Geno Auriemma facts for kids
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Auriemma in 2023
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| Current position | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Title | Head coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Connecticut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conference | Big East Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Record | 1,250–165 (.883) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annual salary | $3.5 million | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biographical details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | March 23, 1954 Montella, Italy |
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| Alma mater | West Chester University Montgomery County Community College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | Bishop McDevitt High School (Assistant Varsity Coach / Head Junior Varsity Coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1979 | Saint Joseph's (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1981 | Bishop Kenrick HS (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1985 | Virginia (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–present | Connecticut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | 1,250–165 (.883) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournaments | 143–24 (NCAA Division I) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accomplishments and honors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 (profile) |
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| Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Luigi "Geno" Auriemma (born March 23, 1954) is a famous American basketball coach. He is the head coach for the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team. He holds amazing records in college basketball. He has the most wins and the highest winning percentage for coaches with at least 10 seasons. Geno Auriemma also has the most NCAA Division I basketball championships with 12 titles.
He has been UConn's head coach since 1985. Under his leadership, the team became one of the best women's college basketball programs ever. Besides his 12 championships, he has led UConn to 19 perfect conference seasons. This includes eight in a row! They also had six completely undefeated seasons overall. He has won the national Naismith College Coach of the Year award eight times.
Beyond college, Auriemma coached the U.S. women's national team from 2009 to 2016. He led them to gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. He also won the 2010 and 2014 World Championships. He was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Contents
Geno Auriemma's Early Life and Coaching Start
Geno Auriemma moved with his family from Montella, Italy, to Norristown, Pennsylvania, when he was seven years old. He grew up there and learned English by himself. His parents worked hard in factory jobs. Auriemma went to Montgomery County Community College and then graduated from West Chester University in 1977.
He started his coaching career with women's basketball at Bishop McDevitt High School. Later, he became an assistant coach at Saint Joseph's University in 1978. After a short break, he joined the University of Virginia Cavaliers women's team as an assistant coach in 1981. In 1994, when he was 40, Auriemma became a U.S. citizen.
When he was a kid, his favorite basketball team was the 1970s New York Knicks. For many years, he and his wife, Kathy, lived in Avalon, New Jersey, to be close to their families.
Geno Auriemma's Time at UConn
Before Geno Auriemma became coach in 1985, the UConn women's basketball team had only one winning season. The university wanted to support women's sports more, which led to his hiring. Chris Dailey, who is now the associate head coach, was also interviewed and became Auriemma's assistant.
UConn quickly became a top team after Auriemma arrived. His first season (1985–86) was his only losing one, with a 12–15 record. After that, the Huskies had their first 20-win season, won their first conference title, and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
UConn's Amazing Winning Streaks
The UConn Huskies have had 33 winning seasons in a row. They have also had six perfect seasons where they didn't lose a single game. These were in 1994–95, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2013–14, and 2015–16. They also set incredible NCAA records for winning streaks: 111, 90, and 70 games in a row!
On December 21, 2010, UConn won its 89th game in a row. This broke the all-time NCAA men's record of 88 wins held by UCLA. The streak ended at 90 wins. Later, the Huskies broke their own record with a 111-game winning streak that started in 2014 and ended in 2017. They have also been in every NCAA Tournament since 1989.
UConn's Championship Success
As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Auriemma's coaching record was 1217 wins and 162 losses. This means he has an amazing 88.2% winning percentage, which is the highest among active Division I coaches. He has led UConn to 27 seasons with 30 or more wins.
Under Auriemma, UConn has won 12 national championships: 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2025. They have also reached the Final Four 24 times. UConn has won 21 conference regular season titles and 20 conference tournament titles. They have been especially dominant in their conference, losing very few games.
In 2016, Auriemma passed UCLA men's coach John Wooden for the most college basketball championships. The Huskies also became the first Division I women's team to win four national championships in a row.
Home Court Advantage and Player Development
UConn has been very successful playing at home in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the PeoplesBank Arena. They once tied an NCAA women's basketball record with 69 home wins in a row between 2000 and 2003. This record was broken in 2011.
Auriemma is also known for helping individual players become great. Many of his players have won major awards like the Naismith College Player of the Year. The UConn athletics website also notes that every recruited freshman who finished her time at UConn has graduated with a degree.
Auriemma won his 600th game on New Year's Eve 2006, reaching this milestone faster than almost any other women's basketball coach. He won his 700th game in 2009, becoming the fastest coach in college basketball history (men's or women's) to reach that mark. He also reached 800, 900, 1,000, 1,100, and 1,200 wins faster than any other college coach. He achieved his 1,200th win against Seton Hall on February 7, 2024.
A Special Moment in 1998
In 1998, something unusual happened in a game against Villanova. UConn's star player, Nykesha Sales, was very close to breaking the team's all-time scoring record. However, she got injured in the game before. To help her break the record, the Villanova coach, Harry Perretta, agreed to a special play. At the start of the game, Villanova allowed UConn to get the ball to Sales, who was standing near the basket. She scored the two points she needed. Then, UConn players allowed Villanova to score easily as well, and the game continued normally.
Coaching Rivalries
Geno Auriemma had a well-known rivalry with Pat Summitt, the former coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols. They often disagreed, especially after Summitt canceled their yearly game in 2007. This was because she believed Auriemma used unfair methods to recruit a player named Maya Moore. After Summitt announced she had Alzheimer's disease in 2011, they became friends again. Auriemma even donated money to Summitt's Alzheimer's foundation.
Auriemma also had a complicated relationship with former UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun.
Coaching the U.S. National Team
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Auriemma coached the U.S. women's team in the Junior World Championship in 2001, where they won a bronze medal.
He was later chosen to lead the U.S. women's national team for the 2010 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics. Even with little practice time, his team dominated the 2010 World Championship, winning the gold medal. At the 2012 Olympics, Auriemma's team won all eight of their games, earning the gold medal against France.
Auriemma coached the U.S. women's team again for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In the 2014 World Championship, his team won gold again, winning all six games by a large margin.
Geno Auriemma's Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Huskies (Big East Conference) (1985–2013) | |||||||||
| 1985–86 | Connecticut | 12–15 | 4–12 | 7th | |||||
| 1986–87 | Connecticut | 14–13 | 9–7 | 7th | |||||
| 1987–88 | Connecticut | 17–11 | 9–7 | 5th | |||||
| 1988–89 | Connecticut | 24–6 | 13–2 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 1989–90 | Connecticut | 25–6 | 14–2 | T–1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 1990–91 | Connecticut | 29–5 | 14–2 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1991–92 | Connecticut | 23–11 | 13–5 | T–2nd | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 1992–93 | Connecticut | 18–11 | 12–6 | 3rd | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 1993–94 | Connecticut | 30–3 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 1994–95 | Connecticut | 35–0 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 1995–96 | Connecticut | 34–4 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1996–97 | Connecticut | 33–1 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 1997–98 | Connecticut | 34–3 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 1998–99 | Connecticut | 29–5 | 17–1 | T–1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 1999–00 | Connecticut | 36–1 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2000–01 | Connecticut | 32–3 | 15–1 | T–1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2001–02 | Connecticut | 39–0 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2002–03 | Connecticut | 37–1 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2003–04 | Connecticut | 31–4 | 14–2 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2004–05 | Connecticut | 25–8 | 13–3 | T–2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2005–06 | Connecticut | 32–5 | 14–2 | 2nd | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 2006–07 | Connecticut | 32–4 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 2007–08 | Connecticut | 36–2 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2008–09 | Connecticut | 39–0 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2009–10 | Connecticut | 39–0 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2010–11 | Connecticut | 36–2 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2011–12 | Connecticut | 33–5 | 13–3 | 3rd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2012–13 | Connecticut | 35–4 | 14–2 | 2nd | NCAA Champions | ||||
| Connecticut Huskies (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2020) | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | Connecticut | 40–0 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2014–15 | Connecticut | 38–1 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2015–16 | Connecticut | 38–0 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| 2016–17 | Connecticut | 36–1 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2017–18 | Connecticut | 36–1 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2018–19 | Connecticut | 35–3 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2019–20 | Connecticut | 29–3 | 16–0 | 1st | Postseason not held | ||||
| Connecticut Huskies (Big East Conference) (2020–present) | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | Connecticut | 28–2 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2021–22 | Connecticut | 30–6 | 16–1 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2022–23 | Connecticut | 31–6 | 18–2 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2023–24 | Connecticut | 33–6 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2024–25 | Connecticut | 37–3 | 18–0 | 1st | NCAA Champions | ||||
| Connecticut: | 1,250–165 (.883) | 608–64 (.905) | |||||||
| Total: | 1,250–165 (.883) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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- 1. Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
Other Activities and Interests
When college basketball is not in season, Geno Auriemma sometimes works as a TV analyst for Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) games. He often shares his thoughts on his former players.
Auriemma is good friends with Phil Martelli, a former basketball coach at Saint Joseph's University. Geno's son, Mike Auriemma, also played basketball at Saint Joseph's.
He was an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team that won a gold medal in 2000. He was later chosen to lead the USA Basketball Women's National Team for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 London Olympics.
Geno Auriemma is also involved in charity work. He is on the board of directors for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund and the Connecticut Children's Foundation. He hosts "Geno for the Kids" events every year to help the Connecticut Children's Medical Center.
He also uses his Italian background and love for Italian food to create his own lines of wines and sauces. He also owns several restaurants in Connecticut.
Awards and Honors for Coach Auriemma
Geno Auriemma has received many awards throughout his career:
- 1989
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year
- 1995
- USBWA National Coach of the Year
- Naismith College Coach of the Year
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (2)
- 1997
- WBCA National Coach of the Year
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (2)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (2)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (3)
- 2000
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (2)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (3)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (3)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (4)
- 2002
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (3)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (4)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (5)
- 2003
- USBWA National Coach of the Year (2)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (4)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (6)
- 2006
- Induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts
- Induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee
- 2007
- Induction into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
- 2008
- USBWA National Coach of the Year (3)
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (4)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (5)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (5)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (7)
- 2009
- USBWA National Coach of the Year (4)
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (5)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (6)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (6)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (8)
- 2010
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (9)
- 2011
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (7)
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (10)
- 2012
- John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award
- 2014
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year
- Named one of ESPNW's Impact 25
- 2015
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2)
- 2016
- USBWA National Coach of the Year (5)
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (6)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (7)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (8)
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (3)
- 2017
- Premio ASI Italiani nel mondo
- USBWA National Coach of the Year (6)
- WBCA National Coach of the Year (7)
- Naismith College Coach of the Year (8)
- Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year (9)
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (4)
- 2019
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (5)
- 2020
- American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (6)
- Great Immigrants Award honored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York
- 2021
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (11)
- 2024
- Big East Conference Coach of the Year (12)
Geno Auriemma's Records and Achievements
- Most wins among NCAA basketball coaches (men's or women's) with 1,250 wins.
- Highest winning percentage among NCAA basketball coaches (men's or women's) for coaches with at least 10 seasons.
- Most NCAA Division I Championships (men's or women's) with 12 titles.
- Most NCAA Division I Final Fours (men's or women's) with 24 appearances.
- Most NCAA Division I Elite Eights (men's or women's) with 29 appearances.
- Most NCAA Division I Sweet Sixteen (men's or women's) with 32 appearances.
- Most NCAA Division I Tournament wins (men's or women's) with 137 wins.
- Fastest coach to reach 800, 900, 1,000, 1,100, and 1,200 wins in college basketball history (men's or women's).
- He is one of the only coaches at the same Division I school to win both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments in the same season, along with men's coaches Jim Calhoun (2004) and Kevin Ollie (2014).
Images for kids
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Auriemma with Jim Boeheim and Jamie Dixon in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Geno Auriemma para niños
