Geno Auriemma propelled women’s basketball into the spotlight by choosing to stay at UConn.

As the victories and national championships accrued at UConn, Auriemma had many opportunities to coach men’s teams, including interests from Oklahoma and Miami. After Jim Calhoun stepped down as UConn’s men’s coach, Auriemma’s name often surfaced as a potential successor when Kevin Ollie was let go.

He contemplated the shift and nearly made it at one point. However, Auriemma, now recognized as the winningest coach in college basketball history, never felt the need to coach men to prove his talent or success. He never identified exclusively as a “women’s basketball” coach, nor did he view his players as just “women’s basketball” athletes.

To him, he was simply a coach—an exceptional one—regardless of the gender of his players.

By opting not to pursue a job with men’s teams, Auriemma contributed significantly to the legitimacy of women’s sports. He had the option to coach anywhere, but he chose to remain with women’s basketball because he recognized the potential and importance of the game.

“It’s essential that coaching women isn’t viewed merely as a stepping stone, and that coaching men isn’t regarded as superior,” noted television analyst Rebecca Lobo, Auriemma’s first major star and leader of UConn’s inaugural national championship team in 1995, in an interview with YSL News Sports.

“His commitment to the women’s game sends a strong message that coaching men is not inherently better than coaching women.”

It shouldn’t take one man’s commitment to legitimize the women’s game. However, for many years, women’s sports were viewed as secondary to men’s. Men’s teams boasted superior facilities, resources, and wider visibility, leading to the belief that coaching roles for men were more prestigious—often accompanied by higher salaries.

Auriemma’s passion for the women’s game and his determination for his program to receive the same respect as men’s teams offered a compelling endorsement for those who needed rationale for supporting women’s sports. He championed women’s basketball when many influential figures, particularly in male-dominated spheres, were skeptical.

“Many people only pay attention when someone like Coach Auriemma talks about women’s sports, which made his perspective even more influential,” said Sue Bird, a two-time champion and former national player of the year at UConn, in her comments for YSL News Sports.

When Auriemma took over in 1985, UConn was not yet a powerhouse in women’s basketball. They had only experienced one winning season in eleven years and played in a fieldhouse with a capacity of less than 5,000.

By his second season, UConn had achieved a winning record. By his fourth, they qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and by his sixth, they had reached the Final Four.

“You know, we accomplished this despite receiving little support back then. In fact, many of the biggest challenges we faced were right on this campus,” Auriemma remarked last week. “But we persevered through those hurdles.”

The successes he achieved—11 national titles and UConn’s recent victory over Fairleigh Dickinson marking his 1,217th win, surpassing all others in college basketball coaching—enabled Auriemma to demand resources that few other women’s teams were receiving, and UConn stepped up to meet those demands.

This included first-rate facilities, expanded support staff, and chartered flights.

“We began at the ground floor, and it has grown into what it is now,” Auriemma stated.

Other programs started taking notice, particularly when UConn began to challenge Tennessee’s longstanding dominance.

It was one thing when Pat Summitt and Tennessee had a firm grip on the sport. There was little anyone could do when one coach was both exceptionally talented and had the best recruits. But Auriemma changing that dynamic raised the stakes for everyone involved.

“Over time, we fostered an environment where athletic directors and university leaders began to ask their coaches why they couldn’t achieve what we did. Initially, the response was often that they weren’t interested. The facilities we had were better than what many programs had at their disposal,” Auriemma explained.

“I think, over the years, we forced them to recognize the importance of these changes for everyone involved.”

Today, the landscape has evolved. According to YSL News Sports’ salary data, 18 coaches earned over $1 million last year, with LSU’s Kim Mulkey leading at $3.264 million. Both Auriemma and Dawn Staley followed closely with $3.1 million each.

The pool of strong title contenders now extends beyond just a couple of teams. Facilities and support services have significantly improved, with most of the leading schools now utilizing charter flights.

Last year, the NCAA championship game, featuring Caitlin Clark and Iowa against Staley’s South Carolina team, attracted a higher viewership than the men’s final for the first time, bringing in 18.7 million viewers compared to the 14.8 million for men.

“He truly deserves recognition,” said North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart regarding Auriemma. “It’s different when it’s a man sometimes, but with him, it’s straightforward—he uplifts others.”

“And he’s brought others along with him.”

While Auriemma is not solely responsible for this progress, his dedication to women’s basketball has made significant contributions. Despite having opportunities to coach elsewhere, his focus on the women’s game has highlighted the advancements occurring within the sport, leading to notable growth and a heightened visibility.

Auriemma, who is now 70 years old, has not disclosed his future coaching plans. However, when he eventually retires, it will be clear that he has significantly improved the landscape of women’s basketball simply by choosing to remain in the game.