SPOKANE, Wash. — UConn’s head coach, Geno Auriemma, voiced his frustrations on Friday over the current structure of the women’s NCAA Tournament, which has once again required the Huskies to travel across the country.
This weekend, UConn competes in the Spokane Region, battling against Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. Should they prevail, the team faces another cross-country journey to Tampa, Florida, for the Final Four. This change in logistics marks the third consecutive year that the four women’s regional tournaments have been merged into two locations, with the games scheduled this year in Spokane and Birmingham, Alabama.
Auriemma, who has steered UConn to an unprecedented 11 national championships, expressed his displeasure with the packed format, which has forced eight teams to share court time as well as the match slots for competitions. It’s also the third straight year UConn’s regional games have been located on the West Coast, after their previous tournaments in Seattle and Portland.
“In an ideal scenario, governed by logical planners, there would just be four teams here,” Auriemma commented. “This would mean no games today; they would be tomorrow, eliminating the need to rise at 6 a.m. just for an hour-long practice at 8 a.m.”
On Saturday, UConn had a curtailed thirty-minute shootaround at Spokane Arena scheduled for 7:30 a.m., which Auriemma mentioned stressed his players as it takes longer to clear security than the actual court time they receive.
“Bless the team that wins on Monday night and then has to endure an all-day cross-country flight on Tuesday, only to have two days, Wednesday and Thursday, to prepare for what could be the biggest game of their lives,” Auriemma stated.
He made a comparison to the men’s tournament, highlighting that those teams benefit from a five-day gap between games.
“The super regional concept, devised by known individuals, has essentially compromised the competition,” Auriemma expressed. “It has alienated large portions of the country from attending games in person. Nonetheless, you’re benefitting monetarily from TV deals — though not to the extent of the men’s tournament. Clearly, several aspects need re-evaluation.”