2022 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Geno Auriemma

MIES (Switzerland) - Iconic American playcaller Geno Auriemma is having his incredible coaching accomplishments recognized by being inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame. 

Auriemma is being enshrined in the Class of 2022 as part of a nine-strong cohort that have all contributed significantly to the development of women's basketball.

The Class also includes deserved recognition for his fellow coaches Antonio Barbosa (Brazil) and Maria Planas (Spain), while Milan 'Ciga' Vasojevic (Serbia) will be inducted posthumously.

                                             Auriemma has built a dynasty at UConn over almost four decades at the helm

The rest of the inductees are honored for their efforts as players and this list includes Lisa Leslie (USA), Robyn Maher (Australia), Catarina Pollini (Italy), Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene (Lithuania) and Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal).

The Italian born Auriemma is a true coaching legend and that is thanks mainly to his staggering work, success and longevity with the University of Connecticut, a role he has fulfilled for almost four full decades. 

Arriving at UConn in 1985, he laid the foundations for what would subsequently become a women's basketball dynasty and has been relentless in his pursuit of excellence throughout his incredible tenure at the helm.

Auriemma with his first UConn  team from the 1985-86 season

The numbers are eye-popping and tell the story of something quite incredible, since when Auriemma arrived, UConn had only ever had one winning season in its entire history. The subsequent remarkable turnaround has seen the Huskies post only one losing season since he took the role; and it was his very first campaign in charge.

Auriemma has led UConn to a glut of silverware and he holds an unprecedented 83 percent winning record, with his overall resume better than anyone else in NCAA history - men or women. 

Auriemma has coached the biggest names in the women's global game, including current USA standout Breanna Stewart

Taking UConn to a phenomenal 22 NCAA Final Fours, he has masterminded no fewer than 11 NCAA Championship titles. En-route to all those Final Four appearances, thee have been 17 undefeated Conference seasons, including the last eight since 2014. Across 2002 and 2003, Aureimma was also at the helm for a record-breaking 70 straighr victories. 

Auriemma has also strengthened his legacy by contributing at the highest level with USA Basketball. He added to his 2000 Olympic gold medal as an Assistant Coach in Sydney by winning Olympic titles as Head Coach at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games. 

Auriemma with UConn alumni Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird winning gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016

Those two OIympic Games campaigns witnessed the playcaller oversee a combined 16-0 record, while sandwiched in between those accomplishments were two prestigious FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup titles during 2010 in Czech Republic and 2014 in Turkey.

Those tournaments also harvested a pair of unbeaten campaigns, which means that at these four flagship competitions as head coach, Auriemma went a perfect 31-0. During his time with USA basketball he coached a conveyor belt of great players, including the likes of Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart who he also had at UConn.

Auriemma was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006

When it comes to individual accolades, his resume is bulging with them. Auriemma is an eight-time Naismith Coach of the Year, seven-time WCBA National Coach of the Year, nine-time AP Coach of the Year - all just examples from a longer list.

Taking into account all of this, it will not come as a surprise that he has already been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

Now Auriemma can look forward to being inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in a ceremony that will take place on November 30 in Mies, Switzerland.

Name	Geno AURIEMMA
Category of Inductee	Coach
Date of birth	March 23rd 1954
Place of birth	Montella, Italy
Nationality	American
Clubs/Colleges	Saint Joseph's ( 1978- 1979 ) Bishop Kenrick HS ( 1979-1981 ) Virginia ( 1981 - 1985 ) University of Connecticut (1985-2022) [/unordered]
Club/College highlights	Twenty-two-time NCAA Final Fours (1991. 1995, 1996, 2000-2004, 2008-2022) Eleven-time NCAA Division 1 Tournament Champion (1995, 2000, 2002-2004, 2009-2010,  2013-2016) [/unordered]
National Team highlights	COPABA Junior World Cup Qualifying Tournament gold medalist (2000) U19 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup bronze medalist (2001) Two-time FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup gold medalist (2010, 2014) Three-time Olympic gold medalist (2000, 2012, 2016) [/unordered]
Individual highlights	Coached 30 NCAA Conference Regular Seasons (23 Big East, 7 ACC) Led UConn to 17 undefeated Conference seasons (eight consecutive 2014-2022) Eight-time Naismith Coach of the Year (1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017) Seven-time WCBA National Coach of the Year (1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017) Nine-time AP Coach of the Year (1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2017) Six-time USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year (1995, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017) Ten-time Big East Coach of the Year (2014-2017, 2019) John R Wooden Legends of Coaching Award (2012) National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (2007) Inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2006) Inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2006) Highest winning percentage of all NCAA coaches (men or women) Head coaching record 1149-150 (overall 83.5%) Established an NCAA Division 1 women's record for consecutive victories by winning 70 straight games over the course of the 2002 and 2003 seasons [/unordered]

FIBA