Huskies fans got the moment they’d been waiting for—Azzi Fudd was finally back on the court after a long, grueling 374-day wait. It was a night filled with excitement, history, and emotions. As UConn took on Fairleigh Dickinson, it wasn’t just about the game. It was about Fudd’s return and Geno Auriemma making history with his 1,217th win, a record-breaking moment that pushed him past Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in Division I basketball, men’s or women’s.

For Fudd, the return wasn’t as smooth as she hoped, but the joy of being back on the court was undeniable. She shared, “A lot of just excitement…like nervous excitement,” admitting she was “nervous to miss, nervous to not play well.” The Huskies senior added, “I could’ve made all my shots, I could’ve missed all my shots, I kinda did.”

But despite it all, she emphasized how grateful and happy she was to be out there again.

During the postgame conference she expressed, “I am just so grateful to be out there. So happy, so excited to be playing with my team.” Although she only scored 4 points in the game, Fudd’s main focus was simply being back on the court after suffering a knee injury that had kept her out for more than a year. 

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Her last game was against N.C. State in November 2023. And she couldn’t have asked for a better night to return—with history being made all around her. UConn dominated in an 85-41 win, etching their coach’s name in the college basketball history in front of their legendary alumni. Ava Renninger and Sarah Strong led the charge with 19 and 20 points, respectively.

However, despite the comfortable lead in the first half and eventually the victory, the 70-year-old remained critical of his team. On the other hand, the former record holder was in all praise. “This is yet another outstanding milestone in a career filled with them for Geno Auriemma,” said Tara VanDerveer.

Meanwhile, Auriemma, who has led the Huskies to 11 national titles and 23 Final Four said, “We never sat down and said hey, let’s make a 40-year plan and see if we can make this happen. It’s about coming here every day and trying to be better than we were yesterday.” 

Also, he made it clear that each milestone feels just like any other win for him, and he’s never been one to bask in the glory of records. But while he might downplay the importance of his achievements, Nike certainly hasn’t forgotten about him.

Nike honors Auriemma and Chris Dailey

To mark his latest record-breaking feat, Nike presented Auriemma and associate head coach Chris Dailey with a special gift—a commemorative ladder. According to an X post, this ladder was engraved with their national championship years, recognizing their extraordinary journey together.

The brand’s relationship with Auriemma goes way back. In 2016, after UConn claimed their 11th national title, Nike’s co-founder Phil Knight publicly acknowledged Auriemma’s impact on the game of women’s basketball. However, Knight’s admiration wasn’t limited to just words. 

That same year, Nike created a special edition T-shirt to commemorate the Huskies’ success, and the team received custom KD8 sneakers designed in UConn’s colors, marked with “National Champs” and “11” to honor their title. 

Even today, Nike continues to honor Auriemma’s legacy. For the winningest coach, however, the spotlight has never been something he’s sought out. His focus has always been on the team and what’s next. However, his admirers will continue to celebrate his incredible career.