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Geno Auriemma confirms conversation with Dawn Staley, further apologizes for postgame altercation

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz04/08/26NickSchultz_7

Tuesday night, Geno Auriemma released a new statement regarding his postgame altercation with Dawn Staley at the Final Four. The UConn coach further apologized for the incident and confirmed he spoke with Staley on Tuesday.

Auriemma and Staley had a heated conversation in the postgame handshake line following South Carolina’s victory over UConn. The interaction occurred after Auriemma directly called out Staley during his in-game interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, comments he later said he did not regret. He released a statement Saturday apologizing for what happened.

Staley also released a statement Tuesday and said she spoke with Auriemma about what happened. Tuesday night, the UConn headman said the two had a conversation and they both agreed to move forward.

“This morning, Dawn Staley and I spoke about our interaction after the game last Friday,” Auriemma said. “I apologized to Dawn, her staff and her team. I’ve lost more games in the Final Four than any coach in history. But Friday I lost something more important. I lost myself. Those who know me know I have nothing but respect and admiration for the game and the coaches who coach it. Dawn and her team deserved to win, and they deserved better from me.

“Women’s basketball deserved better. My university, my athletes, my former players and our fans deserved better. Dawn and I have agreed to move on, and we hope the focus will shift back to the growth in women’s basketball. The game deserves it.”

The altercation occurred as time ticked away on South Carolina’s victory over UConn, which sent the Gamecocks to the national championship once again. When asked after the game about what happened, Geno Auriemma attempted to downplay the situation, telling reporters, “I said what I had to say.” But after a follow-up, he said he waited for a pregame handshake with Staley that did not occur.

Staley did not address the situation after that game or after the loss to UCLA in the national championship. But Tuesday, she released a statement that said she talked with Auriemma and asked fans to “turn the page.”

“With the college women’s basketball season behind us, it’s time to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,” Staley said. “I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear – I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball.

“The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from. So, I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most – continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward. That’s always been my mission, and it’s not changing.”