UConn's Geno Auriemma Says 'Just a Matter of When' We Win a New National Title
October 15, 2022
Despite being the most consistently dominant women's basketball team in the country every year, the Connecticut Huskies are mired in a six-year championship drought dating back to the 2015-16 season.
Head coach Geno Auriemma is confident his squad is going to end its currently dry spell soon.
"We're going to win another one," Auriemma told reporters on Friday. "It's just a matter of when. I don't know when that is, but we're going win another one. Sooner rather than later would be good for me."
UConn's quest to win a title during the 2022-23 season will be more difficult than initially expected due to the absence of Paige Bueckers.
The superstar point guard tore her ACL in a pickup game on Aug. 1 and will miss the entire season. She led the team in scoring average (14.6 points per game), assists (3.9) and tied for first in steals (1.5) last season.
Auriemma and his staff did a fantastic job in recruiting to replenish the talent pool. The Huskies landed two of the top five prospects in espnW's 2022 class. They will also have Nika Mühl, Aaliyah Edwards and Azzi Fudd back.
Despite their title drought, it's not like times have been tough in Storrs, Connecticut recently. The Huskies were in the national title game last season, losing to top-ranked South Carolina.
Connecticut has reached the Final Four in each of the past five seasons the NCAA tournament was held. This comes after the program won four consecutive national titles from 2012-16.
The Gamecocks will likely enter this season as favorites to repeat as champions. Aliyah Boston, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, is back for her senior season.
UConn will never be thought of as an underdog because of the standard that has been set. Auriemma has led the Huskies to 11 national championships in his career. They still boast one of the best rosters in the country.
Connecticut will open the 2022-23 season on Nov. 10 against Northeastern. It also has games against Texas, North Carolina State and Duke in the first two weeks of the regular season.