UConn's Auriemma and South Dakota State's Johnston have been in it for the long haul

Sport

UConn's Auriemma and South Dakota State's Johnston have been in it for the long haul

2025-03-22 05:51 Last Updated At：06:01

STORRS, Conn. -- (AP) — There were no thoughts of winning national championships or making annual trips to the Final Four when Geno Auriemma left his job as an assistant coach at Virginia to take over a UConn women's basketball program that had a 27-56 record in the previous three seasons.

Fourteen years later, Aaron Johnston took over a South Dakota State team that was still playing at the Division II level.

Now, they are together at the NCAA Division I women's basketball subregional hosted by UConn.

They are two of the seven women's Division I head coaches in the same role as the year that Johnston was hired. If coaching experience counts for anything, perhaps the Huskies and Jackrabbits will both come away with wins in the first round on Saturday. UConn plays Arkansas State on Saturday followed by the matchup between Oklahoma State and South Dakota State.

“There certainly aren’t a lot of us left, right?” said Auriemma, the NCAA women's basketball all-time leader with 1,244 career victories and 11 national titles. "I guess we missed the note on the portal. We have to find out if there’s a portal for coaches.

“I’m sure when he started and when I started, once you find a place that’s comfortable and they like you, you like them and you have some success, you reach a point where there is nowhere to go. There is nowhere to go because you don’t want to.”

With All-American guard Paige Bueckers leading the way, the only place Auriemma is looking to go is to the Final Four in Tampa.

South Dakota State is in the tournament for the 13th time in the last 17 seasons. Johnston could have moved onto a bigger program but he has found a home with the Jackrabbits.

“There are a lot of things that go into these things, at least for us,” Johnston said. “It is not always specifically the job or what the next job is. There are a lot of things on the court and off the court that are important. South Dakota State has been a great place to be for my family and our extended families. Watching our team compete, there have been so many really great players. We just haven't had players in the transfer portal very often so it is just a place where we all try to figure out what's best for us and gives us the most joy. South Dakota State has been a great home for me but also the players over the years.”

Wynter Rogers couldn’t help but laugh when asked about any home visits from the Arkansas State women’s basketball coach when she landed in the transfer portal following her freshman season at West Virginia.

The Red Wolves head coach is none other than her older sister Destinee. No there was no drawn-out recruiting process to navigate. Wynter knew that nobody could get more out of her than the person who inspired her to become a basketball player.

“She is just a winner and I just wanted to play for her,” Wynter Rogers said. “I would say our relationship has gotten closer and closer. She is such a great coach. She has always pulled the best out of us and pushed us to be the best version of ourselves on and off the court.”

Destinee Rogers is 13 years older than Wynter. Little did they know during their days growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas that they would make history by becoming the first set of siblings to be head coach and star player in more than 40 years.

“This is a moment that we’ve talked about since she decided to come to Arkansas State,” Destinee Rogers said. “When she entered the transfer portal, immediately she said, I want to come play for you, and I want to help you win a championship.

“When we got an opportunity to raise that (Sun Belt tournament) trophy together and embrace each other and cry together, it just made it all worthwhile.”

Redshirt senior forward Aubrey Griffin had to wait until Jan. 19 to make her season debut for UConn. With three double-digit scoring games, she finally looked to get some good news in an injury-plagued career.

However, some pain in her knee resulted in Griffin missing the Big East tournament. Griffin was back on the court at Friday's practice and could play in the Huskies' NCAA tournament opener.

“It has been a little better than a couple of weeks ago,” said Griffin, who averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games this season. "The season has been a roller coaster but I am grateful to still be playing. I am taking it day by day and soaking it in.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.