STORRS, Conn. — Geno Auriemma has achieved a historic milestone as he became the winningest coach in NCAA college basketball, marking his 1,217th victory with the second-ranked UConn team’s resounding 85-41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday evening.
Auriemma surpassed the previous record held by retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer with this accomplishment. For context, former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski leads the men’s records with 1,202 wins. Auriemma has been coaching at UConn since 1985 and holds a career record of 1,217 wins against 162 losses, with only one season resulting in a losing record—his inaugural year with the program.
The evening also served as a celebration of Auriemma’s and associate head coach Chris Dailey’s 40-year tenure at UConn, with more than 60 alumni in attendance, including legendary players Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Rebecca Lobo, among others.
In the game, standout Paige Bueckers led UConn, contributing 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while freshman Sarah Strong excelled with 20 points. Initially, Fairleigh Dickinson (4-2) stayed competitive, trailing by just two points at 14-12. However, UConn then pulled away, scoring nine of the last eleven points in the first quarter and maintaining a commanding lead throughout the remainder of the contest.
Key takeaways from the match include FDU’s strong start to the season, winning their first four games, which marked the first time achieving this feat in 33 years. The Huskies, sitting at 4-0, are gradually regaining their health, promising a more robust roster for the rest of the season, a factor Auriemma is looking forward to utilizing.
A significant moment of the game came when Azzi Fudd made her long-awaited return to the lineup after recovering from a right knee injury that sidelined her last season. She entered the game to a rousing ovation from the crowd with 3:39 left in the first quarter.
In terms of the coaching landscape, FDU’s coach Stephanie Gaitley stands 24th on the NCAA wins list and is just two victories shy of reaching the 700-win milestone.
Looking ahead, Fairleigh Dickinson will host Saint Peter’s on Saturday, while UConn is set to travel to the Bahamas for a tournament, commencing their participation with a match against Oregon State on Monday.