"I wanna see how hard you wanna fight": UConn coach Geno Auriemma explains his definition of a 'competitor'

UConn coach Geno Auriemma shared his definition of being a competitor. In a video posted by player development coach and PGC Basketball director James Purchin on Sept. 11, Auriemma stated that a competitor is someone who keeps on fighting even when the chances of winning are less than zero percent.

The Monella, Italy-born coach makes it a point to test his team's competitiveness through drills. According to Auriemma, he makes sure that those drills are difficult to the point that a player has less than zero-percent chance of winning.

"If you still start to kill yourself trying to win even though you know you can't. That to me is a competitor," the 11-time women's NCAA-winning coach said.

"I wanna see how hard you wanna fight when you know you're gonna lose. That's when I know you're gonna fight to the end," added the three-time gold medalist.

After the drills, the Huskies coach makes sure his players get a piece of his mind and tells what it's all about.

"I'll let them figure it out but afterwards, I'll say, 'You know, here's what's gonna happen, the minute you know you're gonna lose. you quit. The minute you sense we can't win you stopped. Why not keep fighting? Why not keep trying? Why not keep getting after it because guess what, the other guy might quit but you never gave him a chance to quit. You quit first,'" Auriemma said.

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Geno Auriemma will open his 40th season as UConn coach with game against Boston University

Geno Auriemma (Image Source: IMAGN)

Geno Auriemma is set to start his 40th season as UConn coach against Boston University on Nov. 7. The Huskies are 4-0 in their head-to-head against the Terriers, which include a 96-38 pounding on Nov. 22, 2013.

Other notable nonconference opponents for Uconn in the 2024-25 women's basketball season are Notre Dame on Dec. 12, Iowa State on Dec. 17, USC on Dec. 21, Tennessee on Feb. 6 and defending champions South Carolina on Feb. 16.

UConn last won the national title in 2016, when it went 38-0 and defeated Syracuse in the final, 82-51. The team was led by Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck, who eventually became the top three WNBA Draft picks.

Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd will try to lead UConn to its first title since 2016 and No. 12 overall. The dynamic duo will have help from returnees Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold and top high school prospect Sarah Strong.