There are currently 351 teams in Division I women’s basketball. Throughout the entire history of the sport, only 17 of those teams have accrued at least 1,000 wins.
However, a few recently joined the prestigious club, while others have been members for years.
Here are the 12 winningest teams in women’s basketball history, just a few games into the 2024-25 season:
(Records were taken from the NCAA’s official record book, which can be found here.)
WOMEN’S HOOPS 2024-25: Preseason poll | Must-watch matchups | No. 1 South Carolina beats Michigan in season opener
First season: 1973
Total seasons: 48
Program record: 1039-370 (0.739)
Green Bay has found success under all four of its head coaches since the program began over 50 years ago. After four straight NCAA tournament appearances in the mid-2010s, the Phoenix made it back to the Big Dance in the 2023-24 season.
First season: 1966
Total seasons: 55
Program record: 1039-434 (0.708)
The Jackrabbits have competed in 11 NCAA Tournaments, while making the Sweet Sixteen in 2019. Since joining the Summit League in 2007, South Dakota State has put together a .755 win percentage and .827 win percentage in conference play.
First season: 1971
Total seasons: 50
Program record: 1055-468 (0.711)
The 2006 national champions, Maryland has consistently been a team discussed come tournament time year in and year out. Coached by Brenda Frese since 2002, the program has produced seven seasons with at least 30 wins under her.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOP PLAYERS IN 24-25: Returners | Transfers
First season: 1965
Total seasons: 56
Program record: 1074-438 (0.691)
For older sports fans, most would remember how the Buckeyes dominated in the 1980s under coach Nancy Darsch, producing nine straight season with less than seven losses each year. And for the next generation, OSU and coach Jim Foster were dialed in during the 2000s and early 2010s with nine consecutive years of 22 or more wins.
First season: 1969
Total seasons: 52
Program record: 1097-470 (0.699)
Old Dominion found the most success in the 1980s, winning a national championship in 1985, and it didn’t stop there. The program reached the NCAA Tournament in 18 out of 20 times between 1990 and 2010.
2024 National Championship: South Carolina goes 38-0 and wins 2024 NCAA women’s basketball title
First season: 1968
Total seasons: 53
Program record: 1127-466 (0.712)
Even though the Ladyjacks don’t have a national title like other teams below them, Stephen F. Austin was a consistent NCAA Tournament attendee in the 1980s and 90s. Out of the school’s 20 appearances, 14 came before the 2000s.
First season: 1974
Total seasons: 47
Program record: 1128-419 (0.731)
When it comes to consistency, the Longhorns have been the definition of that, appearing in every NCAA Tournament since 1983. Texas only has one national title to show for it, but was one of the best teams in the 1980s with six straight undefeated regular seasons.
First season: 1974
Total seasons: 47
Program record: 1149-352 (0.775)
Tied for the third-most national championships in the nation, Stanford has made a deep postseason run in nearly every year since coach Tara VanDerveer took over in 1985. To show how dominant the Cardinal has been, the program hasn’t loss more than 10 games in a season since 2017, and done so only six times under VanDerveer.
Men’s basketball: 9 winningest teams in Division I basketball
First season: 1974
Total seasons: 47
Program record: 1153-342 (0.755)
Louisiana Tech appeared in the Big Dance every season from 1982 to 2006, and snagged two national titles while at it. They haven’t made it back since 2011, but have put together seven seasons with at least 15 wins in the mean time.
First season: 1920
Total seasons: 99
Program record: 1162-586 (0.673)
Like many teams on this list, James Madison thrived the most in the 1980s and 90s, making it there six of the 13 times in school history. In recent years, the Dukes have become a staple to WNIT and are favorites for the 2024-25 season to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference standings.
First season: 1974
Total seasons: 47
Program record: 1271-318 (0.800)
When it comes to discussing women’s college basketball, there’s no way UConn and longtime coach Geno Auriemma. The Huskies lead the nation in national titles with 11 and have produced some of the best, and well-known, collegiate players the game has seen. Additionally, no team on this list has more wins per season than UConn.
Talk about dominance.
First season: 1902
Total seasons: 69
Program record: 1451-372 (0.796)
The Pat Summit era is still a hot topic in Knoxville, TN, as the Volunteers bagged all eight of their national championships under her.
Producing some of the best players to grace college basketball like Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings, Tennessee only has 13 of its 69 seasons with 10 or more losses — six in the last 10 years.