That term, “sleeping giant,” has been thrown around since Evans joined SMU in late March and hired Adia Barnes as head coach to rebuild the women’s basketball program just two weeks later.

Jeff Borne, the chair of the Sleeping Giant Park Association Land Acquisition Committee said they purchased 29 acres of privately owned land in 2023, as part of the committee’s preservation efforts.

HAMDEN — Decades of efforts have finally come to fruition as the Sleeping Giant Park Association has announced the acquisition of 28 acres that will expand the more than 1,500 acres of existing ...