The UConn Huskies are gearing up to start another NCAA season, aiming for what could be their 12th championship under legendary coach Geno Auriemma. But Auriemma isn’t the only one committed to the Huskies for so long; his longtime partner on the sidelines, associate head coach Chris Dailey, has stood by his side since he took the reins nearly four decades ago. To witness a coaching duo leading a team for such a long period is, in itself, an accomplishment. But it was not just an easy task, as Dailey revealed what has kept their partnership strong all these years.

In an interview on WFSB 3, Dailey discussed the environment and her emotions as she enters her 40th season with the Huskies. While Dailey expressed reaching this milestone feels surreal, the conversation took an interesting turn when she had to comment on her 40-year-old partnership with head coach Geno Auriemma. “Forty years with Geno—that’s longer than a lot of marriages last!” said the reporter, prompting Dailey to delve more into it.

“Yeah, you know what I think the key is: separate vacations, separate living, separate vacations,” stated Dailey. However, she didn’t stop there and continued to reveal more challenging moments over the years, admitting that there were times when Auriemma really tested her patience and yet she managed to keep things steady. 

The UConn associate HC said, “It’s so funny because when you work with someone for so long, it anytime in our, probably it still happens but not as frequently, anytime he would start to get on my nerves I would go recruiting and so that’s probably one reason our recruiting was really good. I would just go.” Well, now that Geno and Dailey are all set to lead the UConn Huskies’ 40th season together, it’s worth noting that their voyage didn’t start as smoothly as one might imagine.

Geno Auriemma and Chris Daily stuck to UConn despite unimpressive beginnings

Auriemma took the office of the University of Connecticut back in 1985, marking the beginning of what was going to be his storied coaching career. Soon after his hiring, he made an important decision to bring Chris Dailey on board as an assistant coach. At that time, Dailey was serving as an assistant with the Rutgers women’s basketball team but Auriemma’s call brought her to the Storrs campus.

Auriemma, who had been appointed as the head coach in the NCAA for the first time, recognized Dailey’s dedication early on and promoted her to associate head coach in 1988, even as the team was still searching for its first championship. Well, the road to success was long and challenging, as the Huskies kept on failing to secure a title during their first decade together. But good things were surely on the way and their perseverance finally paid off in 1995. UConn clinched their first championship under the coaching duo.

This victory was just the beginning, as it has paved the way for an incredible eleven championships during Auriemma and Dailey’s enduring partnership so far. “I’ve always appreciated the fact that he’s allowed me ownership of this program and appreciated how he gets to his spot,” Dailey said earlier while speaking to The New York Times. Now, as the two prepare to tackle the upcoming season, they aim to restore the glory of the Huskies, who have been enduring a championship drought for the past eight years.