"They do not ever take their foot off the pedal": UConn HC Dan Hurley's wife Andrea talks about the hard work that goes into winning games
An interview with UConn men`s basketball coach Dan Hurley and his wife Andrea from 10 months ago has resurfaced and is making the rounds again. In it, Andrea talks about the kind of work ethic her husband's team has that helped the Huskies become the NCAA hoops powerhouse they've been in the last couple of years.
Held by This Week in Connecticut, the video was uploaded to YouTube in July 2023, several months after the Huskies won their first of two straight national titles:
"The way that they work is so impressive," Andrea said. "The team, the coaches. It's like they do not ever take their foot off the pedal. Every year, it's ... nonstop. I have social media. I see other coaches' wives. They're here and there, and their husbands. I'm like, 'Why do they get to do that and you're here?.... Do we ever get to do anything?'"
Dan Hurley's wife said he barely takes any days off, and it could also be the same for his players and coaching staff. Either way, an almost immaculate work ethic is required to win an NCAA Division 1 basketball championship. And Hurley has already proven that.
While winning the 2023 national title, UConn went 31-8. The Huskies were also ranked relatively at a modest 10th in the AP poll and No. 11 in the coaches poll entering the NCAA Tournament. They were unranked in both preseason polls.
While winning the 2024 national title, UConn went 37-3. The Huskies were ranked sixth by the AP and fifth by the coaches in the preseason poll, but they were No. 1 in both polls and the overall No. 1 national seed entering the NCAA Tournament.
Compared to their immensely dominant run in 2023-24, this season might look meager, but don't let that fool you.
Can UConn win its third straight NCAA championship?
The UConn men's basketball team is going for history heading into the 2024-2025 season. Despite losing several key championship cogs, the Huskies are still regarded as a powerhouse. With Dan Hurley returning and a few highly touted recruits in tow, UConn's odds of winning their third straight title lead everyone but Duke and Kansas at +1200, according to the New York Times.
Hurley's almost last-minute decision to turn down the LA Lakers and return to Storrs created drama this month. But then again, it won't matter much as UConn is already in the midst of one of the greatest multi-championship runs in college basketball history. They're the first team since the 2006 and 2007 Florida Gators to win back-to-back basketball titles, for one.
A third-consecutive win will make them the first since the legendary UCLA teams of John Wooden to achieve a three-peat.