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The UConn Huskies are one of the most successful college programs in March Madness history despite not always securing the top seed to start the NCAA tournament.
They have five NCAA Division 1 championships, winning in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2023. In the history of the NCAA men's basketball tournament since the introduction of a 64-team field, 24 of the 38 (63.2%) championship trophies been lifted by the No. 1 seed.
Let's explore the UConn Huskies' historic achievements in the big dance, with four of their wins coming while not being the top seed.
What seed was UConn when they won March Madness?
1999 UConn Huskies (No. 1 Seed, 34-2)
UConn won an NCAA championship as a No. 1 seed only once in school history, during the 1998-1999 college basketball season.
Under Jim Calhoun, the top seeded Huskies in the West Region went to the Final Four for the first time and also claimed their first NCAA men's basketball division 1 championship .
Connecticut was led by future NBA champion and Detroit Pistons legend Richard "Rip" Hamilton. He won the Most Outstanding Player and secured the national title in a close game (77-74) against Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Corey Maggette and the rest of the Duke Blue Devils.
2004 UConn Huskies (No. 2 seed, 33-6)
Led by the future top NBA draft picks, Emeka Okafor (No. 2) and Ben Gordon (No. 3), the UConn Huskies made history by winning their second national title in NCAA men's basketball.
The Huskies won a close game against the Duke Blue Devils, 79–78, in the Final Four before clinching the title by beating Georgia Tech, 82–73. Emeka Okafor received the Most Outstanding Player award for his exceptional contributions, dropping 24 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in the championship game.
The achievement was extraordinary, as it coincided with the UConn women's basketball team also winning a national title, making the University of Connecticut the first school in NCAA Division I history to win both the men's and women's basketball in the same season.
2011 UConn Huskies (No. 3 seed, 32-9)
The UConn Huskies made a historic run in the 2011 season, entering the Big East tournament as the No. 9 seed. Despite missing a first-round bye, they triumphed, winning five games in as many days to clinch the Championship and an automatic NCAA tournament berth.
They continued their winning streak from the Big East tournament, winning 11 straight games, including six straight in March Madness, culminating with their third national championship victory over fellow underdogs, Brad Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs.
Junior Kemba Walker was named the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
2014 UConn Huskies (No. 7 seed, 32-8)
Led by AAC Player of the Year Shabazz Napier and second-year Huskies coach, Kevin Ollie, UConn made history as the first No. 7 seed and the second lowest-seed to win the NCAA Championship.
They beat top-seeded Florida, along with Saint Joseph's, Villanova, Iowa State and Michigan State, concluding with a 60–54 victory against the Kentucky Wildcats in the championship game.
Future NBA and Euroleague player, Shabazz Napier, was named the 2014 NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Simultaneously, the UConn women's team secured a national title.
It marked the second time that a school won both championships in men's and women's basketball, a feat first accomplished also by UConn, in 2004.
2023 UConn Huskies (No. 4 seed, 31-8)
Coached by Dan Hurley, the UConn Huskies had a strong season despite their low seed. They captured their sixth Final Four and secured their fifth national championship dominantly, winning all their games by more than 10 points.
Starting as the No. 4 seed in the West region, they beat Iona, Saint Mary's, Arkansas and Gonzaga. In the national semifinal, they beat Miami by 13 points. The championship game was a significant win, by 17 points over San Diego State, as they clinched their fifth national title.
This accomplishment tied them with Duke and Indiana for the fourth spot for most NCAA men's basketball championships, highlighting their dominance in one of the most impressive March Madness performances in NCAA history.
