Coaches are awesome foursome

TAMPA, Fla. – Fourteen NCAA championships, four WNBA titles, three Olympic gold medals.

The women’s Final Four coaches have impressive resumes. All four – UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer and LSU’s Van Chancellor – are in the Hall of Fame.

They have contrasting styles and personalities. But whether it’s an icy stare, constant words of encouragement or riding their best players hard, the four get their points across.

“I think the women’s Final Four right now, with not only the players, but three of the other coaches, I think this is the greatest Final Four we’ve ever had,” said Chancellor, who is making his first appearance in the Final Four.

“You’ve got perennial powers, Connecticut and Tennessee, with legendary coaches. Then you’ve got Stanford where the coach has won a national championship.”

Summitt is the most decorated of the four, having won seven national championships and an Olympic gold medal in 1984. She has led Tennessee to the national semifinals 18 times in her 34-year career.

An icy stare often is painted on Summitt’s face during a game, aimed at whichever player isn’t playing up to her potential. Ask her about the accomplishments of a former player, though, and her eyes begin to sparkle and a smile breaks out on her face.

Auriemma definitely hasn’t become softer in his 23rd season at Connecticut. He continues to ride his best players hard to get the most out of them. No one can question the results – he’s led the Huskies to nine Final Fours and five national titles.

Auriemma has 657 career wins, reaching the 600-victory plateau faster than any other coach in the women’s game by taking just 716 games to accomplish the feat.

VanDerveer, whose Cardinal squad faces Connecticut in the semifinals, returns to the Final Four for the first time in a decade. This time she’s more relaxed and enjoying the experience more.

“I’m probably happier than I’ve been in 10 years,” VanDerveer said. “To win a gold medal is the most pressure I’ve ever experienced.”

She led Stanford to national championships in 1990 and 1992 and the U.S. to a gold medal in 1996.

After spending 19 years and reaching four regional finals at Mississippi, Chancellor will make his Final Four debut Sunday night when the Lady Tigers face SEC rival Tennessee.

“I am thrilled for Van,” Summitt said.

The 64-year-old Chancellor was an instant hit with his players. His Southern drawl and charm brought stability to a program that has seen so much upheaval in the last four years with the death of former coach Sue Gunter, the disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the scandal of Pokey Chatman’s resignation last year.

Chancellor’s job was made easier with eight seniors returning from a team that had gone to four straight Final Fours.

“He didn’t come in and change a lot of things,” All-American center Sylvia Fowles said of Chancellor. “He adjusted to us.”