UCONN HUSKIES
The most successful collegiate women's basketball program of the last decade, UConn has elevate itself to a tier that even Tennessee is struggling to reach.
At the helm is Geno Auriemma, in his 25th year as the head coach in Storrs. Under Auriemma, the Huskies have won a myriad of trophies including seven D-1 national championships. UConn has also advanced to 13 Final Fours and won 19 regular season conference championships and 18 conference tournament championships. UConn also went on an unprecedented 90-game win streak that final ended on December 30, 2010, completing the longest winning streak in NCAA basketball history.
The rivalry with Tennessee began during the '94-'95 season, with Rebecca Lobo leading the Huskies to an 11-point win over Pat Summitt's Vols on ESPN. UConn was propelled to No. 1 in the polls for the first time in history after the game, and eventually ran into Tennessee again in the national championship game. UConn beat the Vols again 70-64 to win the Huskies their first ever national title.
UConn has no trouble filling Gampel pavilion and enjoy the same type of support that lots of successful men’s programs receive, no easy feat as many other prominent women’s programs still struggle to get fans interested in the sport. The Huskies have become an immovable force in women’s college basketball, and along with Tennessee have set the bar that every other women’s program will try to reach.