When you’ve been behind the bench for as long as 41 years, you’re going to see many players play through your program.
For Geno Auriemma, the winningest coach in Division I college basketball, this seems to be the case.
Legendary players like Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart have walked into the halls of Gampel Pavilion, all of them proving why Connecticut is the Basketball Capital of the World during their time in a UConn jersey.
With 12 National Championships, 25 final four appearances, 29 conference tournament wins and 31 regular season titles under their belt, UConn is one of the most coveted and successful women’s basketball programs.
While a talented and well-rounded roster is integral to winning in college basketball, Connecticut has proved it takes a little bit more than that.
It’s about being connected with your teammates and supporting one another through thick and thin.
It’s about sisterhood.
The current UConn roster is often seen dancing before their games, making TikTok’s with one another and helping one another through injuries.
Ayanna Patterson, a current redshirt sophomore, cited Caroline Ducharme as one of her main supporters when both were cheering for their team on the sidelines due to injuries that ended their seasons.
“[Ducharme] has helped me along the way with everything and just keeping me motivated, keeping me confident in everything I was able to do,” Patterson said to the media ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
This camaraderie between teammates spans beyond this season’s roster, though.
When Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd went through season-ending injuries, they were there for each other as well.
“Just to have those bonded and shared experiences with each other… it just bonds you immensely,” Bueckers said to the media during the Final Four last year.
Aside from injuries, the alumnae from the squad have been known to come back to campus. Whether that be for a celebration for a former player, to help at practice or just to stop by, UConn’s former program members know they are always welcome back.
“It happens so fast,” Bird said to the media when asked about her college career. “I think there’s one aspect of when you connect with younger players. You want to remind them of that. Like, this happens fast, enjoy it.”
During their 2024-2025 season, Auriemma surpassed the all-time wins record, with 1,217, making him the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history.
Bird, including more than 60 of Auriemma’s former players, were in attendance to support their former college coach.
“This is a program that is built on teams, built on celebrating one another and never celebrating yourself,” former UConn player Rebecca Lobo said at Auriemma’s ceremony.
The players on the current squad have spoken before on how special it is to be part of a program that is so rich in history and to see Bird or Taurasi at a practice is just a normal day.
“It’s so special that those amazing, legendary players love still coming back here no matter what and I think that speaks volumes of Coach [Auriemma] and [Chris Dailey] and the culture they built here,” Ashlynn Shade said.
Now, as the current roster is shifting their focus to the Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz. as their quest continues for the 13th National Championship.
As the top-ranked seed in this year’s tournament, the squad’s depth has been the Achilles’ heel for their various opponents throughout the season.
Although, their success is more than just what meets the eye on the court.
“A big part of me coming here was how well I meshed with them, even on my visit,” Serah Williams said after this year’s Selection Sunday show. “As soon as I stepped foot on campus, it kind of felt like I [had] been on the team for like years already. They’re just like sisters.”
Every time the team gathers for a huddle during games, they put their hands together and yell, “Together!”
It’s a testament to the program Auriemma has built and the standard he sets for his players.
“It never leaves you; it’s always with you,” Auriemma said on the UConn standard.
Various alumnae of Auriemma’s program, including Stewart and Napheesa Collier, have made their mark in the world of women’s basketball.
Although these players always manage to find their way back to Storrs.
“When you come here, you are born into a sisterhood, and you have that for life,” Shade said
UConn will take on Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday as part of the Final Four, with a tip-off time of 7 p.m. EST.