Auriemma: Sports Amid Pandemic Mirror Campus Complications

STORRS, CT — Using a term that has become fashionable since college sports came to a crashing halt in March, this week was supposed to mark the reopening of athletics at the University of Connecticut with the Huskies officially becoming members of the Big East Conference once again.

But the realist in UConn women's bsketball coach Geno Auriemma ackowedged that lingering uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic has presented just as many questions as answers, both in terms of athletics and campus life in general.

Normally, a Hall of Fame coach calls a timeout, makes and adjustment and forges ahead. But as Auriemma talked to members of the media in a mid-week conference call, he seemed to be facing a logistical zone press that continually slaps a hard-to-split double team on a team's offense with the looming potential for a turnover hovering over the court.

"It felt like we were back (in the Big East) after the announcement (about a year ago)," Auriemma said.

With that out of the way, "back" then became an operative term when describing the bigger picture.

"A month ago, we were on the right track here in Connecticut," Auriemma said. "We seemed ready to bring our players back and now other areas are setting records (with positive cases)."

Auriemma then paused ...

"We're planning as if it's going to happen."

But making it happen has been complicated. A normal start to school for some of the athletes can start in July, definitely by the beginning of August, Auriemma said. He acknowedged that there is a segment of the population that "doesn't give a damn about athletics" but at the same time athletics could be serving as a test case for reopening the campus.

"Each week goes by and we just don't know ... we just don't know," he said. "Every day, there are new guidelines, new protocols and new recommendations — like how to get in the building and what we can do when in the building. The program at UConn is meant to be a pilot program or a test run before more students arrive, but we just don't know."

Nothing can really begin until July 20, Auriemma said.

"The men are here and we are waiting," he said. "The football team will start arriving and that adds another layer. Soccer and field hockey players will arrive. It all seemed like a good idea when we planned it, but we just don't know a lot of things right now."

Auriemma said he considers the UConn campus "safe" and pointed to the 1,000 or so students who have remained on campus through the pandemic with no "positive tests."

"The coaches, players and parents have all kept in touch on Zoom, but it's not been the same," he said. "We lost our first session of summer school in late may into early July. We lost a chance to get the freshmen on campus to get a taste of what it's like to take classes, train and be around college players and to get acclimated before school starts."

He said it's true for all students and it's been tough even on those from the U.S.

Auriemma has three international student-athletes on his roster — sophomore Anna Makurat from Poland, freshman Nika Muhl from Croatia and freshman Aaliya Edwards from Ontario in Canada.

"Anna is enrolled, but it's still not an easy time for International flights. Mika is not in classes yet and the U.S. embassy is not open. With Aaliyah, the Canadian border closed," he said.

Auriemma said there is a slight discrepancy when it comes to sports that translates to not only his players but all international students.

"That's the way the world works these days," he said. "A lot of professional athletes are having no problems traveling, so we started asking why. We have good people in Washington DC asking questions. There are a lot of high-profile players from a lot of high-profile schools trying to get here and a lot of international students trying to get here."

Leave it to Auriemma to leave the conversation with a bit of humor.

"So what zone offense do we run? I don't know if we will have have five players or 10? Maybe we'll have to entist some of you knucklehead media people to practice with us."

There was a pause again

"I just don't know," he said. "I just don't know ..."