UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is on the brink of becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, with the No. 2 Huskies hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night.
Should UConn win, Auriemma will surpass retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer after pulling even with her 1,216 career wins with last Friday's victory over No. 16 UNC. Unlike VanDerveer, who had stints leading Idaho and Ohio State prior to Stanford, Auriemma's entire head coaching career has been his 40 years at UConn.
Forty seasons of UConn excellence for Auriemma
Already a bonafide legend of the game, Auriemma has helmed UConn's women's basketball program since 1985, inheriting a team that had only seen one winning season prior to his arrival.
"We started at ground zero, at nothing — we didn’t have the advantage of location, the advantages of the reputation of the school, we didn’t have the luxury of a big-time league that could elevate us," Auriemma explained. "We started at the absolute ground level and it has evolved into this.”
Of course, Auriemma is referring to the program's stacked resume. That success stems from his high standards, recruiting prowess, and the work ethic and selflessness he demands from his players.
In total, the nine-time AP Coach of the Year boasts a record 11 national championships, including a stranglehold on the NCAA title from 2013 to 2016. His Huskies have completed six undefeated seasons and featured in 23 Final Fours — more than any other NCAA team, men's or women's.
Rightfully sharing in Auriemma's record is his veritable partner-in-crime, associate head coach Chris Dailey, who has served UConn alongside Auriemma all 40 seasons.
UConn's unmatched legacy of world-class athletes
Wednesday's sold-out game will include dozens of Auriemma's former players in attendance. At least 63 — from superstars Sue Bird to Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore — are expected to make the trip to Storrs to celebrate the milestone.
Subsequently, Athletes are Auriemma's true legacy. The 70-year-old is responsible for shaping the players who arguably put not just UConn, but women's basketball on the national map.
The Huskies' first-ever Final Four appearance in 1991 allowed Auriemma to take serious aim at the country's top high school recruits. And it was center Rebecca Lobo who first took a chance on the program.
Despite her parents' protests, Lobo chose the relative unknown over established dynasties specifically to learn from Auriemma.
"He was the selling point. The reason to go there was to play for him. That has stayed consistent, but especially in the early years," Lobo recently told reporters. "He could be the one to usher you into the best version of yourself."
Coach Auriemma's UConn-to-WNBA pipeline
That "best version" has turned many UConn players into stellar pros. Including Lobo, who became UConn's first WNBA player during the league's 1997 formation, a total of 47 Huskies have featured in the WNBA. Last season, 17 former UConn players were on the league's rosters, with at least one on all 12 teams.
Current star Paige Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, putting Auriemma on the verge of sending a sixth top pick to the league. Previously, other No. 1 picks include Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Tina Charles, and Breanna Stewart.
The future pro is always quick to sing Auriemma's praises, summing up what so many players echo about the coach. "It means everything to play for UConn, and to play for him," Bueckers recently said.
As for Auriemma, who's currently contracted to continue his Huskies' dominance through 2029, Wednesday's likely milestone snuck up on him.
"I don’t think anybody goes into anything thinking that they're going to spend 40 years of their life at one place doing the exact same thing," Auriemma told reporters earlier this week. "The best way I can describe it, you know, it just caught up to me."
How to watch UConn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson women's college basketball
The star-studded sold-out game honoring UConn head coach Geno Auriemma will tip off in Storrs against Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 PM ET on Wednesday. Live regional coverage will air on SNY.
Stanford has found its replacement for legendary head women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer in associate head coach Kate Paye.
The Cardinal confirmed the hiring on Tuesday via a press release. Paye was largely expected to replace the longtime head coach, as the college mentioned they were still negotiating Paye's contract when they announced VanDerveer's retirement.
In Tuesday's statement, Paye reported that she was "humbled" to have been tapped to lead the women’s program.
"Stanford University has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember and I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead its women’s basketball program," Paye said. "I’d first like to thank Tara, who has played such a pivotal role in my career for her friendship and guidance. It’s not what she’s done, but how she’s done it, that has had such a profound impact upon me."
A Woodside, California native, Paye played under VanDerveer from 1992 to 1995, taking home a national title her freshman year. After graduation, Paye briefly joined San Diego State as an assistant coach before making her professional debut with the ABL's Seattle Reign in 1996. After finishing her playing career with the WNBA's Seattle Storm, she joined the team’s coaching staff in 2007 and has been with the organization ever since, picking up another national title win — this time as associate head coach — in 2021. Paye's brother John played quarterback for Stanford from 1983 to 1986, while also serving as a point guard on the basketball team.
In her own response, VanDerveer said that she was "grateful" that Stanford picked Paye to follow in her stead. Last week, the decorated coach stated that this year would be her last after 38 seasons at the helm and three national titles under her belt.
"She has long been ready for this opportunity and is the perfect leader for Stanford at this time of immense change in college athletics," VanDerveer noted. "Kate was the choice for this job and I am confident she will achieve great success as head coach."
No. 6 Stanford staved off Duke last night in overtime, 82-79, courtesy of a career-high scoring night for Cameron Brink.
The star senior dropped 29 points for the Cardinal, nine of those points in overtime, to keep her team undefeated in nonconference play so far this season. Brink also collected 11 rebounds and 6 blocks and went 10-10 from the free-throw line to top off her high scoring night.
Kiki Iriafen also had a standout night for Stanford. She contributed 27 points and 9 rebounds in its gutsy overtime win.
“They gave us all we could ask for and more,” Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer said to the Associated Press. “This game was kind of a heavyweight fight and it was a grind-out game. These are the kind of games that will get us ready for the Pac-12 gauntlet.”
After showing the Blue Devils everything she could do, Brink expected a warm welcome into the locker room from her teammates.
The 6-foot-4 forward leaped into the locker room and screamed. She closed her eyes and raised her arms to her chest. But the room was silent.
So Brink bottled her excitement and began to walk to her seat.
Only then did her teammates relent, jumping up around Brink, shouting and showering her in water. The players laughed and celebrated their undefeated record.
“We’re such a young team, getting a game like this under our belts shows us that we can fight through stuff,” Brink said.
Got her 😂#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/C8oglLZAzR
— Stanford WBB 🤓🏀 (@StanfordWBB) November 19, 2023