Reggie Akles
Defensive Back – 6-1 / 190 – Portland, Ore. / Reynolds HS / New Mexico State
PRIOR TO UCONN: Comes to Storrs after playing at New Mexico State during the 2023 season…Will be a senior with one year of eligibility remaining…Played in 14 games at cornerback for the Aggies, making four starts…Finished the season with 25 tackles, 19 solo stops and 1.0 tackles for a loss…Had six pass break-ups on the year…Also returned kickoffs for NM State, leading the team with eight returns and a 21.6 average per-return…Had a season-best six tackles, five solo, and returned a pair of kicks for 44 yards in the loss to Liberty in the Conference USA Championship game…Went to New Mexico State after the 2022 season at Independence CC (KS) and played the 2021 season at Snow JC (UT).
Skyler Bell
Wide Receiver – 6-0 / 195 – Bronx, N.Y. / The Taft School / Wisconsin
PRIOR TO UCONN: Joins the Huskies from the University of Wisconsin…The r-junior wideout will have two seasons of eligibility remaining…After a redshirt season in 2021, played two years for the Badgers…In 2023 he appeared in 12 games and was second on the team with 38 receptions for 296 yards and one touchdown…He caught a season-best seven passes against Northwestern and had a five catch game, including a touchdown, at Washington State…After using his redshirt season in 2021, started 12 of 13 games as a freshman in 2022…Finished with 30 catches for 444 yards and five scores…Also carried the ball five times for 160 yards…He was one of three freshmen in the BIG TEN to record multiple receiving touchdowns during the season…Finished the year recording a reception in 12 of 13 games…Had his best game of the season against New Mexico State, hauling in four passes for 108 yards and two scores…Named to CFB News honorable mention freshman All-American team…Attended the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut prior to enrolling at Wisconsin.
Jasaiah Gathings
Wide Receiver – 6-0 / 190 – Statesville, N.C. / Statesville HS / Akron
PRIOR TO UCONN: Comes to UConn from the University of Akron…A r-junior who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining…Used his redshirt season in 2021 and appeared in two games in 2022…Had a breakout season in 2023, playing in 12 games and leading the offense with 55 catches…Finished the season with 575 yards receiving and a touchdown while averaging 10.5 yards per reception…Had his best game of the season in a win over Kent State, hauling in nine passes for 103 yards and a score…Caught seven balls for 86 yards in a win over Morgan State and had seven catches in games at Miami (OH) and Eastern Michigan…Was a three-year letterwinner at Statesville HS and was first-team all-state and all-conference accolades following his outstanding junior season in which he recorded 57 receptions, 13 touchdowns, and 1,200 yards receiving.
Chris Freeman
Kicker – 6-2 / 205 – Zionsville, Ind. / Zionsville HS / Indiana
PRIOR TO UCONN: Heads to Storrs after kicking at Indiana University…A grad transfer who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining…Started all of 12 games in 2022 as the team’s kickoff specialist and took over field goal duties in 2023…Appeared in all 12 games this past fall, and finished the year 10-of-14 on field goal attempts with a long of 50 yards…Converted 29 of 30 PATs and led the team with 59 points on the year…Had 24 touchbacks on his 50 kickoffs…Made his first career field goal against Ohio State early in the season…Hit his 50-yarder against Wisconsin…Had a pair of field goals in games against Akron and Wisconsin…In 2022 had 41 kickoffs and averaged 63.2 yards per kick with 22 touchbacks…Was a walk-on in 2020 fall camp after a three-year football and soccer letterwinning career at Zionsville HS…Holds the school record in football for field goals made and longest field goal (52 yds)…On the soccer pitch, was named the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association’s Male Soccer Player of the Year, the Indiana Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year, a first-team All-American, and the United States Soccer Coaches Association first-team Academic All-American.
Logan Frederic
Long Snapper – 6-3 / 210 – Littleton, Colo. / Heritage HS / TCU
PRIOR TO UCONN: Comes to UConn from Texas Christian University (TCU)…Will be a r-sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining…Did not see game action at TCU… Prior to his time at TCU, Frederic finished his high school career playing for head coach Tyler Knoblock at Heritage High School in Littleton Colorado... Was named 2022 Team Captain for his senior season... Honored as 2022 1st Team All-Conference Long Snapper.
Aaron Key
Linebacker – 6-2 / 232 – Decatur, Ga. / Tucker HS / Western Kentucky
PRIOR TO UCONN: Joins the Huskies from Western Kentucky University…A grad transfer who will have two years of eligibility remaining…Appeared in 12 games in 2023, making 29 tackles, 17 solo, and 1.5 tackles for a loss…Recorded his first career interception and had a season-best five tackles in a season-opening win over USF…In 2022, was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team…Played in 13 of WKU’s 14 games and had 11 tackles with 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks on the season…Recorded his first career touchdown, returning a fumble 50 yards for a score in a win over FIU…Used his redshirt season in 2021 and did not appear in a game during 2020 covid season.
Malachi McLean
Defensive Back – 5-11 / 175 – Manvel, Texas / Manvel HS / New Mexico State
PRIOR TO UCONN: Heads to Storrs after two seasons at New Mexico State University…A junior who will have two years of eligibility remaining…In 2023, appeared in 10 games at safety, finishing with 12 tackles including 3.0 for a loss and a fumble recovery…As a true freshman in 2022, he played in 11 games for the Aggies and made 21 tackles, most among NM State freshmen…He added in a tackle for loss, a pass break-up and a forced fumble…rated a three-star recruit out of Manvel HS in Texas before heading to NM State.
Durell Robinson
Running Back – 6-1 / 200 – Seat Pleasant, Md. / Saint Francis Academy / Charlotte
PRIOR TO UCONN: Comes to UConn from UNC Charlotte…Will be a r-freshman with four seasons of eligibility remaining…Played in four games for the 49ers in 2023 as a true freshman…Rushed the ball 40 times in four games, finishing with 166 yards and a touchdown on the season…Averaged 4.2 yards per carry…Had one catch for 14 yards on the year…In his collegiate debut, carried the ball 11 times for 71 yards and his first career touchdown in a win over South Carolina State…Had a season-high 14 carries for 49 yards at SMU…Arrived at Charlotte from Saint Francis Academy in Maryland as a four-star recruit by ESPN.com/Scout and played in the 2023 Under Armour All-American Next Game.
Julien Simon
Linebacker – 6-1 / 227 – Tacoma, Wash. / Lincoln HS / Tulsa
PRIOR TO UCONN: Will head to Storrs after spending last season at the University of Tulsa…A r-junior linebacker who will have two years of eligibility remaining…Transferred to Tulsa for the 2023 season after two years at Southern Cal (USC)…In 2023, played in 12 games for the Golden Hurricanes and finished second on the defense in total tackles…Made 58 stops, 24 solo, with 10.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks on the season…Also notched a pair of pass break-ups and a fumble recovery…Had a season-high 10 tackles at FAU and finished the season with 2.5 sacks over his last three games…While at USC, played a total of five games in two seasons and was named to the 2021 Pac-12 All-Academic Honor Roll…Played at Lincoln HS where he made the PrepStar Dream Team and Southern California News Group Fab 15 second team as a senior linebacker, wide receiver and running back…Was also a Max Preps Junior All-America second team choice in 2019 and a Max Preps Sophomore All-America first teamer in 2018.
Jarvarius Sims
Defensive Back – 6-0 / 190 – Decatur, Ga. / Myrtle Beach / Central Michigan
PRIOR TO UCONN: Joins the Huskies after two seasons at Central Michigan University…A junior who will have two seasons of eligibility remaining…Played in all 24 games over twos seasons at CMU…In 2023, finished with 23 total tackles, 16 solo…Had three pass break-ups…Made eight solo tackles against Eastern Michigan…Made three tackles with two pass break-ups vs Northern Illinois…As a true freshman in 2022, made 28 total tackles, 20 solo, in 12 games…Finished with 0.5 tackles for loss and a pass break-up…Had eight tackles, six solo, against Akron…Prior to CMU, played one season at Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy in SC where he earned All-State honors…Transferred there from Martin Luther King High School.
