Geno Auriemma shares the start of his coaching career with a friend he made 50 years ago
UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma took a trip down memory lane as he shared the beginning of his coaching career with a friend he made five decades ago.
As a special guest on Thursday's episode of the "Make A Difference" podcast, Auriemma discussed the friendship he made with former St. Joseph's Hawks coach Phil Martelli. He served as assistant to Martelli at Bishop Kenrick High School from 1979 to 1981. Martelli is the host of the "Make A Difference" podcast.
When asked about his reflections during their time together at Bishop Kenrick, Auriemma remembered the journey from having to go to school and playing against some of the great coaches in Philadelphia history.
Geno Auriemma also recalled the first game he had when he came back to his alma mater.
"It was hard to imagine ever being in that situation," he said. "Even though it wasn't a full-time job, it became a full-time job for the first time, and felt like coaching was something that I want to keep doing for a long, long time."
The Hall of Fame coach also cracked a joke, saying he was "way better at playing golf" than Martelli during the early days.
Auriemma also quipped that he does not want to remember his time as a tennis coach during the same period.
Geno Auriemma is seeking another championship for UConn
After his four-year stint with Bishop Kenrick, Geno Auriemma got another assistant coaching job at the University of Virginia. In 1985, even without previous head coaching experience, he was hired as the University of Connecticut coach and has made history since then.
Auriemma then guided the Huskies to 17 undefeated conference seasons, 11 of which turned into NCAA Division I championships, the latest of which was captured in 2016.
Aside from those accolades, Geno Auriemma also got eight Naismith College Coach of the Year awards. He was subsequently inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Currently handling the second-best team in the women's division, Auriemma seeks the coveted championship after nine years. With a squad comprised of Paige Bueckers, Jana El-Alfy, Kaitlyn Chen, Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold, the Huskies are adamant about bringing the chip back to the Pavilion.
The Huskies are currently off to a good start, outlasting the Boston University Terriers in an 86-32 win at the XL Center. Geno Auriemma's 10-player team resulted in all getting points on the board, spearheaded by Sarah Strong with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and six steals.
UConn faces South Florida on Sunday at home at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, while the next encounter will be against North Carolina on Friday at the Greensboro Coliseum.