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In 1982 the first NCAA women’s basketball champion was crowned, as Louisiana Tech defeated Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), 76–62. The title came more than 40 years after the first men’s championship was awarded, and it was widely seen as a turning point in women’s sports. The ensuing years saw huge strides in female athletics, with increased participation and popularity. During this time, the women’s basketball tournament also grew, and today it is one of the premier college sporting events.

More than 15 schools have won the women’s basketball championship, with UConn holding the record for most titles, 12. Next is eight-time winner Tennessee, followed by Stanford, Baylor, and South Carolina, all of which have three titles. Click on the interactive to see how the winning schools rank.

school wins year
UConn 12 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025
Tennessee 8 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008
Stanford 3 1990, 1992, 2021
Baylor 3 2005, 2012, 2019
South Carolina 3 2017, 2022, 2024
Louisiana Tech 2 1982, 1988
USC 2 1983, 1984
Notre Dame 2 2001, 2018
Old Dominion 1 1985
Texas 1 1986
Texas Tech 1 1993
North Carolina 1 1994
Purdue 1 1999
Maryland 1 2006
Texas A&M 1 2011
LSU 1 2023
UCLA 1 2026