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The contract has been finalized and longtime UConn assistant coach Tonya Cardoza has officially become a head coach. She will be introduced as the new Temple women’s basketball coach Tuesday during a press conference in the Fox-Gittis Room at the Liacouras Center at 2 p.m.
Live video streaming will be available at www.owlsports.com.
Cardoza, 39, fills the void that was created when longtime friend and former Virginia teammate Dawn Staley left the program to take the same position at South Carolina May 7. Cardoza spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach under Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma.
The Huskies were a combined 465-41 with five national championships, eight Final Four appearances, 12 Big East regular season championships and 11 conference tournament championships during her tenure.
Cardoza worked primarily with the UConn guards and has developed into a strong recruiter. She played a key role in the development of Olympians and former Huskies All-Americans Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi and current UConn State Farm/WBCA All-American Renee Montgomery. She also served as a confidant for the players.

Rich

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UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma never had any doubt that a new contract would not get done. Neither did UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway. It was only a matter of time before Auriemma’s Hall of Fame tenure was extended.
Tuesday, such a deal was finalized. Auriemma has agreed to a five-year, $8 million contract extension that runs through April 15, 2013. The new deal goes into effect July 1.
“I want to thank President Michael Hogan and Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway for all their support,’’ Auriemma said. “The people of Connecticut have been very supportive of our program for over 20 years now. This new contract is a direct reflection of the university’s commitment to me and the commitment that my family and I have to the university.’’
Auriemma, 54, will earn $1.4 million this season. The figure will increase $100,000 annually until reaching a maximum of $1.8 million in 2012-13. This new deal makes him the highest paid coach in the history of the sport.
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt is currently the highest paid coach in women’s basketball. She agreed to a six-year deal May 22, 2006, one that averages $1.3 million per year, that runs through the 2011-12 season. Her salary will top out at 1.5 million in the final year of her contract.
Auriemma was in the fourth year of a five-year, $4.875 million deal that was set to expire June 30, 2009. Under his previous contract, he was due to earn $1.125 million beginning July 1.
Auriemma’s base salary of $300,000 in the first year of the new contract will increase $25,000 annually. He will also receive $1.1 million in the first year of the contract for speaking and media appearances. That sum will increase $75,000 annually.
The contract will also pay Auriemma one month’s base salary if the Huskies reach the NCAA tournament, two months if they reach the Final Four and three months of they win the national championship.
Auriemma will receive the greater of half a month’s base salary if he is named the national Coach of the Year or one-quarter of a month’s base salary if he is named the Big East Coach of the Year.
“The University of Connecticut is very pleased to announce this new contract,’’ Hathaway said. “We believe that Geno Auriemma is the finest women’s basketball coach in the country. He has brought great pride and honor to our institution for over two decades. Geno’s teams have achieved greatness on the court while also serving as some of the finest ambassadors in the history of the University.’’
Auriemma, who was inducted into the Women’s Basketball and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, has led UConn to a record of 657-122 in 23 seasons. He is a five-time Associated Press National Coach of the Year, a four-time Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year and a seven-time Big East Coach of the Year. He has also coached eight Olympians, six National Player of the Year recipients and 11 first-team All-Americans.
The Huskies have won five national championships under Auriemma, made nine Final Four appearances and have won 16 Big East regular season championships and 14 conference tournament championships.
UConn has also made 20 straight trips to the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 in each of the past 15 seasons.
“Like all of our other UConn coaches, Geno is an outstanding leader and educator for the young people in our program,’’ Hathaway said. “In addition, he has become a very active and respected member of our Connecticut community.’’

Rich

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A source familiar with the process Wednesday confirmed that UConn assistant coach Tonya Cardoza will be named the new head women’s basketball coach at Temple. The two sides are currently ironing out the final details of her contract.
A formal announcement is expected to be made Friday. Cardoza, 39, was ultimately chosen over Wake Forest associate head coach Natasha Adair.
Cardoza, who was in her UConn office Wednesday, would not comment on the situation until it becomes official. The job has been vacant since former head coach Dawn Staley accepted the same position at South Carolina May 7 after a successful eight-year run at Temple that included six NCAA tournament appearances and four Atlantic 10 championships.
Staley has endorsed Cardoza, a long-time friend and a former teammate at Virginia, since her departure. The two played on the Cavaliers’ 1991 Final Four team that defeated UConn in the national semifinals in New Orleans.
Cardoza’s first task as head coach will be to construct an entire coaching staff. Lisa Boyer and Cynthia Jordan have joined Staley at South Carolina. Fred Schmiel is now an assistant at San Diego State and Mary Wooley has left the profession in order to return to school.
Cardoza, who joined the UConn staff in 1994-95, spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach under Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma. The Huskies were a combined 465-41 with five national championships, eight Final Four appearances, 12 Big East regular season championships and 11 conference tournament championships during her tenure.
Cardoza worked primarily with the UConn guards and provided a powerful recruiting presence with a deft ability to identify talent. She played a key role in the development of Olympians and National Player of the Year honorees Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, and most recently State Farm/WBCA All-American Renee Montgomery and Ketia Swanier. She also had a knack for molding less heralded players, such as Maria Conlon, into steady contributors and has served as a confidant for the players.
There is currently no timetable for a replacement to be named.

Rich

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Despite being a finalist for both the Northwestern and George Washington head coaching positions in recent weeks Huskies assistant coach Jamelle Elliott will be returning to UConn for her 12th season. Former GW coach Joe McKeown was hired at Northwestern earlier this month and Colonials assistant Mike Bozeman was officially elevated to the head man there Tuesday.
The status of fellow long-time assistant Tonya Cardoza remains very much up in the air. She is a finalist for the opening at Temple, which was vacated by her friend and former Virginia teammate Dawn Staley. Staley left to become the head coach at South Carolina May 7.
A decision at Temple is expected to be made by the end of this week. Hall of Famer and women’s basketball guru Mel Greenberg reported that Wake Forest associate head coach Natasha Adair is also a finalist.
Staley has endorsed Cardoza, who has spent the last 14 seasons at UConn.
“If they hire Tonya, I will be thrilled for her and Temple will be getting a great addition,’’ Staley told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Rich

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UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has seen the toll that the recruiting process can take on a player. He’s been involved in this relentless, often cutthroat, process since he was an assistant coach at Virginia in the early 1980’s.
Auriemma has also been involved in the process as a parent, with his son, Michael, headed for St. Joseph’s. The experience has made it easy for him to relate to what prized recruit Elena Delle Donne, a 6-foot-5 guard from Wilmington Del., is going through at the present time.
Delle Donne left summer school at UConn and returned home June 3 just two days after her arrival. The timetable for her return remains unknown at this point. Auriemma, who competed in the Travelers Championship Celebrity Pro-Am today at the Tournament Players Club, said Delle Donne is not expected to enroll in the second summer session, which begins July 14.
“Everybody’s different, obviously,’’ Auriemma said. “If every single kid that you coach was identical that’d be an absolute miracle. Kids all have their own timetables. So I think in Elena’s case it’s just she’s not ready yet, and for whatever reason. So all you can do is just hope that she gets those issues resolved – whatever they be – and get a chance to move on from there.’’
Auriemma said that he continues to stay in touch with Delle Donne to ensure that she knows that nothing has changed from his perspective. With the likelihood that she will not attend summer school, the next target date for a potential return is the start of the fall semester Aug. 25.
Freshman point guard Caroline Doty is currently on campus. Incoming freshman Tiffany Hayes is due to arrive Sunday and incoming freshman center Heather Buck will attend the second summer session.
This is the second hiatus Delle Donne has taken in as many years. She declined to play for USA Basketball and shut down the recruiting process early last July before making an oral commitment to attend UConn late last August.
“I think there’s not a person in the world that doesn’t go through some sort of apprehension some times, especially when you’ve been the center of attention since you were 12,’’ Auriemma said. “Sometimes you just say, `Hey, look, I think it would be pretty good to just kind of lay low for a while.’’’
Delle Donne, who was competing at the varsity level at Ursuline Academy when she was in eighth grade, averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds in 15 games last season in leading the Raiders to their fourth state championship in five years. She finished her career with a state record – male or female – 2,818 points.
Auriemma also made it a point today to dispel any notion that Delle Donne’s departure had anything to do with an incident in which she was chastised by her teammates during a pick-up game or anything involving the coaching staff or the university.
“You get the dopes out there,’’ Auriemma said. “I had this one woman asking me, `Were you nice to Elena?’ I said, `No. You know what? I took the best player in the country. She came up here and in two days I managed to throw her off the team.’ People are just stupid sometimes. It’s an individual thing. It’s got nothing to do with UConn, the players, the coaches. Basketball itself. So all the speculation in the world and all the questions in the world doesn’t change the fact that when she’s ready she’ll make the necessary moves. But until then she’s home and doing the things that kids do during the summer after they graduate.’’

Rich

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UConn-bound recruit Kelly Faris, a 5-11 guard from Plainfield, Ind., was one of 12 players named to the 2008 USA Basketball Women’s U-18 National Team this morning. She was one of 35 players that attended the three-day trials this week in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Faris will be joined by current UConn recruits Kelsey Bone, a 6-5 center from Stafford, Texas, and Skylar Diggins, a 5-9 guard from South Bend, Ind. Rutgers incoming freshman guard Nikki Speed was also chosen.
“It’s a great honor to be invited to come here and be a part of the trials, but to hear your named called to be on that final 12 is a great feeling and I’m very excited,’’ Faris said. “It’s going to be fun playing with all of these girls. It’s everything. I’m speechless. It’s a great honor. We are representing everyone. It’s not just us as individuals or our school. It’s the entire United States, which is going to be an experience that we will never forget.’’
UConn incoming freshman Heather Buck and current Huskies recruit Tayler Hill, 5-foot-10 guard from Minneapolis, Minn., were not selected.
The U-18 National Team will train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs July 10-16 and in Washington, D.C. July 17-20 before departing for the FIBA Americas U-18 Championship for Women in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The zone qualifier will be held July 23-27, with the top four teams qualifying for the 2009 FIBA U-19 World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand next July 23-Aug. 2.
“It’s an indescribable feeling,’’ Diggins said. “Out of all the girls in the country, only 12 of us could make the team and they chose me to be one of them. I’m very happy. A lot of people dream of this. It is an amazing opportunity and we will take advantage of it and bring back the gold.’’
The U.S. is 28-2 all-time in the U-18/Junior Qualifiers and has won four gold medals (1988, 2000, 2004, 2006) and two silver medals (1992 and 1996).
“I kind of came in and was positive, but I can tell you that I have not slept in two days,’’ Bone said. “It was a sigh of relief and pure emotion. There’s nothing better than wearing these three letters across your chest at any level.’’

Former UConn National Player of the Year Kara Wolters will conduct the Kara Wolters Dream Big Basketball Camp for girls ages 8-15 July 21-25 at Staples High in Westport.
The registration fee is $225 and the camp will be held daily from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Log on to www.karawolters.com for more information.

Rich

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The pressure of being regarded as the No. 1 rated player in the Class of 2009 has not posed a problem for Kelsey Bone. She just won’t allow it to be a distraction.
Bone, a 6-foot-5 center from Sugar Land, Texas, has continued to fortify her spot at the top by working hard. And nothing has changed this week as she find herself competing for a spot on the 12-member U-18 National Team in Colorado Springs, Colo. There are 34 other players, including incoming UConn freshman Heather Buck and UConn-bound recruit Kelly Faris, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center with the same goal in mind.
“I totally understand that it’s all hype and that it can go away at any moment whenever a new kid on the block steps up,’’ Bone said. “So you have to work like you’re at the bottom, like you’re No. 2001 and not No. 1. It’s a total humbling experience (being at the trials). You’re not able to just dominate everyone out here. You have to put in work because you’re going against the best at every position and everybody’s shining.’’
UConn recruit Skylar Diggins, a 5-8 guard from South Bend, Ind. and a close friend of Bone, is also competing at the trials. The four-day event concludes Thursday with the formal announcement of the team. The eight-team zone-qualifying tournament will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina July 23-27.
The USA Basketball event is the start of what will be a busy summer for Bone. She will compete for Mike Flynn’s Blue Star Select National Team in France later this month and hopes to narrow her list of schools to between 7 and 10 by month’s end.
“(The process has) had its moments,’’ Bone said. “I think it’s very flattering to start out with, but as the days go by and the more you’re into it the less flattering it is. Right now I’ve totally been focused on getting ready for USA Basketball and trying to finish up school. Once I’m done with USA Basketball I’ll go to France with my summer team and play, and once I get back I’ll be looking to start a narrowing things down.’
Bone said she is “very interested’’ in UConn and Tennessee at this point. She also has interest in Maryland, Texas, Rutgers, Oklahoma, Illinois, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Bone averaged 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in leading Dulles High to a 34-5 record and a trip to the state Class 5A Region III semifinals last season.
“I’m aiming to make my decision in November with the (NCAA) early signing period, but if I’m not ready then then I won’t make it,’’ Bone said. “It’s totally the biggest decision that I’ve made in my life to date so I’m going to take my time and make sure I don’t make any irrational decisions and that everything goes according to plan.’’
What could be in that plan is a package deal with Diggins. Since serving as roommates at the Youth Developmental Festival in Colorado Springs last June the two have become great friends.
Diggins, who is rated No. 4 in the Class of 2009 by HoopGurlz.com, said she is eyeing Stanford, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Maryland, Illinois, Penn State and UCLA – “just to name the bulk of them.’’
She admitted that she has talked with members of the UConn coaching staff and said that UConn is also on her list of schools. A package deal with Bone is far from a certainty, but the two are relishing the fact that they are enduring the process together.
“We keep in touch a lot,’’ Diggins said. “She’s an easy person to get along with, a real nice person. Her mom’s a real nice person. So if we both happen to choose the same school that’s great. But I think most of all we’re just supporting each other through this recruiting time because it can be hard. It can be heavy sometimes. But I think having to go through the same experience with another person then that’s helpful.’’

Skylar Diggins lives five minutes away from Notre Dame. There is little doubt where the folks in South Bend, Ind. want her to play college basketball.
But as Diggins, a 5-foot-8 point guard who is ranked No. 4 overall in the Class of 2009 by HoopGurlz.com, gets deeper into the recruiting process she is not feeling any pressure to stay home. She has her list of schools and she is keeping an open mind.
“That’s everybody’s favorite,’’ Diggins said. “So they’re like, `Just stay at Notre Dame.’ The pressure from my mom is really not that heavy. It’s pretty much like, `what’s best for you.’ I think it’s just understanding where you are and what you want and what’s best for you. You have to be totally selfish, if you will, with this decision because it is about yourself.’’
Diggins, who is currently competing at the U-18 National Team trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., averaged 29.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.9 steals and 1.7 blocks to lead Washington High to a 23-3 record and an appearance in the Class 4A championship game last season. She also has a 3.87 grade point average and is looking to pursue a career in orthopedics and sports medicine.
Among the list of schools Diggins is currently weighing is Stanford, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Maryland, Illinois, Penn State and UCLA. She did not mention UConn, but that does not mean she is not interested in the Huskies.
“UConn is UConn and I have spoken with them,’’ Diggins said. “UConn’s on everybody’s list. I don’t care what anybody says. UConn is on anybody’s list.’’
Diggins plans to make her decision during the NCAA early signing period in November.

Rich

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It’s amazing sometimes how a story can go from one edge of the spectrum to the other in the span of only a couple of days. This happened again this weekend surrounding UConn’s latest superstar-to-be Elena Delle Donne, a 6-foot-5 guard from Wilmington, Del.
When sources started spewing the information they had gathered early Saturday night it appeared that Delle Donne was destined to never play for UConn. She had been chastised by a teammate – or teammates – during a pickup game. There was a definitive breakage existing in her relationship with Hall of Fame coach and five-time national champion Geno Auriemma. Her father, Ernie, wasn’t talking and he was referring all questions to Geno.
Elena left Storrs last Tuesday after spending only two days on campus. But late Saturday night the temperature cooled considerably. Geno said it was no big deal, that Elena had to go home to tend to some things that needed to be tended to. Ernie said the matter was private and that it had nothing to do with any pickup game or any member of the UConn coaching staff or the women’s basketball team for that matter.
And Sunday, Elena finally issued her first public statement regarding her current situation when she was reached by the USA Today: “I loved the campus. I loved the girls and working with Geno,’’ she said. “I’m taking a personal break for different reasons. I love the University of Connecticut and, in dealing with this, everyone there has been so great.’’
Her personal break may last a couple of weeks and she might be back on campus for the start of the second summer session July 14. Or it may take a couple of months and she might be back by the time the fall semester begins Aug. 25. Or she might not be back at all. Who’s tell to tell. Only Elena will know when the time is exactly right for her to begin the next stage in her life.
But for anyone who has ever gone away to college it is a traumatic experience. I went to the University of Hartford, roughly 40 minutes away from my home, and I was a mess that first day when my parents walked out of my dorm room for the final time. I was on my own for the first time in 18 years. It was a feeling I will never forget. And I didn’t have to travel several hours up the East Coast like Elena. It’s not easy.
Ernie said that Elena is not thinking about transferring. She said she loves everything about UConn, otherwise she would have never signed a Letter of Intent to play for the Huskies in the first place. Elena took a self-imposed hiatus last summer to get away from the recruiting process, which had to have been overbearing for the nation’s top player and a player who had been coveted by every college coach since she was in eighth grade. The old saying is that time heals all wounds. Time is precisely what Elena needs right now. And we’ll see how much or how little it takes for her to find the optimal level of peace and happiness she deserves to move on to the next juncture in her life.

Rich