[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 59 (Friday, April 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3335-H3339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on Education and the Workforce be discharged from further consideration
of the resolution, (H. Res. 187) congratulating the University of
Connecticut Huskies for winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic
Association Division I women's basketball championship, and ask for its
immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Connecticut?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 187
Whereas the University of Connecticut Huskies women's
basketball team won its third National Collegiate Athletic
Association championship in 4 years by defeating the
University of Tennessee by the score of 73-68;
Whereas, after losing 4 All-American players to graduation,
the Huskies were still able to finish the 2002-2003 season
with a nearly perfect 37-1 record, becoming only the 3rd NCAA
Division I women's basketball team to repeat as national
champions;
Whereas Diana Taurasi was chosen as the consensus national
women's Player of the Year and named the Final Four Most
Outstanding Player;
Whereas the University of Connecticut Huskies set an NCAA
Division I women's record by winning 70 games in a row;
Whereas University of Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno
Auriemma was named NCAA Division I women's basketball Coach
of the Year, won his 501st game and 4th National
Championship;
Whereas the high caliber of the University of Connecticut
Huskies in both athletics and academics has significantly
advanced the sport of women's basketball and provided
inspiration for future generations of young men and women
alike; and
Whereas the University of Connecticut Huskies' championship
season has rallied Connecticut residents of all ages behind a
common purpose and triggered a wave of euphoria across the
State: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the
University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team for
winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association
Division I women's basketball championship and for completing
the 2002-2003 season with a 37-1 record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons)
is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro),
pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today and to join all of my Connecticut
colleagues to honor the 2003 NCAA Women's Basketball Champion, the
University of Connecticut Huskies. This resolution congressionally
recognizes a group of young women who have excelled both on and off the
court. Connecticut is incredibly proud of them.
This is the University of Connecticut's second consecutive basketball
championship, only the third time an NCAA women's basketball team has
ever repeated as national champions.
Led by the NCAA Player of the Year, Diana Taurasi, the Huskies capped
a 37 and 1 season by beating the University of Tennessee Tuesday
tonight, 73 to 68. All of the State of Connecticut watched with pride
as the Huskies claimed their place as the repeat national champions.
The University of Connecticut was founded in 1881 and has a rich
history of providing educational and athletic opportunities to
undergraduates of diverse interests, abilities, and backgrounds. It is
with great joy, Mr. Speaker, that as a former teaching assistant at the
University of Connecticut I take the floor today to say way to go,
Huskies.
I wanted to congratulate Diana Taurasi, Maria Conlon, Ann Strother,
Jessica Moore, and Barbara Turner. But do not forget the other players
on the team who contributed so much to the success and overall efforts
of the team: Ashley Battle, Willnet Crocket, Stacey Marron, Nicole
Wolff, Ashley Valley, and Morgan Valley. And a special ``way to go''
goes to Head coach Geno Auriemma, associate head coach Chris Dailey,
Tonya Cardoza, and Jamelle Elliot, athletic director Lew Perkins, and
the parents of all of the members of this national championship team.
And finally to my friend, UCONN president Philip Austin, and his
administration for fielding such a fine team of scholar-athletes.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons), my
colleague from the Connecticut delegation, for introducing this
resolution honoring the Huskies for their fourth NCAA women's
basketball championship and their third and fourth seasons. An
extraordinary group of young women.
This year's victory is especially inspirational because the Huskies
overcame incredible odds this year, to repeat with only one starting
player returning from last year's championship team. They are the first
women's basketball team in history to win a national championship
without a single senior on the roster and only the third to win back-
to-back championships. With this title victory against the mighty
Tennessee Vols, and I might just say to my colleague from Tennessee
that we honor today these young women for their competitive spirit and
their heart, our Huskies are certain to be remembered as one of the
greatest basketball teams in sports history.
The people of Connecticut are tremendously proud of their Huskies,
who have set an example for all us with their teamwork and with their
standard for perfection. Though this victory was a team effort, as the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) has said, and he listed the
names of all of the members of the team, I just want to make particular
mention of guards Maria Conlon, who is from Derby, Connecticut, and I
represent Derby, Connecticut. It is in the third congressional
district. And Diana Taurasi, a fellow daughter of Italian immigrants
who scored 28 points on her way to being named the Final Four Most
Outstanding Player and Consensus National Player of the year. Diana was
nothing less than dominating. She scored the third-most points in
Division I tournament history, the fourth most-ever in the Final Four,
and tied for the second most-ever in a title game. She did this all
with an aching back, one good ankle, and a heart whose size is only
matched by that of the Huskies' dreams and their determination.
The game of women's basketball has changed since the days when women
in my generation played it on only a half court, and I did that for 4
years at the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Laurelton Hall in Milford,
Connecticut. I am sure that in the days when my mother played, and she
did, and my mother is 89 years old, but she played in the leagues when
they had them in New Haven, Connecticut, women's leagues all those
years ago, but no one dreamed at that time that women would one day
play before a national audience of millions. The game may have changed,
but the need to get young girls involved in sports has not.
Without question, the Huskies have illustrated for us that the
results of Congress's commitment and my colleagues' commitment through
title IX, that when given the resources, women are just as talented and
as exciting to watch as any men's team that is out there. Women now
constitute 40 percent of college athletes compared to the 15 percent 30
years ago before title IX became law. As evidenced by the trailblazing
UCONN Huskies, the values that women learn from sports participation,
leadership, teamwork, discipline, pride and accomplishment are
irreplaceable. Today's athletic successes help us to increase our
participation in tomorrow's workforce, like the number of business
management and ownership positions. In fact, 80 percent of female
managers of Fortune 500 companies have a sports background. There may
be a future Fortune 500 executive on the Huskies right now.
Either way, one cannot deny that participation in athletics has given
women many of the tools they need for
[[Page H3336]]
success. Because of their hard work, absolute determination, and a
commitment to teamwork on and off the court, these talented young women
will be remembered as we debate title IX and its impact on the women in
this country. They will be the image in our minds of women reaching for
their dreams and succeeding.
The UCONN Huskies have set a new standard of excellence that teams in
the future will strive to match. They achieved perfection, and they
have inspired all of us.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Huskies on their championship win and
on their incredible season. They have once again earned our recognition
and respect. Let's go, Huskies.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the
second district of Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
Simmons) for yielding me this time.
I will not take the full 5 minutes, but I do rise in the spirit of
good sportsmanship that we see exhibited in our wonderful system of
collegiate athletics on almost a daily basis to offer credit where
credit is due and congratulate the great women's basketball team at the
University of Connecticut on their victory over my own hometown Lady
Vols.
I have had the privilege on two occasions of being Pat Summit's
honorary assistant coach, and my collegiate coaching record is two and
zero, I am proud to say, because Coach Summit has been certainly one of
the most outstanding coaches in the history of basketball, having led
her teams to six national championships. But certainly our number one
rival in women's basketball has been the great teams and program that
Coach Geno Auriemma has established and built at the University of
Connecticut. And those University of Connecticut women certainly showed
in every way that not only were they talented athletes but they were
wonderful young women as well and outstanding examples for young people
all over this Nation.
{time} 1330
Unfortunately, I do wish that I was on the other side of this
resolution and that I was offering it, and that my friend the gentleman
from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) was up congratulating me. I do now,
unfortunately, owe him some Tennessee country ham and some honey, that
I will bring following the recess.
Mr. Speaker, I will simply end by saying once again, congratulations
to a really outstanding team and also by saying, wait until next year.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his
remarks and to extend our commendations to his team. It was a tough
game, it was a tight game, it was an exciting game. I had promised that
if we came up short I would give him an evening's supply of our fine
Mystic Pizza from Mystic, Connecticut. Fortunately I do not have to do
that. But I look forward to getting some of that fine Tennessee ham.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield further, I did
say some good things about Pat Summitt; and I do want to say that I am
really very, very proud of my Lady Vols, because coming in second in
the entire Nation is really a great, great accomplishment. I wish we
were number one, but number two is not bad at all, and I am very, very
proud of my hometown Lady Vols.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I just say to my colleague from Tennessee, who has an
office across from mine in the Rayburn Building, that our staffs had a
wager, and they have been gracious in making sure that we were the
recipients of the goodness of the State of Tennessee and the district.
As I said in my comments, it is wonderful and marvelous to watch
these young women, whether they are the Huskies or the Lady Vols, just
play their hearts out. I think it is a tremendous tribute to them and
to what they do in terms of their leadership of our country, now and
for the future. We are proud of the Lady Vols as well, and I thank my
colleague.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson).
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the
opportunity to speak on this.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the outstanding
accomplishments of the University of Connecticut women's basketball
team, who defeated the University of Tennessee Volunteers 73 to 68 to
win the NCAA tournament on April 8, 2030.
These young women demonstrated throughout their season an ability to
focus, to maintain effort even when losing, to work as a team and to
hone their individual skills that was truly inspiring, month after
month.
That much said, the Lady Vols did a fantastic job as well, and
Connecticut admires and respects their skill and ability each year.
I would note that without title IX, none of these young women would
have had the opportunity to develop into world class athletes.
I would like to offer, as well, special congratulations to head coach
Geno Auriemma, who won his second consecutive national title. After
losing four senior starters last year, junior Diana Taurasi took
control of the team and led them to victory, scoring 28 points herself.
Mr. Speaker, these extraordinary young women do not need me to tell
them they are champions or that their accomplishments are appreciated.
This year was supposed to be a year of rebuilding, but the Huskies were
not going to rest on their laurels. Over the past years, they have only
lost one game.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to point out that the outstanding
achievements of this team offer a fine example to our Nation's young
people. We can rise to incredible heights if we are able to combine
individual excellence of skill and dedication with the communication
and overarching commitment to shared goals that the small word
``teamwork'' denotes.
I applaud the UCONN Huskies for their remarkable achievements, both
on and off the court, individually and as a team. We are proud of each
one of you, and of our UCONN Huskies.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and
colleague for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I am amazed that I learn something every time I come to
this floor. I have always known of the gentlewoman's great tenacity and
ability to put on a full court press, but I had never known that she
was a basketball player before, and clearly am astonished to learn that
her mom was a basketball player as well, although certainly she was in
the center of her life and a point guard in the women's movement in
Connecticut.
I am honored, as well, to be joined by my colleagues from
Connecticut, and want to especially thank the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for organizing this. The University of
Connecticut at Storrs is in the heart of the Second Congressional
District. I thank, of course, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs.
Johnson) for joining us as well.
The University of Connecticut's women's basketball team is special to
the State of Connecticut. They are virtually embraced by all of our
citizens, and there has been a love affair in the State of Connecticut
with this team. As most of you and everyone knows, throughout the
Northeast the winters can get pretty severe, and this was no exception.
But the Huskies, both the men's and women's teams, bring extraordinary
delight into people's homes all across the State of Connecticut.
We, day in and day out, have the best fans anywhere in the United
States, as witnessed by sellout after sellout after sellout of our
games, and it is because of the extraordinary program that has been put
together at the University of Connecticut.
So, along with the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons), the
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) and the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), I want to give the tribute that rightfully
belongs to Geno Auriemma and his entire coaching staff, Lew Perkins,
and President Austin for the outstanding job they have done at the
University of Connecticut.
[[Page H3337]]
I would also like to point out that this was a special final four,
and, as both the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) and the
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) have pointed out,
underscored by the importance of those that are thinking about changing
title IX. So, in many respects, though the University of Connecticut
Huskies walked off the court victorious, the real winners were women's
athletics and its importance.
I say that because I think that there is a unique purity about this
game and those that watch athletic competition. I liken it to baseball
in the 1950s and 1960s. For sports enthusiasts and purists who watched
the women's final four and got to see Duke and Tennessee and
Connecticut and Texas, and then the final game between Connecticut and
Tennessee, you saw athleticism, sportsmanship, camaraderie and
gamesmanship at its very best, something certainly that we all can be
proud of and something that I know, having two girls and a son at home,
that by watching that kind of play are inspired and get to dream the
big dreams that the Lady Vols and the University of Connecticut Huskies
have dreamt.
For UCONN it was a tremendous victory. I sincerely hope that Geno and
Kathy and their family get to really live this moment, because for the
coach and for Chris Dailey and all of the assistant coaches, a three-
peat is already expected of them.
Their accomplishments are legendary. They set a national record for
consecutive victories this year by winning 70 games in a row, they won
76 of 77 games on their way to their second national championship, and
they beat every ranked team along the way. As was pointed out, this was
done for the first time by a team of all underclassmen.
In Connecticut we like to say that the Supremes had Diana Ross,
certainly the British had Princess Diana, but in Connecticut, we have
D, Diana Taurasi, simply the best basketball player in the country.
Throughout this past week people from West Virginia have been coming up
to me and talking about how she reminds them of Jerry West; and people
from Indiana have been coming up and saying how she reminds them of
Larry Byrd. And we had Sue Byrd last year, who was not a bad player
either; but Diana Taurasi is in a class of her own.
They say a team is an extension of its coach, and certainly this team
is the personification of Geno Auriemma, of his spirit, his style, his
manner of coaching. He does so with class. Geno Auriemma won his 500th
game against the University of Texas and his 501st against Tennessee,
and his remarks on beating Tennessee were a tribute to Pat Summitt and
the Lady Vols, saying that they had beat the best women's basketball
program in the country, and Tennessee arguably was playing the best
basketball of any team in the tournament at that point. Of course, Pat
Summitt's credits are legendary as well.
This is a rivalry that has been established and will continue for
some time to come, but it is one, I think, that again highlights the
importance of making sure that people all across this country get to
see women's athletics played out on a national stage with all the
excitement, drama and athleticism that this competition has brought to
the country.
I would also point out that what makes us so proud of our Huskies is
that, as extraordinary as they are on the court, they are equally
extraordinary off the court, not only academically, in the classroom,
but as ambassadors.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the outstanding success of the
Big East throughout this tournament. Our colleagues from New York, of
course, are very proud of the Syracuse team that went on to win the
national championship; and our men's team, again going to the Sweet 16,
and also being joined by three other teams, and, of course, the
eventual winner, Syracuse.
I know New York and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), if he is
still within earshot and is listening, is proud of the great job that
St. John's did in winning the NIT; and I know that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) was somewhat chagrined that Pitt did not make
it all the way. But nonetheless, nonetheless, it was a stellar
achievement on the part of the Big East. Geno Auriemma, again, pointed
that out.
So I am very proud to stand with my colleagues here today and pay
tribute to the University of Connecticut and their outstanding women's
basketball team. They are a credit to their families, to their
university, to our great State of Connecticut and to the entire Nation.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), a gentleman who is himself a great basketball
player and distinguishes himself on the court in congressional play.
Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, certainly I thank the authors of this
resolution for coming to the floor today, just a few hours after there
was significant rancor and division, to a point of unity here, to
recognize the best in college athletics.
{time} 1345
There is no doubt that Geno and Diana and the entire UConn team
deserve the national championship, one of the greatest games I think in
the history of women's basketball, certainly the two most prominent
programs in the land. And as a basketball player myself, and I
appreciate the compliment, but great is a relative term, and the older
I get, the better I used to be. That is the way most of us are.
The best lessons I have learned in my life were in the game of
basketball. Sports are very important at every level. Also, I am the
chairman of the Congressional Fitness Caucus, and it is important that
we promote physical activity and to see the example of these female
college athletes, the heart that they have, the dignity that their
coach displayed, in victory and, a long time ago, in defeat. It has
been a long time since the UConn Lady Huskies have not had a good year.
It is really incredible.
I just have to tell my colleagues, I am a Lady Vols fan, rooted for
them, so proud of our program. But I tell my colleagues, this was a
very special team and a very special year for a great bunch of ladies.
And to see Geno, I watched every minute of the game and watched Geno's
comments, and for him to even hail the proud Italian heritage that we
saw demonstrated in the heart and soul, just the hustle, the
determination.
Of course, Tennessee played their hearts out as well: Karen, the
Jacksons, incredible female athletes.
This game of women's basketball is one of the fastest moving sports
climbs in the history of this country. There is excitement filling up
the greatest domes in the country with sports fans and enthusiasts of
all shapes and sizes and ages. It is just really good that women's
sports are doing so well. And boy, the apex I think of the competition
was the University of Connecticut's victory for the national
championship.
So I applaud my colleagues. In a time of unity today on the House
floor, we can come and praise this dedication. It is just wonderful
that physical exercise and athletic competition can bring out the best
in people, both physically and mentally, because I think that there is
a tremendous respect between Pat Summit and Geno and the greatest
coaches in the land in female sports. It is great for women's
basketball that these two teams made it all the way to that final game.
I do not know what the ratings were, but they had to be high; and I
know many of my colleagues were glued to the television that night as
they knew the two most successful programs in women's basketball had
made it to the final game of the national championship. They played
their hearts out, and my hat is off to the Connecticut Huskies. They
deserved to win, they deserve to be champions, and they are true
champions with dignity. They have the respect of every person, I think,
in this country.
So this brings out the best in America where two good teams compete
and the best team won. So congratulations, Connecticut. We will see you
next year.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, for
his sportsmanship, and for his encouragement of physical fitness among
those of us who serve here in Congress. He is a terrific leader in that
regard.
Seeing no further speakers on my side, I would ask my colleague if
she would like to close.
[[Page H3338]]
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, and I do have someone
else who would like to speak, another colleague. I just want to say to
my colleague from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) I had no idea that he
aspired to sports commentary. We have talked about Maryland and
Missouri and Texas, but we have to deal with California as well.
But the long and the short of it, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the
gentlewoman from Connecticut for yielding, and I congratulate her and
the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) for hosting this
resolution for congratulations for UConn.
I rise to celebrate the coaches and the rest of the team. But I rise
in support of Barbara Turner. Barbara Turner is my constituent. She
attended East Technical High School in the 11th Congressional District
of Ohio, which is Cleveland. I watched her play basketball in high
school. My son Mervyn graduated at the same time she did; he is a
basketball player as well, and I wish I could say their school was
doing as good as UConn. I cannot. But I am so pleased to join with all
of my colleagues in celebrating UConn.
I want to just close with two things. Is it not wonderful to see how
well we are doing with this program as a result of the strong support
of title IX? It is time for us to stand up and continue to support a
successful program. It is time for us to stand up and continue to
support another successful program in colleges and universities:
affirmative action. I would just ask my colleagues across this country
to think about how great those programs are.
Finally, I invite my colleagues to Cleveland, Ohio, in 2007 for the
women's NCAA finals. I am the Chair of that event. Come on to
Cleveland, and we will celebrate another victory.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, if the
gentlewoman wishes to close; and then I will close.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I will take my colleague up on the trip to
Cleveland.
Mr. Speaker, I am reluctant to do this, but my colleague from
Connecticut (Mr. Larson) has asked for a minute, so I yield 1 minute to
the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding me this time. I would feel remiss, with the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) taking most of the time here, that I did not get
an opportunity to mention that the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford)
had also been involved in a wager, far more dramatic, I might point
out, I say to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons), than the
paultry ham that you were able to get. The gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. Ford) had committed that the Tennessee delegation, working through
the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), was going to get us a new wing
at the University of Connecticut; and we want to greatly thank him for
that as well.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut.
Mr. SIMMONS. That is not ham. That would be what?
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Pork.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, we have a rally going here. I yield 1
minute to the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Inslee).
(Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, we just wanted, from the State of
Washington, from the University of Washington Huskies, to congratulate
the Connecticut Huskies on this tremendous achievement. I just want to
tell my colleagues, it is a particular personal satisfaction to see
women's basketball so successful nationally.
My dad was the athletic director for the Seattle public schools in
the 1970s when we were starting to break these barriers to fight the
sort of coaches of the boys' team to get them to share the gym. This
was a very controversial effort to get some of these old codgers to see
the light to share the gym, and it is really satisfying to see this
tremendous satisfaction. I hope we can work together to make sure that
our title IX continues to protect the wonderful growth of women's
athletics. Congratulations.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I think it is absolutely clear that we do have to work together and
we will work together to make sure that we preserve title IX.
In closing, I want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
Simmons) for bringing this resolution to the floor. We all
wholeheartedly congratulate the number one NCAA women's team in the
country, the UConn Huskies.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remaining time.
In closing, I would like to say that my colleague, the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays), was unavailable for this colloquy and to speak
to this resolution because he is chairing a committee at this time; but
I suspect he will submit comments for the Record.
I would also like to point out that one of the things that I have
always admired about the UConn Huskies as a basketball team was the
fact that when we look at their jerseys, and I have a T-shirt in front
of me that commemorates their great victory this year, but when you
look at their jerseys as they play, you will not see the players' names
on the jerseys. You will only see the name of UConn, University of
Connecticut. I think that that is important because what it shows is
that in spite of the tremendous talent of the members of this team and
the tremendous talent of all of the members of this team, they play as
a team, not as individuals. And even somebody like Diana Taurasi, who
is so talented, so gifted, who plays such a marvelous game of
basketball, but she plays as part of the team, and the team does so
well for those reasons.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, my constituents and all of Connecticut
congratulate the University of Connecticut Lady Huskies for winning the
2003 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
Last year, I stood on this same floor to congratulate the 2002
championship squad, which I felt was the greatest team in the history
of women's college basketball. That 39-0 team never trailed in the
second half all season. During the NCAA tournament, they won their six
games by an average margin of 27 points.
Going into this season, the Lady Huskies had lost four All-American
players to graduation. Without their senior leadership, many questioned
whether the team would be able to win a third national championship in
just 4 years.
But UConn women's basketball has always been a program rich in
tradition and a desire to excel. Quite simply, they would not be
denied.
Led by junior Diana Taurasi, the national women's player of the year,
a pair of freshmen sensations, Barbara Turner and Ann Strother, and the
unyielding dedication of teammates Maria Conlon, Jessica Moore, Ashley
Battle, Nicole Wolff, Morgan and Ashley Valley, Wilnett Crockett and
Stacey Marron, the UConn Lady Huskies again finished the season as the
finest team in the land.
I also want to commend the hard work of Geno Auriemma, the NCAA Coach
of the Year, who along with his coaching staff put together another
unbelievable team. With the championship victory, Coach Auriemma won
his 501st game and fourth national championship.
Mr. Speaker, this team's speed, precision shooting, and hustle have
all contributed to its success. But what strikes me the most about the
Lady Huskies is their ability to rise to any occasion.
In the semifinal game, UConn was down 50-41 with 12 minutes left
against the University of Texas Longhorns. All game long Texas had
stunned the Lady Huskies with its strong rebounding and intense
defense. But the Lady Huskies settled down and received a spark off the
bench from Wilnett Crockett. In two of the greatest final minutes of
women's Final Four history, the Lady Huskies found a way to win. They
hit key shots and shut down the Longhorns on their way to a hard-fought
71-69 victory and a ticket to the national championship game.
By the time the Lady Huskies met the Lady Vols of Tennessee in the
title game, they could taste victory. Against the most successful
women's basketball program in NCAA history, UConn never trailed
throughout the game. The result was a 73-68 victory!
I want to congratulate these young women for being such extraordinary
role models for Americans of all ages.
These UConn Lady Huskies continue to be the team by which all others
are measured.
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They were really a joy to watch, and I congratulate them on their
tremendous achievement.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
move the previous question on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________