Geno Auriemma Apologizes For Running Up On Coach Dawn Staley—But Not Directly

April 7, 2026
“I have not heard from Geno.”
After a public, testy exchange between University of South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma following a South Carolina victory in the Women’s NCAA Final Four, Auriemma apologized—but not to Staley.
Cameras captured Auriemma shouting at Staley, who fired back. The two coaches had to be separated. The incident happened after South Carolina ended the University of Connecticut’s undefeated season with a 62-48 victory on April 3.
“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” he said in a written statement the following day. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”
He stated that he was peeved because Staley did not shake his hand before the contest.
Staley’s response: “For me, no distractions at this time. I’m concentrating on winning a national championship, that’s it. That’s a little disheartening. This is sports; sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”
The South Carolina Gamecocks lost to UCLA, 79-51, in the championship game.
According to USA Today, during the broadcast of that game, former UConn basketball player Rebecca Lobo, an ESPN analyst, said Auriemma apologized to Staley privately.
“Geno Auriemma certainly wrong in that moment, which he acknowledged in that apology yesterday,” Lobo said. “I know he has also since reached out personally to Dawn to apologize. It’s unfortunate that it happened.”
Staley said that did not happen.
“That’s a Geno question … I have not heard from Geno,” Staley said after the loss. “I don’t know if he texted or not, but … it’s UCLA’s day, right? Let’s keep (the conversation) on UCLA, them winning the national championship. I will address all of that at another time.”
But Staley’s reaction in the moment shows that not only was she fed up with Auriemma’s antics, but she expressed herself as most of us would in a similar situation.
Others reacted to what Staley had to endure for just doing a better job than her white counterpart.
Geno Auriemma's behavior toward Dawn Staley is a great encapsulation of how this country treats Black people who are better than them at their job.
UConn's coach refuses to shake hands with Dawn Staley 😳 This white man wanted to say the n-word while playing the victim card. pic.twitter.com/zyJh4KFvnY
If Geno Auriemma doesn’t deliver a full-throated apology to Dawn Staley for his sore loser antics & a recantation of his false claim and excuse that Staley did not shake his hand pregame, some of UConn’s future recruits need to rethink joining his program & take their talents… https://t.co/LYKe0gEOhn
Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike call out Geno Auriemma after UConn's loss to Dawn Staley and South Carolina in the NCAA Final Four pic.twitter.com/MLyPol0MEq
Let me be Clear: Geno Auriemma OWES Dawn Staley an apology for the verbal altercation he initiated, & to regain the class he left on the court. Focusing on Dawn's reaction afterwards–who's in a calm state before* Geno spoke–ignores the sequence of events captured on video. pic.twitter.com/64uYaOeFGJ
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