Colorado Springs, CO (My Sportsbook) - Connecticut women's
basketball coach Geno Auriemma has been selected to guide the United States women's national
basketball team for the next three years through the 2012 Olympics.
Auriemma just captured his sixth NCAA championship with the Huskies earlier this month, polishing off a third unbeaten season at 39-0 with a victory over Louisville in the national title game.
"I don't know if I can adequately describe my feelings and my emotions when I was asked to do this and how I felt ever since," said Auriemma. "It's an opportunity that if you're very fortunate comes once in your life and I never thought I would ever have this opportunity. It's just overwhelming, the emotions that run through you. What an incredible honor it is to be selected."
Auriemma served as an assistant coach for the gold medal winning team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He's also been a part of four other USA Basketball teams, including the head coach for the 2001 USA Junior World Championship Team (Under-19) that won a bronze medal in the Czech Republic.
"There is no better coach in America than Geno Auriemma and we are delighted to be able to have a coach of his caliber lead our women's national team program through the 2012 Olympic Games," said USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo. "The USA Basketball women's national team has achieved tremendous success over the years and as winners of the last four Olympic gold medals, the expectations remain very high. Geno's success at UConn, both his win-loss record and the development of his players, speaks for itself and makes him a perfect choice to take hold of the reins."
Auriemma will start Team USA's quest for another gold medal at the London Games at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. If the U.S. qualifies, he will be the first active college coach to guide an Olympic team since Tara VanDerveer in 1996.
Inducted in 2006 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Auriemma has an astounding record of 696-122 with 21 NCAA Tournament appearances in 24 years at UConn.
