Geno Auriemma signs five-year contract extension

At the Coaches Road Show event on Monday, UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma was revealed to have inked a contract extension lasting five years until April 2029, as announced by athletic director David Benedict.

The contract is valued at $18.7million,comprisedofa$400,000 base salary and an additional $2.94millionallocatedforspeakingengagements,consultingwork,andmediacommitments,whichescalatesby$200,000 each year.

Expressing his thoughts in a statement, Auriemma remarked, “It still feels surreal to me that I’ve dedicated more than half of my life to UConn. I believe there is immense potential yet to be realized, and I am eager to pave the way alongside my staff and team. These upcoming years hold an unparalleled level of excitement for me, perhaps more than any time in the past four decades.”

Acknowledging Auriemma’s profound impact on UConn, President Radenka Maric praised, “Geno’s enduring presence at UConn has been so significant that it is hard to articulate the extent of his positive influence on our student-athletes, the women’s basketball program, and the entire state of Connecticut. We are aware that he still has much to impart and instill in all of us in the forthcoming years – not solely about leading an elite basketball program, but also about embodying a life filled with principles, empathy, and service.”

Auriemma is on the brink of his 40th season leading the team. His impressive record of 11 national championships surpasses that of any other Division I basketball coach, be it men’s or women’s, and he is poised to claim the title of all-time wins leader with just four more victories in the upcoming season.

Earlier this year, the USBWA decided to name its National Coach of the Year Award after Auriemma, who has been bestowed with this prestigious recognition six times.

Even though he celebrated his 70th birthday last March, the coach has no intentions of hanging up his whistle anytime soon.

Reflecting on this decision at the Coaches Road Show, Auriemma stated, “While many others suggested that it was time for me to retire, I didn’t feel quite prepared to do so. Undoubtedly, there will come a time when I step away from coaching, but for now, I still have the desire to mentor and lead these players for a few more years, even though I understand that feeling may dissipate eventually—just not at this moment.”