Geno Auriemma

Connecticut picked up right where it left off last season: unanimous No. 1 in the women's basketball poll. The Huskies received all 40 first-place votes Friday from a national media panel. It's the seventh time in school history UConn has held the top preseason ranking by The Associated Press. Connecticut was the unanimous choice atop the poll the final 15 weeks last season, winning its sixth national championship to cap a 39-0 run. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma returns four starters from that team, including player of the year Maya Moore. "It's a great honor," Auriemma said of the No. 1 ranking. "They worked hard ... Read Full Story

Elena Delle Donne stood alone in the University of Delaware gym, making jumper after jumper. She looked completely at home. Getting there just took a while. More than a year ago, the former national high school player of the year abruptly left coach Geno Auriemma and a Connecticut team bound for a perfect season and sixth national championship. Now, after a stint starring in volleyball, she's set to play basketball again. "I can't wait for the season to start, especially games," Delle Donne said in an interview with The Associated Press. "The last time I was this happy was in high school before the ... Read Full Story

A daughter of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma has been hired by The Hartford Courant as a freelance writer to blog about the six-time national championship team. Alysa Auriemma told The Associated Press that she'll regularly give an insider's viewpoint about her father and the team beginning this fall. The articles will be published on her blog and linked to the Courant's Web site, she said. The newspaper's sports editor, Jeff Otterbein, said she'll be paid $125 per story to contribute to the newspaper's Web site on a monthly basis. He said Auriemma will be a celebrity blogger, not a reporter. The 23-year-old, who graduated ... Read Full Story

U.S. women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma should feel right at home with the addition of four current or former UConn players to the national team training camp next week at American University in Washington, D.C. Swin Cash, Ashja Jones, Maya Moore, and Tina Charles were among the 14 players added to the training camp roster Tuesday by USA Basketball. They join former UConn players Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, giving the camp a distinctive Huskies flavor. "The players who have been invited, that have accepted an invitation and are going to be there, gives us an opportunity to see the best players in the ... Read Full Story

A daughter of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said Wednesday she's been hired by The Hartford Courant to help cover the six-time national championship team. Alysa Auriemma told The Associated Press that she'll regularly give an insider's viewpoint about her father and the team beginning this fall. The articles will be published on her blog and linked to the Courant's Web site, she said. She said The Courant is paying her "a pretty good amount per article" but declined to say how much she'll be paid. The 23-year-old, who graduated from UConn with a degree in dramatic arts, said she'll take readers behind the scenes, ... Read Full Story