Geno Auriemma Ties NCAA Coaching Victory Record with UConn Win
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Geno Auriemma, the legendary head coach of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, tied the NCAA Division I coaching record for victories on November 15, 2024, after leading the No. 2-ranked Huskies to a 69-58 victory over No. 14 North Carolina. This win marks Auriemma’s 1,216th career victory, placing him alongside Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer, who retired earlier this year after a stellar career at Stanford.
At 70 years old, Auriemma emphasizes focusing on his team’s performance rather than individual achievements. "I’m more about how do I put the players in position so they can feel like I feel," he stated, indicating his desire to mentor his athletes toward success. Under his leadership, the Huskies have amassed an impressive record of 1,216 wins to 162 losses, achieving an incredible 88.2% win percentage and claiming 11 national championships, the most recent title in 2016.
Preseason All-American Paige Bueckers, who scored 29 points in the game, expressed her pride in being part of Auriemma’s accomplishments and the legacy he has created at UConn. “To be a part of this is amazing, and it speaks to the longevity of what he’s built here,” she noted.
Auriemma is set to break the record on Wednesday against Fairleigh Dickinson, potentially solidifying his status as one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. His contemporaries, including former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, have praised his impressive career, as Auriemma remains the only coach to achieve this milestone while spending his entire career at a single institution.
As he approaches this landmark achievement, Auriemma continues to instill a winning culture that prioritizes the success and development of his players above all else.
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