The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Auriemma shows support for Quinnipiac
UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s press conference on Friday in advance of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament regional semifinal against UCLA was not going to end until he revealed a piece of clothing he was rather proud to slip on.
Just as the final words were coming out of his mouth, Auriemma unzipped his jacket to show the assembled media the Quinnipiac T-shirt he was wearing.
“I’m just glad we’re not in their bracket, because I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t want to be in their bracket,” Auriemma said. “They remind me of our ’91 team. I watched them play the other day. There was about 10 minutes left, eight minutes left in the game (against host Miami). I remember saying, ‘I think they’re going to win.’ I couldn’t believe it. Everybody in the place was going nuts. I thought, ‘oh, my God, this is like 1991, replaying itself.’ And Trish (Fabbri), that pottymouth coach of theirs, if I ever said some of the stuff that she said, I’d get crucified. I told her that, too. Catholic school girl like herself? She should be ashamed of herself.”
Auriemma recalls the colorful language when Fabbri worked at Auriemma’s camp many years ago. He also helped put a good word in when she was one
of the candidates for the Quinnipiac job.
“Geno has been such a mentor for me going way back,” Auriemma said. “He helped me in this process, get a job at Quinnipiac a long, long time ago, 22 years ago. He reached out as soon as we won, and so complimentary of what we were able to accomplish over the weekend.
“The fact that he is wearing our shirt in support of our team in this tournament at this time, just so thankful, and very grateful for his support and UConn women’s basketball’s support of Quinnipiac’s women’s basketball, and the two teams in Connecticut here representing women’s basketball in the Sweet 16.”