The Champs Are Here: UConn’s Back on Top 🏆

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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. UConn Wins the 2025 National Championship 🏆

The University of Connecticut Huskies are national champions once again. While many expected it to be a tight battle between two powerhouse programs, UConn broke away from South Carolina in the first quarter and stayed in command throughout, leading by 10 at the half and closing out the game with a 23-point win, 82–59.

WHY IT MATTERS: UConn was the most dominant program in women’s college basketball from the mid-’90s through the mid-2010s, collecting 11 national titles—including four straight from 2013 to 2016. But after an eight-year championship drought, the Huskies are back on top. This win marks Geno Auriemma’s 12th national title, the most by any coach in college basketball history—men’s or women’s.

It’s also a storybook ending for superstar Paige Bueckers, who burst onto the scene as a freshman with National Player of the Year honors but battled injuries in the seasons that followed. With a title to her name, her legacy as one of the program’s all-time greats is now unquestioned.

🎥 Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong were both unstoppable Sunday. 👉 Watch the game highlights on ESPN

2. WNBA Star Elena Delle Donne Announces Retirement 👋

Two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne officially announced her retirement this past Friday. After 10 standout seasons—including a 2019 championship with the Washington Mystics—Delle Donne is hanging up her jersey. She will serve as a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, the Mystics’ ownership group. (WNBA)

WHY IT MATTERS: At 6'5" with elite shooting touch, Delle Donne was one of the most versatile and efficient scorers the WNBA has ever seen. After being drafted second overall in 2013, she went on to win MVP with two different franchises—2015 with the Chicago Sky and 2019 with the Washington Mystics. She remains the only WNBA player to join the ultra-exclusive 50-40-90 club—averaging 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free-throw line during her MVP-winning 2019 season.

Despite all her accolades, her career was also shaped by adversity. Back injuries and illness—including two surgeries after the 2019 Finals—sidelined her for the entire 2020 season and much of 2021. While fans never got to see a fully healthy Delle Donne over a sustained stretch, what she accomplished through it all was extraordinary.

🎥 Delle Donne could score every way—post moves, midrange, and from deep. 👉 Watch highlights from her 2022 WNBA season

3. Maya Moore, Sue Bird, and Sylvia Fowles Are Headed to the Hall 🏅🎉

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was announced this weekend—and three of the game’s most iconic women are in. Maya Moore, Sue Bird, and Sylvia Fowles were all selected in their first year of eligibility. (Basketball Hall of Fame)

WHY IT MATTERS: This marks the first time that three women will be inducted as players in the same Hall of Fame class. Between them, Moore, Bird, and Fowles own four NCAA championships, eight WNBA titles, and two WNBA MVP awards.

Each one dominated at both the college and pro levels. From Bird’s leadership and longevity, to Moore’s unstoppable prime, to Fowles’ interior dominance, they helped raise the standard for generations to come.

Enshrinement activities for the Class of 2025 will take place in September.

📸 All three Hall of Famers were in the building at this weekend’s Final Four—see the photo here.