By Michael Letendre
Bristol Central football star Victor Rosa finally made his choice about his collegiate future public on Wednesday.
And, just like his All-State basketball teammate Donovan Clingan, his pick was UCONN.
Rosa committed to the University of Connecticut, taking the field for the Huskies in 2022.
It was announced on Twitter by Rosa in a 17 second video that saw a husky eventually pop on the screen with another shot saying ‘Victor Rosa Committed’ in a UCONN uniform.
Originally, Rosa was going to make his decision known sometime in June, but that local choice was certainly worth the wait.
The announcement ended up being a birthday present for his mother, Deanna.
The choice keeps Rosa in Connecticut, enabling the outstanding athlete to earn his education and play a little football just up the road where friends and family can watch Rosa compete from Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
UCONN is becoming a hotbed for athletes in our state once again – proving that the Huskies and their programs can attract top-tier talent.
And Rosa is top-tier talent.
As a sophomore at Central, he made 177 carries for 1146 yards and 19 TD’s while at quarterback, Rosa threw 31-of-79 passes for 475 yards and two touchdowns.
Since that time, Rosa has been putting in the work, attending various football camps and turning the heads of several collegiate scouts along the way.
He has all the necessary tools to be a successful NCAA Division I football player at UCONN under head coach Randy Edsall.
Several other programs were interested in Rosa which included Yale, Boston College, the University of Maine, the University of New Hampshire, and the Air Force Academy to name a few.
Rosa had an unofficial visit to UCONN in early June and that visit helped shape Rosa’s ultimate decision.
He recently received his initial rating from @247Sports as Rosa was announced as a three-star recruit with an 86 rating, making him the highest ranked student athlete in the CIAC.
Rosa is one of those hybrid football types who could be following in the footsteps of former Bristol Central standout D.J. Hernandez – another local who suited up for the Huskies (2005-2008).
Hernandez could do it all, starting at quarterback and then moving to wide receiver for the program to end his collegiate career.
He was an extreme athlete, a two-time captain at UCONN and was exactly what the Huskies needed at that time.
Rosa could fill a role like that as well, racing all over the gridiron in multiple offensive capacities.
Versatility is king and Rosa is a nimble player with speed, guts, and guile that matches up well with his intelligence and leadership.
The 6-foot, 193-pound senior Athlete is extremely fast, running the 40 in just 4.4 seconds.
He also finished the 100 meters in 10.7 seconds and the 200 in 22.2 seconds this year for Central’s boys track & field program in the spring.
And don’t forget about his 4.3 Grade Point Average.
If a professional football career isn’t in the future for Rosa, he’ll have a degree in hand and all the drive in the world to be a very successful man in whatever he decides to accomplish.
