(Associated Press photo)
UConn senior kicker Chad Christen, seen in action during South Florida,
reaggravated the groin injury he suffered late in his junior season and he
will miss the rest of spring practice following recent surgery.

After senior kicker Chad Christen reinjured his groin in almost the same exact fashion which resulted in him missing the final game of the 2012 season, the UConn coaches and medical staff were not messing around as he underwent surgery and will miss the rest of spring drills.

"We had to do a little bit of surgery, everything came out great and he will be ready to go for the season," UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni said. "We weren’t going to take a chance on getting into preseason camp and having anything wrong with him so we did the MRI with him and felt like we would go in there and do a little repair surgery.

"(He was) just warming up, kicking a PAT. It was almost the way it happened the first time warming up kicking the PAT and he felt a strain. He rehabbed it and is doing really well."

UCONN TO ATTRACT A CROWD ON PRO DAY
Pasqualoni said that he expects nearly every NFL team to be represented when the seniors on the 2012 squad work out at the Huskies' annual pro day on Wednesday afternoon.

"I am awful excited about it that they prepared hard for this and it hasn’t been casual preparation so of 32 teams in the NFL there will probably be like 28 or 29 tomorrow which really says something," Pasqualoni said. "There will be a lot of coaches, a lot of scouts, probably a general manager or two so I am anxious and hopeful that they have a great day.

"You wouldn’t have this many guys coming if they weren’t fired up about it. Teams are sending multiple coaches, sending two and three guys here and that means they are interested in getting accurate information and an accurate evaluation."

INTERESTED SPECTATORS
Southern Connecticut State coach Rich Cavanaugh and offensive coordinator Tom Godek, former Cheshire High coach Mark Ecke and Staples head coach Marce Petroccio were among the large group of college and high school coaches checking out UConn's practice.

Pasqualoni and Cavanaugh go way back.

"It is always great to see Rich," Pasqualoni said. "When I left Southern Connecticut Rich took my place at Southern Connecticut and that was back in 1978 and he has done a fabulous job there so he is a terrific football coach, we are always excited to see him."