Eight.
Women's college basketball is currently on a streak of eight straight NCAA Tourmaments without a repeat victor, the second-longest streak of this kind since the tournament's creation in 1982. The only run longer came from 1985-95, an 11-tournament streak without a two-year run from anyone, sandwiched between back-to-back titles from USC (1983-84) and a late-90s three-peat from Tennessee (96-98).
In the seasons following that 11-year run, it felt like the women's side may never see that type of parity at the top again. It took just three seasons of non-consecutive champions before UConn broke the streak with a 2002-04 three-peat. After Baylor and Maryland broke through the following seasons, the Lady Vols and Huskies both went back-to-back in a four-year run. A title for Texas A&M and another for Baylor were then met with That UConn Run that everyone knew the Huskies for, winning four straight from 2013-16.
But then? N0 repeats. From 1996-2016, 14 of the 21 women's NCAA Tournament champions were part of a run of back-to-back champs, all of which were either Tennessee or UConn. Then, for seven straight tournaments, neither of those teams won it at all:
- South Carolina
- Notre Dame
- Baylor
- COVID-cancelled tournament in 2020
- Stanford
- South Carolina
- LSU
- South Carolina
While the Gamecocks were certainly the most dominant team of this recent era, each of those South Carolina teams were led by a different top weapon (A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, Kamilla Cardoso) and the titles came across a span of eight total seasons.
South Carolina was among the closest to repeat during this era, getting the chance last season in the title game against UConn. Only 2018-19 Notre Dame had made it back to the championship a year after winning it since the UConn four-peat, losing to Baylor 82-81.
But now, the conversation of a repeat champion is back to where it often has been: Storrs, Connecticut. The UConn women's team is, of course, the reigning champs after taking down the Gamecocks in lopsided fashion, they are the program with 3 of the last 4 repeat runs on the women's side and, for good measure, UConn is also the most recent back-to-back basketball champion on either side, with the men's team winning in 2023 and 2024.
Looking back at 2013-16 UConn, it's clear that the answer to success is simply having a monstrous, game-wrecking true freshman big that can lead your team for four straight seasons, it's really that simple. Then, it was Breanna Stewart, who was part of each of those titles along with Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck.
Stewart ultimately became the No. 1 overall pick, is a three-time WNBA champion and gold medalist, a two-time league MVP and will end her career as one of the all-time greats. So, just find another player like that I reckon! Easier said than done, and UConn already has one title and it's not like they have a player on that roster and hey why are those Sarah Strong numbers appearing on the page out of thin air.
Sarah Strong's Freshman Season
I often just say Sarah Strong is good at everything already and leave it at that, mainly because it's easier than saying she can score inside, shoot the three, rebound, pass, force steals and block shots, all while generally limiting turnovers and fouls compared to her usage. I guess she could be more aggressive at getting to the free throw line, so, something to work on still!
UConn's chances at a repeat will depend heavily on how Strong develops. She doesn't have to be the "Next Breanna Stewart" but she has already proven to be one of the most exciting underclassmen players in recent history and has a championship under her belt along with it.
But Strong will help the Huskies, assumedly, for the next three seasons. For UConn to simply win it again next year, Azzi Fudd will also be a massive factor. In her most full season with the Huskies to date, she proved again just how dominant of a shooter she can be with 13.6 PPG and 79 made threes on a 43.6 percentage. Without Paige Bueckers (more on her later), Fudd is going to have to step up as a main guard, but it's clear the talent is there to do so.
Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck were there for all four of UConn's consecutive championships, but they were joined by plenty of returners for the first repeat in 13-14. Eight members of the 11-player roster were returning players for the following undefeated season, including some other WNBA players in Stefanie Dolson, Kiah Stokes and Bria Hartley.
Perhaps more significantly, those eight returners were almost the entire core rotation for the following season. Only one newcomer — Saniya Chong — saw double-digit minutes per game. It was an insanely dominant season that's hard to compared to anything — UConn didn't even win a game by single digits that year — but it was clear that cohesion played a part.
The 25-26 UConn roster returns 10 of its 14 players from last season, but does lose two of its top five performers via win shares in Bueckers (second) and Kaitlyn Chen (fifth). The 13-14 unit lost one core player: Kelly Faris (third in win shares).
No team ever wants to lose a player like Bueckers, a highly-efficient guard that has true takeover abilities and did so plenty during her time with the Huskies. Losing Chen — a 61 percent shooter from inside the arc and third on the team in assists — will also hurt.
The two adds coming in from the portal — something the previous UConn run didn't have — could help make up the difference.
The Huskies bring in two portal additions from the Big Ten: Guard Kayleigh Heckel (USC) and forward Serah Williams (Wisconsin). Heckel played one season with the Trojans, primarily coming off the bench, but showed a very well-rounded skillset that should blend in well next to Fudd.
Williams could be a true star signing as a force of nature inside: She averaged 19.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 2.3 BPG for a Badgers team that needed every single piece of her production. Despite being Wisconsin's clear top weapon for the past two seasons, her efficiency remained strong (49.3% last season), and should only go up next to a player like Strong.
The Huskies go into this season as one of the clear favorites to win the title, trailing only South Carolina in current odds. The Gamecocks also already took a major hit, with Chloe Kitts being announced as out for the season with a torn ACL.
The chances of a repeat this season are high, but they have been high for many recent champions who were unable to pull off the feat. What gives UConn a real chance is the amount of returning production, namely someone like Strong — one of the best all-around players in the country as a first-year player — who could be even better as she continues to develop.
UConn is the most recent program to do it, and the Huskies didn't win even one title since that four-peat nearly a decade ago. Now that they have broken through that barrier, could another one be coming?
