UConn basketball’s “First Night” festivities will not take place this season.
The annual kickoff celebration for the men’s and women’s basketball seasons won’t be held because of ongoing renovations “designed to enhance the gameday experience” at Gampel Pavilion, the school announced Friday.
The plans to upgrade the on-campus arena will open up 3,000 square feet of new space under reconfigured stands by the fall and also include addressing the roof, which leaked before a men’s basketball game last year.
First Night typically begins with a block party on Jim Calhoun Way with food trucks, music and carnival games. Inside the arena, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are introduced to the crowd pro-wrestling style before splitting into teams for a 3-point challenge and scrimmages. The event has included a dunk contest in the past, but Dan Hurley wasn’t a fan and decided to do away with it after the 2023 national championship season.
Alex Karaban and Azzi Fudd, both veterans expected to lead national championship contenders in 2025-26, won back-to-back 3-point contests in 2023 and 2024. The duo of Jayden Ross and Allie Ziebell couldn’t miss as they took the crown last fall.
The UConn men are set to host New Haven in their season-opener at Gampel Pavilion on Nov. 3. The women’s program will begin this title defense at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany the next day, Nov. 4, and take on Louisville.
Both programs will be in action at Mohegan Sun Arena for the Basketball Hall of Fame Exhibition against Boston College on Oct. 13.
