Andres Torres' ('12) experience with the Hartford men's basketball team goes beyond the wins and losses. He forged lifelong relationships with coaches and teammates, and learned several life lessons along the way through his time in a Hartford uniform that helped shape who he is today.

In addition to leading Hartford to its first-ever America East Championship Game appearance as a freshman, another one of Torres' top memories as a Hawk was playing on the big stage against opponents such as Kentucky, Baylor and UConn. That, unfortunately, also resulted in one of the biggest setbacks of his career.

Playing the third-ranked Wildcats inside Rupp Arena on ESPN2 in 2009-10, Torres tore his PCL with four minutes remaining in the first half. He missed 10 games of his junior season as a result. But despite the injury, Torres still finished as the team's leader in assists that season.

The injury presented yet another challenge down the road for the guard. Torres needed surgery in the offseason, which led to him having to take a medical redshirt during his senior season in 2010-11.

In his return to the court in 2011-12, Torres was remarkable. He came back better than ever, averaging a career-high 11.7 points — up from his previous career-best average of 6.7 points in 2009-10 — while adding 1.9 steals and 4.1 assists per game. 

The most impressive part of his return can't be found in any box scores, though. Torres was the veteran leader of a Hartford team that featured 10 underclassmen, seven of which were freshmen. That season, the Hawks lost their first 13 games, getting off to the worst start in program history. 

But Torres' leadership helped lead to a huge turnaround for Hartford. Winning eight of their final 16 regular-season games, the sixth-seeded Hawks upset Boston University, the third seed, in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship. Torres was one win away from leading the Hawks back to the Championship Game, and becoming the first player in program history to be a part of two title games.

In what proved to be his final game in a Hartford uniform, Torres left everything on the court. Fouling out with 53 seconds left in regulation of the semifinals, he was forced to watch the Hawks battle the Vermont Catamounts in front of a packed Reich Family Pavilion from the bench.

Torres still finished as the game's top scorer with 18 points, but Hartford fell after battling for 50 grueling minutes to eventual league champion Vermont, 77-73, in double overtime. 

Torres capped off his career by earning Third Team All-Conference honors. His name is still inked throughout Hartford's record book, as he is tied for third in assists (331), 11th in steals (144) and 19th in minutes (2,788).

After graduating in 2012, Torres took his game to the professional level, a journey that landed him in three different countries and granted him the opportunity to explore new cultures. His time at Hartford helped him prepare for this career, as he credits his success to the discipline that was instilled in him throughout his five years as a Hawk. 

After nine years of playing at the pro level in Ecuador, Mexico and Puerto Rico, Torres decided to trade in his shorts and basketball sneakers for a suit, tie and dress shoes, taking on a new job as an internal auditor at a bank in Puerto Rico. 

Despite the challenge of adjusting to life outside of basketball — and the change in apparel that he had grown so accustomed to for most of his life — Torres quickly discovered that another skillset that he developed throughout his years on the court, including leadership and teamwork, transferred to success in the "real world." 

The time that he once put it on the court and in the weight room is now being dedicated to hitting the books. Torres is currently studying for his Certified Public Accountant Exam, with hopes of putting the most valuable part of his University of Hartford experience to good use — the undergraduate and Master of Science degrees he earned in accounting and accounting & taxation, respectively.