Women's Final Four

Women's Final Four
source
Name	Women's Final Four
Sport	Basketball
Founded	1982
Director	Lynn Holzman
Country	United States
Champion	South Carolina (2024)
Most champs	UConn (11)
Tv	ESPN, ABC
Related comps	NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament

Women's Final Four. The Women's Final Four is the national semifinal and championship round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. It is the premier event in college basketball for women, featuring the last four teams standing from the 68-team tournament field. The event culminates in the crowning of the national champion and is a major fixture on the American sports calendar, drawing massive television audiences and sell-out crowds.

Overview

The event is organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and serves as the climax of the NCAA basketball tournament season. It is held annually in a pre-selected host city, with venues like Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and American Airlines Center in Dallas having recently hosted. The format consists of two national semifinal games, followed by the national championship game. Media coverage is dominated by ESPN, which holds the broadcast rights, and the event generates significant economic impact for host communities. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association presents major awards, including the Wade Trophy, during the weekend.

History

The first official event was held in 1982 in Norfolk, Virginia, where the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters defeated Cheyney for the title. The early years were dominated by programs like USC and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, led by legendary coach Pat Summitt. The 1990s saw the rise of UConn under Geno Auriemma, beginning a dynasty. A landmark moment came in 2023 when the championship game between LSU and Iowa, featuring Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, set a viewership record on ABC. The tournament has expanded multiple times, most recently to 68 teams in 2022.

Teams and Participants

A select group of programs have defined the event's history through repeated success. The UConn Huskies hold the record with 11 national titles under Geno Auriemma. The Tennessee Lady Volunteers, under Pat Summitt, won 8 championships. Other multiple-time champions include Stanford, Baylor, and the South Carolina Gamecocks under Dawn Staley. Iconic players who have starred include Cheryl Miller of USC, Diana Taurasi of UConn, Maya Moore also of UConn, and Breanna Stewart, who led UConn to four consecutive titles. Recent stars like Caitlin Clark of Iowa have drawn unprecedented attention.

Game Results

Championship games have produced some of the most memorable contests in the sport's history. In 1991, Tennessee defeated Virginia in an overtime classic. The 2002 final saw UConn complete a perfect 39–0 season by defeating Oklahoma. In 2016, UConn beat Syracuse for its fourth straight title, an unprecedented feat. The 2023 final featured a high-scoring showdown where LSU, led by Kim Mulkey, outlasted Iowa. The 2024 championship was won by South Carolina, completing an undefeated season against Iowa.

Notable Moments

The event has been a stage for historic individual and team performances. In 1983, Cheryl Miller led USC to a title with a dominant MVP performance. The 1995 final featured Rebecca Lobo and the undefeated UConn team defeating Tennessee, a watershed moment for the sport's popularity. In 2010, Baylor's Brittney Griner emerged as a transformative figure. The 2023 event broke records, with the semifinal game between Iowa and South Carolina drawing huge ratings on ESPN. The ongoing rivalry between programs like UConn and Notre Dame has produced several classic semifinal clashes.

Category:NCAA women's basketball Category:College basketball competitions in the United States Category:1982 establishments in the United States