UConn, NC State men’s, women’s basketball join list of both teams making Final Four in same year
It’s a good time to be a hoops player — and fan — at NC State and UConn.
Basketball is thriving in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Storrs, Connecticut, after NC State and UConn both had their men’s and women’s basketball teams reach the Final Four. It’s the first time that two schools were able to accomplish the milestone in the same season.
For the Wolfpack, the No. 3 seeded women's team hadn't reached a Final Four since 1998, and the No. 11 seeded men's team hadn't made a Final Four since winning it all in 1983. For the Huskies, the No. 3 seeded women’s team will be back in the Final Four after missing it last season, while the No. 1 seeded men’s team will be trying to become the first team in nearly 20 years to win back-to-back titles.
It’s already hard enough to make one Final Four, but for both schools at the same campus to do it in the same year is an impressive feat. But NC State and UConn aren’t the first schools to achieve it.
Here are the schools that were able to send a men’s and women’s team to the Final Four in the same year:
Georgia, 1983
Georgia was the first school to get a men’s and women’s team in the Final Four at the same time when it did it in 1983.
That year, the men’s team made its first Final Four in team history, losing to NC State. It was also the women’s first Final Four, but the Bulldogs lost to Southern California.
Duke, 1999
Duke’s teams not only just made the Final Four in 1999, but also made it to the championship game.
The men’s team lost to Connecticut, while the women’s team ,in its first Final Four trip, lost to Purdue for the title.
Oklahoma, 2002
The men’s team lost in the Final Four to Indiana, while the women’s team made the national championship game, losing to Connecticut.
Texas, 2003
Another school found success the year after Oklahoma in rival Texas.
The men’s team lost in the Final Four to Syracuse, while the women’s lost to Connecticut in the Final Four.
Connecticut, 2004
Connecticut began its impressive run of men’s and women’s success in 2004.
The men’s team won the national championship over Georgia Tech, and the women beat Tennessee for the national title for a double-victory, the first ever in Division I history.
Michigan State, 2005
The Michigan State women’s team made its first Final Four, losing to Baylor in the national championship game. The men lost to North Carolina in the Final Four.
LSU, 2006
The LSU women’s team made its third-straight Final Four, losing to Duke in the national semifinals. The men made the Final Four and lost to UCLA.
Connecticut, 2009
The women were successful in winning a national championship over Louisville, but the men lost to Michigan State in the Final Four.
Connecticut, 2011
Connecticut had another successful basketball season two years later. The men won the national championship game over Butler, but the women lost to Notre Dame in the Final Four.
Louisville, 2013
The women advanced to the national championship game, losing to Connecticut. The men won the national championship over Michigan, but it was vacated for NCAA violations.
Connecticut, 2014
Connecticut achieved its fourth time of both squads making the Final Four in 2014.
The men beat Kentucky to win the national championship, and the women beat Notre Dame for the title for another double celebration.
Syracuse, 2016
The women's team made its first Final Four in school history, losing to Connecticut in the championship game. The men lost to Michigan in the Final Four.
South Carolina, 2017
The last school before NC State to have both teams reach the final Four, South Carolina women’s team won its first national championship after beating Mississippi State. The men made its first Final Four, losing to Gonzaga in the semifinal.
NC State, 2024
The newest school to the club, the women will play South Carolina on Friday, while the men play Purdue on Saturday.
Connecticut, 2024
The latest school to join the party, Connecticut is sending its men’s and women’s team to the Final Four for a record fifth-time in the same year.
The women will play Iowa on Friday, while the men play Alabama on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn, NC State sending men's, women's teams to same Final Four
