Geno started with a way lesser-achieving team than Kim did.
After three seasons at UConn, Auriemma/Dailey had won 43 of 82 games.
After three seasons at Baylor, Mulkey had won 72 of 98 games.s
Kim had a BIG HEAD START!
The difference is 29 games. So, since each of their first three seasons, Kim is 13 games won BEHIND Geno/Chris.
Baylor DID stink up the place in 1999-2000, the year before Kim arrived, going 7-20. But Baylor had winning records in the three preceding seasons.
UConn, on the other hand, had losing records - never winning more than nine games - for the four years prior to Geno's (and Chris's) arrival in 1985-1986. Further, UConn only had ONE winning season ever, 16-14 in 1980-1981, prior to the Geno/Chris era.
Also, Baylor was a prominent feature on the national college sports scene in several sports prior to Kim's first year. And since. That had to help her recruiting efforts, along with the fame she carried from her illustrious playing/coaching career at Louisiana Tech, including one national championship.
UConn, however, wasn't a blip on the national college sports radar screen before Auriemma/Dailey in any sport, both Geno and Chris were national no-names, so they started recruiting from Ground Zero, so to speak.
Neither Baylor nor UConn had ever played in the NCAA Tournament prior to Mulkey's arrival at Baylor or Auriemma's/Dailey's arrival at UConn.
Baylor went 21-9 in Kim's first year and made the NCAA Tournament (first round loss).
UConn had a (the only) losing record at 12-15 in Geno's/Chris's first year and didn't make the NCAA Tournament until their fourth year when UConn went 24-9 in 1988-1989 (first round loss).
I have great respect for Kim Mulkey's coaching and recruiting ability, but the fact that she made it to 600 victories 16 games faster than Geno/Chris is a more a product of the condition of their respective programs at the onset of their tenures than an indication of comparative coaching competence.
