How many times has UConn won March Madness? Looking back at college’s NCAA pedigree
This year's March Madness is in the books, and it is the UConn Huskies who have etched their name on the trophy for the fifth time in program history.
UConn took down San Diego State in a convincing 76-59 victory in which it held a steady lead throughout the game Monday. While San Diego State (32-7) showed a second-half spark and attempted to claw back into the game, it was never truly in doubt and UConn (31-8) proved itself to be the best team in college basketball this year.
The program is no stranger to success and has a strong resume for being the best basketball program in the country in recent years. All five of its NCAA championship victories and all six of its finals appearances occurred in the past 24 years. The Huskies have also been led to the promised land by three different head coaches.
UConn's NCAA Tournament success
In the program's history, UConn has made it to the NCAA Tournament 35 times. They hold an overall record of 59-32 with its greatest success occurring of late.
UConn's first title took place in 1999 under legendary coach Jim Calhoun, who led the program from 1986 to 2012. Calhoun held an overall record of 625-243 during his tenure, leading the Huskies to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 conference titles and three national championships.
The 1999 title was likely the most dominant UConn team as it was ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for 10 consecutive weeks during the season. The Huskies, in their first Final Four, took down a legendary Duke team many considered to be unbeatable. After going 28-2 in the regular season, the Huskies cruised into the tournament as a No. 1 seed and took down Duke (37-2) in the championship game 77-74 to finish 34-2. It was the biggest point spread upset in championship game history.
Calhoun also led the Huskies to NCAA titles in 2004 and 2011 with Kemba Walker's game-winning shot during the 2011 run forever immortalized as one of the greatest moments in college basketball history.
Happy March Madness .. Kemba Walker’s time at UConn will never be forgotten .. 🎯
https://t.co/YpEVZ4PAMS
Calhoun retired in 2012, just before his 70th birthday, with some academic and recruiting sanctions clouding his legacy. Kevin Ollie took over as head coach after serving as an assistant coach at UConn leading up to the opportunity.
Ollie led the program from 2012 to 2018, leading the Huskies to a 97-45 record, two NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2014 championship. This came in Ollie's second season as coach, with Shabazz Napier leading the team. UConn took down Kentucky in the championship game for its fourth national title.
The most recent championship came under the guidance of Dan Hurley, who took control of the program in 2018 after Ollie was fired. Hurley previously had success in his six seasons at Rhode Island, where he led the program to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances before taking the UConn job.
In his five seasons at UConn, Hurley has led the program to a 104-55 record with the Huskies appearing in the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons. The championship is a huge accomplishment for Hurley and the program. He comes from an impressive family tree of coaching, with his brother and Hall of Fame father each having impressive resumes of their own.
UConn now enters rarefied air as no program has had as much success in recent history. The Huskies' five championships in the past 24 years have not been matched by any program, and they also tied Duke for the fourth-most championships of all time. Only UCLA (11), Kentucky (eight) and North Carolina (six) have more.
Expectations will remain high as UConn is back on the map as a powerhouse in college basketball.