It was appropriate that the University of Connecticut had a live goat on campus on Wednesday night, because one of the sports world’s all-time coaching figures has achieved basketball immortality.
Geno Auriemma captured his 1,217th career win on Wednesday, making him the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball history — men’s or women’s. The No. 2-ranked Huskies defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, 85-41, at Gampel Pavilion as Auriemma surpassed Stanford legend Tara VanDerveer’s record. VanDerveer set the record last season, surpassing longtime Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski’s win total (1,202) before retiring in the offseason.
Now in his 40th season at UConn, the 70-year-old Auriemma celebrated with his wife Kathy, his three children and what was expected to be more than 60 of his former players — including Sue Bird, Napheesa Collier, Maya Moore, Stephanie Dolson & Diana Taurasi — to mark the historic achievement.
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In an era in which the popularity of women’s basketball has never been higher and only keeps growing, Auriemma’s accomplishment serves as a reminder that he is the gold standard of this sport, an initial driver along with fellow Hall of Famer Pat Summitt in its significant growth through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
The 11-time national champion took over a program in 1985 that had only achieved one winning season prior to that, and proceeded to lead UConn to 23 Final Fours, 59 conference championships and six Final Fours.
“I never saw the gym or the fieldhouse. I never went inside of it,” Auriemma said when asked about his first interview at UConn. “I never saw a thing that had to do with basketball, and even if they had showed me where they played or what not, it wouldn’t have been a deal-breaker for me.
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“Now, don’t get me wrong, it was even worse than I thought (facilities-wise) when I got here. But I knew what I was getting myself into. I always think there’s a reason why people don’t show you things. They weren’t proud of those facilities, but I was just so anxious to get the opportunity to coach here.”
Perhaps the best portrayal of Auriemma comes from UConn men’s head coach and back-to-back national champion Dan Hurley, who spoke with the press about the Hall of Famer on Monday.
“I just hope people don’t take it for granted,” said Hurley, whose Huskies are off to a 4-0 start this season. “He’s just one of the unique coaches in all of sports. The longevity and excellence, and to win at that level and to produce players to the level he’s produced, to the WNBA and championships, like, you are on every day over 40 years. Just the endurance that takes, [the] sense of purpose, obviously the intelligence, and continuously pushing himself to prove himself in this day at this level.
“Then you get to know him, personally. The amount of help he’s provided to me and the staff since I’ve been on the job here. He goes out of his way to be supportive and helpful. And the opportunity he gives you to learn from him as a leader and coach, you just wouldn’t expect a guy like Geno to be an ego or major jerk. He’s not like that. I didn’t really know him before I got here. I thought there was a chance that, maybe, he could be like that. Sorry, Geno. But then I met him, and he’s just the best guy ever.”
That live goat on campus on Wednesday night? Money well spent by UConn’s athletics department, and a well-deserved form of recognition to one of the greatest organization builders in sports history and the all-time wins king in college basketball.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.
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