# Dawn Staley Clarifies Handshake Rivalry With Auriemma

> Dawn Staley explains why her viral handshake clash with Geno Auriemma doesn't reflect their rivalry.
- Title: Dawn Staley Clarifies Handshake Rivalry With Auriemma
- Summary: Dawn Staley explains why her viral handshake clash with Geno Auriemma doesn't reflect their rivalry. Dawn Staley says the handshake incident with Geno…
- Keywords: dawn staley, geno auriemma, uconn, south carolina, wnba, handshake, final four, national championship, sports, Dawn, Staley, Clarifies
- Source: EssentiallySports — https://essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-has-very-little-to-do-with-the-handshake-dawn-staley-provides-insight-over-her-viral-heated-exchange-with-geno-auriemma
- Author: Siddharth Rawat
- Published: 2026-10-22T01:57:19+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dawn staley, geno auriemma, uconn, south carolina, wnba, handshake, final four, national championship, sports
## Dawn Staley's Handshake History
Dawn Staley had to force herself to congratulate Geno Auriemma after UConn beat her by 20, 30, or 40 points for years.
## Viral Final Four Confrontation
South Carolina beat UConn 62-48 in the national semifinal on April 3, 2026, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak.
## Handshake Incident Details
Auriemma and Staley met at mid-court with about a second left, exchanged heated words, and were separated by staff.
## Staley's Perspective
Staley made a point to shake Auriemma's hand after games to build acclimation, even if she felt differently.
## Auriemma's Apology
Auriemma apologized for the confrontation the day after it happened, saying he felt dumb for how it played out.
## Staley's Clarification
Staley says the handshake incident was never the whole story, emphasizing respect for Auriemma despite rivalry.
## Key takeaway

Dawn Staley says the handshake incident with Geno Auriemma was never the main issue in their long-standing rivalry.