AURIEMMA, Geno 1954-

PERSONAL:

Born 1954, in Montella, Italy; married; wife's name Kathy; children: Jenna, Alysa, Michael. Education: Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA, graduated 1974; West Chester University, B.A., 1981.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Division of Athletics, University of Connecticut, 2095 Hillside Rd., Unit 3078, Storrs, CT 06269-3078. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Basketball coach and writer. Bishop McDevitt High School, Wyncote, PA, assistant girls' basketball coach, 1976-1978; Bishop Kenrick High School, Norristown, PA, boys' basketball coach, 1979-81; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, assistant women's basketball coach, 1981-85; St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA, assistant women's basketball coach, 1984; University of Connecticut, Storrs, head women's basketball coach, 1985—; Geno Auriemma's Fast Break (restaurant), Uncasville, CT, founder and owner, 2006—. Associated with the Geno Auriemma Camp; also served on the Kodak All-American Selection Committee, chair, 1992; National Senior All-Stars, cohead coach; USA Basketball Select Team, Colorado Springs, CO, head coach; USA World U. Games Women's Basketball Team, coach, 1995; West Team U.S. Olympic Festival, San Antonio, TX, head coach 1993; Why-Me of New England, chair.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Naismith National Coach of the Year, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002; Coach of Year, Associated Press (AP), 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003; Victor award, Women's Basketball Coaches Association, 1995, 1996, 2000; Women's Basketball National Coach of Year, 1997, 2000, 2002.

WRITINGS:

(With Jackie MacMullan) Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection (autobiography), foreword by Diana Taurasi, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Geno Auriemma is a long-time women's basketball coach who turned the team at the University of Connecticut into a perennial contender for the national collegiate Division I championship, which the team won in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004. In his autobiography, Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection, written with Jackie MacMullan, Auriemma begins his story with his parents' immigrant journey to the United States as he describes his adjustments to living in America as a poor immigrant with an Italian accent. The author and MacMullan recount Auriemma's career almost season by season and reflect on the phenomenal growth of women's basketball. Writing on the Curled Up with a Good Book Web site, Amanda Cuda commented that Geno "makes for a good brisk read." Noting Auriemma's reputation for sometimes being brusque and tough, Cuda added: "To his credit, Auriemma doesn't really apologize for his behavior, or make excuses. He just explains things from his point of view." A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that "it gives readers a chance to eavesdrop on the strategy of a hall-of-famer who chased perfection to the top." Wes Lukowsky, writing in Booklist, noted that Aureimma "manages to convey his investment in his players' growth as human beings."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Auriemma, Geno, and Jackie MacMullan, Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2006, Wes Lukowsky, review of Geno, p. 45.

Coach and Athletic Director, March, 2001, "Spell of the Uconn," profile of author, p. 61.

Hartford Courant, April 29, 2006, Jeff Goldberg, "Geno Reflects On Life: Emotions Mixed Upon Induction."

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 3, 2006, Mike Jensen, "Auriemma Equates Hall of Fame with Winning National Title."

Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2005, review of Geno, p. 47.

Sports Illustrated, March 8, 1999, Montville, Leigh, "Dynamic Tension," profile of author, p. 64; April 19, 2000, John Walters, "Something to Howl About," profile of author, p. 4; April 11, 2002, Lars Anderson, "All the Right Moves: Choreographed Like a Ballet, Geno Auriemma's System Was Executed to Perfection by the Big Dance Champs," p. 40; April 11, 2002, Richard Deitsch, "No Pain, No Gain," about author at work, p. 48; November 24, 2003, Frank DeFord, "Geno Auriemma + Diana Taurasi = Love, Italian Style," p. 124; June 20, 2005, "For the Record," brief note on author, p. 22; January 23, 2006, Richard Deitsch, "Q&A Geno Auriemma," p. 26.

ONLINE

Big East Conference Web site,http://www.bigeast.org/sports/ (May 1, 2006), "UConn's Geno Auriemma Inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame."

Curled Up with a Good Book,http://www.curledup.com/ (September 19, 2006), Amanda Cuda, review of Geno.

Geno Auriemma Camp Web site,http://www.genoauriemmacamp.com (September 19, 2006).

Hachette Book Group USA Web site,http://www.twbookmark.com/ (September 19, 2006), brief description of Geno.

Official Web site of the Basketball Hall of Fame,http://www.hoophall.com/ (September 19, 2006), "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Finalists for Election in 2006," includes brief profile of author.

Huskies Athletics Web site,http://www.uconnhuskies.com/ (September 19, 2006), "Geno Auriemma Fact Sheet."*