Norristown native Geno Auriemma became the winningest coach in college basketball history on Wednesday with his 1,217th victory, reports Emma Baccellieri for Sports Illustrated.

The milestone came with a decisive 85–41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson, celebrated by 63 alumnae spanning decades of UConn basketball. From benchwarmers to Olympians like Diana Taurasi, they all credited Auriemma for shaping them as players and people.

When Auriemma took over UConn women’s basketball in 1985, the program barely merited a blip on the media radar. The team didn’t even have its own locker room, and Auriemma’s first season ended with a dismal 12–15 record.

A decade later, the narrative had flipped. UConn’s undefeated 1995 championship season generated a lot of media attention but was just the beginning of a dynasty. Today, “UConn women” is shorthand for dominance, with 11 national championships and 23 Final Four appearances under Auriemma.

At 70, Auriemma remains a towering figure in the sport, still winning in an era transformed by NIL and the transfer portal. His success required more than strategy—it demanded a personality that pushed players to greatness, sometimes painfully. “He’ll pound away at you,” Taurasi said, “…But it’s like he says: ‘You’re going to prove me right. Or prove me wrong.’ And I’m always determined to prove him wrong. You see, you hate him in a way you need to.”

Read more about Geno Auriemma’s winning legacy in Sports Illustrated.