Schools with the most DI women’s basketball national championships

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.

2 (tied) — South Carolina (2017, 2022)

The Gamecocks have emerged as national powers since Dawn Staley took over. South Carolina has four Final Fours and those two titles to become multi-champs. The 2021-22 title team was ranked No. 1 all season long.

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
2023	LSU (34-2)	Kim Mulkey	102-85	Iowa	Dallas, Texas	Watch the full game
2022	South Carolina (35-2)	Dawn Staley	64-49	UConn	Minneapolis, Minn.	Watch the full game
2021	Stanford (31-2)	Tara VanDerveer	54-53	Arizona	San Antonio, Texas	Watch the full game
2020	Canceled due to Covid-19	—	—	—	—
2019	Baylor (37-1)	Kim Mulkey	82-81	Notre Dame	Tampa, Fla.	Watch the full game
2018	Notre Dame (34-3)	Muffet McGraw	61-58	Mississippi State	Columbus, Ohio	Watch the full game
2017	South Carolina (33-4)	Dawn Staley	67-55	Mississippi State	Dallas, Texas	Watch the full game
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	Watch the full game
2009	Connecticut (39-0)	Geno Auriemma	76-54	Louisville	St. Louis, Mo.
2008	Tennessee (36-2)	Pat Summitt	64-48	Stanford	Tampa, Fla.	Watch the full game
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.	Watch the full game
2002	Connecticut (39-0)	Geno Auriemma	82-70	Oklahoma	San Antonio, Texas	Watch the full game
2001	Notre Dame (34-2)	Muffet McGraw	68-66	Purdue	St. Louis, Mo.	Watch the full game
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.	Watch the full game
1993	Texas Tech (31-3)	Marsha Sharp	84-82	Ohio State	Atlanta, Ga.	Watch the full game
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.	Watch the full game
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.	Watch the full game
1982	Louisiana Tech (35-1)	Sonja Hogg	76-62	Cheyney	Norfol

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