The University of Connecticut Huskies are faced with the adversity of playing through the death of teammate Jasper Howard, who was fatally stabbed outside the Student Union early Sunday morning.

Howard, 20, was a junior starting cornerback for the Huskies, who came to UConn from the Miami.

His Huskies teammates were distraught on Sunday after learning of his death. Punter Desi Cullen, a team captain, spoke through tears at a press conference on Sunday afternoon. Howard was an expectant father.

“As Jazz looks down on us, I can promise him and his family, that son or daughter will have 105 uncles,” said Cullen. “And we will do what it takes to not get through this, but to grow from it.”

Coach Randy Edsall gathered his team at its training facility at 6 a.m. to deliver the news. At the press conference, Edsall said Howard was a person who enjoyed giving back after benefiting from another’s kindness.

“(Patriots rookie) Darius Butler took him under his wing when he got here. And Jazz appreciated that so much, so what he wanted to do was give back. So he took Dwayne Difton under his wing this year, because of what other people have done for him,” Coach Edsall said.

UConn Police said there were no suspects in the case, but leads were being pursued.

Howard made a key move in Saturday’s game, forcing a fumble just as Louisville was about to score. The Huskies were up 21-13 at the time. They beat the Cardinals 38-25.