Geno Auriemma has now led 25 teams to the Final Four. UConn took care of Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame 70-52 to get to their 17th final four in the past 18 seasons. Freshman Blanca Quiñonez scored 20 points to be the point of difference, with Sarah Strong adding 21 points. Despite being arguably the greatest coach in the history of college basketball, Auriemma labeled himself as an “adversity.” 

“I would say the adversity is me,” He said in the postgame press conference. “Every day for five months they have to put up with me.” He is well known in the basketball world for having a strict and gruff nature. Auriemma is pushing his players. “Coach Auriemma will try to break you to build you back up stronger,” Breanna Stewart has said. Yet, sometimes his softer side comes out. Especially in moments like these. 

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder to take a team to the Final Four than this one,” Auriemma said while accepting his 25th regional championship trophy.

In his 41 years of coaching, Auriemma has coached some legendary teams. He’d had four other squads enter the final weekend of the season as the undefeated, defending champion. Yet, Auriemma chose this team amongst all. That includes the Maya Moore, Stewart and Paige Bueckers eras. 

“He doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean, doesn’t give out compliments too often depending on who you are. So to hear him say that, it does mean a lot, and we feel the same way,” Azzi Fudd said. Sarah Strong also echoed that message, further revealing that despite all the rough exterior, Geno Auriemma is like a watermelon, rough on the outside but soft on the inside. “We know secretly deep down he really loves us and cares for us and wants the best for us. So it really means a lot,” Strong said. 

Geno Auriemma balances his affection with discipline because the team needs both. Too much of the other and the team can descend into a dangerous cycle. The love helps in getting his team to buy in and extract the best from his players. The harshness shapes their mental strength, which ultimately helps the players in moments like March Madness. After all these years, Auriemma has perfected this art. He even pulled out his whimsical personality after UConn punched their ticket to the Final Four.

Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong Impressed On Geno Auriemma’s post-game Antics

As the confetti fell with hundreds of Huskies fans celebrating, Geno Auriemma turned up with some unique headwear. The players put on the customary Final Four hats and T-shirts, but Auriemma stuck out with a flashy cowboy hat.

The hat was a custom gift to the Huskies. It was emblazoned with the UConn logo. With their hands in the air, mimicking a lasso, the Huskies encouraged their coach to put on the headwear and he happily obliged. Auriemma danced. Yes, the guy who is terrorizing the UConn squad most of the time danced. His moves resembled a cowboy telling his horse to “giddy up,” patting his side in pure jubilation. 

“Seeing him excited and kind of goofy is really good for us, because, I don’t know, he’s not usually like that,” Sarah Strong said postgame. “He’s usually all serious or like anxious, grumpy. Just seeing him let loose and be his true self was really good.” Auriemma finally had some fun. After months of intense preparation, training and stress. He let loose after the team moved one step closer to the national championship. 

“I thought that the cowboy hat looked pretty good on him. It looked pretty natural,” Azzi Fudd said. “When he breaks out a dance move, that’s how you know he’s proud (of) you, he’s happy. So it was good to see.” Remember when Paige Bueckers did the same at the 2025 WNBA draft? It was a moment of jubilation and it further showed just how happy Auriemma was in that moment.