On October 23, 2013, Brother Wesley J. Bialosuknia, Connecticut ‘67 passed away after a long illness. Wes was one of the greatest basketball players in the University of Connecticut’s history, and well-loved member of the Connecticut Alpha Chapter. He was 68.

During his time at UConn, Wes was an exciting long range shooter and prolific scorer – one of the most popular athletes in New England. He was an honorable mention All-American and First Team Yankee Conference for each of the years that he played. During his senior year, he was the fifth leading scorer in the nation, and still holds the UConn record for highest three-year scoring average and highest single season scoring average at 28 points per game. He broke the UConn single game scoring record, scoring 50 points in a game against Maine, and had 17 games in which he scored 30 points or more – a record which still stands. He was a member of the UConn all-century team and was in the first class inducted into the Husky Ring of Honor. He also took great pride in his economics course work and became the university’s first Academic All-American. 

Wes was a native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and came to the attention of our chapter through a helpful alumnus who described Wes as a young man with high character and high ability as an athlete. 

Our chapter, during this period, had a brotherhood composed of men from many sectors of campus life. We had our share of athletes, but also many members who were active in campus political life, student union activities, campus newspaper and Army and Air Force ROTC. We also had a great choral tradition and won Greek sing for five straight years at one point during this period. Wes, easily the school’s most recognizable undergraduate, fit in beautifully. As a new member he worked hard in the chapter while also making the Dean’s List – a distinction he maintained throughout his stellar college career. 

Wes was perhaps the most recognizable figure on a campus of 14,000 students, and his combination of good looks and high achievement did not escape our co-eds. He was elected King of Winter Weekend in a landslide in 1966. Not surprisingly, he did not campaign. 

Wes’s celebrity was evident to his opponents as well. The late Jim Valvano, former North Carolina State basketball coach, wrote about Wes in his autobiography. Valvano was assigned to guard Wes by Rutgers coach Bill Foster in a game at UConn. Prior to the game, Coach Foster described Wes’s abilities as a scorer and also praised his work effort and academic achievement. He then mentioned to Valvano just as they were taking the floor to start the game that Wes was also “a very good looking guy.” As Valvano put it, “At that point, I walked out on the court and did not know whether to guard him or ask him for a date.” 

Few UConn games were televised at that time, but Wes’s flair was vividly etched in the minds of the many fans in the state because of the statewide UConn radio network headed by veteran broadcaster George Erhlich. It was Ehrlich who coined the term by which Wes was forever known, the “Poughkeepsie Popper.”

On Saturday, December 12, 1964, Wes was a sophomore playing a road game against Boston College, where the great Bob Cousy was coaching. In that game Wes broke out and scored 32 points in the upset. The chapter was holding a semiformal Christmas party, and between dances nearly all were listening to the game on the radio. After the overtime victory in Boston, Wes returned to campus and joined us at the party late in the evening. He arrived to acclamation. He was happy, smiling and accepted our congratulations with modesty and grace. I remember thinking how unlike Wes many of us would have been if we had just poured in 32 and upset the Cousy-coached BC Eagles. 

After graduating, Wes was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA and the Oakland Oaks of the ABA. He elected to join the Oakland Oaks. He played for two years. At one point while coming off the bench over a three game span, he hit nine consecutive three point shots. This is still an ABA record. His long range shots earned him the title of the “mad bomber.”

After basketball, Wes lived in Connecticut, married and had two children. He enjoyed youth coaching and was an avid outdoorsman. He and his wife Maureen climbed 40 of the nation’s highest peaks. He is survived by Maureen and his son John and daughter Jane.

His untimely passing is a great loss to all of us who knew Wes and admired him as an athlete, scholar and brother. Those of us who enjoyed his friendship in the Fraternity will never forget his quiet good humor and grace. It was typical that after a game, Wes liked to listen with some of us to taped replays of radio broadcasts of his games. I can still recall after a game being huddled around a tape recorder in someone’s room  and hearing the voice of long-time WTIC radio broadcaster George Ehrlich, “… and it’s a pass to Wes. He shoots from way out … swish! The Poughkeepsie Popper has done it again!” Wes, on those memorable evenings, was far more animated than he was on the court and you could see the joy and pride clearly as he relaxed with his friends. 

With deep fraternal affection and respect for his life and friendship, we extend our condolences to the Bialosuknia family. We mourn his passing.

This article was submitted brother Ray Gustini, Connecticut ’65, on behalf of the brothers of the Connecticut Alpha Chapter.