March Madness is the ultimate stage for college basketball stars to cement their legacies. Some of the game’s greatest players have shined in the NCAA tournament — but not all have walked away as champions.
Unlike the men’s side, where players can enter the NBA draft at 19 or after just one collegiate season, women’s players must either graduate or turn 22 before heading to the WNBA — a rule that gives women’s superstars more opportunities to chase a national title.
Enter, UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers.
After a sensational freshman season in 2020-21, injuries sidelined her for much of the next two seasons. Despite the setbacks, she reached 2,000 career points in the fewest games in program history (102 games), surpassing UConn legend Maya Moore. Now, in her final season, Bueckers has one more chance to add a championship to her résumé.
From Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart to Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark, some stars have led their teams to glory, while others have fallen short. Here’s a look at how some women’s college basketball legends since 2000 have fared in their title pursuits.
National championship: No
Best finish: Runner-up (2023, 2024)
As a freshman, Clark led Division I in scoring and reached the Sweet 16. Her sophomore year ended in a second-round loss to the Creighton Bluejays. She took Iowa to the title game as a junior, falling to LSU, then returned as a senior and lost to undefeated South Carolina in the championship. The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and two-time national player of the year, Clark was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey shortly after her historic collegiate career.
National championship: Yes (2023)
Reese started her college career with the Maryland Terrapins, where both of her NCAA tournament runs ended in the Sweet 16. She transferred to LSU ahead of her junior year — and took the Tigers straight to the top. She led the team to a national title in the 2022-23 season, earning Most Outstanding Player in the 102-85 win over Iowa. In her final season, she helped LSU reach the Elite Eight, posting 17 points and 20 rebounds in a 2023 national championship game rematch loss to Iowa. Reese entered the 2024 WNBA draft as one of the most recognizable names in the sport and was selected seventh overall by the Chicago Sky.
National championship: Yes (2022)
Boston’s freshman year ended without an NCAA tournament, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore, South Carolina reached the Final Four but ended in heartbreaking fashion after Boston missed a potential game-winner in a 66-65 loss to the Stanford Cardinal. She bounced back her junior year, leading the Gamecocks to a national title over UConn and earning Most Outstanding Player. In her senior year, the Gamecocks’ tournament run ended in the Final Four again, this time with a loss to Clark and Iowa as their historic 42-game win streak was snapped. Boston was selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 WNBA draft by the Fever.
National championship: No
Best finish: Final Four (2019)
As a freshman, Ionescu aided Oregon to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2005, when the team advanced to the Elite Eight, but its run ended with a loss to UConn. In the following year, the Ducks’ run ended again in the Elite Eight — this time with a loss to Notre Dame. Ionescu led the Ducks’ rally in her junior year as Oregon earned its first Final Four appearance, falling short of the title game in a 72-67 loss to Baylor. Although she was eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft by age, Ionescu returned for her final season, but the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA’s all-time triple-double leader and three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, Ionescu was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty.
National championship: Yes (2018)
Best finish: Champion (2018)
Ogunbowale’s college career is defined by her clutch moments. As a freshman, she reached the Sweet 16. Her sophomore season ended in the Elite Eight, but she made history as a junior — hitting back-to-back game winners in the Final Four and title game, leading Notre Dame to the 2018 national championship. As a senior, she returned to the title game but fell to Baylor. Ogunbowale finished her collegiate career with over 2,600 points and was drafted fifth overall in 2019 by the Dallas Wings.
National Championship: No
Best finish: Final Four (2016)
Plum missed the NCAA tournament as a freshman but led Washington to back-to-back second-round appearances in her sophomore and junior years. She made history in her senior season by becoming Division I’s all-time leading scorer (3,527 points) and powered the Huskies to their first Final Four. She won the 2017 Naismith Player of the Year and was selected No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Stars, who later became the Las Vegas Aces.
National championship: Yes (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Stewart led UConn to four straight national titles — and won Most Outstanding Player each time. Every season of her collegiate career ended in championships, and she collected two Naismith Player of the Year awards. Stewart finished with over 2,600 points and 1,100 rebounds before the Seattle Storm selected her as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 WNBA draft. Since UConn “honors” jerseys rather than officially retiring them, Stewart’s No. 30 is among those recognized by the program.
National championship: Yes (2012)
As a freshman, Griner led the Bears to the Sweet 16, followed by an Elite Eight appearance as a sophomore. She made history her junior year by powering Baylor to a 40-0 record and the 2012 national championship over Notre Dame. She returned for her final year and capped her career with another Sweet 16 appearance as a senior. The NCAA’s all-time blocks leader (748) and two-time Naismith winner, Griner finished with 3,283 points and was selected by the Phoenix Mercury No. 1 overall in the 2013 WNBA draft.
Maya Moore, UConn
National championship: Yes (2009, 2010)
Moore helped UConn to the Final Four as a freshman, then led the Huskies to back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Her senior season ended in the Final Four, capping a college career that included two Wooden Awards, over 3,000 points and a 150-4 record. The Minnesota Lynx selected the four-time All-American as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 WNBA draft.
National championship: Yes (2007, 2008)
Parker redshirted her first year because of a knee injury. In her debut year, she became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game — doing so twice. That year, Tennessee reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, marking the first time in five years the team did not reach the Final Four. As a sophomore and junior, Parker led Tennessee to back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008, and she was named Most Outstanding Player in both championships. A two-time Wooden Award winner, she finished with over 2,100 points and 900 rebounds despite forgoing her final year of eligibility. The day after she won her last collegiate championship, Parker was drafted No. 1 overall in 2008 by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Seimone Augustus, LSU
National Championship: No
Best finish: Final Four (2004, 2005, 2006)
Augustus led LSU to three straight Final Fours during her sophomore to senior years, though didn’t win a national title. She was a two-time Naismith Player of the Year and finished with over 2,700 career points. Augustus was drafted No. 1 overall in 2006 by the Minnesota Lynx. In 2010, her No. 33 became the first woman’s jersey retired in school history. In 2023, she was honored with the first statue of a woman athlete on LSU’s campus alongside basketball legends Bob Pettit, Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal.
Diana Taurasi, UConn
National championship: Yes (2002, 2003, 2004)
Taurasi reached the Final Four as a freshman, but suffered a tough loss to Notre Dame that fueled her to make a bold promise: “We will not lose another tournament game while I’m wearing this uniform.” She backed it up by leading the Huskies to three straight national titles and earning back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year awards. Taurasi was drafted No. 1 overall by Phoenix in 2004 and her No. 3 is honored at UConn.
Sue Bird, UConn
National championship: Yes (2000, 2002)
Bird helped UConn reach the Sweet 16 as a freshman, then won titles as a sophomore and senior with a Final Four appearance in between. The floor general earned the Nancy Lieberman Award three times and was drafted No. 1 in 2002 by Seattle. Bird tallied a 114-4 record with the Huskies and her No. 10 is one of several honored numbers in the program.
This post was originally published on this site