UConn's Geno Auriemma Ties NCAA Division I CBB Wins Record with Victory vs. UNC

Legendary UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma made history on Friday night.

The Huskies defeated North Carolina by the final score of 69-58, marking Auriemma's 1,216th career victory. It tied him with former Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer for the NCAA Division I career record, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

UConn improved to 3-0 with the win as the team begins to pursue its first NCAA Tournament championship under Auriemma since 2016.

The 70-year-old is starting his 40th season with the Huskies, owning a career record of 1,216-162 following Friday's victory.

Auriemma previously reached 1,200 career wins during the 2023-24 season, becoming the third coach to reach the milestone while also achieving it the fastest. Former Duke men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski is the only other member of the club that includes Auriemma and VanDerveer.

The Huskies coach should be able to build upon the record once he eventually achieves it, as Krzyzewski retired in 2022. VanDerveer also announced her retirement following the 2023-24 season.

Auriemma has led UConn to immense success since he took over as head coach in 1985, recording 11 championships and 23 appearances in the Final Four during his tenure with the school.

In terms of individual accolades, he has eight Naismith National Coach of the Year wins under his belt and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Auriemma's first opportunity to break the record will come on Wednesday when the Huskies host Fairleigh Dickinson. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET.