Geno Auriemma has coached the UConn Huskies for over 40 years. Throughout that time, he has had a close-knit group around him. And he has often credited his assistants for UConn’s success, which includes 12 national titles and a staggering 25 Final Four appearances.
Chris Daley has been one of his closest confidants. She has been his assistant coach since the start of his success-filled tenure.
Another trusted assistant coach over the years has been Jamelle Elliott. She was originally with the team between 1998 and 2009. After a head coaching stint with Cincinnati, Elliott returned to UConn as an associate administrator in 2018. She joined Auriemma’s coaching staff again in 2020. However, she has decided to leave UConn as well as basketball, aiming to pursue something beyond the sport.
Elliott’s departure was obviously a big loss for Auriemma and the Huskies.
Geno Auriemma penned a heartwarming message for his trusted assistant, acknowledging more than 30 years in and around UConn both as a player and as a coach. He credited a lot of UConn success to Jamelle Elliott. During her time, she won seven national championships — one as a player (1995) and six as an assistant coach (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2025).
“She was an important piece of seven championships here at UConn. She has impacted generations of Connecticut basketball players, whether it was in her playing career as a captain and a leader, or in her coaching tenure as a recruiter, teacher and mentor. The impact that Jamelle had here at UConn as a student-athlete, as an administrator, as a basketball coach, very few can match. I’m really proud of her accomplishments here,” he said.
“It’s going to be difficult to replace someone with that much experience who had that much invested in UConn. I know that the passion she brought for the university as a whole, for the basketball program, for the players, it’s going to be difficult to replace. But I know that in the next phase of her life, she’ll bring the same passion and intensity and the same love of working with other people that she had here. We’ll miss Jamelle tremendously, but I’m grateful for all the time we spent together and all that we accomplished together.”
Jamelle Elliott shows gratitude for Geno Auriemma
Jamelle Elliott thanked Geno Auriemma for the trust he put in her both as a young student-athlete and in bringing her onto the coaching staff.
“In the over 30 years since, he has had such a profound impact on my life as a coach, mentor and friend. Having the opportunity to impact so many young women and help provide the same meaningful experience I had as a student-athlete has been the greatest part of this journey,” Elliott said.
“This was not an easy decision, but I know it is the right time for me to begin a new chapter. It was a privilege and honor to wear the Husky uniform and be a part of the coaching staff.”
She holds a special place in her heart for UConn and said that she will love and support the Huskies no matter what she pursues in the future.
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