UConn coach Geno Auriemma apologizes for altercation with South Carolina's Dawn Staley

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UConn coach Geno Auriemma apologizes for altercation with South Carolina's Dawn Staley

Heather Burns, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sat, Apr 4, 2026 ·

4 min read

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PHOENIX — UConn coach Geno Auriemma issued a statement to apologize for his behavior at the end of the Huskies loss to South Carolina on Friday, April 3 in the Final Four.

UConn was riding a 54-game winning streak heading into the game and looking for a second consecutive championship but everything was overshadowed by an end-of-game exchange between Auriemma and Dawn Staley as they went to shake hands just before the final buzzer. The pair had a heated conversation before being separated by assistant coaches. Auriemma went back the locker room without shaking Staley or her team's hands.

"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 . 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."

South Carolina did not have much to say about the confrontation in her press availability on April 4.

"No distractions at this time. Concentrating on winning a national championship. That's it," Staley said.

She did admit that incident has created a diversion that has taken the spotlight off her team.

"That's a little disheartening, but at the same time, this is sports and sometimes things like this happen," Staley said. "... Just continue to focus on our team and their ability to advance in this tournament. And hopefully win another national championship."

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Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma bring intensity to SC‑UConn. See photos

The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, with emotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.

That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women’s basketball’s most prominent coaches.

Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women’s Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.

(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks and head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies exchange words during the fourth quarter in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley (R) yells at Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026.
(Patrick Breen/The Republic, Imagn Images)

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley yells out at the referee during their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game against the Connecticut Huskies at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.
(Joe Rondone/The Republic, Imagn Images)

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma yells to his team against South Carolina at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026.
(Patrick Breen/The Republic, Imagn Images)

Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies gestures during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks gestures during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)

Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks on during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Katharine Lotze, Getty Images)

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts in the first quarter against the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley yells to her team around an official against Connecticut at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026.
(Patrick Breen/The Republic, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemmare reacts during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center.
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)

In the middle of coaches shouting each other, South Carolina point guard Raven Johnson said she tried to support Staley.

"I honestly just saw her screaming. Something she doesn't usually do. I ran over to her quick," Johnson said." Like, I don't play about Coach Staley at all. We've been through a lot together. She fights for each one of us outside of basketball.

"When she's in situations like this, I'm always going to have her back. I don't know why I gave her a high five. I gave her a high five. She gave me one back. ... I was just trying to calm her down in the moment, yeah."

After initially saying "nothing, nothing" when asked what happened between him and Staley in his postgame press conference, Auriemma said he was upset because he waited for three minutes for her during a customary pregame handshake between coaches.

"For 41 years I've been coaching, 25 Final Fours and before the game, the protocol is you meet at halfcourt. Anybody ever see that before? Two coaches meet at halfcourt and shake hands. Correct? Ever see it? They announce it on the loud speaker. And I waited there for like 3 minutes," Auriemma said with a shrug. "So it is what it is."

ESPN cameras did show the two coaches met briefly in pregame, with Staley hugging Auriemma and several members of the UConn women's basketball team.

Staley also deflected when asked about the dustup in her postgame press conference. She said she wanted to keep the focus on the South Carolina victory.

"You can ask Geno the question," Staley said in the postgame news conference Friday when asked about the incident. "He's the one that initiated. I don't want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today."

The Gamecocks will face UCLA in the national championship at 3:30 p.m. ET at Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday, April 5. Staley will be vying for her for her fourth title.

UConn, meanwhile, is headed back to Storrs, Connecticut without a 13th title. Fifth-year senior Azzi Fudd played her final game with the Huskies. National player of the year Sarah Strong will return next season.

During the second Final Four semifinal broadcast between UCLA and Texas , ESPN's Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo, a former UConn star, discussed the Staley-Auriemma exchange and postgame comments.

Ruocco: "Probably a moment he would like to have back. He doesn't feel that way yet according to the comments coming from the podium now."

Lobo: "Geno Auriemma, this is his 25th Final Four, 13 times he has gone out without a championship, and every other time he has lost with class. And frustrating to see what transpired at the end of that game."

This story was updated to add more information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn coach Geno Auriemma apologizes for behavior after Final Four loss

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