Women's Fastbreak On SI

UConn's Geno Auriemma Gives Female Reporters Their Flowers Before South Carolina Game

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma made an awesome observation before his NCAA championship game against South Carolina.
Grant Young|
Apr 5, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks to media before the NCAA Woman’s Final practice at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks to media before the NCAA Woman’s Final practice at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma is looking to produce the 12th NCAA national championship of his legendary coaching career on Sunday, when his Huskies team takes on Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Regardless of the looming game outcome, Auriemma's legacy is already set in stone. He will go down as one of (if not the) greatest college basketball coaches of all time whenever he decides to walk away, which is proven not just by the national championships on his resumé but also the dozens of world-class basketball players he has helped develop and prepare for greatness in the WNBA. What's more, his sustained success over four decades leading UConn further proves his dominance.

While one would imagine that Auriemma has seen everything during this time, he admitted that something he noticed during his April 5 press conference was a heartwarming first.

"Before I do leave here, though, I do have to say this, and not just because it's women's basketball. But I've been to these Final Fours for 24 years: This is the most women I've ever seen at a press conference since I started this 40 years ago. And I'm just really, really proud of you all. Really," Auriemma said at the end of his presser, per an X post from SNY.

It was really cool to hear Auriemma spot this and point it out. And as women's basketball continues to grow, even more reporters will soon be flocking to these games and covering what the iconic head coach has to say.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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