SENIOR UCONN PLAYERS

TINA CHARLES
Tina Charles was born December 5, 1988, in Jamaica, New York. Tina played basketball at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, NY. After averaging 26.5 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots per game her senior year, she was named WBCA National Player of the Year, “Miss Basketball” for New York state, and was selected as a McDonald’s All-American and New York City Player of the Year by Newsday, the Daily News and the New York Post. She was the leading scorer on the team that won 57 consecutive games, leading to a USA Today #1 ranking in the country after an undefeated season in 2006 and became the WBCA All-American. She participated in the 2006 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored fifteen points and had twelve rebounds. During high school, Charles played on the AAU club basketball team, the New York Gazelles.

In 2009, Charles led the UConn Huskies to a national title as a junior. She was named Final Four MOP and one of the 10 players on the State Farm All-America team during Final Four weekend. Tina made a comment to ESPN, during a post-championship interview, in regards to the tradition of sports champions who visit the White House after their title game victories. She said she told Barack Obama, "...we'll be here soon, baby!"

Tina was invited to the USA Basketball Womens National Team training camp in the fall of 2009, one of only three college players invited. The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The 2012 Olympics team will be chosen from these participants. At the conclusion of the training camp, thirteen of the nineteen invitees will be selected to travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they compete in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational. On October 5th, 2009, Charles was selected to be one of the team members to travel to the 2009 Ekaterinburg International Invitational. She was the only college player on the team. She contributed to the USA Basketball win at the Ekaterinburg Tournament and had double-digit scoring in all three games, with the second game, against Euro-leasing Sopron, her best result, scoring 15 points in only 13 minutes of play. She was named the USA Basketball 2009 Female Athlete Of The Year, for her contributions to the Gold Medal earned at the 2009 USA Women's World University Games, the Gold Medal earned at the 2009 Ekaterinburg International Invitational, and the undefeated season leading to a National Championship.

On 13 February 2010, before the game vs. St. John's, Tina became the 12th UConn Women's basketball player to be recognized in the Huskies of Honor and was the 2nd player to be honored while still a player. The first was Renee Montgomery the year before. On 1 March, 2010, she broke two UConn records on the same night. Her fifth rebound made her the all-time leading rebounder at UConn, surpassing Rebecca Lobo's fifteen year-old record of 1268. Charles became the leading scorer in UConn history. She started the night in third place in career scoring, behind Kerry Bascom and Nykesha Sales. Sales had scored 2,178 points and Bascom 2,177 in their careers. During the game she surpassed both to become the leading scorer in UConn history. Charles was one of twenty players named to the national team pool. Twelve of this group will be chosen to represent the USA in the 2010 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics. Tina Charles was named the Big East Conference Player of the Year for 2010. She is majoring in psychology with a minor in criminal justice. She anticipates working in corrections at the close of her basketball career. Currently, she is an intern at Bergin Correctional Institute, working six hours a week helping prisoners adjust back to life in society.

JACQUIE FERNANDES
Jacquie Fernandes story is one of unexpected opportunity and perpetual gratitude, of knowing her place in UConn and understanding how to utilize it. "I didn't set my expectations too high," said Fernandes, one of five UConn seniors. "I just was grateful to be in the situation I was in, and I promised myself that I would take each experience for what it was; not to expect too much from anything. I didn't want to disappoint myself."

Fernandes averaged 18.7 points and 3.5 steals as a senior at Stonington High and helped the team to a 24-2 record and the 2006 Class M title. She was named All-State, but no Division I school recruited her. But someone very significant noticed her. "I remember going to a couple of her games and thinking to myself that she's a tough kid, a smart player," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "And I don't know what made me ask, but I asked where she was playing in college and I was told no one was recruiting her in Division I." Geno's hopes were maybe she'd want to come to UConn. And when he talked to her and her parents and told them what the deal was, they were thrilled. The deal was, she could try out for the team as a non-scholarship player.

"Coach Auriemma knocked on my door, totally out of the blue," Fernandes said. "I tried to block all of the rumors out of my mind and the next thing I knew I was at UConn watching a practice. Coach told me he wanted me on his team and I'm thinking, I've got to slow down here. It was an easy decision to make. Who wouldn't want to play basketball at UConn?" She earned a scholarship as a freshman and Auriemma has personally renewed it each year.

"I've always wanted to get as much playing time as I can get, but I know and the coaches know that's not going to happen," Fernandes said. "But in return, I get to play basketball for two or three hours every day with the best players in the country, so I know my game was going to improve."

MEGHAN GARDLER
Meghan Gardler is a senior and a Forward for the UConn Huskies. She comes from a basketball family and has played basketball her whole life. Her father is a basketball coach and was UConn Coach Auriemma’s high school coach. Her dad, brother and sister-in-law all played Division I basketball at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Meghan said her most memorable moment was while at UConn she has gone the White House, met President Obama and even got to play basketball with him. Every year the men and women championship teams get to go to the White House and meet the President. Meghan also said, “Of course, winning the National Championship is a great memorable experience too.” When Meghan came to UConn for her visit she met the team and loved it. She said she fell in love with everything about UConn, what it had to offer, the history, and the team. Meghan didn’t really know what to expect when she arrived at UConn but feels her transition was smooth. She said she had a lot of support from upperclassmen and the coaches. They were really understanding that she was a freshman, and didn't really know where she was going or what she was doing at first. Final Four Bound: When asked what it will take to reach the Final Four again this year Meghan’s response was, “A lot, a lot, a lot of hard work. We’ve lost our true captain and point guard Rene Montgomery to graduation so we’re all going to have to fill in for her.”

KALANA GREENE
Kalana Greene reported for duty, year No. 5 at UConn, and she realized her role had changed. There was no Renee Montgomery to holler the Huskies through practice, no one, really, to follow this time around. She knew she had to be more of a leader. Kalana said, "It was needed. I didn't bring it to practice every day last year, I admit that. I was complacent. This year, I knew I had to set the tone, I couldn't tell everyone else to bring it if I wasn't bringing it." So she stepped into that void left by Montgomery and the Huskies 33-0 record shows that a beat has yet to be skipped.

Kalana walked away from her last Big East tournament, her last game in Connecticut, with the Most Outstanding Player trophy. "She took more ownership of the team," Moore said. "All year long, she took it upon herself, she was going to do it if something needed to be done." To become more vocal, Greene had to stray from her comfort zone. Her junior season was cut short by a knee injury, giving her the chance for another year of eligibility. She did not commit to coming back for a fifth year until very late last season, but she has used the extra season to grow into the leadership role. Her teammates noticed the difference as she became more vocal, more of a leader which was just what they needed.

Coach Geno Auriemma said, "Kalana came into this season, and she knew she couldn't be satisfied to just go with the flow and take what came her way. So she decided she wanted more for herself because the team needed it, and that is her personality. That's why all the players love her, and why all the coaches and the staff love her. That's who she is."

Greene, with her ability to penetrate and hit acrobatic, fall-away shots, stands out. Auriemma jokes that opposing teams should just stay away from her. The season moves into its final stage for the Huskies, where senior leadership often becomes more important and Greene says she's ready to provide it. "I'm the fifth year senior, I'm the one who has been around the block," she said. "So to me, I don't think I have an option. Coming back for that fifth season, it has helped me become a better player, a better leader and a better person."

KAILI McLAREN
Kaili McLaren is in her senior year as a Forward for the UConn Huskies. She used to be a swimmer but became interested in basketball. Her brother got her interested in basketball. He used to shoot baskets after she had swim practice so she asked if she could join him, and she just fell in love with it. Kaili’s most memorable experience while at UConn was just before the start of her junior year, when the team took a road trip to Camp Jewell, in the northwest corner of Connecticut. The bond that developed after that trip was amazing. No one could break through their bond and it clearly showed with the way the season ended, winning 39 and losing 0 games, and winning the National Championship. At Camp Jewell, they had no technology, no I-pods, no cell phones, just each other. And that bond still shines true this season.
Her most memorable basketball experience before coming to UConn was winning the city title during her high school junior year. They were picked to come in third in the league but ended up winning the league and went on to win the city title.
Kaili made her decision to come to UConn after visiting the school. She came during the super show, the night before the official day college basketball season begins each school puts on a fun evening of scrimmages, 3 point contests, etc. She said, “I felt and saw the whole family atmosphere, and how everyone wanted you to be successful, and they all wanted you to do well.” Her transition from high school to college was difficult, but when you have the right people around you, it makes it a lot easier.
Final Four Bound: “It took discipline to get to the Final Four last year, and it’s having discipline and listening to what coach says that continues to make us winners."
COACH GENO AURIEMMA
Geno Auriemma was born March 23, 1954 in Montella, Italy. He is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies womens basketball team, in which Auriemma has led the Huskies to six National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championships in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2009. He has captured six national Naismith College Coach of the Year awards. His family emigrated to Norristown, Pennsylvania when he was seven years old. He spent the rest of his childhood there. After graduating from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 1977, Auriemma was hired as an assistant coach at Saint Joseph's University, where he worked in 1978 and 1979. He then took a two year absence from college basketball, serving as an assistant coach at his former high school, Bishop Kenrick. He then became an assistant coach with the University of Virginia Cavaliers in 1981. Auriemma became a United States citizen in 1994, he finally decided to become a citizen when his UConn team was slated to tour Italy that summer and he was concerned about potential problems.

Before Auriemma, the Huskies had posted just one winning season in their entire history. As was true at many schools at the time, Connecticut did not have a strong commitment to womens sports. Both players and coaches had to scrap for facilities and resources. Eventually, some students wishing to form a soccer team threatened to sue the university. The Trustees went on record supporting womens sports, and the administration decided to provide more support especially for sports with a potential for revenue, such as womens basketball. The decision to hire a new coach was part of this commitment to strengthen the womens sports at Connecticut. Geno was in the last of a series of interviews conducted by the search staff. Most of the other candidates were highly qualified female coaches. Ironically, one of those included in the interview process was Chris Dailey, who would become Auriemma's assistant, and is currently the Associate Head Coach at UConn. Dailey was identified as the one likely to receive an offer if Auriemma turned down the offer.

Connecticut quickly rose to prominence after Auriemma was hired in August 1985. They finished 12–15 in Auriemma's first season, his only losing season at Connecticut. Since then, Connecticut has finished above .500 for 23 consecutive seasons, including three undefeated seasons, 1994–95, 2001–02, and 2008–09, and an NCAA record streak of 72 consecutive wins. At the end of the 2008–2009 season, Auriemma's record as a head coach is 696-122, for an .851 winning percentage. That winning percentage is the highest among Division I active coaches. His career in Storrs includes an amazing 14 seasons with 30 or more wins. UConn has won 6 National Championships under Auriemma: 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2009. They have made the Final Four 10 times: 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009. Auriemma has guided UConn to 15 Big East regular season titles and 14 Big East Tournament titles.

The team has been especially successful on its home court. They tied an NCAA womens basketball record with 69 consecutive home wins between 2000 and 2003. Between Auriemma's arrival and the close of the 2005 season, they have won 295 games versus just 31 losses. At Gampel, the team has set Big East Conference records for both single game and season long attendance. Geno is known for his success in cultivating individual players, and the nine multiple All-America players; Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti, Kara Wolters, Nykesha Sales, Svetlana Abrosimova, Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore, whom Auriemma has coached, have combined to win five Naismith College Player of the Year awards, five Wade Trophies, and three NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards. Every recruited freshman who has finished her eligibility has graduated with a degree.

The rivalry between the Huskies and the University of Tennessee Lady Vols has extended to Auriemma's relationship with Volunteers counterpart Pat Summitt. The two, through print and broadcast media, are often at odds. At the end of the 2008–2009 season, Auriemma had slightly surpassed Summitt among active Division I coaches for career winning percentage, with Auriemma at .851 and Summitt at .839. Summitt has two more National Championships than Auriemma however. Rumors of tension between Auriemma and men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun were widely circulated, but the two apparently reconciled after the teams won national championships, on consecutive nights, in 2004. Pat Summitt declined to continue the yearly game in June, 2007, to the disappointment of WCBB fans, but the prospect of NCAA match-ups between UConn and Tennessee will keep the rivalry alive.

Geno Auriemma has posted some impressive numbers during his tenure at UConn. Since achieving its 1st #1 ranking in the 1994–1995 season, UConn is 186-10 when playing as the nation's #1 team. He also boasts a record of 127-52 against top 25 opponents and a 57-35 record against top 10 opponents. He won his 600th game on New Year's Eve 2006, accomplishing the feat in a mere 716 games, tying him with Phillip Kahler for the fastest womens basketball coach to reach that milestone. Geno won is 700th game on Black Friday November 27, 2009 in just 822 total games becoming the fastest head coach to that milestone in the history of college basketball at any level men or women. He is now one of 8 active womens college basketball coaches to currently have 700 or more wins. Geno was a member of the inaugural class of 2006 of inductees to the University of Connecticut womens basketball "Huskies of Honor" recognition program.

In 2006, Auriemma was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee
During the college basketball off-season, Auriemma serves as an analyst for games of the Womens National Basketball Association broadcast on the American cable television networks ESPN and ESPN2, in which capacity he often critiques his former players. In November 2007, Geno was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, in a class that included Dick Vermeil, Mike Scioscia, Fred Couples, and others. Auriemma is close friends with Saint Joseph's University basketball head coach Phil Martelli and his son, Mike Auriemma, attends and plays basketball at Saint Joseph's. He was named the 2009 USBWA National Coach of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Auriemma served as an assistant coach to the gold medalist 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. On April 15, 2009 he was selected to lead USA Basketball Women's National Team in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in the Czech Republic and if the USA qualifies, he will coach the team in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Auriemma was named one of the 2010 co-winners of the Big East Conference Coach of the Year, an honor he shared with Mike Carey of the University of West Virginia.

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason

Connecticut (Big East) (1985–Present)
1985–1986 Connecticut 12–15 4–12 7
1986–1987 Connecticut 14-13 9-7 4
1987–1988 Connecticut 17-11 9-7 5
1988–1989 Connecticut 24-6 13-2 1 NCAA 1st round
1989–1990 Connecticut 25-6 14-2 1 NCAA 2nd round
1990–1991 Connecticut 29-5 14-2 1 NCAA Final Four
1991–1992 Connecticut 23-11 13-5 2 NCAA 2nd round
1992–1993 Connecticut 18-11 12-6 1 NCAA 1st round
1993–1994 Connecticut 30-3 17-1 1 NCAA Elite 8
1994–1995 Connecticut 35-0 18-0 1 NCAA Champions
1995–1996 Connecticut 34-4 17-1 1 NCAA Final Four
1996–1997 Connecticut 33-1 18-0 1 NCAA Elite 8
1997–1998 Connecticut 34-3 17-1 1 NCAA Elite 8
1998–1999 Connecticut 29-5 17-1 1 NCAA Sweet 16
1999–2000 Connecticut 36-1 16-0 1 NCAA Champions
2000–2001 Connecticut 32-3 15-1 1 NCAA Final Four
2001–2002 Connecticut 39-0 16-0 1 NCAA Champions
2002–2003 Connecticut 37-1 16-0 1 NCAA Champions
2003–2004 Connecticut 31-4 14-2 1 NCAA Champions
2004–2005 Connecticut 25-8 13-2 2 NCAA Sweet 16
2005–2006 Connecticut 32-5 14-2 2 NCAA Elite 8
2006–2007 Connecticut 32-4 16-0 1 NCAA Elite 8
2007–2008 Connecticut 36-2 17-1 1 NCAA Final Four
2008–2009 Connecticut 39-0 16-0 1 NCAA Champions
2009–2010 Connecticut 35-0 16-0 1 NCAA Tournament

Connecticut: 730-122 338-54

Total: 730-122