It became University of Connecticut in 1939, by which time the nickname Huskies was already in use. Local use of UConn dates to then. Natural that outsiders like ESPN staff would adopt local usage whenthey moved there.
How many know the University of Minnesota’s ‘Ski-U-Mah’ shtick? Had ESPN based in Minneapolis, I bet everyone would know it by now.
Yes, I agree…that was my point…ESPN in a lot of ways made UCONN. There’s nothing wrong with that. Weather makes Southern Cal. Demographics makes Texas Longhorns. There are all kind of advantages…and little cold dreary NY bedroom Connecticut had no advantages…til they became UCONN and ESPN made them famous.