"Insane": Ex-UConn star Nika Muhl reacts to Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey making NCAA history
Geno Auriemma, head coach of the UConn Huskies, reached a historic milestone on November 20, 2024. With UConn’s 85-41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson, Auriemma became the NCAA's all-time leader in wins, achieving his 1,217th career victory.
This record surpasses the previous benchmark set by Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer. It makes Auriemma the winningest coach in men’s and women’s college basketball, eclipsing Duke legend Mike Krzyzewski's 1,202 career wins.
Former UConn star Nika Mühl celebrated Auriemma’s achievement on Instagram. She shared two stories to congratulate the coach.
The first one was captioned, "A life changer and a record breaker."
She shared another story, reposting a WNBA stat graphic highlighting Auriemma's 1,217 career wins. Mühl added a comment to the post, calling the milestone "Insane."
In his nea 40-year tenure, he has a 1,217-162 record, a winning percentage above 88%. Auriemma has guided the Huskies to 11 NCAA National Championships, all won between the 1994-95 and 2015-16 seasons. His teams have also secured 27 conference tournament titles during their time in the Big East and the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Auriemma’s squads made several records, including surpassing UCLA coach John Wooden’s streak of 88 consecutive wins. The Huskies set a new standard with 111 straight victories from 2014 to 2017, a streak that ended in the NCAA Tournament's Final Four.
Auriemma’s success has also earned him numerous coaching accolades. He is a six-time AAC Coach of the Year and has received 12 Big East Coach of the Year honors.
Tara VanDerveer reacts to Geno Auriemma’s achievement
Tara VanDerveer, the former Stanford head coach whose record Auriemma surpassed, praised him for his accomplishment.
Speaking to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, VanDerveer said:
“This is yet another outstanding milestone in a career filled with them for Geno Auriemma. The level of success he has maintained at UConn over four decades will never be duplicated. But his tremendous legacy extends far beyond any number of wins."
She also added, "It lives in the lives of the countless young women he has positively influenced throughout his career. Congratulations to Geno and Chris on this incredible accomplishment.”
VanDerveer also recognized the contributions of Chris Dailey, Auriemma’s longtime assistant coach. Dailey has been with Auriemma since he began leading the program in 1985 and has played a key role in UConn’s sustained success.
Auriemma has developed players who excel at the collegiate level and go on to succeed in the WNBA. Some of the league’s greatest players, including Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Rebecca Lobo, and Tina Charles, are UConn alumni. Many of these stars were present at the game on Wednesday to honor Auriemma’s milestone.
Currently, UConn boasts the most former players in the WNBA, with 16 alumni, including rookies Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl. Edwards plays for the Washington Mystics, while Mühl represents the Seattle Storm. Paige Bueckers, UConn’s current standout, is projected to be the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Also read: "Maybe the bigger question is where would she be without me": Geno Auriemma jokes about Paige Bueckers' answer to Chris Dailey question