COLORADO SPRINGS (FIBA World Championship for Women) - USA women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma has been handed an extension which will see him potentially take the team as far as the 2016 Rio Olympics, despite admitting he had expected to step down after delivering gold at the London Games last year.
Auriemma, who also topped the podium at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic, will now take his team to Turkey next year to defend their crown - even if he hadn't anticipated still holding the reins at this juncture.
"When people asked me if I was going to do this again, throughout the course of the spring and the summer, I said exactly how I was feeling," he said.
"I had done it, it was great and it was unbelievable, but I felt like it was time to move on to something different."
Auriemma is a perfect 17-0 across his two global tournaments so far and it's no surprise that those tasked with retaining his services are delighted to get their man.
"It's exciting to announce that Geno is returning," said USA Basketball Chairman, Jerry Colangelo.
"Parity in women's international basketball is increasing each year and so selecting a coach with international basketball experience is critical.
"Being able to have some continuity in the program was another very important consideration.
"While those two things are important, when you add that Geno is a Hall of Fame coach who has led teams to Olympic and World Championship gold medals, and he is a coach who has won eight NCAA championships, it made the decision of having him a no-brainer."
The sentiment was echoed by Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women's National Team Director and chair of the USA Women's National Team Steering Committee.
"One of the most important ingredients of the USA Women's National Team's success, which includes five straight Olympic gold medals, has been the continuity of our players," she explained.
"Our very best players want to play over and over again for the USA as evidenced by the likes of Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie and most recently Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi.
"Our selection committee overwhelmingly decided that continuity of our head coach is also an important factor and we are extremely pleased that Geno is ready to guide our programme for the next three years."
Now Auriemma will oversee what looks to be a fascinating task of blending exciting newcomers and those veterans who have served their nation so well in the last decade or so.
"I think that's going to be the key. There is always a transition period," said the coach.
"There was one from Dawn Staley and Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes. Obviously Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings were an incredible part of that transition and I'm sure those players will step aside at some point and there will be a new transition. To who, I don’t know.
"But there are so many good young players, so a challenge for the selection committee will be getting enough veterans to make sure that you have the experience you need to win a gold medal and at the same time, try to infuse that with some young talent that will allow you to have some experience going into 2020.
"So that's going to be pretty important for the committee and I'm looking forward to being part of that process."
Veteran trio Bird, Taurasi, and Catchings have all expressed a desire to play in Rio if USA qualify as expected, whilst there's a wealth of young talent to call upon and not least, the likes of WNBA rookies Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner.
