Will anyone be able to catch Geno Auriemma? UConn's coach calls trying to pass his wins record 'challenging'

UConn coach Geno Auriemma is officially the winningest coach in Division I history after registering win No. 1,217 on Wednesday, and the Huskies' mainstay is not going to be passed any time soon.

Only three coaches in men's and women's Division I basketball have ever reached the 1,200-win mark, and those other two are retired: Tara VanDeveer (1,216), and Mike Krzyzewski (1,202).

When it comes to active Division I coaches, North Carolina State women's basketball coach Wes Moore, 67, is second with 833 wins. For men's basketball, it is Arkansas' John Calipari, 65, with 816.

With an advantage of well of 350 victories, it would take any coach in the 800-club about 11 or 12 more 35-win seasons just to get close enough to be in that conversation -- and that assumes (incorrectly) that Auriemma just doesn't keep stacking wins at Storrs.

Auriemma is 70 and in his 40th season with the program. While being grateful for his recent accomplishment, he was honest about how difficult this journey could be for anyone who tries to break a record like this.

"The world's changed so much, the game's changing. The role of coaches is changing," he said. "I don't know that coaches are going to want to be spending 40 years doing the same thing in the environment that they're asked to do it in now. I would hope that there's some young coach out there that thinks that they can do it -- and there may be, you know -- but the environment is more challenging than it's ever been.

"Coaches are being treated with less respect than they ever have," he said. "They are really up against it if that's their goal. I wouldn't want to go back and do it over again, I'll tell you that."

Auriemma compared the job with being a parent who has to deal with their kids. He said there comes a time in parents' lives when their children grow up and you can take a step back.

"I never get a chance to do that because the minute they leave, three more wackos that are 18 years old come in and I gotta deal with that all over again," he joked.

Although Auriemma made sure to open up about how it is not all sunshine and rainbows, the coach also emphasized how fulfilling the journey has been for him.

"It's, oof, it's emotionally draining. But it's also tremendously inspiring too, to see [players] have success," he said. "This is something I would do for free."

Most wins, active Division I basketball coaches:

(as of Nov. 21, 2024)