WINTER 2015 ISSUE NO. 3 NTHE NUTMEG MAGAZINE BRIMAH JEFFERSON THE UCONN WOMEN LOOK FOR FOUR IN A ROW UNDER VETERAN LEADERSHIP. THE NUTMEG GIFT GUIDE Stumped on present ideas for this holiday season? We’ve got you covered. NO, NOT RALPH LAUREN We’re talking about UConn Polo and their quest for “OH national distinction. THE WINTER STAFF PICKS ON weather BOOTS AND CLOTHES THAT WILL KEEP OUTSIDE YOU WARM is frightful” FROM THE EDITOR CONTENTS As the semester draws to a close, students across campus are gearing up for the cold and a stressful week of finals. Amidst the flurry of final projects, long hours spent in WINTER 2015 BUNDLE UP! ISSUE NO. 3 the library, and preparations for break, I want to invite students to take a moment to sit back, relax, and read the engaging winter issue of Nutmeg Magazine. This issue delves into an exciting time at UConn—the start of basketball season—and includes festive stories on cheap last-minute holiday gifts and the winter attire you’ll want to be seen in this season. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it! 4 It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year —Rachel Sarnie Magazine Managing Editor 12 Winter Attire MAGAZINE MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Sarnie Chirp, Crunch! Crickets for Lunch 18 EDITOR IN CHIEF Amy Bortey CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hunter Kelley 20 Polo & OF COURSE: Cheap Holiday Gifts DESIGNERS COPY EDITOR 24 Will Lanzoni Rachel Wice Brigid Reale Lindsey Rodrigues CONTENT MANAGER Dan Araujo Mary Olmsted Gabe Rogan UConn On: Islamophobia BUSINESS MANAGER WRITERS 26 Kim Gillen Ariel Sussman Kavita Sinha PHOTO EDITOR/ MARKETING COORDINATOR John Ewen Haley Hinton Kieran Buttrick PHOTOGRAPHERS SPORTS EDITORS Rosalie Pisano Hayley Tafuro Emily McAndrew Will Lanzoni Kim Sun Omar Taweh YEARBOOK MANAGING EDITOR Elise Sotolongo 2 NUTMEG.UCONN.EDU FACEBOOK.COM/UCONNNUTMEGPUBLISHING 3 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Will Lanzoni WORDS BY Hayley Tafuro DESIGN BY Brigid Reale IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR... 4 NUTMEG.UCONN.EDU FACEBOOK.COM/UCONNNUTMEGPUBLISHING 5 t’s the most wonderful time of the year for students at the University of Connecticut, and it’s not because the holidays are I just around the corner. The crisp, chilly air and that trademark Storrs wind can only mean one thing: basketball season is here. This season has the makings to be a special one, a historic one in fact. On the women’s side, Head Coach Geno Auriemma and the squad are chasing their fourth consecutive national championship. Lead by veteran seniors Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson, the team has already jumped out to an undefeated start. As for the men’s team, they are looking to bounce back from last year’s NIT appearance and the loss of a team leader in Ryan Boatright. After just a handful of games that have included a pair of tough losses to rival Syracuse and nationally ranked Gonzaga, this group has proven that they will be an exciting team to watch and a postseason contender. With November wrapping up and the bulk of the season coming just around the corner, Nutmeg looks at what makes this year’s women and men’s teams so unique, and why this season matters. 6 NUTMEG.UCONN.EDU FACEBOOK.COM/UCONNNUTMEGPUBLISHING 7 THE WOMEN been set, a fourth championship for her four years of college ball would irrevocably Legends, history, champions—all words dub her as the most dominant player thus commonly associated with the UConn far in the women’s college game. women’s basketball team. The program has ten national championships to its Alongside Stewart is Jefferson, the floor name, dating back to its first in 1995 when general. Quite the contrary to Stewart, Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti lead the she stands at a petite 5-foot-7, but with team to a perfect 35-0 record and a title. strength and toughness unmatched to her After the past season’s championship opponents. Jefferson is swift, composed, win over rival team Notre Dame, UConn and handles the ball as if it is permanently maintained its undefeated record in attached to her fingertips. She can drive championship games and Auriemma tied the lane and sneak past the opposing John Wooden for most championships in team’s tallest player to get to the rim college basketball history. It’s no secret and finish, or she can knock down a long- that a championship this year would range three from any spot on the arc. She shatter the record books. After all, it’s the dictates and leads, and, like Stewart, has storyline of the season. The chase toward made lasting contributions since the start four consecutive championships is even of her time at UConn. more captivating for the two players who are looking to be the first in history to Between the two lay other talents who have achieve the feat: Stewart and Jefferson. helped make the team what it is today. Redshirt junior Morgan Tuck is a dominant Stewart has been a headliner since day one. force as a starting forward. Junior Saniya Since she came to Storrs from Syracuse, Chong has grown into her role with the NY, her name has been on the lips of team as have sophomores Kia Nurse and those proclaiming who the best player Gabby Williams. Throw in the addition of is in women’s college basketball history. Katie Lou Samuelson, National Player of the Within the first three games of the season Year in high school, and Napheesa Collier she averaged 24.7 points per game and who has made some solid contributions 9.0 rebounds per game. She towers over already this season, and the team looks opponents with her 6-foot-4 frame and an poised to make another overshadowing run undeniable skill set. While her legacy has in the NCAA to make history once again. 8 NUTMEG.UCONN.EDU FACEBOOK.COM/UCONNNUTMEGPUBLISHING 9 THE MEN has wowed UConn with his smart play and unreal dunking skills. Even After some disappointment last Nolan has gotten into the mix after year and some key losses, Head scoring nine against University of Coach Kevin Ollie needed to make New Hampshire to help his team to some moves in the offseason. They an 85-66 victory. needed to make improvements if the team wanted to take back the This team seemed like a mish-mosh conference title and return to the of great basketball players who got NCAA tournament. The team that together once or twice a week to showed up in the exhibition home play a pickup game. They still need a opener against Tampa made it clear leader who is going to be the go-to that they were ready to put last guy in the last seconds of the game. season in the past and focus on one Even though there are still wrinkles mission: “Strive for Five.” to be ironed out, it’s normal for this time of the season. UConn has the Last year, the team struggled to athleticism, strength, and capability put up fifty points on the board, to be legendary this year. Despite whereas now they’re putting up 82 a couple of rough games in the points to get student ticket holders Bahamas and some “what the heck” free wings. Everybody gets into the moments, it’s hard to deny that this action. Five guys can score double has been a thrilling team to watch digits instead of just one scoring so far, and it’s only been six games threat. The roster is stacked, and, into the season. finally, not with just guards. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS UConn hasn’t seen exciting big men play for a few years now, at The outlook is bright so far for least since Andre Drummond, Alex both teams. There’s no doubt that Oriakhi, and Roscoe Smith in the this season is going to be a crazy 2011-2012 season. The team has ride. The fans have already shown always boasted outstanding guard that they are up for it based on the play, and will continue to do so with energy that they have brought into the unbelievable play from Sterling Gampel Pavilion so far this past Gibbs and Daniel Hamilton along month. If one thing is for sure, it’s with Rodney Purvis and hopefully that basketball is part of UConn’s Jalen Adams once he gets used culture. It’s a tradition that runs to the college stage. However, this through the veins of so many people year has the chance to showcase on campus, and a pride instilled in our big men: Amida Brimah, Shonn the school from a history rich in Miller, Kentan Facey, and maybe obstacle, victory and emotion. There even Steve Enoch. Brimah came is a lot at stake this season for both back this year with some more teams, and this is just the start of muscle, and is a defensive force to it all. be reckoned when his opponents get in the paint. Facey has been a key rebounding machine and Miller 10 NUTMEG.UCONN.EDU FACEBOOK.COM/UCONNNUTMEGPUBLISHING 11 Winter Attire hankfully, the first to admit that I have the freezing temperatures, temperature not brought my winter coat snow, and the icy sidewalk in Storrs has from home in hopes that I will have us slipping and T managed to stay can will the temperatures falling on the way to class. decently warm throughout to stay higher than freezing As it gets colder out, the November, giving students for the rest of the semester.