South Carolina completed a perfect 38-0 season with a win over Iowa in the 2024 national championship to win their second title in three seasons.
2024 RECAP: How South Carolina won it all
Louisiana Tech was the first NCAA champion in Division I women’s basketball, defeating Cheyney 76-62 in 1982 in the first title game in Norfolk, Virginia. But UConn has the most titles with 11, most recently taking the crown in 2016.
Here’s a look at the women’s basketball teams with the most national championships.
11 — Connecticut (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1995)
The Huskies always seem like the team with the largest target on their back every season. Of their 11 titles, six have ended in undefeated seasons. Two of those came during their record 111-game winning streak that spanned 867 days from 2014 to 2017. Those undefeated seasons were:
- 1995 (35-0)
- 2002 (39-0)
- 2009 (39-0)
- 2010 (39-0)
- 2014 (40-0)
- 2016 (38-0)
8 — Tennessee (2008, 2007, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1991, 1989, 1987)
There were winners of multiple titles before the Lady Vols came along, but Pat Summitt led women’s basketball to the national spotlight. She coached 38 seasons and never posted a losing record. That included eight titles over three decades and five more national runner-up campaigns.
3 (tied)— Baylor (2019, 2012, 2005)
Kim Mulkey made the Bears annual contenders. Baylor’s last two titles have been rather memorable, clinging to a one-point win in 2019 and completing a 40-0 season in 2012.
3 — Stanford (2021, 1992, 1990)
Those early 90s titles were the only two titles for Stanford until the 2021 championship, but the Cardinal are still perennial contenders, with 15 Final Four appearances.
3 — South Carolina (2017, 2022, 2024)
The Gamecocks have emerged as national powers since Dawn Staley took over. South Carolina has five Final Fours and those three titles including an undefeated national championship season in 2024.
2 (tied) — Notre Dame (2018, 2001)
Notre Dame fell one basket short of being the first repeat champions not named UConn or Tennessee since the 1983 and 1984 championships. Muffet McGraw changed the face of the program, and although they only have one title over the past decade, Notre Dame has been to six championship games over the same span.
2 (tied) — Louisiana Tech (1988, 1982)
The Lady Techsters will forever be remembered as the first national champions. In fact, they appeared in four of the first seven title games. Louisiana Tech has four national runner-up campaigns, not reaching the finals since the 1998 season.
2 (tied) — Southern California (1984, 1983)
The Trojans were the first repeat champions in women’s basketball history. USC first ruined LA Tech’s hopes of a repeat in ‘83 before a two-point victory in 1984 sent Pat Summitt home winless in her first attempt at a national championship.
Here’s a complete history of the women’s basketball championship game:
Year | Champion (Record) | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site | Title game replay |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | South Carolina (38-0) | Dawn Staley | 87-65 | Iowa | Cleveland, Ohio | |
2023 | LSU (34-2) | Kim Mulkey | 102-85 | Iowa | Dallas, Texas | |
2022 | South Carolina (35-2) | Dawn Staley | 64-49 | UConn | Minneapolis, Minn. | |
2021 | Stanford (31-2) | Tara VanDerveer | 54-53 | Arizona | San Antonio, Texas | |
2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
2019 | Baylor (37-1) | Kim Mulkey | 82-81 | Notre Dame | Tampa, Fla. | |
2018 | Notre Dame (34-3) | Muffet McGraw | 61-58 | Mississippi State | Columbus, Ohio | |
2017 | South Carolina (33-4) | Dawn Staley | 67-55 | Mississippi State | Dallas, Texas | |
2016 | Connecticut (38-0) | Geno Auriemma | 82-51 | Syracuse | Indianapolis, Ind. | |
2015 | Connecticut (38-1) | Geno Auriemma | 63-53 | Notre Dame | Tampa, Fla. | |
2014 | Connecticut (40-0) | Geno Auriemma | 79-58 | Notre Dame | Nashville, Tenn. | |
2013 | Connecticut (35-4) | Geno Auriemma | 93-60 | Louisville | New Orleans, La. | |
2012 | Baylor (40-0) | Kim Mulkey | 80-61 | Notre Dame | Denver, Colo. | |
2011 | Texas A&M (33-5) | Gary Blair | 76-70 | Notre Dame | Indianapolis, Ind. | |
2010 | Connecticut (39-0) | Geno Auriemma | 53-47 | Stanford | San Antonio, Texas | |
2009 | Connecticut (39-0) | Geno Auriemma | 76-54 | Louisville | St. Louis, Mo. | |
2008 | Tennessee (36-2) | Pat Summitt | 64-48 | Stanford | Tampa, Fla. | |
2007 | Tennessee (34-3) | Pat Summitt | 59-46 | Rutgers | Cleveland, Ohio | |
2006 | Maryland (34-4) | Brenda Frese | 78-75 (OT) | Duke | Boston, Mass. | |
2005 | Baylor (33-3) | Kim Mulkey | 84-62 | Michigan State | Indianapolis, Ind. | |
2004 | Connecticut (31-4) | Geno Auriemma | 70-61 | Tennessee | New Orleans, La. | |
2003 | Connecticut (37-1) | Geno Auriemma | 73-68 | Tennessee | Atlanta, Ga. | |
2002 | Connecticut (39-0) | Geno Auriemma | 82-70 | Oklahoma | San Antonio, Texas | |
2001 | Notre Dame (34-2) | Muffet McGraw | 68-66 | Purdue | St. Louis, Mo. | |
2000 | Connecticut (36-1) | Geno Auriemma | 71-52 | Tennessee | Philadelphia, Pa. | |
1999 | Purdue (34-1) | Carolyn Peck | 62-45 | Duke | San Jose, Calif. | |
1998 | Tennessee (39-0) | Pat Summitt | 93-75 | Louisiana Tech | Kansas City, Mo. | |
1997 | Tennessee (29-10) | Pat Summitt | 68-59 | Old Dominion | Cincinnati, Ohio | |
1996 | Tennessee (32-4) | Pat Summitt | 83-65 | Georgia | Charlotte, N.C. | |
1995 | Connecticut (35-0) | Geno Auriemma | 70-64 | Tennessee | Minneapolis, Minn. | |
1994 | North Carolina (33-2) | Sylvia Hatchell | 60-59 | Louisiana Tech | Richmond, Va. | |
1993 | Texas Tech (31-3) | Marsha Sharp | 84-82 | Ohio State | Atlanta, Ga. | |
1992 | Stanford (30-3) | Tara VanDerveer | 78-62 | Western Kentucky | Los Angeles, Calif. | |
1991 | Tennessee (30-5) | Pat Summitt | 70-67 (OT) | Virginia | New Orleans, La. | |
1990 | Stanford (32-1) | Tara VanDerveer | 88-81 | Auburn | Knoxville, Tenn. | |
1989 | Tennessee (35-2) | Pat Summitt | 76-60 | Auburn | Tacoma, Wash. | |
1988 | Louisiana Tech (32-2) | Leon Barmore | 56-54 | Auburn | Tacoma, Wash. | |
1987 | Tennessee (28-6) | Pat Summitt | 67-44 | Louisiana Tech | Austin, Texas | |
1986 | Texas (34-0) | Jody Conradt | 97-81 | Southern California | Lexington, Ky. | |
1985 | Old Dominion (31-3) | Marianne Stanley | 70-65 | Georgia | Austin, Texas | |
1984 | Southern California (29-4) | Linda Sharp | 72-61 | Tennessee | Los Angeles, Calif. | |
1983 | Southern California (31-2) | Linda Sharp | 69-67 | Louisiana Tech | Norfolk, Va. | |
1982 | Louisiana Tech (35-1) | Sonja Hogg | 76-62 | Cheyney | Norfolk, Va. |