Women’s college basketball has produced some of the most successful athletic programs in history. The sport has seen many dominant teams and players, but only a select few have risen to the top to become the best programs of all time.
In this article, we’ll explore the top six women’s college basketball programs, along with a few honorable mentions based on their achievements, history, and impact on the game. We’ll discuss their hallmarks, including NCAA championships, winning percentages, WNBA players, and conference titles.
The first program on our list is the UConn Huskies, the most dominant program in women’s college basketball history.
UConn Huskies – Most Dominant Program
The UConn Huskies are the winningest program in women’s college basketball history. Under the leadership of coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 11 NCAA championships, including four consecutive titles from 2013 to 2016.
They also hold the record for the longest win streak in college basketball history, with a 111-game streak from November 2014 to March 2017. The Huskies have had numerous elite players and have sent many of them to the WNBA and on to successful international careers.
Coaching and Player Talent
Geno Auriemma has been the head coach of the UConn women’s basketball team since 1985. During this time, he has amassed over 1100 wins, the highest in the history of the sport.
Auriemma is known for his recruiting, player development, and his ability to motivate his team to succeed at the highest level. He has coached numerous All-Americans, Olympic gold medalists, and WNBA players, including Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart.
Auriemma’s success can be attributed to his commitment to excellence, his emphasis on fundamentals, and his ability to draw the best talent from around the country.
Conference Success
The UConn Huskies have played in both the Big East and ACC conferences throughout their history. In the Big East conference, they dominated, winning 24 regular-season titles and 22 conference tournaments.
In the ACC, they continued their success by winning the regular-season title in their first year in the conference in 2013. However, in 2020, the Huskies moved back to the Big East, where they will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.
Tennessee Lady Volunteers – SEC Powerhouse
The Tennessee Lady Volunteers are one of the most successful women’s college basketball programs in history. Under the leadership of legendary coach Pat Summitt, the Lady Vols were a dominant force in the SEC and beyond.
They have won a total of eight NCAA national championships and 18 SEC regular-season titles. They have also produced numerous WNBA players, including Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings, and Chamique Holdsclaw.
Conference Success
The Lady Vols’ success can be largely attributed to their dominance in the SEC. They have won the SEC tournament 17 times and the regular-season title 18 times, making them the most successful program in SEC history.
They have also been successful in non-conference play, with multiple wins over top ranked opponents and a number of appearances in the Final Four. Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters – Pioneers of Women’s College Basketball
The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters were one of the pioneer programs in women’s college basketball.
They won the first NCAA women’s basketball championship in 1982 and went on to also win in 1988. Louisiana Tech has had a number of successful coaches, including Leon Barmore and current Baylor coach Kim Mulkey.
They have also produced several WNBA players, including Teresa Weatherspoon, Alana Beard, and Cheryl Ford.
Winning Percentage
Louisiana Tech’s success can be attributed to their winning percentage, which is among the highest in women’s college basketball history. They have won over 70% of their games, and at one point held the NCAA record for most consecutive 20-win seasons.
Their trademark style of fast-paced, intense basketball has earned them respect among their opponents and has helped to establish them as one of the best programs in history.
Stanford Cardinal – West Coast Success
The Stanford Cardinal are one of the most successful women’s college basketball programs on the West Coast. They have won two NCAA championships and have made numerous appearances in the Final Four.
The program has produced many WNBA players, including Candice Wiggins, Chiney Ogwumike, and Nneka Ogwumike.
Conference Success
The Cardinal’s success can be attributed to their dominance in the Pac-12 conference. They have won the Pac-12 regular-season title 24 times and have also won the conference tournament 14 times.
Stanford’s success on the West Coast has made them one of the premier programs in the country.
Baylor Lady Bears – Championship Domination
The Baylor Lady Bears have become one of the most successful women’s college basketball programs in recent history. Under the leadership of coach Kim Mulkey, they have won three NCAA championships and have dominated their conference, the Big 12, with 11 regular-season titles and 10 conference tournament championships.
Brittney Griner
One of the standout players for the Lady Bears was
Brittney Griner, who was recruited by Mulkey in 2009. Griner became one of the most dominant players in women’s college basketball history, including setting the record for most blocked shots in a single season with 223.
Her skills helped the Lady Bears win their first NCAA championship in 2012.
Texas Longhorns – Early Champions
The Texas Longhorns were one of the first women’s college basketball programs to achieve national success. They won the first NCAA women’s basketball championship in 1986, and went on to be one of the top programs in the country throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
The program has produced several WNBA players, including Clarissa Davis and Nell Fortner.
Coaching Change
The Longhorns’ success can be attributed to their early emphasis on recruiting and player development. However, in the early 2000s, the program struggled and went through several coaching changes.
In recent years, they have returned to their winning ways and have competed at a high level in the Big 12 conference.
Honorable Mentions
Old Dominion Monarchs, South Carolina Gamecocks, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish all have their own unique achievements and history of success in women’s college basketball. These programs have won NCAA championships, conference titles, and have produced numerous WNBA players.
Conclusion
Women’s college basketball has produced some of the most successful and influential programs in college sports. The UConn Huskies, Tennessee Lady Volunteers, Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters, Stanford Cardinal, Baylor Lady Bears, and Texas Longhorns are considered to be the six best women’s college basketball programs of all time.
Each has their own unique history, hallmarks, and achievements that define them as some of the most successful programs in college athletics. Tennessee Lady Volunteers – Second-Greatest Women’s Basketball Program of All Time
The Tennessee Lady Volunteers have long been considered one of the greatest women’s basketball programs in history.
Under the leadership of legendary coach Pat Summitt, they became a force to be reckoned with. The Lady Vols have won a total of eight NCAA national championships and 18 SEC regular-season titles.
Summitt was instrumental in creating a culture of excellence at Tennessee, and her influence can still be felt in the program today.
Pat Summitt – A Legendary Coach
Summitt is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in college sports history. During her tenure at Tennessee, she won over 1,000 games and had a winning percentage of over 84%.
Summitt was known for her toughness, her attention to detail, and her ability to motivate her players to compete at the highest level. She coached numerous All-Americans, Olympic gold medalists, and WNBA players, including Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings, and Candace Parker.
SEC Dominance
The Lady Vols have dominated the SEC throughout their history. They have won 18 regular-season titles and 17 conference tournaments, the most titles in conference history.
The Lady Vols have also had numerous successful players who have gone on to play professionally in the WNBA, including Candace Parker, the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Player of the Year.
Great Players and Moments in Program History
The Tennessee program has produced several iconic players and moments throughout its history. Candace Parker, one of the most dominant players in women’s college basketball history, won two NCAA championships and was a three-time National Player of the Year.
The Lady Vols have also had some incredible moments in the NCAA tournament, including the infamous dunk by Candace Parker in the 2006 tournament. The dunk was the first by a woman in NCAA tournament history and helped propel the Lady Vols to the championship that year.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters – Pioneering Team in Women’s College Basketball
The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters were one of the pioneering teams in women’s college basketball. They won the first NCAA women’s basketball championship in 1982, just three years after the NCAA sanctioned women’s basketball.
The Lady Techsters were known for their fast-paced style of play and their fierce competitiveness. Kim Mulkey’s Impact
Kim Mulkey, a playmaking point guard for the Lady Techsters in the 1980s, became the head coach of the team in 2000.
Under her leadership, the Lady Techsters continued their winning tradition. Mulkey helped lead the Lady Techsters to an NCAA championship in 2005 and took them to the Final Four four more times.
Mulkey’s impact on the program has been immeasurable, and she has become one of the most successful coaches in the history of women’s college basketball.
Winning Tradition
The Lady Techsters’ success can be attributed to their winning tradition. They have a winning percentage of over 71% and have made 13 trips to the Final Four.
In addition to their two NCAA championships, they have made four more championship appearances. The Lady Techsters have also had several successful WNBA players, including Teresa Weatherspoon, who won a WNBA championship with the New York Liberty in 1997.
Conclusion
Both the Tennessee Lady Volunteers and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters have contributed significantly to the history and success of women’s college basketball. The Lady Volunteers, under the legendary leadership of Pat Summitt, have become one of the most successful programs in NCAA history.
The Lady Techsters, meanwhile, were instrumental in pioneering the sport and have built a winning tradition that has lasted for decades. These two programs remain shining examples of the impact that women’s college basketball can have on athletes and sports fans alike.
Stanford Cardinal – Winning Recent History
The Stanford Cardinal have been one of the most consistently successful women’s basketball programs over the last two decades. They have won three NCAA championships in the last decade and have made numerous appearances in the Final Four.
The program has produced many WNBA players, including Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike, who are considered two of the best players in program history.
Conference Success
The Cardinal’s success can be attributed to their dominance in the Pac-12 conference. They have won the Pac-12 regular-season title 24 times and have also won the conference tournament 14 times.
Stanford has sustained a historic level of conference dominance, having won more than three-quarters of their conference games since 2001. The program has also produced many notable WNBA players, with 13 first-round draft picks since 2000.
Elite Players
The Ogwumike sisters are considered some of the greatest players in Stanford history. Nneka Ogwumike helped lead the Cardinal to a national championship in 2011, while Chiney Ogwumike was the National Player of the Year in 2014.
The sisters were both standout players in the WNBA, with Nneka being named the league’s MVP in 2016. They have been instrumental in the success of the program in recent years and have helped bring the Cardinal to the forefront of women’s college basketball.
Baylor Lady Bears – Recent Dominance
The Baylor Lady Bears have emerged as one of the most dominant women’s basketball programs in recent history. They have won three NCAA championships in the last decade and have been a consistent presence in the Final Four.
In 2019, they had one of the most outstanding seasons in women’s college basketball history, with a 40-1 record and a 108-point victory over Winthrop.
Decades of Success
The Lady Bears’ success can be attributed to their dominance in their conference, the Big 12. The program has won 21 regular-season titles and 16 conference tournament titles in their history.
The team also holds several conference records for their dominance, including a win streak of 44 games.
Brittney Griner was one of the most dominant players in women’s college basketball history, and her impact on the program cannot be overstated.
She helped lead the Lady Bears to their first NCAA championship in 2012 and continued to dominate in the WNBA after being drafted first overall.
Great Baylor Moments and Players
The Lady Bears have had numerous standout players and moments in program history. In 2017, they set a new NCAA record for the largest margin of victory in a game with a 140-32 win over Texas Southern.
In addition, they have produced numerous elite players, including
Brittney Griner, who set records in women’s college basketball for blocked shots and dunks. Odyssey Sims, the 2014 National Player of the Year, was also a standout for the Lady Bears and is now a star in the WNBA.
Conclusion
Both the Stanford Cardinal and Baylor Lady Bears have been powerhouses in women’s college basketball in recent history. The Cardinal’s consistent dominance in the Pac-12 conference and the Ogwumike sisters’ impact as elite players have propelled them to three NCAA championships in the last decade.
The Lady Bears’ recent success, highlighted by their 2019 season, has cemented them as one of the most dominant teams in the NCAA. The impact of
Brittney Griner and Odyssey Sims, among other great players, cannot be understated in Baylor’s decades of success.
Overall, both programs have been essential in the growth and development of women’s college basketball at the highest level.
Texas Longhorns – Championship Season and Big 12 Success
The Texas Longhorns women’s basketball program has a storied history, with their crowning achievement being the 1986 NCAA championship. Led by coach Jody Conradt, the Longhorns went undefeated that season and