Were UConn students expelled following vandalism in championship celebration? The fallout following the Huskies' national title and possible expulsion

The UConn Huskies have just had a sensational basketball season which culminated in them winning the national championship and visiting the White House. But the happy memories for some University of Connecticut students will end there.

It was first reported in April that several UConn students had vandalized school property following a night of celebrations following their men's basketball team's victory in the NCAA championship. Some students were subsequently arrested, and the school has also been conducting its own investigation into the incident.

It has now emerged that some of the students involved in the vandalism of school property have been expelled from the school. School spokesperson Stephanie Reitz confirmed this, stating that some of their investigations had led to immediate expulsions.

“Although we can’t address individual students’ outcomes, we can say that some reviews have concluded with expulsions.” - Stephanie Reitz (via AP)

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The UConn game that started it all

On April 3, the UConn Huskies beat San Diego State University 76-59 in the championship game held in Houston, confirming their fifth national title. They were fourth in the Big East with a 31-8 record and went on a run led by NBA draft hopefuls Jordan Hawkins, Adama Sanogo and Andre Jackson Jr.

This was the Huskies' third trip to the NCAA tournament under coach Dan Hurley and this one ended in their first title since 2014, making them one of the predominant powers in college basketball.

San Diego State v Connecticut

Then the celebrations at the university's Storr campus began in earnest. While most celebrations were relatively peaceful, some turned ugly, leading to students smashing windows, uprooting signs, and vandalizing a police car.

The celebration, which included a trending picture of a white van flipped on its side, was said to have incurred thousands of dollars worth of damage. Afterward, it was classified as a riot, and several people were arrested.

Not only was property damaged, but there were also several injuries, with sixteen students being taken to hospital nursing all sorts of injuries. Most of the people arrested due to the riot were UConn students, although a few did not attend the school in any capacity.

The school immediately began to conduct its own investigations into the ugly scenes, which marred a significant victory for the Huskies. Late on Friday, June 9, the school announced that some of its reviews had led to immediate expulsions while they were still conducting investigations into others.

The full number of students affected will be released later in the year. Stephanie Reitz added that some of the students could appeal the verdict, but some had already been unenrolled from the school, and their chapters were at a close.