“When you don’t think you can, UConn” – Gigi Bryant

The 2025 Women’s Basketball National Championship, featuring No. 2 seed UConn and No. 1 seed South Carolina, was one for the history books. The Huskies were looking to claim the title for the first time since 2016, while the Gamecocks were looking to go back to back. In the end when the final whistle blew, the UConn Huskies were crowned National Champions for the 12th time. 

It’s been a nine year drought since UConn won their last title, which is the longest period for them without a title since Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti led them to their first championship in 1995. After winning four championships in a row from 2013-2016 behind legend Breanna Stewart, they hit several roadblocks filled with tough losses and injury heartbreaks that were hard to swallow. This season, however, they battled with grit and put all the negatives in the rear view mirror, stepping on the gas pedal to chase that trophy.

With guards Paige Bueckers (expected No. 1 overall pick in Monday’s WNBA draft) and Azzi Fudd, who missed most of last season with a torn ACL, finally healthy at the same time, along with the top freshman in the nation Sarah Strong, UConn looked dominant just like all the old championship teams.

Fudd and Strong tallied 24 points each, and Bueckers ended with 17, which moved her past Maya Moore for the third most career points in the NCAA Tournament. Fudd was also named Most Outstanding Player for the Final Four + Championship. In addition to this, she reached 1,000 career points, which sets her up for huge momentum as she returns for one final year next season.

Throughout the entire season, despite being a freshman, Strong was unfazed by the pressure and played like a veteran. She set a record for points by a freshman in a single tournament with 114, passing Tennessee’s Tamika Catchings (had 111 in 1998). She’s also the first player (regardless of class) to have at least 100 points, 25 assists, and 10 blocks in a single tournament since blocks became an official stat in 1988.

Meanwhile with South Carolina, freshman Joyce Edwards and sophomore Tessa Johnson led the team with 10 points each, which are the fewest by any team’s leading scorer in a women’s NCAA title game.

The Huskies shot 48.4% from the field and restrained South Carolina on defense, holding the Gamecocks to 34.4% with field goals.

UConn now has 12 wins in the Final Four by 20 or more points, while all other teams in women’s Division 1 have 11 combined. The team’s 23 victory margin is tied for the third largest in championship game history behind two previous Husky teams that won by 33 (vs Louisville in 2013) and 31 (vs Syracuse in 2016).

Bueckers will forever go down as one of the most decorated players in UConn history, and she has a lot to be proud of. Her long list of accolades include: Nancy Lieberman Award (2025, 2021), 3x Unanimous first team All American (2025, 2024, 2021), 3x Big East Player of the Year (2025, 2024, 2021), AP Player of the Year (2021), Big East Freshman of the Year (2021), Wade Trophy (2025), John R. Wooden Award (2021), Huskies of Honor Inductee, Fastest player in UConn history to reach 2,000 career points, 3x First Team All American – AP, USBWA (2025, 2023, 2021), 3x All American – WBCA (2025, 2024, 2021), 3x First Team All Big East (2025, 2024, 2021), Naismith College Player of the Year (2021), USBWA National Player of the Year (2021), WBCA Co-Freshman of the Year (2021), 3x Big East Tournament MOP (2025, 2024, 2021).

From UConn, the All-Tournament team includes Bueckers, Fudd, and Strong, along with Edwards from the Gamecocks. Another addition is Lauren Betts from UCLA.

For the team, this now makes the 36th tournament appearance and 24th Final Four trip. Head Coach Geno Auriemma, who turned 71 in March, is the first coach to win a championship at age 70 or older in Division 1 Women’s or Men’s.

When it comes to attendance, this is the 4th consecutive year that the Final Four + Championship has sold out. This year’s crowd was 19,731, last year had 18,284, 2023 drew in 19,288, and 2022 saw 18,286. 

In addition, TV viewership was a slam dunk for other teams, not just UConn. According to ESPN PR, this was the third most watched Women’s Final Four on ESPN platforms. From the semifinal, the Texas vs South Carolina game generated 3.7 million viewers, UConn vs UCLA brought in 4.2 million viewers, and the National Championship saw 8.6 million viewers. With both attendance and TV viewership, this says a lot about the growth of women’s basketball and women’s sports in general.

With another national title added to their already overflowing trophy case, UConn has once again reminded the basketball world that their standard is unlike any other. This isn’t just a program that wins time and time again—they define winning and what it means to consistently be on top of the women’s basketball mountain, head and shoulders above the rest. As confetti poured down and the final buzzer sounded, it wasn’t just a celebration of a season’s success, but a continuation of a legacy built on excellence, grit, and championship DNA. At UConn, greatness isn’t the goal—it’s the expectation.

Looking ahead into next season, the top 4 teams in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 Poll feature UCLA at the #1 spot, South Carolina at #2, UConn at #3, and Texas rounding it out at #4. It’s definitely going to be interesting and exciting at the same time next season with different teams rebuilding from the ground up or continuing momentum.