AUBURN, Ala. – From courtside seats, women's basketball legends looked first to their coach at midcourt, then up to the rafters, where a banner honoring Joe Ciampi was unveiled Sunday at Auburn Arena.
Bonded a generation ago by basketball excellence. Bonded now by banners that proclaim their names.
"He's put his blood, sweat and tears in this program just like we have," said Carolyn Jones-Young, who starred for Auburn on Ciampi's teams from 1988-91 . "I'm so happy for him."
"We definitely made history here," said two-time Olympic gold medalist Ruthie Bolton, who played for Ciampi at Auburn from 1985-89. "He was the shepherd who led us in some amazing times. We've been reminiscing. I'm so happy to share this with my former teammates."
From the 1970s to the 2020s, approximately 100 former players, coaches, managers and support staff gathered over the weekend to celebrate 50 years of Auburn women's basketball, seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. Events included an open practice for alumni, a meeting with Auburn's 2021-22 team, head coach Johnnie Harris and her staff, a reception and an on-court recognition at halftime of the Alabama game.
"I'm on cloud nine, "said Jones-Young, an All-American who helped lead Auburn to back-to-back NCAA Tournament championship games in 1989 and 1990. "It's so good to see everybody. It's wonderful."Family reunion: Auburn women's basketball players from the 1970s to the 2020s returned to the Plains
As the Tigers returned to the court for the second half, the former players formed two lines for the student-athletes to run through – a mid-game Tiger Walk of those who have gone before.
"We're passing it to the next generation," Bolton said. "What we did was preparing for this moment for Auburn to rewrite their story, and what better group to do it with?"
At Auburn, Ciampi reinforced the values Bolton learned at home growing up in McLain, Mississippi, halfway between Hattiesburg and Mobile, Alabama.
"That grit, that inner tenacity, refusing to quit," said Bolton, the 16th of 20 children and daughter of a reverend. "Things didn't just land in my lap. I had to fight hard. Faith, character and hard work. Those three things have been the thread. My dad taught me those things.
"If I keep my faith strong – something bigger than me, my attitude, which is my mindset, and my character, it's going to take me a long way. I'm a recipient of two gold medals and I'm thankful. The foundation was here."
"A bucket list item."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) January 23, 2022
🗣Joe Ciampi@AuburnTigers unveil a banner at Auburn Arena for legendary former @AuburnWBB coach
"We were good, Auburn, when we were blue-collar tough."
607 career wins
3 Final Fours
4 @SEC regular season 🏆
4 @SEC tournament 🏆 #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/zsHd9znoyR
When the Ciampi banner was revealed, noting his 25-season tenure (1979-2004), 607 career wins, four SEC regular season championships, four SEC tournament titles and three NCAA Final Fours, he joined four of his former players whose exploits are memorialized beneath the arena roof: Jones-Young, Bolton, Vickie Orr and Becky Jackson.
"A bucket list item," said Ciampi, the national coach of the year in 1987 and 1989, and a 2005 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. "For anybody who starts and finishes in coaching, you want to feel that you've made a mark.
"Hopefully what we've done for 25 years is a watermark for everybody who tries to play this game at Auburn.
"The program was laid on the foundation of the ability to defend, to be a team that controlled the tempo of the game. You played with high intensity, you played with a determination that every possession was important. We prepared ourselves. If you talked to any of our girls who have been with us and come back, they're successful out of basketball, but they were so important to basketball.
"They learned the game of basketball, but more importantly, the game of life, and how to be successful. Have a great work ethic, have a self-discipline and prepare yourself every day.
"Great memories, great thoughts of who they are and where they are in life right now. It's about family. That's who we are. They trusted me to make them better. I trusted them to do their job. That's how we accomplished it."
Eighteen years have passed since Ciampi traded his coaching whistle for golf clubs, becoming a full-time grandparent. But when the banner was unveiled and a microphone was given to him, the legendary coach turned back the clock and addressed his former players, Auburn's current team, and the fans in attendance.
"As a I look in the stands, I see so many familiar faces," he said. "You filled our hearts and minds with intensity and determination. With that determination, we gave you 68 consecutive wins at home, a national record that stood for 10 years.
"Thank you for your support. Thank you for believing in me, even though it was tough love at times, and believing in yourselves, for us to go to the mountaintop and do things we could only do as a team."Director of Athletics Allen Greene and women's basketball coach Johnnie Harris congratulate Joe Ciampi
Ciampi thanked Harris for recognizing the tradition of Auburn women's basketball, including 10 Sweet 16 appearances in his quarter century on the Plains.
"And that's the reason right there," said Ciampi, pointing to his former players after acknowledging Harris. "She's bringing that back."
Ciampi closed by thanking his assistant coaches, athletic trainers and support staff for their contributions to Auburn's success.
"We were good, Auburn, when we were blue collar tough," he said. "Because that brings life to what you have to accomplish today. Let's start once again this winning streak on this floor. War Eagle!"
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer