U.S. defeats Spain 2-1 to reach quarterfinals.
WEST HARTFORD — A slice of pizza, a cigar and an iced tea at arm’s reach. This was Geno Auriemma, relaxed as usual, Monday afternoon at Hartford Golf Club, where he took a break from his annual charity golf event to meet the media.
The bulk of the questions, even if there wasn’t much Auriemma could say in response, were about UConn and the Big East, of course.
Few if any people were less affected by UConn not being part of the Big East or a major conference back in 2013 —“We’re in a league of our own,” he said that year — and few people are affected less by UConn’s move to the Big East, which will be finalized this week.
In six years as an American Athletic Conference team, UConn has won three national titles, reached the Final Four six times and gone 120-0 against conference opponents.
Still, Auriemma is said to be strongly in favor of the move and even worked tirelessly to help make it come to fruition. Why? Because it makes sense for the university.
The move is something to celebrate for Dan Hurley, something for Randy Edsall to have to live with, something that puts some programs in a better place than others, something UConn had to do in protecting and promoting its top assets.
The process advanced Monday with the Big East voting to formally extend an invitation. Next, UConn can present the contract to state Attorney General William Tong for approval, and a vote to accept the invitation can take place Wednesday at UConn’s Board of Trustees meeting. A press conference to finalize and celebrate it all is expected to take place Thursday in New York.
UConn will be in the Big East … back in the Big East.
“It can’t be nostalgic because the