How many times has a university won the NCAA national championship with both their men’s and women’s basketball teams?

Friday was an exceptional day for fans of NC State basketball. Both the men’s and women’s teams moved beyond the Sweet 16 and into the Elite Eight. Both games ended within 10 minutes of each other, making it a magical day for the Wolfpack supporters and a lot to expect from the Final Four played next weekend.

On the men’s side, the No. 11 Wolfpack pulled off an incredible 66-58 upset over No. 2 Marquette, while the No. 3 women’s team dismantled No. 2 Stanford, mainly due to Aziaha James’s fantastic 29-point game.

UConn is another school that can have dual teams in the Final Four this season and is still the only school to have both teams win national championships in the same year, which they achieved twice in 2004 and 2014. It may seem strange that only one team has accomplished this, but it is because of how frequently the UConn women win.

To put it into perspective, after the men’s team defeated Kentucky in 2014 and secured their fourth national title, there was talk about how the Huskies had established themselves as one of the best basketball programs in the country. Meanwhile, the women’s team won their ninth championship a year after winning their eighth, and they were riding a 40-0 winning streak.

UConn (2004)

In April 2004, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, coached by legendary Geno Auriemma, defeated the University of Tennessee in the NCAA National Championship held in New Orleans. This earned them their third consecutive national title, fifth overall, and fourth in five years.

UConn made history because the UConn men’s basketball team won their national championship the night before. Coached by Jim Calhoun and led by Emeka Okafor, the men’s team beat Georgia Tech 82-73, securing their second championship win in six years. This was the first time in NCAA Division I basketball history that a school won both men’s and women’s titles in the same year, marking a significant milestone in Connecticut sports.

The Lady Huskies achieved unprecedented national victories, and senior guard Diana Taurasi was named the NCAA’s Most Outstanding Player. UConn fans were unsurprised as they had watched Taurasi dominate the court during her four years on the team.

UConn (2014)

In another historic moment, the University of Connecticut celebrated winning dual national championships for the second time after a gap of ten years. The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament came to a thrilling end as the UConn women’s team won against similarly unbeaten Notre Dame 79-58, thus achieving their record-breaking ninth championship. The UConn women’s team had remained undefeated throughout the tournament, a remarkable achievement.

The next day, UConn’s male counterparts won their tournament by defeating Kentucky, adding to the university’s already impressive collection of titles. Both teams’ winning streaks brought immense pride and will be remembered as one of UConn’s greatest sporting moments.