Built around UConn basketball alumni, taking the court every summer in The Basketball Tournament.
The story ↓
The Stars of Storrs roster and staffUConn basketball doesn't end at graduation. Every summer, it comes back to the court.
Stars of Storrs is the TBT team Marc D'Amelio built around UConn basketball alumni, a roster of proud Huskies representing the tradition and excellence of UConn basketball on national television, filled out by standout alumni from other programs too. Marc, UConn Class of 1991, runs it as general manager.
The 2025 TBT bracket
TBT runs every summer as a nationally televised, single-elimination bracket: 64 teams, no seeds spared, one winner. Over the past decade the tournament has broadcast more than 650 games on ESPN, and more than 70 players who competed in TBT have gone on to sign NBA contracts. There's no clock at the end, either. TBT's Elam Ending sets a target score in the final minutes, and whichever team gets there first wins.
64 Teams · Single Elimination · The Elam Ending
It started with a UConn fan on social media asking Marc D'Amelio, our GM, to put a team together. He loves building brands, teams, and UConn basketball in roughly that order, so he did. Marc signed the team's TBT participation agreement as Stars of Storrs' general manager, alongside Jon Mugar, the tournament's founder and CEO. The deal came with one more line written in: a guaranteed appearance on TBT's own podcast to talk about the team. UConn runs deep. Marc never really stopped showing up.
If Stars of Storrs wins the million, $100,000 of it is already pledged to the D'Amelio Huskies Collective, supporting UConn student athletes.
Stars of Storrs GMEvery Stars of Storrs roster carries one requirement written into the team's TBT agreement: at least seven players who suited up for UConn. UConn alumni have always made up the heart of the roster, but the team has never been UConn-only. Across two seasons, other spots have gone to standouts from Clemson, Seton Hall, Murray State, Howard, Baylor, Hofstra, UAB, and more.
The 2025 starting five: Ryan Boatright, a name UConn fans know well from the program's 2014 national championship run, at point guard, alongside Isaiah Whitehead, Kassim Nicholson, Deandre Daniels, also a 2014 National Champion, and Eli Thomas. Brandon Garrett rounded out the roster.
Pittsburgh, 2024 · Chris Smith, head coachUConn's all-time leading scorer, 2,145 points from 1988 to 1992 and a member of the UConn Basketball All-Century Team, Chris Smith led the bench in Stars of Storrs' first season, coaching alongside his son, Chris Smith Jr., and Tyler Olander, the two-time national champion who started at center on the 2011 title team.
Chris Smith, Head Coach, 2024Season two, Olander moved up to head coach, running the bench with Jeff Calhoun, son of legendary UConn coach Jim Calhoun, plus assistants Jake Sullivan, Stephen Laffin, and Michael Boatright McAllister, Ryan Boatright's brother. Calhoun, Ollie, and Hurley-era Huskies, all represented.
Tyler Olander, Head Coach, 2025Two seasons, one growing program. Real game action where a verified photo exists, the numbered design everywhere else. Gold star editions mark the roster's national-championship pedigree.
Tyler Olander moved up from assistant to head coach for season two; his card is above, in season one, marked "Seasons 1 & 2."
Ryan Boatright, Deandre Daniels, Eli Thomas, RJ Cole, and Rodney Purvis all played both seasons; their cards are above, in season one, marked "Seasons 1 & 2."
Rosters and roles compiled from the team's own TBT paperwork, GM questionnaires, financial records, and public reporting (TBT, UConn/Clemson/Seton Hall/Murray State/UAB athletics). Flag anything that needs a correction.
Local businesses backed the Stars of Storrs through the 2025 season. No corporate logos, just the names that showed up.
Rodney Purvis at the bracket wall, Syracuse 2025
DeAndre Daniels, game day in Syracuse
Jeff Calhoun, assistant coach, courtside
On the road in Pittsburgh, 2024
Marc and the guys, Washington Prime event
Marc on the mic, team event
Rooftop dinner with the team
Backstage with the team
Gampel Pavilion, Storrs
Back home in Storrs
Team event, off the court
Team event, off the court
The team back in NorwalkSponsorship, press, or just want to know more about the team. Marc reads every message.
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Stars of Storrs is an independently operated alumni team and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Connecticut.
