UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma becomes winningest coach in college basketball history

The GIST: What do you get the greatest of all time? A live goat, apparently. UConn celebrated women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma’s 40 years of coaching and NCAA record 1,217th win on Wednesday, honoring the legend with an elaborate ceremony that included countless former players. Beyond well deserved.

The records: With Wednesday’s 85–41 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson, Auriemma passed former Stanford women’s basketball head coach Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in college basketball history. His 1,217 wins (and counting) span 23 Final Four appearances and 11 national titles, an NCAA record that beats out iconic UCLA men’s coach John Wooden. Truly one of one.

The team: Associate head coach Chris Dailey was also honored on Wednesday and has been alongside Auriemma for all of those Ws, serving as Geno’s assistant ever since they both interviewed for the head coaching job in 1985. A true dynamic duo.

• Adding even more excitement to the thrilling night, senior guard Azzi Fudd played for the first time in over a year after injuring her knee in 2023. She finished with four points as the Huskies work the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2021 back into action.

More women’s basketball to watch this weekend: Records were set in Storrs on Wednesday, but the basketball battles don’t stop there. Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame head to LA to take on JuJu Watkins and No. 3 USC tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET, while No. 5 UCLA welcomes defending champion No. 1 South Carolina into town Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. Hoop, there it is.