Unbreakable Conference: Change the game with Coach Geno Auriemma

Geno Auriemma

University of Connecticut

Entering his 37^th season in 2021-22, Geno Auriemma has redefined the meaning of success in as head coach of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program. During his illustrious tenure, Auriemma has transformed the Huskies into an unmatched program of excellence.



Arriving to Storrs prior to the 1985-86 season, Auriemma has taken a program with just one winning season to its current state, which includes 11 NCAA Championships, 21 Final Fours, six perfect seasons and 53 conference championships.



A 2006 inductee to both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Auriemma became just the fourth women’s basketball coach to reach 1,000 career wins on Dec. 19, 2017. He was the fastest coach to reach the mark, doing so in his 1,135^th career game, and owns the best win percentage in the sport (.884).



Auriemma has been named Naismith National Coach of the Year eight times, AP National Coach of the Year nine times, WBCA National Coach of the Year seven times and conference coach of the year 15 times.



Under Auriemma, 26 Huskies have been selected as WBCA All-Americans for 46 total recognitions while a Husky has been named National Player of the Year 14 times.



He is the first coach in women's basketball history to guide a team to five consecutive Final Four appearances on two separate occasions and the current run of 13 consecutive Final Fours is also a record.



Off the court, the Huskies boast a perfect 100 percent graduation rate among four-year student-athletes while regularly participating in community service and outreach.



As members of the American Athletic Conference from 2013-20, UConn  won the league’s regular season and tournament titles in each season while not dropping a game in conference play. UConn has swept both conference titles in the same year 22 times under Auriemma and a total of 25 Huskies have been named conference player of the year.



Auriemma served as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National team for eight years, leading Team USA to the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medals. He also led the United States to gold in the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships.



Auriemma is a 1981 graduate of West Chester with a bachelor of arts in political science. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children and three grandchildren.