TAMPA, Fla. — Geno Auriemma coached some remarkable teams in his 23 years at Connecticut, including five national champions. None has been more special to him than his current team.

Auriemma was selected The Associated Press women's college basketball coach of the year for the fifth time today. He guided UConn to a 36-1 record, the lone blemish a 73-71 defeat to Rutgers on Feb. 5. The Huskies lost two starters to season-ending knee injuries yet returned to the Final Four for the ninth time. This was UConn's first visit since 2004, its longest drought in 20 years.

"Anytime you're recognized for doing something that you're trying to do really well you always feel humbled a little bit," said Auriemma, who also won the award in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2003.

He received 13 votes, followed by North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell with 11 and Utah's Elaine Elliott and Kansas State's Deb Patterson with six each.

"This is one year where I think we as a coaching staff probably have earned it," he said. "Some years you have the best players and go and do what you know you should be doing. There isn't that much adversity, there isn't that much to overcome.

"This particular year, the players in our program probably did do some things that I think was above and beyond what you normally do during the season."

Auriemma, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, most likely will have a couple of his players drafted by the WNBA on Wednesday.

In addition, Ketia Swanier and Charde Houston graduate, along with Mel Thomas and Brittany Hunter. Thomas was sidelined for the second half of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Hunter. Hunter has had knee injuries for her entire career at Connecticut, playing about a dozen minutes in any game. However, she's started every game of the NCAA tournament.