May 1, 2000

The former chair of the Board of Trustees, the women's basketball head coach, a faculty member, and a member of staff were honored for their contributions to UConn Athletics during the UConn Club annual awards dinner at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Cromwell on Friday.

Lewis B. Rome, former chair of the Board of Trustees, received a Crystal Award at the dinner. Rome was one of the authors of a 1986 report that served as a blueprint for the future of UConn Athletics. An alumnus of the University, throughout his years on the board he was a vocal advocate of the joint pursuit of academic and athletic excellence at his alma mater.

The UConn Club's Special Recognition Award to Auriemma recognizes the head coach of the women's basketball team for an outstanding season that culminated in the 2000 National Championship, and for a 15-year career as head coach at UConn. Since coming to the University in 1985, he has led a program that previously experienced only one winning season to being the top Division I women's basketball program in the nation.

John Allen, a professor of geography, also was an author of the 1986 report on the Division of Athletics. Since 1987 he has been UConn's NCAA Faculty Representative. He will step down from that post when he retires at the end of this academic year. He received a Special Recognition Award.

Tim Tolokan, who oversees the athletic communications office, has been a member of the Division of Athletics staff for 20 years. He also spearheaded the launch of the UConn licensing/merchandising program and Connecticut's marketing and corporate partnership program. He received the UConn Club's Outstanding Contribution Award.

Also honored at the dinner were 19 student-athletes and a former two-sport star of the University. Five students received Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete awards and 14 were recognized as Outstanding Senior Athletes. Brian Herosian, one of the greatest athletes in UConn history, received the Red O'Neill Award. Herosian came to the University in 1969 and excelled in both football and baseball. Since graduating, he has had a highly successful business career.