A man accused of stalking and harassing UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers said on social media that he intended to marry her and had an engagement ring and lingerie in his possession when he was arrested near a Connecticut airport, according to police reports.
Robert Cole Parmalee, 40, posted statements on TikTok and sent emails to University of Connecticut officials that showed an infatuation with Bueckers and included threats, police said.
Parmalee, whose last known addresses were in Grants Pass, Oregon, and Ritzville, Washington, was ordered detained on $100,000 bail Monday after being arraigned on the charges in the courthouse in Rockville, Connecticut. He was also ordered to stay away from a person named in court as “P.B.” and banned from the UConn campus in Storrs.
His public defender did not immediately return an email seeking comment Tuesday.
Horizon Sports & Experiences announced that Shark Beauty will be the title sponsor of the inaugural Women’s Champions Classic, a new women’s college basketball showcase that will take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in December.
Fox will air the Dec. 7 doubleheader, which will feature UConn, Iowa, Tennessee and Louisville.
As part of a multiyear agreement, Shark Beauty will be prominently featured though commercials, digital campaigns, in-arena signage, fan activations and hospitality. Shark Beauty, under the SharkNinja umbrella, makes hair stylers, dryers and other supporting products.
“This first-of-its-kind early-season women’s tournament in New York City provides the type of national spotlight that will continue to elevate the women’s game, and we are thrilled to be on the ground floor to help further its momentum as title sponsor,” Petra Oman, Shark Beauty’s VP of global marketing, said in a statement.
Women’s basketball continues to thrive at the college and professional level, with the ongoing WNBA playoffs setting new viewership marks and last year’s NCAA women’s championship outdrawing the men’s title game for the first time.
“As the popularity of women’s basketball continues to soar, new avenues for engagement and enhanced return on investment have emerged. Shark Beauty is setting a powerful example by recognizing the importance of investing in women’s sports, a strategy we believe will inspire other brands to follow suit,” Horizon’s co-CEO David Levy said.
The Women’s Champions Classic isn’t the only college basketball event that made news this week. On Tuesday, Fox announced it will air the Coretta Scott King Classic on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. Baylor, UCLA, Texas and Maryland will participate, with both games taking place in Newark’s Prudential Center. It’s the first time that the names of both civil rights icons are being licensed for a sporting event.
(This name of Horizon Sports & Experiences has been corrected in the first paragraph.)
