After a dominant 85 - 41 home victory against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Wednesday, the longtime Connecticut Huskies head women's basketball coach, Geno Auriemma, notched his career win No. 1,217. This remarkable achievement has placed him above the recently retired Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer as the one with the most wins in women's or men's college basketball history.

Plans for Celebration

Everyone who played for Auriemma and his longtime assistant, associate head coach Chris Dailey, was invited back to campus to celebrate. Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Napheesa Collier, Rebecca Lobo, and Kelly Faris were among the former greats at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. Auriemma expressed his gratitude, saying, "Everything about Connecticut basketball is special. The crowd tonight, the fan base, our former players - everyone here treats it unlike any other place in the country. To be able to have this kind of accomplishment here is truly remarkable."

Honors and Gifts

Connecticut governor Ned Lamont unveiled a road sign that read, "Welcome to Connecticut: Home of the Winningest Coach in Basketball History," as the crowd chanted "Geno! Geno!". UConn players Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Caroline Ducharme gave Auriemma a framed Huskies jersey with the number 1,217 while wearing shirts with his face on it. Nike also presented Auriemma and Dailey with a custom ladder to commemorate the 11 times they have cut down the nets after winning national championships. The 65 - year - old Dailey thanked her family, friends, and the student section for their support over the years. She said, "You are the reason I stayed in coaching. Some of you might be the reason I get out of coaching. I can't express how much it means to me to have you here. You have taught me more than I could have taught you."

Player Gratitude

Many players spoke at the postgame celebration to express their gratitude to Auriemma. 42 - year - old Diana Taurasi, considered one of the greatest women basketball players ever, said, "Banners, Hall of Famers, MVP's, champions, player of the years - we always come back because of you, coach. We come back because of you and don't you ever forget that. We love you." Auriemma has led UConn to 11 NCAA Championships, the most among any head basketball coach. He has guided the Huskies to six perfect seasons since 1985.

Record - Breaking Milestone

The 70 - year - old Auriemma is the only head coach to win at least 1,200 games at one school. Former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski holds the men's basketball wins record with 1,202 victories. After the Huskies' win, VanDerveer congratulated Auriemma, calling it "yet another outstanding milestone in a career filled with them." She said, "The level of success he has maintained at UConn over four decades will never be duplicated. His tremendous legacy extends far beyond any number of wins. It lives in the lives of the countless young women he has positively influenced throughout his career. Congratulations to Geno and Chris on this incredible accomplishment."Wednesday's win helped the Huskies improve to 4 - 0 on the season. UConn was led by star senior guard Paige Bueckers, who finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Freshman forward Sarah Strong added a game - high 20 points. Fudd, who made her season debut after a knee injury that kept her out for more than a year, scored four points in 13 minutes. The Huskies are next scheduled to play on November 25 against Oregon State at the Baha Mar Convention Center in the Bahamas.