Michael VoepelApr 9, 2025, 09:30 AM ET
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- Michael Voepel is a senior creator who covers the WNBA, ladies’s school basketball and different school sports activities. Voepel started protecting ladies’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.
Geno Auriemma was once 41 years outdated and the WNBA did not but exist when the UConn Huskies gained their first nationwide championship in ladies’s basketball in 1995.
Sunday, when the Huskies clinched their twelfth identify, Auriemma was once 71 — the oldest trainer to win an NCAA identify in ladies’s or males’s basketball — and he was once sending off guard Paige Bueckers, who on Monday is anticipated to be UConn’s 6th WNBA No. 1 draft pick out.
The opposite 5 — Sue Hen, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart — gained more than one NCAA titles. Bueckers’ long-awaited first marked UConn’s first since 2016.
The Huskies’ good fortune is mind-boggling. Six in their championship squads went undefeated. Right here we rank UConn’s identify groups — a listing the place being remaining nonetheless manner the workforce is likely one of the very best of the most productive.
Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi gained 3 consecutive titles in combination at UConn from 2002-04. AP Picture/Mike Derer
12. 2004 UConn (31-4)
Closest NCAA match win: 63-55 vs. UC Santa Barbara in Candy 16
This workforce, led by means of then-senior Diana Taurasi, capped the Huskies’ first three-peat. The gang was once just about the similar because the 2002-03 championship squad, just a bit extra skilled. On the other hand, this workforce misplaced 3 extra video games than the season sooner than — together with to Boston School within the Large East match semifinals — so there have been extra doubts concerning the Huskies going into the NCAA match. However they beat two No. 1 seeds — Penn State within the Elite 8 and Tennessee within the nationwide championship recreation, plus Lindsay Whalen-led Minnesota within the nationwide semifinals. Taurasi led 4 avid gamers in double figures with 17 issues in her ultimate school recreation, then was once the No. 1 draft pick out by means of the Phoenix Mercury, the place she spent her 20-season WNBA occupation sooner than retiring in February.
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11. 2003 UConn (37-1)
Closest NCAA match win: 71-69 vs. Texas in nationwide semifinals
Of all of the wonderful issues Taurasi did in her occupation, getting a countrywide championship with this workforce, which had misplaced 4 of its 5 starters to the WNBA from an excellent 2001-02 season, is her maximum spectacular. She led the Huskies in issues, rebounds and assists. There have been no seniors; the highest 5 scorers had been two juniors, a sophomore and two novices. Within the Ultimate 4, Taurasi had 26 issues to overcome Texas by means of two, and 28 to overcome Tennessee by means of 5. Novices Ann Strother and Barbara Turner mixed for 27 issues within the NCAA ultimate in opposition to the Woman Vols.
10. 2013 UConn (35-4)
Closest NCAA match win: 83-65 vs. Notre Dame in nationwide semifinals
This team tied 2004 for essentially the most losses by means of a UConn championship workforce — and 3 of the ones defeats got here to Notre Dame: two times within the common season in addition to within the Large East match identify recreation. However by means of the NCAA match, the Huskies had been unstoppable. UConn gained the matchup with the Irish that mattered maximum — within the nationwide semifinals — then blew out Louisville by means of 33 issues within the nationwide championship recreation. Louisville had disappointed protecting champion Baylor within the Candy 16; the Bears had been the opposite workforce that had defeated UConn that season. A UConn-Baylor title-game matchup — senior Brittney Griner vs. freshman Stewart — may had been epic, nevertheless it wasn’t to be.
9. 2015 UConn (38-1)
Closest NCAA match win: 63-53 vs. Notre Dame in nationwide championship recreation
The Huskies misplaced the second one recreation of the season 88-86 in extra time at Stanford on Nov. 17, 2013. UConn did not lose once more till the 2017 nationwide semifinals, for a report 111-game successful streak. The loss to Stanford may have in short given hope to UConn’s fighters within the 2014-15 season, nevertheless it was once false hope. All it did was once save you them from having 3 highest seasons in a row, as they went undefeated in 2013-14 and 2015-16. For the second one consecutive season, 5 avid gamers averaged in double-figures scoring in 2014-15, together with freshman Kia Nurse.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Photographs
8. 2025 UConn (37-3)
Closest NCAA match win: 78-64 vs. USC in Elite 8
This workforce ended the so-called identify “drought” for UConn, which had no longer gained the nationwide championship since 2016. (There wasn’t an NCAA match in 2020.) After accidents and sickness problems impacted the 2022 and 2024 Ultimate Fours for the Huskies, the whole thing went proper for them this 12 months. Their closest match recreation was once in opposition to USC, which had defeated UConn within the common season however misplaced injured superstar JuJu Watkins in the second one spherical of the NCAA match. Led by means of the trio of Ultimate 4 Maximum Exceptional Participant Azzi Fudd, Bueckers and Sarah Robust, UConn outscored its nationwide semifinal and ultimate fighters, UCLA and South Carolina, by means of a mixed 57 issues.
Stefanie Dolson and the Huskies had been highest in 2014, one in every of six undefeated seasons in UConn historical past. AP Picture/Mark Humphrey
7. 2014 UConn (40-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 69-54 vs. Texas A&M in Elite 8
This workforce gained extra video games than some other UConn championship squad. Led by means of then-sophomore Stewart, the Huskies had been of their first of 7 seasons within the American Athletic Convention, during which they by no means misplaced a recreation. In the meantime, Notre Dame had moved to the ACC, however the two former Large East groups had the freshest competition on the time in ladies’s basketball. Each had been undefeated once they met within the NCAA ultimate in Nashville. However the recreation was once anticlimactic partly since the Irish had misplaced beginning ahead Natalie Achonwa to a knee harm within the Elite 8. UConn gained 79-58; heart Stefanie Dolson had 17 issues, 16 rebounds, 7 assists and three blocks, then went directly to the WNBA with fellow senior Bria Hartley.
6. 2000 UConn (36-1)
Closest NCAA match win: 86-71 vs. LSU in Elite 8
This championship got here all the way through essentially the most heated length of the UConn-Tennessee competition, as they confronted off 4 instances within the 2000 calendar 12 months — together with within the 2000 identify recreation, which the Huskies ruled 71-52. The Ultimate 4 was once in Philadelphia, Auriemma’s place of origin, and he has referred to it as one in every of his favorites amongst his 24 appearances within the Ultimate 4. This was once UConn’s moment championship, the primary for the category of Hen, Swin Money, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams, who had been then sophomores. It is notable that each and every workforce forward of this one in our rating went undefeated; this workforce’s lone loss was once to Tennessee 72-71 at UConn on Feb. 2, 2000.
Maya Moore celebrates successful the 2010 identify and a moment consecutive highest season. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Pictures by means of Getty Photographs
5. 2010 UConn (39-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 53-47 vs. Stanford in nationwide championship recreation
Moore, Charles, Tiffany Hayes and Kalana Greene had been all again from the ’09 identify workforce. The Huskies added freshman guard Kelly Faris, recognized for her nonstop power and willingness to do the “grimy paintings” of scrapping for each and every free ball. Those Huskies carried over the good fortune of the season sooner than; that is the one time UConn had two undefeated groups in a row. The NCAA ultimate was once no longer a excellent recreation; UConn trailed Stanford 20-12 at halftime. However led by means of Moore, the Huskies scored 41 issues in the second one part. Moore completed with 23 issues and 11 rebounds.
4. 2009 UConn (39-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 83-64 vs. Arizona State in Elite 8, and vs. Stanford in nationwide semifinals
It is difficult to differentiate between the back-to-back highest champions of 2009 and 2010, as each had been led by means of superstars Moore and Charles. They went directly to be No. 1 draft alternatives and WNBA MVPs. We give a slight edge to the 2009 champs as a result of in addition they had Renee Bernard Law Montgomery, a WNBA lottery pick out in 2009. This workforce additionally had two different long term WNBA avid gamers: Hayes, who like Charles continues to be within the league in 2025, and Greene. This workforce began what’s now UConn’s second-longest successful streak: 90 video games.
Breanna Stewart, together with Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson, helped lead UConn to an unheard of 4 consecutive NCAA titles from 2013-16. AP Picture/Michael Conroy
3. 2016 UConn (38-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 86-65 vs. Texas in Elite 8
Stewart fulfilled her pledge of successful 4 championships in a row and was once additionally named the Ultimate 4 Maximum Exceptional Participant each and every time. Those Huskies bulldozed throughout the NCAA match. They gained their two video games on the Ultimate 4 — vs. Oregon State and Syracuse — by means of 60 issues, the easiest mixed margin ever within the nationwide semis and ultimate. This workforce had six avid gamers who’re nonetheless competing within the WNBA, together with Stewart and Napheesa Collier, whose New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx groups, respectively, met for the league championship remaining 12 months. Some other starter in this workforce, Morgan Tuck, is now a WNBA basic supervisor with the Connecticut Solar.
UConn’s 1995 identify kick-started the dynasty. Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti and the Huskies additionally notched the primary highest season in program historical past. Bob Stowell/Getty Photographs
2. 1995 UConn (35-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 67-63 vs. Virginia in Elite 8
This workforce began the UConn championship dynasty at the program’s moment commute to the Ultimate 4. 4 of the celebrities had professional careers that integrated a minimum of 4 seasons within the WNBA, which began two years after this identify: Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti, Nykesha Gross sales and Kara Wolters. Different standouts integrated Jamelle Elliott, Carla Berube and Pam Webber. This team ascended to the No. 1 rating within the AP Best 25 after beating Tennessee in January, after which defeated the Woman Vols once more within the NCAA ultimate.
Swin Money, Diana Taurasi, Sue Hen, Tamika Williams and Asjha Jones helped UConn pass 39-0 in 2001-02 in what’s in large part regarded as the most productive ladies’s workforce ever. Max Becherer/NCAA Pictures by means of Getty Photographs
1. 2002 UConn (39-0)
Closest NCAA match win: 82-70 vs. Oklahoma in nationwide championship recreation
This workforce had seven long term WNBA avid gamers, 3 of whom are within the Naismith Corridor of Status or quickly shall be: Money, Hen and Taurasi. Jones joins the ones 3 as an Olympic gold medalist. And Williams, Jessica Moore and Ashley Struggle additionally performed a minimum of six seasons within the WNBA. This will get our vote as no longer simply the most productive UConn workforce however could also be at the very brief record of very best groups in ladies’s school basketball historical past (counting NCAA and AIAW eras).
