University of Connecticut Athletics
Pavasaris Ears Weekly BIG EAST Special Teams Honor
12/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, Conn. (December 5, 2005) - University of Connecticut punter Chris Pavasaris (Needham, Mass.) was named the BIG EAST’s Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. Additionally, quarterback D.J. Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) was named to the conference’s honor roll.
Pavasaris becomes the third different Husky to be named to be named the BIG EAST’s Special Teams Player of the Week this season, joining Larry Taylor (Sept. 5) and Darius Butler (Nov. 28). It is Hernandez’s second appearance this season on the league’s weekly honor roll.
In UConn’s 30-20 loss to No. 16 Louisville on Saturday night, Pavasaris killed four of his seven punts inside of the Cardinals’ 10 yards line, forcing U of L to start drives from its own three, eight, one and 10. Pavasaris’ career-long boot of 60 yards in the fourth quarter was UConn’s longest punt since Adam Coles unleashed a 68-yarder on Nov. 8, 2003 against Rutgers.
Hernandez completed 18-of-32 passes (56%) for a career-high 255 yards and a career-high three touchdowns without any interceptions for a 154.13 rating. He also gained 49 yards on the ground, rushing for four first downs on his own in addition to the 11 that his passes picked up. With 304 all-purpose yards, Hernandez’s day was the best by a Husky since Dan Orlovsky also had 304 at Rutgers on Nov. 25, 2004. Hernandez completed two 57-yard passes in the game, tying for UConn’s longest completions of the 2005 season.
