Top-ranked UConn excited to welcome Geno back
SAN ANTONIO — The joy was palpable. The sense of togetherness overwhelming.
What Geno Auriemma’s return means to his players was encapsulated in a 50second video tweeted Wednesday afternoon by the UConn women’s basketball team’s social media account, accompanied by a simple caption: “He’s BACK.”
“G!” they shouted in unison, before mobbing the beloved Hall of Fame coach and messing with his trademark hair.
“This must be the most boring place on Earth,” Auriemma joked, “if you’re going to act like that just to see me. … For six months you acted like that only when I left.”
Auriemma rejoined the team Wednesday, having flown to Texas after isolating in his Manchester home for 10 days following a positive COVID-19 test.
UConn, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s River Walk region, advanced to its 27th consecutive Sweet 16 Tuesday — Auriemma’s 67th birthday — after brushing aside Syracuse, 83-47. Next up is a date with fifth-seeded Iowa Saturday at 1 p.m. (ABC) in San Antonio.
The Huskies sang “Happy Birthday” to Auriemma via Zoom earlier Tuesday, reminding him how badly he was missed.
“I told him to get his butt on a plane immediately,” freshman guard Paige Bueckers said Tuesday night. “I better see him right
when I wake up [Wednesday].”
Auriemma, obviously not far from the minds of his players, watched the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament — lopsided victories over 16th-seeded High Point and the eighthseeded Orange — with his wife Kathy, who also tested positive for COVID-19.
“We miss him a lot,” junior center Olivia Nelson-Ododa added. “We’re thankful he’ll be able to come up with us tomorrow and we’re really excited to see him.”
Longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey handled head coaching duties when Auriemma, diagnosed with the coronavirus on March 14, was away. She’s now 12-0 in his absence, including 2-0 this postseason.
“This was a tough game because I didn’t want to be in a position where I cost our players an opportunity to keep playing,” Dailey said following Tuesday’s win. “And he was actually really calming when I was talking to him [on the phone before the game]. I think we were both anxious and I know everybody is going to be really happy to have him here tomorrow.”
Dailey added with a laugh: “I say that now, but he gets here at noon, I think. At 5, I might regret saying that. But right now, I’m looking forward to having him here.”
UConn didn’t practice Wednesday, instead taking in an afternoon boat cruise along the scenic San Antonio River Walk. Auriemma, who arrived shortly beforehand, did not participate in the tour.
It’ll essentially be business as usual from here for Auriemma. He won’t need to quarantine, and will be back on the court Thursday when the Huskies (26-1) resume practice.
Meanwhile, assistant Shea Ralph remains away from the team and it’s unclear when she could be back. Ralph, 43, returned home last week after a member of her family tested positive for the virus. With both Auriemma and Ralph away, the Huskies were left with just two coaches — Dailey and assistant Jamelle Elliott — but had Ben Kantor, the program’s video coordinator, chip in to help with practices and scouting.
While the staff still isn’t whole, having Auriemma back on the sidelines is an obvious boost for the Huskies, both in spirit and in reality. Not to mention, his return comes at an opportune time with the Huskies’ chase for a 12th national championship due to ramp up in intensity for a group that’s already tightknit.
The Huskies face their biggest challenge yet in fifth-seeded Iowa and Caitlin Clark, the dynamic freshman who leads the nation in scoring at 26.7 points per game. Clark went off for 35 points, 24 in the first half, in an 86-72 Round of 32 victory over fourthseeded Kentucky. After that — assuming UConn wins — will be either second-seeded Baylor or sixth-seeded Michigan in the Elite Eight.