In Women’s Collegiate Basketball, the UConn Huskies Dominate
April 10, 2013
Women’s basketball history was made yesterday when the University of Connecticut’s UConn Huskies won their eighth National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championship under coach Geno Auriemma. The Huskies beat the University of Louisville Cardinals 93-60, the most lopsided victory ever in a title game.
Geno Auriemma began coaching women’s basketball as an assistant coach in 1978 with St. Joseph’s University. He began coaching the Connecticut women’s basketball team in 1986. His UConn Huskies won the NCAA National Championship in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, and 2013. The 1995, 2002, 2009, and 2010 teams were undefeated.
Only one other women’s basketball program has won the NCAA title eight times–the Tennessee Volunteers under coach Pat Summit. Summit played women’s basketball for the University of Tennessee in the 1970′s. She was co-captain of the U.S. Olympic team that won a silver medal at the Montreal games in 1976. She began coaching for the Tennessee Volunteers in 1974 while a graduate assistant. Her teams won NCAA National Championships in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008.
Auriemma has the possibility of breaking the NCAA record with the Huskies but, sadly, Summitt stopped coaching in 2012. She suffers from early-onset dementia.
Additional World Book articles:
- Basketball (2010 Back in time)
- Basketball (2012 Back in time)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
