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By Cole Sullivan
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The sports world witnessed the viral postgame altercation between head coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley last Friday following South Carolina’s upset victory over UConn in the Final Four.
After Staley’s team won, she approached midcourt for the postgame handshake. Auriemma, however, refused to participate and erupted at her over something she appeared to have no recollection of, leading to the two being separated.
After the matchup, Auriemma revealed that he was upset because Staley left him waiting at center court for three minutes before their handshake, something he described as proper “protocol” in college basketball.
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The next morning, Auriemma issued an apology for his actions, though some criticized him for not even mentioning Staley by name.
On Tuesday, following Staley’s own statement — in which she said she had spoken with Auriemma and urged everyone to move on — Auriemma released a more in-depth second apology, this time directly addressing Staley.
“This morning, Dawn Staley and I spoke about our interaction after the game last Friday," Auriemma said. "I apologized to Dawn, her staff, and her team. I’ve lost more games in the Final Four than any coach in history. But Friday, I lost something more important.
“I lost myself. Those who know me know I have nothing but respect and admiration for the game and the coaches who coach it. Dawn and her team deserved to win, and they deserved better from me. Women’s basketball deserved better.
"My university, my athletes, my former players, and our fans deserved better. Dawn and I have agreed to move on, and we hope the focus will shift back to the growth of women’s basketball. The game deserves it.”
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It appears the two have put everything behind them, and despite South Carolina defeating UConn in the semifinals, it was the UCLA Bruins who ultimately emerged as national champions after beating the Gamecocks on Sunday.
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