March Madness history: Past winners, most titles, Final Four appearances, winningest coaches and more
It's almost that time of year. March is around the corner, which means one thing: March Madness.
From Selection Sunday, which falls on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) this year, until the champions cut down the nets, the men's and women's NCAA tournaments will be top of mind for sports fans.
Last year, Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies and Kim Mulkey's LSU Tigers claimed their respective national titles. Where do those schools rank in the history of the men's and women's NCAA tournament — which dates back to 1939 for the men and 1982 for the women?
Here's everything you need to know regarding March Madness history, including past winners, most titles, most Final Four appearances, winningest coaches, Most Outstanding Player Award winners and more.
Which schools have the most Final Four appearances in history?
North Carolina leads the way on the men's side with 21 Final Four appearances, followed by UCLA with 18 and then Duke and Kentucky with 17 each.
On the women's side, UConn has advanced to 22 Final Fours, followed by Tennessee with 18, Stanford at 15 and Louisiana Tech at 10.
Which coach has the most titles in March Madness history?
UCLA head coach John Wooden holds the record for men's NCAA championships with 10, followed by Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski at five and then Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp with four.
However, UConn coach Geno Auriemma has the overall record with 11. Tennessee's Pat Summit is right behind him with eight on the women's side.
Which schools have the most March Madness titles?
On the men's side, UCLA has the most March Madness titles with 11, but the Bruins haven't won one since 1995. Kentucky is behind them with eight, having last won in 2012, followed by North Carolina with six (last won in 2017).
On the women's side, UConn also has 11 titles, having last won it all in 2016. After the Huskies, Tennessee has eight (last won in 2008) and then Baylor (last won in 2019) and Stanford (last won in 2021) have three apiece.
Complete list of men’s March Madness champions
YEAR | MEN'S CHAMP (RECORD) | RUNNER-UP |
2023 | UConn (31-8) | San Diego State |
2022 | Kansas (34-6) | North Carolina |
2021 | Baylor (28-2) | Gonzaga |
2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- |
2019 | Virginia (35-3) | Texas Tech |
2018 | Villanova (36-4) | Michigan |
2017 | North Carolina (33-7) | Gonzaga |
2016 | Villanova (35-5) | North Carolina |
2015 | Duke (35-4) | Wisconsin |
2014 | Connecticut (32-8) | Kentucky |
2013 | Louisville (35-5)* (Later vacated) | Michigan |
2012 | Kentucky (38-2) | Kansas |
2011 | Connecticut (32-9) | Butler |
2010 | Duke (35-5) | Butler |
2009 | North Carolina (34-4) | Michigan State |
2008 | Kansas (37-3) | Memphis |
2007 | Florida (35-5) | Ohio State |
2006 | Florida (33-6) | UCLA |
2005 | North Carolina (33-4) | Illinois |
2004 | Connecticut (33-6) | Georgia Tech |
2003 | Syracuse (30-5) | Kansas |
2002 | Maryland (32-4) | |
2001 | Duke (35-4) | Arizona |
2000 | Michigan State (32-7) | Florida |
1999 | Connecticut (34-2) | Duke |
1998 | Kentucky (35-4) | Utah |
1997 | Arizona (25-9) | Kentucky |
1996 | Kentucky (34-2) | Syracuse |
1995 | UCLA (31-2) | Arkansas |
1994 | Arkansas (31-3) | Duke |
1993 | North Carolina (34-4) | Michigan |
1992 | Duke (34-2) | Michigan |
1991 | Duke (32-7) | Kansas |
1990 | UNLV (35-5) | Duke |
1989 | Michigan (30-7) | Seton Hall |
1988 | Kansas (27-11) | Oklahoma |
1987 | Indiana (30-4) | Syracuse |
1986 | Louisville (32-7) | Duke |
1985 | Villanova (25-10) | Georgetown |
1984 | Georgetown (34-3) | |
1983 | North Carolina State (26-10) | Houston |
1982 | North Carolina (32-2) | Georgetown |
1981 | Indiana (26-9) | North Carolina |
1980 | Louisville (33-3) | UCLA |
1979 | Michigan State (26-6) | Indiana State |
1978 | Kentucky (30-2) | Duke |
1977 | Marquette (25-7) | North Carolina |
1976 | Indiana (32-0) | Michigan |
1975 | UCLA (28-3) | Kentucky |
1974 | North Carolina State (30-1) | Marquette |
1973 | UCLA (30-0) | Memphis State |
1972 | UCLA (30-0) | Florida State |
1971 | UCLA (29-1) | Villanova |
1970 | UCLA (28-2) | Jacksonville |
1969 | UCLA (29-1) | Purdue |
1968 | UCLA (29-1) | North Carolina |
1967 | UCLA (30-0) | Dayton |
1966 | UTEP (28-1) | Kentucky |
1965 | UCLA (28-2) | Michigan |
1964 | UCLA (30-0) | Duke |
1963 | Loyola (Ill.) (29-2) | Cincinnati |
1962 | Cincinnati (29-2) | Ohio State |
1961 | Cincinnati (27-3) | Ohio State |
1960 | Ohio State (25-3) | California |
1959 | California (25-4) | West Virginia |
1958 | Kentucky (23-6) | Seattle |
1957 | North Carolina (32-0) | Kansas |
1956 | San Francisco (29-0) | Iowa |
1955 | San Francisco (28-1) | LaSalle |
1954 | La Salle (26-4) | Bradley |
1953 | Indiana (23-3) | Kansas |
1952 | Kansas (28-3) | St. John's |
1951 | Kentucky (32-2) | Kansas State |
1950 | CCNY (24-5) | Bradley |
1949 | Kentucky (32-2) | Oklahoma A&M |
1948 | Kentucky (36-3) | Baylor |
1947 | Holy Cross (27-3) | Oklahoma |
1946 | Oklahoma State (31-2) | North Carolina |
1945 | Oklahoma State (27-4) | NYU |
1944 | Utah (21-4) | Dartmouth |
1943 | Wyoming (31-2) | Georgetown |
1942 | Stanford (28-4) | Dartmouth |
1941 | Wisconsin (20-3) | Washington State |
1940 | Indiana (20-3) | Kansas |
1939 | Oregon (29-5) | Ohio State |
Complete list of women’s March Madness champions
YEAR | WOMEN'S CHAMP (RECORD) | RUNNER-UP |
2023 | LSU (34-2) | Iowa |
2022 | South Carolina (35-2) | UConn |
2021 | Stanford (31-2) | Arizona |
2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- |
2019 | Baylor (37-1) | Notre Dame |
2018 | Notre Dame (34-3) | Mississippi State |
2017 | South Carolina (33-4) | Mississippi State |
2016 | Connecticut (38-0) | Syracuse |
2015 | Connecticut (38-1) | Notre Dame |
2014 | Connecticut (40-0) | Notre Dame |
2013 | Connecticut (35-4) | Louisville |
2012 | Baylor (40-0) | Notre Dame |
2011 | Texas A&M (33-5) | Notre Dame |
2010 | Connecticut (39-0) | Stanford |
2009 | Connecticut (39-0) | Louisville |
2008 | Tennessee (36-2) | Stanford |
2007 | Tennessee (34-3) | Rutgers |
2006 | Maryland (34-4) | Duke |
2005 | Baylor (33-3) | Michigan State |
2004 | Connecticut (31-4) | Tennessee |
2003 | Connecticut (37-1) | Tennessee |
2002 | Connecticut (39-0) | Oklahoma |
2001 | Notre Dame (34-2) | Purdue |
2000 | Connecticut (36-1) | Tennessee |
1999 | Purdue (34-1) | Duke |
1998 | Tennessee (39-0) | Louisiana Tech |
1997 | Tennessee (29-10) | Old Dominion |
1996 | Tennessee (32-4) | Georgia |
1995 | Connecticut (35-0) | Tennessee |
1994 | North Carolina (33-2) | Louisiana Tech |
1993 | Texas Tech (31-3) | Ohio State |
1992 | Stanford (30-3) | Western Kentucky |
1991 | Tennessee (30-5) | Virginia |
1990 | Stanford (32-1) | Auburn |
1989 | Tennessee (35-2) | Auburn |
1988 | Louisiana Tech (32-2) | Auburn |
1987 | Tennessee (28-6) | Louisiana Tech |
1986 | Texas (34-0) | Southern California |
1985 | Old Dominion (31-3) | Georgia |
1984 | Southern California (29-4) | Tennessee |
1983 | Southern California (31-2) | Louisiana Tech |
1982 | Louisiana Tech (35-1) | Cheyney |
Has any player won multiple Most Outstanding Player Awards?
In the history of the men's and women's NCAA tournaments, only 10 players have won multiple Most Outstanding Player Awards. UConn's Breanna Stewart holds the record with four, winning it in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. UCLA's Lew Alcindor (better known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) is the only other to have more than two, having won it in 1967, 1968 and 1969.
Men’s MOP
Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M (1945, 1946)
Alex Groza, Kentucky (1948, 1949)
Jerry Lucas, Ohio State (1960, 1961)
Lew Alcindor, UCLA (1967, 1968, 1969)
Bill Walton, UCLA (1972, 1973)
Women’s MOP
Cheryl Miller, USC (1983, 1984)
Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (1997, 1998)
Diana Taurasi, UConn (2003, 2004)
Candace Parker, Tennessee (2007, 2008)
Breanna Stewart, UConn (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Complete list of men’s Most Outstanding Players (1939-2023)
YEAR | NAME | SCHOOL |
2023 | UConn | |
2022 | Kansas | |
2021 | Baylor | |
2019 | Kyle Guy | Virginia |
2018 | Villanova | |
2017 | Joel Berry II | North Carolina |
2016 | Villanova | |
2015 | Duke | |
2014 | UConn | |
2013 | Louisville* | |
2012 | Kentucky | |
2011 | UConn | |
2010 | Kyler Singler | Duke |
2009 | North Carolina | |
2008 | Kansas | |
2007 | Florida | |
2006 | Florida | |
2005 | Sean May | North Carolina |
2004 | UConn | |
2003 | Syracuse | |
2002 | Juan Dixon | Maryland |
2001 | Duke | |
2000 | Mateen Cleaves | Michigan State |
1999 | Richard Hamilton | UConn |
1998 | Jeff Sheppard | Kentucky |
1997 | Miles Simon | Arizona |
1996 | Tony Delk | Kentucky |
1995 | Ed O'Bannon | UCLA |
1994 | Corliss Williamson | Arkansas |
1993 | Donald Williams | North Carolina |
1992 | Bobby Hurley | Duke |
1991 | Christian Laettner | Duke |
1990 | Anderson Hunt | UNLV |
1989 | Glen Rice | Michigan |
1988 | Danny Manning | Kansas |
1987 | Keith Smart | Indiana |
1986 | Pervis Ellison | Louisville |
1985 | Ed Pinckney | Villanova |
1984 | Patrick Ewing | Georgetown |
1983 | Akeem Olajuwon | Houston |
1982 | James Worthy | North Carolina |
1981 | Isiah Thomas | Indiana |
1980 | Darrell Griffith | Louisville |
1979 | Magic Johnson | Michigan State |
1978 | Jack Givens | Kentucky |
1977 | Butch Lee | Marquette |
1976 | Kent Benson | Indiana |
1975 | Richard Washington | UCLA |
1974 | David Thompson | NC State |
1973 | Bill Walton | UCLA |
1972 | Bill Walton | UCLA |
1971 | Vacated | N/A |
1970 | Sidney Wicks | UCLA |
1969 | Lew Alcindor | UCLA |
1968 | Lew Alcindor | UCLA |
1967 | Lew Alcindor | UCLA |
1966 | Jerry Chambers | Utah |
1965 | Bill Bradley | Princeton |
1964 | Walt Hazzard | UCLA |
1963 | Art Heyman | Duke |
1962 | Paul Hogue | Cincinnati |
1961 | Jerry Lucas | Ohio State |
1960 | Jerry Lucas | Ohio State |
1959 | Jerry West | West Virginia |
1958 | Elgin Baylor | Seattle |
1957 | Wilt Chamberlain | Kansas |
1956 | Hal Lear | Temple |
1955 | Bill Russell | San Francisco |
1954 | Tom Gola | La Salle |
1953 | B.H. Born | Kansas |
1952 | Clyde Lovellette | Kansas |
1951 | Bill Spivey | Kentucky |
1950 | Irwin Dambrot | CCNY |
1949 | Alex Groza | Kentucky |
1948 | Alex Groza | Kentucky |
1947 | George Kaftan | Holy Cross |
1946 | Bob Kurland | Oklahoma A&M |
1945 | Bob Kurland | Oklahoma A&M |
1944 | Arnie Ferrin | Utah |
1943 | Ken Sailors | Wyoming |
1942 | Howie Dallmar | Stanford |
1941 | John Kotz | Wisconsin |
1940 | Marvin Huffman | Indiana |
1939 | Jimmy Hull | Ohio State |
Complete list of women’s Most Outstanding Players (1982-2023)
YEAR | PLAYER | SCHOOL |
2023 | Angel Reese | LSU |
2022 | Aliyah Boston | South Carolina |
2021 | Haley Jones | Stanford |
2019 | Chloe Jackson | Baylor |
2018 | Arike Ogunbowale | Notre Dame |
2017 | A'ja Wilson | South Carolina |
2016 | Breanna Stewart | Connecticut |
2015 | Breanna Stewart | Connecticut |
2014 | Breanna Stewart | Connecticut |
2013 | Breanna Stewart | Connecticut |
2012 | Brittney Griner | Baylor |
2011 | Danielle Adams | Texas A&M |
2010 | Maya Moore | Connecticut |
2009 | Tina Charles | Connecticut |
2008 | Candace Parker | Tennessee |
2007 | Candace Parker | Tennessee |
2006 | Laura Harper | Maryland |
2005 | Sophia Young | Baylor |
2004 | Diana Taurasi | Connecticut |
2003 | Diana Taurasi | Connecticut |
2002 | Swin Cash | Connecticut |
2001 | Ruth Riley | Notre Dame |
2000 | Shea Ralph | Connecticut |
1999 | Ukari Figgs | Purdue |
1998 | Chamique Holdsclaw | Tennessee |
1997 | Chamique Holdsclaw | Tennessee |
1996 | Michelle Marciniak | Tennessee |
1995 | Rebecca Lobo | Connecticut |
1994 | Charlotte Smith | North Carolina |
1993 | Sheryl Swoopes | Texas Tech |
1992 | Molly Goodenbour | Stanford |
1991 | Dawn Staley | Virginia |
1990 | Jennifer Azzi | Stanford |
1989 | Bridgette Gordon | Tennessee |
1988 | Erica Westbrooks | Louisiana Tech |
1987 | Tonya Edwards | Tennessee |
1986 | Clarissa Davis | Texas |
1985 | Tracy Claxton | Old Dominion |
1984 | Cheryl Miller | Southern Cal |
1983 | Cheryl Miller | Southern Cal |
1982 | Janice Lawrence | Louisiana Tech |
