "It was one thing I learned from Nebraska. The coach (Bill Callahan) said if he didn’t have the facilities, he couldn’t recruit nationwide. I realized that (with) recruitment, which is so important in having a championship team, you needed the training center."

Construction on the two-year project is expected to start in September and should be complete in time for the 2006 season.

CAMP SET TO OPEN

While the future of UConn looks rather impressive, the present isn’t too bad.

Players report for camp on Aug. 10 as UConn embarks on its inaugural season in the Big East.

Edsall is eager to get going.

"The biggest thing is we have to manage the expectations," he said. "What we have to understand is that (while) we are the newborn going in, we are no longer a school that anybody is going to take lightly. When other programs see what is happening with this program, I think it might put a little bit of a bigger ‘X’ on our chests.

"I was just down at the Big East meetings Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The bowl representatives were there and one of things that I got more than once from those people was that they know the University of Connecticut is committed to something, they are going to do it the right way.

"I think our competitors understand that and you take a look at all the things that transpired and you add (Thursday) into the mix as well and you (have) people out there who might be a little envious, a little bit jealous."

We got any millionares here?

[bulls96go]

any usf news at the big east meeting?

[smazza]

how does usf''s facilities compare to uconn's and  nebraska's

[bulls96go]

how does usf''s facilities compare to uconn's and  nebraska's

great question.

would add LSU to that list

are we the best facility in florida?

[E.T.]

Word around the campfire is that our Weight Room is the best in the state. Not sure about overall facilities ... I know uf has a beautiful basketball only facility.

We are still young and there will be Major Donors coming.

Go BULLS !!!

[bulls96go]

this year should be awesome in recruiting

1. franks

2. PT available for super stud right away

3. sweet top tier facility

4. BCS conference which gives us a "real" road to a NC

   (based on our team being made up of the #2 players

    of UF, F$U and UM we should be very comptetive in

    the BE " we will become the first choice of the 'big

    three recruit' who wants to play and not sit")

i am hoping for at least two absolute "coup (stud)" recruits

and a top 30 class