Geno on Welcome to the Party podcast with Julie Foudy & Abby Wambach

[BRS24]

The Geno portion starts at approximately 11:30.

UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma does a drive by the pod — he’s got the rings in the trunk, stories in the glovebox — and nothing’s off limits. Geno talks about the next chapter of UConn basketball led by Azzi Fudd and rising star Sarah Strong, what it’s like coaching in a world of transfer portal chaos, and how the program keeps evolving through generations of stars like Taurasi, Bird, and Bueckers. Plus, he dishes out a few senior superlatives to some of his all-time greats.​

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Some fun quotes and moments -

Geno to recruit - "We've been to the Final Four for as long as you've been alive"
On transfers - when players realize they are in over their heads, Geno wants to find them a good place to land
Geno finding players' "scabs" and spending 4 years picking at them.
Yearbook Superlatives are really funny
The ending is priceless ...

 

[cwh20]

Good job getting something new from Geno. I don’t think I heard about him crying after the first championship.

Also I really liked the, “Everyone who is here is here” sign and then beneath it all of their visitors signed in. That’s a nice sentiment.

 

[BRS24]

Good job getting something new from Geno. I don’t think I heard about him crying after the first championship.

Also I really liked the, “Everyone who is here is here” sign and then beneath it all of their visitors signed in. That’s a nice sentiment.

I think he said he cried when they won the regional final in 1991 and were going to the final four for the first time. If I'm reading wikipedia correctly, it was only a 32 team tourney. As a #3 seed, UConn had a 1st round bye, barely beat Toledo in 2nd (81-80), and then this is where the fun started. In regional semis, beat #2 seed NCSU 82-17, and then in regional final beat #4 seed Clemson 60-57. UConn unfortunately ran into Staley's UVA team and lost 61-55. Imagine going to NOLA for your first Final Four and trying to figure out how to do it.

 

[cwh20]

I think he said he cried when they won the regional final in 1991 and were going to the final four for the first time. If I'm reading wikipedia correctly, it was only a 32 team tourney. As a #3 seed, UConn had a 1st round bye, barely beat Toledo in 2nd (81-80), and then this is where the fun started. In regional semis, beat #2 seed NCSU 82-17, and then in regional final beat #4 seed Clemson 60-57. UConn unfortunately ran into Staley's UVA team and lost 61-55. Imagine going to NOLA for your first Final Four and trying to figure out how to do it.

The ‘91 Final Four was the first time they were on TV (or at least the first time I saw them). I was following in the paper before that. Lishness and Ferrier went to Bristol Eastern but after my years there.