When we say Geno Auriemma built the UConn Huskies legacy, it’s not just about the 11 NCAA championships. It’s about taking a team with virtually no facilities and one winning season to its name and turning it into a dynasty. His story exemplifies the magic of starting from nothing and building something extraordinary.

When Geno Auriemma first visited UConn alongside his wife Kathy, who had been by his side even before his coaching stint began, she had revealed that they weren’t even shown the gym. In Geno’s latest media interaction, when reporters brought this up, the legendary coach couldn’t help but confirm. “True, true,” he said. “I never saw anything except to go upstairs and go to where the offices were.”

There was no tour of the facilities because, well, they weren’t exactly anything to brag about. Auriemma admitted that even if they had shown him, it wouldn’t have been a “dealbreaker.” But he did joke while speaking with media before the anticipated game with FDU, “It was worse than I thought when I got here.” He knew the program was a fixer-upper, but not quite the extent of the work it needed.

And truly, back then, UConn didn’t just lack championship banners; they lacked the basic amenities many school teams would take for granted. The team had no locker rooms, and that the ceilings in the practice facility leaked as per his biography. But Geno had already caught onto the sense of belongingness at UConn after his meeting with John Toner and Pat Meiser and he had come to focus on “who” than the “what”. 

So Auriemma didn’t step back. And he is glad he did not. “Good thing I didn’t, you know, dwell on that,” he said.

The HC has mentioned before that starting from absolute ground zero made every achievement that followed even sweeter. The early days were rough, no doubt about it. The 11X NCAA Division I Tournament winning coach mentioned that he was warned how “daunting” the task would be. And it was. Those initial seasons were far from smooth, including a bad first season, but once they found their rhythm, there was no looking back. 

Auriemma built the program brick by brick. However, over the years, something changed in him as a coach. But everything boils down to the moment now. He has coached some of the greatest names in basketball, who have gone on to become Olympians, WNBA champions, and global icons of the sport. And now, the Huskies are preparing for a reunion as their mentor stands on the brink of history.

Huskies reunite to witness history in the making

On November 15, UConn’s 69-58 win over North Carolina marked Auriemma’s 1,216th career victory, tying him with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in NCAA Division I basketball history. Today’s game against Fairleigh Dickinson University will almost certainly see Auriemma etch his name into the record books as the winningest coach of all time.

What’s even more special is around 65 former Huskies players, many of them basketball royalty, are expected to be in attendance for this historic moment. UConn women’s basketball radio host Bob Joyce confirmed the staggering turnout of alumni.

Fans eagerly anticipate seeing legends like Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart back in the stands celebrating their coach. Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers and Co. aim to seal the win. Indeed, this reunion isn’t just a celebration of Auriemma’s record-breaking career; it’s a testament to the impact he’s had on his players and the game itself.