Is the UConn Dynasty a Thing of the Past?

[SVCBeercats]

Is the UConn Dynasty a Thing of the Past? (Published 2023)

As the wealth of talent deepens across the N.C.A.A., UConn no longer stands alone atop women’s basketball.

www.nytimes.com

“The expectations on their program are incredibly high, and they’re expected to get to a Final Four every year, it’s a lot on them,” said Muffet McGraw, a former Notre Dame women’s basketball coach and a longtime courtside sparring partner of Auriemma’s."

"Even with the Huskies’ struggles this season, McGraw would have placed them as a No. 1 seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament."
“They looked the way you expect a UConn team to look,” she (McGraw) said.

“They have come through one of the most remarkable years that I’ve ever been a part of in my life,” said Patricia Meiser, who helped hire Auriemma in 1985, when she was an associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at UConn. “The adversity that they have faced has just been amazing.”

"One thing she (Meiser) is certain of: UConn isn’t done as a player on the national stage."

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[boontonbomber]

Is the UConn Dynasty a Thing of the Past? (Published 2023)

As the wealth of talent deepens across the N.C.A.A., UConn no longer stands alone atop women’s basketball.

www.nytimes.com

“The expectations on their program are incredibly high, and they’re expected to get to a Final Four every year, it’s a lot on them,” said Muffet McGraw, a former Notre Dame women’s basketball coach and a longtime courtside sparring partner of Auriemma’s."

"Even with the Huskies’ struggles this season, McGraw would have placed them as a No. 1 seed in the N.C.A.A. tournament."
“They looked the way you expect a UConn team to look,” she (McGraw) said.

“They have come through one of the most remarkable years that I’ve ever been a part of in my life,” said Patricia Meiser, who helped hire Auriemma in 1985, when she was an associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at UConn. “The adversity that they have faced has just been amazing.”

"One thing she (Meiser) is certain of: UConn isn’t done as a player on the national stage."

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Enjoyed McGraw's insightful and honest assessment of the UConn program, and a #1 seed, in her opinion. Showing her respect for the program , which very rarely, people here have ever shown her, though she, and her program, were among the best in the game.

 

[Rowdy831]

They have had a couple years of bad luck with injuries or I think they might have one another title. I'm not so sure they can't make some waves this year with the current roster and many might argue they would be the odds on favorite if all their players were healthy. As long as Geno is there they will still be a dynasty because he gets great players and makes them better.

 

[Urshurak]

I think no and yes. Is UConn still a player with more Championships to come? YES!

Will UConn have 168 game winning streaks and win the championship by 35 again? NO!

Is that still a dynasty?

 

[Cuango]

Enjoyed McGraw's insightful and honest assessment of the UConn program, and a #1 seed, in her opinion. Showing her respect for the program , which very rarely, people here have ever shown her, though she, and her program, were among the best in the game.

While many disliked her personally, few disrespected her coaching ability or the threat their program posed to us on he court. For years under McGraw, ND was openly acknowledged as our chief rival. She was a tremendous coach and a very good recruiter who, along with Stanford, early Tennessee, and Baylor, we’re among (with her ND program probably the biggest) the few real threats to UConn for a very long stretch of years!
There’s a big difference between dislike and disrespect. The first was, as I recall, relatively common on this board. However, disrespect (of her coaching ability and her program) was not,imo. Be that as it may, I too appreciate her assessment of our beloved team’s struggles this season and her thoughts on whether we can actually be a viable threat to win the championship.

 

[Charliebball]

as long as Geno is at the helm UConn will have a highly competitive team but there is so much parity now thanks to the new transfer and NLI rules that it will be difficult for any program to establish a dynasty...........of course, if Boston had come to UConn, they would certainly have won several more NC's......

 

[azfan]

as long as Geno is at the helm UConn will have a highly competitive team but there is so much parity now thanks to the new transfer and NLI rules that it will be difficult for any program to establish a dynasty...........of course, if Boston had come to UConn, they would certainly have won several more NC's......

On point. If we look at the historical dynasties whether Tennessee or Connecticut then those are a thing of the past.

Dawn Staley and her crew may be the evolution dynasty.

DI Women's Basketball Championship History | NCAA.com

Here is the complete history of the DI women's basketball championship game, including scores, national champions, winning coaches, national runners-up, and Women's Final Four locations.

www.ncaa.com

 

[azfan]

There are currently 351 teams in Division I women’s basketball. Through the entire history of the sport, only 12 of those teams have accrued at least 1,000 wins.

12 teams with the most wins in women's college basketball history

Here are the 12 women's college basketball teams with the most victories in the history of the sport.

www.ncaa.com

 

[boontonbomber]

While many disliked her personally, few disrespected her coaching ability or the threat their program posed to us on he court. For years under McGraw, ND was openly acknowledged as our chief rival. She was a tremendous coach and a very good recruiter who, along with Stanford, early Tennessee, and Baylor, we’re among (with her ND program probably the biggest) the few real threats to UConn for a very long stretch of years!
There’s a big difference between dislike and disrespect. The first was, as I recall, relatively common on this board. However, disrespect (of her coaching ability and her program) was not,imo. Be that as it may, I too appreciate her assessment of our beloved team’s struggles this season and her thoughts on whether we can actually be a viable threat to win the championship.

Well stated, though I still think the dislike never allowed show of respect in many here. I can't say I read a lot of respect.

 

[CL82]

Enjoyed McGraw's insightful and honest assessment of the UConn program, and a #1 seed, in her opinion. Showing her respect for the program , which very rarely, people here have ever shown her, though she, and her program, were among the best in the game.

[shrugs]
Don’t start nothing, won’t be nothing.

 

[maple]

I disliked McGraw as an opponent. As she’s retired now, my beef with her is retired as well. She was a great coach and had an attitude, which made for good “sports hate”. Since then I have pretty much enjoyed watching her speak as an analyst for the ACCN.

Regarding this article, I do respect her being able to acknowledge the Huskie’s success-through-struggles this season and what she had to say about the program. And I agree with what she said.

 

[visitingcock]

UConn is not and has never been a dynasty .it has been the most powerful empire. There has never been a dynasty in wbb. A dynasty requires a succession of emperors like Bear Bryant and Nick Saban.

A successor to Geno has to win a NC before UConn can be a dynasty.

 

[Topdawg]

A dynasty is not defined merely by the coach. The team changes each year, and wins/losses/championships belong to each team. If different teams win accolades, it does become a dynasty. You may, if you wish, group some years together to identify sets of players who won championships. For example, Lobo, Bird/Taurasi, Moore/Charles, Stewart/Collier,

 

[visitingcock]

A dynasty is not defined merely by the coach. The team changes each year, and wins/losses/championships belong to each team. If different teams win accolades, it does become a dynasty. You may, if you wish, group some years together to identify sets of players who won championships. For example, Lobo, Bird/Taurasi, Moore/Charles, Stewart/Collier,

By that definition, there are a number of dynasties. You are basically saying that any school that has two or more championships is a dynasty.

Gotta be more restrictive than that.

High level wbb has not been around long enough to establish true dynasties like football or men’s basketball where a number of schools have had championships under different coaches. Heck, Geno and Tara have been around almost since the inception of high level wbb (Title IX)

 

[visitingcock]

I not a fan of her did respect her Irish Jig in high heels!



No attack but it must be a SC definition thing. Empire has nothing to do with sports.

empire meaning - Google Search

www.google.com

Just saying, and Bear Bryant and Nick Saban are coaches and not emperors.

UConn Women's Hoops: Why It's the Greatest Dynasty in College Sports

Greatness in college athletics leads to dynasties. One of the greatest is John Wooden's UCLA teams that won nine championships in a 10-year span. Recently, the Alabama football team under Nick Saban has separated itself from the rest of the college football world by winning six titles in 13...

fanbuzz.com

Read a definition of “dynasty.”

 

[AzzisBraids]

By that definition, there are a number of dynasties. You are basically saying that any school that has two or more championships is a dynasty.

Gotta be more restrictive than that.

High level wbb has not been around long enough to establish true dynasties like football or men’s basketball where a number of schools have had championships under different coaches. Heck, Geno and Tara have been around almost since the inception of high level wbb (Title IX)

To pose that UConn isn't a dynasty because Geno hasn't retired is unfair. Football rules don't apply to basketball, especially to the relatively young WBB.

UConn is a dynasty. Winning multiple championships, in multiple decades with different players who buy into the same system and idealogy. Also - the word dynasty in reference to sports has a different meaning than the conventional, google definition.

Definition: Dynasty - "sports franchise which has a prolonged run of successful seasons" i.e. 11 National Championships, 14 consecutive Finals, almost every conference and regular season championship they've been in, 2 record streaks. No matter where you put the timestamp, it's semantics. There are other debates about UConn, whether theyre a dynasty or not isn't one of them friends.

 

[Topdawg]

By that definition, there are a number of dynasties. You are basically saying that any school that has two or more championships is a dynasty.

Gotta be more restrictive than that.

High level wbb has not been around long enough to establish true dynasties like football or men’s basketball where a number of schools have had championships under different coaches. Heck, Geno and Tara have been around almost since the inception of high level wbb (Title IX)

If I make it more restrictive and require a team to win multiple championships within a four year period and do that more than once, that leaves only UConn and Tenn in the women’s game and UCLA in the men’s game. Surely there is room for more than one dynasty!
Since most coaches (e.g., Wooden, Summit, Auriemma) stay with a program for many years, there are no examples of different coaches at the same institution winning multiple championships with the “same” team.

 

[SVCBeercats]

A dynasty is not defined merely by the coach. The team changes each year, and wins/losses/championships belong to each team. If different teams win accolades, it does become a dynasty. You may, if you wish, group some years together to identify sets of players who won championships. For example, Lobo, Bird/Taurasi, Moore/Charles, Stewart/Collier,

Isn't a dynasty a succession of rulers (coaches)? Auriemma has been the only UCONN coach since 1999-2000. The non-FF and non-Championship years are 20004-2006. Empire is an organization of territories (players) controlled by under a single sovereign authority, emperor (coach).

 

[Topdawg]

Isn't a dynasty a succession of rulers (coaches)? Auriemma has been the only UCONN coach since 1999-2000. The non-FF and non-Championship years are 20004-2006. Empire is an organization of territories (players) controlled by under a single sovereign authority, emperor (coach).

Yes, in history books, a dynasty would be defined as a succession of rulers governing a state. The existence of the state presumes its excellence. By equating a coach with a ruler, a college becomes the proxy for a state and any college that has been around long enough to have a succession of coaches becomes a dynasty irrespective of whether its team is any good!

I don’t know of any instance where one coach has presided over the teams of many colleges at the same time, as per you definition of empire. So no empires!

In sport, the term empire is used often to refer to a team that has demonstrated many years of exceptional performance.

For the historians and grammarians on the board, no dynasties or empires at UConn even if Geno might enjoy a coronation. For the rest of us, is UConn a dynasty?

 

[billnaples]

I don't qualify as a grammarian to get into the depths of dynasty vs, empire vs. any other applicable description of the performance of the Husky Women basketball teams. What I do have is the ability to provide some numerical context. Prior to the Vermont game UCONN, in the Auriemma era, has a record of 1179 - 155, .884 win rate. That probably says enough but since I've never been known for brevity, here is the rest of the story.
1. UConn has qualified for the NCAA tourney 35 consecutive years.
2. The tournament record prior to 2023 was 130 - 22.
3. In 11 years in which UConn won the NC they were 66 - 0.
4. 64 - 22 in the other 22 events, still almost 75% win rate.
5, Since 1993/94, where the standard for most schools is 20 win seasons, UConn has won 30 or more in all but 4 seasons
6. The number of unbeaten seasons, and another 6 seasons of just a single loss.
7. No back to back losses for thirty years.

Confess that I did all the calculations and for got that there was no event in 2019/2020 with the pandemic and I decided to leave my numbers alone and let the post stand.

So put whatever shade of lipstick you find attractive on the facts and call it whatever you like, I just say we have been blessed with a great coach, wonderful assistants, a fantastic support staff, and the most accomplished players anyone could hope for. Hope we have one more to hang our hat on sooner than not.