Nov. 19—STORRS — When Jim Mora arrived in Storrs after taking the UConn football job in 2021, he and his wife Kathy went out to dinner with Geno and Kathy Auriemma.
Listening to Auriemma’s words of wisdom made an impact on Mora, who wishes he had recorded the conversation from that evening.
“When I first got hired, my wife and I went to dinner with Geno and his wife,” Mora said on Tuesday. “And we sat there for a couple of hours at his restaurant, had a little wine, and whatever he ordered for me was great.
“I wished at the time I had been smart enough to push record on my phone, and I wasn’t. Everything he said resonated with me. Everything he said about coaching, about dealing with players, about recruiting, about handling a staff, about just mindset. It was amazing. Nothing specific stands out to me. But the feeling of the dinner stands out to me.
“I don’t think I can get enough Geno. I love listening to Geno. When I’m around Geno, the most important thing I can do is keep my mouth shut and listen.”
In his 40th season as head coach of the women’s basketball team, Auriemma is on the verge of setting the all-time win mark in college basketball. He is tied with retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer at 1,216 victories entering Wednesday’s game against Fairleigh Dickinson University at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.
Aureimma’s impact spreads beyond the women’s basketball program.
He’s considered a legend by his fellow UConn coaches who marvel at what Auriemma has accomplished during his Hall of Fame career.
“One of the most incredible things is he’s been able to do it here the entire time,” Mora said. “That’s remarkable longevity and consistency. To be able to generate the type of passion and perfectionism and intensity that he’s able to still show at practice or during games or in recruiting, to me, is remarkable.
“He’s a legend, and that’s beyond dispute. And when you get a chance to watch him work and listen to him talk, you understand why he’s a legend. Every time he opens his mouth, something profound comes out of it. I’m lucky to be on campus with him and have some access to him.”
Men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley considers Auriemma “one of the unique coaches in all of sports.”
Auriemma has gone out of his way to be helpful and supportive to the men’s basketball coaching staff, according to Hurley. He showed up at the 2023 Final Four in Houston to watch the men’s team capture the national championship.
“You’d expect a guy like Geno to have a big ego, and he’s not like that,” Hurley said. “I really didn’t know him before I got here and I thought maybe there was a chance that he could be like that. Sorry, Geno.
“But then I met him, and he’s just the best guy ever.”
Hurley sought out Auriemma for advice during the program’s struggles early on in his UConn coaching career. He also learned a lot by just observing Auriemma go about his business, on and off the court.
“I went over and watched practice,” Hurley said. “I’d watch him with the media and I’d watch him at events with donors. Obviously, I came in rough around the edges and I’m still rough around the edges. I’m still who I am. I don’t have the level of polish.
“But I’ve picked up on just the leadership qualities, how he handles his players. From watching them play, I picked up on some tactical things, too. … Then I’ll ask him things directly, because he watches all of our games and I watch all of his games.”
After leading the Huskies to back-to-back national championships, Hurley still reaches out to Auriemma, who’s led his program to 11 national titles.
Both Hurley and Mora will be rooting for Auriemma to set the coaching record on Wednesday. It will be a special moment for all UConn coaches to celebrate.
“No one will ever be better, or no one has been better,” Mora said. “I’m excited to see it happen. Congratulations to him. We all have a lot to learn from him.”
