STORRS, Conn. — There have been no ideas of profitable nationwide championships or making annual journeys to the Last 4 when Geno Auriemma left his job as an assistant coach at Virginia to take over a UConn girls’s basketball program that had a 27-56 report within the earlier three seasons.
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Fourteen years later, Aaron Johnston took over a South Dakota State staff that was nonetheless enjoying on the Division II degree.
Now, they’re collectively on the NCAA Division I girls’s basketball subregional hosted by UConn.
They’re two of the seven girls’s Division I head coaches in the identical position because the 12 months that Johnston was employed. If teaching expertise counts for something, maybe the Huskies and Jackrabbits will each come away with wins within the first spherical on Saturday. UConn performs Arkansas State on Saturday adopted by the matchup between Oklahoma State and South Dakota State.
“There certainly aren’t a lot of us left, right?” stated Auriemma, the NCAA girls’s basketball all-time chief with 1,244 profession victories and 11 nationwide titles. “I guess we missed the note on the portal. We have to find out if there’s a portal for coaches.
“I’m sure when he started and when I started, once you find a place that’s comfortable and they like you, you like them and you have some success, you reach a point where there is nowhere to go. There is nowhere to go because you don’t want to.”
With All-American guard Paige Bueckers leading the way, the only place Auriemma is looking to go is to the Final Four in Tampa.
South Dakota State is in the tournament for the 13th time in the last 17 seasons. Johnston could have moved onto a bigger program but he has found a home with the Jackrabbits.
“There are a lot of things that go into these things, at least for us,” Johnston said. “It is not always specifically the job or what the next job is. There are a lot of things on the court and off the court that are important. South Dakota State has been a great place to be for my family and our extended families. Watching our team compete, there have been so many really great players. We just haven’t had players in the transfer portal very often so it is just a place where we all try to figure out what’s best for us and gives us the most joy. South Dakota State has been a great home for me but also the players over the years.” Red Wolves Keeping It All In The Family
Wynter Rogers couldn’t help but laugh when asked about any home visits from the Arkansas State women’s basketball coach when she landed in the transfer portal following her freshman season at West Virginia.
The Red Wolves head coach is none other than her older sister Destinee. No there was no drawn-out recruiting process to navigate. Wynter knew that nobody could get more out of her than the person who inspired her to become a basketball player.
“She is just a winner and I just wanted to play for her,” Wynter Rogers said. “I would say our relationship has gotten closer and closer. She is such a great coach. She has always pulled the best out of us and pushed us to be the best version of ourselves on and off the court.”
Destinee Rogers is 13 years older than Wynter. Little did they know during their days growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas that they would make history by becoming the first set of siblings to be head coach and star player in more than 40 years.
“This is a moment that we’ve talked about since she decided to come to Arkansas State,” Destinee Rogers said. “When she entered the transfer portal, immediately she said, I want to come play for you, and I want to help you win a championship.
“When we got an opportunity to raise that trophy together and embrace each other and cry together, it just made it all worthwhile.” Griffin Could Return For UConn
However, some pain in her back resulted in Griffin missing the Big East tournament. Griffin was back on the court at Friday’s practice and could play in the Huskies’ NCAA tournament opener.
“It has been a little better than a couple of weeks ago,” said Griffin, who averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games this season. “The season has been a curler coaster however I’m grateful to nonetheless be enjoying. I’m taking it day-to-day and soaking it in.
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