South Carolina Fans Boo UConn Coach Geno Auriemma at Women's Final

Auriemma's Huskies missed the championship game, but he still drew jeers from the crowd.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 9:51pm

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Geno Auriemma, the head coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, was loudly booed by fans of the South Carolina Gamecocks during the pregame introductions for the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship game in Phoenix, Arizona. Auriemma's Huskies failed to make the title game, but the longtime UConn coach still drew the ire of the partisan South Carolina crowd.

Why it matters

Auriemma has led UConn to 11 national championships, making him one of the most successful and polarizing figures in women's college basketball. His teams' dominance over the past two decades has made him a target for opposing fans, who often boo him during big games.

The details

As the Jumbotron at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix showed Auriemma's face during the pregame introductions, the South Carolina fans in attendance loudly booed the UConn coach. Auriemma has a long history of success against the Gamecocks, including eliminating them from the NCAA Tournament several times.

  • The incident occurred just before the tip-off of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship game on April 5, 2026.

The players

Geno Auriemma

The longtime head coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, who has led the Huskies to 11 national championships.

South Carolina Gamecocks

The women's basketball team from the University of South Carolina, who were playing in the 2026 NCAA championship game against UCLA.

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The takeaway

The booing of Geno Auriemma by South Carolina fans underscores the intense rivalries and emotions that exist in women's college basketball, where the UConn coach's sustained success has made him a lightning rod for opposing fan bases.