Taurasi Discusses Ongoing Rivalry Between Coaches Auriemma and Staley

Former Huskies standout Diana Taurasi shared her perspective on the rivalry between South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and longtime Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, particularly in light of recent tensions during the Final Four.

Although Taurasi, who played under Auriemma from 2000 to 2004 and was teammates with Staley during the 2004 Olympics, didn’t explicitly take sides, she referred to the UW-South Carolina matchup as a rivalry that “continues to exist.” She pointed out the competitive spirit of both coaches in an interview.

“These two individuals from Philadelphia are incredibly competitive,” Taurasi said while speaking on SiriusXM. “You can label it however you want regarding last night’s situation. In my view, it’s just two people competing at the highest level, with a lot of mutual respect.”

Things escalated when Auriemma confronted Staley in the handshake line following South Carolina’s victory over the Huskies in the Final Four. Auriemma expressed his frustration about Staley not shaking his hand before the game, a claim contradicted by a video that surfaced post-game.

During another ESPN interview later that week, Auriemma made allegations about South Carolina’s tactics, suggesting they were “beating our players” and criticized the actions of their coaching staff, which included some “rants” that he felt were inappropriate.

Auriemma later issued an apology, which, although it didn’t mention Staley by name, clearly addressed the unacceptable nature of his behavior.

Taurasi reflected on the rivalry’s history, reminiscing about the times when Tennessee was a powerhouse in women’s basketball. “We always wanted to beat them. It’s about wanting to be the best,” she remarked during the SiriusXM interview. “What Dawn has built at South Carolina is truly remarkable. It’s a strong program. Connecticut remains formidable, but it’s tough when expectations are so high, especially after a loss at this level.”

She concluded by affirming that this rivalry is here to stay. Meanwhile, the University of South Carolina, which faced UW in last year’s championship, is gearing up to play UCLA on Sunday, aiming for their third title in five years.